The Hamilton Hawkeyes are set to open their 2025 football season on the road this Thursday night at 7:00 PM against St. John’s, ushering in a new era under first-year head coach, Zach Harbison. Harbison is bringing an up-tempo style and a strong sense of purpose to the program.
“Very fired up,” senior senior Hudsen Hulst, “It’s been way too long. I’ve been waiting for this moment all year.”
The Hawkeyes are coming off a season that saw them break through with a playoff appearance, a milestone the program has been chasing for years. But for this group, simply making the playoffs is no longer enough.
“Now that we’ve made the playoffs, I feel like the expectation is to make it again,” said senior Brooks Hawkins. “We’re going to try to keep raising that bar—win some games in there and really put Hamilton football back where it belongs.”
A New Style of Play
Harbison and his staff are installing a system designed to keep opponents off balance. The Hawkeyes won’t be a full two-platoon team, meaning many players will line up on both sides of the ball, but Harbison is confident they can manage tempo to their advantage.
“The faster you play, the more you force teams to simplify what they’re doing,” Harbison explained. “We’re going to be fast-paced. At times we’ll play traditional tempo, and other times we’ll speed it up to keep defenses guessing.”
Players say the transition has been challenging but energizing. “We’re learning a lot of new things at a pace that has even impressed me,” said Hawkins.
“The willingness to work is there. Our guys show up every day, and I think people are going to see that Thursday night," added Harbison.
Senior Leadership and Youth Development
This year’s roster features a mix of battle-tested seniors and promising underclassmen. The defense, in particular, will rely heavily on sophomores and juniors stepping into big roles.
“They have the talent and the size,” Hulst said, “but it’s on our seniors and leaders to pull their maturity along and get them ready for Friday nights.”
The senior class has embraced that responsibility. “I’m just excited to start my senior season with my teammates and show the community that we’re here to play,” added Hawkins. “There were a lot of question marks in the offseason with a new coach, but we’re ready to show what we can do.”
Preparation began long before the official August 11 start of fall practice. The Hawkeyes were “ready to rock and roll” back in June, according to Harbison, and the extra work has the team feeling like they’ve already grown into a new identity.
