# 2023 Keiser Seahawks football team

The 2023 Keiser Seahawks football team represented Keiser University as a member of the Sun Conference during the 2023 NAIA football season. Led by 6th-year head coach Doug Socha, the Seahawks compiled an overall record of 12–2 with a mark of 7–0 in conference play; winning the Sun Conference.
Keiser beat St. Thomas (FL) in the first round, Bethel (TN) in the quarterfinals, and College of Idaho in the seminfinals before playing in the 2023 NAIA Football National Championship where they played Northwestern (IA) and won 31–21 to secure the school's first-overall title. Keiser played home games at Keiser Multi-Purpose Field in West Palm Beach, Florida.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 6:00 p.m. | Mississippi College* | No. 2 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL | L 14–17 | 1,450 |
| September 9 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 9 Lindsey Wilson* | No. 2 | Parnell StadiumColumbia, KY | W 30–26 | 1,648 |
| September 16 | 7:00 p.m. | at Valdosta State* | No. 4 | Bazemore–Hyder StadiumValdosta, GA | L 25–49 | 3,680 |
| September 30 | 9:00 p.m. | Thomas | No. 7 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL | W 44–12 | 505 |
| October 7 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 16 St. Thomas (FL) | No. 9 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL | W 21–14 | 1,500 |
| October 14 | 6:00 p.m. | at Warner | No. 8 | Tye Athletic FieldLake Wales, FL | W 69–6 | 0 |
| October 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Southeastern | No. 7 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL | W 51–21 | 952 |
| October 28 | 7:00 p.m. | at Ave Maria | No. 6 | Gyrene FieldAve Maria, FL | W 54–7 | 2,281 |
| November 4 | 6:00 p.m. | Webber International | No. 6 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL | W 59–17 | 777 |
| November 11 | 1:00 p.m. | at Florida Memorial | No. 4 | Betty T. Ferguson StadiumMiami Gardens, FL | W 44–13 | 300 |
| November 25 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 13 St. Thomas (FL)* | No. 3 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL (NAIA First Round) | W 45–21 | 1,405 |
| December 2 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 7 Bethel (TN)* | No. 3 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL (NAIA Quarterfinal) | W 56–14 | 969 |
| December 9 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 11 College of Idaho* | No. 3 | Keiser Multi-Purpose FieldWest Palm Beach, FL (NAIA Semifinal) | W 28–21 | 1,158 |
| December 18 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 1 Northwestern (IA)* | No. 3 | Durham County Memorial StadiumDurham, NC (NAIA Championship Game) | W 31–21 | 1,183 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern Standard time ||||||||

## Coaching staff

Keiser Seahawks :
| Name | Position | Consecutive season at Keiser in current position | Previous position |
| Doug Socha | Head coach | 6th | Oxbridge Academy (FL) head coach (2012–2015) |
| Myles Russ | Assistant head coach, running backs coach, and recruiting coordinator | 6th | Robert Morris running backs coach (2012–2015) |
| Robbie Owens | Defensive coordinator | 2nd | Helix HS (CA) head coach (2007–2021) |
| Jalani Lord | Offensive line coach and run game coordinator | 6th | Seminole Ridge HS (FL) offensive coordinator (2009–2015) |
| Justin Hilliker | Defensive line coach and special teams coordinator | 2nd | Keiser tight ends coach (2019–2021 |
| Chris Ortiz | Wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator | 1st | West Florida running backs coach (2022) |
| Mickey O'Rourke | Defensive backs coach | 5th | Oxbridge Academy (FL) defensive backs coach (2014–2016) |
| Myles Notkin | Quarterbacks coach | 2nd | Florida Atlantic offensive analyst (2021) |
| Nick Vagnone | Linebackers coach | 2nd | Wingate defensive graduate assistant (2020–2021) |
| Caleb Ackley | Tight ends coach | 1st | Maine assistant offensive line coach and assistant quarterbacks coach (2021–2022) |
| Matthew Sorrentino | Offensive analyst | 1st | N/A |
| Reference: |||||