bluphiiijsu
Creative Director
November 18, 2001
JSU ends Alcorn dream
By Mark Alexander
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
He's baaaack.
Rick Guy/The Clarion-Ledger JSU's Lawrence Story, No. 13, leaps high into the air and beats Alcorn's Anthony Dillon for 1 of his 2 fourth-quarter scoring catches. Story had 6 receptions for 82 yards.
Jackson State's players, coaches, fans, and even Robert Kent himself, had been waiting for nearly a month for the Robert Kent of old to reappear. He did Saturday, much to the chagrin of archrival Alcorn State.
Kent threw for 372 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for another score as the Tigers cruised past the Braves 52-28 in front of a Capital City Classic crowd of 49,873 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"That was him. That was the real Robert Kent," JSU coach Robert Hughes said. "He came out with his regular uniform. He came out with a "S" on his chest."
Kent, who leads the SWAC in total offense and ranks third in Division I-AA, threw 18 touchdown passes and just three interceptions in JSU's first four games. However, he had thrown just five touchdown passes and 15 interceptions in the Tigers' last five games.
Injuries played a part in that ? he's been beat up since the Alabama A&M game earlier this season where he was hit 32 times. Yet it was clear to see the super sophomore was in a slump, throwing into coverage instead of open receivers.
That all changed Saturday, as if Kent had taken a quick detour into a phone booth between Lynch Street and North State Street. No. 1 was throwing the ball over the lot with zip, spreading the ball to eight different players. And none were wearing white.
"No interceptions! Can you believe it?" Kent said with a big smile. "The Robert Kent of old is back. I felt great from the opening snap. We knew we could move the ball up and down the field against them and we did."
Kent, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, worked his magic against an Alcorn pass defense that came into the game ranked first in the SWAC. The Braves had given up an average of just 153.7 passing yards per game and hadn't given up more than 276 in a single game this season.
"We knew what he was capable of doing," Alcorn coach Johnny Thomas said. "He had an outstanding game."
JSU improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the SWAC. The Tigers have now won seven straight over their in-state rival Alcorn by a combined margin of 305-123. They've scored 50 points or more four of the last five years.
Alcorn, 5-5 and 4-2, saw its hopes of a SWAC East title go up in smoke. The Braves had won four of their last five games and needed wins in their final two games to earn a trip to Birmingham for the SWAC Championship Game. But a loss ended that dream. JSU was eliminated from contention after Alabama State beat Mississippi Valley State 57-24 earlier in the day.
"It feels real good beating them the way we did, especially considering they had a chance to go to Birmingham," JSU receiver Lawrence Story said.
Said JSU receiver T.C. Taylor: "We really wanted to spoil it for Alcorn."
As good as Kent was, JSU led by only two points, 30-28, going into the fourth quarter. However, the Tigers scored 22 unanswered points to put the game away.
Kent scored on a 7-yard run early in the quarter then connected with Story on scoring passes of 15 and 16 yards in the final three minutes, 44 seconds.
The last two times JSU kicked off, the kickoff unit ran around in a circle behind the ball doing a la Alcorn. The JSU fans also joined in on the fun, mockingly doing the tomahawk chop in unison.
"We were just meddling with them," said JSU receiver Michael Goss, who had a pair of second-quarter touchdown receptions. "They came in talking a lot of smack about going to Birmingham and all that."
After turning the ball over a SWAC-leading 36 times in its first nine games, JSU had just one turnover Saturday. The Tigers committed only three penalties for 25 yards and had no breakdowns on special teams. When asked afterward if Saturday's 24-point win over the Braves was his team's best performance of the season, Hughes replied: "As a whole probably. It's time, what can I say?"
JSU finished with 626 total yards compared to 338 for Alcorn. The Tigers outgained the Braves 254 to 46 on the ground. The Tigers ran the ball a season-high 44 times and piled up their second highest rushing total in a game this season against an Alcorn defense that came into the game ranked next to last in the SWAC in run defense.
JSU running back Tarnaka Counslor rushed for a game-high 161 yards, including a 20-yard scamper for the first points of the game.
"They stayed with it and kept giving it to me, and I kept plugging away," said Counslor who piled up his most yards since a 188-yard performance against Valley.
JSU jumped to a 24-7 lead with just over three minutes left before halftime. But Alcorn answered with a pair of Donald Carrie touchdown passes, including a 49-yarder on a Hail Mary pass to Ronald Gilmore on the final play of the first half.
Carrie hooked up with Kris Peters early in the third quarter to pull the Braves to within 30-28, but it was all JSU in the fourth.
"Jackson State just lined up and beat us today," Thomas said. "There was really nothing fancy about it. We didn't respond defensively. We had some break downs on defense.
Alcorn, 0-11 a year ago, can clinch a winning season with a win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
"We wanted to win this game, so right now we're very disappointed," Thomas said. "Anytime you lose a football game it doesn't feel good. But I am proud of my guys. They gave their best effort all season, and they've hung together through a lot of adversity."
JSU ends Alcorn dream
By Mark Alexander
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
He's baaaack.
Rick Guy/The Clarion-Ledger JSU's Lawrence Story, No. 13, leaps high into the air and beats Alcorn's Anthony Dillon for 1 of his 2 fourth-quarter scoring catches. Story had 6 receptions for 82 yards.
Jackson State's players, coaches, fans, and even Robert Kent himself, had been waiting for nearly a month for the Robert Kent of old to reappear. He did Saturday, much to the chagrin of archrival Alcorn State.
Kent threw for 372 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for another score as the Tigers cruised past the Braves 52-28 in front of a Capital City Classic crowd of 49,873 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"That was him. That was the real Robert Kent," JSU coach Robert Hughes said. "He came out with his regular uniform. He came out with a "S" on his chest."
Kent, who leads the SWAC in total offense and ranks third in Division I-AA, threw 18 touchdown passes and just three interceptions in JSU's first four games. However, he had thrown just five touchdown passes and 15 interceptions in the Tigers' last five games.
Injuries played a part in that ? he's been beat up since the Alabama A&M game earlier this season where he was hit 32 times. Yet it was clear to see the super sophomore was in a slump, throwing into coverage instead of open receivers.
That all changed Saturday, as if Kent had taken a quick detour into a phone booth between Lynch Street and North State Street. No. 1 was throwing the ball over the lot with zip, spreading the ball to eight different players. And none were wearing white.
"No interceptions! Can you believe it?" Kent said with a big smile. "The Robert Kent of old is back. I felt great from the opening snap. We knew we could move the ball up and down the field against them and we did."
Kent, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, worked his magic against an Alcorn pass defense that came into the game ranked first in the SWAC. The Braves had given up an average of just 153.7 passing yards per game and hadn't given up more than 276 in a single game this season.
"We knew what he was capable of doing," Alcorn coach Johnny Thomas said. "He had an outstanding game."
JSU improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the SWAC. The Tigers have now won seven straight over their in-state rival Alcorn by a combined margin of 305-123. They've scored 50 points or more four of the last five years.
Alcorn, 5-5 and 4-2, saw its hopes of a SWAC East title go up in smoke. The Braves had won four of their last five games and needed wins in their final two games to earn a trip to Birmingham for the SWAC Championship Game. But a loss ended that dream. JSU was eliminated from contention after Alabama State beat Mississippi Valley State 57-24 earlier in the day.
"It feels real good beating them the way we did, especially considering they had a chance to go to Birmingham," JSU receiver Lawrence Story said.
Said JSU receiver T.C. Taylor: "We really wanted to spoil it for Alcorn."
As good as Kent was, JSU led by only two points, 30-28, going into the fourth quarter. However, the Tigers scored 22 unanswered points to put the game away.
Kent scored on a 7-yard run early in the quarter then connected with Story on scoring passes of 15 and 16 yards in the final three minutes, 44 seconds.
The last two times JSU kicked off, the kickoff unit ran around in a circle behind the ball doing a la Alcorn. The JSU fans also joined in on the fun, mockingly doing the tomahawk chop in unison.
"We were just meddling with them," said JSU receiver Michael Goss, who had a pair of second-quarter touchdown receptions. "They came in talking a lot of smack about going to Birmingham and all that."
After turning the ball over a SWAC-leading 36 times in its first nine games, JSU had just one turnover Saturday. The Tigers committed only three penalties for 25 yards and had no breakdowns on special teams. When asked afterward if Saturday's 24-point win over the Braves was his team's best performance of the season, Hughes replied: "As a whole probably. It's time, what can I say?"
JSU finished with 626 total yards compared to 338 for Alcorn. The Tigers outgained the Braves 254 to 46 on the ground. The Tigers ran the ball a season-high 44 times and piled up their second highest rushing total in a game this season against an Alcorn defense that came into the game ranked next to last in the SWAC in run defense.
JSU running back Tarnaka Counslor rushed for a game-high 161 yards, including a 20-yard scamper for the first points of the game.
"They stayed with it and kept giving it to me, and I kept plugging away," said Counslor who piled up his most yards since a 188-yard performance against Valley.
JSU jumped to a 24-7 lead with just over three minutes left before halftime. But Alcorn answered with a pair of Donald Carrie touchdown passes, including a 49-yarder on a Hail Mary pass to Ronald Gilmore on the final play of the first half.
Carrie hooked up with Kris Peters early in the third quarter to pull the Braves to within 30-28, but it was all JSU in the fourth.
"Jackson State just lined up and beat us today," Thomas said. "There was really nothing fancy about it. We didn't respond defensively. We had some break downs on defense.
Alcorn, 0-11 a year ago, can clinch a winning season with a win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
"We wanted to win this game, so right now we're very disappointed," Thomas said. "Anytime you lose a football game it doesn't feel good. But I am proud of my guys. They gave their best effort all season, and they've hung together through a lot of adversity."