THE MATCHUP: The Florida
A&M University Rattlers (3-9 in 2013) travel to Jackson, Mississippi to face
the Jackson State University Tigers (8-4 in 2013), in the W.C. Gorden Classic at
Veterans Memorial Stadium Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Central Time. GAME TIME WEATHER: Accuweather’s Saturday forecast for the Jackson, Mississippi area calls for warm conditions with a high of 92 degrees and a low of 72, with a 40% chance of a shower in the afternoon.
ON THE AIR: The Rattler Sports Network will air FAMU Football for its’ 31st season, with a new play-by-play voice, Joshua Jackson, a graduate of the FAMU School of Journalism, and an on-air sportscaster in Jacksonville, Florida…. Veteran color analyst Michael Thomas returns for his 28th year to provide incisive, expert commentary to listeners, and Jerome Swaine also returns as the Network engineer…. The Earl Holmes TV Show will air statewide on Fox Sports Florida Mondays at 5:00 p.m., and locally on Thursdays on WTLH Fox 40 at 11 p.m….. Elton Gumbel, former sports director at WCTV Channel 6 in Tallahassee, will host the weekly highlights show.
SERIES HISTORICAL: Jackson State owns an 8-7-2 lead in the series with FAMU, which began in 1961… FAMU won the opener, 14-8 in the Orange Blossom Classic to claim the 1961 Black College National title, before the Tigers won their revenge and the national title in the 1962 Classic rematch, 22-6… The two squads faced off in the inaugural NCAA FCS playoffs in 1978, with FAMU scoring a 15-10 semifinal victory at Jackson, Miss., en route to the 1978 NCAA title… JSU then won five of the next seven games, with a pair of 10-10 ties during that stretch, but the pendulum had swung towards FAMU, as the Rattlers have won the last three meetings, including a 28-14 win in the 2003 Circle City Classic in Indianapolis…. See Pages 8-9 for more of the FAMU-JSU series.
THE COACHING MATCHUP: FAMU’s Earl Holmes (FAMU ’96) is in his second season as head football coach, bringing a 4-10-0 record (which includes a 1-1 record as acting head coach in 2012) into the 2014 season…. JSU’s Harold Jackson (JSU ’69), is in his first season, after a lengthy career as an assistant coach on both the professional and collegiate levels…. Both coaches are former NFL standouts, with Holmes having played 10 seasons (Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit) as a linebacker, while Jackson played 16 seasons as a wide receiver (Los Angeles, New England, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Seattle).
RATTLERS TO WATCH: FAMU returns 16 starters from last year’s team, which endured much adversity en route to a 3-9 finish, but the spring and fall camp has spirits high as they approach the the 2014 opener…. Here are the returning starters and their numbers from 2013.
Offense
QB 11-Damien Fleming, 6-3, 210, Sr., Jacksonville, FL
@ 106 of 201 passing, 6 TDs, 13 INTs, 1,016 yds; 215 yds rushing, 62 carries, 2 TDs.
TB 24-Lemond Buice, 6-1, 225, R-Sr., Gadsden, AL
@ 238 yards, 68 carries, 3 TDs; 4 receptions, 99 yards, 1 TD, in 12 games
WR 9-Casey Glines, 6-6, 210, R-Sr., Neola, UT
@ 16 receptions, 160 yards, 5 TDs.
TE 82-Michael Morris. 6-4, 225, R-Jr., Jacksonville, FL
@ 6 receptions, 73 yards, 0 TDs.
LG 62-Keonte Cash, 5-11, 310, So., Miami, FL
@ Started the full season as a true freshman. May move to center.
RG Timothy Jones, 6-6, 290, R-So., Myrtle Beach, SC
@ Started the full season as a true freshman.
WR 81-DeWayne Harvey, 6-1, 205, Sr., Tallahassee, FL
@ 13 receptions, 153 yards, 1 TD.
SLOT 89-Dennis Hall, 5-10, 170, R-Sr., Belle Glade, FL
@ 13 receptions, 138 yards in 9 games.
Defense
LE 44-Derrick Conner, 6-4, 225, R-Sr., Miami, FL
@ 11 tackles (4 solos), 1.5 tackles for loss in 11 games.
NG 92-Michael Lovejoy, 6-4, 265, Jr., Pensacola, FL
@ 31 tackles (20 solos), 5.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 QB Sacks in 12 games.
MLB 57-William Smalls, 6-2, 205, Sr., Austell, GA
@ 39 tackles (29 solos), 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks in 12 games.
ILB 47-Akil Blount, 6-3, 225, Jr., Pittsburgh, PA
@ 51 tackles (32 solos), 8.0 tackles for loss; 1.5 QB Sacks; 1 INT in 12 games.
RCB 5-Patrick Aiken, 5-10, R-Jr., Pembroke Pines, FL
@ 3rd-Team All-MEAC; 42 tackles (32 solos), 4.5 tackles for loss; 1.0 sacks; 4 INTs.
LCB 4-Devontae “Terry” Johnson, 6-0, 183, Jr., Tallahassee, FL
@ 46 tackles (36 solos), 6.0 tackles for loss; 3.0 sacks; 3 INTs; 6 PBU.
Specialists
K/KO 33-Chase Varnadore, 5-11, 170, R-Sr., Tallahassee, FL
@ 35 points scored: 23 of 26 PATs; 4 of 7 FGs (long 41).
LS 39-Tyler Riley, 5-11, 215, Jr., Ocala, FL
@ Started entire 2014 season.
P 36-Colby Blanton, 6-1, 210, R-So., Jacksonville, FL
@ Averaged 39.6 per punt (74 atts); Long of 78; 12 kicks +50 yds; 15 down inside 20.
THE TIGERS TO WATCH: The Jackson State Tigers made changes in their coaching staff following last season’s 8-4 finish which featured a 34-27 overtime loss to Southern University in the SWAC Championship Game, releasing veteran head coach Rick Comegy (who to moved to Mississippi Valley) and calling home former Tiger and NFL standout receiver Harold Jackson to take the helm in in Jackson.
Jackson, who embarks on his first head coaching assignment, will bring an impressive resume as an assistant coach from the collegiate and NFL ranks to bear in his new job.
JSU took some heavy hits via graduation on offense, which could slow the Tigers’ roll early on, as quarterback Clayton Moore, who passed for over 2,000 yards and 15 TDs, while rushing for another 641 yards and five scores is gone, along with top rusher Tommy Gooden, who rumbled for 875 yards and 6 TDs, plus three of the club’s top receivers (including Gooden), topped by Zachary Pendleton, who had 53 catches for 1,067 yards and 10 TDs…
Returning to the fold will be RB Rakeem Sims (5-11, 225, Sr.), who was the third leading rusher behind the departed Gooden and Moore, scooting for 484 yards on 100 carries, scoring five TDs; Evan Ingram (6-3, 220, Sr.), who passed for 289 yards and one score and LaMontiez Ivy (6-3, 220, So.), who passed for 133 yards, are likely dueling for the starting role under center, while Tobias Singleton (6-2, 190, Sr.) returns after making 30 receptions for 476 yards and two TDs a year ago.
Defensively, the Tigers may be in a bit better shape off the bat with the return of linebacker Ariane McCree (6-2, 240, Sr.), the Tigs’ tackle leader (94 tackles, 48 solos, 14.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks) of a year ago;
Defensive back Ryan Griffin (5-11, 185, Sr.) returns after recording 62 tackles (30 solos), with 8.5 tackles for loss and a team-best three (3) interceptions for 123 yards and one pick six; Defensive end Javancy Jones (6-2, 230, So.), who had 54 tackles (26 solos), with 14 tackles for loss and five (5) sacks; and Linebacker Ted Terrell (6-2, 230, Jr.) who had a team high seven (7) sacks, along with 13.5 tackles for loss and 46 total stops.
Tiger special teams could be clutch too with kicker Ryan Deising (5-8, 170, Jr.) back after hitting 12 of 15 field goals and 33 of 35 PATs, along with punter Darcy Williamson (5-11, 180, So.) who averaged a nifty 41.9 yards per kick, while both return men – punt returner Canard Brown (5-11, 180, So., 8.4 return average) and kickoff returner Jarius Moore (5-11, 205, So., 17.2 average) – are back for action in 2014.
WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU heads south to Miami, Florida next Saturday (Sept. 6) to take on the University of Miami (7:00 p.m. ET) at Sun Life Stadium… JSU will host Virginia University at Lynchburg next week at Veterans Memorial (6:00 Central).
COACHSPEAK EARL HOLMES: “We are very excited about the team coming out of a really good training camp…. Our quarterbacks – Damien Fleming and Carson Royal – really stepped up in the offseason and are ready to lead the club… We are taking our time with Fleming coming off the injury, but there is no doubt he’s the top man… Royal has improved the last three weeks and has moved the team well, so well feel good about our chances if we went to him,” Holmes said during Tuesday’s press conference.
“The key to our improvement so far has been the addition of talent – transfers and high school players – which has given us quality depth, and that helps with your development as a team…. For us, the key is that we have to help each other out, the
“The adversity we experienced last year helped us grow as a team, and in many areas are more battle-tested than last year…
“I think we are bigger and stronger on the offensive line, and our entire team is better talent-wise thanks to the transfers and the freshmen we brought in.”
“Jackson State has a new coach (Harold Jackson), but they will be running a spread offense, and a 34 defense… It should be a good test for us out of the gate.”
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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