SU readies for reeling Hornets

In a game that often seems so simple to coaches, it’s almost hard to believe that it’s challenging to some.
That is if you’re Alabama State second year coach Reggie Barlow and a member of his staff, which has been tossed around more than a basketball at shootaround.
In ASU’s latest fiasco—coach firing—Barlow fired offensive coordinator Ben Noonan and offensive line coach Eric Schnupp’s following the teams 20-0 loss at the hands of Jackson State.
So, in the midst of confusion will Barlow be able to rally the troops against SU in Saturday’s Gulf Coast Classic?
“We’re going to give it our best shot,” Barlow said. “We’re looking forward to taking on Southern. We just have to turn the page on last week.”
One thing Barlow won’t be able to turn the page on, though, is the SU passing game.
With the bye week, SU quarterback Bryant Lee had a chance to rehab the thumb on his throwing hand that had been injured in the first quarter of the UAPB game.
But even if SU had to go without Lee, Barlow and Co. would still be in for a challenge as backups Warren Matthews and C.J. Byrd proved they can guide SU to victory.
“They have good players and a really good offensive system,” Barlow said. “I love what they do on offense. That will be challenging enough.”
But as soft as ASU looks on paper, this game won’t be a cake walk.
Remember, just two weeks ago SU struggled putting away an Arkansas Pine-Bluff team that ranked last or near last in every offensive category in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.
This ASU team is the same.
In fact, the Hornets rank ninth in SWAC in both scoring offense and total offense. ASU also ranks ninth in rush offense and sixth in pass offense.
“Offensively they’ve had their bumps and bruises, but they’re still a good team defensively,” SU coach Pete Richardson said. “They’re just a little inconsistent, playing three quarterbacks. That can cause some issues.”
Last week ASU played three quarterbacks and plan to start sophomore Brandon Dowdell.