As the sun rose on Sunday morning, so too did the optimism and excitement surrounding the Valparaiso University football program.
 
With the start of a new week, fall camp is officially in the books and it is time to turn the page to game week as preparation mode reaches full force in advance of Saturday's season opener against Lawrence Tech at Brown Field.
 
Quarterbacks
When Valpo takes its first offensive snap of the season on Saturday, redshirt senior Rowan Keefe (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) is expected to be the one receiving that snap. This will mark the fourth straight season that Keefe has started games under center for the Beacons, as he has been QB1 for 15 contests spread over the last three campaigns.  
 
Keefe, named the team's Most-Improved Player for the second time in his career last season, completed 17 or more passes in each of his final four games of the season. He was tabbed the Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week during the season's penultimate week after leading the 95-yard, game-tying drive to complete a massive comeback against Stetson.
 
Redshirt freshman Noah Ehrlich (Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point [Miami]) is an FBS transfer who returns home to Northwest Indiana to play for the Beacons this season. Ehrlich was the 2025 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year.
 
Several players are in the mix for the QB3 role, including redshirt sophomore Marcus Brown (Richton Park, Ill. / Brother Rice) and redshirt freshman Nathan Downey (South Elgin, Ill. / Wheaton Academy).
 
"Rowan has taken the majority of the first-team reps," Waddle said. "He's improved from where he was a year ago – he improved as the season went along and he's improved from the end of the season to where he is now. Noah didn't get a ton of reps at Miami, so he's knocking off some dust, but you can certainly see him getting better on a week-by-week basis and see some of the talent that he has. He's got a beautiful throw and moves around well. Mastering an offense takes time, and he's done a good job so far."
 
Running Backs
Sophomore Michael Rumoro (Genova, Ill. / Genova Community) played in nine games and made two starts last season as a true freshman. Junior Cedric Benning III (Baltimore, Md. / Episcopal [Dickson]) joined the program as a midyear transfer and participated in spring ball. Redshirt freshman Ashton Allen (New Albany, Ohio / New Albany) is the other returner, and several young players could make an impact at the running back spot this season.
 
"Rumoro is a little bit stouter compared to a year ago, and he's very good in the pass game as both a receiver and a pass pro guy," Waddle said. "He's solid in the run game as well. Cedric sees the run game really well and understands the pass game and pass pro. Ashton has done some good things, and we have some talented young guys behind that group."
 
Wide Receivers
Redshirt seniors Chris Gundy (Smithfield, Va. / Smithfield) and Devin Yeats (Hampshire, Ill. / Hampshire) have been mainstays in the Valpo receiver room. Both were sidelined with injuries some during preseason camp, but are hoping to be active for the season opener or shortly thereafter.  
 
Senior Isaac Tran (Bothell, Wash. / Bothell [Puget Sound]) was a 1,000-yard receiver last season and joins the Beacons as a transfer. Sophomore Daniel White (County Club, Hills. / Brother Rice [Carroll]) is another transfer receiver in the mix, while redshirt freshman Nolan Teising (Zionsville, Ind. / Zionsville) is back and will see time. Redshirt junior Marty O'Keeffe (Orland Park, Ill. / Brother Rice) has continued to improve, while redshirt sophomore Kam Fouty-Koonce (Uniontown, Ohio / Lake [Marietta]) is back after missing last season with an injury. Redshirt junior Micah Mackay (Zionsville, Ind. / Lutheran) is continuing to get more reps as he works his way back from last season's injury.
 
"Marty is an outstanding blocker; he's a tough kid," Waddle said. "Isaac has been very solid for us and should be a key contributor. Nolan will play, he's another tough kid who has done some good things."
 
Tight Ends
Redshirt sophomore Colin Hayes (Bloomington, Ill. / Bloomington Central Catholic) has continued his development from last season, while redshirt freshman Jackson Crawford (Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln Southwest) will play this year after redshirting in a crowded tight end room last season. Redshirt sophomore Dom DiNuzzo (Wallingford, Ct. / Kingswood Oxford) has improved significantly, and redshirt junior Gus Wenning (Cross Plains, Wis. / Middleton) will be used as a fullback.
 
"I've been pleased with the development of Colin Hayes from one year ago to now," Waddle said. "He was somewhat limited in how much he was playing early last season, continued to develop as the season went along, and that development has continued in the offseason. I expect Colin to have a good year. Jackson was a good player last year who ended up redshirting because of the top-end depth at that position; he is going to be a good player for us this year."
 
Offensive Line
Three starters are back on the offensive line as redshirt junior Justin Hemmersbach (Morris, Ill. / Morris Community), senior Noah Kline (Loveland, Ohio / Loveland) and redshirt junior Brendan Mcilvenna (Carmel, Ind. / Guerin Catholic) all return. Hemmersbach played in nine games and made eight starts last year, and figures to be the team's center in 2026. Kline enters this season having started 32 consecutive games over the last three seasons. Mcilvenna started 11 of the team's 12 games last season, but missed spring practice due to injury.
 
Redshirt sophomore Mason Knoch (New Haven, Ind. / New Haven) has continued to improve and is competing with Mcilvenna at left tackle. Redshirt junior Cooper Bothwell (Decula, Ga. / Mill Creek [Marist]) is very much in the mix to start on the left side of Valpo's offensive line, while redshirt junior Austin Lambert (Delaware, Ohio / Olentangy Berlin) is a clear frontrunner to start on the right side alongside Kline.
 
Defensive Line
Redshirt senior Alex Goworowski (Chicago, Ill. / Saint Patrick) returns after starting 11 of the team's 12 games last season, while redshirt junior Antony Morris (Cincinnati, Ohio / St. Xavier) and redshirt junior Gabriel Batres (Fairfield, Calif. / Angelo Rodriguez) both started multiple games for the 2025 Beacons.   
 
Redshirt freshman Caleb Baczek (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) played some last year before ultimately redshirting, while redshirt sophomore Bertrand Berry II (Gilbert, Ariz. / Highland) is back this season after missing last season with an injury. Redshirt freshman Emmnuel Olojo (Chicago, Ill. / Niles West) is a high-ceiling player.
 
"Manny is quick, extremely strong and natural out there," Waddle said. "Although we had some losses on our defensive line including very good players like Isaiah Fowler, I am hopeful that we have an opportunity to still be improved at that position this year."
 
Linebackers
The position group is healthy again after an injury-plagued 2025, as Valpo is loaded with experienced linebackers heading into 2026.
 
Redshirt junior Max Samuel (Edina, Minn. / Edina) is back after missing most of last season with an illness. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Feltrinelli (Westfield, Ind. / Westfield) was a Freshman All-American last season and is a Preseason All-PFL pick this year. Redshirt junior Connor Cervantes (Griffith, Ind. / Griffith) started nine games last season. Sophomore Micah Markley (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West) made nine starts before going down with an injury.
 
Five linebackers who return this season – Samuel, Feltrinelli, Cervantes, Markley and sophomore Easton Hill (Columbus, Ohio / Hamilton Township) – started at least one game last season.
 
"There is certainly a lot of experience in that position group," Waddle said. "Feltrinelli was the guy who was available every week when we were playing musical chairs at that position because of injuries. He's playing much faster than he did a year ago and the light has clicked for him in terms of where he fits within the defense. Max is good to get back and is very talented. Connor is fast and athletic and does a good job out there."
 
Defensive Backs 
 
At the cornerback position, Preseason All-PFL honoree redshirt junior Nic Lendino (Naperville, Ill. / Neuqua Valley) is back along with senior O.C. Nurse (Dumfries, Va. / Forest Park [Marietta]). Redshirt freshman Donovan Brown (Chicago Heights, Ill. / Brother Rice) played in the first four games last season before going down with an injury. Redshirt junior JQ Harris (Indianapolis, Ind. / Park Tudor [Chattanooga]) is a transfer who has performed well.
 
"All four of those guys can compete at the level that we need them to compete at," Waddle said. "I've been really impressed with Nic. He's a captain and leader, and has also been a really good bright spot on the field. He's developed from where he was a year ago. There's been a lot of really positive growth there."
 
At safety, senior Mark Johnson (Nashville, Tenn. / Lipscomb) started all 12 games a year ago, while junior Jason Salman (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Thomas Jefferson [Marietta]), redshirt sophomore Wyatt Little (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Homestead) and redshirt freshman Kaiser Wilhelm (Mason, Ohio / William Mason) are all back from last year's team as well.
 
"Mark has been very solid, and there's been a really strong competition for who is going to play next to him," Waddle said. "Several guys have done really good things and are all competing for playing time alongside Mark."
 
Specialists
Junior Hayden Hourany (Tucson, Ariz. / Belton [Aurora]) is the team's long snapper, while freshman Will Orlando (Avon, Ind. / Brownsburg) has the edge in the punting competition with junior Talan Samosky (Riverside, Calif. / Riverside [Orange Coast College]) and sophomore Will Struyk (Westlake Village, Oak Park [College of the Canyons]) also in the mix.
 
Samosky and redshirt sophomore Luke Scoma (Bellevue, Wash. / Bellevue) are back-and-forth for the kicker role. Gundy earned Phil Steele Preseason First Team All-PFL status as a return specialist after leading the PFL in kick return average at 28.6 last season.
 
"We'll be better in our punt game; the operation times are a lot faster than they were a year ago," Waddle said. "Hayden has been very consistent throughout the spring and camp, and Jackson Crawford is our backup and he is a good snapper as well. Will has a good demeanor about him and has been pretty consistent in the punting game."
 
Coaching Staff
Continuity is key, and Valpo has established that on the coaching staff going into Year 2 under Waddle.
 
Offensive coordinator Reed Florence, defensive coordinator Zach Feltrop and special teams coordinator RJ Ghilarducci (also the assistant head coach and defensive line coach) all return along with offensive line coach Peter Nank, wide receivers coach Terry Geiger, defensive backs coach Michael Joseph and tight ends coach Connor Vierstra.
 
"We're returning all three coordinators, so we're able to keep the same system," Waddle said. "Now that we're in Year 2 in the system, the players are processing things at a much higher level than what we were a year ago. It doesn't end there, but it's a good place to start. We are processing and getting things done at a higher level."
 
With the core of the staff intact, a few newcomers who will coach their first game at Valpo on Saturday are sprinkled in, including running backs coach Weston Bridges, who served in that same capacity at the University of Sioux Falls in 2025, overseeing a productive ground attack that rushed for 2,135 yards on 431 attempts. Bridges had a collegiate playing career that spanned the NCAA Division-I and Division-II levels, as he started his career at Michigan State University before stops at Ashland University and the University of Central Missouri.
 
"I'm Blessed to join the Valpo staff," Bridges said. "What an opportunity to continue my impact on these young men and build toward one common goal with the coaching staff. I'm thankful for Coach Waddle, Coach Flo and Coach Campbell for trusting to help continue the culture that's already being built."  
 
Justin Schiets has joined the staff as the Director of Football Operations and a defensive assistant. He arrived at Valpo this past spring following a stint in player personnel and recruiting at Western Michigan University. Prior to his time with the Broncos, Schiets taught and coached at his alma mater, Toledo Central Catholic High School. He played six collegiate seasons at Bowling Green and Northern Michigan.
 
"I am excited to join a staff that is young and eager to make its mark on the PFL," Schiets said. "This summer, our players bought into our process with outstanding numbers at voluntary workouts. Since my time arriving in March, they are a tremendous team to coach and be around on a daily basis."
 
Jaelon Quiero-Gordon has also joined the staff, handling quality control and working with safeties. Queiro-Gordon was a five-year football student-athlete at Marietta College, where he played for Waddle from 2020-2024. He broke into coaching by instructing the defensive backs at Ohio Dominican University following his graduation from Marietta.
 
"I'm extremely excited to join the Valpo football staff and grateful for the opportunity to work with these young men," Quiero-Gordon said. "I look forward to helping these young men grow both on the field and in life. I'm ready to attack this league with purpose, energy and everything I've got. Positive energy is contagious!"