Doug Williams reflects on Grambling's strong finish

BASTROP, Louisiana -- When Thomas Wolfe wrote the famous line, “You can never go home again,” in his 1929 novel, ‘Look Homeward, Angel,’ he obviously hadn’t met Doug Williams.

Now in his third stint at Grambling, Williams keeps coming back to his alma mater. A former Tigers’ quarterback who went on to NFL stardom, Williams recently completed his first season of his second term as the school’s head football coach. To Williams, the words of his mother, Laura Williams, ring more true than Wolfe’s literary quotation.

“I never said I wouldn’t come back home, but I never thought I would be here for a second run (as head coach),” Williams admitted Thursday night while attending a function of the Morehouse chapter of Grambling State University Alumni at the Bastrop Municipal Center. “My momma always said, ‘Mysterious things happen.’”

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NFL roommates reunite in game for SWAC crown

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - More former Washington Redskins might turn their attention on Birmingham, Ala., this weekend than they have in some time.

Anthony Jones and Doug Williams, teammates for the Super Bowl XXII champions, will lead Alabama A&M and Grambling, respectively, into Saturday's SWAC title game.

The meeting will be the coaches' first at Legion Field since Williams' Tigers' 31-19 defeat of Jones in his first season with the Bulldogs. GSU also defeated Alabama A&M, 45-6, for the 2005 crown during the break between Williams' coaching tenures.

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SWAC championship game: AAMU Bulldogs aim to seize the day against GSU Tigers

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Willie Fuller, one of eight seniors on Alabama A&M's football team, delivered the message Saturday afternoon. During a team meeting after practice, Fuller and the rest of A&M's seniors told their teammates don't let the opportunity ahead pass them by.

The opportunity is a chance to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship. 

A&M (8-3) will take on Grambling (7-4) in the title game Saturday at Birmingham's Legion Field. Kickoff is noon, and the game will be televised on ESPNU and can be heard on 90.9 FM.

"We reminded everybody that this is a great opportunity and not to take it for granted," said Fuller, A&M's leading tackler with 75. "We're in the championship game and we need to take advantage of this opportunity."

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GSU, Alabama State still very similar

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- A college football team from Louisiana will meet a college football team from Alabama for the second time this season with a championship on the line.

The difference is this game will be played in Alabama and is for the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship instead of the national crown.

"I don't know that I can speak to that one (the BCS National Championship Game between LSU and Alabama)," said Grambling coach Doug Williams, whose team faces Alabama A&M on Saturday at noon.  "The rematch here is a championship game and it's the best place for it to be, like the other schools from Louisiana and Alabama. I'd rather take this one than a regular-season matchup."

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Turnout for Bayou Classic smallest in history

NEW ORLEANS — This year’s meeting between Grambling and Southern was hardly the most exciting in the 38-year history of the Bayou Classic.

Maybe the fans knew something beforehand. Only 40,175 of them filed into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to watch Grambling pound Southern in the second half for a 36-12 win Saturday.

It was the smallest crowd in Bayou Classic history, and a far cry from 2000-04, when the average attendance was 70,198. The previous low was set last season, when 43,494 people came to the Superdome to watch the Jaguars lose 38-17 and finish with a 2-9 record, the worst in school history.

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2011 Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands: 'World Famous' Grambling State Tigers vs. Southern University Human Juke Box

Videographer: Realwidit5's








Videographer: garrett1216's, DaEdge1 Productions








Videographer: BestBelieveDat2dat |

Grambling defeats Southern for fourth Bayou Classic win in row

New Orleans, Louisiana -- Southern Coach Stump Mitchell vowed to give Jaguars fans something to remember in Saturday’s State Farm Bayou Classic. However, it turned out to be more of what they have been accustomed to seeing lately, as Grambling State pummeled the Jaguars 36-12 for its fourth consecutive Classic victory before 40,715 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Mitchell said his team would be ready for Grambling after upsetting Alabama State two weeks ago on the road. However, the Jaguars’ (4-7, 4-5) margin of defeat to Grambling (7-4, 6-3) was second only to a 30-3 setback in 1986.

Grambling continued its recent domination of the series. The Tigers’ average margin of victory in its past four wins is 19.5 points, including last season’s 38-17 thrashing. “They took our running game away, and we weren’t able to establish a passing game,’’ Mitchell said.

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Cliff Exama leads the way for Grambling defense

Grambling linebacker Cliff Exama wanted his final game against rival Southern in the State Farm Bayou Classic to be special.

And he delivered.  Exama had an interception, a sack and led the Tigers with seven tackles in Grambling’s dominating 36-12 victory Saturday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Grambling’s defense held Southern to minus 31-yards rushing and forced seven sacks.

Exama, in his final year of eligibility and listed on Grambling’s roster as a graduate student, is a returning All-SWAC selection and has been vital in the Tigers’ six-game winning streak after they started the season at 1-4. With Saturday’s win, Grambling clinched a berth to the Dec. 10 SWAC championship game against Alabama A&M in Birmingham, Ala.



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Another comeback for GSU; Tigers beat Texas Southern 29-25

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Wide receiver Mario Louis and linebacker Cliff Exama came up with some of Senior Day's biggest plays in their final home game, but freshman Tyree Hollins provided the coverage on the final play to clinch the victory.

On a fourth down from the 5-yard line, the Carroll alumnus covered Texas Southern senior receiver Joe Anderson tightly in the end zone as time expired to help the home Tigers hang on for the 29-25 victory that took a 15-0 fourth-quarter run just to set up.

"We hadn't made a play all day, so we had to put somebody back there that would make a play," Grambling coach Doug Williams said. "The throw helped him a lot because the throw was close to being out of bounds. I don't know what happened in the end zone, did he get his hands on it or what. I was just hoping the receiver didn't put his hands on it."

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Jason Pugh: Grambling's victory worthy of big 'screen'

GRAMBLING, LA — Mario Louis claims he only went to the Grambling coaching staff "twice or three times" Saturday asking them to let him make a play. Freshman quarterback D.J. Williams was more than happy to allow his senior receiver that opportunity — repeatedly.

Louis, whose big plays are serenaded with calls of "Suuuuuuuper Mario, to the rescue" over the Robinson Stadium speakers, saved perhaps his biggest play of the season for his final catch in the natural bowl Grambling calls home.

The senior from New Orleans took a jailbreak screen 34 yards — covering the final 3 with a headlong dive into the end zone — to keep secure a 29-25 comeback victory over Texas Southern on Saturday, keeping the host Tigers' conference title hopes alive for another week.

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Grambling State edges Texas Southern 29-25

GRAMBLING, LA — D.J. Williams threw his third touchdown pass of the game with 1:45 remaining, capping an 89-yard drive, to lift Grambling State to a 29-25 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday.

Williams, who completed 14 of 19 for 253 yards for Grambling State (6-4, 5-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference), found Mario Louis for a 34-yard score at the end of the eight-play drive. On the play before the touchdown, Williams completed an 11-yarder to Louis on fourth-and-7.

Texas Southern (4-6, 2-6) got the ball back at its 20 after a touchback on the kickoff and drove to the Grambling State four on completions of 11, 25 and 23 yards by Riko Smalls and runs of 12 and 5 yards by the quarterback. Smalls was sacked for 10 yards by Cliff Exama on third down and his fourth-down pass was incomplete.

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Houston men’s basketball opens season vs. Grambling State

GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS (0-0) at HOUSTON COUGARS (0-0)
Tickets	Ticket Information
Time	7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011
Location	Hofheinz Pavilion (8,479) • Houston, Texas
Radio	Live Streaming  SportsTalk 790 • Houston IMG Sports Network  Tom Franklin, PxP; Elvin Hayes, analyst  Broadcast begins at 6:45 p.m.
Television	Live Streaming
Live Stats	GameTracker
Series History	Houston leads 3-0
Last Time	Houston won 95-53 • Nov. 24, 2007  Hofheinz Pavilion • Houston, Texas
Game Notes	Houston Notes   Grambling State Notes   Conference USA Notebook
Social Media	Facebook • Twitter

Houston, Texas - Fresh off a dominating exhibition win, the University of Houston men’s basketball team begins its 67th season of competition at 7 p.m., Saturday, when it plays host to Grambling State inside Hofheinz Pavilion.

In their lone exhibition contest of the season, the Cougars put on an offensive show for the hometown fans earlier this week. Houston connected on 62 percent of itsshots from the field and nailed at least 60 percent in each half on the way to a 118-70 win against Concordia.

In a game that featured 10 dunks, including eight in the first half alone, it was three Cougars making their collegiate debuts that led the team. Redshirt freshmanguard and nearby Yates High product Joseph Young led all players with 26 points and five 3-pointers.

Junior guard Jonathon Simmons did a little of everything for the Cougars and nearly finished with a quadruple-double. After energizing the Cougar fans with several thunderous dunks, the Houston native finished the night with 21 points, eight rebounds and game highs of nine assists and five steals in only 26 minutes.

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Grambling State University coach wins 27th SWAC title

Grambling, Louisiana -- SWAC championships haven't lost any of their luster for Grambling coach Bertram Lovell — not even after 27. Lovell, most of whose titles have come in track and field, said last week's men's cross country crown isn't any less exciting.

"It's something," he said with a laugh. "We just had a great group of kids, and the youngsters did really well, but this is the first time for the guys to win in the last three years. They've gotten to accomplish it in indoors and outdoors, but in cross country we've always gotten nipped at the end, so it was a really sweet experience."

Mississippi Valley edged out the Tigers in 2010, but this time it was Lovell and his team leaving Prairie View A&M frustrated at the Mississippi College course. Lovell, who also earned his 27th SWAC coach of the year honors, said seeing his three seniors, including Darwin Price, finally claim the title before their graduation was special.

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Battle of the Bands: Grambling State World Famous Marching Band vs. JSU Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band

This high quality, high definition video of yesterday's battle between rivals Grambling State University World Famous Tigers Marching Band and the Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band is provided for our enjoyment by talented videographer O-JAY, TheOProductions1907.  O-Jay is one of the best videographers in the business and has done outstanding work this year in recording for "history" the titanic band battles of our storied HBCU band programs.
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Jackson State vs. Grambling State

When: Today, 2 p.m.
Where: Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, Mississippi
Television: Online only at www.swac.org
Radio: WHLH-95.5 FM in Jackson
Last meeting: Grambling won 28-21 last year at Grambling, La.
All-time series: Grambling leads 40-20-1

Scouting the Tigers

Keep an eye on...Cliff Exama, LB
The 5-10, 235-pounder leads the SWAC with 96 tackles, 38 more than anyone else on the team. He has 11 1/2 tackles for loss. JSU coach Rick Comegy joked earlier this week that the Tigers would have to use 11 men to block him.

Unit that could give Tigers fits... Running backs
Grambling's Dawrence Roberts has run for 596 yards on 105 carries. The Tigers have broken the 125-yard rushing barrier four times in the last five games.



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Grambling Tigers face test in JSU's Therriault

Jackson State quarterback Casey Therriault played well enough last week to share the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Offensive Player of the Week award. His team may be doing even better than its senior signal caller.

"At this point, they're probably playing the best football in the conference," said Grambling coach Doug Williams, whose team faces Jackson State today at 2 p.m. in Jackson. "The one thing they have going for them that we don't have, but eventually will have, is they have a veteran quarterback who has played well. He's an All-American."

The experience Therriault brings stands in contrast to Grambling's two first-year quarterbacks, Frank Rivers and D.J. Williams. Behind Therriault, Jackson State has risen to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the SWAC while GSU has struggled to find offensive consistency.

Stopping Therriault will be key for Grambling (4-4, 4-3), but the senior from Wyoming Township, Mich., added a wrinkle to his game last week, rushing for 56 yards and two touchdowns.

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Stopping veteran QB key for GSU

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Grambling coach Doug Williams talked less about his two young quarterbacks this Monday than any other week this season. The player taking the snaps against his defense this week, however, prompted more questions than any opposing athlete thus far.

"The one thing they have going for them that we don't have, but eventually will have, is the veteran quarterback," Williams said. "He's played well. He's an All-American ... They've got some mature players, and they're making plays."

"Playing well" might be an understatement for Casey Therriault's performance this season for Jackson State (7-1, 5-1). The 22-year-old senior has completed 183 of his 313 pass attempts (58.5 percent) for 2,441 yards (305.1 per game) and 17 touchdowns — all conference-leading statistics.  No other SWAC quarterback has more than 235 pass attempts, 122 completions, 1,446 yards or 12 touchdowns.

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Grambling State plays Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday in important SWAC game

Grambling, Louisiana -- Suddenly, Grambling State University is back in business in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Well, almost.

"We've won our last two games, but this season is far from over and there's no need to start bringing out the black and gold pom-pons and start cheering," said Tigers' Head Coach Doug Williams. "There's still a whole lot of work to be done and it all starts Saturday."

Grambling (3-4, 2-3) will have an important 2:30 p.m. test against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-3, 3-2) at the Golden Lions' Stadium.

It will mark the Tigers' first road appearance in nearly a month after having dealt with an open date and then back-to-back home games, the latest being last week's 30-24 overtime victory against Mississippi Valley. Saturday's game looms significant in the SWAC chase. UAPB is in second place and GSU third for the Western Division.

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QB Rivers likely starter for Grambling this week

Grambling, Louisiana -- Doug Williams wasn't quite as confident as D.J. Williams when he saw his son change the final play call of Grambling's 30-24 victory Saturday at the line of scrimmage.

The Tigers had broken the huddle planning to run the ball, play conservatively and set up a Zoltan Riazzo field goal — until D.J. saw single coverage on receiver Mario Louis. The freshman quarterback said he knew Louis would come down with the ball, but the veteran coach was a bit more nervous.

"You stand on the sidelines and you saw him change the play, and I'm sayin', 'What are you doing?'" the coach said. "We always tell 'em all the time, 'Be football players.' We always talk about instincts. I'm gonna give credit to Mario and D.J. and the offensive line."



D.J. took the final two snaps against the Delta Devils after sophomore Frank Rivers completed 14 of his 23 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns, both to Louis.

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GSU wins homecoming game in OT over Mississippi Valley

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Quarterback D.J. Williams headed to the line of scrimmage for just his second play of the afternoon. Grambling had allowed visiting Mississippi Valley State 17 straight points to force overtime at 24-24 before holding the Delta Devils scoreless on their offensive possession.

The Tigers took their stances with a handoff planned, but as the freshman surveyed the defense, he flipped the script.

“Instincts,” Williams said. “We’ve got the best receiver in the SWAC, and one-on-one nobody can stop him. I saw one-on-one, and I just threw it up … I knew (he’d catch it) all along. That’s why I just walked to the sideline because I knew. I had already planned it out.”

Williams dropped back and look to the left edge of the end zone where ...

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Grambling State host Mississippi Valley State Saturday

GRAMBLING, La. — Homecoming and a winless opponent. Sounds like a recipe for success for Grambling State University on Saturday, doesn't it? Whoa, not so fast.

"While it's great to be at home and having all of the alumni events and grads coming back, it can also be a little distracting," admitted Doug Williams, the Tigers' head coach. "There is always so much going on, it's a challenge to keep the team focused.

"For the players and coaches, there's still a football game to be played and that's what we've got to deal with."

Serving as Grambling State's 2 p.m. homecoming foe at Robinson Stadium will be Mississippi Valley State (0-7, 0-6), which has yet to win in seven games. And the Delta Devils' overall losing streak of 18.games is the second longest in the country. The last time Valley won a game was in November of 2009 when they defeated Lincoln University 16-6.



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Grambling breathing easier after win

Grambling, Louisiana - Monday provided Grambling its first chance since early September to start a new week of meetings and practice on a positive note.

"It's cured the cold so far," Doug Williams said Monday about beating Concordia, 44-0. "I think not only for the players, but for the coaches. In meetings (Monday) morning, you could feel in the room that it's a better atmosphere when you win, no matter who you play, and hopefully it's contagious not only from the coaches' standpoint but all the way down to the players and the fans."

But much of the coach's comments about his team and its status midway through the season remained similar to those that had followed four consecutive losses.

"You've got a chance to smile a little more because you've got a 'W' up under your belt," he said...

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Grambling crushes Concordia

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Grambling piled 16 points onto the scoreboard in the final 2:45 of the second quarter Saturday to provide a comfortable 30-0 lead by halftime. The Tigers (2-4, 1-3) added another two touchdowns after the break to claim the eventual 44-0 victory against visiting nonconference Concordia (4-3, 1-1).

"The kids have worked their behinds off — the ball just hasn't bounced for us," coach Doug Williams said. "Today the ball bounced our way a little bit."

Both teams started slowly until Grambling broke out of somewhat of a funk with a first-quarter screen pass from sophomore quarterback Frank Rivers to Mario Louis. The senior receiver broke tackles and took off downfield for an explosive 70-yard score.  Running back Dawrence Roberts capped a 71-yard drive two possessions later with a 1-yard touchdown for a 14-0 lead.

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Quarterback Troast rewards Prairie View's faith in him

Prairie View, Texas -- Prairie View A&M coach Heishma Northern ruled out quarterback Jerry Lovelocke at halftime of Saturday's game against Grambling State after the freshman injured his right ankle.

But Northern left it up to offensive coordinator Mark Orlando to pick Lovelocke's replacement. Orlando chose experience over youth, going with former starter Jonathan Troast instead of true freshman De'Auntre Smiley. He made the right call.

Troast threw for 312 yards and a career-high four touchdowns with zero interceptions to help lead the Panthers to a 31-23 victory Saturday night at the Cotton Bowl. The senior completed 21 of 27 passes operating out of Orlando's no-huddle offense.



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Backup QB leads Prairie View A&M past Grambling State

DALLAS - Backup quarterback Jonathan Troast led four touchdown drives in the second half to lead Prairie View A&M to a 31-23 victory over Grambling State on Saturday night at the Cotton Bowl.

Troast, who replaced injured starter Jerry Lovelocke after halftime, connected with Greg Thurmond twice on touchdown passes and once with Spencer Nelson to help the Panthers (3-2, 3-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) erase a 10-3 deficit and take a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter. The Panthers added another score late in the fourth quarter to boost their lead to 14.

Grambling State (1-4, 1-3) scored with just over two minutes left but missed the extra-point attempt. The Tigers attempted and recovered an onside kick but Prairie View was awarded possession after Grambling State was penalized for illegal touching.

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