Alcorn Game Notes | McNeese Game Notes | Live Radio | Live Stats
LAKE CHARLES, La. – In its final tune-up before SWAC play, the Alcorn State University football program will head to McNeese State University for a 6 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Cowboy Stadium.
It will be a showdown between two teams that are on the cusp of the national FCS Top-25 Rankings. Alcorn (1-1) is receiving 46 votes, while McNeese (1-1) is receiving 35. Alcorn remained at No. 3 in this week's national HBCU Poll.
The Braves are coming off a 45-7 victory over Mississippi College last weekend in their home-opener. Freshman
Niko Duffey turned in a breakout performance, which included three touchdowns. He rushed for 138 yards and a pair of scores, and caught 38 yards and a touchdown.
Alcorn has used a two-headed rushing attack with Duffey and senior
De'Shawn Waller so far. The duo have helped the Braves average 202.0 rushing yards through two games.
Senior quarterback
Noah Johnson continues to move up the school's career record book. He ranks fourth all-time in passing completions (369), sixth in passing yards (4,298), seventh in touchdown passes (31) and 10th in rushing yards (1,871). Last season, Johnson ranked third in the nation in rushing yards per carry (7.5) and 16th in completion percentage (.621).
On defense, junior
Qwynnterrio Cole leads the team with 11 tackles on the year. It comes after he catapulted to the top of Alcorn's tackle list last year with a team-high 77. Senior
Darrell Henderson led the Braves with seven tackles in the victory last weekend against the Choctaws.
McNeese is a perfect 13-0 all-time against SWAC opponents. It includes a 34-28 win over Southern to open the season this year as the Cowboys forced five turnovers in the game. McNeese has forced seven turnovers through two games, which leads the Southland Conference and ranks seventh in the FCS.
The Cowboys are looking to shake off a 56-14 defeat to Oklahoma State last weekend. Though, the McNeese offense shined with 225 yards in the third quarter alone, and quarterback Cody Orgeron accounted for 240 yards (151 passing, 89 rushing) in the game.
McNeese was picked sixth out of 11 in the SLC Preseason Poll. Orgeron, a junior, leads the team in both passing and rushing. He's thrown for 298 yards and three touchdowns, and has rushed for 122 yards.
The game can be heard live for free on 91.7 FM or wprl.org with Charles Edmond, Emanuel Barnes and Cedric Tillman on the call. Alcorn returns home on Saturday, Sept. 21 to host Prairie View A&M in a game that was moved up to 5 p.m. for an ESPN livestream.
NOTES
- Alcorn and McNeese will meet for the second time in three years. In 2017, the Cowboys grabbed a tight 34-27 decision after scoring with 26 seconds left in the game. Former quarterback
Lenorris Footman threw for 424 yards and three touchdowns in the defeat. Senior
Solomon Muhammad wrapped up eight tackles.
- The Braves are going for their first non-conference win over a Division I opponent since 2004 when they beat North Carolina A&T 16-13. Alcorn's last win over a Southland Conference opponent came in the year prior in 2003 when it topped Southeastern Louisiana 27-24.
- Alcorn is 11-5 in night games under head coach
Fred McNair, who is in his fourth season at the helm.
- Senior kicker/punter
Corey McCullough is the school's all-time leader in career field goals made with 36. He's made one in back-to-back weeks including a 44-yarder at Southern Miss. McCullough was named to the FCS Punter of the Year Watch List.
- The Braves are 14-0 when leading at halftime since 2017.
- McNair, the reigning SWAC Coach of the Year winner, is in his fourth season as head coach. The Braves have won the SWAC East Division and played in the SWAC Championship all three years under McNair. He carries a 16-7 SWAC record.
Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Reviewing the Mississippi College game
"I thought it was a fair effort. It was pretty close to being a great effort but we didn't play as solid as we should have. The opening kickoff we received the ball and went three-and-out right off the bat and that we can't do.
Niko Duffey, our freshman running back, had a great game with three touchdowns. The defense played lights out against the triple option - those guys played a great ballgame up until the last possession in the fourth quarter when they threw a touchdown at the end. Penalty-wise, we had some dumb penalties which we can't have, drive-killers and also third downs. We talked about it this week in practice. Overall, we have a little bit more work to do, but the guys are ready for McNeese State."
Scouting McNeese
"We started preparing for them Saturday night after the ballgame. I think they got some dudes man, got a good running back, the quarterback is a tough kid, he likes to run the ball and we've got our work cut out for us. Defensive-wise up front they are pretty solid, they got some hard-nosed dudes so we've got to play hard and physical. They're a good ball club and they'll be playing in their own environment; it's going to be hostile and our guys know that we can't make the mistakes we've been making over the course of these last two ball games. We have to have our A-game ready."
On Cutting Down On Penalties/Mistakes:
"The biggest thing is we have to be fundamentally sound. A lot of the penalties are coming when we are overstressed, not using our feet or things of that nature. We had a lot of just dumb penalties and it's not called for. We got a penalty this past week where the guy catches the ball, goes out-of-bounds, our guy pushes him down four-to-five yards out-of-bounds - those kind of penalties are what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about the hard playing, physical penalties that we get, but just the dumb penalties are uncalled for. Excessive block after the whistle - it's a dumb penalty - you hear the whistle blow, so stop. We're always trying to do extra and we can't afford to do that against good teams. Those kind of things we have to minimize."
How Big Is This Game Against A Fellow Quality FCS Opponent
"We played them two years ago and it was close. Again, another penalty that we had on a punt when we jumped over the shield and our returner returned it for a touchdown, it got called back because of a personal foul. Those are the kinds of things that can't happen. Of course this is a big matchup for us, we are pretty much even I think talent-wise. We recruit the same players, but we just need to make sure that we're doing everything in our power as coaches to get this team prepared to play the way they should play."
On Trying Exploit McNeese's Pass Defense:
"Just looking at them in the secondary, they're better than what they seem. We're not going to disrespect any team we play, we just have to go out and execute. If the opportunity presents itself, of course we will try to take advantage of it. We are getting ready to play against a good ball club."
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