The Jackrabbits play host to the Villanova Wildcats (10-2) on Saturday morning at 11am. This is the 3rd playoff meeting between the two and the Jacks have won both matchups. The Wildcats have a high powered offense and a good enough defense that has reeled off seven straight wins. Their only losses this season were to FBS Central Florida and Albany. They beat the brakes off of Youngstown State last week by a score of 45-28 but the game was never that close. This will be a good game!
Offense
The Nova offense is putting up 33.5 ppg and is very balanced. They have rushed for 220 yards per game and passed for 222 yards per game. There are playmakers all over the field and the experience is there as well. Villanova has allowed 23 sacks, has tossed 9 interceptions, and has lost 9 fumbles (21 total fumbles). However, they are very good on 3rd down and have converted 43.7% of the time but have scored on just 37 of 49 trips into the redzone with 32 coming as TDs. Villanova does control the ball for nearly 32 minutes per game.
I really enjoyed watching #4 Connor Watkins (6-3, 225) play vs. Youngstown. He throws a terrific deep ball, has good mobility, and just has a moxy about him that is fun to watch. On the year he has completed 58% of his passes for 20 TDs to the 9 INTs. He also is pretty mobile and has rushed for 493 gross yards (328 net) and 10 TDs. Again, this is a really good QB. The backup QB has not seen much action and has just 6 attempts on the year.
Watkins is joined in the backfield by a trio of talented running backs. The group is led by #2 Jalen Jackson (5-9, 220) who was the leading rusher for the Wildcats the last time these two teams squared off. He has 914 yards (7.4 ypc) and 8 TD. He has a long of 66 yards so there is homerun hitter appeal to him. #28 DeeWil Barlee (5-8, 205) is the primary backup and he has 658 net yards (6.4 ypc) and 6 TDs. The third back in this three-headed monster is #1 TD Ayo-Durojaiye (5-11, 210) who has 438 yards (5.0 ypc) and 8 TDs. He is also a threat in the passing game where he has 16 receptions for 169 yards and 1 TD. He played in this matchup two years ago.
In the passing game, Watkins has a trio of outstanding wide receivers who all have solid speed. Not that YSU’s secondary is very good but these three were getting open all day long. The group is led by #19 Rayjuon Pringle (5-9, 195) who has 38 receptions for 955 yards (25 ypc) and 8 TD. He was the leading receiver in the 2021 matchup and had over a hundred yards and a TD in that one. Pringle was an All-CAA selection. #82 Jaylan Sanchez (6-0, 200) had a day against YSU with 2 receptions for 91 yards and a TD. However, he did get hurt late in that game and his status is unknown. On the season he has 28 receptions for 716 yards (25.5 ypc) and 6 TD. The 3rd receiver is #11 Jaaron Hayek (6-1, 200) and he looks like a feisty wide receiver as he was consistently mixing it up with the YSU d-backs. He has 34 receptions for 456 yards and 4 TDs. Outside of these three and the aforementioned Ayo-Durojaiye, there isn’t much for pass catchers. #88 Antonio Johnson (6-4, 255) at the tight end position has 9 receptions for 100 yards and a TD. He had two of those receptions for 40 yards against YSU last week.
The offensive line for Villanova is BIG and has terrific experience. From left to right they go #75 Stephane Voltaire (6-5, 310, So), #70 Wyatt Hummel (6-6, 315, 5th), #69 Jake Picard (6-4, 305, Jr.), #79 Nick Torres (6-6, 320, 6th), and #74 Temi Ajirotutu (6-5, 310, SR). #73 Michael Corbi (6-3, 335) started most of the season at left guard and was named to the All-CAA team but he missed the game against YSU. Again this group has surrendered 23 sacks but has paved the wave for an outstanding rushing attack.
Defense
The Villanova defense has been pretty good this season and surrendering just 18.5 ppg. They play a unique 3-3-5 defense that loves to attack. They are allowing just 112 ypg on the ground and 187 yards through the air. They have racked up 25 sacks, forced 13 interceptions and recovered 3 fumbles. They are really good on 3rd down when they can ratchet up pressure and have held opponents to just a 32% conversion rate. They are even better in the redzone where opponents have scored on 26 of their 32 trips but only 16 have been touchdowns.
The Wildcat defensive line has really good size and depth and they will rotate a number of guys through similarly to how SDSU operates. The player that I’m keeping an eye on is Holy Cross transfer, #55 Jake Reichwein (6-3, 265). Against SDSU last year in the playoffs, he had 7 tackles and a sack. He has been just as effective for Nova this year and has 33 total tackles, 9 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 2 PBUs, and 10 QBHs. I hope the Jacks are able to contain him better than they did last year in the playoffs. Opposite him is #99 Camden Gagnon (6-4, 270) who has 24 tackles and 4 sacks. On the interior is #32 Jake Green (6-0, 285) has 13 tackles and 2.5 TFL. #52 Chandon Pierre (6-2, 270) and #91 Ayden Howard (6-2, 290) are reserve ends. Pierre has 20 tackles, 4 TFL and 2 sacks while Howard has 19 tackles, 4 TFL, 1.5 sacks. #98 Obinna Nwobodo (6-3, 310) is the reserve nose and he has 7 tackles and a TFL.
The three linebackers for Nova make a ton of plays and they are led by #35 Brendan Bell (6-2, 230) who is tied for the team lead with 82 total tackles. He has 10.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 5 QBH, and 1 forced fumble. He was a second team All-CAA selection. He is joined by #31 Shane Hartzell (6-0, 225) who was the co-leader in tackles with 82. He has 5 TFL and 4 sacks while also adding 1 INT, 3 PBU and another 8 QBH. The 3rd linebacker is #27 Daniel Abraham (5-11, 225) who had 53 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 INT, and 1 QBH. These three brought a lot of pressure from the interior against YSU and if that is what they have done all season it is easy to see why all three have such terrific pass rush numbers. #44 Richie Kimmel (6-1, 230) is a key reserve and he has 27 tackles and 3 TFL. #33 Turner Inge (6-1, 210) and #45 Jordan Nelson (6-2, 225) are also key reserves and Inge has 26 total tackles, 3 TFL, and 1 sack while Nelson has 15 tackles, 1 TFl, and 1 INT.
The cornerbacks for the Wildcats are again experienced and talented but this is the thinnest position on the defense. YSU did put up nearly 300 passing yards against these guys but a lot of the yards came later in the game when the result was no longer in doubt. The starting corners are #6 Devon Marshall (6-0, 200) and #0 Isas Waxter (6-2, 215). Waxter was selected to the CAA second team after posting 24 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 INT, and 7 PBU. Marshall has 39 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 INT, and 5 PBU. These two appear to never really leave the field because the backup corners have just 9 combined total tackles and only 2 combined PBUs.
The safeties are fun to watch and are really the key to this defense. Like the defensive line, this group rotates a lot of guys through. #9 Ty Trinh (6-0, 210) was another 2nd team CAA selection from the strong safety position. He has accumulated 44 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 INT, 5 PBU, and 2 QBH. #3 Elijah Glover (6-1, 205) has 46 tackles, 1.5 TFL, and 5 PBU while #4 Jalen Goodman (6-0, 200) has 33 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 INT, and 2 PBU. #7 Tyrell Mims (5-10, 190) has 29 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, and 1 INT and #34 Ethan Potter (5-11, 205) has 20 tackles and a TFL.
Special Teams
Villanova has an okay special teams unit. The highlight is probably their punter, #96 Nathan Fondacaro who has 39 attempts for a 44.62 yard average with a long of 57. He has had 5 touchbacks but has forced 7 to be fair caught, landed 7 inside the 20 and has booted 12- 50+ yards. Opponents are averaging 11.24 yards on 17 returns but have a long of just 29 yards. Fondacaro also handles the kickoff duties and has 67 attempts for a 58 yard average. He has just 11 touchbacks so Villanova is also going to try and pin opponents inside the 25. Opponents have a 24 yard average on 44 attempts and have taken 2 to the house. The field goal responsibilities belong to #39 Matthew Mercurio. He has gone 8 of 11 with a long of 44 yards. He has only missed one extra point this season.
In the return game, #19 Rayjuon Pringle and #11 Jaaron Hayek have split time as the punt returner. Pringle has 8 returns for a 4.25 yard average and a long of 13 while Hayek has 4 returns for 14 yards and a long of 10. #1 TD Ayo-Durojaiye has 20 kickoff return attempts for a 21.15 yard average and a long of 47.
Prediction
I really like this Villanova offense but they did struggle against the best FCS defense they faced this year in Albany. The Jacks should be able to provide a similar amount of resistance as the Great Danes but with this much talent you just never know.
I just don’t know about the Nova defense however. Two years ago Villanova was statistically even better than this years version and the Jackrabbits ran through them with ease once they fully committed to the run. However, their attacking style of defense can create turnovers and put the offense behind the sticks if all goes well.
All that being said, I think the Jackrabbits take care of business.
Jackrabbits 35- Wildcats 13
Go Jacks!
Matt
