Competition for playing time heats up at SSU

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The battle for starting quarterback might be front and center for Savannah State University, but several skirmishes at other positions dot the football practice field at Theodore A. Wright Stadium as well.

Just one week before the Tigers' Aug. 30 season-opener with Alabama-Birmingham, head coach Erik Raeburn said several members of his strong 2018 recruiting class will see playing time.

"Maybe there aren't as many starters as we had last season but we have a bunch of guys who will rotate in there to give the starters a breather and play on special teams," Raeburn said.

Saturday's scrimmage provided a sample of freshmen contributions. Running back D'Angelo Durham led the squad with 73 rushing yards, and outside linebacker Chris Smith had a team-leading six tackles with a sack and two tackles for losses to pace the defense and late signee, quarterback Craig Grant, threw for 142 yards and two scores.

Durham won't unseat incumbent starter Jaylen McCloud, who led the running backs with 387 rushing yards a year ago, but will be in the rotation with CJ Cole and Rashad Saxton.

Smith sits behind preseason All-MEAC performer Stefen Banks and Christian Guinn, but has impressed the staff with his speed and aggressiveness.

And Grant will be behind TJ Bell and D'Vonn Gibbons, but the Tigers know first-hand you can never have too many quarterbacks.

Raeburn sees freshmen Rod Evans and Treveyon Pratt strengthening a stable of wide receivers that include Czar Beneby, JaMichael Baldwin, Ronnie Stevens, D'Andre Snead, James Kicklighter and Elijah Shah.

The Tigers' top three wide receivers finished their eligibility last season so there's plenty of catches to go around for a team that runs a spread attack.

"We'll play a lot of guys there," Raeburn said. "It's hard to just play two or three guys anyway because they run so much and we don't have two or three guys who are head and shoulder above the others."

Evan McGhee and Walter Yates provides versatility to the linebackers. McGhee can be moved around the front seven, and Yates played strong safety in high school at Gulf Breeze, Fla.

In the secondary, D'Armani Ridley will be the first safety in if starters Donald Rutledge or Isaiah Bennett have to come out. Nick Garner is another safety vying for time.

Cornerback Ny'Em Bozeman has had a good camp, showing his wares while forcing a fumble and recovering the loose ball during the scrimmage.

Raeburn said tackle Tahmaj Faust and guard/center Logan Kesler will be backups on the offensive line, and Michael Police, Fred Raynes and Stephen Vourilvee-Greaves should see snaps on the defensive line.

Christin "Zaine" Burton and Timothy Campbell will bolster the linebackers.

Players returning from injuries could also give the Tigers a boost. Senior linebacker Mulik Simmons missed the entire 2017 season after an injury during camp last year.

Simmons, the Tigers' leading returning tackler from 2016 (73 tackles), was a preseason second-team All-Conference pick in 2017 before the injury.

And at quarterback, Bell, who shared the starting job in 2016, is returning from a broken leg that kept him out of all but two games in 2017.

Thrust into action, Gibbons threw for 1,259 yards and 10 TDs and led SSU to three wins during the final four games last season.

"Right now, they'd both play (in the season opener)," Raeburn said. "They've been pretty even in camp and I don't foresee between now and UAB one guy being way better and playing the whole game. Having two guys you feel are even gives us a little depth there."

SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

"Respect the H" Debuts on WSKY4-TV Saturday

HAMPTON, Virginia -- A new Saturday morning television show featuring Hampton University Athletics will debut this Saturday at 9 am as "Respect The H with Eugene Marshall, Jr." will air on WSKY TV-4.

Joining the show this week with a special appearance is Head Football Coach Robert Prunty, along with the Director of the HU Marching Force Dr. Thomas B. Jones. This will be a new way for Hampton fans to keep up to date with athletic happenings, as Hampton makes its debut in the Big South Conference.

Keep an eye out for more guests and new features to the show which will run through the football season. The show is being taped in the state of the art TV studios in the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications.

For more information on Hampton University Athletics, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Hampton Men's Basketball Announces Non-Conference Slate

HAMPTON, Virginia -- The Hampton Pirates men's basketball team announced its 2018-19 non-conference schedule on Friday with participation in the GotPrint.com Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper along with a pair of contests against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foes.

Hampton opens the season on November 6 with a 7pm matchup against Mid-Atlantic Christian University from Elizabeth City, NC. The Pirates then start its play in the classic by visiting Virginia Commonwealth University on November 9 and then heading west to take on the University of California in Berkeley on November 13.

Following that swing, they will visit Detroit for the regional round and will open with Bowling Green on November 19. The final game of the classic will be against either Loyola (Md.) or the host Detroit-Mercy on November 20.

Following Thanksgiving, the Pirates will go back up Interstate 64 to take on the Richmond Spiders on November 25. Four days later, the "Battle of the Bay" will resume on the hardwood as Hampton visits Norfolk State on November 29 for a 7pm tip.

The month of December will start with a matchup hosting National Christian College Athletic Association member Regent University on December 1 at 7 pm. Hampton will visit Coastal Carolina on December 5, before hosting William & Mary (Dec. 8) and St. Leo (Dec. 15) both at 7 pm.

Three days before Christmas the "Battle of the Real HU" will take place in Washington, DC at the new Medstar Washington Wizards Training Facility as Hampton takes on Howard on December 22. A Dec. 29 matchup at Saint Peter's (NJ) will close out the non-conference slate.

The 2018-19 Big South Men's Basketball Conference slate will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

For more information on Hampton University men's basketball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com

Miles Golden Bears football continues work towards season opener

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Miles football team is working earnestly as it begins its first full week of work in preparation for the 2018 campaign. Practice begins before the moon is firmly tucked away in the west and the sun has barely began its ascent in the east.

But there are no sleepy eyes as the team goes through drills as it prepares for its Sept. 1 opener at Alabama A&M. To get an inside look at some of the machinations of Golden Bears football practice, and to hear from head coach Reginald Ruffin,




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UAPB starting QB remains a mystery

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Coach Cedric Thomas has confirmed the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's two-deep roster, but the Golden Lions coach will not name a starting quarterback until early next week.

Junior transfer Shannon Patrick, 6-2, 205 pounds, and freshman Skyler Perry, 6-3, 197, have emerged as the team's top two quarterbacks to start the Golden Lions' season-opener against Morehouse College on Sept. 1. UAPB will have one more scrimmage before the final decision is made.

"We got another Saturday scrimmage, and we'll name a starter Monday," Thomas said. "We're excited. They are a couple of young guys who have performed well. We're going to find a leader."



Patrick led Northland (Minn.) Community College to a 9-3 record and a Minnesota College Athletic Conference title in 2017. Perry led Edna Karr High School of New Orleans to a 14-1 record and a Louisiana state championship in Class 4A last fall.

Thomas said he was pleased with last weekend's scrimmage in which the Golden Lions got in 117 snaps.

"I thought we executed on a high level," Thomas said. "It made us one step closer to Sept. 1."

There were a couple of performances that stood out in Saturday's scrimmage to Thomas. Taeyler Porter, a 5-10 running back who played at Asa Miami (Fla.) Junior College last season, broke off a big gain. Josh Wilkes, a 6-3 junior wide receiver who played for Butler Community College in Kansas last year, made a "big-time grab."

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Tuskegee Slater Addresses Media at Labor Day Press Conference

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Tuskegee head football coach Willie Slater addressed the media Wednesday morning at the official Labor Day Classic press conference in Montgomery from ASU Stadium. Ten days from now, the Golden Tigers will clash with rival Alabama State at 5 p.m.

Last year, a sellout crowd of 25,442 witnessed the Golden Tigers improved to 2-0 over the Hornets in ASU stadium since it opened in 2012. The two schools have met in the Turkey Day Classic in all but a handful of years from 1924-2012, before the Golden Tigers withdrew from the series in order to be eligible for the NCAA Division II playoffs. In 2017, they met for the first time in four years resulting in a 14-6 victory in favor of TU

Tuskegee leads the all-time series with Alabama State 62-34-4 and will kickoff with the Hornets Saturday, Sept. 1.

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

UAPB Golden Lions Celebrate New School Year with Football Open House, Baseball Groundbreaking

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas --`The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Department of Athletics will host an open house and ribbon-cutting for Simmons Bank Field, the newly renovated home of the Golden Lions, and a groundbreaking ceremony for Simmons Bank Pavilion at the Torii Hunter Baseball and Softball Complex.
 
UAPB and UA System leadership, Simmons Bank executives, members of the Golden Lions football team, the Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South, Golden Girls dance team, and cheer squads will welcome the UAPB and greater Pine Bluff communities into the stadium and officially cut the ribbon, with assistance of the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce. This event is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to take photos on the field afterward.
 
The Department of Athletics will also break ground on a press box and concession stand pavilion at the Torii Hunter Baseball and Softball Complex. Gov. Asa Hutchinson and famed professional baseball player Torii Hunter will both give remarks.


Who:

• Asa Hutchinson, Governor, State of Arkansas
• Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt, UA System president
• UA System Board of Trustees
• Dr. Laurence B. Alexander, UAPB chancellor
• George A. Makris, Jr.,  Simmons First National Corp. chairman and CEO
• Torii Hunter, MLB All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner
• Bill Jones, Sissy's Log Cabin president
• Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Cedric Thomas, UAPB head football coach
• Carlos James, UAPB head baseball coach

When and Where: 

Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018

• Public Open House
  • 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Simmons Bank Field
Pine Bluff
Parking available and entry at Gate One                     

Friday, Aug. 31, 2018

• Baseball Groundbreaking
  • 11:00 a.m.

Torii Hunter Baseball and Softball Complex
Pine Bluff

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS 

PVAMU Volleyball Kicks off 2018 Campaign at HBU Tournament

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Prairie View A&M University volleyball team opens the 2018 season this weekend with three matches at the Houston Baptist Tournament.

The Lady Panthers take on host team Houston Baptist Friday, at 12:30, then square off against UT Rio Grande Valley also on Friday for a 3:30 p.m. match up. They will finish the weekend against Louisiana Tech on Saturday at noon.

"I am so excited about starting the season," said head PVAMU volleyball coach TaCho Tyler. "We had a scrimmage on Monday and it was really good to see the girls play against someone else other than themselves. I can honestly say that in the majority of the scrimmage they were able to apply everything that we have been going over in camp and applied it into game like situations."

Houston Baptist recorded a 21-10 record in 2017 and finished tied for third in the Southland Conference with a 11-5 record. UTRGV finished last season with a 17-12 overall record and a second place finish in the Western Athletic Conference, while Louisiana Tech out of Conference-USA finished 2017 with a 7-21 mark.

"I am really excited to play against competition like Houston Baptist, UTRGV and La. Tech, which are good competitors that will get us ready for SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference)," Tyler said. "I'm real excited to see everything unfold and it's going to be a really exciting season."

PVAMU will look to rebound off a successful 2017 season that saw them finish with an 8-19 record, including a 7-11 mark and a seventh place finish in the SWAC. The team did however, make it to the semifinals,?falling to cross town rivals Texas Southern 3-1.

The task of climbing up the ranks of the SWAC will be a challenge as many teams will be in the running for the top spot in the conference. This season's preseason poll has placed the Lady Panthers fifth in the rankings. Despite the ranking, Tyler is confident the team will compete in every match.

"Our defense has been what it has always been," Tyler said. "Our setters are looking a lot better and we have a whole lot of hitters in the fold and I am really excited to see them hitting a lot of balls. We're hoping for some early success to build on."

With just two seniors on this year's squad, Tyler will look to them to provide some solid leadership for 14 newcomers. The group will be led by SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and All-SWAC First Teamer Christen Augustine.

"I feel that Christy who is a senior will definitely be the leader on the floor," Tyler said. "I call her the silent killer, because you know her presence on the floor even though she doesn't need to say very much. However, she takes such command in the back row, that everyone around her just wants to play better. The way she goes 100 percent makes the rest of the team do the same. I am excited to see us dig a lot of balls as well."

Junior college transfers Jaylan Thomas will play a vocal roll on the floor along with CeTara Carter, who gets the team super hyped when she's on the floor. Kaelyn Yeoman will be the player on the side line who has been the voice for the team.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

The return of St. Ge at Kentucky State University

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- Kentucky State’s football team got some good news with quarterback Jules St. Ge’s return.

Now the Thorobreds are looking for more players to join their squad.

St. Ge was the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s Freshman of the Year two years ago when KSU played in the SIAC championship game.

After sitting out last season, St. Ge is back, along with Paul Campbell and Michael Simpson, who played quarterback last year.



That leaves KSU in good shape at the quarterback position.

“Other than that, we’re very, very thin,” KSU head coach John L. Smith said. “We have to stay healthy. We have about half the kids we had a year ago.

“We didn’t sign a single kid. Our funds were frozen. We have to stay healthy, so we’re adapting at camp.”

Smith and his staff are on the lookout for walk-ons to bolster the roster.

“We’d like to have between 90 and 100 kids so we don’t have to go against each other, that we can have a scout team.”

The Thorobreds have 73 players out now, and Smith expects more once school starts. One returning player is redshirt junior defensive lineman Chris Roberts, a graduate of Franklin County.

A&T Volleyball Looks Forward to 2018 After Encouraging 2017

Aggies Open 2018 Season in Georgia

North Carolina A&T (0-0) vs. Alabama A&M (0-0); Alabama St. (0-0); Jackson St. (0-0)

Date(s):Friday-Saturday, Aug. 24-25, 2018

Time(s):11 a.m.; 4 p.m.; 11 a.m.

Facility: LakePoint Champions Center (Cartersville, Ga.)

AGGIES OVERVIEW: The 2018 N.C. A&T women’s volleyball season gets underway this weekend as the Aggies head south for the ISTAP College Cup Tournament. N.C. A&T will face three teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), taking on Alabama A&M and Alabama State on Friday before facing Jackson State on Saturday.

Sophomore Edie Brewer was named preseason All-MEAC. Brewer is one of six returners on this year’s N.C. A&T squad. She is coming off a season in which she led the team with 6.0 assists and 2.15 digs per game while compiling 45 service aces ranking No. 17 in the nation in aces per set and No. 35 in total service aces. Brewer recorded 27 double-figure assist matches with nine 25-plus assist performances. She also tallied six double-figure dig matches to go along with six double-doubles in her freshman season.

N.C. A&T was picked to finish third in the preseason conference Southern Division poll with 103 points receiving four first-place votes. Those four first-place votes show a lot of confidence in the Aggies six-player N.C. A&T recruiting class consists of transfer middle blocker MakaylahElliot out of UNC Pembroke. Freshmen Lily Walton and Shaylynn Hall will join Elliot as new middle blockers to the team.

Junior defensive specialist Tiara Wilkins and freshman DS Andrea Laboy-Rivera along with freshman right-side hitter Mackenzie Richards will also look to play a significant role. But N.C. A&T’s veterans will play a major role in the Aggies quest to capture the divisional and tournament titles. Outside hitters Christa Wilson (Jr.) and Courteney Pitt (So.) are returning starters. Fatima Shabazz sat out last season but will play middle blocker this season. Senior setter Megan Wiggins, junior outside hitter Leila Haynesworth and sophomore defensive specialists KaiyahHaley and Milanna Morgan round out the returners.

ALABAMA A&M BULLDOGS: Alabama A&M returns nine letterwinners that went 14-20 and finished second in the SWAC with a 14-4 mark. The Bulldogs fell in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament losing in straight sets to Prairie View. AAMU averaged 12.5 kills, 1.4 aces, 13.9 digs and 2.1 blocks per set a year ago posting a .223 hitting percentage. Terra Brooks led the team in attacks last season averaging 2.58 kps ranking eighth in the conference. She was also ranked seventh in the league with 30 service aces. Meredith Sieck led the SWAC averaging 8.04 assists per set and ranked fifth in the conference with 32 service aces. The Bulldogs are 5-1 all-time against the Aggies, but N.C. A&T won for the first time against Alabama A&M last August winning in straight sets.

ALABAMA STATE HORNETS: Alabama State returns nine letterwinners from last year’s team that won the SWAC regular season posting a perfect 18-0 mark in conference play with a 28-11 overall record. The Hornets captured their fourth SWAC tournament title in five years defeating Texas Southern in four sets. ASU averaged 12.5 kills, 1.4 aces, 13.9 digs and 2.1 blocks per set a year ago posting a .223 hitting percentage. Bayle’ Bennett averaged 2.35 kills and 2.20 digs as the top returner. Krysta Medearis is the second leading returner with 1.99 kps and Payten Clark is third at 1.60 kps. Clark is the top block returner with 118 and Candace Martin had 94 total blocks. The Aggies are 1-4 all-time against the Hornets losing three consecutive matches with their only victory against ASU on Sept. 6, 2013 winning in five sets.

JACKSON STATE TIGERS: Jackson State returns 11 from last season’s squad which went 8-26 and finished eighth in the SWAC with a 7-11 mark. The Tigers were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the SWAC Tournament losing to Alabama St. in four sets. JSU averaged 10.0 kills, 1.1 aces, 12.9 digs and 1.5 blocks per set a year ago, posting a .118 hitting percentage. JSU returns their leaders in kills (Alexandra Burney – 2.28 kps), digs (Tyler Moorer - 3.19 dps), assists (Sapphire Simpson – 4.66 aps), service aces (Sapphire Simpson – 26) and blocks (Dayjah Stewart – 80). The Aggies are 2-0 against the Tigers. The teams last met on Aug. 27, 2016with A&T winning in straight sets.

NEWS AND NOTES:

• Junior Christa Wilson is 27 kills away from 200 for her career and senior Megan Wiggins is six digs away from 100 for her career
• The Aggies posted their most regular season wins in 2017 under eighth-year head coach Hal Clifton enjoying one of their best seasons in recent years going 14-14 (6-4 MEAC)
• N.C. A&T finished the year ranked seventh in the nation in aces per set, 25thin opponent hitting percentage and 37thin team service aces. In all three categories, they ranked second amongst the MEAC.\

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

S.C. State Bulldogs Releases Depth Chart Ahead In Week 1 Versus Georgia Southern

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina — South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough announced the release of its 2018 Football two deep Thursday.

The Bulldogs released their depth chart ahead in preparation for next week's season-opener versus Georgia Southern, Saturday, Sept. 1^st in Statesboro, GA , at Allen E. Paulson Stadium . Kickoff is 6 p.m. and will televised live on ESPN+.

Here is the full two-deep, from Preseason All-MEAC selection senior defensive back Alex Brown spearheading the defense all the way down to the new group of specialists for the 2018 season.

Please note that the 2018 Bulldog Depth Chart is subject to change.

2018 SC State Depth Chart Week #1 (Georgia Southern)

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK
#5            Tyrece Nick (So., 6-0, 170)
#9            Dewann Ford, Jr. (r-Jr., 6-2, 180)
 
RUNNING BACK
#18          Datron James (r-So., 5-10, 201)
# 32         Jarius Jenkins (r-So., 5-11      200)
 
TIGHT END (H)
#48           Austin Ruger (r-Sr., 6-3, 240)
# 88         Trae Churn  (r-So.,6-5, 220)
 
WIDE RECEIVER (X)
 # 1          De'Montrez Burroughs (Jr., 6-2, 200)
# 84         Rodriques Thomas  (r-Fr., 6-3, 185)
 
WIDE RECEIVER (Y)
#4            Tra' Quan Dubose (r-Jr., 5-10, 170)
#16          Will Vereen (r-Fr., 5-11, 198)
 
WIDE RECEIVER (Z) 
#82          Quan Caldwell (r-Sr., 5-11, 180)
#21          Jermaine Baxley (r-Sr.,6-3, 210)
 
LEFT TACKLE
#58          Malik Mickle (r-Sr., 6-3, 285)
#72           Tison Gray (r-Fr., 6-4, 300)
 
 LEFT GUARD
#56          Robbie Stephenson (Sr., 6-4, 290)
#78          Pat McNeil (r-So., 6-1, 97)
 
CENTER
#50          Michael Terry (r-Jr., 6-0, 290)
# 70         Terrell Vaughn (r-Jr., 5-11, 260)
               
RIGHT GUARD
#52          Jalen Page (So., 6-2, 285)
# 71         John Guthrie (r-Fr., 6-3, 300)
 
RIGHT TACKLE
# 73         Alex Taylor (r-Jr., 6-9, 305)
# 64         Francois McFall (r-So, 6-4, 315)
 
DEFENSE

DE (Fox)
# 95         Cordell Brown (Sr., 6-2, 230)
#57          Jemetre Blair (r-So., 6-1, 225)
 
DT
#76          Paul McKiever (r-Jr, 6-4, 290)
#91          Rod Perry (r-Jr., 6-2, 310)
 
NT
#97          Tyrell Goodwin (Jr., 6-0, 265)
#86          Demingus Wilson (r-So., 6-4, 280)
 
DE (Joker)
# 35         Damu Ford (r-Sr., 5-11, 240)
#98          Bruce Johnson (Sr., 6-2, 225)
 
WLB
#45          Lane Jones (Jr., 6-2, 230)
#28          Johnell Brown (r-Jr., 6-3, 190)
 
MIKE
#13          Jarrod Jones (Jr., 5-11, 240)
#46          Cornelius Walker (Jr., 6-1, 212)
 
NICKEL
#26          Jayden Brunson (Fr., 5-10   192)         
# 8           Khaliq Anthony (r-Jr., 6-1, 182)
 
BC
#30          Alex Brown (r-Sr., 6-0, 170)
#22          Xzavien Burson (r-Fr.,5-11, 180)
 
FREE SAFETY
#12          Jaylen Evans (r-Fr., 6-0, 177)
#4            Duane Nichols (r-Fr., 6-1, 210)
 
STRONG SAFETY
# 33         Chris Adams (Grad., 6-0, 190)
# 36         Scott Robinson (Fr., 6-0, 175)
 
FC
#14          Decobie Durant (r-So., 5-11, 175)
#19          Kendall Moultrie     (Fr., 5-11, 170)
 
SPECIAL TEAMS

LONG SNAPPER
# 59         Caleb Brown (Fr., 6-4, 205)
#47          Joshua Pringle (Fr., 5-10, 190)
 
HOLDER
#17         Jerome Pettiway(r-Sr.,6-4,220)
#19          Bobby Gentile (r-So., 5-10, 170)
 
PUNTER
# 45         Cliff Benjamin, Jr. (r-So., 6-1, 170)
#17         Jerome Pettiway(r-Sr.,6-4,220)
 
KICKER
#41           Dillon Bredesen (Fr., 5-10, 160)
#42          Austin Kemp (Fr., 6-1, 173)

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

London, Howard Bison Football Want More in 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the 125th season of Howard University Football approaching, Coach Mike London and the Bison seek to take the next step and win their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title since 1993.
 
After a successful 2017 campaign, HU refuses to be satisfied; thus, this year's battle cry and motto #WeWantMore. A year ago, the Bison finished 7-4 overall and 6-2 in league play, including a 43-40 victory at Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) foe UNLV.
 
"We're looking to improve our performance in different areas," said London on his expectations. "We're looking to improve our football IQ and reduce penalties. With young guys developing, we want them to show progress as we continue to build the program."  
 
Despite losing several key players due to graduation, Coach London and his superb staff has filled voids with several outstanding prospects while adding depth to various positions. Although last year's resurgence was magnificent, many believe this season's version will be even better; hence, the program's other motto #MissionPossible2.0.
 
Offense
 
Second-year offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Brennan Marion returns six starters from last year's explosive offense, led by All-MEAC wide receivers Kyle Anthony (Miramar, Fla.) and Jequez Ezzard (College Park, Ga.) and 2017 MEAC Rookie of the Year quarterback Caylin Newton (Atlanta).
 
"We have a pretty good team this year," said Ezzard, who recently was named to the 2018 BOXTOROW HBCU Preseason All-America Team. "The focus this season is a championship. We're coming for it."
 
Last season, the Bison averaged nearly 30 points per game while displaying the league's top balanced offense.  On the ground, Howard led the conference in rushing (215.5 ypg) and finished second in air behind reigning MEAC champions North Carolina A&T State (230.5 ypg).
 
This season, Howard added more weapons for the second-year signal caller with the additions of wide receivers, three-star prospect A'Jae Boyd (Pittsburgh, Calif.) and Tayshaun Porter (Newport News, Va.).
 
"We're looking to take advantage with our talented wide receivers and quarterback," London stated. "Offensively, we realize that their skillsets allow us to be successful."
 
After losing three OL starters from last year's club, HU addressed the OL with talented prospects during the early signing period, who averaged 6'3" and 300 pounds.
 
Howard's key losses include running back Dezmond Wortham (Frisco, Texas) and All-MEAC First Team selections Anthony Philyaw (Los Angeles) and Gerald Wright (Miami).
 
Defense
 
A year ago, second-year defensive coordinator and 2019 College Football Hall of Fame finalist Vince Brown played several freshmen during the 2017 season; thus, watching the defense battle through growing pains.
 
"Defensively, we had a lot of young players play last year that might not be household names yet," London added. "We've also added young players on the roster competing for starting jobs."
 
Howard returns seven starters from last season, including All-MEAC selection defensive back Bryan Cook (Cincinnati). Cook headlines an exciting secondary, which features sophomores Tye Freeland(Petersburg, Va.) and D.C. native Aaron Walker. With the addition of three-star prospect defensive back Jalen Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) from Ocean Lakes H.S. (Va.), HU's secondary will create challenges for opposing teams' air attack.
 
"I expect us to communicate and trust each other," said Cook on his expectations. "We're going to complete, play our game, make plays, and have fun doing it. I am going to do whatever it takes to help this team."
 
Last season, second-year pass rusher Aaron Motley (Highland Springs, Va.) led the squad with five sacks while registering 39 tackles (35 solo), six pass breakups, and three forced fumbles despite missing three games. Senior Isaiah Fludd (Richmond, Va.) and junior Tyler Fuller (Manuel, Texas) also return to the DL, along with highly recruited Jayde Pierre (Sterling, Va.), who ranks No. 27 in HERO Sports 2018 recruiting class.
 
The unit's biggest losses come in the linebacker core, losing last year's leading tackler Devin Rollins(Miami) and the versatile Elijah Anglin (Detroit). Despite their departures, Howard has an experienced set of veterans ready to fill those holes, led by seniors Marcellus Allison (Durham, N.C.), David Lee(Miramar, Fla.) and Dominique Smith (Cincinnati). Two-star prospect Jomier Augustine (Suwanee, Ga.) provides more depth to the front seven.
 
Upcoming Season
 
Howard's 11-game regular season slate features five home contests at Greene Stadium and two matchups against FBS opponents: at Ohio (Sept. 1); at Kent State (Sept. 8). On Sept. 15, the Bison host Savannah State in their home opener before traveling to Indianapolis for the 35th Circle City Classic against Bethune-Cookman (Sept. 22).
 
Other notable games include Howard University Homecoming versus South Carolina State (Oct. 27), followed by long-time rival Florida A&M (Nov. 3).
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

Derek W. Bryant, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations & Sports Information

HOWARD BISON ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS