Previewing a Monmouth football must-win home opener vs. Sacred Heart
· Yahoo Sports
WEST LONG BRANCH -- There is no denying that a series of special teams errors put Monmouth football underwater in the team's road opener against Tennessee Tech. There are also no easy answers in the zero-sum game of college football—it's sink or swim.
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The Hawks dove back into the deep end as they returned to the practice field Tuesday to prepare for Saturday's home opener against Sacred Heart. After the team's brief 11-on-11 session that is a staple first period after the team's stretch lines, they moved right into drilling the punt coverage and return teams that fell short against Tennessee Tech.
Either the third phase improves, or the entire season doesn't.
"I think you just keep harping on the details of it. It's a very similar layout of practice we've had," Monmouth head coach Jeff Gallo said. "We have to be focused on the details and locked into everything that we're doing. Everything's important."
Sacred Heart at Monmouth college football - Saturday, 2 p.m.
Location: Kessler Stadium, West Long Branch, NJ
Streaming: Available to watch on FloFootball / FloCollege
Tickets:GoTickets.com
There is no easy path on the horizon as Gallo seeks his first career win as a head coach and the first of the season for the Hawks. Although the game against Sacred Heart doesn't have the same recognition that came with competing in a ranked matchup in Week 0 against Tennessee Tech, the stakes still loom large. In addition to being the home opener, it's also the first CAA conference game of the season for Monmouth. Furthermore, the event will mark the field dedication for the program's iconic former head coach Kevin Callahan.
And although the Pioneers are new to the CAA, they are about as formidable as a newcomer can be. They're coming off an 8-4 season as an FCS independent. The four losses were mostly lopsided (with the exception of an overtime loss to Central Connecticut State), but all four came against teams that reached the FCS playoffs. Five of those eight wins were by just five points or less, a sign of the team's ability to prevail in clutch situations.
Sacred Heart also returns several key contributors, giving more credence to the relevance of those results. But ultimately, the close games are also an indicator that this is a game Monmouth should win at home. Although there is no shortage of areas for improvement, there are also plenty of understated positives from the season opener against Tennessee Tech. One was redshirt sophomore running back Elijah Jennings, who had 77 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown.
"We're built for this," Jennings said. "The way we run the ball, it's an art. It's what we do honestly. We're built for any obstacle, any moment. We're built for this."
After Jennings and backfield counterpart Kenny Smith combined for 118 yards and two touchdowns against Tennessee Tech, they may face more loaded boxes against Sacred Heart. Jennings welcomes the challenge of continuing to produce with the difficulty level raised.
"I feel like with our line, with our coaches, our game preparation, we're always going to be ready for any obstacle," Jennings said. "They could put 10 in the box. They could put the whole team in the box. I feel that we're dominant enough, we can do what we can do. We can run on anybody honestly, as we showed in Tennessee. We ran 24 times, but we run that ball 40 (times), we gonna do what we gotta do."
While the running game was a silver lining on offense, arguably the most positive revelation for the entire team was the performance of the defensive line and specifically Monmouth's new-look edge rushing group. Mounir Keshen, the Hawks' early down presence at the spot, had a tackle for loss. Donovan Dyson and Jahide Lesaine, the team's two exciting FBS transfers, lived up to their pedigree as each produced a sack.
"I had a pretty good spring in the first eight practices, and then I tore my calf muscle. So that was rough," Dyson said. "I was basically battling some injuries. But me, Jahide, Mounir Keshen, Hunter Watson, early on in the spring we came along very fast. Donovan Rondeau, he's out for the year, but he'll be back next year. (We're all) really good edge rushers and I knew I'd fit right into the program because at my last school, I wanted to edge rush a lot. I was playing linebacker there, I finally got the opportunity here."
Dyson was utilized as an off-ball linebacker at UMass, but he's able to lean into his strengths with the Hawks. He was initially going to join CAA rival Rhode Island, but was swayed by Monmouth defensive line coach Codey Cole. He's on track to be the latest developmental success story under Cole's tutelage, and has also been a strong culture fit. While his ability to perform in games despite being hampered by injuries is a reflection of his own talent, he was quick to credit his peers.
"I was watching Mounir Keshen, he was really helping me through it," Dyson said. "Him, Jake Davis, everybody. All the edge rushers on our team are so good, and they helped me just bring myself through the camp process and stay ready for game one."
Dyson played the opener with a club on his right hand as he was still working his way back from injury, but he's excited to be even more disruptive when he can pair his elite bend and balance with proper hand usage as a rusher. But regardless of the bright spots in the game against Tech, it fell well short of the standard for success. The entire defensive line group stayed late after Tuesday's practice didn't meet Cole's elite expectations.
"It's just staying true to my technique, being confident in it, and trusting Coach Cole. Trusting God, because I'm a firm believer in Christ, and just making sure I stay consistent," Dyson said. "I try to go as hard as I can as much as possible. But a lot of the times, the stuff we go through on the day-to-day basis out here has you extra tired. It has you like, man alright this period I had 10% compared to game time. I made sure I was revved up to have 100 or at least 90 or 95. But Coach Cole, he always has us ready. We go over this stuff night and day. Like, we don't sleep at all."
Hawk defense must bring the dog days for Summers
The defensive front seven certainly won't be sleeping on their upcoming matchup this week. The centerpiece of Sacred Heart's offense is sophomore running back Mitchell Summers, a preseason All-CAA first team selection. He rushed for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns as a true freshman last season.
Matchup analysis aside, Summers is a fascinating football story. Listed at just 5-foot-7 and 155 pounds, he rushed for 2,000 yards in three consecutive years in high school at Grimsley. There, he was teammates with Faizon Brandon, a five-star quarterback who will start for Tennessee this fall as a freshman. Despite Summers producing at an elite level with a premier program, his small frame caused him to fly under the radar for SHU to scoop him up. The Hawks will need to be fully aware of his talents as they try contain him on Saturday.
Also returning is junior quarterback Poochie Snyder, who helps augment Summers' ability in complimentary fashion within the Pioneers' spread option offense. The 6-foot and 177-pound passer doesn't have astounding numbers, but the efficiency is evident. In 11 games, he passed for 1,867 yards with a 71.25% completion percentage and 11 touchdowns against three interceptions. He also rushed for 553 yards and seven more scores.
Snyder will have the benefit of two familiar receivers to target. Sacred Heart brings back back two of their top four leading receivers in Jason Palmieri (34 catches for 354 yards and four touchdowns) and Dean Hangey (28 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns). Obviously, the low yards per reception point to the horizontal element to SHU's scheme with run-pass options. Like the team's standout backfield, Palmieri (5-10, 182 pounds) and Hangey (6-foot, 173 pounds) are not physically imposing athletes. It will be interesting to see if and how the size is an issue against the Hawks, who have put an emphasis on physical traits in assembling the roster since joining the CAA.
A read option scheme can be a double edged sword for a team like the Pioneers. On one end, they can isolate Monmouth's elite athletes on the edges like Dyson, Lesaine and Watson to put them in conflict with the right execution. On the other hand, sometimes the sheer athletic advantage is too much for those option looks to be effective. The Hawks have talent and experience in the defensive front seven.
Monmouth offense must get in rhythm at home
Sacred Heart also returns a solid contingent of experienced players on defense, but without the same level of production as the offense. Simply put, the Hawks should be able to get back to producing gaudy offensive numbers at home. But conversely, another sputtering showing would be deeply concerning.
The Pioneer defense highlighted led by senior defensive lineman Jared Hirschfeld (6-4, 280 pounds), who tied for the team lead with four sacks last season. Senior linebacker Mike Deitelbaum (5-11, 203) is another cornerstone player who was second on the team 6.5 tackles for loss with two sacks and an interception in 2025. Sacred Heart was steady as a defensive unit last year, but not necessarily explosive in terms of generating negative plays. They only had six interceptions and five forced fumbles.
Ultimately, this is the big litmus test for the Monmouth offense early in 2026. Frankie Weaver and the Hawks' receivers should be able to find a better rhythm against the SHU secondary, especially given that the Monmouth offensive line held up relatively well in pass protection against a Tennessee Tech defense that was renowned for sack production in 2025.
In the running game, the Monmouth line and running backs should be able to inflict punishment against what appears to be a relatively small front seven. Nazir Treadwell (6-1, 225) could have a bigger role as the Hawks' power runner after not having any carries in the opener against Tech. Tight ends Marcus Middleton and Greg Genross should also once again have a key role in the passing game.
Prediction: Monmouth 31, Sacred Heart 21
The lackluster results against Tennessee Tech throw a wrench into trying to project, but this is leaning into an optimistic outlook for the Monmouth offense. Conventional wisdom is that size matters, but the speed of Tech proved to be a worthwhile trade off against the Hawk offense last week.
But Monmouth has a track record of coming out on top against these types of run-heavy teams, which can be neutralized by being forced into clear pass situations. The size advantage can also become more palpable in the red zone, where it's hard to envision the Pioneers having a lot of success even if they're able to move the ball in the running game.
Expect Summers to get his yards, but the Hawks have the defensive pieces to counter everything else. After a lackluster start against Tennessee Tech, the Monmouth running game gets going early and sets up the play action game to Middleton and Genross in particular. The Hawks build a 24-7 lead and concede some late scores that prove to be inconsequential.
Practice Notes
Given the emphasis on positional competition and speculation after the result against Tennessee Tech, there's naturally some curiosity as to whether any significant roster or playing time changes would be coming. After Tuesday's practice, no major changes appear imminent.
Frankie Weaver continued to get the majority of first team reps at quarterback and most of the other skill positions were steady. Similar to what was seen in the game, the Hawks are still experimenting with different combinations along the offensive line. Defensively, the return of Omar Ibrahim at corner was probably the biggest change. The transfer from Hampton and Temple looked sharp in his return with some solid pass break ups, and should join the mix at the position along with Mir Haskett and Elijah Mathis.
It seems there will be changes on special teams, but it's not definitively clear what those changes will be. Monmouth was giving several different players reps on punt returns. Kicker Sky Sholder, who missed a 24-yarder in the game against Tech, hit a 50-yard field goal in practice from the right hash. But there were some misses from shorter distances interspersed during the session.
And although it's not practice takeaway, it's worth noting that a pair of former Ocean County standouts will likely be returning to the Shore with Sacred Heart. Perennial All-Shore linebacker Trey Tallmadge is a freshman with the Pioneers, while former Donovan Catholic standout quarterback Todd Lambertson is a sophomore with the team.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Previewing a Monmouth football must-win home opener vs. Sacred Heart