Chicago Classic is homecoming of sorts for AAMU's Jackson

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Tony Jackson thought his football career was over. After Alabama A&M completed spring practice, Jackson, who has longed for a career in acting, received a call about becoming an extra in "Good Deeds," one of Tyler Perry's upcoming movies also starring Gabrielle Union.

"I jumped all over it and decided I was done with football," he said. "I was going to pursue an acting career."

After completing the project in late July, Jackson, who graduated in May with a degree in exercise science, got a chance to talk with Perry. He encouraged him to finish his football career.

"He told me if I had a year left to play, I should go ahead and play," Jackson said. "He told me acting would always be there."

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Chicago Football Classic: MVSU Delta Devils 10, Alabama State Hornet 3

Mississippi Valley tips Alabama State 10-3

Chris Mitchell's pass floated through the evening sky toward Robert Childers. There was no time left to play Saturday night, and an announced crowd of 46,000 for the 12th annual Chicago Football Classic at Soldier Field collectively held its breath. Alabama State's Childers leaped high and got his hands on the ball. If he had come down with it, the Hornets could have sent the game to overtime. Instead, as the ball bounded away, Mississippi Valley State was a 10-3 winner in dramatic and improbable fashion.

The Delta Devils (1-2, 1-0 South Western Athletic Conference) had been outscored in their first two games 88-7. No wonder they charged the field and celebrated like they had just won a national title. "I couldn't watch the last drive," said Mississippi Valley quarterback Paul Roberts, who completed 20 of 34 passes for 210 yards and the game's lone touchdown. "One of my teammates standing next to me asked me what I was doing, and I said I didn't want to watch. After I heard my side cheering, that's when I knew it was good news."

Valley gets first win of the year

Paul Roberts threw for 210 yards and the game's only touchdown as Mississippi Valley State defeated Alabama State 10-3 here Saturday in the Chicago Football Classic. Roberts' 44-yard TD pass to Paul Cox with 9:53 remaining in the second quarter broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Delta Devils (1-2, 1-1 Southwestern Athletic) their first win of the season. Rahmod Traylor finished with 91 yards rushing for the Hornets (3-1, 0-1) who lost despite outgaining Mississippi Valley State 363-263 in offensive yards.

After the teams combined to score on three of their first five possessions, the game turned into a defensive struggle. Alabama state put together a solid drive in last two minutes, moving the ball 63 yards on nine plays, but Chris Mitchell's final pass fell incomplete and time ran out with the ball on Mississippi Valley State's 20-yard line.

Attendance: 42,600 @Soldier Field, Lake Forest, IL

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Southern University Dolls Cupid Shuffle, Chicago Classic 2007

Southern University Jaguars explode again

Quick score sparks Southern to victory

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

CHICAGO — Southern quarterback Bryant Lee is missing out. Kind of.

For the second straight week, he didn’t get to see wide receiver Gerard Landry mash a defender en route to a long score.

That’s OK with Lee. He heard the crowd react, and he can always watch the film. And, best of all, the Jaguars are on a nice early roll to their season.

That play, good for a 54-yard touchdown down the right sideline, sparked Southern to a 23-6 Southwestern Athletic Conference victory over Mississippi Valley State in the Chicago Football Classic on Saturday at Soldier Field.

“It was an explosive play,” said Lee, named the game’s offensive MVP after throwing for 206 yards and three touchdowns and running for another 38 yards. “I really couldn’t see it. I had to listen to the crowd’s reaction.”

Starting with that play, Southern (2-0, 1-0 SWAC), which is undefeated after two games for the second straight season, scored on four of five possessions to pull away.

“The play was very important,” said Landry, who blasted through four Florida A&M defenders on a 46-yard TD catch in a 33-27 win the week before. Lee didn’t see that one, either. “It just gave us that momentum. Other guys started making plays, and we started clicking.”

Sophomore Brian Threat, who ran for 69 yards all last season, ran for 106 yards on 11 carries and Del Roberts had 74 yards on seven catches.

“The defense held up for us in the first half, and we had to execute on the offensive side,” said Lee, who won his third straight start, getting MVP honors in all three.

Meanwhile, Southern’s defense did some soul-searching in the locker room for the second straight week, and again responded.

This time, after Valley (1-1, 1-1) closed to within 14-6 Paul Roberts’ 20-yard touchdown pass with 6 seconds before halftime, SU held Valley to 9 yards and one first down in the second half.

“I thought that was going to give us a lot of energy, but we just didn’t have enough in the second half,” Valley coach Willie Totten said. “I felt pretty good right there at the end of the half. I felt we were in the ballgame and we had a chance, but we were too flat in the second half and made too many mistakes. We’ve got some work to do.”
Maybe the missed extra point, glancing off the right upright, was a portent of disaster.

Or maybe the touchdown, like the way Southern gave up two deep scores to Florida A&M in the second quarter the week before, simply sparked the Jaguars defense, like how the game played out a week earlier.

“We gave away a free touchdown, but they told us to step up, make sure they don’t score again, and that’s what we did,” said SU defensive end Vince Lands, the game’s defensive MVP. “We came out to prove a point, and that’s what we did.”

The first 21 minutes were a bore, with the teams combining for nine punts and Southern freshman Josh Duran missing his first career field-goal try, a 37-yard attempt glancing off the right upright.

Then, Southern scored on consecutive touches, converting a big play and staging a long drive, to take control by halftime.

First, Lee hooked up with Landry for the 54-yard TD, with Landry trucking over Valley cornerback Pierre Marshall along the way for a 7-0 lead with 8:18 until halftime. Then Lee directed a 10-play, 85-yard march, finding wide-open running back Kendrick Smith for a 12-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 2:17 until halftime.

Roberts, despite an erratic first half, nevertheless led the Delta Devils on a 70-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes, connecting with Clarence Cotton on a 20-yard touchdown with 6 seconds before halftime. Jamie Whitworth hit the right upright with a PAT, leaving the score at 14-6.

Roberts was 4-for-4 for 43 yards, with his hookup to Cotton going for Valley’s longest play of the game, and ran for two first downs. Until then, he was 9-for-21 and once threw three incomplete passes with Valley taking over at the Southern 34-yard line late in the first quarter.

“We had a mental lapse,” Richardson said. “We work on that. (The defender) bit up, and the guy ran a beautiful route to the corner.”

The vice grip came in the second half.

SU punted on its first possession but then drove 51 yards for another Lee-to-Smith TD pass. And a 74-yard drive produced a 30-yard Duran field goal and a 23-6 lead a minute into the fourth quarter. The Jaguars then powered away, eating the clock with a dominating running game and holding Valley to no yards in the final quarter.

For the game, Valley had seven three-and-outs and punted 11 times.

“It was just pride,” Lands said. “(Defensive coordinator Terrence) Graves kept preaching to us, pride, Jaguar pride.”

So far, through two games, Southern has shown a defense and an offense that gets better as games progress. The Jaguars, off two straight losing seasons, want that to translate to the season picture as well.

“Just a little more (work), and we’ll be good,” Lee said.

Lagniappe
Southern’s charter flight left Baton Rouge at 6 p.m. Thursday but didn’t arrive until around 11 p.m. The team had to put down for a couple hours in St. Louis to wait out a rainstorm blasting Chicago. Neither team got on Soldier Field until before the game Saturday. Friday, Southern had a short walkthrough practice at Niles West High School, while Valley went through its walkthrough, without footballs, at its hotel, the Midway Marriott. SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp made his second straight Southern game. He caught the MEAC/SWAC Challenge a week earlier. Sharp also went to Thursday’s televised game, with Arkansas-Pine Bluff winning at Alcorn State. Valley coach Willie Totten asked Sharp before the game if a Howitzer, firing blanks, could be moved from his team’s sideline. No luck there, though.

Southern Jags roll before 49,872 at Soldier Field

BY CLYDE TRAVIS, Chicago Sun-Times

What began as a potential one-night stand has turned into a 10-year love affair between the city and the Chicago Football Classic.

The Classic annually has brought the atmosphere of black college football to Soldier Field. On Saturday, Southern University of Baton Rouge, La., and Mississippi Valley State, which were the original participants in the Classic, took the stage before a crowd of 49,872.

Southern won the first Classic 51-30 and the 10th as well with a 23-6 victory.

The Jaguars (2-0) took a 14-0 lead on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Bryant Lee to Gerard Landry with 8:18 left in the second quarter and on a 12-yard strike from Lee to Kendrick Smith six minutes later.

Mississippi Valley (1-1) drove 80 yards in nine plays and scored on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Paul Roberts to Clarence Cotton with six seconds left in the half.

Lee tossed his third touchdown pass, hitting Smith again from 20 yards out with 6:04 left in the third quarter. Josh Durant completed the scoring by nailing a 30-yard field goal with 14:09 left in the fourth quarter.

Lee, the game's offensive MVP, said he never was worried despite his team's slow start.

''Everything was perfect. It wasn't too hot, it wasn't too cold, we were playing at Soldier Field. It just took awhile for everyone to get on the same page,'' said Lee, a redshirt sophomore who completed 16 of 28 passes for 206 yards. ''The offensive line really was the key. They dug in and give me enough time.''

Southern rushed for 293 yards, 106 of them by Brian Threat.

The Jaguars' Vince Lands was named the game's defensive MVP

Two Chicago players played in the game: Harlan's Johey Hargrett of Mississippi Valley State and Homewood-Flossmoor product Sir-Edward Staten of Southern.

''It felt great to be home with family and friends and getting some of that home cooking,'' Hargrett said. ''This is a dream come true. Not many people get a chance to come back and play at Soldier Field.''

Defense tough for MVSU

Photo: SU Head Football Coach Pete Richardson

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Getting game tape on Mississippi Valley State was an absolute must for Southern’s coaching staff this week.

Why?

Because Valley has a new defensive coordinator in Dennis “Dirt” Winston and a host of junior-college transfers infused into that unit.

And that defense just shut down Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which is loaded with offensive talent (although rebuilding its offensive line), Saturday in Valley’s 16-9 victory.

“(The film) helped out a great deal, as far as personnel,” Southern coach Pete Richardson said.

UAPB coach Mo Forte said Tuesday he wished he’d have had the benefit of some film for his team’s preparation.

Martel Mallett (23 yards on five carries) went out with a strained quad. Mickey Dean (19 carries on nine yards) was ineffective. Quarterback Chris Wallace, the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, was 14-for-27 for 154 yards, getting sacked four times. And Valley recovered two fumbles.

“More than anything else, defensively, they really closed down Arkansas-Pine Bluff,” Richardson said. “They’re putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback. They’re bringing pressure from all over.

“I thought Valley did an outstanding job of scheming them. They played a lot of man-to-man coverage on the outside, put eight-man fronts on them and really dared them to throw the football.”

Valley’s defense held UAPB to a field goal in the second quarter and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Delta Devils stopped Dean for no gain on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line late in the third quarter and Jeremy Fisher for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-goal at the 4 early in the fourth quarter.

“Our defense rose to the occasion,” Valley head coach Willie Totten said. “That’s what we have to have, until our young offense matures.”

In December, in the wake of a disappointing 6-5 season, Totten let go defensive coordinator Sam Washington and linebackers coach Arthur Moore (along with offensive coordinator Roger Totten, who had volunteered in that role). That move came despite the Delta Devils finishing second in the SWAC in total defense (270.5 yards per game), third against both the run and the pass.

Totten now calls most of the offensive plays, with Winston running the defense.

Winston, a former great at linebacker for the University of Arkansas, won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the New Orleans Saints (and later rejoining the Steelers).

Winston came to Valley after working as the assistant coach/linebackers coach with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL in 2005-06.

Before that, he spent four seasons at Toledo and was the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Kentucky State in 2000. He also had stops at Arkansas (1997-98), Grambling (1992-94, ’95-97), Norfolk State (1994-95), Arkansas State (1989-92), Slippery Rock (1988-89) and Grove City College (1987-88).

“We’re more aggressive on defense now,” Totten said. “We’ve got guys who get after it.”

That’s how Richardson saw Valley on tape.

“They can run on defense,” Richardson said. “Their down linemen aren’t real big, but they stay after it, a lot of pressure, a lot of blitzing.”

Valley had been known for superb linebackers in the last few seasons, like 2005 Defensive Player of the Year and 2006 All-SWAC first-teamer Tyler Knight.

Knight finished last season, and the Delta Devils had to replace him among six to seven starters on defense.

“This is the first year we went the junior-college route,” Totten said. “We knew we had a lot of holes to fill.”

Valley, in particular, strengthened the line with end Fred Poole, tackle Robert Austin and end Issac Jones.

Junior nose tackle Ronald Green, a first-team All-SWAC selection last season and on The Sports Network’s preseason All-American third team this season, and senior cornerback Pierre Marshall, a preseason All-SWAC selection, are back.

“We really got in the Pine Bluff backfield a lot,” Totten said.

SU Coates bursts onto national TV

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Teammates kept gently chiming the ESPN SportsCenter theme music as they walked by.

It’s nice to be Southern’s Darren Coates these days. It’s real nice to be Southern’s Darren Coates after going 90 yards for a touchdown on the first offensive play in his first start.

The burst, up the middle of the line and down the right sideline, made ESPN’s nightly top 10 as well as a college football recap top 10 later.

The telephone calls started coming as the Jaguars rode home Saturday night after their 33-27 victory over Florida A&M in Birmingham, Ala.

“The coaches came to the back of the bus where I was and told me about it,” Coates said. “It was a very exciting moment for me.”

The play — as well as the SportsCenter recognition — was reminiscent of the way Southern started its magical 2003 season, with Ezra Landry taking the opening kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown in a 29-0 romp over Mississippi Valley State.

Sophomore quarterback Bryant Lee, in his third start, told Coates to score before the offense took the field.

“I guess he knew what the play was going to be,” Coates said. “He told me from jump, ‘I’m going to hand you the ball, and it’s up to you to take it to the house.’ We got good blocks by our offensive linemen. The hole was open, so I just had to make a move and take it to the house.”

SU coach Pete Richardson said the TD run for a young team coming off two losing seasons “kind of psyched them up.”

Coates, a senior, had totaled 119 yards and one touchdown last season. Those were his only career stats, and 52 of those yards and his only touchdown came in the season-ending Bayou Classic.

Saturday, Coates had 142 yards and two touchdowns, adding a 3-yard plunge for the go-ahead score midway through the third quarter, on just 10 rushes — 14.2 yards per carry. That one-game performance already bettered the best from last season, Kendall Addison’s 133 yards against Texas Southern.

Coates’ day confirmed the difference made by the combination of his offseason work, the jolt of confidence from the end of last season and the addition of first-year running backs coach Elvis Joseph.

Coates looked like a different back — in body type and in running style — in preseason camp, and the improvements showed Saturday.

“Only good things can happen for him if our offensive line can hold up without any major injuries,” Richardson said.

Powered by Coates, Southern totaled 238 rushing yards. That total is better than the season-best 236 in the win over Texas Southern last season.

What’s more, in the season opener a year ago, SU had 1 yard on 20 carries in a 30-29 victory over Bethune-Cookman College (and the Jaguars totaled 226 yards on 113 carries, never breaking 100 yards, in their first four games).

Ahead comes a big challenge.

Valley clamped down on two of the conference’s best running backs, Martel Mallett (23 yards on five carries) and Mickey Dean (19 yards on nine carries) in a 16-9 win Saturday.

The Delta Devils also made four sacks and recovered two fumbles.

Southern (1-0) faces Valley (1-0, 1-0 SWAC) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.

“They look to put everybody in the box (the area near the line of scrimmage), really like FAMU, with fast linebackers, bring it, push everybody to the ball,” Coates said. “So we have to bring the same intensity.”

SU Jaguars look for fast start in SWAC

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

After a 33-27 victory over Florida A&M on Saturday which Southern coach Pete Richardson called a “great shot in the arm,” the Jaguars are set to start Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

SU (1-0) plays Mississippi Valley State (1-0, 1-0 SWAC) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.

“It’s a conference game. It means more to us than last week, because we can’t afford to fall a game behind in our conference and expect to get back on top.

“Last year, we dug a hole and just couldn’t get out.”
Southern won its SWAC opener last season, 31-14 over Valley, but then lost four of its next five conference games. SU, picked as the preseason favorite in the Western Division, finished second to surprising Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Richardson’s point is well-taken, though. The Jaguars are 11-3 in conference openers under Richardson and have never won the SWAC after losing an opener (1996, 2000 and ’05).

The Jaguars have won five SWAC titles after winning 11 conference openers. Plus, though they did not win the SWAC while going 6-1 in conference play 1995, the Jaguars won the black college national title.























“The (intensity level) has to go all the way up, because now every game counts,” senior strong safety Glenn Bell said. “The FAMU game was significant for getting a good start, but now we’re talking about conference play. In this conference, if you lose one or two games, you’re basically out. We have to get off to a good start so we can be in the hunt.”

Valley, picked fourth in the Eastern Division, is coming off a 16-9 stunner over UAPB, the preseason pick to win the Western Division.

“I’m sure Mississippi Valley is going to be sky high after beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff,” said Richardson, whose team was picked third in the Western Division. “They’re excited. It’ll be a challenge for us.”

ESPNU adds GulfCoast
The Gulf Coast Classic, with Southern playing Alabama State at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Sept. 29 in Mobile, Ala., will be televised on ESPNU, the conference announced Wednesday.

The game remains scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff.
Duran Duran
What Southern saw in preseason camp played out in the season opener as true freshman kicker Josh Duran boomed kickoffs and punts.

Duran, a Class 4A All-State selection, averaged 42.3 yards per punt, 13th (of 116 teams) nationally. SU is also 12th nationally in net punting, at 39.2 yards per punt.

“When we had seen him, primarily we were after a field-goal kicker,” Richardson said. “That’s a plus for him. He can do both. He’s got good hang time now, and that gives our coverage an opportunity to get down and cover those punts and kickoffs. And that helps you out on defense.”

Duran made the transition from Division I-AA All-American Breck Ackley, who led the nation at 45.2 yards per punt last season, seem seamless.

“He did an outstanding job for his first start in college,” Richardson said.

What’s more, kickoffs have been moved back 5 yards, to the 30, so helping the coverage team is a must.

A big test comes Saturday.
Valley’s Clarence Cotton is third nationally in punt returns (19.3 yards per return) and tied for 10th in kickoff returns (29.3 yards per return).

“Cotton is a return guy who, any time he gets his hands on the ball, he can make things happen,” Richardson said. “When you look at Mississippi Valley, historically, they always have good special teams, especially return people who can make big plays. That has to be a concern, keeping them out of the end zone.”

Coach’s honors
Richardson named senior RB Darren Coates (142 yards and two TDs in his first career start), junior DE Vince Lands (four tackles, two pass breakups) — “he was relentless, we expected that,” Richardson said. and Duran (also 3-for-4 on PATs) as his players of the game for the FAMU victory.

Notes
SU senior WR Gerard Landry has caught a pass in 27 straight games. &hellip Richardson said sophomore Ronald Wade and senior Chad Harris likely will remain as punt returners. Wade fumbled and Harris muffed a return.