Lycoming hopes momentum carries into start of 2026 in football
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Plain and simple, Lycoming's football team did not have the best start it hoped for coming off summer workouts and preseason practices. There was talent on the field and expectations for a solid campaign.
A season-opening loss by a field goal to TCNJ at home was followed by another 3-point heartbreaker on the road at Montclair State a week later. Then Dickinson cruised to a 23-point win in Williamsport.
That was followed by an 11-point home loss to Rowan.
One loss rolled into four and an 0-4 start was far from ideal or anything coach Mike Clark, in his 19th season, wanted.
"(Starting) 0-4 wasn't what we envisioned. But we won five of our next six and quite honestly, you beat Moravian and you think you're OK. The Susquehanna game last year was embarrassing for all of us," Clark said at the Landmark Conference media day. "You give them a lot of credit after losing a couple games, but that game in particular reminded me where we were in 2024 and we weren't going to be that team."
It's a new year and a new season, and Clark and his players want to erase that terrible start in 2025 and open this year with a lot more success and there's plenty of skill on the team to do so.
Among them is running back Terrance Oliver, a fantastic running back who was a bright spot in Lycoming's offense last fall. He ran for 1,250 yards and nine touchdowns last year and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. Whenever Oliver got the ball, it seemed like he could turn nothing into something. And he credits firstly the offensive line for that, knowing they block the way for him to pick up yards and first downs.
"For starters, my O-line are a bunch of rock stars, they all work really hard, as well as the rest of the team. It gets you pumped a year-and-a-half in advance when everyone's PRing in the weight room," Oliver said. "They really work hard, I wanna give them their flowers for that. Everybody from the top down, from the people that are gonna be seniors to even the people coming in new, we try to talk to them as soon as they commit. So I know for a fact a lot of those guys are hungry and ready to go."
Oliver has a chance to do something special as well as the Warrior is just 703 yards from being the program's all-time rushing leader.
"Well, I think anyone who's not worrying about records is lying or they notice them. I'm 703 yards away from being all-time leading rusher at my school. That's dope and 703 yards? I'm ecstatic," Oliver said. I really believe my teammates will put me in the best position to get there. (Our offensive) coordinator, 'Terrance 4th and 3? Run the ball, get the first down.' It's really great to have that trust."
Also back on the offensive side of the ball is quarterback Joe Lyons. Last season he went 169 for 283 with 2,008 passing yards and 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He's going to look to build off that this year and help the offense flourish alongside Oliver.
"So basically what I learned from last season going into this season was being more confident as I was going into it game-by-game, just being myself how I was in high school and just being more confident," Lyons said. "Having a 6-foot-6 tight end (Brendan Clark) definitely helps a lot, but returning guys and receivers, my running back (Oliver), a lot of talent. We worked a lot in the spring, just keeping that connection going so I'm excited for a big year."
Clark, a Loyalsock graduate, is happy to have his quarterback returning too. Clark played in 10 games last year and caught 27 passes for 285 yards.
"I've been playing football a long time and this is the first time I'll have the same starting quarterback two seasons in a row going all the way back to middle school. I'm excited," Clark said. "I think Joe had a good season to start his varsity career and I'm just very excited for things he can do and the person and player he can be. Just going toward my father, I love Lycoming football. I've been around it forever and it's pretty unique. He'll be our position coach as well, so he'll be directly coaching me as well. So it'll be interesting."
Clark, Oliver and Lyons form a solid foundation for the offense to excel, especially with key offensive lineman back and others stepping up to help the offense move the chains. At times, the Warriors struggled doing that last season.
"I just trust the line and I trust Brendan and Joe and my coaches to put me in the best position to succeed," Oliver said. "It gives you a good feeling when you have over 100 people who believe you can do anything. I appreciate being trusted and taking that ball and being able to do what I do best."
As for the expectations for the year, Oliver didn't hold back during media day. He hopes to have a nice ring by the end of the season.
"As far as records go, I just wanna ring," Oliver joked. "I probably shouldn't say this, but my ring size is a 6. I'm not coming to a fitting after we win. We're excited for the season, let's play some football."
That season gets underway for 2026 with a road game on Sept. 5 at TCNJ. The Warriors' first home game is on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. vs. Montclair State.
"Our kids collectively pulled together (last year). These guys and some of the senior leadership last year won four straight. I'd like to think we've carried that through the spring," coach Clark said. "You hope these guys have carried it through the summer and we'll start to answer that when they come back on (campus)."