The theme around campus lately has been “New GSU” and that applies to this year’s football team. This year’s football team faced a number of changes starting with the departure of coach Rod Broadway in February.
Along with Broadway’s departure, his running style offense left with him. On April 9 the G-men’s 2011 spring Black and Gold football game gave returning coach Doug Williams a chance to see his team and the implement of the new GSU pro -style offense.”This year’s offense will have more multiple sets,” Coach Williams said. “Where it’s one back, two back, three receiver, four receiver and empty back you’ll see things like that. The thing you will not see is our quarterback running.”
The two teams struggled with the new offense, but the dominance of the defense from both teams impressed Williams as the Gold team edged out the Black team 14-7 in their 2011 spring football game at Robinson stadium.
“We got to get the ball moving,” returning starting quarterback Anthony Carrothers, who led the Gold Team, said. “Offensively, we haven’t found our rhythm yet.” Carrothers is a true sophomore.
Early in the game, both teams struggled to gain first downs, but late in the half the offense came alive. Carrothers hooked up with red shirt senior receiver Dezmond Spivey on a 5-yard out along the right sideline. When the ball was caught Spivey broke a number of tackles and fled to the end zone for a 58-yard touchdown.
With 55 seconds left in the first half, the Black team led by red shirt junior quarterback Antoine Temple took the field and answered with their own seven points.
Temple displayed an impressive drive down the field connecting with two passed and showing his nifty scrambling moves.
I have been working on a lot of different things. Temple said. “Been working on my reads corrected knowing who to throw to. Man I just been working, it’s paying off I’m showing it. I just been working trying to get a spot trying to play.” Temple finished 8-12 from the field for 66 yards.
The drive was capped by a 5-yard pass to sophomore receiver Terry McGill in the back right corner of the end zone.
“It’s been a good spring,” McGill said. “I felt as if I made a lot and as far as me in the spring game I feel like I’m having a good game two catches and a touchdown and it’s all for Grambling.”
The score was knotted 7-7 at the half. Due to the tough defensive pressure of both teams, the only scoring drive of the second half came at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Red shirt junior receiver Rodale Pippen ran in 1-yard touchdown that gave the Gold team victory. Carrothers set the drive up with hitting senior receiver Mario Lewis for a 50-yard gain to end the third quarter set up the drive.
The two team’s defensive line was the most impressive at the spring game. Their ability to get to the quarterbacks so quickly and harass them looked incredibly powerful. The team’s defensive lines gave the running backs no room to operate in the backfield.
“We have continuity that’s a big thing, Defensive Coordinator Cliff Yoshida said.
“They’re learning new offense so it’s a little tough on them.”
The spring Black and Gold game was also a chance for the people to see the debute of Doug “D.J” Williams, coach Williams’s son. During the spring game you could see that he has not yet fully adjusted to the colligate level. He struggled with timing and decision making at times. “It’s hard (transition form high school to college) as I’m out here struggling” Williams said. I just got to calm down and do what’s right.”
Williams is an early entry freshman and still shows promise for the future of Grambling football. He has been working and still working always looking to get better.