Philip Zoppi – Sports Writer
Robert Nittolo, Devon Davis along with the rest of Southern’s football team participated in the event “Stuff-a-Shuttle,” which helped transport food to the less fortunate in the Greater New Haven community.
The team helped load up a truck full of perishable food items that were used to help the surrounding community.
Sophomore Davis, was pleased with the results.
“It’s nice giving back and just knowing that you made a difference to the community, and made a change,” said Davis.
The football team is not the only a sports team at Southern that gives back to the community. Altogether, Southern athletes volunteered more than 4,000 hours of their time on campus and in Greater New Haven during the 2014-15 academic year.
Nittolo believes it’s important for the football team to make their presence felt in the community just as much as Davis does.
“It’s a really rewarding feeling to give back to those who are less fortunate than us,” Nittolo said. “It’s nice that all the guys come out and helped load stuff onto the truck.”
Nittolo and Davis are doing great work off the field during the offseason. On the field, both of them could potentially play crucial roles in the upcoming football season, especially Nittolo.
Nittolo finished his first year as Southern’s starting quarterback, winning the ECAC Offensive Rookie of the Year. Nittolo racked up 1,947 to go along with 19 passing touchdowns.
On top of that, Nittolo rushed for four touchdowns, which put him at 23 total touchdowns on the season.
Nittolo was happy that he had so much success during his first year at Southern, but he wants the focus to be on the team instead of himself.
“Honestly I was just going out there, doing the best I can on every play and trying to be the best teammate I can be,” Nittolo, the redshirt freshman said. “The only thing that was on my mind was executing each play at a time.”
Nittolo was a key cog in the offense last season, but the same can’t be said for Davis.
Davis is a running back but rarely sees any time in that position. Playing special teams was Davis’ main role last season. Out of the 11 games the Owls played, Davis only saw action in eight of them.
Now that former starting running back Robert Thomas has graduated, Davis hopes he can take on more responsibility next season as he enters his junior year.
“I’m ready to take on a bigger role,” said Davis. “Playing special teams my first two years got my feet wet but I’m ready to take on a bigger role at running back, have a great season with my team and get the program back on track.”
Getting the program back on track is something that Nittolo and Davis are both trying to do, as the Owls finished with a disappointing 4-7 record last season.
Nittolo believes that team chemistry is something that’s going to help them improve their record and their performances on the field.
“I think having a lot of returning players helps,” said Nittolo. “We are now here, another whole year and got winter workouts, spring ball and summer ball, so our continuity will be much better.”
Southern’s football team will continue to try and improve the community around them, as they also try to improve their program heading into the 2016 season.
Photo Credit: SCSU Athletic Communications
