“[Coach Craig Knoche] ends every practice by saying, ‘I love you guys,’” UChicago football captain Luke Degner (Class of 2026) shared. “He’s really creating a great team environment, and we’re all playing for each other.”
Since taking over the program in February 2025, head coach Knoche has led the Maroons to one of their strongest starts in recent memory, emphasizing unity, trust, and accountability as much as physical performance. His players describe a shift in energy—one centered less on individual results and more on collective purpose.
Despite his success, Knoche himself prefers to keep the spotlight on his team rather than his own leadership. When asked to give an interview to the Maroon, he explained, “I would prefer to make it player-centered and minimize my involvement. The kids are the ones playing in the games.”
Knoche’s approach, which emphasizes a player-first mentality, has resonated deeply with the team’s four captains, who credit their success to an unselfish, all-in mentality. “It’s not about you, it’s about the other guys on the field,” captain Zach Meyer (Class of 2026) explained. “We’re focused on what we can do for each other, not ourselves.”
With six wins, the Maroons have already equaled their win count from last year and continue to impress on both sides of the ball. Players point to what they call “complementary football,” where offense, defense, and special teams feed off one another’s momentum. “Sometimes the defense just gets beat, but then our offense goes for a 95-yard touchdown, or our special teams flip the field. It’s trust, knowing the guy next to you will have your back,” captain Josh Minton (Class of 2026) told the Maroon.
That trust has made it easy for the team to stay motivated even as the wins pile up. “Coach always says, ‘Find something to get better at,’” Minton said. “We all have strengths, but we’re constantly asking, ‘What can I do better for my teammates?’”
Amid midterms and campus stress, football has become an escape, a place to reset and reconnect. “School can get hectic, but being on the field with the boys is just fun,” Minton said. “This is our last season, so we’re enjoying every moment.”
In addition to having fun, many seniors are also thinking about the program’s future and the legacy they hope to leave behind. “We just want to leave it better than we found it,” Meyer added. “We’re building something that’ll last for the younger guys.”
That spirit runs deep through the roster. The captains praised the underclassmen for stepping up in key roles, with several freshmen and sophomores now starting regularly. They also highlighted the grit of the offensive and defensive lines, who “battle through injuries and keep the team moving.”
Outside the stat sheet, captain Stirling Sakashita (Class of 2026) made sure to highlight someone whose impact goes beyond the field: athletic trainer Anicia Mattingly. “Anicia’s been taking care of us since we were freshmen. She manages 80 players while still helping other sports, and she even bakes snacks for us. Without her, none of this would happen,” he said.
It is a fitting reflection of what this year’s Maroons roster stands for: gratitude, humility, and love for the people who make the football program what it is.
As the captains look ahead to the final stretch of the season, their focus is clear: keep on building the culture that has taken them this far. “Football is supposed to be fun,” Sakashita told the Maroon. “Forget about school, forget about life for a bit, just enjoy the time with your brothers. That’s what this is all about.”
For the UChicago football team, success is not only measured in wins. It is measured in the bonds built, the lessons shared, and the legacy left behind.
