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As the words came out of University of New Haven starting quarterback Connor Degenhardt's (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) mouth, Terrell Ford's (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore West) eyes began to widen.

Degenhardt mentioned to Ford that he hasn't been on a team that had either a kickoff or punt return for a touchdown. Ford wasn't ready to make a prediction for Saturday's Northeast-10 Conference opener against American International College, but he did let his quarterback know that his wait would soon be over.

With visiting AIC only down by eight points with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Ford made good on his promise by returning a kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown. He added a 23-yard touchdown reception as the Chargers pulled away for a 54-26 win before a crowd of 4,017 at DellaCamera Stadium.

"That is one of the reasons why they brought me here," said Ford, after setting a New Haven program single-game record with 229 kickoff return yards. "They said it has been a while since they returned a kick [for a touchdown] and I am used to kick returns, they can change a game and it can break an opponent's back and I feel like that is kind of a dagger to them."

Andre Anderson was the last New Haven player to take a kickoff all the way back as he accomplished the feat seven years ago against LIU Post.

When it was announced that Ford was named New Haven's player of the game, each one of the receivers came over to celebrate with Ford.

"I have been to a few different schools and here, they embrace me with open arms," Ford said. "It is a great group of guys, they treat me like a brother. I am quiet and laid back and they have made it feel like home."

Ford's 46-yard kickoff return late in the first half set up a key touchdown so the ensuing kickoff to Ford was kicked a little short. After heading straight up the middle, he made one cut and then it looked as if two AIC players had the angle on Ford as he approached midfield.

Ford kicked it into another gear and left the would-be tacklers behind.

"The two I had before, I was almost close to breaking it and they kind of pooch kicked it," Ford said. "They didn't want a big return to happen. When I caught it, there was a huge seam and the blocking was great. After that, it was just, 'make a play.' I saw the end zone and said I have to get there now."

Ford's score made it a 14-point lead.

On the next drive, Devon Williams (Fall River, Mass./Catholic Memorial) had one of New Haven's four interceptions.

The Chargers appeared to add to the lead when Dev Holmes (Troy, N.Y./Troy) took a short pass from Devenhardt and raced in for the 80-yard touchdown. The score was negated due to a penalty.

On the next drive, Degenhardt hooked up with a wide-open Ford in the back of the end zone and Jake Conlan (West Haven, Conn./Trinity-Pawling) capped the scoring with an 11-yard scoring run.

After a sluggish first half when the Chargers' offense was stopped on fourth down twice and committed a pair of turnovers to go with a miscue on special teams, New Haven took control in the second half.

The strong finish will give the Chargers some positive vibes heading into the week of practice before traveling to meet rival Bentley on Friday.

"Leaving the field last week against Southern, I don't think it felt like a win," said Degenhardt, who had five touchdown passes. "When we win games, we want to be able to put people away and not have those close finishes where we leave it in other people's hands. For us to be able to close out, take a little pressure off the defense, that gives us a good momentum boost."

The 229 yards on kickoff returns are the most for a Charger, topping the 171 yards by  Ketric Barnes in a 1999 game against South Florida.

Ford has displayed game-breaking ability returning kicks before as he brought back kickoffs against Lake Erie in 2019 and Seton Hill in 2021 when he played at Clarion.

"He is a dog," New Haven tight end Kevin Foelsch (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) said with a laugh.

"That was awesome. It was a one-score game, it wasn't the knockout but that really gave us juice, it really gave us momentum going forward."

Foelsch played a starring role in the first half. He had three catches on the first drive. Foelsch caught all six of his targets for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half.

the 80 combined points are the most since a 48-41 win over Merrimack on Oct. 12m, 2013 season and the most in Chris Pincince's eight seasons at the helm of the New Haven program.

The scoring opened with a 30-yard TD pass from Degenhardt to Foelsch.

After a 3 and out by the Chargers defense, the ensuing punt hit a New Haven player to allow AIC to maintain possession. AIC was held to a 29-yard field goal on the drive.

New Haven allowed a defensive touchdown for the second game in a row.

Two plays after a Degenhardt interception was wiped out by offsetting penalties, he was hit from behind while attempting to throw. Charles Robinson scooped up the fumble and raced 45 yards for the score.

Degenhardt connected on a 39-yard scoring pass to Kasi Hazzard (Hillside, N.J./Edison) and Christopher Ais (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) had a 5-yard TD run.

In between those touchdowns, Jahvon Adams grabbed a short pass over the middle and raced untouched for the 67-yard score.

The New Haven defense held strong after Degenhardt turned the ball over  at the 15. After three straight incompletions, AIC settled for the 32-yard field goal to tie the game with 3:26 left.

New Haven regained the lead on Foelsch's 3-yard TD catch with 33 seconds left in the half. The score was set up by Terrell Ford's (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore West) 60-yard kickoff return.

"I think we've done a great job here of getting points before the half," Degenhardt said. "Giving us a short field puts us in great position and really opens up the playbook for us."

Shamar Logan (Brooklyn, N.Y./Erasmus Hall High School) opened the scoring in the second half with a 6-yard touchdown catch for New Haven (2-1). With Ais (78 yards), Hunter Cobb (Sandy Hook, Conn./Newtown)s

(51) and Logan (41) all averaging more than four yards per carry, the Chargers ran for nearly 200 yards.

That is something the New Haven offense would like to see more of when New Haven faces Bentley. A year ago, the Chargers topped the Falcons to win the Northeast-10 title and then beat Bentley again in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

"Bentley, I am sure they are going to look for payback for us for last year beating them twice," Foelsch said. "It is a real important game, every game is really important but this one could mean a lot more."

New Haven's defense was without defensive captain Khyon Fitzpatrick (Union, N.J./Paramus Catholic) as well as defensive lineman Tahlee Bailey (Somerset, N.J./Rahway) and linebacker Sam Valerio.

Although New Haven allowed 26 points, New Haven coach Chris Pincince liked what he saw from the defense.

We have to clean things up offensively but I think defensively, we played great.

Williams, Xavier Long (Edison, N.J./Edison) and Jaysen Triunfer (Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy) got more playing time due to the absence of the three injured players and each had interceptions as did starting safety Devonte Myles (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac). The best defensive player for the Chargers might have been linebacker Damon Burton who had six tackles, was in on a tackle for a loss and had a pass breakup with a big hit.

"This is this third game playing linebacker his entire life, both him and David [Onyemem]. We have two grad school kids who have football experience but they haven't played inside linebacker before so everything they see is for the first time, whether it is emptying the backfield, whether it is a team that is trying to run the ball or teams that RPO [run/pass option from the quarterback] so every week is going to be a learning experience."