Rams lose again, fall to 0-4

Winston-Salem State was its own worst enemy Saturday night against S.C. State.

The Rams had more penalties (13) than first downs (12) in a 27-10 loss to the Bulldogs in front of 15,903 at Dawson Stadium.

As Coach Kermit Blount of the Rams walked off the field between two South Carolina state troopers his head was down after watching his team make mistake after mistake on offense.

The Rams had six false-start penalties from their young offensive line, and many of those killed the momentum on several drives.

"I don't know," Blount said about why his team had so many false starts. "I guess playing with a freshman center, but he should have all those kinks worked out by now. But I'm not one to make excuses, we had opportunities all night long and we just didn't capitalize."

The Rams fell to 0-4 and have now lost six straight going back to last season. It's the longest losing streak in Blount's 17-year career at WSSU.

The Bulldogs (3-0) rolled up 454 yards of offense with quarterback Malcolm Long doing most of the damage. Long was 22 of 33 for 274 yards and a touchdown pass.

Defensive end Stephen Young, who had five tackles and forced a fumble, summed up the feelings afterward.

"We're beyond frustration right now," Young said. "We just have to try and fight through on defense and keep playing."

The Rams wound up with 13 penalties for 104 yards and while the Bulldogs had 14 penalties for 185 yards they were able to overcome their mistakes.

Offensive tackled Julian Gray, who had two of the six false-start penalties, echoed the sentiments of Young.

"It's very frustrating," Gray said. "Nobody wants to lose like this so we just have to polish the small mistakes and keep pushing forward."

Gray said that for whatever reason the Rams were nervous playing against the defending MEAC champions.

"We came in and we were little unsettled," Gray said, "and I think at the beginning everyone was nervous with the hype of South Carolina State."

The Bulldogs led 10-0 at halftime, but it should have been 3-0 but – what else – a penalty helped the Bulldogs along.

With 51 seconds left in the half Landen Thayer's punt was about to be fielded by Tre' Young but Alton Keaton leveled him for a 15-yard penalty. The Bulldogs got to start the drive on the Rams' 47 and five plays later Long hit Young on a 14-yard pass for a touchdown.

On the play the Rams blitzed and Long hit Young on a short crossing pattern.

"That penalty hurt us there on the punt," Blount said. "I thought we held our own pretty well in the first half."

The closest the Rams came to scoring in the first half was when Thayer had a 47-yard field-goal attempt blocked.

The Rams were not at full strength on defense, especially after linebacker Juan Corders went down with a shoulder sprain in the first quarter. Corders did not return, and he will be evaluated by doctors on Monday.

Also missing was defensive end Josh Newkirk, who didn't make the trip because of a sore quadriceps. Freshman Barry Tripp saw his first extensive playing time on the defensive line in place of Newkirk.

Tailback Will Ford scored from 3-yards out for the touchdown to make it 20-3 with 6:58 left in the third. The Rams had earlier gotten a career-best 41-yard field goal from Thayer.

Midway through the fourth quarter quarterback Jarrett Dunston hit Omar Kizzie for a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal with eight minutes left. Thayer's extra-point attempt was good as the Rams cut the lead to 20-10.

The Bulldogs added a late touchdown to beat the Rams for the fifth straight time.

In all four of the Rams' losses this season they have scored 10 points in each game.

Defensive back Jared Mitchell of the Rams said: "Its mistakes and execution. Tonight it was penalties and that's the first time that's happened this year. We have to correct those."

Even though the Rams say they are frustrated Blount didn't sense that during the game.

"I don't think they got frustrated, they kept playing hard," Blount said. "You have to take advantage of every opportunity a team like South Carolina State gives you and we didn't do that."

Blount said that his team has to get focused for another road game, this time at Howard on Saturday.

As for enduring the longest losing streak of his career, Blount said: "It doesn't bother me at all. I know what we are trying to do and we have the players to do it, it's just a matter of our young guys to make plays again."

Young said that the excuse of the Rams' defense being on the field too long this season is getting old.

"No, we aren't tired, that's not it," Young said. "We have to be able to make plays during adversity and we have to be mentally strong in the fourth quarter."