Injuries, Towson will test Villanova’s depth
PHILADELPHIA » When Villanova made its run to the FCS national title in 2009, the Wildcats did so without losing a single starter to injury.
The Wildcats have not been as fortunate this season. Villanova has been hit with a rash of injuries, the latest a season-ending ACL tear suffered by senior safety Rob Rolle, the preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the CAA.
Tight end Ryan Bell and running back Matt Gudzak are doubtful for Saturday’s game against Towson at Johnny Unitas Stadium (6 p.m.).
Bell is the team’s leading receiver, and Gudzak is the top rusher, which does not bode well for an offense that struggled to move the ball in last week’s 19-10 overtime loss at Albany. The 14th-ranked Wildcats (22, 0-1 CAA) had just 61 yards rushing and 254 yards of total offense.
“We have some young guys that need to step up and fill in some spots for us,” first-year coach Mark Ferrante said. “We’re playing a lot of freshmen, especially on special teams.”
The loss of Rolle is huge because he made all the defensive calls. That task will fall on fellow senior and Perkiomen Valley grad Rashaan Stewart, Ferrante said. Stewart will move from weak safety to Rolle’s spot at free safety. Jaquan Amos out of Northeast High could slide into Stewart’s spot at weak safety. Amos is one of six true freshmen that have been part of the defensive rotation.
Offensively, junior Aaron Forbes and redshirt freshman Juston Covington are more than capable of filling the void in the running game if Gudzak can’t play. Forbes led the Wildcats in rushing last season with 787 yards and eight touchdowns.
“We always talk about the next-man-up philosophy,” Ferrante said. “We don’t have a lot of depth, … We always tell our guys that you never know when your number’s going to be called so you have to prepare like you’re going to play.”
The Tigers (2-2, 0-1) are coming off of a 2517 loss at Stony Brook. Towson has struggled on offense. The Tigers are last in the CAA in both scoring offense (15.0 points per game) and total offense (282.5 yards per game). LEBANON VALLEY AT WIDENER » The Pride (22, 2-1 MAC) has been hit by the injury bug, too. Quarterback Sean McGaughey is out for a second straight week with an injury to his right (throwing) shoulder, so sophomore Graham Jespersen will start again.
Leading rusher Chris Randle is nursing an ankle injury but is expected to go against the Dutchmen at Quick Stadium (1 p.m.). The offense has struggled in the two losses. The Pride was shutout by Rowan (6-0) and fell to Albright, 9-7, on a 29-yard field goal with three seconds to go.
The defense, though, has been superb. Widener is tied for 14th in Division III in scoring defense (10.8 ppg).
The Dutchmen (2-2, 2-1) are coming off of a 24-14 win over FDU-Florham. LVC scored the final 10 points to break a 14-14 tie. EAST STROUDSBURG AT CHEYNEY » Both teams are struggling heading into a matchup at O’Shields-Stevenson Stadium (1 p.m.).
The Wolves (1-3, 0-1 PSAC East) have lost three in a row since opening the season with a 56-28 romp over Lincoln. The offense, though, has put points on the board. The Wolves are ninth in the PSAC in scoring offense (26.3 ppg), and quarterback Dominick Trautz is tied for third with nine passing touchdowns.
The Warriors (1-3, 0-1) have also dropped three straight and were shutout for the first time since 2009 in a 40-0 loss to Shippensburg last week. The Warriors are 14th in the conference in scoring offense (13.5 ppg) and 15th in total offense (297.3 ypg). Quarterback Ben Moser has not thrown an interception in his two starts. GEORGE MASON AT WILLIAMSON » The Mechanics (2-1) are looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season when the host the Patriots (1-0) at Alumni Field (1 p.m.).
Williamson was banged up in its 28-13 loss to Widener JV and will be missing several starters.
George Mason leads the series, 16-8, but Williamson has won three of the last four meetings including a 33-6 triumph in Fairfax, Va., last season.