Down But Not Out

ASU Opens Conference Play Versus Samford Saturday

Story by Jason Gilmer

After falling to 0-2 for the first time since 2003, the ASU Mountaineers have had to wait for a chance to get their first win.

Last week’s bye week, though, might have helped the team, which lost to East Carolina (29-24) in the opening week and to McNeese State (40-35) in the second game.

The Mountaineers open the Southern Conference schedule with a 3:30 p.m. game on Saturday, September 26, at Kidd Brewer Stadium against Samford University (Birmingham, Ala.).

“It’s tough when you lose a couple of ball games and then have to wait another week to play. It’s awful,” coach Jerry Moore said. “There were some things that we had to get better at. We would have done that in a week if we had to, but it was better to have the extra time.

“I think some things that happened to us against East Carolina and McNeese (State) that were eye-openers to us. We got to work on those things.”

That extra week was used to “polish” some areas, Moore said.

He said that the team worked on its coverage in the secondary, parts of the kicking game and timing between receivers and quarterback Armanti Edwards.

Moore said that the bye week might have been most helpful to Edwards, the All-American quarterback who hadn’t practiced but three days with the team following an injury.

“I think the one thing you have to be careful about as coaches and teams in situations like this, you have to be realistic about things,” Moore said. “We certainly aren’t there yet, but we can get there and be a good football team. There’s a fine line with how hard you push and how hard you work to get where you need to be. Hopefully we’ve done that.”

Players don’t think there is any reason to worry after they dropped the first two games.

“I don’t think we need to change anything,” defensive lineman Anthony Williams said. “We just need to go out there and play the game and we know how to do that.”

They now go into a game against the Samford Bulldogs, a school with an enrollment of 4,500 students, who went 7-4 last season and finished fourth in the SoCon with a 4-4 record.

This season, the Bulldogs are 2-1 and are allowing just 13.3 points per game, the lowest average in the SoCon.

They also have a balanced offensive attack. The Bulldogs have thrown for 558 yards (including 451 passing yards by Dustin Taliaferro) and 432 rushing yards (with 311 yards by Chris Evans).

Moore said that the Bulldogs are more of an I-formation team and use power running plays like the toss sweep.

Williams said he remembered how physical the game was last season, which ASU won 35-24.

“I think Samford was the most physical team we played last year. I know we won, but after that game I felt like I got my butt whooped,” Williams said. “Physically, I was so tired. But I love games like this because it prepares you for the season and you can see what you can endure game in and game out.”

“They have good players and are well coached,” Moore said. “A play or two last year, and they’re in the playoffs. They’re a team that you better play good against or they’ll get you.”

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