Slow and Steady: Jaguars keep the streak alive, extend to seven straight

This past weekend, the Southern University Jaguar Football team faced off against one of the strongest defensive competitors in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), the Tigers of Texas Southern University. They went head-to-head in a battle to keep their perfect SWAC record (6-0), and overall record (6-2) for the season.
Southern University Head Coach Dawson Odums, said, “Texas Southern is very good on defense and I told my team all week not to look at records…anybody can beat anybody in this conference on any given week if you do not go out and play”. This game proved to us that not only can a team with a record of (3-3) play well against an undefeated SWAC team, but they can also put up a great fight that led to this being Southern’s lowest scoring game of the season.
As far as the offensive side of the football team goes, Southern had a slow start to the game in the first quarter. All in all, offense combined for a 19 of 36 pass completion rating, gained 236 rushing yards, and 26 first downs.
The Quarterback for the Southern Jaguars, Austin Howard said, “For the past 3 or 4 games we have been getting off to a slow start. So, once we pick up our practice tempo and get our work ethic up we will be alright”.
The Jaguars exemplified this work ethic during the second quarter when they returned to the field as the 6-0 team that they are. Senior running back Lenard Tillery (Running Back) ran for 125 rushing yards with 22 carries; making for 5.7 yards per carry. The real surprise came when backups, like running back Herbert Edwards and wide receiver Stacy Piro stepped up to help lead the team towards a victory.
Hopefully they can maintain momentum in this week’s game against Prairie View.
Junior defensive back, Danny Johnson, said, “Yeah I feel like we give them a big momentum swing especially if we feel like the offense is struggling”. His defensive backfield combined for 3 interceptions and 1 sack. SU’s defense also held Prairie View to only 15 first downs and 174 rushing yards. Let’s hope that SU’s defensive strategies stay the same in games to come to keep the streak alive.
At the end of the night, the Southern University Jaguars continued to prove to everyone just why they are on the top of the SWAC. Willie Quinn has yet to break the kickoff return record for the FCS, but will have another shot this week as the Jaguars (6-0) take on the Prairie View Panthers (6-1) at Edward L. Blackshear Stadium in Prairie View, Texas at 1:00 pm.
Will the SU Jags stay undefeated and become 7 and 0 in the SWAC conference?