Rison sees big things for North Carolina Central Eagles

DURHAM, N.C. -- Mose Rison's poker face is pretty good considering the confidence that appears to be brimming inside the fourth-year N.C. Central football coach. Rison held his last press conference on Tuesday before the Eagles take the field for real for the first time in 2010 against Johnson C. Smith (7 p.m., Thursday night at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium).

The hand Rison is holding looks pretty good for a breakout season for the Eagles, who are in their final year of transition up to NCAA Division I and full membership into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. NCCU has 17 returning starters, including junior quarterback Michael Johnson and a defense stacked with players like linebacker Donald Laster and defensive lineman Teryl White.

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NCCU Eagles ready to take flight

DURHAM, N.C. -- N.C. Central coach Mose Rison spoke succinctly about his football team's record the last two seasons, accepting any criticism thrown his way."We're not going to make any excuses: 4-7 has not been good enough," he said.

Heading into his fourth season at N.C. Central, Rison knows there's a hunger for more wins. He has been credited with guiding a proud football program through its transition from NCAA Division II to Division I, but ultimately he knows judgment comes on the field. With seven home games this season, starting with Thursday's opener against Johnson C. Smith, Rison's program has a great opportunity to prove it's headed in the right direction.

When N.C. Central left the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2007 to begin playing as an independent in the NCAA's Football...



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NCCU: Saturday's scrimmage shows progress

An eager crowd of devoted fans braved 90-degree heat to "Meet the Eagles" on Saturday as the NCCU football team made its public debut. The 85-member team signed autographs and chatted with fans before entertaining the crowd with a 61-play scrimmage at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham.

Coach Mose Rison said he is pleased with the progress of the team. "I think it's been a good fall camp, and I know come the second of September it'll be a good turnout," Rison said of the Eagles' season-opener against Johnson C. Smith.

In limited action under center, junior quarterback Michael Johnson completed 2 of 7 passes for 70 yards. Winston-Salem State transfer Jordan Reid took a majority of the snaps, collecting 176 yards on 8-of-16 passing. Junior Keon Johnson was 3-for-8 with 56 yards passing and 22 yards rushing.

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Rison's NCCU Eagles ready to soar‎

Mose Rison has made no secret of the fact that he believes 2010 is the year of the Eagle. Rison, entering his fourth year as N.C. Central's head football coach, has been bubbling over with enthusiasm since spring football.

Redshirt junior quarterback Michael Johnson says Rison's confidence is genuine. For the first time since the university left the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association - after back-to-back conference championships - NCCU is starting to see the light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. "The atmosphere is great, and it's going good right now just for the simple fact that we have a lot of guys returning this year," said Johnson, a Tulsa transfer and Hillside High graduate.



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Coach Mose Rison has high expectations for NCCU Eagles‎

DURHAM, N.C. -- After a week of practice, N.C. Central football coach Mose Rison thinks he's got a team that can be pretty good. "For the first time since I've been here we're not going to be outmanned at any position in any game," Rison said.

"I expect us to turn it up and be ready to play. If we play good early, we have a chance to be ranked in the top-25."

Rison's confidence is boosted by a roster that returns 17 starters. The Eagles got off to a rough beginning a year ago, with six losses to start the season, but rallied to win four of their last five. And after what Rison called a tremendous off-season program, he thinks this squad is in the best shape they have been in since he arrived.

The Eagles certainly appeared loose and confident Sunday during their annual media and photo day. NCCU opens its season on Sept. 2 at home against Johnson C. Smith, a former rival in the CIAA. Since leaving that conference, NCCU has been preparing for play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles have five games scheduled against MEAC opponents this season before playing a full slate next year.

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The NCCU Marching Sound Machine wants you to support the NCCU Marching Sound Machine on Their Road to the 2011 Annual Tournament of Roses Parade.

BUY A $20 RAFFLE TICKET TO WIN A 2010 Nissan Versa!!!

Make Your Donation Today! Tickets Will soon be available for purchase: • From any NCCU Sound Machine Musician or The Exquisite Ladies of the eClipse Auxiliary Squad • Student Affairs • Campus Bookstore • Student Union • Michael Jordan Nissan • Sound Machine Booster Club and Alumni Band Members.

Drayton signs on with NCCU

Dylan Drayton signs a letter of intent to attend North Carolina Central University. He is surrounded by his mother, Dee Dee Drayton, left; sister, Taylor; grandfather, Jerry Anderson; and grandmother, Rita Anderson.

He played Shortstop for Middle Creek High School (Apex, N.C.) from 2008-2010. He started three years on the varsity team. Drayton was all conference TRI 8/9 his junior and senior years. He was academic all conference his senior year.

His 2010 batting average was .398 and his 2009 batting average was .414. He was coached by Jeremy Thompson. Career batting stats at MCHS Fourth in total hits Fifth in homeruns Fifth in triples Second in runs scored Fourth in batting average with .386 Single seasons MCHS Records Third and fifth total hits Runs scored third and fourth Third in doubles Second in runs batted in First player in MCHS history to lead off a game with a home run. He is 5’6” and weighs 140.

It appears the N.C. Central Eagles have signed a future star.

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NCCU Eagles get a jump on the competition

DURHAM, NC -- After a tough start to the 2009 football season, when N.C. Central let several winnable games slip away late, the Eagles hope strength in numbers will make a difference in 2010. NCCU coach Mose Rison welcomed 88 players to the first practice on Monday night at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium as the Eagles tried to beat the heat. Rison said he didn't know what to expect with the weather to open camp after going through an oppressive July.

"It was really nice," Rison said. "We didn't have to worry about the heat. It was a good first practice." The Eagles open the 2010 season, their first in the MEAC at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level, at home against Johnson C. Smith on Sept 2 at 7 p.m. Rison said there were about 30 players out on the field horsing around and playing catch 45 minutes before practice was scheduled to start.

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Eagles are ready to Soar! Watchout MEAC!

NCCU Eagles Centennial Sports History: DID YOU KNOW?

NCCU Teams Have Won 41 Conference Championships, Two National Titles



This video is a look back at some of the history of NCCU, compiled as a tribute during Trailblazers Weekend. Images provided by NCCU Archives and Records, along with NCCU Public Relations (Robert Lawson).

DID YOU KNOW? North Carolina Central University sports teams have won 41 conference championships in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), including 10 conference titles in its final three seasons of NCAA Division II competition (2004-07).

In addition, two NCCU teams have captured national championship titles. The Eagles won the NCAA Division II men’s basketball national championship in 1989, while the men’s track & field team won the NAIA national championship in 1972.

NCCU has competed in the NCAA playoffs 21 times in the sports of football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, softball and women’s cross country.

As part of North Carolina Central University's Centennial celebration, the NCCU Department of Athletics posted sports history facts from the institution's first 100 years to its official web site, http://www.nccueaglepride.com/, every week during the year-long observance.

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NCCU settles into MEAC

DURHAM, N.C. -- For the past three school years, the N.C. Central athletic program has been like a one-man band, traveling wherever it could to get a gig while just trying to make ends meet. Today, however, the Eagles have landed. NCCU officially is now among the 14 members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a league the school left in 1979 when the conference moved up to Division I. Savannah State also joins the league today as a provisional member. NCCU is rejoining the MEAC as a part of its continued effort to become a full-fledged Division I athletic program. NCCU was accepted into the conference on Sept. 10, 2009, but actually becomes a MEAC member today.

"It occurred in September, but for the actual day to be here, it's even more exciting," NCCU athletic director Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree said. "Finally, we maybe can all take in a big breath of fresh air." The Eagles certainly can use some fresh air, having bounced around for three years as an independent, looking for games anywhere and everywhere. With the move to the MEAC, they join a conference with the likes of North Carolina A T, Winston-Salem State, Hampton and Norfolk State.



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NCCU Band Receives Walmart Gift

When members of North Carolina Central University’s Marching Sound Machine arrive in Pasadena, California, to take part in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, they will not have to worry about lost luggage at the airport, thanks to a major in-kind gift from Walmart. The transportation services division of the discount giant will transport the band’s instruments, equipment, luggage and uniforms. This gift, valued at close to $100,000, is the largest donation received in support of the (Marching Sound Machine's) Tournament of Roses $1 million dollars campaign.

On Christmas morning, two 18-wheelers will roll into Durham, load up and head west, crossing eight states and arriving in California by Dec. 28. Walmart will also transport the equipment back to Durham on Jan. 5. “This gift is saving the university thousands in transportation costs,” said LaTanya Afolayan, vice chancellor of Institutional Advancement.

NCCU is anticipating a total cost of $500,000, or $2,000 per student, for the band to take part in the prestigious parade. They still have a ways to go, but Afolayan, whose office is leading the fundraising effort, is confident that NCCU will reach its goal. “This gift sets precedence for other major supporters,” she said. “In these economic times to have Walmart step up at this level, it really means a lot. It signifies Walmart’s commitment to higher education, and we hope it will inspire others to join us in this endeavor.”

NCCU alumnus James Dockery, a member of the board of the NCCU Foundation, was instrumental in securing the donation, Afolayan said. Dockery is a former Walmart employee.

Through their dedication to musicianship, electrifying performances and the artistic expression of band director Jorim Reid, the Marching Sound Machine has gained the attention of several sponsors, including Michael Jordan Nissan, which has donated a 2010 Nissan Versa, valued at $18,000, to be raffled during the NCCU homecoming game on Oct. 30.

The Marching Sound Machine was selected as one of 16 bands to perform at the 2011 Rose Parade. Band members will assist with float preparation and perform in the annual Bandfest event before taking center stage as the first HBCU from North Carolina invited to the Tournament of Roses.

To join the parade and help the Marching Sound Machine get to Pasadena, visit www.nccu.edu/tournamentofroses.



The NCCU Marching Sound Machine Band is under the leadership of Mr. Jorim Edgar Reid. Mr. Reid is a former band member of Miami Norland High School, Miami, Florida, and a drum major of the incomparable "Marching 100" at Florida A&M University. Reid earned his undergraduate degree at Florida A&M University, his masters from Florida State University and is currently pursuing a doctorate at Boston University. He has been NCCU Director of Bands for the past seven years, retooling the marching band, which then featured only 32 members to over 200 musicians.

Will Coach Moton fly from NCCU Eagleland?

North Carolina Central University athletics director Ingrid Wicker-McCree, Ed.D., has been one of the driving forces behind the Eagles reclassification to NCAA Division I and membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The well-respected Wicker-McCree is a member of the NCCU Eagles Athletic Hall of Fame.

When LaVelle Moton was announced as N.C. Central's men's basketball coach in March 2009, it was his dream come true. The NCCU alumnus and third all-time leading scorer (1,714 points) had come full circle from NCCU, where he graduated in 1996; then overseas to play professional ball; back to Raleigh to coach at West Millbrook Middle before moving on to Sanderson High, where he led the Spartans to two straight Cap 7 tournament championships; and then back to the Eagles in 2007 as an assistant.

Now, just over a year after taking the head job, the honeymoon may be over. At press time, Moton was mulling over an offer from Xavier (Ohio) University to join the Musketeers coaching staff as an assistant. Six months ago, the mere thought of Moton leaving his beloved Eagles was as improbable as another gulf oil spill. But in the year since his hire, sources say his relationship with NCCU has been likened to dating a pretty woman. At first she looks good, talks good, even smells good, but the longer you get to know her, the uglier she gets. (And vice versa with men, of course).



LaVelle Moton, Men's Basketball Coach for NC Central University, speaks at the NC Center for After school Program...

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NCCU Student-Athlete Plays Piano Too

DURHAM, N.C. -- Stephen Allsop, just having completed a match for the N.C. Central University tennis team, made a quick stop at the James E. Shepard Library on campus before racing off to study for his final in epistemology. Allsop, who will graduate summa cum laude from the university this week, is almost always busy, racing off somewhere. But he's comfortable handling multiple responsibilities. "The key is being able to prioritize," he said. "You have to determine what needs to be done and what needs to be done first."

Senior tennis athlete Stephen Allsop, from Beltsville, Maryland's High Point H.S. is the first student-athlete in the history of North Carolina Central University to be accepted into Harvard Medical School's M.D./Ph.D program. The undergraduate turned down offers from the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University to attend NCCU.

Doing that has made Allsop the first student-athlete in the history of NCCU to be accepted into Harvard Medical School's M.D./Ph.D program. A biology major who has minored in jazz piano and chemistry, Allsop already has a resume of awards and honors that would be the envy of those three times his age. A year ago he was one of just 278 college students across the nation to win the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. He has been a Chancellor's scholar and a National Achievement Scholar, an undergraduate research fellow and the president of the NCCU chapter of the Golden Key Honor Society.

"His thirst for knowledge separates him from many students I've come across," said Antonio Baines, a biology professor at NCCU in whose lab Allsop has worked. "His curiosity and inquisitiveness are very impressive. He's just genuinely curious. He wants to know the answer." And in addition to being very bright, Baines said, "Allsop works hard as well."

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NCCU Adds Seventh Home Football Game‎ to 2010 Gridiron Slate

NCCU Eagles Tim Shankle scored TD against Duke Blue Devils in historic 2009 Bull City Classic game. The 2010 slate will be even more exciting with Appalachian State, North Carolina A&T, Winston-Salem State, Hampton and newcomers - Georgia State and Old Dominion.

Durham, N.C. - The 2010 North Carolina Central University football schedule features seven home contests, including a Thursday night season-opener and the return of rival North Carolina A&T to O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, along with four games against MEAC conference foes, as NCCU announced its updated gridiron slate on Saturday.

The seventh home contest has the Eagles hosting second year NCAA FCS Division I program, Old Dominion University Monarchs at 2 p.m., November 20. In what qualifies as one of the most successful season-ticket launches of a football team in NCAA history, the 2009 Monarchs sold over 14,859 season tickets and sold out each home game in Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium, which seats 19,782 for football. The Eagles will get a first-hand chance to see how the Monarchs travel to O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. In 2011, Old Dominion will become a member of the Colonial Athletic Association for football.

The Monarchs were 9-2 in their inaugural season and is currently negotiating a buy-out with Presbyterian College in order to play the more competitive NCCU Eagles. Both winless Presbyterian and Georgetown University have been dropped from ODU 2010 schedule. Georgetown was replaced with an ODU road trip on October 30 to traditional MEAC power, Hampton University.

In each of the prior three seasons since moving to NCAA Division I competition, NCCU had only four home contests. This marks the first time in school history that NCCU hosts seven regular-season home games. The Eagles also have an entertaining road schedule, facing powerhouse Appalachian State at Boone, N.C., newcomer Georgia State in Atlanta's Georgia Dome, Delaware State and Savannah State.

The 2010 NCCU schedule also includes the continued series with rival Winston-Salem State, the first home contest against Hampton in 19 years, a game inside the Georgia Dome, and Bethune-Cookman's first visit to O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. "It's a very competitive schedule," said Mose Rison, entering his fourth season as head football coach at NCCU. "We play seven games on our campus, which is a big plus. Our kids enjoy playing in front of our student body and our fans.

"Without a question, this is a great home schedule, with the likes of Winston-Salem State, North Carolina A&T, Hampton, Old Dominion and Bethune-Cookman coming to Durham. Plus, the return of former CIAA opponent Johnson C. Smith and Edward Waters for Homecoming," Rison added. "We're excited." NCCU will become members of the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) on July 1, 2010, but will not be eligible for the conference championship during the upcoming season.

No doubt, this will be an exciting season for Eagle fans and the MEAC.

2010 North Carolina Central University Eagles Football Schedule
Date Opponent

9/2 JOHNSON C. SMITH, DURHAM, N.C. 7:00 PM
9/11 WINSTON-SALEM STATE, DURHAM, N.C. 6:00 PM
9/18 at Appalachian State, Boone, N.C. TBA
9/25 NORTH CAROLINA A&T, DURHAM, N.C. 6:00 PM
10/9 HAMPTON, DURHAM, N.C. 4:00 PM
10/16 at Georgia State, Atlanta, GA TBA , Georgia Dome
10/23 BETHUNE-COOKMAN, DURHAM, N.C. 2:00 PM
10/30 EDWARD WATERS, DURHAM, N.C. 2:00 PM, “Homecoming"
11/6 at Delaware State, Dover, Del. TBA
11/13 at Savannah State, Savannah, Ga. TBA
11/20 OLD DOMINION, DURHAM, N.C. 2 PM

Defense shines in NCCU Maroon-Gray game

DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University Coach Mose Rison put his N.C. Central football team on display for the public in its annual Maroon & Gray game, and the defense probably won. But the big news of the day was the addition of another game for this fall. The Eagles have added an 11th game — and a seventh home game — on Nov. 20 against Old Dominion, a team that is in its second season of football. NCCU, which has gone 4-7 each of the past two seasons as it transitions into NCAA Division I, has never played seven home games in the same season. NCCU was one of the better teams on the schedule last season for the Monarchs (9-2), who won their first meeting in Norfolk 42-28. “This is huge for this football program,” Rison said. “Our kids really enjoy playing in front of our fans and we play well at home.”

Incumbent starting quarterback Michael Johnson completed six of 15 passes for 74 yards and led one touchdown drive, which ended in a 1-yard scoring plunge by Justin Campbell. “We were just starting to click toward the end of spring ball, so I wish it had gone on a little bit longer,” Johnson said. “Overall it was pretty good. I’m more comfortable coming to the line and seeing everything. Last year I knew my plays and what everyone had to do, but I had no clue what the defense was doing. Now my thought process is much better and I’m seeing the field way better.”

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Robert H. Jackson: 'Stonewall' was heart of NCCU football

Calgary, Canada - At Robert "Stonewall" Jackson's memorial service last week, many former NFL players made the trip to attend. So did doctors and lawyers and teachers and coaches, all players and students whose paths he helped shape during his 30-plus years at N.C. Central. "There were quite a few people there I hadn't seen in 20-some years," former NCCU defensive back Robert Massey said. "The unfortunate part about all of us coming together is it would have taken a guy like coach Jack to have brought us all back together. I don't know if any other coach would have been able to do that."

Trailblazer. Trendsetter. Teacher. Mentor. Witness to history. Jackson, who died earlier this month at 88, did it all. Jackson fought with Patton at the Battle of the Bulge. He was the first player from a historically black school drafted by the NFL. He touched countless lives as an assistant football coach, teacher and trainer at N.C. Central for 31 years, the touchstone of the football program for generations of players. "He was N.C. Central football," said Joe Simmons, the school's career rushing leader. "He was the first guy you meet on campus. He was one of the firmest guys you'll ever meet and probably the fairest guy you'll ever meet."

The nickname "Stonewall" was bestowed upon him in honour of his stout play at fullback by his high-school coach in Allentown, Pa. It would remain applicable for the rest of his life. After Jackson got home from the war -- he earned three bronze stars with the all-black 183rd Engineering Battalion, crossing the Rhine with General George Patton's Third Army -- he was a four-year starter for North Carolina A&T at fullback and linebacker. The New York Giants took him in the 16th round of the 1950 draft, one pick after the Washington Redskins picked North Carolina's Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice.

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Stonewall' Jackson was NCCU football

NCCU HALL OF FAME COACH ROBERT "STONEWALL" JACKSON PASSES AWAY ...

North Carolina A&T Aggies 23, North Carolina Central Eagles 17

N.C. A&T wins OT thriller over N.C. Central

GREENSBORO -- Carlton Fears and Wallace Miles decided they had to accept responsibility for turning around N.C. A&T's struggles. So over the last couple weeks, as the Aggies battled through back-to-back losses, the roommates enacted a self-imposed curfew, agreed to new rules by which the pair would live to discipline their routines, and put in extra work in the hope that it would pay off on the field. And after Fears hit Miles on a 24-yard touchdown pass in double overtime to beat N.C. Central 23-17 Saturday night at Aggie Stadium, the senior quarterback said what the pair had been doing must be working. The game winner was the second touchdown the pair hooked up for Saturday, and capped a wild win.

NC A&T Wins in Double OT Over NC Central

Greensboro - Wallace Miles caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Carlton Fears in the second overtime as North Carolina A&T snapped a three-game losing streak with a 23-17 victory over rival North Carolina Central on Saturday night. The Aggies started strong, getting an early touchdown pass from the Fears-Miles combination from a 7-0 first-quarter lead. Tony Coles padded the Aggies lead with a 1-yard touchdown run and Patrick Courtney booted a 34-yard field goal for a 17-0 advantage in the second quarter. But led by Will Scott, who caught five passes for 179 yards and a touchdown, the Eagles rallied, scoring 17 unanswered points to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.



Attendance: 19,534 @ Aggie Stadium, Greensboro, N.C.
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Duke Blue Devils 49, NCCU Eagles 14

Devils rule in cross-town romp

DURHAM, N.C. Early last week, Duke coach David Cutcliffe said the Blue Devils were not a "good" football team - a candid remark that represented the team's ineffectiveness and inconsistency in three previous games. On Saturday against N.C. Central, the Devils made strides to change their coaches' perspective, pounding the Eagles to capture a 49-14 victory at Wallace Wade Stadium in the first game between the neighboring schools.

The game, billed as the "Bull City Gridiron Classic," attracted 26,390 fans, many who showed up early to tailgate and enjoy the joint festivities planned by the two schools. A steady downpour did not turn away the faithful, who had talked about this game for weeks. The Eagles, who are in their third year of a transition from NCAA Division II to Division I, pulled the score to within a touchdown in the second quarter, cutting Duke's early lead to 21-14. Thereafter points were harder to acquire, with the Devils standing firm on defense and opening the game with an offensive outburst that continued into the fourth quarter.



Photo Gallery: Full Slideshow
Game summary

Rucker Understands What Tonight's Game Was All About

Kinney Rucker, more than any other Duke player -- with the possible exception of freshman running back Desmond Scott -- understood what the first Bull City Classic was all about. The Blue Devils' senior defensive tackle reveled in the moment as he walked out to the center of the field before the kickoff of Duke's 49-14 victory over North Carolina Central. The Durham native was appointed a co-captain for the first historic meeting between Durham's two universities. "I moved down here in the sixth grade," Rucker said. "I went to Central games. I went to Duke games. For this to happen, is huge. "I went to the pep rally Thursday, just to see the camaraderie. It is amazing how much this community has come together and how much times have changed. Growing up, you never thought you'd see Duke and Central playing on the same field. As they moved up another division, it made it possible."

NCCU Eagles Tim Shankle scores on 1-yard TD run against the Duke Blue Devils.

'A LONG TIME IN COMING'

DURHAM -- The rain fell, but it did not seem to bother Duke and N.C. Central University alumni who gathered late Saturday before the historic first meeting of the Blue Devils and the Eagles football teams at Wallace Wade Stadium. In addition to the rain, beer flowed, and there was plenty of chicken, barbecue and other good picnic food as fans gathered at Blue Devil Alley for the pregame tailgate parties for the historic first meeting of the two schools' teams. Much has been said and written about this game as an event that bridges a historical divide between Duke and historically black NCCU. Members of the Omega Zeta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity -- the first black fraternity at Duke, established in 1974 -- were on hand celebrating that historic milestone along with the evening's game.

Attendance: 26,390 at Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, N.C.

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Former Hillside star Michael Johnson earns starting QB job at N.C. Central

DURHAM, N.C. -- Michael Johnson is fulfilling a dream. Growing up, he was a ballboy for N.C. Central and now he is the starting quarterback for the Eagles. The former Hillside standout saw action in four games, including three starts, a year ago after transferring from Tulsa, and said his experience at Tulsa established a foundation that has allowed him to thrive with the Eagles. "I learned so much while I was there [at Tulsa]," Johnson said. "It made me a better quarterback. It made me a better student."

Johnson's decision to transfer back to his hometown university was based primarily on being closer to family so they could see him play. "It was a good experience but it was just difficult for my family to get out there to see me play," Johnson said. "My family likes to see me play so it was best for all of us for me to come back." Johnson said he feels like he has improved a lot since last season when he was thrust into action in the sixth game of the year against Presbyterian.


2009 NCCU Eagles Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time Affifiliation Series (Last Meeting)
Sept. 5 at Hampton “Pirates” Hampton, VA 6:00 pm
FCS HU leads 13-5 (11/14/1992 - L, 19-31)

Sept. 12 at Liberty “Flames” Lynchburg, VA TBA
FCS First Meeting

SEPT. 19 MOREHEAD STATE “Eagles” DURHAM, NC 1:30 PM
FCS First Meeting O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium

Sept. 26 at Duke “Blue Devils” Durham, NC TBA
FBS First Meeting

Oct. 3 at North Carolina A&T “Aggies” Greensboro, NC TBA
FCS A&T leads 45-30-5 (10/3/2008 - W, 28-27)

Oct. 10 at Appalachian State “Mountaineers” Boone, NC TBA
FCS First Meeting

OCT. 17 CENTRAL METHODIST “Eagles” DURHAM, NC 1:30 PM
NAIA First Meeting O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium

OCT. 31 CENTRAL STATE “Marauders” DURHAM, NC 1:30 PM
II Series tied 1-1 “Homecoming” O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium (10/19/1996 - W, 24-6)

Nov. 7 at Old Dominion “Monarchs” Norfolk, VA 2:00 pm
FCS First Meeting

Nov. 14 at Winston-Salem State “Rams” Winston-Salem, NC 1:00 pm
FCS Series tied 21-21 (11/15/2008 - W, 23-16)

NOV. 21 SAVANNAH STATE “Tigers” DURHAM, NC 1:30 PM
FCS NCCU leads 3-0-1 O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium (11/22/2008 - W, 10-7)

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In transition, NCCU turns back clock

Head Coach LeVelle Moton, a North Carolina Central grad, is a former high school coach with plenty of recruiting ties in the Raleigh-Durham area.

The tornado never did touch down, despite the threats of a visit causing one heck of a windstorm. And now that John Wall has moved on, LeVelle Moton can get down to the business of building a basketball program.

Wall, the nation's most-coveted recruit this spring, told a North Carolina newspaper in late April that he was going to visit North Carolina Central to see what a historically black university had to offer. Wall never visited the campus, but for a brief moment the Eagles were caught in the whirlwind that is big-time recruiting, a pretty heady experience for a school still trying to secure itself a spot in a Division I conference. "I couldn't believe the magnitude of it," said Moton, who has known Wall, a North Carolina native, since he was a kid competing at Moton's basketball camps. "It was every day. It made Rome is Burning. It was crazy."

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