Albany State destroys Fort Valley State 48-3 in Fountain City Classic

Though I have covered Fort Valley State fervently this season, today marked my first time attending the Fountain City Classic since I graduated in December 2019; the years since have seen a combination of COVID-19 and work responsibilities keeping me away. This year, my family and I braved the road to Columbus, Georgia, excited to see what a Fort Valley State team—which has proven to have an adept, opportunistic defense and arguably the best special teams in the conference—could do against an Albany State team cruising to the SIAC Championship against Benedict College on next week. Yet, what unfolded was the same frustrating effort against our historic rival that I have witnessed throughout my decade-long affiliation with my HBCU. In the past decade, Fort Valley has only won twice against Albany State: a miraculous 2016 comeback led by Otis Brown in which we ultimately went on to win our first conference championship since 1999, and a 2022 victory fueled by a phenomenal performance from Wildcat star turned Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson. The effort I saw displayed in this latest loss was simply disheartening. I am a Fort Valley State University alumnus who loves my institution and what it’s done for me and my family. And I defend Fort Valley State when needed, such as last month’s erroneous coverage of the Central State dust-up. But, I have no choice but to be objective about what I saw this afternoon, as well as what I’ve seen throughout this season, and hope for better for the Wildcats in the near future. The Blue Death Defense Can Only Do So Much Fort Valley State has an incredibly formidable defense, led by Corey Barlow. They are physical, they fly around the field, and they are certainly hard-hitting, while the special teams unit features consistent playmakers who rank among the best in the conference. But there is only so much a defense can do when they are out on the field for such a prolonged time. At some point, the offense simply has to step up. The offense, under first-year head coach Marlon Watson, has had its ups and downs throughout the season. Hope for offensive stability first appeared when true freshman quarterback Don Hudson Jr. took the helm during the Clark Atlanta game. Hudson, who seemed the perfect replacement for star quarterback Kelvin Durham (now leading Johnson C. Smith to a CIAA Championship appearance), was electric against Clark Atlanta and the following week against a formidable Delta State team in the first half. But then an injury knocked Hudson out of the remainder of the Delta State game, and it seemed as if the hope for the offense vanished with him. Even after he returned for later contests, he never matched the high level of play he demonstrated in the first half of the season. Fort Valley State’s offense just collapsed The true failure in the Fountain City Classic was the quarterback carousel and its consequences. Donovan Anthony started the game, and the offense was stagnant, failing to move the ball. Albany State’s defense expertly scouted the quarterback scramble and stuffed him multiple times. At one point, the only source of movement for FVSU’s offense was via the referees, as Albany State had committed so many penalties. The offense briefly flickered when Saadiq Teal came into the game at the end of the first quarter and jump-started the unit with two quick passes and a nice quarterback scamper. But early in the second quarter, Teal tweaked his leg after sliding and having an Albany State player fall on him. He ultimately left the game for a prolonged period. When Anthony returned, he immediately threw a pick-six, a play that essentially took the wind out of the Wildcats’ sails and was the precursor to the loss. This kind of atrocious quarterback play is the glaring problem that held the team back from truly being a contender this year. If Watson’s version of the Wildcats had last year’s offense with a steady quarterback like Durham at the helm, they’re likely in championship conversations. They certainly beat Clark Atlanta, Central State, and Delta State, and they likely beat West Alabama and Benedict. Although Albany State would’ve been a tough out, it would’ve been a closer contest than it was today. The point is this: Fort Valley State was a competent offensive attack from being a scary team. So I am excited for the offences’ potential. But what I’ve seen this season, especially this afternoon, was far from what I believe Watson’s offense can look like in the seasons to come. Albany State has the blueprint that Fort Valley State should follow What I saw from Albany State’s offense is exactly why they are headed to the SIAC Championship next week. Isaiah Knowles is, hands down, the best quarterback in the conference. He is cool under pressure; he doesn’t fold when he sees a blitz, and he is masterful at extending plays and scrambling until he finds an open receiver. Quinn Gray, a former FAMU quarterback during the legendary Billy Joe era, has successfully revitalized Albany State’s identity, shifting them from a traditional run-first team with the physical “Dirty Blue” defense to one that employs a heavy, up-tempo Air Raid passing attack. This offensive style simply overwhelmed Fort Valley’s stout defense. While I am impressed with elements of Marlon Watson’s first year, namely the defense and the continued excellence of the special teams, the offense must be radically addressed. Fort Valley can have the best defense in the conference and force turnovers, but if they lack an offense that can put together scoring drives, rest the defense, and put pressure on the opposition, FVSU will not win an SIAC championship, make a Division II playoff run, or even consistently beat Albany State as they close in on overtaking the series record. This loss is incredibly discouraging, as the difference between being a losing team and one that competes for championships rests squarely on building upon the current strengths of the team and finding an offense that can open up the field for the Wildcats.