Eagles remain on learning curve
Ryan Nixon destroys a Cumberland back for a 4-yard loss late in the game
October 12
by Wesley Lyle - Advertiser
Cumberland University took control early Saturday at Cram ton Bowl.
A first-play touchdown was the first of five touchdowns as the Bulldogs rolled past Faulkner University, 38-3
"We've been playing with a lot of confidence the past couple of weeks," said Cumberland coach Dewayne Alexander, whose team amassed 518 yards in total offense. "We moved the ball well today and we played so lid defense. Faulkner is a much-improved team. If they keep working like they have been, they're going to start winning."
Faulkner coach Jim Nichols said his team is still trying to learn how to win.
"We have to stop and remem ber where we are and how far into this we are," Nichols said of the second-year program. "We're trying to improve and get better each week. I think we executed better this week, but we still have to improve our un derstanding of the game.
"We have to know what to ex pect in third-and-10 situations and we have to know what to ex pect in fourth-and-1 situations. I'm not sure how well our team knows those things yet."
Cumberland (3-2, 2-0 Mid-South Conference) scored 12 sec onds into the game. On the first play from scrimmage, Dexter El ston bolted 60 yards for the touchdown.
"We got down 7-0 (on the first play) and that's tough," Nichols said. "When you get down quickly, it takes you out of your rhythm."
Travis Carter's 7-yard score made it 14-0 with 5:58 left in the first quarter. Michael Hinson's 26-yard field goal in the second quarter and Matt Eads' 12-yard touchdown pass to Elston made it 24-3 at the half.
The Bulldogs ran 25 plays for 233 yards in the first half.
"We didn't play well on de fense today and that hurt us," Nichols said. "They only ran around 25 plays in the first half but they scored three touch downs."
Faulkner had chances to get back in the game in the second quarter. The Eagles (0-6, 0-4) had first-and-goal on back-to-back possessions. The Eagles reached the 1-yard line on both drives but came away with no points.
Ryan Williams on a kickoff return in the second half
"We had drives inside the 10 and we came away with three points," Nichols said. "We tried to kick two field goals and we went for it twice. That's not ac ceptable. When you get down there, you've got to be able to get a yard. You can't freeze up and not get anything."
The first of the back-to-back drives ended with a turnover on downs after a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 1. On the second drive, Faulkner was stopped for no gain on second and third down at the 1. The Ea gles attempted an 18-yard field goal but Pual Cink's kick was wide.
"Down on the goal line, we bowed our necks," Alexander said. "After one of the stops, we threw an interception and gave them the ball back again deep in our territory. But we held them at the one. Then we turned around and made a big pass play and we scored. I think that took a lot of the wind out of their sails."
Following the missed field goal, Cumberland marched down the field, aided by a 53-yard pass from Eads to Mi chael Moore, and scored on the Eads-to-Elston 12-yard touch down.
"After we didn't score, they turned around and scored in three plays," Nichols said. "You can't allow that. We gave up too many big plays."
In the third quarter, Cum berland put it away. J.T. Majors scored on a 4-yard run less than four minutes into the half and Eads hit Josh Crouch for an 86-yard score to make it 38-3 with 7:44 left in the third quar ter.
Eads finished with 225 yards on 12-of-16 passing. Elston finished with 72 yards on four car ries. Crouch had three recep tions for 108 yards.
Cink scored Faulkner's points on a 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Eagles finished with 151 yards on 64 plays. Mike Timmons led the offense with 44 yards on eight carries.