Three Southern University Jaguars (4-0, 2-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) earned
SWAC Player of Week honors in the Jags 35-10 win over the Alabama State Hornets (3-2 overall, 1-1 SWAC).
Senior quarterback Quincy Richard completed 19 of 36 passes for 262 of 288 total offense yards and three touchdowns before a crowd of 26,400 at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
“I’m still not happy,” said Richard. “Not yet. We are only 4-0, but after the 13th game, that’s when I will be happy.”
The Opelousas native is currently ninth in Division I-AA standings with a 159.7 quarterback rating. His 238 average yards per game has him ranked in the top 25.
Southern controlled the clock for only nine minutes in the first half, but it was more than enough time to control the game.
After allowing the Hornets the opportunity to have the first possession of the game, Southern did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard with Richard delivering a 45-yard touchdown pass to senior Chris Davis.
“We knew we had to move the football and get the ball rolling,” said Jags head coach Pete Richardson. “Both staffs did a good job.”
The Hornets’ attempt to comeback started with a 23-yard field goal made by freshman kicker Anthony Johnson on the next drive.
On the first play of the second drive, junior running back Kenneth Peoples literally ran over the Hornets’ defense with a one-yard scoring run. Peoples ended the game with only 67 yards and the touchdown; however, he did complete a 13-yard pass to Richard later in the game.
In the next Jags’ drive, junior wide receiver Alfred Ard received the first of his two touchdown passes from Richard, catching a 21-yard throw, taking Southern to a 21-3 lead.
The next score came from senior rusher Leon Miller. The 21-yard run ended the first half of scoring for both teams, and began a bleak outlook of the game for ASU.
The Jags finished their scoring with a 30-yard pass off the slant from Richard to Ard in the first drive of the second half. The 30-yard pass contributed to 411 total offense yards.
The Jags’ defense was weakened briefly by a one-yard touchdown run by Hornets’ sophomore quarterback Tavaris Jackson and excessive penalties.
Southern committed 10 penalties for a loss of 122 yards, including a penalty that resulted in the ejection of junior defensive lineman Perry Davis for throwing an elbow.
“We have to work on that aspect,” said Jags head coach Pete Richardson. “You know, it was physical type of game, it cost us a touchdown.”
As a consequence and in accordance with NCAA regulations, Davis will have to sit out at least the first half of Southern’s game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The setbacks were not enough to stop the 13th ranked defense in Division I-AA. Jags junior defensive lineman Charles Lemons and senior defensive lineman Jonathan St. Cyr contributed 14 of Southern’s 81 total tackles while senior defensive back Lenny Williams and freshman defensive back Jarmaul George earned SWAC Players of the Week honors.
The two combined for 17 total tackles and Williams collected two interceptions while George recovered a critical fumble forced by senior linebacker Kendrick Paul as ASU was trying to score in the second quarter.
The Jags’ undefeated record has placed them atop the SWAC, and they have outscored their opponents 161-33. They will face UAPB next week.
