Monmouth Checked All The Boxes In Blowout Win Over North Carolina A&T

WEST LONG BRANCH – Monmouth University desperately needed a good showing in Saturday’s game against heavy underdog North Carolina A&T coming off last week’s disappointing loss to New Hampshire, and that’s what they got, plus some.

The 11th-ranked Hawks (9-2, 6-1) demolished the Aggies, 63-19, at Truist Stadium, reminding the FCS nation that they are alive and well, and a team to be reckoned with.

Rhode Island’s win over Maine on Saturday most assuredly wraps up the CAA championship for the Rams, so Monmouth’s goal now is to seize a playoff spot. Ideally, the best-case scenario would have the Hawks capturing a first-round bye, but realistically, a first-round home game is more likely. Monmouth would have to jump four places in the latest AFCA FCS football rankings to have a fighting chance at getting a bye.

However, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. A first-round home game would be contingent on Monmouth not only beating the University at Albany (1-10, 0-7) this Saturday, but beating them like a drum. Similar to what they did to the Aggies last Saturday would be preferable.

Albany’s offense is ranked dead last in the CAA in points scored per game (15.0) and total yards per game (278.7). Defensively, they’re ranked 11th in points allowed per game (33.0) and seventh in yards allowed per game (373.2).

On paper, it looks like a cake walk, but that’s usually not how it works in the CAA. On any given Saturday, any team is capable of beating the other. So, the Hawks will need to put their best foot forward and operate like they’re facing the best team in the country. Eyeballs will be on them, evaluating their performance for playoff positioning.

It’s still unclear whether or not All-American quarterback Derek Robertson will make his return against Albany. But if he can’t go, it will again be backup quarterback Frankie Weaver, who was just selected as the CAA Offensive Player of the Week and FCS National Freshman of the Week for his stellar performance against North Carolina A&T.

POSITIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM LAST WEEK'S STATEMENT WIN:

MONMOUTH HAS ITS QUARTERBACK OF THE FUTURE

With each passing game, Weaver’s confidence and comfort level have soared. He’s been forced to grow up quickly, and he’s taken on that challenge head-on. Weaver is only two years removed from playing high school football, where he competed at the highest level in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area at Our Lady of Good Council, which plays in the Western Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC). He led his team to a 10-1 record and conference championship as a senior, so he knows how to win. On Saturday, Weaver completed 19-of-27 passes for 428 yards and six touchdowns. Of his 428 yards, 115 yards were off two jet sweep touch passes of 62 and 53 yards to wideout T.J. Speight, who took both of them to the house. Speight’s yards after catch (YAC) have been lethal this season. Weaver’s six touchdown passes tied Roberston for most passing touchdowns in a single game - a program record. He connected with six different receivers for four scoring strikes of 26 yards or longer. Robertson’s injury could’ve been catastrophic to the team's chances, but Weaver’s development has turned out to be a silver lining instead. Only a redshirt freshman, Weaver still has three years of eligibility left after this season. Hopefully, they’ll be as the starting quarterback for the Hawks, but with the transfer portal and NIL deals always looming, one can only speculate.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE GOT BACK ON TRACK IN A BIG WAY

Last week’s performance by the offensive line was an outlier that came out of nowhere. To the player, it was taken personally, and they vowed to return to form, which they did with gusto. Against New Hampshire, the line allowed five sacks and eight tackles for loss (TFL); against A&T, they didn’t allow a sack or TFL. They managed only 303 total yards against New Hampshire, but on Saturday, they busted out for 696, including 268 rushing yards after being held to 61 yards against the Wildcats. The 63 points scored and 696 total yards were the most by a CAA team this season. You could’ve driven a Mack truck through some of the holes the line was opening. In the passing game, Weaver had so much time in the pocket to throw that he could’ve ordered a pizza. The O line is back with a rengence.

RODNEY WAS BACK TO BEING RODNEY

The country’s leading rusher looked the part on Saturday, rushing for 163 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 7.1 yards per attempt. A week ago, he ran for 88 yards on 19 carries without a touchdown, solid numbers for an average back, but Nelson is far from average. He now has 1,733 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns, while averaging 6.2 yards per carry, numbers that have him ranked first, third, and 12th in the country, respectively. When Nelson rushes for 100-plus yards, the Hawks are 9-0 this season. Once he clears the line of scrimmage into the second level, it’s one cut and he’s gone. At 5-foot-8, 195 pounds, Nelson has deceiving speed, quickness, strength, and power that allow him to sprint away from and through defenders.

THE DEFENSE CAME OUT FIRED UP IN THE SECOND HALF

North Carolina A&T entered Saturday’s game ranked 12th out of 14 teams in CAA in scoring (20.8) and 13th in total yardage (285.9). But in the first half alone, the Hawks' defense allowed 259 total offensive yards, just 25 yards short of the Aggies' average for a game, and 13 points, just seven shy of its game average. On the Aggies' second possession of the game, they drove to the Hawks' 15-yard line, but the Hawks' defense held on third down, and A&T kicked a 31-yard field goal. Late in the second quarter, the Aggies marched 74 yards for an eight-play scoring drive that cut the lead to 28-13. Towards the end of the second quarter, the Aggies drove to the Hawks' 40-yard line, but on second down, Hunter Watson recorded a sack as time ran out in the first half. Watson, a rising redshirt freshman defensive end, had two sacks on the day. During intermission, someone, either a coach or player, must’ve gotten the team's ear because they came out in the second half and totally shut the Aggies' offense down. Monmouth’s defense allowed just six second-half first downs, 43 third-quarter yards, and 18 fourth-quarter yards for a total of 61 offensive yards allowed in the second half. Now, that’s how it’s done. North Carolina A&T kicked two field goals in the second half, both from 53 yards out, and Andrew Brown had already booted a 55-yarder in the first half. His kicks were dead center with 10-15 yards to spare. Please sign this dude up for the Giants now!!! With seven tackles against the Aggies, safety Jaeden Jones now has recorded 106 tackles this season, becoming the 10th player in Hawks history to reach the century mark in tackles, and he’s tied for sixth in program history for total tackles in a single season. The powerful Jones has led the team in tackles seven times this season and has six games with double-digit tackles. The Hawks' defense also held the Aggies to a 1-for-7 third-down conversion rate in the second half and allowed them to cross midfield just twice, both times resulting in 53-yard field goals. Monmouth had a sack and five tackles for loss in the second half.

WEAVER SPREAD THE BALL OUT TO SIX DIFFERENT PLAYERS WITH FOUR CATCHING TOUCHDOWN PASSES

T.J. Speight led the group with five receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns. It marked the eighth game this season that Speight had at least five receptions, and his 162 receiving yards were a career high. Max James hauled in three passes for 102 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown pass from Weaver, where James beat the defensive back on a go route. Josh Derry had two catches, both for touchdowns, and now has 12 for the season, which leads the CAA and FCS and ties former Dallas Cowboy and Monmouth alumnus Miles Austin for touchdown receptions in a single season. Tight end Jack Neri had two catches for 28 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown reception on a perfectly designed play where Weaver faked a handoff to Nelson, then appeared to be keeping it on an RPO, before pulling back and lofting a pass to Neri, who pulled in around the eight-yard line and bolted into the endzone. Gavin Nelson added three receptions for 35 yards, and Tra Neal chipped in with four receptions for 61 yards.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Saturday, November 22, at Kessler Field, and the seniors will be honored prior to kickoff.