The Crusader football team is set to start their 2014 campaign Saturday as they travel to Indiana to take on Earlham College. The Crusaders will be led by second-year head coach Craig Candeto, who is looking to build off the 3-7 record his team carried last year.
The Crusaders have a lot of new faces on a team that aims to lead Capital to their first winning season since 2009. Coach Candeto and his staff brought in over 80 freshmen and transfers to help build the program’s depth.
Depth is such a major emphasis of importance for the Crusaders as they play in one of the top athletic conferences in the country. The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) opens up the season with three teams in D3football.com’s Top 25 (Mt. Union, John Carroll and Heidelberg).
After losing 18 seniors who had contributing roles last year, the Crusaders will have a roster where over 90 percent of the team is underclassmen. Candeto recently mentioned the youthfulness of his team at the OAC Media Day in Canton, Ohio.
“Having younger guys is okay with us. With only five seniors, these younger guys will have to step up and lead,” said Candeto.
Starting quarterback Chase Longwell, a staple from last year’s team, is a returning team member. Longwell started at quarterback in eight games last year, accumulating 500 yards passing and 449 yards rushing.
Longwell, an ideal fit for the Crusaders after running the triple option in high school, is hoping to continue to learn and grow under Candeto this season. Longwell will be in charge of making a lot of quick decisions, including how the ball is distributed for a majority of the plays in the Crusader’s offensive system.
When the triple option is run well, it can be a nightmare for defenses going up against the play. In most recent memory, Candeto’s alma mater Navy scorched Ohio State for 370 rushing yards making the Buckeyes look confused on multiple series. After implementing the system last year, the foundation should be in place for the Crusaders to take the next step to compete in the grueling OAC.
The Crusaders’s first challenge will come when they travel to Earlham College, located in Richmond, Ind. Earlham will be looking to bounce back from the 2-8 record they held after the 2013 season, and they are (0-1) after losing to Denison 35-6 in week one.
This will be the Crusader’s only non-conference contest before they began OAC play against Wilmington on Sept. 20. Kickoff is scheduled for Sept. 13 at 1:30 p.m.
9/13 at Earlham •
1:30 p.m.
9/20 vs. Wilmington * •
1:30 p.m.
9/27 at Muskingum * •
7:00 p.m.
10/4 vs. Mount Union * •
12:30 p.m.
10/11 at Otterbein * •
7:00 p.m.
10/18 vs. Ohio Northern * •
2:00 p.m.
10/25 at John Carroll * •
1:30 p.m.
11/1 vs. Baldwin Wallace * •
2:00 p.m.
11/8 vs. Heidelberg * •
1:30 p.m.
11/15 at Marietta * •
1:00 p.m.
