Edward Waters Tigers football moves to 2-0 on season

2015 EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM
(CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)
Courtesy: Edward Waters College Athletics
THE SUN CONFERENCE

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  -- A favorable early schedule has Edward Waters Tigers chugging along with a 2-0 record before the real season gets underway.  Last week the Tigers had a blowout of a game with the University of Faith, winning 76-7.  Your guess is as good as mines as far as which War Eagles campus that this group calls home, with Internet websites popping up all over the country for this school.

The Tigers had their second blowout of an Internet based-college with the University of God's Chosen being taken down 57-8 on Saturday. Chalk it up that the EWC athletic director knows how to give head coach Alvin Wyatt an opportunity to re-build the Tigers defense.  This will be Coach Wyatt's first full season coaching the Tigers.  This is also the second year that EWC will be playing a full Sun Conference schedule.

The Tigers had a bumpy ride last season, finishing with a 5-6 record, but 2-2 under Wyatt.  Edward Waters has been tabbed to finish fifth in the conference after tallying 11 points with Point grabbing nine points to round out the six team preseason poll. First team All-Sun Conference honoree and dual threat quarterback Tyler Mahla will once again lead Edward Waters for the 2015 campaign. Last season, Mahla led the Tigers on the ground with 541 rushing yards and through the air with 1,616 passing yards. 

In the 2015 Sun Conference Football Preseason Poll, the coaches have selected Webber International to repeat as conference champions. The preseason poll, which was voted on by the league's six head coaches, was released by the conference office last week.

So much for working out the kinks with the upstart faith-based internet schools. 

The rest of the Tigers schedule has legitimate programs from established conferences at the NCAA Division I FCS, Division II and NAIA Division I levels.  The Tigers will have to play the Sept. 12 home opener with FCS newcomer Kennesaw State before an official sellout crowd at Fifth Third Bank Stadium and a Atlanta area television audience of WUPA-TV/CW 69.  The KSU stadium was opened in May 2010 and seats approximately 8,300.  The current record attendance is 2,683 vs. Georgia State (Soccer, August 23, 2012).

KSU will provide a big time atmosphere with a noise level not usually experienced by NAIA programs, like EWC. This home opener for KSU has been planned for over a year and Edward Waters will have to bring their "A" game, if they expect to leave with the "W."

The schedule get tougher for the Tigers, moving forward with seven road games, included an ESPN3 televised game with Jacksonville University in the first Jacksonville Football Classic game. Jacksonville is no pushover, finishing 9-2 last season in the Pioneer Football League (PFL), the nation’s only non-scholarship, football-only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conference. 

The Dolphin redshirt senior quarterback Kade Bell returns to direct the Preseason All PFL offensive unit after throwing for 3,181 yards and 31 touchdowns last season, leading the league with a 152.3 pass efficiency rating (ninth among FCS quarterbacks).  Coach Kerwin Bell has five first team All- PFL players returning in 2015 at the junior/senior level.

“This is one of the toughest schedules ever played in our football program’s history. We know it won’t be easy, but with consistent dedication from our athletes and unwavering support from the community we can succeed,” said Wyatt.  Four of the five conference games for the Tigers will be played on the road.  Ouch!

Next up for the Tigers are the Maroon Tigers of Morehouse College that steamrolled EWC 31-6 on the home field last season.  It just might be payback time for the Tigers and their new high powered offense. But, don't count "da house" out, yet.  Depth is always a major factor in these NAIA vs. NCAA Division II match-ups.

The Tigers play as an associate member of The Sun Conference for football and the NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference for all other EWC sports.




2015 EWC Tigers Football Schedule

August 22 University of Faith Home W 76-7
August 29 University of God's Chosen Home W 57-8
September 5 Morehouse College Away 7:00 p.m.
September 12 **Kennesaw State University Away 4:00 p.m. TV: WUPA-TV/CW 69 Atlanta
September 19 OPEN
September 26 Point University Away 12:00 p.m.
October 3 *Southeastern University Home 1:00 p.m.   
October 10 Webber International University Away 5:00 p.m.
October 17 %Jacksonville University Away 1:00 p.m.  TV: ESPN3
Jacksonville Football Classic
October 24 Concordia College - Selma,  Home 3:00 p.m. Homecoming 2015
October 30 Ave Maria University Away 12:00 p.m.
November 7 Warner University Away 12:00 p.m.  TV: GTV Sports

NOTES:
ALL HOME GAMES PLAYED AT STANTON COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL, 1149 W. 13^th Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32209.
CONFERENCE GAMES IN BOLD
** Game will be televised in Atlanta market on WUPA-TV/CW 69.
% The Jacksonville Football Classic will be played at D.B. Milne Field on JU's campus. This game will be televised on ESPN3.
GTV Sports is partner of  The Sun Conference and game broadcasts are aired live over the broadband internet channel Internetwork 1 (www.i1tv.net), and re-broadcast multiple times throughout the week.

EWC FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF (Partial)
Alvin Wyatt, Sr.
Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator

Gregory Ross, Sr.
Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Football Coach

Alabama A&M season preview: Bulldogs looking for QB to step up

NORMAL, Alabama -- There is more optimism and familiarity around the Alabama A&M football program in head coach James Spady's second season.

The Bulldogs were picked third in the SWAC's Eastern division, but return seven starters on offense and nine on defense.

During last year's 4-8 season, four losses were by a combined 15 points.

Two players were named to the preseason all-conference teams — defensive end Anthony Lanier and offensive lineman Courtney Brown.

"I think I'm a little bit more prepared this year than I was last year," Spady said. "I know what our constraints are. I know the things that we need to work on. I have a good feel for what we're not good at and a good feel for what we're pretty decent at. That makes you go into the season with a little more confidence."



CONTINUE READING

SWAC preview: Alcorn State looking to be league's first repeat champion since 2002

LORMAN, Mississippi  -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference hasn't had a repeat champion in football in more than a decade, but Alcorn State looks like a solid favorite to win its second consecutive league title in 2015.

The Braves won their first SWAC championship of the title game era a year ago — and their first league title since 1993 — when they knocked off Southern 38-24 in Houston last December. With preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year John Gibbs back under center this year, Alcorn State is the overwhelming favorite to make a return trip to NRG Stadium.



The Braves were the overwhelming choice by league coaches and sports information directors to win the SWAC East Division this season, outpointing Jackson State, Alabama A&M, Alabama State and Mississippi Valley State. Alcorn State received 95 poll points and 10 first-place votes, well ahead of Jackson State (83).

Alcorn's league championship in 2014 was its first in 21 years, when future NFL MVP Steve McNair was under center for the Braves. Gibbs is arguably Alcorn's most exciting player since "Air" McNair, totaling 2,482 yards and 21 touchdowns passing, and 1,006 yards and 12 touchdowns rushing.

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Alabama State aiming to improve under new coach

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State has won seven or more games in five consecutive seasons, but new head coach Brian Jenkins is looking for more — quickly.

"The opportunity is now, the opportunity is here and it's time for us, not I, but us to get it done," Jenkins said shortly after he left Bethune-Cookman for ASU in December. "We have enough in place.  There's some work that can still be done, but we have to do it.  I don't want anyone to look at me as the answer; you have to first look at yourself and then come together and get it done."

Jenkins held a 46-14 mark in five seasons at Bethune-Cookman, including three NCAA FCS playoff appearances and two wins over FBS teams. He hopes to carry on that same success with the Hornets, who haven't won a conference title since 2004.

ASU began the 2014 season with a 4-1 mark before struggling down the stretch to a 7-5 finish that included a four-game losing streak.

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Queen City Battle of the Bands Showcase 2015

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
















ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

XU Nuggets sweep Faulkner, finish 2-2 in Big Easy Blastoff volleyball

NEW ORLEANS -- CeCe Williams has 13 kills and 10 digs to help Xavier University of Louisiana defeat Faulkner 25-22, 25-23, 25-22 in the Big Easy Blastoff women's volleyball tournament at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Nuggets finished 2-2 in their season-opening event. They lost 26-24, 25-21, 25-18 to NAIA No. 19 Wayland Baptist in the first match Saturday.

Claudia Haywood had nine kills and Taylor Reuther eight for Xavier against Faulkner, and Jodi Hill and Jada Broussard had seven apiece. Darian Harris had 19 digs, and Reuther had 18. Franziska Pirkl had 42 assists and eight digs.

The Gold Nuggets had advantages of 50-31 in kills and 69-64 in digs to avenge a season-opening home loss to Faulkner from a year ago.



"We dug a lot of balls and had some solid blocks for our defense to play around," XU coach Hannah Lawing said. "We made the right adjustments at the net to get the points we needed."

For the tournament, Williams led Xavier with 39 kills, and Harris had a team-best 65 digs. Freshman Ruby Hunt-Thompson hit an XU-leading .317 in 60 attempts.

Wayland Baptist won all four of its matches, including a 25-22, 25-12, 25-20 decision against Loyola, and is 8-0 this season. Loyola closed the event with a 29-27, 25-17, 19-25, 23-25, 15-13 victory against NCAA Division I's Mississippi Valley State, which lost all four of its matches to NAIA opponents. Faulkner beat Mississippi Valley 25-22, 25-20, 24-26, 25-18.

Xavier will play four matches in the Mariner Invitational at Brunswick, Ga., next week, including NAIA No. 20 Coastal Georgia at 1 p.m. EDT Friday. The Gold Nuggets' next home match will be their Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener, 7 p.m. Sept. 7 against Talladega.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Concordia-Selma Falls in Season Opener, 34-3

LAKE WALES, Florida  -- The third edition of Warner University football got underway on Saturday afternoon as the Royals welcomed Concordia University (Ala.) to Legion Field. After a slow start, the Royals came alive in the second half and routed the Hornets 34-3 in front of more than 700 fans.

The Royals now hold a 3-0 series advantage over the Hornets having defeated them in each of their first two seasons of intercollegiate competition.

It was a sluggish start for the Royals in the first half as they totaled 88 yards in 22 plays. They did, however, hold a 10-3 lead at halftime thanks to a two yard touchdown run by Darrin Davis, Jr. and a 35-yard field goal by Angel Puente. Davis' touchdown capped off a four-play, 56 yard drive to start the second quarter for the Royals.

The Hornets got on the scoreboard first with a 22-yard field goal on their opening possession but were stymied the rest of the half by the Warner defense. The Hornets ran 33 plays in the first half but were held to 55 yards and turned the ball over five times. Don Wise, Jr., Patrick Moreland and Jamal Rivers all had interceptions for the Royals in the first half.

In the second half, the Royals were forced to go to their bench in their second possession and Andrew Rodriguez stepped under center for the Royals. Rodriguez hit Jeff Suarez, Jr. in stride on his first play from scrimmage and Suarez, Jr. took it 36 yards to the endzone to put Warner ahead 17-3.

On their next possession, Rodriguez took the Royals 38 yards in three plays resulting in a five yard touchdown run by Traven Phillips. With the defense continuing to stifle the Hornets' attack, the Royals added another touchdown in the third quarter when Rodriguez hit Raheem Phillips for a 23-yard touchdown pass.

Fuente ending the scoring for the Royals with a 20-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

The Warner defense got off to a great start in 2015 forcing seven turnovers in the game. The Royals picked off four Hornets passes and forced three turnovers. They gave up just five first downs all afternoon and held the Hornets to 134 yards of offense despite being on the field for over half the game.

Larry Faison had a presence up front with nine tackles including a sack. Anthony James and Jamal Rivers both had six tackles. James recorded two tackles for loss while Rivers had one of the four Warner interceptions. James and Greg Hawthorne teamed up for the second Royals' sack of the game as well.

The Royals' offense ended the day with 245 yards of total offense, 219 through the air and 26 on the ground. Rodriguez was nearly perfect through the air completing 5-of-6 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Davis, Jr. was 7-of-12 for 68 yards before leaving the game in the second half.

The Royals spread the ball around on Saturday afternoon as nine players hauled down catches. Lester Lewis caught two balls for a team-high 41 yards. Davis, Jr. was the leading rusher with 18 yards on eight carries.

The Royals hit the road for the first time this season next week as they head north to Barbourville, Ky. where they will face Union College (Ky.). Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.

COURTESY WARNER UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS