Odums, Jags move ahead

 
After Southern’s dismal performance against Mississippi Valley State Thursday on ESPNU, Southern University Athletic Director William Broussard recommended to SUBR Chancellor Llorens head coach Stump Mitchell to be relieved of duty.
Defensive coordinator Dawson Odums will serve as interim head coach until the official search begins.
Mitchell was reassigned to administrative duties.
Odums spoke for the first time as interim head coach Monday, on the SWAC weekly coaches teleconference.
Odums said, Mitchell did an outstanding job recruiting and that the teams’ vision of a Southwestern Athletic Conference title is still alive.
“We only lost one game in the conference,” Odums said. “All the goals that we have set for this football team are still right there in front of us.”
WAFB’s Jacques Doucet reported live on campus that Southern officials viewed the Valley game a must win for Mitchell, who went 6-18 at Southern.
Athletic Director William Broussard said the decision was made to ensure the programs competitive success this year and future.
“We’re early in the 2012 season and we have a commitment to our student athletes ‘particularly the seniors’,” Broussard told reporters Friday.
Odums enters with over 13 years of coaching experience, which include seasons at North Carolina A&T, Georgia Southern, Gardner-Webb and Clark Atlanta where he served as interim and head coach for the Panthers.
Odums joined Mitchell’s staff as the defensive line coach, which recorded 28 sacks during the 2011 season. He took over as defensive coordinator at the start of spring practice.
“One thing people will see out of this team, I believe is a disciplined football team,” Odums said. “We owe that to the Southern University family.”
Head coach Rick Comegy of Jackson State, who the Jaguars play Saturday in Jackson, Miss., said he doesn’t know what to expect from SU and Odums, who takes over the Jaguars at 0-2.
“We just got to get ready for anything,” Comegy said, Monday. “It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen.”
The Tigers, who won their last three matches on the gridiron, defeated SU 28-24 last season.
Odums said, that quarterback Dray Joseph would remain the starting quarterback for the Jaguars offense.
“When you look at the film he makes great decisions,” Odums said. “I don’t have a problem with Dray being our starting quarterback.”
Joseph went 19 of 47 for 287 yards and three passing scores against the Tigers. He also led the team with 34 rushing yards.
Joseph, who Mitchell announced as the starting quarterback in week one, has completed 24 of 48 passes for 277 yards, has three interceptions, one touchdown throw and averaged 138.5 passing yards per game.
In their home opening lost to Mississippi Valley State, Joseph went 12 of 29 for 114 yards with one interception.