WEST LONG BRANCH – At times, a team’s won-loss record isn’t what it appears to be on the surface.
Bryant University enters Saturday’s clash with Monmouth University holding a 2-6 overall record and 0-4 in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), but a closer examination of the Bulldogs’ schedule reveals a team capable of beating anyone in the CAA.
Bryant opened the season with back-to-back games against FBS opponents and came away with a win in one of them. In their opener at New Mexico State, a member of Conference USA, it was a six-point game, 9-3, midway through the fourth quarter, before the Bulldogs gave up 10 points in the closing minutes, falling 19-3. The defense held the Aggies to 305 total yards while racking up 255 yards themselves.
They then traveled to Amherst, Massachusetts, to face the University of Massachusetts, another FBS team and a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and came away with a 27-26 win. Grant it, the Minutemen aren’t by any stretch of the imagination an FBS powerhouse, but a win is a win, and any win against an FBS opponent by an FCS team is a feather in your cap. They outgained UMASS 399 to 358 in the game, with starting quarterback Brennan Myer passing for 318 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions.
The Bulldogs then beat Divsion II Bentley 42-6 before losing five straight, including four against CAA competition. They lost a two-overtime thriller, 50-48, at Campbell, and a tough two-point loss, 26-24, at home to Towson. Losses to Maine, 34-14, and Brown University, 29-19, followed. In their loss to Brown, they held a 22-19 lead with nine minutes to play before imploding in the final minutes.
Then, last Saturday against the University of Rhode Island, the Bulldogs held a 17-14 lead with five minutes remaining in the first half, before the Rams scored 24 unanswered points and went on to win 38-17.
The point being, Bryant has been competitive in every game they’ve played, and they can’t be brushed off as an easy win. As Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan likes to say, “You can throw records out the window when it comes to playing any CAA team.”
Bryant is ranked seventh in the CAA in points per game (24.3), eighth in yards per game (344), eighth in rushing yards per game (136.5), and ninth in passing yards per game (207.5).
On the defensive side, the Bulldogs rank eighth in points allowed per game (28.5), seventh in yards allowed per game (375.6), first in rushing yards allowed per game (113.0), and 12th in passing yards allowed per game (262.6).
Bryant’s starting quarterback, Myers, only a sophomore, has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury, and his status for Saturday is uncertain. Myers was having a productive season when he went down, completing 103-of-180 passes for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns, along with seven interceptions. He’s also a mobile quarterback, rushing for 214 yards on 36 attempts and two touchdowns. In his absence, Jaden Keefer took over, completing 38-of-72 passes for 434 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions.
Running back Elijah Elliot leads Bryant in rushing and is fifth in the CAA with 550 yards on 36 attempts and six touchdowns, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He’s also a threat out of the backfield, catching 30 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Dylan Kedzior (36-211-3, 5.9 average) is second on the team in rushing.
Sophomore Zyheem Collick leads the team in receiving yards, catching 26 passes for 437 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Aldrich Doe is second on the team with 327 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Grad student Tristen Riley is tied for the team lead with 30 receptions for 308 yards and one touchdown. Junior tight end Koby Keenan, a 6-foot-7, 252-pound target, had nine receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown.
The offensive line is anchored by 6-foot-5, 305-pound tackle/center Anthony Perez, 6-foot-7 312 312-pound tackle Nickolas Molina, and 6-foot-5, 302-pound guard Matthew Rau.
Defensive tackle Michael Otty, a 2025 All-CAA Preseason selection, anchors the defensive line that also boasts defensive end Maximus Villar, a team captain. Otty leads the team in sacks (5) and tackles for a loss (11.5) along with 28 tackles, three quarterback hits, and two Forced Fumbles (FF). Villar has recorded 17 tackles (nine solo), 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, three QBH, and two FF.
Senior linebacker Brandon Perkins leads the team with 67 tackles (27 solo) along with two TFL and a QBH. Lining up next to Perkins, linebacker Lonnie Rice has recorded 59 tackles (34 solo), 3.5 TFL, two sacks, and three QBH.
Bryant’s secondary is experienced and the deepest position group on the defensive side.
Cornerback Azarel Juste, 37 tackles (24 solo), leads the team in interceptions (2) along with five pass breakups. Senior cornerback Liam Lindo, 29 tackles (23 solo), leads the team with eight pass breakups, along with one interception. Safety Sean Hunt, 35 tackles (19 solo), has recorded one interception and one pass breakup, while CB/S Olatunde Mkparu, 24 tackles (21 solo), has one interception, five pass breakups, and an FF.
Monmouth will again be without standout quarterback Derek Robertson, who is out with a hand/wrist injury and is considered week-to-week, according to a recent Monmouth press release. Redshirt freshman Frankie Weaver will get his second start of his career Saturday after managing last Saturday’s win over Hampton adequately. Look for the Hawks to lean on their conference-leading running game once again, with redshirt sophomore running back sensation Rodney Nelson doing the heavy lifting. Nelson was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a career-high 233 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry on 33 attempts. He’s No.1 in the country in rushing yardage (1,238) and yards per game (154.8), along with 13 rushing touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman Elijah Jennings has been exceptional when he comes in to give Nelson a breather, and together they are developing a dynamic one-two punch. Jennings has rushed for 246 yards with five touchdowns and is averaging five yards a carry on 49 attempts.
Tomorrow’s weather forecast calls for sustained winds of around 25 MPH and gusts of around 45 at game time. So, a heavy reliance on the running game might be the best option for the Hawks after all, especially with a young quarterback making his second career start.
