New era for MMU football; BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille to lean on veteran linemen

As part of our annual kickoff to the Vermont high school football season , the Free Press headed out to the first day of preseason practices.

With 31 teams opening up training camp Monday, the Free Press checked out two programs eager to get things rolling: Division II's Mount Mansfield in Jericho and BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille, a contender in Division III.

At Mount Mansfield, first-year head coach Reid Rando officially started his era in charge of the Cougars. And at BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille, the Bullets appear ready to lean on their experience in the trenches.

"Our expectation every year is to get a home playoff game for the seniors. That’s what we start with as our goal," Fairfax/Lamoille coach Craig Sleeman said.

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MMU starts anew with first-year head coach Reid Rando

Mount Mansfield has been rebuilding for the last several years and the 2024 team is hungry to earn some wins under first-year head coach Reid Rando. In 2023, Mount Mansfield finished 1-7-1 and failed to make the playoffs.

Week 1 is a date circled on lots of the seniors' calendars as they will face their former coach, Nick Michaud, who is now an assistant coach at Burlington/South Burlington.

"I think all of us want to win Week 1, it's our big goal," senior QB and LB Brady Morigeau said.

Rando brought an entirely new coaching staff for the 2024 season, bringing a new energy to the squad that is noticeable. Rando has also installed an entirely new culture for the Cougars program bringing the underclassmen and upperclassmen as one team. Nearly all the players donned navy blue t-shirts that said "Cougars Football" and grey shorts, setting a standard for the 39 players in attendance.

That new culture is the biggest difference the players have noticed.

"This is one of the first high school varsity teams that I felt where I actually belonged and felt like a key player where I felt like I was at home almost," senior WR and DB Jared Wilcox said.

"Process over outcome" is one of the main themes Rando is introducing to Mount Mansfield. That theme is all about focusing on the work put in the week to prepare for the game. Rando believes that mentality will translate into scores and then wins which is what the players want to achieve this season.

The team already battled some adversity in the first practice of the season practicing in the on and off rain that soaked the lower field at MMU.

"They were able to adapt especially with the elements coming in," Rando said. "I think that is a sign of a team to do great things because they're going to be faced with adversity and how are they going to react? And today they were very flexible and adaptable."

Offensive line play leads the way for BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille

With veterans throughout the roster and its biggest numbers in a decade, the BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille cooperative program has big plans for the 2024 season.

And it all starts on the offensive line.

All five starting linemen are seniors, and all of them weigh at least 225 pounds.

“We have a lot of guys who are stepping up especially on the (line). We have a really active (line), a really smart (line) and some guys who are ready to improvise up front,” senior lineman Izaih Erno said during a break during drills on Monday. “I have big expectations, holding my guys to a really high standard.

“There’s an energy. These guys are ready to bring it this year.”

A year ago, the Bullets went 4-4 during the regular season and lost in the Division III quarterfinals to Mill River by a 10-7 result.

“I want to make the championship,” senior lineman Hunter McGillis said. “I love playing football, I’ve played it my entire life, since second grade. I love the sport and love being back here.”

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Sleeman welcomed 34 players, 19 of whom are upperclassmen, to camp Monday. The participation total is the most of his 10-year tenure. The Bullets draw from Fairfax and Lamoille with additional players through a member-to-member agreement with Peoples.

The back of players’ practice jerseys read: “Fear the veer.” The program is known for its Veer-style offense.

“We take pride in that. I’ve always believed you need an identity as a team,” Sleeman said. “When it’s third-and-1 or fourth-and-1, what are you? And we know we are a Veer team.”

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Contact Judith Altneu at jaltneu@gannett.com . Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @ Judith_Altneu .

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com . Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5 .

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: New era for MMU football; BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille to lean on veteran linemen