In fifth Division I season, LIU football continues to slowly build a winner

Ron Cooper stood in the middle of the field in his gray long-sleeved shirt with a Sharks logo and LIU FOOTBALL emblazoned across the chest. The head of the Sharks twirled a lanyard attached to his whistle and surveyed the position drills going on all around him in the August heat.

The stands at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium stood silent during this preseason practice in Brookville. But Cooper has a vision for this place, which can hold in excess of 7,000 fans.

The longtime Division I coach took the handoff last year for the tough task of furthering LIU’s transition from a strong D-II program to a relevant D-I team in the FCS. It’s Season 5. The first four came in at a combined 8-27. Cooper called the growing process still “a work in progress.”

“Everybody’s doing their part to make sure we get there,” he said. “And then we’re going to put a product on the field in the stadium that I’m looking at [and] one day we’ll fill it up.”

The product showed distinct signs of improvement late last season. These aren’t the 0-10 Sharks from 2019, their first year in Division I.

Yes, there are two large FBS obstacles in the first three weeks, the opener Sept. 2 at Ohio and Sept. 16 at Baylor. But LIU feels it’s ready to take the next large steps forward — a winning season and contention in the Northeast Conference.

“We believe that we’re a legitimate team and have the players and have what it takes to be a conference championship team,” sophomore quarterback Luca Stanzani said. “So that’s the goal.”

Everything changed in 2022 when Cooper inserted Stanzani as the starter with LIU sitting at 0-7. He had thrown for the second-most yards in Florida prep football history, 13,369 across five years starting for Clearwater International Academy.

“The difference in Luca and a lot of major, major college quarterbacks is probably about two inches,” Cooper said. “  He’s 5-10 1⁄2. But if he was 6-1, 6-2, we wouldn’t be talking about him because he wouldn’t be here right now.”

Stanzani threw for 1,105 yards and 12 touchdowns while leading the Sharks to a 4-0 finish with an average of 37.5 points.

“The momentum’s definitely carried through in terms of the winning streak, as well as [the year of experience] learning the plays and practicing together as a team,” Stanzani said.

Junior Pat Bowen returns after leading LIU with 597 rushing yards. So do the top three in receptions — 6-4 redshirt senior tight end Owen Glascoe, a third-team Stats Perform FCS preseason All-American from Massapequa Park; senior receiver Michael Love and junior receiver/returner Davon Wells.

“We’ve got everyone coming back,” Glascoe said. “Young quarterback. Knows how to throw the ball around. Can move in the pocket. It’s going to be an exciting, explosive offense.”

The Sharks also have a weapon in the kicking game. Redshirt junior Michael Coney, who played for the soccer team and kicked for the football team as a Wantagh High School senior, went 14-for-19 on field goals last year. His longest was 47 yards.

“I think I am very important because I can help the team out a lot,” Coney said. “Any chance we can get points on the board, it’s great to execute as well as you can.”

The 2022 defense allowed an average of nearly 38 points.

“I think there are going to be major improvements,” redshirt sophomore defensive end Eric O’Neill said, citing several returning starters and the time working in the system and with this coaching staff.

The 6-3, 250-pound O’Neill attacked for an NEC-high 10 sacks. His name has been circulating nationally as another third-team preseason All-American and on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the FCS’ most outstanding defensive player.

“I’m really just worried about winning right now,” O’Neill said. “Obviously, conference championship is the most important out of any award.”