After 32 seasons as the head coach of the Villanova Wildcats, Andy Talley retired from college football. He ended his career with a record of 229-137-1. With Talley retiring, it was announced before the season began that Mark Ferrante would take over duties as the Villanova head coach.
Ferrante served under Talley for 30 seasons, 18 of which he was an assistant coach. His specialty is with offensive lineman. The most recent success out of Villanova has been Ben Ijalana, who currently plays for the New York Jets. Ferrante will be losing 18 seniors this season, including star defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon, star linebacker Austin Calitro, and running back Javon White. Ferrante will have a challenging task in 2017 maintaining Villanova’s FCS Playoff status. Here is what to expect from Mark Ferrante.
What to Expect from Mark Ferrante
Strong Recruiting
Despite being in his first season as the head coach of Villanova, he has already built a strong first recruiting class. According to 247sports, Villanova has the 122nd best recruiting class in the NCAA. While this may not seem very strong, this list also includes 128 FBS teams. 122nd in the country gives them a stronger recruiting class than FCS powerhouses North Dakota State (124), James Madison (139), South Dakota State (142), and Sam Houston State (146). This class is much better than Talley’s past two recruiting classes which have ranked 184th and 142nd respectively. So far, Villanova has secured 11 hard commits, three being three-star recruits.
The top recruit so far should help with Villanova’s spread rushing attack, Damone Drew. Drew is the 66th best running back in the country according to 247sports. He rejected offers from Appalachian State, Cincinnati, Virginia, Syracuse, and Temple to go to Villanova. Overall, if Ferrante can continue recruiting strong classes like this one, Villanova may be looking to make a serious run at an FCS Championship Title very soon. The transition for Drew, however, will be how he will play when he is not the main player on his offense. In the first half of his senior year, Drew accounted for 1,588 yards and 23 touchdowns. At Villanova, he may only receive 7-15 touches per game, and will need to learn to make the most out of the touches he is able to get.
Similar Offense
The acquisition of Drew shows that Ferrante will not be making any drastic changes to Villanova’s offense very soon. Their system of having multiple backs getting touches every game has been effective for Villanova. This style limits opponents to fewer drives and fewer chances to score. While they may not be the most exciting, fast-paced offense in the FCS, they have proven that this system works. Ferrante has also proven that he can develop players with this system. As an offensive line coach, Ferrante has produced 11 All-East, 15 All-Conference, and three All-American lineman.
The question surrounding the offensive line this season is how Ferrante will replace his two seniors. Brad Seaton and Nico D’Angelo started 63 games combined in college and were both respected by their coaches and teammates. D’Angelo served as one of Villanova’s captains in 2016. Seaton played a full season after suffering a knee injury last year that forced him to miss the final eight games of the season.
Slow Start on Defense
While the offense looks to come back just as strong if not stronger, the defense will be questionable. Villanova’s official schedule has not been released yet, but they have a series with Temple already set for next season. After losing Kpassagnon, Calitro, and eight other defensemen to graduating, it will be hard to pick up right where they left off right away. Sophomore linebacker Jeff Steeb will likely become a leader on the Wildcats defense next season. Steeb had 86 tackles, eight for losses, and three sacks this season.
As for the next recruits, Villanova already has secured seven defensemen for the 2017 class. This includes two lineman, three linebackers, and two defensive backs. The biggest recruit to watch will be Trajan Anderson. Anderson is a three-star recruit who had eight offers, the biggest school being Army. He is an interior linebacker who averaged 5.3 tackles per game. Anderson was not known for rushing the quarterback and only tallied five sacks in high school. Coaches will likely ask him to help replace the hole that Calitro is leaving which is a daunting task for a true freshman. While Villanova should still have a strong defense in 2017, they will likely have a few hiccups early on in the season.
Overall
Talley could not have picked a better coach to take over his system. Ferrante’s experience with the team allows him to come into the position already knowing the in’s-and-out’s of the entire team. He has also shown that he is not looking to drastically change much, and will stick with the system that has helped Villanova get to where they are today. Overall, Wildcat fans should be excited to see what Ferrante will bring to Villanova, and just how long it will take to make another FCS Championship appearance.
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