After a week off due to Hurricane Ivan, the Colonels football team returned to action and defeated Texas Southern 21-6 last Saturday at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas.Jay Thomas, Colonels head coach, said he liked the team’s performance after a week off.

“It was certainly good to get back out and play again after the six days off because of Hurricane Ivan,” Thomas said. “I think it showed a little bit, but we performed very well at times. I think we moved the ball very well and got in the red zone, and we shot our toes off a couple of times. We had a few penalties here and there and had a few drives stalled.”

Although he said there were a few ugly parts in the game, Thomas said he is satisfied with the win.

“It was not a pretty win, but a win is a win,” Thomas said. “We don’t play pretty football anyway. We are the kind of team that is going to roll our sleeves up, come at you offensively by running the football and control the clock.”

The Colonels (2-1, 0-0 SLC) struck first when junior quarterback Yale Vannoy scored a 15-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. However, junior kicker Jay Jones missed the extra point, and the Colonels led, 6-0.
In the second quarter, Texas Southern answered back when Tigers running back Ramond Gilmore scored a six-yard run. Texas Southern missed the extra point, and the game remained tied at 6-6. After Jones kicked a 44-yard field goal, the Colonels led 9-6 heading into halftime.
On their first possession in the second half, the Colonels increased their lead to 12-6 when Jones converted on a 27-yard field goal.

Later in the third quarter, the Colonels went up 18-6 when senior running back Colt Colletti scored an 11-yard touchdown run, and the Colonels finished the day’s scoring when Jones connected on a 39-yard field goal to set the score at 21-6.

Senior running back Colt Colletti led the Colonels offensively in rushing with 142 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown. Freshman running back Broderick Cole added 72 yards; junior quarterback Yale Vannoy added 64 yards with one touchdown.

Through the air, Vannoy went 3-for-7 with 37 yards. His longest completion of the game was a 16-yard pass to senior receiver Marcus Richardson.

Thomas said the offensive line, which consists of sophomore left tackle Jacob Bender, freshman guard Benja Gombossy, junior center Cody Stogner, junior guard Jake Housson and senior tackle Joe Trosclair, is responsible for the success the Colonels had on offense against Texas Southern.

“It’s all a credit to these big guys up front,” Thomas said. “They wouldn’t have those stats if it weren’t for them. The big guys don’t get enough recognition. Because we run the football in this offense, those guys get forgotten about.”

The Colonels defense held Texas Southern to 14 first downs and 187 total offensive yards. The Tigers’ average yards per play were 3.5.
Junior defensive back Joe Ogletree and senior defensive back Henry Johnson led the Colonels defensively with five tackles. Johnson also added one pass breakup.

Senior linebacker Rogers Williams added four tackles. Junior defensive linemen Brian Paille and Antwan Dunn added one sack each.
Since the Eastern Washington game on Sept. 2, Thomas said the defense has been very steady and consistent.

“I think our defense has been very steady and consistent since the first game,” Thomas said.

“We are very proud of the way that they have been playing. We have to continue to play that way. Until our young guys on offense continue to catch up, our defense is going to have to carry us. We are now at the point of the season where turnovers are critical. Every week our opponents are getting better.”

The Colonels now turn their attention to non-Southland Conference foe North Dakota State (3-1, 0-1).

The game will take place Saturday afternoon from the Bayou Bermurda turf of John L. Guidry Stadium.

It is the first ever meeting between the Colonels and the Bisons of North Dakota State.

A member of the Great West Conference, the Bisons went 8-3 in 2003.

They returned with seven starters on offense and defense in 2004.

Thomas said the Colonels will have to be prepared on all sides of the ball in order to beat the Bisons.

“Watching those guys on tape, they looked very good,” Thomas said.

“Last year, they beat Montana in Montana. They are as well-coached team as we will face all year long. Their quarterback runs the show because he is cool and steady, and they are very aggressive on defense.”
Since North Dakota State loves to run and control the clock on offense and play physical defense, Thomas said both teams are alike.

“They are physical on the line of scrimmage. Their style is very similar to ours, so you have two teams that mirror one another. It is going to be a huge challenge for us.