Hall of Famer Richard Dent backs TSU's return to Hale Stadium

Possible future plans for Hale Stadium on the campus of Tennessee State University.

Nashville, Tennessee -- Former Tennessee State defensive end and recent NFL Hall of Fame inductee Richard Dent said he supports the Tigers moving their home games back to Hale Stadium and will help fund the project.

Dent said he already has made his first financial donation earmarked for the renovation of Hale Stadium, where the Tigers last played in 1998. The former Chicago Bear said he also met with university officials and informed them he was setting up a campaign in which he will match donations from other alumni.

“I’m starting a matching fund with my Make A Dent Foundation … and I’m really looking forward to helping the school,” Dent said. “I think it’s important to play games on campus.”

Dent attended Saturday’s game with UT Martin as co-grand marshal of TSU’s homecoming festivities. TSU has played at LP Field since 1999.

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Tennessee State Tigers gets familiar with comeback victories

Nashville, Tennessee -- For the second consecutive week, Tennessee State overcame a double-digit deficit to keep alive its hopes of posting a winning record. After falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter, the Tigers scored four consecutive touchdowns, then had to hold UT Martin off for a 35-30 victory.

The Tigers (5-5, 4-3 OVC) end the season next week at home against Jacksonville State. An LP Field crowd of 19,537 watched TSU claim its fourth win in five games. The Tigers’ last winning season came in 2008 when they finished 8-4.

Last week, TSU fell behind Eastern Illinois 17-5 in the third quarter and battled back for an 18-17 win. “The Cardiac Kids is taken, the Comeback Kids is taken; I don’t know what you should call us,” TSU Coach Rod Reed said. “But I don’t want us to have a nickname like that. I don’t want us to have to win like this anymore.”

UT Martin (5-5, 4-3) scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and threatened to take back the lead when it recovered an onside kick with 2:47 remaining and then drove into TSU territory.

Photo Gallary: TSU vs. UT-Martin




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UT Martin's Jason McNair shows flashes of his late uncle

Nashville, Tennessee -- His last name is McNair, he plays hard and plays hurt, and he’ll be at LP Field today. Jason McNair, nephew of late Titans quarterback Steve McNair, hopes to lead UT Martin (5-4, 4-2 OVC) to a victory over Tennessee State (4-5, 3-3).

McNair, a 5-foot-9, 192-pound junior from Mount Olive, Miss., leads the Skyhawks with 737 rushing yards and has scored five touchdowns. He has fond memories of LP Field. It’s where he scored his first touchdown as a freshman when he entered the game against TSU late with the Skyhawks safely in the lead (21-7) and scored on an 11-yard run. “I’m sure I’ll always remember that run,” McNair said.

But LP Field already was a special place for McNair. It’s where he watched his uncle become one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. “My uncle left his blood, sweat and tears on that field,” McNair said.

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TSU rallies with 13 points in fourth quarter to edge E. Illinois

CHARLESTON, Illinois -- Tennessee State scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, and Trabis Ward scored the game-winner with 1:49 left as the Tigers edged Eastern Illinois 18-17 on Saturday. Ward posted a career-high 142 yards rushing and also scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Eastern Illinois (2-8, 1-7 OVC) made it to midfield, but a fourth-and-5 pass bounced off the hands of receiver Von Wise. The Tigers (4-5, 3-3) stopped all five of the Panthers’ fourth-down plays in the game.

“Our offense grinded out a huge score, and our defense had a big stop on fourth down,” TSU Coach Rod Reed said. “I am extremely proud of these kids as they showed a lot of character.”

TSU put together a 15-play drive to make it a 17-12 game with 14:28 left on Ward’s 3-yard run. Ward had runs of 27 and 4 yards to start the winning touchdown drive, then quarterback Mike German lobbed a 29-yard pass to Billy Davis to move the ball to the EIU 17.



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Spoo Legacy Game Spoiled By TSU, 18-17

CHARLESTON, ILL. - The story book ending Eastern Illinois had hoped to send long time head coach Bob Spoo out with on Saturday afternoon was spoiled as the Panthers fell one point short in an 18-17 loss to Tennessee State.

Spoo coached his final game at O'Brien Field with more than 100 former players on hand to pay tribute to the Panthers all time leader in football wins. Spoo is in his 25th and final season as EIU's head coach having led the program to 144 wins and nine FCS playoff appearances. EIU fell to 2-8 on the year, 1-7 in the OVC. The Panthers will play the final game of Spoo's long career next Saturday at Southern Illinois. TSU improved to 4-5 overall, 3-3 in the OVC.

EIU held a 7-5 lead at the half as the Panthers defense had an inspired effort that included two inceptions of Tigers quarterback Mike German. Antonio Taylor and Pat Wertz both had their first career interceptions for EIU as TSU's only offensive score was a 51-yard field goal by Jamin Godfrey with six seconds left in the half.



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Tennessee State falls to Eastern Kentucky

Richmond, Kentucky -- Defensive pressure and a strong Eastern Kentucky rushing attack ended Tennessee State’s winning streak at two games in the Colonels’ 33-22 win Saturday.

TSU (3-5, 2-3 OVC) was held to 65 yards rushing by Eastern Kentucky (4-3, 3-1) after scoring 97 points in the two previous games. Redshirt freshman quarterback Mike German threw his first two interceptions and was replaced by former starter Jeremy Perry in the third quarter.

Matt Denham rushed for 226 yards and scored two touchdowns for the Colonels, who finished with 375 yards rushing.

“They gained over 250 yards rushing,” TSU Coach Rod Reed said. “Any time you do that, allow a team to run the football on you, I do not see very much success happening. We pride ourselves on stopping the run and we did not do that today, and it cost us.”

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TSU AoB at TTU 10/16/11

TSU snaps OVC losing streak, pounds SEMO 55-3

Nashville, Tennessee -- Tennessee State released a bunch of pent-up frustration Saturday night by pounding Southeast Missouri from the opening kickoff in a 55-3 victory. The Tigers snapped a nine-game OVC losing streak by beating the Redhawks 55-3.

TSU scored on seven of its eight possessions in the first half and claimed its most lopsided win since beating Tennessee Martin 76-0 in 1998. The 52-point loss matched Southeast Missouri’s worst since joining the OVC in 1991.



The Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak. They hadn’t won since the last time they played at LP Field, beating Southern 33-7 in the season opener. Last week TSU (2-4, 1-2) blew a 21-point first-half lead in a 37-34 loss at Austin Peay.

“I think we started something last week,” said second-year Coach Rod Reed, who earned his first OVC win. “We had an opportunity to win that game, but we let it slip away. We talked about finishing all week. We came in at halftime with that (41-0) lead, and it was still all business.”



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APSU holds off Tennessee State 37-34

Clarksville, Tennessee - Austin Peay beat Tennessee State 37-34 in an OVC and Sgt. York Trophy game at Governors Stadium Saturday night. With the win, the Govs are now 2-0 in the OVC for the first time since 1977. But it didn't look like things were going to go APSU's way after TSU returned to opening kick off 100 yards for a touchdown and sprinting out to a 27-6 lead with 4:10 left in the second quarter.

The Govs went on and outscored TSU 31-7 after that and sealed in on Stephen Stansell's 35-yard field goal with 10.1 seconds left in the game.

Jake Ryan's 300-yd passing game was first since Mark Cunningham threw for 308 on Oct. 28, 2006 against ...

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Austin Peay rallies to beat TSU, starts OVC play 2-0 for first time since 1977

It's usually easy to figure out how Austin Peay faired after it allowed the opening kickoff go for a touchdown and after it's fallen behind 27-6 with 4:10 left to go in the first half. That's usually, but so far the Govs aren't acting like teams in years past.

And every time Austin Peay and Tennessee State get together, a game coming down to the final moments is expected and Saturday's OVC and Sgt. York Trophy game was no different. Last year the Govs needed to score late to pull out a victory. Adrian Mines caught a touchdown pass with 40 seconds left to give APSU a 26-23 triumph.

This time, it was Stephen Stansell that provided the celebration, and his 35-yard field goal with 10.1 seconds left lifted the Govs to a 37-34 conference win over the Tigers.

The win was APSU's second straight, third consecutive over TSU, and more importantly made them 2-0 in the OVC for the first time since 1977; the same year of the football program's only conference championship.

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TSU prepares to face Austin Peay with depleted roster

Clarksville, Tennessee - A 63-24 loss at Air Force last week and a 58-27 loss the week before at Murray State left the Tigers (1-3, 0-1) with a long list of injured players as they prepare for Saturday’s OVC game at Austin Peay (1-2, 1-0). Seven starters are listed as questionable or out for this week’s game:

Nose tackle Donte’e Nicholls left last week’s game with an upper body injury. He will be replaced by freshman Samquan Evans. Defensive end Tyler Lusk did not play last week (leg) and is not expected back this week. Freshman Detorrius Shipley will replace him. Defensive tackle Lamar Wallace did not start (leg). Redshirt freshman D.J. McCellion replaced Wallace.

Middle linebacker Rico Council, TSU’s leading tackler with 34, left last week’s game (leg) and did not return. He practiced Tuesday, but is questionable. Freshman Mike West came in for Council. Fullback Johntae Gleaves did not play (leg). He returned to practice wearing a brace on his knee but won’t start this week. Redshirt freshman Stephen Brooks, a converted linebacker, has replaced Gleaves.

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Air Force Breezes Past Tennessee State, 63-24

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colorado - Tim Jefferson threw for a career-high three touchdowns and Air Force piled up a school record 792 yards of offense in a 63-24 rout of Tennessee State on Saturday.

The Falcons (2-1) were coming off a bye week after losing at home to TCU and the rust showed with four first-half gaffes that might have proven costly were this not such a mismatch.

AFA rushed for six touchdowns, including the first two of junior Mike DeWitt's career and one by starter Asher Clark, who had 148 yards on 13 carries. The Falcons were on the sideline cheering when freshman Jonathan Lee scampered into the end zone from 49 yards out on his first collegiate carry, which made it 63-17.

The Tigers of the Ohio Valley Conference had never allowed so many points.

Jefferson (13 for 15 for 178 yards) threw a pair of 34-yard scoring strikes, Clark scored on a 7-yard run, DeWitt took it in from 4 yards out and Wes Cobb added a 2-yard TD run for the Falcons, who led 35-10 at halftime. It could have been much worse.

Air Force defensive back Anthony Wooding Jr. allowed Calvin McNairl to blow past him and haul in an 80-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, and Falcons running back Anthony LaCoste was stripped a foot before crossing the goal line on a 22-yard run in the second quarter.

Box Score | Photo Gallery | Postgame Notes  | Postgame Quotes 

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Air Force scrambles to replace its open date with Tennessee St.

Tennessee State Tigers Head Coach Rod Reed

Colorado Springs, CO - It wasn't quite like searching for a needle in a haystack, but for Jim Trego at Air Force, there was a big sigh of relief when his call to Tennessee State proved fruitful.

During February and March of this year, Trego, a senior associate athletic director, was telephoning, e-mailing and contacting everyone he knew to find an opponent to fill the Sept. 24 date on Air Force's 2011 football schedule.

The combination of BYU and Utah departing the Mountain West and only one school, Boise State, coming in left Air Force in need of a game.

"I shut my office door and started going through the phone directory trying to find a game," Trego said. "I just kept looking and looking and finally found Tennessee State with an open date. I've been involved in scheduling for 24 years, and that was the biggest challenge I've ever had."

In Nashville, officials at Tennessee State also were looking for a game. A matchup in the Atlanta Football Classic against Florida A&M had fallen through. The telephone call from Trego proved a blessing.

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Southern Heritage Classic: Jackson State rallies to win shootout over Tennessee State

JSU's Therriault MVP after throwing three TDs

Memphis, TN - The way Tennessee State and Jackson State were marching up and down the field in the first half of Saturday’s Southern Heritage Classic, JSU coach Rick Comegy was ready to pull out the Dramamine.

Fortunately, the Tigers defense settled down in the second half and JSU managed to erase a 24-21 halftime deficit to beat TSU, 35-29, in front of 43,532 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. “What a see-saw,” Comegy said. “I think I was getting motion sickness it was so up and down. I’m glad we came out with the win.”

The win is JSU’s (2-0) second straight over TSU after dropping the previous seven meetings. Like most of their meetings, this one came down to the wire. JSU led 28-26 and was hoping to take some time off the clock when it took over from its own 11 with 6:34 to play. But a 17-yard pass from Casey Therriault to Rico Richardson gave the Tigers some breathing room.

A 22-yard strike to Keenan Tillman put the Tigers in TSU territory at the 41. That set up a 39-yard run by running back Tommy Gooden, who was tripped up at the 2-yard line.

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Air Raid returns

Rico Richardson spiked the ball into the Liberty Bowl Stadium turf, the Sonic Boom blasted their horns and Jackson State had a second straight win in the Southern Heritage Classic.

Richardson's 21-yard touchdown pass from scrambling quarterback Casey Therriault in the final minutes sealed Jackson State's 35-29 win over Tennessee on Saturday night.

The touchdown toss gave JSU a nine-point advantage with 2 minutes, 4 seconds left and capped quite an offensive performance from a unit that struggled just last week against tiny Concordia College.

Behind a rebuilt offensive line - featuring two new starters - Therriault threw for 337 yards and three scores, and the Tigers had two running backs, Tommy Gooden and B.J. Lee, break 65 yards as they rolled up a whopping 477 yards of offense.

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Jackson State defeats Tennessee State University in wild game

MEMPHIS, TN — After winning seven straight in the series, Tennessee State has now lost twice in a row to Jackson State after Saturday’s 35-29 defeat. A crowd of 43,532 at the 22nd annual Southern Heritage Classic watched Jackson State rally in the second half and then TSU make a late comeback attempt at the Liberty Bowl.

“What a seesaw,” Jackson State Coach Rick Comegy said. “I think I was getting motion sickness it was so up and down.”

Jackson State (2-0) led 28-26 when it took over at its 11 with 6:34 to play. But 17-yard pass from Casey Therriault to Rico Richardson gave the Tigers some breathing room. A 22-yard strike Keenan Tillman put Jackson State in TSU territory at the 41. That set up a 39-yard run by running back Tommy Gooden, who was tripped up at the 2.

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"Classic" Not Just A Game

Memphis, TN - Kick off to the 22nd annual Southern Heritage Classic comes later in the evening but the festivities started long before the teams ever hit the field. It all started with the folks lined up along Park Avenue in Orange Mound. People flooded the streets this weekend taking in the sights and sounds of the Classic parade.

Mamie Harmon said, "I come every year. I owned a house on Dunmoore. I lived over there for 7 years. I watched the parade. Now I live over here and I've been here 4 years and I made every parade."

They come to see the dancers, the high stepping bands including the show stopping Sonic Boom band from Jackson State University and the Aristocrat of bands from Tennessee State University. For the crowd attending, it's a sneak peek of the battle of the bands they hope to see later on the football field. However, the parade is proof the weekend is more than just about the game.



The Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands visited the LeBonheur Children's Hospital of Memphis Tennnessee during their Southern Heritage Classic weekend. The annual visit gives the children inspiration and motivation on Friday afternoon, while allowing the students in the band the opportunity to perform music and give personal time and cheer to the children, before playing in Saturday's parade and football game. (9/9/11, Videographer: Cassfl)




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Murray State Racers Travel to face Mississippi Valley

Murray State (0-1, 0-0 OVC) vs. Mississippi Valley State (0-1, 0-1 SWAC)
Time: Sept. 10 - 4 p.m.
Location: Rice-Totten Stadium - Itta Bena, Miss.
TV: Racer TV Network and ESPN3 (Internet)

STORY LINES
The Racers look to avoid their second-straight 0-2 as they travel to Mississippi Valley State for the first meeting between to two schools. It also marks the first time Murray State will play a team from the SWAC.

Murray State running back Mike Harris became just the second Racer back to go over 100 yards against an FBS opponent when he rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown against Louisville. He carried the ball 26 times in the opener, the second-most attempts in his career.

The Racer defense held Louisville scoreless over the final 43:20 of the game. MSU held the Cardinals to just 131 second-half yards and forced two turnovers in each half.

Saturday's game will mark the first of five televised games on the Racer Television Network. The network will also carry the games against Georgia State (Oct. 8), Eastern Illinois (Oct. 15), Tennessee Tech (Nov. 5) and Southeast Missouri (Nov. 19).

The Game
The Racers play their second non-conference road game in as many weeks as they travel to face Mississippi Valley State on Sept. 10 at 4 p.m. The game will be carried on the Racer Television Network, as well ESPN3.

vs. Mississippi Valley State
The contest between the two schools will be the first meeting on the gridiron. It is also the first road trip to Mississippi since the Racers played Mississippi State in 2005.

vs. the SWAC
The contest also marks the first time Murray State will play a team from the SWAC.



Racers Receiving Votes
The Racers continue to receive national recognition as they are receiving votes in both the national polls for the second-straight week. MSU moved up a couple spots in each poll, and now rank 29th in both polls.

On Grass
The game against Mississippi Valley State will mark the only time this season the Racers will play on grass. Last season, MSU lost 21-20 to Central Arkansas in their only game on natural grass.

Two Racers Return Home
Two members of the Racer football team will have a homecoming of sorts as they will be playing within two hours of their hometowns. Safety Darius Buck is from Vicksburg (2 hours) and linebacker Sam Small is from Winona (49 minutes).

Fewest Points vs FBS
Murray State held its own against Louisville as the Racers only allowed 21 points, including no points in the second half. It is the fewest points allowed to an FBS team since the Racers tied Memphis 10-10 in 1985.

Defense Forces Turnovers in Opener
The Racers defense forced four turnovers in the season opener against Louisville. It marked the fourth-straight season that the Racers forced at least two turnovers in the season opener.

Two-Way Barnett
Senior Dexter Barnett proved his value to the team in the opener as he played on both sides of the ball against Louisville. Barnett, who is a receiver, also saw time at corner in the fourth quarter. Throughout camp, Barnett spent time working at safety and corner to provide depth in the secondary.

Davis Gets Two
Senior Darrell Davis was pushed into action early in the contest against Louisville and responded in a major way. The St. Louis, Mo., native intercepted a pass in the first half and recovered a fumble in the second half.

Scouting Mississippi Valley State
The Delta Devils enter the contest with an overall record of 0-1, and an 0-1 record in the SWAC. MVSU opened its season at home against Alabama State, falling 41-9. The Delta Devils rushed for 155 yards and threw for 172 yards.  The defense allowed 123 yards on the ground and 196 yards through the air. Quarterback Garrick Jones led the offense by rushing for 113 yards and passing for 121 more yards. Turnovers were the problem in the opener as the Delta Devils lost five fumbles and threw two interceptions. Wide receiver Paul Cox caught four passes for 86 yards, while Kenneth Dabney had four grabs for 43 yards.

Dabney also returned seven kickoffs for 121 yards. Kicker Carlos Sanchez supplied the points as he went 3-of-4 on field goal attempts, connecting from 30, 32 and 32. Linebacker Terrell Johnson led the defense with eight tackles, including a tackle-for-loss. Rico Mazique also added eight stops. Javaris Fritz registered two sacks and blocked a field goal.

Whitehead Impresses in Opener
Transfer Julian Whitehead quietly went about his business Thursday evening and led the Racer defense with nine tackles. The junior has quickly made himself a leader of the defense.

Defense Posts 2nd Half Shutout
The Murray State defense entered the season as a question mark, but they made their presence known in the season opener as they shutout Louisville over the final 43:20 of the game. It was the first time the defense pitched a second-half shutout since Oct. 4, 2008 against Austin Peay (APSU scored a safety in 3rd quarter). The last time the Racers allowed no points in the second half was the 2007 season opener against Lambuth.

Defense Limits Cards in 2nd Half
The Racer defense dominated the second half as they limited Louisville to just 131 yards of offense in the second half. The defense also forced a pair of turnovers in the second half.

Harris Carries Load
Senior Mike Harris carried the load for the offense in the season opener as he carried the ball 26 times against Louisville. The 26 carries are the second most in his career, behind only his 30 attempts against Missouri State last season.

GAME NOTES
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TSU, Southern bank on rushing

Nashville, TN - The unknown factor is usually prominent in the first game of the season. But that’s not the case for Tennessee State and Southern, which meet tonight in the 13th annual John Merritt Classic at LP Field.

Southern’s second-year Coach Stump Mitchell was a running back in the NFL with the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals from 1981-89. TSU’s second-year Coach Rod Reed was a linebacker (1985-88), who became the Tigers’ all-time leading tackler (406). That kind of takes the guesswork out of what to expect.



“I don’t think there’s any question about how this game will play out,” Mitchell said. “I’m a running back, and I’m calling the plays. Rod’s a linebacker, and they’re going to try to stop the run. They play good defense, but we have to find ways to run the ball. We didn’t run the ball last year, but we’re going to this year.”

Mitchell said the personnel he inherited at Southern wasn’t suited to run the ball when he left the Washington Redskins as running-backs coach after the 2009 season.

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TSU RB running by foes

Nashville, TN - Following a summer practice in 2007, TSU’s freshman running back Danté Thomas left an unforgettable first impression with position coach Kevin Mashack.

Thomas, who just transferred from the Naval Academy Prep school, joined the rest of the TSU team for summer camp, but Mashack noticed Thomas looked slow and questioned why the program offered him scholarship to begin with.

It wasn’t until the second week of camp, according to Mashack, until he discovered the main cause for Thomas’ struggles. His cleats.

“I see him on the table taking off his cleats with skin hanging off his feet,” Mashack recalled. “But he didn’t complain. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t want us to think that he just got here and that he was already hurt.”

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Football Gameplan's 2011 Ohio Valley Conference Preview

2011 Ohio Valley Conference Preview
Austin Peay Governors
Eastern Illinois Panthers
Eastern Kentucky Colonels
Jacksonville State Gamecocks
Murray State Racers
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
Tennessee State Tigers
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
UT-Martin Skyhawks

Could TSU stadium see new glory days?

Nashville, TN - Tennessee State interim President Portia Holmes Shields admitted her hopes of having some football games at Hale Stadium on campus in 2012 are “pie in the sky” at this point.

Still, she is making an extensive effort to make it happen. She wants the team to return to 10,000-seat Hale Stadium, known as “The Hole,” as part of the Tigers’ 100-year celebration of playing football in 2012.

The Tigers experienced their glory days in the 1960s and early 1970s playing in The Hole.

But TSU also would need to spend around $1 million for repairs to Hale Stadium to be able to play there again.

“The stadium has been sitting there dormant for years,” Shields said. “And so you wouldn’t expect to just go out there and hike the ball. There’s got to be some work done. But it wouldn’t take much money to play in The Hole next year.”

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Tennessee State president pushes on-campus football games

Dr. Portia Holmes Shields

Nashville, TN - Tennessee State interim President Portia Holmes Shields said she hopes the Tigers’ football team will play three games at Hale Stadium on campus in 2012. Holmes Shields said the Tigers would keep the John Merritt Classic and homecoming at LP Field if the plan is approved.

TSU has played all of its home games at LP Field since 1999, moving there instead of repairing the 10,000-seat Hale Stadium, known as “The Hole.” Part of the agreement to build the Titans stadium was contingent on TSU getting to play there.

“There still is a lot of work and a lot of planning that has to take place to make it happen,” TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said. “Our new president has shown a lot leadership by just putting the matter on the table for the university and for our community.”

Holmes Shields could not be reached for comment Saturday. In April, TSU’s students voted to add $25 to their fees per semester to fund renovations to Hale Stadium. TSU’s current enrollment is 8,824.

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2011 Pro Football Hall Of Fame Inductee Richard Dent gives thanks for what he became

CANTON, Ohio — During his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech Saturday, Richard Dent said he “wanted to be someone special my mother and father and brothers could look up to.

” Dent accomplished that and so much more during a 15-year career mostly spent with the Bears where he wowed fans on the lakefront and wreaked havoc in opposing backfields.

Dent finished his career with 137½ sacks, third all-time when he retired behind Reggie White and Bruce Smith, and was the MVP of the 1986 Super Bowl. Those Bears epitomized the Monsters of the Midway.


He had 10 or more sacks in eight seasons, and was also a strong defender of the run, which impressed teammates like offensive guard Tom Thayer, who always appreciated the fact that Dent was a three-down player.

“Buddy Ryan challenged Richard Dent,” Thayer said. “Buddy said, ‘Make sure that you can stop the run, or else you’re not going to play in my defense,’ and then Richard Dent lived up to everything that was required of him on the field.”

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RICHARD DENT: His ‘wildest dream’

CANTON, OH — Dreaming big came naturally to Richard Dent.

“I grew up in a town where a man always said, ‘I have a dream,’ and that man was Martin Luther King,” Dent said. “And as a kid growing up at that time, listening to him, all I could do is dream. I wanted to be someone special that my mother and my father and my family looked up to.”

That kid from Atlanta exceeded his dreams.

Saturday night, he stood as a man inside Fawcett Stadium and was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Not in my wildest dream did I think I’d be here,” the 50-year-old Dent said as he looked back on his unlikely path, first to college and then to becoming an NFL superstar with the powerful Chicago Bears of the mid-1980s.

“None of us get anywhere by ourselves,” Dent said, as he thanked dozens of family, friends, teammates and coaches for helping him along his journey. Men such as high school coach, William Lester, and his Tennessee State defensive coordinator, Joe Gilliam, played a huge part in him becoming an NFL player.

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Tennessee State University's Richard Dent Joins Pro Football Hall Of Fame In Class Of 2011

Chicago, IL - Back in 1983, defensive end Richard Dent was an eighth-round selection out of Tennessee State by the Chicago Bears. Twenty-eight years later, Dent will find himself in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. A member of the storied mid-1980s Bears defenses, Dent made his reputation in the league by becoming a feared sack artist. His 137-1/2 career sacks have him tied for sixth all-time with 2010 Hall of Fame inductee John Randle. But that doesn't tell the whole story of Dent's dominance.

After playing in all 16 games as a rookie, Dent followed that up in 1984 with 17-1/2 sacks, third best that year. He didn't let up in 1985, leading the league with 17 sacks. He was in midst of recording double-digit sacks in eight of 10 season from 1984-93. In 1993, Dent, 33, had 12-1/2 sacks, his last great season. He would float around the league for the next four seasons to San Francisco, back to Chicago, then in Indianapolis and finally finishing things with Philadelphia.




Dent garnered a number of awards during his 15-year career. He was the 1985 Super Bowl MVP, which saw him record 1-1/2 sacks in the Bears' 46-10 romp over the Patriots. He made four Pro Bowls...

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Tennessee State star Richard Dent enters Pro Football Hall of Fame today

Excerpt:
TSU Took a Chance
The defensive coordinator at Tennessee State, Joe Gilliam happened to be teaching a graduate course in public health. One of his students was William Lester, Dent’s coach at Murphy High in Atlanta. Gilliam was also responsible for recruiting in Georgia, and one spring day, he stopped by the school. Lester put in a tape and asked what he thought.

“I said, ‘I have cornerbacks that are bigger than Richard Dent and he’s an offensive tackle. He just won’t cut it, Coach,’” Gilliam said.  Lester wouldn’t take no for an answer, though, and when fall practices started, Gilliam said he showed up with Dent in tow even though there was no scholarship offer.

“He says, ‘We can’t leave him in Atlanta. He won’t make it, Coach.’ I said, ‘I can understand. He comes from a pretty rough area and all that, but I just don’t have a scholarship for him.’ He says, ‘Coach, I can’t leave him. So I brought him.’ He says, ‘You do what you can for him. I know you'll do that.’ ”

He remembers Lester telling him, “Well, you got him” and then leaving.

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