Golden Tigers welcome Saturday’s home opener vs. Lane
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (goldentigersports.com) After three weeks on the road, the 12th-ranked Tuskegee University football team returns home for their first game inside Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium on Saturday afternoon to face SIAC West Division for Lane College.
“We are glad to be back home,” Tuskegee head coach Willie Slater said. “We are also glad to finally get into conference play, all these other games went down as non-conference. We are excited about the opportunity, and I thought we had a good week of practice. Our guys understand what this weekend is about.”
Tuskegee (3-0) has already faced two conference opponents in Clark Atlanta and Albany State, defeating both, however this will be their first contest against a West Division opponent that determines who plays in the SIAC championship game in November.
“We feel better after last week,” Slater said. “Starting off 3-0 with this schedule, we were hoping that we would 2-1 or possibly undefeated. Of course we know that we have a long way to go, and we are still not there yet. We still have some things to improve on, and our players are getting after it.”
The Golden Tigers come into the week after a win over Florida A&M, but like every other week, the team shifts its to the week ahead – and this week it happens to be an undefeated Lane (3-0) team.
“They have improved their personnel,” Slater said. “Their head coach left a couple of years ago and came back, and he has done an excellent job of recruiting players. They are much improved, and probably one of the best Lane teams I have seen since I have been here. We have a tremendous challenge ahead of us in playing them. They are not 3-0 for no reason.”
The Dragons enter the game with the 12th best rushing attack in the country, averaging 265.7 yards per game. That is led Marcus Holliday, who is averaging 146.7 of those yards, while quarterback Marcus Reynolds is averaging 58 yards per game on the ground. He has also thrown for 352 yards and three touchdowns this season.
However, they will face a Tuskegee defense that is 17th in the country in rushing yards given up as they allow only 84.3 yards per game on the ground. They are allowing opponents just 3.7 yards per carry this season, including a season-best 41 yards rushing in the opening quarter through three games.
The two teams are among the best in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Lane is averaging 33.3 points per game – in wins over Texas College, Fort Valley State and Langston – while Tuskegee is averaging 28 points per game. Defensively, Tuskegee leads the way allowing 16 points per game, while Lane allows 19 points per game.
Jayjerien Craig leads the ground attack for the Golden Tigers with 252 yards on 40 carries and a touchdown. After missing a game earlier this season, redshirt freshman Kenny Gant is back with 75 rushing yards in two games for a team that is averaging 155.7 yards per game on the ground.
The Golden Tigers are averaging 226.67 yards per game through the air, with senior quarterback Kevin Lacey providing 611 yards and five touchdowns. He has spread the ball around with senior Desmond Reece leading the way with 10 receptions (259 yards and two touchdowns), while Javarrius Cheatham has nine receptions (117 yards and a touchdown) and Leo Gilbert six (131 yards and three touchdowns).
Defensively, the Golden Tigers are led by a pair of linebackers in Osband Thompson and Quavon Taylor who have combined for 60 tackles through three games. The team has recorded 23 tackles for loss and 12 sacks, while forcing five turnovers including four interceptions in the season opener.
“They are a well-coached football team,” Tuskegee defensive coordinator Joseph Carter said. “They have a lot guys coming back this year offensively. With their quarterback coming back, anytime you can bring him back that is your focal point. Their running game is the best in the conference right now statistically.
“The challenge is in front of us now, and we just have to go out and do what do. We just have to adjust to what they do, and correct the little things. We go into every week thinking we have to stop the run, and we know we have to do that to be successful.”
The two teams have met 21 times before in the series history, with Tuskegee winning each contest. They have met each year since 2008, and met 17 times in the last 18 years dating back to 1998. Tuskegee has scored 40 or more points in the last five meetings between the two.
Kickoff is set for 1 pm at Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium, and can be seen (and heard) on the Tuskegee Digital Network.
