Playoff hurdle

reak; and in the Rams’ eyes, it’s not a good one.

Since the Rams’ second-round playoff win in 2004, coach Mike White’s Rams have lost five in a row. His team has even lost the past four first-round contests. Going into today’s home first-round NCAA Division II playoff game against West Alabama, it remains to be seen if Albany State can end that skid – especially after losing two of the Rams’ final three regular-season contests.

West Alabama, on the other hand, is riding on a whirlwind of emotion after upsetting top-ranked North Alabama in quadruple overtime to earn their Super Region’s final seed.

None of that seems to matter, however, to the Rams, as they see today as the start to a new season. It also will be the Rams’ first home playoff game since 2005 when they lost, 28-20, against Central Arkansas.

White, whose Rams became the first black football team to reach the NCAA Division II quarterfinals in 2004, insists his team has put those past playoff losses behind.

“You go in the same each year and prepare as well as you can,” White said.

“You just go and try to get a win,” White added.

One win is all the Rams feel they need to bring back to life a team that was once ranked as high as eighth in the country.

“We’re 0-0 right now and want to make a run at things,” said Rams quarterback A.J. McKenna.

McKenna, who before the season’s start often talked about wanting to play 15 games this season (the 15th is the national title game Dec. 12 in Florence, Ala.), is one key to victory for the Rams as he has passed for 1,874 yards and 18 touchdowns. McKenna’s arm will be only one important key if first-year Rams offensive coordinator Steve Smith’s “Gold Rush” offense is to break out of its slump.

After averaging more than 30 points during its first few games, Albany State lost against Tuskegee, and then two weeks later against rival Fort Valley State. In both of those games, the Rams scored fewer than 20 points. Another key to the Rams’ success is running back Demetrice Johnson, who is a candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy, NCAA Division II’s version of the Heisman Trophy. While suffering cramps during the Fort Valley State game, Johnson only gained 10 net rushing yards.

For an all-purpose athlete like Johnson who has accounted for 1,446 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns, that was hardly came close to what he had been producing all season. Johnson, however, has kept that on his mind and hopes to use that as motivation today.

“To only have 10 yards Saturday and not being able to help, I’m pretty mad about it,” Johnson said. “I want to help the others around me get better.”

West Alabama, meanwhile, has its own potent passing game with quarterback Deon Williams, who has passed for 2,181 yards and 18 touchdowns. His play has been inconsistent at times, but when he’s on top of his game, Tigers coach Bobby Wallace likes his team’s chances.

“He’s a really good athlete with a good arm,” said Wallace, who coached North Alabama to national titles from 1993-95. “He’s just a smart kid who competes really well and is a good player.”

Albany State’s defense, which once led the country in sacks, knows its players will have their hands full. Rams lineman Joshua Ingram, however, knows the solution to keep him from making big plays and completing passes against a susceptible Rams secondary — containment.

“Just keep pressure on the quarterback and play together like we did on defense at the beginning of the season and we should come through,” Ingram said.

Although Wallace said he has confidence in Williams’ ability to make plays, McKenna makes just as big an impression.

“He scares me to death,” Wallace said of McKenna. “He’s so big and strong, and he makes some really tough runs and at times, it doesn’t look like anybody can get him down. (Albany State), as a whole, is a lot bigger than we are. It is going to be a challenge.”

Another challenge, in Albany State’s eyes, is to also help raise the SIAC’s competitive image on a nationwide level. The Rams can do that, starting today.

“At every game over the past month, every SIAC team has told us to represent the conference well,” said Rams receiver Antwan Harris, who has recovered from the flu and is expected to play today. “We want to show we can get it done on the field.”