Going all out for the Gulls

Former Tiger Elnagger a major cog for Endicott College as linebacker

William Sheehan / ipswich.sports@wickedlocal.com
Ipswich native John Elnagger goes in for the tackle against Hobart College during his breakout 2014 season for Endicott College. He returns to the Gulls this season as a junior and defensive leader. Courtesy Photo / Endicott Athletics

The 2014 campaign was a big year for Endicott linebacker John Elnagger.

In a breakout sophomore season, the Ipswich native appeared in all 10 games and recorded a team-high 95 tackles, 11 of them for a loss of opposition yardage.

Amazingly, he accomplished all this after a freshman year in which he did not see any playing time.

“I’m happy I got a chance to play,” Elnagger said. “At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t looking at a starting spot, but after someone went down [with injury], I got thrown into the game.” 

He made the most of the opportunity, recording six tackles in the Gulls’ 2014 opening game, a narrow 20-17 loss to Framingham State.

After that game, Elnagger didn’t look back, as he became a consistently disruptive presence in the Endicott linebacker core.

A consummate team player, the incoming junior gives a great deal of credit to his teammates for his success against opposing offenses.

“They all really helped me, and always had my back whenever I was second-guessing myself, “ he said. “And the secondary was there to bail me out when I needed it.”

Elnagger’s football playing days date back to eighth grade when he signed up for an Ipswich town league.

From there, he became a standout at Ipswich High. Though the Tigers struggled during his time with the program, Elnagger took some big positives out of his high school playing experience.

“We didn’t win a lot of games, but I had a great time playing with my friends.” he added. “It’s really all about the relationships you build.”

He played well enough to catch the eye of the coaches at Endicott College, and after his overnight visit, he was sold. The beautiful campus, strong biology and biotechnology curriculums, and a quality football program all contributed to his decision to become a Gull in the fall of 2013.

Now entering his junior year, Elnagger has continued to nurture the same type of strong relationships that meant so much to him in high school.

“You get a great feeling from playing with friends and wanting to succeed for them,” he stated.

Elnagger and Co. come into the 2015 season with a strong core of returning players, a new coaching staff, and a determination to put forth a strong campaign.

“They’re the best coaches I’ve had, and I’m super-excited to work with them,” said Elnagger. “Everybody coming back is fired up and ready to go.”

They kick off the regular season on Sept. 5 against Framingham State yet again, hoping to avenge last year’s three-point loss.

True to his nature, as Elnagger readies himself for what he hopes will be another dominant performance, he maintains his team-first mentality.

“I want to make sure everyone is comfortable, and I just want to be the best teammate I can be.”