GAME DAY INFORMATION |
DATE: November 18, 2023
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LOCATION: University of Charleston Stadium
Charleston, W.Va. |
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GAME DAY LINKS |
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO |
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John Thomas (Baltimore, Md./Dunbar) has lined up with so many different fellow offensive linemen in high school, during his time at Clarion University, and in his three seasons at the University of New Haven. There have been positive memories from all those experiences, but he admits there is something extra special about the 2023 UNH Chargers.
"This is the best bonding [experience] I have been a part of ever in all my years of playing football," said Thomas, who joined Xavier Bryson (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover / Fork Union Military Acad.) as New Haven offensive linemen to make the Northeast-10 first team. "I love the guys, I have bonded with the guys the best compared to other groups, it is my favorite offensive line group. I love these guys, I love every single one of them."
Thomas has spent most of the season as the starting guard. However, injuries to center Matt Prudhomme have resulted in Thomas shifting over to center. That was the case in the regular-season finale as New Haven won the Northeast-10 title with a win over visiting Bentley.
That got New Haven a third consecutive Division II playoff spot and a trip to face Charleston (WV) on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"Before coming to New Haven, the last time I played center in a game, I was a little kid," Thomas said. "I took snaps in the spring so I was getting reps in practice to help me develop so when it was time for the games and I had to step in, it was going to be an easier transition than just having me thrown to the wolves."
New Haven offensive line coach Walter Kusmirek had complete confidence in Thomas when he had to move from guard to center because of Thomas' high football IQ and the work he has put in watching film.
"I didn't even blink as a coach because I know that John studies the game," Kusmirek said. "They [Thomas and Prudhomme] are both super cerebral players, they are both are always asking questions and want to be super technical about things."
Thomas came to New Haven from Clarion in 2021 with Bryson another of the prominent incoming transfers. He came in from Wagner College as did Kusmirek.
Recent Amity High School graduate Neil Brown (Woodbridge, Conn./Amity Regional) was among the other newcomers to the offensive line in 2021. He was part of the O-line rotation in 2021 and 2022.
Brown started four games, including the 2022 playoff game against Shepherd, over the last two seasons. He has taken the next step this year and he has been a mainstay on the line. Like Thomas, he has displayed his versatility with time spent at both left tackle and right tackle.
"I am just trying to be versatile," Brown said. "I didn't know a lot coming into this school about being a lineman. I still had it in the back of my head that I was going to be a D-lineman. A big shoutout to Coach Kuz, he taught me everything that I know as an offensive lineman, and he turned me into a good player."
The offensive line will be tested on Saturday.
Charleston is tied for 10th among Division II teams with 3.2 sacks per game and 21st with an average of 7.9 tackles for loss.
New Haven has some pretty good numbers of its own and that includes being tied for eighth in Division II with just 0.8 sacks per game allowed.
"They are a physical team but then again, we have some dawgs on our team," Brown said.
Kusmirek said the offensive group is known as the misfits because of their diverse backgrounds.
Thomas hails from Baltimore, Bryson is a Virginia native and Prudhomme grew up in Florida. Justin Cesaire (Orange, N.J./Orange) is a sophomore from Orange, N.J.
with classmate Samson Faulkner (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) coming to New Haven from Fitchburg, Mass. Brody Peacock (Stillwater, N.Y./Stillwater) has been a valuable contributor after transferring from Franklin Pierce. Then there is Brown, the local kid who is proud to stay close to home.
"It is amazing," Brown said. "We are right around the corner from my old school and my family. I knew that UNH was a winning program before even coming here and I wanted to be a part of it."
New Haven opens the postseason on the road for the second season in a row. The Chargers nearly upset Shepherd in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
After rolling past Bentley at home in the first round in 2021, New Haven threw a scare into Kutztown on the road in the second round. Now comes among chance to prove themselves on the road.
The game is available on NE10Now.tv through the NCAA's partnership with Hudl. Live streaming of the game will cost $9.99.
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