Post by krazykev on Sept 19, 2006 5:10:28 GMT -5
By Rob Daniels
Staff Writer
GREENSBORO -- Two games into a long season, N.C. A&T coach Lee Fobbs said Monday the Aggies' defense will keep doing what it has been doing. Although not entirely, he hopes.
The concepts and principles will stay the same as A&T (0-2) prepares for the second Division I-A game in its history, Saturday's matchup at Louisiana-Lafayette. But in a presumably hot and humid environment, the coaches are not opposed to taking 60 to 65 players on the trip and using as many of them as possible.
"To change schemes would be detrimental to our football team," Fobbs said. "But there will probably be some personnel changes."
Among the NCAA's 116 Division I-AA teams, A&T ranks 115th in stopping the run (264 yards per game) and 114th in scoring defense (44.5 points). Pass defense figures are somewhat better -- in part because the first two opponents have felt little need to put the ball in the air after taking comfortable first-half leads.
Having spent the spring and preseason installing concepts, some of which require considerable versatility out of a new group of linebackers, the Aggies can't abandon the plan simply because Hampton overwhelmed them last Saturday. The Pirates have experienced skill players in excess, while the Aggies, regrouping after last season's coaching change, have the depth of an interview on VH1.
And there's more to it than numbers.
"Mental errors and missed tackles have hurt us the most," linebacker Davion Hemphill said. "Now we're looking forward to the challenge."
The Ragin' Cajuns (0-2) undeniably will consider A&T a huge break in the schedule after absorbing losses at Texas A&M (51-7) and LSU (45-3). Lafayette is 9-for-29 through the air in two games and can't be blamed if it seeks to exploit an apparent advantage with its offensive line, which averages 317 pounds per man.
Fobbs said it's not yet certain if starting tailback Michael Ferguson, who suffered a knee injury in the opener against Winston-Salem State, will play against the Cajuns. Ferguson was held out of the 48-14 loss at Hampton, but isn't expected to be out for the long term. He was relieved by freshman Dion McNair of Randleman, among others, against the Pirates.
Herb Miller has sufficiently distanced himself from Wayne Campbell and is the Aggies' clear No. 1 quarterback, Fobbs said. Miller was effective in running sprint-out passes and option keepers at Hampton.
"We wanted to give each athlete the opportunity to play, and we did that," Fobbs said. "One of them had to step up, and he did."
Miller has completed 17 of 28 passes for 176 yards in two games.
"It's going to come around," Miller said. "We do not feel bad about ourselves."
Staff Writer
GREENSBORO -- Two games into a long season, N.C. A&T coach Lee Fobbs said Monday the Aggies' defense will keep doing what it has been doing. Although not entirely, he hopes.
The concepts and principles will stay the same as A&T (0-2) prepares for the second Division I-A game in its history, Saturday's matchup at Louisiana-Lafayette. But in a presumably hot and humid environment, the coaches are not opposed to taking 60 to 65 players on the trip and using as many of them as possible.
"To change schemes would be detrimental to our football team," Fobbs said. "But there will probably be some personnel changes."
Among the NCAA's 116 Division I-AA teams, A&T ranks 115th in stopping the run (264 yards per game) and 114th in scoring defense (44.5 points). Pass defense figures are somewhat better -- in part because the first two opponents have felt little need to put the ball in the air after taking comfortable first-half leads.
Having spent the spring and preseason installing concepts, some of which require considerable versatility out of a new group of linebackers, the Aggies can't abandon the plan simply because Hampton overwhelmed them last Saturday. The Pirates have experienced skill players in excess, while the Aggies, regrouping after last season's coaching change, have the depth of an interview on VH1.
And there's more to it than numbers.
"Mental errors and missed tackles have hurt us the most," linebacker Davion Hemphill said. "Now we're looking forward to the challenge."
The Ragin' Cajuns (0-2) undeniably will consider A&T a huge break in the schedule after absorbing losses at Texas A&M (51-7) and LSU (45-3). Lafayette is 9-for-29 through the air in two games and can't be blamed if it seeks to exploit an apparent advantage with its offensive line, which averages 317 pounds per man.
Fobbs said it's not yet certain if starting tailback Michael Ferguson, who suffered a knee injury in the opener against Winston-Salem State, will play against the Cajuns. Ferguson was held out of the 48-14 loss at Hampton, but isn't expected to be out for the long term. He was relieved by freshman Dion McNair of Randleman, among others, against the Pirates.
Herb Miller has sufficiently distanced himself from Wayne Campbell and is the Aggies' clear No. 1 quarterback, Fobbs said. Miller was effective in running sprint-out passes and option keepers at Hampton.
"We wanted to give each athlete the opportunity to play, and we did that," Fobbs said. "One of them had to step up, and he did."
Miller has completed 17 of 28 passes for 176 yards in two games.
"It's going to come around," Miller said. "We do not feel bad about ourselves."
