Any coach in Villanova Andy Talley’s position would have expected growing pains during the 2011 football season.  The team came into spring workouts needing to replace twelve starters from 2010’s squad, including a four-year starter at quarterback, an NFL second round pick at offensive tackle and three other First Team All-CAA players.  That core of players led the Wildcats to the 2009 FCS championship as well as the semi-final round in 2010.

The return of redshirt freshman QB Dustin Thomas from injury make the Wildcats a formidable opponent for CAA teams down the stretch.

But even with the graduation of such talented players, no one could have anticipated the impact that injuries would have to returning players.  2011 Preseason All-CAA receiver Norman White, a senior from Hammonton, NJ, injured his foot during summer camps and was declared out for the entire 2011 season.  Joining White on the injury report for much of 2011 has been Dustin Thomas.  The redshirt freshman earned the starting quarterback position during summer camps, but after suffering a shoulder injury in Week Two against Towson, the offense has failed to provide consistent scoring.

The departure of proven offensive weapons coupled with injuries to returning players has led to a difficult season for the Wildcats, who enter this weekend’s game against Old Dominion with a 1-5 record.  Villanova seeks its first conference win in its first home game in three weeks.  Although inconsistencies on offense have led the Wildcats near the bottom of the CAA in scoring (14.1 points per game) and last in offense (272.9 yards per game), the team has seen recent improvement.

Following the Wildcats’ lone victory at the end of September, they played #11 William and Mary close before losing 20-16.  After a subsequent loss at New Hampshire, last week Villanova held a 10-6 lead in the third quarter on the road against #13 James Madison before the Dukes’ rushing attack wore down their defense.

In order for Villanova to earn its first CAA victory this weekend, they must continue to show improvement in these three areas.

Utilize Thomas’ Athleticism

Thomas brings a dual-threat ability to the quarterback position that his replacements have not provided in his absence.  While his statistics may not be spectacular (completing 52% of his passes for 320 yards in less than three full games), he has a natural athleticism that is difficult for other teams to defend.  As a quarterback, Thomas is third on the team in rushing yards per game.

The Monarchs have had difficulties against athletic quarterbacks this season in games against Hampton, Rhode Island and Towson.  Last week Thomas made his first appearance since Week Two, so he may still have early season “jitters” at this point in the season other freshmen may have overcome.   But if Thomas has gotten these jitters out of the way, he can more easily use his physical gifts to take advantage of ODU’s defense as other similar talented quarterbacks have to date.

Confuse ODU Quarterbacks

At the time of this article, ODU quarterback Thomas DeMarco remains questionable for this weekend.  While the senior waits for his ankle to heal, freshman Taylor Heinicke has performed admirably with a 70% completion rate and an 8-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.  But Heinicke himself will be making only his third career start, and a coach as experienced Talley can take advantage of this.

The Wildcats employ a 3-3-5 defense with three defensive linemen, three linebackers and five defenders in the secondary.  Junior safety Ronnie Akins leads the team in total tackles with 60 and is tied in interceptions (two) with Preseason All-CAA cornerback James Pitts, a senior.  Complementing these experienced players is freshman linebacker Dillon Lucas, who is second in total tackles and is one of 15 players named to the inaugural Jerry Rice Watch List.

If there’s one coach who could design a challenging defense for Heinicke it is Talley, who has more CAA conference wins (112) than any other coach in the league’s history.  The players listed above are talented enough to execute the game plan Talley and his staff design.  The defense will need to minimize Heinicke’s effectiveness in ODU’s pass-oriented offense.

Junior LB Craig Wilkins (team leader in tackles), and the Monarchs strong defense, must force a young Villanova team to turn the ball over.

Win the Turnover Battle

The Monarchs enter the game leading the conference with 16 forced turnovers, but are also tied for third-most turnovers allowed (13).  Meanwhile the Wildcats’ youth has led them to a turnover margin of -8 for the season.  If Villanova can eliminate its own turnovers while forcing ODU into its season average of two per game, the Wildcats can win the field position battle and capitalize on easy scoring opportunities.

Villanova has been forced to play more than its share of underclassmen this season.  Playing inexperienced players, despite their physical talents, has led to a difficult season considering the program’s success the last two years.  But if there’s one coach capable of molding these talented individuals into winners, it’s Andy Talley, and his team has a good chance for its first conference win this weekend if it continues to show improvement.