FAMU defense crucial to its success

Florida A&M football coach Joe Taylor got a little commercial during his post-game news conference when he was acknowledging his defense for shutting out Howard University for three quarters. "They know they're like American Express," Taylor said after his team improved to 3-0 with Thursday's victory. "We're not going anywhere without them." That's for sure. FAMU will need every bit of the stubbornness its defense showed Thursday night in defeating the Bison 48-10. The Rattlers face Tennessee State next Saturday in the Atlanta Classic, followed by games at the University of Miami and at South Carolina State against the defending MEAC champion Bulldogs.

Depth at running back helping Rattlers

Joe Taylor has consistently spoken about the depth he has at running back. Thursday's game against Howard was yet another example of the bevy of backs Florida A&M can send into the game at any time as five different people had carries on the evening.This time it was Philip Sylvester, who saw his first action of the 2009 season in the Rattlers, who was the first to strike. On his second carry of the season, Sylvester found an opening along the left edge and finished the run with a 10-yard touchdown. Sylvester's touchdown added the first six points in what turned out to be a 48-10 victory for FAMU.

'Sky' sees bit of himself in Pulley

Jay Walker must have felt a little dejavu Thursday night behind the ESPNU microphone. On the day that Walker made his debut as a transfer quarterback at Howard University, a monsoon drenched the place. Howard lost, though not as badly as things turned out here Thursday night. Walker was in Tallahassee for his alma mater's matchup against FAMU as an analyst for ESPNU. The field was drenched from midday rain, though the rain let up for most of the game. Walker had a good view of FAMU quarterback Curtis Pulley, who directed the offense to 333 yards in a 48-10 victory over the Bison. Walker couldn't help but see a mirror of himself on the field Thursday night. Here's some perspective:

Hardee keeping FAMU on track

Even as a child Teresa Hardee wanted to be a numbers cruncher. She got her wish — and then some. Hardee, Florida A&M University’s chief financial officer, makes decisions daily on a budget of $421 million. She oversees between 300 and 400 people. A native of Loris, S.C., Hardee came to FAMU more than two years ago to fix a financially troubled university. The 44-year-old was asked to lead the university’s financial side by FAMU President James Ammons, who initially hired her as an internal auditor when he was chancellor at North Carolina Central University in Durham. The state’s auditor general recommended Hardee to Ammons — who needed an internal auditor to clean up a university plagued with poor financial audits.

In Tally, LeRoy Vann is the MAN

Wow, what more can you say about FAMU’s sensational return specialist LeRoy Vann, who just happens to be a Blake grad? On Thursday, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior DB ran back two punts for touchdowns in a 48-10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win over archrival Howard. Vann first raced 40 yards for a score on the slick field in the first quarter. In the third, he bobbled a Howard punt, then recovered, darted left and raced 66 yards for another TD. As if that wasn’t enough … Vann also returned two kicks for TDs a week earlier. That’s just sick. Vann’s two TD returns against Howard allowed him to tie an NCAA Division I-AA career mark for punt returns for touchdowns (seven) with Northern Iowa’s Kenny Shedd (1989-92).

Video: FAMU Football Player Talks About Shooting

Nearly two weeks after FAMU running back LaVante Page was shot after leaving a home game, he was back with his teammates at Bragg Memorial Stadium. But this time, he was standing on the sidelines.

2009 FAMU Marching 100 vs. Delaware State