Savannah State selects Wells as head football coach

Photo: Robert Wells, SSU Head Football Coach

by beepbeep, MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street

Savannah State University announced this afternoon that it has selected Robert "Robby" Wells as the Tigers new football coach. Wells becomes the ninth head football coach at the university in the past 13 years and the 21st head football coach in school history.

Mr. Wells is 39 years old and is SSU first white head football coach hired in the 93 year program history.

He was selected from four finalists and 68 applicants to replace Theo Lemon, who was fired after two seasons for not winning enough with a 3-18 record. Lemon had only one recruiting class and 23 scholarships for a 1-AA program allotted 63 by the NCAA.

Wells has no prior head coaching experience at the collegiate level.

He has served one year as the the general manager for the American Indoor Arena Football League Augusta Spartans team in 2006. He claims to be an 18 year veteran of the coaching profession.

Coach Wells completed his first year (2007) as the defensive coordinator/linebacker coach at Benedict College, a NCAA Division II school in Columbia, S.C. in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). Benedict College finished the season with a 2-9 record and ranked near the bottom in the ten team conference in most defensive statistical categories, allowing 24.2 points per game (8th) and giving up 326.7 yards per game (7th).

Prior to his one year with the Augusta Spartans, he served as the defensive coordinator at South Carolina State University for four years (2002-2005) under Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough. With Wells orchestrating the defense, the Bulldogs were ranked near the top statistically among all Division I-AA teams and led the nation in pass defense efficiency in 2003.

Wells told the South Carolina Times and Democrat newspaper on January 6, 2006, "Buddy and I sat down (after the season) and decided it was best that I move on," Wells said. "I agreed with him. It was time for me and I though it was time to move on." The two worked together at the University of South Carolina when Pough was the running backs’ coach and Wells served as a graduate assistant, under Lou Holtz.

He is a 1990 graduate of Furman University and was a member of the Paladins’ 1988 I-AA national championship team where he played wide receiver and fullback. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Furman in health and physical education, and a master’s degree in adult education, University of South Carolina in 2000.

Wells also coached at the high school level at Murray (S.C.) High School (head coach) 1995-97; and at Greer (S.C.) High School (assistant coach) 1990-95.

Savannah State University went 1-9 in 2007 and the institution is under NCAA probation through May 18, 2009. The previous coach and staff were not responsible for the NCAA three year probation, which was issued one month after Theo Lemon was hired.

The NCAA probation includes a finding of unethical conduct against a former assistant coach, several recruiting violations, impermissible summer workouts with football prospects before their initial full-time enrollment and several prospects' receipt of impermissible benefits, including free housing. There were also findings against the institution for lack of institutional control and failure to monitor its athletics program.

This was the second major infractions case against Savannah State University in recent years. In 1998, the Division II Committee on Infractions also ruled that there was a lack of institutional control. It was found in both NCAA cases against SSU that institutional staff members misunderstood NCAA rules and the institution did not have an adequate compliance program in place to monitor the activities of the coaching staff.

Wells was selected over finalists Raymond Gross, Kent Schoolfield and Rubin Carter.

One has to question what the SSU administrators were thinking when they made this selection, as it is a real butt scratcher. It is difficult to see what strengths, if any, Coach Wells brings to this difficult situation.

Savannah State is in desperate need of financial support from its alumni; a winning football program; satisfactory completion of NCAA probation; conference affiliation; more than 24 scholarships allotted to the football program; an increase in home attendance for five home games from 3,710 average; and payment of realistic scaled 1-AA head and assistant coaches salaries.

The handwriting is on the wall--there are going to be some very difficult days ahead for Savannah State University football program with this hire, in light of the fact the program has been historically underfunded and the product on the field is not competitive in 1-AA.

Wells is not a proven football program builder and will be unable to succeed in this environment lacking the appropriate recruitment skills, coaching abilities and funding. This is not the best situation for an on-the-job training head coach, especially one that wasn't a standout player in college or known as a great recruiter of 1-AA talent.

Here are the overview of the other finalists that weighed in on the SSU administration final decision.

Raymond Gross is currently the quarterbacks coach at 1-AA Bethune Cookman University (1999-2002, 2005-Present) and has served as the offensive coordinator at Division II Clark Atlanta University (2001-2004) before returning to BCU. He was an All-American Quarterback at Georgia Southern University and lead the Eagles to the 1989 1-AA National Championship with a 15-0 record under legendary coach Erk Russell. He won a second 1-AA National Championship with GSU in 1990 under Coach Tim Stovers. He is a member of the GSU Hall of Fame, and played professional football as a starting quarterback calling the signals for the Ravenna Chiefs of the Italian Football League.

Gross graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1993 with a degree in Commercial Recreation. He later earned his Master's Degree in Education from Cambridge College in 1999.

Kent Schoolfield is a 32 year coaching veteran with extensive Division II, I-AA and IA experience. Schoolfield’s most notable success occurred at Division II Fort Valley State. In six seasons as a head coach (1997-2002), Schoolfield compiled a 48-21 record and advanced to the NCAA playoffs three times. Schoolfield was named SIAC Coach of the Year in 2001 and has been honored twice by the Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., as its Coach of the Year.

Schoolfield has served as the offensive coordinator at North Carolina A&T State University (2005) and 1-AA James Madison University. He has held coaching positions at Temple, Pittsburgh, New Mexico State, Florida A&M and N.C. A&T. His most successful stint as an assistant came during his time under legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden. He spent five seasons at Florida State, his recruiting skills helped to make the Seminoles an elite Division I program. He is currently serving his second stint as the wide receivers coach at Division III Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

Schoolfield is an inductee in the Florida A&M University Sports Hall of Fame and played professional football for the New England Patriots. He earned a B.S. in History and an M.S. in Education from Florida A&M University.

Rubin Carter has a career record (2004-2007) of 16-17 (6-5, 7-4, 3-8) at Florida A&M University where he served as the Rattlers head coach. Carter was hired two weeks before Spring practice in 2004. He was somewhat successful in reshaping the Rattlers program and had two very strong recruiting classes with topnotch student athletes. He was responsible for leading the Rattlers program from under NCAA probation, operating with a reduction of scholarships from the previous administration infractions. Carter was not responsible for FAMU being placed on NCAA probation.

Prior to FAMU, Carter served as the Defensive Line Coach at Temple University (2004); the New York Jets' Defensive Line Coach for three seasons (2001 to 2003; and the Washington Redskins' Defensive Line Coach for two seasons (1999-2000).

Carter first coached in the NFL with Denver under Dan Reeves from 1987-88, directing the Broncos defensive line while also assisting with strength and conditioning.

Carter also coached at the collegiate level for nine years:
He was Defensive Coordinator and Strength & Conditioning Coach at Howard University from 1989 to 1993, leading the Bison defense to a number one national ranking in Division I-AA in total defense (220 yards per game) and scoring defense (10.5 points per game) in 1989.

He went on to serve as Defensive Line and Strength & Conditioning Coach at San Jose State in 1995 and 1996. Carter's last position at the collegiate level prior to Temple, was at Maryland, where he instructed the defensive line from 1997-98.

Carter began his coaching career after playing 12 seasons (1975-86) at defensive tackle in the NFL with Denver. He was part of five AFC West Championship teams as a key member of the Broncos famed "Orange Crush" defense and played in two Super Bowls (1978, 1987). Upon his retirement, he had played in more games (152) than any other nose tackle in NFL history. Carter was drafted in the fifth round by Denver in the 1975 draft out of University of Miami, Florida, where he was a Kodak, UPI and AP All-American as a senior in addition to being named the MVP of the Hula Bowl.

Carter holds the distinction of being the first African-American to be cited as an All-American on the Hurricanes' defensive line. He earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration in 1975 and was inducted into the University of Miami's Hall of Fame in 1992.

Good luck Tigers!!

Savannah State University head coach finalists announced

Compiled by beepbeep

Former Florida A&M University head football coach Rubin Carter has been named among the four finalists for the Savannah State University head football coaching vacancy.

In addition to Rubin Carter, Raymond Gross, Robby Wells and FAMUan Kent Schoolfield were invited to the campus yesterday by SSU vice president for administration Claud Flythe to continue the interview process. President Earl Yarbrough will make the selection tomorrow.

The final selection will be announced Saturday before a 2:00 p.m. basketball game at Tiger Arena with High Point University with the coach being introduced to the fans. This will be the ninth head coach for Savannah State in the past 13 years.

The football program is currently under NCAA probation until May 19, 2009 for violations in recruiting, playing and practice seasons, financial aid, ethical conduct and institutional control.

Theo Lemon and his eight assistants were fired on November 30 after a two season record of 3-18, with only 24 scholarship players at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (1-AA) level. Lemon was not responsible for the school being placed on NCAA probation.

Savannah State currently plays as a FCS Independent having been denied membership into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2006. The position previously paid $65,000 annually, but the school has indicated that the new coach will earn more, but Flythe has not stated publicly what that amount will be. The scholarships will also be increased, but Flythe did not disclose the number that would be allotted.

National signing day for student athletes is February 6, 2008.

Savannah State is reporting that 68 candidates submitted applications on December 14. The announcement for the job was issued on December 1, with selection to be made on December 22.

Bios:

1. Rubin Carter (Fired November 20, 2007 after compiling a 3-8 record, 16-17 record in three seasons; paid $135,000 annually with 2 years remaining on contract).
http://thefamurattlers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/carter_rubin00.html

2. Kent Schoolfield - Inductee in FAMU Hall of Fame. Assistant coach (wide receivers) at Capital University, a Division III school in Columbus, Ohio. He spent the 2005 season as the offensive coordinator at North Carolina A&T. He coached at Capital in 2003 and 2004. Prior to that, Schoolfield was the head coach at Fort Valley State and guided the Wildcats to three Division II playoff appearances in six seasons.
http://www.ncataggies.com/Football/profiles/schoolfield_kent.htm

3. Ramond Gross - Inductee in Georgia Southern University Athletic Hall of Fame; currently Assistant Coach - Quarterbacks at Bethune Cookman University (2nd year).
http://bccathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/gross_raymond00.html

4. Robby Wells - Assistant coach at Benedict College, a Division II school in Columbia, S.C. Wells is the Tigers' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
http://www.benedict.edu/exec_admin/athletics/football/staff/bc-football-staff.html

Florida A & M coaching search focus on goals

by beepbeep, MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street

The Florida A&M University coaching search hit a snag a few days ago but there was no real damage other than to the egos of a few Rattlers that were in a premature braggadocios mood with colleagues. A few had to eat crow as Grambling State University head coach Rod Broadway decided to accept a matching offer from the Tigers administration and remain in his present position at the institution.

Notwithstanding this unforeseen detour, the FAMU administration is moving forward in a stealth hiring mode as it is in the best interests of all the parties involved.

This sends the message to the most serious prospects that their identity will be protected by Florida A&M University from the national press and their current employers. This is very important for some prospects who may not want to be rejected for the position and have their names broadcast world-wide by the press and bloggers.

What can we can learn from the recent Rod Broadway and Pete Adrian hiring serenades?

First, overzealous Rattler fans and message board bloggers do not select head football coaches at major institutions like Florida A&M University and/or Norfolk State University.

As the president and his dedicated staff are engaged in contract negotiations with prospective new employees of the university, there is no need for public involvement on these matters. Sensitive personnel matters should be handled under a cloak of confidentiality until the deal is completed and the contract approved by the Board of Trustees. Then, it becomes public information and available for scrutiny.

Secondly, university experts must stay cognizant of the current market conditions for competent and productive football coaches that can fulfill the requirements of the FAMU head coaching position. The income levels within the marketplace for good football coaches has increased more than 32 percent for the MEAC conference in the past six months. Successful experienced coaches are becoming more difficult to procure and competent athletic directors and major supporters are willing to play the "match game" with any suitor that is in pursuit of their winning head football coach.

That was the strategy successfully implemented by Grambling State and Norfolk State athletic directors when FAMU and University of Rhode Island, respectively set forth to hire away their head football coach. Even when your hiring process starts with multiple candidates, you eventually get down to serious negotiations with only one or two candidates like Broadway, and at that point the key advantage lies within the hands of the prospect. He has exactly what you want and is smart to work both ends of the deal with the current and future employer.

The prospect has two methods to maximize his market value and lower performance expectations and standards--negotiate better terms with his current employer using FAMU's best and final contract offer as the mechanism or introducing a third suitor to the process, i.e., the Duke University interview. FAMU had no option but to move on as the candidate was only attempting to better his current situation without the lateral transfer of employment.

FAMU has not screw up the hiring process as some grossly misinformed individuals have alleged. In the very best of situations, every negotiation will not yield a successful contract unless there are parties on each side committed to make the deal happen.

Broadway certainly played his hand well dealing from a slight position of strength due to his prior knowledge and relationship with Ammons. The timing of the perfunctory courtesy interview extended by Duke University played a small part in undermining FAMU’s actions with Broadway as it gave him more leverage to seek additional powers beyond the ordinary scope given to head football coaches, like control over scheduling and staffing.

The final turn in the negotiations came when Grambling State athletics director Troy Mathieu decided to match the monetary aspects of FAMU’s best and final offer to keep Broadway at GSU. This sizable increase in base salary and job security made the decision for Broadway and his designated agent, a no-brainer.

Even the slowest thinking mugs in the Blog sphere and message boards understand that when all is equal, there is no reason to jump ship when there is a possibility you might fall in the water and drown.

"Nobody listened," Broadway said. "Everybody had me doing this and doing that. They all had their own opinion. I've said all along that I think this is a good situation. You can win here." Yessiree! Broadway is entirely correct. You can win at Grambling State and he will win and keep his fans happy with a traditional diet of classic victories, West Division titles and an occasional SWAC championship title.

Likewise, Pete Adrian contract is being financially upgraded by his athletic director after he initiated an interview for the head coaching vacancy at the University of Rhode Island.

Norfolk State athletic director Marty Miller said he is in the process of finalizing a new contract for Adrian, which would increase his salary to at least the middle of the MEAC scale, which reaches $175,000. Miller said he anticipates having the contract complete by the holidays. "We need to at least bring him up to where the average is," Miller said. Adrian base salary was at $102,300 and he signed a two year contract extension in September 2007.

Former FAMU coach Rubin Carter base salary was $135,000, which is far below today's MEAC average. Carter and his assistant coaches dismissal were justified by substandard football performance which included cruel and unusual punishment for passionate Rattler fans for a period of three long years.

The business and educational performance standards for the FAMU head football coach and staff positions are far above what has been acceptable in the past. President Ammons rightfully so, has a lucrative financial package designed to procure the type of head football coach that will achieve his academic standards, performance goals and economic objectives.

Let us take a brief moment and bring Rattler fans forward on the present state of the coaching economy, as it impacts FAMU.

There is no debate that Florida A&M University is the premier brand in HBCU sports and academics--not Grambling State.

The average base salary paid to MEAC coaches is now at $175,000 annually, which is greater than the SWAC, Colonial, Gateway, Big South, Southern, Southland, NEC, Pioneer and the lower tier of Division I-A, which include ten universities that are members of the Mid-American and Sunbelt conferences. We are sure that some MEAC'ers still believe the other conferences ice is colder, but the salary and the annual attendance data does not support those allegations.

In the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Southern University's Pete Richardson and Rod Broadway (revised deal) are now earning $200,000 to $210,000 annually with incentives. The SWAC teams do not compete nor participate in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the national championship. Their West and East Division title holders play the latest conference championship game of the season on ESPN Classic to showcase their conference two best teams.

Florida A&M has demonstrated with the recent Broadway negotiations that our new coach will probably be at the upper level of the salary scale for the top 10 percent of FCS football coaches. The days of the $135,000 head football coach in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is now history at FAMU, NCA&T, SCSU, DSU, NSU, MSU, HU and Hampton.

The action by Ammons opens a lot more doors to high profile, high quality coaches with both Division I and NFL coordinator experience, non-BCS coordinators and assistant head coaches, FCS head coaches and talented coordinators, D-1A mid-major head coaches and Division II championship playoff seasoned head coaches. And let us not forget the 25 approved minority coaches/coordinators on the Black Coaches Association list. This pool of potential head coaches is vast.

For example, here is where the new salary range can reach and the quality of the people it can touch. Our purpose is not to suggest names or individuals for the coaching search process but to demonstrate where the dividing line has been moved by the FAMU president. This may give some a clearer understanding of the expected outcome of the FAMU hiring process.

a. Mark Farley, seven year head coach at University of Northern Iowa. This team was ranked #1 for six weeks in 2007 and was the #1 seed going into the FCS playoffs. UNI was 11-0 for the regular season. Farley base salary is $159,000, plus additional income from radio and TV, winning season ($14,500) for a total package of $173,500.

Athletic director Rick Hartzell is currently attempting to raise salary to $200,000 to avoid a raid by another FCS or FBC university for Farley services.

b. Turner Gill, University of Buffalo ($191,000) Division I-A Mid-American Conference. Interviewed for University of Nebraska head coaching position.

c. Shane Montgomery, Miami of Ohio ($144,000) Div. I-A, MAC.

d. Doug Martin, Kent State ($170,000) Div. I-A, MAC.

e. Brady Hoke, Ball State ($170,000) Div. I-A, MAC.

f. Steve Roberts, Arkansas State ($171,000) Div. I-A Sun Belt

g. David Elson, Western Kentucky ($180,000) Division I-A Independent

h. Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green ($181,000) MAC

i. Jeff Genyk, Eastern Michigan ($196,000) MAC

j. Ricky Bustle, La. Lafayette ($196,000) Sun Belt

k. Charlie Weatherbie, La. Monroe ($205,000) Sun Belt

You may review most of the above coaches contracts at this link,as the information is public record: (see: http://coacheshotseat.com/SalariesContracts.htm ).

Rattlers fans could better serve our cause if we do not fall into the trap encouraged by local newspapers on playing the game called "Guess who the next coach will be." This is a senseless game that may increase hits on a website, but is becoming an annoyance to the individuals named; their respective alums and fans at their present institutions; and projects Florida A&M University in a negative light.

As Mr. Broadway stated in his remarks to the press in the aftermath, "Nobody listened and everybody had me doing this and doing that. They all had their own opinion."

And we are all guilty of this type of conjecture.

Public silence is very beneficial to the selection and negotiation process and MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street will await the official announcement from the FAMU president when the process is completed. There are no deadlines, so do what you gotta do, Mr. President. We support your efforts and understand the challenges involved.

Wishing each of you and your families a Merry Christmas and a happy and successful new year. Let us all pray that our Military Troops return home safely!

MEAC/SWAC Clip Board: Do not blame the MEAC officials

by beepbeep

FCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - If you watched the national championship game last evening, let us be the first to tell you that your eyes were not lying to your brain. Appalachian State University Mountaineers are a top 15 Division I-A club, although they play at the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) level. The final score of 49-21 does not quantify how thoroughly the University of Delaware was beaten by Appalachian State. The Mountaineers were so superior in speed, play calling and defense, that Delaware had no answers for ASU's superiority.

No need to blame the MEAC officials, as they called an outstanding game and only missed one call, which was corrected by the re-play official after review. The replay booth awarded Delaware a touchdown on Flacco's 39-yard pass to Mark Duncan at the right edge of the end zone with 1:46 left in the second quarter. Officials on the field had not called a touchdown; they only called pass interference. The replay official decided Mark Duncan had either come down in bounds or been forced out by the ASU defender. This was a gift touchdown given by the Southeastern Conference official controlling the re-play evaluations.

Re-plays are not used in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games nor FCS games other than the championship game. The officials made the adaptation very nicely. However, it was priceless to have one of the MEAC officials announce that "Delaware State" calls a timeout before the half, which was met with booing from the UD fans.

The ESPN announcers were awful as usual and were upset with the officials because they were all prepared to heavily tout UD quarterback Joe Flacco as the second coming of Joe Montana or Peyton Manning. How silly is it to say that Flacco will be drafted in the NFL second round--in a college championship game, when there is no factual evidence that Flacco will be drafted at all from the 1-AA level.

Why do these announcers feel compelled to hype any player for that matter when the stats show ASU sophomore Armanti Edwards was the top quarterback on the field with one NCAA national championship to his credit. Serves them right for not be objective in calling the game as it developed on the field.

The 6-0, 175 pound Edwards won the national championship as a freshman and has repeated that performance this season, completing 67 percent of his passes (148/222, 17 TDs 7INT) for 1948 yards and rushed for 1588 yards (237CAR, 6.7 ypc., 21 TDs). No other player in the FCS has played at his level the past two championship seasons in the division.

Edwards quarterbacked ASU to a 34-32 upset of #5 ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor before 110,000 hostile Michigan fans, completing 74 percent of his passes (17/23, 227 yards/3TDs/2 INT)and 17 rushes/62 yards, one TD. No doubt, Armanti Edwards is the best quarterback in the division and has an opportunity to win four national championships before his college career is over.

ASU senior quarterback Trey Elder could have been a starter for any other FCS team but was content to be Edwards backup for the past two season.

Delaware, blame the MEAC officials all you want but give credit to 68 year old head coach Jerry Moore and his staff for assembling this three-peat championship team that can beat most of the teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision with only 63 scholarship players. In lieu of looking for excuses, let us all use Appalachian State on field performance as the standard that all FCS teams should be striving to achieve with our student athletes. UD was simply outclassed by a superior team that plays to their full potential each game, especially when a championship is at stake.

Incompetents blame subordinates. Let us not blame the officials for University of Delaware being outclassed by the most successful dynasty in NCAA 1-AA football history. The Blue Hens were beat-down by more powerful offensive and defensive lines that handled their business. Appalachian State was clearly the superior football program on this night.


Delaware State University, Al Lavan was second in balloting for the Eddie Robinson award, which goes to the Coach of the Year for the Football Championship Subdivision. DSU ended the season at 10-2, won the MEAC title and made the first round of the FCS Playoffs. The Hornets lost 44-7 to University of Delaware.

Northern Iowa head coach Mark Farley was named the 21st winner of the Eddie Robinson Award. The Panthers were 11-0 in the regular season and held the No. 1 ranking in the Sports Network Top 25 poll for six weeks. The Panthers grabbed attention in the second week of the season when they dominated an FBS opponent, Iowa State, by a 24-13count on the way to a 4-0 non-conference start.

Former Florida A&M University offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Bob Cole has been hired in the same titled positions at the University of Wyoming. Cole served two years under fired FAMU coach Rubin Carter and will work for Cowboys head football coach Joe Glenn. Wyoming is in the FBC subdivision and finished last season with a 5-7 overall, 2-6 record in the Mountain West Conference. Cole’s salary will be $123,480 per year for two years.

The Southwestern Athletic conference championship game is scheduled today at 1:00 pm from Birmingham, Alabama Legion Field. Expect 8-3 Grambling State University Tigers to beat 7-4 Jackson State University Tigers in this battle for television exposure and more program income. GSU defeated JSU 30-20 on their home field on October 20.

There is more excitement anticipating the announcement on Monday that Grambling State head coach Rod Broadway is accepting the offer to head Florida A&M University storied football program. Expect GSU to win this one for Broadway.

MEAC/SWAC Clip Board: NSU Adrian considering CAA - Rhode Island Rams

by beepbeep, MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) 2007 Coach of the year Pete Adrian interviewed on December 12, for the head coaching position at Colonial Athletic Conference member University of Rhode Island. The Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) Rams were 3-8 this past season, marking their sixth consecutive losing season.

Adrian is one of four candidates for the position, along with Darren Rizzi, an associate head coach at Rutgers; Maine coach Jack Cosgrove; and Robert Talley, head coach at Stonehill College.

Former URI head coach Tim Stowers was fired after an eight year term on November 19, with one year remaining on his contract. He posted a 33-57 record during his tenure with the Rams and had only one winning season in 2001.

University of Rhode Island paid Stovers $196,027 in 2006.

The Rams home facility, Meade Stadium was constructed in 1928 and seats approximately 5,180 fans. Yes, that is no typo--5,180 maximum capacity.

Photo: URI Meade Stadium

Coach Adrian has been at Norfolk State for three years posting records of 4-7, 4-7 and 8-3 for the Spartans. He currently earns $102,750 (base pay) and just signed a contract extension on September 13, 2007, that presumed would keep him at NSU until 2010. Adrian had a record of 9-14 at the time the contract extension was executed with NSU athletics director Marty L. Miller.

Adrian current career record for the Spartans is 16-17 (.484), but he is a finalist for the 2007 Eddie Robinson Award given to the top Division I-AA coach, for his 8-3 breakout season.

NSU home facility, William "Dick" Price Stadium has a seating capacity of 30,000 and was built in 1997. It is recognized as one of the largest sports and entertainment venues in the Hampton Roads region and one of the 10 largest Division I FCS football stadiums in terms of capacity. Dick Price Stadium is also one of the best facilities in the MEAC along with the football facilities at North Carolina A&T State University and South Carolina State University.

The Spartans was tops in historical black college and university (HBCU) football for accumulated home attendance in 2007. The Spartans are ranked #7 of 119 schools in the total Division I Football Championship Subdivision, with 103,320 accumulated attendance for six home games. NSU average game attendance was 17,220 and the Spartans had two home games with Virginia State University and Hampton University that had 26,970 (#19) and 27,756 (#16) in attendance, respectively.

Norfolk State's first game in history with a football bowl championship team--Rutgers University on September 15, had 43,712 in attendance. This game's attendance was greater than the Scarlett Knights games against FBC foes, West Virginia (43,620), Pittsburgh (43,531), Navy (43,514) and Buffalo (43,091). The Spartans were beat by Rutgers 59-0, but earned $250,000 for this money game. NSU will play University of Kentucky in Lexington in 2008 for the same fee.

For comparison purposes, University of Rhode Island had an accumulated home attendance of 17,181 for five total home games in 2007. Their average home game attendance was 3,436, for a ranking of #98 of 119 FCS programs. This was worst than Howard University (#96) and Savannah State University (#94) home attendance for the past season.

So, what would make Adrian talk with Rhode Island about its vacancy when he is on the verge of building a powerhouse at Norfolk State with the very best facilities, great fan support and a tremendous recruiting area in Richmond, Norfolk and Virginia Beach? It is no accident that Norfolk State had a school record ten Spartans named to either the first or second-team All-MEAC squads. He was also only one win from the MEAC championship and the automatic berth to the NCAA FCS playoffs.

It is all about the money!

Under Adrian current contract, he can earn a maximum of $147,750 with performance bonuses, for winning the MEAC title and FCS national championship.

Rhode Island is offering a base of $155,300 and up to $196,027 if targeted performace incentives are met. URI has shown unusual patience for just one winning season in eight years. The 59 year old coach has experienced success with the Rams as an assistant coach in the 1980's winning three Yankee Conference championships and making the NCAA playoffs. Adrian salary is at or slightly above the average for the MEAC and SWAC conferences and based on his career winning record at NSU.

We wish Coach Adrian the best of success at Rhode Island, if the position is offered. If more money is his focus--go to Rhode Island with their tiny stadium, little fan support and history of being a loser in the Colonial Athletic Conference. He can change the latter two by just building a winner. The stadium expansion will take some time.

Our advice to Marty Miller--let him go!

The nature of the coaching business today is a contract does not really obligate the coach to fulfill it, if more money is offered elsewhere. No one will blame him for jumping for the money and the opportunity to move up to a perceived difficult conference.

NSU fans love Spartan football and average 17,220 in home attendance in 2007 to lead MEAC & SWAC.

Expect more Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference athletic directors to be contacted more frequently in the future about their head coaches for lateral coaching opportunities in the FCS. Both conferences currently are at the bottom in average head coaches salary compared to others, especially programs seeking an instant winner, like University of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island's former coach had a strong resume in FCS coaching circles. He served previously as an assistant coach at Temple; and head coach at Georgia Southern for six years, winning the NCAA I-AA national championship in 1990. Stovers career record is 84-80, but he was unable to compete in the CAA with the Rams facing a difficult schedule of six playoffs teams and one I-A team. Adrian will have the same difficulties as Stovers. But, one winning season can be a stepping stone to a mid-level FBC position and the increased earnings.

Adrian is just the start of this migration of HBCU coaches as other FCS conferences and FBC teams begin to value the coaching talent and experience that exists in the MEAC and the SWAC. Transitioning programs will be willing to pay more for that proven talent of winning head football coaches. Expect more lateral transfers in the near future as MEAC and SWAC coaches prove themselves as builders of financially successful programs.

Imagine that! The MEAC and SWAC are now proving grounds and career launching pads for new head coaches with the opportunity to step up to more lucrative positions in the FCS and FBS coaching ranks--and that's the way it should be for all. Just win, ba-by!

NOTICE: 7:35 PM - Norfolk State University football coach Pete Adrian announced on Thursday evening that he has withdrawn his name from consideration for the head coaching position at the University of Rhode Island and will remain with the Spartans.

NSU athletic director Marty L. Miller said he is in the process of finalizing a new contract for Adrian, which would increase his salary to at least the middle of the MEAC scale, which reaches $175,000. He anticipates having the contract complete by the holidays.

Spartan Nation can now relax until the Spartans record goes under .500 next season...

Photo: Norfolk State William "Dick" Price Football Stadium

William "Billy" Joe named head football coach at Miles College

by beepbeep

Former Florida A&M University head football coach William "Billy" Joe has been named the head football coach at Division II, Miles College, Fairfield, Alabama. The legendary Coach Joe is a young 67 years old and a member of both the FAMU Hall of Fame and National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame.

Joe has a career coaching record of 237-108-4 (.685) in 31 seasons as a head football coach. Few coaches can match the unparalleled gridiron success of Billy Joe's storied career.

Joe has won seven National Black College Football Championships and two NAIA national titles, as one of the most highly decorated black college football coaches in history. His 237 victories places him in second place behind the late Eddie Robinson (Grambling State) for victories at historical black college and universities and places him fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision's all-time winningest coach ranks.

Joe is legendary for his high powered Gulf Coast Offense (no huddle-spread offense) that he perfected in 11 seasons at Florida A&M, winning 86 games. Joe led the Rattlers to an unprecedented five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) titles, while garnering three of the conference's Coach of the Year accolades. His Rattlers went to the NCAA I-AA football championship playoffs for seven conecutive seasons and played in the national semifinals in 1999. Joe compiled 26 winning seasons and coached five Black College National Players of the Year.

In addition to his stop at FAMU (1994-2004), Joe was the head coach at Central State University (Ohio) (1981-93) and Cheyney University (Pa.) (1972-78).

Joe has been out of coaching since he was fired in 2005 by an interim president, in the wake of an NCAA investigation of the FAMU athletics program. Joe sued the school over a salary dispute and settled out of court after the NCAA found the coach was not to blame for any of the multiple eligibility issue violations uncovered. Highly respected among his peers, he served as vice president of the American Football Coaches Association in 1993 and was elected president of the organization in 1995.

"This brings a whole lot to our program," Miles Athletics Director, Augustus James said Tuesday. "A different caliber of student-athlete will be drawn to our program. People want to play for a legend."

Joe is replacing Wade Streeter, who was fired December 6, after his seventh Golden Bears' team finished winless in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Miles College was 2-9 in 2007 after going 5-5 in 2006, although the Golden Bears forfeited all their wins after it was discovered an ineligible player had participated during the season. Miles is still awaiting to hear from the NCAA regarding its investigation of the eligibility violations, which will also affect the men's basketball team.

Streeter was 35-41 in seven seasons at Miles, with his 2003 and 2004 teams both going 7-4 for the best back-to-back finishes in school history. His SIAC record was 27-28 and he served previously as offensive coordinator at Miles from 1994 to 1996. He was fired with time remaining on his contract, but neither he nor Miles administrators would say how much.

According to a news release, Miles stated Streeter was released because they want to win more games so they can earn more money in ticket sales.

Coach Joe, who played seven years in the NFL for three teams and won a Super Bowl as part of the 1968 New York Jets is noted for developing record setting passing quarterbacks, like Ben Dougherty, Casey Printers (CFL Hamilton Ticats) and Quinn Gray (NFL Jacksonville Jaguars).

A five year contract was signed by Coach Joe with the Golden Bears.

Alcorn State selects head football coach

by beepbeep

Alcorn State University will announce this morning at a 11:00 a.m. press conference in Jackson, Mississippi that Ernest Jones has been selected to lead the Braves football program.

For once, most fans would like to be surprised by the selection of an African-American head coach in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with some head coaching experience with a winning program at the FCS, Division II or III levels.

Not so in this case.

Jones is completing his first season as the running backs position coach at the University of Cincinnati, under coach Brian Kelly. Cincinnati went 9-3 this season and will play Southern Mississippi in the PapaJohn.com Bowl on December 22, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Coach Jones previously served on Kelly's staff at Central Michigan University for two seasons as the running backs coach (2006) and the corner backs coach (2005). Jones also served as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Division III, Oberlin College in 2004; Division II, Kentucky State 2003; and Concordia University (Minn.) in 2000-2002.

Coach Jones has been a position coach for eight years and has indicated he played five years of professional football, but his Internet bios do not indicate where, what position played and at what level.

Photo: Coach Earnest Jones, Head Coach - Alcorn State University Braves

The Flint, Michigan native played college football at Hinds Community College ('91-'93) and at Alcorn State University ('93-'95), where he saw limited playing time for the Braves.

Jones was also one of 25 coaches selected in 2006, to attend the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy, a program created to address a shortage of minority head coaches in Division I football and assist the coaches with career advancement, networking and exposure opportunities, and to raise awareness regarding the substantial pool of talented and qualified coaching candidates.

Jones, who earned an associate's degree from Hinds Community College in 1993 is a 1995 graduate of Alcorn State University. He earned a master's degree from Concordia in 2002 and is currently working on a doctorate in human services at Walden University.

George Ross, Alcorn State University new president will start work on January 3, 2008.

Both Ross and Jones served at Central Michigan during the same period. President Ross was the former vice president of finance and administrative services at the Mt. Pleasant, Michigan school.

Coach Jones replaces Dr. Johnny Thomas, who was paid $86,000 annually, the second lowest head coach salary in the Football Championship Subdivision. Dr. Thomas was fired on November 19 and finished with a career record of 48-61, 2-8 in 2007.

Alcorn State University, the Sounds of Dyn-O-mite Marching Band and Golden Girls

MEAC/SWAC Sports Clipboard: Lady Rattlers drop first game

Compiled by beepbeep

The Florida A&M University Lady Rattlers winning streak came to an end on Sunday at the University of South Florida by a score of 78-59. The Lady Bulls ( 7-2) were able to pull away from the Rattlers in the final seven minutes of the game with the score at 55-52, as FAMU hit a cold shooting streak. The Lady Rattlers made only 2 of 15 three point shots and shot only 39 percent for the game. FAMU (7-1) is scheduled to face the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central on Saturday.

Savannah State University is seeking its 9th head football coach in 13 years after firing an honorable, experienced coach in Theo Lemon on last Thursday. Coach Lemon was hired by the previous president Carlton Brown who is no longer with SSU and former athletic director Robert “Tony” O’Neal who stepped down a few months ago. Lemon was allowed only two football seasons to turn around the dismal Tigers program, with only 24 scholarships.

Savannah State University is classified as a NCAA Division I program and plays football as an Independent in the Football Championship Subdivision, which allows 63 scholarship players. The Tigers are on NCAA probations until May 18, 2009 for infractions by the football program.
(see: http://www2.ncaa.org/portal/media_and_events/press_room/2006/may/20060519_savannahst_infractions_rls.html).

Coach Lemon, age 50, and his staff were hired on April 10, 2006, after the NCAA punishment was issued by the NCAA Committee on Infractions for transgressions by the previous administrations. Lemon was paid a paltry $65,000 annually as the head coach. All of his assistant coaches were also fired after compling a 3-18 record in the latest shakeup by interim athletic director, Paula Jackson and vice president for administration, Claud Flythe, who oversees the athletics department for new president Earl Yarborough. The president will select the coach from a recommended list of three before December 31.

Photo: SSU interim athletic director, Paula Jackson

SSU is claiming to have received over 40-50 applications for the job since Thursday. If you can believe that statement then you can believe Savannah State will go undefeated in football in 2008. No question, Savannah State is the poster child for how not to make a transition to NCAA Division I in almost every phase. The Tigers were not selected for membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2006.

If you are wondering who has not coached at SSU, here are the names of the last 8-9 head football coaches in decending order of firings: Theo Lemon, Joseph Crosby, Avery Wendell, Daryl McNeill, Steven Wilks, Bill Davis, Ken Pettiford, and Richard Basil. This is what $65,000 will buy you in NCAA Division I football.

Savannah State is now stating that the new coach will be paid more that the previous, but they have not indicated what that amount will be specifically and that the new coach will have more than 24 scholarships, but the number is unknown at this time.

Good luck Coach Lemon in your future endeavors!

Photo: Lane Coach head football coach Dearrion Snead

A former Aggie of North Carolina A&T State University has been promoted to the head coaching position at Division II, Lane College. Dearrion Snead, 38 in his first season with the Dragons served as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, under Johnnie Cole, who was hired last week as head football coach at Texas Southern University in Houston. This will be Snead's first head coaching opportunity as the has served as an assistant coach for 16 seasons.

A native of Richmond, Virginia, Snead played strong safety for the NCA&T Aggies and spent four years as a non-commissioned officer in the Marine Corps. He received the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the National Defense Medal and was named to the All-Marine football team.

Fisk Jubilee Singers: Sacred Journey

This is one powerful recruitment tool developed by Fisk University!

From time to time, MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street will showcase the talents of our sister historical black colleges and universities, especially in the areas of academics, music and art. Football plays a large part of most universities--economically, but is only a small part of the total HBCU experience. We will attempt to display some of those other life changing, positive experiences of the HBCU. Today, we present the awesome and talented--Fisk Jubilee Singers.

-beepbeep

Fisk University: Fisk Jubilee Singers

At the Cross-roads: Great Coaches find a way to win

by beepbeep, MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street

The cliche' -- great teams find a way to win is more appropriate for coaches like Rod Broadway (photo on right) and Billy Rolle, who are on the local radar at Florida A&M University.

Broadway, currently preparing to coach possibly his final game for Grambling State University at the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship on December 15, has been the model of consistency in his coaching career. No one can question his expertise as a head football coach nor that he wins with both class and high character.

Broadway's highly publicized interview last week with Duke University validates what most African-Americans in the coaching profession have known for the past decade--that Broadway and many other African-American coaches are more than prepared to step up to the highest level of the college football world. He has had successful stops as an assistant coach at North Carolina, Florida, Duke, East Carolina and head coaching success at Grambling and North Carolina Central University.

Broadway is one of the better qualified candidates on the planet for a Division I Bowl Championship Subdivision head coaching position.

Let us not forget that Broadway had a stellar playing career for the UNC Tarheels program in 1974-77 and earned All-Southeastern Conference accolades as a senior for his defensive line play.

Broadway served six seasons as the defensive line coach at the University of Florida, under Steve Spurrier. He gained experience coaching both a national championship team at Florida in 1996, ACC and SEC conference championship squads at Duke in 1989 and Florida in 1995, 1996 and 2000, respectively.

Simply put, he is a product of the football bowl championship system who happen to coach presently at a non-major school and outcast conference—the SWAC. Broadway, also happen to be black--if you did not notice.

In the minds of some this makes Broadway not highly desirable to lead a FBC school football program. That is complete foolishness and just another unspoken method to keeping talented black coaches out of key leadership positions. This issue has been well documented by the Black Coaches Association (BCA) and today, there are only five African Americans coaching at 119 FBC colleges and universities.

What more can any FBC university expect of Broadway or any highly qualified African-American coach for that matter who can only coach at institutions where employment is offered?

The only thing left for Broadway to accomplish at his current level in HBCU football is to win a national championship on the field, which may open doors to that covenant FBC position. Funny, that I would state that, as more than 100 current coaches on the FBC level have never won any type of championship on any level. But, that has not stopped them from being selected with lesser credentials than some African American coaches, like Broadway.

Grambling State University offers Broadway zero opportunity to accomplish this feat (win a national championship) due to the non-participation of the SWAC champion in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Broadway understands this fact and one season at Grambling with the Bayou Classic fallout may be enough to motivate him to take the offer from traditional NCAA playoff winner, Florida A&M.

Career over achievers like Broadway need more than a SWAC championship game or Bayou Classic to keep them sharp in their coaching skills. This is not the end of the road for Broadway who has aspirations to be a head coach at a FBC school. Broadway has too much coaching left in him to stay at Grambling as he has already beaten everyone in the conference except Southern University's Pete Richardson in his first season.

Football Championship Subdivision coaches Jerry Kill, Southern Illinois and K.C. Keeler, Delaware played Saturday against each other in the national semifinal game. Both are being recruited to apply for head coaching FBC positions. Neither are African-American and they will not have the barriers to overcome that Coach Broadway is encountering. Nevertheless, one could successfully debate Broadway is better qualified than either of these two fine coaches and certainly equally qualified to the other position coaches that Duke University is now considering.

William "Billy" Rolle, Jr., is a former defensive back for the FAMU Rattlers. Rolle is currently the head football coach of the #1 ranked high school football team in the United States, the Miami Northwestern Senior High School Bulls. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in education at FAMU in 1984. While at the university, he volunteered to teach FAMU High students the strategies of football.

Upon graduation, Rolle was drafted by the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits. He later played professional football with the Canadian Football League. After a successful football career, as an educator and football coach, he has touched the lives of many student athletes. Rolle has coached several high-school football teams to state championships in Florida's largest division.

Under his leadership, Miami Northwestern (1998) and Miami Killian (2004) high schools earned Division 6-A state championship titles. His Northwestern Bulls will be facing Orlando Boone High School for the 2007, 6-A state championship title this Saturday in Orlando. Rolle just returned to Northwestern after a very brief stop at Miami Central this season.

His 22 years of coaching and teaching experience include service at Miami Edison, Coral Gables, Miami Northwestern, Miami Killian and Miami Central senior high schools, as well as Orchard Villa Elementary School.

Miami Northwestern Senior High School coach Billy Rolle is expected to win his 3rd Class 6A state football championship on December 16 against Orlando Boone H.S. His Bulls are the nation's No. 1-ranked team and are the defending Florida Class 6A state champions.

In what may turn out to be the top high school football game of 2007, Rolle also defeated USA Today's top ranked Carroll High School of Southlake, Texas 29-21 before 31,896 fans in Dallas on Sept. 15. The game was played at Southern Methodist’s Gerald Ford Stadium and was carried nationally on ESPNU. The loss ended Carroll’s 49-game winning streak that extended back to 2001, the longest in the nation.

A victory over Boone should give the undefeated Bulls and Coach Rolle the mythical national high school championship and the Florida 6-A state championship for 2007. The Bulls are on a 28 game winning streak and are currently 14-0. But more importantly, each of Rolle's football players have a grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale, and many have multiple FBC scholarship offers on the table.

Rolle was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Florida A&M University is the perfect fit for Broadway and Billy Rolle. We see Broadway becoming the head football Rattler on December 17 and Billy Rolle being hired as his new recruiting coordinator/assistant head coach. No doubt Rolle is a positive conduit to the talent rich Dade County/Miami region and access to Division I level talent that is required to bring the Rattlers back to its rightful place as both an academic and athletics national leader.

Having recruited the Miami area for the Florida Gators, Broadway knows first hand what a gold mine of talent exists in Dade County. Former Rattlers coach Rubin Carter never figured that out and had only ten Miami players on the 2007 roster. Broadway and Rolle are both proven head coaches with unique skills for identifying superior talent and teaching/molding that talent into an exceptional winning team.

With $35 million in construction bonds on the table for Bragg Memorial Stadium modernization/upgrades, new field house, sky-boxes and seating expansions, etc., Florida A&M University is getting ready to implement an era of tremendous academic and athletic growth, unparalleled in its rich history.

The new 9,000 seat basketball arena (teaching gym)is planned for completion in February 2009. The four-floored facility will be the new home to FAMU’s physical education department; will feature sports training and physical education training areas, a hydrotherapy pool, concession stands and ticket booths, interactive learning classrooms, athletic and physical education offices, an indoor track and an arena that will seat more than 9,000 for events. The construction costs for the Teaching Gym totals $34,200,000 and is currently under way.

There is a buzz on the highest of Tallahassee's seven hills in anticipation of FAMU's President, Dr. James Ammons announcement on December 17. Whom ever he has chosen to lead the football Rattlers forward with his vision will have the complete financial support of the entire Rattlernation.

The Rattlers faithful will make sure that Mr. Broadway does not miss coaching in Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium (capacity: 33,941) or Grambling's Robinson Stadium (capacity: 19,600), if he does in fact decide to come to one of the premier HBCUs in the nation, Florida A&M University. The Rattlers are the historic leaders in classic attendance and can pack an upgraded/modernized 30,000 seat Bragg Stadium to watch his exciting brand of football.

There is absolutely no reason that Ammons, Bill Hayes (athletic director), Broadway and Rolle cannot grow the FAMU football program into a national championship powerhouse program. It is not like the Rattlers have never been to the top of the world in football supremacy, they have been there. And the Rattlersnation is expecting to go back to championship form for a long, long duration in the next few seasons.

Great coaches like Broadway and Rolle find ways to win within the scope of the rules. Their talents could be best utilized and enhanced at Florida A&M University. But, Broadway is not planning to be here for the long term, as the BCS schools will take quick note of his accomplishments with the Rattlers program and provide that long overdue opportunity he is seeking and the multi-million contract that comes with the opportunity.

The best wants to compete against the best and that is the common bond that Broadway, Rolle and FAMU share in their histories.

Most FBC fans should also be tired of the losing retread coaches that have been circulating lately in this very small pool of coaching talent, and demand serious consideration of talented African-American coaches, like Broadway. Black blue-chip student-athletes should also take note of FBC programs and FCS schools that have no representation of black coaches on their staff, and stay the hell away from playing for those schools, where they have no opportunity of being hired as football coaches after graduation.

Most are surprised to learn that our two-time defending FCS champions, Appalachian State has not one African American assistant coach on its staff--not even a black graduate assistant. That in itself sends the wrong message to black players who are over 50 percent of the team players.

Billy Rolle is ready to step up to the college level and will be a perfect future replacement for Broadway. He could be mentored properly by an experienced major college head coach and become a major player in the FAMU program's success. Regardless of how all of this shakes out, you can take it to the bank that Ammons will address both the present and future needs of the football program.

The firing of Rubin Carter by Ammons brought clearly into focus the undeniable fact that the bottom line in Florida A&M football is the bottom line - it's about winning, graduating your players on time and protecting the revenue stream that a successful football program generates.

"We all know that the football program is the economic engine that drives the athletic program," Ammons said. "It is the money generator. For the overall athletic program to be successful the football program has to be successful. That's just the way it is here at FAMU."

Movie Synopsis: The Great Debaters

Preview Trailer: The Great Debaters

Believe in the power of words.

A drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school's first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship.

From two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and an ensemble cast lead by Washington that includes Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, comes THE GREAT DEBATERS. Inspired by a true story, THE GREAT DEBATERS chronicles the journey of Professor Melvin Tolson (Denzel Washington), a brilliant, but volatile, debate team coach who uses the power of words to shape a group of underdog students from a small African American college (Wiley College, Marshall, Texas) in the deep south into a historically elite debate team. A controversial figure, Professor Tolson challenged the social mores of the time and was under constant fire for his unconventional and ferocious teaching methods as well as his radical political views.

In the pursuit for excellence, Tolson's debate team receives a groundbreaking invitation to debate Harvard University's championship team. The film is directed by Denzel Washington and stars Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett, Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker, and Kimberly Elise. "The Great Debaters" was written by Robert Eisele and produced by Todd Black, Kate Forte, Oprah Winfrey and Joe Roth.

Presented by The Weinstein Company, "The Great Debaters," will be released by MGM on December 25th.

Behind the Story
In 1924, Melvin Tolson accepted a position as instructor of English and speech at Wiley College. While at Wiley, he taught, wrote poetry and novels, coached football and directed plays. In 1929, Tolson coached the Wiley debate teams, which established a ten-year winning streak. The Debate Team beat the larger black schools of its day like Tuskegee, Fisk and Howard.

After a visit to Texas, Langston Hughes wrote that "Melvin Tolson is the most famous Negro professor in the Southwest. Students all over that part of the world speak of him, revere him, remember him and love him."

According to James Farmer, Tolson's drive to win, to eliminate risk, meant that his debaters were actors more than spontaneous thinkers. Tolson wrote all the speeches and the debate team memorized them. He drilled them on every gesture and every pause. Tolson was so skilled at the art of debating that he also figured out the arguments that opponents would make and wrote rebuttals for them-before the actual debate.

In 1930, he pursued a master's degree in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University; met V.F. Calverton, editor of Modern Quarterly; wrote "Cabbages and Caviar" column for The Washington Tribune and organized sharecroppers in South Texas.

In 1935, he led the Wiley Debate Team to the national championship to defeat the University of California before an audience of eleven hundred people. In 1947 he was appointed poet laureate of Liberia by President V. S. Tubman. He left Wiley to become professor of English and Drama at Langston University in Oklahoma.

About Wiley College
For over 130 years, Wiley College has been a center of learning for all who sought to enter its doors. Primarily, however, it has served African Americans and other minorities. The College was founded in 1873 by the Freedman's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church for the purpose of providing education to the "newly freed men" and preparing them for a new life. The College is currently affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Increasingly, students of other races, as well as international students, are finding Wiley College to be an attractive place to acquire a college education.

Since the selection of the site and initial planning of the buildings on which the College is located, the campus of Wiley College is now comprised of 17 permanent structures for teaching, learning, and research as well as residential housing for students. Wiley College is one of three institutions of higher learning situated in Marshall, which has an estimated population of 25,000 people and growing.

The school is located in Harrison County on 63 acres of land west of Marshall, Texas and between Dallas to the west and Shreveport to the east. This location offers access to the amenities of both cities and, at the same time, provides a perfect environment for student learning and intellectual growth away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. A major airport is located in Shreveport, just thirty minutes away from the College.

Initially, the purpose of Wiley College was to focus mainly on training teachers for careers at black elementary and secondary schools. It has since grown from a vocational college to an institution that awards an associate's degree and bachelor's degrees in 17 disciplines including, English, biology, business, computer science, and social sciences, etc. Additionally, the College is recognized for providing higher education opportunities to non-traditional students through its Organizational Management Program and its Criminal Justice Administration program. Wiley College students receive a quality education, are competitive, and certainly get their money's worth in dollar value. The school has one of the best student-faculty ratios in the nation. This enables the College to provide an individualized learning environment, where students are more than a number.

Important Dates

December 13, 2007
Premiere - Marshall, Texas (Wiley College)

December 25, 2007
Movie Release - Nation-wide

"Melvin B. Tolson and the Great Debaters represent a legacy of extraordinary teaching and scholarship that Wiley College seeks to preserve."

Haywood L. Strickland
Wiley College President and CEO

http://www.wileyc.edu/#

MEAC/SWAC Sports Clipboard: ASU and FAMU makes progress

by beepbeep, MEAC/SWAC Sports Mainstreet

Alcorn State University has indicated that they have received 30 applications in response to the posted vacancy to replace the fired head football coach, Dr. Johnny Thomas. The interim athletic director, Wiley Jones said the search committee is made up of nine people associated with the university and they are expected to have a short list ready by next week.

The Braves, who finished 2-8 this past season are expected to have a new coach hired before the end of the month. Jones said that three and no more than five names will be presented to Alcorn State Interim President Malvin A. Williams for his consideration.

Jones said the committee’s first choice would be someone with Division I coaching experience but that is not a requirement. “We haven’t made any decisions yet,” Jones said. “We’re looking at everybody. No one has been eliminated.” Thomas finished with an overall record of 48-61 and a SWAC record of 34-41 in his 10 years at the helm of the Alcorn State program.

Florida A&M University Lady Rattlers Basketball Head Coach Debra Clark is headed for the NCAA Tournament in 2008. If the first seven games are any indication, Coach Clark and the 7-0 FAMU Lady Rattlers will overcome every adversity placed in their path to reach this goal.

First, before the season begin, Clark lost 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference All-Rookie performers Secrett Anderson and Marke Freeman, due to transfer. No problem, as two players don't define the success of the FAMU progam. Then Coach Clark had to have surgery to remove her thyroid on November 14. Again, no problem as her trusted assistant coaches and the Lady Rattlers were successful in defeating Albany State (76-73) and Savannah State on the road 71-54 to raise the season record to 4-0.

More importantly, Coach Clark signed to a national letter-of-intent Ashley Hampton, a senior forward with St. John Lutheran, who is a top basketball player in the Ocala, Florida region. Hampton will be a very important piece for the 2008-09 Lady Rattlers program. All of these events occurred while the coach was out recovering from her surgery.

Then Clark returns and runs over Bethune Cookman on the road 78-65; uses Stetson for a home scrimmage with a final score of 54-37; and then clobbers a good Jacksonville Dolphin squad at home 66-57 for a 7-0 record. The Dolphins are no scrub team having beaten Miami and Florida on the road for a 6-3 season record.

The Lady Rattlers are off to their best start ever and the 7-0 record ties the 1983-84 FAMU women team coached by Mickey Clayton.

The Lady Rattlers are going to Tampa on Saturday to play South Florida on Sunday at the Sun Dome. New FAMU athletic director Bill Hayes will get a homecoming of sorts when North Carolina Central University Eagles comes to Tallahassee on December 15. Then its Florida Gulf Coast at Gaither Gym on December 17 to close out 2007.

In the MEAC Standings, the FAMU Lady Rattlers are in a three way tie for first place with North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies and Morgan State Lady Bears with one victory in the conference.

So, who are the stars on the Lady Rattlers team that finished 2006-07 with a 16-16 record?

Photo: FAMU Guard Joslyn Jackson, 5-7 senior guard,
Marietta, GA McEachern HS leads Lady Rattlers in scoring.

Starting guards Joslyne Jackson and Deidra Jones are scoring 16.5 and 14.8 points per game, respectively. Jones is snatching 8.0 boards. Stephanie Foster is scoring 12.3 per game and our girl, Q'Vaunda Curry is hitting an average of 9.7 points and 43 percent of her 3 point shots. Taniyah Dawson is averaging 30 minutes per game and 6.2 points, with 3.2 steals and 4.3 assists. Forward Denise Tate and center Thyeis Halley are clocking 24 and 16 minutes each game and 5.3 points each. Tate is pulling down 9.3 rebounds to lead the team. Forward Kirsten Stallings, center Melissa Daniels, guards Evette Young and Jarquella Woods have played important minutes as they develop the needed bench depth for the Lady Rattlers.

The entire Lady Rattlers team is listed below and their schedule for 2007/08. This team is worth the price of admissions, so go out and see them play when they come to your area, HBCU sports fans.

NO NAME HT POS Year Hometown Last School
1 Jarquella Woods 5-1 G FR Columbus, GA Hardaway HS
2 Deidra Jones 5-10 G JR Powder Springs, GA McEachern HS
5 Evette Young 5-6 G RS JR Sunrise, FL Ft. Lauderdale HS
11 Taniyah Dawson 5-7 G JR Mesquite, TX Poteet HS
15 Chelsea Pennick 5-11 G FR Orlando, FL Orlando Christian Prep
20 Q'Vaunda Curry 5-6 G SR Quincy, FL East Gadsden HS
21 Joslyne Jackson 5-7 G SR Marietta, GA McEachern HS
22 Devin Williams 5-9 F FR Sarasota, FL Sarasota HS
23 Stephanie Foster 6-0 G/F JR Columbus, OH Brookhaven HS
25 Leanne Randall 6-0 G FR Fayetteville, N.C. Trinity Christian Prep
31 Melissa Daniels 6-3 C JR Jasper, FL Hamilton Co. HS
35 Kirsten Stallings 6-0 F SO Memphis, TN Ridgeway, HS
40 Denise Tate 6-1 F JR Cleveland, OH Glenville HS
42 Thyeis Halley 6-1 F/C SR Cleveland, OH Lakeland CC
44 Brandi Hollingsworth 6-2 F/C FR Columbus, GA Pacelli HS

Coaches

Debra Clark - Head Coach
John Clark - Assistant Coach
Niki Washington - Assistant Coach
Melaney Denson - Assistant Coach

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result

11/01/07 at Valdosta State ! Valdosta, GA 5:00 p.m. ET
11/09/07 at Georgia State Atlanta, GA W, 60-58 (F)
11/13/07 vs. Mercer Tallahassee, FL W, 78-57 (F)
11/14/07 vs. Albany State Tallahassee, FL W, 76-73 (F)
11/20/07 at Savannah State Savannah, GA W, 71-54 (F)
12/01/07 at Bethune Cookman @ Daytona Beach, FL W, 78-65 (F)
12/03/07 vs. Stetson Tallahassee, FL W, 54-37 (F)
12/06/07 vs. Jacksonville @ Tallahassee, FL W, 66-57 (F)
12/09/07 at USF Tampa, FL TBA
12/15/07 vs. North Carolina Central Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
12/17/07 vs. Florida Gulf Coast Tallahassee, FL 5:00 p.m. ET
01/02/08 at Florida Gainesville, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
01/04/08 vs. Savannah State Tallahassee, FL 7:00 p.m. ET
01/12/08 at Howard @ Washington, D.C. 2:00 p.m. ET
01/14/08 at Hampton University @ Hampton, VA 6:00 p.m. ET
01/19/08 at Morgan State @ Baltimore, MD 2:00 p.m. ET
01/21/08 at Coppin State @ Baltimore, MD 5:30 p.m. ET
01/26/08 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore @ Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
01/28/08 vs. Delaware State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
02/02/08 at Winston-Salem State @ Winston-Salem, N.C. 2:00 p.m.

02/04/08 at South Carolina State @ Orangeburg, S.C. 5:30 p.m. ET
02/09/08 vs. North Carolina A&T @ Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
02/11/08 vs. Norfolk State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
02/16/08 vs. Morgan State Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
02/18/08 vs. Coppin State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
02/23/08 at Maryland Eastern Shore @ Princess Anne, MD 2:00 p.m.
02/25/08 at Delaware State @ Dover, MD 5:30 p.m. ET
03/01/08 vs. Winston-Salem State @ Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
03/03/08 vs. South Carolina State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
03/06/08 vs. Bethune Cookman @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET

MEAC Tournament:TBA
NCAA Tournament: TBA

Some Names are just funny--or are they if you have to spell it for the 6 millionth time.

If you have been a long time Florida A&M University sports fan, you may recall a basketball player that played guard at FAMU with center Jerome James (NBA New York Knicks) during the 1995-96 season. The fellow name is Mapp--Scientific Mapp. No, I'm not kidding and his brother played basketball for Virginia and his name is Majestic Mapp. Well, we found a few more this morning that are surely the best names in college hoops history.

Alabama State University currently has a 7-1/265 starting junior center from Boyton Beach, Florida that has our vote for the most unique name in sports history but the guy can play basketball and is a force in the middle. When was the last time the SWAC had a seven footer that could actually play? Yes, it has be a while. Here is our list:

Photo: Alabama State University basketball junior center Chief Kickingstallionsims

1. Grlenntys "Chief" Kickingstallionsims Jr., Alabama State University
(Goes by "Chief Kickingstallionsims") with his given first name being Grlenntys, whose name means “Strength of Fallen Rocks.” He is a member of the Navajo nation. Chief transferred from Stetson University (Deland, Fla) to Alabama State University and is playing his first season for the Hornets. He is a graduate of Blanche Ely High School.

2. Scientific Mapp--5-10 starting guard on 1995-96 FAMU men basketball team with current NBA Knicks center Jerome James. No, he did not major in Geography.

3. Majestic Mapp, Virginia/West Georgia --brother of Scientific Mapp.

4. God Shamgod, Providence College

5. Pops Mensah-Bonsu, George Washington

6. Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown

Photo: FAMU Basketball senior center Akini Akini

Florida A&M current 6-10/231 senior center "Akini Akini" is a tremendous student-athlete, so we are going to cut this brother some slack and leave him off our list because he has the same first and last name. Akini Ferdinand Akini is married and a native of Cameroon majoring in construction engineering. He is an excellent Rattler!

Concert: The Clark Sisters and FAMU Gospel Choir

If you are in the mood for some spiritual uplifting, please enjoy the legardary gospel recording artists--the Clark Sisters and the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir in concert.

The Clark sisters are: Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark Terrell, Jacky Clark Chisholm, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. The Clark Sisters are the daughters of gospel musician and choral director, the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. They are credited for helping to bring gospel music to the mainstream and are considered as pioneers of contemporary gospel.

There is a 5th Clark sister Denise Clark Bradford, who no longer performs with the group. The Clark Sisters are renowned for their unique vocal stylings, dubbed as "The Clark Sound". They incorporate high and fast melismas, acrobatic trills and riffs, and deep, soulful growls, or "squalls".

-beepbeep

Twinkie Clark and the FAMU Gospel Choir, "Feed my Sheep"


Dorinda Clark and the FAMU Gospel Choir, “Complete The Work”


The Clark Sisters and the FAMU Gospel Choir, "Nothing to Lose"

Twinkie Clark and the FAMU Gospel Choir, "Coming Again So Soon-Part 1"


Twinkie Clark and the FAMU Gospel Choir, "Coming Again So Soon-Part 2"

MEAC/SWAC Sports Clipboard: Ammons on Broadway

Photo: FAMU president Dr. James Ammons is proving to be a master strategist in solving Rattlers issues and building a world class institution.

by beepbeep, MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street

Florida A&M University completed the prelude to the reconstruction of the Rattlers athletic department on yesterday. Out with Nelson Townsend--in with the maestro of fundraising and athletic administration--William " Bill" Hayes as the Rattlers new athletic director. Hayes brings much experience and proven loyalty to Ammons to help build a world-class FAMU athletic department.

Hayes hiring was approved by the FAMU Board of Trustees yesterday afternoon, and he is scheduled to "officially" start on January 2, 2008.

The second piece in the puzzle is Grambling State University Rod Broadway who is under contract until 2010. However, that contract has an escape provision and is structured as follows:
Begins with a base salary of $156,000 in 2007; escalate to $162,000 for 2008, $169,000 in 2009 and finally $177,000 in 2010. The contract provides for no penalty if Broadway breaks the agreement. A simple letter of resignation allows Broadway to be free to sign elsewhere.

Durham, North Carolina NBC 17 reported from a source inside Duke University last evening that coach Rod Broadway is now at the top of the list and had a dinner meeting at the Washington-Duke with Blue Devil Athletic Director Joe Alleva. Broadway is expected back at Grambling today, to prepare the Tigers for the SWAC championship game on December 15.

Here is our take on these new developments. Duke wants Paul Johnson of the Navy Academy. They interviewed him (Johnson) on Monday. On yesterday, Johnson and his wife flew by private jet to Southern Methodist University to view the campus, after an interview in Annapolis. Johnson is currently earning $1.5 million annually at Navy. Duke is reported to be willing to pay Johnson $1.7 to $2.0 million annually to lead the Blue Devil program. SMU may top $2.0 million for him.

Johnson appears to be shopping as he interviewed first with Georgia Tech, who are being methodical in interviewing other candidates. Johnson has lead Navy to five bowl games in five years under stiff academic and military requirements. He is a perfect fit for Duke, if he wants to leave the Academy.

Broadway on the other hand is a qualified minority candidate. The recently fired Karl Dorrell, 43, has compiled a record of 35-27 in his five years as head coach at UCLA. Dorrell provides experience and minority candidate status, if Duke is really serious about hiring the first African American head coach at the school. Dorrell is not a candidate at Duke and is set to receive $2.02 million over the next two years from UCLA as his buyout.

All of Broadway experiences as a head coach is at the FCS level. As much as we would like to see Broadway make the step up to a head coaching position at the FBC level, we would be very surprised if it happened with Duke. In fact, it would be a first for an HBCU coach, but it could happen in Broadway's case due to his FBC background and prior service to Duke University with Coach Steve Spurrier.

Does this possibly derail FAMU's plans for Broadway? Absolutely. If the call comes to Broadway, he has no choice but to accept the Duke head coaching position. But, we all have seen this picture before. Until we see it with our own eyes, we believe this courtship is nothing more than a perfunctory meeting by Duke officials to keep the Black Coaches Association (BCA) off their backs and send the message to Navy's Paul Johnson that they are moving ahead in their search.

What can Broadway do for FAMU? First, 9-10 wins a year will get Broadway into the FCS playoffs each year where he can really prove his coaching capabilities against the best in the division. Secondly, he gets an opportunity for maximum exposure before the largest audiences in the Football Championship Subdivision and a free reign under Ammons to build and win national championships without restrictions. Thirdly, he can be the coach that will move the Rattlers to the Football Bowl Championship level within the next decade. Finally, he can build a modern era legacy at FAMU that folks will be talking about 100 years from now in Rattlers lore.

No doubt, Florida A&M University is the premier brand in HBCU sports and Dr. Ammons leadership will make this fact crystal clear in the coming months. Coach Broadway is a superb coach and educator, with talents compatiable with FAMU's vision for a world-class program of excellence in academics and athletics.

Ammons, Broadway and Hayes--it has a nice sound for a "new" world symphony in FAMU athletics.

MSU Coach Donald Hill-Eley: A difference maker!

Photo: Morgan State Roderick Wolfe is set to graduate in May 2008.

As a football coach, Hill-Eley is a notch above most and as a human being--even touchdown Jesus would approve.

CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston gives us all a glimpse of Morgan State University's Coach Hill-Eley in an article entitled, "From Living On The Streets To Scoring On The Field."

Hill-Eley is truly a difference maker and an amazing person....


by: Randall Pinkston , CBS News correspondent - New York

From Living On The Streets To Scoring On The Field

Football Coach Don Hill-Eley of Morgan State University could have lived anywhere in the Baltimore area. He chose to live near Morgan State, in “the hood.” That decision led to another one – patronizing a grocery store near his home where he met Roderick Wolfe.

The meeting, five years ago, led to a story of faith, discipline, and success that is still unfolding. Roderick was a high school football player who did not seem destined for success.

Photo: Morgan State University Coach Donald Hill-Eley

“What did Roderick look like when you first saw him?” I asked the coach.

“He was tall, malnourished, and very dirty. He really looked homeless”, said Hill-Eley.

“He told you he played football?”

“Yup. Told me he played football, told me he had good grades.”
Roderick Wolfe looked homeless because he was homeless. He moved from house to house, sometimes with family, usually with friends. His father, a drug-dealer, died when Roderick was 10. By Roderick’s senior year in high school, his mother was on drugs, the family evicted from their home, Roderick and his siblings scattered to the winds.

Story Continues at: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/12/04/couricandco/entry3575211.shtml