College football preview: Wagner waiting for a turnaround

Nothing ever happens fast enough to suit a football coach.

And because he can read a scoreboard as well as anyone, hardly anybody can speak to that better than Wagner College head coach Tom Masella.

To say it’s been an uphill struggle for the Seahawks in his first three seasons would be underselling it. Masella’s hiring at his alma mater in 2020 came only a few weeks before the pandemic. There was no football until spring of 2021, and then only an abbreviated schedule that was eventually shortened from four games to two, both Wagner losses.

That fall, a return to a full schedule produced an 0-11 season. Last year, the record was 1-10. None of that keeps Masella from maintaining his perpetually upbeat demeanor heading into Saturday night’s season opener, a non-conference game at Fordham.

Masella believes he has a good starting point in quarterback Steven Krajewski, a graduate student transfer who started 11 games for Connecticut in 2021 and spent last year at Georgia State.

“A definite improvement,” Masella said. “He’s been around. He started at UConn. He’s older, he gets it. He’s been a great addition. … Good arm, good athlete … you combine the mental approach and I think he’s going to be pretty good. If we can keep him upright I think we will be able to generate points.”

Krajewski completed 52.8% of his passes for UConn in 2021, throwing for seven TDs and getting picked off 10 times.

Masella brought in a new offensive coordinator, Stephen Matos, in hopes of creating a more explosive attack. Matos most recently worked as an offensive analyst at Kansas for coach Lance Leipold.

“He runs the offense exactly the way I envision offense being run,” Masella said. “He’s been great with the kids, introducing the offense. I’m really excited to see how it’s come along. It looks a lot different.

“On offense, we have to score, we haven’t scored in two years,” Masella said. “In today’s game, if you can’t score, it’s hard to win.”

And while that comment has a Captain Obvious feel to it, what the coach means is the days of winning low-scoring games are long over. He expects to see a good run-pass balance with returning backs Ricky Spruill (98 carries, 355 net yards last year with three TDs) and Zachary Palmer-Smith (69 for 249 and two TDs).

Top receiver Naiem Simmons (50 catches, 796 yards, six TDs) departed for South Florida, and Masella expects to replace that productivity with numbers.

Those numbers don’t exist on the offensive line, but there is experience, particularly at center with sophomore Brady Anderson, who was pressed into service as the starter last year when Antonio Williams was injured. Williams, big and mobile, has been shifted to left tackle.

On defense, Masella is looking out at the field and no longer seeing one of the best players he’s ever coached, edge rushing menace Titus Leo, who ended up on the Indianapolis Colts’ injured reserve list. Leo was a two-time NEC defensive player of the year for the Seahawks, quite the feat given the Seahawks’ record those two years.

Replacing the specific talents of Leo probably can’t be done, but the overall unit might be a bit better. The leadership void will be filled by veteran linebackers Junior Wily and John Gioia. Masella, who is handling defensive coordinator duties, said the secondary play must improve.

“We can’t give up the amount of big plays we have,” Masella said. “Against Fordham last year, we were winning going into the fourth quarter. They scored 48, but they scored 48 against everybody. We gave up too many big plays.”

That was particularly true on special teams. However, Ryan Liszner, a freshman with a big leg from New Jersey, seems to be providing an answer with kickoffs that lead to touchbacks. Punters Bailey Marzola, an Australian by way of a junior college, and Joshua Brown are still battling for that job.

Can all of that add up to acceptable progress for Masella, the Tottenville HS product and Wagner Hall of Famer?

The schedule is difficult. After Saturday’s game with the Rams, Wagner visits Navy. The first two NEC games come next, followed by a visit to Rutgers. It’s three road games to start the season and five of the first six.

The veteran coach, who guided Central Connecticut to back-to-back NEC titles, at least has faith in his team’s spirit.

“I think we’ll be competitive in the NEC,” the coach said. “I look at our league and if you have a QB you have a chance. I finally like the team here. I can say we got kids who want to be here, care enough and they’re doing things the right way.

“If we can get through the first month (without many injuries), play well in those conference games the first month and get through Rutgers healthy, let’s go play the last six games. I know the challenges, but I like our team.”

September

2 -- at Fordham, 6 p.m.

9 -- at Navy, 3:30 p.m.

16 -- at Sacred Heart, 1 p.m. *

23 -- Merrimack, 4 p.m. *

30 -- at Rutgers, TBA

October

12 -- at Saint Francis, Pa. -- 7 p.m. *

21 -- Central Connecticut, noon *