While most of their fellow students are enjoying one last month of summer break, the Fordham University football squad returned to campus yesterday and took to Jack Coffey Field today for the first official practice of the 2013 season. Second-year head coach Joe Moorhead guided the Rams through a two-hour workout as they prepare for the 2013 season opener on August 29 when Fordham hosts Rhode Island.
 
"The intent was there today and the effort was there today which is a good start," said Moorhead. "But we can't be satisfied with being good. We have to want to be great. We have to learn from the mistakes we made today and come out tomorrow ready to get better."
 
After taking care of some administrative tasks on Thursday such as physicals and equipment issue, the team hit the field today for the first of five NCAA required acclimation days. The players are allowed to wear only helmets for the first three days of acclimation before donning shoulder pads for the fourth day and full pads for day five.
 
After the first five days, the team can then have its first double session of practice. The Rams will have their first double session on Wednesday. However, a team cannot have consecutive days of two-a-days.
 
After a 6-5 season in Moorhead's head coaching debut last year, the Rams are excited to get the 2013 season started. Fordham returns 54 players from last year who will combine with 29 new faces, including 25 freshmen, with starting positions on both sides of the ball open due to graduation.
 
For the second straight year the biggest question Moorhead, a former Fordham quarterback, will face is selecting a starting signal caller. Lost to graduation is Ryan Higgins, who threw for 2,940 yards last year, the fourth best total in school history. Moorhead has two experienced players to choose from in juniors Michael Nebrich and Peter Maetzold. Last year Nebrich completed 14 of 23 passes for 105 yards and rushed 36 times for 162 yards and four scores last year before suffering a season-ending injury in the Cornell game.  Maetzold, who started the first four games in 2011, completed 70 of 117 passes for 668 yards and four touchdowns that season.
 
The Rams return five starters on offense and six on defense. Offensively, the Rams will be led by preseason All-American running back Carlton Koonce, who set the Fordham record with 1,596 yards last fall. He led the Patriot League and was fourth in the NCA AFCS in rushing yards/game (145.1) and led the Rams with 13 rushing touchdowns.
 
Also back on offense is junior wide out Brian Wetzel, a preseason All-Patriot League selection who led the 2012 Rams with 72 catches for 1,042 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranked fourth on the Fordham single season reception list and fifth on the receiving yards list and became just the third Ram to accumulate more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season while leading the Patriot League and ranking 18th in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards/game (94.7).
 
Junior tight end Dan Light, a preseason All-Conference selection who started all eleven games last year, returns to hold down the position after grabbing 45 passes for 388 yards in 2012.
 
Also back are two starters on the offensive line, senior Steven Tapia, a two-year starter, and junior Mason Halter, who started the final eight games of the season when Matt Stolte was lost to an injury. Stolte and Thomas Fisher are also back, giving the Rams two additional experienced linemen.
 
The defensive returning starters are led by a pair of preseason All-Patriot League seniors, defensive back Ian Williams and linebacker Jake Rodriques. Last year Williams was second on the squad with 86 total tackles, including a team-high 69 solo, and two tackles for loss. He led the squad with five interceptions and he also had eleven pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Rodriques recorded 81 total tackles, 47 solo, last fall and he led the team with 9.5 tackles for loss (50 yards) and with 4.5 sacks.
 
Other returning defensive starters include junior linebacker Austin Hancock, junior lineman De'Andre Slate and defensive backs Jake Dixon and Jordan Chapman.
 
On special teams, junior Michael Marando and freshmen Joseph Pavlik, Michael Cioci and Makay Redd will battle to replace graduated All-American Patrick Murray.
 
Besides Higgins, the Rams will also be looking to replace six offensive starters, including three members of the offensive line: John Hohlt, Lloyd Morrison and Chris Watkins, along with three wide receivers: Nick Talbert, Blake Wayne and Greg Wilson. Defensively, gaps left by the graduation of defensive linemen Patrick McGee, Matt Sconiers and Nick Womack along with linebacker Mike Martin, who led the team in tackles the past two years, and defensive back Brendan Melanophy have to be plugged.
 
Fordham opens the 2013 season on Thursday, August 29, as the Rams host the University of Rhode Island on Jack Coffey Field at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are now on sale by calling the Fordham Ticket Office at 855-RAM-TIXS or online at Fordhamsports.com.