OT-ish: Dan Villari with a career performance vs. Pitt
I do a weekly rundown of what former Michigan commits/players have done each week in the world of college football. There are a lot of duds - Davonte Miles didn't play for BGSU this week - but there are some occasional huge, breakout games. This was one of those weeks for former Michigan QB Dan Villari, who has been playing tight end at Syracuse. With the top couple Syracuse quarterbacks unavailable, the Orange turned to Villari, who completed 3/5 passes for 12 yards . . . but also ran 17 times for 154 yards and 1 touchdown in a 28-13 win over Pitt.
Anyway, the rest of the weekly rundown is HERE if you want to check it out, but Villari was the big story.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:34 AM ^
Knew we should have unleashed the vilaricat offense.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
Every time he ever took a snap here it was always a QB run.
Like the Pepcat - never used to its full potential... and rarely worked.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
He was going to destroy OSU in 2020. Covid deprived us of his breakout game.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:26 PM ^
Clearly! His game against Pitt proves that point!
November 15th, 2023 at 4:09 PM ^
This. It would’ve been Sheridan vs. Minnesota, only infinity times better.
Infinity.
Times.
Better.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:50 PM ^
If JJ does leave, a year of the OrjiCat would be fun. Think of all the possible combinations with Mullings, Hall, and Cabana back there.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
The VillariCat is real!
November 15th, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
I wouldn't swear to it but I thought I saw that Villari was named offensive player of the week in the ACC.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
https://theacc.com/news/2023/11/13/week-11-acc-football-players-of-the-week.aspx
Somehow the QB-turned-TE won Co-RB of the week in the ACC.
CO-RUNNING BACK – Dan Villari, Syracuse, TE, Massapequa, N.Y.
Villari set a new Syracuse record for most rushing yards by a tight end, the highest total on record by an FBS tight end in at least a decade. He ran for 154 yards on 17 carries, averaged 9.1 yards per carry, and scored a touchdown. He entered the game with two career carries for three yards collegiately. Villari's total was part of a Syracuse offensive effort that ran the ball for 392 yards and two scores in the victory over Pitt at Yankee Stadium.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
"Villari's total was part of a Syracuse offensive effort that ran the ball for 392 yards and two scores in the victory over Pitt"
Oooof... Syracuse has had a disappointing year at 5-5, but Pitt has absolutely tanked under Narduzzi at 2-8. Unless he's got some crazy buyout package it's hard to imagine he won't be broomed at season's end. Will Sparty swallow its pride over not getting Meyer and settle for Ol' Unnecessary Roughness?
November 15th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
When you actively chase away your offensive coordinator who helped win you a conference title and produced an NFL first rounder at QB because you're stuck in DC as HC mode of "protect the ball at all costs," you kind of get what you deserve.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
This is how Rich Rod dominated the Big East at WVU. The worst defense in the big ten probably wouldnt let this happen.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:48 AM ^
I had no idea he was still in college. He was here for a long time anyway, but I just assumed he had moved to his next career by now.
Good for him!
November 15th, 2023 at 1:24 PM ^
It seems like a while ago, but he was only at Michigan from 2020-2021. He then transferred to Syracuse and sat on the bench in 2022 before getting a real chance now in 2023.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
2020: Would've won.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
I see AJ Henning had himself a game as well.
Northwestern quietly outperforming, this year, despite some self-inflicted adversity. And he's had a pretty big part in that.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
Considering everything he's had to deal with, Harbaugh should be COY in the BIG, but we all know that's not going to happen, regardless of what happens in two weeks.
After JH, I'd vote for Braun at Northwestern—everybody in the world thought that NW was going to absolutely crater, and he's held them together.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:05 PM ^
What about Brian Ferentz as assistant of the year? To win that many games, with that offense is a freaking miracle.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:13 PM ^
But he's responsible for that offense . .
November 15th, 2023 at 1:20 PM ^
Eh...honestly, I would probably give it to Braun, regardless. First, Harbaugh has missed 4 out of 10 games so far and could miss 5 or 6 out of 12. Second, Harbaugh had a ton of talent returning, so it doesn't necessarily take great coaching to go 11-1 or 12-0 when you have Corum, McCarthy, Zinter, Keegan, Jenkins, etc.
A lot of people left Northwestern for dead. They didn't have a QB, they had a giant scandal, they replaced their coach over the summer, and they were already one of the least talented squads in the Big Ten, if not the least talented.
Is Harbaugh a better coach? Yes, absolutely. But if we're just going by best coach in the conference, Harbaugh should pretty much win it every year since Urban Meyer left OSU.
This is probably a 10- or 11-win team without Harbaugh.
People were saying before the season that Northwestern might only win 1 or 2 games.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^
When 6 of your Big Ten games are against the Big 10 West, I don't think you should be eligible for coach of the year. Sure, NW has won 3, but aren't the B1G west standings pretty solid evidence that every intra-division game is just a coin flip this year?
November 15th, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
Sometimes after a football Saturday I like to check the Instagram pages of some of the players to see if they post any celebrations or anything interesting or insightful to what it's like being with the team. And I've noticed that ex-teammates like Villari, Alan Bowman, Andrel Anthony, AJ Henning etc frequently comment on their posts to celebrate with them, and our guys often post stories celebrating them back. A couple weeks ago it felt like the whole Michigan team was more excited about Bowman taking down Oklahoma than they were about their own victory over Purdue, they were all congratulating him for it. It's always awesome to see and proves Harbaugh's point about how much all the players care about each other.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:26 PM ^
I'm not on any social media anymore so thanks for sharing. This is awesome and now another one of the many reasons why I love this team!
November 15th, 2023 at 12:09 PM ^
Good for him, and couldn’t help but to chuckle at the giant holes in the Pitt defense and their piss-poor tackling under the tutelage of Mr. Unnecessary Roughness himself.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:13 PM ^
That's Villari! (Sung to "That's Amore!")
Got to celebrate former players.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:17 PM ^
When the TE just pees
All over Narduzzis D,
That’s Villari!
The Wolverine transfer
Bends Narduzzi over,
That’s Villari!
November 15th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
When he hits the right hole
Like he plays Whac-a-Mole
That's Villari
When your defense, again,
can't contain third-and-ten
That's Narduzzi
November 15th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
I enjoy those weekly rundowns, thanks. A few weeks back Villari had an awesome TD reception while playing TE.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
He had a great TD catch-and-run against Clemson early in the year.
A few weeks ago, he caught a ho-hum TD against Virginia Tech.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Those poor Fighting Narduzzis.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
Dang, I did kind of forget the cannon Milton has for an arm. That clip you posted shows him casually throwing a 60+ yard bomb into the endzone...
November 15th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^
He threw a ridiculous bomb against Kentucky a couple weeks ago, from the left hash like 70 yards in the air. His arm strength is tremendous. His decision making and accuracy...meh.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:49 PM ^
So he might go second overall?
November 15th, 2023 at 12:56 PM ^
Narduzzi to State...
November 15th, 2023 at 1:08 PM ^
Nicely done with the updates. Suprised on some, not so much on others...but dang...what the heck happened to Giles Jackson. And LOL Dan Enos
November 15th, 2023 at 1:23 PM ^
Giles Jackson had a thumb injury (and resulting surgery) that kept him out for the first half of the season. I've seen some thoughts that they might want to play him in 4 or fewer games to allow him to redshirt for 2023 and come back for a final season in 2024.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^
Villar-iiiii, call on me
November 15th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
Fuck Narduzzi. That is all
November 15th, 2023 at 2:40 PM ^
VillariCat was unstoppable
November 15th, 2023 at 4:45 PM ^
I just picked up Villari in my fantasy league. I'm hurting so bad at TE and if he replicates what he did last week or anything close, I'm going to be in great shape.
November 15th, 2023 at 5:46 PM ^
Wow! Yay for Villari!
I like it when Wolverines who are on other teams do well.
I'm always cheering for them. Some of them have prominent roles. Milton, Bowman, Cade, Charbonnet, Filiaga, Giles Jackson, Carpenter, Christian Turner, etc. -- I'm happy to see them do well.
(I enjoyed Villari and Bowman's podcast.)
November 16th, 2023 at 8:45 AM ^
Oh man, I really hope Sparty has to settle for Narduzzi when their coaching search is all said and done!