Villanova Looks To Get On Track Saturday At Albany
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It has been tough sledding for the Villanova Wildcats over the last month.
Back on September 19th, the Wildcats beat Delaware, but in the game they lost quarterback John Robertson, the reigning Walter Payton Award winner, to a knee injury. The Wildcats then dropped their next game to Penn. A bye followed, and then this past Saturday the Wildcats lost to William and Mary, 38-16. Put it all together and the Wildcats sit at 2-3 (1-1 CAA) heading into Saturday's game at Albany.
The game against the Tribe on Saturday got away from the Wildcats in the second quarter when William and Mary outscored Villanova 28-0.
"We were in it early and then they had a couple of quick scores and we just couldn't get back in the game," Villanova head coach Andy Talley tells KYW Newsradio.
Listen: Andy Talley with KYW's Matt Leon
Villanova's offense has been struggling. The Wildcats have scored a total of just 29 points in their last two games. Last week, against William and Mary, Villanova converted just 1 of 12 third down opportunities. Talley says that has a ripple effect on the team.
"One of the things that's happened is because our defense has not been able to feed off of our offense, they've been in harm's way a little bit and left on the field too long," Talley says.
The Wildcats will face an Albany team on Saturday that is 2-4. The Great Danes are coming off back-to-back losses to Holy Cross and Maine, games they lost by a combined score of 76-7.
"Offensively, they are a spread team," Talley says. "They have a first-year quarterback as well and they are playing a lot of young players."
And on defense?
"They area a traditional 4-3 team," Talley says. "They don't blitz a lot. I think they have more of their older guys on defense. But they, like us, because they are struggling offensively, have put a lot of pressure on the defensive side of the ball."
Villanova beat Albany last season, 48-31, in what was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Saturday's game will kickoff at 3:30pm.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
