Juwon Farri Helps Monmouth Rush Past Campbell 38-21

Photos courtesy of Monmouth University: #30 Juwon Farri, #9 Reggie White Jr., #4 Devell Jones, #1 Tymere Berry, #20 Justin Terry and #99 Ryan Schoer

WEST LONG BRANCH – Freshman Juwon Farri ran for a career-high 239 yards and two touchdowns Saturday in Monmouth University’s 38-21 win over Campbell University at an overflowing Kessler Stadium on homecoming weekend.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back out of Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland accumulated his yardage on just 22 carries for a 10.86 yards per carry average and it represented the second most single-game rushing yardage in Monmouth history – just eight yards shy of the all-time record set by David Sinisi in 2018.

“I’ve just been listening to the coaches and everybody around me, and that keeps me going,” said a humble Farri of his rushing performance. “It’s special, but every week, is a new opponent. Coach Dorsett always helps me out and I’m going to just going to keep doing what I need to do for the team.”

Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan was impressed with his freshman running back.

“Juwon had an exceptional day,” Callahan said. “He just seems to get better each and every week out there and I’m extremely happy with what he’s doing and the production we’re getting out of him.”

In the Big South opener for both schools, the Hawks ran the ball 40 times posting season-highs in rushing yardage (298) and average yards per attempt (7.45) with four of their five touchdowns coming on the ground.

"Back in preseason we felt the running back position was not only talented but extremely deep," Callahan said. "And I think you're seeing proof of that now."

Monmouth’s 38 first downs in the game represented another season high as the Hawks relied on a punishing ground game that picked up huge chunks of yardage to extend drives and convert critical third-down plays.

The Hawks took a 3-0 lead on their first possession of the game marching 45 yards in 10 plays with Matt Mosquera capping off the drive with a season-best 47-yard field goal.

The defense then forced a Campbell three-and-out with senior defensive end Ryan Schoer pulling down Campbell starting quarterback Dan Smith for a two-yard loss on a third-and-2.

Schoer’s TFL set the tone for Monmouth’s defensive unit that held the Camels to just 54 net-yards rushing on 22 attempts on the day for a 2.45 yard per carry average against a team that was averaging close to 200-yards rushing per game.

“On the defensive side of the ball I thought we played an excellent football game,” said Callahan of his defenses second straight solid performance. “They (Campbell) got on the board due to a couple of special teams miscues but I’m very happy by the effort on that side of the ball today.”

On Monmouth’s second possession of the game on first-and-10 from their own 30-yard line Farri raced 60 yards down to the Campbell 10-yard line. Two plays later quarterback Kenji Bahar connected with senior wide receiver Reggie White Jr., for a six-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 6:43 left in the first quarter.

Campbell answered right back when wide receiver Caleb Smith beat Monmouth cornerback Tymere Berry deep for a 58-yard bomb that pulled the Camels within three, 10-7.

Berry rebounded like a pro from the play and went on to have a stellar game in the backfield leading the team with 12 tackles while breaking up two passes, including a big third down pass breakup in the second quarter that halted a Campbell drive.

“We just knew what this game meant to us as a whole,” said Berry. “We know how much it means in the Big South and like coach says, the margin for error is slim. We just focused on that. As a defense we want to come out with the same mentality every week.

“We knew how good this quarterback and offense was and we saw the numbers they were putting up. We just wanted to come out physical and dialed in and really focus on our technique. Justin (Terry) did a great job with that today, he had a great game with PD’s (pass defended) down field and I’m just proud of our defense, especially the back end.”

Callahan had good things to say of his secondary’s play Saturday.

“We made plays on balls down the field,” said Callahan. “I’m very happy with not only Tymere’s play but our other corner Justin Terry made some key pass breakups on plays when we had to so I’m just happy with the overall effort on that side of the ball.”

Terry played a fabulous all-around football game registering a game and season-high seven pass breakups and four tackles, including two solo stops.

The Hawks pushed their lead to 10 again, 17-7, going 80 yards in a time consuming 12-play drive that took almost seven minutes off the clock. Farri rushed for 44 of the 80 yards on the drive, including his one-yard drive-culminating touchdown run.

On the scoring drive, White Jr. hauled in a 18-yard pass from Bahar breaking the Big South record for career receptions of 225.

Late in the second quarter, Campbell was looking at a third-and-10 from their own 39-yard line and attempted a screen pass for a first down that sophomore safety Anthony Budd snuffed out for a four-yard TFL forcing what looked like a Camels fourth-down punt.

However, Bud was called for a dead-ball unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting handing Campbell an automatic first down at the 50-yard line. Seven plays later Smith scored on a 12-yard quarterback draw to cut the Camels deficit to 17-14 with 38 seconds remaining in the half.

“One of the factors in us getting to where we want to be as a team is the attention to detail, the focus and self-discipline,” Callahan said. “Whether it’s a situation like that after a play or just following through and executing your assignment, it’s about doing what you have to do. As soon as you lose focus you’re not going to play up to your potential.”

Monmouth (5-2, 1-0), notorious for their slow starts this season, led at the half 17-14 for their first halftime lead of the season.

Farri’s 24-yard touchdown run on the Hawks first possession of the second half capped off an eight play, 76-yard scoring drive that Farri ignited with a 39-yard run and second-and-10 from the 24-yard line.

With the Hawks lead back to 10 points, 24-14, the Camels drove to the Monmouth 28-yard line threatening to make it a three-point game. But on third-and-9, Budd and Schoer teamed up to stop Camel running back Jayson DeMild after a two-yard gain setting up a fourth-and-7 situation at the Monmouth 27.

Campbell elected to go for the field goal, but Schoer got a hand on the ball to block it with the Hawks recovering at the 26-yard line at the 3:27 Mark of the third quarter.

“I ran through the tackle (offensive) and dove for it,” said Schoer of his game-changing play. “I was lucky enough to get a hand on it.”

“That was a key play for us at the time,” said Callahan of Schoer’s timely block. “It came off a turnover that Campbell took over down inside the 20-yard line. To come off the field without yielding any points I thought was huge for the defense and huge for the way the game played out and it gave the defense a lot of confidence.”

Monmouth’s offense then went nowhere on the possession and Colin McCreary punted the ball back to Campbell.

On third-and-9 at their own 28-yard line backup quarterback Jayson DeMild, in for Smith who was injured, looked for Caleb Snead but defensive tackle Gerron Pendarvis pressured DeMild and Terry made a nice play on the ball to break up DeMild’s pass.

Terry’s third-down stop proved to be an even bigger play than thought after Vinny Grasso returned the ensuing punt 62 yards to the Campbell one-yard line.

Two plays later senior running back Devell Jones ran it in from a yard out and Mosquera’s extra point gave the Hawks a commanding 31-14 lead with 2:36 left in the third quarter.

Monmouth’s defense forced another Campbell punt but Grasso fumbled on the play handing the ball back to Campbell with a short field at the Hawks 36-yard line.

A DeMild to Snead 28-yard touchdown pass shrunk the Hawks lead to ten once again but Monmouth tacked on another score on their ensuing possession to put the game out of reach.

On first-and-5 at their own 28, Bahar took a quarterback keeper up the middle 58 yards down to the Camels 14-yard line. Farri then ran for 12 yards to the Camels two before Jones finished off the mini drive with his team-leading eighth rushing touchdown of the year.

The Hawks 38-21 victory was their ninth straight win at the new Kessler Stadium. Next week Monmouth travels to Clinton, South Carolina where they’ll take on Presbyterian College with a 2:30 kickoff.

“We’re really happy with the win,” said Callahan. “There’s not a lot of margin for error in the Big South when you only have five conference games. So the goal is to be one-and-0 each week and you can’t ever look down the road because every team is tough and we’re just happy to come off the field with a victory today. We’re now one-and-0 in conference and we’ll get ready for next week.”

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