For all the hype that Missouri Southern running back and LSU transfer Alley Broussard is getting, Ken Gordon sure doesn’t sound the part of a worried man.
The Emporia State defensive coordinator seems to think if his defense does its job, it won’t matter who’s in the backfield.
“Alley Broussard is just a name to me,” Gordon said. “He puts his pants on just like we do. We’re going to go to war with him. We’re up for the challenge.
“If he’s supposed to be the best, show us. He’ll have his chance on Saturday.”
Broussard has shown — in the highest level of college football — that in the past he has been able to get the job done.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound senior, who transferred to Southern in July, left LSU with 1,537 career rushing yards and also a better than 5-yards-per-rush average.
He also left the D-I powerhouse while still holding the single-game record for rushing yards, posting a 26-carry, 250-yard performance against Ole Miss in 2004.
Search YouTube and you’ll find 11 hits under “Alley Broussard,” with two highlight reels devoted just to him.
The back has brought some of the same excitement to Southern this season. He is third in the MIAA in rushing with 116.3 yards per game despite battling a leg injury.
Last week, he played just over one quarter, gaining 70 yards on 14 carries to help Southern to a 17-16 victory over Southwest Baptist.
“He’s a good running back, (but) if we do our job and tackle, we should be fine,” Gordon said. “It’s not where I turn on the tape and just want to turn it off.”
ESU’s defense, meanwhile, comes off its worst tackling effort against Fort Hays State last week.
The biggest problems came against Tigers quarterback Shane Jackson, who rushed 15 times for 125 yards. Ninety-eight of those yards came of scrambles when the pocket collapsed.
“We just missed him,” Gordon said. “We were right there. We’ve just got to make tackles.”
ESU allowed a season-high 294 rushing yards against FHSU.
“We can’t have as many missed tackles as last week,” Gordon said, “or anybody’ll run for a lot of yards.”
Sloan El learning on job
After being named the ESU starting quarterback, Andre Sloan El had an up-and-down game against FHSU last week.
He led the Hornets on a four-play, 83-yard touchdown drive in their first possession. After that, ESU mustered just three points in its final 11 possessions.
Sloan El finished 17-of-30 passing for 173 yards with two interceptions.
“You live and die by the sword sometimes, and he made some great plays, but then he had some costly plays,” ESU coach Garin Higgins said. “The (last) interception, he just kind of threw that one up. He should have just took off running.
“Those are the things he has to learn. Sometimes he tries to make too many plays.”
Higgins hopes that Sloan El took something away from watching FHSU quarterback Shane Jackson operate.
When in trouble, Jackson made plays by using his legs, rushing for 125 yards.
“That’s what ‘Dre needs to start doing,” Higgins said. “He wants to throw it too much instead of trying to move the chains and getting a first down.”
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