By Staff
RUNNING WILD Southeast Lauderdale running back Marcus Walker (5) springs loose for a big run, as Daniel Tucker (78) and Alex Michael (back) provide blocks. The Tigers take on the Clarkdale Bulldogs Thursday night in the third game of the season for the two teams. PHOTO BY PAULA MERRITT / THE MERIDIAN STAR
By Will Bardwell / staff writer
Sept. 10, 2003
Joey Ethridge is looking for something on Thursday night that his old boss never got a win.
Standing in his way is a 0-2 Southeast Lauderdale team hoping to pick up its first win of the season.
Ethridge, an assistant at Clarkdale since 2002, took over as head coach for a team that was 0-2 under former coach Gary Lee. Lee resigned unexpectedly on Friday, leaving his former staff scrambling to reorganize the program.
After spending the weekend watching game film and developing new schemes, Ethridge and the Bulldogs went back to the practice field on Monday to focus on improving their most basic fundamentals.
The new scheme is not likely to be complex but a turn toward simplicity could still be a problem for the Tigers. The Bulldogs will probably run the ball more often than they will pass, and Southeast Lauderdale has had difficulty defending opposing running games in its first two games.
In last week's 34-8 loss to Northeast Lauderdale, the Tigers gave up three rushing touchdowns to Northeast running back Dontray Walker. Two weeks ago, Southeast gave up 142 yards to Enterprise tailback Cody WIndham.
Ethridge said the Bulldogs' adjustments will focus around their blocking. According to Ethridge, the team's offensive line has blocked well at times, but has lacked consistency.
Ethridge said he knows the Bulldogs' job will not be made easy by a Southeast Lauderdale team searching for its first victory.
Ethridge said the team has focused better than he hoped, and he is confident the Bulldogs will be all business come game time.