News - State

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

ASU coaches have tires slashed

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow and three of his assistants had tires slashed on their cars while they were away from Montgomery for the Jackson State game.

Barlow, offensive coordinator Richard Moncrief and football operations director Craig Payne each had one tire slashed when they returned from a 19-7 loss at Jackson State. Receivers coach Roger Totten had two slashed.

"That just made a bad trip that much worse to come home and find that," Barlow told the Montgomery Advertiser in a story Tuesday.

"Personally, I think it was someone who was probably upset over the way something is going in the program or with the way we're doing things. And this is the way they wanted to let us know."

The cars were left in the parking lot in front of the ASU football offices, located next to the university's campus police station, while the coaches traveled with the team.

The Hornets have lost five of their last six games and are in danger of the third straight losing season in Barlow's tenure. The vandalism was another tough blow to Barlow.

"In this position, people have to basically pick sides - either for me or against me," Barlow said. "I'm a human being. This sort of stuff does bother me. I wish it were different. We're working to try to make it better."

Barlow is a Montgomery native and Alabama State graduate who played eight seasons in the NFL.