Ghost of Orange Blossom Classic has proven costly for Alabama State
Alabama State had high hopes for this season, with talk of a possible run to the SWAC title game and Celebration Bowl aspirations on the lips of many a pundit in HBCU football circles with the acquisition of coveted transfer QB Andrew Body, and one of the better recruiting and portal hauls in the conference.
What started as a campaign with lofty aspirations is turning into a battle of attrition for Alabama State, with injuries making a huge impact at the most crucial skill position on the field; Quarterback. Both Andrew Body and Jonah O'Brien, the 1st and 2nd string quarterbacks on the roster, experienced injuries in the first few weeks of the season that have severely limited what the Alabama State offense has been able to generate.
As Alabama State limps into its bye week to prepare for the start of their conference slate, Saturday Blitz takes a closer look at what the Hornet faithful can expect as their team prepares for conference play.
Where does Alabama State go forward offensively?
The injuries to star QB Andrew Body and 2nd stringer Jonah O'Brien have put HC Eddie Robinson Jr. into the unenviable situation of working two freshmen into the role of quarterback for the remainder of the season.
The more disturbing thing to consider is the lack of effectiveness or creativity in the run game for the Hornets for substantial stretches of play during this first act of the season.
That's not to say that Alabama State's rushing attack hasn't shown glimpses of effective play (the Hornets ran for a shade under 200 yards in the win against Miles, with RB Daquon Kincey leading the charge with a 13 carry, 137 yards, and 1 TD performance), but the creativity and consistency of OC Chris Barnette's scheme has to get a LOT better if Alabama State wants to take pressure off of a now limited QB room.
How the Hornets find solutions to this dilemma will go a long way to determine whether they remain a factor in the hunt for a SWAC Championship.
Defense with a huge stop ❗#SWARMAS1 x #INTENTIONAL pic.twitter.com/MA3WqVaAGO
— Alabama State Football (@BamaStateFB) September 14, 2024
Can the Alabama State Defense hold the line until the Offense rights itself?
While it's pretty apparent that the Alabama State defense lost a bit of sting in comparison to last year's suffocating unit, the potential is still there for a resurgence of that unit just in time for SWAC play.
If the collective performance of the defense against Samford was any indication, the trend bodes well for that dynamic to come to pass.
The Hornets' defense looked like its old self in an extremely stout defensive display against the Bulldogs, holding their Southern Conference foes to 12 points for the game, and gave their team a fighting chance to win this game.
Controlling the line of scrimmage will continue to be important for the Hornets' defensive front as conference play gets started. The back end of that defense is starting to develop into a ball-hawking unit for sure, but there were some coverage lapses that made the difference in the Samford game.
Both defensive units will need to be on point if Alabama State hopes to re-establish themselves as a contender for the ultimate prize of a SWAC title.
The specter of that costly Orange Blossom Classic appearance has put Alabama State football fortunes behind the proverbial 8 ball to this point in the young season. While there's still a good deal of talent on the Alabama State roster to make a difference, it's going to take improved and more disciplined play in order for the early season aspirations of this football team to be realized.
That quest continues for the Hornets on September 28th, when Alabama State plays Bethune Cookman on the road in Daytona Beach. Stay tuned to Saturday Blitz for continuing coverage of HBCU Football!
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