Final Analysis: Monmouth Takes Care Of Business, Avoids Trap Game Scenario At Bryant

WEST LONG BRANCH – Knowing their upcoming game with New Hampshire is of paramount importance, the Hawks first needed to take care of some unfinished business last Saturday and dispose of the pesky Bryant Bulldogs before they could look ahead to this Saturday's home contest against New Hampshire; mission accomplished.

Trap game was written all over it, yet Monmouth stayed focused on what was in front of them and did what they needed to do: win the game.

Easier said than done. Bryant came into the game sporting a 2-6 overall record and a 0-4 mark in the Coastal Athletic Association. Monmouth was traveling for the second week in a row, and for the sixth time in nine games. On paper, Bryant was a pushover; a team that could lull you to sleep. But in reality, they are a team that has been competitive in every one of its games this season, including a win against an FBS school, the University of Massachusetts.

A loss would’ve been devastating to Monmouth’s chances, but with New Hampshire the only credible threat left on their schedule, and a team they’ve never beaten, it would’ve been understandable for them to look ahead.

Monmouth, however, didn’t take the bait. They played one of their better complementary football games of the season and came away with a significant, but underrated win. Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan does a great job of keeping his team focused and in the moment, and that was never more obvious than on Saturday.

Below are a couple of takeaways from Saturday’s win:

FRANKIE WEAVER SHOWED HIS RESILIENCY BY SHAKING OFF A DISASTROUS START.

On Monmouth’s first possession of the game, Weaver completed an 18-yard pass to Josh Derry, setting up a first-and-10 at the Bryant 17-yard line. On the next play, he was undercut on a sideline route by a defender and picked off, turning the ball over to the Bulldogs at the 17. Monmouth’s defense forced a three-and-out following the interception. Then on the Hawks' third possession, Weaver was late on a timing pattern on first-and-10 at the Bryant 27, and that resulted in a pick-six. Luckily, though, Bryant was called for a block in the back on the return and took over on the 38-yard line. Seven plays later, Bryant tied the score at seven. At that point, Weaver was 3-for-4 for 33 yards with two interceptions. He finished the game, completing 11-of-15 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Like a veteran, he didn’t let the turnovers affect his play and moved on, displaying a high degree of poise and composure in doing so. His first pass following his second pick was a 19-yard completion to Derry, and he went on to have a standout game.

“Frankie’s a competitor; we knew he would bounce back from early interceptions,” said Callahan. “He stayed composed and learned from those moments and led two long scoring drives late in the game. For a young quarterback, that kind of poise and leadership says a lot. He’s continuing to grow with every start.”

New Hampshire head coach Rick Santos is impressed by what he’s seen of Weaver so far. “He’s big, physically imposing and can make all the throws,” said Santos on Monday’s CAA Coaches Zoom call. “I think he has elite upside and has a really good career ahead of him. To be honest, he’s playing with a lot of poise and moxie. He’s had a couple of turnovers, but I think they were pretty good decisions that the defense made plays on. They’ve been relying on the run game probably a little more the last couple of weeks, and rightfully so, until he gets his feet wet. But he has all the tools to beat you and push the ball downfield, with playmakers like Josh Derry and another four or five receivers who can take the ball to the house at any given time. So, I’m really, really impressed with how he’s stepped up and continues to make them explosive.”

RODNEY NELSON HAS REACHED SUPERSTAR STATUS

After eclipsing the 200-yard rushing mark for the second week in a row, Nelson was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in two weeks. Moments later, he was named the Stats Perform FCS National Player of the Week. Saturday, he rushed for a career-high 244 yards on 34 attempts and two touchdowns, while adding 62 yards receiving out of the backfield. His 306 total yards, also a career high, rank as the second-highest single-game total by an FCS player this season and second most in Monmouth history. He leads the country in rushing yardage (1,482), rushing yards per game (164.7), and all-purpose yards per game (188.2) without returning a kick or punt. When star quarterback Derek Robertson went down with an injury two weeks ago, things looked bleak, but Nelson has put the weight of the team on his shoulders and has responded with two of the most dynamic rushing performances in Monmouth history, while operating under undue pressure to carry the team.

“We focused more on establishing the run these past few weeks, and Rodney has continued to answer the bell for us,” said Callahan. “He’s such a reliable player – we’ve always known about his speed and his ability to find the endzone, but what stands out the most is his durability and consistency. He gives everything he has every carry, and I’m really glad he was able to have another big day for us.”

"All Rodney Nelson needs is a tiny sliver, and he's gone," said Santos.

WILL THE REAL MONMOUTH DEFENSE PLEASE STAND UP

Monmouth University, synonymous with elite defensive football? You've got to be kidding. Well, maybe not quite elite just yet, but what we’re seeing here is a genuine transformation from a dumpster fire of a defense to a group of cohesive, in-your-face, physical, attacking warriors that have swung the pendulum in their favor and are starting to make a name for themselves. Callahan warned that there were a lot of young new faces on defense at the start of the season, and that it would take some time to gel; he was right. The new-look defense thrives on pressuring the quarterback and boasts two of the top pass rushers in the country, Josh Graham and Lamont Lester Jr., and people are starting to take notice. They have a five-man linebacker rotation that feeds off one another and are physical and smart. The secondary is the youngest position group on the team, yet they were asked to grow up quickly this season, and they responded. They communicate with each other effectively and are physical in the run game, boasting the two top tacklers on the team, Jeaden Jones and Deuce Lee, respectively. Their success in coverage correlates to their renewed confidence in one another. Izzy Clark-White had three pass breakups against Bryant and leads the team with nine. Monmouth’s depth at all three levels of defense allows for frequent player rotation, keeping them fresh. In Monmouth’s first six games of the season, the Hawks' defense allowed, on average, 35.2 points per game. In the last three games, they’ve allowed, on average, 12.7 points per game, a drastic improvement. The seven points they allowed against Bryant are the fewest since holding Lehigh to seven points over two years ago, as is the 226 total yards they allowed. Hope is that they continue this trend right into the playoffs. Credit second-year defensive coordinator Lewis Walker for the job he's done in turning this defense around.

“That unit continues to gel and improve every week,” said Callahan. “The sky is the limit for them. Again, all three levels contributed today and created pressure. The linebackers tackled well, and the secondary made plays on the ball. They stood up in some tough situations and took advantage of opportunities. When the pressure started getting home, they (Bryant) ran out of options, and that’s exactly what we wanted to see.”

Santos won’t sleep on Monmouth’s defense; he’s aware of the strides they’ve made.

“If you look at some of their defensive stats, I think it's unfair. They’re defending the highest number of plays in the conference because their offense scores so quickly, so you have to look at it from that vantage point. They’re fast, they run to the ball, and they tackle extremely well. They’re leading the conference in turnovers caused and gained, and they’re number nine in the country in fumbles caused. They do a phenomenal job at the point of attack, and, obviously, they can also rush the passer, with Graham and Lester both ranking in the top 10 nationally in sacks. So, they can rush the passer, are very opportunistic, and they tackle well; they wreak havoc and create turnovers. So, I think the continuity between the offense and defense is unlike anything we’ve seen so far this year.”

WAIT, DID MONMOUTH ACTUALLY ATTEMPT A FIELD GOAL?

Before Saturday’s game at Bryant, Monmouth had attempted just one field goal this season. Hudson Fiene kicked a 28-yarder in Monmouth’s win against Villanova back on September 20th. Monmouth doesn’t like to settle for field goals, and who can blame them when they boast one of the most prolific offenses in FCS history. It’s like getting five out of six numbers in the lottery. Granted, their philosophy may have changed with Robertson still out, but when he’s behind center, chances are they’re going to go for it on third and fourth downs. Well, in Saturday’s game in the fourth quarter, with the Hawks up 28-7 and facing fourth-and-7 at the Bryant 16-yard line, Callahan decided to kick a field goal. However, Fiene’s 33-yard attempt sailed right of the uprights and was no good, except there was a flag on the play, a personal foul for leaping. So, the Hawks retained possession and two plays later, Elijah Jennings ran it in from six yards out, and the Hawks were still 1-for-1 on field goal attempts this season.