Welcome Back CAA Football: Week 1 Has Plenty to Prove
- Sam Tucker
- 3 minutes ago
- 8 min read
Week 1 of the 2026 CAA Football season is loaded with storylines. New head coaches make their debuts, defending champions begin their three-peat chase, and several programs look to set the tone early. Here’s a full look at the opening week.
Thursday, August 27
Maine at Towson – 6:00 p.m.
Jordan Stevens returns to lead his alma mater in his fifth season as head coach. A former All-CAA defensive end and Black Bears captain, Stevens has steadily improved the program since taking over. In 2025, Maine finished 6-6 and featured one of the better defenses in the CAA.
Stevens was pleased with how camp progressed: “I really felt like we picked up where we left off from spring practice… really pleased with our development through camp.”
On Towson, he said:
“They’re a very well-coached team, disciplined, sound in all three phases.”
On the other sideline, Pete Shinnick continues building at Towson. The Baltimore native and proven program-builder previously led West Florida to a Division II national championship and multiple playoff appearances. Now in his fourth season with the Tigers, Shinnick guided Towson to a 6-6 record in 2025 after a seven-win campaign the year before.
Shinnick liked what he saw from his group in camp:
“This team has done a great job of buying in… I like the make-up of the team and how they’ve approached this. Feel really good at where we’re at right now.”
On Maine, he added:
“Extremely disciplined team, very fundamentally sound. They’ve got athletes in the right spots.”
Both teams finished .500 last season, making this an early measuring stick in the middle of the conference.
Glenville State at Elon – 7:00 p.m.
Tony Trisciani, one of the more consistent coaches in the CAA, opens at home against D-II Glenville State. Now in his eighth season as head coach, Trisciani has steadily built a program known for defensive toughness and competitive finishes. Under his leadership, Elon has posted multiple .500 or better CAA records and made a playoff appearance in 2022.
Trisciani liked the urgency he saw in camp:
“There’s a lot of urgency from the guys. Feel like we’re getting ahead with how much we’re able to do… feel good about going into the opener.”
On opening at home against Glenville State, he said:
“I love being able to open our season at home… They're a very strong Division II program. There’s a real strong pedigree on his staff offensively, defensively, and special teams.”
On the other sideline, Mike Kellar brings significant Division II experience. The former Glenville State quarterback is in his eighth season leading the Pioneers and has a strong track record of building competitive programs, including multiple winning seasons and a second-place MEC finish in 2024. This early matchup gives Elon a chance to set the tone at home.
Stony Brook at Delaware State – 6:00 p.m.
Billy Cosh continues one of the more impressive recent turnarounds in the FCS. After taking over a program that went 0-10 in 2023, Cosh led the Seawolves to an 8-4 record in his first season and earned CAA Coach of the Year along with multiple national coaching honors. He followed that with a 6-6 mark in 2025. Now in his third season, Cosh takes Stony Brook on the road looking to build early momentum.
Cosh is clearly high on his current group:
“I’m really excited about this group… in week 2 and 3 (of preseason camp) is where we started catching fire in competitive plays, down-the-field plays, and routine plays.”
On Delaware State, Cosh was complimentary:
“Very impressed. They went 8-4 last year. The first thing they show on tape is how hard they play — that’s a credit to their staff and their players… They have great team speed.”
On the other sideline, DeSean Jackson begins his second year as head coach at Delaware State after guiding the Hornets to an 8-4 record in his debut season. The former NFL star wide receiver (15-year career, three Pro Bowls, All-Pro honors) is still early in his coaching journey after transitioning from the pro game. This matchup pairs one of the FCS’s most notable young rebuilders against a high-profile former player who already produced a winning season in Year 1.
Friday, August 28
New Hampshire at UAlbany – 7:00 p.m.
Sean Goldrich returns to Durham as head coach after a standout playing career as a record-setting quarterback for the Wildcats. On the other sideline, Tom Perkovich makes his FCS debut after building a powerhouse at the D-III level, where he went 84-25 at Susquehanna and captured four straight conference titles. Two first-year head coaches. Zero career FCS wins between them. Both inherit programs looking for a fresh start, and both will be judged quickly on how their teams respond in this early-season measuring stick. First impressions only happen once.
Goldrich was fired up about how camp went:
“Competitive from start to finish… our guys were gettin’ after it. They love to compete, they love the game of football.”
On opening with a conference game, he added:
“It’s awesome. You want the challenges. It’s a great opportunity for us to set the tempo for what we wanna be this year.”
Perkovich was also pleased with camp:
“I think we’ve maximized our time … I thought it was incredibly productive.”
On hosting New Hampshire, Perkovich said:
“Coming out and playing a quality team like UNH is exciting. To do it at home is even better.”
Regarding the unique first-year head coach matchup, Perkovich noted:
“I think both sides are trying to figure out what the other is gonna do… it’s gonna come down to our staff doing a great job at adjusting early, often, and throughout the game.”
Rhode Island at Merrimack – Time TBA
Jim Fleming and the defending CAA champions open the season. After back-to-back 11-3 campaigns and consecutive conference titles, the Rams begin their pursuit of a rare three-peat under one of the longest-tenured coaches in the league (14th season).
Fleming felt good about how camp went:
“Felt like there was constant improvement… overall feel very good about the team.”
On returning after recent success, he noted:
“Confidence is a huge piece… it’s a balance between keeping a very short-term focus and being prepared.”
On Merrimack, Fleming said:
“I think they’re coached very well. I have great respect for Coach Gennetti… they look physical, they’ve got athletes all over the place.”
On the other sideline, Mike Gennetti continues building at Merrimack. A longtime assistant with the Warriors (19 seasons on staff before taking the top job), Gennetti is a defensive-minded coach who has helped develop strong units during the program’s transition to the FCS level. This early non-conference matchup gives Rhode Island a chance to start the three-peat chase with a strong opening statement.
Saturday, August 29
Bryant at Stonehill – 6:00 p.m.
Chris Merritt, in his eighth season at Bryant, looks for a strong non-conference start after a difficult 2025. The former high school powerhouse coach (18 successful seasons at Christopher Columbus in Florida) has guided the Bulldogs through multiple conference transitions and continues building the program in the CAA.
Merritt liked the energy he saw in camp: “There’s a lot of juice in practice… we’re getting better every day… we’re excited.”
On Stonehill, he said:
“They’ve got a really good football team. I don’t feel that their record indicates their quality… we know we’re going to have to be strapped up and ready to play.”
On the other sideline, Eli Gardner continues leading Stonehill in his 11th season as head coach. A longtime figure in the program, Gardner has overseen the Skyhawks’ full transition to the FCS level and keeps developing a competitive roster in the NEC.
Campbell at ETSU – 5:30 p.m.
Braxton Harris takes the Camels on the road in Year 3 as he continues building the program. After a 2-10 mark in 2025, Harris looks to generate early momentum. He previously delivered a winning season as head coach at Houston Christian and has a strong reputation as a recruiter from his earlier stops at Campbell.
Harris was energized by camp:
“Camp’s been awesome… it’s been a blast, it actually feels like football again… we’re excited about this group of guys.”
On ETSU, he said: “They’re a really good football team… we’ve got to limit the explosive plays of their offense. They’re fast, they’re athletic… they’re gonna be a well-coached football team and it’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
On the other sideline, Will Healy is in his second season at ETSU after guiding the Buccaneers to a 7-5 record in 2025. Healy has a proven track record of quick turnarounds, including an Eddie Robinson Award-winning season at Austin Peay and leading Charlotte to its first winning record and bowl appearance.
Monmouth at Tennessee Tech – 6:00 p.m.
Jeff Gallo makes his official debut as head coach. A lifelong Monmouth product who spent more than two decades with the program (including a highly successful run as offensive coordinator), Gallo steps into the top job after the Hawks posted a 9-3 record last season.
Gallo said the group put in the work during camp: “The guys have worked really hard… we’ve shifted our focus now from camp to Tennessee Tech.”
On the road challenge, he added:
“I see the challenge as opportunity.”
On the other sideline, Bobby Wilder continues building at Tennessee Tech. The veteran coach, who previously restarted the Old Dominion program and led it to multiple championships and an FBS transition, guided the Golden Eagles to an 11-2 record and conference title in 2025 after a strong 7-5 debut season in 2024.
Morgan State at North Carolina A&T – 6:00 p.m.
Shawn Gibbs opens at home in his second season. A longtime Aggies assistant known for developing the program’s “Running Back U” identity, Gibbs returned as head coach after a successful three-year run at Fort Valley State. The Aggies will look to rebuild with strong energy and a renewed emphasis on the ground game.
Gibbs made clear where the focus begins this season: “We’re trying to dominate the line of scrimmage… to win football games, it starts up front.”
On facing Morgan State, Gibbs added:
“It’s gonna be a war, it’s gonna be a battle. They’re a well-coached football team.”
On the other sideline, Damon Wilson continues his work at Morgan State. A 25-year coaching veteran and former AFCA Division II National Coach of the Year, Wilson guided the Bears to a 4-8 record in 2025 after a 6-6 campaign the year prior.
Virginia-Lynchburg at Hampton – 6:00 p.m.
Van Malone’s first home game as head coach. With a strong Power-4 and NFL background, Malone begins the process of changing the culture at Hampton. A former All-American defensive back at Texas and second-round NFL draft pick, Malone spent the last seven seasons at Kansas State as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach. He also has previous stops at Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, SMU, and Mississippi State.
Malone highlighted the growth he’s already seeing from his group:
“(Our) players have the opportunity to understand diversity… to understand how to pivot in a new direction. We had a mock game yesterday and we got lightning, and lightning delays… adjustments that we’ve thrown at them on the field even in lightning delay situations off the field, they’ve handled those adjustments the right way.”
On the opportunity to open at home, he added: “I’m really excited about this opportunity… (our) players have been working towards this moment.”
On the other sideline, Tim Newman continues leading Virginia University of Lynchburg. A former standout running back at Johnson C. Smith and undrafted free agent with the New York Jets, Newman also serves as the school’s Athletic Director and brings a long coaching résumé that includes success at the semi-pro and college levels.
Week 1 features a mix of veteran coaches and brand-new voices. Rhode Island begins its three-peat chase, while several first-year head coaches take their first steps in the CAA. New era, early answers, and plenty of storylines to follow.
Quick Note:
Sacred Heart does not play in Week 1 (August 27–29). They open the season on Saturday, September 5 at Monmouth (their first official CAA game).
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