Coming off a tough loss in Sunday's MEAC-SWAC Challenge, Alabama State head football coach
Reggie Barlow met with the media on the SWAC Coaches Teleconference Monday morning.
The Hornets started fast against Bethune-Cookman, racing out to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter. However, the Wildcats scored 38 consecutive points to take control of the game en route to a 38-28 Alabama State loss Sunday afternoon in Orlando, Fla. in the season opener for both teams.
Barlow reflected on the lesson learned in the game and how it could apply to real-life situations.
“The game was a tale of two halves,” Barlow said. “I think it was an outstanding learning lesson, life lesson for our coaches and our players in regards to never letting up, never getting complacent, playing to the end. I think there was a little complacency that was displayed on our team Sunday against a really good Bethune-Cookman team.
In the first half we came out offensively and moved the ball and were able to run it and do what we needed to do and went up on them 21-0. Then, they started running the ball. I think the difference was they brought in a different quarterback (Brodrick Waters), who is more of a runner and started running a lot of zone read (plays). The kid made a lot of plays with the ball in his hands, and we just couldn't stop the water from flowing and they ended up coming back on us.”
An old problem reared its head in the loss defensively, the Hornets' inability to stop the run, as B-CU gained 367 yards on the ground. Barlow was very candid about his concerns in run defense but was also positive about improving in that area.
“We stopped it early on, so it's not that we can't do it,” Barlow said. “There's some internal things we all have to discuss and get it fixed. They (Bethune-Cookman) were the same team that was out there in the first half and we stopped the run. There were a couple of times where they had a big play, were down in the red zone, and we were able to keep them from scoring and they had to kick a field goal. It can be done. It's just a matter of being consistent and doing it on a regular basis.”
Alabama State now turns its attention to its home opener against Mississippi Valley this Saturday at 6 p.m. in the conference opener for both teams. The Delta Devils are coming off a 20-19 home loss to Concordia-Selma. Last season, the Hornets won at MVSU 41-9 to open the 2011 campaign.
“It's good to have the preseason, per se, over, and get into our SWAC play,” Barlow said. “We have a lot of respect for Valley and Coach (Karl) Morgan. There's a lot of parity in our conference and I know they'll come here ready to play. We have to get ourselves ready to play. It's not really a short week, although we don't do anything on Monday with the guys. But, considering we played yesterday, we'll have to get those guys to (think) one snap and clear to turn the page from that game and turn the page to this one.”
