HERO Sports welcomes you to "Two-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 125 FCS programs, with two being released each day from June 18 to August 18 (with the final day having three in one day). Today we give you … Marist.
[divider] MORE: Compare Any Two FCS Players or Any Two FCS Teams [divider]
FCS TEAM BY TEAM PREVIEW: The countdown
FCS PRESEASON TOP 25: The poll
FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA: The teams
MARIST (4-7 IN 2017)
Pioneer Football League (Marist was 8th in 2017)
COACH: Jim Parady – 27th year (133-139-1 record)
2017 OFFENSE: 21.3 ppg. (79th in FCS)
2017 DEFENSE: 30.7 ppg. (98th in FCS)
SUM IT UP: The pieces are in place for the Red Foxes to improve on their 3-5 conference record. With 13 returning starters and a veteran coach in Jim Parady, improvements are sure to happen. The defense was an issue last season, allowing 30.7 points a game. With three of the four top tacklers returning, led by All-PFL performers Willie Barrett, Eddie Zinn-Turner and Wesley Beans, this should be a better unit. Offensively, there's no better place to start than wide receiver Juston Christian. He was electric last year, catching 60 passes for 1,096 yards and five touchdowns. Christian is going to be a focal point as Marist breaks in a new starting quarterback and running back.
BEST-CASE SCENARIO: It will be considered a successful season if the Red Foxes slide into the top half of the PFL standings. Important pieces of the offense are missing, so the more experienced defense will need to step up. They may not be ready to compete for a conference title just yet, but 2018 can serve as that first step in getting back to the top.
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BEST FCS PLAYER BY NUMBER: We count down, No. 99 through No. 1[divider]
TOP RETURNEE: WR Juston Christian (First Team All-Pioneer Football League)
THE NEXT BEST: LB Willie Barrett (First Team All-Pioneer Football League); DT Eddie Zinn-Turner (49 tackles, 5.5 TFLs); S Wesley Beans (2017 leading tackler, 72 total); CB Brandon Miller (All-PFL Honorable Mention); C Dan Wittekind (All-PFL Honorable Mention)
TOP NEWCOMER: DL Aaron Acosta (True freshman, named South Jersey Defensive Player of the Year)
DID YOU KNOW?: Marist, located in New York, is the furthest school east in the PFL that extends from coast to coast.
THE QUOTE: "We're putting together a quality class of student-athletes, and we feel we've addressed our positions of need. We look forward to seeing this group make contributions on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Our class once again represents student-athletes nationwide." — Head Coach Jim Parady said on this year's recruiting class
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SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
THE HASHTAG: #GoRedFoxes
FOOTBALL TWITTER: @Marist_Football
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FCS QB TRANSFERS: Who Tops The List?
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