Over the last three seasons, the Valparaiso University football program has reached heights that members of the Brown & Gold had not achieved in recent memory.

In that time span, the Beacons have racked up 12 Pioneer Football League wins, the most in a three-year period in program history. The team has boasted 35 All-PFL honorees, 19 Academic All-PFL selections, two Jerry Rice Award Watch List honorees, two Freshmen All-Americans and an FCS Coach of the Year Finalist over the last three seasons.

The program won four PFL games in the same season just once in the 26 seasons prior to Fox’s arrival. Now, Valpo has reached that threshold in three straight seasons and three of the first four years under his direction.

While the Northwest Indiana weather may not yet seem spring-like, spring football has arrived at Brown Field. The team began spring practice on Sunday, will hold its first scrimmage on April 15 and will hold its annual spring game on April 30.

“The start of spring ball is exciting from a couple different standpoints,” Fox said. “We had a really good winter in the weight room and with our conditioning. That brings excitement in terms of getting back out on the field. It’s a time where we get to focus on ourselves to improve as a football team. You’re not trying to look at an opponent, just at your team and how you can get better from a schematic standpoint.”

There are five months between now and the season opener on Thursday, Aug. 31 at Youngstown State, but spring ball represents an important opportunity for players to make a first impression on the coaching staff as they compete for playing time.

“This gives the players opportunities to start to create a depth chart,” Fox said. “That won’t be completely decided until we get through fall camp, but they’re positioning themselves to get into a position to play in the fall. There are no spots that are given; everyone is starting over. That’s every year; it’s not the same team. We will give everyone the opportunity to go out there and compete and win positions.”

During the first four seasons of the Fox Era, the program has enjoyed numerous breakthrough victories. In 2022, the team added the program’s first win at Morehead State since 2006 and the team’s first ever win at Marist to that list. The Beacons were previously 0-4 at Marist and 1-9 against the Red Foxes in any location. Also during the 2022 campaign, Valpo beat an Indiana Wesleyan team that went on to win its next 11 games en route to an NAIA National Semifinal appearance. In addition, the program fell by just seven points at Illinois State, the closest game in program history against a full-scholarship program from the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

In 2022, Valpo defeated defending PFL co-champion San Diego for the second time in the last three seasons. Following the loss to Valpo, San Diego held a 48-4 record in its last 52 PFL games with two of those four losses coming to the Beacons.

The 2022 campaign saw Valpo win three league road games in the same season for the first time since 1962. The Beacons went 3-1 in league road games, the first time Valpo had won three PFL road games in the same season since the league was founded in 1993.