How Much is Left in the Tank?

There are tough losses and there are tough losses. This season is a great indication on that cliche as Monmouth has lost down to the wire games against Colgate, Robert Morris, & Sacred Heart. The difference between the first two and the loss that happened last week at home versus Sacred Heart was at least on paper the Hawks were a decided favorite. It was homecoming with a big crowd and with a win MU would have kept alive chances for a NEC title and gotten back to .500 overall after starting the year 0-3. Throw in that the Pioneers hadn't won a conference game all season and this one really hurts. It was a game that walking the field I am sure coaches, players, fans, and even radio announcers said, "How did we lose that game?"

Now the challenge lies in that Monmouth has an extremely difficult November schedule with games at Wagner & Albany sandwiching a home game with Central Connecticut State. The Seahawks are up first as MU heads to Staten Island and will try and bounce back with a win over a team that has always been a rival for the Hawks. Wagner has a solid defense that is stat wise among the best in the NEC and a QB in Nick Doscher that is run/pass option that most teams in the NEC if not all of college football would love to have.

I think this week is so much more about Monmouth than anything else because with a veteran coach in Kevin Callahan you would expect that the players will respond back and rise to the challenge of the next three weeks. But there are always questions how much of a hangover effect there will be with everything that you have worked for up to a certain point dashed in one game (NEC Title, games with real meaning in November). Anyone who follows Monmouth football and the NEC will be curious how the Hawks react to the next three weeks.

This a team that has a lot older players (lot of fifth year seniors) and good leadership thru the ranks and at this point of the year most of those players have limited chances to strap on the helmet so a sense of urgency has to be at the top of the list. Look for MU to try and do something early on to get excited about on the sideline; a long pass or a trick play. Or get lucky enough to create a turnover, a big hit or a special teams big play.

Broadcast info- 1160AM/1310AM .. Pregame show 12:45pm .. Kickoff 1pm