Alcorn State Braves 2010 Review

2010 Record: 5-6 (4-5), 3rd SWAC East
2010 Post Season: None
2010 Schedule/Results
Langston, W 50-27
@ Mississippi Valley State, W 27-9
Alabama State, W 41-21
@ Mississippi State, L 49-16
Texas Southern, L 30-20
@ Grambling, L 38-28
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, L 39-35
Southern, W 27-20
@ Alabama A&M, W 41-24
@ Prairie View, L 35-27
Jackson State, L 27-14

OFFENSE
345 yards per game

The Braves started freshman Brandon Bridge at QB for 11 games in 2010, and by all looks, it didn't work out too badly. Bridge passed for 2086 yards and 19 TDs on the season. He also tossed 13 picks in 11 games, so he has some accuracy issues to sort out. He did have some added valeu out of the option, as he rushed for an additional 601 yards while adding 8 TDs on the ground. If Bridge can cut down on the picks, he has real value over the next 3 seasons.
Gabriel Nash actually finished 2nd on the team to Bridge in rushing, and is also a young player who will only be a junior in 2011. Nash rushed for 578 yards and 6 scores, but will have to pick up the pace as a feature back to get ASU over the hump in the SWAC. Nobody else features prominantly in the Braves backfield.
Edward Johnson was the big threat as a receiver in 2010, as he grabbed 38 catches for 631 yards and 7 TDs on the season. Ryan Singleton had more catches (45) but fell way short on yardage with 478. Simon Collier and Terrance Lewis combined for 41 catches as freshmen, but they will have to be the #1 and 2 options in 2011, as Johnson and Singleton are both moving on. Obviously, production may be an issue here.

DEFENSE
376.1 yards allowed per game

The Braves did a very credible job up fron on the season, as all 4 D Linemen did solid jobs getting into the backfield. Malcolm Taylor led the team with 17 total TFLs, while Caser Cobb II picked up 12 and Brandon Morris had 10.
Herve Tonye-Tonye led the team in tackles with 82, and also registered 9 TFLs on the season. Tonye-Tonye, Cobb and Morris will have to lead the way next season, as Taylor and Cobb have now moved on.
Josh Cragin was highly effective in the secondary, as he picked up 81 tackles on the season. 2011 will bring some solid experience in the secondary, but Cragin and Jameson Smith (12 passes defended) need to be replaced. They brought a high energy to the secondary and will be difficult to replce. Luckily, Javoris Tribune and Jason Owens will both be back. Those two combined for 14 passes defended in 2010, and will be leaned on heavily next fall. jamsion Knox should see more minutes in the secondary, as he played solid time as a freshman this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

There was nothing special at the PK position, as Artureo Tomayo was God awful in 2010. Tamayo only hit on 5 of 13 of his FG attempts, which a one-legged, blind poodle could have done as well. This situation has to be rectified immediately for the Braves to bust .500 in 2011.
Tamayo was equally as weak as a pounter, having only averaged 37 yards per punt on the season. IN other words, the kicking game is a train wreck.


FINAL NOTES

Alcorn State will have a new coaching staff in the fall, so everything here may change when practice begins. The Braves have some young talent, but they will need to be coached up soon, as to avoid a repeat of a 5-6 seasonm or worse. The Braves were extremely streaky, posting winning streaks of 3 and 2 games, sandwiched between losing streaks of 4 and 2 games. This also is indicutive of inexperience. Another year normally might guarantee improvement, but with a new staff coming in, change can go either way.