Ronald Murray and Brandt Thomas could be pulling double duty for the Jacksonville State football team this weekend at Murray State.
Murray was moved from fullback to defensive end before last week’s Eastern Kentucky game and twice was approached on the sideline about being prepared to go back in to help on offense. He didn’t have to go there, but he might this week.
“I told him I wasn’t going to call him ‘The Refrigerator’ if he played running back and defensive line in the same game,” JSU coach Jack Crowe said, referring to former Clemson and Chicago Bears behemoth William Perry. “I told him we would call him ‘Icebox.’ That’s what we called Michael Dean (Perry, the Frig’s brother).”
Thomas, meanwhile, was moved from the defensive line to the offensive line right before the season opener --- with the idea of moving back when center Tyler Ogletree got back --- but it hasn't happened yet, because the O-line has injuries elsewhere.
He may be easing his way back, as Crowe said Monday the sophomore might play both ways against the Racers.
“We sort of have Brandt Thomas in no-man’s land,” Crowe said. “We’ve got him on one side of the ball; he may be a two-way players this week, too.
“What a special guy he is. He cares about this football team. What you find out when you’re going through this little bit where the splinters are in the plank is which ones are here for them and which ones are here for us.”
And now for something completely different ...
BREAKING THE TAPE: For the first time in school history, the JSU men’s cross country team is ranked in the regional poll. The Gamecocks checked in at No. 10 in the South, but coach Steve Ray thinks his team was a little shortchanged.
“I can assure you that I, along with our guys, believe we are better than our current ranking,” he said.
The team, with three freshmen in its top five, has finished first, second and fourth this year.
Alabama, Florida State and Florida are 1-2-3 in the poll. Samford is 15th.
SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT: The Gamecocks and the City of Oxford are teaming up to put on a college softball tournament this weekend.
The inaugural Tera Ross Memorial Classic is scheduled for the Oxford Lake Softball Complex Saturday and Sunday. The 12-team event honors the memory of the former Jacksonville State pitcher killed in a car accident in Florida in 2003.
Here is JSU’s schedule and game times
Saturday: vs. Snead St., 9 a.m.; vs. Wallace, 5 p.m.; vs. West Georgia, 7 p.m.
Sunday: vs. Middle Georgia, 11 a.m.; vs. Mercer, 1 p.m. The top eight teams in the round-robin standings will play at 3 p.m., the bottom four teams in the standings will play at 5.
LOCAL FLAVOR: The JSU golf team has a good representation from Calhoun County on it.
The Gamecocks finished fifth at their most recent tournament, the McLaughlin Intercollegiate, at Bethpage State Park. Yes, that Bethpage, but not the famous Black Course.
Anyway, former Oxford High players Nathan Bennett and Marcus Harrell were both in the JSU lineup. Bennett tied for 20th, while Harrell tied for 47th -- on the Red Course.
Even though they didn't get to play the Black on this trip, the Gamecocks did get a look at it. And Harrell even had his picture taken next to the sign on the first tee that warns players of the difficulty of the course and the recommendation that it be played only by accomplished players. They certainly would've qualified.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The buck stops here
The buck stops somewhere and at least for the foreseeable future with the Jacksonville State football team, it’s stopping with head coach Jack Crowe.
The era of waiting for things to happen is over. Patience is done. All the critical decisions now will go through Crowe, starting with the prep for Saturday’s game at Murray State (1-3, 0-1 OVC).
"After getting hit in the head, I finally realized we’re not a very well coached football team," Crowe said Sunday, a day after the Gamecocks (1-3, 0-1) fell to Eastern Kentucky. "The things that just don’t happen to good football teams are getting longer and longer. I think there’s improvement now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we’re going the wrong way, but I don’t think we’re going the right way fast enough."
No coach is losing their job and nobody is having his responsibility changed; offensive coordinator Ronnie Letson moved upstairs to the press box last week because of the quarterback change. But Crowe now will be handling the practice schedule, approach to the game plan and decisions on who goes on the field.
"I think a lot of folks on this team need my help," Crowe said. "I hope they’re willing to take it."
Read more about this development in Monday’s edition of the Star.
The era of waiting for things to happen is over. Patience is done. All the critical decisions now will go through Crowe, starting with the prep for Saturday’s game at Murray State (1-3, 0-1 OVC).
"After getting hit in the head, I finally realized we’re not a very well coached football team," Crowe said Sunday, a day after the Gamecocks (1-3, 0-1) fell to Eastern Kentucky. "The things that just don’t happen to good football teams are getting longer and longer. I think there’s improvement now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we’re going the wrong way, but I don’t think we’re going the right way fast enough."
No coach is losing their job and nobody is having his responsibility changed; offensive coordinator Ronnie Letson moved upstairs to the press box last week because of the quarterback change. But Crowe now will be handling the practice schedule, approach to the game plan and decisions on who goes on the field.
"I think a lot of folks on this team need my help," Crowe said. "I hope they’re willing to take it."
Read more about this development in Monday’s edition of the Star.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
What home field advantage?
Jacksonville State leads the series with Eastern Kentucky three games to one, but there's a quirky trend developing in the series. The road team has the upper hand. Three of the four games --- the last three --- have been won by the visiting team.
The Gamecocks won the first game in the series 49-14 in their first-ever OVC game in 2003 at Paul Snow Stadium, but in the years since JSU won in Richmond in 2004 (30-23), EKU won in Jacksonville in 2005 (31-14) and the Gamecocks won in Richmond last year (2-0).
“It’s usually the team that’s played the best (that’s won), I don’t think the travel had anything to do with it,” EKU coach Danny Hope said.
Part of the Colonels’ history coming to JSU is the game had usually been playing during Race Week at Talladega and the team has had to stay in Atlanta. But Hope discounted that as a factor as well.
“The logistics have been a problem, but I don’t know it’s been a factor in the win column,” he said.
JSU coach Jack Crowe believed the difference in the games has been field position, and that can occur anywhere.
“This game has had a lot of momentum in it,” Crowe said. “I think when players are emotional and trying to make things happen --- both teams will be and always will be for this game --- things happen.”
COMING BACK: As reported in the Star this morning, Shawn Green returned to the traveling 56 Monday and enjoyed his first practice back with the regulars that evening. It didn't take the former Weaver standout long to get acclimated to his new old surroundings.
"It was good to get back in the feel of things," he said. "I've been on the scout team for a while so I had to get used to running the plays and getting my feet right and stuff like that."
He wasn't sure exactly what his role would be Saturday. He was a ball-carrier and kickoff returner last year. "Right now, I'm just looking at running back," he said.
The Gamecocks also welcomed fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Hardin back to practice. Hardin, who lost his starting job to junior Cedric Johnson last week, wasn’t at practice Monday for what coach Jack Crowe said was “to put his house in order.”
Crowe said the Gamecocks need Hardin to win, and predicted the quarterback would have a positive impact in a game at some point this season.
"I don't think the final chapter in Matt Hardin's career is written," Crowe said.
The Gamecocks won the first game in the series 49-14 in their first-ever OVC game in 2003 at Paul Snow Stadium, but in the years since JSU won in Richmond in 2004 (30-23), EKU won in Jacksonville in 2005 (31-14) and the Gamecocks won in Richmond last year (2-0).
“It’s usually the team that’s played the best (that’s won), I don’t think the travel had anything to do with it,” EKU coach Danny Hope said.
Part of the Colonels’ history coming to JSU is the game had usually been playing during Race Week at Talladega and the team has had to stay in Atlanta. But Hope discounted that as a factor as well.
“The logistics have been a problem, but I don’t know it’s been a factor in the win column,” he said.
JSU coach Jack Crowe believed the difference in the games has been field position, and that can occur anywhere.
“This game has had a lot of momentum in it,” Crowe said. “I think when players are emotional and trying to make things happen --- both teams will be and always will be for this game --- things happen.”
COMING BACK: As reported in the Star this morning, Shawn Green returned to the traveling 56 Monday and enjoyed his first practice back with the regulars that evening. It didn't take the former Weaver standout long to get acclimated to his new old surroundings.
"It was good to get back in the feel of things," he said. "I've been on the scout team for a while so I had to get used to running the plays and getting my feet right and stuff like that."
He wasn't sure exactly what his role would be Saturday. He was a ball-carrier and kickoff returner last year. "Right now, I'm just looking at running back," he said.
The Gamecocks also welcomed fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Hardin back to practice. Hardin, who lost his starting job to junior Cedric Johnson last week, wasn’t at practice Monday for what coach Jack Crowe said was “to put his house in order.”
Crowe said the Gamecocks need Hardin to win, and predicted the quarterback would have a positive impact in a game at some point this season.
"I don't think the final chapter in Matt Hardin's career is written," Crowe said.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Increasing the odds
Jacksonville State coach Jack Crowe is expecting a hard-fought game between two physical teams playing for an early leg up in the OVC race when the Gamecocks play Eastern Kentucky Saturday at Paul Snow Stadium.
With temperatures expected to be down from the Gamecocks’ home opener against Chattanooga (a 33-19 win), Crowe also is hoping the 12th man will be what's up and hot.
“I expect a good crowd,” he said. “I feel very fortunate (for) the crowd we had last time we were home. It was a hot day and I think that was tough on some people … but despite that, I thought our students were there and the students made a difference. I know they made a difference to us --- our students and our band.
“Of course, they’re a younger group, able to withstand the heat, (but) the RV park was full and people were having a good time around here. It added excitement to the team to have that kind of atmosphere. I hope with the temperature cooling off a little bit we can go ahead and start this conference race off by making a statement that playing at home is an advantage for us.”
If it’s anything like previous years, the game promises to be a tight one. And the teams have a lot in common. They both want to play physical football. They’ve both switched quarterbacks to a player who can make plays with his legs. And they’ve both moved a lot of players around in hopes of getting them all in the right places.
“This is going to be a hard-fought game,” Crowe said. “It’s the conference; they know it’s the conference. They’re going to try to get off to a 1-0 start; we’re trying to get off to a 1-0 start. They’re going to come in here and try to make the game physical; we’re going to try to make the game physical. Both of us are going to try to play the best football we can play with everything on the line.
“This is a match-up game … I feel very good about every match-up against Eastern Kentucky. Not that we’re good that we have an advantage, but I don’t think we operate at a disadvantage anywhere. There are a lot of even stevens. We’ve got to make the even stevens come out to be ours.”
That’s where he hopes the crowd will come into play.
With temperatures expected to be down from the Gamecocks’ home opener against Chattanooga (a 33-19 win), Crowe also is hoping the 12th man will be what's up and hot.
“I expect a good crowd,” he said. “I feel very fortunate (for) the crowd we had last time we were home. It was a hot day and I think that was tough on some people … but despite that, I thought our students were there and the students made a difference. I know they made a difference to us --- our students and our band.
“Of course, they’re a younger group, able to withstand the heat, (but) the RV park was full and people were having a good time around here. It added excitement to the team to have that kind of atmosphere. I hope with the temperature cooling off a little bit we can go ahead and start this conference race off by making a statement that playing at home is an advantage for us.”
If it’s anything like previous years, the game promises to be a tight one. And the teams have a lot in common. They both want to play physical football. They’ve both switched quarterbacks to a player who can make plays with his legs. And they’ve both moved a lot of players around in hopes of getting them all in the right places.
“This is going to be a hard-fought game,” Crowe said. “It’s the conference; they know it’s the conference. They’re going to try to get off to a 1-0 start; we’re trying to get off to a 1-0 start. They’re going to come in here and try to make the game physical; we’re going to try to make the game physical. Both of us are going to try to play the best football we can play with everything on the line.
“This is a match-up game … I feel very good about every match-up against Eastern Kentucky. Not that we’re good that we have an advantage, but I don’t think we operate at a disadvantage anywhere. There are a lot of even stevens. We’ve got to make the even stevens come out to be ours.”
That’s where he hopes the crowd will come into play.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Missing pieces
You certainly want to go into every game with all your bullets, and especially a game against a bigger opponent. But the Gamecocks will be missing two players Saturday night against Memphis and have concerns about several others.
Their weekend injury report lists receiver Taurean Rhetta (shoulder contusion) and linebacker Alexander Henderson (knee) both out for the game. Defensive linemen Sean Darby (pinched nerve) and Will Raysor (low back strain) are listed as questionable.
Fullback Ronald Murray (ankle), center Tyler Ogletree (knee) and offensive lineman Matt Washington (Achilles) are probable.
Their weekend injury report lists receiver Taurean Rhetta (shoulder contusion) and linebacker Alexander Henderson (knee) both out for the game. Defensive linemen Sean Darby (pinched nerve) and Will Raysor (low back strain) are listed as questionable.
Fullback Ronald Murray (ankle), center Tyler Ogletree (knee) and offensive lineman Matt Washington (Achilles) are probable.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
First, you've gotta believe
Appalachian State set the bar high for the little guy when it upset Michigan in The Big House two weeks ago. It also gave all Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) hope when they play up against the Bowl Subdivision teams.
Jacksonville State has had some --- not much --- success playing up. But to have any chance at all, the Gamecocks have to think big, just like App State did when it went to play the Wolverines.
"You’ve got to believe you’re going to win," JSU head coach Jack Crowe said. "You’ve got to be prepared to win. Not prepared to play good. Not prepared to hope and wish. But you’ve got to have a plan to win that is a sound plan that includes all the fundamentals of the game … When you believe you can win and the other team gives you opportunities, it won’t be the last time (it happens)."
For the record, the Gamecocks are 3-9 against the upper division. They have beaten two FBS-level teams in the Crowe era --- UL-Lafayette (28-14) and Arkansas State (31-28) --- but they’ve lost their last four, including one-sided affairs with Kansas (41-6) and Mississippi State (twice, 51-13 and 35-3).
In these matchups, the smaller school has to take advantage of every chance it gets to steal momentum. That’s what App State did against Michigan. Because you know when the big school gets the lead, they’ll keep piling it on.
The OVC is full of cases in point. Within the league already this year, Louisville buried Murray State (72-10), Cincinnati crushed Southeast Missouri (59-3), Kentucky killed Eastern Kentucky (50-10) and Purdue pummeled Eastern Illinois (52-6).
"There does have to be, in a game like this, a certain degree of opportunity --- your preparation, then opportunity," Crowe said. "That’s an old-timey way of saying luck, but luck’s when preparation meets opportunity. I guess you do have to be lucky, but it’s not that much opportunity that has to be realized, to be honest with you.
"That left wing at Michigan (on the kicking team) is not going to step out ever again (after getting two kicks blocked). The Citadel deal (when Crowe lost at Arkansas), they never crossed our 50; the ball hits the ground, hits (his player) in the chest going full speed by accident, (otherwise) they don’t score in a month of Sundays. Those are what you call opportunities, and there are opportunities in every ball game."
The Gamecocks had one last year at Mississippi State when linebacker Drew Robinson got hit in the chest with a pass, but couldn’t hold on. He held on twice last week against Chattanooga, and turned one of them into a touchdown.
Jacksonville State has had some --- not much --- success playing up. But to have any chance at all, the Gamecocks have to think big, just like App State did when it went to play the Wolverines.
"You’ve got to believe you’re going to win," JSU head coach Jack Crowe said. "You’ve got to be prepared to win. Not prepared to play good. Not prepared to hope and wish. But you’ve got to have a plan to win that is a sound plan that includes all the fundamentals of the game … When you believe you can win and the other team gives you opportunities, it won’t be the last time (it happens)."
For the record, the Gamecocks are 3-9 against the upper division. They have beaten two FBS-level teams in the Crowe era --- UL-Lafayette (28-14) and Arkansas State (31-28) --- but they’ve lost their last four, including one-sided affairs with Kansas (41-6) and Mississippi State (twice, 51-13 and 35-3).
In these matchups, the smaller school has to take advantage of every chance it gets to steal momentum. That’s what App State did against Michigan. Because you know when the big school gets the lead, they’ll keep piling it on.
The OVC is full of cases in point. Within the league already this year, Louisville buried Murray State (72-10), Cincinnati crushed Southeast Missouri (59-3), Kentucky killed Eastern Kentucky (50-10) and Purdue pummeled Eastern Illinois (52-6).
"There does have to be, in a game like this, a certain degree of opportunity --- your preparation, then opportunity," Crowe said. "That’s an old-timey way of saying luck, but luck’s when preparation meets opportunity. I guess you do have to be lucky, but it’s not that much opportunity that has to be realized, to be honest with you.
"That left wing at Michigan (on the kicking team) is not going to step out ever again (after getting two kicks blocked). The Citadel deal (when Crowe lost at Arkansas), they never crossed our 50; the ball hits the ground, hits (his player) in the chest going full speed by accident, (otherwise) they don’t score in a month of Sundays. Those are what you call opportunities, and there are opportunities in every ball game."
The Gamecocks had one last year at Mississippi State when linebacker Drew Robinson got hit in the chest with a pass, but couldn’t hold on. He held on twice last week against Chattanooga, and turned one of them into a touchdown.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
That's what friends are for
Mike LaPlante doesn’t like it. Jimmy Tillette doesn’t like it. Like most coaches, Jack Crowe doesn’t like to play his friends, either, and he considers Memphis coach Tommy West a friend.
They worked together for three years at Clemson — “three good years,” as Crowe recalls. Three years with rings. Atlantic Coast Conference championship rings.
So highly did Crowe think of West, he tried to hire him as a defensive assistant when he got the Arkansas job. Unsure whether it would be a coordinator’s job or just an assistant’s post, West took a job as running backs coach at Tennessee.
“I don’t like playing friends, no,” Crowe said earlier this week. “You’d like to have a certain type of emotion to go compete and there’s no way I’m going to have anything but a smile when I see Tommy.”
After all, you tend to develop a bond when you create NCAA legislation together.
Or, if you listen to the story, you’re the subject of NCAA legislation being created.
To hear Crowe tell it, he and West were at the root of the NCAA putting in the 48-hour dead period in recruiting.
“That’s a fairly bold statement,” Crowe agreed. “Tommy and I pulled off a recruiting coup in the State of Georgia … that the only way (the University of) Georgia could stop us was to create an NCAA rule. That’s not a want-to-think-big-about-yourself (statement). That’s a fact.”
Clemson and Georgia were running neck and neck for a linebacker named John Johnson. It was one of those deals Georgia fans would show up at Johnson’s basketball games wearing the red-and-black just to remind him of his state “loyalties.”
Johnson committed to UGA on the Monday of signing week, then when it came time to put pen to paper, signed with Clemson on Wednesday. He went on to become one of the Tigers’ finest players.
The Bulldog Nation was livid.
“When John committed to Georgia on Monday and signed with Clemson on Wednesday, coach (Vince) Dooley made danged sure the 48-hour dead period would be enacted; it was in about a month,” Crowe recalled. “I guess you could say we were a couple of legislators.”
They worked together for three years at Clemson — “three good years,” as Crowe recalls. Three years with rings. Atlantic Coast Conference championship rings.
So highly did Crowe think of West, he tried to hire him as a defensive assistant when he got the Arkansas job. Unsure whether it would be a coordinator’s job or just an assistant’s post, West took a job as running backs coach at Tennessee.
“I don’t like playing friends, no,” Crowe said earlier this week. “You’d like to have a certain type of emotion to go compete and there’s no way I’m going to have anything but a smile when I see Tommy.”
After all, you tend to develop a bond when you create NCAA legislation together.
Or, if you listen to the story, you’re the subject of NCAA legislation being created.
To hear Crowe tell it, he and West were at the root of the NCAA putting in the 48-hour dead period in recruiting.
“That’s a fairly bold statement,” Crowe agreed. “Tommy and I pulled off a recruiting coup in the State of Georgia … that the only way (the University of) Georgia could stop us was to create an NCAA rule. That’s not a want-to-think-big-about-yourself (statement). That’s a fact.”
Clemson and Georgia were running neck and neck for a linebacker named John Johnson. It was one of those deals Georgia fans would show up at Johnson’s basketball games wearing the red-and-black just to remind him of his state “loyalties.”
Johnson committed to UGA on the Monday of signing week, then when it came time to put pen to paper, signed with Clemson on Wednesday. He went on to become one of the Tigers’ finest players.
The Bulldog Nation was livid.
“When John committed to Georgia on Monday and signed with Clemson on Wednesday, coach (Vince) Dooley made danged sure the 48-hour dead period would be enacted; it was in about a month,” Crowe recalled. “I guess you could say we were a couple of legislators.”
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