Key Takeaways From Monmouth University's 31-24 Victory Over Sacred Heart

WEST LONG BRANCH – Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi famously said football is a game of inches, and on Saturday, the Hawks proved just how true that is.

With 2:54 remaining in the game, Monmouth quarterback Frankie Weaver found redshirt freshman running back Kenny Smith Jr. for a seven-yard touchdown to give the Hawks a 31-24 lead. However, Sacred Heart quickly marched to the Hawks' 44-yard line before the defense stiffened, forcing a fourth-and-5 at the 39-yard line with 41 seconds to play. Pioneer quarterback Poochie Snyder connected with wideout Nick Gentilella for what initially appeared to be a first down, but after a video review, the play was deemed short by inches, and Monmouth took over on downs and ran the clock out.

The victory capped a memorable day, during which the Hawks dedicated the field in honor of former head coach Kevin Callahan, who for 33 years patrolled the sidelines of the field that now bears his name. It also gave Jeff Gallo his first career win as head coach after succeeding Callahan.

“I told our guys, most of them are here because (Coach Callahan) said yes. He said yes to all these guys,” Gallo said. “It was all about us honoring him in how we played. Incredibly proud of these guys; it’s a great win, just the first one, though. We’ve got a long way to go, and it’s something to build off of.”

BELOW ARE A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE GAME

COMING OUT PARTY FOR KENNY SMITH JR.:

Smith was relatively unknown entering this season, having redshirted his freshman year after seeing very limited playing time in three games. However, if you’re a fan of New Jersey High School football, then you know the name Kenny Smith Jr. As a senior at Glassboro High School, Smith produced one of the greatest performances in the history of state championship games. He ran for 402 yards and four touchdowns on just 20 carries in the Bulldogs' 56-14 victory over Cedar Grove in the Group 1 final. In just 10 games in his senior season, he rushed for 1,809 yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging nearly 13 yards per carry. This was the second consecutive year Smith Jr. was a second-team All-State selection. In his junior season at Hammonton, he rushed for 1,473 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging over six yards per attempt. He also caught 13 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. On Saturday, Smith Jr. displayed his versatility and ability to step up in pressure situations. Smith Jr. got the Hawks on the board first on Monmouth’s initial possession of the game. After rushing for three yards and a first down on third-and-1 for the 10-yard line, Smith Jr. ran it in from seven-yards out to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead. On Monmouth’s 11-play, 68-yard game-winning scoring drive, Smith Jr. and Weaver hooked up for nine yards on a crucial third-and-7 to keep the drive alive; then two plays later, Weaver again found Smith Jr. again, this time for a seven-yard game-winning touchdown. Smith Jr. finished with 51 yards on the ground on 12 attempts and a touchdown, and two catches for 16 yards and a touchdown.

QUARTERBACK FRANKIE WEAVER IS BACK ON TRACK:

Weaver looked far more comfortable in the pocket, remaining poised as plays developed and working through his reads with confidence. That composure translated into improved accuracy, which in turn gave his receivers opportunities to make plays. On the Hawks’ game-winning drive, Weaver looked completely in control, calmly directing the offense down the field before delivering the decisive touchdown pass. He finished completing 26-of-37 passes (70 %) for 237 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The Hawks were 7-of-12 (58 %) on third-down conversions, with two of them coming on the Hawks' game-winning drive.

ANOTHER SOLID GAME FOR ELIJAH JENNINGS:

After rushing for 80 yards and a touchdown on just 12 attempts (6.4-yard avg.) last week against Tennessee Tech, Jennings backed that performance up with another strong one this week. Jennings led the team with 55 yards rushing on 11 attempts (4.7-yard average) and caught two passes for 15 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown pass from Weaver that gave the Hawks a 21-14 lead. The two plays prior to his touchdown, Jennings had runs of seven and nine yards, with the latter run coming on a third-and-3 to extend the drive.

GAVIN NELSON AND TRA NEAL SHOWED FLASHES OF THEIR PLAYMAKING ABILITY:

Trailing 14-7 with time running out in the half, the Hawks were looking at a third-and-19 from the Sacred Heart 41-yard line. Nelson beat his man for a 22-yard completion from Weaver with 26 seconds left on the clock. On the ensuing play, Weaver made a nifty leaping grab of a Weaver pass as he crossed the goal line on a skinny post play that knotted the game at 14-14. On the Hawks' first possession of the second half, Nelson had a 13-yard reception on a third-and-3, extending the drive that ultimately resulted in a touchdown and a 21-14 lead. Then, on the Hawks' game-winning drive, Nelson helped convert a third-and-7 with a 12-yard reception to the 47-yard line to keep the drive going. He finished with eight receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown. Neal had a huge 18-yard reception on the final drive that gave Monmouth a first down at the Sacred Heart 19-yard line. He also had a 14-yard reception on the Hawks' scoring drive right before the half that got them out of a hole with a first down at the 39-yard line. Neal finished with eight receptions for 52 yards, including 35 yards after the catch.

DEFENSE STILL HAS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:

In the first half, Monmouth’s defense really struggled to contain Pioneers quarterback Poochie Snyder, who continually frustrated the defense with scrambles that resulted in first downs. He ran for 51 yards on nine attempts (5.6-yard average) in the first half, but after making adjustments at halftime, the Hawks defense did a better job at containment, holding him to 21 yards on six carries (3.5-yard average). Sacred Heart rushed for 217 yards while averaging 4.7 yards per carry; those numbers are unacceptable. Snyder completed 14-of-25 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns. Sacred Heart finished with 408 total yards gained and 26 first downs. They allowed too many chunk plays, including a 52-yard bomb that tied the score at 21-21 and running plays of 34 and 18 yards. Still, it wasn’t all bad for the Hawks’ defense, as they showed plenty of resolve, just not enough of it. With Monmouth leading 24-21 and Sacred Heart on the tail end of a 72-yard drive, Monmouth forced an incomplete pass on third-and-goal at the six-yard line, forcing a 28-yard field goal that tied the score. After Monmouth took the lead 31-24, the Hawks' defense stopped the Pioneers on fourth-and-5 from the 39-yard line, forcing a turnover on downs and essentially ending the game. They held Sacred Heart to 6-of-14 on third-down conversion attempts. Safety Jaeden Jones was again a one-man wrecking crew, matching his career-high in tackles with 12, including seven solo tackles. Defensive end Hunter Watson, I thought, had his best game as a Hawk, recording nine tackles, three solo, and a half TFL while pressuring Snyder relentlessly. Charlie Sasso (5 T, 4 solo) had a sack, as did defensive end Jahide Lesaine (3 T), his second in as many games. It appeared that end Mounir Keshen had a strip sack that was recovered by Monmouth and returned for a touchdown, but the refs blew the call. First, they had a quick whistle on the play, and then, after video review, somehow ruled it an incomplete pass. The Hawks were robbed. It should’ve, at least to me and everyone else in the press box, been ruled a strip sack and touchdown.

Speaking of robberies, Western Michigan was cheated out of a huge upset win against No.16 University of Michigan in a game that everyone and their brother thought was over after a Hail Mary pass by Michigan fell incomplete with no time left on the clock. However, the referees somehow ruled there was one second left, and Michigan then miraculously completed its second Hail Mary attempt for a 13-12 victory. I'd expect Western Michigan to take out its frustration on its next opponent, which just so happens to be Monmouth University. A road game for the Hawks against an FBS opponent just got exceedingly more difficult than it already was going to be. Buckle your seatbelts.