Omari Bursey is the latest in a long line of great Villanova linebackers: ‘The thing that separates him is his intelligence’
After biding his time behind All-Americans like Brendan Bell and Shane Hartzell, Bursey is next up. His mentor? Another former Villanova linebacker great, Forrest Rhyne.
Omari Bursey’s biggest fear is being unprepared.
The Villanova linebacker got his first extended snaps defensively during the 2025 season against Colgate and then Penn State the following Saturday. It was a long, “painful” week for Bursey, who quickly learned the stark difference between high school and collegiate football. Despite intercepting Penn State’s Drew Allar, now of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bursey knew he was not prepared to the level he wanted or needed to be.
Since then, the Villanova redshirt sophomore linebacker has spent countless hours in the film room, and it has earned him the responsibility of wearing the green dot on his helmet, which grants him the ability to communicate with the coaches on the sideline and in the press box on behalf of the defense. Through four games, Bursey ranks 13th in the FCS in total tackles with 42 and he was named the division’s Defensive Player of the Week after recording 14 tackles (eight solo) in Villanova’s Sept. 5 win over Bucknell.
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Bursey certainly has come a long way since being thrown into the fire against this weekend’s opponent, Colgate, two seasons ago.
“I don’t ever want to be unprepared,” Bursey said. “So that fear of walking out on Saturday and being unprepared, whether it’s film study, little walk-throughs here and there, even not knowing our scheme, that’s my biggest fear. So me going out there 100% confident starts not just with field work, but understanding what they do, but more importantly, what we do on defense.”
Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante noted after last year’s 52-6 loss to Penn State that Bursey was good enough to play defensive snaps as a freshman in 2024 if not for the team’s immense talent and depth at the position. Villanova linebacker coach Forrest Rhyne, a decorated former Wildcat linebacker himself, agreed with Ferrante’s assessment.
“He’s a guy that came in and was sitting behind really two All-American players, Brendan Bell and Shane Hartzell,” Rhyne said. ... “We feel like we have a great tradition of linebacker play here at Villanova, so to come in as a freshman and to feel like you’re in a position ready to play, it’s definitely special. He’s got a super strong build, really fast, everything that you want your linebacker to be, but the thing that separates him is his intelligence.”
Ferrante noted that Rhyne spent more time watching film than a lot of the staff when he was a player from 2017-21. Since returning to the program as a coach, Rhyne’s habits are transferring to the program’s current stable of linebackers, including Bursey.
“I think [Rhyne] definitely delivers the message to his guys about the importance of film study,” Ferrante told The Inquirer leading into the Louisville game. “Omari’s one of the guys that definitely listens. … But he definitely spends time in the football library as well. Some do it more than others, and when you see the ones that are doing it, it’s no surprise that they’re also some of the guys that are playing better on Saturday.”
Bursey is currently pursuing a degree through the Villanova School of Business, and a good business program was a priorrity when he was looking at colleges. Villanova entered late in the recruiting process and did not offer Bursey until after his senior year of high school football.
The Wildcats’ offer came almost seven months after Ivy League schools like the University of Pennsylvania and Yale offered Bursey scholarships. But eventually, the Colorado native was swayed to the Main Line after a visit from Ferrante and defensive coordinator Ross Pennypacker.
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The linebacker has played 19 games, made 92 tackles, and logged 3½ sacks since he stepped onto the field against Colgate as a redshirt freshman. But this weekend’s game represents more than just a redemption opportunity for Bursey. It is a team-wide effort to claim a first home win since November and climb above the .500 mark for the first time this season.
“Yeah, I think one thing we talked about is we’re winless on this field in nine months,” Bursey said. “So it’s just, how can we get back to our basics? Go back to work, put our heads down, and just find a way to win this weekend. And it’s a league game, so it’s always going to be tough. But we’ve got a brand to protect.”
One thing is for sure: Come Saturday, Bursey will be prepared.
