Lumen Christi has another tough test in Coldwater one week after loss to Marshall
By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
Jackson – If there’s been any confidence lost, any second-guessing going on here, well, Herb Brogan certainly isn’t letting on.
In fact, as the Lumen Christi football coach looked back on last week’s game against Marshall, and forward to Friday night’s contest with Coldwater, there’s a growing sense the Titans will be as ready as ever to bounce back.
Then again, bouncing back in the regular season hasn’t been necessary for quite some time.
“It’s one game, and it’s not going to linger,” Brogan said of last Friday’s 21-14 loss to Marshall. It was the Titans first regular season setback since a Week 9 loss to Howell in 2012. “We had a great practice Monday. The guys understand the situation and understand we lost to a good football team. Now the question is whether or not we can beat another good football team.”
Marshall jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the game, then hand to hang on as Lumen scored two unanswered touchdowns, recovered an onside kick late in the fourth, and had a shot to tie things up.
And while Brogan was quick to credit Marshall, he also pointed out how many self-inflicted wounds his guys cast upon themselves.
“You can’t complain about the offensive performance, but it was our productivity,” he said. “We had 235 yards on the ground and 300-plus yards against a good defense. But you have to quit holding people. We had two long runs called back. We had a critical hold at the end of the game that put us in third and 19. We had two fumbles. … It’s not so much what we have to do different, but it’s about eliminating the mistakes. We can’t beat ourselves, especially against a team like Coldwater.”
Coldwater is absolutely rolling this season, sitting at 5-0 in a stretch of games where four haven’t been close.
The Cardinals are averaging nearly 35 points per game, while giving up less than nine.
Their only loss of the 2014 regular season was a 35-24 setback to Lumen.
“They line up in the Wing-T and execute it very well,” Brogan said. “Basically, they are a power team that brought back most of their backfield. They come off the ball well. Not too many teams have slowed them down at all.”
Aside a 9-7 victory against Marshall, the average margin of victory for Coldwater in the other four games is a whopping 32 points.
“We know we’re going to have to score some points,” Brogan added. “There’s no magic formula for that. We’re going to have to win some one on ones and be in position to make plays.”
And he expects his guys to do just that, with plenty of confidence in tow.
“It’s a confident group. These guys are used to winning,” Brogan said simply. “They know every week is going to be a challenge from here on out. Coldwater’s undefeated. Then we face a good Western team. We’re in the meat of the schedule right now. I mean, things have changed. Undefeated regular seasons are nice, but we’re aiming for six wins and a spot in the playoffs. That’s our challenge right now, and you have to look forward to that.”