Kilcrease looks to jump-start offense

Kilcrease looks to jump-start offense

Dave Carey, The Examiner

2007-08-30 07:00:00.0

Current rank: # 2,538 of 4,765

BALTIMORE -

If Savannah State has any aspirations of defeating Morgan State it will have to do something it could not last season: execute.

But it will not be easy. Sophomore JaCorey Kilcrease, who threw just nine passes last season, was thrust into the starting lineup after quarterback Garrett Williams transferred to Fort Valley State after throwing for 1,264 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

Now, Coach Theo Lemon is counting on Kilcrease to stabilize an erratic offense that scored only 108 points last season, of which 52 came in the Tigers' two victories.

"I'm focusing on executing a lot," said Kilcrease, who completed just four passes for 17 yards last season. "Coach Lemon told me that's something I'm really trying to work on and I feel I'm getting better at it."

Kilcrease will have to be at his best Thursday night against Morgan State. The Bears return eight starters from a unit that led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in rushing defense, allowing opponents an average of 117 yards per game. This means mean very little room to run for Tigers running back Quinton Beasley, the team's leading returning rusher who posted only 186 yards on 65 carries last year.

But coach Lemon emphasized the key to victory won't be the legs of his running back, but the head of his quarterback.

"If our quarterback is a good decision maker in a crucial situation, he is someone that will be able to help us," Lemon said. "I'm not looking for an arm that goes 60-70 yards, I'm looking for someone who knows when to tuck the ball and run and when to throw it."

Kilcrease agrees.

"I don't have any individual goals," he said. "I'm just trying to help the whole team win."

­— dcarey@baltimoreexaminer.com