Staring Down the Beast

Craig Turner
Bluedeathvalley.com
Sept. 13, 2009

When you have a tough early schedule in college football, somewhere along the way you will be tested as a coach and as a team.

New A&T’s head coach Alonzo Lee and his young Aggie football team found themselves in just such a situation last Saturday evening.

After watching an explosive Norfolk State offense stake out what appeared to a formidable 13-3 lead in this first MEAC matchup, the Aggies were up against the wall, perhaps allowing a key conference game to get out of hand just before halftime which had been the history of A&T football in recent years.

But recent history doesn’t really mean much of anything to Lee or to his football team.

In the closing minutes of the first half, the A&T secondary created a big play when Quay Long picked off a tipped pass off a Norfolk receiver who was trapped in a two deep zone, and returned it 40 yards deep into Spartan territory.

Then, its was the unflashy quarterback Carlton Fears finding wide out Wallace Miles on a crossing pattern who turned on the jets and ran away from the last two defenders pull the Aggies to within three at halftime with 14 seconds left to spare.

Long’s interception and Miles’ touchdown catch and run sent not only the crowd into a full frenzy but also proved the point that A&T is no longer going to lay down when it falls behind.

These are no longer the Aggies of old. No self doubt or panic. Lee challenged his ball club at halftime to take the fight directly to the Spartans and that is exactly what they did to open the second half.

When freshman Mike Mayhew capped off a stellar 65-yard second half opening drive with one of the most powerful runs seen in recent time, one could sense that a message had been sent and it was being delivered in big fashion. All of a sudden it was now a new day.

That 17-13 lead would hold up over the rest of the game as the A&T defense went back to bringing intense pressure on fifth year senior NSU quarterback Dennis Brown, lighting him up with some brutal bone jarring hits. Their stingy defensive effort climaxed with a brilliant fourth quarter 4-play goal line stand from the inside the four yard line.

So what did Saturday night’s game mean it real terms of this team’s progression?

It showed that A&T has begun developing a psyche of staring down the eyes of the beast of self doubt. There was no panic, no fear or withdrawing when hit in the mouth, which is the mark of a confident football team.

They showed that they are willing to stand toe-to-toe with one of the teams that in the preseason polls are supposed to run all over them. And it showed that when A&T counter punches they can and will knock you out in a real battle of wills.

They took a first big step in growing up as a viable competitive football squad this past weekend. There are still many doubters out in the MEAC and even within A&T’s own fan base as to whether this team has been just lucky or if the Aggies have improved enough to play at this level week in and week out.

The statistical numbers aren’t overly impressive and it appears that the games are sometimes a real struggle, but lest we forget that a football game now breaks out every Saturday instead of a wake.

Stats don’t win football games. Players and coaches do. Fans are now actually coming inside the gates to watch this team play rather than merely staying outside socializing in the tailgate areas. Fans are now on their feet and not sitting on their hands on big downs and critical moments. The pride is back in Aggie football.

Coach Lee and his squad would probably tell you to let all the cynics continue to play down these first two games and to keep overlooking what is going in Greensboro and that would be just fine with them. One thing is for sure another weekend like this past one and some people will have to begin to take notice, but let’s hope just not quite yet.

Let’s remain top secret for at least another week.