Total Team Effort Results In Dramatic Monmouth University Win Over Bryant

Photo above: Reggie White Jr. crossing the goal line for the winning touchdown Photo credit: Taylor Jackson

WEST LONG BRANCH – When it rains it pours, and at a windswept rain-soaked Kessler Field on Saturday, redshirt freshman quarterback Cody Williams poured it on when it counted most against long-time NEC foe Bryant with the score tied 24-24 and less than two minutes remaining in the game.

In his biggest win to date in his budding career at Monmouth University, Williams hit sophomore Reggie White Jr. with a wide receiver screen along the left sideline on first-and-10 from the 50-yard line. Picking up a crucial block from sophomore center Alex Thompson that sprang him for initial yardage, White Jr. followed tight end Hakeem Valles the rest of the way down the sideline as the 6-foot-5, 260-pounder leveled several would-be tacklers clearing the way for White’s third-career touchdown and handing the Hawks a 31-24 lead with 1:16 remaining in the game.

“It was a backside screen and Alex made a big block for me,” White Jr. said. “Then Hakeem led the way for me and I followed him the rest of the way.”

“It was a man read and the guy ran with Lavon (Chaney) so I came back to Reggie,” Williams said. “And we just took it from there with some great blocks downfield to make the play work.”

The game was far from over at that point as Bryant drove to the Hawks 12-yard line in seven plays and had first-and-10 with 00.05 remaining in the game. However, Monmouth’s defense held firm forcing two incompletions in the end zone, the result of quarterback pressure and excellent coverage by several Hawk defenders.

“We knew this was the type of game we had to come out and execute early,” Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan said. “I felt we got off to a fast start and then in the fourth quarter we able to maintain our focus on doing our own jobs and I’m very happy with that.”

It was a superb all-around effort by the Hawks (2-3) who desperately needed the win against a very good Bryant (2-2) team, as they open Big South play next weekend at Charleston Southern – ranked No.40 in the FCS play. The Big South is rated the second toughest FCS conference in the nation with two teams ranked in the top 25. Coastal Carolina (5-0) is ranked No.2 while Liberty (2-2) comes in at No.18.

Two weeks ago, Bryant lost to Coastal Carolina 31-17, but the game was tied at 17-17 with four minutes to play in the third quarter with Bryant actually outgaining the Chanticleers 438-to-404 for the game.

Saturday, despite the weather, the Hawks got off to an elected start putting up 14 points on their first two possessions of the game after Bryant won the toss and elected to defer and receive the second-half kickoff.

On the Hawks first possession, Chaney rushed for 26 yards on four carries while Williams went 2-of-4 for 17 yards. Facing fourth-and-2 from the Bryant 22 and going into 25-plus knot wind gust, Monmouth opted to go for it instead of attempting a 39-yard field goal.

After going through his progressions with no one open, Williams tucked the ball in, found room down the left sideline, got a key block from Hawks leading receiver Darren Ambush and hurdled the pylon for a quick 7-0 lead.

The Hawks forced a three-and-out on Bryant’s first possession with sophomore cornerback Marcus Leslie stopping Bryant’s All-NEC running back Ricardo McCray for no gain on third-and-one from the Hawks 43, forcing a punt.

Starting at their own 15, the Hawks proceeded to drive 85 yards in 12 plays. A third-and-6 pass for 25 yards to Chaney put the ball at the Bryant 42 and eight plays later Williams found White on a fade route in the back corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 3:04 left in the first quarter.

The Hawks outgained the Bulldogs 159-40 in total yardage in the quarter with Chaney gaining 79 yards on 12 carries. The Hawks also had nine first downs to two for Bryant. However, the Bulldogs began to pile up yardage as the second quarter commenced.

Bryant started the second quarter with a first-and-10 from their own 47. On third-and-1 from the Hawks 44, McCray got six for a first down before he raced 38-yards for the score on the next play to pull within 14-7 with 12:56 left in the half.

On Monmouth’s ensuing possession, Williams was intercepted by Aaron Gilmer giving Bryant a first down at their own 46. Seven plays later, first team All-NEC quarterback Dalton Easton hit Jose Depadua for a 19-yard touchdown tying the game at 14 at the 6:30 mark.

The Bulldogs started off the second half at the 22 after a 20-yard kickoff return by Depadua from the two-yard line. However, a holding penalty and delay of game penalty forced a punt to the Hawks 47.

On the first play after the punt, Chaney fumbled after gaining two yards with Bryant’s Kari Sery recovering at the Bryant 45-yard line.

After a Bulldog first down, Mike Basile and senior linebacker Anthony McDonnaugh made consecutive stops for a net of three yards setting up a third-and-7 at the 38 which produced an incomplete pass on the third-down play. Opting to go for it on fourth down, the Bulldogs tried a trick play with McCray completing a pass to George Smith that defensive tackle Dimitrius Smith had snuffed out for one-yard loss with Marcus Leslie in Easton’s face with the pressure.

Monmouth then went 38 yards in eight plays with Matt White connecting on a 40-yard field goal after the drive stalled at the 23. Williams had a 27-yard run on fourth-and-1 to the 25 but a false start penalty hurt the drive’s chances.

Now up 17-14 at 6:15 of the third, the Hawks held Bryant on third-and-1 from the Monmouth 38 on a McDonnaugh two-yard tackle for a loss, but a Bryant punt left the Hawks with a first-and-1 from the one.

Electing to stay in the shot-gun formation from the end zone, Chaney had no chance as he was swarmed over by a host of tacklers for a safety and it was now a one-point game with Bryant about to get the ball back.

With momentum now on Bryant’s side and starting in good field position at the 35 after the Monmouth punt, the Hawks defense rose to the occasion with freshman Ja’len Burgess, Payton Minnich, Malcom Powers and Basile all contributing to a Bryant three-and-out.

Monmouth’s possession stalled as the quarter ended and Hawks returned Bryant’s favor as Marcus Leslie downed the punt at the one handing Bryant horrendous field possession with 12:31 remaining in the game.

The Hawks defense dug in as Basile and Smith stopped Easton for no gain on first down before senior Joe Johnson knocked down an Easton pass on second down setting up third and 10 from the one. As the ball was snapped, it was tipped at the line of scrimmage into the hands of senior linebacker John Sieczkowski who returned it five yards for a pick six.

“Someone jumped up, tipped the ball in the air and I was just running to make the tackle,” Sieczkowski said. “I just picked it up and ran with it.”

The lead was short-lived when one play later on Bryant’s ensuing drive Easton found Chad Ward deep down the right sideline with Hawks freshman safety Deonta Fair racing stride-for-stride with him. Ward located the ball, out-jumped Fair and bolted 68 yards in front of the stunned Monmouth faithful.

On Monmouth’s subsequent drive, they drove to the Bryant 25 and were looking at a fourth-and-4. However, with the weather deteriorating and the wind in their face they decided to bypass a field goal attempt and go for it, but a Williams to Hakeem Valles pass failed to materialize and Bryant took over at the 25.

Johnson intercepted Easton at the 39 on third down and returned it to the 31 and the Hawks were set up again with 6:31 left in the game.

Five plays later the Hawks had a fourth-and-1 from the ten but a delay of game penalty pushed them back to the 15 and they elected to go for the field goal into the wind which sailed left of the goal post.

Bryant now had a first down at the 20 with 2:58 left and the score still 24-24. McCray was stopped by Basile and defensive end Eli Brown after a four-yard run, then two incomplete passes forced a Bulldog punt with Johnson calling for a fair catch at the Hawks 39.

Four plays later the infamous Williams to White Jr. play essentially ended the game.

Williams finished 19-of-31 for 210 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also rushed for 96 yards on 14 carries. White Jr. had 85-yards receiving on five catches. Chaney was a workhorse finishing with a career-high 148-yards rushing on 23 attempts.

Basile again led the Hawks with 10 tackles and shared a tackle for a loss. McDonnaugh added six tackles with 1.5 TFL. Minnich had five tackles with one TFL. Leslie and Smith each had four tackles with Smith recording 2 TFL while Sieczkowski added two TFL. Powers also registered his second interception of the season.

“I’m just really happy with what all our guy’s did today,” Callahan said. “It’s a good win to get as we head into conference play and it’s something we can certainly build on.”

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