Monday Morning Football Punts

• Tickets for the Crosstown Classic, a basketball doubleheader involving New Orleans city rivals Xavier University of Louisiana and Dillard University, are on sale.  The Crosstown Classic will be played Saturday, Jan. 25 at XU's Convocation Center. The women's game will start at 5 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7.  Click here for more Crosstown Classic info and Tickets or visit: XULAATHLETICS.
• Super Bowl XLVIII will have three players from HBCUs.  Playing for the Denver Broncos at starting right cornerback, No. 45 is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from Tennessee State University.  Rodgers-Cromartie was apart of the Arizona Cardinals in 2009 when they played in Super Bowl XLIII.  Rodgers-Cromartie is in his sixth season in the NFL having played for Arizona and Philadelphia, before signing with Denver.  Representing the Seattle Seahawks are: second string QB Tarvaris Jackson, No.7 from Alabama State University and Ricardo Lockette, wide receiver No. 83 from Division II Fort Valley State University.  Jackson is a native of Montgomery, Alabama and was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings.  Lockette, who has blazing speed is from Albany, Georgia and originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Seattle July 26, 2011. He spent the first 13 games on the Seahawks practice squad before signing to the active roster December 22, 2011. Rodgers-Cromartie is a native of Bradenton, Florida and was drafted in Round 1/Pick 16 in the NFL 2008 draft.
• Tampa Bay (Florida) Springstead High School OL/DL Shane Wiggins has picked up his first offer, from Cheyney University, a Division II program located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. Wiggins’ 73 tackles and six sacks as a senior helped the Eagles to their best season in school history.
• Former Mississippi Valley State University head football coach and legend Willie Totten has been hired to coach QBs at Alabama A&M University under new head coach James Spady.  Coach Spady has indicated that he plans to run "the pistol offense" and Coach Totten will have input into the passing game.
• Word out of Itta Bena, Mississippi indicates that the Valley was unable to raise the necessary funds to hire Coach Rick Comegy and his two coordinators that were unceremoniously let go by Jackson State.  The Clarion-Ledger Newspaper posted two interesting articles yesterday -- Records contradict cause for firing and Breaking the Bank: SWAC recruiters deal with shortage of money.  Both articles put into perspective the challenges facing MVSU and JSU -- regardless who the head coach is at each institution. Some administrators may clearly be delusional ... 
• Moving forward, Mississippi Valley is expected to name well-traveled Rich Freeman from Morehouse College as their new head football coach, tomorrow. He will be teaming up with the former "House of Funk" director of bands, Mr. Blake Gaines, who has been hired to direct the MVSU Delta Devil Bands.  Mr. Gaines is an extraordinary talented music composer, arranger and performing jazz bassist.  The Morehouse "House of Funk" Marching Band will be performing in the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase on January 25, 2014, in Mr. Gaines final performance at Morehouse.
• South Carolina State University assistant football coach Joel Taylor has left the Bulldogs family after four seasons to hitch up with Mike Houston, the new head coach of The Citadel.  Taylor will be an assistant coach responsible for the safeties/pass defense coordinator. Houston is coming from Lenoir Rhyne in Hickory, NC, where Taylor served as his outside linebacker coach for 2009.
• CoachingSearch.com is reporting Lane College head football coach Derrick Burroughs is signing on to the Jackson State University football staff as the new defensive coordinator, under new head coach Harold Jackson. 
• CoachingSearch.com is also reporting per source, former Georgia Southern defensive backs coach Orlando Mitjens Jr. has withdrawn from the Virginia-Union head coaching search.
• Good News for Bethune-Cookman and the MEAC for now ... University of Alabama-Birmingham has offered its head coaching job to Jacksonville State head coach Bill Clark, per The Football Scoop.  The Wildcats Coach Brian Jenkins had interviewed for the UAB position last week.
• Alabama State University juniors Isaiah Crowell and Jamel Johnson have filed the necessary paperwork for the 2014 NFL draft.
• Bethune-Cookman's defensive back Nick Addison and offensive tackle Terrance Hackney have also declared for the NFL draft. Hackney was academically ineligible for his junior season and did not play. Addison is projected by the NFL for the 7th round or free agency at best.
• Tennessee State Tight End A.C. Leonard has declared for the 2014 NFL draft.  The former Florida Gator transfer was a top recruit of the Gators.
• If you are in the Atlanta area, do not forget the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at the Georgia Dome, 3 PM - 6PM.  Tickets are as low as $10.00 while quantities last! Big Sean is the special performer... The Bands order of performance are: 1. Morehouse 2. Arkansas Pine Bluff 3. North Carolina A&T 4. Bethune-Cookman -- Special Guest Performance -- 5.  Winston-Salem State  6. Alabama A&M  7. Alabama State   8.  South Carolina State.

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