Lee turns in another solid effort vs. TSU

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 13, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:28 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

Though Southern quarterback Bryant Lee is best known for guiding a precision passing attack, he’s also called on heavily as a rusher in the Jaguars’ spread offensive scheme. And no team knows that more than Texas Southern.

Lee has rushed for 290 yards and seven touchdowns in three routs over TSU. Both of his career 100-yard rushing games, seven of his 12 career rushing touchdowns and a good chunk of his 882 career rushing yards have come against the Tigers.

Saturday, he set career bests with 116 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-14 homecoming victory at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

As a team, SU ran for season highs in rushes (55), yards (269) and touchdowns (four). Quarterback C.J. Byrd had the other rushing touchdown.

“What they were doing defensively necessitated he be able to run the ball, and he did a fine job,” SU coach Pete Richardson said. “It’s a tough offense for a quarterback, what we expect them to do.”

Lee, the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s preseason offensive player of the year, has also thrown well against TSU. He’s never been intercepted by the Tigers and has 691 passing yards and seven TDs.

That’s the fourth 300-yard game of his career. His career best is 373 yards in a loss at Arkansas-Pine Bluff last season. He has thrown for 305 yards three other times: in a win over Tennessee State last season, in a loss to Tennessee State earlier this season and Saturday.

Southern (4-2) hosts Florida A&M (4-2) at 6 p.m. Saturday.

The longtime rivals last played in Baton Rouge on Nov. 4, 2000, with FAMU winning a 50-49 thriller.

Southern won 17-14 in overtime in Tallahassee, Fla., in 2001 and the two teams met last season, with the Jaguars winning 33-27 in the season-opening MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Birmingham, Ala.

“It should be another pretty nice crowd,” Richardson said. “A lot of people like to see their band.”