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Monmouth football stalls, then hits overdrive in big win over Hampton
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- Monmouth football stalls, then hits overdrive in big win over Hampton
For the first 30 minutes, FCS No. 18 Monmouth football created a lot of new questions about whether the team is truly capable of competing at an elite level going into the home stretch of the regular season. For the next 30 minutes, they answered every one of those questions.
The polarizing outlook is a scar from the team's season-ending loss to last-place Albany in 2025. It was irritated after the Hawks turned the ball over on downs twice amidst a scoreless first quarter against last-place Hampton on Saturday. Even the team's early 7-0 lead was promptly erased in ugly fashion with a 76-yard run by Hampton that set up a bumbling 1-yard touchdown on a broken play.
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Ultimately, the only question left was why anyone would doubt the Monmouth machine.
Clinging to a 14-7 lead at halftime, the Hawks exploded for 35 second half points, routing Hampton 49-13 and cementing the team's reputation as road warriors with six of their first eight games away from home.
Monmouth football beats Hampton 28-10 on Oct. 25.
"We drove the ball in the first half, just didn't finish them," Monmouth head coach Jeff Gallo said. "We made some adjustments at halftime, and I thought we did a good job of running it. Run the show, and we finished every drive in the second half. Realistically, that's the biggest part of it."
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Sometimes the eye test is pointless compared to the answers on the written exam. Monmouth (6-2) finished with 565 yards of total offense, coming up just short of 300 rushing yards for a second straight week. That tally reflected the team's balance. There was patience through early hiccups and then an unstoppable rhythm that would've made even the iconic Hampton band envious.
It was another spectacular today for redshirt freshman running back Kenny Smith Jr, who finished with 163 yards on 19 carries with one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown. Elijah Jennings added 79 rushing yards and a score plus 45 receiving yards.
And it was another understated but uncompromisingly efficient game for quarterback Frankie Weaver. He was 24-of-32 for 234 yards and three touchdowns, but that belies the importance of his work as a field general. As the Monmouth offense endured offensive struggles, he set up playmakers Tra Neal (5 catches for 45 yards with a TD) and Gavin Nelson (team-high 60 receiving yards) with throws into tight windows while also never forcing any dangerous throws that could've caused the Hawks' problems to snowball. Monmouth knew it could outlast the struggling Pirates.
Frankie Weaver scans the field as he steps back to pass. Monmouth football beats Hampton 28-10 on Oct. 25.
"We moved the ball. If we were three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out, I would've been more concerned. We were moving the ball, we just weren't finishing on third and fourth down," Gallo said. "Here comes the adjustments, here's where the ball's gotta go. Frankie did a great job of owning those, distributing the ball where it had to go. Some good third down conversion throws. We found some runs as the game went on and we wore them down a little bit."
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The defense had some blemishes but there is no denying the clear dominance reflected in the numbers. Aside from the lone 76-yard run by Hampton's Donovan Shepard in the first half, the Hawks held the Pirates to 27 yards on 23 carries.
Some of that is attributable to Monmouth's three sacks that bludgeoned any hope of a functional passing game for Hampton. Dabbling with two quarterbacks, the Pirates were 15-for-26 for 146 yards through the air and much of that came in garbage time including a 41-yard catch by Nare Means. That was a result of a blown coverage, something that happened several times earlier even though Hampton was unable to capitalize.
"You can always learn off of a win and there's gonna be issues and mistakes on the field. We never want to blow a coverage," Gallo said. "But for the most part, we played relatively clean. But yes, we want to continue to get better."
Monmouth tight end Shane Garrett celebrates his first career touchdown. Monmouth football beat New Hampshire 42-21 on Oct. 17.
Although Monmouth played pretty conventionally within the passing game and rushing attack, the Hawks unleashed a delightful trick play to put the game on ice. Up 21-7 late in the third quarter, they ran their own version of the Philly special. They motioned Frankie Weaver out to signal a pivot to the wildcat look, flipped it to him on the reverse, and he found a wide-open Shane Garrett in the end zone for his second career touchdown after the Ocean Township product got his first last week against New Hampshire.
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Aside from that, the Hawks might've kept some of their most novel offensive concepts in reserve with big upcoming games against Bryant and Campbell looming on the horizon. Gallo shed some light on how the team maintains a innovative approach offensively week-to-week.
"We have a big catalog on offense to pull from. It's whatever we think is gonna best get us home every week. Whatever matches up and gives them problems," Gallo said. "I'm never worried about saving something for later in the season because you put it on tape as well and people have to defend it. Because the offensive staff's been good for so long, we have a pretty large catalog and things we can do and the quarterback can handle it."
In addition to a deep collection of plays, Monmouth's deep collection of talent was even on display closing out the win. After fourth quarter touchdowns by Smith and Jennings put the game out of reach, quarterback Brad Seiss made his first career appearance and went 2-for-2 for 33 yards.
Monmouth’s Elijah Jennings pulls in a punt in first half action. Monmouth Football Hawks season opener against Sacred Heart University in West Long Branch on September 5, 2026.
Of course, the Hawks were focused on running clock and the deep offensive line group was on full display paving the way for Nazir Treadwell and Greg Randall, who got his first career touchdown to seal the win. Treadwell had scored the team's touchdown just before halftime, as four running backs produced scores in the victory.
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While the slow start might've been disconcerting, the Hawks have a glimmering horizon that got even brighter after some other results on Saturday. Monmouth improved to 5-0 in conference and sit atop the CAA standings just ahead of No. 16 Campbell, the only other unbeaten team in league play at 4-0. The Camels improved to 7-1 with a 35-6 win over Maine.
The third unbeaten coming into the day was Bryant, which lost to 27-17 to Stony Brook. The Bulldogs will be motivated to pay the spoiler role against the Hawks next week, but that was always going to be one of Monmouth's critical matchups down the stretch in addition to the season finale against Campbell.
Monmouth University officially renamed the turf at Kessler Stadium to be Kevin Callahan Field at the 2026 home opener against Sacred Heart on Sept. 5.
But more important than the external factors is Monmouth's internal journey, and they've survived a gauntlet on the road through the first two months of the season without any letdowns that could derail another promising campaign. After just two of the team's first eight games were at home, and the Hawks now return to West Long Branch for three straight games at Kessler Stadium.
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"We're coming home. Sell out Kessler Stadium Callahan Field. Sell out this Saturday for the Hawks," Gallo said. "We're excited to be home."
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth football stalls, then hits overdrive in big win over Hampton
