Santos, UNH football players talk on upcoming season at Media Day

DURHAM - Another step toward opening night in Florida was taken on Friday afternoon as the University of New Hampshire football team held its annual Media Day.

The event was headlined by head coach Rick Santos and a handful of players who were excited to talk about the work the team has put in so far in camp.

The Wildcats open the season on Thursday, Aug. 29 at the University of Central Florida, a Big 12 Conference representative. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

"The fans are going to see a team that's very fierce competitors this year," senior quarterback Seth Morgan said.

Here are five takeaways from Friday's session.

Grit comes first

One thing senior defensive end Joshua Silver, who had 5.5 sacks last year, said the fans should be excited about this season is the grit coming on his side of the ball.

"We're going to get back to what we were doing in the past, and that's being a dominant defense," Silver said. "That's genuinely our whole team's goal."

"(Fans) should be excited about the new faces we've got," junior defensive back Caleb Mead said. "We've got some returning starters, but we brought in a lot of new guys this year who are very talented, very energetic and are going to be 'X factors' on our team this year."

Mead said one name to get familiar with on defense is Wande Owens, a defensive back who had 55 tackles and seven pass breakups at Yale University last year.

"He's going to be 'big-play guy," Mead said.

Another transfer is Mateo Vandamia who had 36 tackles last year in a back-up role at the University of Delaware.

"You're going to see what (Vandamia) does," Mead said with an excited smile.

"I think (Vandamia) is tremendous," Santos said.

Santos has also liked what he's seen so far from linebackers Brandon Perkins and Ryan Toscano.

"We don't want to go into (the season) with just two varsity-ready guys," Santos said. "(Vandamia) is someone who's chopping at the bit to get the opportunity to be a starter, and not just a rotational guy."

New quarterback has helped the defense

Morgan, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, started his football career at Virginia Military Institute, and spent last season at Shepherd University, where he threw for 2,970 yards and 25 touchdowns. He's battling for the starting spot left vacant when Max Brosmer transferred to the University of Minnesota.

Mead said Morgan's playing style, a little bit more of improvising, has helped the defense even more.

"(Morgan) can get out of the pocket," Mead said. "He can make plays; not everything happens from within (the pocket). He's making plays himself, and the teammates around him are completing the job for him. That makes us (as a defense) a lot better because those improvising situations are more game-like."

Morgan said the transition to Durham, with healthy reps in both the spring and summer practice sessions, has been smooth so far.

"This summer was a crucial time to build up more chemistry and get more routes in," Morgan said. "There were guys who I didn't feel like I was all the way with in the spring, but now I feel really great with chemistry-wise; this summer was super crucial."

Expect a lot of points

Silver and the rest of the defensive unit goes up against the offense daily in practice, and he is liking what he's seen from the other side of the field.

"I believe they're going to put up points," Silver said. "I have all the faith that they're going to be pretty good, even with the two big losses we had with Max (Brosmer) and Dylan (Laube). I think we're still going to be prolific and put up points."

Who can replace Brosmer and Laube on offense?

There are big offensive shoes to fill with Brosmer now in Minnesota and Laube with the Las Vegas Raiders, but there are some names ready to step up and produce.

Two in-state sophomores, tight end Colby Ramshaw (11 catches, 77 yards, four TDs) of Londonderry, and Peyton Strickland of Goffstown will be impactful players this year.

"Since (Ramshaw) got here, he has a workman-like attitude," Santos said. "He shows up every single day, and really transformed his body in the last year. Physically last year he was outmatched a little bit, but he's ready to get in there and be an every-down tight end. He's going to be strong enough to block and we saw what he can do from an athletic standpoint."

Santos said Strickland has the ability to be a mismatch in the passing game. Denin Limouris and Drew Danson can both see time and be factors in heavy-run personnel sets.

"They're really physical in the run game, and will do just enough to keep people honest in the pass game," said Santos on Limouris and Danson.

Isaac Seide and Myles Thomason will spearhead a two-headed rushing attack.

Seide had 122 rushing yards and two touchdowns last year, and Thomason had 216 yards and a rushing score. Denzell Gibson, at 220 pounds, redshirted last year, and will be looked to play the big, physical back.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Santos, UNH football players talk on upcoming season at Media Day