[Vitals]

• COACH —  JEFF QUEIROGA (2nd year, 2-8)

• CONFERENCE —  FCIAC East

• PLAYOFF CLASS — Class LL (941 boys enrolled)

• HOME — Jack Casagrande Field, Norwalk

• 2018 RECORD —  2-8

• 2019 OPENER —  Sept. 13 vs. St. Joseph, 7 p.m.

• TEAM WEBSITE —  Maxpreps | TWITTER —  @McMahonFootball

[Top Players]

• JERMAYNE DANIELS, Sr., FB/LB/DE (6-0, 240)

• PATRICK COULTER, Sr., QB/LB (5-10, 170)

• LUIS TEJADA, Sr., OL/DL (6-2, 270)

• LOUIKENSON PAUL, Sr., OL/DL (6-1, 295)

• MATT CLAPS, Soph., RB/SS (5-9, 170)

• JEFFREY COCCHIA, Sr., FB/DL (5-7, 200)

• BRIAN EHLERS, Sr., TE/DE (5-11, 180)

• THOMAS HARGROVE, Jr., OL/DL (5-10, 230)

• SHAMAR MILLER, Sr., RB/DB (5-10, 185)

• KERVENS JEROME, Jr., RB/DB (5-10, 165)

• SCHENIDER SAUVEUR, JR., RB/LB (5-8, 170)

[Key Losses]

WR/DE Malik Goethe, RB/S Mike Macari, TE/S Andrew Trujillo, RB/CB Sean Miller, OL/DL Thaddeus Burrus

[Outlook]

It’s been five seasons since McMahon has delivered a winning record on the football field.

So to the say the Senators, especially their seniors, are a hungry team would be an understatement.

So how does McMahon get from here to there in an FCIAC which features some of state’s top contenders year-in and year-out?

“Those teams have won multiple state championships over the past few years,” McMahon head coach Jeffrey Queiroga said. “It’s going to take a long time and a lot of work to get on their level. We take it day by day and grind. We’ll give every team we play everything we’ve got.”

As Queiroga starts his second year as head coach, the Senators boast some solid experience on offense, with quarterback Patrick Coulter, fullback Jermayne Daniels, and lineman Louikenson Paul as senior captains.

McMahon will stick with its traditional Wing-T attack, going against the grain in these days of spread offenses and passing. 

The 6-foot, 240-pound Daniels, a player Queiroga calls a “tank,” will be key as the Senators’ lead runner this year.

Queiroga said Daniels is a “monster back who requires multiple people to take him down.”

“In the Wing-T you have three running backs in the backfield at once,” he said. “Last year it was two seniors so we are replacing both of them. One of them will be Shamar Miller, the only other RB besides Jermayne to receive varsity carries last year.”

The third spot is up in the air with sophomore Matt Claps, a transfer from Trinity Catholic, as a leading candidate. Other possibilities are juniors Kervens Jerome and Schenider Sauveur.

Coulter is the returning starter at quarterback.

“There is a ton of responsibility on the QB to run the offense effectively even though we do not pass the ball as much as spread teams do,” Queiroga said. “Who to send in motion, timing up the snap, proper footwork… (You) need to be very intelligent. (Coulter is) a leader in the classroom, hallways and on the field.”

Top receiving targets Malik Goethe and Mike Macari graduated, so the Senators are looking to rebuild the receiving corps. With a running-based attack, receivers will need to have several talents in order to succeed.

“Wide receivers in our offense need to block,” Queiroga said. “We throw the ball about 12-15 times a game on average. We try to control the clock with a ground and pound approach.”

The offensive line took a hit when senior co-captain Connor Barton, a returning starter, went down with a season-ending injury. It should still be a team strength, however, with three returning veterans: Paul (6-1, 295), senior Louis Tejada (6-2, 270) and junior Thomas Hargrove (5-10, 230).

On defense, McMahon doesn’t have much experience with only three to four returning starters. 

“The secondary from last year was all seniors and graduated,” Queiroga said. “In a pass-happy league, we need to get these guys ready.”

Daniels returns as a starting linebacker, with senior Jeffrey Cocchia (5-7, 200) back on the defensive line. 

Among the players in the mix on defense are Claps as a safety, Brian Ehlers (5-11, 180) at defensive end, and senior Shamar Miller (5-10, 185) as a defensive back.

The Senators managed to pick up two Scheduling Alliance games vs. SCC teams, at Wilbur Cross and at Amity-Woodbridge. They also face contenders like St. Joseph, Staples, New Canaan and Ridgefield. Of those, only New Canaan will be on the road.

[2019 Schedule]

• Sept. 13 — ST. JOSEPH,** 7 p.m.

• Sept. 20 — at Wilton,** 7 p.m.

• Sept. 27 — at Wilbur Cross, 3:30 p.m.

• Oct. 4 — STAPLES,** 7 p.m.

• Oct. 18 — at Amity, 7 p.m.

• Oct. 25 — STAMFORD,** 7 p.m.

• Nov. 1 — at New Canaan,** 7 p.m.

• Nov. 8 — RIDGEFIELD,** 1:30 p.m.

• Nov. 15 — at Warde,** 7 p.m.

• Nov. 28 — NORWALK,* 10:30 a.m.

Home games in CAPS
Scheduling Alliance games in bold
**Division game
*Conference game