PEMBROKE — With a team that didn’t have a lot of in-game experience entering the year, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke football coach Shane Richardson said that the learning curve has came quicker with two diverse situations in two games this season.
With a home loss to open the schedule that the Braves came back from a 20-0 deficit to fall short in the waning seconds, and a win on the road where the offense and defense got back on track in commanding fashion, the fourth-year coach feels his team has seen a lot.
“We’ve lost a game, we’ve won a game, we’ve been in an adversity situation where we had to scratch and claw being down 20. We had a lot of good, successful plays (last) Saturday. There’s a wide range of things that our team has done in two games, and I want to draw from that,” he said. “It adds experience, adds maturity, adds to situations that we can draw from going forward from here. … I want to be able to pull together for this game and really take another step forward.”
UNCP (1-1) now turns its attention, and its newfound confidence to Catawba (2-0) for a 7 p.m. kickoff tonight to start off the four-year South Atlantic Conference scheduling alliance for the program. The Indians are coming off a big win of their own after topping an FCS opponent VMI on the road last Saturday.
“What they did last week against an FCS team is really impressive. They play very well as a team and execute very well in all three phases,” Richardson said. “They’ve always been a formidable opponent for us and we respect what they do.”
The game is Robeson County schools night with any Public Schools of Robeson County students and staff with ID getting into the game for $5.
Quarterback play is a big point of emphasis for both teams coming into this game, as UNCP’s defense will line up across from a former teammate in Patrick O’Brien. He transferred this season to Catawba to use his final semester of eligibility and is stepping into the starting role after Reid Carlton was sidelined with a foot injury.
On the Braves’ side, this week was set to be when quarterbacks Reggie Pinner and Dominick Samson were to battle for the starting spot, but Wednesday threw that for a turn. Pinner, who had been suspended for the first two games of the season for violating team rules, was not at practice. On Thursday, it was announced that Pinner was no longer with the program due to violating the athletic department policy.
“Reggie is no longer with the program,” Richardson said after practice on Thursday. “This was something that just occurred this week.”
Samson had thrown five touchdowns and no interceptions in the first two games of the season and Richardson said the starting spot goes to him for this week and moving forward.
“He’s done a great job and right now he’s the guy that has earned what we are doing here this year,” Richardson said. “I anticipate that he will continue to get better and better and at any point in the game we could always go with someone else. I anticipate Dom to be ready to go and we are fully confident in him.”
For an offense that was held in check for the first half of the loss to Winston-Salem State, things flowed better at Elizabeth City State last Saturday. The run game got a jolt and Miles Grant rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown, Lumberton grad Josh Sheridan rushed for 50 yards and his first collegiate touchdown and Brian Staton added two rushing touchdowns in the blowout win. All of which are good signs moving forward against an Indians’ defense that has allowed 146 rushing yards per game this year.
“The rushing game turned around from the week prior,” Richardson said. “Not only offense, but on defense, we were able to flip it. If you can establish the run and stop the run defensively, you really give yourself an opportunity to control the clock and the ball.”
The UNCP defense responded as well with a big game by forcing _ turnovers that led to two defensive touchdowns and getting in the backfield for six sacks after having none against the Rams. The defense has familiarity going up against O’Brien, and will likely face the same situation as O’Brien has formed a connection with wide receiver Sam Mobley, who through two games has four touchdown receptions and 332 yards, similar to B.J. Bunn with O’Brien at UNCP.
UNCP and Catawba have split the series with three wins apiece and the Braves boasting a 2-1 record at home. Last year, the Braves won 41-31 in a homecoming win over the Indians.
