Published: August 23, 2008 11:48 pm         

Villanova ‘excited to be back on field’

MORGANTOWN — Villanova, which isn’t NCAA Division I-A in football, is excited about prospects for 2008, including next Saturday’s season opener against West Virginia at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.

Andy Talley, in his 24th year as the head coach, has 17 starters returning among 33 lettermen from last year’s squad. It posted a 7-4 record, despite losing star quarterback Antwon Young for the final five games.

Before suffering a season-ending knee injury, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior had completed 99 of 153 passes (64.7 percent) for 1,194 yards and 14 touchdowns. He threw just four interceptions.

Young was cleared fully for preseason practice and reportedly is 100 percent healthy now. His backup is Chris Whitney, 6-2, 225-pound sophomore who stepped in when Young went down and led Villanova to three victories in the last five games.

Defensive end Tim Kukucka made the preseason all-conference first team.

An air of excitement has hovered over the practice field since the Wildcats began fall practice Aug. 5.

“We are excited to be back on the football field,” Talley said. “This team has a chance to be good. I think we have a nice mix of veterans and younger guys. The players did a terrific job during the offseason.

“Now it is time to see how much we improved from last year.”

This will be the first football meeting between the two schools since 1977, a 41-36 loss in Morgantown. WVU is 5-1 all time against Villanova.

While a perennial power in the basketball competition of the Big East, the Wildcats are a member of the Colonial Athletic Association for football.

That league is part of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA).

The Wildcats are ranked 19th nationally in a preseason poll of I-AA coaches, but picked to finish fourth in the CAA South Division.

While the Division I-A Mountaineers are expected to be heavily favored, their new head coach, Bill Stewart, has said Villanova most certainly is not being taken lightly. He recalled the Wildcats actually led Maryland 14-10 in a game last year at College Park, Md.

Stewart also recalled Villanova defeated a Big East football school in 2002.

Saturday’s kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. The game is a sellout and will not be televised.