The sounds of whistles, coaches calling plays and 140 pairs of cleats on asphalt signalled to campus that the Stagg Bowl runners-up are back as the St. Thomas football team began preseason camp Aug. 15 on Schoenecker Field.

So how does a team that had a near-perfect record and participated in a national championship just nine months ago pick up where it left off?

It doesn’t. Well, not under head coach Glenn Caruso, at least.

And though the sweat-soaked purple and gray uniforms are a familiar sight during muggy afternoon practices, Caruso noted that this squad, like each year, is different than the last.

“It’s a whole different team,” Caruso said. “It’s a whole different group of guys, a different locker room, a different vibe, a different team. And I hope it’s that way because the only way to grow is if it’s different, right?”

Growth. That’s the focus right now for the No. 1 team in the MIAC preseason coaches’ poll — a team that includes 40 first-year students and four transfers.

With many returning players who felt the adrenaline of a nationally televised game in Salem, Virginia last December, Caruso said he’s reminded the team that their skills will develop as the season progresses.

“Sometimes we take snapshots in our mind, and we frame them and think they’re very stagnant,” Caruso explained. “(We think) that Charlie Dowdle was Charlie Dowdle of week 14 when he got here, and Timmy McClanahan was Timmy McClanahan of week 15 when he arrived here. There were so many mistakes that we made last year, and one of the things I loved was that the team grew.”

Senior wide receiver Nick Waldvogel said it’s hard to decide what kind of team the Tommies will be so early in the season, but is confident that everyone is giving their best effort, including the first-year players.

“They’re really talented,” Waldvogel said. “I think it’s one of the best freshman classes I’ve seen come through here, my class included. There’s a lot of talent so I’m excited to see what they can do.”

Senior running back Jordan Roberts, who knows a thing or two about national attention, included that the team’s focus remains consistent even after a national championship appearance.

“Obviously, the success we had last year, there’s kind of a bullseye on your back a little bit,” Roberts said, “and we feel that. But you know, the preparation process has always been the same for us, and that won’t change. My mentality won’t change.”

This Saturday

The Tommies will take on the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds in Eau Claire, Wis. this Saturday at 6:10 p.m. for their regular season opener.

Roberts said he’s as confident as ever in his team.

“In camp, we’ve been practicing against the best defense in the country in my opinion,” Roberts said of his team. “So I’m very confident going into Eau Claire, or any team for that matter.”

Lauren Andrego can be reached at andr0090@stthomas.edu.