Grambling visits Jackson State after 2013 boycott

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – Broderick Fobbs wasn't at Grambling in 2013, but he'd be oblivious if he weren't paying attention to the turmoil last fall at his alma matter.

Not only was Grambling at the forefront of statewide headlines while Fobbs looked on as an assistant at McNeese State, but the Tigers garnered national attention for all the wrong reasons.

Grambling players staged a revolt following a loss to Alcorn State in Indianapolis, Indiana, due to lingering issues like poor facilities, ragged equipment and a growing disdain for former president Frank Pogue. As a result, the players failed to show up for a road game at Jackson State, essentially ruining JSU's homecoming plans.

Now Grambling is headed back to Jackson State almost a year later where the Tigers are expecting an intense atmosphere.

"There's a little more to it with everything that went on, but I mean we're going to play regardless, so it doesn't matter," Fobbs said. "If you need a situation to occur to get you ready to play against Jackson State, then you don't understand the colors you wear."

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Hampton U. aims for first win against D-II Miles College

HAMPTON,  Virginia — Connell Maynor didn't lose more than two games in any of his first four seasons as a head coach. His first Hampton University team lost three in three weeks.

Aside from a brief, playful shadow-boxing exhibit Wednesday, the Pirates' Big Whistle was composed and undeterred.

"We've got to be realistic and take everything in perspective," Maynor said. "This is right where everybody thought we would be — 0-and-3, playing those three teams. Nobody thought we (were) going to beat Richmond, nobody thought we (were) going to beat William and Mary, nobody thought we (were) going to beat ODU — and we didn't.

"But what we did, what people didn't think we (were) going to do, we played with those guys and we showed that we could move the ball, we could score. At times we could stop them. So we showed that we've got potential to be a good football team. Now we've got to continue with that and start getting some Ws, and we need to start this week with Miles and then get into conference play and continue to play good, solid football and the Ws will continue to come."



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B-CU's LeBranden Richardson eager to face old UCF teammates

DAYTONA BEACH — When Bethune-Cookman's LeBranden Richardson takes the field at Bright House Networks Stadium Saturday, he should feel right at home..

As a former UCF player, Richardson is quite familiar with the surroundings of the Knights home turf, but this time the confines won't be so friendly. Nonetheless, he's looking forward to seeing some of his old friends.

"It's going to be exciting … I love that Bright House stadium. It will be like a homecoming, bringing back some old memories. I made my first collegiate sack at that stadium," said Richardson, now a senior defensive end at B-CU. "I won't be nervous. I will just like any other game, but I will get that feeling once I get out there, I suppose. I'm excited for it."

Some of his former teammates are gone and so is his old position coach Jim Panagos, now the defensive line coach at Rutgers, but the Knights' roster still features some of his closest friends, including UCF receiver Josh Reese.

Reese and Richardson were teammates at Miami Central High, after Richardson transferred from Hialeah, and the pair chose to go together to UCF, along with highly touted teammate Jeffrey Godfrey. Godfrey had a breakout year as a freshman, earning Conference USA newcomer of the year honors in 2010.

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Despite slow start, Spartans stay confident

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Norfolk State faces the possibility that it could enter the all-important MEAC portion of its schedule at 0-4.

The Spartans (0-3) will visit Buffalo on Saturday for a final non-conference tune-up against the lone FBS team on the calendar.

But win or lose once more before the league opener against Morgan State on Sept. 27, players and coaches believe the early-season adversity will make them stronger in the long run.

And that's all that matters.

"Playing out-of-conference teams, you hope to come out with the win either way it goes," said star linebacker Lynden Trail. "But at the end of the day, you have to come to the realization that we're playing for our conference."


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Florida A&M Rattlers look to end drought at Bragg Stadium

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- FAMU didn't win a single game at home last season so naturally the question had to come up when the Rattlers met the media Tuesday afternoon.

There were some obvious frustration on the faces of the three players in attendance, but no one responded to the question more directly than sophomore guard Keonte Cash.

"To be honest, it was pretty embarrassing," said Cash, who endured a 3-9 season as a freshman starter for the Rattlers.

FAMU plays at home for the first time this season Saturday when it faces Coastal Carolina, the No. 5 ranked FCS team in the nation. The Chanticleers (3-0) knocked off two other MEAC teams in their last two games and will be looking for the hat trick in Bragg Stadium, where FAMU went 0-5 last season.

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Morgan State football using snub in MEAC preseason poll as motivation

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- When the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference unveiled its preseason poll in the summer, Morgan State was picked to finish last in the 11-team league despite tying Delaware State for third in 2013.

In the aftermath of the Bears’ 28-3 thumping of Bowie State on Saturday, senior inside linebacker Cody Acker didn’t need any reminding about the team’s placement in the preseason poll.

“Believe me, I know that,” he said. “It’s just motivation. At the end of the day, I’ve never seen a preseason ranking dictate what a team does during the season. It’s all just speculation. All we have to do is come out and prove those guys wrong. At the end of the day, they don’t know what they have in our room. Only we do.”

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Southern University coach Dawson Odums said Prairie View offense still capable

Last year's Prairie View-Southern University game had video game like statistics and an Arena League Football like score. The Jaguars outgunned Prairie View, 62-59, in double overtime for their first victory of the 2013 season.

That victory catapulted Southern to the SWAC championship after the Jaguars had started 0-2.
But the Jaguars don't have the offensive weapons of last season. Quarterback Dray Joseph threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns in the victory. Wide receiver Lee Doss had nine catches for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Both were seniors in 2013.

The Panthers, though, return quarterback Jerry Lovelocke, who passed for 353 yards and a touchdown. Running back Johnta' Hebert , who carried for 154 yards and three touchdowns, also is back.

Prairie View gashed Southern for 772 yards in last season's contest. Southern coach Dawson Odums said the Panthers are still capable on offense.



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