ASU Hornets prepares for MEAC/SWAC Challenge

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - It's gameweek on the gridiron, as Alabama State head football coach Reggie Barlow met with the media on the SWAC Coaches Teleconference Monday morning.

The Hornets will take on Bethune-Cookman in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge Sunday in Orlando, Fla. at 11 a.m. CT/Noon ET live on WVAS 90.7 FM/HSRN.com/ESPN.

Barlow previewed this week's matchup with the Wildcats, the first time the teams have met since 2008. And while this is the Hornets second time playing in the Challenge, it will be first experience in the game in Orlando.

“We're really excited about an opportunity to represent the SWAC in this game,” Barlow said. “It's a blessing to have that platform and take our guys to Orlando, which is a great city. It's almost like a bowl game from all I've heard about the things they'll have the kids do. Also, we're getting the opportunity to play a good team in Bethune-Cookman. Coach (Brian) Jenkins has done a great job over the last two years. So it'll be a challenge; they have a lot of great players coming back.”

Excerpts from the SWAC Conference Call:

On being picked to win the SWAC's Eastern Division: “Whenever you recognized and picked by your peers, that says our coaches have gone out, got talent, brought it in, and coached 'em up. However, I'm not sure any of us have been accurate on (predicting) who's going to finish first. I understand we have to do it and it's a prediction, but in our conference there's so much parity. On the East, you have good teams and all of them have really good players, so there's no telling what's going to happen. Being picked to finish first in anything is a good thing, but you still have to play the game in the rectangle.”

On what concerns him the most about Bethune-Cookman: “One, they have about 15 Division I transfers on their team. That doesn't always transfer to success, but obviously the guys they have that transferred there, he coached them at Rutgers and other schools. They have a big, big offensive line. I imagine if you put their line and size up against any team in NCAA football, they'll measure up well. They have two real solid running backs. They run the ball well (with a pair of players that combined to rush for nearly 1,800 yards)…They have Eddie Poole, who's a big-time receiver. He has nice size and runs great routes. The other factor is the unknown. We haven't played them since (Coach Jenkins) has been there, and they also have a new (offensive) coordinator. It's kind of hard to know what you'll get. There will be a lot of adjusting on the fly after the first quarter or so.”

On playing on national television representing the SWAC in the game: “There's a lot of notoriety that comes with this game and an opportunity for people to see us all over the country. For our guys, our team, and our school, we're blessed. We're not just playing for Alabama State. That's our approach for this game. This is about Walter Payton and Jerry Rice and all those wonderful Grambling players like Doug Williams and all these guys that have represented the SWAC. That's what we're going to do, be a representation of the SWAC. It's a blessing to be a part of it.”



COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS