Smith dominates Long Island by air and land
RADNOR >> The first play from scrimmage did not go well for Villanova Friday night.
Running back DeeWil Barlee was on his way to a nice gain when the ball squirted out of its hands. The play resulted in a twoyard loss and the possession wound up in a three-andout for the No. 13 Wildcats.
That proved to be the only hiccup in a methodical 35-7 victory over winless Long Island at Villanova Stadium.
Quarterback Daniel Smith had another monster game. He accounted for all five touchdowns to help the Wildcats (8-3) extended their winning streak to two games and all but lock up a berth in the FCS playoffs.
Smith tied a career high with four touchdown passes and ran for a score. He also did not turn the ball over for the second week in a row.
“He gets the ball out quick and distributes the ball well and takes what the defense gives you,” Villanova coach Mark Ferrante said. “He did a phenomenal job and it was good to get him in there and keep his flow going.”
It took Smith one possession to get Villanova’s offense going. After the threeand-out, Smith directed touchdown drives the next three times the Wildcats had the football and four of the last six possessions of the first half.
Smith tossed a 15-yard scoring pass to tight end Simon Bingelis, a seven-yard TD pass to Jaaron Hayak and then hooked up with Changa Hodge twice for touchdowns. Hodge, who had seven receptions for
103 yards, pulled in a sixyard TD pass to make it 21zip and a 30-yarder for a
28-7 lead.
Both of those scores were set up by Villanova’s puntblock unit.
Elijah Solomon blocked a Ron DeFelice punt. Jalen Goodman recovered at the LIU six. One play later Smith found Hodge for the first of his two TD receptions. Solomon blew through again two series later for his second block, and Smith hit Hodge again on first down.
Solomon wasn’t the only special teams player to give the Wildcats a lift. Tyler Will, a senior walk-on from Newtown Square and Episcopal Academy, delivered big hits on back-to-back kickoffs, which touched off wild celebrations on the Villanova sideline.
“I have a job to do and I try to execute to the best of my ability,” Will said. “Big hits always get the guys fired up and I was fortunate to have a couple of opportunities to do that. I did what I can to give a spark in any way I can.”
The Sharks (0-9) did show some fight after falling behind, 21-0. Malcolm Denbow sprinted in from six yards out to cap an 11play,
64-yard drive that chewed 7:05 off the clock.
It wasn’t a match for Smith or the Wildcats, though. The grad transfer connected on 13 of 19 passes for 169 yards and the four TDs in the first half and didn’t let up after the break. Smith turned to his feet to extend Villanova’s lead to 35-7 on a five-yard run with 8:50 left in the third quarter. That keeper capped an eight-play, 56-yard scoring march that completed Smith’s night as junior Jack Schetelich took over at quarterback on Villanova’s next possession.
Smith finished 15-for22 for 201 yards and four touchdowns and carried the ball twice for a negativeone yard before turning the game over to Schetelich.
“Real proud of the guys today,” Ferrante said. “Came out and I think we did what we needed to do. What’s the saying, winning ain’t easy, right? So any way we can get them we’re real excited to get a win.”