Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Villanova’s defense ready for second act
Talk about your tough acts to follow. It’s going to be difficult for Villanova’s defense to top what the unit accomplished last season.
The Wildcats finished first in the FCS in scoring (15.0 ppg.) and total defense (259.8 ypg.), third in red zone defense, fourth in rushing defense (87.6), fifth in defensive touchdowns (four), eighth in third-down conversion percentage defense and 11th in passing defense (172.2).
Villanova lost five starters from that highly ranked group, including All-American end Tanoh Kpassagnon, who was the second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. Also gone are linebacker Austin Calitro, who is in training camp with the San Francisco 49ers, and end Bryan Osei.
And there are some changes in the defensive coaching staff, too. Joe Trainer takes over as the defensive coordinator, a job he held for five years at Villanova from 2000-2004 before he left to become the head coach at Millersville. He will also coach the linebackers this season. That job was held by former DC Billy Crocker, who stepped down to become the DC at Connecticut. Ross Pennypacker, who was a graduate assistant and then an assistant in 2006-07, returns to the Main Line as the defensive line coach.
So it’s going to be tough for the Wildcats to repeat what they did last season. Or will it?
“I feel like the defense should pick up where we left off last year,” said linebacker Ed Shockley, a preseason first-team All-CAA selection. “We lost some key pieces … but I feel like a lot of young guys are ready to step up and take on bigger roles.”
Safety Rob Rolle, the preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the CAA, wholeheartedly agrees.
“Regardless of who is playing where, I think we’re going to be really good,” Rolle said.
It is an experienced group, despite the losses. The Wildcats have seven players back with starting experience. Five of those returnees are seniors: Shockley, Rolle, cornerbacks Malik Reaves and Trey Johnson, and safety Rasaan Stewart (Perkiomen Valley). Linebacker Jeff Steeb and tackle Bryan White (Henderson), the lone player back on the defensive line, are juniors.
Shockley, Rolle and defensive tackle Ricky Young are captains, along with center Matt Donoghue. Rolle is a four-year starter with 38 games on his resume. He earned first-team All-CAA honors as a junior. Shockley has played in 37 career games. Ditto Reaves, who has played in 36 games in his career. Johnson is a fifth-year senior with 35 games under his belt. Reaves has played in 34 games.
White (23 career games) and Steeb (19 career games) are the least experienced of the returning starters. Still, that’s 222 games of experience coming back in just those seven players. Jafonta Johnson, who is expected to take over one of the defensive end spots, played in all 13 games a year ago. Sophomore Drew Wiley (Upper Merion) is slated to replace Calitro. He played in all 13 games as a true freshman. His older brother Jeff, listed as a backup at D-end, did the same. Strong safety Julian Williams played in every game last year, as did backup DT Ricky Young (Souderton).
“Some D-ends playing behind Tanoh and Bryan Osei, they got to learn from the older guys and pick up their tendencies and stuff like that, so I feel like the defense, as a whole, is more mature,” Shockley said. “We have a lot of older guys. Most of our players last year were juniors and sophomores so I think that this year we’re a lot more mature and I think that will pay dividends.”
The strength of the unit is in the back eight, where five of the six returning starters are located. Rolle is a playmaker. He returned an interception 100 yards for a TD against Towson and had another 100yard pick six wiped out by a penalty. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown against Pittsburgh. Rolle was tied for first in the FCS with seven interceptions. He also broke up five passes and was fourth on the team in total tackles.
Steeb shared the team lead in total tackles (86) with Shockley and Calitro. Steeb also had one of the team’s defensive touchdowns when he returned his only interception of the season 45 yards for a touchdown against Lafayette. Shockley topped the squad in solo stops (59) and was tied for second in sacks (4.5).
“I don’t know if we’re going to be able to repeat as the nation’s leading defense,” Ferrante said. “Hopefully we can control the people up front by committee. We don’t have the type of player we had last year in Tanoh Kpassagnon, but we’re looking to build on what we did last year.”