From the Press Box

NEW ORLEANS—After Southern’s less-than-stellar performance in Saturday’s Bayou Classic, something questioned all season became crystal clear.
If coaches were graded on creativity, SU offensive coordinator Mark Orlando would be at the bottom of his class in almost every category.
Maybe even SU defensive coordinator Terrance Graves as well.
Yes. As it seems, Orlando only gets creative in the annual Bayou Classic.
But as easy as it is to focus on the coaches and their shortcomings (namely Orlando’s every day struggle running an offense highlighted by bubble screens and Graves’ blatant lack of creativity on defense), that’s already been done this season.
Besides, everyone knows the coordinators could have done a better job preparing the players week-to-week, anyway.
Instead why not talk about the players that gave the game away and those four costly turnovers that helped lift Grambling to its first Bayou Classic victory since 2005?
After all, SU led 14-0 after a flawless first quarter, which left GSU trailing by its largest deficit all season. Plus, Bryant Lee was a perfect 10-of-10 for 146 yards and a touchdown.
So how did the collapse begin?
For starters Juamorris Stewart’s fumble on second-and-10 following a 40-yard pass from Lee down to the GSU 12 would have set the Jaguars up with in prime scoring position. At that point SU led 14-6 and could have pushed its lead to two scores. Instead Desmond Lenard’s recovery halted the Jaguars’ scoring threat and set GSU up with first-and-10.
“It was tough,” Stewart said. “There are no excuses. It was just a mistake by me.”
Then after Lee’s thumb was planted into the Superdome turf by Lan Castleberry following a QB draw on second-and-10 from the SU 33, backup Warren Matthews took the field, only to throw three interceptions.
His first was picked off on a third-and-six at the GSU 25 by Desmond Lenard. Three drives later Matthews was intercepted Keefe Hall at the SU 38, before Keefe returned the pick to the SU 8, setting up Cornelius Walker’s TD run on the next play.
At that point, GSU led 22-14 with 12:35 remaining in the contest. But seven plays later T.J. McCord intercepted Matthews at the GSU3, saving a sure TD.
“I didn’t make the plays when we needed them most,” Matthews said. “It wasn’t one of my better games. It was a letdown to myself and a letdown to the team.”
In all Matthews was eight-of-15 for 96 yards, but SU didn’t score a point with him in the lineup.
“We didn’t want to get in a situation like this,” Matthews said. “It shouldn’t have been that way.”
The end score, 29-14, may not have been a crystal clear indication of the effort exerted by SU, Saturday. But it still hurts.

2 comments

The next HFC at Southern

Fri Nov 20 2009 13:44

Is it time for a change on the sidelines at Southern University? I believe so. There are a lot of innovative HFC's and coordinators ready to step up and turn the SWAC on its perverbial ear so to speak. Why so much of the same? Why settle for mediocrity every season? Make a decision and get new blood in at the HFC position at Southern University. So what if you win the Bayou Classic if the rest of your season sucks! When was the last time we won the SWAC outright? Southern should be a perrenial power in the SWAC challenging for a title each season!! I am tired of seeing the same old thing week in and week out. Also, just because a clown is an alumni from the school does not mean he deserves to be the HFC. So in your next HFC search please have an open mind and consider the BEST candidate and not just a Southern alumni. Another thing, when are HBCU's going to step up to the plate and pay their HFC's and assistants some real MONEY? It is a shame before God and man what these coaches work for compared to even some of the D3, NAIA schools. Complacency appears to be the norm around the league as average coaches with average teams keep their jobs because the school can't or refuses to buy out a clown who obviously cannot get it done on the field. I am frustrated with the whole process.

mel

Sat Dec 6 2008 17:13

I was at the classic,SU should have easily won the game.However by losing the game we help the SWAC office a lot by not having to have a three way coin toss.PV would have cry like hell if SU would have gone to the championship.

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