Grambling Football ...

[007dawg]

I know this is by Scott "LSU Pays Me" Ferrell, but it reflects something Bicknell might have considered when the interception problems began. Woe to me to quote The Shrevesburg Fishwrapper ... (my contact information is in my profile Scott/Jimmy).

Good Luck Grambling!

FERRELL: Williams' gamble pays off
Scott Ferrell / The Times
Posted on November 26, 2002
If you're looking for a turning point in Grambling's championship football season, then look no further than Week 2 of the Tigers schedule.

After a 52-20 loss at McNeese State, GSU coach Doug Williams changed his starting quarterback. He benched sophomore Bruce Eugene and inserted true freshman Gary Cooper as his starting quarterback.

Williams knew his sophomore quarterback was at a crossroads. What he didn't know was how Eugene would respond.

Eugene could have sulked and never been heard from again. Or he could wait for his turn and take advantage of his next opportunity.

Eugene chose the latter.

If Williams was rolling the dice by pulling his quarterback one week into the season, then he came up a winner. Because all Eugene has done is turn in one of the finest seasons any Grambling quarterback - Williams included - has ever had.

After winning the job back in Week 3, Eugene goes into Saturday's Bayou Classic against Southern with 37 touchdown passes and 3,717 yards passing. He's won the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week award so many times that it is an upset when he doesn't win it.

With Eugene at quarterback this year, the Tigers have scored points in pinball fashion.

They go into Saturday's game averaging 41 points per game. In the previous two seasons, the Tigers averaged 25 points and 37.5 points per game.

Eugene has taken not only his game to another level, but he has raised the game of the entire team as well.

"Bruce Eugene is probably the sole reason we've had the season we've had," Tigers coach Doug Williams said Monday.

And he almost didn't have the chance.

Eugene may not look like the prototypical quarterback - 6-foot-1, 250 pounds - but few could argue with the results.

The Tigers are 10-1 this season. They are 9-1 in Eugene's starts. And they have won 10 straight games.

They go into Saturday's Bayou Classic as the favorite to win the rivalry game for the second consecutive year.

"Nobody's stopped him," Southern coach Pete Richardson said. "We've just to focus and hope to contain him."

Since the McNeese game, no one has done that.

They likely won't again Saturday.

What began as a nightmare, has turned into a dream of a season for Eugene. He has proven the power of perseverance.

All that is left this season is the Bayou Classic on Saturday, then the SWAC Championship Game in December.

And if you're Doug Williams, there is still some time to visit a gaming establishment. After all, few coaches have been so lucky with their quarterbacks.

[mildawg]

Wow! What a concept! Benching a player when he doesn't perform well? Isn't that against the rules??? :idea:

[EJ]

One of the articles I read Sunday said the Bicknell and OC Hines discussed changing QB's in the UTEP game after the 3rd interception.

[007dawg]

I discussed that with my dad after the first interception ... moreso after the second ... and after the third, OUT COMES THE SIGN! Hahaha!

kirk