Alumni Stadium looks a whole lot different and a whole lot brighter this week.
Livingstone’s home field has a new, bright set of “Blue Bear” blue seats spanning the former visiting sidelines. The new bleachers should be ready to go in time for the Nov. 3 Homecoming game against Benedict, when the home crowd and home team will switch sides to the nice, new bleachers.
It’s just one of several improvements the Livingstone football program has seen in the past few years, like new lights in the stadium and a renovated weight room.
“Our administration understands that we have to have certain things to be able to compete with the schools we’re recruiting against,”Blue Bears head coach Greg Richardson said. “They are adding the types of facilities that we need that we can sell to kids when we’re recruiting.
“Those students have to see some cosmetic things in addition to the fact that we graduate our student athletes. That’s a big selling point for us,”added Richardson, who has seen the school’s retention rate for football players increase from 50 percent to 80 percent during his tenure.
“Our school’s come a long way since we came here in 1994. I have to pat Cliff Huff, our athletic director, on the back because he’s guided us through.”
n
it’s always something:Turnovers have been the story in Livingstone’s six losses this season, but during Saturday’s 37-22 defeat at Elizabeth City State, the Bears found a new way to get themselves in trouble.
The Vikings got nine points off two Livingstone punts near the end zone. Freshman punter Ibrahim Bah watched a pair of bad snaps head his way at the goal line and kicked the ball out of the end zone.
The only problem?A new rule in college football this season has taken away that safety valve. Now, when a punter kicks a ball out of the end zone to avoid a safety or touchdown, the opposing squad can either take the two points or get the ball on the 1-yard line.
“Elizabeth City didn’t understand that and first took the two points,”Richardson explained. “When it happened again, they took the ball on the 1-yard line and that resulted in a touchdown.”
Combined with three interceptions, Livingstone handed the Vikings more than enough for the win.
“We’re making some errors that are turning out to be points for the other team,”Richardson said. “We have to tell the kids to be positive and try to correct the errors we’re making.”
n
dead defense:The Blue Bears didn’t stop the run as well as Richardson would’ve liked, but the Livingstone staff realizes that poor field position has plagued the defensive unit all season.
“In defense of the defense, many of the touchdowns scored on us we’re defending 30, 35, 40 yards,”Richardson said. “That happens constantly.”
Elizabeth City came out firing Saturday and had the Blue Bears scrambling, trying to get pressure on the quarterback while still covering the receivers.
Defensive star Jason Ocean had a season-low eight tackles while chasing receivers in coverage from his linebacker spot.
Despite the low tackle output, Ocean managed to go over 100 tackles for the season and looks to be busier this week against N.C. Central.
“The team we’re playing this week has been more of a run team, so we’ll be able to keep him where he likes to be — in the box making plays,”Richardson said. “I think you’ll see his production come back to where you’re used to seeing it.”
A bright spot for the defense last week came from sophomore Ronald Clark, who returned an interception 87 yards for a touchdown.
“He did what the coaches taught him to do,”Richardson said. “He was in the right position and made the play and ran it back.”
It was Livingstone’s third defensive touchdown of the year, following fumble returns by Ocean and Albert Jefferson in earlier games.
“It’s good for our defense to make some big plays,”Richardson said. “Our defense has always been a big-play type defense, and this year we haven’t had the kind of production we’re used to having.
n
QB Update:While freshman quarterback David Melton was charged with three interceptions, two of his passes bounced off receivers’ hands and into the eager mitts of Elizabeth City defensive backs.
Melton, in his first start, finished 10-of-24 for 80 yards passing and ran 15 times for 92 yards. He accounted for 172 of his team’s 180 yards of total offense.
“David Meltonwill remain at quarterback until the end of the season. David did an outstanding job in the first half,”Richardson said. “We moved the ball quite well. Then David just became tired. He has to run around and make plays on his own. He’s a really great athlete, but they just wore him down.”
n
Contact Steve Hanf at 704-797-4287 or shanf@salisburypost.com
.
Today's News
