Photo: ASU Rookie Coach (4-0) faces SU (4-0) Pete Richardson in the Gulf Coast Classic this week. Game televised by ESPNU.By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
Southern’s Pete Richardson is the dean of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, establishing a tradition on par with some of the league’s storied coaches.
His counterpart Saturday, first-year Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow, is off to a strong start, 4-0, just like Southern, and exceeding expectations, just like Southern.
“When you talk about the SWAC and talk about doing it the right way, he’s done it a long time,” said Barlow, a former Alabama State standout who coached quarterbacks at the school the last two seasons.
“I have a lot of respect for him and his program. I’m a young coach, and, wanting to have a program that’s solid, you look to a guy like coach Richardson.”
Southern (4-0, 2-0 SWAC) faces Alabama State (4-0, 3-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Gulf Coast Classic at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
The game will be televised on ESPNU.
“The players are buying into his system,” Richardson said. “They’ve come from behind (four times) and that’s got to help their confidence out. It’s going to be a good game for us, going against them at this time and seeing what type of football team we have.”
Richardson is at 118-49 (70.7 percent) in 15 seasons at Southern and 160-63-1 (71.7 percent) in 20 seasons and 224 games overall.
“I’m a young coach, and wanting to have a program that’s solid, you look to a guy like coach Richardson,” Barlow said.
SU is 4-0 for the sixth time in 15 seasons under Richardson.
However, hanging over this season is the question of what the future will be for the Southern program.
Richardson is in the final season of his latest contract with the school, a three-year deal.
The first two seasons have produced the only losing marks of Richardson’s career.
The school has said they’ll evaluate Richardson after the season.
“How fast do we forget? It’s a shame people forget and don’t appreciate greatness. That’s what he’s done there at Southern,” Barlow said. “I’ve always had a lot of respect for him and the way he runs his program. He’s a great coach. It’s obvious he’s always been a good coach.
“The people there at Southern should be happy to have him.”
Malveaux likely out
Richardson said junior eagle linebacker Johnathan Malveaux, the team’s top tackler with 33 stops and four pass breakups, is likely out with a high ankle sprain that will be evaluated week to week.
“He probably won’t be able to play for us. He’s pretty sore,” Richardson said.
Malveaux came down with the injury to his right ankle with 5:16 left in the third quarter, on a play in which cornerback Efe Osawemwenze recovered a fumble forced by Chapman.
Junior Donald Steele (four tackles) is Malveaux’s primary backup.
“He’s got experience, and he’ll have an opportunity to play,” Richardson said.
Chapman, Lee honored
The SWAC named sophomore quarterback Bryant Lee as its Offensive Player of the Week and sophomore drop linebacker Gary Chapman as its Newcomer of the Week.
Lee was 23-for-33 for career highs of 303 yards and four touchdowns and Chapman, a nonqualifier last season, had a career- and game-high 11 tackles, including his first sack, and forced a fumble in a 41-34 victory over Tennessee State on Saturday.
Lee is Southern’s first SWAC Offensive Player of the Week since quarterback J.C. Lewis, who left the team earlier this month, in the 2006 season opener.
Earlier this season, junior running back Kendrick Smith was a Newcomer of the Week.
Quick look at Southern
Barlow said, “Watching those guys on tape is scary. They have a lot of playmakers. They fly around to the ball and they’re having a lot of fun. It’s going to be a big challenge for us to try to contain them. &hellip We’re going to have to go and see if we can find someone to emulate all these fast guys so we can practice and get our guys up to par on the tempo these guys have.”
Quick look at Alabama St.
Richardson said, “Jay Peck is an outstanding running back and catches the ball extremely well. We’re going to have to stop him or at least slow him down.”
Century mark
SU has produced three 100-yard rushers (Darren Coates twice, Brian Threat once) in four games this season. Last season, SU had four 100-yard games, including Lee and running back Kendall Addison each topping 100 against Texas Southern. Addison had two other 100-yard games.
In total, SU has had at least one 100-yard individual effort in six of the last 10 games.
Notes
Scouts from the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans visited Monday. SU hadn’t trailed in the nine previous quarters (since the third quarter of the season opener) until falling behind Tennessee State 7-0 four minutes into Saturday’s game. SU overcame a 21-point second-quarter deficit to win 41-34. Alabama State punt returner Joel Ragins is seventh nationally, at 17.2 yards per return.
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