Rocking And Rolling In DC

Craig Turner
Bluedeathvalley.com
Oct. 26, 2009

A&T 30 Howard 19.

If anyone doubts that having a bye in the middle of the season is a good thing, you better rethink your logic.

Howard University had everything going for them going into yesterday’s game against A&T. It was homecoming, there was a sellout crowd, the band was blasting, a gathering of loud and enthusiastic fans and alums from all four corners of the universe was in attendance, and the Bison were playing an opponent who had not won on the Howard campus since 1998.

Yep, the trap was set and A&T was going to take the bait.

Problem was someone forgot to tell first year running backs Donta Payne and Mike Mayhew, who are nicknamed “Rock and Roll” by their teammates. Nor did they tell the newly repositioned starters along the offensive line that this was supposed to be Howard’s big “Showtime” homecoming party.

When Alonzo Lee told the large A&T crowd at the Wal-Mart kickoff event on Thursday evening that the Aggies were heading up to DC to ruin the Bison homecoming and were coming back with a win, he got lot of cheers and Aggie Prides thrown back his way. How many outside of the building actually believed that could happen was another question, but the 300 or so loyalists in attendance were convinced.

Having two weeks to prepare made a huge difference as A&T up-ended the Bison 30-19 on the road with a dominating second half performance. A&T special teams and the defense again created turnovers like they have for much of this season.

The big difference this week was that the Aggies ran the football, didn’t abandon that strategy and were finally able to cash in on a couple of those miscues. A&T put together a couple of masterful drives of their own and pieced together their best offensive production of the season with 23 second half points after trailing 13-7 at the half.

The most pleasing aspect was when the Bison drew close at 24-19 with over nine minutes remaining, the Aggies slammed the door completely shut when Mayhew broke off a picture perfect and untouched 45-yard touchdown run that ended with eight of eleven Bison defenders on the ground.

Donta Payne had the best performance of his career to date with a 113-yard, two touchdown performance and quarterback Carlton Fears, while not pretty, took care of the football and managed the offense in a blinding rain storm that sent most of the fans home early in the second half.

Defensively, A&T wasn’t necessarily overpowering but the secondary played well against a team that lives to throw the ball on nearly every play.

Sophomore defensive back Justin Ferrell had a busy afternoon with two picks which should have resulted in obvious touchbacks but, thanks to the lack of eyesight of MEAC officials, would put A&T in precarious circumstances twice in the fourth quarter.

Fortunately the A&T kicking game has Alex Grubb who booted the Aggies out of trouble deep in their own territory and newly installed kicker/wide out Wallace Miles made good on his place kicking attempts when they counted the most.

Even Pat Courtney’s short, high-angled kickoffs helped give A&T a key fumble recovery off the second half kickoff that started the A&T point production.

This win still wasn’t pretty but it wasn’t ugly either. What it was, by most accounts, was one of a better football team making superior halftime adjustments, sticking to their game plan and staying on the attack rather than being timid.

This may have been coach Alonzo Lee’s best coaching effort to date, especially in a game that A&T has traditionally lost when facing Howard on the road no matter the record.

The Aggies now go to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the MEAC, sitting in third place in the MEAC. Next week the Aggies can clinch their first winning season since 2003 with a win over Bethune Cookman before what will be a massive sellout homecoming crowd in Greensboro next Saturday afternoon.

It’s starting to come together.

What a difference a year makes. What a difference good recruiting can make. What a difference having a real firebrand coach can make.

Who would have thunk it, way back at the end of last season?