Alabama A&M: Bulldogs need to improve conditioning (Notes)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Inside linebacker Willie Fuller says Alabama A&M's defense was fatigued in the second half as Hampton rallied from a 17-0 halftime deficit to claim a 21-20 victory Saturday.

The Bulldogs dominated the Pirates on both sides of the ball through the first 30 minutes, but was unable to finish the job.

"Once they scored their second touchdown, I didn't hang my head because we were still up, but I was shocked to see us so deflated," Fuller said. "I saw it and I saw how fatigued we were and I was trying to push everybody to pick it up because I knew if we didn't Hampton could end up winning the game and they eventually did."

Fuller says the Bulldogs need to do some extra conditioning so that won't happen again.

"We've got to be ready to play 60 minutes," he said. "We played 45 minutes last week and that's not good enough."

Wilson nabs SWAC honor

Punter Chance Wilson was recognized for the second time in as many days Tuesday when he was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Specialist of the Week for his work against Hampton last Saturday.

Wilson averaged 49.3 yards per punt on three kicks, including two inside the Pirates' 20-yard line, and a long of 53 yards. He had two punts over 50 yards, which gives him 12 for his career.

He also made 2-of-3 field goal attempts, including a 41-yarder, which was the longest of his career.

Southern loses tight ends

Southern lost its top three tight ends last week before its season opener against Tennessee State in the John Merritt Classic.

Southern coach Stump Mitchell told The Advocate that Javon Jordan, Rashaun Allen and Kesean Peterson didn't make the trip to Nashville.

Jordan applied for an NCAA waiver that would make him academically eligible to play this season, but when the team left Thursday it had not gotten a decision. Allen and Peterson were declared academically inelgible and will miss the entire season.

The Jaguars moved wide receiver Mike Berry, a 6-foot-3, 205-pounder, and offensive tackle Clinton Boyd, 6-1 and 257, to tight end, but they were ineffective as the Tigers came away with an easy 33-7 victory.

Despite that, Mitchell says that's the way Southern will line up Saturday when Alabama A&M comes to town for the SWAC opener for both teams.

"That's what we'll do from here on out," he said. "Mike Berry will be a tight end.

Jones: Leagues can't be compared based on two games

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference went 2-0 against the SWAC over the weekend, but A&M coach Anthony Jones says don't read too much into that. Hampton down A&M 21-20 in the Chicago Classic, while Bethune-Cookman embarrassed Prairie View 66-14 in the SWAC/MEAC Challenge in Orlando.

Anybody who saw our game knew we had a chance to win that game and not just on the field goal," said Jones, whose team had a potential game-winning field goal blocked as time expired. "It was a competitive football game. I have no idea how Hampton is going to fare in the MEAC or how we're going to fare in the SWAC.

"I'm not going to try to evaluate the SWAC or MEAC. I don't think that says anything about the state of the conferences based on two games."