Keys To Monmouth University's Dominant 49-13 Win Over Hampton

WEST LONG BRANCH — Monmouth University overcame a sluggish offensive start with an explosive second half and a dominant defensive effort to rout Hampton 49-13 on Saturday in Hampton, Virginia. Playing its sixth road game of the season, Monmouth seized control after halftime, turning a tight early contest into a convincing victory.

The slow start against struggling Hampton (1-7, 0-4) carried uncomfortable echoes of Monmouth's loss to last-place Albany in last season's finale, a setback that ultimately kept the Hawks out of the playoffs. Saturday, Monmouth (6-2,5-0) twice failed to convert on fourth down in the first quarter, surrendering possession at Hampton's 38- and 14-yard lines and led by the slim margin of 14-7 at halftime.

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However, any lingering memories of last season's debacle against Albany were quickly erased when the Hawks emerged from halftime with a renewed sense of urgency. Monmouth's offense turned electric, striking quickly and repeatedly to transform a narrow lead into a rout.

Monmouth sits atop the Coastal Athletic Association standings with pivotal matchups against Bryant University (5-3, 3-1) next weekend at home and Campbell University (7-1,4-0) on the road in the last game of the season.

INSIDE THE HAWKS' SECOND-HALF SURGE

A STAR IS BORN: Anyone familiar with redshirt freshman running back Kenny Smith Jr.'s background is not surprised by his emerging superstar status. Smith Jr. arrived at Monmouth after a prolific high school career. As a running back and safety for four varsity seasons, he amassed 5,308 rushing yards and 64 offensive touchdowns and earned two first-team All-State selections before joining the Hawks. His senior season, he rushed for 1,809 yards on 141 carries and 23 rushing touchdowns, averaging 12.8 yards per attempt. He added seven receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown, and on defense he showcased his athleticism and versatility, recording 53 tackles, five tackles for loss, and one interception. In the 2024 NJSIAA Group 1 state final, he carried 20 times for 402 yards and four touchdowns, leading Glassboro to an undefeated 13-0 season and first state championship. On Saturday, Smith Jr. rushed for 163 yards on 19 carries, including a 70-yard touchdown gallop that pushed the Hawks' lead to 42-7. He put the Hawks on the board first with an 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, giving the Hawks a 7-0 lead. Smith has now surpassed 100 yards rushing in back-to-back games after rushing for a career-high 176 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries last week against New Hampshire. The league announced Monday that Smith Jr. was named the CAA Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week. His 753 rushing yards this season rank second in the CAA.

UNASSUMING QUARTERBACK FRANKIE WEAVER IS A SILENT ASSASSIN: Redshirt freshman quarterback Frankie Weaver leads without fanfare, relying on poise, preparation, consistency, and steady execution. While his understated demeanor may cause him to be overlooked at times, the impressive numbers he continues to produce and the confidence with which he directs the offense speak loudly for him. Saturday, Weaver completed 24-of-32 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns, his third three-touchdown performance this season, without a turnover. Weaver ranks second in the CAA with 16 touchdown passes, third with 1,865 passing yards, second in completions (178), and fourth in average passing yards per game with 233.1. He has thrown only four interceptions, including just one in the last four games. He leads an offense that ranks third in scoring in the CAA, averaging 31.3 points per game, and second in average yardage per game, 427.3. Monmouth's offense has surpassed 500 total yards in its last two games, and it appears to have only scratched the surface of what it can accomplish.

HAWKS' DEFENSE DELIVERS A STATEMENT: Monmouth's defense arguably played its best game of the season, if not its best game in years. The unit has made steady strides since the start of the season, and Saturday it showed what it can do when it plays a full 60 minutes. Inconsistency had been the unit's biggest obstacle, but against Hampton, the Hawks maintained discipline, intensity, and execution throughout. They had one lapse in communication and execution that resulted in a 76-yard jaunt for Hampton, but take away that run, and the defense allowed just 27 yards rushing on 23 attempts for a 1.17-yard-per-carry average. In the game, they allowed only 249 total yards, the lowest total since November 1, 2025, when they held Bryant to 226 total yards. Monmouth's defense has consistently ranked at the bottom of the CAA, but so far this season it ranks seventh in average points allowed per game (29.1) and fourth in average yards allowed per game (355.0). Transfer Jake Davis recorded his first sack as a Hawk and added two TFL. Defensive tackle Bryce Rooks and end Jahide Lesaine Jr. each added a sack. Lesaine Jr. is tied for the team lead with 3.5 sacks. Edge Hunter Watson had two tackles, including a tackle for a loss, and safety Jaeden Jones led the team with four tackles, including a TFL, and also a pass defended. As with the offense, I think this might be the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential.

DOES MONMOUTH HAVE THE BEST OFFENSIVE LINE IN THE COUNTRY? Left tackle Matt Fries, left guard Collin Goetter, center Kevin Shriner, right guard Michael Petito, right tackle Josh Duran, and tackles Reed Collins and Brady O'Hara could quite possibly make up the finest offensive line in the country; you won't get an argument from me. Monmouth's offensive line last allowed a sack early in their September 12 game against Western Michigan. Since that play, Monmouth's front line has gone five consecutive games without giving up a single sack. They have surrendered only two sacks all season, which ranks first in the FCS for the fewest sacks allowed. In the past two games, the Hawks offense has racked up 521 total yards against New Hampshire and 565 yards against Hampton, including 326 rushing yards against the Wildcats and 298 against the Pirates. This season, the Hawks' offense ranks No. 1 in the CAA and 23rd nationally, averaging 189.9 rushing yards per game, and No.2 in the CAA and 19th nationally, averaging 427.1 yards per game. They are also first in the CAA and third nationally (FCS) with 200 first downs, and their 50.9 third-down efficiency rate ranks No.1 in the CAA and third in the FCS. Those aforementioned players have kept Weaver upright, allowing him to dissect opposing defenses and paved the way for Smith Jr. and Elijah Jennings to power one of the nation's most productive rushing attacks.

HAWKS HAVE A NEW REDZONE WEAPON: Redshirt junior Shane Garrett, a 6-foot-2, 240 pound tight end, has emerged as a viable option for Weaver in the redzone after scoring his first two career touchdowns in the last two games. On Saturday, Garrett hauled in a five-yard touchdown pass from Weaver on a trick play that worked perfectly, and then last Saturday against New Hampshire, Weaver found him from three yards out for his first career touchdown, putting the Hawks up 28-0 right before the half. Monmouth loves to utilize its tight ends and they possess a deep tight end room. Head coach Jeff Gallo loves what he sees in Garrett, "He's a program kid. He works his butt off. He's everything you want in a player. Shore kid, great family, son of a coach. He comes to work every day; he does all the dirty work. And when we throw it to him, he's going to catch it." As a high school senior, he was selected to the NJFCA Super 100 All-State Team and appeared in the Phil Simms North-South All-Star Game. Garrett's father is Dan Garrett, the longtime head football coach at Kean University, where he has coached since 2006 and has become the program's winningest coach. Growing up as a coach's son helped Garrett develop a sharp football IQ, disciplined preparation, and a team-first mentality, traits reflected in his willingness to do the unglamorous work a tight end requires.

Monmouth moved up a spot to No. 17 in this week's AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.