Tenn. State too big for Jaguars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Saturday was not the way Southern wanted to open their new season. Especially when the opponent was as formidable as Tennessee State.
Wanting to start a new chapter on a 2-9 season, the worst record in school history, SU added a another frustrating chapter in a 33-7 loss to TSU at LP Field.
SU learned the risks of scheduling the Tigers in the John Merritt Football Classic to open the season. Head coach Stump Mitchell, making his second year debut at SU, contest that the limited depth at tight end changed the offense’s gameplan shortly before the team left for Nashville Thursday evening.
“Our game plan early in the week was to come in and run the ball,” Mitchell said immediately after the game. “We needed to try to win the time of possession.”
That’s how the game looked when TSU scored 27 unanswered points and led 30-7 in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Jeremy Perry completed 15-of-31 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown and TSU got touchdown runs of five yards from Trabis Ward, who led all TSU running backs with 141 yards, and four yards from Dante’ Thomas, who finished with 89 yards on 13 carries.
Mitchell’s offense held the ball for 24 minutes and gained 300 yards of total offense. On the other sideline, also making his second year debut, after finishing 2010 3-8, head coach Rob Reed’s offense, which rushed for a John Merritt Classic record 342 yards, previously held by the Tigers, totaled 512 yards of total offense, holding the ball for 35 minutes.
“We knew Southern was going to be a tough opponent,” Reed said during post-game interviews. “I think we kind of got them in a hole early and they got out of what they really wanted to do.”
Reed’s defense scored the games first points when safety Joseph Wylie returned an interception thrown by sophomore quarterback Dray Joseph for 59 yards for an early 7-0 lead.
According to Mitchell, the gameplan was to establish a rushing attack. As a result, SU totaled 37 yards rushing, 119 yards shy of their 2008 total when they ran for 156 yards on 37 attempts.
“We came out and hit a couple of passes but then on third down we were not able to convert,” Mitchell added. “That hurt us.”
From there, TSU added 14 points, a four yard touchdown run by Dante’ Thomas and 11 yard strike to the corner of the endzone to Travis James for a 27-0 halftime lead.
“We have physical practices every week,” Reed said. “We go against a pretty good offensive and defensive line every week and we want to be a physical football team. I would say my guys showed up and played well.”
Southern lost for the second consecutive time in the classic game and seventh overall following last year’s Bayou Classic loss in the Louisiana Superdome.
SU struggled on offense all night behind new starting quarterback Joseph, whom was replaced in the third quarter by freshman quarterback J.P. Douglas. Joseph completed 9-of-18 passes for 122 and an interception. Douglas, while relieving Joseph, threw a 66-yard touchdown to Jordan Bilbo with 8:29 remaining in the third quarter.
“I wanted Dray to stand next to me and actually see the game from the sideline,” said Mitchell. “Dray’s my guy. He’ll come back and he’ll be ready to play Saturday (against Alabama A&M).”
Douglas finished 7-of-15 for 141 and a touchdown and led SU with 31 yards rushing.
“After the first touchdown I felt we had the momentum so I was ready to go,” Douglas expressed. “Coach told me that I needed to calm down and let the game come to me.
For SU, which has gone 14-20 since the 2008 season, will look to gain momentum against Alabama A&M Saturday in the Jaguars’ home and Southwestern Athletic Conference opener.