Rested WSSU Rams ready to move on

Photo: WSSU Head Football Coach Kermit Blount

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

WSSU, coming off open date, is headed to Bethune-Cookman

There have been times in recent years when a week off has come at the wrong time for Winston-Salem State. But last Saturday’s open date couldn’t have come at a better time, according to Coach Kermit Blount.

“We needed it, that’s for sure,” said Blount, whose Rams were back at practice yesterday in preparation for Saturday’s game at Bethune-Cookman. “It just gave everybody a chance to take a step back because we’ve been going at this pretty hard since August.”

The Rams (3-3) are coming off a 27-23 win over Florida A&M on Oct. 6 in Indianapolis. Blount was pleased with his team’s effort and with getting the victory, but he was a little worried about a hangover effect of such a big win.

“I hope they aren’t still celebrating because it’s time to get back to work,” Blount said before yesterday’s practice. “I think these guys realize that we have more work to do this season, and it starts this week in practice.”

Blount said that the Rams had just two short practices last week, and he gave them the weekend off, something that quarterback Monte Purvis took advantage of.

Purvis, who has been nursing a sore left shoulder, said he mostly watched football and stayed on the couch.

“This break came at a good time for us seniors because it lets us know that we only have five more games left in our careers,” Purvis said. “I think in four of these next five games we lost to them last year, so we want to make up for that.”

Even though Purvis didn’t have very good passing numbers against Florida A&M, his grasp of the offense and confidence level in the second half was evident.

Photo: QB Monte Purvis

The Rams had two key series against the Rattlers in which Purvis used his savvy and his feet to gain valuable yardage. They scored touchdowns on both drives.

Purvis has rushed for 299 yards on 101 carries this season, and while the average is just three yards a carry, his leadership has been invaluable. He didn’t have a turnover in the win over A&M, and in the previous game against Howard, an overtime loss, he passed for a career-best 261 yards.

“I’m real happy for Monte for a lot of reasons,” Blount said. “He’s a local kid, and it’s tough to play in your own backyard and play consistently because he probably knows more people in this town than anybody on our team. Everywhere he goes, he’s the subject of criticism with somebody saying something negative.”

Purvis, a three-year starter, hasn’t backed down from any of this season’s challenges.

“His maturity, that’s been the biggest part,” Blount said. “To see him mature and grow into a leader and do the things I knew he was capable of doing all along is great to see. It’s his last season, and I think he’s having fun. I’ve seen him go from being a quiet guy to being the jokester in the locker room.”

The Rams have been learning a new offense under coordinator Nick Calcutta, and Purvis has picked it up.

“Hopefully, this break doesn’t slow us down (but) just enhanced us a little more,” Blount said. “It gave those guys a chance to rest and hopefully the guys … got that rest they needed.”

Blount said that part of the reason for the Rams’ resurgence in the past two games has been the play of the line.

“It’s been a matter of them continuing to learn this new system,” Blount said. “That system we ran last year and the year before is totally different than what we are doing this year.

“I think the great part of it is I have some real great football coaches on staff, and they have put in the time and energy to get this done and it’s taken the pressure off me.”