Jags need win against JSU to stay in SWAC West race

While Jackson State coach Rick Comegy is busy worrying about his safety when the Tigers travel to A.W. Mumford Stadium on Saturday, Southern coach Pete Richardson is more concerned with getting his team’s staying in the Western Division title race.
The excitement is definitely building for this match-up, and with Southern (5-1, 3-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) having the opportunity to face a Jackson State (3-2, 3-0) team gives this one all the makings of an old school cat fight.
“It’s going to be a great football game for us,” Richardson said. “Hopefully we can have a packed house again. Everybody is excited about having Jackson State come to town.”
Last season Southern took Jackson State down to the wire in Jackson, Miss. as the Tigers defeated the Jaguars 28-31 in triple overtime in front of a crowd of 40,000.
This season, JSU brings in a team stocked with 16 transfer players, none which play a bigger role than senior defensive end Daniel Brooks a transfer from Tennessee.
“The player I’m really impressed with from Jackson State is Brooks,” Richardson said. “He’s an individual from Tennessee that’s probably 6’2 or 6’3 and about 245 pounds. He’s a great football player.”
Pair Brooks with fellow senior defensive lineman Cory Clark and you have Tigers’ tandem of big men up front.
“Their defensive tackle, Clark goes about 6’3, 340 and can really cause havoc down inside,” Richardson said. “He and Brooks are going to put a lot of pressure on us defensively.”
Plus, defense may be where this weeks game is decided as Southern and Jackson State bring in two of the SWAC’s top defenses, with the Jaguars ranked fourth in scoring defense giving up 17.3 points per game and the Tigers ranked third giving up 17.2 ppg.
This rivalry dates all the way back to 1958 when Southern blasted Jackson State 30-6. A.W. Mumford was the coach then. JSU leads the series 26-23.
Richardson led teams are 9-6 against Jackson State in is 15 year tenure.
“With the development of our team and the challenge ahead, it’s going to take everyone in order to get past Jackson State,” Richardson said.
Keys to Victory
– Pressure on the Quarterback
– Contain running backs
– Get off to a good start offensively
Players of the Week
– Gerard Landry
– Corey Ray
– Anthony Wells
Quick Hit
Coach Richardson is 119-49 during his 15 year tenure as head coach at Southern. With a victory Saturday he will have secured win number 120. The only coach to win more than Richardson at Southern is the legendary A.W. Mumford, who won 176 games.
SU-Mississippi Connection
Southern has 10 players on its roster that call the state of Mississippi home. Jackson State has no players on its roster that are from the state of Louisiana.
Lagniappe
Jackson State second year head coach Rick Comegy blasted Southern University and its game security Monday during a weekly Southwestern Athletic Conference coaches teleconference.
“A lot of people are not taking their families,” Comegy said. “My understanding is, it’s always been a hostile situation when we get down there.”
Comegy has never been to a game at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
Also, following Comegy’s comments, President Ronald Mason, Jr. of JSU addressed the media and offered an apology on his coaches’ behalf. The SWAC office reprimanded Comegy for his comments also.
“Coach Comegy never intended for his comments to suggest in any way that the atmosphere at Southern football games is unsafe,” said Mason, Jr. “He has never experienced the excitement and intensity of playing in Baton Rouge.”
“Our allotment of tickets sold out in half a day, so it is clear that Tiger fans will be there.”