MOUNT VERNON – There's been a learning curve for all members of Cornell's football team this preseason camp. That includes the Rams' Iowa High School Hall of Fame head coach Curt Ritchie, who embarks on his first collegiate season following a stellar 24-year run at Williamsburg.  
 
Ritchie guided Williamsburg to the state playoffs in each of his final 17 seasons there, capped by a Class 3A championship in 2023. He looks to continue his winning ways with entirely new surroundings at Cornell.
 
"We're all trying to learn together at the same time," said Ritchie, who brought in six new assistants to his 2025 coaching staff. "The coaches are teaching each other, and we're teaching the players. Camp has been awesome. It's been fun for me to have extended time with the players and staff."
 
The Rams will hold a home scrimmage against Simpson at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27. An appealing season opener awaits Thursday, Sept. 4 under the lights against rival Coe. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Van Metre Field at Ash Park.
 
Cornell returns 11 starters from last year's squad that placed fifth in the Midwest Conference (5-4) and finished 5-5 overall. The Rams are picked fifth in the MWC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 51 points.
 
Monmouth is projected to win the 10-team league, receiving 78 points and six first-place votes. Defending champion Lake Forest (75 points) is slotted second, followed by Illinois College and Chicago in a tie for third with 61 points.
 
"We're going to prepare and go into every game confident," Ritchie said. "Our guys are excited. This is a great team to start with. The players are coachable and want to get better."
 
Cornell's 80-man roster features 19 seniors, five of them returning offensive starters in linemen Devin Quirarte, Brett Pelfrey and wide receivers Gavin Soukup, Cole Reed and Rommel Pinner. Quirarte was a second team all-MWC performer at right guard in 2024.
 
Soukup led last year's receiving corps with 45 receptions for 616 yards and two touchdowns. Reed hauled in 41 passes for 386 yards and three scores. Pinner accumulated a team-high 258 kickoff return yards.
 
The Rams look to replace two prolific all-conference players in the offensive backfield with the graduation of running back Tony Gomez (2,285 career rushing yards) and quarterback John Smith (4,733 career passing yards, 42 TDs).
 
Junior BooBoo Browning is the team's top returning rusher, netting 491 yards with three TDs. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry a year ago. Junior Trey Anderson averaged 6.6 yards on 19 rush attempts.
 
Senior Thomas Monken heads a talented, yet inexperienced quarterback room. In limited action last fall, he completed 15-of-32 passes for 192 yards and four TDs.
 
Coach Mike Juscik's defense brings back one of the league's top linebackers in senior Luca Schoensee. The two-year starter ranked ninth in the MWC with 73 tackles. Junior Jamal Thompson adds experience to the linebacking group, posting 47 tackles last year.
 
Junior Julius Jenkins is a playmaker on the defensive front, recording a team-best 13.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks last fall. He ranked among the MWC leaders in both categories.
 
The secondary returns three starters in senior Ben Ephraim, junior Joshua Martin and sophomore Zavion Jordan. Martin led the team with three interceptions.
 
The Rams have a proven kicker in junior Mitchell Frahm, who converted 29-of-32 PATs and 4-of-5 field goals last season. Frahm will also take over punting duties.
 
"I think we have a chance to be a good team," Ritchie said. "Our depth isn't where we want it to be, but I like our talent. Everybody has to be ready.
 
"We'll continue to build our identity. We want to play with tempo, aggressiveness and confidence. I expect our guys to play hard from the beginning to the end and have success."