If the football team at Alabama State University is good for anything, it is good for surprises. The season opened with a loss to Southern University that was plagued with mistakes, followed by an emphatic win against Deion Sanders and Jackson State University. The Hornets looked like two different teams in those games; going from subpar to world-beaters in a matter of weeks. What is the cause of the vast difference?
The primary cause of the difference is the inexperience of the offense. Ryan Nettles is the man under center after a redshirt season in 2019; Trevonte Howard is the oldest member of the offensive line, but the majority of the snaps are played by redshirt sophomores and redshirt freshmen. Running back Ezra Gray continues to be a staple in the backfield, and now he has the help of sophomore Jacory Merritt, who looks to build on his first season. However, the running game can only make up so much for the growing pains upfront and from the passing game.
The running game is relatively consistent, as the difference between the two games is only 84 yards (125 against Southern vs 209 against Jackson). The major difference comes with the passing game, where Ryan Nettles did not eclipse 150 passing yards (149 to be exact) and completed only 59% of his throws in his first start. His second start? A scorching 257 yards while completing 64% of his passes, not to mention achieving these numbers while going against the preseason powerhouse in Deion Sanders and the Tigers. These raw statistics show the struggles the offense is facing, but it also shows the potential firepower it can bring every week.
The primary cause of the difference is the inexperience of the offense. Ryan Nettles is the man under center after a redshirt season in 2019; Trevonte Howard is the oldest member of the offensive line, but the majority of the snaps are played by redshirt sophomores and redshirt freshmen. Running back Ezra Gray continues to be a staple in the backfield, and now he has the help of sophomore Jacory Merritt, who looks to build on his first season. However, the running game can only make up so much for the growing pains upfront and from the passing game.
The running game is relatively consistent, as the difference between the two games is only 84 yards (125 against Southern vs 209 against Jackson). The major difference comes with the passing game, where Ryan Nettles did not eclipse 150 passing yards (149 to be exact) and completed only 59% of his throws in his first start. His second start? A scorching 257 yards while completing 64% of his passes, not to mention achieving these numbers while going against the preseason powerhouse in Deion Sanders and the Tigers. These raw statistics show the struggles the offense is facing, but it also shows the potential firepower it can bring every week.