Cocannouer says Bulldogs are building on the positives

The Southwestern Bulldogs are at home for the second weekend in a row and would like to get the same result they achieved last week – a win.

The Dawgs got 20 points in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s game against Arkansas Tech, capped by Steven Townsley’s interception that was returned 63 yards for the go-ahead score.  SWOSU moved to 1-1 on the season with the 27-23 victory over the Wonder Boys.

Coach Dan Cocannouer talked about the strong play of his defense, but also said there is room for improvement.

“I think the biggest thing is that we feel that our defense is playing really well,” Cocannouer said.  “The only thing negative in the victory was how many open field tackles we missed.  That was frustrating, but overall we’re playing really well.”

The Bulldog offense put up only seven points in the season opener and had only seven against Tech, until stepping up for a solid fourth quarter

“The offense has just been sputtering,” Cocannouer said.  “We just can’t get one thing going.  But finally in the fourth quarter it finally clicked on them.

“Our offense started opening holes.  Karl Hodge had a great game.  Ryley Claborn was finding people and making passes.  It’s been kind of frustrating that we’ve just been on our heels.

“Like I told the guys at halftime, someone’s going to have to step up and make plays.  And it seems like we’re looking around at other people and asking, ‘Are you going to do it?’  But I told them each individual guy has to do it and I feel like that’s what took place in the fourth quarter.”

But with the win in the books, the Dawgs have to look ahead.  Cocannouer said to do that he would most of what his team has done in 2014 in the rearview mirror.

Most, but not all.

“I think that basically, you’ve got to throw out the first seven quarters and talk about the fourth quarter last week.  That’s how you have to build on things.

“You can’t worry about the missed tackles or the dropped balls or the missed blocks.  That’s history.

“We’ve got to build on what we did in the fourth quarter.  We got after them.  We made our blocks.  We made great runs and caught the passes.  We made the tackles.  We had three interceptions in the second half and one of those was the one by Townsley that he goes in with and won the ballgame for us.

“Those are the things you’ve got to build on as far as all of the positives that we saw that our guys are capable of doing.  And make sure our guys in this next game here is to be doing it in the first quarter and not just in the fourth quarter.”

Southwestern hosts Southern Arkansas this weekend and the Bulldogs are ready to pick a win that’s been elusive against the Muleriders of late.

Each of the last two games have been in Magnolia and each have come down to the wire.

In 2012, the Bulldogs had two 14-point leads that they gave up.  SWOSU turned the ball over four times and three in the fourth quarter, with one fumble leading to the game-winning SAU score and the Muleriders won, 35-34.

Last season, the Muleriders scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, including a field goal with 1:40 remaining to secure the 20-17 win.

Cocannouer said his team would really like to get this one in Weatherford.

“It’s been a thorn in our side that we’ve had opportunities against them and we didn’t take advantage of them,” Cocannouer said.  “And now this one here, we’ve got to do it.  They’re coming to our place and now it’s our turn to get those close things and to win a ballgame.”

Close games have been the hallmark of this young season in the Great American Conference.  Both of the Muleriders’ games were decided in the closing seconds.  SAU defeated Southeastern in its opener, 30-29, with a touchdown as time expired.

“That’s just typical,” Cocnnouer said.  “That’s the thing about this conference is that there are so many teams that are so alike.

“Again it comes down to the teams that make the fewest mistakes and that play the hardest that win the ballgame.  That’s we plan on doing – not making mistakes and playing as hard as we can and to give our kids a great opportunity to win the ballgame.”

The Dawgs host the Muleriders at Fast Lane Field on Saturday at 6 p.m.