By T. Scott Boatright
Coming off a bye weekend, the Grambling State University football team looks to snap a two-game losing streak as the Tigers play host to Bethune-Cookman in a game set for a 2 p.m. kickoff today at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium.
GSU stands at 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference while Bethune-Cookman is 1-6 and 0-4 in the SWAC.
Grambling coach Hue Jackson said he feels the bye week gave his team an opportunity to evaluate itself and try to figure out how to best move forward after falling 25-24 at Alcorn State and 45-24 against Alabama A&M in its last two contests.
“I think that what was important is that we got rest … got healed up,” Jackson said. “We got to self-scout our offense, defense and special teams. We just put the last game behind us and are preparing to host a very good Bethune Cookman football team here at home.”
One focus for the G-Men during the bye weekend break was concentrating on trying to slow a plethora of penalties that has plagued his team throughout the season so far.
GSU has been hit with 72 yellow flags for 635 yards through seven games for an average of 91 yards in losses per contest while its opponents have only been penalized 48 times for 286 yards, an average of 55 yards per game.
“I think that the most important thing that was done is that we continue to bring (the plethora of penalties the G-Men have been hit with this season) to their attention,” Jackson said. “You can really slow it down and let them see it, what it does to your football team and how it impacts your football team negatively — the yards that we’re giving away each game in crucial situations.
“During an off week when you’re not in the grind, I think the players see it differently and I think they were able to focus on it a little bit more and understand that our football discipline is important and what has to be done (to improve it).”
As the Tigers return to play today, Jackson said his team is focused on only the next game ahead as they work to battle back into contention for a potential SWAC Championship game berth.
“We can’t control what everybody else does,” Jackson said. “We can only control what we do. Our thing is we’re going to play this thing one game at a time and not get caught up in what may be or what could be.
“The most important thing is that we go out and win. Winning takes care of a lot of that.”
Jackson knows that the rushing game will play a key factor in today’s game. And that starts with not letting Bethune-Cookman do as much damage with its run game as GSU’s opponents have in recent games.
“We need our defense to play better against the run and we need to run the football better ourselves,” Jackson said. “We need to shore up our gap control on defense.I think that’s what you’ve got to do. You still have to be able to control the clock, play efficient offense and for our defense, we have to play better against the run.”
Jackson said improving his team’s rushing game on offense is another primary need heading into the game against the Wildcats.
“We need to be better at running the football,” Jackson said. “We need to run the ball better in the scoring zone and improve third-down efficiency. I think all of those things are important.”
Jackson also knows special teams improvements are key if the Tigers want to make a late run for the SWAC title game.
“Special teams-wise, we just need to make sure we’re being consistent in everything we’re doing,” Jackson said. “It’s been a really good week. I think we were able to focus on a lot (of things). We saw a lot of different information about our football and where we can help ourselves over this next stretch or last quarter of the season so that we can be the best we can be.”
Jackson also knows getting junior quarterback Myles Crawley back on track will be key for his Tigers against Bethune-Cookman.
Crawley has completed 128-of-217 pass attempts (58.99%) for 1,583 yards and 12 touchdowns. so far this season.
But Crawley has also been intercepted five times this season, with four of those interceptions coming in their most recent two losses.
“Obviously the biggest thing is taking care of the football,” Jackson said of what he needs to see out of Crawley. “We’ve got to take care of the football better. I think he can complete the football at a higher percentage and will. But it’s not just him. Receivers have to be at the right spot, and protection has to continue to be good
“I think all those things work together. And I think he’ll do that and go be the quarterback that I think he is. I think he’s one of the best in the conference and I think he’ll play like that down the stretch.”
