’Nova must contain Lauletta to keep NCAA hopes alive vs. Richmond
RADNOR » Outside of winning championships and making the playoffs, the No. 1 goal for every football coach is to be playing meaningful games in November.
Villanova’s Mark Ferrante and Widener’s Mike Kelly are fortunate to be in that position.
Despite two straight losses, the No. 20 Wildcats are still in contention for a berth in the FCS playoffs heading into Saturday’s CAA showdown with Richmond. However, Villanova has little room for error. It has to win out, and get some help along the way, to be in the playoff discussion; even then, it’s not a guarantee they’d get in.
The Wildcats (4-4, 2-3 CAA) are tied with the Spiders (4-4, 2-3) for sixth place in the conference behind No. 1 James Madison, No. 7 Elon, No. 14 Stony Brook, Delaware and No. 21 New Hampshire. The Dukes and the Phoenix are undefeated. Stony Brook, Delaware and New Hampshire have one loss in the league.
In all likelihood, Villanova would have to go 7-4 and finish in the top four to be considered for an atlarge berth. The CAA has received four bids to the tournament in each of the last three years, and three in 2013, since the field was expanded to 24 teams in 2013.
“I would say that if either one of us lose this weekend, and get that fifth loss, you’re probably fighting for a winning season,” Ferrante said.
Widener, meanwhile, is still in the hunt for the MAC title and a spot on the NCAA Division III playoffs after extending its winning streak to four games with a 20-14 triumph over Stevenson last week for win No. 700 in program history. The Pride is 6-2 overall and 6-1 in the league.
A win at home over King’s Saturday will set up a championship showdown with Delaware Valley, the No. 5 team in the AFCA coaches top 25 and No. 9 in the D3football.com poll, a week later in Doylestown.
“Attaining one of our goals of getting an 11th game is in the right direction, and now let’s get this one over with and see what happens from there,” Kelly said.
It won’t be easy for either team.
Villanova’s biggest task is to slow down Richmond’s passing game, led by quarterback Kyle Lauletta out of Downingtown East, when the Spiders invade Villanova Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The 6-3, 215-pound redshirt senior leads the FCS in passing yards (2,953), passing yards per game (369.1), total offense (375.5), passing touchdowns (26) and total points responsible for (168) and points responsible for per game (21.0).
“He’s probably an NFL prospect,” Ferrante said. “He has the size and the arm.”
Lauletta is also fourth in completions per game (27), 12th in passing efficiency (157.9) and 17th in completion percentage (63.9). That does not bode well for a defensive unit that is ranked 101st in the FCS in passing yards allowed per game (253.9).
Freshman Davis Cheek torched the Wildcats for a career-high 357 passing yards in Elon’s 19-14 victory over the Wildcats last Saturday.
“We’re going to have to come up with some plays against Kyle Lauletta,” Ferrante said.
The Wildcats will have to come up with some offense, too. Villanova has struggled in that department. The 14 points last week against Elon were the most the Wildcats scored in their last eight losses.
One bright spot is that Richmond’s defense is not as good as it has been in the past. The Spiders are last in the conference in total offense (406.6 ypg) and scoring defense (29.0 ppg).
The Wildcats have also resorted to another measure to stop the slide.
“We’re wearing our away uniforms because that’s what people tend to do these days, have that whiteout game,” Ferrante said. “So we’re doing a white-out game just to change things up. Maybe that will give us a little mojo.”
Widener faces the same challenge as Villanova when King’s (4-4, 3-4) invades Quick Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday: How to stop the Lions’ offense.
King’s leads the MAC in total offense (426.9 ypg) and second in scoring offense (31.3 ppg).
Quarterback Zach Whitehead leads that highpowered attack. He is first in the MAC in total offense (323.0 ypg) and third in passing yards per game (277.9).
Tyler Marroni leads the conference in receiving yards per game (117.9) and is second in receptions (58). He has caught six TD passes.
Widener is second in the MAC in scoring (12.6 ppg.), rushing (107.6), passing (179.6) and total defense (287.3).
“We have to take care of our own business,” Kelly said. “I told the kids with King’s coming in here, this isn’t a give me game.”
In addition to the game, Widener has teamed with the Chester Fire Department on an “Audible for Autism” f undraiser to bring awareness to the pervasive developmental disorder that affects millions worldwide.
“We want to make people aware of how many families have to deal with someone with autism in their family on a daily basis,” Kelly said. “It touches many of my coaching staff. I have a niece that’s autistic and many of our players have siblings that also deal with it.”
Elsewhere this weekend: KUTZTOWN AT CHEYNEY » The Golden Bears (6-3, 4-2 PSAC East) are looking to bounce back from a 27-13 loss to Shippensburg when they invade O’Shields-Stevenson Stadium at noon Saturday.
Quarterback Collin DiGalbo (Bonner & Prendergast) has thrown for 1,976 yards and 19 touchdowns, and amassed 2,496 total yards for Kutztown.
It’s been a struggle for the Wolves (1-8, 0-6). Cheyney has lost eight in a row and scored just 13 points in its last four games while giving up 232 points.