Football Starts Off Season Red Hot

Big Red football finished this year with yet another impressive record. The team ended the season at 6-2, following last year’s 7-1 season. The team started off red hot and won all of their first six games. But with their toughest two games falling at the end of the season, Big Red was unable to pull through, falling just shy of a spot in the playoffs. Despite the team’s shortcomings at the end of the season, Exeter’s football program proved itself to be a powerhouse among its NEPSAC competition.

Exeter began the season with a collection of uppers, lowers and postgraduates who were new to Big Red’s varsity squad. With all of the fresh faces, the team chemistry was something that needed to be established at the start of the season. But not only were the players new, but the coaching staff had also changed.

The biggest change to the team came not on the roster of players, but from the man calling the plays from the sideline. Exeter’s Director of Athletics Robert Morris returned to his past role as head coach of Big Red’s varsity football team. After having stepped down from the head coach position for a number of years, Morris returned to his old position in replacement of Bill Glennon.

Although Coach Morris had come back after a little break from Exeter football, it did not mean that he had lost his experience with the game. This helped him easily adjust to this year’s coaching job. “It was not difficult at all returning to varsity football,” Morris said. “I have spent each of the last twenty winters attending clinics, talking with coaches and watching film—football is a game that changes every year, and to coach it, regardless of the level, you have to stay abreast of the new approaches and techniques.”

Morris’ past few years coaching the JV team also kept him prepared to move back up to the varsity level. “As anyone can attest that played for me at the JV level, we never dumbed it down or expected anything less than we did from varsity.” After keeping the system rather uniform between the varsity and junior varsity levels, it left Morris well-prepared for the season ahead.

As the first days of preseason rolled by, the talent of the team was immediately evident. Even in the first days of practice, many of the players knew already that they had the potential to compete with the best teams in their league. With a roster full of experienced seniors and ten postgraduates, the team knew they had something big in store for them this season.

Senior co-captain Joey Hebl was one of those players. “From our first practice in late August, I knew we had a talented team,” Hebl said. “We had good size all around, plenty of athleticism, and a strong group of veterans who had been on the NEPSAC championship runner-up team the year before.  We had all the pieces required for what would eventually become a successful season.”

After watching the team crush Proctor in their opening scrimmage and Worcester 36-7 in their first regular season game of the year, the team’s first instincts proved to be right: the athletes were headed for a great season. Despite all the fresh faces on the roster, the team appeared to have no problem melding together. The chemistry came easy.

W’s filled the team’s record as the season continued. In the first part of the season, only one team, Loomis Chaffee, proved to be a challenge. Big Red squeaked by with a 14-13 win. In the other five wins of the season, the team pounded their opponents, winning by an average of 28.4 points.

Big Red’s stifling size and athleticism proved to be too great for their weaker adversaries. The sheer strength of Exeter’s offensive and defensive line, led mostly by postgraduates, allowed Exeter to dictate each game.

On offense, Exeter stuck to mainly running the ball, but their one-dimensionality did not hurt them. Few teams could stop Big Red’s run game. The team had what Coach Morris described as “a prolific run offense.”

“I definitely think our rushing game was our identity,” Hebl said. “Auggy Roberts had a solid run of at least 30 yards or more every game and could be counted on a regular basis to pick up a tough, gritty four yards on third down to preserve the drive.”

While Hebl complimented post-graduate running back Roberts’ outstanding play, he also did not forget to pay homage to the incredible job the offensive line did throughout the year. “A lot of credit has to be given to our O-line for that as well.  It may be a cliché, but they're the most underrated part of the game. You can't do anything without an O-line, and luckily this year we had a stout crew that gave Auggy great opportunities to gain huge chunks of yardage.”

While the team had a dominant offensive game, Exeter also dazzled fans and opponents on the defensive side of the ball. Led by future Harvard athlete and post-graduate Stone Hart at the line, a deep secondary unit and a strong group of linebackers, the team dominated others teams with their defense. 

Only one team—Avon Old Farms School—managed to score more than 14 against the defensive squad. Big Red gave up 11 points per game this season, while forcing fumbles and interceptions as they went. Exeter’s defense was always there to support the team when the offense was struggling to get started.

The team also saw solid improvement from many of its younger players. 

Senior David Ayscue said, “We saw good improvement from younger guys like Shayne Holland, Will Edwards, and James Quinn stepping in as starters with JT Thompson giving good depth at receiver and defensive back spots.” Although upper Holland will not be returning to the team next year, Exeter will still have a solid core of experienced players ready to take over the team next year.

“I am confident and excited about next year. We have a nice mix of new kids coming and a strong, talented, and experienced group returning who are poised to be making huge contributions. They have worked very hard in the off-season and everyone is looking forward to next fall,” Morris said. After two straight seasons as one of the best teams in NEPSAC, the younger boys will surely be eager to show that they have the talent to continue Big Red’s winning tradition.

As the team’s seniors finish their last year at Exeter, all the boys will forever remember their time on Exeter’s football squad. The tough practices and hard-fought wins will resonate in each of their minds as they move through life. “I'll miss the boys the most and going into battle with them every Saturday,” Ayscue said.

Hebl agreed. “You come out of an Exeter football season not just as teammates but as brothers. The run out to Phelps stadium, which goes by the Amos Alonzo Stagg statue, over the bridge and between the pines, will forever be etched in my mind.”