Photo: Grambling Coach Rod Broadway
By Nick Deriso, The NewsStar
GRAMBLING — That fumblerooskie trick play provided the sizzle in Grambling's big win over Alabama A&M. But its rapidly improving defense served the steak, manhandling the previously unbeaten Bulldogs.
A&M arrived at Robinson Stadium ranked in the Top 25 and putting up scary numbers — including more than 500 yards of total offense and an average of 45 points over its first three games.
Not this time, as GSU topped the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference champion 31-6.
Grambling, in fact, held A&M to 147 yards of total offense, seven first downs and just two first-half field goals.
First-year Grambling defensive coordinator Cliff Yoshida said the focus of the defense was corralling Kelcy Luke.
"We wanted to contain the quarterback so he couldn't get on the edge," said Yoshida, who has already taken a cellar-dwelling unit to No. 3 in total defense. "We kept him boxed up, and stayed with him. This was a great win for us."
Luke, who had been averaging 314 yards of total offense per game, was held to 109 — including minus-8 rushing. A&M rusher Ulysses Banks, a brilliant converted returner, was held to just 37 yards after putting up more than 100 yards on each of his previous opponents.
"That's the first thing we want to do, stop the run," said Grambling coach Rod Broadway. "Then, we had to keep (Luke) in the pocket. The guys did it this week. They played the way they practiced."
In the end, Bulldogs were left with a paltry average of 2.3 yards per play.
Brandon's big day: Grambling quarterback Brandon Landers, taking open underneath passes against a furious blitz, posted a career-best 69 percent completion rate against Alabama A&M.
He patiently executed the bubble screen with consistency, in keeping with the coaches' message all week.
"Take the little things," Broadway kept saying. "Take what they give you, and stop trying to make every play. Brandon doesn't have to try to win every game for us."
Landers' previous career best for completions was 64 percent against Prairie View a year ago, but he split time with backup Larry Kerlegan that night and only attempted 19 passes. He had also posted 60 percent completion rates against Southern in 2004 and '06.
Those numbers pale with what Landers accomplished this week.
"The coaches have stressed that I shouldn't press, to let the game come to me," said Landers, a product of Carroll High in Monroe. "I promised them I would do that. They had us well prepared for what the offense gave us."
Landers' overall completion numbers for the year now sit at 56 percent, with an efficiency rating of 125. Landers completed 53 percent of his passes in this year's opener against Alcorn, and then 48 percent at non-conference foe Pittsburgh.
Landers hadn't yet beaten A&M but both stumbles came at Huntsville, where he lost in 2004 and '06. Grambling has now outscored A&M 75-6 in its last two meetings at "The Rob," dating back to 2005.
No foul, no harm: A Grambling team that has consistently finished atop the conference in penalties lately drew only a single flag on Saturday against A&M.
Only one SWAC school had more penalty yards than Grambling in 2006, which posted a 78-yard average. None had more flags thrown a year ago.
That was actually an improvement over 2005, however, when Grambling drew a league-worst number of flags, giving up more than 1,200 penalty yards — or about 105 per game.
GSU was again ninth in the 10-team league in 2004, averaging 71 yards in flags.
By Nick Deriso, The NewsStar
GRAMBLING — That fumblerooskie trick play provided the sizzle in Grambling's big win over Alabama A&M. But its rapidly improving defense served the steak, manhandling the previously unbeaten Bulldogs.
A&M arrived at Robinson Stadium ranked in the Top 25 and putting up scary numbers — including more than 500 yards of total offense and an average of 45 points over its first three games.
Not this time, as GSU topped the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference champion 31-6.
Grambling, in fact, held A&M to 147 yards of total offense, seven first downs and just two first-half field goals.
First-year Grambling defensive coordinator Cliff Yoshida said the focus of the defense was corralling Kelcy Luke.
"We wanted to contain the quarterback so he couldn't get on the edge," said Yoshida, who has already taken a cellar-dwelling unit to No. 3 in total defense. "We kept him boxed up, and stayed with him. This was a great win for us."
Luke, who had been averaging 314 yards of total offense per game, was held to 109 — including minus-8 rushing. A&M rusher Ulysses Banks, a brilliant converted returner, was held to just 37 yards after putting up more than 100 yards on each of his previous opponents.
"That's the first thing we want to do, stop the run," said Grambling coach Rod Broadway. "Then, we had to keep (Luke) in the pocket. The guys did it this week. They played the way they practiced."
In the end, Bulldogs were left with a paltry average of 2.3 yards per play.
Brandon's big day: Grambling quarterback Brandon Landers, taking open underneath passes against a furious blitz, posted a career-best 69 percent completion rate against Alabama A&M.
He patiently executed the bubble screen with consistency, in keeping with the coaches' message all week.
"Take the little things," Broadway kept saying. "Take what they give you, and stop trying to make every play. Brandon doesn't have to try to win every game for us."
Landers' previous career best for completions was 64 percent against Prairie View a year ago, but he split time with backup Larry Kerlegan that night and only attempted 19 passes. He had also posted 60 percent completion rates against Southern in 2004 and '06.
Those numbers pale with what Landers accomplished this week.
"The coaches have stressed that I shouldn't press, to let the game come to me," said Landers, a product of Carroll High in Monroe. "I promised them I would do that. They had us well prepared for what the offense gave us."
Landers' overall completion numbers for the year now sit at 56 percent, with an efficiency rating of 125. Landers completed 53 percent of his passes in this year's opener against Alcorn, and then 48 percent at non-conference foe Pittsburgh.
Landers hadn't yet beaten A&M but both stumbles came at Huntsville, where he lost in 2004 and '06. Grambling has now outscored A&M 75-6 in its last two meetings at "The Rob," dating back to 2005.
No foul, no harm: A Grambling team that has consistently finished atop the conference in penalties lately drew only a single flag on Saturday against A&M.
Only one SWAC school had more penalty yards than Grambling in 2006, which posted a 78-yard average. None had more flags thrown a year ago.
That was actually an improvement over 2005, however, when Grambling drew a league-worst number of flags, giving up more than 1,200 penalty yards — or about 105 per game.
GSU was again ninth in the 10-team league in 2004, averaging 71 yards in flags.
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