By Ryan McCord
Under most circmstances, most kickers, with the exception of Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri, don’t deserve a day in the shade. Pride kicker Rob Zarrilli, however, didn’t exactly share your typical day at the office against William & Mary on Saturday.
A 47 yard go-ahead field goal is difficult enough to make in the NFL, much less college football. In the NFL, the kicker is expected to make every one of his attempts inside 50 yards, while in college the kicking game is often times figured by the head coach as a scholarship that could have been used elsewhere.
Zarrilli, with the help of a solid effort on defense, proved to be the difference in head coach Dave Cohen’s first Atlantic-10 win.
“We’ve got a great kicking game. Rob is tough mentally and a competitor,” Cohen said.Not only did every one of his attempts prove to be potentially game changing plays, but he also managed to force touchbacks on three of his five kickoffs.
Homecoming PreviewThe winner of this Saturday’s matchup between Hofstra and Villanova will enjoy its first winning streak of the season.
This should be an emotional contest for the Pride, especially for an offense that will be anxious to spin its wheels after being stuck in the mud in Williamsburg on Saturday. Expect Anton Clarkson to take shots downfield and get Shaine Smith back into the end zone after being restrained from crossing the finish line against William & Mary.
Defensively, Hofstra will need to put together a carbon copy team effort of the William & Mary game, because it will have its hands full with Wildcat quarterback Marvin Burroughs. Burroughs, who Cohen labels as “dynamic,” passed for 274 yards with three scores to go along with a career-high 93 yards rushing in a win over Penn on Sept. 23, the last time that Villanova saw game action.
The Wildcats are 1-3 on the season, losing their first three games to Central Florida, Lehigh and conference rival Massachusetts.
