Thomas expects loud fans at Southern

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Alcorn State coach Johnny Thomas on Monday used the word “hostile” twice, first describing the crowd and then the environment at A.W. Mumford Stadium, while discussing Saturday’s game at Southern.

However, avoiding a duplicate of the firestorm that began with Jackson State coach Rick Comegy’s remarks on the same Southwestern Athletic Conference teleconference the week before, Thomas quickly explained he meant “hostile” in a positive manner.

“They’re going to be excited, loud and ready for the football game,” Thomas said.

A week earlier, Comegy talked about the upcoming game at Southern as being played in a “hostile situation.”

“I know a lot of people aren’t taking their families. They’re leaving their kids here,” Comegy said.

Those remarks eventually drew a Tuesday statement regretting any misunderstanding from the school’s president and a Wednesday reprimand from the SWAC.

Before a 32-26 victory over Southern in front of 24,600, including a large contingent of Jackson State fans, Saturday, Comegy did not come on the field during pregame warmups and, when he took to the sideline with his team, was flanked by law enforcement representatives.

The game was Comegy’s first at Mumford Stadium.

There were no apparent major incidents Saturday.

Alcorn’s run at SU

Alcorn has won its last three games at Mumford Stadium — 22-20 in 2002, 36-34 in ’03 and 38-16 in ’05.

Thomas said there is no common thread to the successful run.

“I don’t know what it is. I certainly can’t put my hand on it,” Thomas said.

The biggest victory of those three came in 2003, when Donald Carrie, with a Southern defender wrapped around his waist, threw a 24-yard touchdown strike to Charlie Spiller with 40 seconds left in the game. That was the only loss that season for SU, which won the SWAC and black college national titles with a 12-1 mark.

Close first win

In a game matching winless teams, Alcorn escaped from Texas Southern with a 22-20 victory Saturday after a 23-yard field-goal try from TSU’s D’Javan Conway went wide right as time expired. TSU, behind third-string quarterback Donnie Shorts, drove 72 yards with no time outs in the final 1:11 to set up the try.

“Our team now has some confidence,” Thomas said. “We still need to make tremendous improvement on offense, defense and special teams. We can’t play the way we did against Texas Southern against Southern.”

TSU outgained Alcorn 309-147.

Quick look at Southern

Of Southern, Thomas said, “Southern has a winning tradition, outstanding coaching staff and a quality football program. Going down on the Bluff is going to be a tremendous challenge.”

Quick look at Alcorn

Of Alcorn, SU coach Pete Richardson said, “Offensively, they have seven or eight starters who are seniors. (Nate) Hughes is one of the finest wide receivers in the whole conference. Defensively, they’re going to create a lot of pressure. They’re going to play man-to-man (in the secondary).”

Notes

After going 0-11 in 2000, Alcorn has had six straight winning seasons — going 7-4 in 2003 and ’04 and 6-5 in the other four seasons. SU true freshman P Josh Duran is 35th nationally in punting, at 40.5 yards per punt.