The Pirates remain confident of winning the MEAC title despite last week’s defeat.
By Marty O'Brien, Daily Press
HAMPTON - Hampton University coach Joe Taylor tossed his homemade penalty flag -- a piece of yellow cloth tied around a small rock -- several times on Tuesday at practice. The message he sent is that the Pirates' 15 penalties for 157 yards in the loss to Delaware State last week were too many.
Otherwise, it's been mostly business as usual this week for the Pirates. Taylor made a couple of lineup changes and is slightly adjusting his offensive scheme to energize a running game that generated only 100 yards on 35 carries last week.
But the players called for no emergency meetings in the wake of their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home loss in four years. By all indications, their confidence in a fourth consecutive MEAC title remains unshaken.
"Some of the guys were hanging their heads like the season was over," offensive guard Ryan Cave said. "It's just beginning. How you react to a setback determines the type of person, and type of team, you are.
"We're looking at this as something that will make us better in the long run. We've been here before."
In fact, the Pirates (3-1, 3-1 MEAC) recovered from losses in 2004 and '06 to finish 7-1 in the conference and earn the automatic berth to the Division I-AA playoffs. Taylor predicts a repeat.
"We're the only team that's played 50 percent of its (eight) conference games," Taylor said. "All of the other contenders have played just two games, and (preseason favorite) South Carolina State has played only one.
"Teams are going to knock each other off, so we still control our conference fate. But it doesn't matter if Delaware State loses games if we don't win all of ours."
So the emphasis in preparation for Saturday's non-conference game at Princeton (2-1) has been eliminating the weaknesses evident in the loss to Delaware State.
Taylor said the Pirates will use a fullback and tight end more often this week to create a surge for the running attack, while Everett Hopkins will get his first start at center.
By Marty O'Brien, Daily Press
HAMPTON - Hampton University coach Joe Taylor tossed his homemade penalty flag -- a piece of yellow cloth tied around a small rock -- several times on Tuesday at practice. The message he sent is that the Pirates' 15 penalties for 157 yards in the loss to Delaware State last week were too many.
Otherwise, it's been mostly business as usual this week for the Pirates. Taylor made a couple of lineup changes and is slightly adjusting his offensive scheme to energize a running game that generated only 100 yards on 35 carries last week.
But the players called for no emergency meetings in the wake of their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home loss in four years. By all indications, their confidence in a fourth consecutive MEAC title remains unshaken.
"Some of the guys were hanging their heads like the season was over," offensive guard Ryan Cave said. "It's just beginning. How you react to a setback determines the type of person, and type of team, you are.
"We're looking at this as something that will make us better in the long run. We've been here before."
In fact, the Pirates (3-1, 3-1 MEAC) recovered from losses in 2004 and '06 to finish 7-1 in the conference and earn the automatic berth to the Division I-AA playoffs. Taylor predicts a repeat.
"We're the only team that's played 50 percent of its (eight) conference games," Taylor said. "All of the other contenders have played just two games, and (preseason favorite) South Carolina State has played only one.
"Teams are going to knock each other off, so we still control our conference fate. But it doesn't matter if Delaware State loses games if we don't win all of ours."
So the emphasis in preparation for Saturday's non-conference game at Princeton (2-1) has been eliminating the weaknesses evident in the loss to Delaware State.
Taylor said the Pirates will use a fullback and tight end more often this week to create a surge for the running attack, while Everett Hopkins will get his first start at center.
Hampton's Joe Taylor faces Princeton in historic game that has playoff impact.It should help that tailbacks Van Morgan and Kevin Beverly will be healthy for the trip to Princeton. Morgan (abdominal pain) and Beverly (ankle sprain) were limited by injuries against Delaware State, while No. 3 tailback Dennis Mathis (thigh contusion) did not play at all.
"We ran 35 running plays and 35 passing plays last week," Taylor said. "But when you have injuries to your backs, it's hard to run the ball.
"From Mars to Jupiter to the United States, you've got to run the ball to win." Taylor said the Pirates also must stop the run. HU's defense is surrendering a MEAC-worst 187 rushing yards per game.
Taylor said that his defensive line -- a unit considered one of the nation's best at rushing the passer -- has not been communicating well on running plays.
"When you've got a defensive end and tackle not communicating, that leaves a big gap," Taylor said. "Part of the problem is that we changed defenses last week, going more often with four down linemen.
"The good thing is that the linemen learn quickly from their mistakes."
Ditto for free safety Tobin Lyon, who got burned on a key pass play last week. Taylor has since replaced Lyon in the starting lineup with Vaughn Mansfield. Taylor and Mansfield said Lyon reacted with one of his best practices of the season.
"Tobin had a great practice, intercepting one pass and breaking up three others," Mansfield said. "I was impressed by his attitude, because he didn't come out and complain. He just worked hard."
The loss, it seems, has brought out the best in many of the players. Cave said that several of the seniors -- Mansfield, tight end Ernie Lomax and defensive end Kendall Langford -- have encouraged their teammates to remain optimistic. Hopkins said the loss reignited the team's focus.
As for those pesky penalties, Taylor still wants the players to reduce their number but admits he's using that homemade flag less often.
"I don't like even a single penalty," he said. "But sometimes if a guy is jumping offside, it's because he's aggressive.
"I want our guys to continue being aggressive. There's a lot of games left and we can still win the conference."
No comments:
Post a Comment