RICHMOND, Va.—The defending CAA Football co-champions and last season's automatic bid from the conference to the FCS playoffs is the favorite to finish atop the standings once again in 2024 based on a preseason poll of league head coaches. Villanova was chosen as the CAA Football favorite entering the season after posting 10 wins a year ago and reaching the quarterfinal round of the playoffs. Veteran starting quarterback Connor Watkins was named the CAA Football Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and is one of a league-high six Wildcats who were selected to the CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
The results of the annual preseason poll of CAA Football head coaches were announced publicly on Wednesday morning as the league kicked off its annual virtual media day event. Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante, along with Watkins and fifth year cornerback Isas Waxter, will participate in a call with media members later Wednesday as part of media day.
 
This is the second time in the last three years that the Wildcats will begin the season as the favorites to capture the CAA Football crown. Over the past five seasons (2019-23), Villanova has the most wins and the highest winning percentage of any current CAA Football school. In the five-year stretch, the Wildcats own an overall record of 37-17 (.685) and have gone 25-11 (.694) versus league foes. Villanova has made postseason appearances in three of the last five years and earned playoff quarterfinal berths in 2021 and 2023.
 
Watkins is joined on the CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team by fifth year right tackle Temi Ajirotutu. The pair were each third team All-CAA selections a year ago and are among five returning starters on offense entering the 2024 campaign. There were four members of the Wildcats defense on the preseason squad, including linebackers Brendan Bell and Shane Hartzell along with cornerback Isas Waxter and safety Ty Trinh. Villanova also returns five starters on the defensive side of the ball from last year. Watkins is the Wildcats first preseason major award winner since 2017.
 
Villanova featured a high-powered offense last season and scored first in 11 of its 13 outings on the year. The offense produced 76 plays from scrimmage of 20 yards or longer, including 19 pass completions for 40 or more yards. Watkins is the Wildcats all-time career record holder in yards per pass completion (16.83), yards per pass attempt (9.67) and passing efficiency (155.0). Ajirotutu was part of a Villanova offensive line which ranked in the top 150 nationally during the 2023 regular season in rushing offense, total offense, tie of possession and scoring offense.
 
All four Wildcats who earned preseason All-CAA recognition on defense are returning all-conference performers from last season. The trio of Bell, Trinh and Waxter earned second team All-CAA honors in 2023 while Hartzell was an honorable mention pick. Hartzell and Bell were Villanova's leading tacklers in 2023 and combined for 180 total stops. Hartzell had 91 total tackles and four sacks on the year, while Bell recorded 89 tackles and led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss. He was a two-time CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week during the 2023 season.
 
Waxter was one of the team's most dynamic defensive players a year ago and started all 13 games while recording 26 tackles, including four tackles for loss. He added three interceptions and eight pass breakups to his stat line and was part of a defense that ranked sixth nationally during the regular season by allowing just 290.2 total yards per game. Trinh compiled 46 total tackles in 2023 while making three tackles for loss, recording his second career interception and being credited with five pass breakups.
 
In addition to the six players on the Preseason All-Conference Team, junior wide receiver Jaylan Sanchez was garnered Honorable Mention recognition.
 
CAA Football expands to 16 members in 2024 with the addition of Bryant University and looks to continue its tradition of success. Four teams received berths in the FCS playoffs in 2023, which was tied for the second-most of any conference. The CAA has had at least one team reach the quarterfinals every year since 1995 and has had at least one semifinalist 10 times over the past 11 years, with seven different schools advancing to the final four. Twelve of the CAA's 16 members have participated in the FCS playoffs since 2015, a feat unmatched by any other conference.
 
Villanova opens the 2024 season at home when it takes on Youngstown State on Thursday, August 29 at 6 p.m. The contest will have a familiar feel as the Wildcats hosted the Penguins in the second round of the playoffs last season and began their postseason run with a 45-28 victory.
 
2024 CAA Football Predicted Order of Finish
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
 

 
2024 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team
 
OFFENSE
QB – Connor Watkins, Villanova
RB – Elijah Burris, Hampton
RB – Griffin Woodell, UAlbany
RB – Marcus Yarns, Delaware
RB – Bronson Yoder, William & Mary
FB/HB – Trey McDonald, William & Mary
TE – Carter Runyon, Towson
WR – Chandler Brayboy, Elon
WR – Nick DeGennaro, Richmond
WR – Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook
OL – Temi Ajirotutu, Villanova
OL – Fintan Brose, Delaware
OL – Charles Grant, William & Mary
OL – Ozzie Hutchinson, UAlbany
OL – Will Marotta, UAlbany
OL – Ralph Paige Jr., Towson
 
DEFENSE
DL – Jeremiah Grant, Richmond
DL – Westley Neal Jr., Rhode Island
DL – Michael Otty, Bryant
DL – Dylan Ruiz, New Hampshire
DL – Josiah Silver, New Hampshire
LB – Brendan Bell, Villanova
LB – Shane Hartzell, Villanova
LB – A.J. Pena, Rhode Island
LB – CJ Tillman, Campbell
CB – Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T
CB – Isas Waxter, Villanova
S – Caleb Curtain, Elon
S – Ty Trinh, Villanova
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
KR – Chandler Brayboy, Elon
PR – Gabe Sloat, Rhode Island
PK – Keegan Vaughan, Towson
P – Aaron Trusler, Richmond
SPEC – Jabril Hayes, Richmond
 
CAA Football Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Connor Watkins, QB, Villanova
CAA Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Caleb Curtain, S, Elon
 
Honorable Mention: Matthew Downing, QB, Elon; Derek Robertson, QB, Monmouth; Malachi Imoh, RB, William & Mary; Marquis Buchanan, WR, Rhode Island; Joe Gillette, WR, Maine; Jaylan Sanchez, WR, Villanova; Logan Tomlinson, WR, New Hampshire; Cooper Heisey, TE, Maine; Ryan McKenna, OL, William & Mary; Dion Crews-Harris, DL, Towson; Cazeem Moore, DL, Elon; Wayne Galloway, LB, Richmond; Ryan Toscano, LB, New Hampshire; Tyron Herring, CB, Delaware; Marcus Barnes, S, William & Mary; JoJo Bermudez, KR, Delaware; TJ Speight, KR, Monmouth; VJ Wilkins, KR, Campbell; John Opalko, PK, UAlbany; Josh Cupitt, P, Delaware; Bobby Cleary, SPEC, Campbell