Carter wants FAMU to tackle better against Norfolk State

By Heath A. Smith, DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

The past two weeks have been like deja vu for Florida A&M football coach Rubin Carter.

Just when it looked like the defense had turned the corner against the run this season, the Rattlers give up a combined 701 rushing yards in their past two games.

After watching his defense look helpless in giving up 405 total rushing yards Saturday against South Carolina State, Carter said he would personally try to help figure out the problem.

“I said that prior to evaluating the tape itself,” Carter said after Monday's practice. “We have to be able to make plays on defense, swarm and get to the ball.

“We had too many missed tackles. We had people in position to make plays and we have to be able to make those plays. That was the thing that was most glaring about our defensive performance.”

In two games, the Rattlers (2-4, 1-2 in the MEAC) went from being among the leaders in the conference in rushing defense to dead last, giving up 221.5 yards a game.

Carter and the Rattlers have little time to get things fixed with Norfolk State, (5-1, 4-0) coming to play on Thursday.

The Spartans rank last in rushing offense, averaging 115.5 yards a game. But senior running back Daryl Jones is among the conference leaders in rushing, averaging 93.7 yards a game.

“We're trying to make sure players understand we have to leverage the ball better,” Carter said. “We can't overrun ball carriers and all those things.”

The defense is expected to get a big boost from the return of senior defensive ends Tyrone McGriff and Carlos Rolle, who did not play Saturday because of injuries.

“It made a difference quite a bit,” Carter said about not having McGriff and Rolle on the field Saturday. “Anytime you don't have a Tyrone McGriff, who is a big-time tackler, you are losing a playmaker on the defensive line.

“You also lose another senior in Carlos Rolle on the line. The people playing in their spaces have had limited time in games.”

Carter said he was not as sure about whether junior outside linebacker Victoriano Arboleda, who has a sprained knee, would be healthy enough to play Thursday.

“It was more difficult (without those players), but we can't use that as an excuse,” Carter said. “I think they will both be ready to go Thursday night. Being off for a week helped them out immensely for the type of injuries they had.”

Outlook for FAMU vs. Norfolk State game from former FAMU President Fred Humphries...