Post by Aggie One on Oct 4, 2005 7:14:22 GMT -5
Aggies gaining ground with run-oriented offense
By Rob Daniels
Staff Writer
GREENSBORO -- If the West Coast Offense is the throw-it-all-over-the-place, let-it-all-hang-out football game of the new century, then what must we call N.C. A&T's attack?
The Badlands Offense? The Arctic Assault?
Last week, you could call it successful. At least successful enough in all its blandness.
The Aggies (1-1 MEAC, 2-3 overall) have made an unofficial but apparently solid switch to Rico Watkins at quarterback, and his orders are simple: Offer a handoff here, a pat on the back there and don't mess it up.
"We're looking for someone who can be a leader and can orchestrate the offense the way we have designed it and do it efficiently," coach George Small said. "Whoever can do that the most consistently is the person who will play."
A&T's program has been built on the running game, but the reliance on rushing was more pronounced than usual in Saturday's 16-3 Circle City Classic victory over Tennessee State. The Aggies ran the ball 52 times and threw only eight passes -- their fewest in a game in 16 years.
And there are no apologies.
With Marshall Glenn completing fewer than half of his pass attempts, Small elected to go with Watkins, whose 2004 season was wiped out by an injury in September.
The mandate was to avoid interceptions, execute timing-based plays properly and instill confidence in a backfield heavy on freshmen and sophomores. It is essentially the philosophy of the NFL's Ravens, whose fellow Baltimore residents, the Morgan State Bears, face A&T in Saturday's Prince George's Classic at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
"I was happy with the win, and I was happy with the defensive intensity," Watkins said. "As far as my level of play was concerned, I felt the beginning was a lot better than when I finished. I wasn't too pleased with how I finished up."
At this point, the Aggies' schedule is benign. Morgan State (0-2, 1-4) trailed Bethune-Cookman 30-0 in the first quarter Saturday on the way to a 44-26 defeat.
The Aggies don't expect to have running back Chaz Truesdale available for Morgan, but Brandon Sweeney, who began the year as the top runner, may return to the field. That decision will be made Thursday.
In any event, the bulk of the offensive burden will be carried by a senior offensive line and sophomore tailback Quante Speight, who has three 100-yard rushing performances and two entirely inconsequential games in 2005. Small said Speight is far from a finished product, which is why another walk-on, freshman Michael Ferguson, ran for 45 yards on 11 carries against Tennessee State.
"He showed signs of being another great running back here at A&T," Small said of Ferguson.
In so doing, Ferguson gave the Aggies a second running option on a day when wide receiver Doug Brown left with a hamstring injury that may keep him out of this week's game.
"I wanted to let Mike know his job, and if he didn't know something to ask me," Watkins said. "I wasn't afraid or hesitant to give him the ball and allow him to do what he does."
The injury list grew to include Brown, a Ragsdale graduate, and Dudley's Quintin Corry (ankle). But Small said he was counting his blessings.
"As long as they're not season-ending injuries like they were last year, I'm happy," he said. "When you just get a thigh bruise or an ankle twist, that doesn't do anything to me now."
Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rdaniels@news-record.com
www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051004/NEWSREC0105/510040301/1021/NEWSREC0205
By Rob Daniels
Staff Writer
GREENSBORO -- If the West Coast Offense is the throw-it-all-over-the-place, let-it-all-hang-out football game of the new century, then what must we call N.C. A&T's attack?
The Badlands Offense? The Arctic Assault?
Last week, you could call it successful. At least successful enough in all its blandness.
The Aggies (1-1 MEAC, 2-3 overall) have made an unofficial but apparently solid switch to Rico Watkins at quarterback, and his orders are simple: Offer a handoff here, a pat on the back there and don't mess it up.
"We're looking for someone who can be a leader and can orchestrate the offense the way we have designed it and do it efficiently," coach George Small said. "Whoever can do that the most consistently is the person who will play."
A&T's program has been built on the running game, but the reliance on rushing was more pronounced than usual in Saturday's 16-3 Circle City Classic victory over Tennessee State. The Aggies ran the ball 52 times and threw only eight passes -- their fewest in a game in 16 years.
And there are no apologies.
With Marshall Glenn completing fewer than half of his pass attempts, Small elected to go with Watkins, whose 2004 season was wiped out by an injury in September.
The mandate was to avoid interceptions, execute timing-based plays properly and instill confidence in a backfield heavy on freshmen and sophomores. It is essentially the philosophy of the NFL's Ravens, whose fellow Baltimore residents, the Morgan State Bears, face A&T in Saturday's Prince George's Classic at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
"I was happy with the win, and I was happy with the defensive intensity," Watkins said. "As far as my level of play was concerned, I felt the beginning was a lot better than when I finished. I wasn't too pleased with how I finished up."
At this point, the Aggies' schedule is benign. Morgan State (0-2, 1-4) trailed Bethune-Cookman 30-0 in the first quarter Saturday on the way to a 44-26 defeat.
The Aggies don't expect to have running back Chaz Truesdale available for Morgan, but Brandon Sweeney, who began the year as the top runner, may return to the field. That decision will be made Thursday.
In any event, the bulk of the offensive burden will be carried by a senior offensive line and sophomore tailback Quante Speight, who has three 100-yard rushing performances and two entirely inconsequential games in 2005. Small said Speight is far from a finished product, which is why another walk-on, freshman Michael Ferguson, ran for 45 yards on 11 carries against Tennessee State.
"He showed signs of being another great running back here at A&T," Small said of Ferguson.
In so doing, Ferguson gave the Aggies a second running option on a day when wide receiver Doug Brown left with a hamstring injury that may keep him out of this week's game.
"I wanted to let Mike know his job, and if he didn't know something to ask me," Watkins said. "I wasn't afraid or hesitant to give him the ball and allow him to do what he does."
The injury list grew to include Brown, a Ragsdale graduate, and Dudley's Quintin Corry (ankle). But Small said he was counting his blessings.
"As long as they're not season-ending injuries like they were last year, I'm happy," he said. "When you just get a thigh bruise or an ankle twist, that doesn't do anything to me now."
Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rdaniels@news-record.com
www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051004/NEWSREC0105/510040301/1021/NEWSREC0205
