Villanova Wrapping Up Spring Football Practice
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – After a successful 2012 season which saw them return to the FCS playoffs, the Villanova Wildcats are getting ready for the 2013 college football season as they wrap up spring practice this week.
"We've got a veteran team, 17 starters back," Villanova head coach Andy Talley tells KYW Newsradio. "We're just trying to get our young kids to move up a little bit and see what kind of support we're going to get. We have, I think, the makings of a really fine team. Spirit is good, morale is good, the kids want to go further this year. So we'll see."
Villanova went 8-4 last season, losing in the first round of the FCS playoffs to Stony Brook. Talley says they had some questions they wanted to try and get answers to this spring.
Andy Talley Interview
"What we wanted to try to do was to make sure that we could get some depth in the offensive line, and I think we've developed that, which we're pleased about," Talley says. "We do have three or four spots on defense that we have to handle. Our secondary is probably the biggest concern for us right now. We have some young players that have come along very well in that secondary. But until you get on the field against Boston College, you won't really know what caliber of football team you have until you play that 1-A team and you are stressed immediately from beginning to end. So it will be an interesting start."
One position the Wildcats have no worries about is quarterback. John Robertson, who will be a red-shirt sophomore during the 2013 season, took the CAA by storm in 2012. The Paramus, New Jersey, native passed for 1,965 yards, rushed for 1,021 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns. Talley says having him in the fold makes everything else really fall into place.
"Well, it's huge because you've got a superstar on the rise," Talley says. "He was the national freshman player of the year, won the Jerry Rice Award. So you have a guy who has a reputation right off the bat. And he looks that way. He's playing well, he has done a great job leading the team. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the country . . at any level."
The Wildcats will open the 2013 season at Boston College on August 31st.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
