Birmingham, AL — New coach Melvin Spears' recipe for Alcorn State football success: Something old (Marino Casem's old-school fundamentals) and something new (Brandon Bridge, Alcorn's 18-year-old sophomore quarterback).
Spears talked about both Casem and Bridge at length here Tuesday during SWAC Football Media Day in downtown Birmingham. Spears played for Casem, known as The Godfather of the SWAC, from 1978 to 1982. During that time, Alcorn won one SWAC championship and had four winning seasons.
"We played Alcorn football, Godfather football," Spears said. "We were fundamentally sound. We played hard and practiced hard Monday through Thursday and then Saturday took care of itself. That's what we want to bring back."
But Spears, a wide receiver at Alcorn, never played with a teammate with the skills of Bridge, the Canadian who is nicknamed Air Canada. Bridge threw for more than 2,600 yards and 26 touchdowns as a freshman when Alcorn finished 5-6.
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Sunday, July 24, 2011
Grambling will have new quarterback this season
Grambling, LA - Ask Grambling football coach Doug Williams about how it feels in his second stint as the Tigers head coach, and he'll tell you that he thinks the program is in better shape than it was for his first time around.
Ask him how his quarterback situation is shaping out, and he'll tell you that it's a spirited competition between two untested players — sophomore Frank Rivers and freshman D.J. Williams.
No mention, however, of last year's quarterback — Anthony Carrothers — who threw for 1,443 yards on the 2010 season and 115 yards in April's Black and Gold game. The 5-foot-10 Carrothers has transferred out of Grambling.
That, said Williams at the SWAC Media Day at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on Tuesday, leaves Rivers and his own son, D.J.
"If you've only got two eggs to put in the cornbread, you have to put them in there," said Williams, who returned to the school in February after Rod Broadway left for North Carolina A&T."
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Ask him how his quarterback situation is shaping out, and he'll tell you that it's a spirited competition between two untested players — sophomore Frank Rivers and freshman D.J. Williams.
No mention, however, of last year's quarterback — Anthony Carrothers — who threw for 1,443 yards on the 2010 season and 115 yards in April's Black and Gold game. The 5-foot-10 Carrothers has transferred out of Grambling.
That, said Williams at the SWAC Media Day at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on Tuesday, leaves Rivers and his own son, D.J.
"If you've only got two eggs to put in the cornbread, you have to put them in there," said Williams, who returned to the school in February after Rod Broadway left for North Carolina A&T."
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PGA invests in minority golf opportunities
Los Angeles, CA - Golf's storied history in the US has long been criticized for its lack of diversity, but the PGA has taken steps to improve minority participation and exposure to the game. Minority participation has increased with the popularity and success of Tiger Woods, and continues today with targeted efforts, say the authors of "Increasing Minority Golf Participation Through PGA Education Initiatives" in the open access journal SAGE Open.
One important step in the process included one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) being awarded the coveted PGA Professional Golf Management Program accreditation. University of Maryland, Eastern Shore was the first—and currently only—HBCU of the 20 universities that currently offer the program.
"UMES provides an excellent example of how the program was implemented at a historically and predominantly Black college," wrote the authors. "The university was successful in obtaining the coveted accreditation due to several reasons."
The authors, who include Jill Fjelstul, Leonard A. Jackson, and Dana V. Tesone, point to the support of the school's administration and willingness to provide resources to ensure success. Additionally both the school and the PGA have set up scholarships and recruitment to help pique minority students' interest.
But, the authors note, "increasing minority participation in golf requires initiatives and organizations designed to expose members of minority populations to golf at an early age." The PGA has also established the "First Tee" program aimed at minority golfers ages eight to 18. "Since its inception," write the authors. "more than 3 million children from minority groups have participated in the program."
The Bill Dickey Golf Scholarship Association also serves minorities by affording them the chance to play golf with financial assistance and golf club participation. This helps those selected overcome two continually noted challenges of minority golf participation: the cost to play the game and access to golf courses.
VISIT: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
VISIT: UMESHAWKS
One important step in the process included one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) being awarded the coveted PGA Professional Golf Management Program accreditation. University of Maryland, Eastern Shore was the first—and currently only—HBCU of the 20 universities that currently offer the program.
"UMES provides an excellent example of how the program was implemented at a historically and predominantly Black college," wrote the authors. "The university was successful in obtaining the coveted accreditation due to several reasons."
The authors, who include Jill Fjelstul, Leonard A. Jackson, and Dana V. Tesone, point to the support of the school's administration and willingness to provide resources to ensure success. Additionally both the school and the PGA have set up scholarships and recruitment to help pique minority students' interest.
But, the authors note, "increasing minority participation in golf requires initiatives and organizations designed to expose members of minority populations to golf at an early age." The PGA has also established the "First Tee" program aimed at minority golfers ages eight to 18. "Since its inception," write the authors. "more than 3 million children from minority groups have participated in the program."
The Bill Dickey Golf Scholarship Association also serves minorities by affording them the chance to play golf with financial assistance and golf club participation. This helps those selected overcome two continually noted challenges of minority golf participation: the cost to play the game and access to golf courses.
VISIT: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
VISIT: UMESHAWKS
Where are They Now? Football proves to be right for Tate
TAZEWELL, Va. — Brandon Tate never expected to play college football. Basketball was his game.At least that is what he thought. Rick Trickett, who was West Virginia’s offensive line coach at the time, begged to differ. Trickett, who is now in the same position at Florida State, was at a Macon, Miss., high school to recruit a pair of athletes who wound up at Mississippi State.
“I originally thought I would be a basketball player and that changed toward the latter part of my high school career,” Tate said. “He was recruiting those two guys and we had a basketball game. “He was there to see them and he just happened to see me on the basketball court with them.” That was good fortune for both. Tate, a four-sport athlete, caught Trickett’s eye.
“He said, ‘Hey, if you can run and jump like that on a basketball court, I am pretty sure you can do it on the football field’ and he offered me a scholarship right there on the spot,” said Tate, the new head football coach at Tazewell.
Tate wasn’t totally convinced...
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Historically Black Colleges help rebuild State University of Haiti
Washington, D.C. - A dozen historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have formed a consortium to help rebuild the earthquake-damaged State University of Haiti, the Caribbean country’s largest institution of higher education.
Led by Florida A&M University, the consortium hopes to raise $12 million to construct a classroom building equipped to receive telecourses taught by the faculty from the black colleges.
The group also plans to raise money so the State University of Haiti can hire replacements for professors who died in the earthquake last year and to provide scholarships to 1,000 Haitian students to attend the public university, which has reopened despite extensive damage to its buildings in Port-au-Prince, the capital.
In the shorter term, the consortium intends to share faculty expertise to boost the university’s academic programs in agriculture and entrepreneurship, and research into renewable energy and alternative medicine. Administrators from the black colleges will help establish a campus office to generate donations from prosperous alumni.
“It was thought that black colleges have the resources and talent and were advanced enough in their own right they could offer assistance to higher education, particularly the State University of Haiti, to help them get back on their feet,” says Frederick Humphries, former president of Florida A&M and the consortium’s coordinator.
While most of the dozen black colleges participating are public universities, including South Carolina State and Morgan State, federally-supported Howard University and private Miles College are also members.
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MEMBERS OF HBCU CONSORTIUM:
Florida A&M University, South Carolina State University, Morgan State University, Howard University, Miles College, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Central State University (Ohio), Virginia State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Fort Valley State University, Tennessee State University and Jackson State University.
Led by Florida A&M University, the consortium hopes to raise $12 million to construct a classroom building equipped to receive telecourses taught by the faculty from the black colleges.
The group also plans to raise money so the State University of Haiti can hire replacements for professors who died in the earthquake last year and to provide scholarships to 1,000 Haitian students to attend the public university, which has reopened despite extensive damage to its buildings in Port-au-Prince, the capital.
In the shorter term, the consortium intends to share faculty expertise to boost the university’s academic programs in agriculture and entrepreneurship, and research into renewable energy and alternative medicine. Administrators from the black colleges will help establish a campus office to generate donations from prosperous alumni.
“It was thought that black colleges have the resources and talent and were advanced enough in their own right they could offer assistance to higher education, particularly the State University of Haiti, to help them get back on their feet,” says Frederick Humphries, former president of Florida A&M and the consortium’s coordinator.
While most of the dozen black colleges participating are public universities, including South Carolina State and Morgan State, federally-supported Howard University and private Miles College are also members.
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MEMBERS OF HBCU CONSORTIUM:
Florida A&M University, South Carolina State University, Morgan State University, Howard University, Miles College, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Central State University (Ohio), Virginia State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Fort Valley State University, Tennessee State University and Jackson State University.
TSU Tigers await NCAA's ruling while preparing to defend crown
Houston, TX - After months of waiting, Texas Southern interim football coach Kevin Ramsey knows closure is near.Regardless of the outcome of an NCAA investigation, Ramsey is ready for a fresh start as the Tigers prepare to open defense of their Southwestern Athletic Conference title Sept. 10 against Prairie View A&M. TSU is coming off the first SWAC title in school history.
"We're looking forward ... we're not looking ahead," Ramsey said Tuesday during the SWAC football media tour. "We know we cannot change the path that was set before. But one thing we do know is we can run it with perseverance and endurance."
The NCAA is expected to release its findings of an investigation into the TSU football and men's basketball programs. TSU athletic director Charles McClelland, who was unavailable for comment Tuesday, has said he anticipates "major NCAA violations toward our football program with regard to recruiting, unethical conduct and academic inconsistencies."
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Saturday, July 23, 2011
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