Does defense win games? Apparently the Grambling State Tigers think so. No other aspect of the game was more apparent than the swarming nature of the Tiger defense as the G-Men shut out the Concordia Hornets by a final score of 37-0 Saturday.
Concordia’s freshman quarterback Sherman Stevens looked inexperienced in front of 14,543 people as he threw three interceptions on the night (two of which were to the same player) and seemed flustered every time he dropped back to pass the ball against the Tigers 4-2-5 defense.
The G-Men got off to a slow start while trying to establish the run with seniors Frank Warren and Cornelius Walker, which led to eventual punts.
On the ensuing drive, Concordia QB Stevens threw an interception to Cliff Exama for his first of two picks for the day.
Warren scored Grambling’s first points of the day with a 23-yard run with 12:51 left in the second quarter. Afterward, the Tigers didn’t look back.
Warren finished the game with 92 yards on 17 carries, and now needs only 167 yards to break Walter Dean’s record for most yards as a senior (1,401 in 1990).
The G-Men dominated both sides of the ball, outgaining the Hornets 329-60 in total yards and holding Stevens to 34 yards on 7-for-17 passing.
“Excellent” was the only word senior wide receiver Kiare Thompson could use to describe the victory. Thompson led the Tigers air attack with 103 yards on six catches and leads the SWAC in average yards on punt returns at 15.2 yards.
The Tigers are in Houston tonight to take on the Tigers of Texas Southern in a battle for SWAC West supremacy at 6:30.