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Ferguson rushes for 86 yards and a touchdown

 

GREENSBORO, September 6, 2008 – During North Carolina A&T’s preseason football camp, a lot of the talk about the upcoming 2008 season surfaced around the offense.

Whether it was how the arrival of new offensive coordinator John McKenzie would improve the play of quarterback Herb Miller or running back Michael Ferguson’s quest for the Aggies all-time rushing record or the Aggies new-look offensive line, the Aggies offense dominated the conversation.

But if Saturday night is any indication, it could be the Aggies defense that has everyone talking by season's end. The Aggies defense staged a stellar goal line stance late in the fourth quarter to lead N.C. A&T to a 14-8 win over arch-rival Winston-Salem State in front of a sellout crowd at Aggie Stadium.

The win improved the Aggies to 2-0 for the first time since 2003. The Rams, who had won the last two previous matchups against the Aggies, came into the game having rushed more than 250 yards in each of those victories. On Saturday, the Aggies held the Rams offense to just 271 yards of total offense. N.C. A&T’s defense also held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing for the second consecutive week.

But more than the numbers, it was the goal line stand that appropriately triggers the memory of stingy Aggie defenses of the past. Junior linebacker Andre Thornton led the Aggies with 11 tackles, 3 ½ tackles for loss and a sack. Senior defensive end Tyre Glasper added eight tackles and two tackles for loss, while junior linebacker Jamison Hedgepeth had seven tackles and two sacks.

“We want to be on the field with the game on the line,’’ said Hedgepeth. “When the game is on the line, the defense should be on the field so we can stop them.”

With the Aggies leading 14-6, defense took the field at the 7:41 mark of the fourth quarter as the WSSU drive started at its own19-yard line. A 20-yard completion to Omar Kizzie, a 31-yard run by Roderick Fluellen on 3^rd-and-19 and a 13-yard run by Brandon McRae gave the Rams a first-and-goal from the Aggies 4.

On first down, senior linebacker Brandon Long stuffed McRae in the hole for just a 1-yard gain. Glasper met McRae a yard deep in the Rams backfield to move the ball back to the 4. McRae took the hand-off again on third down and again went nowhere thanks to Glasper.

On fourth-and-goal, freshman Micah Stanfield came flying in from the outside, and hit Rams quarterback Jarrett Dunston six yards behind the line of scrimmage. The hit forced a Dunston fumble, and Stanfield recovered the ball at the Aggies 14 with 1:13 remaining in the game.

Four plays later, the Aggies would take a safety to avoid any catastrophes deep in its own territory. But an incompletion by Dunston and a sack at the hands of Hedgepeth secured the Aggies fist two-game winning streak in three years.

“I thought it would be a tough football game,’’ said Aggies head coach Lee Fobbs. “We made more mistakes than they did, but we still came out with the win because we believe now. We believe we can overcome some of those mistakes and still win. Our kids responded to the challenge presented to them tonight.”

For the second straight week, the Aggies scored first. Their first score was set up by a reverse pass from the hands of former quarterback and current junior receiver Giorgio Lowrance. Lowrance took a reverse hand-off from Ferguson and then heaved the ball down field to senior receiver Chaz Dawson for a 41-yard gain to the Rams 13.

Five players later, Miller rolled out and scampered into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown run and 7-0 Aggies lead. The Rams responded early in the second quarter as redshirt freshman quarterback Tienn Jefferson connected with Brent Thomas for a 48-yard gain to put the ball at the Aggies 1.

Like Miller, Jefferson would put points on the board by rolling out and plunging forward for a 3-yard touchdown run. The extra point was blocked by Glasper to keep the Aggies ahead 7-6.

Ferguson, who had 86 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, gave the Aggies defense all the points it would need with a 12-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. His score was set up by a 14-yard punt by Rams punter Jamaine Mack.

“I won my city back, so I can’t even describe the feeling,’’ said Aggies left tackle Enoch Cohen who is a Winston-Salem native. “It means more because we could’ve folded, but we fought all the way to the end. That’s what makes you feel good inside – you fought through adversity.”