After being picked to finish sixth in the Pioneer Football League in the annual coaches poll, Marist football features an intriguing cast looking to keep building after an improved 2025 season.
Household names returned. Redshirt senior quarterback Sonny Mannino is back after a brief stint in the transfer portal, and so is sophomore safety Chase Hatton, who turned heads every Saturday during his freshman campaign.
A handful of players, though, could be flying a bit more under the radar. These three Marist Red Foxes are primed for a leap this year.
Lincoln Cardillo, Running Back
Redshirt junior running back Lincoln Cardillo missed almost all of last season due to injury, but he started the first two games and fills a void on the roster heading into 2026.
With former Red Foxes special teams superstar and primary receiving back Tristan Shannon now gone, these roles are open and perhaps no one on the Marist roster makes more sense to fill them.
In 2024, Cardillo ranked second on the entire team with 23 receptions, averaging just over six yards per catch. The Southington, Connecticut native is an extremely patient runner, something that really helps him when he is coming out of the backfield. Cardillo also returned six kicks for 89 yards that year.
Along with his prowess as a scat-back, he also finishes runs well. Cardillo does not shy away from contact, something that should help Marist continue their winning ways on fourth down.
Nate Furrow, Linebacker
Redshirt junior linebacker Nate Furrow went from playing one game in 2024 to starting 12 in 2025. The jump in play time was not due to a lack of depth at the LB spot, but instead a testament to his work off the field.
The Maryland native led the Red Foxes in tackles for loss with 12, and also was first on the team with six sacks. Furrow led the Pioneer League in tackles for loss against conference opponents, too.
His tenacity is evident on every down. Furrow plays with his hair on fire, a violent, hard-nosed brand of football. He tallied five tackles for loss against San Diego, including the game-winning sack that electrified the home crowd.
Furrow’s versatility helps the Red Foxes in so many ways. For one, he can rush the passer with a spectacular blend of speed and power. Secondly, his pursuit/closing speed is impeccable.
If Furrow can improve just a bit in coverage, he could seriously become one of the better defenders in the PFL, if he is not already.
Jace Williamson, Safety
After a slow start to the season, sophomore safety Jace Williamson started the last five games and put up an impressive 11-tackle game against Stetson last November. He also had a 45-yard pick-six in that game.
Williamson averaged over seven tackles a game to close out the year, with 39 tackles in five weeks.
Not only is he a threat to step downhill and stop the run, but he is also a fantastic special teamer. He runs hard as a gunner on punts, proven by his six-tackle performance against San Diego. All of his tackles in that contest came on special teams.
This safety room is very deep, especially with the return of Hatton, but Williamson did more than earn a spot.
Edited by Max Rosen
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo
Photo from Marist Athletics
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