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Showing posts with label Alabama State University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alabama State University. Show all posts
Kejuan Riley Walter Camp FCS All-America Team 6-1/208 Jr. Free Safety Hometown: Wetumpka, Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Alabama State free safety Kejuan Riley added to his 2011 honors Friday by being named to the Walter Camp FCS All-America team.
Riley, a junior from Wetumpka, had career highs in tackles (75) and interceptions (nine), while tying a career-high in passes defended with 13. Riley's nine interceptions ranked second in the FCS this season and his 17 career interceptions are tied for the most in ASU history.
Riley also has been named first-team All-SWAC and first-team All-America by Boxtorow HBCU, College Sports Madness and College Sporting News.
Montgomery, Alabama -- The Turkey Day Classic wouldn't be a classic without some drama.
Alabama State put together its best first half of the season, then withstood a furious second-half rally before scoring late to hold off Tuskegee 30-21 in front of 18,587 fans at Cramton Bowl on Thursday.
For the Golden Tigers (4-6), it was a missed opportunity to avoid their first losing season since 2003. For Alabama State (8-3), it was a chance to snap a two-game losing streak in the series and end the season on a positive note after two late-season losses ruined its hopes of playing in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game.
"This was our Super Bowl," ASU senior tailback Tim Clark said. "We don't get to go to the SWAC Championship (Game), so we wanted to come out with a good effort and finish strong."
Montgomery, Alabama -- It was there for the taking. But it was Southern, not Alabama State, that took it. The Hornets followed the formula that had spelled success all season. They forced four turnovers, they brought in the injured Greg Jenkins at quarterback to provide the spark. They even got 92 yards rushing from tailback Tim Clark.
But while Jackson State was demolishing Alabama A&M 34-6 -- giving ASU a berth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game provided they won -- the Jaguars were weaving their own brand of voodoo magic.
Alabama State highlights vs. Southern University: Nov. 12, at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. Watch game highlights and postgame interview with ASU coach Reggie Barlow. (Video courtesy ASU)
And when Brian McCann landed in the end zone from a yard out with nine seconds left, it was Southern, not Alabama State, that pulled out a 26-23 victory on Saturday afternoon in front of 8,255 stunned fans at the Cramton Bowl.
"It hurts," said Jenkins, who sparked the Hornets to 16 fourth-quarter points. "I'm ready to play right now, just to get that bad taste out of my mouth."
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The moment of truth was at hand. Moments earlier, in what looked like another trademark collapse, the Southern football team fizzled on offense, made too many late mistakes on defense and gave away a fourth-quarter lead to Alabama State.
But before freshman quarterback J.P. Douglas led the Jaguars to a game-winning touchdown with 9 seconds left in a 26-23 thriller at the Cramton Bowl, he and his teammates had a short meeting with coach Stump Mitchell on the visitors sideline. So many times, the Jaguars had been in this spot before. So many times, they caved under pressure.
“Coach told us we needed to come together as an offense,” Douglas said. “He told us, remember all the times that we lost the close ones. Win this close one.’ “ They did. Southern took over at its own 27-yard line with 2:59 remaining.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Suspended two weeks for his role in a postgame brawl, Southern linebacker Jamie Payton was despondent. In losing his cool at the wrong time, he’d prevented himself from doing the one thing he loved most: playing football.
So when Payton returned Saturday in the Cramton Bowl, he played with passion. He tried to get the most out of every snap in a 26-23 upset win against Alabama State. It showed.
Though Payton and the Jaguars defense were sloppy in the fourth quarter, they made enough key plays to help Southern win - and for much of the sunny, mild afternoon, Payton was anything but mild. He led the charge, finishing with a team-high 10 tackles to go along with an interception and a 48-yard fumble return.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Last week, Southern football coach Stump Mitchell said he planned to use freshman J.P. Douglas as his starting quarterback for the rest of the season. He changed his mind, starting sophomore Dray Joseph when the team faced Alabama State in the Cramton Bowl on Saturday.
Before long, it didn’t matter. Out of necessity, Douglas came in - and that turned out well for Southern, which scored with 9 seconds left to top the Hornets 26-23.
Joseph suffered a concussion in the second quarter when, after throwing an incomplete pass, his smacked the hard artificial turf. He eventually returned to the visitor’s sideline and watched the game in warmups. Joseph completed seven of 16 passes for 72 yards before his exit.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - It was a formula the Alabama State Hornets have used all season. Force turnovers on defense that lead to big plays on offense. Give up yards, but not points. Alabama State played the same card for the eighth time in 10 games. This time, the formula didn’t work.
Brian McCain’s 1-yard touchdown run with nine seconds left gave Southern an improbable 26-23 victory over the Hornets at the Cramton Bowl on Saturday afternoon. Improbable because the Hornets had scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to shake off a sluggish start. Improbable because the defense, one of the nation’s best at forcing turnovers, had forced three fumbles and intercepted a pass, doing its job to secure another victory.
Stunned as the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Hornets wept openly on the sideline and in their locker room, unable to figure out how they lost not only the game but quite possibly the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division title as well.
GAME: Southern University Jaguars at Alabama State University Hornets WHEN: Saturday, November 12, 2011, 1:00 PM CT Venue: Cramton Bowl (19,500), Montgomery, Alabama Records: SOUTHERN (3-6, 3-4 SWAC); ALABAMA STATE (7-2, 7-1 SWAC) Radio: WVAS-FM 90.7, Jonathan Spells (play-by-play), Tony Fleming (analyst), Robb Taylor (sidelines), Jay Holcey (studio) INTERNET STREAMING VIDEO - Bamastatesports.comWVAS-FM 90.7 Live VideoLive Audio 2011 Alabama State Football Media Guide
THE GAME: The Alabama State Hornets will play their final conference game of the 2011 season when they host the Southern Jaguars. Saturday is the Black Out Game, and the Hornets are encouraging all fans to wear black. Saturday is also the Military Salute Game as we thank those who protect our freedom.
THE SERIES: Southern leads the series over the Hornets, 23-10. Last season, Alabama State ended a four-game losing streak to the Jaguars, winning in Baton Rouge 21-19. The teams have met twice in the SWAC Championship Game, with SU winning 20-9 in 2003, and Alabama State winning the title
game rematch, 40-35 in 2004.
LAST TIME OUT: Alabama State got back on the winning track, winning at Arkansas-Pine Bluff 28-12. Southern lost at Texas Southern, 29-15.
DE JA VU ALL OVER AGAIN?: For the second consecutive season, the Hornets enter their final SWAC game of the season with a possible SWAC Eastern Division title on the line. Last season, Alabama State’s win at Southern, combined with Alcorn State’s loss at Prairie View, clinched the East Title for the Hornets. This season, the scenario is similar. To win the East, Alabama State must
defeat Southern AND have Alabama A&M lose to Jackson State. If both the Hornets and Bulldogs win this week, AAMU must lose at Prairie View next Saturday for Alabama State to win the East.
SWEET HOME ALABAMA: The Hornets will play their final games of the 2011 season in the state of Alabama with home games this week vs. Southern and Tuskegee in the Turkey Day Classic Nov. 24. If the Hornets advance to the SWAC Championship, they would play in Birmingham’s Legion Field.
POLL POSITIONS: The Hornets moved back into the Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25, coming in at No. 23. Alabama State maintained its No. 2 position in the Urban Sports News Poll, while moving up in several other polls. The Hornets moved up one spot to third in the Heritage Sports
Radio Network poll, one spot to fourth in the Boxtorow.com Media Poll, and one spot to fifth in the Sheridan Broadcasting Network Poll.
NOTABLES
• The Hornets rushed for a season-high 149 yards against the Golden Lions,
the most by ASU since rushing for 212 yards vs. Alabama A&M on 10/30/10.
• RB Tim Clark posted career highs in rushes (10), rushing yards (106) and
touchdowns (three), becoming the first Hornet RB to top the century mark
since Andrew Pitts vs Alabama A&M on 10/30/10 (6-122).
• With three takeaways against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the Hornets have forced
at least one turnover in 28 straight games (76 takeaways over that time: 31
fumbles/45 INTs).
• SS Markinley Saint Fort made career highs in total tackles (13), solo tackles
(10) and made his first career interception.
Baton Rouge, La. — Take a look around Southern University, and you'll see all the telltale signs. Grass is changing colors. Leaves have started to vanish. Short-sleeve shirts are the next to go. Football season is almost over, and on The Bluff, it's been mostly long and disappointing.
At 1 p.m. Saturday in Montgomery, Ala., when the Jaguars (3-6, 3-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference) face Alabama State in the Cramton Bowl, they'll be heavy underdogs against a strong, balanced team that's very much in the hunt for a SWAC title.
It's a meeting of two teams who have essentially traded places. A decade ago, Southern was one of the premier teams in black College Football; Alabama State was little more than an also-ran.
In fact, only two years ago, Hornets coach Reggie Barlow felt his seat getting a little warm. His program was dealing with scholarship losses and a ban from the SWAC Championship Game — just as Southern is now. Now, Alabama State is a powerhouse. Southern is an also-ran.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Alabama State entered today's 70th annual Magic City Classic as the No. 1 team in black college football. When the new polls come out Monday, Alabama A&M may find itself there. The Bulldogs, behind the play of running back Kaderius Lacey, an inspired defense and a couple of huge special teams plays, knocked off the Hornets 20-19 before an announced crowd of 66,473 at Legion Field.
"I'm very proud of my football team," said A&M coach Anthony Jones, who ran his record to 8-2 against Alabama State. "We had to come up with a terrific effort to beat the No. 1 team in black college football and we did that. "We punished them running the football and jumped out on top. Our defense took over after that, but they made some plays, but we were able to hang on for the victory."
A&M, which has won six straight games after starting 0-2, improved to 6-2 overall and 5-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division. Alabama State fell to 6-2 and 6-1. It was the Hornets' first loss since a 14-7 setback at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 10.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The question isn't if Kaderius Lacey is hurting today. The question is where isn't Kaderius Lacey hurting today. However, as the lights surrounding Legion Field dimmed and the party outside the venerable stadium shifted into high gear early this evening, the Alabama A&M junior running back didn't feel much of anything. Other than pure elation.
"I have so much adrenaline right now," said Lacey, "it's all good."
Speaking of which, so are the Bulldogs, who defeated rival Alabama State 20-19 at the 70th Magic City Classic in front of a crowd announced at 66,473, although it required the usual educated guesswork given the tens of thousands roaming Graymont Avenue and beyond.
The 6-foot, 230-pounder was the primary mover and shaker in sending everyone in A&M maroon home happy in this de facto for-first-place-in-the-SWAC-East game, dishing out continual blunt force trauma on the Hornets defense.
BIRMINGHAM -- Nick Andrews did all he could to win the 70th Magic City Classic, but it wasn't enough. Andrews, the senior from Maplesville, who hasn't dazzled fans in his past three games with Alabama A&M, put on a spectacular show for the 66,473 fans at Legion Field, hauling in nine passes for 134 yards.
The nine catches were one shy of his single-game high and marked the fifth time this season he has recorded nine of more receptions in a game. His 134-yard performance was his third-best showing this season, but it was enough to help him pass head coach Reggie Barlow on the school's career receiving yardage mark.
Andrews now has 187 receptions for 2,563 yards and 26 touchdowns. All three are school records.
BIRMINGHAM -- Alabama State senior defensive tackle Kynjee Cotton walked around in circles for several minutes outside the locker room, trying to get his emotions in check after a gut-wrenching 20-19 loss to Alabama A&M here Saturday afternoon. He talked softly, paused a few seconds and tried to find just the right words.
"It's tough," he said. "For the last four years to work this hard and to come this close, no words can describe it."
The Hornets, ranked No. 1 in all three of the Black College Football national rankings, had their six-game winning streak snapped and fell to 6-2 overall, 6-1 in the SWAC. More importantly, they lost to A&M for the sixth time in the past seven years in the Magic City Classic.
Best way to revive Legion Field's glorious past -- Fill the stands with Magic City Classic fans. Fill the air with delicious smells of food. For two days a year -- don't forget the BBVA Compass Bowl -- the Old Lady on Graymont looks to be in her prime again.
Best homecoming -- Kaderius Lacey grew up in Calera and came back to Birmingham, leaving Legion Field with the Offensive MVP trophy after bulling his way for nearly 200 yards rushing. Best way to end the Magic City Classic -- How do you top a day of tailgating, barbecuing, good football and greater marching bands? With a postgame concert that drives away the funk on a chilly night.
Prairie View, Texas - Prairie View A&M came back to earth a bit with Saturday's 20-7 loss to conference rival Alabama State.
The Panthers (4-3, 4-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) saw their three-game winning streak end under a mountain of missed opportunities. They outgained Alabama State 456-296 in total yards but committed three turnovers and missed three field goals. Prairie View also came up empty on four fourth-down attempts, including three inside the red zone.
However, there were some bright spots. The Panthers moved the ball consistently on offense, and the defense had a solid performance. Freshman running back Fred Anderson rushed for 101 yards on 20 carries, becoming the first PV player to top the century mark this year.
Montgomery, Alabama -- It's a formula that continues to work for 24th-ranked Alabama State.
Nick Andrews hauled in a touchdown pass from Greg Jenkins and the defense forced three turnovers to help ASU remain unbeaten in conference play with a 20-7 victory over Prairie View A&M on Saturday at Cramton Bowl.
Saturday's game pitted the top teams in each division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference in what could be a preview of the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 10.
"It's a championship-caliber game, the best team in the West and the best team in the East clashing," Jenkins said. "Both teams have great defenses, so you can't really expect a high-scoring game."
Jenkins completed 12 of 31 passes for 215 yards, throwing one touchdown pass and running for another as the Hornets (6-1) improved to 6-0 in SWAC play.
Montgomery, Alabama -- Tyrone Leavett, a former standout player with the Notasulga Blue Devils and the Alabama State University Hornets, was a recent first-round draft choice of the London Lightning of the National Basketball League (NBL) of Canada.
Leavett’s 1998-2002 collegiate career with the Hornets saw him finish as the 11th leading scorer in the history of the ASU program with 1,552 points. He also had 944 rebounds, made 83 three-point shots, and hit 74 percent (477-641) of his free throws. He started 115 of the 118 games he played in over the course of his career.
He was a member of the first ASU squad to win a Southwestern Athletic Conference outright. Leavett has spent the past several years playing in Europe and was the third overall pick in the first round. “Hearing my name called Sunday night during the draft was ...
HOUSTON, Texas -- A 21-point third-quarter keyed by special teams propelled Alabama State to a 43-29 win over Texas Southern in a wild Southwestern Athletic Conference shootout at Delmar Stadium in a rematch of last season's SWAC Championship Game. [Stats]
The Hornets (5-1 overall, 5-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) are off to their best start since the 2005 season and scored 30+ points for the fourth time this season, all victories.
"It's a huge win for us," head coach Reggie Barlow said. "There's so much parity in this league and we have other teams on the East that are winning and having success. It's going to come down to the wire. A team that has no losses or one loss is the team that has the best chance to go to the SWAC Championship."
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --- About 1,600 aluminum bleachers along Legion Field's north end zone are ripped out and will be replaced with luxury suites in time for the stadium's largest sporting event later this month.
Work is under way to install new covered seating just weeks before the Magic City Classic. The annual matchup between Alabama A&M and Alabama State universities draws 60,000 to 70,000 inside the stadium and thousands more outside. This year's game will be Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m.
Mayor William Bell said the seating upgrade is part of an effort to make the 84-year old stadium palatable to tenants, including the Classic, the BBVA Compass Bowl and the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.
"Shortly after I came into office in 2010 we had meetings with representatives of ESPN, BBVA Compass, SWAC, UAB, Alabama A&M and Alabama State to discuss the condition of Legion Field and its appearance for the various events we had out there," Bell said. "We made a commitment at that time we would make the facility more friendly for hospitality."
MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Alabama State opens October at home when the Hornets host Alcorn State Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Cramton Bowl.
"I think these guys have put in the work this week," head coach Reggie Barlow said of his team's preparation. "Friday is really a jog-through day for us. Spirits are good and they have good energy. Guys seem to be pretty relaxed. We'll meet later tonight and get them ready for tomorrow."
The Hornets have started strong this season with a 3-1 record to begin the 2011 season. The September schedule had Alabama State on the road three times and ASU will play just its second home game Saturday night.
"We've been gone for a while, to only have one home game to start after traveling to Mississippi (twice) and Michigan," Barlow said. "It's going to be good for us to be back at home. We know our fans will come out, support us and give us good energy and hopefully our guys will feed off of that."
Jackson, MS - Casey Therriault threw a whopping six interceptions and Alabama State, despite gaining just 227 yards, beat Jackson State for a second straight year, dishing the Tigers a hurtful blow in its hopes of winning a black national championship.
Jackson State, 3-1 and entered ranked No. 1 in some black college polls, suffered its first loss of the season despite gaining 487 yards. The Tigers committed seven turnovers. They have now had 17 in the last three games and 19 for the season.
JACKSON, Miss. - LB Leland Baker's interception with nine seconds remaining sealed Alabama State's 21-14 win at Jackson State Saturday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Baker's interception at the Alabama State 28-yard line was the seventh takeaway by the Hornets (3-1 overall, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference), who have won six consecutive SWAC games dating back to last season.
“We're excited,” head coach Reggie Barlow said. “We told our guys it was going to be a championship-type game against a really good team on the road. We came in and played hard and I'm proud of them.”
Jackson State (3-1, 1-1) was limited to only 14 points, 21 below its season average.
TTA BENA, Mississippi -- Nick Andrews caught a career-high 10 passes for 104 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as Alabama State defeated Mississippi Valley State 41-9 in the season opener for both teams at Rice-Totten Stadium.
Alabama State (1-0, 1-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference) trailed 6-0 early before the offense got in gear. QB Greg Jenkins threw three first-half touchdown passes to Andrews, whose explosive night moved him up the Hornets' career receiving charts.
"It was the first-game jitters," head coach Reggie Barlow said of his team's slow start. "You never know how these guys will come out and play in the first game. We got off to a slow start, but once we got settled in and started playing, we played the way we know we can play. We were able to score some points and we're excited about that."
Montgomery, AL - Alabama State players and coaches were understandably dejected when they left Legion Field last December after losing a hard-fought defensive struggle to Texas Southern in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game. But there was a silver lining as well.
Ten starters were set to return, and an incoming recruiting class would give the Hornets a level of talent and depth they haven't had in several years. That was before academic casualties and disciplinary action left the Hornets starting over, looking for starters at several positions, most notably at linebacker.
"We were young last year," defensive coordinator Cedric Thornton noted. "It was a young group of guys and a brand new system, so they had to adapt and catch it on the fly. We're basically in the same situation, the only difference is I have a good core group that has been in the system two years and they understand what's going on."
Montgomery, AL - The Alabama State University women's and men's golf teams have started preparations for the fall portion of the 2011-12 season.
Last season was one of many firsts for the women's team. Among the accomplishments, the team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship, earning an NCAA Tournament berth, as well as capturing the National Minority Collegiate Tournament championship.
The men's team continued to knock on the championship door, finishing second in the SWAC for the third straight year and finishing sixth at the PGA Minority Championship.
"Last year was a transition year to where we are going as a program," fifth-year head coach Gary Grandison said. "I'm excited about this year and optimistic about where we are headed."
Montgomery, AL - It didn't take two practices for Reggie Barlow to figure out his starting quarterback for the 2011 season. It might take a little longer to choose the backup.
Barlow said he wanted to wait on the start of preseason practice to name a starter in order to give last year's starter, Devin Dominguez, a chance to win his position. Dominguez, a star pitcher for the Hornets' baseball team, missed the spring under new offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss, then returned home to Indiana for the summer.
"Basically, it comes down to just playing football," Dominguez said. "All concepts are similar in the passing game. There are a lot more reads in the running game, but I'm coming along better than I thought. I thought I would be completely lost."
Dominguez started his career as a tight end and receiver for the Hornets, but...
Montgomery, AL - Alabama State athletic director Stacy Danley opened Monday's news conference with a simple declaration. "The transformation continues," he said.
And with that, the Hornets introduced Penny Lucas-White as the program's new volleyball coach, taking another step in the school's goal to be competitive in the Southwestern Athletic Conference as well as an annual participant in NCAA postseason play.
The spirit of optimism echoed the news conference in June announcing Mervyl Melendez as the Hornets' baseball coach. Monday's gathering showcased a program coming off its finest season in SWAC competition that now has its sights set still higher.
The newly signed $8 million dollar man,
Tarvaris Jackson is expected to be the
starting QB for the Seattle Seahawks.
RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says he expects Tarvaris Jackson to be the team's starting quarterback when it opens the season. Carroll made the pronouncement Saturday morning during his first media availability of training camp.
Jackson signed a two-year deal with the Seahawks on Friday. He watched Saturday's practice in shorts and a T-shirt, unable to participate in camp until next Thursday due to rules established in the new collective bargaining agreement.
Carroll says Jackson's familiarity with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell gave the newcomer the edge. Jackson and Bevell worked together in Minnesota from 2006-10. READ MORE
The Seahawks have reached an agreement on a contract with quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, according to a league source. Jackson played the past five seasons in Minnesota, which chose him in the second round of the draft.
Terms of the deal are not known, and he can't sign a contract until Friday, which is the first day transactions may be filed with the league. Jackson, 28, played in Minnesota under Darrell Bevell, who was hired to be Seattle's new offensive coordinator.
The Seattle Seahawks agreed to a deal with Tarvaris Jackson following the news that free-agent quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will not return to Seattle this season, multiple sources told ESPN. Hasselbeck will turn 36 in September. His prior contract was signed before the start of the 2005 season and was followed by him leading the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance.
According to the sources, Jackson's deal is for $8 million over two years, an indication he was brought in to compete for the starting job. His contract matches that of current Seahawks quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, who signed a two-year, $8 million contract after being acquired in a trade before last season.
Jackson, Minnesota's second-round pick in 2006, would appear to have an edge in the competition because he has played for current Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell when they were both a part of the Vikings.
