Alcorn State hasn’t won a football game in 318 days.
And amid a 0-4 start, head coach Cedric Thomas has been attempting to diagnose the issues that have led to the Braves being at the bottom of the SWAC West standings.
Alcorn State is off to its worst start to a season since 2008, when the Braves opened the year 1-5 and finished 2-10.
Facing roster challenges ahead of this weekend’s matchup against Prairie View, Thomas made it clear that responsibility for the team’s performance falls squarely on his shoulders.
“I’m the captain of the ship. It all lands on me,” he said on Monday. “It’s not because of a lack of effort. The guys are fighting hard, playing through the whistle. But we’ve got to start focusing on the little things, and that starts with me as a coach.”
Acorn State currently ranks 11th out of 12 SWAC teams in total offense, averaging 13.7 points per game, and has only found the endzone five times in 16 quarters.
The defensive side of the ball has also underwhelmed, allowing 41.7 points per game and an average of 218 rushing yards. In its 24-20 loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday, the defense was lit up for 323 passing yards on 10.1 yards per attempt.
While Thomas acknowledged that the roster has suffered from injuries and eligibility restraints, he stressed that there would be no excuses, especially for a group that has compiled 33 penalties, tied for second most in the conference.
“We’ll make the necessary adjustments from a coaching standpoint,” he said. “We’ve got guys stepping into bigger roles than expected, and it’s my job to get them ready.”
The immediate focus, Thomas explained, is attention to detail and consistency, whether in preparation or in execution.
“Some things just happen in a game, but we’ve got to continue honing in on those small details on and off the field,” he said. “That’s where growth will come from.”
Even while speaking positively about the team’s sharpness during practice, he noted the importance of carrying that discipline into games. “We don’t have miscues during the week because we put a premium on it,” he said. “Now it’s about showing the same execution on Saturday.”
The Braves do have some hope, as their schedule does lighten up after the Prairie View game. Alcorn State faces a punchless Lincoln, California, on homecoming before dates with struggling Florida A&M (Oct. 18), Mississippi Valley State (Oct. 25), and Texas Southern (Nov. 1) prior to hosting Southern on Nov. 8.
Schedule aside, Alcorn State has to play better, and Thomas knows it.
“The buck starts with me,” he said. “We’ll start again tomorrow, make the changes we have to make, and be ready to compete.”
