The Misericordia football team is looking to bounce back from last year’s 3-9 recor.

Misdericordia is led by second-year head coach John Davis who is hopeful for a better season this year.

“Everyone has been coming in every day knowing it is a new day, a new day to work and I think that’s how our success will transfer to the game,” said cornerback and sports communication major Kobe Martin.

Martin and the team are optimistic and excited about this season after all the work they put in during the pre-season.

The team’s last winning season came in 2019 when it went 6-5 and played a bowl game against Franklin and Marshall. The year before that, Misericordia went 8-3 and played a bowl game against Ursinus.

The last two seasons have been successful for the Cougars and they are looking to get back to being as successful as they were pre-COVID.

Martin credited some of the first-year players and the impact they have had on the team.

“Tim Hill has been playing out of his mind and already has two interceptions and has been stepping up really well,” said Martin. “Dom Caruso had to step in the other day against Keystone and score a touchdown to extend our lead.”

Members of the Class of 2026 are already off to a great start for the Cougars and are having the impact needed for the team to succeed this season. The class consists of 45 first-year players, all looking for a role and hoping to help the team as much as possible.

The Cougars have 27 returning seniors this season who are helping the first-year players get used to college football and make the transition to college easier so they can contribute to the team’s success.

“My experience as a freshman has been great. It’s been long but, honestly, it’s so worth it,” said right guard and sports management major Ethan Poor. “Coach Davis has a great thing here at Misericordia and has really brought a great coaching staff and brought in a great bunch of guys.”

Poor is the first-year captain for the Cougars. He wants to focus one week at a time, not look at the schedule and count wins. He believes the team will be better than last year based on the hard work and practices they have already put in.

“If we keep working hard and continue the work ethic, we could really turn some heads,” said Poor.

Martin and Poor said the work put into their practices and the energy they have is at an all-time high and they hope they can bring this energy to the field every Saturday.

“The difference this year is that everyone is locked in and focused on doing their job,” said Martin.

The team’s morale and hard work is at an all-time high and hopes are to carry this attitude throughout the season and turn that into success. The Cougars have already started the season 2-1 with wins over Keystone and Albright. This early success has been made possible due to the class of first-year students and the leadership from the returning upperclassman.

Along with the players having the energy and focus to have a successful season, Poor and Martin both credit Coach Davis, saying he has matched the team’s energy, making sure players have been focusing and working hard on and off the field.

Before arriving at Misericordia, Davis coached at the Apprentice School and led that to a 15-7 record in three years. Davis was also the assistant coach at Gallaudet University where he was named the American Football Coaches Association Division III Assistant Coach of the Year.

After a slow start at Misericordia, Davis hopes he can change this program around and get back to winning seasons and bowl appearances.

The Cougars’ next home game is on October, 1st at 1 p.m. against FDU-Florham on Mangelsdorf Field.