Monmouth U. Football Looks To Build Off Of Last Season's Success

Media Day 2018, photo L to R: Tymere Berry, Reggie White Jr., head coach Kevin Callahan, Kenji Bahar and Ryan Wetzel

WEST LONG BRANCH – Coming off a banner 2017 season, Monmouth University looks to build off of arguably its most successful football campaign in program history.

On September 2, 2017, the Hawks celebrated 25 years of football by christening the brand-new 16 million dollar Kessler Stadium in front of a near capacity crowd of over 4,000 fans.

The Hawks finished the season with nine wins (9-3) for only the fourth time in program history and finished second in the rugged Big South Conference with a 4-1 record. At one point of the season they reeled off seven consecutive wins and went undefeated (5-0) at Kessler Stadium.

Also, for four straight weeks, and for the first time in program history, the Hawks were ranked nationally in the FCS top 25, elevating as high as No. 22 in the FCS Coaches Poll, which in turn led to an at-large bid to NCAA FCS playoffs – another program first.

However, there was no fairy-tale ending to the season. The Hawks absorbed back-to-back blowout losses in the final two games against Big South power Kennesaw State - who finished ranked ninth nationally - for the conference championship and then to Northern Iowa -ranked nineteenth in the final FCS Coaches Poll - on the road in the opening round of the FCS playoffs.

Now, with just two weeks left to prepare for opening night at Eastern Michigan – a D-1 FBS participant out of the Mid-America Conference – the Hawks, who are ranked 27th in the Athlon FCS preseason poll, will attempt to put those two losses behind them. However, at the same time they must try to harness that big-game experience as a means to accelerate their path to the next level of FCS competition.

“While we recognize what we were able to do in 2017, playing for a league championship and going to the NCAA playoffs, we’re far from comfortable, far from satisfied the way that we finished,” said Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan. “One of the things we focused on throughout the winter, spring and into preseason camp is preparing ourselves to be successful when we get to that spot again. Last year, although we accomplished many things over the course of the season, none of us were completely happy with the finish of it. We recognize when we get to that stage of the game and you’re playing the top 24 teams in the nation it’s another level and we’ve set our entire offseason preparing ourselves to be successful when we get back to that level.”

Monmouth will field one, if not the, best offenses in the Big South. However, on the flip side, the lingering question entering the season surrounds the defense and if they can rebound from a season in which they struggled to stop opposing offenses, allowing 29.2 points per game – fifth in the Big South.

First the offense:

After leading the Big South in scoring offense a year ago (36.6 points/game) the Hawks return 10 of 11 starters on offense including the following Preseason All-Big South first-team selections: sophomore running back Pete Guerriero, senior wide receiver Reggie White Jr., senior tight end Jake Powell, fifth-year senior left guard Ryan Wetzel and graduate student right tackle Russ Clayton. White Jr., was also a third-team Stats Preseason All-American selection while junior quarterback Kenji Bahar grabbed Preseason All-Big South honorable mention recognition.

The Hawks do have to replace first-team All-Big South center Alex Thompson and Callahan is experimenting with a number of options.

“What we’re trying to do is find our best five offensive linemen and that started in the spring,” Callahan said of the one vacancy on the offensive line still up for grabs. “We’ve experimented with different guys playing in different spots and it’s all aimed at the goal of replacing Alex at center, but it doesn’t mean it will be a new center that comes in. It could be a tackle; it could be a guard and were trying to find the best mix of the five.”

Callahan mentioned junior tackle Mahmoud Shabana, Wetzel, junior center A.J. Farris, fifth-year senior guard/center Peter Righi, junior guard Manny Christian and Clayton as players he would feel confident in choosing a solid starting five from.

Shabana started the final five games of the season at left tackle, including the playoff game, after Matt Stoneberg went down with a season-ending injury.

Righi may slide over to center this season after starting all 12 games at right guard last season with Wetzel and Clayton starting 12 games at left guard and right tackle respectively. Farris and Clayton saw game action as backups last season and have thrown themselves in the mix with their solid play in camp.

The tight end position is in good hands with Powell, who caught 23 balls for 330 yards and three touchdowns, while excelling as a blocking tight end in the run game. Senior Shawn Clark lines up in the two tight end formation and is a reliable receiver (6-83-1) as well as a blocker.

Bahar’s back under center after passing for 2,368 yards and 16 touchdowns going 205-of-331 (61.9%) with 13 interceptions. Sophomore dual-threat QB Brandon Harris looks to have the inside track as Bahar’s backup after impressing in preseason camp.

“I’ve been in this program going on my fourth year so people are looking up to me as a leader and I feel as a quarterback I want to take on that leadership role,” Bahar said. “I want to put my team in the best possible situation to succeed and it’s not just me being a quarterback, it’s my work ethic, being vocal and doing the stuff I need to do to fulfill that role.”

The running back position is deep and talented with Guerriero leading the way after the 5-foot-10, 190 pound speedster rushed for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games a year ago. Guerriero originally planned on giving up football to concentrate on track, but luckily for the Hawks his love of the game got the better of him.

Fellow sophomore, Eric Zokouri, burst on the scene last year gaining 507 yards in five games before being injured, but is expected to be at full strength in time for opening night. Senior Devell Jones (62-324) is also back after scoring a team-high 11 touchdowns last season.

Callahan also mentioned freshmen running backs Romeo Holden and Juwan Farri as possible first-year contributors, while sophomore Justin Brown will get a look as well.

“Our offensive line is a veteran, solid, talented group and any running game starts there,” Callahan said. “We have a number of very talented running backs with a number of guys returning from last year. It’s a talented and deep backfield running behind a talented, veteran offensive line and I feel pretty good about that.”

With another stellar year under his belt when he was a unanimous first-team All-Big South selection, White Jr.'s resume speaks for itself. He's one of the most explosive receivers in FCS football consistently demanding double and triple team coverage. The Hawks are counting on another big year out of the 6-foot-3, 205 pounder and there’s no reason to believe he won’t produce big numbers again this season as NFL scouts evaluate his next-level talent.

Graduate student Mike Grasso (29-315), seniors Matt Castronuova (6-34) and Brandon Batts and sophomore’s Lonnie Moore IV (22-347-1) and Joe Alderelli (4-78-1) are all in the mix for playing time at wide receiver alongside White Jr.. Sophomore Terrance Green Jr., who has flashed in preseason camp, has vaulted up the depth chart and looks to be another solid option.

Green Jr. sat out last season with a knee injury, look but Callahan feels Greene Jr. could be an impact player this season.

Now back to the elephant in the room – the defense. It allowed almost 400 yards per game and six yards/play a year ago and it will be counted on to significantly improve those numbers this fall or more than likely suffer the same fate as last season. With their high-powered offense the Hawks might be able outscore most teams on their schedule, but come crunch time that doesn’t cut it against the upper echelon teams the likes of Kennesaw St. and Northern Iowa or any top 25 FCS team for that matter.

The defense does return six starters and played six true freshmen at times last year, but the first order of business will be finding a replacement for graduated All-American safety Mike Basil, who is now in training camp with the New York Giants.

In all, the Hawks must fill three holes in the secondary, including Basil, with the departure of starting free safety Teddy Martinez and cornerback Kamau Dumas. Martinez, a first-team All-Big South selection, was third on the team with 58 tackles and led the team with five interceptions – tied for first in the Big South while Dumas recorded 37 tackles with three interceptions. That‘s a lot of production the Hawks must replace.

Sophomore safety Anthony Budd, who played in 10 games as a freshman with 26 tackles and an interception, has had an exceptional camp and looks to have secured the starting strong safety job.

Senior safety Marcus Leslie returns from an injury he suffered in the fourth game last season and is one option at weakside safety along with fifth-year senior Kyle Gregory, who appeared in all 12 games a year ago, finishing with 12 tackles.

However, the Hawks do have diamond in the ruff at cornerback in Preseason All-Big South first team selection, Tymere Berry. Berry was a second-team All-Big South pick as a sophomore a year ago when he led the Big South with 14 pass breakups along with two interceptions and 43 tackles. He’ll be counted on heavily for his leadership as the younger players feel their way through growing pains.

Callahan has heaped praise on Berry for his growth and maturity both on and off the field, and is particularly pleased with the man Berry has become off the field.

"As a coach you're really happy for that player," Callahan said of Berry. "The goal is that they all see the light so to speak at some point in their career and get on the right track, and Tymere has done that."

A trio of ultra-talented sophomores are battling for starting jobs in the secondary. Justin Terry, Mike Bowers and Hasan Chambers have looked solid in camp after seeing the playing field as freshmen. Terry may have the inside track at starting after seeing action in nine games with one start a year ago when he finished with 24 tackles and three pass’ defended. Bowers appeared in eight games as a freshman and Chambers seven.

The front seven is the strength of the D entering the 2018 season and will be asked carry the load while the secondary finds its own identity and jells as a unit. The defensive line depth is outstanding with three of four starters back and five or six others with significant game-time experience.

Fifth-year senior end Daivone Thomas, senior tackle Gerron Pendarvis and junior end Lowell Kelly-Gamble return as starters with sophomore Kurt Aumer, who was third on the team with 2.5 sacks as a true freshman a year ago, the leading candidate for the fourth starting spot on the line. Fifth-year senior’s Zack Talley and Ryan Schoer, senior Sam Pierce, junior’s Adam Kakar and Kahari Scarlett are all vying for spots in the D-line rotation.

“The line is our deepest position on our defense and may be one of our deeper positions on our team right now,” Callahan said. “We have a lot of guys who’ve played football for us and I feel really good about this group and I could see us playing a lot of guys in the course of a game.”

Junior linebacker Diego Zubieta, a 2018 Preseason All-Big South Honorable Mention selection, returns to lead a solid group of linebackers after finishing second on the team in tackles with 62 including 30 solo tackles along with four TFL and 1.5 sacks.

Another junior, Tre Nelson, is back at middle linebacker giving the Hawks two quality linebackers that are back with a ton of experience. Nelson recorded 44 tackles a year ago (24 solo) with two TFL and a sack.

Two sophomores and a junior are fighting for the open spot at linebacker, but reguardless of who does win the starting spot the other two will most certainly be in the rotation.

Sophomore linebacker DeJaun Cooper appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman with one start finishing fifth on the team in tackles with 49, including 23 solo stops along with 2.5 TFL and a sack.

Erik Massey is another sophomore who exerted himself on the field as a freshman. He appeared in nine games accumulating 23 tackles, including 11 solo stops, along with two half sacks and four QB hurries. Massey is a hybrid LB/DE and will slide up to the line of scrimmage as an additional pass rusher depending on the situation.

The third candidate, junior Evan Powell, appeared in the first seven games before suffering an injury that cut his season short. Prior to his injury he recorded 23 tackles, two TFL, fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. He’s healthy now and has looked solid in camp.

Another couple of linebackers to keep an eye on are junior Da’Quan Grimes, who missed all of last season with an injury, and redshirt sophomore Solomon Manning, who transferred from Rutgers a year ago.

Junior Matt Mosquera is back as the primary place kicker after being injured late in the season a year ago.

If all the pieces fall into place for the Hawks this season they have a chance to take a giant step closer towards their ultimate goal.

“This is not a team that’s resting on its laurels. It’s not a team that’s comfortable because it had some success a year ago. It’s not a team that’s relaxed or complacent because we return a lot of veterans, especially on the offensive side,” Callahan said. This is a determined team, a focused team, a hungry team. Yet it’s a team that brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the field. I see motivated and determined players that want to improve upon what they’ve done in the past. I see younger guys that maybe got a taste of game action last year really competing. Then I look at the chemistry this team has. It’s a very positive chemistry that exists and you can tell there’s a very close bond between the players and that they truly like each other and care about each other. So, if you look at those things as a coach you’re happy, you like what you see. We still have to be able to do the things on the field, the execution type things, in order to be successful, but I like the direction we’re heading in."

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