FLUSHED: Footman clips Southern defense despite unfavorable weather

Alcorn demolished Southern University 48-7 on Saturday at the A.W. Mumford stadium, which was swamped by heavy showers. Unlike the past weekend in a 40-21 victory against Texas Southern, Southern’s adversary was the weather.
During the first play defending SWAC Champions and leaders of the Eastern division, Alcorn clobbered Southern with a 78 yard touchdown.
Something FCS Player of the Week, senior wide receiver Willie Quinn is used to achieving.
“It’s a new year, new team,” said junior running back Lenard Tillery, “it’s the same result.”
In the four previous matchups, Alcorn was lead to victory, by senior quarterback John Gibbs Jr., who was named the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, but lost him this game after a leg injury after two offensive plays.
Sophomore, Lenorris Footman stepped up from the bench and achieved the role by mirroring the senior quarterback by rushing for 274 yards and four touchdowns by throwing two touchdowns among his seven attempts.
Southern with two consecutive loses, one being homecoming and this match up against and, for the first time in three years steps down to 4-4 overall and 4-2 in the SWAC play.
This mathematically puts the Jaguars’ hope at a return to Houston on a stretcher.
The Jaguars are two games behind their undefeated Bayou Classic rivals, Grambling (6-0) and Prairie View (5-1), which holds the tiebreaker against Southern.
Alcorn since losing to Grambling 35-34 two weeks ago came off of a break and improved 5-2 and 4-1.
“It was tough sitting on that ‘L’ for weeks,” said Hopson, ”but our guys came out and responded pretty well.”
Southern used the dual quarterback position and placed Deonte Shorts in the snap and replaced him with Howard for his running ability because of the soggy field conditions.
Alcorn improved on a play that was very recognizable since December, the read option and severed the Southern defense on the run with 484 yards to Southern 220 yards.
“I thought it was a tale of the way the two teams operate,” said Southern head coach Dawson Odums. “We’re built to spread you out and get you in open space. They’re built to run downhill and they ran downhill.”
With the weather and its condition, linebacker Kentavious Preston knew that it was up to the defense to take on the responsibility.
“We came in knowing the offense’s playbook was cut in half,” said Preston. “We knew it was going to be up to us on the defense and we didn’t execute.”
After Footman’s 44 yard beginning his stint on the field, it extended the 14-0 lead then opened the 29 yard pass to Jordan Payne for the 21-0 lead before the end of the half.
However, Southern ceased that execution after Tillery burst through the successful goal line drive for some points on the point before halftime.
Tillery eyed the next touchdown when on fourth and 2 but Stacy Garner stopped Tilllery’s advance for no gain on the play.
Shorts explained his emotion on that play.
“That play hurt a lot,” said Shorts. “I checked to that play and we didn’t execute it, so I take blame for it.”
Southern tacked on 6 more fumbles with the treacherous weather.
After this Southern came four more touchdowns came in a seven minute span because Footman ran 17 yards, passed for 38 yards to Brandon Campbell for a score then bombarded to the end zone for 30 and 60 yards.
Southern (4-2,) still has a chance but that chance to once again make that visit to Judgment Day in Houston, Texas in December but that chance is standing at the wayside.

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Kayla Foster

Southern University running back Lenard Tillery dashes pass an Alcorn State defender to extend the play during the game on Saturday, October 31. at A.W. Mumford.