Jackson State Tigers seeking FBS opponent

A home-and-away deal with Florida A&M is a possibility.

Jackson State is searching for a team from the Football Bowl Subdivision to complete its 2011 football schedule, athletic director Bob Braddy said this week.

The Tigers' schedule is set except for the season opener Sept. 3. Braddy said the school would like to schedule "a money game" with an FBS (Division I-A) program for that date. The school, Braddy said, is looking for a payout in the $500,000 range.

"We've got some feelers out," Braddy said. "The problem is the date." Most FBS schools already have their 2011 schedules set. Oregon State was interested in playing JSU, Braddy said, but the Beavers' opening was not Sept. 3.

Jackson State chosen to perform at Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta

Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of the South is one of eight marching bands that has been selected to participate in the Honda Battle of the Bands 2011 Invitational Showcase. The event, in its ninth year, is the only national scholarship program that highlights the cultural importance of music at historically black colleges and universities.

JSU will be awarded $20,000, plus a $1,000 grant it received for the pre-qualifying celebration tour. Since the program's inception, more than $1 million has been distributed to HBCUs. Participating bands will have the opportunity to perform for 12 minutes Jan. 29 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.


Videographer: msit601

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Southern University Human Jukebox vs. Jackson State University Sonic Boom (10/16/10)

Jackson State University Tigers Makin it Happen!

Jackson State Sonic Boom vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs 9/5/09

Jags' versatile QB could pose test for JSU Tigers

By Kareem Copeland, Clarion Ledger

JACKSON STATE AT SOUTHERN
When: Today, 6 p.m.
Radio: WOAD-1300 AM

Bryant Lee may wear No. 16, but there's no doubt he is the No. 1 priority when Jackson State steps on the field at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge tonight at 6.

The Tigers (3-2, 3-0 SWAC) have to contain the SWAC's most prolific offensive entity to have any hope of pulling out a victory against Southern University (5-1, 3-1).

"He'll take over a game," JSU defensive coordinator Darrin Hayes said about the S U quarterback. "He's got a good strong arm. Makes good decisions. He does a lot with his feet, too. He's a very formidable quarterback. Probably one of the best we've faced this year.

"He's a guy you definitely have to be aware of and leery of, make sure we keep him in that pocket."

Lee leads the conference in total offense (252.2 ypg) while passing for 1,331 yards and rushing for 182. His 14 combined touchdowns account for over half of the conference's No. 3 scoring offense (26.3 ppg, 23 touchdowns scored).

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound sophomore will line up under center or in shotgun. He'll throw or run at will out of designed option plays.

Lee leads the Jaguars with 91 rushes.
"They're using him just right; he's operating that offense like no other," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "Like they used that young man at Texas that year (Vince Young). They try to put him in that role, where he can throw short passes and kill you with his legs."

Hayes added, "I guess they feel if they can't get the passes off, he can take it in his own hands."

Lee's ascension to stardom has been fairly smooth for a first-year starting quarterback, throwing just three interceptions. However, Southern coach Pete Richardson would like Lee to throw the ball away more instead of taking big losses. He's been dropped for minus-164 yards in 2007.

"He's an individual that's really growing as a quarterback," Richardson said. "He's built confidence in himself and our football team. They know he can make things happen."

Fortunately for the Tigers, their defense has been the most consistent unit thus far - barring the 27-15 loss to Delta State in the season opener.

JSU boasts the No. 1 total defense (221.2 ypg), No. 3 scoring defense (17.2 ppg), No. 1 pass defense (111.8 ypg) and No. 2 rush defense (109.4 ypg) in the SWAC.

"I think we're under the radar right now," Comegy said about his team, "and I kind of like being that way."

Jackson State coach Comegy reprimanded

Photo: JSU Head Coach Rick Comegy

Jackson State’s band, the Sonic Boom of the South, will not be at the game Saturday, according to Jackson State. The band has “temporarily halted performances until allegations of hazing have been investigated,” Jackson State said in a release.
By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

The Southwestern Athletic Conference on Wednesday reprimanded Jackson State coach Rick Comegy for his comments Monday during the league’s weekly football teleconference.

A news release issued by the SWAC office said the reprimand does not include a suspension, but that “future incidents could result in a fine and/or suspension from athletic competition.”

Comegy, on Monday, termed the environment at Southern‘s A.W. Mumford Stadium as “hostile” and said many of his team’s fans “are not taking their families” to the football game.

Southern and Jackson State play here at 6 p.m. Saturday.

On Tuesday, Tony Clayton, a member of the Southern University Board of Supervisors, said he called SWAC interim Commissioner Duer Sharp and asked for Comegy’s comments to be investigated and action taken against Comegy, including a suspension.

“For this particular situation, SWAC policy has determined that a public reprimand is the appropriate course of action,” Sharp said in the statement.

Wednesday’s statement from the conference office said Comegy had “apologized for his comments to Southern University and the City of Baton Rouge.”

Jackson State on Tuesday issued a statement from President Ronald Mason Jr. regretting “any misunderstanding caused.”

Comegy, in his second year at Jackson State, has never coached a game in Mumford Stadium.

Monday, when asked to make a standard introductory statement discussing the upcoming game by the conference’s mediator, SWAC spokesperson William Bright Jr., Comegy talked about what he had been “hearing” about “a somewhat hostile” situation at Mumford Stadium and that Jackson State fans would not come to the game as families.

“I hear a lot of horror stories about going to Southern,” Comegy was quoted as saying in The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger. “They say it’s a real critical situation. I hear we’re not taking our families and kids and stuff like that.”

Comegy declined to give specific examples.

Because of computer difficulties (affecting all of the SWAC’s Web site), the audio from the teleconference has yet to be available on the Internet, Bright said.

Comegy and SU coach Pete Richardson spoke Tuesday.

“I had a chance to talk to him, and sometimes you make statements that come out,” Richardson said. “It’s a situation he made and he’s probably going to regret. I’ll just leave it at that.

“I think it’s going to be a great football game. I don’t want that to distract both sides coming down to see the game. Our administration has done a number of things to make our place safe, and we figure it is safe. Some incidents happened in the past that really weren’t associated with the game itself. I’m quite sure he’ll understand the tradition of the rivalry of this football game.”
Richardson said he was not overly upset by the comments.

“For an individual who hasn’t really been to our stadium to make a statement, you kind of get angry at times,” Richardson said. “But if I listened to everything people say, I’d be angry all the time.”

Meanwhile, Jackson State’s band, the Sonic Boom of the South, will not be at the game Saturday, according to Jackson State.

The band has “temporarily halted performances until allegations of hazing have been investigated,” Jackson State said in a release.

The Sonic Boom and Southern’s Human Jukebox have been known to play for more than an hour after games to the delight of fans.

Coach’s honors
Richardson named wide receiver Gerard Landry (10 catches for 98 yards and one TD), linebacker Corey Ray (seven tackles in his second game) and Anthony Wells (punt block, two tackles) as his offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week for the A&M game.

Who’s the new No. 28?
SU spokesman Kevin Manns presented James Verrett with a No. 28 game jersey, with Verrett’s name on the back before Wednesday’s news luncheon.

Verrett is in his final week of work for WAFB-TV, having been with Channel 9 for 15 years. Verrett is moving to Atlanta to work as the Atlanta Hawks courtside reporter for FSN South and SportSouth.

Basketball starts Friday
The SU men’s basketball team will have “Early Night Madness” — the team’s first practice of the season — at 7:01 p.m. Friday in Seymour Gym.

The event is staged by the school’s student government association. The team will be introduced, go through some drills and then scrimmage.

Jackson State Speaks sees zone

Photo: This is one sister in the JSU Sonic Boom of the South Band you may not want to play with unless you can stand the heat.

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

Jackson State middle linebacker Marcellus Speaks said he expects to see a healthy dose of zone blocking and running schemes from the Alabama State offense on Saturday.

"They've got a good system," Speaks said. "We've got to be smart about what we're doing out there and not get caught out of position because they've got some really good running backs."

Alabama State senior Jay Peck has been one of the SWAC's best running backs for the past two years. Peck is averaging 105.4 rushing yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry so far this season.

MCLAURIN OUT

Wide receiver Kethonne McLaurin will miss the Alabama State game after his shoulder injury - suffered three weeks ago against Texas Southern - turned out more serious than expected.

"Apparently, his shoulder's got a pretty good crack in it," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "If it lasts much longer we'll probably look at redshirting him and bringing him back next season."

McLaurin would be a solid veteran in what will be a young receiving unit next year. Three of JSU's current top six receivers - Jaymar Johnson, Chris Johnson and Terrance Jones - will exhaust their eligibility at season's end.

'Seeing daylight' makes Jackson State's Haw think his time is near

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

There were three times last Saturday night when Jackson State running back Erik Haw took the handoff, made his cut and then saw a glorious sight.

Lots of green grass and plenty of room to run on it.

Haw had three runs of 10 yards or more during JSU's 16-13 loss to Tennessee State on Saturday. The junior finished with 82 yards rushing on 17 carries.

Sure, there's nothing eye-popping about those numbers, but considering how much the once highly touted transfer from Ohio State has struggled over the past year, he won't take those solid gains for granted.

"It felt good for me," Haw said. "Anytime you can see some daylight and your offensive line is working for you - there's no better feeling. You always know that the next run could be the big one."

And for the first time since midway through last season, he'll be one of the focal points of the Tigers' offense when Jackson State (0-2 overall, 0-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) hosts Texas Southern (0-2, 0-2) at 6:30 p.m. today at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

"We feel good about Erik right now and he looks like he feels good about himself," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "When he's healthy and running the ball well, he's as good as anybody in the SWAC."

And that's exactly what the Tigers expected last season, when Haw was arguably the most highly touted of nine Division I-A transfers to grace the JSU roster.

But his first season at Jackson State was pockmarked with injuries and ineffectiveness. Haw rushed for just 371 yards and was basically non-existent in the second half of the season when the Tigers lost four of five games.

His status was put further in doubt when he missed much of spring practice with a broken bone in his foot.
























Photo: Jackson State running back Erik Haw, a former Ohio State Buckeye, runs for some of his 82 yards against Tennessee State on Saturday.

So when fall camp opened in August, Haw was far from a sure bet to retain the No. 1 running back position.

But slowly, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has regained his strength and speed, and his 82 rushing yards on Saturday matched his career high set last season against Southern U.

"There's a certain amount of cohesiveness that goes with a running back and his offensive line," Haw said. "When the line gets comfortable with a running back, they realize different tendencies, like maybe I like to bounce it outside sometimes."

And with Haw completely healthy, he's teaming with senior speedster Lavarius Giles to provide an intriguing 1-2 backfield punch. The two combined for 156 rushing yards against Tennessee State.

"We've got something pretty good going back there," JSU quarterback Jimmy Oliver. "Both those guys are running the ball real hard."

Even though Haw had a breakthrough game last week, he was still kicking himself over "a few decisions that could have led to longer runs if I had read the hole properly."

Among them was a 4th-and-1 situation deep in Tennessee State territory where Haw fell just short of the first down.

"When I'm completely right, that won't happen," Haw said. "I'll bounce to the outside and get that first down. If I had, we might have won that game."