Tigers vs. Tigers a Top 3 test
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 20, 2006
There is a storm on the horizon and this Friday, it is expected to make landfall.
The storm, which Greenville head football coach Bryant Vincent is calling “Hurricane Eufaula,” is expected to arrive at Tiger Stadium Friday night at 7 p.m., and Vincent said his team must be ready.
“We're bracing for Hurricane Eufaula,” Vincent said. “We see it on the radar, we know it's coming, and we just have to be ready.”
This week's showdown of the unbeaten Tigers between Eufaula, who defeated Booker T. Washington last week 62-24, and Greenville will be the third straight region game for Greenville and Vincent said it will be team's toughest test.
“We're going to have to play a perfect game,” Vincent said. “I thought the best Eufaula team was in 2001, but this is the best team they have had in eight or nine years and without a doubt the best team in our region.”
Vincent said the Eufaula defense is extremely fast and his team is going to have to counter Eufaula's speed.
“You try to use their strengths to their disadvantage,” Vincent said. “What they're good at, you have to take away.”
On the offensive side of the ball, Vincent said Eufaula quarterback Jerrell Jernigan, who has already committed to play at Troy University next season, is a playmaker from anywhere on the field.
“(Jernigan) will probably be the best player we play all year,” Vincent said. “He is the real deal.”
Vincent, who has coached in the Troy area, said Eufaula is and has been a model program for football in the state of Alabama and the Greenville Tigers can take a lot away from this game and this experience.
“Our guys are really, really excited about this game,” Vincent said. “I'm trying to build a program like Eufaula has… and this game right here lets us see where we are against a Top 3 team in the state.”
One thing Eufaula has that Vincent said his Tigers must have this Friday is an overflow of fan support.
“(Eufaula) brings a crowd and their crowd gets in the game and stays in it the entire game,” Vincent said. “The Tiger nation needs to show up Friday night. We need them.”
With this week's game being against Eufaula, who brings in a large crowd, Vincent has moved the pre-game Tiger Walk up to 6:15 p.m., so that everyone will be able to attend.
Although Vincent knows that each region game is equally important, beating the Eufaula Tigers would be a huge confidence boost to his team and it would keep the unblemished record alive.
But most importantly, a win Friday night would put Greenville in great position to take the driver's seat in the Region 2 race.
“Main thing we want to do is go out there and not back down,” Vincent said.
“This game is not going to break our season,” he said, “but it is a golden opportunity for us to shock the state of Alabama.”
But, in game that would put Greenville on the map, Vincent said his team has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Kickoff for Friday night's game at Tiger Stadium in Greenville is scheduled for 7 p.m.