Coming off a 21-0 shutout of VMI, Georgetown’s football team (2-4 overall, 1-3 PL) looks to carry Homecoming’s momentum into this Saturday’s match up at Monmouth (6-1 overall, 3-1 NE).
After struggling offensively for most of this season, the Hoyas’ offense exploded last week producing 490 total yards and three scores.
“The offense has finally started to click and we’re beginning to gel,” senior quarterback Andrew Crawford said. “This week is more about refining the game plan.”
The uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position now seems to be settled with Crawford as the starter. He completed 12 of 16 passes last week for 188 yards, which included a 59-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Glenn Castergine. Crawford said that he did not feel any pressure this week to further solidify his starting spot against the Hawks.
“The only pressure right now is to keep winning,” Crawford said.
The Hoyas have performed well defensively all season and hope Saturday will be no exception.
“We’re very quick on defense, and like to be aggressive,” Head Coach Bob Benson said. “We just need to keep doing what we’re doing, and keep us in the game come the fourth quarter.”
Monmouth enters the game coming off a nail-bitter last week against Albany University, squeaking by with a 25-24 win. The Hawks have won their last three games, and stand second in the Northeast Conference. The Hoyas plan to keep an eye on junior wideout Miles Austin who made the All-Northeast Conference Team last year. This year he has caught 31 passes for 615 yards and seven touchdowns. (Valium)
“He’s their big time playmaker,” Benson said.
The Hawks also have an impressive special teams unit. Their kicker, senior Steve Andriola, won NEC Special Teams Player of the Week last week in a performance that saw him nailing the game winning kick with time expiring.
“Probably the best special team’s unit I’ve seen all year,” Benson said.
The Hoyas lost 12-10 to the Hawks last September on a touchdown with 18 seconds left in the game.
“We played poorly last year,” Crawford said. “But we’re becoming more comfortable with this system and seeing it’s capable of.”
This game also has implications on this season.
“If we’re gonna have a winning season it has to start this weekend,” Benson said. “We need to pick up win number three.”
The Hoyas head into this contest, much like last week, looking to avenge a loss from the previous year. The question is whether they can pull off a win without a Homecoming crowd behind them.
Georgetown plays at Monmouth on Saturday at 1 p.m.
