Grambling’s Rey reminds: West isn’t quite won

GRAMBLING. LA — Holding a three-game divisional lead means little when the two-time defending league champions are in the other dugout. That’s been second-year Grambling baseball coach Barret Rey’s pulpit-pounding sermon all week.

“The confidence is coming,” Rey said, “but I don’t want them to get overconfident. We haven’t accomplished anything yet.” That may be overstating things a bit.

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Delaware State's Moore hitting stride

Photo: Laronne Moore is a former QB at Prince George's County (MD) Northwestern H.S., that has 4.29 speed in the 40 yard dash. As a Hornet WR, the 6-0/180 junior will be a dangerous weapon in the DSU offense.

Wide receiver learning fast after just one season at new position

DOVER -- Nothing Laronne Moore does suggests rookie. At 6-foot tall, Moore has that sinewy, streamlined leanness of a veteran wide receiver. He can reach out to pull in a pass even the best sometimes miss.

But the Delaware State junior is quick to remind people that last season was his first year playing wide receiver. Now, Moore is the Hornets' heir apparent.

"This is actually my first spring football," Moore said Saturday at Alumni Stadium. "I'm ready to take over. I hope I can do all they expect me to be."

DSU, which finished 10-2 last season and won its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title since 1991, will need Moore to reinvigorate its passing game. DSU ranked seventh out of the nine MEAC teams with just 134 receiving yards per game.

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North Carolina A&T stay perfect in conference in win over DSU Lady Hornets

Photo: NCA&T Lady Aggies Ta' Wuana "Tweet" Cook had her usual outstanding game scoring 20 points and 8 assists.

GREENSBORO -- There is actually a way the N.C. A&T women's basketball team can fall short of postseason play. But figuring that out is probably harder than beating the Aggies.

In beating Delaware State 78-53 on Monday, A&T improved to 12-0 in the league and retained a three-game lead over Coppin State (9-3) with four to play. One more Aggie victory or one more loss by the Eagles or Hampton (8-4) clinches the regular-season title and at least a WNIT bid for A&T. The winner of the conference tournament gets the automatic NCAA tournament spot, but a safeguard ensures that any regular-season champion failing to win its league tournament will be invited to the WNIT. A&T hasn't been to postseason since it claimed the MEAC title in 1994.

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Coppin State tops struggling WSSU Rams

Photo: Darius Floyd, 6-1/185 guard from Gastonia, NC, Ashbrook H.S., was Rams leading scorer with 12 points.

Rams lose 62-44, are 0-9 away from home

BALTIMORE - Winston-Salem State’s road losing streak continued last night in a 62-44 loss to Coppin State at the Coppin Center. The Rams (8-13) are 0-9 this season on the road and have lost 14 in a row on the road during the past two seasons. Poor shooting hurt the Rams last night as they fell behind 11-2 in the early going. They shot 26 percent from the field.

Having one of the worst shooting nights of his career for the Rams was Jamal Durham, who was 0 for 12 from the field. He had 13 rebounds.

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New contract, new QB make JSU Comegy happy

Photo: Jackson State University head football coach Rick Comegy.

The Jackson State football community got a double-dose of good news on Wednesday's National Signing Day. Head coach Rick Comegy pulled in a recruiting class that he rated an 8.0 on a scale of 10 - a class that includes standout quarterback Dominick Britt.

He also received a contract extension through the 2011 season, pending IHL approval. His original four-year deal was set to expire after the 2009 season. Comegy led the JSU to its first SWAC title since 1996. Athletic director Bob Braddy would not release the details of the contract. "I was really pleased and honored," Comegy said. "It brings some security and stability."

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Morgan State extends to 3-game winning streak, Herd Bison

Photo: #34 (middle) Jamar Smith scored 27 points, 8 rebounds and 1 steal in hearding the Bison. Smith is a 6-2/210 senior guard from Brooklyn Park, MN, San Bernadino Valley College/Patrick Henry HS.

Washington, D.C. -- Morgan State put together a 16-2 run over the first six minutes of the second half to blow the game open and cruise to a 69-51 win over Howard at Burr Gymnasium before 1,980 fans. The win marked the Bears third consecutive victory.

Senior Jamar Smith led all scorers with 26 points and shot 13-for-19 from the floor for the Bears who improved to 10-8 overall and 5-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, while it was the third straight loss for the Bison (4-15 overall, 1-4 MEAC).

The Bears scored 25 points off of 20 Bison turnovers and held a 46-32 advantage in points-in-the paint.

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Morgan State will try to continue its streak when it travels to Virginia to take on the Pirates of Hampton University on Monday at 7:30 pm.

Three Tennessee State defensive coaches won't return

Photo: TSU head football coach James Webster

A shakeup on the Tennessee State University football coaching staff has resulted in the departure of defensive coordinator Ron Lambert, defensive backs coach Randy Fuller and defensive tackles coach Justin Roberts, team officials said Friday. Coach James Webster decided not to retain Lambert while Fuller and Roberts resigned.

Webster confirmed the changes and said: "I have not hired anyone to replace those who won't be back."

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Norfolk State gets FBC transfer quarterback

Photo: Former UConn and Miami Central H.S. (FL) quarterback Dennis Brown is transferring to Norfolk State University and the MEAC.

by beepbeep

Norfolk State University Spartans just received the best commitment possible before the February 6, 2008, National Signing Day. This is the first day that a high-school athlete can sign a National Letter of Intent for football.

Dennis Brown, a former Miami Central Senior High School (Florida) quarterback is leaving the University of Connecticut Huskies and transferring to Norfolk State University. The 6-foot-3, 196-pound red shirt sophomore played in five games this season as the backup to junior starter Tyler Lorenzen and was 5-for-12 for 48 yards with one touchdown. Brown started two games as a true freshman in 2005 but was red shirted in 2006.

UConn loss 24-10 to Wake Forest in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. They finished the season 9-4, 5-2 in the Big East Conference.

Brown is a pre-pharmacy major that was team captain in high school; a third-team 6A All-State selection in Florida and a first team All-Dade County pick. He threw for 2,001 yards in his senior year for 18 touchdowns, leading Miami Central to a 10-2 season and the third round of the state playoffs. He was a Dade-Broward County All-Star pick and named MVP of the Dade-Broward All-Star Game. His 13-yard TD run in that game with 31 seconds left gave Dade County a 20-17 win.

Photo: Norfolk State Pete Adrian is building a strong FCS contender with a base of high school players, Jucos and key D-IA transfers.

Norfolk State is coming off its best season ever as a Division I, football championship subdivision (FCS) member with an 8-3 record. The Spartans were ranked #7 in the FCS, with 103,320 accumulated attendance for six home games. NSU average game attendance was 17,220 and leads all HBCUs in accumulated home attendance.

The Spartans are scheduled to play at FBS, University of Kentucky on September 6, 2008, and Brown's game experience makes him the potential starter at NSU. The Spartans were walloped 59-0 at #5 Rutgers University in their first contest with a FBS program in 2007.

NSU coach Pete Adrian, 2007 MEAC Coach of the Year is seeking a replacement for graduating senior quarterback Casey Hanson who passed for 3,648 yards and 16 TDs in the third best scoring offense in the conference, averaging 24.7 ppg in 2007.

Norfolk State returns to sophomore quarterbacks in Dexter Merritt, Brian Jackson, Rakeem Kersey and senior Korey Jones. Jackson also serves as the team's
punter.

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Alcorn State selects head football coach

by beepbeep

Alcorn State University will announce this morning at a 11:00 a.m. press conference in Jackson, Mississippi that Ernest Jones has been selected to lead the Braves football program.

For once, most fans would like to be surprised by the selection of an African-American head coach in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with some head coaching experience with a winning program at the FCS, Division II or III levels.

Not so in this case.

Jones is completing his first season as the running backs position coach at the University of Cincinnati, under coach Brian Kelly. Cincinnati went 9-3 this season and will play Southern Mississippi in the PapaJohn.com Bowl on December 22, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Coach Jones previously served on Kelly's staff at Central Michigan University for two seasons as the running backs coach (2006) and the corner backs coach (2005). Jones also served as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Division III, Oberlin College in 2004; Division II, Kentucky State 2003; and Concordia University (Minn.) in 2000-2002.

Coach Jones has been a position coach for eight years and has indicated he played five years of professional football, but his Internet bios do not indicate where, what position played and at what level.

Photo: Coach Earnest Jones, Head Coach - Alcorn State University Braves

The Flint, Michigan native played college football at Hinds Community College ('91-'93) and at Alcorn State University ('93-'95), where he saw limited playing time for the Braves.

Jones was also one of 25 coaches selected in 2006, to attend the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy, a program created to address a shortage of minority head coaches in Division I football and assist the coaches with career advancement, networking and exposure opportunities, and to raise awareness regarding the substantial pool of talented and qualified coaching candidates.

Jones, who earned an associate's degree from Hinds Community College in 1993 is a 1995 graduate of Alcorn State University. He earned a master's degree from Concordia in 2002 and is currently working on a doctorate in human services at Walden University.

George Ross, Alcorn State University new president will start work on January 3, 2008.

Both Ross and Jones served at Central Michigan during the same period. President Ross was the former vice president of finance and administrative services at the Mt. Pleasant, Michigan school.

Coach Jones replaces Dr. Johnny Thomas, who was paid $86,000 annually, the second lowest head coach salary in the Football Championship Subdivision. Dr. Thomas was fired on November 19 and finished with a career record of 48-61, 2-8 in 2007.

Alcorn State University, the Sounds of Dyn-O-mite Marching Band and Golden Girls

JSU Tigers look to build on last season's NCAA appearance

By Kareem Copeland, Clarion Ledger

Jackson State kicks off its 2007-08 basketball campaign with a 7 p.m. practice Friday evening. The Tigers are coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years - a 112-69 opening round loss to eventual champion Florida.

JSU rode SWAC Player of the Year Trey Johnson to a 21-14 record last season while finishing second in the regular season SWAC standings (12-6). The Tigers won the conference tournament and a NCAA Tourney invite with an 81-71 victory over Mississippi Valley State.

Johnson recently signed with the New Orleans Hornets after averaging 27.1 points and 4.5 rebounds as a senior.

However, the Tigers return four starters, including 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Grant Maxey (8.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg).

Junior center Jeremy Caldwell (7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg), senior guard Catraiva Givens (5.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 143 assists) and senior guard Kay Martinez (5.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg) round out the top returners.

Coach Tevester Anderson begins his fifth season at the helm of the program. His Jackson State record sits at 63-65, though his win total has increased each year.

The Tigers will play two exhibition games before opening the regular season. JSU will host Springhill College on Nov. 1 and Miles College on Nov. 8.

JSU will also have a tough pre-SWAC schedule. JSU will travel to Baylor on Nov.11, BYU on Nov. 16 and Louisville on Nov. 18. The Tigers will host Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 27 and UC Davis on Dec. 21.

NO NAME HT/WT POS Hometown/Last School
44 Caldwell, Jeremy 6-8/200 C Jackson, MS
3 Givens, Catraiva 5-8/155 G little Rock, AR
32 Grant, Maxey 6-7/180 F Toledo, OH
12 Griffin, Dariron 6-3/185 G Toledo, OH
10 Henry, Carl 6-1/180 G london, England
22 Jarrow, Edwin 6-6/166 F
33 Johnson, Garrison 6-6 F Smyrna, GA
24 Johnson, Trey 6-5/218 G Jackson, MS
00 Jones, Marcus 6-8/185 C Houston, TX
5 Martinez, Kay 6-7/195 G Limon, Costa Rica
4 Russell, Kenny 6-3/195 G Atlanta, GA
30 Swanier, Kyle 6-1/160 G Jackson, MS
40 Turner, Stanley 6-11/295 C /Lamar, MS
42 White, Kevin 6-1/180 G Gary, IN
34 Young, Julius 6-6/185 G Jackson, MS

BCU 'Cats seek redemption

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona News Journal Staff Writer

Late loss still stings BC-U

When Delaware State rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes to defeat Bethune-Cookman 33-31 last year, few could foresee the significance the victory would have on the Hornets' rise to national prominence.

But without it, says DSU coach Al Lavan, the Hornets (3-1, 2-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) may not be where they are today -- ranked 20th in The Sports Network's Division I Championship Subdivision poll and considered by many as the top team in the conference.

"That was the type of game you must win to grow your program," Lavan said. "In my estimation, that game was second only to our game Saturday in Hampton."

Delaware State upended three-time defending conference champ Hampton 24-17 last week to take over the favorite's role in the MEAC race. The Hornets will try to avoid a letdown tonight at 7:30 when they host Bethune-Cookman in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU.

"They're probably the best team in the conference," said B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt. "I just marvel at the fact that they were able to get it done so quickly."

Lavan took over a team in 2004 that had finished 1-10 the previous season. After a 4-7 first year, his Hornets have gone 7-4 and 8-3 the past two seasons with consecutive 6-2 conference marks.

Their breakout game might have been the comeback at Daytona Beach on Oct. 7, 2006. The Hornets scored two touchdowns in the final 4:38, including Vashon Winton's 18-yard scoring pass with 1:30 left. The victory began a six-game winning streak for DSU.

"It was a tremendous win for us," Lavan said. "Once you're faced with that kind of adversity you must prove you can overcome it (in order to keep progressing)."

B-CU is now facing that kind of adversity. The Wildcats (2-3, 0-3 MEAC) have lost six straight conference games dating back to last season and are coming off a 33-9 homecoming loss to Morgan State, in which they turned the ball over five times and produced just 146 yards of offense in muddy Municipal Stadium.

"We just have to get back to the drawing board and get things right," Wyatt said. "Bad weather doesn't favor us because we have speed. We just couldn't get out of our tracks (last week). Whatever we do, we need to do it and put what happened behind us."

The Hornets, on the other hand, will try to keep rolling.

"This is another step we must take after having success Saturday," Lavan said. "It's another test. Coach Wyatt will bring a hungry, tough and skilled football team. That's a given."

BC-U Home(coming) invasion

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona Beach News-Journal

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bethune-Cookman defensive back James Monds expected a tight, low-scoring ball game. And that's exactly what a Wildcats' homecoming crowd of 10,121 witnessed Saturday.

For the first half.

In the second half, B-CU ran into a buzz saw, and Morgan State cruised to a 33-9 victory at Municipal Stadium.

"Everything was happening so fast," said Monds, who scored the Wildcats' only touchdown, returning a blocked punt in the first quarter. "I was asking on the sideline, 'What happened? It was just 9-9. How is it 23-9?' "

Both teams had trouble generating any offense in the first half as they battled to a 9-9 halftime tie with B-CU scoring all of its points on special teams and Morgan State relying on a blocked punt and an interception for its two scores.

But while B-CU's offense continued to sputter and shoot itself in the foot in the second half, the Bears (2-3, 1-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) got on track, forcing the Wildcats (2-3, 0-3) into a desperation passing scheme before the end of the third quarter.

"We wanted to break them out of their offense," Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley said. "When a triple-option team has to go four and five wide, they're not going to be comfortable in that situation."

The Wildcats managed just 149 yards of offense and turned the ball over five times, including four interceptions.

"They have a good defense. That's why they're ranked No. 1 in our conference," B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt said. "They were just much better than us today."

The Bears scored on their first three possessions of the second half to take a 26-9 lead. James Devan's 65-yard run up the middle made it 33-9 with 4:17 left.

"It's just frustrating," said B-CU linebacker Ronnie McCullough, who had a game-high 20 tackles. "The defense played pretty good, but when the offense is struggling we just have to step it up."

The Bears moved ahead for good on their first possession of the second half, driving 55 yards on 12 plays with quarterback Byron Selby scoring on a 3-yard run. After holding B-CU on downs, Selby's 18-yard rollout pass to Robert Surratt made it 23-9.

A Matt Johnson interception then gave the Bears the ball at B-CU's 17, and James Meade kicked his second field goal to put the Bears up 26-9 with 9:55 left in the game.

"The difference was they got (the ball) in good field position," Wyatt said. "The score was tied, so they didn't have to be in a hurry to do anything. They took their time, and they just grinded the ball down the field on us."

The Wildcats held Chad Simpson, the MEAC's leading rusher with 798 yards, to 98 yards and no touchdowns.

Photo: MSU #2 Chad Simpson gains 98 yards on the Wildcats defense.
Now the Wildcats have to quickly regroup for a Thursday night game at MEAC leader Delaware State, a game that will be televised nationally by ESPNU.

"This was a difficult homecoming loss," McCullough said. "But we have to come right back. We're not going to fold up."

Questions & attitude

How was the officiating?

It may have cost Bethune-Cookman a victory last week at Norfolk State and caused the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to suspend three officials for one game, but it was not a factor in B-CU's 33-9 loss to Morgan State on Saturday.

The Bears were called for nine penalties for 88 yards, while the Wildcats were flagged six times for 63 yards, which is not a lot, but almost half as many yards as B-CU's offense produced in the game.

What's wrong with the offense?

You name it. The line struggled. The quarterbacks struggled. Running back Justin Brannon missed the game with a high ankle sprain, and without him, the Wildcats ran for just 47 yards. Quarterback Jimmie Russell, who came into the game with a team-high 358 yards rushing, was held to minus-4 yards on 16 carries Saturday. It didn't help that three B-CU quarterbacks combined for four interceptions.

If the Wildcats were so hapless on offense, how were they able to go into halftime with a 9-9 tie?
Morgan State's offense was just as bad in the first half. B-CU tallied 72 yards and converted 1 of 6 first downs, while Morgan State had just 68 yards and went 0 for 7 on first downs. And B-CU's defense played well, even in the second half, when it was on the field most of the time. The Wildcats had 10 tackles for losses in the game.

Jimmie Russell was replaced by Matt Souverain in both the first and second half. Is the quarterback job now up for grabs?

B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt said Russell is still the starting quarterback. Souverain is the quarterback the 'Cats use when they are far behind and forced to abandon the triple-option offense in favor of a four-wide receiver set.

Photo: BCU Marching Wildcat Band

TAKE FIVE

Representing South Florida

Morgan State has nearly as many players from South Florida as Bethune-Cookman does. The Bears boast 16 players from Broward and Dade counties, while the Wildcats have 21 from the South Florida area that produces so much gridiron talent.

Pick Four

Morgan State picked off four Bethune-Cookman passes in its 33-9 victory Saturday. Lamar West, Kofi Nkrumah, Kendall Jackson, and Dakota Bracey each grabbed an interception. Three different Wildcat quarterbacks contributed as Jimmie Russell threw two interceptions, and McKinson Souverain and Matt Johnson each misfired once. For Johnson, it was his first collegiate pass.

A Busy Day

B-CU linebacker Ronnie McCullough was one busy Wildcat. The senior who came to B-CU via South Florida registered 20 tackles, including six solo tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. It was the most tackles by a Wildcat since Jamal Muhammad had 20 in a loss to Morgan State in 2003.

Two Tough Points

B-CU's Ben Ballard scored two points the hard way. Ballard scooped up the football after Brendan Odom blocked a Morgan State point-after kick and went the distance for only the second PAT return in school history. Ballard's return gave B-CU a 9-6 lead with just under 6 minutes left in the first half.

Big Body

B-CU tried a different wrinkle early in the game by having 280-pound tackle De'Juan Guillory line up at fullback. Guillory made a couple of solid blocks, but wasn't a threat to carry the football.

Hampton's Taylor sets example in MEAC

Photo: Hampton's head coach earns respect from DSU, other rivals

By KRISTIAN POPE, The News Journal

DOVER -- Joe Taylor's first job in college football, as an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois in 1978, was just as important as the one he holds now.

Maybe that is the secret behind Taylor's quiet rise through the college ranks.

"I guess I was told, wherever you are is supposed to be the best job," Taylor said.

A virtual unknown to the mass-consuming audience of college football, the head coach at Hampton University is showered with great esteem within his own sect.

Winners of three-straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and seven playoff bids, Taylor's Pirates have placed the bar where few programs can reach.

Delaware State coach Al Lavan, who brings his team to meet Taylor's Pirates at 1 p.m. Saturday at Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, Va., holds reverence for Taylor's exploits.

The Hornets' only victory over a Taylor-led Hampton team occurred in 2004, in Lavan's first season at DSU. Taylor is 11-1 all-time against the Hornets.

"Teams that do that, it's not an accident," Lavan said. "Joe Taylor for a number of years has had his program running at a high level, and that's impressive."

Morgan State head coach Donald Hill-Eley, who also worked as an assistant under Taylor, echoed the sentiment.

"It's hard to do anything in life three times," Hill-Eley said. "You just have to respect who they are. It doesn't happen haphazardly."

In 15 seasons at Hampton, Taylor has directed his team to eight conference titles (CIAA and MEAC). He owns a 194-73-4 record with the third most wins among active Division I-AA coaches.

Taylor, who attended Western Illinois, began his career in the mid-1970s as a physical education teacher around Washington, D.C., before he was offered a chance to coach the offensive line at Eastern Illinois.

In 1984, he took over at Division II Virginia Union and took the program to three division playoffs.

Taylor took over then-Division II Hampton in 1992 and has been on a roll ever since. Since Hampton classified as Division I and joined the MEAC in 1995, he has won 102 games against league opponents.

Taylor takes it all in stride.

"We've been blessed in this profession," Taylor said. "At Eastern Illinois, we won a Division II championship, so that was great. Virginia Union, we won some championships there. But you just wake up every day and take what the Lord gives you and try to make the best of it. Maybe when I'm sitting in the rocking chair I'll look back on it."

Taylor has been long rumored to be an overdue candidate for a I-A job. He said he's spoken with some I-A leadership, but the positions were never enough to warrant leaving the Pirates.

Last year, Taylor relinquished his role as Hampton athletic director to concentrate on football. That move started rumors of his pending retirement. But Taylor laughed off any notion of retiring soon.

"I look at the guys who retired, and they don't last long," Taylor said. "As long as your health is good and people want you around, you just enjoy what you're doing and you don't look that far ahead."

Without question, Taylor's success in recent years has allowed him to lure many transfers from upper-division programs and high school recruits who wouldn't normally go to Hampton.

Five Pirates players last year were invited to the NFL combines. Even the best players Delaware State has offered in recent years, linebackers Kenny Kern and Sam Smith, were talented but failed to be included in the type of consideration Taylor's players regularly receive.

Despite losing 14 seniors to graduation, Hampton remains in a position to win a fourth championship. It enters Saturday's game with a 3-0 record, all against MEAC competition.

While no one wants to be Taylor, coaches want the secret to his successes.

"His program is much more attractive to attract high-level people," Lavan said. "The consistency in the acquisition of personnel is critical at a certain point. The ability to acquire personnel and use them in that context, that's why guys win."

Things won’t get any easier for UAPB

By Mike Marzelli, of the Commercial Staff

How does a team bounce back from a 55-point loss when it knows its next opponent is expected to be its toughest of the season?

That’s the question Arkansas-Pine Bluff is trying to answer this week as it prepares for New Mexico State. Fresh off an embarrassing 58-3 loss to No. 7 Southern Illinois that was the program’s worst defeat since 1983, the Golden Lions are now staring down the task of taking on a Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) opponent for the first time in school history. Not just any FBS team, either. The Aggies (2-2) have been an offensive juggernaut under former Kentucky coach Hal Mumme, averaging 487 yards of total offense and just under 30 points a game on the season.

The situation may appear to spell doom already, but UAPB head coach Mo Forte isn’t ready to count out the competitive spirit of his team.

“We know it’s going to be a huge challenge for us out there but if we just gave in to what things looked like on paper we would never need to play a game,” Forte said after practice Tuesday. “I don’t think anyone in Las Vegas is going to pick us but hopefully we will go out there and give 100 percent and that will be good enough to win the game. I think our team’s mindset is that they know how they were embarrassed last weekend and they need to go out and fight harder and focus more on playing better to make sure that never happens again.”

After watching film Forte heaped plenty of praise on the Aggies, but he was also quick to point out that his team may not be taking a giant step up in competition this week.

“Obviously [New Mexico State is] a good football program and they’re the biggest challenge we’ve faced since I’ve been here, but who’s to say that [Southern Illinois] isn’t as good as a mid-level Division I team like they are?” he asked. “We already found out that the [former] No. 1 team in I-AA is better than Michigan, the No. 5 team in Division I, so who knows how good they’re really going to be compared to what we’ve faced?”

Regardless of how good New Mexico State may be, UAPB needs to play a drastically different game than it did Saturday in Carbondale, Ill. The Golden Lions were stagnant offensively for the fourth straight week, eventually leading them to wear down on defense, but the most alarming aspect of the game was players’ lack of effort and intensity in the second half.

“Pride is always on the line any time you’re involved in any type of competition and when you’re a competitor you’re going to do whatever you can to be successful in any situation because of that pride,” Forte said. “We didn’t play with pride for four quarters last week and that surprised me because I know our team is made up of competitors.

“I’m looking for a renewed sense of pride and focus for this game and for our guys to come out fighting and working hard and focusing on one play at a time and giving 100 percent on that one play until its over.”

There will not be wholesale changes for the Lions, as Forte plans to stick with junior Johnathan Moore at quarterback after Moore and former starter Chris Wallace both saw action at SIU.

“I saw progress with the offense last week, especially with our offensive line, I really did,” Forte said. “We had much better pass protection than we had before, we were just killed by drops that cost us a number of chances to move the chains.”

NOTE: Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Saturday and not 6 p.m. as listed on a number of area schedules. Las Cruces, NM is in Mountain Time and the game is slated for 6 p.m. MDT, which is an hour behind Central Time. There will be no television broadcast, so the only chance to follow the game will be on KUAP 89.7 FM.

PVAMU Volleyball undefeated in SWAC

PVAMU Sports Information

GRAMBLING, La.-The Prairie View A&M volleyball team improved their record to 8-9 after defeating Grambling State and Alcorn State on the road this past Friday in Grambling, La. PVAMU remains undefeated in conference play at 3-0, and currently sit atop the SWAC’s western division standings.

The first match of the doubleheader was against the GSU Lady Tigers. Grambling State remained competitive, pushing the match to four games. PVAMU took the first game 30-25, but the Lady Tigers rallied to win the second game 22-30. The Lady Panthers eventually prevailed, in the third and fourth games with a hard fought 30-27 victory in the third game, and a convincing 30-19 win in last game.

PVAMU had 21 total team blocks versus Grambling State’s 14.5. PVAMU’s Tacho Richard led all players with 13 kills, senior Tamika Newman was right behind her with 12. The Lady Panther’s Laura de la Fuente compiled a game high 31 assists.

In the second match, PVAMU faced Alcorn State. The Lady Panthers quickly defeated the Lady Braves, shutting them out in three games, 30-18, 30-15, and 30-9. PVAMU’s Newman had a game high 11 kills, and fellow teammate de la Fuente compiled 17 assists.

Prairie View A&M will now head back on the road to face the Arkansas Pine-Bluff Lady Golden Lions. The Lady Panthers will finish off the week with a home game versus Southern this Friday, Sept. 27. Game time has been set for 6:00 p.m. at the William Nicks Building.

New Mexico State University to face UAPB

NMSU Press Release

New Mexico State Aggies (2-2, 0-0 WAC)
vs.
Arkansas Pine-Bluff (1-3, 1-2 SWAC)
September 29, 2007 • 6:00 p.m. MDT
First Ever Meeting • Aggie Memorial Stadium (Capacity 30,343)
Radio: Aggie Sports Network - KGRT 104 FM (Las Cruces); plus 12 other stations
Spanish Radio - KKVS 98.7 FM (Las Cruces) & KPZE 106.1;
Television: Aggie Vision

The Aggie football team wraps up their non-conference schedule this coming weekend as they welcome Arkansas-Pine Bluff to town. This is the second 1-AA school to visit Las Cruces this season but the first match up between the Aggies and Golden Lions.

The Golden Lions are coming off a tough loss to Southern Illinois. This week the Aggies will be wearing pink in support of the NMSU Aggies are Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign that has raised over $140,000 to date for cancer research.

You can listen to all the action with the ‘Voice of the Aggies’ Jack Nixon on KGRT 104 FM, as well as listen to the game in Spanish with Martin Cortez on Vista 98.7 FM. The game will also be televised on Aggie Vision on Comcast channel 4 in Las Cruces tape delayed and live on El Paso (Ch. 24), Albuquerque (Ch. 53) and Gallup (Ch. 66).

In a unique opportunity, the New Mexico State Athletics Department has agreed to designate the football game on September 29th against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, as a breast cancer awareness initiative and fundraiser. Coach Mumme has brought together Four Honorary Chair-Women for this event, all with strong ties to New Mexico State University and all cancer survivors; Magellia Boston (wife of Athletics Director Dr. McKinley Boston), Laura Conniff (Chair of the NMSU Regents), June Mumme (wife of head football coach Hal Mumme) and Pat Sisbarro (wife of car dealer Lou Sisbarro).

The proceeds generated by this event will be used to fund breast cancer and women's cancer research project, conducted by UNM Cancer Center and the New Mexico State University Department of Chemistry and Biology. This initiative is being conducted in partnership with ‘Cowboys For Cancer Research’.

“The response has been wildly overwhelming,” Coach Mumme said. “It has put a kind and giving, female face on football. Breast cancer has touched many lives, including players, trainers and coaches. Fans and supporters are anxious to get involved in anyway possible.”

In less than 3 months, over $140,000 has been raised through this sporting event in sponsorship donations for this health initiative. An additional $50,000 worth of food, supplies, etc., have been donated, bringing the total to close to $200,000. This unique, but powerful relationship between a state university, a charitable organization and medical research has gained national attention from the NCAA, ESPN, and the WAC.

New Mexico State University along with the Aggie Athletics Department is encouraging the Las Cruces community to attend the game as a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to ‘Cowboys for Cancer Research’. Fans will be giving the opportunity to donate to the great cause at the game. Be a part of the largest ‘Tough Enough to Wear Pink’ fund raising event in history, as well as the biggest fund raising event in Las Cruces. For tickets call the Pan Am Ticket Office at (505) 646-1420 or go to www.ticketmaster.com.

Scouting the Golden Lions

The Golden Lions are 1-3 on the season and 1-2 on the road in 2007. Their lone win came against the ALCN-Braves on Sept. 6th. Last weekend the Golden Lions fell to Southern Illinois 58-3.

As a team the Golden Lions are averaging 222.8 yards of total offense a game and allowing 306.2 yards to their opponents. Arkansas-Pine Bluff has fumbled the ball 10 times in four games, but have not thrown an interception in 108 pass attempts.

Individually, Johnathan Moore and Chris Wallace have split time at quarterback this season, each throwing a touchdown pass while Moore has thrown for 320 yards, averaging 106.7 yards a game. Martell Mallett leads the running attack with 128 yards on the ground and one touchdown, while Jason Jones has caught 19 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown to lead the receiving corps. Defensively, Tim Turner leads the way with 42 tackles, a fumble recovery, a pass break-up and two tackles-for-a-loss.

MSU Bears at BC-U Homecoming on Saturday

Photo: All-MEAC RB Chad Simpson ran over Hampton for 142 yards on 33 carries last week.

Morgan State University Sports Information

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: Bears travel to Daytona Beach to take on Bethune-Cookman during the Wildcats Homecoming on Saturday

MORGAN STATE “BEARS” (1-3, 0-2 MEAC)
BETHUNE-COOKMAN “WILDCATS” (2-2, 0-2 MEAC)
GAME #5
Saturday, September 29, 2007 • 4:00 p.m.
Municipal Stadium (Capacity 10,000) • Daytona Beach, Fla.
RADIO: Morgan State Radio Network WEAA - 88.9 FM:
Rob Long (play-by-play) & Kelvin Bridgers (color).
INTERNET: www.MorganStateBears.com; www.BCCathletics.com/
INTERNET COVERAGE: Live Audio and Live Stats

Setting the Scene

• Morgan State fell in dramatic fashion last Thursday night at Hampton. T.J. Mitchell threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Justin Brown to clinch a thrilling 24-17 overtime victory against the Bears. The Bears were once again led by All-MEAC RB Chad Simpson who posted a game-best 142 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns. MSU’s offensive unit racked up 438 total yards, 270 on the ground. MSU will look to get back in the win column when they take on Bethune-Cookman.

• Bethune-Cookman is coming off a disappointing 38-31 loss at Norfolk State. The Wilcats had two critical tunovers to help Norfolk State walk off the field with the Fish Bowl Classic victory. Bethune-Cookman QB Jimmie Russell led the Cats by completing 8-of-15 passes for 86 yards with a touchdown, and rushing for 100 yards with a TD. Defensively, Ben Ballard collected a team-high eight tackles (7 solo), while Anotnio Cox finished with three tackles and a 42 yard interception return. With the loss the Wildcats dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the MEAC. Saturday night’s contest will mark the 22nd meeting between Morgan State and Bethune-Cookman.

• QB Jimmie Russell (Sr./5-9/175/Jonesboro, Ga./Rivedale HS)will be one to watch as the Wildcats prepare for Morgan State this Saturday at Municipal Stadium. Russell is ranked 5th in the MECA in total offense having completed 30-of-61 passes for 358 yards and rushing for 336 yards. Russell has accounted for eight touchdowns so far this season ... he was named MVP of the Fish Bowl as a result of throwing for 86 yards and running for 100 yards in a tough 38-31 loss at Norfolk State last Saturday night.

• The Bears defensive unit will attempt to contain running backs Justin Brannon (Sr./5-10/190/Jacksonville,Fla./Mandarin HS) and Brian Sumlar (Fr./5-11/180/Jacksonville,Fla./Orange Park HS) The duo has combined for 299 yards on 61 carries through four games... Brannon rushed for 54 yards (4.8) and Sumlar had 52 yards (4.3) and scored a touchdown in last week’s loss to the Spartans...Brannon ranks 10th in the MEAC with 177 yards on 33 carries game.

• SEE CHAD RUN … INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS - Chad Simpson entered the Towson game just needing 63 yards to reach 1,000 yards in his Morgan State career…he ended up rushing for 195 yards! The All-MEAC running back rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns in the season-opener vs. Savannah State and has increased his career total to 1,495 yards following a game-high 142 yards against #12 Hampton ... he now sits 16 yards behind T.J. Stallings (1999-02) who ranked #7 in the Bears rushing annals. As a result of his career-high 221 yard output against the Winston-Salem State Rams in Week 3, Simpson was selected as the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Photo: MSU Defense controlled MEAC Champs Hampton University for four quarters to give the Bears an opportunity to win in overtime.