Doss still thinking ring

• By PERRYN KEYS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 31, 2009

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This summer, when Marcus Doss closed his eyes at night, this is not what he dreamed of.

Doss envisioned a wonderful senior year, one that ended sweetly, in storybook form.

He envisioned training camp, where he might have emerged as a starting cornerback on Southern’s resurgent football team. He envisioned leaving Reliant Stadium on Dec. 5, fresh off a win over Texas Southern in the regular-season finale.

He envisioned a bus ride that didn’t end there. Instead, from Houston, he and the Jaguars would continue to Birmingham, Ala., and the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game.

How would their season end?

“Honestly, with a ring,” Doss says. “That’s what I was dreaming about.”

It could still happen, but it isn’t likely.

At 2:30 p.m. today, Southern (4-3, 1-2 SWAC) faces Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-2, 2-1) in Golden Lion Stadium, and to have any shot at Birmingham, the Jaguars must win today.

And again when they play Alabama State, and again at the Bayou Classic, and again in Reliant Stadium.

But that’s not all.

“We still have a chance,” Doss says, dutifully reciting SU’s far-fetched scenario.

“We need Prairie View to lose three games and we have to win out. We have to do our part. The season’s not over.”

Doss is part of a unit that has overachieved lately. The Jaguars, who began the season with two starting seniors on defense, have allowed 17 points per game in the month of October — just as their explosive offense fizzled, managing 14 points in a pair of crippling losses to Jackson State and Prairie View.