By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
Southern got a nice boost Tuesday when All-Southwestern Athletic Conference wide receiver Gerard Landry returned to practice. Landry had stitches removed in his mouth Tuesday and was cleared to get back on the field.
Landry had oral surgery the previous Tuesday and had missed about two weeks.
“I don’t want to rush him into anything, just let him work,” wide receivers coach Eric Dooley said. “He’s a hard worker as it is. He put in a lot of good time in the summer, so I’m pretty sure all he needs to do is get back in the flow.”
Southern, 5-6 last season, plays Florida A&M, 7-4 last season, for the first time since 2001 as the teams meet in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge at 2 p.m. Saturday in Birmingham, Ala. The game will be televised on ESPN Classic.
Landry, a senior and co-team captain, knows the offense well. Last season, he had career highs of 727 yards, 55 catches and five touchdowns.
The concern was how much timing Landry would lose. He went out pretty much simultaneously with sophomore Bryant Lee emerging as the No. 1 quarterback and taking almost all of the first-team snaps.
“I did worry about that at first,” Dooley said. “But when I saw him (Saturday) running routes with no equipment on, he appeared to be, actually, a lot faster.”
Landry was also out, initially, at the same time as senior A.J. Turner and senior RaShon Jacobs.
“It was a minus, but it was a plus, because (Del) Roberts came on, (Juamorris) Stewart came on and (Mark) Henderson came on,” SU head coach Pete Richardson said. “This gave them an opportunity to get more reps and build confidence. Now, we put them back in there with (Landry).”
Honors
Florida A&M had nine players on the preseason All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams.
Five were on the first team: quarterback Albert Chester II, wide receiver Willie Hayward, left tackle Justin Delancy, linebacker Vernon Wilder and Wesley Taylor, as both the place-kicker and punter.
Four were on the second team: running back Anthony Edwards, defensive end Tyrone McGriff Jr., cornerback Michael Creary and free safety Jason Beach.
FAMU coach Rubin Carter said of his team’s leaders, “All are great leaders for us. You have to have that. You can’t police the team by yourself, as coaches. McGriff, he’s a big play-maker for us. Wilder, he’s our inspirational leader on defense. Taylor is the X-factor, with his ability to kick. He’s not shaking under pressure.”
On the preseason All-SWAC teams from Southern are first-teamer Jarmaul Landry, with the senior free safety also the SWAC’s preseason defensive player of the year and Gerard Landry and junior defensive end Vince Lands on the second team.
Quick look at Southern
Said Carter of the Jaguars, “I’m well-acquainted with that team and what they’re capable of doing. (Richardson) has an ability to get his team prepared to play.”
Lid-lifters
Southern is 7-7 in season openers under Richardson. That’s 2-5 starting in 2000. SU won last season’s opener 30-29 against Bethune-Cookman College in Jacksonville, Fla. FAMU has not won an opener since 2001.
The work
A thunderstorm popped up just after 3 p.m. as the Jaguars were just set to begin practice. SU waited, with some players in the F.G. Clark Activity Center, until going back about 4:15 p.m., working on the easternmost field. SU worked in drizzly conditions until the rain subsided and the team transitioned into A.W. Mumford Stadium.
Monday night, SU practiced in Mumford Stadium.
Still waiting
Landry had oral surgery the previous Tuesday and had missed about two weeks.
“I don’t want to rush him into anything, just let him work,” wide receivers coach Eric Dooley said. “He’s a hard worker as it is. He put in a lot of good time in the summer, so I’m pretty sure all he needs to do is get back in the flow.”
Southern, 5-6 last season, plays Florida A&M, 7-4 last season, for the first time since 2001 as the teams meet in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge at 2 p.m. Saturday in Birmingham, Ala. The game will be televised on ESPN Classic.
Landry, a senior and co-team captain, knows the offense well. Last season, he had career highs of 727 yards, 55 catches and five touchdowns.
The concern was how much timing Landry would lose. He went out pretty much simultaneously with sophomore Bryant Lee emerging as the No. 1 quarterback and taking almost all of the first-team snaps.
“I did worry about that at first,” Dooley said. “But when I saw him (Saturday) running routes with no equipment on, he appeared to be, actually, a lot faster.”
Landry was also out, initially, at the same time as senior A.J. Turner and senior RaShon Jacobs.
“It was a minus, but it was a plus, because (Del) Roberts came on, (Juamorris) Stewart came on and (Mark) Henderson came on,” SU head coach Pete Richardson said. “This gave them an opportunity to get more reps and build confidence. Now, we put them back in there with (Landry).”
Honors
Florida A&M had nine players on the preseason All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams.
Five were on the first team: quarterback Albert Chester II, wide receiver Willie Hayward, left tackle Justin Delancy, linebacker Vernon Wilder and Wesley Taylor, as both the place-kicker and punter.
Four were on the second team: running back Anthony Edwards, defensive end Tyrone McGriff Jr., cornerback Michael Creary and free safety Jason Beach.
FAMU coach Rubin Carter said of his team’s leaders, “All are great leaders for us. You have to have that. You can’t police the team by yourself, as coaches. McGriff, he’s a big play-maker for us. Wilder, he’s our inspirational leader on defense. Taylor is the X-factor, with his ability to kick. He’s not shaking under pressure.”
On the preseason All-SWAC teams from Southern are first-teamer Jarmaul Landry, with the senior free safety also the SWAC’s preseason defensive player of the year and Gerard Landry and junior defensive end Vince Lands on the second team.
Quick look at Southern
Said Carter of the Jaguars, “I’m well-acquainted with that team and what they’re capable of doing. (Richardson) has an ability to get his team prepared to play.”
Lid-lifters
Southern is 7-7 in season openers under Richardson. That’s 2-5 starting in 2000. SU won last season’s opener 30-29 against Bethune-Cookman College in Jacksonville, Fla. FAMU has not won an opener since 2001.
The work
A thunderstorm popped up just after 3 p.m. as the Jaguars were just set to begin practice. SU waited, with some players in the F.G. Clark Activity Center, until going back about 4:15 p.m., working on the easternmost field. SU worked in drizzly conditions until the rain subsided and the team transitioned into A.W. Mumford Stadium.
Monday night, SU practiced in Mumford Stadium.
Still waiting
Richardson said Southern is still awaiting clearance for junior running back Kendrick Smith and sophomore center Ramon Chinyoung to make sure they’ll be eligible to play or even make the trip for Saturday’s game.
Offensive line
SU junior Frank Harry, who moved to the offensive line at guard last week, will wear No. 66. He was originally No. 96 and a defensive tackle.
Harry, is listed as the backup at left guard on offense and left tackle on defense, has worked exclusively with the offensive line since making the transition there last week.
Including Harry, the offensive line has three new starters (of five) and five first-year players among its two-deep chart.
Notes
Richardson’s weekly news luncheon is at noon today at The Table is Bread restaurant. Southern and FAMU have combined to win 20 black college national titles, with SU at nine and FAMU at 11.
Offensive line
SU junior Frank Harry, who moved to the offensive line at guard last week, will wear No. 66. He was originally No. 96 and a defensive tackle.
Harry, is listed as the backup at left guard on offense and left tackle on defense, has worked exclusively with the offensive line since making the transition there last week.
Including Harry, the offensive line has three new starters (of five) and five first-year players among its two-deep chart.
Notes
Richardson’s weekly news luncheon is at noon today at The Table is Bread restaurant. Southern and FAMU have combined to win 20 black college national titles, with SU at nine and FAMU at 11.
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