While far from perfect, the Elon University football team showed a shifted mindset from past years in its 20-13 win against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Sept. 20 at Rhodes Stadium.

In past years, Elon would have found a way to lose but against the 49ers, the Phoenix instead found a way to win.

The victory marked the first of the season for Elon and for head coach Rich Skrosky, who said after the game that this was a big one for his team.

“[The players] needed that validation,” Skrosky said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, especially when you’re starting new, and you’re a new staff, and they’re under a new coach. You keep sending that same message, and sometimes if you don’t get that validation for a while with a ‘W,’ it starts to show.”

On Sept. 13, Elon lost 17-12 to North Carolina A&T State University, squandering multiple opportunities to take control of the game.

The Phoenix left the door open against the 49ers as well — throwing an interception and missing three field goals — but was able to lean on its defense to hold Charlotte’s final push and win the game.

“Losing maximizes mistakes sometimes,” Skrosky said.  “After last week’s game, everybody was like, ‘That might be the worst red-zone offense in the world.’ Winning minimizes mistakes, and we can’t let that be a problem with us. We have to make sure that we’re critiquing ourselves just as hard as we did last Sunday after a tough loss to [NC A&T].”

Coming up big for the Phoenix were senior wide receiver Kierre Brown and senior linebacker Odell Benton. Brown hauled in 13 passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns while Benton had five tackles, a forced fumble and recovery, as well as an interception.

“[Brown and Benton] were a big part of the leadership element, which is so important when you get into games like that — there’s going to be trust, there’s going to be confidence in that, ‘Hey, we’ve worked our tails off,’” Skrosky said.

For veterans Brown and Benton, this win was one of, if not the most, rewarding of their careers.

“That’s probably one of the best moments of my whole career,” Benton said. “Being out there on the field and seeing all 80-some guys running onto the field and seeing the happiness in everybody’s face. That was just a really great feeling, and I’ll never forget it. It was beautiful.”

Winning is something that hasn’t been associated with Elon football in recent years, as the Phoenix was 5-18 over the past two seasons under head coach Jason Swepson.

“It was great seeing the entire team show some type of enthusiasm and finally have that winning feeling,” Brown said, “Some guys haven’t come from winning programs in high school. They don’t really know how it feels to win. And to actually get that feeling for everybody is great.”

Under Skrosky’s leadership, players who have played under both coaches have a different mentality.

“Something that Coach Skrosky has come in and really instilled in us is we play for the community, and that’s something that we really haven’t — I personally haven’t — thought about, that is playing for something bigger than us,” Benton said. “We know that this is the foundation we’re setting. It definitely feels good for sure.”

As with any football game, Skrosky said there are certain areas the Phoenix will need to examine and improve before Elon’s Sept. 27 game at Coastal Carolina University. But there is more to this season than wins and losses — it’s about building for the future.

“It feels pretty good,” Brown said. “We got the win for Elon and for the program. With this win, I feel like it’s going to help change things around here and get on the right track.”

Following the win, Skrosky mentioned many times how excited he was for the players. It was the definition of a team win, and he leaned on one of his common sayings to express it.

“I’m so confident each and every day the program’s moving in the right direction,” he said. 

No matter the struggles a team goes through during a season or even in the years prior, there is nothing that winning can’t solve.

“It’s a great feeling,” Brown said. “Winning is always the best feeling in the world, honestly.” 

And it’s a feeling that the Phoenix is trying to experience a little more often under Skrosky.