By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
Alabama State is 4-0 because the Hornets have made fourth-quarter comebacks in all four of their games.
The ability to come back is no accident. Alabama State prepares to be the better team in the fourth quarter.
To get ready, the Hornets run “gassers” (sprints) before, during and practices, not just after practices.
“We pride ourselves on being a well-conditioned team,” first-year Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. “We’re just trying to be creative so these guys can actually see what it feels like to have to compete in a game, feel like you’ve spent everything and all of a sudden you need a big drive or a big stop and being able to reach down and grab some more energy. We practice like that.”
Alabama State has outscored opponents 46-23 in the fourth quarter. And the Hornets (4-0, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference), who play Southern (4-0, 2-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Mobile, Ala., have totaled just 39 points in the other three quarters combined.
“Every team has its character, so I guess this is ours,” Barlow said. “We must like it close, but we are finding a way to win so its alright with me.”
In the season opener, Jay Peck’s 15-yard run with 3:27 to play capped a 10-play, 81-yard drive to give ASU a 24-19 win over Jacksonville State. The Hornets, down 16-6 with five minutes left in the third quatrer, dove 81 and 94 yards in the fourth quarter to twice overcome deficits.
After trailing 10-7 to Texas Southern with 13:26 left, Peck’s 3-yard run with 2:40 to play put ASU up 14-10 and the Hornets scored on two short drives (24 yards after a 17-yard punt, and 22 yards, taking over on downs) in the final three minutes to win 21-10.
Down 10-6 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff with 9:10 in the fourth quarter, Chris Mitchell completed a 10-yard pass to Fred Ragsdale with 41 seconds to play for a 12-10 victory.
And down 18-14 to Alcorn State entering the fourth quarter, a 41-yard Joel Riggins punt return to the Alcorn 37-yard line set up Mitchell’s 23-yard touchdown run two plays later (9:30 left) and a fumble recovery at the Alcorn 11 on the ensuing kickoff set up Mitchell’s 1-yard TD (8:02 left) in a 28-25 victory.
“I really can’t say how proud I am of these guys. No matter what they never quit fighting,” Barlow said after Saturday’s 28-25 win over Alcorn State. “I am so proud of our team, how hard we play as a team.”
Southern coach Pete Richardson said watching game film showed him how hard and how long Alabama State was playing for its new coach.
“What I’ve seen is the players are playing with a lot of effort for 60 minutes,” Richardson said.
Alabama State is 4-0 because the Hornets have made fourth-quarter comebacks in all four of their games.
The ability to come back is no accident. Alabama State prepares to be the better team in the fourth quarter.
To get ready, the Hornets run “gassers” (sprints) before, during and practices, not just after practices.
“We pride ourselves on being a well-conditioned team,” first-year Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. “We’re just trying to be creative so these guys can actually see what it feels like to have to compete in a game, feel like you’ve spent everything and all of a sudden you need a big drive or a big stop and being able to reach down and grab some more energy. We practice like that.”
Alabama State has outscored opponents 46-23 in the fourth quarter. And the Hornets (4-0, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference), who play Southern (4-0, 2-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Mobile, Ala., have totaled just 39 points in the other three quarters combined.
“Every team has its character, so I guess this is ours,” Barlow said. “We must like it close, but we are finding a way to win so its alright with me.”
In the season opener, Jay Peck’s 15-yard run with 3:27 to play capped a 10-play, 81-yard drive to give ASU a 24-19 win over Jacksonville State. The Hornets, down 16-6 with five minutes left in the third quatrer, dove 81 and 94 yards in the fourth quarter to twice overcome deficits.
After trailing 10-7 to Texas Southern with 13:26 left, Peck’s 3-yard run with 2:40 to play put ASU up 14-10 and the Hornets scored on two short drives (24 yards after a 17-yard punt, and 22 yards, taking over on downs) in the final three minutes to win 21-10.
Down 10-6 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff with 9:10 in the fourth quarter, Chris Mitchell completed a 10-yard pass to Fred Ragsdale with 41 seconds to play for a 12-10 victory.
And down 18-14 to Alcorn State entering the fourth quarter, a 41-yard Joel Riggins punt return to the Alcorn 37-yard line set up Mitchell’s 23-yard touchdown run two plays later (9:30 left) and a fumble recovery at the Alcorn 11 on the ensuing kickoff set up Mitchell’s 1-yard TD (8:02 left) in a 28-25 victory.
“I really can’t say how proud I am of these guys. No matter what they never quit fighting,” Barlow said after Saturday’s 28-25 win over Alcorn State. “I am so proud of our team, how hard we play as a team.”
Southern coach Pete Richardson said watching game film showed him how hard and how long Alabama State was playing for its new coach.
“What I’ve seen is the players are playing with a lot of effort for 60 minutes,” Richardson said.
Landry says he’ll be fineSouthern senior wide receiver Gerard Landry on Wednesday did not wear a sling on his left arm and said he’d be fine to play Saturday.
“I’m feeling pretty good. The range of motion is getting back there,” said Landry, who has scored a touchdown in all four games this season and six of Southern’s last seven games overall. “Saturday, I’ll be ready to go.”
Landry, who said he’s getting rehab twice a day, said he injured the shoulder diving for the football in the end zone after fellow wide receiver Del Roberts score to put Southern ahead for good with 10:16 remaining in Saturday’s 41-34 win over Tennessee State. Landry said he was unsure if Roberts had scored or the ball was live.
Landry has 14 catches for 199 yards this season.
Coates for MVP
Richardson on Wednesday lauded senior running back Darren Coates, who leads the team in rushing with 341 yards and four touchdowns (along with 62 yards and another TD through the air.)
Said Richardson, “If there’s an MVP on our football team at this time, it has to be him.”
Coates has played with turf toe since the second game of the season.
“Game by game, I’m just building up confidence in myself, knowing I can do it,” Coates, who ran for 119 yards and one touchdown last season.
In comparison, through four games last season, SU’s top rusher was Coates, but he had only 61 yards. Meanwhile, Kendall Addison, who went on to lead SU with 650 yards and seven TDs, had 60 yards and one TD.
“I get stronger (as the game goes on),” Coates said. “That comes from the conditioning we had this summer, fighting the heat. All that’s doing is helping us, helping us fight for 60 minutes.”
Malveaux injury significant
Richardson said junior linebacker Johnathan Malveaux, already scratched for this week with a high right ankle sprain, may be out several weeks.
Malveaux, with 33 tackles, is Southern’s top tackler. Junior Donald Steele (four tackles) will start in Malveaux’s place, with sophomore D.J. Bolton (five tackles) as Steele’s primary backup.
“(Malveaux) won’t play. He’s in a cast,” Richardson said. “I don’t think he’s going to be back within a couple of weeks.”
Coach’s honors
Richardson named quarterback Bryant Lee (23-for-33 for career highs of 305 yards and four TDs), drop linebacker Gary Chapman (11 tackles, one forced fumble, one sack) and cornerback Joe Manning (four tackles, his first interception at SU) as his offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week for the win over TSU.
Earlier in the week, Lee was named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week and Chapman the SWAC Newcomer of the Week.
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