The Winston-Salem State University football team is having one its worst seasons in history.
Many fans are asking, “Will the Rams turn around this bleak season?”
The Rams have a mediocre schedule facing five teams and only one has a winning record, the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University. The Rams were defeated by the Wildcats for homecoming game.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the Rams. I am a Ram all day, every day and hope the Rams can get back on the right track. The Rams need to turn this season around now, but I have five reasons why the Rams will not win another game this season.
Reason No. 5
Fan support is non-existent! It’s true that most sports fans are fair weather and only support a team that is already winning. The problem is the Ram “Faithful” have never really been all that supportive to begin with. In general, the marching bands dominate HBCU sports.
Reason No. 4
This carries over from No. 5. We joined the MEAC too early. The Rams competed in the CIAA pretty fiercely, but had not won a conference title since 2000 when they won it back-to-back times on the arms and legs of Tory Woodbury. Let’s face it. You cannot be competitive in a higher division, until you dominate in the lower division.
Reason No. 3
We lost three of the most dynamic players WSSU has ever seen. For an offense that lived and died on the legs of Monte Purvis, there was no doubt that offensive production would be slow this season.
Let’s not forget about William Hayes being drafted by the Tennessee Titans, a player who could change the outcome of a game merely on a swim move or a rip to the inside. Last but not least, Winston-Salem’s own Jed Bines, whose vision on the field and his quickness between the tackles reeked havoc on an opposing linebacker and a safety. The Rams offense is too one-dimensional, and the passing game is nonexistent.
Reason No. 2
Coach Blount is still running the same offense he ran in the late 1970’s. The game of college football has changed tremendously, and unfortunately WSSU hasn’t. Until we spread the offense a little, and quit running the tailback up the middle on third and eight to go, we will never score enough points against a true division one team.
Reason No. 1
The defense cannot continue to carry the offense the way it has this season. The defense has been out of this world. In seven games, the Rams defense has held its opponents to 953 yards rushing and 1,272 passing.
When you compare that to the Ram offense, which has 757 yards rushing and 962 yards passing, you can clearly see that the defense has been doing its part.
In most games, the Rams have been right in the thick of things, but failed to put the ball in the end zone. No defense can continue to hold a team when its offense has punted 10 more times than the opponents, and they only convert on 36 of 102 third downs.
It’s no wonder the Rams even beat Howard. Sadly, Coach Blount will remain at 88 wins on his career. Lucky for the Rams they will have next season to start from scratch.
Editors Note: The Rams did go on to win the next two games after this article was published in The News Argus.The Rams beat Hampton University 35-30 on Nov 1, and Delaware State 27-26 on Nov 8.