Rich Glover, Jr. knew that rebuilding the Marist High School football program was not going to be an easy task.
After all, the Royal Knights have not enjoyed a winning season since 2005, when Larry Arico was the head coach. Since that time, the Knights have gone through six head coaches and they’ve posted a dismal combined record of 30-87.
Those are hideously sorry numbers for a program that used to be one of Hudson County’s premier squads, one that would perennially contend for NJSIAA state playoff berths.
Glover, the son of the College Football Hall of Famer Rich, Sr., who received the Outland and Lombardi Trophies for being the top interior defensive lineman in the nation when he played for the University of Nebraska in 1972, took over the Marist program last year after a successful brief stint as the head coach of Harrison High School.
Just like Rome, which as we all know wasn’t built overnight, the younger Glover knew that rebuilding the Royal Knights was going to be a slow, tedious process, far more lengthy than a championship chess match or a Federico Fellini movie.
Rich Glover, Jr. also knew that bringing the Royal Knights back to respectability would need some reinforcements, but there weren’t exactly a lot of possible players on the Knights’ roster. Last year, the Knights managed to make it through with a roster of perhaps 20 players.
“Honestly, it wasn’t so much of a difficult thing for me as a coach,” said Glover, Jr., who guided the Knights to a 1-8 season in his first campaign. “It really doesn’t bother me as a coach. A lot of other teams have 30, 35 guys, but really only 15 or 16 play. So it’s not that big of a deal. It’s just the ones we have who play have to be intense. They have to be in better shape than the other team.”
The Royal Knights began the 2018 season with a tough 33-7 loss to Sussex Tech on Aug. 31, so it wasn’t the type of performance Glover hoped for to start the new season.
“I know what I’m dealing with,” Glover said. “It’s definitely difficult to learn so much in such a short period of time. And the majority of the team I have this year is freshmen and sophomores. So it’s a real rebuilding process. We just try to keep guys going and it’s difficult with such a young team. It’s definitely a learning process. The kids have to realize that they’re not that far away.”
The team’s quarterback is senior Sameer Haak (5-7, 175), who has developed as a signal caller.
“He’s more of a thrower,” Glover said of Haak. “He’s also a cerebral guy. It’s his first year playing quarterback for us. He was a lineman last year. He’s the one who stepped up and said that he wanted to be the quarterback. I give him credit for wanting to take a shot and he’s worked so hard at it.”
The running back is junior Angel Ortiz (5-9, 175), who returns to the team, but at a different position than he held last season.
“He was more of a tight end and a linebacker,” Glover said of Ortiz. “He’s a downhill runner. He’s very strong for his size. We’re trying to develop a little bit of mean streak in him.”
In the Knights’ spread offense, junior Jahmir Herring (5-11, 160) is the top receiver.
“He’s our most athletic guy,” Glover said. “He’s our best athlete. He’s a talent. He’s fast and can catch the ball. The sky’s the limit for him. But he’s as good as he wants to be. If he makes his mind up to be a good player, he will be. He has the talent to play on the next level.”
Junior Josue Vasquez (5-6, 160), sophomore Rashon Felder (5-3, 135) and freshman Aaron Wadley (5-8, 130) are the three other targets for Haak to throw to. And the sizes of the latter two receivers are no misprint. Felder is a legit 5-3 and a solid 135.
“I believe the size is a motivation for him,” Glover said of Felder. “He might have that small man’s complex, but he’s a tough fighter.”
The offensive line features senior Kency Guillame (5-8, 205) and junior Anthony Passariello (5-11, 230) as returning starters. Guillame is a guard, while Passariello returns at center.
Junior Orlando Purnell (6-1, 200) is a starter at guard, with junior newcomer Tyrell Washington (6-2, 260) is a starter at tackle. Freshman Quincy Scott-McCoy (5-11, 205) has shown a lot of promise at tackle.
Defensively, the Knights play a 4-3 formation, with Ortiz and Purnell at defensive end and Passariello and Scott-McCoy at defensive tackle.
Haak and freshman Kyle Hargrove (5-9, 180) are the outside linebackers, with Guillame at middle linebacker.
Vasquez and senior Justin Goode (5-6, 135), a transfer from Hudson Catholic who can play immediately, are the cornerbacks with Herring and freshman Daniel Cooper (5-7, 140) at the safeties.
The Knights had games scheduled against Tenafly and Hoboken after the season opener.
Glover knows that the expectations have to be low.
“I think one of the goals, the baseline goal we have is to keep the team going,” Glover said. “We want to lay down the foundation so we can eventually compete. I’m not going to lie. It’s a big rebuild. It’s like taking the big block of clay and molding it. Then we have to win the games we can win. Last year, we lost a few games that we could have won. We need to develop the belief we can win games. We’re not supposed to lose every game. We’re laying down the foundation to compete.”
Glover will receive assistance from his decorated father, who has experience as being a head coach at both Dickinson and Ferris and has the experience of proven greatness. Maybe some of that greatness can rub off on the Royal Knights. – Jim Hague.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.
