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Staten Island, NY – The Wagner College football team will open its 2021 spring season on Sunday, as the Seahawks play host to Duquesne at Hameline Field at 12 pm. The game will be broadcast live on NECFrontRow.
Masella's Debut
Sunday's contest marks the debut for head coach
Tom Masella. A member of the Wagner Athletics Hall of Fame and Staten Island native, Masella returned to Grymes Hill in December 2019 after previously serving as the defensive coordinator at Northeast Conference (NEC) rival Bryant.
The Captains
The 2021 Seahawks will feature two captains in seniors
Ahmad Lyons and offensive lineman
Xavier Bryson. Lyons, a 2020 preseason All-NEC selection, finished his first season on Grymes Hill with 40 tackles, two pass breakups, and two interceptions in the secondary, but was also asked to step into a multi-purpose role late in the season. Playing in all three phases of the game, Lyons returned 12 kickoffs for 247 yards, gained 51 yards out of the backfield, caught one pass for four yards in the season-finale against Bryant, and threw a touchdown pass on a trick play at Saint Francis U.
Bryson appeared in all 11 games in 2019, starting the season at center and moving to right tackle for the final stretch of the season. The versatile senior started at right tackle in four out of the final five games of the season after earning two starts at center to open the year.
Key Returners On Offense
Wagner returns its leading receiver from 2019 in senior
Joshua DeCambre. DeCambre earned the first All-NEC honor of his three-year career after leading Wagner with 675 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2019.
The Seahawks also return tight end
Nolan Quinlan, a 2020 Phil Steele Preseason First Team All-NEC selection and offensive lineman
Tyler Piekarz, a Phil Steele Preseason Second Team All-NEC selection.
Key Returners On Defense
Despite losing their entire starting defensive front four from a season ago to professional contracts, the Seahawks return a plethora of talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Junior
Titus Leo was named a preseason All-NEC selection in 2020 and his the Seahawks' leading returning tackler. Leo finished the year with 68 total stops, including a season-high eight tackles in the season finale against Bryant. The hard-hitting New York City native recorded a fourth-quarter forced fumble at Duquesne, while recovering a fumble at Saint Francis U.
Aside from Leo and Lyons, Wagner also returns defensive lineman
Macai Bruce, a Phil Steele Third Team Preseason All-NEC selection in 2020.
Coaching Changes
The 2021 Seahawks will feature a new head coach and three new coordinators. Wagner's new offensive coordinator is
Chris Nugai, while
Darrell Wilson was elevated to defensive coordinator.
Jim Munson will be the Seahawks' special teams coordinator. Wilson and Munson are the only returning assistants for the Green and White this season.
Wagner In The Pros
Former All-American outside linebacker
Cam Gill won the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February. Gill made a tackle on a kickoff with 7:25 to play in the third quarter, before combining with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in taking down Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for a sack with five minutes remaining in the game. Gill was also credited with a forced fumble on the play.
This marks the second consecutive season a former Seahawk has won the Super Bowl, as former two-sport standout
Greg Senat was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs last season.
Following a record-setting collegiate career that saw him earn consecutive Northeast Conference (NEC) Defensive Player of the Year and All-America honors, Gill was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buccaneers following the 2020 National Football League draft and earned a spot on Tampa Bay's roster in training camp.
Overall, the Seahawks had four former players under NFL contract during the 2020 regular season in Gill, Senat (Dallas Cowboys), linebacker Julian Stanford (Carolina Panthers) and defensive tackle
Chris Williams (Indianapolis Colts). Additionally former defensive linemen
Tevaughn Grant and
Julian McCleod inked deals with Canadian Football League (CFL) teams, as all four members of the 2019 Wagner defensive line signed professional contracts since ending their collegiate careers.
Scouting The Dukes
Playing their first game in 470 days, Duquesne kicked off the 2021 spring football season with a 30-27 victory over Sacred Heart.
The Dukes' kicker Brian Bruzdewicz was named the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week in the process.
The Series
The last Seahawk victory over Duquesne came in 2014, a 23-13 win on Grymes Hill. Saturday's matchup will be the 15th overall meeting between these two NEC rivals, with the Dukes holding an 9-5 advantage in the all-time series.
Next Up For Wagner
Following Sunday's contest, Wagner is scheduled to travel to Bryant on Sunday, March 21, with kickoff set for 1:00 pm.
