Villanova Football Stays Consistent Amid College Athletics’ Turmoil

As Villanova Football won 11 straight games and made their first appearance in the FCS semifinals since 2010, the theme of unselfish play came up among their coaches and players in almost every interview.

Quarterbacks Pat McQuaide, a graduate transfer, and Tanner Maddocks, the Wildcats’ longtime backup, vied for the starting role in offseason practices. Even though he might’ve expected to take the reins upon the graduation of former signal caller Connor Watkins, Maddocks went out of his way to help McQuaide adapt to a new offensive system and helped his new teammate earn the top spot.

Running backs David Avit, Isaiah Ragland and Ja’briel Mace all split carries despite a high level of success from each one of them. Head coach Mark Ferrante repeatedly emphasized how hard the trio rooted for each other, even when it meant less playing time for them.

Continuity is hard to maintain in college sports, where players spend just four or five years of their lives. The advent of the transfer portal and NIL added a seismic change to that already-transient landscape, but Ragland said following the Wildcats’ season-ending loss to Illinois State that he thinks the Villanova culture manages to survive in spite of that. Ragland said watching his teammates play in a selfless manner during his freshman season drove home the lessons that the Wildcats’ backfield exhibit today.

Consistent Culture

“Honestly I think it goes back to my freshman year in 2023. My freshman year had a three headed monster too and it was all fifth and sixth years, J Jack [Jalen Jackson], DeeWil [Barlee], TD [Ayo-Durojaiye] and they had selflessness when they were playing.” Ragland said.

“But I think as a younger guy, seeing that, knowing that it’s three players that can all play at their school, be the best player at that school, and they’re here at Villanova sharing carries and being selfless, it goes to show the culture here.”

Ferrante’s coaching philosophy begins with the Wildcats controlling what they can control. Rather than focusing on an opponent’s tendencies and how to adjust to them, he has his players follow their own script: stopping the run, limiting penalties and turnovers, and letting success grow from that foundation.

Ragland alluded to those themes in describing how Villanova manages to stay consistent in an ever-changing sport.

“Just keeping the same mentality. We’re super big on ‘nothing changes, everything is the same, and if we keep that mindset we’ll be just fine,” Ragland said. “It doesn’t matter about your personal attributes, just knowing and [being] willing to do what you have to do to help your team win is all that matters.”

That selfless mentality is a breath of fresh air in the cutthroat arena of college sports today.