COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Capital University football team will be entering the 2022 season with a new energy. Now officially entering his third season at the helm of Capital football, head coach Brian Foos and his staff have just completed their first recruiting cycle as the driving force of the program. 

With this new class under their belt, the staff has an excitement that they hope transpires to the team to begin turning the corner in the revitalization of the program. 

Backing up in time, coach Foos was brought in to lead the program in December of 2020, leaving just three months to prepare for the uncharacteristic, shortened spring 2021 season that began in March. Then, half a year behind on the 2021 recruiting class, the coaching staff managed to bring in a solid number of new players, but no were near the number a full year would have yielded. Now, fast-forward to the present, and the coaching staff has brought in a class of 60 combined transfers and freshmen to this year's class. In total, these new team members will be joining a contingent of 46 returners, making a total roster number of 106 for the upcoming season. 

PRESS REWIND ON 2021
During the 2021 season, Capital put together a record of 2-8, which showed a vast improvement on the previous years. In fact, the team's 41-7 win over Defiance College on opening week marked the team's first win in more than 1,000 days, dating back to November of 2018. From there, the team continued to play well, but ran out of gas late in games and then faced an uphill challenge against four nationally ranked opponents resulting in five consecutive losses. The team then rebounded with an emphatic 35-28 win over Ohio Northern. The win would be their last positive result of the season, but ultimately showed great signs for what's to come for Capital football.

WELCOME BACK 
Returning to the program to guide the offense is starting quarterback Ben Everson. A year ago, Everson played in seven games throwing for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. He also scored twice on 142 yards rushing the football. Everson's best game of the year came at ONU when he passed for 351 yards and four touchdowns. That performance led to him being named OAC Offensive Player of the Week. Trevor Harrison-Rawn also saw time under center a season ago as he appeared in five games and completed 16 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns. 

The biggest challenge for Everson in 2022 will be the fact his top three receivers from last season have graduated from the program in the form of Noah Meeker, Kameron Lee, and Mike Smith. The trio combined for 1,228 yards and 13 touchdowns. The next two leading receivers returning are Drew Engle and Aralius Walters Jr. Engle and Walters combined for 352 yards and a pair of TDs. Sam Pickett will also be a reliable returner in the receiving game this year. 

In the run game, Capital returns their top four rushers in the form of Engle, Lance Matthews, Jonathan Williams, and Tyson Shutler. Engle led the rushing corps with 113 carries for 428 yards and two scores. Matthews rushed 51 times for 205 yards. Williams toted the pigskin for 143 yards and three scores. Shutler rounded it out with 92 yards and a touchdown on 27 rushes. 

Returning to guide the offensive line is two-time All-Conference player Brady Kuhn. Kuhn has served as the o-line general over the years and will certainly pick up a senior leadership role this season again. 

On the defensive side of the football, four of the team's top-five tacklers will be returning in 2022. Nick Fisanick led the way with 71 stops, which included 42 solo stops. James Curtis finished third on the team with 55 tackles, a near even split of 28 solo tackles and 27 assists. Balor Appiarius was next on the team with 48 tackles, while including 31 individual stops. Jack Blaisdell rounded out the top-five with 47 tackles, which factored in 32 solo tackles. 

Among those leading tacklers, Blaisdell led the team in tackles for a loss with 19 behind the line of scrimmage, leading to a loss of 67 opponent yards. Five-and-a-half of those TFLs resulted in sacks for Blaisdell as well. Blaisdell had a strong game vs. Defiance and earned OAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. 

The team forced a total of 14 opponent turnovers with six interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. Returners Fisanick and Appiarius had one interception each. James Curtis led the team in fumble recoveries with two. 

In the special teams game, Capital will rely heavily on returners Eric Noble and Tyler Terrell to handle the kicking and punting duties. Noble was the leading kicker on the team, while Terrell served as top choice back-up at both the kicking and punting positions. 

Lance Matthews and Aralius Walters Jr. are the top-two returnmen this season. Matthews led the team with 14 returns for 269 yards a season ago, while Walters took 10 returns for 259 yards, which included a 92-yard house call against Otterbein.  

LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE
Capital will open the season with three straight night games, two of which are on the road. Opening night will take place down the road at NCAC opponent Denison University on Saturday, September 3rd at 7 p.m. A week later, Cap will then host Ohio Northern in a much anticipated affair at 7 p.m. on September 10th. Their final night game of the season will take place on the road at Muskingum on September 17th. 

Capital will then return home on September 24th for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff on Hall of Fame and Homecoming Day. 

The rest of the season will face match-ups with Otterbein (Oct. 1), Mount Union (Oct. 15), John Carroll (Oct. 22), Baldwin Wallace (Oct. 29), Marietta (Nov. 5), and Heidelberg (Nov. 12). Of the October and November schedule, the Mount Union, BW, and Heidelberg games will all be played at Bernlohr Stadium, while the others will be on the road.