Defense comes up big for Grambling 22-7 win

GRAMBLING, LA — Grambling State's defense came up with one of its best performances in recent years Saturday despite struggling with penalties at times. And in the end the flags and the Alabama State Hornets (3-3, 3-3) weren't enough to stop the Tigers (4-1, 4-0) from lighting a victory cigar for the fourth consecutive week.

The defense wrapped the game up with one final stop as ASU quarterback Demetric Price dropped back on a fourth-down play from his own 28-yard line with about a minute remaining in the fourth quarter.

GRAMBLING STATE 22, ALABAMA STATE 7: Grambling humbles Hornets in SWAC

GRAMBLING, La. -- Zoltan Riazzo kicked three field goals and Anthony Carrothers accounted for a pair of touchdowns as Grambling State handed Alabama State its third consecutive loss on Saturday. The Tigers' freshman quarterback broke open a defensive struggle a minute into the fourth quarter when he hit Larry Donnell with a 4-yard touchdown pass for the game's final points and a 22-7 victory.

"I'm very disappointed," said Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow. "This is our third game in a row we've lost. Our defense played well enough to win this game. We had plenty of chances down in the red zone and couldn't score. We hurt ourselves with penalties and fumbles, especially in the first half when one of our fumbles killed a drive."

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Attendance: 4,360

Broadway, Grambling decide to get physical

Following last season, Rod Broadway knew he had to change something. Losing five games isn't quite the Grambling way. And, if it continued, Broadway, the school's fourth-year coach, might be looking for another job.

So, he instituted a more physical approach to practice. No more light practices with little or no tackling. Broadway made his players hit. "We are trying to change the way we play," he said. "I thought we were soft in some spots in the past." Through the first quarter of the 2010 season, Broadway has certainly proven one thing: his team isn't soft.

A&M hosts SWAC power for homecoming

Alabama A&M is not having the traditional cupcake for homecoming. Far from it. Instead of putting a lightweight opponent on the plate to ensure that the alums go home happy, A&M is facing the traditional power of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Grambling State.

When the Bulldogs take on Grambling at 3 p.m. Saturday in Huntsville, they will be playing a program that has won five of the past 10 SWAC championships and has a 13-3 all-time record against A&M.

Grounding Grambling

HUNTSVILLE, Al. - Under defensive coordinator Brawnski Towns, Alabama A&M has prided itself on stopping the run. Annually, the Bulldogs have been among the better teams against the run, not only in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, but in the nation and this season is no different.
Through four games, A&M is allowing just 76.5 yards rushing per game.

"We've played the run pretty well the whole season," Towns said. While the Bulldogs have been stingy against the run this season, they have yet to run across a team with...

Grambling game was 'start' for A&M's Mason

Alabama A&M quarterback Deaunte Mason got the most extensive playing time of his young career last season against Grambling and that performance propelled him into the starting lineup two weeks later.

Mason accounted for 229 yards in total offense and two touchdowns in A&M's 41-20 loss. He rushed for 122 yards on 11 carries, including a 66-yard touchdown jaunt in the first quarter that gave the Bulldogs an early 10-7 lead. Mason was 10-of-20 passing for 107 yards and a touchdown.

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'Sweet-Feet': Grambling, Frank Warren focused on running game

GRAMBLING, LA — You can't win the Southwestern Atheletic Conference Championship at the State Fair Classic, but you certainly can lose it.

In each of the last two seasons the winner of the annual matchup between Grambling State and Prairie View A&M has gone on to run the table in conference play, win the SWAC Western Division and win the SWAC Championship game in December. The loser of the game has never really had a chance to get back in the race, regardless of how well it played for the rest of the season.

GSU's Anthony cleared to 'exercise'

Grambling State defensive end Christian Anthony has been "released to do some exercising" on his own, six weeks after the 22-year-old senior suffered a heart attack. "He's doing much better," Grambling head coach Rod Broadway said. "It's just moderate exercising and we're telling him, 'don't overdo it.' We're just trying to get him well. Our main concern is he gets healthy."  Anthony, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive end, was dominant last season.

GSU's Warren fun to watch, a pain to play 

 In preparing for a key Southwestern Athletic Conference showdown against Grambling this week, Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones has spent more than a few minutes watching video of Frank Warren.

Upon closer inspection, he’d rather not watch it. Jones has decided he’s got a respectful kind of love-hate thing going on with Warren, the Tigers’ top tailback. As an objective judge of talent, Jones loves what he sees in Warren, a 5-foot-9, 200-pound tailback from Pleasant Grove, Ala., who’s off to a cheetah-like start this season.

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Prairie View hurt by fumble in 34-17 loss to Grambling State

DALLAS, TX — Penalties and a costly fumble doomed Prairie View A&M in a 34-17 loss to Grambling State in the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl. The Panthers, (1-3, 1-2 SWAC) were penalized seven times for 62 yards and fumbled inside the Tigers’ 5-yard line in the second half.

After a 17-yard pass from KJ Black to Shaun Stephens on the opening drive of the second half gave 
the Panthers a 17-14 lead, Prairie View was poised to score again on its next possession.
After Black hit Devin Brown for a 21-yard gain to the Grambling 3-yard line, Brown fumbled, killing the drive and any Prairie View momentum.

“It killed us,” Panthers head coach Henry Frazier III said. “We had the lead. We should have scored again. That was very devastating. That gave them the momentum.”



State Fair Classic: Big plays help Grambling State top Prairie View A&M

Grambling State used big plays in the second half to defeat Prairie View A&M, 34-17, at the State Fair Classic on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl. The Tigers avenged their loss from last year, their first in the series since 1986.

A 59-yard bomb from Anthony Carrothers to Kiare Thompson with 4:21 left put Grambling State up by 10 and sealed the Panthers' fate. Grambling State's Cornelius Walker scored on a 66-yard run with 1:24 remaining for the final score.

The Panthers' defense gave them a chance by stuffing Frank Warren on a fourth-and-1 at Prairie View's 14 with six minutes left and Prairie View down by a field goal. But Prairie View's drive consisted of an incompletion, a sack, a false start and a near-interception. Carrothers hooked up with Thompson on the following drive.

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Attendance: 43,754

State Fair Classic is SWAC predictor

The official SWAC Championship is played in Birmingham in December. But the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas might be the conference's true championship game.

The winner of the annual matchup between Grambling State and Prairie View A&M has gone on to win the SWAC's Western Division — and eventually, the conference championship — in each of the past two seasons. The loser has had to play out the rest of its season, fruitlessly hoping the other team will slip up and provide a path to the championship game.

Do-or-die game faces Prairie View at Cotton Bowl‎

Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III hardly knew what to say when addressing his team in a huddle after last weekend's 18-15 loss to Alabama State at Blackshear Stadium. The Panthers had just seen their nine-game home winning streak snapped. Their 15-game winning streak against Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents also went up in smoke. For Frazier, it was unfamiliar territory.

"It was hard to accept," Frazier said. "A part of me was like, 'Damn, we lost. What do I say?' I had to question myself (to see) if I was cut out to coach because I can't accept ...

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JSU Darkside defense anything but against G-men

GRAMBLING, LA. — Milton Patterson dropped his head and frowned as he walked into the locker room following Jackson State's 28-21 loss to Grambling State on Saturday night. JSU's starting inside linebacker didn't have an answer for all of those gaping holes in the run defense or for all of those missed tackles.

"Frustrated right now," he mumbled. "I can't even think about it."

Clearly, Patterson was still awestruck by it all - and that's before he saw the statistics. Jackson State allowed 379 rushing yards, the most by an opponent under coach Rick Comegy and defensive coordinator Darrin Hayes' five years at the school. A defense once dubbed the Darkside was anything but Saturday.

Defense bends for GSU, holds

GRAMBLING — Grambling State and Jackson State's matchup Saturday lived up to the all the hype of the SWAC rivals' sixth meeting in less than three calendar years. In the end, coach Rod Broadway's Tigers needed a little bit of everything junior defensive back David Stuckman had to offer to hang on for a thrilling 28-21 victory.

Jackson State junior quarterback Casey Therriault spotted Anthony Mayes breaking toward the left side of the end zone as he dropped back on fourth-and-2 from the Grambling 12-yard line with the clock winding down to less than 10 seconds.

Air Raid grounded

GRAMBLING, LA. — High-powered and having fun, quarterback Casey Therriault and Jackson State's Air Raid offense entered Saturday's game at Grambling State overflowing with a confidence that this program hadn't seen in nearly a decade. They left with bruises - the kind that'll take more than a night to fade away.

Behind a stiff rushing attack and a hard-hitting, ball-hawking, blitz-crazy defense, Grambling beat Jackson State 28-21 Saturday night, ending the team's euphoric start to the 2010 season with one pounding of a loss.

Grambling opens SWAC schedule

Grambling State head coach Rod Broadway wasn't pleased with the way his defense played early in the season opener against Louisiana Tech. However, the Tigers' defense stiffened after the opening quarter at Independence Stadium and has since had what must seem like an eternity to improve.

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GSU Tigers will host Jackson State on Saturday

GRAMBLING, LA — Grambling is still feeling the physical effects of its season-opening loss to Louisiana Tech. GSU had an open date on Saturday, and it appears the bye came at the right time, even if it is still very early in the season.

"We needed it because physically we had some guys that were banged up quite a bit," coach Rod Broadway said. "I'd have preferred to continue playing, but if we would have played last week we would have been without a number of players so I guess it came at a good time."

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GSU quarterback promising

SHREVEPORT, LA — Grambling might be lacking experience at quarterback, but if Saturday night's game against Louisiana Tech is any indication, the Tigers are not lacking talent. Tech defeated GSU 20-6, but even in defeat Grambling's Anthony Carrothers, making the start as a true freshman, showed flashes of being an explosive playmaker.

He completed 9-of-16 pass attempts for 86 yards and was intercepted once. He was also an elusive threat on the ground, gaining 39 yards (he ended the game with 14 net yards, having lost 25 yards on sacks).



Opening survivor: Bulldogs start fast, struggle but beat Tigers

SHREVEPORT — The question heading into Saturday night's Louisiana Tech-Grambling State game wasn't "Who is going to win?" The questions were "How good is Tech going to feel about its win, and how bad is Grambling going to feel about its loss?"

No disrespect to the Tigers, but they're probably the weakest team Tech will face this year. In turn, the Bulldogs are nowhere close to being...

Grambling loses 3 to injuries

The pomp and pageantry of college football was in full display on Saturday night in Shreveport's Independence Stadium with Grambling State University and Louisiana Tech University meeting for a historic first time.

Located just five miles, in the piney woods of Lincoln Parish, the schools have met in other sports but avoided the gridiron, where emotions can run to a fever pitch, for oh these many years. Fortunately for both schools, they picked a perfect fall night for the meeting that attracted one of the largest crowds either school will draw this season.

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Freshman emerges as Grambling's starting QB

GRAMBLING, LA — When Greg Dillon was denied a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA earlier this month, the quarterback race at Grambling State University became wide open.

Freshman Anthony Carrothers has emerged. Generously listed at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, the Independence High (Charlotte, N.C.) product will make his college debut at Independence Stadium on Saturday against Louisiana Tech in the Port City Classic. "He's just made plays," Grambling head coach Rod Broadway said Monday.

Carrothers threw for 4,028 yards and 36 touchdowns for Independence High (Charlotte, N.C.) last year. He finished high school with 10,775 passing yards, second in Mecklenburg County and state history behind former University of ...

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GSU Tigers opens with Port City Classic

Grambling's Rod Broadway seeks consistency from his team ‎

GRAMBLING, LA — Although the Grambling State football team has survived fall practices in decent shape and is now headed into game-week preparations, coach Rod Broadway isn't convinced his team is ready for the 2010 season. "We've done a lot of things good, but not good enough," Broadway said on Saturday. "We need more consistency in the things we're doing. We'll be good for a series and not-so-good for a series."

Not that the veteran coach is worried that his Tigers will be ready to play when they open the season against Louisiana Tech at 6 p.m. on Saturday in Shreveport's Independence Stadium against.

History awaits GSU, Louisiana Tech‎

Louisiana Tech University is just a Terry Bradshaw Hail Mary pass away from Grambling State University. And it's a good bet if the Grambling Tiger Marching Band tried hard enough it could rattle the walls at Tech's Cottingham Hall with the rhythm of its thunderous bass and vibrant horns.

But in the football world, the 3 miles that separates these campuses might as well have been 3 million. The schools have chosen to stay clear of each other on the gridiron. History will be made Saturday in Shreveport as the Port City Classic at Independence Stadium features the first battle between "good friends and good partners."



WHAT: Port City Classic
WHO: Grambling vs. Louisiana Tech
WHEN: Saturday, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Independence Stadium
TICKETS: $20-$32; $10 (Groups of 20 or more)

In the FCS Huddle: An uplifting return and a season in doubt

Amid the many wins and losses of a season - any season - we're so often reminded that the results take a bad seat to the people playing the game.

That has been demonstrated in the Football Championship Subdivision in recent days. Amid the many announcements of who's in at quarterback and who will or won't be available for the fast-approaching season-opening games came uplifting news from Princeton and sobering reality at Grambling State involving a pair of Tigers.

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Grambling updates on QB race and Anthony

GSU quarterback competition comes into focus

GRAMBLING, LA — After starting training camp with six candidates for its starting quarterback job, Grambling has narrowed the field to two. It may remain at two for the next few weeks, even as the Tigers start playing games. GSU opens its season on Sept. 4 against Louisiana Tech at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.

"We're not in a big rush to do that (name a starter)," Grambling head coach Rod Broadway said. "We'll let it play out, and it looks like it's Danny Reyes and Anthony Carruthers."

GSU"s Christian Anthony Isn't Expect Back

Grambling head coach Rod Broadway does not expect defensive end Christian Anthony will play at all in 2010. Anthony recently spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit at Northern Louisiana Medical Center after experiencing chest pains. Teammates said Anthony had a heart attack.

"I don't think so, personally," Broadway said. "I need to visit with him again, but I don't think so."

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Christian Anthony to Return to Campus Next Week

GRAMBLING, LA --- Christian Anthony, Grambling State University’s All-American defensive lineman who was recently admitted to the North Louisiana Medical Center for chest pains, is headed to his home state of Alabama for a few days after being treated and released by the medical facility in Ruston.

According to head football coach Rod Broadway, Anthony will return to the university next week for classes. He added that Anthony has not been cleared to return to the field, but says he remains a member of the team.

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Five burning questions for Grambling football

The Grambling State Tigers opened their fall camp on Saturday in preparation for the team's season opener on Sept. 4 against Louisiana Tech in Shreveport. The Tigers' camp, though, was somewhat overshadowed by the news on Friday that Grambling quarterback Greg Dillon's request for a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA was denied.

"I see this as one of the unfortunate and, to an extent, tragic times when a rule that was created to keep universities from abusing the system penalized the courage of a young man to play through pain," Grambling athletic director J. Lin Dawson wrote in an e-mail to The Times. "In the last five years, Greg has played on two years, and we fought to get him another year in which I believe he deserves."

The quarterback question looms over Grambling's fall camp.

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GSU defense is no one-man show

Christian Anthony gets all the headlines for the Grambling defense, and rightfully so. The Tigers' star defensive end is the reigning SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, and is expected to take the award home again this year. Last season, Anthony had 76 total tackles (55 solo), 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks, five interceptions, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.

But there's more to Grambling's defense than just Anthony. One player who is extremely effective, but doesn't get as much recognition, is defensive end Kendall Robinson. Robinson had seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season, and along with Anthony, he creates a formidable tandem for the GSU front four. "He's not as flashy as Christian, but he's started for us for four years," Grambling head coach Rod Broadway said. "He doesn't get nearly enough due."

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BEST DEFENSE: Grambling football heads to fall camp with offensive uncertainty

The Grambling football team reports for fall camp Friday, and on Saturday the Tigers will hold their first training camp practice in preparation for the 2010 season. The team is in a familiar position, but not necessarily a comfortable one. The Tigers have some uncertainty at quarterback but should be strong on defense. It's the same situation the team faced in 2008, when incumbent quarterback Brandon Landers was ruled ineligible just weeks before the start of training camp.

Greg Dillon eventually won the starting job vacated by Landers, and while Dillon and the GSU offense worked out the kinks, the defense paved the way to an 11-2 overall record and a SWAC Championship. Now Dillon's eligibility is up in the air, and Grambling might need to follow the same script if it is going to challenge for a conference title in 2010.

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Grambling State locals honored for contributions

The Monroe-Ouachita Chapter of the Grambling State University National Alumni Association will host its eighth annual Evening with the GSU Athletic Department tonight at the Monroe Civic Center. Athletics Director Lin Dawson and head football coach Rod Broadway are expected to be on hand to discuss the upcoming season, and a selection of local alumni will be honored for their contributions to GSU: James "Shack" Harris, Delles Howell, Lee Fobbs.

The event begins at 6 p.m. in the Fort Miro Room, with a silent auction beginning at 5:30 p.m. Admission is $10. Door prizes will be given away, including Bayou Classic tickets and GSU football season tickets. Ezzard Burton, a former president of the Monroe-Ouachita Chapter, said the event drew a crowd of about 180 last year and raised about $4,000 for GSU athletics. He hopes for a turnout of over 200 this year.

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When it comes to rogue agents, Grambling's coach makes Saban look soft on crime

As Nick Saban demonstrated and advocated at SEC Media Days, name-calling and license-revoking are two ways to deal with agents and their minions who don't play by the rules. Grambling State University coach Rod Broadway, a former Florida assistant, favors a tougher approach.

Blindfolds and cigarettes. Then lock and load.

"No. 1, they should put 'em all in front of a firing squad, then shoot their ass, if you catch guys doing that stuff," Broadway said Tuesday at SWAC Media Day in Birmingham. "Because that's wrong.



Coach Broadway comments are at the 2:45 mark.

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Grambling's Anthony isn't buying the early hype

In what is almost certain to be the least surprising announcement of the Southwestern Athletic Conference's 2010 football season, Grambling's Christian Anthony was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday.

In addition to Anthony's honor, a poll of conference coaches, media, and selected sports information directors predicted Grambling to finish the 2010 season in the same spot as the Tigers finished in 2009 — second in the Western Division and left out of the SWAC Championship. Prairie View A&M, the defending SWAC Champion, was picked to finish ahead of Grambling in the West. "Prairie View is No. 1, and right now Prairie View is the team to beat," Anthony said.

"They came out last year and defeated us, and right now we're chasing glory, and that's a situation you love to be in."

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Grambling State Broadway meets the fans, talks football

Grambling State football coach Rod Broadway isn't shy about telling you his dislike of putting Football Bowl Subdivision schools on his nonconference schedule. The Tigers have played the likes of Nevada and Oklahoma State lately, and while the university gets an added financial benefit to play in the games, the Tigers have been dealt lopsided losses with numerous injuries.

Broadway used this argument as his push to get more fans in the stands for football games when he spoke at Lake Bethlehem Baptist Church for the Shreveport leg of the GSU sports caravan Thursday night. "If we sold our home games out, we don't have to play teams like Oklahoma State," Broadway said to about 50 members of the Shreveport alumni chapter. "The Oklahoma States have 22 more scholarships than we do. That's just not fair."

Grambling State University

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Anthony's decision boosts GSU's hopes‎

GRAMBLING, LA — As Grambling's Black and Gold Spring Game was wrapping up last Saturday, so was the final day of the 2010 NFL Draft. GSU defensive end Christian Anthony very well could have heard his name called in the draft had he chosen for forego his final year of eligibility with the Tigers. But his mother had other plans. "The first thing I did after the Bayou Classic was I sat down and talked with my mom, and we had a little discussion," Anthony said. "She wanted me to finish school, and then go on from there. What's another six or seven months?"

Grambling State’s star defensive end Christian Anthony (#90) chose to forego the NFL Draft and return to GSU for his senior year to graduate.

It sounds like Anthony's motivations for returning for his senior year extend beyond academics. He also wants to finish his athletic career on a high note. He was a key player on a GSU defense that paved the way to a SWAC championship in 2008, but the Tigers had a disappointing 2009 season, including mid-season loss to Prairie View A&M that essentially knocked the Tigers out of title contention. "That's all I need is motivation," Anthony said. "There's always motivation, especially with Prairie View." At 6-foot-3 and 277 pounds, Anthony certainly looks the part of an NFL draft pick.

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