Of the myriad of factors that could determine the final score of Saturday's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game between Morgan State and North Carolina A&T, the team that holds onto the football could be the most important development.
The Aggies (7-2 overall and 4-1 in the league) lead the MEAC in both interceptions (17) and takeaways (27). They have recorded seven interceptions and four fumbles against conference foes and turned those mistakes into two touchdowns and five field goals.
While the Bears (5-4, 4-1) are rightly concerned about North Carolina A&T's penchant for causing turnovers, coach Lee Hull said the team will prepare as it has every week.
"We emphasize ball security every game," he said Tuesday during his weekly conference call arranged by the league. "Every day in practice, we do some type of ball security drill. So it's very important. Obviously, against a defense like this, it's going to be very important for us to protect the ball, but also we've got to keep drives alive because their offense is very, very good."
Conversely, Morgan State leads the MEAC in fewest interceptions (three) and fewest giveaways (11) thus far. All three interceptions occurred in a 48-28 loss to then-No. 4 Villanova on Oct. 25, and Aggies coach Rod Broadway said causing turnovers is an aspect on which his players can't dwell.
"That's not something we need to do in this game," he said Tuesday. "We just need to stop the run because they run the ball really well, and they do protect the football very well. So our No. 1 priority going into the game is to stop the run."
Hull said the key to the team's success at protecting the ball has come from quarterbacks Robert Council and Moses Skillon's understanding of the damage caused by turnovers.
"We talk to the quarterbacks about how if they don't have a throw, don't force a throw," Hull said. "It's good to find the running back, throw the checkdown, run, or throw the ball away so that we can live to play the next down. They both have done a great job in that way."