Panther88
Banned
Well, let's ask coach. He's put some comments in black and white that astounded the "L" out of me!
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Better to receive
Dorsey says PV pass catchers in for big year
By RICHARD DEAN
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
PRAIRIE VIEW -- Larry Dorsey has a simple message to his fellow Southwestern Athletic Conference football coaches: Don't overlook Prairie View A&M.
If you do, you may pay like Alcorn State, which the Panthers defeated last year for their first conference win since 1989.
"It's time for us to make a move," said Dorsey, entering his second year as Prairie View coach.
Things are looking up on the football field at Prairie View, no longer an automatic win on opponents' schedules. The Panthers' NCAA-record 80-game losing streak ended in 1998. That's ancient history, according to Dorsey.
"Our seniors will make it happen," Dorsey said. "We know what it's like to lose. So let's take it to another level."
Still at a disadvantage with only 16 allotted football scholarships, the Panthers once again will rely on walk-ons as they attempt to improve on last year's 1-10 record, which was highlighted by the 25-22 home win against Alcorn State.
Last year could have been better but was not bad, considering Dorsey wasn't hired until July and didn't have the luxury of spring practice to evaluate personnel. This spring, Dorsey and his staff got to take an extended look at the Panthers.
"We're going to have a lot of fun this year," said Dorsey, who coached Mississippi Valley State for nine years. "We're going to surprise some people. We're a dangerous team.
"We'll cause some problems this year. I felt we could have beaten more people last year. We let some slip away."
One thing Dorsey promises is the Panthers will throw the football more to take advantage of the team's strength at wide receiver. Senior quarterback Jamaal Foster has plenty of quality receivers to throw to. Among them are Deontay Wilson, Tony Barnes and Charles Washington as well as tight end Marcus Ballard.
Wilson, a senior, led the team in receiving in each of his first two years and added 21 receptions for 424 yards last year. Ballard had a team-high 28 receptions for 431 yards.
"We're going to do some things the fans will like," said Dorsey. "It'll be exciting. I like to be exciting. I'm a former wide receiver myself. So I like to throw it. Last year, we had to run it because we had a lot of interceptions."
Last year Foster passed for 466 yards in five games. Coming out of spring drills, Foster was rated just above Allynson Sheffield as the starter. But Sheffield, who passed for 903 yards in 10 games a year ago, has left school and returned home to Florida.
Losing Sheffield is a blow to the program, but Dorsey said he has confidence in backup quarterback Deshun Baker, who also plays receiver.
Dorsey definitely has faith in his receivers.
"We have to pick it up, turn it up," Dorsey said. "We feel offensively, our most explosive position is receiving. Ballard (6-4, 191 pounds) is a big kid. Deontay Wilson, you get the ball in his hands, he can make things happen. We got Tony Barnes coming back."
The Panthers need to improve a defense that allowed 45.1 points and 486.9 yards a game.
"If we're going to bleed, we're going to bleed slow," said Dorsey. "We're not going to be giving up those big bombs and things like that."
One move that should help the defense was the switch in the spring of All-SWAC performer Bobby Perry from cornerback to free safety. A three-year starter, Perry has the size and speed to impact a football game.
As far as Dorsey's style, he's still old school. Nothing will change at his practices. He'll be wearing his trademark hard hat symbolizing the construction of a program while working on fundamentals and discipline.
"I'm not into a lot of frills," said Dorsey. "We're going to do a lot of repetition. You might as well get used to it. I'm still old-fashioned.
"We got discipline in. We got that across last year, and we got it across in the spring. We think we're on the right track."
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As soon as we get off the bus, we're passing the ball. The ONLY time we intend to run the ball is when we run on the field and run off the field. LOL :emlaugh: I remember that from last year. LOL
Our victories this fall (in no order): TxA&M Kingsville, PQ, Valley, AND TxSU.
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Better to receive
Dorsey says PV pass catchers in for big year
By RICHARD DEAN
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
PRAIRIE VIEW -- Larry Dorsey has a simple message to his fellow Southwestern Athletic Conference football coaches: Don't overlook Prairie View A&M.
If you do, you may pay like Alcorn State, which the Panthers defeated last year for their first conference win since 1989.
"It's time for us to make a move," said Dorsey, entering his second year as Prairie View coach.
Things are looking up on the football field at Prairie View, no longer an automatic win on opponents' schedules. The Panthers' NCAA-record 80-game losing streak ended in 1998. That's ancient history, according to Dorsey.
"Our seniors will make it happen," Dorsey said. "We know what it's like to lose. So let's take it to another level."
Still at a disadvantage with only 16 allotted football scholarships, the Panthers once again will rely on walk-ons as they attempt to improve on last year's 1-10 record, which was highlighted by the 25-22 home win against Alcorn State.
Last year could have been better but was not bad, considering Dorsey wasn't hired until July and didn't have the luxury of spring practice to evaluate personnel. This spring, Dorsey and his staff got to take an extended look at the Panthers.
"We're going to have a lot of fun this year," said Dorsey, who coached Mississippi Valley State for nine years. "We're going to surprise some people. We're a dangerous team.
"We'll cause some problems this year. I felt we could have beaten more people last year. We let some slip away."
One thing Dorsey promises is the Panthers will throw the football more to take advantage of the team's strength at wide receiver. Senior quarterback Jamaal Foster has plenty of quality receivers to throw to. Among them are Deontay Wilson, Tony Barnes and Charles Washington as well as tight end Marcus Ballard.
Wilson, a senior, led the team in receiving in each of his first two years and added 21 receptions for 424 yards last year. Ballard had a team-high 28 receptions for 431 yards.
"We're going to do some things the fans will like," said Dorsey. "It'll be exciting. I like to be exciting. I'm a former wide receiver myself. So I like to throw it. Last year, we had to run it because we had a lot of interceptions."
Last year Foster passed for 466 yards in five games. Coming out of spring drills, Foster was rated just above Allynson Sheffield as the starter. But Sheffield, who passed for 903 yards in 10 games a year ago, has left school and returned home to Florida.
Losing Sheffield is a blow to the program, but Dorsey said he has confidence in backup quarterback Deshun Baker, who also plays receiver.
Dorsey definitely has faith in his receivers.
"We have to pick it up, turn it up," Dorsey said. "We feel offensively, our most explosive position is receiving. Ballard (6-4, 191 pounds) is a big kid. Deontay Wilson, you get the ball in his hands, he can make things happen. We got Tony Barnes coming back."
The Panthers need to improve a defense that allowed 45.1 points and 486.9 yards a game.
"If we're going to bleed, we're going to bleed slow," said Dorsey. "We're not going to be giving up those big bombs and things like that."
One move that should help the defense was the switch in the spring of All-SWAC performer Bobby Perry from cornerback to free safety. A three-year starter, Perry has the size and speed to impact a football game.
As far as Dorsey's style, he's still old school. Nothing will change at his practices. He'll be wearing his trademark hard hat symbolizing the construction of a program while working on fundamentals and discipline.
"I'm not into a lot of frills," said Dorsey. "We're going to do a lot of repetition. You might as well get used to it. I'm still old-fashioned.
"We got discipline in. We got that across last year, and we got it across in the spring. We think we're on the right track."
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As soon as we get off the bus, we're passing the ball. The ONLY time we intend to run the ball is when we run on the field and run off the field. LOL :emlaugh: I remember that from last year. LOL
Our victories this fall (in no order): TxA&M Kingsville, PQ, Valley, AND TxSU.
