Malik Johnson Lunging Touchdown

Maroon Tigers Beat Panthers to Regain Bragging Rights

| By: Yusuf Davis
Malik Johnson crosses goal line for one of his two touchdowns against Clark Atlanta
Box Score October 4, 2014 – ATLANTA – Sophomore running back Malik Johnson rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns and helped Morehouse regain Atlanta University Center bragging rights, with a 20-7 win over the Clark Atlanta Panthers.  

Last season's 21-17 loss to the Panthers started a six-game losing streak for the Maroon Tigers who finished the season at 2-8 and last in the SIAC East Division.

Saturday's win lifted Morehouse to 4-1 (2-0 SIAC) and to first place in the division. CAU fell to 1-4, 0-3.

The game featured more lost fumbles (7) than touchdowns – 4 – and both teams squandered multiple opportunities. Morehouse scored its first touchdown in the second quarter and CAU recorded its only score with five minutes left in the fourth.  

In his best effort as a Maroon Tiger, Johnson carried the ball 24 times and scored on runs of four and 22 yards. Prior to his breakout game, Johnson had rushed for 95 yards on 22 carries, in four games this season. As a freshman, he played in four games and carried the ball 21 times for 78 yards.   

Quarterback Monqavious Johnson scored the first Morehouse touchdown on a 1-yard run early in the second quarter. His run capped an 11-play, 62-yard drive. Later in the quarter, Johnson sprained an ankle and was replaced by Jordan Tarver.

Before leaving, Johnson completed 8 of 16 passes for 179 yards. He remains the SIAC's top passer, averaging 218.8 yards per game.

Tarver completed 5 of 11 passes for 64 yards and led the Tigers to two second-half touchdowns.

As in last week's 20-10 win over the Paine Lions, the Morehouse defense put its stamp on this game. The Maroon Tigers forced and recovered five fumbles and held the Panthers to 217 yards of offense.

Clarence Christian recorded seven tackles and a sack and set the tone for the defense that allowed a few big plays, but no sustained drives. The lone CAU touchdown came late in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.      
 
 Lance White and James Woods collected six tackles each, with White forcing two fumbles and recovering one. Joshua Burton and Demario Dixon combined for nine tackles and three fumble recoveries. Christopher Hambie and Richard Sanders had four tackles apiece.

The Morehouse passing game accounted for 243 of the 420 yards of total offense, which kept the Tigers atop the SIAC in Total Offense (392 ypg) and Passing Offense (241.4 ypg).  
At the halfway point in the season, Morehouse is the conference's top ranked Scoring Defense, giving up only 17.4 points per game.    

Lake McGuffie, second in the SIAC in receiving yards per game (68.6), led Morehouse receivers with four catches for 95 yards. His long catch of 40 yards was second only to the 49-yard grab by Brandon Sartin, who finished with four catches for 77 yards. Sartin's long completion, to the CAU 16 yard line, set up the Tigers' first score.

Though his stats don't jump off the page as glamorous game-changers, the punting of Temitayo Agoro continues to be a huge Morehouse asset. Agoro, who also plays linebacker, punted three times for a 47-yard average and pinned the Panthers inside their 20-yard line three times. His 39.4 yard punting average is second best in the SIAC.      
 
Morehouse will travel to Columbus, GA next week, to play the Tuskegee Golden Tigers, in the oldest rivalry in black college football.  The game has been changed from its traditional 2 p.m. start to 5 p.m. and will be played a McClung Memorial Stadium.
 
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