Knights try to avoid last season’s road woes against Thunder
Keith Murphy
Monday April 15, 2002
Nine months later, the Knights are coming off a powerful opening weekend win and some surprising events in the front office. Monday’s dismissal of Bryan Watson caught many people, including head coach Kevin Porter, by surprise. As the team travels to Tallahassee, there is, once again, quiet concern that the team will have trouble focusing against a capable Thunder squad.
However, this is a more mature and experienced Macon squad than Tallahassee saw last year. That maturity is most visible in the performance of the Knights’ defense. Last week, led by Gabe Amey’s two interceptions and 10.5 tackles the Knights defense held Carolina to a paltry 18 points. Last year, the Knights won by outscoring opponents. If last week’s defensive effort was not a “week one fluke” then this Macon squad may be the kind of well-rounded squad that Quad Cities and Tennessee Valley have become known for.
Look for local product Mesiah Porter, a Fort Valley State University alum (about 20 miles from Macon) to be the focus of the Knights’ defense. Porter racked up 72 yards total offense and a touchdown in the Thunder win against Pensacola last week. The most interesting match-up may happen when Porter is defended by former FVSU teammate Renotto Solomon who has been seeing some action in the Knights defensive backfield. Macon will also have to ride herd on Cainon Lamb who picked up 105 receiving yards and a touchdown for the Thunder.
If Macon can put together a win on this first road trip of the season, this could be a benchmark game for the program giving them a 2-0 start and an early leg up in the playoff race.
Dr. Murphy has nearly 20 years of media experience ranging from radio to the Internet. He has served as webmaster for two AF2 teams and the football team at Fort Valley State University. He is a professor at FVSU and directs www.bunniwerks.org, a non-profit rabbit rescue organization. He has been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel. Murphy is also serving as a first party editor of af2 stories for ArenaFfan. For more information about Dr. Murphy see: www.keithmurphy.info
