WEST LONG BRANCH – Monmouth University’s move to the Colonial Athletic Association was 30 years in the making. Thursday night all the blood, sweat and tears they have given to make it happen will finally come to fruition.
The Hawks will travel to the University of New Hampshire for an intraconference battle with the Wildcats on Thursday, ushering in a new era of football for Monmouth as they commence play in the elite Colonial Athletic Conference – one, if not the, top conferences in the FCS.
Under the leadership of head coach Kevin Callahan, the only coach in Monmouth football history, the Hawks began play in 1993 as an independent before gaining entry to the Northeast Conference in 1996. In 2014, they made the move to the more competitive Big South Conference with the hope of eventually being admitted to the CAA.
“As we started football, we knew it was going to be a period of growth,” Callahan said. “We hoped that every four or five years we could take another step and continue to build a program and continue to ascend to a higher level. Looking back on that plan now I think that’s exactly what we did – from an independent, to the NEC, to the Big South and now to the CAA. One of the things we always thought about was playing in a regional conference that represented the best FCS football in our area and that did point to the CAA.”
Initially, during the early stages of the program, a move to the CAA was only a pipe dream. But as the Hawks program began to gain traction and their athletic scholarship numbers rose to the maximum level allowed in the FCS, success followed, and the Hawks became an attractive option for the CAA.
“Back when we joined the Big South, the CAA came and looked at us,” Callahan said. “And quite honestly, at that point, I don’t know if we were ready or had what they were looking for in terms of adding another member. But I think as we joined the Big South, that allowed us to continue to grow the program and to ramp up the program in all areas from the number of scholarships we’ve added to the facilities and all those things that are very important.
“I think when the CAA came looking for expansion this time around now Monmouth had those things and became a very viable league member and one that certainly fit right into the middle of their footprint. It just made so much sense to have a team here in New Jersey and when we demonstrated that we had the resources and demonstrated we were on the level they were looking for I think it was a natural match.”
With the move to the CAA comes a renewed enthusiasm surrounding the program and an excitement level – not only amongst the team but the entire Hawks community – that is off the charts.
“In a word it’s exciting and it’s invigorating,” Callahan said. “To take yet another step in the evolution of our football program has excited everybody on the staff, team and everybody in our administration here at Monmouth. We’re excited about the challenges we’re going to have on a weekly basis. We’re excited about the association we’re going to have with some great institutions and some great football programs and we’re really looking forward to the competition each and every week.”
It’s out of the ordinary for the first game of the season to be against a conference opponent but the schedule makers didn’t waste any time making sure the Hawks got their feet wet early in the CAA scheduling their season opener on the road against one of the storied CAA programs, New Hampshire.
“It is unusual and certainly something we haven’t really had before,” Callahan said of the scheduling quirk. “But the fact of the matter is that when we scheduled this game years ago it was scheduled as a non-conference game to open up the season. Now as a member of the CAA there was discussions on moving the game but with everyone’s schedules already in place it really made the most sense to keep the game where it is.
“We’re going to find out sooner or later if we have what it takes to stand up to the CAA teams, so we might as well do it right out of the shoot here.”
It should be a perfect introduction of what to expect on the road in the CAA when the Hawks march into the 11,015 seat Wildcat Stadium in prime time (7:00) Thursday night. A sellout crowd is anticipated so the atmosphere should be wild.”
“We’re ready,” Callahan said. “I hope there’s a good crowd and from everything we’ve heard out of New Hampshire it’s going to be a sellout. I hope they do sell it out, there’s nothing like playing football in an electric environment. That excites the players from both teams and to have that excitement surrounding our first ever conference game in the CAA it just adds to it.
“Our players are very much aware what the CAA represents. It’s one of the premier FCS football conferences in the country and they understand it’s our first game. A lot of how we’re going to be perceived as a football program is going to be taken away from our performance Thursday night.”
On Monday’s CAA Coaches' Zoom call, Callahan talked about what he expected out of the Wildcats.
“They play extremely hard and give great effort regardless of the score, regardless of the record or regardless of what point in the season it is. That tells me it’s a team that’s extremely well coached. It’s a team that has a tradition of winning and what it takes to win. And when you play a team like that, in my opinion, you have to be at your absolute best.
“Even last year, I know the record probably wasn’t what they hoped it would be, but they were in a lot of very close games. They were down some key people, who were key contributors to them the year before, and were still in every single game and were leading in those games right until the end.”
Callahan discussed some of the Wildcats key players, “Offensively they return a quarterback (Max Brosmer) a young guy who took them to the FCS playoffs in 2019, their top two receivers (Brian Espanet and Sean Coyne) and they will post matchup problems for us. They return their tight end (Kyle Lepkowski) and their top running back (Dylan Laube), a very tough, physical, fast player who contributes to the team in many ways – he’s all over the field. And up front on offense they have an experienced and veteran offensive line (anchored by Patrick Flynn). They appear to be a team that wants to establish the run to take some of the load off the quarterback but also that’s what they like to do. That fits in to what I perceive to be their mantra as a football team.
Flynn was a 2021 third team All-CAA pick a year ago and is a 2022 preseason honorable mention selection. Laube ran for 518 yards while averaging 6.3 yards per carry with four touchdowns. Espanet (34-454-7) and Coyne (35-324-4) were one and two respectively in receiving yards for the Wildcats in 2021.
“When you flip to the other side, the defensive side of the ball, you can’t help to be impressed with their defensive front. Their defensive line (led by Josiah Silver) is tremendously explosive and experienced. I think their linebacker unit, (led by Ryan Toscano and Bryce Shaw) might be top to bottom one of the stronger units on their roster. And then they have some veteran players in the secondary (Evan Horn, Randall Harris and Pop Bush). So, they’ll make it difficult for our offense to run the ball because we have five new starters in the offensive line. And we know they're going to post matchup problems on the perimeter with the size and speed of their receivers, so we know we’re in for quite a test.”
Silver’s 12.5 sacks in 2021 led the CAA. He also contributed 80 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles. He’s a STATS Perform Preseason first team All-American selection along with making the watchlist for the STATS Perform Preseason Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented to the National Defensive Player of the Year.
Horn, Harris and Bush each recorded two interceptions in 2021 with Bush picking up preseason honorable mention honors. Toscano (67 tackles) and Shaw (65 tackles) were one and two respectively in tackles a year ago.
Second-year head coach Rick Santos served as New Hampshire’s associate head coach/quarterback coach for three years prior to taking over for long-time Wildcat coach Sean McDonnell who retired after leading New Hampshire for 23 years. Santos was a record-breaking quarterback for the Wildcats from 2004-07.
“I think offensively we’ve made some strides,” said Santos on Monday’s Coaches Zoom call. “We got some guys healthy and some guys back and then defensively, that’s been our strong unit the last few years and we’ll continue to lean on them to make some game-defining plays as the season goes along.”
Also, on Monday’s Zoom call, Santos said he was impressed with what he’s seen of the Hawks on tape, “I think first and foremost it starts at the top with their head guy, coach Kevin Callahan. They’re as well coached as anybody at this level and he’s going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer whenever he retires. They play with elite discipline; they’re going to attack you and get after you, and they play with great effort. They have a dynamic quarterback (Tony Muskett), who obviously garners a ton of respect coming in being named first team All-Conference. He’s an All-American that can make all the throws with a quick release and from everything I’ve heard or read about him he’s a really smart football player."
Muskett finished the 2021 season with a 145.0 passing efficiency rating after completing 239-of- 367 passes for 2,651 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was named to the 2022 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference first team.
“They have really dynamic running backs (Juwon Farri, Jaden Shirden and Ownen Wright)," added Santos. "They’re big and physical up front so I think first and foremost upfront we’ve got to stop the run. When Farri rushes for over 100 yards they’re 11-1 or something like that so we’ve got to work to limit his ability on the ground.”
Farri was a first team All-Big South selection in 2021 after rushing for 705 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry in just eight games. He is a 2022 STATS Perform Preseason All-American second-team selection along with being named to the Walter Payton Watch List, which is awarded to the National Player of the Year.
Shirden (77-521-3) and Wright (91-382-2) complete Monmouth’s three-headed monster in the backfield. Szuba missed all of last season with an injury but prior to that he was a first team All-Big South selection at tackle and will anchor the line from the right side this season.
“On the other side of it they’re going to play press, they’re going to play man, they’re going to challenge you,” said Santos. “They’re going to take away the easy throw and make you try to chuck some throw over the top. They do a great job at the second level getting extra defenders in the box and they’re really physical. I think it a really, really good football team all-around and in particular they make plays in all three phases. You can tell special teams are a point of emphasis. Eddie Morales is an All-American returner so he’s someone who can hurt you as well. So, for us to win this game we’ve got to stop the run, we’ve got to make some contested catches and throws and then we have to make a huge emphasis on winning the special team’s battle.”
Perhaps the strongest position group on the team is Monmouth's defensive secondary and much is expected out of them. Morales III returns at one cornerback spot and hard-hitting Tyrese Wright is back at strong safety. Temple transfer T.J. Kamara gets the nod at free safety and Mike Reid starts opposite Morales III at cornerback. Cornerbacks Jaylen Dotson and freshman Phil Rawlings and safety’s Jyair Thomas and Jason Antwi will be counted on as well.
Wright led the team with 71 total tackles, including 49 solo stops, and added an interception and 10 defended passes. Morales led the team in interceptions with three and added 57 tackles – fourth on the team – and nine defended passes while Mike Reid added an interception with nine defended passes and 39 tackles – fifth on the team.
The defensive line across the board starts with Zamon Robinson at the rush position, Nick Shoemaker and Pat Hayden at the tackle spots and Justin O’Bannon at end. Isaiah Bishop, Dominick Spano, Sheku Tonkara and Chris King will be in the DL rotation as well.
All-Conference middle linebacker DaQuan Grimes returns to anchor the linebacker corps after missing all of last season with an injury with Ryan Moran and Remi Johnson flanking him. You can expect linebackers Caleb Dennis, Tyler Delgado and Matt Griffin to see plenty of action.
Grimes was a first team All-Big South selection in the Spring of 2021 and appears to be in great shape and ready to reclaim his dominance. Moran was fourth on the team with 58 tackles a year ago along with 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks
Monmouth’s starting wide receivers are Darrion Carrington, a former Toms River North standout and Yale transfer, Dymere Miller and Assanti Kearny. Look for Alex Bryant, Joey Aderelli and Virginia transfer Ugo Obasi to see the field as well. Justin Marcus gets the starting nod at tight end.
Miller is the leading retuning wide receiver with 20 catches for 267 yards and a touchdown and is primed for a breakout season. Aderelli had 16 catches for 185 yards with five touchdowns and if he can avoid injury he’s another breakout candidate.
Kearny flashed potential a year ago and it's his turn to step up into a starting role. Carrington had 18 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns for Yale a year ago and big things are expected from him this season. Obasi has the potential to do great things for the Hawks this season.
The newly constructed offensive line, anchored by Szuba, has Jordan Hall at left tackle, Will Argo at left guard, Tyler Williams at center and Greg Anderson at right guard. Should be noted that every starter on the line has game experience with Anderson appearing in 23 games, including five starts in 2021.
Preseason third team All-American selection Ryan Kost will again handle the punting chores and Manalapan’s own Vincenzo Rea will handle the place-kicking duties.
Grimes, Morales III, Wright, Szuba and Muskett were named 2022 team captains.
PREDICTION
Hawks get their first CAA win in front of a hostile crowd.
Monmouth 34, New Hampshire 27
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