Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009

Valdosta State has QB injury, holes to fill

Coach David Dean believes Valdosta State’s defense is stout enough to help the Blazers meet high expectations of winning in TitleTown USA.

Ask Dean about his team’s offense, however, and the third-year coach isn’t so sure.

Russ Callaway, the leading candidate to start at quarterback and pair with standout receiver Cedric Jones, tore a knee ligament in spring practice. Valdosta State also must replace four starters on the offensive line for the second straight year.

While Callaway continues his rehab and participating lightly in summer drills, the Blazers will have Jimmy Coy, a junior transfer from El Camino (Calif.) College, work with the first-team offense.

Coy passed for 2,755 yards and 14 touchdowns with three interceptions, putting up the kind of numbers that show he could be a better fit than Callaway, who spent his first two years listed third on Valdosta State’s depth chart and has attempted just 12 career passes. El Camino went 10-2 last season to win the Southern California Central Conference title.

Led by the junior tandem of tackle Demario Jones and linebacker Larry Dean (no relation to the head coach), Valdosta State ranked 24th nationally in scoring defense, 31st in total average yards allowed, 31st against the run and 20th in defensive pass efficiency.

Clark Atlanta

Bahhur ready for break-through win

ATLANTA — Ted Bahhur isn’t worried about the talent level at Clark Atlanta. He does wonder if the Panthers are mentally strong enough to produce more victories.

“It’s not going to be the talent part, I guarantee you that,” said Bahhur, who is entering his sixth season. “It’s going to be whether the whole team believes in itself. I think we’ll be OK. Last year was a good indication.”

Clark Atlanta finished third in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 5-4 record, 6-5 overall. The Panthers showed promise with a 4-1 start, but they lost four of their last six games.

Marcus Winston, who finished with 8.5 sacks last season, leads a defense that was second best in yards allowed and third in scoring defense. Winston, an all-conference defensive lineman, should get help from linebackers Zimier McCloud and Joel Allen.

With solid transfers, including defensive end Derrick Strong and safety Andrew Fuller, Bahhur believes Clark Atlanta can finally get over the hump and beat the top echelon teams in the conference.

Savannah State

Wells pushes team for improvement

Robby Wells remembers facing 93 players in his first team meeting as Savannah State’s new coach and placing his hand above his head.

“I said, ‘There’s your new standard. I’m not going to bend and I’m not going to break,”’ Wells says now.

Then came the real shocker.

“I said, ‘We’re meeting on the night of the national championship, and we’re going to meet on the night of the national championship until we’re playing for a championship,’ ” Wells said.