FAMU shuts out Savannah State

Coach Joe Taylor has been hinting for more than a week that he would put the rest of the season in the hands of his running backs. On Saturday, senior Philip Sylvester and LaVante Page proved that Taylor might be on to something as they led a ground attack that carried Florida A&M to a 31-0 victory over Savannah State.

The victory was a prelude to a five-game stretch that the Rattlers must win to keep a meaningful place in the conversation about playing in the postseason.

FAMU blanks Savannah State, 31-0

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - For a time Saturday afternoon the Savannah State football team was living on the edge. The game against Florida A&M was in front of them if the Tigers could string together some first downs. But the Tigers (0-7) fell off the precipice following touchdowns on the Rattlers first two possessions of the third quarter. A manageable 10-point halftime deficit became insurmountable one as Savannah State fell 31-0.

Faithful fan keeps cheering through Rattlers' good times and bad

Right beneath the press box, where there is usually a lot of ruckus, it was eerily quiet for the first quarter. The shakers were near silent. No whistles blew like they usually do. Folks were wondering about their Florida A&M football team as former West Gadsden star quarterback Antonio Bostick got a nifty drive going before the Savannah State Tigers had to punt.

"I will cheer for you; hold that line," a lonely voice bellowed from the crowd just below the press box. "Hold that line."

FAMU's big plays make up for mistakes

Two possessions were all it took to wipe away a dissatisfying first half. Despite dominating in every statistical category Florida A&M led Savannah State just 10-0 at the half due to eight penalties, clock management issues and offensive ineffectiveness on third down.

The miscues even permeated to the officiating as an inadvertent whistle from the officials prevented FAMU from scoring what would have been a 90-yard punt return by T.J. Lawrence with two minutes remaining in the first half.

Coach Taylor predicts competitive MEAC season

As long as three months ago, coach Joe Taylor has been predicting that before the season is done, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference will turn out to be one of the most competitive among all Division I-AA.

Taylor was making his case again a few days before Saturday's matchup between Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State. Both teams went into the game with unbeaten records, but it's the Wildcats' 4-0 record that seems to validate Taylor's argument.

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Attendance: 8834

Winless SSU falls to D-II Albany State, 28-14

WAYCROSS, GA - Savannah State could not stop the multi-headed offense of Albany State, but the Tigers were able to slow it down on the neutral field of Memorial Stadium.

The NCAA Division II Golden Rams cruised to a 28-14 victory in the "Rumble in the Swamp" behind the running of LiRonnie Davis, Robert Welton and Kareem Hess, and the passing of Stan Jennings.

Albany State had not been held under 30 points in its first three games, nor had anyone scored more than 10 points against the Rams. SSU accomplished both.

ASU doubles up on Savannah State, 28-14, moves to 4-0

WAYCROSS, GA — During football practice last week, Albany State quarterback Stanley Jennings said momentum can change anything in a game. If the “Rumble in the Swamp” was any indication, he’s right.

The Rams defeated Savannah State, 28-14, in Waycross on Saturday in the 60th meeting between the two teams, but they had to hold off freshman quarterback Antonio Bostic from rallying the Tigers in the fourth quarter.

“I was glad with the way we played (overall),” said head coach Mike White, whose team is now 4-0 on the season and 42-16-2 against Savannah State all-time. “(But) I thought we played a better first half. The second half, I was really disappointed.”

ASU-SAVANNAH STATE NOTEBOOK: ASU’s Savannah natives happy to beat their hometown Tigers

WAYCROSS, GA – Arkeen Riley may not be the most well-known Ram, but the defensive lineman definitely had the biggest cheering section in Waycross for Albany State’s game against Savannah State Saturday.

Two dozen friends and family members of the ASU sophomore made the drive from Savannah to see his team grab a big victory against the Tigers, and most of them brought t-shirts sporting his No. 95 on the back. “I’m going to (try to) be at every game,” Riley’s mother said.. “It’s exciting (to see him play). It’s a dream come true.”

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SSU, Albany State renew rivalry

Can Savannah State University's football team beat a lower-level opponent?

The Tigers, members of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), will get a second opportunity today when they play Albany State, an NCAA Division II member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Two weeks ago, Fort Valley State, also a member of the SIAC, scored 41 unanswered points en route to a 41-10 victory over SSU. SSU (0-3) will play Albany State (3-0) at 2 p.m. today at Memorial Stadium in Waycross in the "Rumble in the Swamp."

Rams set to 'Rumble' against Tigers in Waycross

ALBANY, GA — One Tigers rivalry game down, one to go. After its 34-6 whipping of the Tuskegee Tigers last week, the Albany State football team heads out to Waycross today to take on the Savannah State Tigers — and renew a rivalry — in the inaugural “Rumble in the Swamp.” And while the two schools haven’t played each other since 2004, the history between them is deeper than the bogs of the Okefenokee.

“I’m excited about the game,” ASU head coach Mike White said this week. “They’re somebody we haven’t played in a while.” White was a star defensive lineman on the 1975-1978 Rams teams that beat Savannah State three out of the four times they played, but the tradition goes back further than that. Much, much further.

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B-CU does its job again; Savannah State fall 42-7

DAYTONA BEACH -- Preseason is over. And finally Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins was ready to admit it. Jenkins went into his first two games with the Wildcats building up his opponents. But after he built them up during the week, the 'Cats tore them down on game day.

Quarterback Matt Johnson passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more Saturday, as B-CU improved to 2-0 with a 42-7 win over Savannah State in front of 2,510 fans at Municipal Stadium. Johnson accounted for 277 of the Wildcats' 446 yards on offense in the rout, which came on the heels of a 70-10 demolition of Edward Waters two weeks ago.

Next week the competition will get decidedly tougher, as the 'Cats play host to Norfolk State in their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener.



Tigers fall 42-7, remain winless

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Savannah State University's multitude of offensive problems seemed on the verge of becoming a thing of the past after the Tigers' opening drive Saturday against Bethune-Cookman University. It turned out that those problems would only get worse.

In addition to remaining winless by losing, 42-7, to the Wildcats, the Tigers absorbed a beating which went beyond the scoreboard.

Running back Justin Babb, who rushed for 125 yards and accounted for the offense's first touchdown all season, injured a hamstring in the third quarter attempting to recover a fumble and never returned to the game. Two starting linemen also needed to be helped off the Municipal Stadium field...

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The Savannah State University Coastal Empire Sound Explosion works it out at the Drumline Battle of the Bands on Sunday, September 19, 2010 at Memorial Stadium in Savannah, Ga.

Fort Valley State overpowers Savannah State

Savannah State was in need of a win, and so was Fort Valley State. Both teams were coming off losses that left a different flavor of bitter tastes, and each wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. The Wildcats will enjoy their meals Sunday a lot more than the Tigers.

FVSU scored 41 straight points and shut the door on the Savannah State offense for the final three quarters en route to a 41-10 win Saturday afternoon at Henderson Stadium.
The Wildcats, 47-34 losers at home last week to Morehouse, improved to 2-1 with the win over the FCS Tigers, who dropped to 0-2. FVSU outgained Savannah State 345-131 and ran 73 plays to 56 for the Tigers.

Final: Division II Fort Valley State 41, SSU 10

Fort Valley State scored 41 unanswered points to beat Savannah State, 41-10, in the Music City Classic at Henderson Stadium in Macon on Saturday. FVSU, an NCAA Division II team, improved to 2-1. SSU, a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), dropped to 0-2.

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2010 MEAC Press Conference

SSU hires 3 football assistant coaches

Savannah State University football interim head coach Julius Dixon has hired three assistant coaches: Carl Funderburk (offensive line), Corey McCloud (defensive line) and Dwayne Curry (linebackers). They will join SSU assistant coaches Alan Hall, Eddie Johnson, Hans Batichon and Barry Casterlin.

John Montgomery (offensive line) resigned earlier this year.

Coach Funderburk is a 1989 graduate of Elon University and coached the offensive line at Winston-Salem State University in 2009. Prior to WSSU, he served seven years at Methodist University (Fayetteville, N.C.), where he was the offensive line coach and travel coordinator.

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Time to remove Savannah State Dixon's interim label

It's time for Savannah State University to remove the interim label from interim football head coach Julius Dixon's title. Dixon has been serving in that capacity since Jan. 28, when he was named interim head coach by interim athletic director Marilynn Suggs to replace Robby Wells. Dixon is a good man. He has the character, integrity, experience and leadership skills SSU needs. He also has the respect of SSU's players and administration. He reminds me of former SSU head coach Theo Lemon. I have tremendous respect for both men.

College football, at least at this level, is not exclusively about winning games. It's about helping young men mature and maximize their potential en route to earning bachelor's degrees via the opportunity that fooball provides. Dixon truly cares about his players. He is a hard-working, humble family man. He is honest. Dixon, who was SSU's defensive coordinator the past two seasons, and his assistants (Eddie Johnson, Alan Hall, Barry Casterlin and Hans Batichon) are a close-knit staff. They work well together. Their focus is on the team, not on themselves. And they're hungry to win while doing things the right way.

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Savannah State and Tuskegee signs Beach High teammates

Teammates on Beach High School’s girls basketball and track and field teams, seniors Brianna Little and Alicia Champion sat side by side Thursday and secured their collegiate futures. Little signed to play basketball at nearby Savannah State University, while Champion will run track at Tuskegee University. “I’m very excited knowing that I will have the opportunity to play on the next level,” Little said. Champion received a greater financial package via a full academic scholarship, rather than accepting an athletic scholarship, to attend Tuskegee.

“I know without academics, you can’t go as far as you want in life,” Champion said. “Plus, running track is something I love. I try to do my best on the field and in the classroom.”

Little, a 5-foot-6 point guard, spent the first three seasons of her basketball career at Beach overshadowed by star teammates Khalilah Watson and Monique Willis. But in her senior year, Little flourished for the Bulldogs in a prominent role. Little averaged 18.3 points and 3.6 assists per game while using her speed and quickness defensively to disrupt and frustrate opposing teams while coming up with an average of five steals.

“Savannah State has come in and gotten, what I think is, a major D-I player,” Beach coach Ronald Booker said. “She has tremendous potential because you can teach a lot of things, but you cannot teach the quickness she possesses. And she finishes well at the basket and she shoots the ball well.”

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Beach High back takes versatility to Savannah State

Simon Heyward was patiently waiting to hear the magic words. Finally, Savannah State University said them. Heyward, a senior at Beach High School, was holding out to receive a full scholarship for football. On Wednesday afternoon, he got his wish, signing a scholarship to continue his career with the hometown Tigers. "I was talking to Alabama State, Georgia Southern and Tuskegee, but none of them were talking the right words," Heyward said. "Then Savannah State came up to me and laid it out to me and I made that decision.

"(I wanted) a full ride," he added. "Where the money is at, is where I'm going to go play ball and get an education." In his senior season for the Bulldogs, Heyward became one of the city's most versatile weapons and prompted coach Ulysses Hawthorne to instill a portion of the wildcat offense, with the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder at the center of it. Heyward regularly played receiver, running back and quarterback. He totaled 41 receptions for 653 yards, rushed 68 times for 544 yards and completed 30 of 48 passes for 183 more yards. Defensively, he intercepted a pair of passes and made nine deflections and 37 tackles as a defensive back. He scored a total of 13 touchdowns.

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Savannah State says Wells violated NCAA rules

Former SSU Tigers coach Robby Wells was asked to resign for committing two NCAA secondary violations reports the Savannah Morning News.

As Savannah State University was preparing to join the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, former football head coach Robby Wells was responsible for two of three secondary violations within the football program that SSU self-reported to the NCAA, according to documents obtained by the Savannah Morning News through a Georgia Open Records Act request. Wells, who resigned Jan. 28 after two seasons, broke an NCAA rule on Jan. 20 when he invited an SSU student - a non-qualifier - to participate in weightlifting and conditioning drills with the football team.

SSU Assistant Athletics Director/Compliance Shed Dawson wrote in a report he submitted to the NCAA that, during a routine practice site visit, he observed the prospective athlete participating in the practice session. The athlete had been declared a non-qualifier by the NCAA Eligibility Center and was not eligible to participate in team practices or competition.

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SSU Men's Basketball Signs Three

Coach Horace Broadnax adds three solid players to the Tigers Den for their first MEAC basketball season.

SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State men’s basketball head coach Horace Broadnax has announced the signing of three players to join the SSU basketball program for the 2010-11 school year. Inking with the Tigers were Christopher Spears, Jyles Smith and Stephen Wilson.

Spears (6-8, 225) was a four-year starter at Turner County High School in Ashburn, Georgia. Spears led his team to three final four appearances and two state championship game appearances. He was also named to the all-region team (2-A) during his sophomore, junior and senior years. With Spears in the lineup, Turner County had a record of 124-20. As a senior, Spears averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds per game and was named region Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named to the all-state team. Spears was Turner County High’s junior class president and senior class vice president.

Smith (6-8, 215) played at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Georgia where he averaged 10 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.5 blocks a game. During the 2009-10 season Smith had three triple doubles. He was named first team all-region (4-AAAAA) and was selected to play in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association North-South All-Star Game.

Wilson (5-11, 165) played at Mt. Zion High School in Jonesboro, Georgia where he was the team Offensive Player of the Year. During his senior year, Wilson averaged 20 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The second all-time leading scorer in Mt. Zion High history, Wilson was a third team all-region (4-AAAA) selection as a junior and a first team all-region pick as a senior.

Sharpe highlights SSU HOF induction class

Shannon Sharpe

Savannah State University will induct 10 new members into the SSU Athletics Hall of Fame on May 28 at 7 p.m. at Tiger Arena. The 2010 inductees will be the third induction class in SSU's history. SSU inducted 17 members in 1973 and 12 members in 1974. The Class of 2010 includes:

Lee Blitch, baseball and football player (1974-78): All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference catcher in baseball (1975, '76, '77,'78); SSU Baseball MVP in 1977; All-SIAC defensive back in football in 1975 and 1976; Played in the Atlanta Braves minor league system for three years; Native of Claxton. Lives in Union City.

Shannon Sharpe, football player (1986-89): All-SIAC First Team as a flanker in 1987, '88, '89: Co-SIAC Player of the year in 1989; Kodak Small College All-America First Team in 1989; Named College Player of the Year in Georgia in 1989; First Savannah State football player to play in Blue-Gray Classic in 1990 and East-West Shrine Game in 1990; owns SSU single-season receiving records for yardage, touchdowns and yards per catch; Played in NFL for 14 seasons; Glennville native. Lives in Atlanta.

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SSU sweeps Edward Waters

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Savannah State swept Edward Waters, an NAIA team, in a doubleheader at the Baseball Grounds (SSU 4-8, EDWARD WATERS 3-4). SSU (22-17) was led in the first game by starter Joseph Jackson, who earned the win. He struck out one, walked three and allowed three earned runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Jonathan Ross was 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs RBIs. Darien Campbell was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Kevin Herlihy (two doubles) and Emory Barkley each were 2-for-3.

In the second game, SSU was led by starter Mark Sherrod, who earned the win. He struck out eight, walked one and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in six innings. Campbell was 4-for-4 with an RBI. Joseph McCrary was 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Brandon Webster was 2-for-3. Blake Lee, Dexter Kelley, Herlihy, Bubba Green and Dondregius Jackson each drove in runs. Edward Waters fell to 22-23.

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SSU sweeps NC Central in baseball‎

The Savannah State University baseball team pounded out 28 hits Saturday en route to sweeping a home doubleheader from winless North Carolina Central (0-25), 11-1 in eight innings, and 11-6 in seven. The Tigers (13-13) had 15 hits in Game 1, as right fielder Dexter Kelley was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, three runs scored and one double. Third baseman-shortstop Joseph McCrary was 4-for-4 with one RBI, one run and one double. Michael Allegretti (7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K) earned the win.

In Game 2, Kelley was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and McCrary was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Blake Lee was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs. Mark Sherrod (5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) was credited for the win.

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ESPN's "Outside the Lines" visits Savannah State University

SSU's Dr. Claud Flythe, Vice President for Administration is the architect behind the Tigers successful move from Division I Independent to membership in the MEAC.

A crew from ESPN's investigative program "Outside the Lines," including reporter Jemele Hill, visited SSU on Tuesday and Wednesday. ESPN interviewed administrators and coaches about ex-football coach Robby Wells, who accused administrators of racism and lies in his Feb. 11 resignation letter. SSU golf coach Art Gelow said ESPN interviewed him for 15 minutes about the validity of Wells' accusations.

SSU Vice President for Administration Claud Flythe said ESPN was unaware of Wednesday's "MEAC Celebration" until it arrived on campus Tuesday afternoon. The crew filmed SSU's baseball game Tuesday against Charleston Southern, and ended up shooting footage of Wednesday's celebration in Tiger Arena.

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Stadium Renovations Impact Savannah State 2010 Football Schedule

Savannah State University Tigers athletics department has announced its tentative 2010 football schedule. Major renovations to Theodore A. Wright Stadium have forced SSU to schedule less home games. In 2010, the Tigers will play nine road games and two home contests with teams from six conferences--Southern, Southern Intercollegiate, Mid-Eastern, Big South, Colonial and Southwestern.

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced on March 10, 2010, that Savannah State University has been extended provisional membership to the MEAC beginning July 1, 2010.

“Scheduling was a difficult task for us this season,” said interim athletics director Marilynn Suggs. “We wanted to play our usual complement of home games, but with the stadium renovations we will not be able to do so.” “We have scheduled six games in the state of Georgia in order to give our students, alumni, boosters, fans and supporters the best opportunity to see us play. We are extremely excited about the renovations to the stadium and look forward to playing on our campus in 2011,” added Suggs.

When completed in the summer of 2011, the new Theodore A. Wright Stadium will accommodate 8,000 patrons – 4,500 on the home side and 3,500 on the visitor side – in a combination of bleachers and seats. The existing concrete bleachers will be ground up and used during construction.

Nearly all stadium structures will be demolished as part of the upgrade, but the skybox, built in 2008, and track and field will remain intact. An elevator and restrooms will be added to the skybox and team locker rooms, concession areas and restrooms for the home and visitor sides of the stadium will be constructed. A 500-seat student section will be located below the President’s Club section, and the SSU Student Government Association will have its own skybox for use during football games.

SSU students voted last year to begin paying in the fall an extra $150 semester fee to help fund both the stadium renovations and student center construction, expected to cost a combined $17 million. The expected cost for stadium renovations are $4.5 million. Students were involved in the design process for both projects and will be able to use the stadium for other events at no additional cost.

The stadium renovations – and construction of a new student complex, also slated to begin in July – will be financed by the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority (GHEFA), which enables pooled financing of multiple projects under a single bond issue to help fund capital projects for the University System of Georgia and Department of Technical and Adult Education.

The Tigers will kick off the season on the road against local rival Georgia Southern in Statesboro on September 4. Savannah State will end the year with back-to-back home games on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20. North Carolina Central will come to Savannah on Nov. 13 and Norfolk State will be SSU’s Homecoming opponent on Nov. 20. SSU will announce the site of its home games at a later date.

DATE OPPONENT EVENT LOCATION TIME

9/4/2010 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Ga. - Paulson Stadium
9/10/2010 Fort Valley State University TBA
9/18/2010 Bethune Cookman University Daytona Beach, Fla. - Municipal Stadium
9/25/2010 Albany State University TBA
10/2/2010 Liberty University Lynchburg, Va. - Williams Stadium TBA
10/9/2010 Georgia State University Atlanta, Ga. - Georgia Dome TBA
10/16/2010 Florida A&M University Tallahassee, Fla. - Bragg Stadium TBA
10/23/2010 Alabama State University Montgomery, Ala. - Cramton Bowl 1:00 p.m.
10/30/2010 OPEN
11/6/2010 Old Dominion University Norfolk, Va. - Foreman Field 2:00 p.m.
11/13/2010 North Carolina Central University Savannah, Ga. H TBA
11/20/2010 Norfolk State University "Homecoming" Savannah, GA H TBA

WELCOME TO THE MEAC SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, ALUMNI AND BOOSTERS.

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