Tennessee State Releases 2011 Football Schedule

Tennessee State University Athletic Director Teresa Phillips has released the tentative 2011 football schedule without the Atlanta Classic against perennial opponent, Florida A&M University.

"The Atlanta Classic is sponsored by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta and they decided to bring in another opponent to face Florida A&M," said Phillips. “We are in active negotiations to schedule an FBS or prominent FCS team to replace that game this year.” She concluded saying, “We expect to complete our schedule by the end of the month.”

The Tigers and Rattlers have played each other for twenty-eight consecutive years with FAMU holding a 26-25-1 edge in the all-time series. TSU beat FAMU 29-18 last year in Atlanta in front of a crowd of 54,202.

Phillips added, "Considering our long-standing rivalry with Florida A&M, we are looking to negotiate future home-and-home games with the Rattlers to renew and sustain our series."

Tennessee State University Tentative 2011 Football Schedule
Date Opponent Site Event Time
Sep 3 Southern Nashville, TN John Merritt Classic TBA
Sep 10 Jackson State Memphis, TN Southern Heritage Classic TBA
Sep 17 TBA TBA    TBA
Sep 24 TBA TBA    TBA
Oct 1 Austin Peay State* Clarksville, TN    TBA
Oct 8 SE Missouri State* Nashville, TN    TBA
Oct 15 Tennessee Tech * Cookeville, TN    TBA
Oct 22 Eastern Kentucky * Richmond, KY    TBA
Oct 29 O P E N     
Nov 5 Eastern Illinois * Charleston, Il    TBA
Nov 12 Tennessee Martin * Nashville, TN Homecoming TBA
Nov 19 Jacksonville State * Nashville, TN Senior Day TBA

* = Ohio Valley Conference Game
Home games in Bold

Author: Tennessee State Sports Information

TSU out, Southern may be FAMU's opponent in the next Atlanta Classic

Florida A&M and Tennessee State University definitely won't meet in this year's Atlanta Football Classic, while Southern University is the apparent front-runner to replace the Tigers in the late-September game on the Rattlers' schedule.

While both FAMU and Southern athletic officials have been mum about negotiations for both teams to renew their long-time rivalry, several sources have said that the Rattlers and Tigers will meet this season for the first time since 2008.

TSU football coach gets a pass on first evaluation

Tennessee State's football players and coaches will move into a plush new locker room soon and have an indoor facility for practice, which is rare for most Football Championship Subdivision programs.

It might seem odd for a 3-8 team to be rewarded after its first season under Coach Rod Reed. But TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips points out the new amenities are not a reward, but a sign of support from an administration that expects improvement.

Phillips met recently with Reed to give her season-ending evaluation, as she does with all sports, and cut him some slack for the dismal record because he dealt with injuries to so many key players.

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Atlanta Classic drops Tennessee State University from 2011 schedule; FAMU to face Southern Jaguars

A.D. Teresa L. Philips

Low attendance by Tigers fans cited as reason

Tennessee State Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said the Tigers will not play in the Atlanta Football Classic next season for the first time since 1994, and she hopes to replace the September game with a Football Bowl Subdivision or a "prominent" Football Championship Subdivision opponent.

TSU, an FCS team, has played Florida A&M in the past nine Atlanta Football Classics at the Georgia Dome and was involved in 17 of the 19 games since 1989.

Phillips said she became aware several weeks ago that officials from the Atlanta Football Classic were negotiating with Southern University as an opponent for Florida A&M to replace TSU. She received official word last week that the Tigers would not be invited back.

TSU Tigers Will Not Play In Atlanta Classic in 2011

Tennessee State University Athletic Director Teresa Phillips has released the tentative 2011 football schedule without the Atlanta Classic against perennial opponent, Florida A&M University.

"The Atlanta Classic is sponsored by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta and they decided to bring in another opponent to face Florida A&M," said Phillips. “We are in active negotiations to schedule an FBS or prominent FCS team to replace that game this year.” She concluded saying, “We expect to complete our schedule by the end of the month.”

The Tigers and Rattlers have played each other for twenty-eight consecutive years with FAMU holding a 26-25-1 edge in the all-time series. TSU beat FAMU 29-18 last year in Atlanta in front of a crowd of 54,202.

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Tennessee State 86, #21 Memphis 91

Antonio Barton scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, including two key free throws with 17 seconds left, as No. 21 Memphis escaped 50 percent 3-point shooting by Tennessee State in a 91-86 victory Sunday at FedExForum.

Tarik Black was 9 of 11 from the field and had 22 points for Memphis (11-2), while Will Barton finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Tennessee State (6-8), which was trying to record its first victory over a ranked team in school history, put a scare into Memphis. Tennessee State, which led most of the way, was 12 of 24 from outside the arc.

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Coach John Cooper Post Game Comments

TSU Tigers fight hard in loss to No. 21 Memphis

Memphis, Tenn. - In a tale of two Tigers that featured 10 lead changes, Tennessee State University dropped a tough, 91-86, loss at No. 21 (AP) Memphis on Sunday afternoon at the FedEx Forum. In front of a crowd of more than 15,831, TSU (6-8) tied a season-high shooting from the floor, 50 percent, with five players scoring in double figures.

Kenny Moore tied a career-high, 22 points, hitting 7-of-11 from the floor, while helping the Tigers shoot 50 percent (12-of-24) from behind the arc, nailing 5-of-6 of his own. Wil Peters notched 17 points and a team-high seven assists. Robert Covington followed, hitting 7-of-12 overall, to finish with 16 points. Patrick Miller added 12 points and Jacquan Nobles hit 4-of-8 to chip in 11 points off the bench.

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NEXT GAME: January 6, 7:30 p.m. at MURRAY STATE

Tennessee State Tigers safety is an AP All-American

Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel told Tennessee State Coach Rod Reed to expect great things from Eugene Clifford, a safety Tressel had dismissed in 2008. Clifford transferred to TSU, where he was a three-year starter, and on Wednesday was selected to the Associated Press Football Championship Series All-America first team.

"After we got Eugene I ran into (Jim) Tressel at the coaches convention," said Reed, who was TSU's defensive coordinator at the time. "I introduced myself and he said, 'Coach, I tell you what, you've got a great one on your hands.' As soon as Clifford got on the field, you could see it. He has that ability to explode plays. He's a good tackler in the open field, and he played well in our system."

TSU coach may call his own defense

Nashville, TN - Tennessee State Coach Rod Reed, who helped turned the Tigers defense into the best in the OVC in 2008, is prepared to take over the unit again. Kenny Ingram resigned this week as defensive coordinator after one season. Reed named himself the interim coordinator and said he may decide to handle the job on a permanent basis.

"I'm going to do it on the interim and that could change," said Reed, who replaced James Webster as the head coach this season. "Right now I am more inclined to do it." The Tigers (3-8) finished the season with a six-game losing streak and allowed an average of 26.7 points in that stretch.

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TSU season ends with second-half collapse

MURRAY, Ky. — Rod Reed's first season as Tennessee State's football coach ended with something that has happened just twice in school history. The Tigers' 28-23 loss to Murray State on Saturday was their sixth straight, joining the 1962 and 1995 teams as the only ones to lose that many consecutive games in one season.


TSU (3-8, 0-7 OVC) led 14-7 at halftime and got 289 yards passing and three touchdowns from Jeremy Perry, who had missed the previous two games with an ankle sprain. But Murray State (6-5, 5-3) scored three touchdowns in the third quarter, and the Tigers couldn't catch up. Murray State earned its first winning season in five years.


TSU coach has low self-grade

Tennessee State Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said she will wait until the football season ends to evaluate first-year Coach Rod Reed.

If TSU (3-7, 0-6 OVC) loses to Murray State (5-5, 4-3) then it would match the most consecutive losses in one season by any Tiger team, joining the six losses in a row by the 1962 and 1995 squads. It would also be the first time since joining the OVC in 1988 that the Tigers failed to win a conference game. Even if they win, the Tigers will finish last in the OVC for the second time, joining the 1995 team.

TSU offense gets a boost as quarterback returns

After being shut out over the past six quarters, Tennessee State's offense could get a lift today with the expected return of starting quarterback Jeremy Perry. The junior was sidelined the past two games with a high ankle sprain. He was able to practice this week, took most of the snaps with the first unit, and said he would play through the lingering pain when the Tigers try to snap a five-game losing streak in their season finale at Murray State.

With Perry out, the offense collapsed in the second half against Eastern Illinois after senior Dominic Grooms helped the Tigers jump to a 28-7 halftime lead.

ATTENDANCE: 2904

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Videographer: Cassfl (TSU vs. APSU, 9/18/2010)

TSU fizzles on offense in OVC loss

Tennessee State's offense started strong but stalled in the second half as the Tigers lost to Tennessee Tech 21-10 on Saturday night. It is the first time TSU (3-5, 0-4) has lost four consecutive conference games since joining the Ohio Valley Conference in 1988.

Not only did TSU's offense suddenly start to sputter in the second half, but it also failed to take advantage of the two opportunities it did have. Freshman kicker Jamin Godfrey missed field goals from 24 and 31 yards. "We have to score in the red zone and we're making too many field goal attempts, and missing two tonight didn't help our effort any," TSU Coach Rod Reed said.

McNairl gives TSU an offensive boost

Not even Tennessee State's versatile Calvin McNairl enjoying a breakout game at wide receiver was enough to give the Tigers a win over Tennessee Tech Saturday night at LP Field. McNairl started eight games at quarterback last season, then moved to receiver in the spring. The junior from Henry County came into the game as TSU's third-leading receiver with 13 catches for 145 yards and no touchdowns. He finished the 21-10 loss as the leading receiver with nine catches for 131 yards, including an 84-yard TD.

TTU FOOTBALL: Golden Eagles fend off Tennessee State

NASHVILLE -- A year ago, it was Tennessee Tech's Tim Benford making the game-saving catch to give the Golden Eagles the win over Tennessee State and clinching the Sergeant York Trophy. On Saturday night, Benford caught two touchdown catches, his sixth and seventh in OVC play this season, leading the Golden Eagles to a 21-10 victory at LP Field. In other words, Benford likes playing Tennessee State.

For TSU, injury updates are a taboo subject

Tennessee State first-year Coach Rod Reed said he recently adopted a policy for being tighter-lipped about his team's injuries, but he doesn't deny the Tigers are hurting as they try to snap their three-game OVC losing streak today. The Tigers (3-4, 0-3 OVC) hope to avoid their first 0-4 start since joining the league in 1988 when Tennessee Tech (3-4, 2-2) visits LP Field at 6 tonight. Lost for the year are:

TTU FOOTBALL: Tech, TSU battered and bruised

COOKEVILLE -- As both Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State enter this week's contest, both sidelines could look like a battlefield hospital with many wounded players are lining up the sidelines. The two teams square off in a Sergeant York Trophy contest Saturday night at 6 p.m. from LP Field. The biggest blow this season has been the loss of running back Preston Brown, who was a major focal point of the Tigers' offense.

"Everybody knows about him," Reed said. "He was the nation's leading rusher.

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Please register TODAY at www.hondabattleofthebands.com and vote daily for your favorite band to go to Atlanta Jan. 29.

Tennessee State falls to SEMO

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State had plenty of chances to administer a knockout blow. The Redhawks failed to deliver despite dominating Tennessee State statistically — yet they lived to tell about it as their remarkable football season continued.

Southeast survived a big rally by the visiting Tigers to hold on for a 19-17 victory Saturday night. “It was a little more exciting than I would like,” said junior quarterback Matt Scheible after the Redhawks built a 19-3 halftime lead. “But these past two years I’ve been here we lose games like this.”

The Redhawks aren’t losing them any longer. They improved to 5-1 overall with the program’s first five-game winning streak since moving up to Division I-AA in 1991. Southeast also continued its best Ohio Valley Conference start since joining the league in 1991. The Redhawks are a first-place 4-0 in OVC play.

Football Hangs on for 19-17 Win Over Tennessee State

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Henry Harris and Matt Scheible each rushed for over 100 yards and scored a touchdown to lead No. 25 Southeast Missouri (5-1, 4-0) to a 19-17 win over Tennessee State (3-3, 0-2) Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 10,316 at Houck Stadium.

Harris averaged 6.5 yards per carry on 29 attempts en route to 188 yards. He became the first in Southeast history to rush for over 100 yards in five-straight games.

Meanwhile, Scheible gained 128 yards on 16 carries. He also completed 5-of-11 passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. It marked the second time this season where Scheible ran for over 100 yards in a game.

"Henry and Matt continue to make big plays for us," said Southeast head coach Tony Samuel. "We are playing with a lot of confidence right now. Things got tight at the end tonight, but we never gave up." Southeast put up 19 points in the second quarter and that was the difference in the game, as TSU shutout the Redhawks and rallied for 14 unanswered points in the second half.

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Attendance: 10,316.

SEMO previous week highlights

Backfield powers TSU in Classic win

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Even though Preston Brown is one of the top running backs in the Football Championship Subdivision, he's always concerned each week about losing his starting spot. Dante' Thomas showed why.

With Brown slowed in practice by a groin injury, Thomas took over the starting spot Saturday, rushing for a career-high 186 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessee State's 37-7 victory over North Carolina A&T in the Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Stadium. Brown might not have been himself, but he was still pretty good. The second-leading rusher in the FCS added 145 yards, nine shy of his average.

Aggies coming home with 0-5 mark

INDIANAPOLIS -- The N.C. A&T football team ran out of luck at the Circle City Classic. The Aggies, who brought a 3-0 record at the event into Saturday's showdown against Tennessee State, couldn't draw from past success, dropping a 37-7 decision to the Tigers at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Aggies, with previous victories over Southern (1994) and Tennessee State (1997 and 2005), were the only undefeated team in Classic history with at least three appearances. The game, which was established to showcase Historically Black Colleges and Universities, has been played each year since 1984.

"Coach (Alonzo) Lee told us we were 3-0 coming in, so we tried to keep the legacy alive," said Aggies junior running back Mike Mayhew, who finished ...

Slide Show: Tennessee State 37, North Carolina A&T 7 in the Circle City Classic

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Musical Sounds from the 2010 Atlanta Football Classic

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Tennessee State shocks FAMU

The bus ride home to Nashville was a whole lot more fun than the ride back to Tallahassee, as Tennessee State shocked Florida A&M 29-18 in the Atlanta Football Classic on Saturday.

While it was bit of a surprise that Tennessee State won, what was startling was just how dominant it was over a team that had a better record this season and an eight-game win streak in this series. Tennessee State’s Preston Brown ran for a career-high 233 yards, which was also an Atlanta Football Classic record.

Big-game tested and accustomed to winning at the Georgia Dome, the Rattlers were surprisingly lifeless from the start. They had no answers for Tennessee State’s relentless pressure, as the Tigers sacked FAMU quarterbacks an astonishing 11 times

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• Atlanta Football Classic: FAMU-TSU

Tennessee State's Preston Brown sets Classic rush record

ATLANTA — Thanks to 11 sacks and Preston Brown's 233 yards rushing, Tennessee State broke an eight-game Atlanta Football Classic losing streak to Florida A&M 29-18 on Saturday at the Georgia Dome. Brown set an Atlanta Football Classic rushing record and equaled the third-best effort in TSU history.

"This is huge," first-year TSU Coach Rod Reed said. "One of the benchmarks for this program was beating Florida A&M. We came here ready to play this. I'm so proud of these gentlemen." On the game's second play, a crowd of 54,202 saw Brown take a handoff and race 71 yards up the middle for a touchdown.

Tennessee State runs past FAMU in Atlanta Classic

ATLANTA — So much for the win streak that Florida A&M had in the Atlanta Classic. The Rattlers played an uninspired first half and Tennessee State's running back Preston Brown was unstoppable all afternoon to carry the Tigers to a 29-18 victory in front of 54,202 at the Georgia Dome.

Not since losing to TSU by 20 points in 2001 has FAMU been beaten this badly by the Tigers. Ironically, that was the last time TSU beat FAMU. TSU exposed FAMU in every phase on an afternoon when the Rattlers were plain flat.

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TSU safety keeps piling up tackles

Even though safety Eugene Clifford is Tennessee State's leading tackler, that doesn't mean opposing ball carriers are making it to the last line of defense, Coach Rod Reed said.

"That doesn't bother me because the coverages we've been running put safeties down in the box, up close to the line," Reed said. "Tackling is what his job is. A lot of the linebackers' responsibility on runs is to clog up the middle and spill to the safeties."

The scheme has worked against the run as TSU (1-2) is first in the OVC and 21st in the Football Championship Series, allowing 110.0 yards per game. The Tigers play Florida A&M (2-1) on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The Rattlers have depended heavily upon the running back tandem of senior Philip Sylvester and sophomore Eddie Rocker. TSU held Sylvester and Rocker to a combined 61 rushing yards in FAMU's 31-12 win last year, and Clifford recorded six tackles.

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Atlanta Football Classic weekend brings FAMU Rattlers, Tennessee State Tigers

The Atlanta Football Classic is expected to bring 60,000 visitors and a economic impact of $26 million, according to the Atlanta Visitors and Convention Bureau.



The Georgia Dome will host the Atlanta Football Classic on Sept. 25. Tennessee State will attempt to break its eight-year losing streak to Florida A&M, which has won 11 classics. Just as in the previous games, though, the classic will carry far more meaning than a football game.

"It's about an early come-together before Thanksgiving. It's a family reunion, part one," said Joe Bullard, voice of the Marching 100, Florida A&M's incomparable marching band. (If you're wondering, parts two and three take place at FAMU's homecoming and then at its final game of the year, according to Bullard.) It's a weekend of activities that include a health fair, job fair, college fair and parade.

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Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands Cares...

The Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands visited their director, Edward Graves, at his home on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Prof. Graves is recuperating from surgery, and the surprise visit brightened his day!

Tennessee State defense faces challenge against Austin Peay

Had Tennessee State's defense struggled in other games as much it did against Austin Peay last season, Rod Reed probably would not be coaching the Tigers today. Reed was the defensive coordinator when the Governors piled up 201 rushing yards and beat the Tigers 24-21. That's more yards on the ground than any other opponent has gained on TSU in the last 23 games.

Reed was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach after James Webster resigned at the end of the season, but it wasn't based on his performance against Austin Peay. "They rushed for over 200 yards on us, so evidently I didn't figure out how to stop them," said Reed, whose defense led the OVC last year against the rush (119.9 yards). "Hopefully we'll come up with a little better scheme to get them stopped this year."

The challenge for TSU (1-1, 0-0 OVC) tonight at LP Field will be...

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6:00 P.M.
Austin Peay vs. Tennessee State

Jackson State wins Southern Heritage Classic, 33-26

Quarterback Therriault is MVP, stars with four TD passes

Memphis, TN - In the past, Jackson State coach Rick Comegy would have been hoping, perhaps praying, that his defense would be able to hold off a late Tennessee State rally. That’s because his team has fallen too many times to their Southern Heritage Classic rivals not to worry. But Saturday night, with his team clinging to a seven-point lead and TSU having five cracks inside JSU’s 10-yard line at a game-tying touchdown, Comegy was confident his Tigers would prevail.

And when JSU held on for the 33-26 win, snapping a seven-game slide to TSU in front of 44,688 Saturday night at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Comegy declared it the beginning of something special.

Johnson's knee injury a blow to secondary

MEMPHIS — The 33-26 win over Tennessee State on Saturday night didn't come without an unfortunate loss for Jackson State. Starting cornerback Anthony Johnson is likely out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Saturday's win. The diagnosis of a torn ACL is a preliminary one, a school official said during the game.

Johnson, a 6-foot, 205-pound senior who transferred from Mississippi State before last season, will be re-evaluated at a later date. Johnson suffered the injury while running down to cover a punt early in the first quarter. Johnson, who scouts say is JSU's best chance to get a player picked in the upcoming NFL draft, had to be assisted off the field by three people. He put no weight on his right leg.

Euphoric breakthrough

MEMPHIS — With a flabbergasted look rolling across his face, Jackson State linebacker Ryan Rich looked for someone - anyone - as he ran about the Liberty Bowl field. Someone to hug. Someone to smile with. Someone to share this oh-so-fantastic feeling with. It's a feeling that comes eight years in the making.

Jackson State beat Tennessee State 33-26 on Saturday night in front of a raucous crowd at the Liberty Bowl, knocking off the Tigers from Nashville for the first time in eight years in the Southern Heritage Classic. Not only that, but the Tigers from Mississippi's Capital City are 2-0 for the first time since 2001.

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• Jackson State - Tennessee State

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Classic retains star power -- Founder Jones keeps game in spotlight

As the Southern Heritage Classic heads into its 21st game Saturday night at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, one thing it's proven is that it has staying power.

Throughout the Classic's existence, founder Fred Jones has been able to keep the annual event, which culminates with Tennessee State meeting Jackson State, fresh, exciting, and more importantly, relevant.

Fans come to Memphis from across the Mid-South to attend the Classic Comedy Jam, the Classic R&B concert, the Ed "Too Tall" Jones Golf Classic, the SHC parade, the high school Battle of the Bands, the tailgating - and yes, the game itself.

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TSU receiver takes hands-on approach

As Rod Reed became better acquainted with Tennessee State's offensive players after moving from defensive coordinator to head coach, he had a suggestion for wide receiver Joseph Hills. Reed knew enough about Hills to tell him the nickname he had chosen was not a good fit. "He was wearing No. 85 and calling himself (Bengals receiver Chad) Ochocinco and I told him, 'No, you're Ouchocinco' because when the ball hit him in the hands he dropped it like it hurt," Reed said.

Hills didn't allow the ribbing to rub him the wrong way. He used it as a catalyst to become a more dependable pass catcher and then spent the summer working with TSU's quarterbacks. The extra work paid off Saturday when Hills had five catches for 67 yards and a career-best two touchdowns in a 27-14 win over Alabama A&M. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior from Palmetto, Fla., led TSU in receiving...

TSU freshman sets return record

Tennessee State Coach Rod Reed promised redshirt freshman Ray Weatherspoon playing time at cornerback heading into Saturday's game against Alabama A&M. Weatherspoon returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown and said it was his way of making sure Reed didn't forget his promise in the Tigers' 27-14 win. The kickoff return was a John Merritt Classic record, erasing the 64-yard mark set last year by A&M's Ulysses Banks.

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Tennessee State wins in Coach Rod Reed's debut

The Rod Reed coaching era started with a bang for Tennessee State and never let up. After redshirt freshman Ray Weatherspoon exploded untouched on the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown the Tigers roared to 27-14 route over Alabama A&M in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field before a crowd of 22,607.

It made for a jubilant debut for Reed, the former defensive coordinator who took over the head coaching job after James Webster resigned after TSU posted a 4-7 record last season. Reed was doused with a bucket of Gatorade by his players in the final seconds of the game.

After redshirt freshman Ray Weatherspoon exploded untouched on the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown the Tigers roared to 27-14 route over Alabama A&M in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field before a crowd of 22,607. It made for a jubilant debut for Reed, the former defensive coordinator who...




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TSU to start transfer Jeremy Perry at quarterback

Jeremy Perry, a transfer from Middle Tennessee State, will get his first start at quarterback for Tennessee State in the season opener Saturday against Alabama A&M at LP Field. Perry, a 6-foot-3, 215 pound, junior from Memphis, transferred from MTSU in 2008 and spent last season at TSU backing up Calvin McNairl and Dominic Grooms. He played five games and completed 12 of 36 passes for 142 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions.

"We feel that Jeremy gives us the best chance to win at this point," Coach Rod Reed said. "He has been the most consistent throughout camp, and he deserves the job. He worked for it and earned it."

McNairl, who started eight games and led TSU in passing (628 yards) and rushing (920), moved to wide receiver in the spring. Grooms, a senior from Tampa who transferred from Missouri in 2008, started three games and completed 22 of 66 passes for 279 yards, with no scores and four interceptions.



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