Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

Slowing down Edwards will be a big key

If Alabama A&M is going to have a chance to beat Grambling Saturday night, defensive coordinator Brawnski Towns says the Bulldogs have to slow down Tigers wide receiver Clyde Edwards.

Edwards, rated as the seventh-best receiver in the Football Championship Subdivision by The Sports Network, has had an outstanding career and is closing in on a number of records.

He needs 680 yards to surpass Scott Anderson (3,182) as the school's all-time leader in receiving yards. He needs seven touchdowns to surpass Anderson (35) as the Tigers' all-time leader in that category and needs 46 receptions to pass Tramon Douglas (193) in that category.

"It seems like Edwards has there seven years," Towns said, laughing. "We probably need to check his eligibility. (Former coach) Doug (Williams) probably held him out a year or two before they put him in the rotation.

"He's a heck of a receiver. He has made big catches for them over the years against us. The key for us to to get some pressure on (Brandon) Landers to mess up their timing and keep everything in front of us."

Edwards has 15 catches for 239 yards against the Bulldogs. His best performance was a nine-catch, 122-yard effort in the 2005 SWAC championship game when the Tigers won 45-6. He had five catches for 100 yards in A&M's 30-27 overtime victory last season.

Ironically, A&M is the only team in the SWAC that Edwards hasn't caught a touchdown pass against.

Second-half adjustments critical to A&M's success: One of the best things A&M has done during coach Anthony Jones' tenure is make adjustments at halftime and this season is no different. In fact, the Bulldogs have been even more impressive after intermission during their first three games.

While A&M is averaging 45 points per game, the Bulldogs have done significant damage in the second half. A&M has outscored its opponents 100-26 in the second half opposed to 45-21 in the first half. In wins over Tennessee State and Mississippi Valley State, the Bulldogs have erupted for 35 points in the second half in each game.

"Once we're able to make the adjustments and go over them with our kids ... our kids strive on adjustments," Jones said. "You can see them listening. They have a lot of confidence in the coaching staff and we have a lot of confidence in them."

Furthermore: When tailback Ulysses Banks rushed for 103 yards Saturday night against Mississippi Valley State, he became the first A&M running back to compile back-to-back 100-yard games since Nic Luke accomplished the feat in 2005. Banks became the first A&M back in the Division I era to top the 200-yard mark with 211 yards on 19 carries against Clark Atlanta. Luke had 117 yards against MVSU and 116 yards against Allen University. ... With two 100-yard receiving games this season, Thomas Harris became the first A&M wide receiver since Kenyon Hambrick in 2000 to have multiple 100-yard receiving games in a season. Hambrick finished the 2000 season with four games with 100-plus yards. ... Grambling QB Brandon Landers is 0-2 against A&M. A&M is one of three teams - Alabama State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff are the other two - that Landers hasn't beaten during his career.

Reggie Benson