Post by Aggie One on Sept 21, 2006 17:51:43 GMT -5
Another Week of Baby Steps
by Craig R. Turner
bluedeathvalley.com
Hampton’s 48-14 shellacking of North Carolina A&T went pretty much as expected last weekend. Everyone knew going in A&T was outsized, outmanned, and simply outclassed personnel wise but three things happened that usually means things are beginning to improve in a incremental steps and it showed that this football team, although in a uphill struggle to get back to respectability on the win-loss side, has some character and some fight in them that one can appreciate in a major overhaul project.
The Pirates jumped on A&T early and that was no news but what was news was the fact that the youthful Aggies retaliated with its own 70-yard scoring drive of its own, mixing a variety of runs and short to medium range passes that was impressive to knot the score at 7 all midway through the first quarter.
That might not be earth shattering news on the face of it but that’s was statement of sorts that this team is not going to play scared this year no matter the scoreboard says. Despite the one-sided score, the issue about intensity has been pretty much put to bed for Fobbs. Its a very young team he can be proud of in that aspect.
The next thing that was a big positive is that for the first time in a long time, A&T has found itself a playmaking quarterback in red shirt freshman Herb Miller.
Nearly everyone that I talked to after game came to the same conclusion. That if he remains healthy, given time to continue to improve and a better offensive line, Miller could be one of the better quarterbacks to put on the blue and gold before career is done in three more years.
Miller’s running ability, his throwing accuracy, and his ability to make something out of nothing has a lot of old timers like myself comparing him favorably to former A&T legend Connell Maynor, arguably one of the best multi-threat quarterbacks ever to play in the MEAC.
Miller has now clearly earned himself the role of the starter and the go to guy, something else that A&T has not had since Maynor graduated in the early 1990’s.
Even better is the fact that transfer freshman Wayne Campbell is very strong backup with a howitzer for an arm who can run the offense in case Miller should go down given the state of the inexperience of the offensive line.
These two young men also have a very close friendship off the field as well so all those disgruntled transfer rumors can be put to bed. The quarterback position is pretty much set for the Aggies for the next few years.
The third thing that I really can point to with a great deal of satisfaction is in the fan base of North Carolina A&T. I know everyone of us are arm chair coaches have an opinion on everything from what plays should have been called to what kind sport drink ought to be in the water coolers.
We’re always grumbling about this or that but one thing no one can say about the A&T fan base. It can’t be said that A&T fans are indifferent.
No matter the record, no matter the score, A&T fans are loyal to their team, their traditions, and buddy do Aggies love to travel when their team goes on the road.
I can remember even as a little kid attending games with my Dad way back in the mid-sixties, the home team would always expect busloads of A&T fans to show up, talking trash, and generally over running their campus.
Last Saturday was no exception as even the Hampton radio team alluded to that very fact that despite having a down year, A&T fans outnumbered the Pirates in the seats and you could always count on Aggies to show up in your town when kickoff time.
As for this week, some changes have been made on the defensive side of football as the Aggies prepare to travel to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (formerly Southwest Louisiana) to take on the Raging Cajuns. This will mark the second Division 1 opponent that the Aggies have faced in three years.
Coach Fobbs had remarked earlier in the week there would be changes, not necessarily in the schemes but in personnel. That probably needs translation from “coach speak”. In other words, he plans on doing some revamping of his run defense which really has been the Achilles heel for A&T in its first two games.
Who and what those changes take the form of is anyone’s guess because Fobbs rarely details anything substantial for media reprint. The Aggies will also be taking more bodies this week on the road since the MEAC’s 55 man travel rule is not in affect for non-conference games.
Although having been the early preseason favorite in the Southland Conference, ULL has had some not so shining moments in early season although one of those outings was against LSU who is in everyone’s top ten and BCS short list.
The Cajuns are 0-2 as well and are looking forward to a breather against a 1-AA opponent, especially one that is struggling with a new coach and personnel.
Again this game will be another measuring stick of how much the Aggies have and will continue to improve from the previous week. Based on last week’s performance, the offense showed signs that it may just be starting to come around by having some good stretches against a pretty good defensive team in Hampton.
This week the defense has to step up against the spread offense of the Cajuns because you can bet that their coaching staff will go after A&T’s run defense like a pit bull after a slow mail man.
It’s a long way from home, but I understand fair amount of Aggies will journeying down by both plane and bus to cheer on the Aggies. They’ll need all the support they can get in this one. If the defense can do anything at all to slow down the run this week that will be a giant step forward.
We’ll see if those extra bodies and new faces will help the defense. Can’t hurt.
UL-Lafayette 38
N.C. A&T 17
by Craig R. Turner
bluedeathvalley.com
Hampton’s 48-14 shellacking of North Carolina A&T went pretty much as expected last weekend. Everyone knew going in A&T was outsized, outmanned, and simply outclassed personnel wise but three things happened that usually means things are beginning to improve in a incremental steps and it showed that this football team, although in a uphill struggle to get back to respectability on the win-loss side, has some character and some fight in them that one can appreciate in a major overhaul project.
The Pirates jumped on A&T early and that was no news but what was news was the fact that the youthful Aggies retaliated with its own 70-yard scoring drive of its own, mixing a variety of runs and short to medium range passes that was impressive to knot the score at 7 all midway through the first quarter.
That might not be earth shattering news on the face of it but that’s was statement of sorts that this team is not going to play scared this year no matter the scoreboard says. Despite the one-sided score, the issue about intensity has been pretty much put to bed for Fobbs. Its a very young team he can be proud of in that aspect.
The next thing that was a big positive is that for the first time in a long time, A&T has found itself a playmaking quarterback in red shirt freshman Herb Miller.
Nearly everyone that I talked to after game came to the same conclusion. That if he remains healthy, given time to continue to improve and a better offensive line, Miller could be one of the better quarterbacks to put on the blue and gold before career is done in three more years.
Miller’s running ability, his throwing accuracy, and his ability to make something out of nothing has a lot of old timers like myself comparing him favorably to former A&T legend Connell Maynor, arguably one of the best multi-threat quarterbacks ever to play in the MEAC.
Miller has now clearly earned himself the role of the starter and the go to guy, something else that A&T has not had since Maynor graduated in the early 1990’s.
Even better is the fact that transfer freshman Wayne Campbell is very strong backup with a howitzer for an arm who can run the offense in case Miller should go down given the state of the inexperience of the offensive line.
These two young men also have a very close friendship off the field as well so all those disgruntled transfer rumors can be put to bed. The quarterback position is pretty much set for the Aggies for the next few years.
The third thing that I really can point to with a great deal of satisfaction is in the fan base of North Carolina A&T. I know everyone of us are arm chair coaches have an opinion on everything from what plays should have been called to what kind sport drink ought to be in the water coolers.
We’re always grumbling about this or that but one thing no one can say about the A&T fan base. It can’t be said that A&T fans are indifferent.
No matter the record, no matter the score, A&T fans are loyal to their team, their traditions, and buddy do Aggies love to travel when their team goes on the road.
I can remember even as a little kid attending games with my Dad way back in the mid-sixties, the home team would always expect busloads of A&T fans to show up, talking trash, and generally over running their campus.
Last Saturday was no exception as even the Hampton radio team alluded to that very fact that despite having a down year, A&T fans outnumbered the Pirates in the seats and you could always count on Aggies to show up in your town when kickoff time.
As for this week, some changes have been made on the defensive side of football as the Aggies prepare to travel to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (formerly Southwest Louisiana) to take on the Raging Cajuns. This will mark the second Division 1 opponent that the Aggies have faced in three years.
Coach Fobbs had remarked earlier in the week there would be changes, not necessarily in the schemes but in personnel. That probably needs translation from “coach speak”. In other words, he plans on doing some revamping of his run defense which really has been the Achilles heel for A&T in its first two games.
Who and what those changes take the form of is anyone’s guess because Fobbs rarely details anything substantial for media reprint. The Aggies will also be taking more bodies this week on the road since the MEAC’s 55 man travel rule is not in affect for non-conference games.
Although having been the early preseason favorite in the Southland Conference, ULL has had some not so shining moments in early season although one of those outings was against LSU who is in everyone’s top ten and BCS short list.
The Cajuns are 0-2 as well and are looking forward to a breather against a 1-AA opponent, especially one that is struggling with a new coach and personnel.
Again this game will be another measuring stick of how much the Aggies have and will continue to improve from the previous week. Based on last week’s performance, the offense showed signs that it may just be starting to come around by having some good stretches against a pretty good defensive team in Hampton.
This week the defense has to step up against the spread offense of the Cajuns because you can bet that their coaching staff will go after A&T’s run defense like a pit bull after a slow mail man.
It’s a long way from home, but I understand fair amount of Aggies will journeying down by both plane and bus to cheer on the Aggies. They’ll need all the support they can get in this one. If the defense can do anything at all to slow down the run this week that will be a giant step forward.
We’ll see if those extra bodies and new faces will help the defense. Can’t hurt.
UL-Lafayette 38
N.C. A&T 17
