MsippiRattler
September 3rd, 2009, 11:08 AM
By St. Clair Murraine
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER (http://http://rattlernews.tallahassee.com/article/20090903/FAMU03/909030331)
Curtis Pulley probably wouldn't recognize Delaware State free safety Jerome Strums, other than being a stranger, if they were to cross paths in the hallway at Galimore Fieldhouse.
But Pulley hasn't forgotten how Strums upended his debut at quarterback for FAMU a year ago in Dover, Del. Pulley had engineered a FAMU comeback that fell short in overtime, when Strums intercepted a pass from Pulley on the Rattlers' first possession in the overtime to give FAMU its first of three losses.
Being thrust into an overtime game wasn't the ideal situation for Pulley, who was still learning coach Joe Taylor's offense.
"I wasn't nervous," Pulley said. "It was just trying to do too much."
Pulley redeemed himself with a remarkable season, but Saturday he could get a bit of revenge when FAMU meets the Hornets in a game that carries a lot of weight by the way Taylor puts it. He went as far as to say that the outcome could define the Rattlers' season.
Taylor used a baseball analogy to make his point during his weekly news conference Tuesday.
"If you don't get that first out, usually it's going to be a long inning," said Taylor, a former high school baseball coach. "It's not do or die, but it makes things a little bit more difficult down the stretch if you can't get off to a good start."
His players haven't given Taylor reason to believe that the outcome of Saturday's game won't be in their favor. In fact, even before the start of pre-season camp, there has been talk around the fieldhouse of an undefeated season.......
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER (http://http://rattlernews.tallahassee.com/article/20090903/FAMU03/909030331)
Curtis Pulley probably wouldn't recognize Delaware State free safety Jerome Strums, other than being a stranger, if they were to cross paths in the hallway at Galimore Fieldhouse.
But Pulley hasn't forgotten how Strums upended his debut at quarterback for FAMU a year ago in Dover, Del. Pulley had engineered a FAMU comeback that fell short in overtime, when Strums intercepted a pass from Pulley on the Rattlers' first possession in the overtime to give FAMU its first of three losses.
Being thrust into an overtime game wasn't the ideal situation for Pulley, who was still learning coach Joe Taylor's offense.
"I wasn't nervous," Pulley said. "It was just trying to do too much."
Pulley redeemed himself with a remarkable season, but Saturday he could get a bit of revenge when FAMU meets the Hornets in a game that carries a lot of weight by the way Taylor puts it. He went as far as to say that the outcome could define the Rattlers' season.
Taylor used a baseball analogy to make his point during his weekly news conference Tuesday.
"If you don't get that first out, usually it's going to be a long inning," said Taylor, a former high school baseball coach. "It's not do or die, but it makes things a little bit more difficult down the stretch if you can't get off to a good start."
His players haven't given Taylor reason to believe that the outcome of Saturday's game won't be in their favor. In fact, even before the start of pre-season camp, there has been talk around the fieldhouse of an undefeated season.......