FROM THE PRESS BOX

MOBILE Ala.—Three weeks ago Southern’s defense celebrated after a narrow 31-24 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The biggest part of the unit’s celebration was a lock and chain players took turns passing around.
The chain symbolizes that the defense has no weak links.
But in SU’s lastest win, a 15-0 shutout of Alabama State, the Jaguars’ rugged, punch you in the face defense proved itself.
It also proved that its chain is well intact, without any missing links.
“We have this chain because it symbolized you’re only as good as our weakest link,” SU senior safety Glenn Bell said. “We feel like there’s no weak links in our chain.”
SU certainly came together and delivered a great defensive effort Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, as the Jaguars exited with the schools’ first shutout since 2005.
So, shouts out to the defense and guys like Bell that fuel this team vocally.
Without them, where would SU be?
It was the defense that set the tone holding the Hornets to 41-yards total offense on 25 plays and intercepting four Brandon Dowdell passes.
One of Dowdell’s interceptions, a pass picked off at the ASU 15-yard line was returned for a touchdown by senior linebacker Jonathan Malveaux.
On the play, Malveaux wrapped his hands around a Dowdell pass which was tipped by Dexter James and rumbled 15 yards into the end zone.
Malveaux’s score was good for the teams’ only offensive score all night. The TD also put SU ahead 15-0 with 8:44 remaining in the third, giving the Jaguars a much needed cushion as its offense struggled.
“If we’re going to win games, it starts with us,” Malveaux said. “We knew what we had to do. This time we stepped up and came out with the victory.”
However, Malveaux, a leader on the SU defense found a way to make a play and put points on the scoreboard minus a good offense.
In fact, Saturday marked the second time this season SU was held without an offensive touchdown. The only other time SU failed to score was on Aug. 30., the teams opener at Houston, 55-3.
This time, however, SU got a much deserved win to go along with a spectacular defensive showing.
“I really like the effort from our football team,” SU coach Pete Richardson said. “Defensively we hung in there and made some plays.”
If anyone knows about making plays, it’s those seniors that always seem to step up. Guys like Malveaux and Bell know what I’m talking about.