For Georgetown football’s eighth-year Head Coach Kevin Kelly, expectations for success and a return to relevance in 2013 are high after a middling 2012 campaign. Marred by three separate injuries at the quarterback position as well as a host of defensive inconsistencies last season, the Hoyas are poised to rebound at full strength.
“The motto of this preseason is ‘Win the Day,” Kelly said, “This season is a journey, not a destination. … If we take care of business each and every day then we’ll attain our goals which is to win every game. If you win every game, you win the Patriot League … you get a chance to go to the playoffs and in the playoffs you get the chance to win a national championship.”
A roster overflowing with experience will work in the Hoyas’ favor. With 24 seniors on board, Coach Kelly has noticed the development of an encouraging atmosphere in the locker room and on the field.
“I think every team has a different chemistry,” Kelly explained. “This team is a very hard-working, blue-collar, team-oriented group of young men that will work hard every day and love the game of football. I think that will carry over into the season and help us win football games.”
At the forefront of this year’s senior class is captain and starting quarterback Isaiah Kempf, who will be tasked with leading an offense brimming with dynamic athletes. After suffering a concussion on just his fifth play of the season last year, Kempf was forced to sit out for the remainder of the schedule, a major blow to a team searching for an offensive identity. This year, Kempf is prepared to take the offense to new heights.
“Isaiah worked extremely hard in the offseason, especially this summer,“ Kelly said. “Physically he’s in terrific shape and I’ve never seen him throw the ball better …Our offense is quarterback-driven and he’s the engine and he’s doing a great job with that thus far.”
For Kempf, being on the same page with his teammates from the get-go will play a huge role in the offense’s effectiveness.
“I think the biggest thing is just having that trust,” Kempf said. “They trust me- that I’m going to put them in a good position. Whether it’s the [offensive] line finding the protections to creating me a block or throwing to a receiver, putting the ball where it needs to be. I just think having that trust is the biggest thing.”
The Hoyas will open the season on August 31 in Staten Island, as they take on the Wagner Seahawks. Georgetown’s home opener will be on September 7 against the Davidson Wildcats.
