The New Jersey Athletic Conference football preseason rankings came out last week and the Montclair State Red Hawks—in the words of the great Rodney Dangerfield—“ain’t got no respect." The Hawks will open the season ranked sixth out of seven teams per the coaches' poll.
The program looks to bounce back from a very disappointing 2022 season. The Red Hawks ended the year just 2-8 and were 0-6 in the NJAC. All season, the team struggled to close out games as this ultimately became the detriment to their record.
After 40 seasons, the Rick Giancola Era concluded when the longtime head coach retired last November. Enter Mike Palazzo, the first-year head coach looking to bring a new era to Montclair after years on the coaching staff.
Key Offensive Players
Mason Murdock: The junior quarterback returns after starting all 10 games for the Red Hawks last season. Murdock finished the year throwing for 1,223 yards with seven touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Mason is also a threat on his feet as he rushed for a total of 184 yards—which was good for third best on the team last season. He will need to do a better job of taking care of the ball and turn that TD/INT ratio in a more positive direction.
Eric Cowan: The senior tight end will be the biggest offensive player returning—coming off a year where he led the team in receptions (25) and receiving yards (345). Cowan has led the team in both categories for two straight years and shows no signs of slowing down.
Key Defensive Players
Nicholas Burgess: The junior linebacker is coming off a spectacular season that saw him earn First Team All-NJAC honors. Burgess finished the year with a team leading 94 tackles, including 15 in the season finale against William Paterson. He also was able to find the ball on defense, ending the year with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Dimitri Pali: The defensive lineman also earned First Team All-NJAC in 2022. Pali led the defense with five sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, and eight quarterback hits. The fifth-year senior is sure to have another dominant year getting after the quarterback, as he has a combined 14 sacks over the past two seasons.
Key Games
Week 1 @ Gettysburg
The Red Hawks open their season on the road on September 9th when they travel to Gettysburg to square up with the Bullets. The Bullets, like Montclair State, had a disappointing 2022 season—going 1-9—and might be the perfect opponent to open with.
Week 4 vs. TCNJ (Homecoming)
The Red Hawks play in-state rival TCNJ in the annual Homecoming game on September 30th. Last year's homecoming game ended in a heartbreaking 14-13 loss to Christopher Newport, leaving this year's night game at Sprague Field a must-win. Students, parents, and alums will file in and be fired up for this game; that should be all Montclair State needs to power their way to a win.
Week 6 vs Salisbury
The Red Hawks’ biggest test of the year will come on October 14th against the four-time defending NJAC champion Salisbury Seagulls. Salisbury has come out on top four years in a row (2020-2021 was split with the Red Hawks during a Covid season). Montclair State has yet to beat the Seagulls, having a putrid 0-8 record since Salisbury joined the NJAC. This year looks to be no different as Salisbury is once again projected to be the top team in the NJAC, having many of their starters from last year returning.
The Wait is Over
While the 2022 season was filled with heartbreak, the Red Hawks return this year with more experience, more talent, and more opportunities to turn some heads. As the dog days of summer fade into the sunset and the crisp autumn air rolls in, the Montclair State Boys of Fall will show that they have what it takes to shock the NJAC this year.
