Despite struggles, Lions confident improvement is coming
It’s only natural to look at the winless record and assume The College of Jersey football team isn’t making the necessary progress.
However, many times with a young team the scoreboard isn’t the best place to judge.
“I’ve always said, don’t measure yourself by the scoreboard,’’ said TCNJ coach Rocky Hager. “Measure yourself by what your improvement level has been. If you go and improve by one percent each day and then you link them together, it’s real improvement. We feel we are making good progress.’’
The Lions (0-3, 0-2 NJAC) came out of Saturday’s 17-0 loss to Christopher Newport with some growth on the defensive side. The offense with just 10 points in three games is still struggling, and special teams didn’t hurt them.
Things don’t get any easier this week for TCNJ as they head to No. 13 Salisbury (3-0, 2-0 NJAC) for another tough conference game. This is the third ranked opponent the Lions have faced in the first four weeks of the season.
“We are going to have to be very disciplined defensively,’’ Hager said of the Sea Gulls, who are the defending NJAC champions. “They are a very good football team and if you mess up they are going to make your pay.’’
The Lions got a solid game from Troy Domenick, Max Busca and Abdelrahman Ragab as they led the defense that slowed down the high-powered CNU air attack. Domenick had 11 tackles, Busca and Ragab each had sacks.
Now TCNJ has to get the offense moving if it wants to get this season turned around.
“We still have the same woes on the interior,’’ said Hager of the young offensive line. “We are not staying on our blocks and we have to keep pounding away and get better at that first level. Otherwise we are facing a long season.’’
A year ago the Lions started the season with four straight losses and then ran off four straight to end the season on a high note. Ironically, the game against Salisbury last year was postponed due to weather.
“We will get this fixed as a team,’’ said senior center and captain, Hank Harvey. “I’m really looking forward to Salisbury. I this will be the week it’s all going to come together. We are seeing some improvement, some new things are opening up and we are tightening up some things.’’
Against Christopher Newport, the Lions reached the CNU side just three times and never got any closer than the Newport 32yard line.
“We are going to have to analyze the entire situation,’’ said Hager, of the offensive struggles. “There is the possibility of some adjustments.’’
Hopefully, whatever adjustments are made are ones that allow the Lions to move in the right direction, both in practice and on the scoreboard.
Around the NJAC: Montclair State scored in the final 49 seconds to stun Rowan. MSU’s John DiStefano, who leads the conference averaging 138.0 rushing yards a game, scored on a nineyard run for the game winner. … Christopher Newport faces Rowan this week. … Kean took William Paterson, 24-13 and has Frostburg State this week. … Paterson hosts Montclair State. … TCNJ’s Domenick is second in the conference with 9.7 tackles a game.