The 2025 Cortland football team will be the 120th in school history. Continuing a tradition that has been in place for decades, the team will refer to itself as Team CXX (120 in Roman numerals). Spring practice is underway, marking not just the beginning of Team CXX, but the beginning of a new era of Cortland football. Here are three storylines to follow as camp progresses.
Finding Boyes’ Successor
Coach Blumenauer and his staff will be tasked with filling many holes left by last year’s senior class. One hole will be harder to fill than the others, as replacing former quarterback Zac Boyes is much easier said than done. In three years as the starter, Boyes passed for nearly 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns. As a junior, Boyes led Cortland to its first National Championship in program history.
The current quarterback room lacks experience, but there is no shortage of potential. Senior Joe Young, juniors Craig Galea and Steve Otremba, and sophomore Mikey Rescigno will duke it out for the starting job. All four bring something different to the table. Young is the veteran of the group and Boyes’ departure finally presents an opportunity for the senior. Galea has the size advantage standing at 6’5 and has a very strong arm to go with it. Otremba has an excellent football IQ and already has a great understanding of the offense. Rescigno is a very strong runner who thrives on designed runs, but can also extend plays and often makes his best throws outside the pocket.
No Shortage of Playmakers
The return of several offensive starters will make whoever does end up being named the starting quarterback’s job a whole lot easier. Cortland brings back running backs Ethan Gallo and Tyson Taylor. Gallo and Taylor offer a one-two punch as Gallo’s hardnosed, downhill style is complimented by Taylor’s speed and elusiveness. Gallo is a member of the baseball team, which prevents him from participating in spring practices. His absence will lead to valuable reps for other members of the backfield looking to emerge as a possible third option. One name to watch is sophomore Gamie Sauveur.
A big question entering last season was how the offense would replace wide receivers Cole Burgess and JJ Laap. The expectation was that Joe Iadevaio would be the Red Dragon’s main pass catcher, before tearing his ACL last spring. This led to opportunities for young guys like Jayson Zeva, Sam Cotton, and Joe Klein. The already loaded receiver room gets a huge boost with the return of Iadevaio and the additions of Hartwick transfer Conor Cosgrove and Stony Brook transfer Jacque LaPrarie. With a host of talent and no shortage of depth, this is by far the most competitive position battle and should last well into fall camp.
New Look Defense
With new faces on the coaching staff, multiple position battles, and an entirely new scheme being installed, you would expect the beginning of spring to serve as an acclimation period for the defense. Instead, it’s been the opposite, as each member of the defense is extremely motivated to make a name for themselves. Several guys have already stood out.
Aden Wiser has spent the last three seasons at defensive end, but has made the move to outside linebacker ahead of his senior year. The change should not be difficult as Wiser’s athleticism makes him very versatile. His combination of size and speed makes him a great pass rusher and that should easily translate in coverage.
George Gjelaj has given offensive linemen problems all spring. Like Wiser, Gjelaj has a great blend of size and speed. The 6’5 junior defensive end will have big shoes to fill replacing former Red Dragon Nick Lardaro. However, Gjelaj should have no problem making an immediate impact.
Cortland returns star corner Nazair Jean-Lubin but will have to find someone to play opposite the All-American. One guy to keep an eye on, is Hayden Lovinksy. The sophomore has great speed and excellent ball skills, which makes up for his smaller frame. Lovinsky pairs well with Jean-Lubin and continues to make plays.
With just two weeks left of spring ball, the coaching staff will start to develop a rough idea of what the depth chart will look like. Meaning that many players will have to make the most of these remaining practices. The team reports for fall camp on August 12th marking the official beginning of this new era of Cortland football. Even with new coaches and new players, the expectations and the standard remain the same.