BY BRET STRELOW
SALISBURY POST

Greg Richardson would like to see the Livingstone offense take better care of the ball near the Fayetteville State goal line this year.

The Blue Bears must first worry about attaining such good field position.

Livingstone amassed 431 yards of offense in last year’s 12-6 double-overtime loss to FSU.

But the Broncos travel to Salisbury for tonight’s 7 p.m. game at Alumni Stadium to face off against a Blue Bear offense struggling to come to life.

The contest, the first “Blues Classic,” will have a Mardi Gras theme. Tailgaters will be entertained by bands and musicians from 5-7 p.m. During halftime, musician Fred Wesley (former director and lead for the James Brown Band) will perform. He will also do a number with the Livingstone marching band.

Livingstone is averaging 116.0 yards of offense a game, and the Blue Bears have been held to 1.6 yards per rushing attempt.

Livingstone (1-1) had opportunities to win last year’s game in regulation and overtime, but fumbles doomed the Blue Bears.

Quarterback Joel Ward fumbled with nine seconds left in regulation with the score tied at 6-6, then he and running back Carlton Jones had a bad exchange near the goal line in overtime.

Richardson has rearranged the offensive line in hopes of sparking the offense.

Freshman Quincy Haley has moved from defensive end to right tackle and will probably start.

Sophomore Brent Gibbs has switched from offensive guard to the other tackle position.

“We’re just trying to sure up our offensive line, get a little more push so was can successfully get our offense moving,”Richardson said.

The Blue Bears will also have a different starting quarterback. Malcolm Weed opened against Edward Waters two weeks ago but suffered a high ankle sprain in the third quarter. Ward will take his place.

Ward said the newly arranged offensive line has looked impressive in practice and should help jump start the Livingstone offense.

“That’s where it starts at, it starts with the O-line,”Ward said. “The O-line, if they have a great game, the whole offensive unit will have a great game.”

Ward is Livingstone’s leading rusher with 47 yards in two games, but he’s averaging only 1.6 yards a carry.

Victor Leath, the Broncos’ quarterback, is doing damage through the air for Fayetteville State (2-1).

He has completed 25-of-48 passes for 310 yards this season.

“He’s a great passer, he has great scrambling ability,” Livingstone linebacker Jason Ocean said. “It looks like he wants to make big plays for his team.”

Ocean has made many for the Blue Bears. He leads the team with 40 tackles, including 10 for a loss.

Livingstone forced seven turnovers against Edward Waters, but the Blue Bears will have their hands full against a balanced Bronco attack.

“They have good athletes, they’re very physical,”Richardson said. “They throw the ball a good bit. Their running game is based upon their passing game.

“As a defense, we have to make them one-dimensional so that they can’t do what they want to do when they want to do it.”

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Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com .