Rowan Looking For Return To Top Of NJAC
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – 2011 was a frustrating season for the Division III Rowan Profs down in Glassboro, New Jersey.
Usually near the top of the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings, Rowan finished last season just 5-5 (5-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference). And those five losses came by a total of 25 points, leaving a long offseason of wondering what could've been for head coach Jay Accorsi.
"We were so close, almost in every game. It certainly could've been a 9-1, 10-0, 8-2 season,' Accorsi tells KYW Newsradio. "But again, the expectations here are much different here than most programs. 5-5 for us is disastrous. And I think it motivated all of us, coaches and players, to relook at ourselves and rededicate ourselves to winning Rowan football and that's what it's all about."
Matt Leon interviews Jay Accorsi: LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
Last season also didn't sit well with starting quarterback, junior Louie Bianchini.
"Right after TCNJ last year (final game of the season), that was all me and the guys were talking about," Bianchini says. "It's just served as huge motivation this year to stay in the weight room in the offseason and when summer came, keep staying in the weight room. Coming down here every Sunday to do 7 on 7's, working on the timing with the receivers. The defense comes down here, it's the hardest I've seen this whole team work since I've been here personally. And we've all become so much closer because of all this stuff."
Bianchini is coming off his first season as the starter in Glassboro as he threw for 1984 yards and 19 touchdowns, while completing 57% of his passes. Accorsi says having him in place is a real plus for the 2012 Profs.
"Louie really came on towards the mid and the end part of the season. So certainly when you have a quarterback that has the experience that Louie does, you're going to do some really good things."
Bianchini says experience has helped the offense take big steps.
"It's definitely accelerated because all of us have been here throughout the year and we all understand the playbook and know the plays. It's just putting it onto our actions on the field."
Matt Leon interviews Louie Bianchini: LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
Accorsi likes what he sees at other positions as well.
"I think we're deep in a lot of areas. I think we have a lot of players in a lot of positions that returned. Keith Corcoran and Matt Dortch at the running back spot. Ed Eisenhart and Sean (Carroll) and Anthony Barone and Dan Reed at the wide receiver spot. So we have a lot of players at a lot of different positions. So I think its one of the more deeper teams we've had."
As for question marks here in 2012.
"We lost four or five main contributors in the secondary," Accorsi says. "We have some good players back, but we're a little bit younger at that position. We lost a few offensive lineman, so they need to gel and come on."
And the way the schedule breaks down, Accorsi says his Profs will need to be sharp right from the opening kickoff.
"We start off against Delaware Valley who is certainly ranked high in a lot of preseason rankings in Division III and then we go right to Division II Merrimack in Massachusetts. So I think the key to our season is to start really well early on and then try to carry it through the season."
That Profs opener against Del Val is September 1st in Glassboro.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
