State of the Program: Randolph football retooling for another championship push
Randolph's offense was one of the strongest in all of New Jersey last fall, powering the Rams to a sectional championship game.
In the end, the Rams came up short in one of the highest scoring games of the entire season: A 49-35 loss to North Hunterdon in the North 2, Group 4 title game.
"As a coach and getting to the semifinal a couple of times, it felt like we needed to get over the hump and get back to a sectional final," Nahan said. "That said, we definitely weren't satisfied just getting there."
Randolph returns plenty of players from last year's team, including four starters that were sophomores in that game. Some of the larger names that are missing, however, are offensive leaders Sean Clark and Stephen Petruziello.
Clark, the first two-year starter under Nahan at Randolph, had consecutive campaigns with at least 2,100 yards passing, while Petruziello led all Randolph running backs a season ago with 845 yards on the ground.
"We're going to lose kids to graduation like every other school," Nahan said. "It's important to reload and the goal stays consistent to go win it all."
One key returner is senior running back Jesse Wilfong, who ran for more than 600 yards and eight touchdowns in fewer than 100 carries last season.
The Rams' have a big addition under center in senior Josh Anderson, a transfer from North Carolina. Anderson has had a busy offseason, attending camps at North Carolina State and Penn State among others. He also shined at the Wilson QBX camp in May, winning camp MVP at the New Jersey edition.
"The best part is that Josh has been with us for a few months now and it has just been a natural fit," Nahan said. "People tend to gravitate to him. Josh loves football, so when he is on the field, he is all in."
STATE OF THE PROGRAM: Inside look at every HS football teams in North Jersey
The tradition
Randolph has a strong history that includes seven sectional championships, including five in the 1980s. After the program's first title in 1983, the Rams enjoyed a run of five consecutive titles from 1986 through 1990. They won 59 consecutive games during that run, setting a state record at the time.
Last season's sectional final appearance was Randolph's first since shutting out Montclair in the 2010 North 2, Group 4 final.
"Randolph football has always been known across the state," Nahan said. "It's not my job to make Randolph well-known. Credit to the coaches that came before me because they did that. Our goal every year is to be successful, reach the state playoffs and make some noise."
The challenge
The Rams scored at least 24 points in all but one game last season, but defensive struggles held them back against North Hunterdon.
They're looking to rely more on depth this season in order to give two-way starters some rest during games.
"We want to put the 11 best players we have on the field whenever we can," Nahan said. "That does mean some guys are playing both sides of the ball. We want to put the best product on the field and that includes the best defense. If you're able to make plays on the field, we want you on the field."
Expectations
Randolph remains a team to watch in Group 4.
The addition of Anderson, a dual-threat quarterback, will add a new wrinkle to the Rams' attack. Wilfong gives the run game a chance to stay productive.
The program will rely on its strong participation numbers to keep players fresher throughout the season.
2023 schedule
Sept. 1: at Mount Olive
Sept. 8: vs. Roxbury
Sept. 15: vs. East Orange
Sept. 23: at Chatham
Sept. 29: vs. Morristown
Oct. 6: at Livingston
Oct. 13: at West Morris
Oct. 20: vs. Morris Knolls
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Randolph NJ football retooling for another championship push
