The Morgan State offense needs an engine – and Mario Melton wants to be the motor. Melton learned on the job last season when he split time with injured junior quarterback Byron Selby, who led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with 2,023 yards passing and nine touchdowns in 2005.
However, Melton outplayed Selby last season and during training camp to win the starting job. It didn?t take long for him to prove he belonged in the lineup, as the junior completed 10-of-17 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown to lead Morgan State to a season-opening, 47-7 victory over Savannah State on Aug. 30.
But the 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior knows he will have to be even better if the Bears are to snap their two-game losing streak against the Towson Tigers (1-0) this afternoon at 4 o?clock at Hughes Stadium.
“I don?t necessarily think of it as a rivalry: It?s another game,” Melton said. “But they are only several miles away and they are coming into our house and our territory. The 30-2 score last year was uncalled for and we are looking to perform way better than that andwe know we will.”
Melton said it will be imperative he does a better job reading the defense, which he struggled doing at times last year, when he connected on 70-of-148 passes for 924 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 279 yards.
But he threw nine interceptions, which caused him to share playing time with Selby.
But now the job is his. At least for now.
“Mario?s decision-making has gotten better,” Coach Donald Hill-Eley said. “Now he has to work on being more patient and let the game come to him instead of rushing into a decision.”
And while Melton doesn?t have to worry about making a mistake costing him playing time, their are high exceptions of an offense that returns nine other starters. It is Melton?s job to incorporate receivers Roderick Wolfe and Edwin Baptiste in the offense. If Morgan State can establish a passing game, it will prevent defenses from crowding the line of scrimmage, which will give All-MEAC running back Chad Simpson plenty of room to run.
“It?s like coach says, when you have a perfect cast, you just have to get the ball out of your hands,” Melton said. “Get the ball to the playmakers and let them make plays.”
