ASU coordinator has been out all season with serious illness

COACH MARK ORLANDO'
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
ASU HORNETS
Courtesy: Alabama State Athletics

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State has been without a very important part of its team all season.

Interim coach Donald Hill-Eley said offensive coordinator Mark Orlando left the team a week before the season as he is battling a serious illness.

“Now you’re trying to scrap to get things done,” Hill-Eley said during Monday’s SWAC coaches teleconference. “We don’t have the autonomy of the big schools to say, OKoa, the offensive coordinator, he’s on sick leave, so let me go hire another one.”

COACH DONALD HILL-ELEY TELECONFERENCE

A wide receivers coach, Hill-Eley replaced Brian Jenkins, who was fired after last week’s 24-10 loss to Alcorn State. Off to its worst start since 1997, ASU (0-5, 0-2 SWAC) has struggled mightily on offense.

Out of 123 Division I-AA schools, the Hornets are next to last in the nation in scoring offense at 7.4 points a game.

ASU is 121st in total offense (218.4 yards a game) and 120th in passing offense (105.6 yards a game). The Hornets have received inconsistent quarterback play out of redshirt freshmen Kobie Jones and Darryl Pearson Jr., an Arkansas State transfer, but not having Orlando has played a part in that.

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