Will hiatus hurt or help JSU Tigers?


bluphiiijsu

Creative Director
Sept. 18, 2001

Will hiatus hurt or help Tigers?

By Mark Alexander
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer


By the time Saturday rolls around, it will be 21 days since Jackson State played a football game.





The Tigers opened their season with a 27-17 win over Howard in Chicago on Sept. 1 and had an off week the following Saturday. Then, like most of the nation, they took last Saturday off in wake of the terrorist attacks on America.

Will that lengthy hiatus hurt JSU against Mississippi Valley Saturday in Itta Bena?

"I don't think it will be too much of a problem even though we've been away for a little while," JSU coach Robert Hughes said Monday. "The only problem will be timing. We found some things in the first game against Howard that we needed to work on. The Tennessee State game would have given us a chance to see if we had worked the kinks out. But because of the circumstances we were not able to do that. Now we're going to have to check those things out this week.

"One plus from having that time off is that it gave some of the guys who were bruised up more time to get healthy. They'll be ready to play. All our players will be. They're tired of hitting on each other, kinda like two-a-days."

JSU held a team meeting Friday, took Saturday off, then lifted weights and watched film Sunday. The Tigers held a spirited practice Monday that concluded with a 25-30 minute scrimmage in the rain.

"We had an off week and then the tragedy happened last week so it's been two weeks since we've played," JSU receiver T.C. Taylor said. "We're ready to play."

DOMINATION:JSU has won the last six games against Valley. The Tigers have outscored the Delta Devils 306-78 in those six games.

JSU OFFERS REFUNDS:The Clarion-Ledger, the Southern Heritage Classic has been rescheduled for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.

Tickets purchased for the originally scheduled game will be honored for the Thanksgiving Day game. However, fans wishing to receive refunds for purchased tickets may do so only at the outlet where the ticket was purchased. Refunds will be offered through Friday.

GETTHEMWHILETHEYLAST:JSU received 2,500 tickets ? 2,000 student, 500 general ? for Saturday's game at Valley. Tickets not purchased out of JSU's allotment will be returned to Valley for sale Saturday.
 
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