College football 2022: Villanova is the class of CAA football. Can the Wildcats do it again?

After capturing a share of the Colonial Athletic Association title in 2021, the Villanova Wildcats are poised to be among the conference’s elite again, as reflected in their preseason poll ranking: No. 6 in the Football Championship Subdivision.

With the departure of James Madison, which will join the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Sun Belt Conference, many expect the Wildcats to win the conference outright in 2022, despite several losses to a defense that ranked first in the league in yards allowed per game, interceptions (19), fewest passing touchdowns allowed (9) and fewest passing yards allowed per game (162.4).

Sixth-year head coach Mark Ferrante, who has been a part of every Wildcat team since 1987, took over the program in 2017 and finally pushed his team past the first round of the playoffs, falling to FCS runner-up South Dakota State, 35-21, in the quarterfinals.

Losing your starting quarterback, leading tackler, and leader in interceptions from 2021 certainly hurts, but the Wildcats program has proven it can retool and rebuild from within — and from the transfer portal. Villanova added five graduate transfers this offseason: linebacker Antonio Montero from Rice, linebacker Daniel Abraham (Harvard), linebacker Dan Damico (Albany), defensive back Jonnie Pitman (Charlotte), and kicker Matthew Mercurio (San Jose State).

And with two new teams joining the CAA (Hampton and Monmouth), the league has its largest number of teams: 13. The winner of this year’s conference title could be the most battle-tested in league history. We’ll see if the Wildcats are up to the task with a bull’s-eye on their chest.

On offense, junior quarterback Connor Watkins will take over for Daniel Smith, who started for the Wildcats the last three seasons. Watkins will be bolstered by a two-headed tandem at running back, Jalen Jackson and DeeWill Barlee, plus an explosive tandem on the outside with receivers Rayjuon Pringle and Jaaron Hayek, who combined for more than 1,400 receiving yards and 17 TDs in 2021.

However, attention should be focused on the offensive line, specifically left tackle Temi Ajirotutu, entering his third year with the program. The talented sophomore started just five games last season but has rare athleticism and the ability to be a sturdy force for his quarterback’s blindside, and NFL scouts are already starting to take notice. Some believe Ajirotutu could be next in line for the Villanova-to-NFL pipeline.

Defensively, with leading tackler Forrest Rhyne moving on to the NFL ranks, transfer linebacker Montero will need to step up for an unproven group at the second level. At Rice, he finished with 60 total tackles, nine tackles for losses, and 2½ sacks in 2021, starting in 29 career games. His role on the defense will be important, with a number of contributors returning in the Wildcats’ secondary.

The most important position to watch this season will be at quarterback, and how well Watkins fares could also affect the rushing attack. The offensive line returns two players on the preseason all-CAA list, center Colin Gamroth and left guard Michael Corbi.

The rushing attack will be led by Jackson, and there’s talent on the outside with receivers Pringle and Hayek, but none of that will matter if Watkins can’t push the ball consistently down the field. Expect early on for teams to stack the box and force the Wildcats to beat them through the air, considering their veteran offensive line and skill positions. If Watkins proves to be accurate, playing within the confines of the offense, this offense could be hard to stop with the weapons that surround him.

The departures of Malik Fisher and Rhyne, the team’s leaders in sacks last season, will provide an opportunity for growth in both position groups in 2022. On third downs, Fisher’s ability to win one-on-one against opposing tackles and Rhyne’s versatile skill set allowed the Wildcats defense to play seven or eight defensive backs in coverage on third-and-long scenarios. Defining who could fill those voids, whether it’s by a committee or by a few players, could reinvent the Wildcats’ plan in those situations.

The defense is arguably deepest at defensive back, with a number of starters returning, so young players like sophomore Bryce Ganious, who finished with three sacks last year, and junior Garrett Zobel, who finished with five tackles for loss, could be looked upon as key contributors along the defensive line. The aforementioned Montero could become a leader in the middle, and redshirt freshman linebacker Shane Hartzell could also come in to play as a versatile player on this defense.

Villanova at Army, Sept. 17, noon (streaming on CBS Sports Network)

Monmouth at Villanova, Sept. 24, 3:30 p.m. (streaming on FloFootball)

Delaware at Villanova, Nov. 19, 1 p.m. (streaming on FloFootball)

Villanova has not lost a season opener with Ferrante as head coach, including the 2021 spring season, which replaced the 2020 fall season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wildcats’ average margin of victory in openers since 2017 is 14.4 points per contest, including their stunning win over Temple, 19-17, in the 2018 opener. Villanova opens its season with a home game against Lehigh on Friday at 6 p.m.