*Preview courtesy of Libertine on AGS
Based on 2015, Monmouth should have been the dark horse pick to make some noise in the Big South this year. Having swapped out virtually their entire offensive personnel and schemes, the Hawks got off to a slow start losing to Holy Cross, Central Michigan and Fordham, picked up an early win against NEC also-ran Bryant and then got destroyed 37-7 by eventual Big South champ, Charleston Southern. But, the season turned on a dime for the Big South team from New Jersey when they ground out an OT win against a ranked Liberty squad and forced Coastal to beat them on a walk-off FG. Two “character” wins to close out the year left Monmouth with a lot to build on for 2016. In this case, Monmouth is building on it literally. At season’s end, the Monmouth administration made an announcement that Kessler Field would undergo a near-total renovation and expansion that will bring seating up to 4,200 seats.
On paper, anyway, Monmouth looks very promising on offense. Despite losing three starters on the offensive line and massive athlete, TE Hakeem Valles, the Hawks bring back nearly all of their rushing and receiving yardage from last season, most notably in the form of RB Lavon Chaney. On top of that, they bring back perhaps the most important piece in rSo quarterback Cody Williams. Williams started out his first season as a college football player on an off note but, as the year went on and he started every game, he found his stride and ran the Monmouth with efficiency.
On defense, Monmouth took a big graduation hit at linebacker, losing two of their three starters. However, both the secondary and defensive line not only remain largely intact from a year ago but will also get back all-conference performer DE Darnell Leslie back from the injury that cost him all of 2015.
However, all this optimism for the program could very well be the thing that undermines the promise of the 2016 season. Due to the long sought-after (and completely necessary) construction on Monmouth’s home stadium, the Hawks will play a grand total of three home games in 2016. Playing a normal slate of five or six away games is hard on both the bodies and the minds of players as well as coaches. That’s as it should be since playing on the road is supposed to be hard. Eight road games with almost no break in between, however, is less like a challenge to overcome and more of an ordeal to endure. Putting forth consistent effort and performing at a high level with a sense of purpose will take an extraordinary effort on the part of the team and head coach Kevin Callahan.
The schedule:
@ Lehigh (9/3)
@ Delaware State (9/10)
@ Kent State (9/17)
Charleston Southern (9/24)
Fordham (10/1)
@ Howard (10/8)
@ Presbyterian (10/13)
@ Liberty (10/22)
Kennesaw State (10/29)
@ Coastal Carolina (11/5)
@ Gardner-Webb (11/19)
