By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
Totten excited about ’07 team
How confident is Mississippi Valley State after a 16-9 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday?
“I truly feel this will be the best team I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Valley coach Willie Totten said.
That’s saying something because Valley, which plays Southern at 4 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago, was thought to be rebuilding this season after a talent-rich team underachieved last season.
More, Valley came out fourth of five teams in the Eastern Division in the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s preseason poll in late July.
“Our guys understand the magnitude of going to Chicago,” Totten said. “They know what they have to do. It’s strictly business.”
Valley (1-0, 1-0 SWAC) has had back-to-back 6-5 seasons in the last two years — the first time since 1983-84 the Delta Devils posted consecutive winning years — but last year was a disappointment.
The Delta Devils were picked to finish second in the SWAC poll a year ago (and did so, but only in a four-team tie). After a 3-4 start, they reeled off three wins and nearly made the SWAC Championship Game but fell 25-20 at Alabama State in the season finale.
In particular, quarterback Aries Nelson, the preseason offensive player of the year, fizzled, not even making the all-conference team.
“Last year, we had a lot of talent,” Totten said. “But when you have a lot of talent, guys have a tendency to say they’ll do whatever it takes for them to get to the league (NFL).”
Totten said at least seven players “didn’t work within the team.”
In the offseason, Totten re-worked his staff and recruited junior college players to fill holes in the defense.
“Our guys now are finding a way to win,” Totten said. “That’s going to be the difference in this team. This team is now playing more together, as a team.”
Togetherness became the rallying point.
“That’s pretty much what we tried to teach in the preseason,” Totten said. “We had a lot of talent (last season). Those guys set the tone for the program. They laid the foundation. &hellip Our focus now is more as a team. These guys work as a unit.”
Last season, Valley opened with a 10-0 win over UAPB. Then Valley didn’t live up to expectations, while UAPB, not expected to do much, recovered from a 1-3 start to make the SWAC title game.
The roles were reversed Saturday. And UAPB, picked to repeat as the Western Division champ this season, lost to Valley for the third straight year.
Valley jammed UAPB workhorses Martell Mallett (23 yards on five carries) and Mickey Dean (19 yards on nine carries). They knocked Mallett out of the game with a hip injury and sacked Chris Wallace, last season’s SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, four times. Dean left in the third quarter with cramps.
Valley’s sophomore quarterback, Paul Roberts (15-for-27 for 153 yards and one TD), was steady but not spectacular.
“We’re talking about trying to surpass 6-5,” Totten said.
Last season, when SU and Valley met, both teams were 1-0 like this season and both were considered potential contenders to make the SWAC title game. Southern, which won 31-14 but then lost four of its next five games, was picked to win the Western Division.
This season, there are lower expectations for both, with SU picked third in the Western Division. That makes this game an interesting juncture for two rebuilding teams. SU beat Florida A&M 33-27 Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.
“It’s always good to start out on the right track early,” Totten said. “That was a big win for us and a big win for Southern. No doubt, beating a team like Florida A&M has to give Southern a lot of confidence.
“They were down last year, and that’s always going to be the case. (Southern’s) Pete Richardson is a very good football coach. I know (going 5-6) disturbed him a lot and they’ve worked hard to change that. I know there will be a lot of fireworks in Chicago.
Totten excited about ’07 team
How confident is Mississippi Valley State after a 16-9 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday?
“I truly feel this will be the best team I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Valley coach Willie Totten said.
That’s saying something because Valley, which plays Southern at 4 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago, was thought to be rebuilding this season after a talent-rich team underachieved last season.
More, Valley came out fourth of five teams in the Eastern Division in the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s preseason poll in late July.
“Our guys understand the magnitude of going to Chicago,” Totten said. “They know what they have to do. It’s strictly business.”
Valley (1-0, 1-0 SWAC) has had back-to-back 6-5 seasons in the last two years — the first time since 1983-84 the Delta Devils posted consecutive winning years — but last year was a disappointment.
The Delta Devils were picked to finish second in the SWAC poll a year ago (and did so, but only in a four-team tie). After a 3-4 start, they reeled off three wins and nearly made the SWAC Championship Game but fell 25-20 at Alabama State in the season finale.
In particular, quarterback Aries Nelson, the preseason offensive player of the year, fizzled, not even making the all-conference team.
“Last year, we had a lot of talent,” Totten said. “But when you have a lot of talent, guys have a tendency to say they’ll do whatever it takes for them to get to the league (NFL).”
Totten said at least seven players “didn’t work within the team.”
In the offseason, Totten re-worked his staff and recruited junior college players to fill holes in the defense.
“Our guys now are finding a way to win,” Totten said. “That’s going to be the difference in this team. This team is now playing more together, as a team.”
Togetherness became the rallying point.
“That’s pretty much what we tried to teach in the preseason,” Totten said. “We had a lot of talent (last season). Those guys set the tone for the program. They laid the foundation. &hellip Our focus now is more as a team. These guys work as a unit.”
Last season, Valley opened with a 10-0 win over UAPB. Then Valley didn’t live up to expectations, while UAPB, not expected to do much, recovered from a 1-3 start to make the SWAC title game.
The roles were reversed Saturday. And UAPB, picked to repeat as the Western Division champ this season, lost to Valley for the third straight year.
Valley jammed UAPB workhorses Martell Mallett (23 yards on five carries) and Mickey Dean (19 yards on nine carries). They knocked Mallett out of the game with a hip injury and sacked Chris Wallace, last season’s SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, four times. Dean left in the third quarter with cramps.
Valley’s sophomore quarterback, Paul Roberts (15-for-27 for 153 yards and one TD), was steady but not spectacular.
“We’re talking about trying to surpass 6-5,” Totten said.
Last season, when SU and Valley met, both teams were 1-0 like this season and both were considered potential contenders to make the SWAC title game. Southern, which won 31-14 but then lost four of its next five games, was picked to win the Western Division.
This season, there are lower expectations for both, with SU picked third in the Western Division. That makes this game an interesting juncture for two rebuilding teams. SU beat Florida A&M 33-27 Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.
“It’s always good to start out on the right track early,” Totten said. “That was a big win for us and a big win for Southern. No doubt, beating a team like Florida A&M has to give Southern a lot of confidence.
“They were down last year, and that’s always going to be the case. (Southern’s) Pete Richardson is a very good football coach. I know (going 5-6) disturbed him a lot and they’ve worked hard to change that. I know there will be a lot of fireworks in Chicago.
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