After consecutive winning seasons with a consistent offense and dominating defense, the expectations are very high for the 2015 St. Lawrence University Football team.

Head Coach Mark Raymond, in his sixth season at the helm of the Saints program, has 18 of 22 starters returning including nine All-Liberty League selections, three All-ECAC honorees, four D3football.com All-Region selections as well as a D3football.com All-America. Two of the top returnees are quarterback Mike Lefflbine who earned Liberty League co-Player of the Year honors and junior defensive back/wide receiver Leondre Simmon who earned All-America honors from D3football.com in 2014 and preseason All-America honors this year.

The defense was the key to the success in 2014 and expects to be the key again in 2015. The aggressive style of defense generated 30 turnovers in 2014 including 20 interceptions and also produced 24 sacks. Opponents were limited to 13 points per game with seven games of less than 150 yards of team rushing and eight contests when opponents were limited to less than 200 passing yards.

The Saints were ranked number one in the country in passing yards allowed per game (114.5) and passing efficiency defense (76.78). The 2.3 turnovers forced per game was second in the country and the 13 points per game allowed was seventh best in the nation.

The defensive backfield featuring 2014 starters James Holley-Grisham, Evan Lapice, Simmon and Charlie Maistrellis combined for 142 tackles, 16 interceptions and 20 pass breakups.

The strength and experience of the defensive unit continues at the linebacker position with all three starters returning from 2014. Alec Dietsch, Grant Brightman and Jayson Leigh combined for 29 starts and 166 tackles and finished first, third and sixth respectively in the final team standings for tackles. Dietsch, who is also a starter for the lacrosse team, was an All-Liberty League selection in both sports.

The lone starters lost were on the defensive line but the Saints have plenty of experience and talent returning there as well. Juniors Chyron Brown-Wallace at defensive tackle and Ugo Nieze at defensive end are returning starters while Dillon Estridge at tackle and Michael LaRusso at end saw extensive playing in 2014. Brown-Wallace is the most decorated returner earning All-Region honors from D3football.com and All-America accolades from USA Football last season and recognized by Lindy's and D3football.com with preseason awards for 2015.

With all the returning talent and experience on defense, the expectations are high for another successful season. The expectations are just as high on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage with the return of Lefflbine (a fifth-year senior) and a host of additional starters back from the 2014 season.

Lefflbine led the conference in nearly all offensive categories including passing yards, passing efficiency and total offense and he will have the entire backfield and receiver corps returning to help bolster his impressive numbers. After just two seasons as the Saints quarterback, he is in striking distance of nearly all of the school passing records and already owns the season TD passes mark with 21 last year.

The receiving corps is led by Tight End Mitch Gallagher who was an USA Football All-America and a D3football.com All-Region selection. Gallagher was the favorite target a year ago with 53 catches and is just 187 yards from the 1,000 career yard plateau. Also returning are Matt Gardiner, Leondre Simmon, Christopher Shannon and Vincenzo Ferraro who combined for 81 receptions and over 1,000 yards in 2014.

The offensive backfield is also experienced with the return of Maurice Irby for his senior season and fellow senior Jake Gnieser. The duo combined for more than 700 yards last year on 188 carries.

The key to the offensive success will be the play of the offensive line. The Saints graduated a pair of starters on the line including center Tom Vangel and All-Region and First-Team All-Liberty League selection Ryan Schmidt at left tackle. A trio of juniors in Matt McDonough, Kevin Dean and Michael Fisher return as starters on the line and a battle is expected in preseason camp for the remaining starting spots along the line.

Andrew Carvalho, with kicking duties and Brodie Corless, with the punting duties, return with experience from the 2014 season. Carvalho connected on 35 extra points and converted four field goals while Corless finished third in the Liberty League with an average of 37.2 yards per punt including a league-best 72 yard kick.

 The Saints open the season on the road for the second consecutive year with a Friday night game at Morrisville on September 4. The following weekend, the Saints will look to avenge one of its two losses in 2014 with a trip to Northfiled, VT to face Norwich. The home opener, against first-time opponent Endicott College will be September 19 before St. Lawrence opens Liberty League action the following Saturday at Union.

October starts with a pair of league home games against Rochester and Rensselaer on consecutive weekends. After an off week, the Saints travel to Springfield Oct. 24 before returning home for a Halloween matchup with WPI.

In November, the most anticipated game on the Liberty League schedule will feature St. Lawrence at Hobart before the Saints end the regular season with the Hoffman Cup game at home against the Merchant Marine Academy November 14.