Stopping the run key for Southern University defense this week

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  This week’s matchup against Alabama A&M (5-3, 5-2 in SWAC) looks pretty daunting for Southern University. The Bulldogs are tied for first place in the SWAC Eastern division and are solid on offense and defense.

Added to the mix is that the game is at Alabama A&M on Saturday at 1 p.m. and that Southern will be facing a team in a bad mood after losing to rival Alabama State last week. But Southern defeated the Bulldogs last year, 21-6. The Jaguars held running back Kaderius Lacey, who leads the SWAC in rushing, to only 21 yards on 11 carries in 2011.

Southern interim head coach Dawson Odums said he expects to see a lot of Lacey (6-foot-0, 218 pounds), who has rushed for 736 yards, seven touchdowns and averages 5.7 yards per carry this season.

“They have a big running back,’’ Odums said. “They’ll try to run the football. I think they would try and run the football on us considering how many yards we’ve given up in that department. Probably try to get the quarterback (Deaunte Mason) on the edge since that’s been a struggle for us. For the most part, they’ve been a good running football team with a big offensive line.’’

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