Looking Back On Monmouth University's 34-21 Thrashing Of Bryant University

WEST LONG BRANCH – In the second-ever game played on Monmouth University's home turf on Halloween, the Hawks scared the bejesus out of conference rival Bryant University, leaving the Bulldogs running for their lives with nowhere to hide and no treats in sight.

Bryant arrived in West Long Branch with CAA championship aspirations and a chance to make a statement against the conference front-runner, Monmouth. At 5-3 overall and 3-1 in league play, the Bulldogs had an opportunity to strengthen their title bid by handing Monmouth its first CAA loss of the season; the Hawks had a different idea. Monmouth's fast start knocked Bryant on its heels, and the Hawks went on to steamroll the Bulldogs, 34-21, firmly cementing their status as CAA title favorites.

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The Hawks (7-2, 6-0) wasted no time putting a scare into the Bulldogs, using an explosive rushing attack to build a 24-0 lead with 8:28 remaining in the second quarter. Elijah Jennings capped the opening 75-yard march with an 18-yard touchdown run, and Sky Sholder followed with a 21-yard field goal before Monmouth's ground game delivered two more jolts: a 37-yard scoring burst by Jennings and a 55-yard touchdown dash by Kenny Smith Jr. Bryant finally broke through on Jordan Bennett's 1-yard touchdown run with 51 seconds left before halftime, but the Hawks headed into the locker room firmly in command, 24-7.

The 34-21 final score hardly reflected how thoroughly Monmouth controlled the game, with the Hawks building a 34-7 lead before Bryant added two fourth-quarter touchdowns in garbage time and the Hawks substituting freely.

"I was very happy with how we played in all three phases," said Monmouth head coach Jeff Gallo. "Guys had great energy. I thought we were the more physical team today, and that was a dangerous team. We did a good job from the start. We're trying to make it known what it's like to play us here at home. We want to make this a real home-field advantage."

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM MONMOUTH'S HAUNTING OF BRYANT

MONMOUTH'S TWO-PRONG RUSHING ATTACK IS THE BEST ONE-TWO PUNCH IN THE COUNTRY: After the Hawks rushed for 319 yards on 47 attempts for a 6.7-yard-per-carry average Saturday, they now lead the CAA with 1,839 rushing yards, a 4.9-yard average per attempt, and a 204.3-yard average in rushing yards per game. They're also ranked 13th in the country in rushing, and they've just recently found their groove. All things considered, they have barely scratched the surface of what they can accomplish. Including Saturday, the Hawks have averaged 314.3 rushing yards per game over their last three games. Smith Jr. and Jennings have been virtually unstoppable. Currently, Smith Jr. (101.1 yards per game) and Jennings (91.2 yards per game) rank No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the CAA. On Saturday, Jennings rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, his backfield mate, Smith Jr., rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns on 19 attempts, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. Right now, this is the most explosive running back tandem in the country with a bullet. Currently, Monmouth is the only school in FCS football with two running backs ranked in the top 50 in rushing yards per game. Smith Jr. has rushed for 910 yards while Jennings has run for 821 yards this season. They average 5.6 and 5.2 yards per carry, respectively. It will be exciting to see how the season unfolds as these two juggernaut running backs continue piling up yards at a record-breaking pace.

DOMINANT FIRST HALF SPEARHEADS VICTORY: Both the offense and defense were clicking on all cylinders in the first half. Monmouth built a 24-0 lead in the second quarter, which proved to be insurmountable for the Bulldogs. The Hawks outgained Bryant 288 to 88 in total yardage in the first half and had 14 first downs to Bryant's six. Bryant finished with 17 net yards passing and 71 yards rushing in the half. Of the Hawks' 400 yards of total offense, two-thirds came in the first half. The Hawks were good on eight of 11 third-down conversions in the half but finished just eight of 15 for the game. After getting off to a slow start last week against Hampton, it was good to see the Hawks put their foot on the gas from the get-go. On Bryant's first three possessions of the game, they were 0-for-3 on third-down conversion attempts, handing Monmouth prime field position, and they took advantage, scoring each time.

RUSSO CONTINUES HIS STELLAR PLAY ON DEFENSE: Redshirt senior linebacker Ryan Russo has been silently making a name for himself with outstanding play on the defensive side of the ball. Saturday, he was second on the team with seven total tackles, including three solo stops. He also had a career-high two sacks, including a seven-yard sack on a vital fourth-and-6 conversion attempt at the Monmouth 33-yard line, as Bryant desperately tried to claw its way back into the game. After the turnover on downs, the Hawks scored to push their lead to 34-7. This season, Russo ranks second on the team with 59 total tackles, including 31 solo stops. He has recorded three TFL, three sacks, one interception, six QBH, and two FF. His solid play at linebacker this season is key to the Hawks' improved defense.

MONMOUTH FINALLY HAS A RELIABLE PLACEKICKER: After starting the season a little rough, misfiring on two of three field goal attempts, redshirt sophomore kicker Sky Sholder has been a perfect four-for-four, including nailing kicks of 21 and 34 yards Saturday. His 21-yarder gave the Hawks a 10-0 lead, and his 34-yard field goal pushed the score to 27-7 on Monmouth's first possession of the second half. He's also perfect on extra points, going 38-for-38, which is impressive in itself. Having another weapon like Sholder adds another dimension to this offense, which it sorely lacked last season.

ROAD WARRIORS RETURN HOME: Monmouth's game against Bryant was only their third home game of the season, having played six games on the road. The Hawks are now 3-0 at Kessler Field and will be at home for the next two weeks against North Carolina A&T (4-5, 3-2) on November 7 and Merrimack (4-5) on the 14th. Both are winnable games but have the potential to be trap games for the Hawks if they look past them and eye their final game of the season at No.19 Campbell (7-2, 4-1), which could determine the CAA championship. Monmouth has already beaten Albany (6-3, 4-1), Sacred Heart (4-4, 4-2), and Bryant (5-4, 3-2), which are in third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively, in the CAA. Next week's opponent, North Carolina A&T, is riding a three-game winning streak, including wins against the University of New Hampshire and Elon, while Marrimack is on a two-game streak with wins against New Hampshire and Wagner. So, Monmouth can't take these teams lightly or look past them.

Jennings was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week for his heroics in Saturday's game, and the Hawks rose to No.14 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, released today.