Tigerpride
THE Logical ONE
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Alcorn eager to build on 2001
* Braves opening spring football practice with vigor
By Mark Alexander
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
A year ago this time, Alcorn State headed into spring football practice with more questions than answers following a bitterly disappointing 0-11 season.
The morale is much better on The Reservation this spring thanks to the Braves' 6-5 record last season that included a 17-10 season-ending victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
"We've got a one-game winning streak going," Alcorn coach Johnny Thomas said with a chuckle.
Alcorn had the first of 15 spring practices on Monday. The Braves will conduct four scrimmages leading up to the annual Purple-Gold spring game on April 16.
"We had a wonderful day (Monday)," Thomas said. "There was a great deal of enthusiasm, a great deal of energy. We had people bouncing around and listening to what the coaches had to say."
Alcorn experienced losing seasons in each of Thomas' first three seasons before turning things around in his fourth season. The Braves hope to build on that success this upcoming season, and there's no better time to get started than this spring.
Alcorn returns 17 starters ? nine on offense, eight on defense ? from last season's team that finished tied for second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Eastern Division with Jackson State at 5-2. About 75 players are participating in spring drills.
"One of the main things we're trying to do this spring is improve our overall aggressiveness and physicalness," Thomas said. "And we want to identify the best 11 players on offense, defense and special teams."
Quarterback Donald Carrie, last year's SWAC newcomer of the year, returns to lead the offense. The entire offensive line returns as does leading receiver Kris Peters and leading rusher Cletis Walker.
Second-year offensive coordinator John McKenzie said his main emphasis this spring will be improving the Braves' running attack. Alcorn ranked eighth in the 10-team SWAC last season, averaging just 92 rushing yards per game.
"We need to become more balanced on offense," McKenzie said. "We were 5-0 last year when we had more rushing attempts, and 1-5 when we threw more than we ran."
One back getting a hard look this spring is Sidney Dumas, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound speedster from Mississippi Delta Community College.
"He very easily could become a starter," McKenzie said. "He's faster than a blink."
Another player who has caught McKenzie's attention is receiver Corvin Johnson, a transfer from Tuskegee. "He's the best pure receiver we've got," McKenzie said.
Second-year defensive coordinator Karl Morgan is looking to make his unit "more physical, more aggressive." He's also seeking to "develop leadership" now that linebackers Howard Clark and Louis Green have graduated.
Two likely candidates are linebacker Dwan Wilson and cornerback Tyrone Parsons. "Dwan should really be a factor, and we're expecting a lot of good things from Tyrone," Morgan said.
Alcorn eager to build on 2001
* Braves opening spring football practice with vigor
By Mark Alexander
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
A year ago this time, Alcorn State headed into spring football practice with more questions than answers following a bitterly disappointing 0-11 season.
The morale is much better on The Reservation this spring thanks to the Braves' 6-5 record last season that included a 17-10 season-ending victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
"We've got a one-game winning streak going," Alcorn coach Johnny Thomas said with a chuckle.
Alcorn had the first of 15 spring practices on Monday. The Braves will conduct four scrimmages leading up to the annual Purple-Gold spring game on April 16.
"We had a wonderful day (Monday)," Thomas said. "There was a great deal of enthusiasm, a great deal of energy. We had people bouncing around and listening to what the coaches had to say."
Alcorn experienced losing seasons in each of Thomas' first three seasons before turning things around in his fourth season. The Braves hope to build on that success this upcoming season, and there's no better time to get started than this spring.
Alcorn returns 17 starters ? nine on offense, eight on defense ? from last season's team that finished tied for second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Eastern Division with Jackson State at 5-2. About 75 players are participating in spring drills.
"One of the main things we're trying to do this spring is improve our overall aggressiveness and physicalness," Thomas said. "And we want to identify the best 11 players on offense, defense and special teams."
Quarterback Donald Carrie, last year's SWAC newcomer of the year, returns to lead the offense. The entire offensive line returns as does leading receiver Kris Peters and leading rusher Cletis Walker.
Second-year offensive coordinator John McKenzie said his main emphasis this spring will be improving the Braves' running attack. Alcorn ranked eighth in the 10-team SWAC last season, averaging just 92 rushing yards per game.
"We need to become more balanced on offense," McKenzie said. "We were 5-0 last year when we had more rushing attempts, and 1-5 when we threw more than we ran."
One back getting a hard look this spring is Sidney Dumas, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound speedster from Mississippi Delta Community College.
"He very easily could become a starter," McKenzie said. "He's faster than a blink."
Another player who has caught McKenzie's attention is receiver Corvin Johnson, a transfer from Tuskegee. "He's the best pure receiver we've got," McKenzie said.
Second-year defensive coordinator Karl Morgan is looking to make his unit "more physical, more aggressive." He's also seeking to "develop leadership" now that linebackers Howard Clark and Louis Green have graduated.
Two likely candidates are linebacker Dwan Wilson and cornerback Tyrone Parsons. "Dwan should really be a factor, and we're expecting a lot of good things from Tyrone," Morgan said.
