WEST LONG BRANCH – Since kicking two-time defending Big South champion and nationally ranked Kennesaw States butt back on November 2 to take control of its own destiny in the Big South, all Monmouth University has done is win.
With the Owls breathing down their neck week-after-week waiting for them to slip up, Monmouth has matched them win-for-win down the stretch and has looked by far the more impressive team in doing so.
Saturday, the Hawks (10-2, 6-0) - ranked No. 12 in the FCS Coaches Poll - took care of business for the final time in the regular season routing Hampton University 48-13 for their 10th win of the season and tying a Monmouth-record with their eighth win in a row.
During their eight-game winning streak the Hawks have outscored their opponents 334-137 averaging 41.8 points per game while allowing just 17.1 points. A year ago, the Hawks were surrendering 30 plus points per game.
Their 10 wins ties the school record for most wins in a season set in 2006, 2004 and 2003.
Last week the Hawks defeated Campbell University 47-10 to earn the Big South Championship and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA FCS playoffs.
Following Saturday's win over Hampton the Hawks were presented with the Big South championship trophy down on the field shortly after drenching long-time head coach Kevin Callahan with a gatorade bath.
"When we came to camp in August we never talked about a championship," said Callahan. "This team has prepared as well as any team I've coached. They're focused and pay attention to detail and their ability to determine what's important now on a daily basis has been outstanding. And I'm happy they're getting the rewards because they deserve it. They've worked very hard for this and deserve everything that comes their way."
Now it's up to the FCS Selection Committee to decide whether the Hawks will host an FCS playoff game next Saturday for the first time in program history.
There is an outside shot Monmouth could be awarded a top eight seed in the playoffs, which would then give them a bye in the first round.
The NCAA FCS Selection Show will air Sunday at 12:30 on ESPNU and the Hawks will be hosting a selection show watching party at the OceanFirst Bank Center tomorrow at 12:00, admission is free.
"Once we returned from that Montana trip (a 47-27 loss on September 21) this group was very determined at being successful," said Callahan. "We talked about going unbeaten for the month of October and we accomplished that. Then we got to November and that's the time when championships are won and we went undefeated in November. This team is very focused and they know what they have to accomplish and I think we put our fate in our own hands."
On Saturday the Hawks exploded for a single-season game record 696 yards of total offense in trying to make a final case for a home game and if that doesn't turn some heads, nothing will.
Monmouth's two front runners for the Big South Offensive Player of the Year award both had big games on Saturday.
Senior Kenji Bahar – the Big South's leading passer with 3,262 yards and 28 touchdowns – completed 22-of-30 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Peter Guerriero – the Big South's leading rusher with 1,668 yard and 14 touchdowns on 256 attempts - picked up 245 yards on the ground on 16 carries and two touchdowns averaging 15.0 yards per carry and added a 7-yard touchdown reception.
Hampton actually took a 7-0 lead scoring on their first possession of the game before the Hawks woke up and remembered they still had some work to do.
The Hawks then scored on four of their next five possessions to take control of the game.
Guerriero's 48-yard catch-and-run down to the 9-yard line set up junior Lonnie Moore's 6-yard touchdown off a shuttle pass from Bahar to tie the game at 7-7. Moore finished with 107-yards and a TD on eight receptions. Guerriero then caught a pass in the left flat and took it in for a 7-yard touchdown and 14-7 lead with 31 seconds left in the first quarter.
Guerriero extended the lead with a burst up the middle that went for a career-long 81-yard touchdown on the Hawks fourth possession of the first half. On their ensuing possession they drove 95 yards in eight plays capping it off with a Bahar to Quentin Parham 31-yard TD on a first-and-15 play giving the Hawks 28 unanswered points and a 28-7 lead with 6:28 left in the half.
Hampton's KeyRon Catlett cut the Hawks lead to 28-13 on a 23-yard pass by former Florida State quarterback Deond Francois.
The Hawks answered with a 12 play, 54-yard drive that culminated in a Matt Mosquera 38-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Monmouth received the second-half kickoff and wasted no time adding to the scoreboard marching 75 yards in four plays. Terrance Greene Jr. had a 26-yard reception before Guerriero took it to the house for a 38-yard score – his third of the day.
On their ensuing possession with the score 38-13, the Hawks went 80 yards in 54 seconds to push the lead to 45-13. On first down, Guerriero had a 40-yard run and on the next play Greene Jr., who eight receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown, hauled in a 40-yard touchdown strike from Bahar.
Mosquera added a 30-yard field goal to close out the scoring, 48-13, with 4:08 left in the game.
Guerriero and Bahar were both mercifully pulled from the game with 2:21 still remaining in the third quarter. At that point, Guerriero was 4-yards shy of breaking Monmouth single-game rushing record and 7-yard short of breaking the single-season rushing record of 1,674 yards set by David Sinisi.
Monmouth's defense continued its impressive turnaround that began with the Wagner game and has picked up steam ever since. Saturday they held Hampton to 291 yards of total offense on 51 plays and held them scoreless in the second half.
Junior linebacker DeJaun Cooper had a sack and an interception, freshman safety Tyrese Wright led the team with six tackles and senior middle linebacker Evan Powell recorded four tackles and a sack.
"Evan's been one of the leaders, especially in the front seven, on the defense that's improved each and every week," said Callahan. "They've gotten better every game and are they're really playing at a high level now."
Powell added. "I think we're a defense that every week rely on each other and we now have a lot of confidence going into games. This year we have a special bond and we know someone is going to make a play when we need it."
Callahan wasted no time responding when asked how this team rates with some his others. "They're playing better than any team we've ever had – it's the best team we've ever had."
Now all they can do is wait till Sunday at 12:30.
"waiting" - Google News
November 24, 2019 at 08:20AM
https://ift.tt/37ud4Wx
Monmouth Wins Eighth Straight, Now Its A Waiting Game - Patch.com
"waiting" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2oFixIf
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
No comments:
Post a Comment