Kevin White had touchdown runs of 65 and 40 last week against Norfolk State.
GAME: Villanova Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 CAA) at North Carolina A&T Aggies (1-3, 0-1 CAA)
DATE: October 7, 2023
TIME: 4 p.m.
LOCATION: Truist Stadium (Greensboro, N.C.)
FLOFOOTBALL: Spencer Turkin (play-by-play); Allen Jones (analyst)
RADIO ANNOUNCERS: Donal Ware (play-by-play); Al Swann (analyst); Billy Covington
RADIO STATIONS: 1400 AM, 103.5 FM, XM Radio 385
GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T Aggies had a breakthrough last week in Norfolk, Va., as they earned their first win of the season against the Norfolk Spartans, 28-26. A&T beat Norfolk State for the eighth straight time thanks to 118 yards rushing and two touchdowns from sophomore running back
Kenji Christian and 115 yards rushing and two touchdowns from true freshman quarterback
Kevin White.
White made his first career start last Saturday, becoming the first true freshman A&T QB to win a game in 21 years. White did not have gaudy numbers throwing the football. Still, he was efficient, completing 6 of 10 passes for 98 yards and an interception, including a 38-yard completion on a nice grab by sophomore
Amonte Jones.
The Aggies return exclusively to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Football conference play for the rest of the season, starting with the Villanova Wildcats at home. Villanova has had an interesting two weeks. Two weeks ago, they blew out nationally ranked Rhode Island before losing at Albany, 31-10. The Wildcats had 287 yards on the ground against the Rams two weeks ago but had only 71 yards against the Great Danes. The Aggies and the Wildcats are meeting for the first time.
- STORYLINES:
It was a special weekend for graduate linebacker BJ Turner. He posted 19 tackles, including nine unassisted and 2 ½ for loss. For his efforts, he became the answer to a trivia question. Turner is the first Aggie football player to earn a weekly award from the CAA, as the conference named him co-defensive player of the week.
- Turner's 19 tackles are the most by an Aggie since Landis Shoffner posted 19 at Elon on Sept. 14, 2014. Turner leads the nation in solo tackles per game (9.0), and he is third in the country and first in the conference in total tackles with 54. Turner also leads the conference in tackles per game (13.5) and ranks 19th nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.5).
- In addition, with Turner's 54 tackles, he is chasing the 100-tackle mark. If he gets there, he will become the first Aggie in 10 years to record 100 or more tackles. D'Vonte Grant had 102 tackles during the 2013 season.
- It was also a special afternoon for true freshman quarterback Kevin White. White became the first A&T quarterback to rush for 100 yards since Kwashawn Quick did it during the 2014 season.
- White did have help, however. Kenji Christian also went over 100 yards, making it the first time two Aggies went over 100 yards in the same game since Jah-Maine Martin and Marquelle Cartwright did the same in 2018.
- White and Christian also scored two touchdowns apiece on the ground, making it the first time since Cartwright and Tarik Cohen did it in 2016.
- White was not the only true freshman who contributed last week. The Aggies started four true freshmen last week in defensive end Joshua Iseah, right tackle Brock Stukes, linebacker Kode Moledor and White.
- A&T came into the Norfolk State game with one touchdown from scrimmage. They had four on Saturday. The Aggies had not had a 100-yard rusher all season but had two on Saturday. They also did not have a reception over 25 yards until Amonte Jones caught a 38-yard reception last week.
- The Aggies only have one player from Pennsylvania on the team, tight end Darren Bennett. Bennett is from Elkins Park, Pa., nine miles outside Philadelphia, home of the Villanova Wildcats. Bennett has started one game this season for A&T.
- A&T and Villanova will play for the first time. The Aggies faced 10 first-time opponents since 2021. The Aggies are 5-5 in those games.
- Villanova has become a perennial NCAA Division I-FCS program playoff team since joining the CAA in 2007. They have been to the playoffs nine times since joining.
- Last week, Villanova entered the game ranked 16th in the FCS STATS Media Poll and 23rd in the AFCA Coaches Poll. CAA coaches predicted the Wildcats to finish seventh in the conference, showing off the conference's depth. But the Wildcats are not ranked in either poll this week.
- The Wildcats have an effective passing game. Nova has receivers who rank first and second in the nation in yards per reception. Jaylan Sanchez leads the nation in yards per reception (26.7). Rayjoun Pringle is second at 26.3 per reception. Pringle leads the team in touchdown receptions with three. In addition, preseason All-CAA wide receiver Jaaron Hayek has nine receptions for 113 yards.
- The man throwing Sanchez and Pringle the football is graduate quarterback Connor Watkins. Watkins has thrown for 938 yards on 55-for-102 passing. He has thrown five touchdown passes and five interceptions.
- The Wildcats have three running backs they turn to in DeeWill Barlee, Jalen Jackson and TD Ayo-Durojaiye. Each has run for more than 300 yards, led by preseason All-CAA lineman Michael Corbi.
- Defensively, senior linebacker Brendan Bell has 28 tackles, including 20 unassisted and 4 1/2 for loss. Preseason honorable mention defensive back Jalen Goodman has returned an interception 81 yards for a touchdown.
Coach Brown's View
Coach Brown on what went into deciding to go with Kevin White as the starting quarterback: "Every possession, we evaluate every player, every play every day, and we make the decisions on who is going to play. Who is going to give us the best chance to win that particular game? We felt like coming out of our bye week that Kevin had made a lot of progress over the last few weeks. With some of the challenges we've had in the earlier games, we thought some of the things he could do with his legs might give us a greater opportunity to come out ahead. He's a very talented young man. He's got a great future in front of him. He is poised beyond his years, and we felt like he gave us the best chance to win the game this week. On Saturday, we'll evaluate every player, every play, and we'll see what happens.
Coach Brown on how impressed he is with BJ Turner's performance: "I was extremely impressed. BJ has been one of the best players in the country throughout the first four weeks of the season. He has been unbelievable. He's got a high motor and an extremely high football IQ, and football is important to him. He asked great questions and has a great understanding of the game, and he has become the heart and soul of our defense by showing some of our younger players what it is to prepare like a big-time college football player. I was very excited for BJ, and I think he's got a tremendous future in front of him."
Coach Brown on the passing game: "We threw the ball 10 times on Saturday, so we would like to have a little more balance than that. I thought KJ (
Kevin White, Jr.) gave our receivers a chance on many of the passes that he threw. You know, the one interception was a little bit high and behind the receiver, but as I told the receiver, hey, that ball hit your hands, you got to come down with it. And so, part of his and all of our quarterbacks' development is giving the receivers a chance with ball placement, making sure the receivers can come down with the ball. And you know, I thought KJ did that. I think the more experience he gets, the more opportunities all of our guys get to develop as passers; you will see our passing game improve."
The Opposing Point of View:
"Their true freshman quarterback is really fast, and he definitely created a spark for those guys. He looks like he has lightning speed, and it looks like he can do some things in the passing game as well. He put the ball in the air a few times, and some of their exceptional wideouts came down with it. He is a true freshman, but it looks like he added a spark for them that they needed, and he did some really good things when you watched their film last week from Norfolk State."
Mark Ferrante
Villanova Head Football Coach
