Post by Aggie One on Oct 5, 2006 21:33:31 GMT -5
Patience Better Be a Virture
by Craig R. Turner
bluedeathvalley.com
It’s time for a change in fortunes for N.C. A&T. After four straight defeats to open the season, floundering on defense and still feeling its way on offense, A&T is due for a breakout game. Last week’s 42-20 loss to an up and coming Norfolk State team appears on the surface as being more of the same as the youthful Aggies got down early played significantly better in the middle but gave up too many big plays on special teams and big pass plays before finishing on a positive note with their highest point production to date.
Unreal optimism you may say. Perhaps. There’s little question that A&T is probably headed for its third straight losing season but there are some inklings that this season may not be the total wash that many fans think may be coming. The Aggies discovered a couple of things about themselves last week that gives even the pessimistic critic hope that a breakout just might be in the works.
The Aggies although still too porous on defense because of being outmanned up front did do some positive things by creating a couple turnovers and forcing some defensive stops for the first time this season. As A&T ventures further into the conference, they will be facing teams that they stand a much better chance of competing against in a respectable fashion. There was some fire shown by this group when the Spartans went about trying to intimidate and push the Aggies around a bit after the whistle.
And although the talent gap between these two teams was obvious, A&T appears to be on the same track that Norfolk was just two short years ago. Pete Adrian came into much of the same type of situation that Lee Fobbs stepped into this season. Short on size and talent, Adrian went about his first season by just changing the attitude and work ethic of his football team knowing that he was going to take a lot of lumps that would have the NSU alums scratching their heads wondering if they had made a mistake in hiring him.
But credit to the administration and the athletic director, they remained patient, didn’t strike the panic button, and allowed the former Bethune Cookman assistant to establish his system and allowed him to recruit his type of players to fit that system. What he did first was re-establish his home recruiting base in the Tidewater area, then once finding those players, went about the task of evaluating and putting his athletes in their best position to help produce positive production on the field.
He began retaining players he brought into his program the same as established coaches like Joe Taylor, Buddy Pough and the Alvin Wyatt had done before him. They all started from scratch with a rag tag bunch and built confidence by playing everyone that was able to play early on, freshman or not. Now with solid recruiting connections under their belts, a heck of a lot of depth, and all along refining their coaching staffs, they all have now put quality football teams on the field. Their key to success has been player development of their recruiting classes and retention.
A&T fans have long been accustomed to winning their fair share of games over the last two decades, beating teams on the road and occasionally reaching mountain top when blessed with the gifted signal caller or a dynamic running game or a dominate defense. It is difficult for diehard fans like those at A&T to accept the fact that this team is not ready at this point in its development to be in hunting as they usually are each year. What we are witnessing this season is a total rebuilding job from the floor up.
It is a slow process in building a football team from scratch and a painful one not only for the fans but for the players and coaches as well. No one cherishes losing and shouldn’t but from what I’ve seen of this A&T team this year gives me pause that there is no quit in these guys and that is half the battle when you strap up the chin straps and knock heads even when the odds are stacked against you every week.
Now what has to be done of the defensive side is continue to do some of things that flashed last week in creating some stops. Although the rushing defense improved somewhat the Aggies must find a way to put pressure on the opponents passing game and create some penetration at the line of scrimmage. The front seven may not physically able to do that so do you go to a variety of junk defenses or continue in your base sets?
I’m no coach and never professed to be one but I have my own opinion but that isn’t going to affect one thing on the football field that Lee Fobbs is going to do the rest of the way nor should it. So here I go with my arm chair assessment.
Morgan State is a base 3-4 team and defensive coordinator Alonzo Lee isn’t doing anything any differently than he did a year ago when he was making defensive decisions here at A&T. So what does A&T have to do to get its stagnant running game going?
Throw it. Base 3-4 defenses are designed to stop the run but usually leave a lot of soft under belly in 2 deep zone coverage that if you have an offensive line that will pick up the blitz and it can be exploited for some big time pass plays. Hit some opportunities early and the linebackers must loosen up from their stunting and the defense has to back off the eight man fronts.
None of those elements I mentioned before have yet to come to fruition but the play last week of freshman quarterback Wayne Campbell just may be the catalyst that Fobbs needs on offense to build around for the future and could jumpstart the Aggies to their first win of the year witha little help.
Campbell is a freshman and makes some ill advised throws that freshman quarterbacks will make but he also has something you can’t really coach - size and arm strength. He is not the second coming, not by a long shot, but even a novice football fan can see he has an abundance of raw talent at the quarterback position and quick strike ability because of his arm and his patience.
Defensively it will come down to stopping the opposition from those seven, eight, and nine yards gains off of first and second down plays. There will need to be more linebacker adjustments made in personnel and alignments again this week in an effort to do just that. If the Aggies can score early and be in this game by halftime by not shooting themselves in the front by giving up unforced turnovers or giving up special teams plays, they will have a legitimate shot at pulling off a win.
Yeah I know the Bears bit Shine and the Wildcats last week but past history has Morgan playing well one week against tougher competition and not showing up the next against teams they should destroy.
Does that scenario sound familiar? Tough one to call and the weather may or may not be a factor but both teams have to play in it so it’s a wash. No pun Intended. This should be entertaining if nothing else and a upset wouldn’t surprise me. If you like offense, you’ll like this one.
Morgan State 30
N.C. A&T 27
by Craig R. Turner
bluedeathvalley.com
It’s time for a change in fortunes for N.C. A&T. After four straight defeats to open the season, floundering on defense and still feeling its way on offense, A&T is due for a breakout game. Last week’s 42-20 loss to an up and coming Norfolk State team appears on the surface as being more of the same as the youthful Aggies got down early played significantly better in the middle but gave up too many big plays on special teams and big pass plays before finishing on a positive note with their highest point production to date.
Unreal optimism you may say. Perhaps. There’s little question that A&T is probably headed for its third straight losing season but there are some inklings that this season may not be the total wash that many fans think may be coming. The Aggies discovered a couple of things about themselves last week that gives even the pessimistic critic hope that a breakout just might be in the works.
The Aggies although still too porous on defense because of being outmanned up front did do some positive things by creating a couple turnovers and forcing some defensive stops for the first time this season. As A&T ventures further into the conference, they will be facing teams that they stand a much better chance of competing against in a respectable fashion. There was some fire shown by this group when the Spartans went about trying to intimidate and push the Aggies around a bit after the whistle.
And although the talent gap between these two teams was obvious, A&T appears to be on the same track that Norfolk was just two short years ago. Pete Adrian came into much of the same type of situation that Lee Fobbs stepped into this season. Short on size and talent, Adrian went about his first season by just changing the attitude and work ethic of his football team knowing that he was going to take a lot of lumps that would have the NSU alums scratching their heads wondering if they had made a mistake in hiring him.
But credit to the administration and the athletic director, they remained patient, didn’t strike the panic button, and allowed the former Bethune Cookman assistant to establish his system and allowed him to recruit his type of players to fit that system. What he did first was re-establish his home recruiting base in the Tidewater area, then once finding those players, went about the task of evaluating and putting his athletes in their best position to help produce positive production on the field.
He began retaining players he brought into his program the same as established coaches like Joe Taylor, Buddy Pough and the Alvin Wyatt had done before him. They all started from scratch with a rag tag bunch and built confidence by playing everyone that was able to play early on, freshman or not. Now with solid recruiting connections under their belts, a heck of a lot of depth, and all along refining their coaching staffs, they all have now put quality football teams on the field. Their key to success has been player development of their recruiting classes and retention.
A&T fans have long been accustomed to winning their fair share of games over the last two decades, beating teams on the road and occasionally reaching mountain top when blessed with the gifted signal caller or a dynamic running game or a dominate defense. It is difficult for diehard fans like those at A&T to accept the fact that this team is not ready at this point in its development to be in hunting as they usually are each year. What we are witnessing this season is a total rebuilding job from the floor up.
It is a slow process in building a football team from scratch and a painful one not only for the fans but for the players and coaches as well. No one cherishes losing and shouldn’t but from what I’ve seen of this A&T team this year gives me pause that there is no quit in these guys and that is half the battle when you strap up the chin straps and knock heads even when the odds are stacked against you every week.
Now what has to be done of the defensive side is continue to do some of things that flashed last week in creating some stops. Although the rushing defense improved somewhat the Aggies must find a way to put pressure on the opponents passing game and create some penetration at the line of scrimmage. The front seven may not physically able to do that so do you go to a variety of junk defenses or continue in your base sets?
I’m no coach and never professed to be one but I have my own opinion but that isn’t going to affect one thing on the football field that Lee Fobbs is going to do the rest of the way nor should it. So here I go with my arm chair assessment.
Morgan State is a base 3-4 team and defensive coordinator Alonzo Lee isn’t doing anything any differently than he did a year ago when he was making defensive decisions here at A&T. So what does A&T have to do to get its stagnant running game going?
Throw it. Base 3-4 defenses are designed to stop the run but usually leave a lot of soft under belly in 2 deep zone coverage that if you have an offensive line that will pick up the blitz and it can be exploited for some big time pass plays. Hit some opportunities early and the linebackers must loosen up from their stunting and the defense has to back off the eight man fronts.
None of those elements I mentioned before have yet to come to fruition but the play last week of freshman quarterback Wayne Campbell just may be the catalyst that Fobbs needs on offense to build around for the future and could jumpstart the Aggies to their first win of the year witha little help.
Campbell is a freshman and makes some ill advised throws that freshman quarterbacks will make but he also has something you can’t really coach - size and arm strength. He is not the second coming, not by a long shot, but even a novice football fan can see he has an abundance of raw talent at the quarterback position and quick strike ability because of his arm and his patience.
Defensively it will come down to stopping the opposition from those seven, eight, and nine yards gains off of first and second down plays. There will need to be more linebacker adjustments made in personnel and alignments again this week in an effort to do just that. If the Aggies can score early and be in this game by halftime by not shooting themselves in the front by giving up unforced turnovers or giving up special teams plays, they will have a legitimate shot at pulling off a win.
Yeah I know the Bears bit Shine and the Wildcats last week but past history has Morgan playing well one week against tougher competition and not showing up the next against teams they should destroy.
Does that scenario sound familiar? Tough one to call and the weather may or may not be a factor but both teams have to play in it so it’s a wash. No pun Intended. This should be entertaining if nothing else and a upset wouldn’t surprise me. If you like offense, you’ll like this one.
Morgan State 30
N.C. A&T 27
