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 … Wagner.
[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
Wagner (4-7 IN 2017)
Northeast Conference (Wagner was T-5th in 2017)
COACH: Jason Houghtaling – 4th year (11-22)
2017 OFFENSE: 21.3 ppg (79th in FCS)
2017 DEFENSE: 27.6 ppg (77th in FCS)
SUM IT UP: Wagner has the uncomfortable position of living on an island in the NEC, at least in 2018. The Seahawks aren't good enough to have any realistic chance at the conference title, but they're not bad enough to be in total rebuild mode like Robert Morris and Sacred Heart, either. They were picked fifth in the NEC preseason poll, and fifth is almost certainly where they will end up. The most interesting part of the season should be the quarterback battle between Ole Miss graduate transfer Graham Lindman and former backup Luke Massei, who was pressed into service for most of last season.
BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Wagner matches its 2017 record. There's a clear divide between the top four teams in the NEC and the bottom three, and it's doubtful the bottom half will pull any upsets. Wagner's most interesting game this season should be at Campbell; if the Seahawks scrape that win out, they should hold their ground from last year. Consistency is important here, because Wagner will be stuck in no-man's land if it can't show some forward progress to recruits.
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BEST FCS PLAYER BY NUMBER: We count down, No. 99 through No. 1[divider]
TOP RETURNEE: LB Quintin Hampton (Second-Team All-NEC, 156 Tackles Over Last Two Years).
THE NEXT FIVE: RB Ryan Fulse (Preseason All-NEC, 1,306 Rush Yards in '17); LB Cameron Gill (11.5 TFL's in '17); OL Brady Hudik (22 Career Starts); H-Back Chris Woodard (Second-Team All-NEC, 210 Receiving Yards and 1 TD); QB Luke Massei (Became Starter in Week 3 After Injury to Alex Thomson).
TOP NEWCOMER: QB Graham Lindman (Ole Miss Graduate Transfer).
DID YOU KNOW?: The Horace Green School in School of Rock is actually Wagner's Main Hall building.
THE QUOTE: the pro scouts that have come by to see him believe he has a high ceiling, especially given that he is still relatively new to the game, having not played football since way back early in his high school career." -Wagner Head Coach Jason Houghtaling to Newsday, on 2018 draft pick Greg Senat
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SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
FOOTBALL TWITTER: @Wagner_Football
This has to be one of the funnest #FCS Mic’d ups we’ve watched this year with @Wagner_Football and @Rob_Calabrese4! pic.twitter.com/mxciUqrXbC
— FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) August 10, 2018
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FEAR THE FCS: The Most Likely FCS-over-FBS Upsets of 2018
MORE NEC PREVIEWS: Bryant | CCSU | Duquesne | Robert Morris | Sacred Heart | Saint Francis
