Rick Sampson didn’t expect to be in this position last summer.

After spending three years as the football coach at Groton from 2008-10, Sampson was set to move up to the collegiate ranks as an assistant under Paul McGonagle at Fitchburg State last fall. But before Sampson got to draw up any X’s and O’s for the Falcons, McGonagle was let go and a new staff was implemented.