Changes are coming for Mississippi Valley State ahead of its game versus Southern.
Following the Delta Devils eighth consecutive loss last Saturday — a 58-13 defeat to Stephen F. Austin — head coach Vincent Dancy was candid that there would be adjustments made to the depth chart.
“We’re going to look at a lot of different personnel changes. We have to look in the mirror and face the fact that it may be a personnel issue,” said Dancy. “First of all, it has to start with me as a coach. I got to get our guys better prepared week in and week out.”
The third-year coach was especially frustrated with his group surrendering touchdowns by way of turnovers on offense, defensive lapses, and special teams failures against the Lumberjacks.
The outcome was a microcosm of the struggles MVSU has endured this season and in recent years.
Mississippi Valley State currently averages just 6.9 points per game. Only Grambling State, which posts a shocking 5.3 points in what is supposed to be a revamped offense, is worse. The Delta Devils defense — a perceived strength of the team — has given up 46.5 points an outing through the first two weeks, which ranks ninth in the SWAC.
Dancy said much of the inconsistent play early on can be contributed to injuries that have tested its depth and a schedule that featured a built-in bye week after Week 1.
But from the tenor of Dancy’s statements and tone, there are few ingrained certainties on the roster right now, including at quarterback — a position that will apparently be up for grabs between starter Conor Regan and backup Jalani Eason.
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Neither quarterback has thrown a touchdown pass in 49 combined attempts through the first eight quarters of the season.
“We’re going to look at different personnel not only at quarterback but other positions as well,” he said.
Despite the lack of execution and mounting losses, Dancy characterized the Delta Devils as “not a bad football team.” They, he suggested, just need to “clean up a few things” to right the ship.
“That’s how we’re going to be a better football team,” said Dancy, who reiterated that he will investigate a complete overhaul, including strategic adjustments. “As the head coach, the buck stops here. I got to be better.”
Mississippi Valley State hasn’t won an on-field football game since Oct. 26, 2019, a 35-14 over Texas Southern, and the Delta Devils will not be favored to win the rest of the way, either.
But the embattled coach explained that the hurdles in front of them and national perception of the team will not define the program.
“This team won’t quit. I won’t quit … that’s who I am,” said Dancy. “That’s what the team is, even though I know what you guys (the media) may think of us. I can tell that a lot of time but we won’t we won’t stop.”
