FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Patrick Coleman]

I believe Trinity had 85 players last year with 22 being Seniors. With O'Brien coming back how can they bring in 29 players? 

The 2025 Trinity roster listed 83 names (23 Seniors). I'm not sure if anyone other than O'Brien are returning for a Graduate year, but assuming he's the only one and nobody else has transferred or left the team it would leave 61 players. If you add in 29 freshmen that puts the number of players reporting for camp at 90. With the roster limit at 84 players, it seems like a pretty reasonable number when you factor in potential injuries that could pop-up along with a handful of roster cuts.

Significantly more than one senior returning, as Jeff Devanney said in our podcast interview with him last week:
https://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/2026/05/18/atn-podcast-408-nescac-countdown-bomber-boss-mascot-madness/

[Brady12]

Sounds like the Bantams are stacked and looking to make a run in first year of playoff eligibility.  Can't wait to see if any teams can step up and derail those plans.

[Trin9-0]

Significantly more than one senior returning, as Jeff Devanney said in our podcast interview with him last week:
https://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/2026/05/18/atn-podcast-408-nescac-countdown-bomber-boss-mascot-madness/

Thanks Pat! Great interview; especially the roster limit conversation. It sounds like there will be 6 (SIX!) returning grad students for the Bants which includes the aforementioned Nolan O'Brien who will be a POY candidate.

Brady, the Bants do indeed look poised to make another run. They'll need to figure out Wesleyan and always seem to struggle in Vermont, but getting the Cards and what looks to be a strong Eph team in The Coop should help.

On offense Trinity returns Jaxon Carroll at QB, four starting O-Linemen and their top TE, Jamieson Hodlin. Carrol will have his top two WRs back in O'Brien and Darison Hooper. In addition, Devanney sounded very excited about reincorporating WR Pat McCaffrey back into the mix after he missed all of last season with a back injury. They do lose Tyler DiNapoli in the backfield, but (somewhat surprisingly) both Jack Tosone and Tate Hoffmeister averaged more rushing yards per game than DiNapoli last season.

On defense, the Bantams bring back all three starting defensive linemen, including Matt Hickey who was 2nd Team All NESCAC last year. Linebackers Lincoln Moore, an All-NESCAC 1st Teamer, and 2nd Teamer, Ethan Krauss, return. In the secondary, Shane Mosia who was 2nd team All-NESCAC and named a co-Captain this year, and Tyler Roberts are back.

A lot of it will come down to Carroll who was 2nd in the NESCAC last year in passing efficiency and and TD passes but with the pieces around him he should be expected to do more in '26. I'm hopeful this is the year Trinity can put it all together for 9 weeks and earn the league's first ever postseason bid.