WEST LONG BRANCH – With two games left on their regular-season schedule, Monmouth University must show the powers that be that last week’s disappointing loss to New Hampshire was an outlier and they are still one, if not the best, team in the Coastal Athletic Association.
To do this, they must first put forth a convincing win this Saturday when they play at North Carolina A&T. Wins on the road in the CAA are never a given, regardless of the opponent, but Monmouth will enter the game as a prohibitive favorite and must play like one to wash away the stink of last week’s loss.
With playoff seedings and positioning on the line these next two weeks, it would be in Monmouth’s best interest to showcase its superiority against the struggling Aggies by delivering a knockout blow that resonates throughout the conference.
The Aggies (2-8, 2-4) are ripe for the picking. They were blown out by Towson, 62-9, two weeks ago at home before getting spanked at Stony Brook, 38-12, last week. Those are two teams the Hawks beat by a combined score of 91-52. All-American quarterback Derek Robertson was hurt on the first series of the third quarter in the Stony Brook game and has been ruled out again for Saturday’s game. Still, there is optimism that he may return next week at home against the University of Albany, but that’s anyone’s guess. In his absence, redshirt freshman Frankie Weaver has done a solid job; however, it has not come without some growing pains, which is to be expected.
This will be a good game for Monmouth’s offensive line to get back on track after a lackluster, to put it mildly, performance against New Hampshire last week and dominate the line of scrimmage as they have all season. Up until last week, the offense leaned on its rushing attack in Robertson’s absence, with star running back Rodney Nelson putting up video game-like numbers before last week. Getting back to that brand of smash-mouth football is non-negotiable if they want to succeed moving forward.
After a horrendous second half against New Hampshire, the defense needs to return to form. Monmouth’s defense was playing its best football of the year, including the first half of last week’s game. They had jelled into a formidable unit that led the CAA in sacks until their collapse last week, which was precipitated by a Wildcats fake punt that opened the floodgates.
The Aggies are the perfect team for Monmouth’s offense to get well against after being held to 13 points and 303 yards of total offense last week, well below their average. North Carolina A&T’s defense is ranked last in the CAA in both points allowed per game (40.5) and total yardage permitted per game (445.5). Opponents average 186.8 yards rushing per game (5.4 yards per carry) and 258.7 yards per game passing, both 12th in the CAA. Monmouth’s offense should be licking its chops. Look for Nelson to run wild.
Offensively, the Aggies don’t fare much better. They rank 12th in the CAA in points scored per game (21.0) and 13th in total yards per game (282.2). If Monmouth’s defense can put last week’s second half behind them, this is a real opportunity for them to show that last week was an anomaly and the strides they’ve been making are for real.
It would benefit the Hawks if they can effectively unleash their pass rush while also concentrating on finishing the job by wrapping up the quarterback for a sack. Last week, frustration boiled over when one potential sack after another turned into chunk yardage because they failed to do that. Defensive ends Josiah Graham and Lamont Lester Jr. are two of the top pass rushers in the CAA. Now is the time to prove it. From the linebackers to the secondary, it’s imperative that they put on a good show. You can be sure the FCS Playoff Selection Committee members will be watching and evaluating.
Redshirt sophomore Kevin White took over the quarterback duties in game four for the Aggies and has settled in as the starter ever since. In his first four starts, all losses, he completed 66-of-110 passes for 930 yards and five touchdowns, along with two interceptions. He’s cooled off since, completing 38-of-69 passes for 403 yards and two touchdowns, along with four interceptions. His last three games were a win at Campbell and blowout losses to Towson and Stony Brook. The Aggies had a 34-31 lead in the fourth quarter against William and Mary before losing 38-34. They also gave Maine (6-4, 5-1) a run for their money, losing 37-30. So they are capable of putting up a good fight.
Wesley Graves – a redshirt senior – leads the team with 489 rushing yards on 129 attempts (3.9) and five touchdowns and junior running back Shimique Blizzard (255-63-1) carry the load out of the backfield. Wide receivers: Javonne Dillard (35-420-2), Amonte Jones (25-359-1), and Jamison Warren (21-282-2) are Whites primary targets and all average over 13 yards per reception. Across the board, the offensive line averages 6-foot-5, 315 pounds and is anchored by senior right guard Korion Sharpe, a 2025 All-CAA Preseason selection.
Junior defensive tackle Marquise Hood (6-foot-2, 275) is second in the CAA in sacks with 8.5, along with 34 tackles, 11.5 TFL, two BU, and two QBH. Will linebacker Josh Iseah leads the team in tackles with 68, including 34 solo tackles, 3.5 TFL, two interceptions, two BU, and two QBH. Graduate student Tim Alderman is at the BUCK position. He has 35 tackles, 16 solo, nine TFL, six sacks, 10 QBH, and two FR. Cornerback Aaron Harris is fourth on the team in tackles with 41 and leads the team with 13 pass breakups.
Despite the Aggies’ record, Monmouth needs to take this game seriously, there’s a lot on the line. North Carolina A&T would like nothing more than to play the spoiler role. I know a win is a win in the CAA, especially on the road, but there is more riding on this game than just securing a victory; it’s that part of the season where everything counts. Hypothetically, the Hawks are still in the running for the conference title, which is decided by point differential in the event of a tie. More than likely, though, the Hawks will be vying for a first-round bye or a first-round home game. To say Monmouth needs an impressive showing on Saturday is a gross understatement. The offense needs to put up a bunch of points on the board, and the defense needs to keep them off. Simple as that.
North Carolina A&T averages 13,500 people in attendance at home games, so Monmouth can expect a loud contingent of partisan fans pulling for the Aggies on Saturday.
