The Stetson football team will try to put the tribulations of the first two weeks of the 2017 season behind them on Saturday when the Hatters open conference play at Marist.
 
Kickoff from Tenney Stadium in Poughkeepsie, NY, is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be video streamed through the Marist Athletics web site (GoRedFoxes.com) with Geoff Brault and Ed Weir on the call of the game.
 
Stetson fans can also listen to the game on the Hatters Radio Network (WSBB AM 1230 and AM 1490 or online at MyAM1230.com) with Luke Mauro and Stuart Johnson on the call.
 
Both teams are hoping to bounce back from less than stellar outings in their season-openers last week. Stetson fell to Sacred Heart 42-3 and Marist lost to Bucknell 45-6.
 
"The nice thing is that game (Sacred Heart) doesn't hurt our chance at a conference title," Hatters coach Roger Hughes said. "While we made a ton of first game mistakes, and we had more than half of our starters in their first college game, we had a hard time adjusting on the speed of the game. You build on what you learn, you correct your mistakes and you move on. That is what we are trying to do this week."
 
Hughes said he sees a lot of similarities between his team and the Marist club.
 
"I think they are in a very similar situation to what we are in that they had a big loss to Bucknell last week," Hughes said. "Both of the teams we played were scholarship schools and I think from a class wise with starters, they are in a similar situation in that they have a very young team."
 
The contest will be the first in the Pioneer Football League this year, meaning the winner will get to sit at the top of the PFL standings until the full conference schedule begins on September 23.

Stetson Notes

• For the second time in the first two weeks of the season, the Stetson Hatters will fly into Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, NY. After spending more than four hours in the terminal last week following the game at Sacred Heart, there are hopes of a smoother trip this time.
• Adjustments have been the name of the game so far this season. Following the long trip home, which ended at 7:30 am on Sunday, the team had to move practice to the Edmunds Center on Monday afternoon due to heavy thunderstorms then, on Tuesday morning when the team reported to start practice at 6:30 am, the lights on the ATC field would not come on.
• The team had a somewhat normal practice on Wednesday, although without a number of players and coaches. Head coach Roger Hughes, assistants Brian Young and Bob Majeski and nine players traveled to the Atlanta area to represent the program at the funeral of teammate Nick Blakely, who passed away on August 28 after collapsing at practice.
• The Hatters' travel plans following the game at Marist are somewhat up in the air thanks to Hurricane Irma. Stetson University cancelled classes as of noon on Thursday, with dorms closing at 10 a.m. on Friday. Hurricane Irma is expected to be near central Florida late on Sunday or early on Monday. Campus and dorms will remain closed until after the storm has passed and damaged has been assessed, meaning the team will not be able to return home until the all clear is given.
• The Hatters faced a similar situation last October with Hurricane Matthew. The team returned from playing at Brown but stayed in Orlando for three nights before being allowed back on campus.
• The Hatters had 10 first-time starters last week at Sacred Heart, including seven on the offensive side of the ball. Those first-timers included QB Colin McGovern, FB Tony Gilotti, RB Bryce Blackmon, WR Luke McDermott, WR Justin Jordan and OL Bradley Alexander and Juwuan Livingston.
• On the defensive side of the ball the first time starters were NT Zane Smith, DB JJ Henderson and DB Reggie Gantt.
• Stetson has now had 96 different players make starts since the football program was restarted for the 2013 season. The Sacred Heart game was the first that did not include LB David Lazear, who started all 45 games of his career from 2013-16.
• The Hatters also had new players in the kicking game with snapper Garrett Ware joining with punter Matias Gasc and kicker Jonny Messina as first-time starters.
• Overall, Stetson had 24 players who made their collegiate debuts in the game at Sacred Heart. That group included 10 true freshmen, 10 redshirt freshmen and four others.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.