Rattlers Persevere in Morgan Squared-Circle Thriller
Ron Bailey, Publisher
FAMU outlasts Morgan State in true MEAC battle.
November 1, 2009 - Yesterday evening Florida A&M (6-2, 4-1) and Morgan State (5-3, 3-2) had what can only be called a classic Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference donnybrook, one that saw Morgan erase a 14 point deficit, and force three ties. The contest also included an extra period, and controversy at its conclusion. FAMU's coach, Joe Taylor coined it perfectly afterward, labeling his team's 31-28 (OT) win "a heavyweight fight".
The first punches were thrown and landed by FAMU, in the form of two first half touchdowns; a 16 yard pass from quarterback Curtis Pulley to wideout Kevin Elliott, followed later with a 19 yard touchdown run courtesy of Phillip Sylvester.
Curtis Pulley had a game for the ages.
Pulley was a monster all game, producing 405 yards (231 rushing, 174 passing, a pair of scores), seemingly carrying the Rattlers to victory. For his efforts, he was named i95Ballerz.com game MVP, with league and possibly national honors sure to follow.
As good boxers do, Morgan took the blows and fired several shots in return, first scoring with 2:18 to play in the first quarter - Carleton Jackson (207 yards in the air, two TDs) connected with Edward Morton-Green on a 27 yard pass.
Setting up the throw was Morgan State's return to what they do best, running the ball. Much of that on ground success can be attributed to attitude and alignments where sides of the line were overloaded. The Bear's Devan James led all running backs with 133 yards on the ground.
For the game Morgan gained 235 yards rushing, but the ability to not gain less than 36 inches in overtime ended up sending them to the canvas for good: After seeing the Rattlers score a field goal in overtime, the Bears found themselves facing fourth and less than one at the FAMU 16. Instead of attempting what could have been a second overtime producing field goal, Morgan's coach, Donald Hill-Eley, decided to gain the first down. To his dismay, FAMU held (some cite a bad spot), producing jubilation from the Orange and Green faithful, who symbolically held their fighter up by rushing on the field. The bell had rung, on Morgan.
Football is a game of inches; Morgan State needed to get to the other side of the 15 (thick line).
"I would have done the same thing" said Taylor of the decision not to extend the game. Other media reports indicate Hill-Eley's team requested not to kick, and he acceded to those wishes.
Prior to that both teams scored a touchdown in the third and fourth quarters, respectively, evidencing continued parrying and punching. The Bears anwered each Rattler jab with a counter of its own.
FAMU had an excellent opportunity to close out the game before overtime, but saw an unsportsmanlike penalty drive them away from field goal range. The Rattlers were of course led by Pulley in the fourth (and throughout), who then notched a 36 yard touchdown run.
On another final period play, Pulley successfully dived for a first down - Curtis as the saying goes 'sold out' - only to be punished by tacklers. When asked about that play, one that afterward left him acknowledging a sore shoulder, Pulley, a transfer from the University of Kentucky simply said "I was just trying to make a first down".
On Pulley playing professionally, Taylor opined "Hands down, he will definitely play on Sundays (the NFL)", while also labeling him the best player he's coached over 25 years as a collegiate head man.
Pulley's heroics notwithstanding, Taylor, surrounded by his joyous team on the field, afterward lauded the entire unit's perseverance. "Both teams fought hard" he said of. "It was a great effort by both teams. We just were victorious at the end".
Or the Rattlers just landed that last punch.
Box score courtesy of MorganStateBears.com