Season Outlook (Part One): On-the-job training giving young offense growth
8/31/2026 10:09:00 AM | Football
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Drew Folmar is under no illusions. When he accepted the job as the new head football coach at Millersville University, he knew the situation full well. He understood the decades of futility the program had endured and that Millersville had lost 28 of its previous 29 games.
But this is Folmar's alma mater. This is the place where he was trained and prepared for his career as a college football coach. It is also where, as a quarterback, he set nearly every passing record in the book, won a PSAC East title and led the Marauders to the NCAA playoffs. The hall of fame quarterback returning to rebuild the program sure is a feel-good story, but feel-good stories don't magically win games. It is game week, and the work that he, his staff and this roster have put in during the first eight months of the regime is aimed at reversing the program's course. Meaningful changes occur day by day.
"We want our program to be a source of pride for our campus, community and alumni," said Folmar. We do that by going about things the right way. Pride is your personal responsibility in delivering excellence. We talk about passion, respect, integrity, discipline and effort. From the first meeting with the staff to the locker room with the players, we have expectations and a way we do things…We want these players to grow, mature and set them up for success for the next 40 years of their lives and ultimately win football games and give people a reason to get excited about Millersville football…Everyone is excited because you haven't played a game yet. But you can hear it in conversations with the players. Their demeanor and their voice sound different than it did in January and April."
But growing pains and challenges are expected, especially year one.
Folmar inherited a roster that included just four offensive linemen, no tight ends, and a team that had lost three of its four leading rushers. He stepped into the position with just over a week remaining before National Signing Day. Folmar still managed to assemble a solid recruiting class that has impressed in camp and are necessarily being fitted for immediate action on the front lines of the PSAC East.
"For the freshmen, it moves quickly," said Folmar. "They started with one group, but you find out from a talent level perspective that they need to play and you throw them into the fire. He might be new and started with the young group, but by day three, he's in there with the returners."
The week one offensive depth chart includes 13 players who have never taken an offensive snap at Millersville, and there is just one senior listed in the starting lineup. Experience is only gained through experience and all that comes with it—triumph, failure, progress and setbacks. The idea is that the players best suited to give the Marauders success right now are also the players, who through trial-by-fire, will be the hardened, tested core for the future as well.
There is no question that Folmar knows offense. Not only was he a star quarterback at Millersville from 1997 to 2000 and the PSAC East Freshman of the Year, but he has also gone on to develop high-powered offenses at both the Division II and FCS levels. He returns to Millersville hoping to do the same, but the depth chart entering week one shows only three returning starters from 2025. There are freshmen and sophomores in starting and back-up roles at nearly every position. As Folmar settled into his new role, he quickly developed trust in Brian Ferguson, the Marauders' offensive coordinator in 2025.
Ferguson became the lone holdover from the previous coaching staff and will be an integral part of the offense in 2026. Folmar, who has long served as an offensive play-caller, will retain those duties while also coaching the quarterbacks.
"When it's all said and done, I look at it this way. I'm in charge of getting our program back on track," said Folmar. "I don't want to walk into someone else's office and look at them and point the finger. I'd rather point it at myself."
But Folmar and Ferguson spent the spring marrying their offensive philosophies, which gives the returners familiarity but also gives the offense an injection of Folmar's influence.
"Ferg has been awesome since I got here," said Folmar. He's been a great resource. He knew the players, and that was a big help to me in understanding where we were going into spring practice. He has a good track record and experience as an offensive coach, and it's been good to talk football and meld and mesh our ideas and make them better. That part of it on the offensive side has been great."
Millersville's offense under Ferguson in 2025 was reasonably productive. The Marauders moved the ball effectively, ranking 10th in the conference in total offense and sixth in passing but struggled to capitalize on opportunities, and turnovers were a significant issue as it finished the season -17 in turnover margin.
The Marauders converted just 65.6% of their red-zone opportunities, which ranked 13th in the conference. Additionally, Millersville ranked near the bottom of the PSAC in time of possession, adding pressure to a defense that also faced significant challenges. Still, signs of offensive potential were evident under Ferguson's direction. Folmar has always believed in building schemes around the strengths of his players. With that in mind, the coaching staff selected Tommy Hunsicker as the starting quarterback for the 2026 season.
Hunsicker showed flashes during his redshirt freshman campaign in 2025. He entered the lineup after Ryan Zelt suffered an early-season injury and demonstrated considerable abilities. In his first career start, he completed 21 of 37 passes for 203 yards against IUP. As he became more comfortable later in the season, he started to use his greatest asset—his athleticism. He rushed for 38 yards against Kutztown, 69 against Lock Haven and 33 against East Stroudsburg.
"You need some guys who can make stuff happen," said Folmar. "Look at the quarterbacks in the national championship last year. Not many teams are playing with quarterbacks like me who can't move. You want guys that have that great. They don't have to go out there and run for 100 yards a game, but he's got to be able to escape the pocket and extend plays. That's what you are looking for."
A former Berks County Player of the Year and all-state performer, Hunsicker rushed for more than 500 yards and passed for over 2,000 yards in high school. He also played three sports, helping both his basketball and baseball teams reach the state playoffs.
As with any young player, Hunsicker's underdeveloped feel for the passing game led to turnovers as he threw nine interceptions compared to five touchdown passes. Folmar believes Hunsicker has made strides in that regard, and they can also be more purposeful in using him as a weapon in the run game.
"I like Tommy's presence," said Folmar. "I think he's a competitor. He stays pretty even keel. I think he's got some leadership, and he needs to continue to grow and develop into that."
The quarterback room is relatively deep and experienced. Ryan Zeltt, a senior who has been an occasional starter over the past two seasons, provides valuable depth. Zeltt has completed 57% of his passes during his career and has thrown 23 touchdown passes over the last two seasons. Eddie Corkery, a sophomore, is also in the mix. He was a big-time passer at State College, setting school records for yards and touchdowns and earning all-state honors.
History shows that depth is everything. No Marauder quarterback has started 11 games in a season since Bill Shirk in 2010.
Hunsicker's ability to move is key consider the youth on the offensive line. Folmar inherited a roster depleted in the trenches and made it a priority to recruit as many offensive linemen as possible. He landed three players who will start Thursday at Glenville State: Nafiq Brown at right tackle, George Queen III at left tackle and Milo Makes at left guard.
Jayden Snook has earned the starting right guard position despite being only a sophomore and not seeing game action last season. The only veteran to secure a starting spot on the line is center Tre Spahr, a fourth-year player who started seven games at right guard last season. Folmar believes these young linemen are talented and have bright futures. However, outside of quarterback, offensive line is arguably the most difficult position for young players to step into and find immediate success in the PSAC because of the physical demands. It will be a trial by fire, but it could also provide a foundational cornerstone for Folmar's rebuilding effort. That is especially true if these freshmen continue to develop under new offensive line coach P.J. Barr.
"Tre did a good job in the offseason," said Folmar. "He's the old guy pushing these guys along. Jayden developed well through the spring. We knew going in that there were going to be a new dude playing somewhere."
In the mix along the line is senior Christian Watts, a transfer from Seton Hill, as well as sophomore Eddie Brown III, who has played both guard and tackle, sophomore Micah Gilbert, a freshman Bam Berzins.
The strength of Millersville's offense lies in its skill-position players, particularly at wide receiver.
Colin Hastings enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, recording 31 receptions for 501 yards and three touchdowns. He returns as Hunsicker's top target. The Marauders also bring back Isaac Sines and Nakhi Bullock.
Sines served as a team captain last season. Although injuries shortened his 2025 season, he has been a productive player whenever he has been on the field, leading the team in receptions in 2024.
"Colin and Isaac are guys with experience and production," said Folmar. "Bullock had a good spring for us. They give us a veteran presence, and they are helping the young guys, showing them how to practice and what it looks like."
An addition to the wide receiver room is Caileb Howse, who took snaps at quarterback as a freshman in 2025, showing mobility with a 25-yard touchdown run. Folmar watched Howse in spring ball and realized there was no reason to keep one of the team's best athletes on the sideline as a back-up quarterback. Folmar approached him in the offseason about a position change, and Howse embraced the move. Howse excelled on both sides of the ball at Lampeter-Strasburg, leading the team to a state championship game. He earned all-state first team honors at quarterback, was named Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Four MVP, and also earned First Team honors at defensive back. He rushed for more than 1,400 yards, passed for 1,600 yards, and intercepted six passes, returning four of them for touchdowns. While he is new to the position, he has caught the eye of everyone in the program during fall camp.
Other young players making noise in camp include freshmen Kyreek Bradshaw and Jayden Walters, both of whom have earned a spot on the depth chart. Bradshaw, a 6-1 target from Williamsport has earned a starting spot on the outside, opposite Hastings. Jayden Walters, standing 6-2 and from Archbishop Carroll, is his back-up.
In the backfield, Millersville returns a promising young running back in Mekhi Ashby. Ashby was part of a four-back rotation last season, but he led the team with 85 rushing attempts and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Four players recorded between 46 and 85 carries last season, but Ashby is expected to shoulder a much larger workload this year.
He will receive support from sophomore Xavier Kingcade and veteran Harry Adieyefeh, who has worked through injuries since arriving at Millersville in 2024.
To fill the tight end position, Millersville will look to Mason Musitano, a converted wide receiver who has added weight and now checks in at 220 pounds. He appeared on special teams in 10 games during the 2025 season as a redshirt freshman and is expected to be the starting tight end when the Marauders take the field on Thursday, providing a reliable receiving option.
The backup tight end is Brett Nye, a converted quarterback who is entering his fourth season with the program. Nye started a game at quarterback last season and possesses both the size and understanding of the offense needed to contribute at a position where depth is limited.
But this is Folmar's alma mater. This is the place where he was trained and prepared for his career as a college football coach. It is also where, as a quarterback, he set nearly every passing record in the book, won a PSAC East title and led the Marauders to the NCAA playoffs. The hall of fame quarterback returning to rebuild the program sure is a feel-good story, but feel-good stories don't magically win games. It is game week, and the work that he, his staff and this roster have put in during the first eight months of the regime is aimed at reversing the program's course. Meaningful changes occur day by day.
"We want our program to be a source of pride for our campus, community and alumni," said Folmar. We do that by going about things the right way. Pride is your personal responsibility in delivering excellence. We talk about passion, respect, integrity, discipline and effort. From the first meeting with the staff to the locker room with the players, we have expectations and a way we do things…We want these players to grow, mature and set them up for success for the next 40 years of their lives and ultimately win football games and give people a reason to get excited about Millersville football…Everyone is excited because you haven't played a game yet. But you can hear it in conversations with the players. Their demeanor and their voice sound different than it did in January and April."
But growing pains and challenges are expected, especially year one.
Folmar inherited a roster that included just four offensive linemen, no tight ends, and a team that had lost three of its four leading rushers. He stepped into the position with just over a week remaining before National Signing Day. Folmar still managed to assemble a solid recruiting class that has impressed in camp and are necessarily being fitted for immediate action on the front lines of the PSAC East.
"For the freshmen, it moves quickly," said Folmar. "They started with one group, but you find out from a talent level perspective that they need to play and you throw them into the fire. He might be new and started with the young group, but by day three, he's in there with the returners."
The week one offensive depth chart includes 13 players who have never taken an offensive snap at Millersville, and there is just one senior listed in the starting lineup. Experience is only gained through experience and all that comes with it—triumph, failure, progress and setbacks. The idea is that the players best suited to give the Marauders success right now are also the players, who through trial-by-fire, will be the hardened, tested core for the future as well.
There is no question that Folmar knows offense. Not only was he a star quarterback at Millersville from 1997 to 2000 and the PSAC East Freshman of the Year, but he has also gone on to develop high-powered offenses at both the Division II and FCS levels. He returns to Millersville hoping to do the same, but the depth chart entering week one shows only three returning starters from 2025. There are freshmen and sophomores in starting and back-up roles at nearly every position. As Folmar settled into his new role, he quickly developed trust in Brian Ferguson, the Marauders' offensive coordinator in 2025.
Ferguson became the lone holdover from the previous coaching staff and will be an integral part of the offense in 2026. Folmar, who has long served as an offensive play-caller, will retain those duties while also coaching the quarterbacks.
"When it's all said and done, I look at it this way. I'm in charge of getting our program back on track," said Folmar. "I don't want to walk into someone else's office and look at them and point the finger. I'd rather point it at myself."
But Folmar and Ferguson spent the spring marrying their offensive philosophies, which gives the returners familiarity but also gives the offense an injection of Folmar's influence.
"Ferg has been awesome since I got here," said Folmar. He's been a great resource. He knew the players, and that was a big help to me in understanding where we were going into spring practice. He has a good track record and experience as an offensive coach, and it's been good to talk football and meld and mesh our ideas and make them better. That part of it on the offensive side has been great."
Millersville's offense under Ferguson in 2025 was reasonably productive. The Marauders moved the ball effectively, ranking 10th in the conference in total offense and sixth in passing but struggled to capitalize on opportunities, and turnovers were a significant issue as it finished the season -17 in turnover margin.
The Marauders converted just 65.6% of their red-zone opportunities, which ranked 13th in the conference. Additionally, Millersville ranked near the bottom of the PSAC in time of possession, adding pressure to a defense that also faced significant challenges. Still, signs of offensive potential were evident under Ferguson's direction. Folmar has always believed in building schemes around the strengths of his players. With that in mind, the coaching staff selected Tommy Hunsicker as the starting quarterback for the 2026 season.
Hunsicker showed flashes during his redshirt freshman campaign in 2025. He entered the lineup after Ryan Zelt suffered an early-season injury and demonstrated considerable abilities. In his first career start, he completed 21 of 37 passes for 203 yards against IUP. As he became more comfortable later in the season, he started to use his greatest asset—his athleticism. He rushed for 38 yards against Kutztown, 69 against Lock Haven and 33 against East Stroudsburg.
"You need some guys who can make stuff happen," said Folmar. "Look at the quarterbacks in the national championship last year. Not many teams are playing with quarterbacks like me who can't move. You want guys that have that great. They don't have to go out there and run for 100 yards a game, but he's got to be able to escape the pocket and extend plays. That's what you are looking for."
A former Berks County Player of the Year and all-state performer, Hunsicker rushed for more than 500 yards and passed for over 2,000 yards in high school. He also played three sports, helping both his basketball and baseball teams reach the state playoffs.
As with any young player, Hunsicker's underdeveloped feel for the passing game led to turnovers as he threw nine interceptions compared to five touchdown passes. Folmar believes Hunsicker has made strides in that regard, and they can also be more purposeful in using him as a weapon in the run game.
"I like Tommy's presence," said Folmar. "I think he's a competitor. He stays pretty even keel. I think he's got some leadership, and he needs to continue to grow and develop into that."
The quarterback room is relatively deep and experienced. Ryan Zeltt, a senior who has been an occasional starter over the past two seasons, provides valuable depth. Zeltt has completed 57% of his passes during his career and has thrown 23 touchdown passes over the last two seasons. Eddie Corkery, a sophomore, is also in the mix. He was a big-time passer at State College, setting school records for yards and touchdowns and earning all-state honors.
History shows that depth is everything. No Marauder quarterback has started 11 games in a season since Bill Shirk in 2010.
Hunsicker's ability to move is key consider the youth on the offensive line. Folmar inherited a roster depleted in the trenches and made it a priority to recruit as many offensive linemen as possible. He landed three players who will start Thursday at Glenville State: Nafiq Brown at right tackle, George Queen III at left tackle and Milo Makes at left guard.
Jayden Snook has earned the starting right guard position despite being only a sophomore and not seeing game action last season. The only veteran to secure a starting spot on the line is center Tre Spahr, a fourth-year player who started seven games at right guard last season. Folmar believes these young linemen are talented and have bright futures. However, outside of quarterback, offensive line is arguably the most difficult position for young players to step into and find immediate success in the PSAC because of the physical demands. It will be a trial by fire, but it could also provide a foundational cornerstone for Folmar's rebuilding effort. That is especially true if these freshmen continue to develop under new offensive line coach P.J. Barr.
"Tre did a good job in the offseason," said Folmar. "He's the old guy pushing these guys along. Jayden developed well through the spring. We knew going in that there were going to be a new dude playing somewhere."
In the mix along the line is senior Christian Watts, a transfer from Seton Hill, as well as sophomore Eddie Brown III, who has played both guard and tackle, sophomore Micah Gilbert, a freshman Bam Berzins.
The strength of Millersville's offense lies in its skill-position players, particularly at wide receiver.
Colin Hastings enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, recording 31 receptions for 501 yards and three touchdowns. He returns as Hunsicker's top target. The Marauders also bring back Isaac Sines and Nakhi Bullock.
Sines served as a team captain last season. Although injuries shortened his 2025 season, he has been a productive player whenever he has been on the field, leading the team in receptions in 2024.
"Colin and Isaac are guys with experience and production," said Folmar. "Bullock had a good spring for us. They give us a veteran presence, and they are helping the young guys, showing them how to practice and what it looks like."
An addition to the wide receiver room is Caileb Howse, who took snaps at quarterback as a freshman in 2025, showing mobility with a 25-yard touchdown run. Folmar watched Howse in spring ball and realized there was no reason to keep one of the team's best athletes on the sideline as a back-up quarterback. Folmar approached him in the offseason about a position change, and Howse embraced the move. Howse excelled on both sides of the ball at Lampeter-Strasburg, leading the team to a state championship game. He earned all-state first team honors at quarterback, was named Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Four MVP, and also earned First Team honors at defensive back. He rushed for more than 1,400 yards, passed for 1,600 yards, and intercepted six passes, returning four of them for touchdowns. While he is new to the position, he has caught the eye of everyone in the program during fall camp.
Other young players making noise in camp include freshmen Kyreek Bradshaw and Jayden Walters, both of whom have earned a spot on the depth chart. Bradshaw, a 6-1 target from Williamsport has earned a starting spot on the outside, opposite Hastings. Jayden Walters, standing 6-2 and from Archbishop Carroll, is his back-up.
In the backfield, Millersville returns a promising young running back in Mekhi Ashby. Ashby was part of a four-back rotation last season, but he led the team with 85 rushing attempts and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Four players recorded between 46 and 85 carries last season, but Ashby is expected to shoulder a much larger workload this year.
He will receive support from sophomore Xavier Kingcade and veteran Harry Adieyefeh, who has worked through injuries since arriving at Millersville in 2024.
To fill the tight end position, Millersville will look to Mason Musitano, a converted wide receiver who has added weight and now checks in at 220 pounds. He appeared on special teams in 10 games during the 2025 season as a redshirt freshman and is expected to be the starting tight end when the Marauders take the field on Thursday, providing a reliable receiving option.
The backup tight end is Brett Nye, a converted quarterback who is entering his fourth season with the program. Nye started a game at quarterback last season and possesses both the size and understanding of the offense needed to contribute at a position where depth is limited.
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/ FootballWednesday, August 05
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Saturday, November 15
Saturday, October 04
