Sep. 1—Typically, when a football team loses all but one starter on defense and most of its starters on offense, it is in for a rebuilding season.

That isn't the case with Lackawanna College.

The Falcons were able to take advantage of the transfer portal and restock with some talented players who were at NCAA Division I programs. That should help them follow up last season's success when they went 7-3 and lost to New Mexico Military Institute in the Wool Bowl.

"In this era of guys going in the portal, they may not have landed where they want to land. So we're fortunate to get these portal guys," head coach Mark Duda said.

"Older guys from four-year programs add stability to our program. We've never had that. We've never had like nine or 10 bounceback guys (at once). We've had like two."

Among the transfers is Robert Rossi, a 2022 Scranton Prep graduate. He went to Penn State as a preferred run-on, but things didn't quite work out there. He said it wasn't the right fit.

"I didn't know if I wanted to play football again," Rossi said. "This was kind of a late decision. This is a good place to open up your recruitment again. Coach Duda is a great coach. He's had many great players leave here and go to great places. So it's great to be a part of it."

A wide receiver at Penn State, Rossi is switching to tight end at Lackawanna.

"I'm enjoying tight end a lot better," Rossi said. "The biggest adjustment is there's more blocking. You've got to be a lot more physical up front. You have to know the run and pass game."

Rossi is part of a talented corps of pass catchers that includes Michael Hodge, a transfer from Old Dominion University, and Maxwell James and Holt Egan, transfers from James Madison University.

Also, Petey Tucker (16 catches, 309 yards, 3 TDs) and Kyree Hinton (14-258, 2) return. They ranked second and third, respectively, in receiving on last year's team.

"Receiver might be the best position in this program," Duda said.

Duren Hamas, who appeared in six games last season, is likely to be the starting quarterback. Wyatt Hagan, a transfer from VMI, was also brought in.

One standout back for the Falcons from last season is running back Terez Worthy. The sophomore was an NJCAA All-American honorable mention after leading the team with 849 yards and 10 touchdowns and averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

Maurice Edwards, a transfer from Vanderbilt, will join Worthy in the backfield.

Center Devin Palmer is one of the few players with experience on the offensive line. However, transfers Rueben Adams (Georgia Tech) and Jayson Tarpeh (VMI) will bolster things up front.

"Our offensive line is fantastic," Duda said. "We've got some age in our offensive line. I don't even know if we'll have a freshman start."

Safety Ambrose Fletcher (15 tackles, 1 interception) is the lone starter back on defense. However, the unit will be loaded with transfers such as defensive lineman Antonio Alfano, a former five-star recruit from New Jersey who was at Alabama and Colorado; defensive back Saint McLeod, who played eight games in 2021 with West Virginia, including two starts at safety; defensive back Gene Townsel from West Virginia; and defensive back Kai Hodge from Old Dominion.

Duda said it is great to have the older players from big-time programs because they lead and set an example for the younger players.

"The young guys follow them because they know where they were," Duda said. "They're like, 'How do I get to Georgia Tech or Alabama?' Do all the things that (the older guys) do and then they'll have a shot to do that. They can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn't seem as distant to them when they have players among them that have been there."

This is Duda's 31st season as head coach. He is sitting on 199 career wins and milestone victory No. 200 could come as soon as Saturday when Lackawanna opens its season against Jireh Prep at 1 p.m. at Scranton Veterans Memorial Stadium.

"I still enjoy it," Duda said. "I remember the first one and I'll remember this one when it comes. It's been a lot of football. It's a testament to everybody hanging in with us all those years. It's not my team, it's our team."

Once again, the Falcons will play a daunting schedule that features nationally ranked Snow College and Georgia Military College, as well as Monroe College, which received votes in the NJCAA Division I Top 15 poll.

Lackawanna was ranked No. 14 in the preseason poll. After some teams played and lost last week, it moved up to No. 12 in this week's rankings.

"We don't want to lose any and I think we have the ball club not to lose any," Duda said. "At least we have the firepower to play against everybody we play against. That's the biggest thing. We're not going to a gunfight with a club. We're going to have good athletes all across the board. We might lose one or win one or whatever. But we're going to be in all of them and that's all you can really ask. If someone told you, 'Hey, you're going to be in every game in the fourth quarter this year,' you'll take it. That's where we're going to be and that's fascinating to me. Because sometimes we're not in that situation. Sometimes we may be young or don't have those kind of players or aren't deep enough. This year, we're most of those things. So now it's just a matter of those guys taking care of business."

Lackawanna College 2023 football schedule

LACKAWANNA COLLEGE 2023 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Saturday JIREH PREP, 1 p.m.

x-Sept. 9 vs. Louisburg College, 5 p.m.

Sept. 16 at Georgia Military, 1 p.m.

Sept. 23 at Nassau CC, TBA

Sept. 30 SUSSEX CC, 1 p.m.

Oct. 7 MONROE COLLEGE, 6 p.m.

Oct. 14 HOCKING COLLEGE, 1 p.m.

Oct. 21 CONNECTICUT STATE WARRIORS, 1 p.m.

Oct. 28, at Snow College, 9 p.m.

Nov. 4 at Monroe College, 4 p.m.

Nov. 11 GEORGIA MILITARY, 1 p.m.

Home games in CAPS

X-at Chesterfield, Va.

NJCAA Top 15 preseason football poll

NJCAA TOP 15 PRESEASON POLL

1. Iowa Western CC

2. Hutchinson CC

3. Northwest Mississippi CC

4. Snow College

5. Kilgore College

6. Jones College

7. Coffeyville CC

8. East Mississippi CC

9. Garden City CC

10. Iowa Central CC

11. Navarro College

12. Butler CC, Kansas

13. Georgia Military College

14. Lackawanna College

15. Trinity Valley CC

LACKAWANNA COLLEGE SCHEDULE

Saturday: JIREH PREP, 1 p.m.

x-Sept. 9: vs. Louisburg College, 5 p.m.

Sept. 16: at Georgia Military, 1 p.m.

Sept. 23: at Nassau CC, TBA

Sept. 30: SUSSEX CC, 1 p.m.

Oct. 7: MONROE COLLEGE, 6 p.m.

Oct. 14: HOCKING COLLEGE, 1 p.m.

Oct. 21: CONNECTICUT STATE WARRIORS, 1 p.m.

Oct. 28: at Snow College, 9 p.m.

Nov. 4: at Monroe College, 4 p.m.

Nov. 11: GEORGIA MILITARY, 1 p.m.

Home games in CAPS

X-at Chesterfield, Va.

NJCAA TOP 15 PRESEASON POLL

1. Iowa Western CC

2. Hutchinson CC

3. Northwest Mississippi CC

4. Snow College

5. Kilgore College

6. Jones College

7. Coffeyville CC

8. East Mississippi CC

9. Garden City CC

10. Iowa Central CC

11. Navarro College

12. Butler CC, Kansas

13. Georgia Military College

14. Lackawanna College

15. Trinity Valley CC

Contact the writer:

swalsh@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100, ext. 5109;

@swalshTT on Twitter