Keys: SU gets win, but still searching for answers

• By PERRYN KEYS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 17, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Sunday afternoon, less than 24 hours after Southern pounded out a frosty 15-0 win over Alabama State at the Gulf Coast Classic, the campus back home at SU was almost empty.

Only two or three students stood on the bluff near the Mississippi River, taking in the scenery on a cool-but-beautiful day.

Classrooms were silent. The nearby sandwich shop was closed.

Just outside Jesse Owens Hall, the parking lot was vacant — except for one car.

Inside, his thumbs were in overdrive, working two remote controls. Pause, rewind, play. Pause, rewind, play.

Over and over, on a modern-style projector, he watched videotape — first of his own team, then of other Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents. Then of his own team again.

Richardson had given his players a rare Sunday off, and while some members of his coaching staff shuttled in and out, only the head coach stayed inside all day.

Dissecting the Jaguars’ important victory over ASU wasn’t simple. In fact, it’s hasn’t been simple to dissect much of Southern’s season.

Even if they played against a team in flux — Alabama State fired two assistant coaches last week and hasn’t scored a point in eight straight quarters — the Jaguars’ defense was outstanding Saturday, stopping the Hornets five times inside SU territory. Senior linebacker Johnathan Malveaux also scored the game’s only touchdown, returning an interception 15 yards.

Southern’s special teams came up big, too, producing three field goals and pinning ASU on its own 2-yard line after a punt.