July 18, 2001

The Villanova football team is looking to rebound in 2001 after a disappointing 2000 season. After starting last year 5-2, the Wildcats dropped their last four games to finish 5-6 overall and 3-5 in Atlantic 10 Conference play. The 5- 6 record marked just the first losing for the Wildcats since the 1995 campaign. With 26 letterwinners and 13 starters returning, hopes are high for a successful year in 2001.

OFFENSE:

The Villanova offense was as potent as always last year, averaging 35.0 points per game. In 11 games a season ago, Villanova tallied 4,540 yards of total offense, including 2,812 through the air and 1,728 on the ground. With eight offensive starters back for this season, the Wildcats should be explosive as ever on the offensive side of the ball. The Villanova offense looks to have as good as skill players as anyone in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

QUARTERBACK:

Back for his second year as a starter is junior quarterback Brett Gordon (5-10, 185). A fiery competitor, Gordon earned second team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors last year as a sophomore. Gordon finished the 2000 season 184-of-281 for 2,293 yards to go with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions. A big reason for Villanova's four-game losing streak to end the year was due in large part to a knee injury that Gordon suffered against New Hampshire. After missing most of the UNH game and all of the Richmond and Massachusetts contests, Gordon returned to play at about 70 percent versus William & Mary and Delaware. An extremely smart player, Gordon looks poised for another big year in 2001. Serving as Gordon's back-up will be sophomore Scott Lukash (5-11, 195). When Gordon was injured last year, Lukash stepped in and finished the year 44-of-75 for 519 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions.

RUNNING BACK:

Villanova boasts one of the top performers in the entire country in senior running back Brian Westbrook (5-9, 205). As a junior last year, Westbrook tallied 1,220 yards rushing on 179 carries and 15 touchdowns, 59 receptions for 724 yards and five scores and 38 kickoff returns for 1,048 yards and two scores. All total, he amassed 2,992 yards of all-purpose offense. For his efforts last season, he earned first team All-American distinction, Atlantic 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, ECAC Offensive Player of the Year and he finished third in the Walter Payton Award balloting for the top offensive player in all of NCAA I-AA football. Entering the 2001 season, Westbrook is just 1,249 yards shy of the NCAA I-AA record for all-purpose yards in a career of 8,378 which is currently held by New Hampshire's Jerry Azumah. With four-year starter Ducarmel Augustin lost to graduation, Villanova has a big void to fill at fullback. Besides being an outstanding blocker, Augustin was a versatile performer who finished his career with 30 touchdowns. The odds on favorite to start at fullback is junior Cameron Cross (6-1, 225). As a redshirt freshman in 1999, Cross started at fullback as Augustin moved to tailback to replace the injured Westbrook who missed all of the 1999 season. Cross had a solid year in 1999, recording 148 yards on 45 carries and two scores in addition to 26 receptions for 224 yards and a score. In limited action last year, he registered 159 yards on 17 carries (9.2 yards per carry). Backing up Westbrook will be sophomore Henry Ridley (5-10, 190) who carried the ball 30 times last year for 109 yards and a score. Ridley is a talented performer who is in need of game experience. Look for incoming freshman Phil Digiacomo (6-1, 215) to push for time at the fullback spot.

WIDE RECEIVER:

Villanova once again has a talented receiving group. Leading the way at wideout is senior playmaker Murle Sango (5-9, 175). As a sophomore in 1999, Sango made a school record 98 receptions for 1,064 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last season, he hauled in 39 catches for 471 yards and five touchdowns. Sango will also return punts for Villanova. Last year, he returned 11 punts for 175 yards. You will be hard pressed to find a better all around football player than junior wide receiver Brian White (5-10, 190). Besides having the best hands on the team, White is one of the top blockers and is fearless going across the middle. A season ago, he recorded 34 catches for 477 yards and six scores. One Wildcat who looks ready to explode on the scene this season is junior Shaz Brown (5-11, 190). Of all the receivers, Brown provides the `Cats with a legitimate deep threat. He has been injury plagued throughout his career, but looks completely healthy entering the 2001 season. Senior Luke Stopper (5-11, 190) will finish his Main Line career as a receiver. Stopper has switched back and forth throughout his career from running back to receiver. Stopper will give Villanova an experienced, versatile player who can run and catch.

TIGHT END:

The Wildcats have one of the top young tight ends in the league in sophomore Matt Chila (6-3, 235). As a rookie last year, Chila started all 11 games and more than held his own. He finished the year with nine receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown. Chila will use the experience he gained last season and be a force for the Wildcats this season. Battling Chila for playing time will be sophomore Steve Racius (6-5, 225). A good athlete, Racius is more of a pass catching tight end than he is a blocking tight end.

OFFENSIVE LINE:

Experienced is the best way to describe the Wildcat offensive line as four of five starters return from last year. However, the one loss is huge with Stan Bennett being lost to graduation. Bennett started the first game of his Villanova career and proceeded to start every game of his Main Line career which included 46 in all. Anchoring the line this year will be senior Eamonn Allen (6-5, 285) who will be starting at tackle for the third-straight season. Replacing Bennett at the other tackle is junior Sean McCarthy (6-5, 280) who started at guard last year. The center will once again be Robert Richardson (6-3, 285). Richardson has started for the past two seasons and has seen playing time his entire Wildcat career. The guards are expected to be Adam Barondess (6-3, 285) and Jason Rogers (6-4, 270). Barondess started at guard last season, while Rogers saw time in a back-up role in 2000. Rogers will be pushed by junior Chuck Tornetta (6-0, 290) who is moving from defensive line to the offensive side of the football. Three others expected to see time up front include sophomore Mike Finn (6-2, 265), redshirt freshman Matt Baumbach (6-4, 285) and redshirt freshman Greg Dickerhoof (6-3, 270).

DEFENSE:

If Villanova is going to have a successful 2001 season, the Wildcat defense will need to improve from last season. The Wildcats gave up 31.8 points per game and 4,734 yards of total offense last year. Due to injury, the Wildcats were forced to play a number of young players in key positions. With a number of experienced performers back for this season, the `Cats feel they are ready to make a name for themselves on the defensive side of the ball.

DEFENSIVE LINE:

One of the biggest injuries of the season last year came in week two when Willie Lewis (6-0, 265) suffered a broken collarbone that ended his season. With Lewis out, the Wildcats were forced to play young and experienced players. One bright spot to Lewis' injury was that happened early enough that he was able to medically redshirt and therefore will return for his fifth year in 2001. Strong against both the run and pass, Lewis will be a mainstay for the Wildcat defense. Joining Lewis up front will be senior Kwesi Solomon (6-4, 280) who is one of the top defensive lineman in the Atlantic 10. Solomon, who has had seven sacks in each of the last two seasons, was a first team All-Conference selection as a sophomore in 1999 and a third team member last season. Look for sophomores Carmen Falcone (6-2, 250), and Mike Roseman (6-5, 250) to earn playing time on the defensive side of the ball. Falcone logged valuable minutes last year as a true freshman and should benefit this year from the playing time. Sophomore Scott Rusnak (6-3, 255) will add depth to the defensive line. Villanova will have to replace two starters at defensive end, as both Darren Lenz and Kristian Ward have been lost to graduation. Sophomore Mike Tesei (6-2, 255), who was forced to play inside last year due to the injury to Lewis, is expected to start at one end. Tesei has made great strides in his three years at Villanova and looks to have all the tools to be a top notch Atlantic 10 Conference player. The odds on favorite to start at the other end is sophomore Baylen Botts (6-3, 230). Botts would have earned a great deal of playing time last year had it not been for a broken leg suffered in practice in early October. An athletic performer with good football instincts, big things are expected from Botts. Battling for playing time at end will be redshirt freshman Jamil Butler (6-3, 225) and junior Jonathan Linden (6-2, 250). During his redshirt year last season, Butler played linebacker and is making the move to end this year.

LINEBACKERS:

This is the defensive position where Villanova is the most experienced with all three starters playing a great deal last season. Junior Jason McMillion (5-11, 230) returns as the starter at middle linebacker. Possessing a good combination of speed and strength, McMillion finished third on the team in tackles last year with 75. A rising star of the Villanova defense is junior outside linebacker Jamison Young (6-0, 225) who was second on the squad in total tackles a year ago with 77. A tenacious performer, Young looks to be on the verge of a breakout season in 2001. One of the toughest players on the Villanova roster is senior linebacker Joe Keating (6-2, 235). A hard-nosed competitor, Keating has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Last season, he tallied 68 tackles, a team-high nine sacks, six tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. Villanova's biggest concern at linebacker is its lack of depth. All three players listed second on the depth chart have little game experience. Senior Mark Laber (6- 1, 225) played a lot on special teams last year and will back-up McMillion. Also fighting for playing time at outside linebacker will be sophomore Ryan Breeden (5-11, 205).

SECONDARY:

The Wildcats will have three new starters in the secondary this season. The lone returnee from last year is junior cornerback Gary Johnson (5-8, 185) who led the team in 2000 in pass break-ups with seven and interceptions with three. Of his three interceptions, Johnson returned one 68 yards for a score. There will be a battle at the corner between junior Aaron Smith (5-7, 170) and sophomore Clarence Curry (6-1, 190). Smith is the faster of the two, but Curry has the size that the Wildcats have been lacking in the secondary. Junior Darnell Greene (5-10, 185) is expected to start at free safety. As a reserve last year, Greene tallied 32 tackles and two interceptions. The odds on favorite to start at strong safety spot will be junior Steven Neugebauer (5-11, 205) who is moving to the position from linebacker where he made 39 tackles and three sacks last season. Neugebauer will provide a toughness and hard-nosed attitude to the secondary. Sophomore Todd Hamilton (5-10, 175) will also see time at both safety positions.

KICKING GAME:

Two seniors will handle the kicking duties for the Wildcats. Place kicker Casey Hannon (6-0, 205) is fully recovered from a broken ankle suffered late last season and should establish himself as one of the top kickers in the Atlantic 10. In his Villanova career, Hannon has made 26-of-37 field goals, including a career-long 50-yarder. Hannon will also kickoff. Senior Chris Birch (6-2, 185) is back as the team's punter. Last season, Birch averaged 39.6 yards per punt and he placed 14 of his 45 punts inside the 20-yard line