Sunday, September 23, 2007

UAPB loss the worst in Forte era


BY BECK CROSS, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s suspect offense wasn’t in the same league with one of the more prolific teams in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Southern Illinois (4-0 ), No. 6 in the FCS, racked up 585 yards in total offense and led 30-0 at halftime before rolling to a 58-3 victory Saturday before 11,316 at McAndrew Stadium.

UAPB (1-3 ) was held to 51 yards of total offense in the first half before padding the statistics to a more respectable 299 for the game after the Salukis had pulled most of their starters. The 55-point loss was the worst for UAPB in four seasons under Coach Mo Forte.

The nonconference schedule doesn’t get any easier. The Golden Lions take on New Mexico State on Saturday in Las Cruces, N. M.

“We can bounce back by doing it mentally,” Forte said. “We played a great football team out there, and those guys are going to go a long way in the playoffs. The [offensive ] line play deteriorated once again, but there were some things we can build on.”

Southern Illinois, which defeated its first three opponents by an average margin of 27. 3 points, didn’t ease up on the Golden Lions. The Salukis scored on 5 of 6 first-half possessions and piled up 371 yards of total offense in running out to a 30-0 lead.

UAPB, which had the topranked defense in the Southwestern Athletic Conference going into the game, put up a fight in the early going. The Salukis had a first-and-goal at the 10 on their opening possession but settled for a 29-yard field goal by Kyle Dougherty after three consecutive incomplete passes.

The Golden Lions’ offense netted minus-16 yards on its first two possessions before Southern Illinois padded its advantage to 10-0 with 2: 20 remaining in the opening quarter. In the threeplay, 58-yard drive, Nick Hill was 2 of 2 passing for 41 yards, capped by a 36-yard scoring pass to Phil Goforth.

UAPB got its initial first down late in the quarter on a 5-yard run by Mickey Dean, but the offense again sputtered well short of midfield with two incomplete passes, a holding call and an 8-yard sack.

The Salukis needed only five plays to cover 83 yards. Facing a third-and-5 play, Deji Karim broke free on a 37-yard scoring run. The missed extra point left the margin 16-0 with 13: 03 left in the half.

After the UAPB offense again went three plays and out, Southern Illinois relied primarily on the run in grinding out a sevenplay, 81-yard scoring drive.

John Randle had two carries for 29 yards to set up Joe Allaria’s 8-yard scoring run. Dougherty’s extra point extended the Salukis’ advantage to 23-0 with 8: 23 left in the second quarter.

Southern Illinois scored again with 2: 55 left in the first half. Hill was 3 of 3 passing for 51 yards, and Randle scored on a 10-yard run.

“The first half we just didn’t play,” Forte said. “It’s like we were in sleep mode out there in the beginning. You can’t give away points the way we did and expect to win against a top-10 team.”

The Golden Lions had some bright spots in the second half. On the first series of the third quarter, Johnathan Moore was 5 of 8 passing for 50 yards, helping UAPB gain a first down at the Southern Illinois 24, but UAPB stalled and settled for Brodie Heflin’s 38-yard field goal to prevent the shutout with 10: 07 remaining in the quarter.

Southern Illinois added two third-quarter touchdowns before Chris Wallace came on in relief of Moore on the opening series of the fourth quarter. Wallace completed a 33-yard pass to Jason Jones, but UAPB came away empty after Heflin’s 42-yard fieldgoal attempt was blocked.

The Salukis scored two more touchdowns in the final 5: 02.

“I think we have it in us, but we just have to bring it out to the field,” Forte said. “I’ve never seen the guys, what they did [Saturday ], I’ve never seen that side of them and that kind of bothers me. By the time we woke up, it was too late.

“ The effort they gave in the second half was better, but we have to take advantage of the opportunities. We killed ourselves on offense.”

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