Friday, April 13, 2012

TSU Football Closes Out Spring Practice on Saturday

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University football closes out a successful spring this weekend with the annual Blue-White Spring game on Saturday afternoon.

The contest is slated for 3:30pm kickoff at Hale Stadium, affectionately known as 'The Hole.' Prior to Saturday's Blue-White game, a Legends Game will take place between TSU and Vanderbilt at 1pm.



Admission to Saturday's festivities are free. There will be concessions, a rummage sale and national sports talk host Donal Ware is expected on site. Ware will talk with Head Coach Rod Reed, TSU alum/Philadelphia Eagle Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and other TSU personalities at the Spring Game. Ware's show will be aired live on WFSK 88.1 FM.

On Friday, TSU and DRC host the annual Celebrity Slam Jam at the Gentry Center. Doors open at 5:30pm with autograph signings as numerous NFL athletes will be on hand. The basketball game starts at 7pm.

For tickets, fans can call the TSU Ticket Office at 615-963-5841 or by visiting a Ticketmaster outlet.



Reed Announces Two Additions to Coaching Staff

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE -  Tennessee State University football coach Rod Reed announced the hiring of offensive line coach Russ Ehrenfeld and cornerbacks coach Mikhal Kornegay on Friday afternoon.

It's a homecoming of sorts for Ehrenfeld after spending three seasons at Chattanooga. Kornegay takes his first full time coaching job after spending four seasons as a graduate assistant at Florida State.

Ehrenfeld replaces Steven Smith, who accepted an assistant offensive line position with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kornegay takes Anthony Blevins spot, who is now the defensive backs coach at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Returning to Tennessee State, Ehrenfeld brought an immediate impact to UTC in his first season. He helped the Mocs allow only nine sacks in 2009, tied for fewest in the SoCon and third lowest in the nation. UTC did not allow a sack for the last four games of the season, including a trip to FBS National Champion Alabama in the season finale.

In 2010, he turned his attention to the centers and guards, helping T.J. Hurless earn a spot on the All-SoCon second team. Add in Chris Harr and Ehrenfeld has guided two Mocs to all-league honors in his two years at UTC.

In 2011, Ehrenfeld coached tight ends, helping the Mocs to a 5-6 overall record, including a 38-17 win at then ranked No. 10 Jacksonville State on Sept. 10. Faysal Shaffat was a 2011 All-Conference freshman tight end for the Mocs.

In his first stop at TSU, Ehrenfeld's offensive line set the tone for the No. 1 rushing offense in the Ohio Valley Conference while allowing just the second fewest number of sacks in the league. All totaled, he has coached more than ten offensive lineman that have gone on to play professionally.

Ehrenfeld previously coached the offensive line at TSU for three seasons (1997-99), helping the Tigers capture back-to-back OVC championships in 1998 and 1999. Notably, four linemen from the 1999 team went on to play in the NFL.

A native of Hillside, N.J., Ehrenfeld played four seasons at Chattanooga, helping the Mocs claim three SoCon titles as a starting offensive guard. He earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education-history in 1981.
Following graduation, Ehrenfeld's first coaching position was at TMI Academy as the offensive line coach. His first collegiate position was as a graduate assistant at the University of South Carolina, where he had the opportunity to coach the Gamecocks in the 1984 Gator Bowl. Since then, he has also coached at Austin Peay (1985-87, 95-96), Itawamba Community College (1988-89), Southeast Missouri State (1990-92), Eastern Michigan (1993-94), Alabama State (2000) and Bucknell (2001-02).

Kornegay, a native of Greenville, Fla., comes to Tennessee State after spending seven cumulative seasons with the Seminoles under legendary head coach Bobby Bowden and current coach Jimbo Fisher.

He served as Graduate Assistant/Quality Control coach for the Seminoles since the 2008 season. While in that capacity, Kornegay assisted coaches Mickey Andrews and Mark Stoops with instructing the defensive backfield. There he helped implement a major base defensive from heavy coverage for the Seminoles.

Kornegay also coached two NFL draft picks in 2010 with Patrick Robinson being selected in the first round to New Orleans and Myron Rolle by Tennessee in the sixth round.

Prior to joining FSU as a graduate assistant, Kornegay served one season as an assistant coach at Madison County High School in Florida. He also served as a speed and strength coach at Titus Sports Academy in 2007.

A three-year starter on special teams for the Seminoles, Kornegay served as team captain in 2006. He helped FSU to two Atlantic Coast Conference championships and saw an appearance in the 2006 Orange Bowl.

Kornegay obtained his bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at Florida State in 2006 and earned his master's in Sports Administration in April 2010.

Both coaches are currently participating in spring drills with the Tigers. 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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