GAME DAY INFORMATION DATE: September 29, 2023 LOCATION: Abdow Field Springfield, Mass. GAME DAY LINKS LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

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The first time that Joe Vitale (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) crossed paths with his University of New Haven football teammate Devin O'Malley (Pawtucket, R.I./St. Rafael Academy), there were no games to be played because of the global pandemic and the duo didn't even play the same position. However, it didn't take long before a friendship began to form.

"I ran into him during COVID and there was a huge commotion at the end of the hallway," Vitale said the day before the Chargers headed to Springfield to face American International College. "I walked down the hall and 10 of the guys who were on the team were just arguing about sports. I kind of just hopped up to Dev and started talking and the thing we were talking about was that one day it will be us out there.

There are so many people around here that one day we are going to come together and be on the field together."

Vitale, in his third season as a starting linebacker at New Haven, and O'Malley, a converted running back starting for the first time, are part of an experienced group of linebackers that are producing big plays.

In last week's win at Franklin Pierce, O'Malley put the finishing touches on a 41-14 win over the Ravens by returning an interception 77 yards for a touchdown.

"We drew that up in practice," O'Malley said. "We kind of knew what they were going to do and Coach called the right play and we executed.

"It felt like my old days. I came here as a running back and got moved to linebacker. It was fun."

His coaches on the sideline and teammates celebrated with each stride that brought O'Malley closer to the end zone.

"He's gone through the ringer," Vitale said. "He has worked and worked and worked. His work ethic is kind of what it means to be a Charger.

He saw odds that were against him. He got his position switched, he found himself in a new environment that he hadn't been familiar with and he took it to a new level that is incredibly hard to predict."

O'Malley is part of one of the most opportunistic defenses in the country.

New Haven is tied for third in Division II with three defensive touchdowns and the three interceptions returned for touchdowns is tied for the most nationally. New Haven also ranks second among Division II teams with 10 interceptions.

While junior defensive backs Giye Jenkins (West Orange, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) and Christian Ais (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) have combined for five interceptions, O'Malley and Jalen Fisher (Pasadena, Calif./Chaminade College Prep) have gotten into the act as well.

"I think we have some good veterans like Joe and Damon [Burton], who players who started every game last year," O'Malley said. "We have some young guys coming along behind me and Damon who need to get ready to go."

The irony is that while seven Chargers have interceptions, none of them have gone to Burton, the 2022 team leader with six interceptions.

"That has been the joke all season and it has come to fruition that Damon, they are not throwing the ball at you," New Haven linebackers coach Eric Crandall said. "They haven't really thrown it his way too much. They have been throwing it the other way but we have a lot of interceptions this year and you have to pick your poison a little bit. We have guys with good ball skills all over the field so they have to pick their matchups."

Over the last three games, the scoring drives against the first-team defense began on the UNH 31, 24, 34 and 35. A team hasn't driven the field to score against the Chargers since the season-opening loss to Frostburg State.

"They work extremely hard," Crandall said. "They are very smart and very intelligent group which is great. A couple of guys have more experience than others but they are going to keep building and keep getting better."

O'Malley and Vitale are regulars on the Northeast-10 Academic Honor Roll since arriving at New Haven and that IQ carries over to the football field.

"You tell them one time and they go, they remember," Crandall said.

"We call him Dr. Joe because he is going to be a doctor one day. We will be in the middle of a game and he will go, hey Coach do you remember two years ago against these guys, we had that play.

"He has to do a lot. He has one of those hybrid positions, he has to be on the line of scrimmage fighting off offensive tackles, he has to be in space playing in coverage so he has to be a man of both worlds. He has been successful at it for the last couple of years."

Vitale and O'Malley are leading the way for a linebacker group that is making plays against the pass and the run.

"As a collective group, we still haven't played our best football for 60 minutes," O'Malley said. "As we keep going and we get to that point, I really think the sky is the limit."

Crandall has been mixing in more players as the season moves on. Some of it is being done to keep players fresh. However, part of it was a result of losing Dev Williams, the team leader in tackles when he was injured in a win over Southern Connecticut State. Williams is still contributing, but he is just doing it in a different way.

"He still takes the time to coach us up whenever he sees a chance," Vitale said.