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Showing posts with label UAPB Golden Lions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UAPB Golden Lions. Show all posts
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Coach George Ivory now has an NCAA Tournament victory to add to his Golden Lions resume.
DAYTON, Ohio — Smiling Arkansas-Pine Bluff players plopped into the black folding chairs at courtside and checked their cell phones for congratulatory messages before heading out the arena door to get on yet another bus. Finally, the Golden Lions had found a road trip to their liking. Allen Smith scored 14 points Tuesday night, including a pair of 3-pointers during the Golden Lions' second-half surge to a 61-44 victory over Winthrop in the NCAA tournament's opening game.
The Golden Lions (18-15) will play Duke, the No. 1 seed in the South Regional, on Friday in Jacksonville, Fla. — a place they somehow missed during a season-opening jaunt that nearly did them in. "It seems like we play better on the road than we do at home because we're so used to being on the road," said center Lebaron Weathers."
Excerpt: Against a lot of odds — their top scorer, Terrence Calvin, was on the bench most of the second half with four fouls, their well-muscled 6-foot-7 forward Tyree Glass was there, too, with an injury — Pine Bluff still pushed aside Winthrop 61-44 Tuesday night, March 16, in front of 8,205 in the NCAA tournament’s opening-round game at UD Arena. On Friday, it plays Duke, the No. 1 seed in the South Regional, in Jacksonville, Fla. It may seem a stretch to paint a David-versus-Goliath script for the opening-round game, but Winthrop has been to the NCAA tournament nine times and in 2007 knocked out Notre Dame.
This was Pine Bluff’s first trip ever to the tournament and everything was new to it. The Golden Lions played the entire first half without the NCAA tournament stickers affixed to their jerseys, which is protocol. They didn’t know. If Pine Bluff is just learning to dress for the Big Dance, it didn’t know the rigors of the road. Using a strategy the opposite of the Dayton Flyers, the Golden Lions played their entire nonconference schedule on the road against teams like Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Kansas State and Oregon. NCAA photos
The NCAA has been sending supplies to the University of Dayton to make sure UD Arena would be amply stocked for the men’s and women’s basketball events being held there this month. “We’ve been getting NCAA (drinking) cups, basketballs, ball racks and coolers so the NCAA 'brand’ is prevalent,” said Tim O’Connell, UD Arena manager. “It’s like Christmas around here. We don’t have room for all the boxes.”
The biggest shipment of all, though, had to be transported by an 18-wheeler. The NCAA decided this year that all host venues for every round of the men’s tournament will have identical courts, and UD received a floor and methodically assembled it Sunday, March 14, after removing the arena’s portable court. The baskets at both ends were part of the delivery, too. The equipment will stay in place through the NCAA women’s regional final March 30.
DAYTON, Ohio -- George Ivory remained calm and the attitude of his Arkansas-Pine Bluff players remained focused. But through the final 10-minute stretch of the second half, as each second ticked away and UAPB came closer to its first ever win in the NCAA Tournament, the realization took over each of them at different moments. Guard Terrance Calvin said he knew at halftime, guard Allen Smith said he knew with about 90 seconds left and forward Tyree Glass knew as soon as he hobbled out of the locker room to watch the final seconds roll off the clock. What he came out to see was the finishing touches put on UAPB's 61-44 win over Winthrop in the opening-round game Tuesday at University of Dayton Arena.
It was the first NCAA Tournament win for a team from the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 17 years and it makes UAPB the No. 16 seed in the South Regional, setting up a Friday matchup with No. 1 seed Duke in Jacksonville, Fla. "We were just flowing too good for us to lose," said Glass, who scored 10 points. Glass had gone down with 12 minutes left when he slammed his knee to the floor while driving to the basket. At that point, UAPB (18-15) was already without one starter. Calvin had picked up his fourth foul with 13:18 left and spent more than 10 minutes on the bench.
Selection Sunday came with the announcement that the UAPB Golden Lions will take on Winthrop in the "Play In" game on Tuesday. The Golden Lions won their first ever SWAC Title game to get to the big dance. Head coach George Ivory is in his second year as head coach and since taking over he's led them to their best conference record in school's history. They've also captured their first SWAC title and first trip to the NCAA Tournament under Ivory. The game will be Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio. Gametime set for 6:30 p.m. (CST)
We call them "Champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the UAPB Golden Lions." Arkansas-Pine Bluff is certainly battled-tested entering the NCAA Tournament. UAPB, which clinched a berth with a 50-38 victory against Texas Southern in the SWAC Tournament, hit the road in search of competition and money early in the season. Playing at eventual NCAA tournament teams like UTEP and Missouri and Georgia Tech and Kansas State was a good way to make money for the athletic department as those programs paid to have the Lions come essentially with the understanding that it would be a loss. What was good for the pocketbook (a similar schedule last year raised $700,000) wasn't good for the record. UAPB started 0-11.
Here's more from an early season New York Times piece:
Arkansas-Pine Bluff's entire basketball season has been a road trip.The Golden Lions began their season with a game at Colorado. They lost. Two days later they played at Denver. They lost again. Three days after that, they had a game at Texas-El Paso. And they had another loss. By the time they had finished their first week on the road, the Golden Lions had traveled nearly 2,800 miles.And they were just getting started. A peek at the Golden Lions' schedule revealed that their first 11 games all had the dreaded @ next to their opponent.
Bossier City, LA - Tavaris Washington had 14 points and four rebounds as the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions took home the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament title with a 50-38 win over Texas Southern. Allen Smith had 11 points while Lebaron Weathers, George Davis and Savalance Townsend each chipped in with six points for the second-seeded Golden Lions (17-15), who are going to the NCAA Tournament on a tear as the team has won 11 of their last 12.
"This means a lot for our school and our fans," UAPB coach George Ivory said. "We worked all year to get to the Big Dance and now we can always brag that at least for one year, we got to The Dance."
DeAndre Hall had 14 points and 10 rebounds while Junior Treasure added 14 points for the fifth-seeded Tigers (17-16), who were looking to win their fifth tournament title. Texas-Southern held the early lead, but Arkansas-Pine Bluff chipped away and took a 12-9 lead on Washington's layup with 11 1/2 minutes left in the first half. The Tigers rallied with a 7-0 spurt, but then went almost the rest of the half without any points as the Golden Lions closed the half with a 12-2 run to take a 26-20 lead into the break. Texas-Southern cut its deficit to five points with 11 1/2 minutes to play in the second half, as Treasure's jumper made it a 36-31 game.
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions guard Terrance Calvin hits another winner.
Terrance Calvin has hit a lot of memorable last-second shots during his time at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The senior hit his most memorable one Friday. The shot sent his Golden Lions to the Southwestern Athletic Conference finals for the first time since 2006. Calvin made a 10-foot jumper with a defender in his face with 1.04 seconds left to clinch a 46-44 win over No. 3 seed Alabama State at the CenturyTel Center. The Golden Lions meet the winner of Grambling State-Texas Southern in the finals at 7:30 p.m. tonight.
"This is my No. 1 shot all-time," Calvin said. "We finally get to the finals. I've never been before. This feels great. Make it or miss it, I was going to take it. I made it." How Calvin got the last-second shot was even more thrilling. Allen Smith intercepted Alabama State's Tramaine Butler inbounds pass under ASU's basket with 26.59 seconds left. Savalance Townsend shot a pass to Calvin, setting up the game-winning shot from the left side.
Garrison Johnson's mother, Rhonda, was the loudest person inside the Athletics and Assembly Center on Saturday night. That's anything but a surprise for the "team mom" who doubles as the most vocal Jackson State supporter at the few games she attends. But Rhonda didn't make the trip alone, or empty-handed. A handful of Johnson's relatives traveled from Georgia to see the team's captain and leading scorer play the final two home games of his career. Rhonda also brought her pots and pans to prepare a feast for the Tigers on Friday.
Johnson, who sported a muted smile while entertaining his entourage after a 63-51 win over Mississippi Valley State, hopes the celebration weekend goes beyond the Senior Day festivities. Jackson State will be crowned SWAC regular season champions with a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff this evening. "Every day this week, I told (the team) there's no championship without two wins," Johnson said. "It's amazing to be in this position right now. "(But, UAPB is) coming to play. They're fighting for a championship just like we are."
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Women Basketball Head Coach Cary Shelton.
It was right at tip-off that Cary Shelton realized the best team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference was at less than full strength. Shelton’s Arkansas-Pine Bluff women’s basketball team entered Saturday’s game in need of a win to keep its hopes for a berth in next month’s SWAC Tournament alive, and facing it was the team at the top of the standings — Prairie View A&M. But missing from Prairie View — which suited just eight players — was leading scorer Latara Darrett, second-leading scorer Candice Thomas and leading rebounder Gaati Werema, thanks to an assortment of injuries.
Shelton, though, said it didn’t matter that his Lady Lions were playing a skeletal form of the Lady Panthers. UAPB needed a win. And thanks to a decrease in turnovers from a loss on Monday and a continued emphasis on forcing them, the Lady Lions got a win, 72-59, over the defending conference champions at H.O. Clemmons Arena.
“It doesn’t matter who is out on the floor, you’ve got to go out and compete at a high level,” Shelton said. The first-year coach was disappointed with a level of competition displayed in a loss Monday night at Alcorn State, a game in which the Lady Lions committed 29 turnovers. On Saturday, he had no complaints.
A second opinion from a Pine Bluff doctor provided the best of both worlds for Arkansas-Pine Bluff guard Savalace Townsend. The sophomore broke his right hand in a Feb. 8 game against Alabama State and an initial prognosis recommended season-ending surgery. He spent the next week pondering his next move — play with a broken bone in his shooting hand or check out of a season that still could end in a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship for UAPB.
UAPB 6-1/160 guard Savalace Townsend (#23) had successful hand surgery yesterday and is expected to return to play before the SWAC Tournament. The former Long Beach, Mississippi (Long Beach High School) star is averaging 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said Thursday. A day later, his decision was made a bit easier. Townsend had surgery on his hand in Pine Bluff Friday, but coach George Ivory said the recovery time is not expected to take up the rest of the season. The coach said he won’t be available for either game this weekend — UAPB (10-14, 10-3) hosts Prairie View A&M (13-10, 8-4) at 7:30 tonight — but the Golden Lions’ second-leading scorer is expected to return for the regular-season finale against Mississippi Valley State March 4. Hearing that news Friday, Ivory said, made the decision to have surgery easier for Townsend.
“I think when he realized he could play and come back and help the team, that was good for him,” Ivory said. “He had surgery and came back (during practice) and he’s doing well.” A day earlier, Townsend said he was struggling with the decision. At that time, though, he had only seen one doctor, and had been told surgery was required and that the procedure would make it so he missed the final five games, the SWAC Tournament and whatever games UAPB played after that. “I wasn’t having any of that,” Townsend said.
UAPB Golden Lions signee "ReeRee" Collins maintains a 3.89 GPA and hold school records in the 800, 1600, 3200 and 4000 meter races. Her best recorded times are 400-58:46, 800-2:17, 1600 - 5:14, 3200-12:03, 4K-15:50 and 5K-18:42.
Vicksburg, MS - With a full ride in hand, Warren Central High School track and cross country standout Condrea "ReeRee" Marie Collins is running her way to the University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff. Collins signed across country and track athletic scholarship with the Golden Lions on Thursday in front of her parents, Derrick and Connie Collins, and Warren Central’s cross country coach Chad McMullin.
Collins said it was not a hard decision to sign with Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Golden Lions won the 2009 SWAC cross country championship for the first time in school history and also earned a bid to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Southern Regional meet.
“They gave me the best scholarship. Coach (Curtis) Pittman has been after me since my sophomore year,” Collins said. “They offered me a full ride, including tuition and no out-of-state fees.” Collins will compete in both cross country and track and field for the Golden Lions. “I loved my visit there,” Collins said. “They are going to work me pretty hard. For cross country, their runners put in 60 miles a week.” Collegiate cross country competes in the fall and track performs in the spring, so Collins will have no problem doing both. She said she expects to run the 800 meters and the 1,600 meter relay for Arkansas - Pine Bluff.
During a Sunday practice in preparation for Monday’s game against Alabama State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s basketball coach George Ivory reminded his team they hadn’t beaten the Hornets since he became coach prior to last season. The reminder of four straight losses — including one by two points in overtime in Montgomery, Ala., last month — was meant to provide a bit of extra motivation for his team. Turns out, they didn’t really need it.
UAPB Golden Lions Coach George Ivory gets first win against Alabama State University Hornets.
The three seniors on the team who began as freshman in 2006 reminded the coach — and their teammates who have since arrived — that nobody really knows when UAPB last beat Alabama State. They just knew that nobody on the court at the time had ever done it. “It’s been a four-year curse since I’ve been here,” forward Tyree Glass said. Glass, Terrance Calvin and George Davis, the three who arrived on campus four years ago, all played roles in ending the string of losses on Monday. In the slowest-paced game the Golden Lions (8-14, 8-3) have played this season, they outlasted the two-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champions in a 47-42 win.
The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff football program has announced the addition of 17 student-athletes (PDF) who have signed National Letters of Intent to play for UAPB. The list of signees consists of 11 high school prepsters and six junior college transfers. "We're pleased with the young men we were able to bring into our football program," said Arkansas-Pine Bluff Head Football Coach Monte Coleman."
"We feel like we did a great job of addressing our needs both offensively and defensively. Boosting our core of linebackers and defensive backs was one of our top priorities on defense. Offensively we wanted to add depth at wide receiver and our other skill positions." Coleman believes this year's recruiting class will bolster the Golden Lions attack on both sides of the ball next season and during the years to follow. Last season Arkansas-Pine Bluff concluded their 2009 campaign with a 5-5 overall record while going 3-4 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.
1. Benjamin Anderson QB 6-3 183 Little Rock, AR (Parkview HS) 2, Dezmond Beverly WR 6-2 190 Alexandria, LA (Alexandria HS) 3. C.J. Branch QB 6-2 225 Pine Bluff, AR (Watson Chapel HS) 4. Joe Dalton SS 6-1 195 Athens, TX (Trinity Valley CC) 5. Contrell Dix FS 6-1 195 Newman, GA (Newman HS) 6. De’Arius Fountain DL 6-0 340 N. Little Rock, AR (North Little Rock HS) 7. Antonio Harding LB 6-1 215 Warren, AR (Warren HS) 8. Roy Harvison LB 6-2 230 Fort Scott, KS (Fort Scott CC) 9. Greg Massey OL 6-2 280 Star City, AR (Star City HS) 10. Davonta Rich WR 6-0 180 N. Little Rock, AR (North Little Rock HS) 11. Sean Robison DL 6-2 275 Fort Smith, AR (Southside HS) 12. Elijah Tanksley FS 6-4 210 Decatur, MS (East Central CC) 13. Jamarean Buchanan RB 5-10 185 Dumas, AR (Dumas HS) 14. Emile Senghor WR 6-2 185 Quincy, CA (Feather River CC) 15. Chris Ewald K 5-10 180 Reno, NV (Butte CC) 16. Daniel King LB 6-2 235 Gulfport, MS (Mississippi Gulf CC) 17. Jeff Lambert RB 5-11 175 Little Rock, AR (Robinson HS)
The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Athletics Department has released its 2010 football schedule which features a total of eleven contests highlighted by two classics and four home games. The Golden Lions will open their 2010 campaign traveling to El Paso, Texas to square off against the University of Texas-El Paso Miners. Arkansas-Pine Bluff will then get set to open Southwestern Athletic Conference play on road against Alabama State on Sept. 11.
After facing the Hornets, the Golden Lions will have a bye week before traveling to St. Louis to participate in the Gateway Classic on Sept. 25 against Clark Atlanta. UAPB will take on SWAC West rival Southern on October 2nd in Baton Rouge. The Golden Lions will then host their home opener on October 9th against Prairie View A&M (Sponsored by Tyson Foods). The following week Arkansas-Pine Bluff will host Alabama A&M on October 16th (Wal-Mart Community Day) before traveling to face Alcorn State on the road on Oct. 23.
The Delta Classic for Literacy featuring UAPB versus Grambling State will take place in Little Rock at War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 30. Homecoming 2010 has been slated for Nov. 6 as the Golden Lions will take the field against SWAC East rival Mississippi Valley State. UAPB's home finale will take place the next week on Nov. 13 against Jackson State (Senior Day). Arkansas-Pine Bluff will close out its regular season on the road in Houston, Texas against the Texas Southern Tigers on Nov. 20.
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF 2010 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
9/4 University of Texas El Paso Away 8:05pm 9/11 Alabama State University * Away TBA 9/18 BYE 9/25 Clark Atlanta University St. Louis, MO 3:00pm Gateway Classic 10/2 Southern University * Away TBA 10/9 Prairie View A&M University * Home 6:00pm Tyson’s Food 10/16 Alabama A&M University * Home 6:00pm Wal-Mart Community Day 10/23 Alcorn State University * Away TBA 10/30 Grambling State University * Little Rock, AR 2:30pm Delta Classic 4 Literacy 11/6 Mississippi Valley State University * Home 2:30pm Homecoming 11/13 Jackson State University * Home 2:30pm Senior Day 11/20 Texas Southern University * Away TBA
(*) Denotes Southwestern Athletic Conference Game Head Football Coach Monte Coleman
U N I V E R S I T Y O F ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS Dr. Lawrence A. Davis, Jr., Chancellor • Louis B. “Skip” Perkins, Jr., Athletics Director 1200 North University Drive, Mail Slot 4891 • Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601 Phone: (870) 575-8675 · fax: (870) 575-7880 Ticket Office (870) 575-8601 www.UAPBLionsRoar.com
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lion football (5-3, 3-2 SWAC) team prevailed over the Grambling State Tigers (5-4, 3-2 SWAC) 49-42 on Saturday. Offensively UAPB erupted for its largest point total output of the season as they clicked on all cylinders rushing and throwing the ball with a high success rate. Josh Boudreaux went 11-of-18 for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mickey Dean led all Golden Lions rushers with 20 carries for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dean also threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Raymond Webber to put Arkansas-Pine Bluff ahead 14-10 in the second quarter.
It took a little more than two minutes for Arkansas Pine-Bluff to flip the momentum in Saturday’s Delta Classic 4 Literacy. UAPB scored 28 points in a span of 2:14 and held on for a 49-42 victory over Grambling State before 26,211 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Golden Lions scored three times in the final 1:56 of the first half, using a roughing-the-kicker penalty, a mistake by the Grambling State punter and an interception to turn a 10-7 deficit into a 28-10 halftime lead. UAPB then ran back the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown and a 35-10 lead early in the third quarter.
LITTLE ROCK — For the last couple of weeks, Arkansas-Pine Bluff has felt as if it were on the verge of breaking loose. During a period of just over two minutes at the end of the second and beginning of the third quarters on Saturday, the Golden Lions took risks, hit on big plays and took advantage of Grambling State mistakes to help them score more points than they have in a single afternoon in more than four years. The 28-point barrage that ended with a 95-yard kickoff return by Mareo Howard to start the second-half turned a four-point UAPB deficit into a 25-point lead that the best defense in the league almost let slip through its fingers.
But, it didn’t. UAPB made enough plays after Grambling State twice cut the lead to a single touchdown and eventually held on for a 49-42 win over the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions at War Memorial Stadium.
LITTLE ROCK — Five years ago Mickey Dean stood on the turf at War Memorial Stadium and, from his running back position, threw a touchdown pass that helped Little Rock Central beat West Memphis for a state championship. Dean was a high school senior then. On Saturday, as a senior for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Dean lofted a similar pass in the same stadium that helped kickstart a rally that has kept UAPB in another title hunt. Dean’s pass, gloved-hands and all, found Raymond Webber in the back of the south end zone and gave the Golden Lions a 14-10 lead and jumpstarted a string of big plays that pushed that lead to 35-10 just 15 seconds into the third quarter.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. —Arkansas-Pine Bluff dominated Mississippi Valley State last week in its Southwestern Athletic Conference opener. The Golden Lions were so dominant that coach Monte Coleman said he thought his team was on the verge of turning the corner. After Saturday’s beat down by Alabama A&M, Coleman is probably re-thinking that statement. The Golden Lions, who entered the game leading the league in rushing and total defense, had no answers for the Bulldogs, who gave UAPB a dose of its own medicine Saturday inside Louis Crews Stadium on homecoming.
A&M dominated UAPB, finishing with 448 yards in total offense en route to a workmanlike 28-7 victory before an announced crowd of 4,414. Coleman was at a loss for words. “This was very surprising,” he said. “They manhandled us today. For a team to beat us up the way we were beat up today, that’s very alarming and disappointing.” The loss, which snapped UAPB’s two-game winning streak, dropped the Golden Lions to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in league play. A&M improved to 3-1 and 1-0.
Bulldogs shred SWAC's top-rated defense in homecoming romp ... Arkansas-Pine Bluff came to town with the Southwestern Athletic Conference's top-rated defense. The Golden Lions led the league in rushing and total defense and had dominated Mississippi Valley State a week ago. Those numbers took a beating Saturday. Alabama A&M, looking to send a message to the rest of the league in its conference opener, gave UAPB a dose of its own medicine at Louis Crews Stadium.
The Bulldogs dominated the Golden Lions, finishing with 448 yards in total offense en route to a workmanlike 28-7 homecoming win before an announced crowd of 4,414. "It was pretty easy," said A&M running back Ulysses Banks after rushing for 177 yards on a career-high 34 carries and scoring two touchdowns. "My offensive line blocked for me. They always block for me. I like those guys." The Bulldogs improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league play. The Golden Lions fell to 2-2 and 1-1.
Junior Afu Okosun eager to step into role as one of great A&M linebackers ... Afu Okosun heard so much about former Alabama A&M linebacker Jamaal Ware that it almost made him sick. Ware was the first great inside linebacker during the Anthony Jones era at A&M, earning first-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference honors in 2002. It was like Coach (Jay) Martin had a man crush," Okosun said, laughing.
Okosun was on a visit in 2005 when he got a chance to watch former A&M standout Johnny Baldwin. Okosun was a freshman on the Bulldogs' 2006 SWAC championship team and got a chance to see Baldwin up close and personal on a daily basis. Baldwin, a two-time first-team All-SWAC selection, was drafted in the fifth round by the Detroit Lions in 2007. "Johnny set the standard," Martin said. "Everybody that comes along will be compared to him."
Attendance: 4,414 at Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL CONTINUE READING, CLICK EACH BLOG TITLE.
Every season, Arkansas-Pine Bluff sets a goal of having the top defense in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Every season the Golden Lions have made strides in accomplishing this goal. After their defense finished last in the 10-team league in total defense in 2006, the Golden Lions moved up to eighth in 2007 and a respectable fourth place last season. Now, through the first two games of the 2009 season, the UAPB defense is the No. 1 ranked defense in the SWAC, surrendering only 203.5 yards per game in its first two outings. “Our goal is at the end of the year to have the No. 1 defense in the SWAC and one of the No. 1 defenses in the country,” said first-year defensive coordinator Alonzo Hampton. “All we want to do is to keep continuing on it.”
Hampton has laid out a plan to help the Golden Lions do just that. It involves using UAPB’s depth on defense to rotate players, thus keeping everyone fresh to pursue the football and stop the run. In two games, the Golden Lions (1-1) have done a good job of the latter. Facing two of the better running threats they’ll see all season, UAPB’s defense limited Arkansas-Monticello quarterback Scott Buisson —the reigning Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year — to only 19 yards on 11 carries. Then, last week, Langston’s Carlos Ross was limited to only 65 yards on 12 carries. Senior defensive end Jared Dorn, who is third on the team with 11 tackles, said stopping a team’s rushing attack makes the opponent one-dimensional and thus easier to contain.
UAPB Set to Host Community Day On Thursday, October 1st the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Football team will host Alcorn State at 6:00 pm at Golden Lions Stadium in a game that will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The UAPB Department of Athletics in conjunction with Wal-Mart has tabbed the game "Community Day". Various free health screenings will be available on the stadium grounds at Community Day. In addition all fans that bring a canned good to the game will be admitted into the stadium for $5. Children and youth ages 0-18 will be admitted into the game free of charge with a paying adult (limit 5 children per adult). The UAPB Athletics Department has also received confirmation that Nerjyzed Game Studios will be at the contest on Thursday night allowing football game enthusiast a free chance to play its newest version of Black College Football 2010 on its BCFX Tour Bus which is equipped with 12 flat screens televisions.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff might drop Arkansas-Monticello from its schedule after losing to the Division II school for the second consecutive season. The Division I Golden Lions, who play in the Football Championship Subdivision, fell 27-3 to the Boll Weevils on Saturday. UAPB lost 21-7 in last year's matchup. Although the teams are supposed to play again next season, UAPB athletic director Skip Perkins indicated his school might buy out of the game. Perkins said it was a "lose-lose situation" for UAPB and that he can understand why the Arkansas Razorbacks don't want to play in-state schools.
There were stalled drives, a rash of penalties and an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that made it so the Golden Lions headed into halftime trailing an NAIA team on their home field.But, unlike in a loss to Division-II Arkansas-Monticello last week , UAPB stood up and fought back. It used turnovers and big plays of its own to put a pesky team away.The Golden Lions scored their first touchdown of the season on their first drive of the second half Saturday, and Kevin Thornton returned two interceptions for touchdowns to complete the 45-30 come-from-behind win over Langston (Okla.) University. That point total tied the most for the Golden Lions since a 2006 win over Southern, and it brought a much-needed, early-season win to UAPB.“I was very proud of them,” UAPB coach Monte Coleman said. “We go down, they get the football, it could have been a good opportunity to do what we did last week. We can’t afford that.”
Arkansas-Pine Bluff had put together a couple of lengthy drives. Mickey Dean was finding small holes to dart through. And, most importantly, it was keeping ultra-dangerous Scott Buisson from finding creases to run or pass through. No, the first half of Saturday’s season-opener against Arkansas-Monticello didn’t go exactly as planned for the Golden Lions. But there were enough positives to go into halftime with upbeat spirits and a three-point lead. But that’s when time seemed to travel back to last year’s loss to the Boll Weevils, when UAPB lost its starting quarterback and a series of turnovers led to Buisson making big plays that eventually buried the Golden Lions.
Three touchdowns scored off UAPB mistakes — a roughing-the-punter penalty that continued a drive and two fumbles — led to 20 UAM points in the third quarter of an eventual 27-3 win for the Boll Weevils at Golden Lion Stadium. For UAPB coach Monte Coleman, it was proof that all the plays that turned games into disaster for his team last season are not yet out of their system. “What caused it to happen? I have no idea,” Coleman said. “That’s the most disappointing thing about it, because I know for a fact we’re a better football team than what we played tonight.”
UAPB Golden Lions head coach Monte Coleman believes the Lions to roar this season.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff took a break from its usual practice schedule on Saturday to show off its new jerseys and pose for a few pictures. The Golden Lions did do a short walkthrough at Golden Lion Stadium, but most of Saturday’s media day session was meant as a short pause before fall camp gives way to season-opening preparations. Exactly a week before UAPB’s season opener against Arkansas-Monticello, UAPB coach Monte Coleman stood near the 50-yard line and addressed reporters on the Golden Lions’ being more prepared heading into his second season than they were his first. He also discussed using the end of last season as momentum heading into this year, as well as his evolving role as an overseer of the program.
Countdown to KICKOFF 2009
“It’s been one of the best training camps I’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Coleman, who joined the staff as an assistant in 2003. “We fought each other, we ate lunch together. It was just a good training camp. A good start for a new season.” Heading into their final week of preparations the Golden Lions still have a few unanswered questions. The top priority on that list is deciding between a pair of quarterbacks who have risen to the top of a pool that included four candidates when camp opened Aug. 8.
Rontrell Bailey and Josh Boudreaux are still taking snaps with the No. 1 offense in practice, and Coleman said he would be comfortable if either one of them started against the Boll Weevils (0-1), who beat UAPB 21-7 last season in Coleman’s first game as coach. Coleman, who has relinquished defensive play calling duties this season in order to take more of a role within the offense, said healthy quarterbacks, a more experienced offensive line and group of wide receivers should make a unit that ranked ninth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in total offense improve in 2009.
2009 Golden Lions Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location Time 9/5/2009 Arkansas-Monticello (Sponsored by Tyson) Pine Bluff 4:00 pm 9/12/2009 Langston (Sponsored by State Farm) Pine Bluff 4:00 pm 9/19/2009 Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, Miss. 4:00 pm 9/26/2009 Alabama A&M Huntsville, Ala. 3:00 pm 10/1/2009 Alcorn State (Wal-Mart Community Day) Pine Bluff 6:30 pm 10/10/2009 Jackson State Jackson, Miss. 4:00 pm 10/24/2009 Edward Waters (Homecoming) Pine Bluff 2:30 pm 10/31/2009 Southern (Senior Day) Pine Bluff 2:30 pm 11/7/2009 Grambling State (Delta Classic 4 Literacy) Little Rock, Ark. 2:30 pm 11/21/2009 Prairie View A&M Prairie View, Tex. 1:00 pm 11/28/2009 Texas Southern (Dallas Lonestar Classic) Dallas, TX
Pro Football and Basketball Grambling State University Tigers The New Orleans Saints have signed cornerback Greg Fassitt The New Orleans Saints have signed local cornerback Greg Fassitt, according to the team’s Web site. Kennedy High School graduate and Gentilly native Greg Fassitt, a cornerback from Grambling University, was signed by the team. “Fassitt, 5-11, 186 pounds, is a first-year player who originally signed with the Saints as a free agent on January 18, 2008 and was with the team during training camp last season. A former member of the Chicago Bears’ practice squad (2007), the Grambling product was a two-time member of the all-SWAC second-team after playing in 32 games, tallying 110,” said the team’s Web site.
Former University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff football player Martell Mallet has begun to make a name for himself as a member of the British Columbia Lions football team. Throughout his professional debut Mallet has shown the work ethic and the tenacity it takes to be successful at the next level. "Martell was an extremely dedicated and humble football player while at UAPB," said Arkansas-Pine Bluff head football coach Monte Coleman. "He was a quiet leader that led by example and the amount of success he's had at the professional level this far is not a surprise to me or our coaching staff. We always knew he was a special player with big time potential."
Mallet rushed for 82 yards on 16 carries and also caught 6 passes for 82 yards in the B.C. Lions second regular season game of the season against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The 6'0, 195 pound running back caused a match-up nightmare for the opposing defense throughout the duration of the contest as he ran his way to over 160 yards of total offense. To stay informed about Martell Mallet and the B.C. Lions please continue to visit their official website at http://www.bclions.com/.
Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats What's Up in the NFL ...
Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers Outlook: Collins has established himself as a strong NFL player, having already reached one Pro Bowl. He has been highly upset about his contract during the offseason but is having a good camp and should be a starter this season.
Rashean Mathis, Jacksonville Jaguars
Outlook: Mathis, a defensive back, is once again primed for a great season with Jacksonville, following a 2008 year that saw him miss the last four games with a knee injury. He should again anchor the Jags' secondary.
Eric Weems, Atlanta Falcons, Pre-Season: 3 catches for 32 yards; 2 punt returns for 39 yards.
Outlook: Weems, a wide receiver, looks to have a legitimate shot to make the Falcons roster again after playing in six games last season. He's been returning punts and getting time as the No. 3 and No. 4 wideout for a Falcons team riddled with injuries.
Alabama State ran 69 plays during its second scrimmage of fall practice Saturday. Alabama transfer Jermaine Preyear led the Hornets in rushing with 81 yards on 14 carries. Quarterback Chris Mitchell was 10-of-21 for 118 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell also scored on a 1-yard run. Nick Andrews finished with a team-high 85 yards receiving on four catches and a touchdown.
"Chris Mitchell had a good day managing the game and moving the ball," Hornets head coach Reggie Barlow said. "Jermaine Preyear had some impressive runs, but that was partially a tribute to the solid blocking of the offensive line and fullback Ronald Belser." Anthony Speight finished with 80 yards on 4-of-13 passing. Devin Dominguez, who also worked at wide receiver, went 1-of-2 for 10 yards in his one series at quarterback.
Hornets hit the field
With classes having started at Alabama State University, the football team began its regular-season practice schedule Thursday at Hornets Stadium with a one-hour midday session in helmets and shoulder pads. The squad participated in a variety of drills, including work on the two-minute drill and several sessions in the red zone.
The ASU coaching staff continues to install portions of the season gameplan while building depth on both sides of the ball. "The defense has been flying around the field making plays and that is good to see," said head coach Reggie Barlow. "However, the last two days our offense has struggled in some situational work and that is something we need to get cleaned up."
Life was a bit busier around the Alabama State football complex Tuesday afternoon. The first full day of classes was less than 24 hours away -- which meant the final notices had arrived for several bubble players and the entire student body, including players, trainers, work-study students and office helpers, were going about the process of setting up life for another semester. "It's been a busy day," said ASU head coach Reggie Barlow, who still was holding meetings with players and various others in his office well after the 3 p.m. start of practice. "We've had to work with some players -- final decisions came down today. We've got some guys who didn't make it, and we've been trying to make sure everything is set up for them so they can get what they need."
Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said former University of Florida defensive back Jacques Rickerson, who was kicked off the UF team after being arrested twice, will join the Hornets pending clearance by the NCAA. Rickerson, a redshirt sophomore last year, got the boot from Florida head coach Urban Meyer last November after he was picked up on charges of domestic battery by strangulation.
University of Alabama signee Jermaine Preyear is interested in joining ASU . Coach Reggie Barlow said former University of Alabama signee Jermaine Preyear is interested in joining ASU. Preyear, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back from Davidson High School in Mobile, sat out last season at Alabama while recovering from shoulder surgery. When coaches informed him that he was destined to be a cornerback for the Crimson Tide, he elected to look elsewhere. "That's a three - or four-star player that we could pick up there," Barlow said. "We're just trying to make sure everything's in order, but he should be with us."
South Carolina State University Bulldogs SC State Holds Media Day
It was a busy Saturday for the reigning MEAC champion Bulldogs who held their annual media day in the morning and scrimmaged in the afternoon. The big news out of Orangeburg concerns the broken wrist suffered by All-MEAC linebacker Marshall McFadden. The senior, who is responsible for making the defensive calls during games, suffered the injury earlier this week on the first day of full contact. While the odds are McFadden is done for the season, there is a small chance he could return later in the year. The S.C. State defense should still be stout this season and after Saturday's scrimmage, head coach Buddy Pough would agree after he watched the that unit hold the Bulldog offense scoreless.
Classes at South Carolina State University are scheduled to begin Tuesday. In the case of freshman running back Rockarius King, he’s quickly learned the challenges of college life as compared to high school. Specifically, the former Timberland standout has already received his first lesson - dealing with the heat in Orangeburg.“ I would describe it as hell,” said King at Saturday’s Media Day. “It’s very, very hot. It’s very different from where I come from. Much hotter here, but it’s something to get along with.”
The notoriously torrid summer temperatures of the Garden City made for a rocky first practice for King during the team’s first practice. He received treatment for heat exhaustion and did not resume practicing with the team until the morning two-a-day sessions last Wednesday. “I started to cramp up the first day, so I was out a week,” King said.“But other than that...it’s been pretty good. I’ve got a lot to learn.”Along with acclimating himself to the temperatures and longer practice days by drinking more fluids, there’s also studying the playbook and mastering all the responsibilities of a Bulldog running back.
Greg Ross Jr. will play college football on the same field where he starred as Mainland's quarterback. It will just be a little later than planned before he steps back onto the grass at Municipal Stadium. At Bethune-Cookman's football media day Sunday, head coach Alvin Wyatt revealed the local star will be greyshirting this season because of an overabundance of talent at the signal-calling position.
"We over-recruited," Wyatt said. "You don't know who's going to qualify and who's not going to qualify (academically), and we had a lot of guys who qualified. His dad is one of my coaches and he understood the situation." The fierce competition at quarterback likely would have left Ross little playing time, if any. Maurice Francois, the true freshman who went 3-0 last season in place of injured Matt Johnson, figures to be the starter, but Wyatt said Francois is being pushed hard by Johnson and redshirt freshman Courtney Keith.
True freshmen Ben De La Cruz and Michael Adams, who Wyatt called the biggest quarterbacks the Wildcats have had to run their patented "Wyattbone" offense, also look to compete for playing time. Ross was recruited by Miami, Middle Tennessee and Michigan State as well as B-CU. Turning down Miami was especially hard for the lifelong Hurricanes fan, but after looking at the situation there, he said he felt it wasn't right for him.
"I had to look and see how things were going to be for me," Ross said. "They had a few guys in front of me who were more experienced." The senior Ross has coached at B-CU for 20 years, meaning his son has been around Wildcats football since he was born. Although he said he stayed out of the recruiting process, the close bonds Ross Jr. developed with the coaching staff factored into his decision.
Wildcats receives another D-1A transfer
Western Michigan University football coach Bill Cubit has confirmed that linebacker Harrison Porter has transferred to Bethune-Cookman. The 6-0, 200 lb. junior is from Dillard High School, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2008, Porter appeared in eight games and made five starts. He had four tackles with 1.0 TFL of one yard at Nebraska (8/30) and had two tackles and a sack for a loss of nine yards at Idaho (9/13). Porter had five tackles and registered first career interception with a 31-yard return vs. Ohio (10/4) and had season-high seven tackles with 0.5 TFL of one yard at Buffalo (10/11). He appeared in the Texas Bowl vs. Rice (12/30).
In 2007, Porter appeared in nine games, had four tackles in collegiate debut against Indiana (9/8) and assisted on three tackles at Missouri (9/15). He had two solo tackles with four total tackles vs. Central Conn. State (9/22) and assisted in a total of five tackles vs. Akron (10/6). Porter had three total tackles vs. Eastern Michigan (10/27) and missed remainder of season due to injury.
At Dillard H.S., Porter was a three-year starter and two-year team captain ... Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald News All-County as a junior and senior ... team captain in North/South Broward All-Star Game ... team captain and MVP of Broward Team in Broward-Dade County All-Star Game ... named high school team MVP ... member of student government, key club and crime watch.
There's something about a home run derby that gets extra attention, so with that in mind we congratulate Bethune-Cookman's Emmanuel Castro for his recent Florida Collegiate Summer League Home Run Derby crown. The B-CU rising junior who plays for the DeLand Suns hit five home runs at Sanford Memorial Stadium. The FCSL captured Castro's winning homer on video. It was first called a catch, because the kid in the outfield makes a tremendous leaping grab of the ball that was clearly on its way over the wall. (Yes, the kid avoided colliding into the concrete block wall.) But then it was correctly ruled a home run, because there is no actual fielding in a home run derby.
Ocala (Fla.) Trinity Catholic High graduate Sean Major is a Brave. An Alcorn State University Brave, that is. The defensive standout, who played nose tackle and linebacker for the Celtics, was granted a spot on the team as a freshman with a scholarship to follow next season. “It feels good,” said Major, who is the youngest of five children and the first to attend a four-year college. “Coming into to Trinity Catholic I wasn’t very big. I weighed 101 pounds in eighth grade and 119 in ninth. Now I’m 215. I know hard work got me to where I’m at.” Major got the news from the Southwestern Athletic Conference member earlier this summer after nearly enrolling at Florida State University.
He also had preferred walk-on opportunities at Missouri Western, Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern, but opted for Alcorn State because the historically black college offered a diversity grant to offset expenses during his freshman season. “I was looking at FSU as a walk-on, then Alcorn got in touch with me and assured me of a spot on the team,” Major explained. “All I really know about them is Steve McNair went there.”
Sophomore receiver Kevin Elliott is beginning to draw all sorts of comparisons to some of the top receivers who played at FAMU. As a freshman last season, Elliott led the Rattlers in receptions with 58 catches for 817 yards, but he is still very far from his best season — at least, by receivers coach Steven Jerry's estimates. Given his selection to the All-MEAC pre-season team, this might just be his breakout year. "He doesn't realize how good he could be," Jerry said. But right now he is good enough to be one of the Rattlers' deep threats. Just thinking about his potential sometimes could be surreal, Jerry said.
Parker sheds the dreads, means business... Bryan Parker has a more traditional haircut these days. No more dangling dreadlocks. His new look is the obvious change for FAMU's senior linebacker. The more inconspicuous differences are he's attending classes more regularly, showing more commitment to developing his tackling techniques and has the attitude to go along with all the changes. He couldn't see a better time to change, especially since pro scouts are watching.
"Everything plays a big part of me," he said. "I'm a man and I'm going to have to fend for my family. I can't act like a little kid anymore. It's go time right now. This is my last year so right now I'm thinking now or never to make it to the league."
Legendary all-black Lincoln High School football coach Jesse Heard, left, speaks to FAMU players on 8/10.
Excerpt: The Florida A&M University Rattlers football team are preparing to embark upon a return to glory this season. Taylor said he can feel the FAMU fan base getting more and more excited about Rattler football. "I have been told that ticket sales are way up compared to this time last year," Taylor said. "To me, that indicates that it appears the Rattlers are waking up." Taylor said the team has brought into his philosophy, which stresses discipline.
Taylor invited legendary all-black Lincoln High School football coach and captain of the 1956 Rattlers' football team Jessie Heard to speak to the team at the beginning of the first day of orientation. Heard talked to the team about what it means to be a Rattler. He said the teams he played on were coached by FAMU legend Jake Gaither, who is in the college football Hall of Fame. Heard said the teams he played on from 1953-1956 only lost four games in those four years, and won a national championship.
"When me and my former teammates found out a couple of years ago that one of our teammates was homeless, we did something about it," said Heard, who is on the FAMU Wall of Fame. "He is not homeless any more." Heard told each class of players what they must do to make FAMU successful this season, and when he got to the seniors on the team, he said, "Lead, or get out of the way!"
Heard said he was honored to be the first former player Taylor brought back to speak to the team, and he said it is something he does not remember any other coaches doing. Taylor said he wanted Heard to share his story with the players because Heard represents the finest in FAMU tradition. "He is a living legend, and he is here to let you all know what it means to be a Rattler," Taylor said. "It's about P-H-D. You have to have a lot of pride, hustle and desire."
Quarterback Curtis Pulley is going to run with the ball for the FAMU football team. No question about that, it seems, considering how much he carried the ball last season. Two weeks away from the season opener against Delaware State, the players who work out of FAMU's back field can only see opportunities for themselves if Pulley runs like he's expected to. "With Pulley running, not only does it open up the passing game, but it opens lanes for me because other teams might have a spy to just keep their eyes on him," said running back Philip Sylvester. "That will take it off of me and open up the running game."
Pulley added an unexpected wrinkle to the Rattlers running game when he came to FAMU just before the start of last season. His penchant for making something out of nothing when a play — running or passing — breaks down is one reason that he ended up as the team's leading rusher. That's doesn't take the load off the running backs, though. In fact, they are inspired to do even more — no matter how many times Pulley might choose to take off with the ball, said running backs coach Aaron Taylor.
FAMU safety Jonathan Ferrell knows exactly what his younger brother, Willie, is going through as he sits out a year from playing football. But the older Ferrell said he also understands it's for a good cause, after taking last season himself to concentrate on becoming academically eligible. "It showed me they don't care what you can do on the field," Jonathan said, following Sunday's walk-through practice. "It's all about your grades." Both brothers were major contributors two years ago when FAMU High won a Class 1B state title.
Willie helped FAMU High reach the final four last season, coming one win short of playing for a second state title. Willie Ferrell, a highly touted linebacker, wasn't expected to attend FAMU. He had originally signed a letter-of-intent to play for Mississippi, before an academic setback changed his plans. Willie enrolled this summer at FAMU. A first team selection to the Tallahassee Democrat All-Big Bend team the last two seasons, Willie Ferrell was ranked the No. 6 inside linebacker in the country by ESPN. His older brother also had the credentials to play at a bigger school then FAMU.
FAMU president James Ammons set the bar high, reflecting on the school's past track and field success Thursday morning, while introducing Walter McCoy and Darlene Moore as the Rattlers' new men's and women's coaches. Both coaches said they plan to integrate their teams' practices to attain the goals set by Ammons. Their benchmark is to reestablish the standard set by former FAMU greats Bob Hayes and Pam Oliver, Ammons said.
"With the addition of these two new coaches, we hope to reignite the fire we know exists in FAMU track and field community," Ammons said during a mid-morning press conference. "We hope to continue to produce track Olympians and attract athletes from across the state of Florida, across the nation and across the globe." McCoy and Moore can relate. They've either been there themselves or have coached athletes who have gone on to win national titles.
Junior tight end Max Purcell snagged the ball out of the air at midfield and dragged a few linemen about two yards. The rest of his Thursday afternoon was spent blocking during practice. Such is the life for a FAMU tight end who, if he is fortunate, gets called to run a receiver's route for a play or two. The chance to catch the ball is a precious opportunity in the Rattlers' offensive scheme. "If I catch the ball, I like to get as much (yards after the catch) as I can," Purcell said. "That makes my job a lot easier and takes the pressure off the receivers."
They were down to the last few practice plays Wednesday. On every snap, nose guard Cameron Houston and center Steve Brazzle locked up. The two FAMU big men pushed and shoved like two rhinoceroses in a fight. "That's a strong man right there," Brazzle said. "I give him all the credit in the world. He gives me a good look every day. "He never comes half-stepping. I think he is one of the premier tackles in the league so it shows me where I stand. It's key that the defense, whoever I go against, gives me a good look so I can go hard on Saturdays in the games."
FAMU receivers must fill multiple roles »
FAMU receivers coach Steven Jerry is quick to turn to a little mathematic division when one of the players in his group asks about playing time. It's pretty simple, the way he figures it: Thirty pass plays divided by his five key receivers will always equal six minutes. But this is football, so give or take a play or two per man. But that doesn't mean there is a lot of time to sit around on game day. All of FAMU's receivers have been given multiple duties on special teams in addition to their primary roles. And even when they aren't part of the offense, every receiver has to throw a block or two.
Practice provided mixed results for the FAMU football team Tuesday afternoon — a lot of heat and rain and too much lightning. All of that on a day when young linebackers were making a strong case for playing time during 7-on-7 drills in the heart of the afternoon. The strikes of lightning forced coach Joe Taylor to halt practice about 10 minutes early, skipping the cardio portion of the workout. But by the unexpected end, Taylor got a glimpse at his players' will to endure the conditions. During a 20-minute downpour, not a man flinched.
"Florida A&M got a steal with that woman," "She'll take that program a long way." ...Albany State University Rams track coach Kenneth Taylor. Photo: New FAMU's Men track coach Walter McCoy (L) and Coach Darlene Moore.
Darlene Moore's introduction Thursday as the new Florida A&M women's track and field coach marked the achievement of a long-term goal in more ways than one. First of all, she always wanted to coach a NCAA Division I school. Also, she wanted specifically to coach the Lady Rattlers, who often competed in meets hosted by Albany State. After coaching the Fort Valley State women for six years, and then being an Albany State assistant the past two, she now embarks on a challenge she feels comfortable with.
"When I took over the Fort Valley State program, they were rebuilding," Moore told The Herald. "I'm used to rebuilding. I feel comfortable in this setting and want to get it back to a powerhouse. I'm just ready to get everything started." Moore, who starred at Albany State during the 1980s and once held the school's 400-meters record for women, was inducted in the school's Sports Hall of Fame last fall. She coached eight cross country/track SIAC team champions in six years at Fort Valley State while also training two NCAA Division II event champions. At Albany State, she groomed the Rams' Ronnie McGirt into a 110 hurdles national champion last spring.
Replacing fired coach Maicel Malone, Moore was not the only new track coach hired by FAMU on Thursday. The Rattlers also hired former Olympic gold-medal winner Walter McCoy (4x100 in 1984 in Los Angeles).
"Track and field is a very special part of the athletics program at Florida A&M University. We feel that we have selected two coaches who have a burning passion for track and field, a great appreciation for the FAMU track tradition, and who will work hard to restore the sport to a championship level," FAMU athletic director Bill Hayes said in a press release.
Coach has Rattlers in midst of a turnaround... Ask Joe Taylor how many championships he's won, players that went to the NFL from his program or the number of trips he's made to the NCAA postseason and he'll pause. There have been so many. He might start going through the list, then decide to hit the highlights. There could be many more before he is done coaching. "As long as I can do it the right way, I'm going to keep doing it," Taylor said. "But if it ever becomes drudgery to put in the time for the game plan or organize and I don't feel like getting up, then I know it's time to do something different.
"I still get excited about seeing it all unfold." That's from a man who has been coaching for almost three decades. He's now in his 18th year as a coach in the MEAC and that puts Taylor five years ahead of Bethune-Cookman's Alvin Wyatt, who has the second longest tenure in the league. Taylor begins his second season as FAMU's head coach this fall with the distinction of being the dean of MEAC football. FAMU is the third MEAC program Taylor has coached, including stops at Howard and Hampton.
Curtis Pulley wasn't sure. There was no signal that he had scored a touchdown. Maybe that's why the defense, which had swarmed Pulley and every player who touched the ball on offense all morning during FAMU's first scrimmage, just stood around and watched the quarterback run.
It almost seemed as if the defense wanted to give the offense something for all that it had taken away on a balmy morning. The times the defense didn't strip the ball away, the offense turned it over on interceptions. That summed up FAMU football coach Joe Taylor's biggest concern after watching his team go full throttle for the first time this season.
Transfer QB has revived his career at FAMU... One coach compared Curtis Pulley's popularity in the MEAC to that of a rock star. That might be a bit over the top. But Pulley, FAMU's new-found leader on its football team, is on the Walter Payton Award watch list. He topped the list of first-team selections for the MEAC preseason team. What a turnaround. A year ago, Pulley was without a football team. He had lost his scholarship at Kentucky for multiple run-ins with the law. One school after another wanted no part of him.
Pulley, named Kentucky's Mr. Football in 2005, was in an upside-down world until Joe Taylor gave him new life at FAMU. "After being told no here and there and wondering if I'd ever play football gain, and for (Taylor) to accept me and bring me down here, that was big," Pulley said. "Coach Taylor makes me feel like I'm part of a family and not just playing on a team." Pulley definitely isn't just on the team. He has become an integral part of an offense that is talented enough to help FAMU finish better than its predicted second.
Excerpt: There's plenty of room for positive feelings inside Barnaby's body -- he's about the size of a small truck. At 6-foot-2, 270 pounds, Barnaby has become an enormous presence, literally, on Trinity Christian's offensive and defensive lines. From a kid who four years ago "didn't have any clue where to put his hands or anything," coach Allen Johnson said, Barnaby has become a Division I prospect. He has received a scholarship offer from Navy, and he has received heavy interest from Mississippi, Duke and Florida A&M.
But Barnaby is a different kind of star player. For one thing, he has a 4.1 grade point average. So when he answers a question, he doesn't spout cliches like a lot of players do, but offers thoughtful answers. "People see all the big schools offering and they're like, 'You've got to go to the biggest one,' " Barnaby said. "But it's not like that. You've got to look around, see which one would be the best fit for you and then go there."
Senior cornerback Brandon Green stood on the sideline for Southern’s first fall scrimmage Saturday morning, resting a stubbornly sore hamstring. The same was true for freshman cornerback Pierre Warford. Elsewhere, right tackle Lee Almanza dressed in uniform Saturday, but with a minor groin pull, he stayed out of the action for the first time since training camp began Aug. 5. On the injury front, that’s about as bad as it’s been so far. And coach Pete Richardson is thankful for that.
Although Green, Warford and a half-dozen others have minor pulls, sprains or bruises, Southern has avoided serious injuries through the first two weeks this preseason. While Richardson conceded a major injury can happen at any point, he’d like to believe scheduling has played a part in the almost-injury-free training camp. SU has practiced 12 times since camp began, but only twice did the Jaguars conduct two-a-days. They could afford to do that because classes begin Monday and the season opener isn’t until Sept. 5, some three weeks away.
Can Jackson State coaches instill discipline in their players? Can Mississippi Valley State stop anyone on defense? And have the players at Alcorn State put the school’s bizarre coaching carousel behind them? The key questions are different for each of Mississippi’s three Southwestern Athletic Conference teams as they open the 2009 season and so are the challenges. While Jackson State is seeking to advance to its third straight SWAC title game, MVSU and Alcorn State are looking to regroup from disappointing seasons — one with a veteran coach and the other with a first-year coach for the second straight season.
At Alcorn State, players had to deal with the firing of first-year coach Ernest T. Jones. The Braves were 2-10 last year, but lost six games by a touchdown or less and four games in the final minute. The school promoted defensive coordinator Earnest Collins Jr. to head coach after Jones’ firing. It was a reversal of fortune for Collins, who was one of seven assistants fired before Jones’ dismissal, then reinstated.
Byron Williams is a country kid. As such, he is country strong. A native of Clinton, even he concedes that life away from the city is usually dull. For a youngster, that is both a blessing and a curse. For Williams, it was mostly a blessing. “It’s a country life up there. There’s really not much to do,” Williams said. “So a lot of people look at football — or basketball, or track — as a chance to get away from home.
What we do on weekends is, instead of going out to a party, we work out all day. Maybe we go run on the track or take a walk into town. Or we ride our bikes together.” Oh, those bikes. They were really good for the lower body. “I had a 10-speed, and I put on the hardest pedals so I could make my legs stronger,” Williams said. “So we start to ride at, say, 1 o’clock, and we come home at about 10. That’s nine hours of riding, and by that time your legs are tired. So you go soak them in the tub and go to bed.”
Two-a-days are in the rear-view mirror. The regular season is nearly here. And lately, the Southern football team has practiced in mild conditions, thanks to dark clouds and rain. Yet as the Jaguars prepare for their second scrimmage of fall practice this morning, they can argue that this coming week will be the toughest of them all. The dog days are dead ahead, if they’re not here already. “I think every camp is like that. It starts out (and) everybody is enthusiastic and ready to roll,” offensive coordinator Mark Orlando said.
“Then, after about four or five days, you kind of see it. All of a sudden, one guy is down. Then two guys are down. ... It’s psychological. So the mental toughness is what we’re looking for now at this point — fighting through the two-week doldrums.”
In three seasons at Southern, Jordan Miller has learned that changes in football are similar to changes in life: They often come with positives and negatives. Miller walked on to the Southern football team and began as a defensive end, waiting for a chance to play. He got it, shuttling in and out of games as part of the Jaguars’ steady rotation. Then, just as Miller settled in, the SU coaches made another change. This spring, they asked Miller to move inside, to defensive tackle. They also gave him a scholarship — and the chance at a starting job. Those were the positives. As for the negatives ...
They could not believe their good fortune. Tuesday afternoon, dozens of Southern football players shuffled through the ground floor in the F.G. Clark Activity Center, preparing themselves for more of the same. Another day of practice. Another day of drills, blocking sleds and wind sprints. Another day like the one before. And the one before that. Just then, a vicious storm rolled through campus, knocking out power in the Clark Center. Minutes later, the call came from coach Pete Richardson to the locker room: Be ready for a meeting at 6 p.m. today. No practice. All at once, players erupted. If only for one day, they’d been saved by the thunder gods.
Less than a week into his first college training camp, Southern guard Adrian Banks got his first taste of the up-down. He didn’t enjoy it then. He doesn’t enjoy it now. Four years have passed, and some things never change. Misery is still misery. “My freshman year, a guy missed breakfast while we were in camp,” Banks recalled. “Everybody had to go in a circle. ... We had to do, like, 25 down-ups in a row. My arms were getting numb and cramped up. You’ve got to pump your feet, fall on your chest and get right back up. If you don’t, they’ll add more. It’s crazy, man. I hate it.”
Marcus Clark was barely into his first college start when he learned two hard lessons. Lesson No. 1: When you can make a tackle, do it like you’re supposed to — get in position, wrap up, and drive your momentum through the ball carrier. In the first quarter of Southern’s game at Alcorn State on Sept. 27, Clark did not do any of that. He was starting at okie (inside) linebacker in place of Johnathan Malveaux, the team’s leading tackler last year. He saw Alcorn wideout Emmanuel Arceneaux coming across the middle. “I tried for the kill shot,” Clark said. “That man took my momentum and went all the way up the sideline for about 60 yards before we caught him.” (Actually, Arceneaux gained only 35 yards on the play.)
The Jackson State offense showed some big-play ability in its first scrimmage of the preseason Saturday with five passing plays going for more than 20 yards. The sight was a relief for those with doubts regarding the quarterback situation. "I was happy for the quarterbacks," coach Rick Comegy said. "The success really needs to (come) from there." Starter Tray Rutland was 10-for-17 for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Demario Pippen for a 35-yard score and hit Antoine Ott-Terrell for a 2-yard touchdown off play action.
Backup Dedric McDonald took the rest of the snaps and completed 3 of 8 passes for 169 yards with a touchdown and an acrobatic interception by Anthony Johnson. The redshirt freshman had a 65-yard completion to Spencer Spane and a 95-yard touchdown to Anthony Mayes. McDonald also ran for 74 yards, including a 60-yard scramble up the middle for a touchdown.
Former Jackson State golfer A.J. Montecinos has found success on the PGA Tour in recent years. That success has not come as a player, but rather a caddy. Last Sunday, Montecinos and Y. E. Yang shocked the world (of golf) when Yang defeated Tiger Woods for the 2009 PGA Championship. The duo, which has been together for nearly two years, could not have come from any more seemingly different backgrounds have made things work to near perfection on the golf course. Montecinos, who is 35 years old, grew up in California and Yang, 37, is from South Korea.
Montecinos, who is Italian on his mother’s side and Spanish on his father’s side, played his collegiate golf at JSU under head coach Eddie Payton from 1993-97, winning four straight SWAC titles. Yang, who was in PGA Tour qualifying school nine months ago, spent about two years in the South Korean military (beginning at age 21) before going to New Zealand after his military duty to pursue a golf career.
And there is a bit of a language barrier. Yang speaks limited English. “Our communication is fine. He understands more than people think,”Montecinos said. Montecinos got into caddying through his collegiate teammate Tim O’Neal.Montecinos and O’Neal were members of the JSU men’s golf team that went on to become the first from a historically black university to play in the NCAA Championships in 1995.
“I got into it through Tim,“ said Montecinos. “We were together for two years.“The relationship between a golfer and his caddie is one of the closest in sports.“Caddying is like a marriage. You have to know everything about that golfer. Like, what to say and not to say at the right time. " Being a caddy, we also have to be able to calm the player down and get them pumped up at the right times. We have to know everything about the greens, the club the player needs to use at that specific point and time. How far he can hit that specific club, and how the ball is rolling with the wind conditions, if any. A caddy basically makes the player’s job as easy as possible.
To date, Yang has played in 19 tour events and has made more than $3.2 million. He has finished first on the PGA Tour two times in 2009 and ranks ninth in Money Leaders on the tour.
James Woody has been an offensive coordinator under Rick Comegy during 14 collegiate football seasons. This fall at Jackson State will mark No. 15 - the crystal anniversary - but another set of diamond championship rings would be the preferred gift. Relationships evolve in any successful partnership and the Comegy-Woody combination has done the same. In May, for example, the two got into such a heated exchange that Woody was suspended for five days without pay and JSU message boards nearly melted down with rumors that Woody had been fired.
The two have never publicly addressed the suspension, or its cause, and that riff appears to have been put in the past with hopes of an improved offense dominating the present. "We're professional, everything's professional," Comegy said. "We've got to be professional about the business." One possible cause of the friction: After JSU lost the 2008 SWAC title game 41-9 to Grambling State, Comegy decided he would spend more time with the offense during practices in the spring and fall and that Woody would move from the sidelines to the press box during games this fall.
Thunderstorms in the area put a crimp in the plans of the Jackson State football team on Thursday. Players and coaches practiced outside for a little over an hour before the downpour forced everyone inside. Practice was bumped to 2 p.m. from 3 p.m. in hopes of pre-empting the showers. The team also moved from the normal practice field to an open area off to the side. "We (did) more close-quarter things and hope you don't slip and get anybody really hurt," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "Only thing you can do is pound the running game because that's what people are going to do in the rain, mostly.
Short, skinny and not that fast. Marcell Young flashes that gap-toothed smile at the self-description while reminiscing about high school days at Hinds A.H.S. The Jackson State cornerback remembers not causing much of a stir and being overshadowed by teammates like Austin Divinity, who was the No. 19 rated recruit in Mississippi in 2005, according to Rivals.com. The trend has followed Young throughout his career, first at Hinds Community College where his mom expected two years of football would be the end of his career.
Young had other plans and last season transferred to JSU, where he started immediately. "Marcell, he's unassuming," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "When he came we had an idea, but we didn't know he could play like that. We thought he was good, but he's become an exceptional player."
Transfer cornerback Jalil Johnson has made an early impression on the Jackson State coaching staff. Three weeks into camp, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder from Mississippi Delta Community College is getting snaps with the No. 1 defense as starter Marcell Young has nursed an injured leg. Johnson graded out at 90 percent in the first scrimmage of camp Saturday. "Every time I look Jalil's way he's batting that ball down," coach Rick Comegy said. "Jalil could play for a lot of people and he's going to play a lot here, too. If we have to find a nickel package, a dime package, we're going to have to play it. He's got that swagger that you need. And that confidence. He comes to play every practice."
The Hornets took to the practice field twice on Friday, the third of six scheduled "two-a-days." The players endured humid conditions in full pads during the morning session. The second practice was scheduled for 3:00 p.m., but moved to the evening due to the extreme heat. A late afternoon thunderstorm provided welcome relief for the players as Friday evening's session featured less humid conditions. Among the question marks surrounding the 2009 Hornets is the play of the defensive line. Four linemen with starting experience will anchor the unit; however, the next eight consist of first-year players. Tackles Andre Carroll (jr. 6-2, 260) and Tyron Hurst (sr. 6-2, 295) provide experience in the middle, while Joe Mendes (jr. 5-11, 220) and Fabian Dunn (sr. 6-2, 275) will man the ends.
Robby Wells is coming into your living room on Saturday mornings beginning Sept. 5. Savannah State University's second-year football head coach has his own television show, "The Robby Wells Coaches Show," on the NBC digital station MyNetworkTV. WSAV-DT2 is the area's MyNetworkTV affiliate. "The Robby Wells Coaches Show" will be televised from 10:30-11 a.m. each Saturday during the football season on Comcast digital channel 237 in Georgia, and on Time-Warner Cable channel 72 in South Carolina.
"This is a Division I football program, and we're doing what Division I football programs do. And that's part of it," Wells, 41, said at the Tigers' practice Thursday. The show's format includes commentary from Wells, game highlights and a behind-the-scenes look into SSU's football program. A host for the show is still in the works. Wells said the program primarily will be produced by SSU's mass communications program. "The Robby Wells Coaches Show" will debut the day of SSU's season opener against Livingstone College in the HBCU Classic in Greenville, S.C.
The UAPB Golden Lions have high expectations this season. Second year coach Monty Coleman says the Lions will be a lot better this year. They have plenty of experience at the skill position. At running back is Mickey Dean, a preseason first team all SWAC selection. The Golden Lions also have a host of returners coming back on the defensive end of the ball. Jared Dorn and Kevin Thornton are just a couple of them along with Razorback transfer Freddie Fairchild.
As Arkansas-Pine Bluff holds its first major scrimmage of fall practice today, coach Monte Coleman and his staff will be closely watching position battles at several spots. But nothing will be watched more closely than what transpires at quarterback. For 10 days of practices now four players have taken an almost equal number of snaps to decide who will eventually lead the Golden Lions when they open the season Sept. 5 against Arkansas-Monticello.
Though progression has been made by all, Coleman said neither Rontrell Bailey, Josh Boudreaux, Gvona Turner or William Dunn have made any sort of jump beyond the other. “We don’t have a Usain Bolt right now,” said Coleman, referring to the Jamaican sprinter who has made a habit of running away from his competition. The second-year coach hopes one of the four will begin to pull away today. Bailey, who entered the fall as the No. 1 quarterback because of his performance last spring, will begin today’s scrimmage on the practice field adjacent to Golden Lion Stadium leading the top offense. Boudreaux will also get work with the top offense, and Turner and Dunn will also get snaps.
A highly competitive scrimmage brought an official close to the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff football teams' first week of training camp. UAPB Head Coach Monte Coleman was pleased with what he saw during his teams' first scrimmage but cited a need for overall improvement in the coming weeks. "I'll give the offense a 'B' on performance and the defense would get a 'C,'" said Coleman after watching his team compete against each other on Saturday afternoon. "I thought they threw the ball well," added Coleman. "We still have some mishandles of balls, but all that is going to be corrected by Sept. 5th."
The Golden Lions will return to the practice field on Monday at 2:15 pm. The team will host its second scrimmage of fall camp on Thursday afternoon. UAPB will open their season at Golden Lions Stadium on Saturday, September 5th as they host the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Season tickets are still available starting at the unbelievably low price of $55. To order your season ticket package call (870) 575-8675 or (870) 575-7930.
It took until the eighth game of the season for James Harrell to make his mark in the Arkansas-Pine Bluff secondary. On a clear afternoon last October, a homecoming crowd of 14,852 watched as Harrell, a freshman cornerback just a year removed from high school, noticed a play his coaches had reminded him of all week. He watched as the opposing receiver’s legs came to a stop, darted in front of a pass and sprinted 91 yards to add the final score in an eventual 42-0 UAPB win over Lincoln (Mo.) University.
“I was just watching his knees like (then defensive backs coach Alonzo Hampton) said. His knees stopped and I just ran through the ball,” Harrell recalled. “It felt good.”Harrell had contributed most of the season but, prior to the interception, it was mostly on special teams. That afternoon was when his potential began to meet reality and the son of former NFL linebacker James Harrell sparkled the rest of the season.The next week Harrell returned a kickoff 32 yards against Southern, and he was in the starting lineup for the final three games.
When he’s pressed to take a second to think about it, Michael Witherspoon guesses he’s been away from the Arkansas-Pine Bluff football facilities just one day this summer. And the only reason for that absence was a scheduled dentist appointment in Little Rock. Every other day, though, the senior middle linebacker is inside the J. Thomas May Fieldhouse by early afternoon, lifting weights before taking part in strength and conditioning coach Nick Latham’s offseason program. He’s got no other choice, he said. As the only returning starter among a group that has high expectations this season, Witherspoon has taken on the role as the player who shows others the way.
“I couldn’t tell (younger players) to do something that I wouldn’t expect myself to do,” Witherspoon said. “I had to be here and lead by example.”Last season Witherspoon didn’t have to do any of that. He didn’t enter the starting lineup until the fourth game and even then seniors Tim Turner and John Keith took on most of those responsibilities. He quietly made 70 tackles, third most on the team behind Turner and Keith, and then emerged as a stable and experienced element in the middle of the defense.
Most of the questions surrounding Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s defense concern its ability to replace departed linebackers Tim Turner and John Keith and defensive end Ledarius Anthony. UAPB second-year coach Monte Coleman doesn’t at all downplay those losses. He knows replacing his top two tacklers and leader in sacks over the past two seasons will be difficult. But just as difficult he thinks will be replacing a player whose contribution last year went largely unnoticed by anyone outside of Golden Lion Stadium.“Not by the coaches,” said Coleman, when asked if defensive tackle Aaron Hence was forgotten last season.
“We appreciated everything he did. He played extremely well for us.”Coleman understands Anthony’s 14 sacks over the past two seasons garnered the most interest. But Hence’s 63 tackles, including 21/2 sacks, last season were just as important. That tackle total was fourth best on the team and the most of any defensive lineman. But the departure of Hence and Kenneth Leichman, who battled injuries last season, have left a rather sizable hole in the middle of the Golden Lions’ defensive line. And the loss of Anthony has made it so UAPB will be replacing three of its four starters along the front.
Bulldogs' hopes are high with five returning starters. Cedric Pearl doesn't move as quickly as he did a couple of months ago. He recently underwent surgery that has cost him a step or two. But Pearl, Alabama A&M's offensive coordinator/offensive line coach, isn't the one who needs to move quickly. That's a task for his players. Pearl has a history of putting together one of the better units in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Unfortunately for A&M, that wasn't the case last season. Injuries and a lack of quality depth finally reared its ugly head.
"We've got to make a 180-degree turnaround," he said. That shouldn't be that difficult. All five starters return, led by All-SWAC center Xavier Manuel. Throw in Jerrell Doom, a highly touted junior college transfer, and Jamaal Johnson-Webb, a talented redshirt freshman, and this is a unit that has all the makings to be special.
Three seniors, four juniors lead experienced corps. Deep. Experienced. Talented. It sounds like a slogan for a top-notch company. Instead, those three words describe the players who make up Alabama A&M's secondary. Their names are arguably the most recognizable on the team because they've been around so long. Maurice Thomas, Julius Pruitt and Justin Borden are seniors. Korey Morrison, Marcus Thomas, Chris Faush and Raymond Segura are juniors. Rico Porch and Clarence Morris are sophomores. Junior college transfer Abraham Felton is the only newcomer who figures into the playing rotation.
"This is the deepest secondary we've had since I've been here," said Maurice Thomas, who is expected to start at left cornerback. "Not only do we have a solid group of starters, but we trust the second team. It doesn't matter who starts because we know they're going to go out and do a good job. They know what to do and they know what we expect out of them."
Coach says A&M's focus is becoming stronger every day...Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones was frustrated with his team a week ago. The Bulldogs hadn't played up to the level he expected in their second scrimmage, and Jones voiced his displeasure. "I'm not concerned about why we haven't done what we think we should be doing," Jones said. "I'm more concerned about getting us there. We've just got to get better.
"My expectations are very high. Everybody's expectations aren't where mine are and I'm not going to compromise them until I get what I want." Lightning and rain forced the Bulldogs off the field early Thursday afternoon, but that didn't dampen Jones' enthusiasm. Over the last three days, he says his team has turned the corner. "Their focus is now on the big picture," said Jones, who will lead A&M against Tennessee State on Sept. 5 in the season opener for both teams. "We've got 11 more opportunities to get this thing right before we're standing at LP Field and everything counts.
Jones says offense 'absolutely awful' under the lights...Alabama A&M's defense dominated the offense for the second time in four days Saturday night as the Bulldogs held their second scrimmage of the preseason. Quarterback Kevin Atkins and his offensive teammates managed just one touchdown and one field goal during the 85-play scrimmage at Louis Crews Stadium. "That was awful ... absolutely awful," A&M coach Anthony Jones said. "Our execution was awful. Our decisions were awful. Part of it is due to injuries, but that's no excuse. We're doing stuff we don't even practice.
"When you turn the lights on, some people tend to panic. I saw a lot of that tonight. Some of them looked like deer in headlights. It wasn't just the quarterbacks. It was everybody. Everybody had mental breakdowns that they shouldn't have had."
Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones had a hard enough time watching Saturday's scrimmage live. Despite that, Jones went back and watched the video and things didn't get any better. "Watching the film confirmed what I already knew," Jones said after watching the Bulldogs' offense struggle for the second time in as many scrimmages. "We're a long ways away from where we need to be. We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there
The accolades were lengthy. An 11-2 record. Bayou Classic winners. Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions. Black College National Champions. Don’t ask the Tigers to talk about them now though. That was last season. “It’s definitely in the past,” senior defensive end Christian Anthony said. “We’re looking at the 2009-2010 season now, but we’re looking for the same outcome. It starts today. We don’t talk about the past.”
Take a look at the Grambling roster and you won’t find a lot of experience among the wide receivers. The Tigers’ top returner in the passing game is sophomore wideout Kiare Thompson, who had 25 receptions for 310 yards and seven touchdowns in 2008. Beyond Thompson, the returnees who made the best targets for quarterback Greg Dillon last season are two running backs (Kenneth Batiste and Frank Warren) and a tight end (Larry Donnell). Finding a few more reliable receivers to stretch opposing defenses is one of the Tigers’ biggest concerns as the Sept. 6 season opener against South Carolina State approaches.
Hampton University's scrimmage this afternoon was typical of early season football - there was some good, some bad and some ugly. LaMarcus Coker broke several runs, Herb Bynes completed some crisp passes and the Pirates' defense did a good job swarming to the football. Late in the afternoon, with storm clouds closing in, quarterback David Legree, a transfer from Syracuse, took exception to being thrown to the ground by preseason all-MEAC defensive tackle Kendrick Ellis, who didn't pay much heed to Legree's no-contact jersey.
Legree came up shoving, and a brief melee broke out - not exactly to head coach Donovan Rose's chagrin. "It’s good. I like it," Rose said of the competitive fire that spawns such chippiness. "Right now we’ve got a lot of guys that are big, that are strong, that are physical. (But) even though we’re going against one another, we’re still teammates. I don’t want them to lose their aggression, but I’ve got to make sure that they save that for the opponent."
LaMarcus Coker is both Hampton University's leading rusher and receiver, but his 713 yards and a touchdown on the ground and 20 catches (for 265 yards and two TDs) fell short of what some people expected from the Tennessee transfer in 2008. As he watched quarterback Herb Bynes throw for a school-record 2,713 yards in the absence of a consistent running game, Coker expected more from himself.
In his last job, Keith Goganious worked with lawyers. Now he deals with linebackers.
There's really not much difference, Goganious says. "They've both kind of got a mean streak, and you're not quite sure what they're going to do if you say the wrong thing to them," he said.
Goganious, 40, smiled and wiped his brow. He was standing under the hot sun at Hampton University's football media day, clad in coaching attire - shorts and an HU T-shirt. It was a far cry from the work uniform he wore in the sales and marketing jobs he's held since retiring from the NFL more than a decade ago. "I was a corporate guy: power suit, power tie," he said.
Matt Pilgrim has been granted a waiver by the National Collegiate Athletic Association on Friday afternoon, allowing him to compete immediately this season for the Oklahoma State Basketball team. “We are excited that Matt will be able to be a part of the program this season,” said head coach Travis Ford. “He will make an immediate impact on this team with both his abilities and his experience. He will make us a better team and brings a toughness with him.
“More importantly, I’m excited for Matt,” continued Ford. “He’s been through a lot deserves this outcome. We appreciate the speed in which the NCAA processed his appeal, showing that the best interests of the student-athlete are being considered.”
Pilgrim, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Hampton University in Virginia. He played 47 games and started 30 for the Pirates, averaging 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds over two years. He was named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference all-rookie team following his freshman season.
Pilgrim transferred to Kentucky prior to the 2008-09 season and sat out as a redshirt due to NCAA Division I transfer rules.
Former HU Pirate Troy Fullwood, who grew up in Hampton, has enjoyed a sort of homecoming this week while umpiring the International League series between the Gwinnett Braves and Norfolk Tides at Harbor Park. The patient Fullwood is in his 14th season of umpiring pro baseball, and he occasionally has been among the officials called up to work as a substitute in the majors. He is in his eighth season of working Triple-A ball, where salaries are listed from $2,600 to $3,500 per month, and his travels have been extensive.
He made his major-league regular-season debut in 2004 and worked the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Fullwood went to the Harry Wendelstedt School of Umpiring in Daytona Beach, Fla., in early 1996 and began working minor-league games that year, paying his dues. Among the leagues in which he was worked, besides the IL: Gulf Coast, South Atlantic, Florida Instructional, Florida State, Carolina, Southern, Venezuelan, Pacific Coast and Arizona Fall. And those are just in the pros. Before pro ball kicks into high gear, Fullwood also has served as a collegiate umpire for Colonial Athletic Association and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contests, among others.
Washington State University CB Romeo Pellum says he's headed to Hampton University to continue his football career and college education. Hampton is an FCS school (formerly D-IAA) located in Virginia with an enrollment of a little over 6,000. The Pirates were 6-5 last year. Pellum is not yet listed on the Hampton roster nor is he in on campus but said he'll be arriving shortly."I'll be out there in a few days, I'm just wrapping some final things up and then I'll be there," said Pellum.
Pellum, formerly of Washington State, was suspended back in the early spring and left WSU at semester's end. As has been widely reported, Pellum has been charged with felonies for attempting to burglarize a teammate's dorm room. Pellum is scheduled to face a jury trial later this year.
Andre Griffin, part of Phoebus' undefeated state football championship team last fall, has given a verbal commitment to Hampton University. Griffin was offered a scholarship by the Pirates Wednesday and quickly accepted. He is being recruited at wide receiver, where he is expected to start this season for the Phantoms as well as cornerback. "He has deceptive speed and he runs excellent routes," Phoebus coach Stan Sexton said. "He has great hands, that's the thing HU liked most about him. And he has an ability to make guys miss. He makes a move on you and next thing you know, he's 20 yards downfield."
Calvin McNairl went from starting for Tennessee State to standing on the sideline. The former Henry County quarterback replaced injured Antonio Heffner his freshman season in 2007, then was redshirted when Heffner recovered in 2008 and three other quarterbacks were added to the roster. Heffner is gone, but two of the others — Dominic Grooms and Jeremy Perry — are still around and along with McNairl are in the mix for the starting assignment. If the staff is interested in a replacement who most resembles Heffner, McNairl says he is the man. After Heffner broke his leg against Eastern Kentucky in 2007 McNairl led the Tigers to a 2-2 record.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Coach George Ivory now has an NCAA Tournament victory to add to his Golden Lions resume.
