October 25, 2008 – ATLANTA – The Maroon Tigers scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and pulled off a 24-19 come-from-behind victory over Albany State, to the delight of nearly 20,000 Homecoming fans.
It was the first Morehouse win over the Golden Rams, since the 18-16 victory, in 2001. The win halted a three-game losing streak and evened the Morehouse record at 4-4 (4-3 SIAC). Albany State dropped to 5-3 (4-3 SIAC).
Albany State scored first on a 100-yard missed field goal return by Roger Frazier. It was one of those strange NFL-type plays, where the kicking team relaxes and starts to leave the field after a missed field goal and the return man surprises everyone by running it back out of the end zone. The extra point failed. A 32-yard field goal by Patrick Cuff in the second quarter put the visiting Golden Rams up 9-0.
Morehouse bounced back with a touchdown and field goal in the final minute of the first half that gave the Maroon Tigers a 10-9 lead at the break.
Following the first touchdown, the Morehouse special team forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by reserve linebacker Charlie Wilson.
In the third quarter, another Cuff field goal and a one-yard ASU touchdown run put the SIAC’s second-place team up 19-10 and set the stage for the fourth-quarter Maroon Tiger surge.
Quarterback William Brack orchestrated the comeback with three touchdown passes and numerous scrambles to keep plays alive. Tabbed as the starting quarterback in the preseason, Brack had seen limited action in only two games, playing behind Christian Sterling and Jerald Cook. In his first extended action since transferring from Jackson State, Brack completed 17-of-32 passes for 273 yards. He threw two interceptions and was sacked twice.
Brack connected on two of his touchdowns with Achille Hendje. The other went to Jamar Rodriguez who scored the game-winner with 3:39 left on the clock.
Rodriguez had two catches for 44 yards.
The winning score capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive, in which Brack hit five different receivers, despite constant pressure by a desperate ASU pass rush.
Hendje, the senior wide receiver from Silver Spring, MD is one of the top pass-catcher in the SIAC. He caught four passes for 69 yards, to lead all receivers. His 36-yard TD reception, with 35 seconds left in the first half, put Morehouse on the scoreboard.
Senior Quincy Avery hauled in five catches for 59 yards. Sophomore Tyjuan McFadden grabbed three passes for 61 yards, James Steadman grabbed two balls for 31 yards and David Hart caught a nine yarder.
The Morehouse defense had one of its finest games of the season, holding the favored Golden Rams to 193 yards of total offense – 93 yards below their season average.
Seeming to be in on nearly every tackle, linebackers Earl “The Tiger” Thomas and Jeffrey Cargile led an inspired Morehouse defense that kept three ASU quarterbacks on the run all day. The defense forced and recovered three Albany State fumbles, intercepted a pass and recorded three sacks.
Thomas had a career-high 17 tackles, and a sack. Cargile had even more impressive number. The SIAC sack leader registered 16 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a sack.
Defensive lineman DaJuan Holmes had his best performance of the season. The senior from Ellenwood, GA collected seven tackles and shared a sack with linebacker Brandon Cunningham, who also picked up seven tackles and returned a fumble 50 yards. Senior cornerback Derrick Scott recorded eight tackles.
Kicker Micah Streiff had another solid game, hitting a 37-yard field goal and three extra points and punting seven times for a 31.7-yard average.
Morehouse will travel to Tuscaloosa, AL, Saturday, to play the Stillman
College Tigers, at 5 p.m. Central Time.
