Monmouth Holds Off Albany With Late Goal-Line Stand

WEST LONG BRANCH – Monmouth University traveled to SUNY Albany seeking to end a two-decade-long drought at a place where the Hawks had lost six straight games. Winless there since 2006, Monmouth was also dead set on avenging last season’s stunning loss to the Great Danes in the season finale, an upset that kept the Hawks out of the FCS playoffs.

Albany has traditionally been a tough out for the Hawks, with Monmouth carrying a dismal 6-14 overall record against the Great Danes entering Saturday’s game. So, they knew they were in for a battle, and that’s exactly what they got in a hard-fought 28-20 win over Albany.

The Hawks held a commanding 28-7 lead late in the third quarter, when things began to unravel. Two Albany touchdowns cut the deficit to 28-20, and they were knocking on the Hawks' door with a potential game-tying score three yards away. But in a reversal of fortune, it was the Hawks' defense that came to the rescue this time, helping preserve the win with an epic four-down goal-line stand.

“This was for all of our guys,” Monmouth head coach Jeff Gallo said. “Monmouth has always played Albany since I can remember. It was a big game, and our guys knew that. This is for our alumni, for the guys who played last year, who had their last game end poorly, and for these guys coming up here and winning in a tough environment.”

Below are some of the biggest storylines from Saturday’s game.

DEFENSIVE END HUNTER WATSON’S FOURTH-DOWN STOP FINISHES OFF EPIC GOAL-LINE STAND:

With Monmouth clinging to a 28-20 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game, redshirt sophomore quarterback Frankie Weaver threw an ill-advised third-and-10 pass that was intercepted at the Hawks' 30-yard line and returned to the three-yard line. On first down, linebacker Charlie Sasso and tackle Bryce Rooks teamed up to bring down ball carrier Rahshan La Mons for a one-yard loss. On second down, Aiden Semo picked up two hard-earned yards with linebacker Ryan Russo and tackle Keisean Johnson-Wilson in on the stop. A third-down pass into the end zone fell incomplete, bringing up a fourth-and-goal at the two-yard line. Albany quarterback Kai Colon took the snap from the shotgun and looked towards the end zone before tucking the ball away and running for what initially looked like a clear path to the end zone. However, Watson came out of nowhere, using his explosive closing speed to chase down Colon for a four-yard loss. That capped off a six-tackle day for Watson, whose game-saving fourth-down stop will hold a prominent place in the annals of Monmouth football.

KENNY SMITH’S HUGE THIRD-DOWN CONVERSION RUN CAPPED OFF STELLAR PERFORMANCE:

After the goal-line stand, 2:25 remained, and the Hawks needed to hold the ball to run out the clock, since Albany had moved the ball well in the second half with 75- and 85-yard scoring drives. On the first play following the two-minute warning on third-and-9 from their own seven-yard line, Smith slashed through the line and broke free for a 14-yard pickup and a crucial first down. The Hawks were then able to run out the clock. For the game, Smith rushed for a game-high 86 yards on 17 attempts, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Backfield mate, Elijah Jennings, added 70 yards on the ground, averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

WIDEOUT TRA NEAL ADDS ANOTHER EXPLOSIVE GAME TO HIS RESUME

Fresh off a seven-catch, 106-yard performance that included a touchdown against Western Michigan, Smith recorded a game-high 138 yards receiving and a touchdown on five receptions. His 60-yard touchdown reception, in which he split two defenders to break free, opened up a 21-7 lead for the Hawks. He now leads the Hawks with 24 receptions for 326 yards and two touchdowns.

DEFENSIVE END MOUNIR KESHEN BREAKS OUT WITH 1.5 SACKS:

Keshen has spent an inordinate amount of time in the opponent’s backfield this season but had yet to cement the deal until Saturday, when he registered 1.5 sacks, three tackles, and a quarterback hit. His sack on third-and-10 from the 34 forced a punt in the first quarter. Transitioning from linebacker to defensive end this season has been somewhat of an adjustment for Keshen, but his comfort level grows with each game, and he should be a force to reckon with as the season progresses. The Hawks had four sacks overall, with tackle J.J. Lewis and end Donovan Dyson each with one. End Jahide Lesaine Jr. added a half sack, pushing his season total to 2.5 sacks. Dyson now has two sacks, while Lewis has 1.5. Monmouth’s defense overall had four sacks, eight tackles for loss and two interceptions. All-American safety Jaeden Jones finished with a team-high eight tackles, including seven solo tackles and an interception, his first of the season. Albany moved inside the Hawks' 20, trying to cut the deficit to one score, when Jones picked off Colon at the goal line.

RUSSO’S EARLY PICK SIX SETS THE TONE FOR MONMOUTH:

Any time a team is on the road, an early lead can settle nerves, quiet the crowd, and immediately shift momentum—and Ryan Russo’s pick-six accomplished all three. On Albany’s first possession of the game and second play of the drive, Russo stepped in front of the receiver after Lewis Jr. slightly tipped the ball at the line of scrimmage and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown, giving the Hawks an early 7-0 lead. Russo finished with team-high eight tackles, including five solo, his pick-six, and two QB hits in probably his finest game as a Hawk.

QUARTERBACK FRANKIE WEAVER WAS HAVING A SUPERB GAME UNTIL HE WASN’T:

Weaver was one of the game's stars until two incredibly poor decisions almost cost Monmouth the game. With Monmouth looking to establish the run, Weaver threw only six passes in the first half, completing five for 115 yards, including touchdown tosses of 46 and 60 yards. He was efficient and on target. On Monmouth’s first possession of the second half, Weaver was 3-for-3 for 63 yards before Nazir Treadwell ran it in from a yard out, giving the Hawks what seemed like an insurmountable 28-7 lead. Albany cut the lead to 28-14, but Weaver had the offense on the move again, driving the team to the Albany 24-yard line. But on first down, Weaver threw a pass off his back foot while backpedaling under pressure, right into double coverage, which was intercepted. He would love to have that one back. Then, with the score 28-20 and just over four minutes remaining, Weaver panicked again under pressure, putting a ball up for grabs; it was picked off and returned to the three-yard line, leaving it up to the defense to win the game.

SPECIAL TEAM LAPSES STILL SHOWING UP:

With Monmouth up 14-0, they forced Albany into a punting situation. But on fourth-and-7 from their own 45-yard line, the Great Danes faked a punt and were successful, picking up a first down at the Monmouth 48. Four plays later, they scored to make it a one-score game, 14-7. On the ensuing kickoff, Smith fielded it at the goal line, advancing it to just the 15-yard line. A simple fair catch would’ve given the Hawks the ball at the 25, a much more desirable starting point. That was the case on several kickoff returns.

MONMOUTH’S OFFENSIVE LINE IMPENETRABLE ONCE AGAIN:

The Hawks' offensive line did not allow a sack Saturday and has surrendered only two sacks in four games. That has them tied for second in the country in the FCS. They also paved the way for 150 rushing yards on 38 attempts, for a 3.9-yard-per-attempt average. They committed only one penalty all game: a false start; no holding calls.

“We’re 2-0 in the conference; we’re in the spot we want to be in,“ said Gallo. “We have to keep getting better.”