Villanova expects a heavy does of Towson's Darius Victor on Saturday
Villanova has faced some tough running attacks this season, with varying degrees of success. The Wildcats limited Fordham's dynamic Chase Edmunds to 74 yards on 16 carries in a 14-7 victory in the Bronx. They hemorrhaged 205 yards on the ground to Delaware's multi-back attack but held on to win, 28-21; and they had no answer for William and Mary's Kendell Anderson, the Colonial Athletic Association's rushing leader, who gained 149 of the Tribe's 199 yards in a 38-16 rout of 'Nova.
Villanova has faced some tough running attacks this season, with varying degrees of success.
The Wildcats limited Fordham's dynamic Chase Edmunds to 74 yards on 16 carries in a 14-7 victory in the Bronx. They hemorrhaged 205 yards on the ground to Delaware's multi-back attack but held on to win, 28-21; and they had no answer for William and Mary's Kendell Anderson, the Colonial Athletic Association's rushing leader, who gained 149 of the Tribe's 199 yards in a 38-16 rout of 'Nova.
But coach Andy Talley thinks his defense, which has been the stingiest in the CAA this season, faces its biggest challenge Saturday as the No. 23 Wildcats (3-3, 2-1 CAA) try to slow Towson's Darius Victor.
"He's actually one of the best tailbacks in the country; he's certainly the best in our league," Talley said of the tightly wound, 5-foot-8, 210-pound junior.
"I think the game Saturday comes down to whether we can slow Darius Victor down," Talley said. "We're not going to shut him down. When you play against a great back, no one says they are going to shut him down. You are going to be lucky if you can slow him down and not give him any big plays."
Through six games, Victor, who has been battling nagging injuries, is averaging 95.5 yards rushing (5.3 per carry) and has scored nine touchdowns. He's slightly off the pace he set last season, when the he gained 1,305 yards and earned first-team all-conference honors.
"He's still not 100 percent," Towson coach Rob Ambrose said. "He'd fight me if I said he couldn't play. Everyone knows when he's on the field he's getting the ball."
Villanova, Towson's homecoming guest, routed the visiting Tigers, 42-14, last season. Victor gained 165 yards on 26 carries then.
Saturday he'll face a Villanova defense that bends but doesn't often break. Villanova leads the CAA in total defense (299.5 yards per game) and is second in points allowed (18.3 per game).
Last weekend, the Cats registered their first shutout in nearly two years in a 37-0 blanking of Albany. Along with limiting the Great Danes to just 75 yards rushing, the Wildcats also forced five turnovers, including four interceptions. It was the first five-turnover performance for the Wildcats since they forced five vs. Towson on Oct. 12, 2013.
Talley does not, however, expect the Tigers (3-3, 1-2) to put the ball in the air that much on Saturday.
"They do it with their physical running attack, and Victor is at the center of it," he said.
@JmitchInquirer