the pendulum
PAGE 24 // WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010
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PHOTOS BY UNDSAY FENOT
ABOVE; The Eton University defense held the Duke University rushing game to 4.3 yards ai^ 192
LEFT TOP: Freshman wide receiver Kierre Brown cai^ht a the Blue Devils
LEFT BOTTOM: Junior tight end Andre Ubinowicz had one reception for eight yards in the 27-41 loss against the Blue ueviis.
uth shines through
2010 football team
BY THE NUMBERS
20:36 minutes of possession for
Duke in the second half
7 first half penalties on the Phoenix
9-14 conversion rate for Duke on
third down
21:42 ratio between the times Elon
ran the ball and the times passes were
thrown
542 total yards of offense allowed
by the Phoenix
42 carries on the ground for Duke’s
rushing attack
6.0 average yards gained per rush for
the Phoenix
111 yards receiving for senior wide
receiver Sean Jeffcoat
19 tackles by senior linebacker
Brandon Wiggins — a career high
, Sam Calvert
i Sports Editor
True freshman wide receiver
Kierre Brown ran a route down the
right side of the field that led him
io the end zone. With a 30-yard
pass from senior quarterback
Scott Riddle, Brown recorded
a touchdown in his first-ever
collegiate game.
“Kierre Brown came in, and
it was good to see that,” Riddle
said. “If somebody goes down,
you know we got another guy out
there that can play. We got some
weapons, we just have to find a
way to utilize them a little more.”
Brown wasn’t the only
freshman who took the field
against Duke. In the 27-41 loss
against the Blue Devils Sept. 4,
nine freshmen saw playing time.
Three of those were starters.
“As freshmen, the guys that
keep up with that pace are the
ones that find themselves on the
field,” head coach Pete Lembo
said.
Freshmen and sophomores
combined to make up just less
than half of the athletes in the
season-opening matchup. On
defense, the Phoenix started as
many underclassmen as it did
seniors.
For these young players.
Saturday’s game provided
valuable understanding that no
practice can give, Lembo said.
“Saturday was a great learning
experience,” he said. “It's so fast-
moving. It’s definitely a learning
curve.”
Not only were there many
young players who participated,
but there were also experienced
players who got starting positions
for the first time.
Lembo referenced players
like junior defensive lineman
Khirey Walker and sophomore
wide receiver Aaron Mellete, who
played in games last season but
didn’t have a starting role.
“Better programs are going
to have new starters, but a lot of
them have been in the system,”
Lembo said. “So when it comes
their turn to be a starter, it’s not
totally new to them.”
Sometimes experienced
players aren’t the ones who are
able to line up before the snap.
Sometimes younger players have
to step up and fill a role on the
team.
It can turn out well, like in
Brown’s case.
But it can also turn out poorly,
like when it came to penalties
against Duke.
The Phoenix drew eight
penalties Saturday, seven of
which came in the first half.
“There were too many. There's
no question about that,” Lembo
said. “In all cases, they were all
guys playing their first game.”
Two of those penalties were
because the center was starting
his first game and got thrown off,
Lembo said.
“It was a lot of first-game
jitters," sophomore defensive
back Dale Riley said. "Players
got over-hyped and made poor
decisions.”
Riley stressed the idea of
decisions and each player doing
his job.
Despite a loss to Duke, Elon still
remains a top-10 team, landing at
No. 8 nationally, and the Phoenix
still has two more games before it
enters conference play.
The first nonconference game
in Durham Saturday was just the
first, and the team will draw upon
the learning experience when it
continues throughout the season,
Lembo said.
The first chance to do so will
come at 7 p.m. Saturday at home
against Shaw University.
“What you hope they take away,
despite the opponent and despite
the crowd, it’s just football,
Lembo said. “You have to go out
and do what you've prepared to
do.”
'’’I*-
1. How will the young Phoenix secondary hold up against the pass? Against Duke University last week,
the Phoenix allowed redshirt sophomore quarterback Sean Renfree to throw for 350 yards. The Phoenix
defensive backfield will aim to improve this weekend.
2. Will the Phoenix offense be balanced? Against Duke, the team ran the ball 21 times and attempted 42
passes. Last season, the Phoenix relied on its running game to keep opponents off balance.
3. Which receiver will step up? Last week it was senior wide out Sean Jeffcoat, with six catches for 111
yards. Wi he be quarterback Scott Riddle's gc-to receiver again, or will someone else ascend to being the ^
top target?
4. C^n the Phoenix find discipline? Playing a lower-level team tike Shaw offers the Phoenix a chance to work
on , e smaller aspects of the game, like avoiding false start and holding oenafties, Ust week, the Phoenix ,
committed eight penalties for 69 yards.
5. Can the defense get off the field on third dnwn91 act ^
. oown/ Last week, the defense surrendered first-down