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Bears @ Itawamba
Action photos courtesy Jucoweekly.org

Football Michael D. Gunnell, Southwest Sports Information

Bears to face Itawamba Indians in Fulton

The Bears will try to play the role of spoilers, and get back into the win column Thursday night, as they travel to Fulton to face the Itawamba Indians on their homecoming.

The Bears enter the contest with a 1-6 mark (they are 0-5 in the MACJC South) after a 37-9 home loss to Pearl River. The Indians are 4-3 (3-2 in the MACJC North) after a 34-28 loss at Mississippi Delta.

Looking at the Indians' defense, Bears head coach and offensive coordinator Tim Stowers said "they have always given us some issues on the defensive side of the ball. (Head) Coach (Sean) Cannon and his staff do a really fine job of playing option responsibilities and gap control defense and have always put a very fundamentally sound defense on the field."
Through seven games, the Indians' defense has allowed 240 yards passing and just over 200 rushing yards per game. What will the Bears game plan be to try to keep those numbers high?

"We're trying to improve each week on our offensive attack," said Stowers. "Last week (versus Gulf Coast) was the first week we've had a 100-yard rushing effort from the B back (Zarious Keyes carried the ball 23 times for 132 yards) so we're improving being able to break the B back out into the secondary."

"But, our biggest effort is assignments, carrying out the details of our assignments," Stowers continued. "I knew it was going to take time and it has…and at some point in time it'll turn around and our missed assignments and our execution will turn for the good."

The biggest key to a win for the Bears this week, Stowers said, "I've always thought is no turnovers. If you can minimize turnovers and get some takeaways, that goes a long way to winning a game."

Also, Stowers said, the Bears have to be able to run the ball, "make them pay with play-action passes, keep everything in front of us on defense, make tackles and have a sound kicking game. If you have those things, you have a chance to win."

Offensively, the Indians are picking up just over 419 yards per game with 260 of that coming via the pass. Will the Bears stick with their usual game plan of trying to stop the run first or look a little more towards stopping the passing game?

"Just looking at them (on film), they have a good run game and they have a good pass game," said Bears' defensive coordinator Kelby Bowman. "They've given several spread pass formations and just watching them I think they like to sling the ball around the yard. They've got some receivers who can go get it."

"So, this week," Bowman went on, "we have to take notice of the pass and their ability to throw the ball down the field as well as their receivers' ability to make plays." But, Bowman cautioned, the Bears "have to make sure (we) can stop the run as well."

"It's all about fundamentals for us," Bowman continued. "We can't control what they do. We can watch what they do on film, but out preparation has to be the same. We have to take the same approach defensively and that means stop the run first. Then, when it's third and long and time for them to throw the ball, we'll defend the pass as well."

"So," Bowman concluded, "(It will be the) normal game plan for us, nothing will change-fundamentals on our side of the ball, gap responsibility, 100 percent effort, making sure we play the calls."

The game is set for a 6:30 kickoff at A. C. "Butch" Lambert Stadium. It can be heard on WAKH 105.7FM (k106), k106.net and the k106 app and will be streamed at www.southwestbearathletics.com.
 
 
 
 
 
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