Towson University prepares for MSU Bears

Towson, Maryland - With pre-season camp behind them, the Tigers are preparing to open the 2011 season under the lights against cross-town rival Morgan State.

The Bears are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and will travel less than five miles down the road to Tigertown Saturday night. Of the 22 times that Morgan and Towson have met, the Tigers have won 16 of those games. Despite the series history that is in the Tigers’ favor, Head Coach Rob Ambrose said that his team is not looking past the Bears.



“In the history of the Morgan game, you can pretty much throw the records away,” Ambrose said. “It doesn’t matter what the records were before, what the records were last year, or even what happened in the last game. It’s always a dogfight. It’s always something personal. We expect a hell of a game from them, and they should expect the same from us.”

In the offseason, Morgan State Head Coach Donald Hill-Eley installed a few wrinkles to the Bears’s offense in an effort to snap Towson’s six-game home-opener winning streak.

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Morgan Bears set for season-operner against Towson Tigers

Baltimore, MD - MSU goes into this year's season-opener game ranked No. 5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason poll. The Bears return 65 letterman, including 9 starters on offense and 6 on defense, from last year's squad that posted a 4-7 overall mark and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the MEAC. In 9 years under Hill, the Bears have won 46 games and finished ranked as high as No. 2 in the MEAC (2002). MSU lost four of their last five games, including a tough 21-16 loss to Hampton to cap the 2010 season. Junior Donovan Dickerson was named the starter when the Bears take on the Tigers. The Michigan product last stepped foot onto the field for a game on Oct. 2, 2010, where he completed 8-of-25 passes for 74 yards in a loss against Bethune-Cookman. Since that time, Dickerson has spent time during the offseason earning his way back to the starting quarterback position.

Other offensive standouts for the Bears include WR Winfred Diggs (29 rec., 322 yards, TD in 2010), Chuka Okakpu (28 rec., 325 yards, 4 TDs) and RB David Brown (439 rushing yard, 2 TDs in 2010). Defensively, DT Zary Stewart (40 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks), LB Allen Stephens (65 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss) and S Reshaude Miller (67 tackles, 4 INTs) headline a group that ranked No. 6 in the MEAC in scoring offense (18.8/g) and No. 7 in total defense (335.0/g). MSU's offense will be directed by William 'B.T.' Sherman and Joseph Wright, along and head coach Donald Hill-Eley. Donald Hill-Eley added Alonzo Lee as his defensive coordinator (Lee returns after a brief head coaching stint at A&T).



MSU Gamenotes
GAME #1
Saturday, September 3, 2011 • 7:00 p.m.
Johnny Unitas Stadium (Capacity 11,198) • Towson, Md.
RADIO: Morgan State Radio Network WEAA - 88.9 FM: Lamont Germany (play-by-play) & Kelvin Bridgers (color).
INTERNET: www.MorganStateBears.com ; www.Towsontigers.com
INTERNET COVERAGE: Click here  -- Listen Live
TICKETS: Individual tickets to the Morgan State football game at Towson (Sept. 3) are now on sale. Fans may purchase tickets at the Towson University box office. Or call 410-704-5192.

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By MSU Media Relations