Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band, Half-Time Show @ 2007 Chicago Football Classic
Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils, Half-Time Show @ 2007 Chicago Football Classic
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Hornets top Florida A&M University
Hornets top Florida A&M; Jones and McBride go down with injuries
Delaware State News
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sure, there were plenty of highlights for Delaware State in its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener Saturday night.
Wide receiver Shaheer McBride tied Albert Horsey for the school’s all-time receptions record. Quarterback Vashon Winton again proved that he can manage a game with his arm and legs. And kicker Peter Gaertner nailed two field goals, looking like he was back to his former All-MEAC form.
But DSU left Bragg Memorial Stadium after dispatching Florida A&M 20-7 with some key injuries that might cause concern.
Transfer running back Kareem Jones, who seemed like a mainstay in the Hornets opener last week, carried the ball only four times and left with an injury in the first quarter.
Later in the third, McBride, after catching five passes to tie the record, was sidelined with an injury.
Without Jones and McBride, though, DSU still escaped Tallahassee earning its third straight win over the Rattlers, who beat the Hornets 10 consecutive times from 1994-2003.
As DSU struggled to run the ball, the offense rested on Winton. The junior threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns on 17-for-26 passing.
With the game scoreless early in the second quarter, Winton found his favorite target — McBride — on a crossing route in the end zone. The score gave DSU a 7-0 lead with 10:00 remaining before halftime.
Moments later, Winton tossed his first interception of the season and FAMU (0-1, 0-2) capitalized to knot the score at 7 when quarterback Albert Chester II hit tight end Todd Jenkins in the end zone with 1:17 left.
Winton then performed the two-minute drill perfectly, marching the Hornets 57 yards to allow Gaertner to kick a 35-yard field goal, which gave DSU a 10-7 lead at the break.
In the third, and in McBride’s absence, Winton hit redshirt sophomore William Griggs for his first career touchdown. The score gave the Hornets a 17-7 lead with 12:29 left in the third. Gaertner later hit a 36-yard field goal in the fourth for the final margin.
So, even with the win, questions remain for DSU especially in the running game.
With Jones, who ran for 174 yards last week, out, Central Florida transfer Chris Strother became the featured back. He had only 35 yards on 11 attempts.
Delaware State News
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sure, there were plenty of highlights for Delaware State in its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener Saturday night.
Wide receiver Shaheer McBride tied Albert Horsey for the school’s all-time receptions record. Quarterback Vashon Winton again proved that he can manage a game with his arm and legs. And kicker Peter Gaertner nailed two field goals, looking like he was back to his former All-MEAC form.
But DSU left Bragg Memorial Stadium after dispatching Florida A&M 20-7 with some key injuries that might cause concern.
Transfer running back Kareem Jones, who seemed like a mainstay in the Hornets opener last week, carried the ball only four times and left with an injury in the first quarter.
Later in the third, McBride, after catching five passes to tie the record, was sidelined with an injury.
Without Jones and McBride, though, DSU still escaped Tallahassee earning its third straight win over the Rattlers, who beat the Hornets 10 consecutive times from 1994-2003.
As DSU struggled to run the ball, the offense rested on Winton. The junior threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns on 17-for-26 passing.
With the game scoreless early in the second quarter, Winton found his favorite target — McBride — on a crossing route in the end zone. The score gave DSU a 7-0 lead with 10:00 remaining before halftime.
Moments later, Winton tossed his first interception of the season and FAMU (0-1, 0-2) capitalized to knot the score at 7 when quarterback Albert Chester II hit tight end Todd Jenkins in the end zone with 1:17 left.
Winton then performed the two-minute drill perfectly, marching the Hornets 57 yards to allow Gaertner to kick a 35-yard field goal, which gave DSU a 10-7 lead at the break.
In the third, and in McBride’s absence, Winton hit redshirt sophomore William Griggs for his first career touchdown. The score gave the Hornets a 17-7 lead with 12:29 left in the third. Gaertner later hit a 36-yard field goal in the fourth for the final margin.
So, even with the win, questions remain for DSU especially in the running game.
With Jones, who ran for 174 yards last week, out, Central Florida transfer Chris Strother became the featured back. He had only 35 yards on 11 attempts.
Southern University Jaguars explode again
Quick score sparks Southern to victory
By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
CHICAGO — Southern quarterback Bryant Lee is missing out. Kind of.
For the second straight week, he didn’t get to see wide receiver Gerard Landry mash a defender en route to a long score.
That’s OK with Lee. He heard the crowd react, and he can always watch the film. And, best of all, the Jaguars are on a nice early roll to their season.
That play, good for a 54-yard touchdown down the right sideline, sparked Southern to a 23-6 Southwestern Athletic Conference victory over Mississippi Valley State in the Chicago Football Classic on Saturday at Soldier Field.
“It was an explosive play,” said Lee, named the game’s offensive MVP after throwing for 206 yards and three touchdowns and running for another 38 yards. “I really couldn’t see it. I had to listen to the crowd’s reaction.”
Starting with that play, Southern (2-0, 1-0 SWAC), which is undefeated after two games for the second straight season, scored on four of five possessions to pull away.
“The play was very important,” said Landry, who blasted through four Florida A&M defenders on a 46-yard TD catch in a 33-27 win the week before. Lee didn’t see that one, either. “It just gave us that momentum. Other guys started making plays, and we started clicking.”
Sophomore Brian Threat, who ran for 69 yards all last season, ran for 106 yards on 11 carries and Del Roberts had 74 yards on seven catches.
“The defense held up for us in the first half, and we had to execute on the offensive side,” said Lee, who won his third straight start, getting MVP honors in all three.
Meanwhile, Southern’s defense did some soul-searching in the locker room for the second straight week, and again responded.
This time, after Valley (1-1, 1-1) closed to within 14-6 Paul Roberts’ 20-yard touchdown pass with 6 seconds before halftime, SU held Valley to 9 yards and one first down in the second half.
“I thought that was going to give us a lot of energy, but we just didn’t have enough in the second half,” Valley coach Willie Totten said. “I felt pretty good right there at the end of the half. I felt we were in the ballgame and we had a chance, but we were too flat in the second half and made too many mistakes. We’ve got some work to do.”
Maybe the missed extra point, glancing off the right upright, was a portent of disaster.
Or maybe the touchdown, like the way Southern gave up two deep scores to Florida A&M in the second quarter the week before, simply sparked the Jaguars defense, like how the game played out a week earlier.
“We gave away a free touchdown, but they told us to step up, make sure they don’t score again, and that’s what we did,” said SU defensive end Vince Lands, the game’s defensive MVP. “We came out to prove a point, and that’s what we did.”
The first 21 minutes were a bore, with the teams combining for nine punts and Southern freshman Josh Duran missing his first career field-goal try, a 37-yard attempt glancing off the right upright.
Then, Southern scored on consecutive touches, converting a big play and staging a long drive, to take control by halftime.
First, Lee hooked up with Landry for the 54-yard TD, with Landry trucking over Valley cornerback Pierre Marshall along the way for a 7-0 lead with 8:18 until halftime. Then Lee directed a 10-play, 85-yard march, finding wide-open running back Kendrick Smith for a 12-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 2:17 until halftime.
Roberts, despite an erratic first half, nevertheless led the Delta Devils on a 70-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes, connecting with Clarence Cotton on a 20-yard touchdown with 6 seconds before halftime. Jamie Whitworth hit the right upright with a PAT, leaving the score at 14-6.
Roberts was 4-for-4 for 43 yards, with his hookup to Cotton going for Valley’s longest play of the game, and ran for two first downs. Until then, he was 9-for-21 and once threw three incomplete passes with Valley taking over at the Southern 34-yard line late in the first quarter.
“We had a mental lapse,” Richardson said. “We work on that. (The defender) bit up, and the guy ran a beautiful route to the corner.”
The vice grip came in the second half.
SU punted on its first possession but then drove 51 yards for another Lee-to-Smith TD pass. And a 74-yard drive produced a 30-yard Duran field goal and a 23-6 lead a minute into the fourth quarter. The Jaguars then powered away, eating the clock with a dominating running game and holding Valley to no yards in the final quarter.
For the game, Valley had seven three-and-outs and punted 11 times.
“It was just pride,” Lands said. “(Defensive coordinator Terrence) Graves kept preaching to us, pride, Jaguar pride.”
So far, through two games, Southern has shown a defense and an offense that gets better as games progress. The Jaguars, off two straight losing seasons, want that to translate to the season picture as well.
“Just a little more (work), and we’ll be good,” Lee said.
Lagniappe
Southern’s charter flight left Baton Rouge at 6 p.m. Thursday but didn’t arrive until around 11 p.m. The team had to put down for a couple hours in St. Louis to wait out a rainstorm blasting Chicago. Neither team got on Soldier Field until before the game Saturday. Friday, Southern had a short walkthrough practice at Niles West High School, while Valley went through its walkthrough, without footballs, at its hotel, the Midway Marriott. SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp made his second straight Southern game. He caught the MEAC/SWAC Challenge a week earlier. Sharp also went to Thursday’s televised game, with Arkansas-Pine Bluff winning at Alcorn State. Valley coach Willie Totten asked Sharp before the game if a Howitzer, firing blanks, could be moved from his team’s sideline. No luck there, though.
By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
CHICAGO — Southern quarterback Bryant Lee is missing out. Kind of.
For the second straight week, he didn’t get to see wide receiver Gerard Landry mash a defender en route to a long score.
That’s OK with Lee. He heard the crowd react, and he can always watch the film. And, best of all, the Jaguars are on a nice early roll to their season.
That play, good for a 54-yard touchdown down the right sideline, sparked Southern to a 23-6 Southwestern Athletic Conference victory over Mississippi Valley State in the Chicago Football Classic on Saturday at Soldier Field.
“It was an explosive play,” said Lee, named the game’s offensive MVP after throwing for 206 yards and three touchdowns and running for another 38 yards. “I really couldn’t see it. I had to listen to the crowd’s reaction.”
Starting with that play, Southern (2-0, 1-0 SWAC), which is undefeated after two games for the second straight season, scored on four of five possessions to pull away.
“The play was very important,” said Landry, who blasted through four Florida A&M defenders on a 46-yard TD catch in a 33-27 win the week before. Lee didn’t see that one, either. “It just gave us that momentum. Other guys started making plays, and we started clicking.”
Sophomore Brian Threat, who ran for 69 yards all last season, ran for 106 yards on 11 carries and Del Roberts had 74 yards on seven catches.
“The defense held up for us in the first half, and we had to execute on the offensive side,” said Lee, who won his third straight start, getting MVP honors in all three.
Meanwhile, Southern’s defense did some soul-searching in the locker room for the second straight week, and again responded.
This time, after Valley (1-1, 1-1) closed to within 14-6 Paul Roberts’ 20-yard touchdown pass with 6 seconds before halftime, SU held Valley to 9 yards and one first down in the second half.“I thought that was going to give us a lot of energy, but we just didn’t have enough in the second half,” Valley coach Willie Totten said. “I felt pretty good right there at the end of the half. I felt we were in the ballgame and we had a chance, but we were too flat in the second half and made too many mistakes. We’ve got some work to do.”
Maybe the missed extra point, glancing off the right upright, was a portent of disaster.
Or maybe the touchdown, like the way Southern gave up two deep scores to Florida A&M in the second quarter the week before, simply sparked the Jaguars defense, like how the game played out a week earlier.
“We gave away a free touchdown, but they told us to step up, make sure they don’t score again, and that’s what we did,” said SU defensive end Vince Lands, the game’s defensive MVP. “We came out to prove a point, and that’s what we did.”
The first 21 minutes were a bore, with the teams combining for nine punts and Southern freshman Josh Duran missing his first career field-goal try, a 37-yard attempt glancing off the right upright.
Then, Southern scored on consecutive touches, converting a big play and staging a long drive, to take control by halftime.
First, Lee hooked up with Landry for the 54-yard TD, with Landry trucking over Valley cornerback Pierre Marshall along the way for a 7-0 lead with 8:18 until halftime. Then Lee directed a 10-play, 85-yard march, finding wide-open running back Kendrick Smith for a 12-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 2:17 until halftime.
Roberts, despite an erratic first half, nevertheless led the Delta Devils on a 70-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes, connecting with Clarence Cotton on a 20-yard touchdown with 6 seconds before halftime. Jamie Whitworth hit the right upright with a PAT, leaving the score at 14-6.
Roberts was 4-for-4 for 43 yards, with his hookup to Cotton going for Valley’s longest play of the game, and ran for two first downs. Until then, he was 9-for-21 and once threw three incomplete passes with Valley taking over at the Southern 34-yard line late in the first quarter.
“We had a mental lapse,” Richardson said. “We work on that. (The defender) bit up, and the guy ran a beautiful route to the corner.”
The vice grip came in the second half.
SU punted on its first possession but then drove 51 yards for another Lee-to-Smith TD pass. And a 74-yard drive produced a 30-yard Duran field goal and a 23-6 lead a minute into the fourth quarter. The Jaguars then powered away, eating the clock with a dominating running game and holding Valley to no yards in the final quarter.
For the game, Valley had seven three-and-outs and punted 11 times.
“It was just pride,” Lands said. “(Defensive coordinator Terrence) Graves kept preaching to us, pride, Jaguar pride.”
So far, through two games, Southern has shown a defense and an offense that gets better as games progress. The Jaguars, off two straight losing seasons, want that to translate to the season picture as well.
“Just a little more (work), and we’ll be good,” Lee said.
Lagniappe
Southern’s charter flight left Baton Rouge at 6 p.m. Thursday but didn’t arrive until around 11 p.m. The team had to put down for a couple hours in St. Louis to wait out a rainstorm blasting Chicago. Neither team got on Soldier Field until before the game Saturday. Friday, Southern had a short walkthrough practice at Niles West High School, while Valley went through its walkthrough, without footballs, at its hotel, the Midway Marriott. SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp made his second straight Southern game. He caught the MEAC/SWAC Challenge a week earlier. Sharp also went to Thursday’s televised game, with Arkansas-Pine Bluff winning at Alcorn State. Valley coach Willie Totten asked Sharp before the game if a Howitzer, firing blanks, could be moved from his team’s sideline. No luck there, though.
Southern Jags roll before 49,872 at Soldier Field
BY CLYDE TRAVIS, Chicago Sun-Times
What began as a potential one-night stand has turned into a 10-year love affair between the city and the Chicago Football Classic.
What began as a potential one-night stand has turned into a 10-year love affair between the city and the Chicago Football Classic.
The Classic annually has brought the atmosphere of black college football to Soldier Field. On Saturday, Southern University of Baton Rouge, La., and Mississippi Valley State, which were the original participants in the Classic, took the stage before a crowd of 49,872.
Southern won the first Classic 51-30 and the 10th as well with a 23-6 victory.
The Jaguars (2-0) took a 14-0 lead on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Bryant Lee to Gerard Landry with 8:18 left in the second quarter and on a 12-yard strike from Lee to Kendrick Smith six minutes later.
Mississippi Valley (1-1) drove 80 yards in nine plays and scored on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Paul Roberts to Clarence Cotton with six seconds left in the half.
Lee tossed his third touchdown pass, hitting Smith again from 20 yards out with 6:04 left in the third quarter. Josh Durant completed the scoring by nailing a 30-yard field goal with 14:09 left in the fourth quarter.
Lee, the game's offensive MVP, said he never was worried despite his team's slow start.
''Everything was perfect. It wasn't too hot, it wasn't too cold, we were playing at Soldier Field. It just took awhile for everyone to get on the same page,'' said Lee, a redshirt sophomore who completed 16 of 28 passes for 206 yards. ''The offensive line really was the key. They dug in and give me enough time.''
Southern rushed for 293 yards, 106 of them by Brian Threat.
The Jaguars' Vince Lands was named the game's defensive MVP
Two Chicago players played in the game: Harlan's Johey Hargrett of Mississippi Valley State and Homewood-Flossmoor product Sir-Edward Staten of Southern.
''It felt great to be home with family and friends and getting some of that home cooking,'' Hargrett said. ''This is a dream come true. Not many people get a chance to come back and play at Soldier Field.''
Field goal on final play knocks off careless JSU Tigers
By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger
MEMPHIS — The one-two punch of carelessness and miscommunication came at the absolute worst time for Jackson State on Saturday night.
And be-cause of that, JSU stood and watched helplessly as Tennessee State's Eric Benson kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to steal a 16-13 victory at the Southern Heritage Classic in front of an announced crowd of 50,987.
Photo: The Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South Band performs at the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, TN
A sullen JSU coach Rick Comegy offered little in the way of an explanation of the team's Liberty Bowl troubles.
"We're all a little tired of excuses on this football team right now," Comegy said. "What we need instead are results."
The loss is the fifth in a row for JSU against Tennessee State, dating back to 2002. It's also JSU's sixth loss overall in seven games dating back to last season.
What was even more heart-wrenching about Saturday's final result was that the game was tied at 13 and appeared destined for overtime before two JSU (0-2) mistakes gave Tennessee State (1-1) new life.
First was the carelessness: Tennessee State was set to punt the ball away with 46 seconds remaining in the game before JSU was whistled for an illegal substitution to give TSU a new set of downs.
And on the very next play was the miscommunication: Tennessee State quarterback Antonio Heffner found Antonio Graham down the middle of the field on a wide-open 30-yard pass play, eventually setting up the game-winning field goal and a raucous TSU celebration.
"I'm not even sure what happened," said JSU linebacker Daniel Brooks of the 30-yard pass. "I was playing off adrenaline and trying to win the game. We'll have to look at the tape to see where we messed up because I truly have no idea."
Once again, Jackson State mixed and matched quarterbacks Tray Rutland and Jimmy Oliver with limited success. Rutland saw the majority of time and was 5-of-14 passing and 54 yards. He also rushed for 14 yards and a touchdown.
Oliver played briefly in the third quarter and finished 3-of-10 for 28 yards. He rushed for 25 yards.
Running back Erik Haw played in his first game of the season and rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries. JSU S was outgained 385-280 in total yards.
"We've got some problems offensively right now," Comegy said. "We've got to get this thing right soon, because (TSU) was beatable and we just didn't get it done."
Jackson State jumped to a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter partly thanks to a botched TSU punt attempt. With a short field, JSU drove 25 yards for the touchdown in five plays, capped by Rutland's 1-yard sneak.
Eric Perri stretched the Tigers' lead to 13-6 by midway through the third quarter with a pair of field goals.
The first was a 44-yarder that gave JSU a 10-6 lead going into halftime. The second was even more impressive, a 50-yard blast that set a school record and gave JSU a 13-6 advantage midway through the third quarter.
But that's about the time Jackson State's previously stingy defense started breaking down.
TSU's Terrence Wright scored his second touchdown of the game on an 11-yard pass from Antonio Heffner to tie the score at 13 with 8:03 left in the game.
The teams traded scoreless possessions throughout the rest of the fourth quarter until Benson nailed the field goal to win.
"This is our most important game all season," TSU coach James Webster said. "I know it's not a conference game, but we put a lot into it. That's why winning it is such a big thrill each year."
Heffner finished 18-of-31 passing for 232 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
MEMPHIS — The one-two punch of carelessness and miscommunication came at the absolute worst time for Jackson State on Saturday night.
And be-cause of that, JSU stood and watched helplessly as Tennessee State's Eric Benson kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to steal a 16-13 victory at the Southern Heritage Classic in front of an announced crowd of 50,987.
Photo: The Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South Band performs at the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, TN
A sullen JSU coach Rick Comegy offered little in the way of an explanation of the team's Liberty Bowl troubles."We're all a little tired of excuses on this football team right now," Comegy said. "What we need instead are results."
The loss is the fifth in a row for JSU against Tennessee State, dating back to 2002. It's also JSU's sixth loss overall in seven games dating back to last season.
What was even more heart-wrenching about Saturday's final result was that the game was tied at 13 and appeared destined for overtime before two JSU (0-2) mistakes gave Tennessee State (1-1) new life.
First was the carelessness: Tennessee State was set to punt the ball away with 46 seconds remaining in the game before JSU was whistled for an illegal substitution to give TSU a new set of downs.
And on the very next play was the miscommunication: Tennessee State quarterback Antonio Heffner found Antonio Graham down the middle of the field on a wide-open 30-yard pass play, eventually setting up the game-winning field goal and a raucous TSU celebration.
"I'm not even sure what happened," said JSU linebacker Daniel Brooks of the 30-yard pass. "I was playing off adrenaline and trying to win the game. We'll have to look at the tape to see where we messed up because I truly have no idea."
Once again, Jackson State mixed and matched quarterbacks Tray Rutland and Jimmy Oliver with limited success. Rutland saw the majority of time and was 5-of-14 passing and 54 yards. He also rushed for 14 yards and a touchdown.
Oliver played briefly in the third quarter and finished 3-of-10 for 28 yards. He rushed for 25 yards.
Running back Erik Haw played in his first game of the season and rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries. JSU S was outgained 385-280 in total yards.
"We've got some problems offensively right now," Comegy said. "We've got to get this thing right soon, because (TSU) was beatable and we just didn't get it done."
Jackson State jumped to a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter partly thanks to a botched TSU punt attempt. With a short field, JSU drove 25 yards for the touchdown in five plays, capped by Rutland's 1-yard sneak.
Eric Perri stretched the Tigers' lead to 13-6 by midway through the third quarter with a pair of field goals.
The first was a 44-yarder that gave JSU a 10-6 lead going into halftime. The second was even more impressive, a 50-yard blast that set a school record and gave JSU a 13-6 advantage midway through the third quarter.
But that's about the time Jackson State's previously stingy defense started breaking down.
TSU's Terrence Wright scored his second touchdown of the game on an 11-yard pass from Antonio Heffner to tie the score at 13 with 8:03 left in the game.
The teams traded scoreless possessions throughout the rest of the fourth quarter until Benson nailed the field goal to win.
"This is our most important game all season," TSU coach James Webster said. "I know it's not a conference game, but we put a lot into it. That's why winning it is such a big thrill each year."
Heffner finished 18-of-31 passing for 232 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Jackson State Perri's record-setting night - a 50-yarder - spoiled.
Perri's record-setting night - a 50-yarder - spoiled by late block
In a lot of ways, Jackson State sophomore kicker Eric Perri had a career night.
He set the school record with a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter that gave JSU a 13-6 lead. In the first half, he knocked down a 44-yarder - the fourth longest in school history.
But what will stick in his head is the 22-yard attempt that was blocked by Tennessee State. It would have given JSU a three-point lead in the fourth quarter.
"(TSU) was already on top of me by the time I kicked the ball," Perri said. "I don't really know what else I could have done, but it still hurts to not be able to help the team late."
JSU coach Rick Comegy agreed that the blocked field goal had nothing to do with Perri.
"We had a breakdown in our line," Comegy said. "Eric did a nice job of keeping us in the game early."
With his two kicks on Saturday, Perri solidified his ability to kick long field goals. His 50-yarder easily cleared the uprights and suggested the sophomore's range is pushing 55 to 60 yards.
Perri kicked a 52-yard field goal in Jackson State's spring game last year, but this is his first 50-plus make in a real game.
"It certainly gives me a lot of confidence," Perri said. "I know coach (Comegy) feels I can make a difference."
Even with the record-setting performance, Perri's night ended sourly as he watched Tennessee State kicker Eric Benson hit the 35-yard, game-winning field goal in the rain.
"It's a really helpless feeling sitting there and knowing there's nothing you can do," Perri said. "But give credit to (Benson). He did what he's supposed to do."
-David Brandt
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