Jags prepare for Alabama A&M

On Tuesday, SU head football coach Stump Mitchell talked about the situation he had at quarterback-Jeremiah McGinty probably needs another week to recover from a sprained shoulder he suffered against Arkansas-Moticello on Sept. 11.
Mitchell also said at his weekly news conference, he plans to start Gary Hollimon at quarterback when SU opens Southwestern Athletic Conference play in Huntsville, Ala., against Alabama A&M at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Mitchell didn’t want freshman quarterback Dray Joseph, who is second string behind McGinty, to make his first start in the environment SU’s conference opener on the road.
Both McGinty and Joseph have completed 45 percent of their passes for 375 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
When Hollimon began his career at SU as a quarterback, he watched the position as a third string for several seasons without attempting a pass in a college game.
“He can throw the ball,” Mitchell said. “He knows the offense in terms of pass protection because he is a running back…he has to know everything, as a quarterback that’s not going to be a big deal to him.”
“We just all coming together,” Hollimon said. ” Try to make the best decision that we need to make for the team to have better chemistry.”
Hollimon moved to tailback during the 2009 preseason- (SU’s starting tail-back #15), gaining 543 yards from scrimmage last season.
As for the running game, sophomore walk-on Sylvester Nzekwe, will start at tailback for SU. Nzekwe leads the team with 95 yards on 18 carries. Hollimon has 65 yards on 28 carries.
The reality of the young season is that SU have larger problems than a veteran converting back to quarterback. The larger problem is Alabama A&M.
There are not subtle signs that the A&M bulldogs will be a problem for SU.
“They want to get the running game going,” Mitchell said. ” I know their going to better themselves in all phases.”
Game Notes
SU fifth in scoring offense (22.0) A&M third in scoring defense (19.7)