Trinity hopes to build on momentum of season-ending fourgame winning streak.
Trinity missed the Division III playoffs for the seventh straight time last season.
But after closing with a four-game winning streak and finishing 7-3, the Tigers hope they can break that streak in 2019.
“The guys are trying to build on the end-of-the-year momentum, not take anything for granted, but we’re very excited about the potential — but we know we have a lot of work to do,” Trinity coach Jerheme Urban said.
Junior quarterback Wyatt Messex returns after an injury-plagued 2018. Messex threw for 1,672 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, but battled through a high ankle sprain he suffered in the second game of the season. He broke his wrist on his nonthrowing arm three weeks later and played the final four games with a cast.
Trinity coaches are eager to see how Messex can perform at full strength.
“He’s a tough cookie and he protects the football,” Urban said. “He can push it anywhere on the field. He’s mobile when he needs to be. He’s a great dual-threat, but he’s a pocket guy and he operates our offense very well.”
Messex has plenty of help at the skill positions. Senior wide receiver Tommy Lavine and junior Chris Stewart return after combining for 1,311 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2018.
“We have a bunch of guys on the perimeter that are coming back that have made big plays for a couple of years, and obviously we’re going to be expecting a lot out of them,” offensive coordinator Wade Lytle said.
Lytle, who also oversees the offensive line, must find replacements for three departed starters in the trenches, a top priority in fall camp.
“Guys were able to get into games last year,” Lytle said. “They have been battle-tested and played in big games, but this will be their first time stepping into what would be a starting role.”
On defense, the line is littered with experience. But the Tigers lost a pair of three-year starters in the secondary in Vail Miesfeld and Robert Kuhne.
“There was some youth in the box, and they’re maturing and growing,” said Paul Michalak, assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. “There’s going to be a lot of competitive situations.
There’s a lot of excitement for who’s going to rise up and kind of take some of the leadership roles and get out there. We should be more mature, physically and mentally, defense going into this fall.”
An emphasis for Michalak is creating turnovers. Trinity had 20 takeaways in 2018, which was tied for 92nd nationally in Division III. Opponents had 18 fumbles, but only eight were recovered by Trinity.
“We’ve got to get the ball back in (the offense’s) hands,” said Michalak, who also coaches linebackers. “The more opportunities they have to drive the field and put points on the board are big. The biggest factor in winning and losing football games is the turnover margin.”
Last season, Trinity scored just 28 points in the fourth quarter. It is a big reason
why the Tigers’ three losses were all by single digits — a combined 17 points.
“We did a good job scoring points,” Lytle said, “but when the game’s on the line in the fourth quarter, we need to make sure we produce touchdowns in those crunch situations.” Urban was a member of Trinity’s most successful team ever — the 2002 Division III finalists. Entering year six of his tenure as head coach, Urban feels the team is inching closer to its old prominence.
“We are closer than we were five years ago, six years ago, but it’s a funny game,” Urban said. “You’ve got to stay healthy, and the ball has to bounce your way a couple times, but I’m very proud of our guys and their mentality of trying to maximize each day.”