Villanova’s Pat McQuaide and Luke Colella have formed instant chemistry on a tight-knit team

After Luke Colella officially transferred to Villanova this offseason, someone stopped by his hometown outside of Pittsburgh for a visit.

It was Pat McQuaide, Villanova’s quarterback.

McQuaide was on his way home to the Cleveland area, but decided to make a pit stop in Wexford, Pa., to meet his new wide receiver and throw to him.

“I think that’s kind of where the chemistry started,” Colella said.

Fast forward seven games into the 2025 season, Colella has become McQuaide’s top target within Villanova’s offense. Colella leads the Wildcats with 41 receptions — 23 more than any other receiver — 630 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. Of McQuaide’s 115 completions this season, 35% of them have gone to Colella.

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Two weeks ago, McQuaide found Colella on back-to-back drives for touchdowns against Elon. The connection keyed a 26 -point second half for the Wildcats, who rallied from 11 down at the break to defeat the Phoenix, 29-21. Colella finished the game with a career-high 10 receptions and racked up 125 receiving yards to go along with the two touchdowns, while McQuaide threw for 255 yards and the pair of scores.

During last weekend’s dismantling of Hampton, when the Wildcats led 49-0 at halftime, McQuaide again turned to his go-to guy Colella, hitting the receiver for a 34-yard touchdown before Villanova’s starters were pulled in the second half.

The two graduate students will look to continue their success Saturday when No. 11/12 Villanova hosts Albany (3:30 p.m., NBCSP+) on homecoming weekend. The 5-2 Wildcats are seeking their fifth consecutive win and 20th straight victory at Villanova Stadium dating back to 2022.

McQuaide and Colella’s chemistry extends beyond just quarterback and receiver. They have become close friends.

“Luke’s great,” McQuaide said. “First of all, he’s a great kid. He doesn’t technically live with me, but he pretty much lives with me. He lives across the hall. He’s in my room all the time. And I think that’s probably one of the reasons why it has been so big for us this year in the passing game.”

Villanova’s offensive coordinator Chris Boden has taken notice of the bond McQuaide and Colella have quickly cultivated.

“They’re very tight off the field,” Boden said. “They have a great relationship. I mean, it’s just nonstop back and forth, busting each other. They’ve just been on the same page. Personality-wise, they mesh really well. They’re high energy.”

McQuaide’s infectious energy seemingly doesn’t have an off switch. Every time he hits a receiver for a touchdown, the quarterback can be seen zipping down the field to celebrate with his teammates.

Boden, a former Villanova quarterback himself, has nicknamed McQuaide the “juice captain” of the team.

“It’s a big part of my game, just trying to bring energy,” McQuaide said after the win against Hampton. “I just try to be a source of positive energy and try to remind everybody that we’re playing a game, and games are supposed to be fun. I think that positive energy is contagious.”

Boden echoed that statement when asked about McQuaide’s personality.

“He just has a very contagious personality,” Boden said. “He’s high tempo. He’ll bark at the guys, and he’s always talking. He breaks down the team. He breaks down the offense. He does it on the field as well. He’s got nonstop chatter on the field. And I’ve never had a quarterback that led with that much energy.”

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Despite starting their college careers in different programs, McQuaide and Colella’s journeys have some similarities as graduate transfers. McQuaide, a Nicholls State transfer, and Colella, a transfer from Princeton, arrived on the Main Line this year with one final season of collegiate eligibility.

Both players also harped that the culture of the program was a big reason why they chose Villanova.

“A lot of people use the word culture, and I think that it’s really, really good here,” Colella said. “And I think that’s a testament to what the coaches bring to the table here. I think it’s just a really close group that gives us that feeling as soon as you walk in here, where it feels like I’ve known [McQuaide] for 10 years.”

McQuaide credits coaches who were once former Wildcats, like Boden, for helping foster that special culture.

“I think it’s great when you have coaches that come back,” McQuaide said. “We talk all the time about protecting the brand, the ‘V’, it’s a sacred thing for us, and people hate the ‘V’ outside of here. It’s bigger than just the guys that we have on this team and on this staff. I think having guys like Coach [Mark] Ferrante, who spent his whole career [here] for the most part, and Coach Boden and Coach [Forrest] Rhyne. All of those guys that played here, you can’t put a price on that.”

For McQuaide and Colella, this season’s accomplishments are not just for them; they are for the Wildcats who played before them and the ones who will come after them. After just a few months spent on the Main Line, the two already feel the significance of what culture and family mean to Villanova as the Wildcats chase a Coastal Athletic Association title and third consecutive playoff appearance.

“The tightness of the group is obviously set by the coaches,” Colella said. “Like, you look to our left and all the coaches are running stairs together. I’ve never seen that before. I’m sure Pat hasn’t either. They’re together right now, doing their thing. I think it’s really reflective of what it means to be a Wildcat.”