Alcorn State, the presumptive preseason pick to win the SWAC West, limps into conference play after a 1-3 record through the first quarter of the regular season. The team is unsure of its direction and riddled with questions about its execution and maturity.
That is what can be gleaned from the 10-minute media session Braves coach Cedric Thomas spent on Monday diagnosing his team after four weeks.
According to Thomas, the list of items Alcorn State needed to address was lengthy. It starts with penalties that had hurt them in blowout nonconference losses to UAB, Vanderbilt, and McNeese State. The Braves have currently amassed 34 accepted infractions through the first 16 quarters of the season—good (or bad) for sixth among all teams in the SWAC.
In the 42-14 loss to McNeese last Saturday, Alcorn State compiled 10 penalties for 109 yards.
“We have to be more disciplined from that aspect,” said Thomas.
Almost as surprisingly, the Braves defense, a unit that had been solid when Thomas solely handled it under then-head coach Fred McNair, has not performed up to its reputation or standard.
Thomas lamented the lack of consistent tackling, which has resulted in Alcorn State allowing 36.3 points per game and 223.5 rushing yards per game. Its once strong defensive front has registered just two sacks.
“We’ve not played the brand of ball that we’ve played since I’ve been here,” he said. “We have to get back to the basic fundamentals of tackling and limit the big plays. We have to be better there. We have to give the offense more opportunities to score touchdowns.”
But that has been a problem area, too.
The Braves offense has scored seven TDs and averaged 13.8 points per game. Only Mississippi Valley State—Alcorn State’s next opponent—averages fewer at 10.8 points per contest.
Beyond the statistical struggles on offense and defense, Thomas was not pleased with the team’s level of focus and intentionality up to this point, which has led to a widespread drop in execution.
When asked what was the common denominator in the regression, Thomas provided a candid one-word answer.
“Immaturity,” he said. “Some of the mistakes are being made by freshmen. We have a redshirt freshman who fumbles the ball on the 1-yard line. We have a freshman punter who drops the ball twice in a row, even though we work on punting every day. It’s just maturity.
Some of those guys have to hurry up and step up … Whatever the deal is, I’m not doing a good enough job during the practice sessions for them to do it in the game.”
Thomas was adamant that the team would have to collectively work to perform better if the Braves aspired to compete for a division or conference championship.
“Regardless of win, lose or draw, we have to play well,” he said. “We owe our fans and everyone associated with this institution a better product. We will get it fixed.”
