Pressure on Alabama A&M not new

Photo: AAMU expecting to get back to same form that brought defeat to TSU. This week, its Texas Southern University; not Tennessee State.

By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times

Bulldogs say they'll bounce back - as they have in past

Alabama A&M fans upset about Saturday's 31-6 shellacking at the hands of Grambling, should take a deep breath and review the Bulldogs' history.

That wasn't the first time the Tigers whipped the Bulldogs, and it certainly won't be the last. But A&M has shown it is capable of bouncing back after losing to Grambling, and the Bulldogs vow they will do it again.

Grambling won 23-13 in 2002 to put the Bulldogs in an 0-2 hole, but A&M won eight of its next nine games to reach the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game.

The next year, Grambling won 45-14 to drop A&M to 1-2, but the Bulldogs won seven of their next nine games and finished 8-4. In 2005, Grambling won 44-0 but A&M rallied to win eight of its next nine games to reach the SWAC title game.

"We've been down this road before," said cornerback Stephan Tucker, a fifth-year senior. "We had some guys that probably didn't know how important that game was down there and we didn't match their intensity.

"We've got to go back to basics, practice our techniques and fundamentals and we'll bounce back. If we do what we've got to do, we can't be beat. We'll be all right this week. There's no doubt in my mind."

A&M, 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the SWAC, plays Texas Southern (0-4, 0-3) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Louis Crews Stadium.

Although the winless Tigers - who have been outscored 135-43 - appear to be an ideal opponent for the Bulldogs after the Grambling debacle, coach Anthony Jones has warned his team about taking Texas Southern for granted.

"This is not what the doctor ordered," Jones said Monday. "We've got to line up against a team that always plays us tough. They beat us two years ago on homecoming and last year it came down to the wire.

"This is going to be a very, very tough ballgame. I expect them to come here and play with great effort and great emotion."

Since A&M embarrassed Texas Southern 63-0 in 2003, each of the last three games has been more competitive.

The Bulldogs won 22-3 in 2004, lost 17-7 in 2005 and won 19-14 last season on strong safety Marcus Black's interception in the end zone.

"This is a team that if you're not alert in handling all your P's and Q's can be very scary," Jones said. "This is not a team to be joking with. They've made it tough on us. I expect it will be tough again this weekend."

It will be if the Bulldogs play like they did last week against Grambling. A&M played with very little emotion against the Tigers.

Tight end John Smith, a fifth-year senior, said that won't be the case against Texas Southern.

"Being a senior, it's up to us to get this team ready to play," Smith said. "We've got to be ready because Texas Southern always comes in here and plays us tough. We've got to let the younger players know this won't be a cakewalk because they're 0-4.

"We've got to come out and play with energy, enthusiasm and emotion, and I believe we'll do that."