NCCU freshmen deliver on Senior Day

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

On a day dedicated to honoring experience and longevity, it was the young folks who got the job done for N.C. Central.

Freshmen scored every point and came up with the biggest defensive play of the game as the Eagles held off North Greenville 17-14 on homecoming and senior day Saturday at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

True freshman Corey Harris' first career catch was a touchdown reception, redshirt freshman Tim Shankle scored the other TD and true freshman kicker Taylor Gray added the other five points including his first field goal for NCCU.

The win for NCCU, in its first season in the Football Championship Subdivision, improved the Eagles to 5-2 and assured that this senior class will be the first since 1989 to graduate without enduring a losing season.

Division II North Greenville is 1-6 after losing three straight games, all to FCS opponents.

Stadford Brown completed 14 of 33 passes for 174 yards for the Eagles, including five completions to Will Scott for 73 yards. True freshman Justin Campbell carried the ball 12 times for 64 yards, while Shankle added 11 for 37.

"The freshmen had a great day today," first-year NCCU coach Mose Rison said. "It's been kind of a process, but they're starting to grow up.

Photo: NCCU Head Football Coach Mose Rison

"Corey made a big catch, and we had been telling him [that] he's overdue. Justin Campbell has missed several days of practice through Monday with that bug that's been going around, and he did a great job coming in when Shankle got tired. And Taylor Gray's kick was huge, particularly since it won the game for us."

Eric Moeller completed 19 of 32 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions for NGU, which both scored and allowed its lowest point totals of the season.

"It's tough to play three [FCS] teams in a row, but as a Division II independent, that's the kind of thing you have to do," North Greenville coach Mike Taylor said. "Defensively, that was one of the best games we've played. We did well on offense, but we didn't have the ball that much. They like to slow the game down, and they did a good job of that."

The Crusaders got on the board first on their second possession, going 60 yards in 11 plays with Travis Shaw going in from 1 yard out. Michael Sears' conversion attempt was wide right, and it was 6-0 with 4:59 left in the quarter.

NCCU quickly responded with a drive to take the lead. The Eagles went 66 yards in nine plays, with Brown finding Harris at the goal line from 22 yards out for the freshman's first career catch. Gray added the kick and NCCU was up 7-6 with 14:54 left in the half.

"I knew the linebacker was on me, so I could beat him," Harris said. "Then I got hit hard at the goal line and got my first touchdown and my first concussion on the same play."

The Eagles increased the lead with 1:45 left in the half, when Shankle went in from 4 yards out. The touchdown capped a four-play, 28-yard drive that started after freshman Rakeem Vick intercepted a Moeller pass at the NCCU 49 and returned it 23 yards.

"That touchdown felt great," said Shankle, who has three touchdowns on the season. "It was a long time coming. Coach said he was going to give me the ball this season, and I got it a lot more since [Jeff] Toliver got injured [and was out for the season after two games].

"It was great to see what Justin did today. Now we've got a one-two punch." Gray attempted a 52-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, but it came up short after a shaky snap.

NGU evened the score on its first possession of the second half, going 70 yards in nine plays with Moeller hitting Jarvis Garrett from 9 yards out at the 10:59 mark. Moeller passed to Travis Talbert for the two-point conversion to tie it at 14.

Gray gave the Eagles a 17-14 lead with 14:52 to go, hitting from 22 yards out to finish a 14-play, 92-yard march.

"We've gotten snap-hold-kick together a lot better now," said Gray, an Orange High alumnus who replaced senior Brandon Gilbert after he was injured two games into the season. "This one was for the seniors. They've done all the hard work and deserve this."

The Crusaders had a chance to tie with 9:18 left, but Adrian Escalona's field-goal try was short.

"It was great to see the way the freshmen played today," said Eagles linebacker Derrick Ray, who was in on nine tackles including two for losses with a sack, an interception and four deflections in his final home game. "They helped win homecoming for us. It's easy to see the program is going to be in good hands."

NOTES -- Attendance was a sellout of 11,327, which was the largest crowd ever to see North Greenville play. … Saturday's contest was NCCU's last of the season against a Division II opponent. The Eagles visit Savannah State on Oct. 20, then travel to Western Kentucky -- which is transitioning from the FCS to the Football Bowl Subdivision -- on Oct. 27. NCCU ends its season on Nov. 10 at Winston-Salem State.

Savannah State University AD O'Neal resigns

More information on the Savannah State athletic department situation...

Photo: SSU Former AD Robert "Tony" O'Neal

By Noell Barnidge, Savannah Morning News

Savannah State University athletics director Robert "Tony" O'Neal unexpectedly resigned Thursday from the position he had held for three years.

SSU vice president for administration Claud Flythe has appointed Paula Jackson as interim athletics director. Flythe was hired in June by new SSU President Earl Yarbrough to a newly created position to oversee athletics, facilities operations and public safety.

Jackson, who has worked at SSU since 2005, is the senior women's administrator and assistant athletics director for compliance.

"It's time to look out for Tony," O'Neal said. "It hasn't always been easy, but it's been a very rewarding experience."

O'Neal will assume other athletics-related duties at SSU.
"I will be working with (Flythe), implementing my parts of the strategic plan, the financial piece," O'Neal said.

Asked if he would remain at SSU after the school year, O'Neal said, "I haven't thought beyond that. Right now, my focus is on doing the necessary things to enhance athletics at Savannah State University."

Jackson said of O'Neal's resignation: "This decision took me by surprise today. The information that I got today is there will not be a search anytime soon. I will have the opportunity to move into the full-time position. It just depends on my performance."

Photo: Paula Jackson, SSU Interim AD and Director of Compliance/Senior Women’s Administrator

O'Neal became SSU's 14th athletics director on Aug. 1, 2004, when he was hired by former president Carlton Brown.

During O'Neal's tenure, SSU's football program was placed on probation for three years by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.

Last May, following an investigation that began Oct. 18, 2004, the NCAA found SSU guilty of violations in recruiting, playing and practice seasons, financial aid, ethical conduct and institutional control.

In men's basketball, SSU finished 0-28 during the 2004-05 season. The football team followed with a 0-11 record in 2005.

Also during O'Neal's tenure, SSU's athletics department was certified by the NCAA as a Division I program, and he revitalized the athletics lettermen program. At the annual banquet, athletes are awarded letterman jackets, plaques, trophies, watches and scholarships.

O'Neal also led SSU's attempt to join a Division I conference by submitting a $10,000 non-refundable application fee to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in May 2005. MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas said the conference will reconsider SSU's application after the school's NCAA probation ends May 18, 2009.

O'Neal came to SSU from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he served as Associate Athletics Director for Compliance for four years.

Jackson, a native of Baton Rouge, La., came to SSU from Morehead State University, where she served as an assistant athletics director and senior women's administrator. She has held the same positions at Clark-Atlanta University.

"First and foremost, I'm still in the position of compliance director," Jackson said. "Being in athletics, this has always been a goal: to be an athletics director. This is right in step with my goals."

SSU sports information director Opio Mashariki said the Tigers' coaches were asked to refer all media questions to him.

Flythe, in a press release sent by SSU on Thursday night, said, "Paula Jackson has full power and authority to exercise as the interim athletic director. She has full support from my office and the president's office."

Link: http://www.savstate.edu/Athletics/athleticdept/2007_Staff_Bios/asst-athl-dir_Paula-Jackson.htm

NCCU Eagles' tough 'D' has its work cut out today

ON THE AIR: NCCU vs. Presbyterian College, 2 p.m., Internet TV: http://www.jarvistv.com/nccu/index.asp

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

N.C. Central has been making plenty of history on the football field over the last couple of seasons, and the Eagles will be making some more today no matter whether they win or lose.

Mose Rison's 4-1 Eagles will carry the state's longest active college football winning streak into the game today at 2 p.m., when they host 1-3 Presbyterian at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. It will be the schools' first meeting in football.

The game is historic because it marks the first time that NCCU, which is in its first season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA), will face a fellow FCS team at home.

In fact the Eagles and the Blue Hose are the only two teams in their first season in the FCS, thus the easy idea of beginning a home-and-home series.

"They're going to find out where they are and we're going to find out where we are," said Rison, a career veteran of the college assistant-coaching ranks who is in his first season at the Eagles' helm.

Presbyterian coach Bobby Bentley also is in his first season at the helm after a long career as a successful high school coach in South Carolina.

"It's been an experience so far," said Bentley, whose team's losses have come to established FCS teams in Furman, Samford and Western Carolina. "I think we're hanging in there. Our guys are playing hard. And in the Samford and Western Carolina games we've been in the game into the fourth quarter."

This could be the best team NCCU has played this season, as the first four games were against Division II teams and Saturday's win at N.C. A&T stretched the FCS-level Aggies' losing streak to 20 games.

And it should be a major contrast in styles. While the Eagles have won with defense, the Blue Hose -- who before this season were members of the Division II South Atlantic Conference -- have rolled up the offensive yardage.

The Eagles are averaging 215 yards total offense and allowing 263, while Presbyterian is producing 462.2 yards per game and allowing 418.2.

"This is a very, very good football team we're playing," Rison said. "They have an extremely talented quarterback [junior Grayson Mullins] and they love to throw the football. And they have played a very tough schedule."

Mullins has completed 66 of 123 passes for 960 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. With a more conservative-type attack NCCU's Stadford Brown has completed 58 of 115 for 604 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

Presbyterian's sophomore running back S.J. Worrell has 215 rushing yards on 42 carries, and has caught 16 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles have had a solid 1-2 junior punch at the wideout spots, as Wayne Blackwell has 16 catches for 201 yards and three touchdowns while Will Scott has 11 catches for 203 yards and three TDs.

And each team has a big-play defensive back. NCCU senior cornerback Craig Amos has three interceptions, five breakups, three fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks. Presbyterian's junior strong safety Anthony McKnight has four tackles-for-losses, an interception and four deflected passes.

NOTES -- NCCU schedule for this season includes five Division II opponents, four FCS members and one team (Western Kentucky) that is transitioning from the FCS to the Football Bowl Subdivision. Presbyterian's 11-game slate has eight FCS opponents (all on the road), two Division II teams and NAIA member Pikeville College. The only common opponent is Division II North Greenville, which will play at Presbyterian next weekend and then be the Eagles' homecoming opponent on Oct. 13.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Can the Eagles slow down Presbyterian's offense?

The Blue Hose start with the aerial show off the arm of junior QB Grayson Mullins, and the team averages 342.5 yards through the air. NCCU has 10 interceptions and has allowed one passing touchdown in five games, so when the visitors have the ball it's going to be strength on strength and should be fun to watch. The Eagles are going to need a couple of interceptions, and a sack or two wouldn't hurt.

Will the NCCU offense continue to get better?

NCCU isn't flashy with the ball, but can some up with the occasional big play. And QB Stadford Brown, with a more limited array of weapons than last season, has shown plenty of patience. Freshman RB Tim Shankle is starting to show flashes of brilliance along with freshman WR Deshawn Spears. And freshman Taylor Gray's kicks are improving.

Will the Eagles be able to focus?

Football fans around the area who rarely pay attention to NCCU are still talking about the fight that happened after the close victory over N.C. A&T. But the folks from Presbyterian don't care. It's not a rivalry now, but these are the only teams in their first season in Division I (Football Championship Subdivision). This is NCCU's biggest challenge to date.

THE PICK

N.C. Central 27, Presbyterian 21