By St. Clair Murraine, DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Quarterback Albert Chester doesn't want his scolding of the FAMU's offensive linemen earlier this week to be misunderstood. He compares it to a big brother and his younger siblings living under the same roof.
He got into some of the players' faces in a matter-of-fact kind of way. Later, he apologized.
“That's what happens in families,” Chester said Friday. “There is never been a time that a big brother didn't get mad with his little brother, but you don't get mad and quit on somebody when you're on a football team.”
Chester said he blew up because he expected more protection from the line. Expectations have been high for the line since the season started, but with absenteeism caused by injuries and graduation, the Rattlers have been mixing and matching on the line.
The players with more than one full season of experience are sophomore Anthony Collins and senior Justin Delancy. Junior Steve Brazzle is out with an injury and senior Richard Koonce is no longer with the team.
In addition to Collins and Delancy, converted defensive end Quami Akkebela brings some experience to the line. Akkebela played center at Orlando Jones High School before he was moved to defense last year.
With the rest of the line being freshmen, the linemen have spent most of the fall practice searching for synchronicity. More importantly, said Collins, the younger players have been making an effort to understand their roles of protecting Chester and avoiding penalties.
“When fatigue start to set in, we start making minor mistakes,” Akkebela said. “Those minor mistakes cause big repercussions. We have to fix those details.”
Last year's O-line left a benchmark by which this year's will be rated. FAMU's offensive line allowed the second fewest sacks in the MEAC with 17 last season.
“We're trying to create some continuity on the offensive line after losing (Dan) Parrish and (Lenard) Black,” Coach Rubin Carter said. “Both those players did an outstanding job of blocking and protecting the quarterback, but we have some new faces in there.”
Delancy, who spent part of the preseason out with an injury, returned to practice earlier this week. While Delancy was out, Collins said he saw enough from the youths on the line to be optimistic that could soon become effective.
“They've got a really good football IQ,” he said. “They're not making a lot of mental mistakes; they're making physical mistakes.”
With his apology to the linemen, Chester might have given them enough reason to ramp up their development. He said he reassured them that he has confidence in their abilities.
“That's like trusting your car to get you where you want to,” he said. “I might have let off a little steam the other day, but I still have to trust them. They are young, but they know what they need to do at a pace and speed we need them to.”
He got into some of the players' faces in a matter-of-fact kind of way. Later, he apologized.
“That's what happens in families,” Chester said Friday. “There is never been a time that a big brother didn't get mad with his little brother, but you don't get mad and quit on somebody when you're on a football team.”
Chester said he blew up because he expected more protection from the line. Expectations have been high for the line since the season started, but with absenteeism caused by injuries and graduation, the Rattlers have been mixing and matching on the line.
The players with more than one full season of experience are sophomore Anthony Collins and senior Justin Delancy. Junior Steve Brazzle is out with an injury and senior Richard Koonce is no longer with the team.
In addition to Collins and Delancy, converted defensive end Quami Akkebela brings some experience to the line. Akkebela played center at Orlando Jones High School before he was moved to defense last year.
With the rest of the line being freshmen, the linemen have spent most of the fall practice searching for synchronicity. More importantly, said Collins, the younger players have been making an effort to understand their roles of protecting Chester and avoiding penalties.
“When fatigue start to set in, we start making minor mistakes,” Akkebela said. “Those minor mistakes cause big repercussions. We have to fix those details.”
Last year's O-line left a benchmark by which this year's will be rated. FAMU's offensive line allowed the second fewest sacks in the MEAC with 17 last season.
“We're trying to create some continuity on the offensive line after losing (Dan) Parrish and (Lenard) Black,” Coach Rubin Carter said. “Both those players did an outstanding job of blocking and protecting the quarterback, but we have some new faces in there.”
Delancy, who spent part of the preseason out with an injury, returned to practice earlier this week. While Delancy was out, Collins said he saw enough from the youths on the line to be optimistic that could soon become effective.
“They've got a really good football IQ,” he said. “They're not making a lot of mental mistakes; they're making physical mistakes.”
With his apology to the linemen, Chester might have given them enough reason to ramp up their development. He said he reassured them that he has confidence in their abilities.
“That's like trusting your car to get you where you want to,” he said. “I might have let off a little steam the other day, but I still have to trust them. They are young, but they know what they need to do at a pace and speed we need them to.”
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