Turning adversity into momentum: USF football preview

As the dog days of summer are winding down, and the hum of a new academic year fills the quad at the University of St. Francis (USF), a shift signals the start of an electric fall. Saturday football games at Joliet Memorial Stadium are back. For the Fighting Saints, the return to campus brings more than lectures and lively campus life. It brings back Mid-States Football Association (MFSA) rivalries and a chance to channel energy into momentum.

For the 2026 season, the Fighting Saints hope to transform their difficult 2025 campaign into a solid basis for future development. In the previous season, USF ended up with a record of 3-7, a result which did not reflect the degree to which the team could be competitive from week to week. There was nearly equal scoring between the Saints and their opponents, with USF scoring 291 points while allowing 293. The offense also averaged just under 29 points and 384 yards per game, indicating that the resources needed to compete were frequently available.

The situation was usually decided in the turnover struggle. At the end of the previous season, USF had 26 fumbles and 18 interceptions, giving them a minus-eight differential, which made it harder to win close games. Yet the Saints showed that they could maintain their drives, converting 40 percent of their third-down situations and 63 percent of their fourth-down attempts, as well as scoring on 29 out of 34 trips into the red zone.

This year's team has a different look. There are only seven players who were starters last year, with four of these players on the offense and three on defense. The experienced players returning are offensive lineman Matthew Alston, wide receivers Mason Hackman and Connor Engstrom, offensive lineman Isaac Pula, defensive linemen Curtis Reeves and Marcello Bernardi and defensive back Sabion Wilder. Adrian Guerrero is also returning to take charge of the special-teams group, having had a productive 2025 season.

At quarterback, redshirt sophomore Jonathan Sorensen opened the season as the Saints’ starter. Sorensen appeared in eight games a year ago at quarterback, running back and receiver, giving the offense a player with experience in several roles. He has shared snaps early this season with Jalen Webb-Starkey and Nathan Maul, a sign that USF is still working to find its most consistent offensive signal caller.

The Saints also have choices available to them in the backfield. Larry Stringham and Aaron Larkins returned for the year having been the team’s second- and third-leading rushers for the previous season with averages of 4.6 and 5.8 yards per carry, respectively. They are looking to build off the legacy of Carl Bew, a player who earned AFCA NAIA Second Team All-American status last year but transferred after the season. Larkins has given the team an early boost in 2026, registering 92 yards from 13 carries in the first two games, one of which was a 78-yard run against Indiana Wesleyan.

Hackman has emerged as an important target in the passing game, leading the team with seven receptions and 130 receiving yards through the opening two contests. Jaden Boe has added a 44-yard touchdown reception, while Stringham has caught four passes out of the backfield. Those contributions could be vital as the Saints replace graduated wide receiver Ryan Little, who led the 2025 team with 52 receptions and 783 yards.

The season began for USF with a tough schedule, starting with a trip to No. 4 Illinois State University (MVC) and then hosting No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan (MSFA). In both of those games, the Saints lost, although these teams have had national-level expectations during the preseason. The schedule is still difficult since it includes Marian University and University of Saint Francis of Indiana, who are ranked in the NAIA preseason poll.

On defense, the Saints are making adjustments after losing a number of experienced players, including two-time leading tackler Karsen Hansen. However, some of the players have already come forward to fill that role. Matthew Perry has the highest total with 22 tackles; Gavin Day has 15, and Daniel Rouse has 13 tackles together with a sack through two games. Senior linebacker Gavin Day believes this year’s group is defined by a stronger collective mindset.

 “Compared to last year, I feel we have more guys that want it,” said Day. “No one wants to do one thing for themselves, but for the team.”

As one of the program’s veteran leaders, Day said his responsibility is to help younger players buy into the standard established by previous Saints teams and maintain a positive culture. That culture is rooted in E.A.T.—Effort, Attitude and Trust—which Day described as a cornerstone of USF football.

“You can always control your effort and your attitude no matter what,” he said. “Then, we have to trust each other that each person will do what they’re supposed to.”

For Day and the Saints, sustaining an unselfish approach could be central to turning early-season adversity into progress later in the year.

For Fighting Saints football, the season is still in its early stages. Having acquired a new team of contributors, with a tough schedule and prospects ahead in MSFA competition, the Saints have the time needed to turn their initial experiences into real progress.