The 2011 season was one that will live on in the Towson history books for many years to come. But with the recollection of the success comes reliving the pain of how the season ended.

With 5:14 remaining in the second-round playoff matchup, quarterback Grant Enders was sacked in the end zone, giving the Lehigh Mountain Hawks the two points they needed to separate from the Tigers and advance to the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

The following Monday, a picture of All-America safety Jordan Dangerfield was on the front page of The Towerlight.

Dangerfield was pictured walking off of the field with his head in his hand walking away, clearly distraught, with the scoreboard showing the two-point shortcoming that ended the Tigers’ season.

“I still got that picture to motivate me,” Dangerfield said. “A lot of guys ask why I have the picture from when we lost, and I just tell them it’s motivation. One mistake lost the game. Just think about it – that one extra rep in the weight room can help you out, that one extra rep full speed in practice can help you out, listening to a coach, it’s the little things that can help you out so you don’t have to live that moment again.”

To say that the Tigers’ 2012 schedule is difficult is a colossal understatement.

Aside from opening the season against Kent State, a Football Bowl Subdivision program, and then having to face national powerhouse Louisiana State University at the historic Tiger Stadium, Towson will also take on five nationally ranked Football Championship Subdivision teams.

“This is the hardest schedule that will ever be played while I’m alive,” Head Coach Rob Ambrose said. “We’ve got to stay the course. We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing and find a way to stay healthy. We’ve got to eat with a purpose, rest with a purpose, plan well and stay healthy.”

The key this season is for the Tigers to tackle one game at a time. With an early week two bye, Towson will have to play at least 10 games back-to-back.

“Right now we’re really focused on Kent State because we can do something that has never been done in school history,” Dangerfield said. “We can go out there and leave everything on the line. We know we have a bye week so we can mess our bodies up and have a week-and-a-half to recover. We know it’s going to be a hustle. We know we’ve got a tough schedule ahead of us. Every team in the conference is going to be tough.”

The Tigers will be returning 46 letter winners, eight defensive starters and 10 offensive starters.

This offseason, seniors Frank Beltre and Dangerfield and sophomore Terrance West earned preseason FCS All-American honors.