PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After a two-week break, the Villanova football team will get back to game action on Saturday with a road contest at Maine.
The first week of this break was a scheduled bye for the Wildcats, but the second week off was not planned as their scheduled game last weekend with New Hampshire was cancelled because of COVID-19 issues within the New Hampshire program.
“Our guys are anxious to get back on the field,” Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante told KYW Newsradio, “especially after the Rhode Island performance.”
That performance was a 40-37 overtime loss to the Rams back on March 13 that dropped the Wildcats' record this spring to 1-1.
“We’ve just got to play cleaner for more of the game,” Ferrante said. “We had a lot of good plays [against Rhode Island], but we didn’t have a lot of good plays for the full four quarters. It’s the consistency that we’re looking for.”
Ferrante said they have taken advantage of the time off the last couple of weeks.
“The practices have gone well,” he said. "The time has been good for us, I think, physically.”
On Saturday the Wildcats will visit a Maine team that is 2-1. After getting whipped in their opener by Delaware, the Black Bears have rebounded in their last two games with impressive wins over Albany and Stony Brook.
“Just like a lot of teams that are having success, you start with the quarterback,” Ferrante said of Maine.
And that quarterback is sophomore Joe Fagnano, who has thrown for eight touchdowns without an interception this season. He also has rushed for two scores.
Maine is coming off a bye week.
Saturday’s game is set for a noon kickoff in Orono.