ASU prepares for visit to Eastern Michigan

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said he always hears his players talking about how they were recruited by larger schools and are good enough to be playing for a Football Bowl Subdivision team.

Now, he said, they have a chance to back up all that big talk when the Hornets travel to play FBS opponent Eastern Michigan at noon CDT Saturday.

"I challenged them this week. I said, 'Now we'll get a chance to see how you would have performed at that level,'" Barlow said.

The Hornets (1-0) are led by a player who actually has spent time at the FBS level. Junior quarterback Greg Jenkins transferred to ASU from Troy and beat out incumbent Devin Dominguez for the starting job.

In his ASU debut last week, Jenkins threw for 188 yards and three touchdowns all to Nick Andrews and ran for 56 yards and another score in leading the Hornets to a 41-9 victory over Mississippi Valley State.

Barlow said Jenkins is probably the best running quarterback ASU has had in nearly 20 years, a list that includes current NFL starter Tarvaris Jackson.

"Tarvaris was athletic enough to negate the rush, but his deal was his arm," Barlow said.



"Greg can throw, but he's almost like a punt returner when he has the ball in his hand. We haven't had a scrambling, running quarterback who can also make the throws in quite awhile."

Eastern Michigan (1-0) also is coming off a 41-9 victory, over Howard, in a game that was delayed until Sunday because of severe weather. The Eagles gained 326 yards on the ground, with Javonti Greene and Dominique Sherrer each rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown.

"Everything starts with the running game for Eastern Michigan. That's their strength," Barlow said. "For us to have an opportunity to win we're going to have to stop the running game."

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