GRAMBLING — For the foreseeable future, if Grambling State wins, it’s likely going to be done the ugly way. But that’s OK if you ask head coach Mickey Joseph.
With GSU starting quarterback C’Zavian Teasett still hospitalized in Las Vegas with a severe head/ neck injury from last week’s 26-24 win over Jackson State, and backup Ashton Frye still unable to play with an injury in his throwing shoulder, the Tigers are turning to a pair of true freshmen behind center this weekend against Alabama A&M (4-4, 1-3 SWAC).
Hayden Benoit, who has yet to play a college snap, from Loreauville High School and A’Myne Darensbourg from John F. Kennedy High School (1-of-3, 11 yards, interception in college) will each play against the Bulldogs, according to Joseph.
Running back Byron Eaton Jr., who played QB in high school, will also take QB reps. – mostly in a wildcat capacity.
“It’s probably going to take three of these kids to help us get in position to win the football game,” Joseph said.
Lack of experience in the quarterback room will likely lead to tough moments for the GSU offense but Joseph doesn’t care what the product looks like as the Tigers pull out a win to try to stay alive in the SWAC West race. They need wins, not aesthetic points.
The G-Men (5-3, 2-2 SWAC) may have 12 turnovers through four SWAC games and 16 penalties for 145 yards over their last two wins, but the Tigers have found ways to win two in a row and Joseph, who is 4-8 in SWAC play as head coach, won’t apologize for victories, especially in a prove-it year.
“How winning looks to me doesn’t matter to me. I just want to win,” Joseph said. “ Sometimes, people want to win a certain way. I just need the win and that’s what we tell the kids.”
Last week’s box score read all Jackson State as JSU out-gained (448365), out-rushed (198122), threw for more yardage (250-243), had fewer penalties ( 8- 9), and finished with more first downs (25-20) than GSU. On paper, the GMen played an uglier game compared to JSU.
But thanks to a 44yard field goal from Josh McCormick with 21 seconds left, Grambling pulled off the upset over JSU.
GSU has been outgained and out-rushed in three of its four SWAC games but a win’s a win for a program desperate to get back to the SWAC championship game for the first time since 2017.
This week, Alabama A&M presents another big challenge for the G-Men with the No. 1 passing offense (255.1 ypg) in the SWAC and the 4th best scoring offense in the league at 29.5 points per game.
The Bulldogs have won three in a row over the G-Men – outscoring the Tigers 104-72 in that span – but A&M’s defense is weaker than usual this year, ranking 11th out of 12 SWAC teams in scoring defense (36.3 points per game) with the worst total defense (444.6 yards per game) in the league.
Alabama A& M is coming off a 56-13 loss to Alabama State in the Magic City Classic, but Joseph expects a different level of fight from the Bulldogs this weekend.
“When they come in here, they’re not going to be that team that lost 56-13. They’re not going to be that team,” Joseph said. “You expect that when they come in here, they’re going to be locked in and ready to go because they understand our situation. I’m trying to get our kids to understand that when people come in here and play Grambling, it’s their Super Bowl. So, our focus has to be there.”
GSU hosts the Bulldogs Saturday at 2 p.m. at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium. The game will stream live on SWAC TV.
