I will be previewing all of the NE-10 football teams over the next 10 days. I will roll out each team in my preseason poll from # 10 to # 1. The NE-10 released the coaches' preseason poll on August 19th.

The season starts on September 1st when St. Anselm travels to Wagner and Pace is at Millersville.

Here is my pick for #5 in the league in 2016:

Merrimack College Warriors (6-5, 6-3 NE-10)

Coach: Dan Curran, 4th year (17-16)

Opening Game: September 3rd @ Bryant

2016 Schedule

2015 Stats

2016 Roster

No one in the Merrimack program thought 2015 was a surprise. They expected to play well and compete for the league title. They did that despite losing their first three games of the season including two in the league. They were a solid team in October and competed to the final whistle in each game. With a lot of players back in 2016, they expect more of the same.

Nick Davis was second on the depth chart to start the season but finished the season as one of the better quarterbacks in the league. He is a true dual threat and will need to stay healthy for 10 games in 2016 for Merrimack to play for a title. The running back position will be led by Derrick Villard. The receiving core is also deep and skilled. Justin Mount, Ryan Etter and Armond McRae will help to stretch the field. The offensive line is talented and helps to move the team up and down the field.

The defense is key for Merrimack if they are going to win games. The secondary is loaded with experience and will be the strength for the Warriors. Brian Carroll, Devonte Jones, Matt Clifford and Oladiran Isijola will be in charge of the limiting the opposing passing game. Josh Hill will be the anchor for the defense line and Carey Wells-Jowers will be the leader for the linebacking core. The defensive side of the ball for the Warriors continues to grow and get better each season.

Fourth year head coach Dan Curran has injected a new energy and confidence for the Merrimack program. He has invested on the defensive side of the ball and the results speak for themselves. The Warriors will always score points but if they stop the opposing offense, they will be in contention for the title.