Oct. 21, 1999
No. 24 Villanova Wildcats
(4-3 Overall, 3-2 Atlantic 10)
vs.
Northeastern Huskies
(1-5 Overall, 0-3 Atlantic 10)
Saturday, October 23, 1999 -- 1 p.m.
Villanova Stadium (12,000)
Villanova, Pa
SERIES INFORMATION
First Meeting: 1987, NE 41-28
Overall: VU leads 4-3
Overall Under Talley: 4-3
Last VU Win: 11/22/97, 49-35
Last NE Win: 10/10/98, 28-17
Streak: VU has won 4 of last 5
1999 Schedule
Sept. 4 at Air Force L, 37-13 Sept. 11 at Richmond W, 35-30 Sept. 18 Massachusetts W, 26-21 Sept. 25 at Pennsylvania W, 34-6 Oct. 2 James Madison L, 23-20 Oct. 9 at William & Mary L, 45-10 Oct. 16 at Connecticut W, 48-45 3OT Oct. 23 Northeastern 1:00 p.m. Oct. 30 at New Hampshire Noon Nov. 13 Youngstown State 1:00 p.m. Nov. 20 Delaware 1:00 p.m.
All times listed are eastern time. Radio
Pregame Show Noon
Game Coverage 1:00 p.m.
WFIL - 560-AM WJNN - 106.7 FM
Play By Play Joe Eichhorn
Color Analysis Ryan Fannon
All Wildcat games can be heard on the internet through the broadcast.com system.
TEAM COMPARISON
VILLANOVA (7 games) OFFENSE Northeastern (6 games) 26.6 Points Per Game 24.6 153 FirstDowns 120 687 Rushing Yards 916 98.1 Avg. Rushing Yards Per Game 152.7 214 Rushing Attempts 209 3.2 Avg. Yards Per Rush 4.4 2,037 Passing Yards 1,398 291.0 Avg. Passing Yards Per Game 233.0 329 Passes Attempted 228 195 Passes Completed 124 6.2 Avg. Yards Per Pass 6.1 2,724 Total Offensive Yardage 2,314 389.1 Avg. Total Offense Per Game 385.7 17.3 Avg. Kickoff Return 22.5 8.0 Avg. Punt Return 8.3 45 for 112 (40%) Third Down Conversions 33 for 85 (38%) 4 for 9 (44%) Fourth Down Conversions 2 for 10 (20%)
DEFENSE 29.6 Avg. Points Per Game 36.8 148 First Downs Allowed 118 1,231 Rushing Yards Allowed 1,265 175.9 Avg. Rushing Yards Allowed 210.8 308 Rushing Attempts Allowed 278 4.0 Avg. Yards Per Rush Allowed 4.6 1,499 Passing Yards Allowed 1,229 214.1 Avg. Passing Yards Allowed 204.8 198 Pass Attempts Allowed 153 109 Pass Completions Allowed 98 7.6 Avg. Yards Per Pass 8.0 2,730 Total Offensive Yardage 2,494 390.0 Avg. Total Offense Allowed 415.7 17.8 Avg. Kickoff Return Allowed 21.6 12.5 Avg. Punt Return Allowed 13.1 42 for 108 (39%) Third Down Conversions Allowed 31 for 86 (36 %) 5 for 8 (63%) Fourth Down Conversions Allowed 4 for 10 (40 %)
NORTHEASTERN REPORT: The Huskies enter play this Saturday with a 1-5 overall record and an 0-3 Atlantic 10 Conference mark. After defeating American International, 44-7, in the season opener, Northeastern has lost five straight. Last Saturday, Northeastern lost at home to New Hampshire by a score of 33-31. New Hampshire outgained the Huskies, 487-392, including rushing for 330 yards. In the loss, Northeastern was led by wide receiver Dave Klemic who made eight receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, quarterback Fred Vallett gained 93 yards on 10 rushes including rushing for a score. Defensively, linebacker Zach Falconer tallied a team-high 15 tackles. For the season, Klemic has 37 receptions for 484 yards and four scores. Northeastern's leading rusher is L.J. McKanas who has gained 323 yards on 76 carries. Northeastern has played two quarterbacks this season with senior Fred Vallett and sophomore Jason Quinlan. Vallett has completed 55-of-99 for 616 yards to go with six touchdowns and seven interceptions, while Quinlan is 62-of-116 for 673 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions. Vallett has rushed for 129 yards on 28 carries, while Quinlan has gained 104 yards on 35 rushes. Defensively, Falconer has had an outstanding season with 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and a sack.
HUSKY COACH BARRY GALLUP: Northeastern is led by ninth-year head coach Barry Gallup. During his tenure at Northeastern, Gallup has compiled a 37-56-1 mark.
In 1997, Gallup led Northeastern to an 8-3 record that helped him earn New England Coach of the Year honors. Prior to his arrival at Northeastern, Gallup was an assistant coach at Boston College from 1970 until accepting the Northeastern job in 1991. During his playing days at Boston College, Gallup was a three-sport standout in football, basketball and baseball. As a wide receiver at Boston College, Gallup tallied 87 receptions for 1,325 yards . On the hardwood, Gallup played two years of collegiate basketball under the legendary Bob Cousy. Gallup was a two-year captain of the basketball team and a one-year captain of the baseball squad.
1999 Atlantic 10 standings
A-10 Overall Team W L Pct. W L Pct. James Madison 5 0 1.000 5 1 .833 Massachusetts 3 1 .750 3 3 .500 Connecticut 2 1 .667 3 3 .500 Delaware 2 1 .667 4 2 .667 Villanova 3 2 .600 4 3 .571 William & Mary 2 2 .500 2 4 .333 Richmond 2 3 .400 4 3 .571 Maine 1 2 .333 2 4 .333 New Hampshire 1 3 .250 3 3 .500 Northeastern 0 3 .000 1 5 .167 Rhode Island 0 3 .000 0 6 .000
1999 Honors
Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week
LB Jason McMillion (Sept. 12)
WR Brian White (Oct. 17)
Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week
LB Joe Quartey (Sept. 19)
Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week
QB Chris Boden (Oct. 17)
USA Today/ESPN I-AA National Special Teams Player
PK Casey Hannon (Sept. 20)
Sports Network I-AA National Special Teams Player
PK Casey Hannon (Sept. 20)
Injury Report
The following is the injury report for the Northeastern game on Oct. 23 - Shaz Brown (RFr./ WR)
Torn ACL left knee. Out for the season - Chris Janik (Sr./LB)
Neck sprain. Out for season - Luke Stopper (So./ RB)
Injured right hamstring. Questionable for Northeastern - Brian Westbrook (Jr./ RB)
Injured left knee. Out for the season
The Sports network I-AA Poll (10/18/99)
No Team 1. Troy State 2. Tennessee State 3. Southern University 4. Montana 5. Georgia Southern 6. Appalachian State 7. Northern Iowa 8. Lehigh 9. Youngstown State 10. Hofstra 11. James Madison 12. Illinois State 13. East Tennessee State 14. Furman 15. Florida A & M 16. Eastern Kentucky 17. South Florida 18. Delaware 19. Western Illinois 20. Hampton 21. Elon 22. Jackson State 23. Portland State 24. Massachusetts 25. VILLANOVA
Teamlink.com Top 25 (10/18/99)
No Team 1. Troy State 2. Tennessee State 3. Southern University 4. Georgia Southern 5. Montana 6. Northern Iowa 7. Appalachian State 8. Lehigh 9. Hofstra 10. Youngstown State 11. Furman 12. Florida A & M 13. Illinois State 14. James Madison 15. South Florida 16. East Tennessee State 17. Eastern Kentucky 18. Delaware 19. Western Illinois 20. Jackson State 21. Hampton 22. VILLANOVA 23. Elon 24. Portland State 25. Massachusetts
ESPN/USA TODAY Top 25 (10/18/99)
No Team 1. Troy State 2. Tennessee State 3. Southern University 4. Montana 5. Georgia Southern 6. Northern Iowa 7. Appalachian State 8. Lehigh 9. Youngstown State 10. Hofstra 11. James Madison 12. East Tennessee State 13. Illinois State 14. Eastern Kentucky 15. Furman 16. Florida A & M 17. South Florida 18. Delaware 19. Western Illinois 20. Hampton 21. Elon 22. Jackson State 23. Portland State 24. VILLANOVA 25. Stephen F. Austin
TALLEY'S TENURE: Entering his 15th season on the Main Line, head coach Andy Talley can feel responsible for every facet of the Villanova football program, having started it from scratch in 1985. In his career at Villanova, Talley has recorded a 98-59-1 mark making him the all-time winningest coach in Villanova history. Talley's 20-year overall coaching record currently stands at 125-77-2. During his career as the Wildcat mentor, Talley has guided Villanova to five NCAA playoff appearances (1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997), three Conference titles and one Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy. In 1997, Talley garnered the Eddie Robinson Award and the AFCA/GTE National Coach of the Year.
OVERTIME THRILLER: Villanova fans will be talking about last Saturday's 48-45 triple overtime win at Connecticut for a long time. The overtime thriller brought back memories of the 1989 game between Villanova and Connecticut, when the Wildcats defeated the Huskies, 41-35, in six overtimes. The Wildcats are now 4-2 all-time in overtime contests.
ONE FOR THE ANNALS: Throughout his illustrious Villanova career, senior quarterback Chris Boden has played some outstanding football games, but his effort last Saturday at Connecticut may have been his best.
In the 48-45 triple overtime win over Connecticut, Boden completed 43-of-69 for a school record 444 yards and four touchdowns. His 444 yards puts him over 9,000-yards for his career, as he has tallied 9,086 passing yards during his days on the Main Line. The 43 completions is an Atlantic 10 Conference and Villanova school record, while the 69 attempts tied a Villanova school mark. To see how accurate Boden was in the game, the only stat one needs to look at is that he threw no interceptions in 69 attempts.
HEADING FOR 2,000: Entering play this Saturday against Northeastern, quarterback Chris Boden is just two passing yards short of 2,000 for the 1999 season. After seven games, Boden is 194-of-324 for 1,998 yards and 13 touchdowns. The San Clemente, Calif., native has thrown for over 3,000 yards the past two seasons (3,707 in 1997/3,050 in 1998) and he has recorded 9,086 passing yards in his career. In addition, he has 89 career touchdown passes compared to just 26 career interceptions in 1,262 attempts.
CHASING HISTORY: Already the most decorated signal caller in Villanova football history, senior quarterback Chris Boden is in pursuit of more records. Entering play versus Northeastern, Boden is just 183 yards and 35 completions shy of becoming the all-time leader in both categories in the history of the Atlantic 10 Football Conference. Last week at UConn, Boden broke his own Atlantic 10 record for completions in a game with 43. Earlier this season at Richmond, Boden became the Atlantic 10 all-time leader in career touchdown passes (currently has 89).
31-STRAIGHT: Senior quarterback Chris Boden will be making his 32nd consecutive start this Saturday versus Northeastern. In his 31 straight starts, he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 31 games. In those 31 contests, Boden has tossed three or more scoring strikes 13 times. Only five times has Boden thrown just one touchdown pass in a game.
A-10 HONORS: Two Wildcats earned honors from the Atlantic 10 this week for their play last Saturday at Connecticut. Quarterback Chris Boden shared conference Player of the Week honors with UMass running back Marcel Shipp. Against UConn, Boden completed an Atlantic 10 Conference record 43 of 69 for 444 yards and four touchdowns. This is the sixth time that Boden has won this award in his career and first time this season. Redshirt freshman Brian White was also recognized by the A-10 for his play last week, as he was named Rookie of the Week. In the win at UConn, White made a career-high 10 receptions for a career-best 91 yards and a touchdown. White leads all Atlantic 10 freshmen in receiving with receptions (30) and receiving yards (348).
MOVE THE STICKS: One stat that got lost in last Saturday's three overtime win at Connecticut, was the school record 34 first downs that were tallied by the Villanova offense. The previous record of 32 happened on two occasions (vs. UConn 9/28/91 and vs. Fordham 11/14/92).
BUSY DAY: Yet another amazing stat from Saturday's win at Connecticut was the disparity in offensive plays run by each team. In the three overtime victory, the Villanova offense ran 102 plays for 554 yards of total offense, while Connecticut ran just 72 plays for 393 yards.
STRONG UP FRONT: The Villanova offensive line deserves a lot credit for the team's offensive performance last Saturday at Connecticut. How good was the line? Real good when you consider that quarterback Chris Boden threw the ball 69 times and was not sacked once. In addition, Villanova gained 110 yards rushing for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, after gaining just 159 yards for an average of 2.8 yards per rush in the previous two games combined. Villanova would have more yards rushing if it wasn't for a mishandled pitch from Quarterback Chris Boden to running back Duc Augustin that caused the Wildcats to lose both the ball and 16 yards in the rushing column.
LEADING RECEIVER: Sophomore wide receiver Murle Sango has played like an All-Conference performer all season long for the Wildcats. Sango currently leads the Atlantic 10 in receptions with 56 (8.0 per game) and receiving yards with 620 to go along with six touchdowns. The next closest receiver in the league is Dave Klemic of Northeastern with 37 catches. In last Saturday's win at Connecticut, Sango tallied a career-high 13 receptions for 115 yards and two scores. The 56 receptions ties his him for the seventh-best single season reception mark in Villanova school history. In 11 games last year, Sango had 32 catches for 422 yards and a score.
PUTTING UP NUMBERS: Murle Sango was not the only receiver to shine last Saturday at Connecticut. In addition to Sango's effort of 13 receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns, redshirt freshman Brian White registered a career-high 10 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, while junior Steve Ward had eight receptions for 112 yards. In addition, tight end Joe Kavanuagh made two big plays by catching the game-winning 15-yard touchdown in the third overtime and grabbing a two-point conversion reception with 3:59 to play and send the game to overtime.
DUC RETURNS: After playing just two plays against James Madison on Oct. 2 and missing the contest with William & Mary on Oct. 9, junior running back Ducarmel Augustin returned to the field last Saturday at Connecticut and made a solid contribution. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., native rushed for 81 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown and he made five receptions for 49 yards. Augustin's 130 yards of all-purpose offense is a career-high.
STRONG LEG: Sophomore punter Chris Birch has emerged as the top punter in the entire Atlantic 10 Conference. After seven games, Birch has punted 36 times for 1,555 yards for a league-best average of 43.2 yards per punt. Of his 36 punts, 10 have been inside the 20-yard line. Of his last nine punts, four have been of 50-yards or longer.
SCORING POINTS: Sophomore kicker Casey Hannon currently leads the Wildcats in scoring with 48 points. For the year, Hannon is 10-of-14 in field goals and is 18-of-19 in PATs. Of his 10 made field goals, five have been from 40-yards or more, including a career-long 50-yard field goal versus James Madison on Oct. 2. This was just the fourth time in Villanova history that a kicker has made a field goal of 50-yards or more.
STRONG AT SAFETY: Villanova boasts one of the top safety combinations in the Atlantic 10 Conference in senior strong safety DeLonne Kelly and junior free safety Braheem Powell. Entering play versus Northeastern, Kelly leads the team in total tackles with 65 and is second on the the team in tackles for loss with four, while Powell is third on the squad in tackles with 56. Powell also leads the team in interceptions with three and he has tallied two tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Two of Powell's three interceptions have come in the past two weeks. Powell started all 11 games last year at cornerback before switching to free safety in 1999.
LYONS LEADS THE CHARGE: Senior linebacker Shaun Lyons has been a play-maker on defense his entire career. A starter in 37-straight games, Lyons has led Villanova in tackles the past two seasons (113 in 1997/ 104 in 1998) and he is currently second on the team in tackles with 63 total stops. In addition to his 63 tackles, Lyons has two sacks, three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Last week at UConn, Lyons led Villanova in tackles with 14 total stops to go with a quarterback sack.
LIKE OLD TIMES: They may be playing on a different coast, but for quarterback Chris Boden and center Rob Richardson things are very similar to how they were at San Clemente High School in San Clemente, Calif. In Boden's only season as a high school starter in 1995, his center was Richardson. Since the fifth game of last season, Boden and Richardson have been reunited as quarterback and center for head coach Andy Talley and the Wildcats.
BIG TARGET: Tight end Joe Kavanaugh has had an outstanding senior season for the Wildcats. After seven games, Kavanaugh has made 34 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns. The 34 receptions ranks him eighth in the Atlantic 10 in receiving. Last week at Connecticut, Kavanuagh caught the game-winning 15-yard touchdown pass in the third overtime. In addition, he caught the two-point conversion that sent the game into overtime. Due to injury, Kavanaugh played in just six games in 1998, tallying 10 receptions for 138 yards.
MIRACULOUS RECOVERY: Senior running back Roger Harriott continues his amazing comeback. On April 19 during spring practice, Harriott tore both his ACL and MCL and was expected to be sidelined for the season. Harriott defied all odds and returned to the field just four and a half months following the injury on Sept. 11 at Richmond. Against Richmond on Sept. 11, Harriott made his return and carried the ball five times for 12 yards. For the year, Harriott has tallied 217 yards on 54 carries for an average of 4.0 yards per rush.
IRON MAN: Offensive tackle Stan Bennett has been an iron man for the Villanova Wildcats. Bennett, who has started every game of his Wildcat career, will be making his 32nd-straight start this week against Northeastern. As a true freshman in 1997, Bennett started all 13 games at guard before moving to tackle last year where he started all 11 contests.
BRINGING BACK MEMORIES: Northeastern University Offensive Coordinator Tom Colombo is very familiar with the Villanova football program, as he was a quarterback on the Main Line from 1989-92. Colombo was a three-year starter for head coach Andy Talley and the Wildcats and he led Villanova to the 1991 Yankee Conference Championship and NCAA playoff appearances in 1991 and 1992. In 1991, Colombo earned second team All-Conference honors after throwing for 2,679 yards.
OVERTIME HISTORY: During Andy Talley's tenure as Villanova's head football coach, the Wildcats have participated in six overtime games and have tallied a 4-2 record. Four of the six overtime games have been played at Villanova Stadium. Villanova has played one overtime game in each of the past two seasons. Last week, Villanova defeated UConn, 48-45, in triple overtime in a game played in Storrs, Conn. Last year (Sept. 12, 1998), the 'Cats defeated Delaware 34-31 on Casey Hannon's 35-yard field goal in the home opener.
BAD NEWS: The 1999 Villanova football season started off on a sour note when it was learned a week before pre-season camp on August 2 that All-American running back Brian Westbrook would be lost for the season due to a knee injury. The 5-9, 195 pound junior underwent an arthroscopic procedure in March and after an extensive rehabilitation program did not produce the desired results, Westbrook opted to have reconstructive surgery. Westbrook is coming off a sensational sophomore season where he became the first player in the history of NCAA football at any level to rush for 1,000 yards and receive for 1,000 yards in the same season. In 11 games in 1998, Westbrook gained 1,046 yards on 200 carries and scored 10 touchdowns and he made 89 receptions for 1,144 yards and 15 touchdowns. In addition, the Ft. Washington, Md., native tallied 836 yards in returns, including returning one kickoff for a touchdown. Besides leading all of I-AA in scoring with 160 points, Westbrook established an NCAA I-AA record for all-purpose yards in a season with 3,026. For his efforts last season, Westbrook was named first team All-American by both the Associated Press and The Sports Network. Westbrook will medically redshirt this year and will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2000 season.
WILDCATS ON THE RADIO: Every Villanova football game this season will be carried live by the Villanova Football Radio Network. The flagship station for the Wildcats this season will be WFIL-AM 560. Also carrying Wildcat games in 1999 will be WJNN-FM 106.7 out of Cape May, N.J. Returning for his 13th season as Villanova's play-by-play man is Joe Eichhorn. Joining Eichhorn for an eighth consecutive year is Ryan Fannon. All 11 Wildcat gridiron contests will be broadcast live, with a pre-game show airing 30 minutes prior to kickoff during away games and one hour prior to kickoff for home games.
ANDY TALLEY RADIO SHOW: Continuing in 1999, WFIL-AM 560-AM, WZZD-AM 990 and WJNN-FM 106.7, will broadcast the Andy Talley Radio Show. The one-hour call-in show is hosted by color commentator Ryan Fannon and will provide a weekly recap of Villanova football games, as well as a preview of upcoming contests. The show will be held at the Wild Onion Restaurant located just up the street from Villanova Stadium on Conestoga Road.
Throughout the one-hour program, Fannon and Coach Talley will take questions concerning all the teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, as well as NCAA I-AA football on a national scene. The show will take place on Thursday nights before road games at 6 p.m., and at 5 p.m. following Wildcat home games.
ATLANTIC 10 FAX-ON-DEMAND: Information on the Wildcat football team and the entire Atlantic 10 Football Conference is available 24 hours a day through the Atlantic 10 fax-on-demand system. This service is for media use only. To access, dial 201-947-4062 from the handset of your fax machine. Select the information you are interested in from the request numbers below.
VILLANOVA A-10 Notes/Stats 2411 2301 Notes Only 2412 Stats Only 2413 Schedule 2414 2304 Roster 2415 Depth Chart 2416 Last Game Stats 2417
1999 Game-By-Game
Game One
Air Force 37, Villanova 13
Sept. 4, 1999 - Falcon Stadium
Colorado Springs, Colo.
For the third time in the last four years, Villanova opened its season against a I-A opponent, as the ?Cats traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo., to take on the Air Force Falcons. Despite a valiant effort by the Wildcats, Air Force wore down the ?Cats to win 37-13.
After the Villanova defense stopped the Falcons on three straight downs on the game?s first possession, Villanova drove 69 yards on seven plays in 2:19 and scored the first points of the game on a 12-yard pass from quarterback Chris Boden to sophomore wide receiver Murle Sango. Air Force responded on its next drive and evened the game at 7-7 on a Scott Becker one-yard run on fourth and goal. The Falcons would score 24 straight points to take a 24-7 halftime advantage.
With 54 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Villanova scored its second touchdown of the game when Boden and Sango teamed up again on a 39-yard scoring strike. The extra point was blocked and Villanova trailed 24-13 entering the fourth stanza.
Air Force put the game away with 5:01 left, when Jeremy Laster scored on a 13-yard scamper. The Falcons would add a late touchdown with 46 seconds remaining in the game and emerge victorious with a 37-13 victory.
Boden was sensational in the loss for the ?Cats, completing 27-of-45 for 304 yards and two scores. Sango equalled his career-high with eight catches for 109 yards and a career-best two touchdowns, while senior tight end Joe Kavanaugh recorded career-highs of seven receptions for 78 yards. On defense, senior strong safety DeLonne Kelly registered 18 tackles, while senior cornerback Hezekiah Lewis and junior linebacker Joe Quartey were each credited with 10 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Air Force was paced by quarterback Cale Bonds who completed 11-of-17 for 199 yards. Wide receiver Matt Farmer made seven catches for 92 yards. On the ground, Air Force rushed for 385 yards led by Leotis Palmer who gained 73 yards and one touchdown on four carries.
For the game, Air Force amassed 584 yards of total offense compared to Villanova who tallied 329 yards of total offense. Villanova was only able to rush for 25 yards.
Game Two
Villanova 35, No. 12 Richmond 30
Sept. 11, 1999 - UR Stadium
Richmond, Va.
In last week?s five-point Villanova victory over Richmond, senior quarterback Chris Boden had yet another outstanding day behind center. Boden completed 19-of-31 passes on the afternoon for 250 yards and two touchdowns. With his two touchdowns, he set the all-time Atlantic 10/Yankee Conference record for career touchdown passes with 79, breaking the old mark of 78 set by Rhode Island?s Tom Ehrhardt between 1984-86. On the receiving end of eight of his passes was Murle Sango, who had 104 yards worth of receptions, including touchdown catches of 11 and 30 yards. Sango tied his career high for receptions and touchdowns, which he had set the week before against Air Force. He has now registered 100 yards receiving in each of the Wildcats? first two games.
On the ground for the `Cats, junior Ducarmel Augustin rushed for 67 yards on a career-high 18 carries and scored two touchdowns. Coming up strong on the defensive end were Hezekiah Lewis and DeLonne Kelly who each had 10 tackles.
Villanova started the scoring early going ahead, 7-0, just 3:57 into the game on a five-yard touchdown run by Augustin. Richmond cut the lead to 7-3 after one quarter of play on a 33-yard field goal by Doug Kirchner. The high-powered Wildcat offense was just that in the second quarter, as Sango caught two Boden passes for scores to send Villanova ahead 21-3. With no time remaining on the clock before halftime, however, the Spiders scored on a 40-yard pass from Jimmie Miles to Dwaune Jones to cut the lead to 21-10.
At the 8:14 mark of the third quarter, the Wildcats extended their lead once again on a 15-yard scoring run by Augustin. Miles led Richmond back again and threw another scoring strike, this time on an eight-yard pass to Scott Fulton with 1:04 remaining in the third. The Spiders extra point failed, however, and the score stood at 28-16 after three quarters of play.
In the fourth quarter, Richmond edged to within five points, as Miles hit Ryan Tolhurst from 10 yards out to trim the lead to 28-23. The Wildcats ran down some clock on their next drive and scored at the 6:32 mark on a one-yard touchdown plunge by redshirt freshman Cameron Cross. The Spiders scored again on Miles? fourth touchdown pass of the day and got the ball back with time for one last drive. Villanova junior Kristian Ward sealed the victory for the Wildcats on third down, as he sacked Miles for a six-yard loss with time winding down.
Game Three
No. 21 Villanova 26, No. 2 Massachusetts 21
Sept. 18, 1999 - Villanova Stadium
Villanova, Pa.
It was the perfect Homecoming celebration for the Wildcat football team at Villanova Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 18, as they jumped out to an early lead and held on to defeat the No. 2 ranked Massachusetts Minutemen by a score of 26-21. The victory was the second straight in the Atlantic 10 for the Wildcats, who improve to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Villanova held a 3-0 lead at the end of one quarter of play on a 21-yard field goal by Casey Hannon. The `Cats increased that lead to 6-0 at the 12:07 mark of the second quarter on Hannon?s second field goal of the day, from 41 yards out. Less than four minutes later, Villanova scored the game?s first touchdown on a four-yard run by fullback Cameron Cross. A two-point conversion on a pass from quarterback Chris Boden to tight end Joe Kavanaugh gave the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.
With 4:08 remaining in the first half, tailback Ducarmel Augustin scored on a 44-yard run to increase the Villanova lead to 21-0. Massachusetts trimmed the margin to 21-7 with eight seconds left before intermission, as quarterback Todd Bankhead took it in himself from one-yard out.
Just 39 seconds into the third quarter, Wildcat defensivetackle Kwesi Solomon tackled Bankhead in the endzone for a safety making it a 23-7 ballgame. After UMass rallied to within 23-14 on a Marcel Shipp seven-yard run, Hannon kicked his third field goal of the day, a career-high 46-yarder, to give Villanova a 26-14 advantage.
The Minutemen tried once again to rally in the fourth quarter on a 39-yard touchdown reception by Shipp which cut the lead to five points. The Wildcat defense held strong in the final minutes, however, as Villanova defeated UMass 26-21.
On the ground for the Wildcats, Augustin rushed for a career-best 122 yards on 13 carries. It was the first career 100-yard rushing game for the junior tailback. For Villanova on the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Joe Quartey had 11 tackles and two sacks.
Game Four
No. 14 Villanova 34, Pennsylvania 6
Sept. 25, 1999 - Franklin Field
Philadelphia, Pa.
Last week against the University of Pennsylvania, Boden set a school record for passing yards in a game with 424. He ended the contest completing 33-of-43 passes for 424 yards, tallying two touchdowns and two interceptions. It is the third time a Villanova quarterback has thrown for over 400 yards in a game, and Boden has done it all three times. In addition, with his two touchdowns, he has thrown a scoring pass in 28 consecutive games.
On the receiving end of 125 of Boden?s yards was sophomore Murle Sango, who caught a career-high 10 passes, including his fourth touchdown of the season. Redshirt freshman receiver Brian White had a career day as well, catching six passes for 78 yards and his first career touchdown. Kicker Casey Hannon hit on two more field goals against the Quakers, and has now made five-of-six on the year. On defense for the `Cats, Kwesi Solomon had one and a half sacks.
Villanova took a 3-0 lead into the second quarter against Penn, and increased that lead to 10-0 as White caught his first ever touchdown pass, a 10-yarder from Boden. At the 6:39 mark of the second quarter, Pennsylvania kicker Jason Feinberg kicked a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-3. With only 3:44 remaining until intermission, however, sophomore defensive end Joe Keating picked off a Quaker pass and took it 16 yards for the score to give the Wildcats a 17-3 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Boden recorded his second touchdown of the day, hitting sophomore running back Luke Stopper from 16 yards out to increase the Villanova lead to 24-3 after three quarters of play. With 12:51 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats added to their lead with a 28-yard field goal by Hannon. Just 4:50 later, freshman running back Ramond Jones scored his first collegiate touchdown on a two-yard rush. With 24 unanswered points by Villanova, the `Cats owned a 34-3 lead. Pennsylvania would add a 45-yard field goal by Feinberg, but it would not matter as the Wildcats headed back to the Main Line with a 34-6 victory.
Game Five
No. 22 James Madison 23, No. 11 Villanova 20
Oct. 2, 1999 - Villanova Stadium
Villanova, Pa.
On Saturday, Oct. 2, at Villanova Stadium, the Villanova football team was defeated by James Madison University, 23-20, as a potential game-tying field goal by Wildcat sophomore kicker Casey Hannon fell short with seven seconds remaining in regulation. The Dukes improved to 4-1 overall on the season, and remained perfect in the Atlantic 10 with the win at 4-0. The Villanova loss dropped its record to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in Atlantic 10 play.
On its first possession of the game, James Madison scored in seven plays as the Dukes drove 84 yards in only 1:40. The drive was highlighted by an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Charles Barry to wide receiver Earnest Payton. With only 3:29 to go in the first quarter, Hannon kicked a career-best 50-yard field goal to cut the James Madison lead to 7-3.
After a Dukes? punt, the Wildcats got the ball with 1:23 left in the first quarter and began an eight play 36-yard drive that resulted in a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Boden to tight end Joe Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh?s first career touchdown gave Villanova its first lead of the contest at 10-7. James Madison fought back and converted on two Mike Glover field goals, from 34 and 27 yards out, to give the Dukes a 13-10 lead at intermission.
In the third quarter, the Dukes? got the ball back at the Villanova 20 yard line after a fumble by Wildcat running back Roger Harriott. James Madison scored again four plays later on Glover?s third field goal of the day, from 37 yards away, to increase the Dukes? lead to 16-10. Hannon answered with his second field goal of the afternoon to cut the JMU lead to 16-13.
With 4:37 remaining in the third quarter, Villanova defensive back Reginald Danage blocked a James Madison punt and fellow defensive back DeLonne Kelly picked up the fumble and raced seven yards for a Wildcat touchdown. The score once again gave the `Cats the lead at 20-16.
Beginning on their own 15-yard line with 14:13 left in the fourth quarter after a Villanova punt, the Dukes began another long scoring drive that would eventually result in what would be the game-winning score on a 31-yard scamper by James Madison running back Curtis Keaton. Keaton finished the day with 86 yards on 20 carries.
The Wildcats had one last chance as they regained the ball at their own 32 with 1:53 remaining. Villanova got the ball down to the JMU 43 on a fourth-and-one run by fullback Ramond Jones. After three straight incompletions by Boden, the `Cats set up for a 47-yard field goal. Hannon?s fourth attempt of the day fell short, however, and the Dukes escaped with a 23-20 victory.
For the Wildcats in the loss, Boden completed 34-of-60 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown. On the receiving end of 10 of Boden?s passes was Kavanaugh, who caught 10 balls for 60 yards and one score.
Game Six
William & Mary 45, No. 18 Villanova 10
Oct. 9, 1999 - Zable Stadium
Williamsburg, Va.
Traveling to Williamsburg, Va., on Saturday, Oct. 9, the Villanova football team lost to the Tribe, 45-10, at Zable Stadium. With the loss, the Wildcats drop to 3-3 overall on the season, and 2-2 in Atlantic 10 play.
William & Mary jumped out to an early lead 2:47 into the first quarter, when Hameen Ali caught an 18-yard strike from Tribe quarterback David Corley. Less than three minutes later, Corley went deep, hitting wide receiver Dave Conklin from 74 yards out. After a Casey Hannon field goal for the Wildcats which cut the lead to 11, William & Mary struck again, as Ali scored on a 14-yard run to give the Tribe a 21-3 lead after one quarter of play.
Getting the ball to begin the second quarter after a William & Mary punt, Villanova went on a six-play, 48-yard drive, resulting in a four-yard touchdown pass from quarter back Chris Boden to wide receiver Steve Ward. Boden?s touchdown, extending his streak of at least one touchdown to 30 straight games, cut the Tribe lead to 21-10.
On the next Wildcat drive, William & Mary defensive back Jimmy Cerminaro picked off a Boden pass and scampered 13 yards for a Tribe score, extending their lead to 28-10. William & Mary would score once more before the half ended, on a 45-yard Corley pass to Chris Rosier, giving the Tribe a 35-10 lead at intermission.
In the second half, William & Mary would score twice more, on a Brett Sterba 38-yard field goal and a Scott Osborne 29-yard touchdown reception. Corley?s fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon gave the Tribe 24 unanswered points and a 45-10 lead. The William & Mary defense held the ?Cats scoreless the rest of the way, as the Tribe took a 45-10 victory.
For Villanova in the loss, Boden completed 20-of-36 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Murle Sango caught six passes for 88 yards for the Wildcats.
Leading William & Mary was Corley, who completed 13-of-18 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns. Ali rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries, scoring once on a touchdown run and another on a touchdown reception.
Game Seven
Villanova 48, Connecticut 45 (3OT)
Oct. 16, 1999 - Memorial Stadium
Storrs, Conn
Villanova broke a two-game losing streak last Saturday by taking a 48-45 victory in a triple overtime thriller in Storrs, Conn., against the UConn Huskies. The victory improved the Wildcats' 1999 record to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in Atlantic 10 Conference play.
Last week's victory against Connecticut was a record-setting day for several Villanova players. Senior quarterback Chris Boden recorded several milestones in the game. Boden completed 43-of-69 passes for 444 yards and four touchdowns. The 43 completions broke the Atlantic 10 record of 40 completions, which he also held. In addition, he broke his own school record for yards in a game and tied the Wildcat mark for attempts in a game. With four touchdown passes against the Huskies, Boden has now thrown for one or more scores in 31 straight games. With only 35 more completions and 183 yards, he will become the all-time Atlantic 10 leader in each category. For his outstanding day, Boden was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Wide receivers Murle Sango and Brian White had tremendous games as well. Sango set a new career-high in catches with 13 for 115 yards and two scores. White, a Wildcat freshman, had a career day with 10 catches for 91 yards and one touchdown. White was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for his efforts.
Villanova had the first quarter's only score, capping off a four-play, 71-yard drive on a 16-yard touchdown run by running back Ducarmel Augustin. The Huskies quickly retaliated in the second quarter, scoring on an eight-run scamper by Taber Small at the 12:50 mark.
With only 2:27 remaining before intermission, Connecticut's Jordan Younger returned a Chris Birch punt 68 yards for a touchdown to give the Huskies a 14-7 lead at the half. The Wildcats cut the Connecticut lead to 14-10 at the 8:45 mark in the third quarter on a 44-yard field goal by kicker Casey Hannon. After stopping the Huskies on their next drive, Villanova got the ball back with 6:14 remaining in the quarter. The `Cats drove 90 yards in 14 plays and 5:13, regaining the lead on a six-yard pass from Boden to White. With Villanova holding a 20-14 lead in the fourth quarter, Connecticut struck back on a 48-yard Brian Hoffman touchdown pass to John Fitzsimmons to give the Huskies a one-point lead at 21-20. Connecticut extended that lead to 28-20 just over three minutes later on a one-yard run by Taber. The Wildcats rallied again, however, and pulled within two on a Boden pass to Sango with 3:59 left in regulation. Villanova decided to go for the two-point conversion and tied the game on a pass to tight end Joe Kavanaugh, sending the game into overtime. The Wildcats and Huskies went touchdown for touchdown in each of the first two overtime periods. Villanova scores by Sango and fullback Cameron Cross helped send the game into its third overtime period. Getting the ball first in the third extra session, Connecticut could manage only a Marc Hickok field goal to pull ahead 45-42. The third overtime would prove to be the charm for the Wildcats, as they put the game away, 48-45, on a Boden to Kavanaugh pass.
Villanova Depth Chart
OFFENSE
TE 80 Joe Kavanaugh (6-7, 240, Sr) 85 Sean McCarthy (6-5,270, RFr) OT 71 Stan Bennett (6-5, 295, Jr) 72 Chris Potter (6-5, 295, Fr) OG 57 Ryan Knight (6-1, 290, Sr) 61 Brian Lewis (6-1, 260, So) C 62 Robert Richardson (6-3, 275, So) 57 Ryan Knight (6-1, 290, Sr) OT 70 Eamonn Allen (6-5, 275, So) 74 Jason Laskowski (6-4, 265, Jr) OG 53 Matt Engel (6-4, 285, Sr) 76 Adam Barondess (6-3, 270, So) QB 18 Chris Boden (6-2, 215, Sr) 10 Brett Gordon (5-10, 170, RFr) RB 24 Ducarmel Augustin (6-0, 225, Jr) 7 Roger Harriott (5-8, 185, Sr) FB 41 Cameron Cross (6-0, 210, RFr) 47 Ramond Jones (6-1, 230, Fr) WR 81 Steve Ward (6-4, 200, Jr) 14 Conor Kinsella (6-1, 210, Jr) WR 2 Murle Sango (5-9, 175, So) 11 Brian White (5-10, 175, RFr)
DEFENSE
DE 87 Darren Lenz (6-6, 255, Jr) 92 Kristian Ward (6-1, 255, Jr) DT 64 Kwesi Solomon (6-3, 270, So) 98 Chuck Tornetta (6-0, 290, Fr) DT 90 Willie Lewis (5-11, 270, Jr) 97 Craig Johnson (5-11, 280, Sr) DE 59 Mark Crook (6-3, 245, Sr) 43 Joe Keating (6-2, 230, So) OLB 13 Joe Quartey (6-0, 220, Jr) 45 Aaron Weems (6-2, 225, Sr) ILB 56 David Heckard (6-0, 225, Sr) 42 Jason McMillion (5-11, 225, RFr) OLB 54 Shaun Lyons (6-1, 230, Sr) 45 Aaron Weems (6-2, 225, Sr) CB 3 Hezekiah Lewis (5-9, 175, Jr.) 21 Reggie Danage (5-9, 175, RFr) CB 23 Brian Berko-Boateng (5-9, 165, So) 30 Aaron Smith (5-7, 170, Fr) SS 1 DeLonne Kelly (5-9, 185, Sr) 15 Matt Bride (5-9, 195, Jr) FS 9 Braheem Powell (6-1, 190, Jr) 36 Matt Reiter (6-1, 190, Jr)
SPECIALISTS
PK 12 Casey Hannon (6-0, 185, So) 31 Chris Birch (6-2, 185, So) P 31 Chris Birch (6-2, 185, So) 14 Conor Kinsella (6-1, 210, Jr) H 8 Kevin Rogers (6-0, 180, Jr) 10 Brett Gordon (5-10, 170, RFr)
LS 45 Aaron Weems (6-2, 225, Sr) 85 Sean McCarthy (6-5, 270, RFr) KR 2 Murle Sango (5-9, 175, So) 29 Gary Johnson (5-8, 185 PR 2 Murle Sango (5-9, 170, So) 11 Brian White (5-10, 175, RFr)
Northeastern Depth Chart
OFFENSE
LT 66 Noel Taylor (6-4, 265, Jr.) 65 Brendan Bledsoe (6-4, 283, RFr.) LG 64 Joe Perdoni (6-3, 275, Sr.) 76 Rich Parenteau (6-4, 277, Jr.) C 72 Kyle Porter (6-3, 270, Jr.) 54 John McDonald (6-4, 265, RFr.) RG 73 Terrance May (6-4, 316, So.) 51 Chris Gates (6-3, 265, RFr.) RT 79 George Rodgers (6-5, 280, Sr.) 68 Dan Messier (6-6, 295, So.) TE 46 Steve Arienta (6-4, 240, Jr.) 80 Jared Philcox (6-3, 225, So.) WR 87 Michael Mack (6-4, 187, So.) 2 Andy Aslup (5-10, 177, So.) WR 5 Dave Klemic (6-0, 175, Jr.) 81 David Costello (6-2, 200, Jr.) QB 17 Fred Vallett (5-11, 180, Sr.) 16 Jason Quinlan (6-3, 220, So.) FB 34 Sean Connor (6-2, 240, So.) 28 Matt Comella (6-0, 220, Jr.) TB 44 Tim Gale (6-0, 210, Fr.) 28 L.J. McKanas (6-1, 195, So.)
DEFENSE
DE 99 John Conille (6-3, 234, Jr.) 46 Steve Arienta (6-4, 240, Jr.) DT 54 John McDonald (6-4, 265, RFr.) 88 Tom Martinez (6-3, 250, So.) DT 91 Chris Burns (6-3, 275, Sr.) 88 Tom Martinez (6-3, 250, So.) DE 43 Chris McEwan (6-4, 238, Jr.) 98 Brian McCarthy (6-3, 232, Jr.) OLB 6 Mike Provencher (6-1, 215, Sr.) 31 Neil Anderson (6-2, 200, Fr.) ILB 41 Joe Gazzola (6-2, 220, RFr.) 45 Josh Plosker (6-2, 230, So.) OLB 40 Zach Falconer (6-1, 225, Sr.) 53 Adam Walter (6-2, 200, RFr.) CB 23 William Griffin (5-9, 170, RFr.) 20 Excell Walker (5-9, 182, Jr.) SS 37 Jabari Powell (5-10, 200, Sr.) 3 Tony Morales (5-8, 187, Sr.) FS 4 Brian Whitman (5-11, 180, Sr.) 25 Travis Marter (6-0, 185, RFr.) CB 12 T.J. Hill (5-9, 177, So.) 29 Bill DeMalia (5-11, 183, RFr.)
SPECIALISTS
PK 27 Joe Connolly (5-9, 170, Jr.) 32 Nate Mullaugh (6-0, 175, So.) P 22 Jason Farrell (5-11, 180, Jr.) 43 Chris McEwan (6-4, 238, Jr.) LS 53 Adam Walter (6-1, 200, RFr.) 46 Steve Arienta (6-4, 240, Jr.)
Hold 17 Fred Vallett (5-11, 180, Sr.) 10 David Sofran (5-10, 171, Sr.) KR 23 William Griffin (5-9, 170, RFr.) 3 Tony Morales (6-0, 171, Sr.) PR 3 Tony Morales (6-0, 171, Sr.) 2 Andy Aslup (5-10, 177, So.)
1999 INDIVIDUAL SEASON HIGHS
Rushing Attempts 18, Augustin vs. Richmond
Rushing Yards 122, Augustin vs. UMass
Rushing Touchdowns 2, Augustin vs. Richmond
Passing Attempts 69, Boden vs. UConn
Pass Completions 43, Boden vs. UConn
Passing Yards 444, Boden vs. UConn
Passing Touchdowns 4, Boden vs. UConn
Total Offense 426, Boden vs. UConn
Receptions 13, Sango vs. UConn
Receiving Yards 125, Sango vs. Penn
Receiving Touchdowns 2, Sango vs. AF, Richmond, UConn
Points 12, Sango, Augustin, Hannon vs. three teams
Field Goals 3, Hannon vs. UMass
Extra Points 6, Hannon vs. UConn
Interceptions 1, by six players
Most Tackles 18, Kelly vs. AF
Most Kickoff Return Yards 89, Sango vs. JMU
Most Punt Return Yards 38, Sango vs. JMU
All-Purpose Yards 186, Sango vs. Penn
1999 TEAM OFFENSE SEASON HIGHS
First Downs 34, vs. UConn
Rushing Yards 173, vs. UMass
Pass Completions 43, vs. UConn
Passing Yards 444, vs. UConn
Total Offense 554, vs. UConn
Most Plays 101, vs. UConn
Touchdowns 6, vs. UConn
Points 48, vs. UConn
Field Goals 3 vs. UMass
1999 TEAM DEFENSE SEASON HIGHS
Fewest First Downs 13, vs. JMU
Fewest Offensive Yards 215, vs. Penn
Fewest Pass Completions 11, vs. AF
Fewest Passing Yards 108, vs. Penn
Fewest Rushing Yards 104, vs. UMass
Most Turnovers Gained 4, vs. UMas
Most Fumbles Recovered 2, vs. AF, UMass, W&M, UConn
Most Passes Intercepted 2 vs. UMass, UConn
Most Sacks 7 vs. UMass
THE LAST TIME
VILLANOVA SHUTOUT AN OPPONENT:
Aug. 28, 1997 - Villanova 64, West Chester 0
VILLANOVA WAS SHUTOUT:
Nov. 9, 1996 - UNH 34, Villanova 0
A WILDCAT RETURNED A KICKOFF FOR A TD:
Sept. 5, 1998 - Brian Westbrook vs. Pittsburgh 89 yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED A KICKOFF FOR A TD:
Oct. 16, 1994 - Dwight Robinson, JMU, 94 yds.
A WILDCAT RETURNED A PUNT FOR A TD:
Oct. 25, 1980 - David Martin vs. VMI, 75 yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED A PUNT FOR A TD:
Oct. 16, 1999 - Jordan Younger, UConn, 68 yds.
VILLANOVA BLOCKED A PUNT:
Oct. 2, 1999 - vs. James Madison
THE OPPONENT BLOCKED A PUNT:
Oct. 3 ,1998 - Maine
A WILDCAT INTERCEPTED THREE PASSES:
Nov. 30, 1990 - Orin Solomon vs. UNH
VILLANOVA RETURNED AN INT. FOR TD:
Sept. 25, 1999 - Joe Keating vs. Pennsylvania 16 yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED AN INT. FOR A TD:
Oct. 9, 1999 - Jimmy Cerminaro, W&M, 13 yds.
VILLANOVA RETURNED A FUMBLE FOR A TD:
Sept. 26, 1998- Aaron Weems vs. W&M 21 yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED A FUMBLE FOR A TD:
Sept. 12, 1998 - Dale Koscielski , Delaware, 15 yds.
A WILDCAT KICKED FIVE FIELD GOALS IN A GAME:
Nov. 18, 1995 - Mark Kiefer vs. Richmond 37, 25, 42, 30, 30 yds.
A WILDCAT RUSHED FOR 100 YARDS IN A GAME:
Sept. 18, 1999- Ducarmel Augustin (13/122), vs. UMass
TWO WILDCATS RUSHED FOR 100 YARDS IN A GAME:
Oct. 31, 1998 - Brian Westbrook (13/112) & Roger Harriott (14/100) vs. Fordham
A WILDCAT PASSED FOR OVER 300 YARDS IN A GAME:
Oct. 16 ,1999 - Chris Boden vs. UConn, 444 yards
A WILDCAT PASSED FOR OVER 400 YARDS IN A GAME:
Oct. 16, 1999 - Chris Boden vs. UConn, 444 yards
A WILDCAT HAD OVER 100 YARDS RECEIVING:
Oct. 16, 1999 - Murle Sango (13/115)
Oct. 16, 1999 - Steve Ward (8/112)
A WILDCAT HAD OVER 200 YARDS RECEIVING:
Nov. 2, 1996 - Brian Finneran vs. URI, 229 yds.
VILLANOVA PLAYED AN OVERTIME GAME:
Oct.. 16, 1999 - VU 48, Connecticut 45 (triple OT)
VILLANOVA PLAYED A NIGHT GAME:
Sept. 25, 1999 - Villanova 34, Pennsylvania 6
