Morgan State has a short week?only four days ?to prepare for the Hampton Pirates. And the Bears also better have short memories.
After seeing a potential win turn into a close loss for the second consecutive week, the Bears (1-2) officially open their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule by traveling to Hampton, Va., to take on the defending conference champion Pirates. No. 13 Hampton (2-0, 2-0 in the MEAC) pasted North Carolina A&T, 59-14, Saturday, and appears more than ready for a Thursday night showdown that will be nationally televised on ESPNU at 7:30.
If the Bears are to come back from this week?s 19-17 loss to Winston-Salem State?a game they lost on a 24-yard field goal with 0.4 seconds left?they will need to improve in nearly every facet of the game.
“It?s one of those things we have to go and find a way to start fast and doing some things differently,” Coach Donald Hill-Eley said. “Maybe putting scrimmages in the start of practice to get the energy up early. I?m looking at the whole thing we need to do.”
The key for the Bears to end a four-game losing streak to the Pirates dating to 2002 is eliminating mistakes. Hill-Eley called the Bears “their own worst enemy” after the game, referring to the team?s 15 penalties for 145 yards and three turnovers.
“We have to go to Hampton and gain our respect back,” junior quarterback Mario Melton said. “It’s like we are going back to ‘Old Morgan’ again. We have to get stuff corrected, and you will see a new Morgan State team Thursday night.”
Two weeks ago, the Bears were tied with Towson, 21-21, in the fourth quarter and driving toward the end zone. But Melton threw an interception that Towson parlayed into the game-winning touchdown. Saturday, the offense rallied to give the team a 17-16 lead with 1:13 left when James Meade made a 43-yard field goal.
But just like the week before against Towson, Morgan State?s defense wilted. It allowed the Rams?a team that two years ago was playing on the Division II level?to move the ball 49 yards on just four plays to set up the game-winning 24-yard field goal. That drive was highlighted by a 42-yard pass play from quarterback Monte Purvis to Bryant Bayne.
Defensive end Anthony Young said it?s imperative the Bears eliminate the mental mistakes that have cost them the past two games.
“You can’t sit around and be down and moping around, all you can do is get in tomorrow and start working tomorrow,” Young said. “We are going to be ready for Hampton and this is not going to happen again, it’s not going to happen again.”
