Deaf and hard of hearing Gallaudet's drive to Division III playoffs

Deaf and hard of hearing team at Gallaudet is preparing for the Division III playoffs. Offensive line coach Todd Collins pushed the team's big bass drum on wheels to midfield.

Deaf and hard of hearing Gallaudet's drive to Division III playoffs.

Gallaudet's football team is making it to the NCAA Division III playoffs. They will play Delaware Valley University on Saturday at noon ET. The team has only 50 players on the roster and none of them are on scholarship. There are only three full-time coaches on staff.  The team buses from the nation's capital to games as far as Maine. It's the second time in school history that Gallaudett has made it into the playoffs, but it's only the first time since 2013. "The world has a lower expectation of us. We have a belief in ourselves," says defensive coordinator Stephon Healey.

The Bison have a deaf quarterback, a hard-of-hearing offensive tackle and a freshman long-snapper. They also have Bean, who was born with Goldenhar syndrome and can't smile, frown or blink. The team's coach, Chuck Goldstein, learned ASL from the deaf community. He's organized film sessions for the team. The Bisons finished 5-1 in league play to earn automatic qualifier bid to the field of 32 teams. It was the last time the Bons won the ECFC title. Since then, the program has endured six straight losing seasons, and the cancellation of the 2020 season during the COVID-19 pandemic.