By Nick Deriso, The News Star
First-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway isn’t in an overconfident mood, despite an emotional win over the league’s reigning champ last week — and the Tigers’ recent success against Prairie View.
“I hope our guys can get ready to play,” Broadway said. “Our goal is to improve weekly. The team that continues to improve is the one with a pretty good record at the end of the year.”
GSU hasn’t lost to Prairie View since 1986.
FIXING ‘A LOT OF STUFF’
Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones said he is starting over after a 31-6 drubbing at Grambling.
Asked during the league’s Monday coaches teleconference if he saw adjustments that needed to be made on offense, which had been averaging 45 points a game, Jones answered simply: “Yes.”
Asked to elaborate, at first he only said: “A lot of stuff. … a lot of stuff.”
Jones summed up the Grambling game like this: “They have a very good football team,” he said. “They’re talented; they’ve got size; they’ve got strength. They’ve got some kids who love to play football and they play it with passion.”
The Bulldogs have never won consecutive games over Grambling. Up next is Texas Southern, a team that pulled off a stunning upset in 2005 as A&M advanced to the first of two consecutive SWAC title matches.
FINALLY, A SCORE
Clyde Edwards notched a receiving touchdown against A&M last week, something the Grambling senior had somehow failed to do over four previous meetings.
“They blitz us, sending everybody they possibly can,” Edwards said. “A lot times that leaves the slot man (Henry Tolbert, in the past) open. That meant I had decent games, but I just hadn’t scored against them yet.”
He had five catches for 51 yards, giving Edwards 20 career receptions for 290 yards against A&M.
ENEMY LINES: PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
Prairie View’s bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for its passing game.
The Panthers (2-1 overall; 1-1 in the SWAC) have no touchdown passes versus five picks so far in ’07, and were held scoreless in their most recent game — a 12-2 loss to Southern.
“We are throwing the ball around, but we are still a work in progress,” said Prairie View coach Henry Frazier. “It’s a combination of protecting quarterback, and getting that chemistry down.”
The Panthers, ranked No. 10 after Week 3 in the Sheridan Broadcasting Network poll, sit at the bottom of the SWAC with four offensive touchdowns so far in 2007, but rank No. 7 overall with 259 yards a game.
Versatile Prairie View quarterback Chris Gibson’s 60 rushing yards a night have made him the No. 6 rusher in the SWAC. (Only four running backs have more touchdowns.) But Gibson’s 104 passing yards a game rank at the bottom among starters in the SWAC, and only one quarterback has a worse completion percentage.
Frazier admits that Prairie View recognizes the challenge ahead against a remade GSU defense. Grambling knocked A&M off a league-leading pace for offensive yards and points in a 25-point win last week.
“Watching Grambling’s defense, that was very impressive,” said Frazier, who is 0-3 against GSU. “We’ve got our work cut for us this week.”
Longtime ex-Grambling assistant Heishma Northern leads a rapidly improving Prairie View defense ranked No. 3 in the 10-team league for yards and touchdowns surrendered. No SWAC unit has been better in the red zone so far this season, as the Panthers have allowed just 11 points per game.
Grambling, however, has averaged 51 points a game over the past five wins at the State Fair Classic.
SWAC ATTACK
DOUBLE THE FUN
Two surprising teams, Southern and Alabama State, meet in a battle of undefeated teams on Saturday.
“You say ‘surprising,’ but look at our league,” said Jaguars coach Pete Richardson. “We have a couple of teams with experience coming back. Other teams are going through a transition because of injury.”
Richardson, coming off a pair of first-ever losing seasons in Baton Rouge, heads a maturing and finally healthy team.
He recognizes the challenge ahead of him: Both are at 4-0 overall, with Southern at 2-0 and first-year coach Reggie Barlow’s ASU at 3-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.
“Alabama State has a very young, energetic coach,” Richardson said. “They are buying into his system. The more they play, the more confidence they receive.”
JSU JUST ROLLING
Jackson State cruised to an easy 50-16 victory over Mississippi Valley, before an announced crowd of 11,700 at Rice-Totten Stadium. That’s now 13 straight for JSU.
First-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway isn’t in an overconfident mood, despite an emotional win over the league’s reigning champ last week — and the Tigers’ recent success against Prairie View.
“I hope our guys can get ready to play,” Broadway said. “Our goal is to improve weekly. The team that continues to improve is the one with a pretty good record at the end of the year.”
GSU hasn’t lost to Prairie View since 1986.
FIXING ‘A LOT OF STUFF’
Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones said he is starting over after a 31-6 drubbing at Grambling.
Asked during the league’s Monday coaches teleconference if he saw adjustments that needed to be made on offense, which had been averaging 45 points a game, Jones answered simply: “Yes.”
Asked to elaborate, at first he only said: “A lot of stuff. … a lot of stuff.”
Jones summed up the Grambling game like this: “They have a very good football team,” he said. “They’re talented; they’ve got size; they’ve got strength. They’ve got some kids who love to play football and they play it with passion.”
The Bulldogs have never won consecutive games over Grambling. Up next is Texas Southern, a team that pulled off a stunning upset in 2005 as A&M advanced to the first of two consecutive SWAC title matches.
FINALLY, A SCORE
Clyde Edwards notched a receiving touchdown against A&M last week, something the Grambling senior had somehow failed to do over four previous meetings.
“They blitz us, sending everybody they possibly can,” Edwards said. “A lot times that leaves the slot man (Henry Tolbert, in the past) open. That meant I had decent games, but I just hadn’t scored against them yet.”
He had five catches for 51 yards, giving Edwards 20 career receptions for 290 yards against A&M.
ENEMY LINES: PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
Prairie View’s bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for its passing game.
The Panthers (2-1 overall; 1-1 in the SWAC) have no touchdown passes versus five picks so far in ’07, and were held scoreless in their most recent game — a 12-2 loss to Southern.
“We are throwing the ball around, but we are still a work in progress,” said Prairie View coach Henry Frazier. “It’s a combination of protecting quarterback, and getting that chemistry down.”
The Panthers, ranked No. 10 after Week 3 in the Sheridan Broadcasting Network poll, sit at the bottom of the SWAC with four offensive touchdowns so far in 2007, but rank No. 7 overall with 259 yards a game.
Versatile Prairie View quarterback Chris Gibson’s 60 rushing yards a night have made him the No. 6 rusher in the SWAC. (Only four running backs have more touchdowns.) But Gibson’s 104 passing yards a game rank at the bottom among starters in the SWAC, and only one quarterback has a worse completion percentage.
Frazier admits that Prairie View recognizes the challenge ahead against a remade GSU defense. Grambling knocked A&M off a league-leading pace for offensive yards and points in a 25-point win last week.
“Watching Grambling’s defense, that was very impressive,” said Frazier, who is 0-3 against GSU. “We’ve got our work cut for us this week.”
Longtime ex-Grambling assistant Heishma Northern leads a rapidly improving Prairie View defense ranked No. 3 in the 10-team league for yards and touchdowns surrendered. No SWAC unit has been better in the red zone so far this season, as the Panthers have allowed just 11 points per game.
Grambling, however, has averaged 51 points a game over the past five wins at the State Fair Classic.
SWAC ATTACK
DOUBLE THE FUN
Two surprising teams, Southern and Alabama State, meet in a battle of undefeated teams on Saturday.
“You say ‘surprising,’ but look at our league,” said Jaguars coach Pete Richardson. “We have a couple of teams with experience coming back. Other teams are going through a transition because of injury.”
Richardson, coming off a pair of first-ever losing seasons in Baton Rouge, heads a maturing and finally healthy team.
He recognizes the challenge ahead of him: Both are at 4-0 overall, with Southern at 2-0 and first-year coach Reggie Barlow’s ASU at 3-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.
“Alabama State has a very young, energetic coach,” Richardson said. “They are buying into his system. The more they play, the more confidence they receive.”
JSU JUST ROLLING
Jackson State cruised to an easy 50-16 victory over Mississippi Valley, before an announced crowd of 11,700 at Rice-Totten Stadium. That’s now 13 straight for JSU.
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