'You just have to be your best every single day': Fifth-year seniors to play key role for HC football
Holy Cross senior LB Jacob Dobbs talks about the start of training camp at @HCrossFB media day at Fitton Field.@GoHolyCross @tgsports pic.twitter.com/jIGQTXp5PG
— Jennifer Toland (@JenTolandTG) August 10, 2023
WORCESTER — Last season’s 14 fifth-year seniors played a major role in the Holy Cross football team’s run to the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals.
There are 10 fifth-year players on this season’s team, and the group, with its talent, experience and leadership, will figure prominently in the 2023 Crusaders’ success.
“You just have to be your best every single day,” fifth-year senior linebacker Jacob Dobbs said. “It’s just on you every single day to have a positive attitude and be the best version of yourself for the guys next to you.
“When you’ve been in this program for five years,” Dobbs said, “it really takes care of itself, but it’s really just on you to maintain that standard every single day to an even higher level now because all eyes are on you.”
Dobbs missed most of last season due to an elbow injury. He is the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and his return will bolster the Crusaders.
In addition to Dobbs, cornerback Devin Haskins, running backs Jordan Forrest and Tyler Purdy, free safety Kamryn Molton, offensive linemen C.J. Hanson, Pat McMurtrie and Dalton Daddona, tight end Sean Morris, and punter Patrick Haughney are fifth-years.
“The experience from us is the biggest thing,” Haskins said. “We’ve all played a lot of football here, so the ability for us to be able to teach the younger guys and lead by example to the best of our ability, I think that’s a powerful thing for the younger guys to see. That’s what (last year’s fifth-year seniors) did. They taught us a lot of things. We want to keep that trend going.”
Right time for nonconference challenges
Holy Cross’ nonconference opponents are finalized years in advance, but coach Bob Chesney believes this season’s team is more than up for the challenge of the 2023 schedule.
The Crusaders will face two Football Bowl Subdivision teams (Boston College and Army), Ivy League powers Yale and Harvard, and Merrimack, which beat up HC two years ago, in their opener.
“This season is a battle,” Chesney said. “It was determined long before, but I think the timing is appropriate.”
The Crusaders last had two FBS foes (Navy and Syracuse) on their schedule in 2019, Chesney’s second season. HC played at BC in 2018. Holy Cross lost those three games by a combined score of 148-24.
Each of the last two seasons, HC beat its FBS opponents (UConn and Buffalo). In 2022, the Crusaders defeated Yale and Harvard in the same season for the first time in program history.
“We’re different (now),” Chesney said. “You go through the roster, and you see the sheer size and the sheer strength. We’re a different program. Almost every single guy we have can get on the field for us in some capacity. That’s different. That was not the case all the time. When you go to practice, that’s the thing that stands out to me.
"It elevates everybody when even your freshmen are as big and fast and strong as your upperclassmen. That’s what’s starting to happen and turn this thing a little bit faster.”
Entering 2023, Holy Cross, which earned a No. 4 preseason national ranking from HERO Sports, has won 16 straight regular-season games.
“Coach Chesney always says our best is good enough,” Dobbs said. “They’ve done a good job recruiting and bringing in elite people and elite football players, so that allows us to lean on each other. We know we’re going to be in a lot of football games if we just do our job to the best of our ability and play as hard as possible.”
Crusaders collected preseason accolades
Dobbs and Haskins are among five Crusaders who earned preseason All-America accolades from FCS Stats Perform.
Dobbs, senior quarterback Matthew Sluka and senior offensive lineman Luke Newman garnered first-team honors, Haskins and senior wide receiver Jalen Coker second-team recognition.
Sluka and Coker are on the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List. The award is for the FCS Offensive Player of the Year.
Dobbs and Haskins made the Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List. That award goes to the FCS Defensive Player of the Year.
Haughney is on the FCS Punter of the Year Preseason Watch List.
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known at Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross football notes: Fifth-year seniors again to play key role
