Aug. 27, 2003
Check out the Villanova football game notes for Thursday night's 2003 opener between the Villanova Wildcats and the Hampton Pirates. The two teams will square off under the lights at Villanova Stadium with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. Click on the pdf link below for a complete version of the game notes.
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No. 11/12 Villanova Wildcats (0-0 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic 10)vs.
Hampton Pirates (0-0 Overall, 0-0 MEAC)
Thursday, August 28, 2003
7 p.m.
Villanova Stadium (12,000)
Villanova, Pennsylvania
SERIES INFORMATION
First Meeting
MEDIA INFORMATION
Interview Requests- All Interview requests should be directed toward Dean Kenefick, Assistant Athletics Director/Communications, (610) 519-4120.
Radio- Game Coverage: 7 p.m. eastern time on WZZD 990-AM (Play By Play: Joe Eichhorn, Color Analysis: Ryan Fannon)
*All Wildcat games can be heard on the internet at www.villanova.com
VILLANOVA NEWS & NOTES
SEASON OPENERS: During the tenure of head coach Andy Talley, Villanova has recorded an 11-7 mark in season openers. Of the seven losses, five have come against I-A opponents. In the history of Villanova football, the 'Cats have compiled a 54-46-3 record in season openers.
UNDER THE LIGHTS: Villanova will open the 2003 season under the lights with a home game versus Hampton on Thursday, August 28. This will mark the seventh time in school history that Villanova has opened the season with a night contest. In the previous six night season openers, the Wildcats are 4-2. All total, Villanova has played 11 home night games in its history and are 7-4 under the lights at Villanova Stadium.
EARLY START: Villanova's game with Hampton on Thursday, August 28 will mark just the fifth time that the Wildcats have played a game in the month of August during head coach Andy Talley's 18-year career. In the past four August games, Talley has guided the 'Cats to a 3-1 record.
EQUAL PLAYING FIELD: Villanova will open the season against a I-AA opponent for just the third time in the last eight years when the Wildcats host Hampton on Thursday, August 28. Last year, the Wildcats tallied their first win against a I-A opponent since becoming a I-AA program in 1985 with a convincing 37-19 win at Rutgers in the 2002 season opener.
VILLANOVA VERSUS THE MEAC: When Villanova meets Hampton in the 2003 season opener, it will mark just the second time in school history that the Wildcats have played a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Villanova's only other game against a MEAC school came in 2000 when the 'Cats defeated Norfolk State by a score of 42-0.
CHECK THE WEATHER: The Wildcats will be opening the season on a Thursday night at Villanova Stadium for the third time in school history when they meet Hampton on Thursday, August 28. If the first two Thursday night openers are any indication, the game will not last all four quarters. In the 1997 Thursday night season opener, Villanova's 64-0 win over West Chester was stopped three plays into the third quarter due to a severe thunderstorm. In 2001, the Thursday opener versus Colgate was called with 10:31 remaining in the fourth quarter due to heavy rain and severe lightning.
VILLANOVA PICKED FIFTH: The Villanova Wildcats were picked fifth in the 2003 preseason Atlantic 10 Conference poll as voted on by coaches and media.
1. Northeastern (9) 2. Delaware (8) 3. Massachusetts (8) 4. Maine (4) 5. VILLANOVA 6. Hofstra (1) 7. William & Mary 8. James Madison 9. Richmond 10. New Hampshire 11. Rhode Island
ALL-AMERICAN HISTORY: With star quarterback Brett Gordon being named a Walter Camp All-American last year, the Villanova football program has had a first team All-American in seven of the last nine years. In the program's history, 21 different players have earned All-American distinction.
1994 LB Tyrone Frazier 1996 WR Brian Finneran 1997 WR Brian Finneran QB Chris Boden 1998 RB Brian Westbrook 2000 KR Brian Westbrook 2001 RB Brian Westbrook 2002 QB Brett Gordon
NOTE: In 1999, wide receiver Murle Sango was a second team All-American.
STARTING AT 11: In the preseason polls, Villanova earned a No. 11 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today poll and No. 12 in The Sports Network poll. This is Villanova's highest preseason ranking since becoming a I-AA program in 1985.
CENTER OF ATTENTION: Villanova will be led along the offensive line by senior center Mike Finn. A third team All-Atlantic 10 selection last year, Finn was named to the 2003 preseason All-Atlantic 10 second team. Finn started all 15 games at center last season.
FAMILY AFFAIR: Wildcat fullback Phil DiGiacomo is the second member of his family to be a standout on the Main Line. His father, Phil Sr., played defensive end and was a Wildcat captain in 1977. After seeing time as a reserve the last two years, DiGiacomo is slated as the starting fullback in 2003. Last year as a sophomore, DiGiacomo tallied 183 yards rushing on 33 carries (5.3 yards per carry) and five touchdowns to go with 24 receptions for 180 yards and two scores. DiGiacomo is questionable for the season opener versus Hampton with an injured left knee.
BIG TARGET: One of Villanova's main offensive weapons this year will be senior tight end Matt Chila. The 6-3, 250 pound Chila was a first team All-Atlantic 10 selection last year after recording 48 catches for 514 yards and five scores. For his career, Chila has tallied 72 receptions for 750 yards and nine touchdowns. Chila has already been selected to participate in the inaugural I-AA College Football All-Star Classic to be held on Dec. 30 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS: With eight starters returning from last year's unit that finished second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in total defense (282.3 yards of total offense per game), the Wildcat defense is expected to be even better this year. Last season, the Villanova defense was the most improved area of the team. In 2001, Villanova allowed 27.8 points per game and 379.2 yards of total offense, compared to last year when the 'Cats yielded 18.5 points per contest and 282.1 yards of total offense. In 15 games a year ago, Villanova allowed 10 points or less on six occsions. In 2002, Villanova tallied 41 quarterback sacks in 15 games with 29 of the 41 being credited to players who are returning for the 2003 campaign. In addition, two returning players registered double figures in tackles for loss with junior safety Raymond Ventrone and sophomore linebacker Brian Hulea with 10 stops for loss each. Ventrone is the team's top returning tackler. As a sophomore last year, he made 102 total tackles which ranked second on the team. With eight starters returning from last year's unit, Villanova is expected to be one of the top defenses in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
A NEW BEGINNING: Dating back to the 1996 season, Villanova has had its quarterback named to one of the All-Conference teams in six of the last seven years. With the loss of Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year Brett Gordon to graduation, Villanova will have an inexperienced signal caller in 2003. After a preseason battle with redshirt freshman Marvin Burroughs, sophomore Joe Casamento will be under center when the Wildcats open the season versus Hampton on Thursday, August 28. Casamento served as Gordon's back-up last year, completing 2-of-4 passes for 13 yards. Casamento last saw significant playing time in 2000 as a high school senior at Christian Brothers Academy. During his schoolboy career, Casamento tallied 5,017 career passing yards, 1,400 career rushing yards and 53 career touchdown passes. The last time Villanova entered a season unsure of who would be its starting quarterback was in 1997 when sophomore Chris Boden earned the job. All Boden did that year was complete 281-of-419 for 3,707 yards and a school record 42 touchdown passes to help lead Villanova to a perfect 11-0 regular season and a No. 1 national ranking for the final six weeks of the season.
DOMINANT DUO: Villanova will be led in the backfield by the tandem of junior Terry Butler and sophomore Moe Gibson. Last year as a sophomore, Butler tallied 868 yards on 202 carries (4.3 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns to go with 36 receptions for 311 yards and three scores. As a true freshman last season, Gibson registered 333 yards on just 69 carries (4.8 yards per carry) and five scores to go with 15 catches for 189 yards and a touchdown. In addition, Gibson had 35 kickoff returns for 817 yards (23.3 yards per return), including a 96-yard return for a score versus Furman in the first round of the NCAA I-AA playoffs. In that Furman game, Gibson set a Villanova school record for the highest average per play at 18.6 (13 plays/242 yards). Butler will be the starter when the season begins on Thursday, August 28 versus Hampton with Gibson seeing significant playing time in the Wildcat backfield. Gibson will also serve as the team's kickoff return man.
BOOKENDS: One strength of the Villanova defense will be the play of its defensive ends. The Wildcats have a talented trio at defensive end including juniors Jamil Butler and Terence Taylor, along with sophomore Darrell Adams. Last season, these three combined for 148 tackles, 16.5 of the team's 41 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. Taylor is a preseason first team All-Atlantic 10 selection, while Butler was named to the preseason second team.
FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE: Brett Gordon will get to view Villanova Football from a different angle in 2003. After serving as the team's starting quarterback the last three years, Gordon has exchanged his helmet and shoulder pads for a clipboard and whistle, as he begins his first year as a Villanova assistant coach. Gordon will assist offensive coordinator Sam Venuto in coaching the Wildcat quarterbacks. Last year as a fifth-year senior, Gordon led the 'Cats to the semifinal round of the I-AA playoffs by completing 386-of-579 (66.7%) for a school record 4,290 yards and 36 touchdowns. For his efforts last year, he was named both the Atlantic 10 and ECAC Offensive Player of the Year and he finished second in the Walter Payton Award voting.
OVERTIME HISTORY: During head coach Andy Talley's tenure at Villanova, the Wildcats have played in nine overtime games and in those nine games the Wildcats are 6-3. Villanova has won four of its last five overtime contests. Of the nine overtime games, seven have been played at Villanova Stadium. The Wildcats last overtime game came in 2001 against James Madison in week four when the 'Cats outlasted the Dukes, 45-44, in double overtime. The last overtime game before the James Madison contest came in 2000 when the Wildcats suffered a 48-41 loss to William & Mary. In 1999, Villanova played two overtime games. On Oct. 16, 1999 Villanova defeated UConn, 48-45, in triple overtime in a game played in Storrs, Conn. In the 1999 season finale at Villanova Stadium, the 'Cats rallied from a 45-24 deficit with 8:37 remaining against Delaware to win a 51-45 thriller in one overtime.
PLAYING ON SUNDAYS: Villanova running back Brian Westbrook became the first Wildcat player to be drafted since Howie Long in 1981 when he was selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. With Westbrook a member of the Eagles, Villanova now has two players currently playing in the NFL. Wide receiver Brian Finneran (Villanova 1994-97) is currently in his fourth season with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003. Westbrook and Finneran both won the Walter Payton Award, given to the top player in NCAA I-AA football, during their senior seasons at Villanova. Finneran is currently the starter at flanker for the Falcons, while Westbrook is seeing time in the Eagles backfield, as well as on special teams as a return man. Last year, Finneran led the Falcons in receiving with 56 receptions for 838 yards and six touchdowns, while Westbrook tallied 46 carries for 193 yards and nine receptions for 96 yards.
WILDCATS ON THE RADIO: For the seventh-straight season, WZZD-AM 990 will be the flagship station of the Villanova Football Radio Network. Play-by-play announcer Joe Eichhorn, who has been broadcasting Villanova football since 1988, returns to anchor the broadcasts. Joining Eichhorn for a ninth 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.
