Saturday, August 25, 2007

FAMU targets Southern

Photo: FAMU Head Football Coach Rubin Carter

By St. Clair Murraine, DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

So much for working on the basics.

FAMU's football team is beginning to get to the specifics of its opponents for the upcoming season, which begins with a rivalry game against Southern University in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge next Saturday.

Friday's drills had the feel of an actual game plan as the Rattlers got into their second day of focusing on some of the teams they'll play this season.

"We're just starting to work on some of our opponents' defenses and offenses, just trying to get a feel for what they do and actually what we'll have to do to have success," coach Rubin Carter said.

The Rattlers are expected to begin to zone in more on Southern's tendencies next week. The past two days have been a prep for what's to come, which will include reviewing film of the Jaguars, a team FAMU hasn't played in five seasons.

"I think we can handle any defense," said receiver Willie Hayward. "Once our coaches give us the right scheme it's up to us to execute it."

That's what Carter has been evaluating the past two days as he pays special attention to the players who are getting the job done.

"We convey that to our players all the time," he said. "That's what's important. It's going to be critical if you're going to be able to win a game; pay attention to all the things and with a (high) level of intensity."

FAMU's defense found that intensity early in the fall practice. Interceptions have become common in the secondary and the defensive front has been effective slowing down the run.

"This has been the most dominating defense in my years here," said redshirt senior linebacker Vernon Wilder. "We controlled practice most of this fall and we hope we can bring this into the season."

On Friday, the first-team offensive line had one of its best days in two-a-days, even with redshirt sophomore Anthony Collins sitting out with a strained quadriceps.

Injury update


Running back Anthony Edwards has been diagnosed with arthritis in his left foot. He said he received the news after undergoing an MRI earlier this week.

Edwards sat out practice Friday, along with kicker Wesley Taylor (strained left foot). X-rays came back negative and Taylor walked around without a brace on his foot Friday.

Walk-ons getting their day


Walk-ons don't report to the Rattlers training camp until next week, but on Friday running back Mike Taylor was a noticeable spectator. He said he might have been in camp earlier if he was exposed more while playing at Pine Ridge High School.

Taylor said coaching changes during each of the four seasons he played was a contributing factor to being overlooked by recruiters. FAMU gave him a look, but it was too late in the recruiting period, he said.

Taylor seemed fit, as he patiently waited to show coach Rubin Carter how valuable he might be to the Rattlers. But Taylor, like the other walk-on candidates, will spend the first two weeks going through evaluations, Carter said.

"They probably don't understand the kind of shape they need to come in," he said. "They also don't understand that the intensity level is a lot different from high school."

Today: intrasquad scrimmage, 2 p.m., Bragg Stadium.

Admission: free.

Season opener: MEAC-SWAC Challenge, FAMU vs. Southern, 3 p.m. Sept. 1, WHBX (96.1 FM).

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