Thursday, October 21, 2010

"The Four-Headed Hydra"

Here's a link to an article on JSU from peaypride.com.

For those of you that will not click on a link, I've posted it below.

Govs focus on slowing JSU's multi-headed attack
No. 3 Gamecocks doubly solid at QB and RB
BY JAMES D. HORNE • THE LEAF-CHRONICLE • OCTOBER 21, 2010

The potential trouble gets bigger as the number grows smaller.

Austin Peay had to worry about a two-headed monster in running back Henry Harris and quarterback Matt Scheible when it faced No. 13 Southeast Missouri last week.
Now the Govs (2-2, 1-3 OVC) have to focus stopping the four-headed hydra that leads No. 3 Jacksonville State in quarterbacks Marques Ivory and Coty Blanchard and running backs Calvin Middleton and Jamal Young.

"It's definitely going to be a great challenge because they have great quarterbacks and great running backs," defensive end Preston Keck said. "They have great players and really are a great solid team. It's going to be tremendous challenge for us to go out there and compete with them. We're going to try our best and especially on defense, but we need to stop the run."

The quartet allows the third-ranked Gamecocks (6-0, 3-0 OVC) to be a very balanced team.
Jacksonville State is averaging 161.0 rushing yards a game with 12 rushing touchdowns and is passing for 189.4 average yards a game with 15 passing scores.
Middleton leads JSU with 306 rushing yards on 62 attempts with three TDs and Young has 305 yards on 50 carries with four scores and both have started three games each.
"We've got a really good field manager in Marques Ivory," JSU coach Jack Crowe said. "He's putting us in the right plays and executing the critical parts that belong to him. If there is balance it's because of his mental consistency and his consistency of getting us into the right play. We are a run-pass balance team right now and it's puzzling, because I think we've struggled running the ball a little bit. But what's close to me and how I believe you win a championship is by running the ball. But right now the consistency of the running game isn't as consistent as the passing game."

But it's the quarterback tandem that makes the Gamecocks really special.
Ivory is the unquestioned starter and has thrown for 1,076 yards on 91-of-157 passing with 9 touchdowns, five interceptions and a quarterback rating of 127.27 in seven starts.

He was at the helm and threw the two touchdown passes that tied Ole Miss at the end of the fourth quarter and the end of the first overtime in Jax State's eventual 49-48 two-overtime victory.
Coty, also a highly-regarded pitcher and JSU's punter, has played in every game and performed admirably all season as the No. 2 signal caller, even though he's only passed for 250 yards, connected on 20-out-of-33 with six touchdowns and two interceptions.
He was responsible for the touchdown and game-winning two-point conversion that sealed the deal against the Rebels.

So both guys have shined bright in the spotlight and it shows with JSU's undefeated record and high national ranking. But it must make it difficult to game plan for the pair?

"You just have to play against their offense no matter who is in there," Govs coach Rick Christophel said. "Marques Ivory is a really good football player and is a senior with a lot of playing experience and Blanchard is good, too. There's isn't one phase of their offense they can't run. So you have to prepare for the entire offense and hopefully we'll have the right people on the field. Maybe we'll put 14 out there to see if we can stop them."

1 comment:

  1. "Marques Ivory is a really good football player and is a senior with a lot of playing experience and Blanchard is good, too. "

    He wishes Marques was a senior.

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