Friday, September 28, 2007

Rams Notebook: Rams having problems on offensive side of ball


COMPILED BY JOHN DELL, Winston Salem Journal

■ Even though Winston-Salem State gave up nearly 500 yards to S.C. State in last week’s 20-7 loss, the defense still found a way to force four turnovers.

The offense, on the other hand, continues to struggle.

“We understand that the offense is still pretty young, so we as a defense have stepped up and created turnovers and that’s what Coach (Mike) Ketchum wants us to do,” nose guard Keith Newton said. “We’re playing OK, but we still have to improve in a lot of areas.”

Newton said that it’s no time to start pointing fingers, despite the struggles of the offense.

“It’s a little frustrating, but we know they are going to come around and get it done,” Newton said.

■ Coach Kermit Blount of WSSU expressed an interest in the coaching job at Howard when it was open in 2001, and went to Washington, for an interview with school administrators.

Morgan State also had a vacancy at the time and also showed interest in Blount, who had just led WSSU to two CIAA titles in three seasons and thought that a Division I job was his next logical move.

As it turns out, he didn’t have to change schools to accomplish his goal - the Rams are now on their way to Division I. Blount didn’t want to comment about his earlier interest in Howard this week.

Blount is in his 15th season at WSSU and needs six victories to become the school’s all-time wins leader.

■ Carey Bailey, Howard’s first-year coach, said he hasn’t talked to his players about last year’s game against WSSU, a 12-0 Rams victory at Bowman Gray Stadium.

“Last year was a different team with different personnel,” said Bailey, whose team is 0-3. “This is a new team with new personnel, so they’re approaching it the way that I would expect them to approach it.”

■ The Circle City Classic, a game matching Winston-Salem State against Florida A&M in Indianapolis on Oct. 6, will be televised on the NFL Network, which is available on DirecTV (Ch. 212 in the Winston-Salem area) and the Dish Network (Ch. 154). Kickoff will be at 4 p.m. from the RCA Dome.

■ WSSU isn’t eligible for the MEAC championship this season but is 2-1 in games against MEAC teams. “I’m not surprised we are able to hang with these teams in the MEAC,” lineman Keith Newton said. “I know we have the kind of athletes that the other teams have, so it’s not surprising at all.” …. If center Michael Helton (sprained knee) can’t play Saturday at Howard, Javon Hubbard probably will start in his place. Hubbard, a fifth-year senior, has played several positions during his career (tight end and on both lines).

“He’s our utility player,” quarterback Jarrett Dunston said…. Three WSSU players are from Washington - running back Brandon McRae (out for the season with a broken wrist), Marcus Coates and Jeremy Reaves…. Howard has three players from Forsyth and Guilford counties - offensive linemen DiMarques Floyd (a starter) and Randall White (a backup) from Greensboro Page, and receiver Brandon Sherman from Parkland, who has played in two games and has one catch for 7 yards and one kickoff return for 20 yards.

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