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Jeff Gallo gets 1st win as coach as Monmouth football prevails by inches
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- Jeff Gallo gets 1st win as coach as Monmouth football prevails by inches
WEST LONG BRANCH -- It was a moment three decades in the making, ultimately defined by mere inches.
A few yards away on the opposite side of the newly embossed Kevin Callahan Field lettering, the end result of a momentous field dedication for Monmouth football's home opener came down to the details of the renamed turf at Kessler Stadium. On 4th-and-5, Sacred Heart quarterback Poochie Snyder found receiver Nick Gentilella for a catch that initially appeared to be a first down at the Monmouth 39-yard line.
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But after video review, the inches swung back in favor of the Hawks . Monmouth took over after the turnover on downs and kneeled it out to cement the Hawks' 31-24 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday. It was a fitting result for a program that always persevered under the direction of Callahan for 33 years, and the team's first CAA conference win of the season in addition to being their first win under new head coach Jeff Gallo.
"I told our guys, most of them are here because (Kevin Callahan) said yes. He said yes to all these guys," Gallo said. "It was all about us honoring him in how we played."
For Gallo, it's a shared honor as he gets his first career win as a head coach. It was fitting that the game ended with a defensive stand as the team is also honoring Louis DiRienzo, the Hawks' first-year defensive coordinator who died suddenly in late June.
"Coach Louis D, he was very adamant on the process, not the result," safety Jaeden Jones said. "He used the acronym FAIL—first attempt in learning. And so we failed a little bit today, but we learned a lot. And I think that helped us in the end. We learned and we overcame and we made adjustments."
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It was undeniably a disjointed performance for the Hawks, but one filled with positive signs for what the future might hold for Monmouth football this fall. Monmouth (1-1) forced a Sacred Heart (0-1) punt on the opening drive. The kick was initially bobbled by Elijah Jennings, only for him to pick it up and gain 27 yards on the return. It was the encapsulation of the afternoon, and set the stage for an opening drive that was finished off with a 7-yard touchdown run by Kenny Smith to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead.
Monmouth’s Kenny Smith Jr. scores a Monmouth first half touchdown. Monmouth Football Hawks season opener against Sacred Heart University in West Long Branch on September 5, 2026.
Then came the Sacred Heart response. The next two Pioneers drives ended in touchdown receptions by Jason Palmieri and Dean Hangey to take a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. Perhaps most confounding was the lapses, as the quarterback Snyder was able to consistently elude the Monmouth front four on scrambles. The Pioneers nearly extended the lead with 39-yard field goal, but it hit the right upright.
The Hawks seized on the opportunity with a two minute drill that was capped off with two impressive catches by Gavin Nelson, first on a 3rd-and-19 for a 22-yard gain (the longest completion of the game) and then for 19-yard touchdown reception to tie it at 14-14. Those plays were also the beginning of quarterback Frankie Weaver turning the corner, and he would go onto finish with 237 yards and three touchdowns while completing 26 of his 37 attempts. Eight different receivers had a catch in the game
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"We have a bunch of playmakers—Tra (Neal), Gav, Chris Harrison, Key Mister," Weaver said. "I feel like all those guys can get open and I've just gotta find them the ball."
Monmouth quarterback Frankie Weaver throws a pass to the flat. Monmouth Football Hawks season opener against Sacred Heart University in West Long Branch on September 5, 2026.
The Monmouth offense showed a consistent ability to script plays well with touchdowns on the opening drive and the first drive of the second half, which culminated in a 10-yard touchdown reception by Jennings to give Monmouth a 21-14 lead. But the dogfight continued as Sacred Heart answered with an explosive 52-yard touchdown reception by Hangey to tie it 21-21 after cornerback Chris Palmer fell down. The Hawks regained the lead on a 25-yard field goal by Sky Sholder to cap a 79-yard drive, but Sacred Heart kicker Ryan Bocklet matched it with 23-yard field goal, which came after Palmer responded to force the incompletion on third-and-goal.
Tied 24-24, Monmouth put together the winning possession with a precarious 68-yard drive that kept the packed crowd at Kessler Stadium on the edge of their seats. Weaver found Nelson to avoid the three-and-out with a 12-yard gain. He made another big throw for an 18-yard gain to Neal. Then in the red zone, the redshirt sophomore delivered the winning plays. On 3rd-and-7, he hit running back Kenny Smith for the first down. Two plays later, he found Smith again for the 7-yard touchdown run.
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"Just out-leveraging the linebackers, great protection up front," Smith said. "We did a great job getting me the ball in the flat and trying to outrun the linebackers, that's all."
It was a sign of the astute adjustments and opportunities that the Hawks were able to exploit as they continue their early season evolution. There will be a sudden rise in difficulty next week when Monmouth hits the road to face FBS opponent Western Michigan, but the process can't be rushed. The pace of a new team and new coach must resolve itself, and it's steadily moving in the right direction after the first win of 2026.
"Incredibly proud of these guys, it's a great win. It's just a first win though," Gallo said. "We've got a long way to go and it's something to build off of."
Monmouth Head Coach Jeff Gallo. Monmouth Football Hawks season opener against Sacred Heart University in West Long Branch on September 5, 2026.
The performance was a worthy testament to the legacy of Callahan and all the talented players that he has drawn to Monmouth over many years. But the final play, and the winning inches, were found by the new generation of Hawks.
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It was freshman defensive back Amori McNeil, a standout from Don Bosco, that bottled up Sacred Heart's Gentilella on that fourth down play. DiRienzo and the current staff led by Gallo found him. And because of that, they found their first victory in a new chapter of Monmouth football.
"We've shown glimpses of who we can be at moments," Jones said. "Playing a full game of those glimpses is what's gonna set us over the edge and allow us to be the defense that we want to be—that Coach Louis D knew we could be."
Bright spots outweigh errors as Monmouth schemes take shape
The home opener was a confounding game to evaluate in detail, but the net result leaves a lot of room for optimism for Monmouth football after two contests. Many of the Hawks' usual top performers were uncharacteristically underwhelming against Sacred Heart, but the players who stepped up are a positive sign for the team's depth.
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One such example was Palmer, the team's stalwart sophomore corner who had been a bright spot against Tennessee Tech. He was beaten twice for touchdowns, but responded with aforementioned solid coverage to force the field goal. It isn't a concerning trend moving forward for Palmer, who played well beyond his years as a freshman last year. Furthermore, the Hawks bet on their talent advantage with a lot of single coverage throughout the day. The secondary as a whole answered the challenge, holding Sacred Heart to 191 yards passing and a 56% completion percentage.
"Christian Palmer is probably one of the best corners that I've ever seen," Jones said. "His technique, his confidence, he's a guy that can shut down the side."
Monmouth Football Hawks season opener against Sacred Heart University in West Long Branch on September 5, 2026.
The interior of the defensive line was a source of frustration as Sacred Heart's Snyder was consistently able to step into the pocket and take off for nice gains. The clean up man was usually Jones, who finished with a team-high 12 tackles. The flip side of those struggles was redshirt sophomore Avery Barnes, who excelled at containing those scrambles up the middle in the second half. The Monmouth defense also caught a break at a truly unfortunate cost for Sacred Heart, as standout sophomore running back Mitchell Summers suffered a gruesome ankle injury in the first half and did not return.
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The edges were also a bit inconsistent, but continued to flash moments that show the group's immense potential. Jahide Lesaine had a sack for the second straight game in addition to generally applying pressure and handling the read option. Mounir Keshen was robbed of a strip sack in the second quarter that was erroneously blown dead, and likely would have been returned for a touchdown.
Monmouth Football Hawks season opener against Sacred Heart University in West Long Branch on September 5, 2026.
The steady ramp up continues for the new-look Monmouth offense, and an identity is emerging for the Hawks. The offensive line showed marked signs of improvement, and the lone sack allowed was a result of superb coverage by Sacred Heart. The running game was bogged down a bit in the second half, but Smith and Jennings are spark plugs who can generate big gains as runners or as receivers out of the backfield. One wheel route was overthrown by Weaver, but would have been a huge gain for Jennings.
There are still too many missed opportunities in the passing game by Weaver, but the improvement was clear as the game went on. His ability to deliver clutch third down throws (Monmouth was 7-for-12 on third down) is a major positive trait, and he is dialing in his tight-window throws with greater precision. Even without preseason All-CAA tight end Marcus Middleton available, Weaver found replacements Greg Genross, Burke Mickelson and Shane Garrett for good gains. That tight end depth should also aid the offensive line in the running game moving forward.
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The Hawks also are still staying pretty conventional offensively, a sign that the more elaborate designs are still to come this season. One particularly clever bit of planning came on the scoring drives that started each half. On the first touchdown, Monmouth shifted into a twins tight end set and then motioned Gavin Nelson for jet sweep look, only to hand it off up the middle to Smith for the score. Then in the second half, they inverted the look and snuck Jennings out to the flat after play action for the touchdown catch.
Hawks face big test with FBS opponent next week
Getting the first win of the season is a big momentum boost for the Hawks as they will try to repeat their success against FBS opponents over the past two years. Monmouth stunned Florida International in a 45-42 win two years ago that was the program's first ever win over an FBS foe, and nearly repeated that success against Charlotte in another thriller that ended in a heartbreaking 42-35 loss.
This year, Monmouth will head to the Midwest to face Western Michigan on Saturday. It won't be an easy task given that the Broncos are the reigning Mid-American Conference champions after a 10-4 season in 2025. That year, they beat eventual CAA champion Rhode Island 47-14.
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Usually that would mean a Group of 5 program like Western Michigan lost most of their key performers in the transfer portal, but the Broncos retained their dynamic backfield duo of redshirt junior quarterback Broc Lowry and senior running back Jalen Buckley. They also return second-leading receiver Baylin Brooks.
It's going to be a far more considerable challenge than that posed by Charlotte or FIU, but it's also a valuable opportunity to gain experience against a high-level foe and potentially build confidence for the rest of the season with a respectable showing. But the Hawks will need to accelerate their upward trajectory significantly to come away with the upset on Saturday night in Kalamazoo.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jeff Gallo gets 1st win as coach as Monmouth football prevails by inches
