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SOUTHERN LOOKS TO GET BACK ON TRACK
By Mike Marzelli/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 9:41 AM CDT
Southern University and A&M College
Nickname: Jaguars
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Head Coach: Pete Richardson
2005 Record/SWAC West Finish: 4-5/2nd
2006 Predicted Finish: 1st in West
Starters Returning/Lost: 14/8
Offense: Multiple
Defense: 4-3
This is the eighth installment in a nine-part series profiling each of UAPB's Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents.
After winning 105 games over his first 12 seasons in Baton Rouge, La., Pete Richardson suffered his first-ever losing season as the head coach at Southern University in 2005.
It will not take long for the Jaguars to get back on track.
Richardson refused to blame the effects of Hurricane Katrina for his football team?s subpar 4-5 campaign, but its hard to imagine that they did not play a role. Many team members had family and friends deeply affected by the storm, and Southern?s campus, as well as the surrounding region, was the center of the major relief effort.
The Jaguars were also decimated by injuries throughout last season. They started a different offensive line in seven of their nine games and lost various skill position players at numerous junctures throughout the year.
?Everybody asked me what happened, and I told them we just didn?t play good football,? Richardson. ?We did have a lot of injuries and played with a lot of inexperience, but hat?s no excuse. We have to bounce back and work harder if we want to make things right.?
Many expect Southern to get right back into the thick of the SWAC Western Division race in 2006, but it did come as a surprise when league coaches predicted the Jaguars to finish first in the division in the league?s preseason poll.
Southern garnered one less first place vote than arch rival Grambling, but finished with one more total vote overall.
?I?m glad people think we?re going to be better, but it doesn?t mean anything until you prove it on the field,? Richardson said.
Returning red shirt junior quarterback JC Lewis is going to lead that effort on the field, and there aren?t too many signal callers league-wide that are better than Lewis.
A preseason Second Team All-SWAC choice, only preseason Offensive Player of the Year Aries Nelson of Mississippi Valley State was judged to be a better quarterback, Lewis had the second-best single season in Southern history last year when he accounted for 2,485 yards.
But Richardson is slightly worried about protecting his offensive leader.
Both All-SWAC guard Luinda Wells and center Brandon Jones, the Jags? best offensive linemen from a year ago and the only remaining players from their 2003 championship team, have graduated, leaving holes that must be filled
Senior Lance Gerard played all five positions along the line over the past two seasons due to injuries, and will lead the way.
?We?re set up to get someone killed,? Richardson said. ?We need the offensive line to come together for this team to be successful.?
Southern loses last year?s top receiver in James Vernon, but junior Gerard Landry broke out in ?05, catching 39 passes for 574 yards and four touchdowns and was voted to the All-SWAC Second Team in the preseason.
Antonio Overstreet racked up 252 yards and two scores and will line up on the other side at wideout, while third receiver Albert Turner was fifth in the nation in kick returns a season ago.
The Jaguars need to improve their running game, and redshirt junior Larry Nichols will get the call after gaining 269 yards and five touchdowns in an injury-plagued 2005.
Sophomore defensive back Michael Williams was the only Southern player chosen for the All-SWAC squad this preseason, but the defensive secondary was an area of major concern last year.
Richardson himself has taken the reigns of the unit this year and will coach the defensive backs.
The returning linebackers are experienced, led by seniors David Brooks and Maruice Runnels.
Up front senior Lionel Howard was most active from his defensive end position a year ago, and returns alongside sophomore Joseph Selders and transfer Isaiah Thomas.
http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/2006/08/22/sports/sports2.tx
By Mike Marzelli/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 9:41 AM CDT
Southern University and A&M College
Nickname: Jaguars
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Head Coach: Pete Richardson
2005 Record/SWAC West Finish: 4-5/2nd
2006 Predicted Finish: 1st in West
Starters Returning/Lost: 14/8
Offense: Multiple
Defense: 4-3
This is the eighth installment in a nine-part series profiling each of UAPB's Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents.
After winning 105 games over his first 12 seasons in Baton Rouge, La., Pete Richardson suffered his first-ever losing season as the head coach at Southern University in 2005.
It will not take long for the Jaguars to get back on track.
Richardson refused to blame the effects of Hurricane Katrina for his football team?s subpar 4-5 campaign, but its hard to imagine that they did not play a role. Many team members had family and friends deeply affected by the storm, and Southern?s campus, as well as the surrounding region, was the center of the major relief effort.
The Jaguars were also decimated by injuries throughout last season. They started a different offensive line in seven of their nine games and lost various skill position players at numerous junctures throughout the year.
?Everybody asked me what happened, and I told them we just didn?t play good football,? Richardson. ?We did have a lot of injuries and played with a lot of inexperience, but hat?s no excuse. We have to bounce back and work harder if we want to make things right.?
Many expect Southern to get right back into the thick of the SWAC Western Division race in 2006, but it did come as a surprise when league coaches predicted the Jaguars to finish first in the division in the league?s preseason poll.
Southern garnered one less first place vote than arch rival Grambling, but finished with one more total vote overall.
?I?m glad people think we?re going to be better, but it doesn?t mean anything until you prove it on the field,? Richardson said.
Returning red shirt junior quarterback JC Lewis is going to lead that effort on the field, and there aren?t too many signal callers league-wide that are better than Lewis.
A preseason Second Team All-SWAC choice, only preseason Offensive Player of the Year Aries Nelson of Mississippi Valley State was judged to be a better quarterback, Lewis had the second-best single season in Southern history last year when he accounted for 2,485 yards.
But Richardson is slightly worried about protecting his offensive leader.
Both All-SWAC guard Luinda Wells and center Brandon Jones, the Jags? best offensive linemen from a year ago and the only remaining players from their 2003 championship team, have graduated, leaving holes that must be filled
Senior Lance Gerard played all five positions along the line over the past two seasons due to injuries, and will lead the way.
?We?re set up to get someone killed,? Richardson said. ?We need the offensive line to come together for this team to be successful.?
Southern loses last year?s top receiver in James Vernon, but junior Gerard Landry broke out in ?05, catching 39 passes for 574 yards and four touchdowns and was voted to the All-SWAC Second Team in the preseason.
Antonio Overstreet racked up 252 yards and two scores and will line up on the other side at wideout, while third receiver Albert Turner was fifth in the nation in kick returns a season ago.
The Jaguars need to improve their running game, and redshirt junior Larry Nichols will get the call after gaining 269 yards and five touchdowns in an injury-plagued 2005.
Sophomore defensive back Michael Williams was the only Southern player chosen for the All-SWAC squad this preseason, but the defensive secondary was an area of major concern last year.
Richardson himself has taken the reigns of the unit this year and will coach the defensive backs.
The returning linebackers are experienced, led by seniors David Brooks and Maruice Runnels.
Up front senior Lionel Howard was most active from his defensive end position a year ago, and returns alongside sophomore Joseph Selders and transfer Isaiah Thomas.
http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/2006/08/22/sports/sports2.tx