Marist football returns to action vs. Columbia following nearly two-year layoff

POUGHKEEPSIE – The long wait is finally over.

Saturday will mark 665 days since Marist played a football game. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the fall 2020 season and the school opted not to participate when the Pioneer Football League moved its season to spring 2021.

Add to that a two-week delay to start this fall season when Georgetown had to withdraw from a Sept. 4 game with the Red Foxes due to COVID issues.

So the much-anticipated return to play comes Saturday afternoon when Marist visits Manhattan to take on the Ivy League’s Columbia University (1 p.m., SNY, ESPN+). The Lions also skipped the 2020-21 season and last played on the same date as Marist’s final appearance, Nov. 23, 2019.

“It is just so exciting,’’ said defensive coordinator Scott Rumsey.

“It’s a blessing, honestly,’’ said junior linebacker Arthur Pinckney. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s unreal. It’s a great feeling.’’

“Without football, we were kind of lost,’’ said senior quarterback Austin Day. “That’s what we do for a living. We love it. We came here to get a good education and to play some football.’’

Seventy-eight of Marist’s 115 players have not participated in college football as of yet and there are 64 true or redshirt freshmen. Marist was limited in its spring drills and returned to practice last month. Pinckney said it wasn’t hard to shake off the inactivity.

“It was easy because it’s something that you’re waiting for, you’re working toward every day,’’ Pinckney said. “As far as getting yourself there, if you didn’t want to be out here, it’s just this isn’t for you. Either go hard or go home.’’

Head coach Jim Parady runs the offense. He says the Red Foxes have playmakers. “We feel that our skills positions are very, very ready to go,’’ he said. Parady's chief concern remains continuity within the whole offensive squad – the initial depth chart lists nine freshmen, including two potential starters in the unit.

The return of Day at quarterback and Hunter Cobb at running back is a good start for the Red Foxes. Day is a combination threat with a very strong arm and quickness with his feet. He made his debut as a starter midway through the 2018 season and has 13 career starts. He once threw for 440 yards in a double-overtime win against Davidson. Cobb started the final six games of 2019, and his 13 touchdowns were the most for a Marist back since 2008. Fifth-year senior Mekhai Johnson has appeared in 23 games and has averaged six yards per carry.

Wide receivers Dwayne Menders Jr., Sydney Person and Scott Scherzer and tight end Wyatt McMahon are the only receivers who have seen collegiate action. Up front, Ben Johnson moved from right tackle to left tackle, and center Ethan Parrish played previously at guard spots.

On the defensive line, Aaron Acosta was a freshman all-American in 2019 and named preseason All-PFL. Nick Foglia returns at not tackle with Jacob Abill moving from nose to defensive end opposite Acosta. Linebackers Mike Arrington, Jayden Johnson and Pinckney will make their first starts in 2021 but all saw good action in reserve. The same holds true for corners Jamal Valentin and Tyhir Harley.

Graduate safety Kyle Fleitman was second team all-PFL in 2019 and a preseason pick this season. He is a Campbell Trophy nominee. Teddy Wright, Clayborne Fields III and Jhonny Quest played every game in 2019.

“I think we’re in good shape defensively,’’ Rumsey said. “I feel pretty good about where we are with our guys, knowing our scheme. We tackled fairly well throughout camp.’’

Luke Paladino was good on 39 of his 43 kick attempts in 2019. Dominic Donohue averaged 34.2 yards per punt that season.

Marist was picked for ninth in the PFL coaches’ preseason poll, and the Red Foxes are the only school out of 11 members that has yet to play. Marist hosts Bryant on Sept. 25 in its last non-conference game.

Losing the Georgetown game certainly put a crimp in the plans to have the team ready for PFL play, which starts Oct. 2 at Valparaiso.

“These (non-conference) games are very important,’’ Parady said. “We’re still identifying our strengths and our weaknesses. We’re just trying to grow and identify those things and getting those things into a position to give us a chance for the most success.’’

Parady is headed into his 30th season as head coach with the Red Foxes (142-152-1) making him the longest-tenured coach in NCAA Division I. His last winning season was 2013 when Marist went 8-3 and 7-1 in the PFL for a co-championship.

The Red Foxes have five first-time captains: Arrington, Fleitman; Johnson, Day and Pinckney.

Rumsey expects Columbia to play similar to what he saw from the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The Lions are set to use multiple quarterbacks and will alternate with one, two and three tight end looks.

“There’s going to be a lot of young guys out there,’’ in our lineup, Rumsey said. “I don't expect a perfect game in any phase of the team – offense, defense or special teams – but I think we know where our shortcomings are and we're going to try to do everything we can at each spot … to try to cover that up as best we can. When it comes down to it, we just have to be disciplined and we have to make some plays.’’

kmcmillan@th-record.com

Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

Two-deep chart

Offense

WR – No. 84 Scott Scherzer, Jr.; No. 81 Will Downes, Soph.

WR – No. 1 Dwayne Menders, Jr.; No. 25 Antoine Morales, Soph.

LT – No. 72 Ben Johnson, Jr.; No. 62 Ibrahim Giwa, Fr.

LG – No. 77 Zaire Cooper, Fr.; No. 64 Masin Cobb, Fr.

C – No. 68 Ethan Parrish, Jr.; No. 50 Sal Crescenzo, Fr.

RG – No. 73 Anthony D’Urso, Jr.; No. 74 Jake Anapol, Fr.

RT – No. 78 Nico Negron, Fr.; No. 63 Eric Genua, Fr.

TE – No. 85 Wyatt McMahon, Grad; No. 35 Brandon Lysick, Fr.

WR – No. 15 Sydney Person, Jr.; No. 16 Brett Landis, Fr.

QB – No. 14 Austin Day, Sr.; No. 8 Julian McGarvey, Jr.

RB – No. 34 Hunter Cobb, Jr.; No. 48 Mekhai Johnson, Sr.

Defense

DE – No. 90 Aaron Acosta, Jr.; No. 99 Carlson Badamo, Jr.

NT – No. 93 Nick Foglia, Jr.; No. 61 Nick Jackson, Fr.

DE – No. 92 Jacob Abil, Sr.; No. 95 Halil Gecaj, Jr.

LB – No. 2 Mike Arrington, Jr.; No. 52 David Torres, Soph.

LB – No. 6 Jayden Johnson, Jr.; No. 59 Justin Iaccio, Soph.

LB – No. 44 Arthur Pinckney, Jr.; No. 54 Xander Kendall, Fr.

S – No. 22 Kyle Fleitman, Grad; No. 23 Jhonny Quest, Jr.

S – No. 21 Clay Fields III, Jr.; No. 42 Paul Olivett, Jr.

S – No. 5 Teddy Wright, Sr.; No. 33 Kyle Coffindaffer, Soph.

CB – No. 3 Tyhir Harley, Soph.; No. 7 Isaiah Smith, Soph.

CB – No. 28 Al Stallworth, Fr.; No. 38 Austin Trimble, Fr.

Special teams

K – No. 36 Luke Paladino, Jr.; No. 31 Chase Gardi, Fr.

P – No. 25 Dominic Donohue, Soph.; No. 36 Paladino

KO – No. 36 Paladino; No. 35 Donohue

H – No. 25 Donohue; No. 13 Luke Strnad, Sr.

KR – No. 48 Mekhai Johnson, Sr.; No. 25 Antoine Morales, Soph.

KR – No. 1 Dwayne Menders, Jr.; No. 3 Tyhir Harley, Soph.

PR – No. 1 Menders; No. 22 Kyle Fleitman, Grad.

LS punt – No. 59 Justin Iaccio, Soph.; No. 37 Cameron Ball, Fr.

LS PAT/FG – No. 59 Iaccio; No. 37 Ball