By T. Scott Boatright
Most football coaches feel the difference in team play from their season openers and the second games of the season is one of the biggest determining factors in a season’s eventual outcome.
That means Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson is hoping for a marked improvement from his Tigers this weekend.
The same holds true for Northwestern State head coach Brad Laird.
Both teams will be looking for their first wins of the season as GSU and NSU meet in the Shreveport Classic at 6 p.m. Saturday at Independence Stadium.
The G-Men kicked off the 2022 season last week with a 58-3 loss on the road against Arkansas State. Northwestern State also was on the road last week, falling to FCS No 2 Montana, 47-0.
“We are very excited about this week’s game,” Jackson said. “Obviously it is in Week 2 of our season. We are close to home, but not exactly at home, but we are fired up about playing in the State of Louisiana. We can’t wait to get back on the field and get last week behind us. Obviously, things didn’t go the way we wanted to last week, but we are excited about this week and the opportunity to play in the Shreveport Classic.”
“Week two is normally when you see a lot of improvement for football teams, so I know they’ll be looking for a win just like we are. It’s going to be a great opportunity for two teams looking to find themselves to do that.”
Jackson wants improvements in phases of his team’s game.
“We don’t want to be a team that gives up that many points or those many yards,” Jackson said. “We’re not excited about anything that happened last week. Let’s be transparent about that. That’s not the way we want to play football, so we have some work to do.”
Grambling State managed only four first downs in the season-opening loss and only 102 yards of total offense (50 rushing and 52 passing) while giving up 502 total yards to Arkansas State.
That’s something Jackson doesn’t want to see a repeat of against the Demons.
“We need to get our offense on track, not just our ground game but our passing game, too,” Jackson said. “It’s everything offensively — we just didn’t play well.
“I’m not one to sugarcoat it. Our players know that we need improvement throughout our football team. Coaches as well. There’s no secret about that. We all take responsibility for that. I’m the one who’s accountable for it all, so we’re going to fix it, and we’re going to fix it fast.”
Quaterius Hawkins started at quarterback for the Tigers last year but was one of three GSU signal callers to take snaps.
Hawkins, a transfer from Jones JC, completed 3-of-7 passes for 46 years while true freshman Julian Calvez made good on only one of 10 attempts for six yards. Chance Amie, a junior transfer from Syracuse, went incomplete on his lone attempt.
Despite playing all three against Arkansas, Jackson said there is no quarterback controversy for his Tigers.
“I feel good about Quantarrius Hawkins being our starting quarterback,” Jackson said. “That’s where we’re headed. I think the team knows that
“He’ll play throughout. There might be some packages or a few things we do with someone else, but that doesn’t make him not the starting quarterback anymore. He’s the starting quarterback on our football team.”
For Jackson, this game will be all about improvement.
“I think we have to play, and get better, as a team,” Jackson said. “I think offense has to play for the defense and defense has to play for the offense and special teams has to play for both units. Everybody contributing for a win. That’s what we have to do.
“They always say as long as you have one more point than the other team, you win. That’s the most important thing. But I do think we need to see some offensive fireworks. But seeing those winning numbers on the scoreboard is the most important thing.”
Saturday’s game will be streamed live on HBCU League Pass+. Grambling State will broadcast and stream the game on the Grambling State Sports Radio Network.
The game can be heard in Ruston and Dubach on the flagship station, The Peach (KPCH-99.3 FM), KNNW 103.1 FM in Columbia and Monroe and KEDG 106.9 FM in Alexandria and Pineville. The Tigers’ broadcast crew of Santoria Black, Ossie Clark, Brandon Lagarde and T. Lay Collins will call all of the action.
