Towson Tigers recap

Coach: Gordy Combs

Last year: 3-8 overall, 1-7 CAA

Returning offensive/defensive starters: 7/7

We’d pay to watch: QB Sean Schaefer, Sr. The four-year starter is primed to break every school passing record. Schaefer has completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 8,358 yards with 51 touchdowns against 45 interceptions and rushed for five more scores during his career.

A playoff berth if: The offensive line can mold quickly. The unit returns four starters from last season, including redshirt sophomore left tackle Leon Stevenson, whose season-ending foot injury crippled the unit last fall.

Home for the holidays if: The Tigers can’t put points on the board. Towson averaged a meager 15.5 points per game last season and often failed to take advantage of good field position. Injuries crippled a high-powered unit that failed to score more than 28 points in a game last year.

By the numbers

53 Catches needed by senior receiver Marcus Lee to set the school’s all-time record with 220 career receptions. He had 66 for 680 yards and two touchdowns last season.

36.13 Yards per net punt by returning punter Bill Shears, 14th-best in the nation last fall.

-1 The team’s turnover margin from last season, 98 best in the country, a stat that must improve for a team with little margin for error.

1. Handle adversity. It’s easy to say a team needs to start strong, but Towson finished 1-7 after beginning 2-0, including ending the season on a five-game losing streak. Injuries took a toll on the squad, which lost four games by 10 points or less last season, largely because it suffered from a lack of depth.
2. Get to the quarterback. The Tigers did not have a player who recorded more than  5.5 sacks last fall and were just 50th nationally in pressuring the passer, registering a mediocre two sacks per game. First-year defensive coordinator Jeff McDonald will be counted on to develop a scheme that focuses on disrupting the passing game.
3. Run the ball. Towson had a great passing game last fall, when it averaged 235.4 yards per game. But the Tigers must be able to improve the can run the ball, as they averaged 68.5 yards per game, which ranked 111th out of 119 FCS teams.