Finishing drives will be a main focus of Southwest Mississippi Community College as it hopes to snap a two-game losing streak when it hosts Northeast Mississippi Community College at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Bears (1-2, 0-1) lost at home 27-0 last week in the division opener to Hinds Mississippi Community College. This week’s game against Northeast is not a division game. The Bears did not play the Tigers last season.
Bears head coach Tucker Peavey said he will try to stress the intensity of a game in practice and hopes it carries over Thursday night for his team to finish drives.
“Those mistakes that we made down there last week on a couple of different drives were just lack of concentration,” he said. “I mean, a guy jumps off sides or we have a flinch on a field goal. Same thing. I mean, it’s just again not focused on what you’re doing, not zoned in. We’re just trying to raise the intensity level at practice and see if we can match what we’re trying to get in the game.”
In last week’s loss to Hinds, the Bears tried to attempt a field goal, but two 5-yard penalties forced them unsuccessfully go for it on fourth down. Linebacker Toby Jones recovered a fumble at the Hinds 8 just a few plays later, but the Bears turned it over on downs.
Xavier Harper intercepted a pass on Hinds’ opening drive in the second half, but SMCC lost the ball on a fumble.
“I think we’ve played well on defense for two weeks in a row,” Peavey said. “I’ve never been a coach that said the offense needs to keep the defense off of the field because the defense gets three downs. Stop them 3 and out and you’re off the field.
“However, I do think it becomes a mental issue whenever your offense is not producing points. I think especially early in the game if we could have scored a couple of those times we were down there, it may produce a different outcome.”
Neil McLaurin has started every game for the Bears, but Casey Haygood — a Centreville Academy graduate — has seen action all three weeks.
Peavey said executing is the key to a better passing game and he will not make any changes in the quarterback rotation.
“I’ve said all along that, in my opinion, we have two starting quarterbacks,” he said. “The guys both got some experience — Casey, obviously, more experience. The thing everybody’s got to realize is Neil’s basically been out of football for almost two years. He’s like coming over as a freshman restarting. He’s got to get the pressure off of him and relax and play. We have no quarterback controversy issues. Again, it’s who’s got the hot hand.”
McLaurin missed much of his senior year in high school with an injury and got a medical redshirt last season after suffering a season-ending injury in the opener. Freshman defensive back Chase Mitchell is the only player inactive, as he is out with a knee injury.
Ruben Maldonado averaged 46 yards on six punts with his longest punt being 57 yards, while running back Nakia Trotter — a North Pike graduate — had 98 yards in the loss.
