Post by Aggie One on Oct 29, 2005 10:11:56 GMT -5
Back in the Saddle Again
by Craig R. Turner
bluedeathvalley.com
With the way things have gone south during the 2005 football season, it really didn’t come as any surprise to this reporter that head coach George Small as decided to give the starting quarterback duties back to senior Marshall Glenn.
Glenn, who had been benched since a sub par performance in a disappointing loss against Elon earlier this year and been regulated to spot duty at wide receiver the last five games, will return under center probably for the rest of the season since A&T is has very little hope of avoiding its second straight losing season and another near the bottom finish in the MEAC.
Why you may ask, has Small decided to go with Glenn at this late date? Well first Rico Watkins, who has gone 2-3 has the starter, is nursing a slight hamstring pull and may or may not be available Saturday.
Even though junior college transfer Roderick Stevens may end up as the leading candidate for the number one job next spring, the coaching staff has shown no confidence in his ability or a willingness to give him any meaningful playing time as a starter which is much the same way they approached Watkins’ situation some weeks ago.
The are certain givens in the world and one is that George Small is a creature of habit whether it is his approach to game, team preparation, his decision making during a game, personnel choices, and even post game comments.
Marshall Glenn has always been and will continue to forever be his first choice at quarterback from now to the end of the season.
Glenn does exactly what his coaches want him to do and that is run the play as called no matter what. Don’t improvise, don’t push the envelope, just run the offense as it was scripted during practice and there in lies the key.
Some coaches prefer to look for guys with talent who make plays or show up big on game day even though they may self destruct trying to do too much by their lonesome and aren't practice affecianados.
Other coaches want fellows who practice well during the week and perform the drills and reps the best even if it doesn’t translate on the field. It doesn’t make either viewpoint right or wrong but it gives some insight as to why things are the way they are for A&T. Small is the latter.
As for tonight’s final home game against the Wildcats of Bethune Cookman, Coach Alvin Wyatt brings in a team that is in a rebuilding year and maybe not as good as some of his past teams but they are still a formidable force for A&T to reckon with.
Now Wyatt, or as he is affectionately known by fans as “Shine” for his snappy dress and fiery demeanor on the sidelines, is one of MEAC’s best coaches because he does everything traditional coaches would never do.
He will attack you, incite you, harass you, insult you, and sometimes embarrass you. He will do whatever it takes to give his team a chance to win and he does it with a true passion and is always above board in running his program on and off the field.
If it sounds like I’m a Wyatt fan I am. I respect the man and what he has done this season with an inexperienced ball club with its fair share of injuries while still managing a 2-2 record in the MEAC and 5-2 overall and having the Wildcats headed toward another winning season and top three finish.
Tonight is “University Day?” which means that this game was moved from its original 1:30 kickoff to accommodate ESPN Saturday 7 p.m. night time slot.
Of course this will cut out many of the thousands of high school students that have traditionally visited campus during this event and deny them that important look see around the campus and experience the atmosphere of college life in Aggie Land.
It’s a shame that a scheduling glitch occurred for the sake of the students but it may be a blessing that they don’t’ have tgo see what I hope doesn’t take place this evening on national TV.
It will be cold for the visiting Floridians, in the mid to lower 30’s, something they may not be used to in Daytona Beach and might affect them early on.
But that won’t be enough unless the A&T defense can create some turnovers on the BCC side of the field and A&T can turn them into points. Option teams generally turn it over 3-4 times each game.
Both teams have shown weakness on stopping the run so this should be interesting as to which team is more effective with their offensive line. It ‘s the last hurray for 23 seniors who have given their best for A&T including a MEAC crown just two short years ago.
And even though conventional wisdom says that Bethune should win this one easily, I just don’t believe these seniors will go out like that their final time out.
Upset Special for this last time out.
PREDICTION:
N.C. A&T 26
BETHUNE 24
by Craig R. Turner
bluedeathvalley.com
With the way things have gone south during the 2005 football season, it really didn’t come as any surprise to this reporter that head coach George Small as decided to give the starting quarterback duties back to senior Marshall Glenn.
Glenn, who had been benched since a sub par performance in a disappointing loss against Elon earlier this year and been regulated to spot duty at wide receiver the last five games, will return under center probably for the rest of the season since A&T is has very little hope of avoiding its second straight losing season and another near the bottom finish in the MEAC.
Why you may ask, has Small decided to go with Glenn at this late date? Well first Rico Watkins, who has gone 2-3 has the starter, is nursing a slight hamstring pull and may or may not be available Saturday.
Even though junior college transfer Roderick Stevens may end up as the leading candidate for the number one job next spring, the coaching staff has shown no confidence in his ability or a willingness to give him any meaningful playing time as a starter which is much the same way they approached Watkins’ situation some weeks ago.
The are certain givens in the world and one is that George Small is a creature of habit whether it is his approach to game, team preparation, his decision making during a game, personnel choices, and even post game comments.
Marshall Glenn has always been and will continue to forever be his first choice at quarterback from now to the end of the season.
Glenn does exactly what his coaches want him to do and that is run the play as called no matter what. Don’t improvise, don’t push the envelope, just run the offense as it was scripted during practice and there in lies the key.
Some coaches prefer to look for guys with talent who make plays or show up big on game day even though they may self destruct trying to do too much by their lonesome and aren't practice affecianados.
Other coaches want fellows who practice well during the week and perform the drills and reps the best even if it doesn’t translate on the field. It doesn’t make either viewpoint right or wrong but it gives some insight as to why things are the way they are for A&T. Small is the latter.
As for tonight’s final home game against the Wildcats of Bethune Cookman, Coach Alvin Wyatt brings in a team that is in a rebuilding year and maybe not as good as some of his past teams but they are still a formidable force for A&T to reckon with.
Now Wyatt, or as he is affectionately known by fans as “Shine” for his snappy dress and fiery demeanor on the sidelines, is one of MEAC’s best coaches because he does everything traditional coaches would never do.
He will attack you, incite you, harass you, insult you, and sometimes embarrass you. He will do whatever it takes to give his team a chance to win and he does it with a true passion and is always above board in running his program on and off the field.
If it sounds like I’m a Wyatt fan I am. I respect the man and what he has done this season with an inexperienced ball club with its fair share of injuries while still managing a 2-2 record in the MEAC and 5-2 overall and having the Wildcats headed toward another winning season and top three finish.
Tonight is “University Day?” which means that this game was moved from its original 1:30 kickoff to accommodate ESPN Saturday 7 p.m. night time slot.
Of course this will cut out many of the thousands of high school students that have traditionally visited campus during this event and deny them that important look see around the campus and experience the atmosphere of college life in Aggie Land.
It’s a shame that a scheduling glitch occurred for the sake of the students but it may be a blessing that they don’t’ have tgo see what I hope doesn’t take place this evening on national TV.
It will be cold for the visiting Floridians, in the mid to lower 30’s, something they may not be used to in Daytona Beach and might affect them early on.
But that won’t be enough unless the A&T defense can create some turnovers on the BCC side of the field and A&T can turn them into points. Option teams generally turn it over 3-4 times each game.
Both teams have shown weakness on stopping the run so this should be interesting as to which team is more effective with their offensive line. It ‘s the last hurray for 23 seniors who have given their best for A&T including a MEAC crown just two short years ago.
And even though conventional wisdom says that Bethune should win this one easily, I just don’t believe these seniors will go out like that their final time out.
Upset Special for this last time out.
PREDICTION:
N.C. A&T 26
BETHUNE 24
