Head coach Andy Waddle knows it's the most cliché word in sports, but he also knows it aptly describes the feeling around the Valparaiso University football program with fall camp set to begin on Wednesday.
 
"Excitement for the new season is the most overused word at this time of year," Waddle said. "We're all anxious, excited and looking forward. We're full of optimism – sometimes it's the possibility of what's ahead that makes you excited. The thing that I'm most excited about right now is the way that I've seen this team come together and be committed to each other and the process."
 
Year 2 of the Waddle Era will begin on Aug. 29 at Brown Field as the Beacons host Lawrence Tech at 1 p.m. That will represent Valpo's earliest season opener since 2019 (also Aug. 29) and match the program's earliest lid-lifter since 2014 (Aug. 28).
 
"We had way more guys here over the summer than last year, and the most we've ever had according to Coach (Luke) Campbell," Waddle said. "Those relationships are growing, and that is extremely noticeable to me and our other coaches. It's a huge step in the right direction toward turning this into a championship-level program. You can definitely see the progression and realize that this is the beginning of a bright future for Valpo Football."
 
The Beacons return seven starters on offense and eight on defense from a 2025 team that played its best football late in the season, rallying past Stetson 32-31 in overtime in the Nov. 15 home finale before falling 27-20 at rival Butler in a competitive season finale.
 
Redshirt junior defensive back Nic Lendino (Naperville, Ill. / Neuqua Valley) is back after earning All-PFL Honorable Mention, PFSN All-PFL First Team and Phil Steele All-PFL Fourth Team in addition to being named the team's Defensive Player of the Year last season.
 
"I've spent all summer here, and I can say that we've put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into our strength and conditioning program this summer," Lendino said. "I'm very excited and confident in the group around me. We really challenged ourselves and challenged each other this summer. We knew this summer was our opportunity to separate ourselves as a team. One of my favorite things has been the way that the incoming freshmen have had the foot on the gas. They've shown up and gone straight to work."
 
It was a busy summer on and off the field for Lendino, who also completed an internship working in the Valpo athletic department under Assistant Athletic Director for Development Ted McCoart.
 
"I've really enjoyed getting to see some of the behind-the-scenes work that a lot of student-athletes might not see," Lendino said. "To have the opportunity to not only see it, but also contribute to it, was a full-circle moment. I love Valpo as a student-athlete and being able to show up and work as an intern in that environment was a great time."
 
Fifth-year senior quarterback Rowan Keefe (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) has experienced noticeable development throughout the spring and summer that he credits to the consistency of entering a second straight season in the same offense with the same offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Reed Florence.
 
"I think there's a lot of optimism and excitement going into this year," Keefe said. "We're trying to accomplish the goals that we didn't last year, and we're in a really good position to do that. We're being overlooked by some people, and we're ready to shock some people. I'm excited to get to put the pads on and gear up for the season."
 
On the defensive side of the ball, senior Mark Johnson (Nashville, Tenn. / Lipscomb Academy) has played in 33 games in the Valpo secondary over the last three seasons.
 
"We have a lot of guys back on defense; there's a lot of chemistry on my side of the ball," Johnson said. "In the spring, we took good steps and have a better understanding of what the coaches want us to do and what our identity as a team is going to be. I'm excited to be a role model for the younger guys so that when I'm gone, they're able to keep getting better and elevating the program. I truly love this school; I can't wait to see what we are able to bring to the table this year."
 
In the modern age of intercollegiate athletics, student-athletes remaining at one school for four to five years has become less common. However, Valpo has 19 players who are in their fourth or fifth year in the program.
 
"First and foremost, it's the people," Keefe said. "That's what brought me here in the first place. The family atmosphere and the culture of togetherness and brotherhood is something that hasn't been lost here. The family culture has never wavered. That has built my love for this school and this program. It's inspired me to give everything I have into it and come back for a fifth year to accomplish goals that we set out to accomplish four years ago. In my mind, it's unfinished business, and this year, it's time to go get those things that we've always talked about. We have a team this year that legitimately has a chance to do it, and I'm excited about that opportunity."