FRISCO, Texas – The 2024 CUSA Football Kickoff, presented by Sideline Design, set the stage for the upcoming college football season with an event filled with anticipation and excitement. Held on Tuesday at the PGA of America headquarters, the gathering featured head coaches and select student-athletes from all 10 conference teams.
The event was broadcast live on ESPN+ from a state-of-the-art studio within the PGA of America headquarters. Attendees participated in press conferences, one-on-one interviews, photo and video shoots, and recordings for the CUSA Insider Podcast, making it a comprehensive media day for the league.
Coaches' Insights
Jax State HC Rich Rodriguez shared his thoughts on the 2024 season, emphasizing the team's high expectations despite having several new players. "Now our expectations are probably a little bit higher, but we have question marks too. We have a lot of new guys, but I’m really proud of our players. We had a lot of exciting games. A bunch of them came down to the end. We say Jax State football is must-watch TV."
Kennesaw State HC Brian Bohannon highlighted the growth and appeal of his program since he took over in 2013. "I took this job in March of 2013 and, at the time, I said this will be the best-kept secret in the South. We’re 25 miles outside of Atlanta with 45,000 students and over 150 majors. You can go to a Braves game down the road, you can go fishing in North Georgia and you can get a great degree."
Liberty HC Jamey Chadwell reflected on their successful 2023 season while urging his team to stay focused on the new challenges ahead. "We’re obviously thankful for the season we had, but that was last year’s team. This team has not earned one thing. Everything that we’re getting right now is based off of last year. If we have that mindset, we’ll get beat in this league real quick, because there’s a lot of good teams."
MTSU QB Nick Vattiato praised new head coach Derek Mason's vision and leadership. "From the moment [head coach Derek Mason] came in, it was clear he had a vision in mind and he’s done a really good job instilling that vision into us. Coach always says ‘player led, coach fed’. There’s only so much coaches can do until players start to take over."
NM State HC Tony Sanchez expressed his ambition to build on last season's success. "That’s the expectation now. You never want to go backward. Our expectation is to go to a third bowl game in a row, play for a conference championship and win a conference championship. This is a very competitive conference with a lot of really good coaches and players."
Commissioner’s Preview
CUSA Commissioner Judy MacLeod addressed the media, previewing the 2024 season and noting the conference's new configuration following Kennesaw State's addition on July 1. She highlighted the competitive nature of the league and the exciting prospects for the coming year.
Student-Athletes’ Experience
On the day preceding the media event, student-athletes enjoyed a tour of The Star, the 91-acre campus and practice facility for the Dallas Cowboys. They also participated in a roundtable discussion on pertinent issues and enjoyed an outing at the Lounge by Topgolf inside the Monument Realty PGA District of PGA Frisco.
The 2024 CUSA Football Kickoff successfully set the tone for an exciting season ahead, bringing together the league's key figures in a celebration of college football and community.
