With their reputation to regain, the Rattlers demolished the Wolverines of Morris Brown College Saturday at Bragg Memorial Stadium, 64-6.
Senior quarterback Casey Printers threw four touchdown passes and carried the ball in for two others.
FAMU’s frustrating loss a week before to the division I-A powerhouse, Miami, had the Rattlers ready for revenge.
“We came into this game thinking somebody had to pay.” Printers said.
Senior wide receiver Marco Junious echoed Printers’ sentiments. “That was a very emotional game. We had to come back and take it out on somebody else” Junious said.
The Morris Brown offense completed 11 of 37 pass attempts and accumulated only total 165 yards in over 30 minutes of possession time for the game. Freshman defensive back Myshyn Mcalphine led the Wolverines offensively with 34 rushed yards and five completed passes for 39 yards.
The Rattlers rushed for 359 total yards and completed 22 of 37 pass attempts for at total of 237 yards.
Freshman running back Devvin Richardson led the Rattlers in rushing yardage with 111 yards and one touchdown while senior quarterback Reggie Hayes rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns.
On the receiving end, Junious led the team with five catches for 69 yards and one touchdown, senior receiver Charlie Allen had four catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns and senior receiver Dennis Bonga had five catches for 45 yards and one touchdown.
Junior defensive back Levy Brown led the Rattlers defensively with eight tackles and an interception
The Rattlers started the game off strong, scoring on the first possession. With 11:46 remaining in the first quarter, Printers threw a six-yard pass to Bonga who was waiting in the end zone.
Junior punter/kicker Juan Vasquez finished off the scoring drive with the extra point and FAMU took the early lead.
“Some nights it’s just your night…tonight was our night” said Head Coach Billy Joe. “We made fewer mistakes than Morris Brown. That’s usually who wins the ball game, the team that makes the fewest mistakes” Joe said.
Much of the first quarter looked the same with the Wolverines fumbling the ball three times and rushing for only eight yards. The Rattlers rushed for 59 yards and put 29 points on the board during the first quarter.
Shortly into the second quarter, Allen caught a 12-yard pass from Printers for the Rattlers’ fifth touchdown. After the extra point, FAMU brought their score to 36 while the Wolverines remained scoreless.
After this scoring drive, the Rattlers appeared to ease up on the Wolverine offense.
While only able to complete one of three pass attempts for three yards in the first quarter, Morris Brown starting quarterback Kalley Young completed 4 of 13 attempts for 41 yards in the second quarter. At the half the Rattlers led 43-0.
With 13:17 remaining in the third quarter, Printers handed the ball off to freshman running back Rashard Pompey who rushed for five yards.
Printers then threw a 10-yard pass to sophomore receiver Rod Miller for the first down. First and 10 from the Morris Brown 30 yard line, Printers dropped back looking for an open man.
Unable to communicate with his receivers, Printers tried to avoid the tackle but was sacked for a 35 -yard loss. Printers then fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Morris Brown defensive tackle Marchell Walton.
“I cramped up…It was like my body just gave up” Printers said in response to the fumble.
With 9:43 remaining in the third quarter Hayes came in for Printers. After rushing for 19 yards in his first play of the game, Hayes handed the ball off to Richardson who ran 61 yards for the FAMU touchdown. After the extra point, the Rattlers pulled even farther ahead of the Wolverines, 50-0.
After 64 unanswered points, the Wolverines finally put six on the board.
With 6:11 remaining the game, freshman quarterback Toney Scott was tackled in the end zone and fumbled the ball. In the scuffle, Walton successfully recovered the ball and Morris Brown was awarded the touchdown.
The Rattlers travel to Cincinnati to face the Morgan State Bears in the Riverfront Classic Sept. 14.