Alcorn State Made the Correct Decision

Collins given three-year extension

LORMAN, MS — Alcorn State has extended the contract of head football coach Earnest Collins by three years. The Braves (3-6, 3-4) sat alone in first place in the Eastern Division midway through the season after being picked to finish last. Alcorn couldn’t hold on, but a win against Jackson State gave the program three wins for the first time since 2006 when the team finished 6-5. Collins coached the Braves this season on a one-year deal, following the firing of former coach Johnny Thomas and weeks of turmoil within the program.

“We are delighted that Coach Collins will continue to lead the Alcorn State University Braves football program,” said Mrs. Brenda T. Square, interim director of athletics. “He and the entire football staff share the University’s vision for excellence and they care about the welfare of our student-athletes both on the field and in the classroom.” In 2008, Collins served as the defensive coordinator/associate head coach for the Braves. Prior to joining the Braves’ staff, Collins spent a year coaching secondary for the University of Central Florida, where the Knights ranked third in the C-USA defensive statistics.

Alcorn made the correct decision

I’m sure most Alcorn State fans remember what was going on with the football program about this time last year. To put it mildly, it was chaos. Seven assistant coaches were fired without the knowledge of the head coach. Then, after the head coach threatened to sue the school, the assistants were reinstated, and then the head coach, Ernest Jones, was fired himself. Through all of the turmoil, one man stood out and was left with picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild what had been torn down. That man was Earnest Collins. Collins, was the defensive coordinator under Jones and was named interim head coach after Jones was fired.

Collins might have only been just that, an interim, if some senior football players hadn’t met with Alcorn State President George Ross and convinced him to make Collins the head coach on a permanent basis. So Collins was given the job full-time, but only received a one-year contract, which put him in a tough situation from the outset. Most coaches don’t operate on one-year contracts, and schools usually extend a coach’s contract before it comes down to the last year because they don’t want the coach to be seen as a lame duck.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

FAMU Rattlers Haul in More Division I-A Transfers

Coach Joe Taylor is making major strides in recruiting Florida blue chip talent, including opening the doors for top D-IA transfers like Steven Robinson, Jarien Moreland and James Poe.

Former Lincoln lineman looks to rejuvenate career at FAMU »

Offensive guard Steven Robinson is coming home to rekindle the passion that just a year ago put him on the radar of several major college football programs. Robinson, a two-time All-Big Bend selection out of Lincoln High School, has enrolled at FAMU where he plans to play his final three years of football. Robinson said he is currently going through the enrollment process after signing to become a Rattler. He played in eight games this past season at the University of Central Florida, but the fire that made him want to play the game was being diminished as he tried to fit into the program, Robinson said.

“I just didn’t feel like I was going to reach my fullest potential,” he said. “I was playing football but I wasn’t enjoying it. I was starting to lose that passion so I said I can’t sit here and let my years go by.” Robinson is expected to fill a void on the Rattlers’ offensive line where they’ve lost three seniors. His UCF teammates James Poe, a 6-foot-4, 237 pound tight end-fullback and, 6-5, 313 pound center Jarien Moreland also have transferred to play at FAMU.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Players Bio:
Steven "Moose" Robinson

Class: RS Freshman, Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla., High School: Lincoln, Height/Weight: 6-3/306, Position: Offensive Line.

TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON (2008): Earned a redshirt.

HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four letters in football for head coach Kyle Rice at Lincoln High School ... Named first-team Class 4A All-State by the Florida Sports Writers Association following his senior season ... Earned All-Big Bend first-team honors by the Tallahassee Democrat as a junior and senior ... Four-year starter on the offensive line ... Earned third-team All-State honors as a junior ... Also lettered in wrestling, track and field and played the tuba in the school band ... Ranked as the No. 25 offensive guard prospect in the country by ESPN.com ... Ranked as the No. 24 offensive guard prospect in the country and the No. 69 overall prospect in the state of Florida by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 90 on the top 100 high school football prospects 2007 list by the Orlando Sentinel ... Also recruited by Clemson, Georgia, Minnesota, South Carolina and USF.
Majoring in Criminal Justice.

Jarien Moreland

Class:RS Freshman, Hometown: Belle Glade, Fla., High School: Glades Central,
Height/Weight: 6-4/321, Position: Offensive Line.

TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON (2008): Earned a redshirt.

HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four letters for head coach Willie Snead at Glades Central High School ... Helped lead his team to the 2006 Class 3A state championship as a junior and Class 3A Region 4 titles as a sophomore, junior and senior ... Ranked No. 36 nationally among offensive guards by Rivals.com and the 90th best prospect in the state of Florida ... Ranked No. 95 nationally among offensive tackles by Scout.com ... Also received recruiting interest from Florida State, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Pitt and USF.

James Poe

Class:RS Sophomore, Hometown: Orlando, Fla., High School: Freedom, Last College:
Georgia Military College, Height/Weight: 6-4/232, Position: Running Back.

PRIOR TO UCF: Attended Georgia Military College before coming to UCF ... Played for Freedom High School in Orlando ... Selected as the team MVP his final two years after being ranked as the fifth-best running back in the state with 1,500 rushing yards as a senior, and 700 yards as a junior ... Also recruited by West Virginia, Louisville, Florida, East Carolina and Iowa. Major is undecided.

Bethune-Cookman Excited About New Football Coach

B-CU excited about new football coach

DAYTONA BEACH -- There was no doubt in Lynn Thompson's mind that Bethune-Cookman's search committee made the right choice in selecting Rutgers assistant Brian Jenkins as the Wildcats' next head football coach. He discovered over the weekend that many B-CU fans agree with him. "I was at the mall (Sunday night) and people stopped me. They were very excited about our choice," said Thompson, the Wildcats' athletics director. The school, who has been without a coach since Alvin Wyatt was fired Nov. 21, will introduce Jenkins today.

"He's a wonderful young man with a bright future," Thompson said. "His name came up early in the process, and the more we looked we saw something about him that everybody on the committee felt was attractive. This guy stood out as a good fit for our university and its mission. We feel he'll do a great job." Jenkins, 38, was on the Rutgers sideline Saturday night during its 45-24 victory over UCF in the St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field. He was with the Scarlet Knights for one season, coaching wide receivers. He came over to Rutgers from Louisiana-Lafayette, where he spent seven years as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator. He also was an assistant coach in NFL Europe and at Bowling Green, Eastern Illinois and Western Kentucky universities.

Rutgers assistant Brian Jenkins to take Bethune-Cookman head coaching job...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Another Rutgers assistant football coach is on the move, with wide receivers coach Brian Jenkins set to become the head coach at Bethune-Cookman immediately following the Knights' St. Petersburg Bowl game against Central Florida on Saturday, according to someone familiar with the move. Jenkins, 38, who is from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., arrived at Rutgers this year from Louisiana-Lafayette. The Bethune-Cookman job opened when the school fired Alvin Wyatts following a 5-6 season and a 90-54 record after 13 years.

Brian Jenkins is new Bethune-Cookman coach‎

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Former Rutgers assistant Brian Jenkins is the new coach at Bethune-Cookman, replacing Alvin Wyatt. Athletic director Lynn Thompson introduced Jenkins during a press conference Monday. Wyatt was fired on Nov. 23, two days after the Wildcats' 42-6 season-ending loss to archrival Florida A&M. Despite finishing 5-6 for the third time in four years, Wyatt departed as the winningest coach in Bethune-Cookman history, going 90-54 in 13 seasons. Jenkins coached wide receivers at Rutgers. He finished his duties with the Scarlet Knights during the St. Petersburg Bowl. "In coach Jenkins, we follow a new initiative with a new vision for our football program," said Thompson, adding that Jenkins was the unanimous choice among a search committee considering 87 applicants. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Tennessee State Selects New Football Coach

Coach Rod Reed's $160,000 salary is among the highest for FCS coaches in the state. Tennessee Tech Coach Watson Brown's salary for the 2008-09 fiscal year was $149,350, UT Martin Coach Jason Simpson's was $105,000 and Austin Peay Coach Rick Christophel's was $95,917, according to figures released by the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Rod Reed officially named head football coach at Tennessee State ...

Nashville, Tenn. - Tennessee State University president, Dr. Melvin N. Johnson, and athletics director Teresa Phillips, officially named Rod Reed head football coach. The announcement was made during a press conference (12/18) in the lobby of Kean Hall in front of family, friends, faculty, staff, alumni and former players. Reed, who served as associate head football coach in 2009, replaces James Webster who resigned on November 19, 2009. He will be the twenty-first head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers program, dating back to 1912.

Reed, 43, was a four-year letter winner at TSU (1984-88) and helped lead the Tigers to the second round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 1986. Reed, who played linebacker, capped off his career as a Sheridan All-American football player his senior season. Rod is the son of the late Robert Reed, who was the first All-American for the TSU legendary football head coach "Big John" Merritt.

This will be Reed's first assignment as head coach in which he brings 17 years of experience in the coaching ranks. In addition to his time at Tennessee State, he has held positions at East Texas Baptist College, Prairie View A&M, Bethune-Cookman University (formerly Bethune-Cookman College) and Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Fla.

As a recruiter, Reed is responsible for bringing several notable players into the TSU program. Reed is noted for recruiting Javarris Williams (2009 seventh round draft pick, Kansas City Chiefs), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (2008 first round pick, Arizona Cardinals), Shaun Richardson, Lamar Divens (Baltimore Ravens) and Cornelius Lewis.

Rod Reed replaces James Webster as football coach at Tennessee St.

Tennessee State University has named Rod Reed as its new football coach. Reed began as TSU's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2003, and served as top assistant to coach James Webster during the 2009 season. Webster resigned in November. Reed, 43, recruited Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a first round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2008, to play for the Tigers.

TSU hopes new coach can revive tradition

The hiring of Rod Reed as Tennessee State's football coach Friday is one of several steps the administration hopes to take that will elevate the program to the prominence it once enjoyed. Reed, 43, a former TSU linebacker, has been on the staff since 2003 and served as defensive coordinator and associate head coach the past two seasons. He has been interim head coach since James Webster resigned after five seasons in November. "We've always had an interest in athletics," TSU president Melvin Johnson said. "You can't live on John A. Merritt Boulevard and work on John A. Merritt Boulevard without having an emphasis on athletics. But the hiring of Rod Reed, along with the other commitments we're making, is our attempt to rejuvenate the program."

TSU was a powerhouse under Merritt from 1963-83, but the Tigers haven't won a playoff game since 1986. Reed's salary will be $160,000, the same as Webster's, TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said. He has not signed a contract, but Phillips said he would be given a five-year deal. Reed, who is TSU's all-time leading tackler (1985-1988), and Morehouse Coach Rich Freeman, another former TSU linebacker (1992-1995), were the only candidates who interviewed.

Watch Press Conference: Rod Reed introduced as TSU's head football coach
(Flash - Video)

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

HBCU Senior Bowl: East 26, West 21

Florida A&M's Vann is the man in HBCU Bowl

Children from a youth football team surrounded Florida A&M's Leroy Vann seeking an autograph from the star of the inaugural HBCU Bowl all-star game. Like he did in Saturday's game at Cramton Bowl, Vann didn't disappoint. Vann returned a punt 81 yards for a first-quarter touchdown to highlight the East's 26-21 win over the West and patiently worked through the autograph-seeking mass afterward. "It's like this when I'm home in Tallahassee," Vann said. "If I go anywhere, it's the same way."

Vann, who returned five punts for touchdowns this season and is the NCAA record holder for career return TDs, was the most valuable player Saturday due to his one spectacular play. Because of his resume, the East expected Vann to do it. He had eight career punt returns and three kickoff returns for touchdowns. "He's been making returns like that for the last couple years," East coach Joe Taylor of FAMU, who had nine of his players on the East team. "We had a little orange and green flavor out there. "It was great to coach all of them for one last time."



Photo Gallery: East wins HBCU Bowl

East beats West in HBCU Bowl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Florida A&M's Leroy Vann got the first HBCU Bowl all-star game off to a fast start Saturday. Vann returned a punt 81 yards for a first-quarter touchdown to highlight the East's 26-21 win over the West. "This was a great opportunity for us to show what we can do and I hope a great experience for the fans, too," Vann said. "We showed that black colleges have talent, too."

Vann returned five punts for touchdowns this season and holds the NCAA record for career return TDs. He returned eight punts and three kickoffs for touchdowns in his career. "That's just who he is," East coach Joe Taylor of Florida A&M said. "He's been making returns like that for the last couple years." East quarterback Dennis Brown of Norfolk State threw for 117 yards and a touchdown. Lamarcus Coker of Hampton caught a 33-yard TD pass late in the second quarter to give the East a 19-14 lead. Early in the fourth quarter, Devan James of Morgan State scored on a 4-yard run to give the East a 26-14 lead. Coker finished with a game-high 82 yards receiving on three catches.

Doug Williams, director of professional scouting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, warns HBCU Bowl players of harsh reality that everyone will not make the NFL -- "Somebody's got to coach, somebody teach, somebody's got to be the governor, somebody's got to be a lawyer, and somebody's got to pick up the trash,"Williams said. "They're all paying and in this economy, a job is a job."

Doug Williams warns players of harsh reality

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Hours before the players who competed in the Russell Athletics Senior Bowl had their first practice for Saturday's game, Doug Williams laid down the harsh truth. Please, understand that his audience was made up mostly of the 80-plus players who came here hoping to impress professional scouts. "Everybody in this room is not going to play in the National Football League," said Williams, the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. "That's a fact." In other words, all the players in this inaugural all-star game had was an opportunity to make their case. At least a handful of them have proven they deserve an invitation to the NFL combine in February. Williams delivered those words of warning as a guest speaker at a banquet to recognize the players who made up the East and West teams. He didn't have notes. He didn't need any.

FAMU's LeRoy Vann is MVP of HBCU all-star game

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As Florida A&M's LeRoy Vann waited for the high punt to land in his arms, the crowd at Cramton Bowl was almost hushed Saturday afternoon. He ran it back 10 yards and the cheers went up. He crossed the 50-yard line and suddenly the inaugural Russell Athletics Senior Bowl became Vann's personal show with an 81-yard return for a touchdown that helped the East team give FAMU coach Joe Taylor a 26-21 victory over the West. But while Vann was spectacular, the crowd didn't get an opportunity to see the Rattlers' heralded quarterback Curtis Pulley on the field. He aggravated a groin injury that slowed him during the final weeks of the regular season and Taylor elected to sit him out.

FAMU's Taylor has a reunion with Hampton players

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Saturday wasn't just a historic occasion for Joe Taylor as one of the coaches in the first Russell Athletics Senior Bowl. It was an emotional reunion for him and three of the four players from Hampton University who played for the East team. Taylor came to FAMU from Hampton just before offensive linemen Ryan Cave and Nocolas Royal and running back Lamarcus Coker entered their junior year. Brandon Roundtree, the fourth Hampton player on the East squad, transferred from West Los Angeles Community College after Taylor left to become the Rattlers' head coach. The week they spent with Taylor as their coach was a bit of deja vu, Cave said. "It's the same thing all over again," he said. "It's just like he never left. It's really never about just football with Coach Taylor. He always taught us about life; to be successful doing something that makes you happy."

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Pough tabbed Palmetto State Coach of the Year

South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough has been named the 2009 Palmetto State College Coach of the Year and five Bulldogs earned a spot on the All-State team as selected by The (Columbia, SC) State newspaper and announced Wednesday. Pough guided SC State to a 10-2 overall record -- 8-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – its second straight MEAC title and back-to-back appearances in the FCS playoffs.

Bulldogs named to the All-State team were running back Will Ford, wide receiver and return specialist Tre’ Young, offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath, linebacker David Erby and defensive back Phillip Adams. Ford, Young and Adams are all departing seniors, while Erby and Culbreath are juniors. Wednesday’s announcement was the second major accolade bestowed on SC State this week. On Monday, SC State was declared the 2009 National Black Champion by the Sheridan Broadcasting Network.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
SC State women fall to Presbyterian
Bulldogs nip Paladins
SC State wins 2009 SBN National Championship
SC State back on track, university president says

Jackson State 41, Nebraska 57

Huskers beat winless Jackson State

His Huskers won again Saturday night to move to 8-2, but Doc Sadler is far from happy. The Nebraska basketball coach knows his team is three weeks away from a rude awakening, so forgive him if he isn’t able to celebrate a 16-point victory over winless Jackson State. “I don’t know if we took a step forward tonight in any area, except that we got the win,” Sadler said. “There’s not another positive thing.”

For Sadler, the Huskers’ 57-41 win Saturday night at the Devaney Sports Center was just one more chance for NU to prepare for Jan. 9, a day he certainly isn’t looking forward to. Nebraska takes on Texas A&M in College Station, Tex., that day to kick off its Big 12 Conference schedule, and the fourth-year coach knows the seven newcomers he played Saturday night are far from ready for that challenge. “We’re playing too many guys who have no idea what’s fixing to hit them,” he said. “It’s been too easy for them. If these guys are going be playing minutes, they better get ready.”

Attendance: 9,358

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Russell Athletics HBCU Senior Bowl Today

Taylor brings credibility to Senior Bowl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Joe Taylor didn't give an immediate "yes" to Darryl Moore's invitation to coach the East team in today's Russell Athletics HBCU Senior Bowl. Taylor, who had just gotten through coaching FAMU to its second consecutive winning season, had reservations. Moore, a passionate advocate of HBCU football, persisted. Taylor, known for being organized and a stickler for details, went hunting for the facts about Moore's Synergy Sports and Associates company.

He found out that the fledgling promoter had already gotten the backing of Montgomery city government and a multi-year sponsorship from Russell Athletics for the inaugural event. Moore didn't just have the final piece to make the game go when Taylor committed, but the game instantly gained credibility. "He is a guy who has put a stamp on HBCU football," Moore said. "It's unbelievable to have a guy like that in your corner." Taylor's participation adds a recognizable name to the event, which is being considered in some quarters as a replacement for the Blue-Gray Classic.

CLICK HERE FOR GAME WEBCAST LIVE AT 3 PM ET OR VIDEO ON DEMAND: http://www.wsfa.com/Global/category.asp?C=1191&nav=menu33_4

Young drawing scouts eyes at HBCU Bowl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Tre’ Young knows the opportunity afforded him this week at the HBCU Senior Bowl. Last year, at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, NFL scouts showed up for Pro Day to find a large group of aspiring college players from all over South Carolina ready to show what they could do. They all were allowed to run the 40-yard dash. Three of them were allowed to move on with the rest of the day’s activities. The rest of the players found themselves locked out, literally, from the rest of the workout.

Several were former teammates of Young, so the long-striding S.C. State wide receiver has embraced the opportunity to have more time to impress the scouts heading into today’s contest, an All-Star game featuring the top HBCU players in the country, scheduled to kickoff at 2 p.m. "It’s a blessing,” Young said. “It’s a blessing to be given the opportunity to play in a game of this type of magnitude. I’m getting a chance to come out and showcase my talent against some of the best players in HBCU football and that is real exciting.”

2009 RUSSELL ATHLETIC HBCU BOWL

EAST ROSTER
1 QB Curtis Pulley FAMU 6-4 200 Hopkinsville, KY

2 DB Antwan Cox Bethune-Cookman 6-1 180 Miami, FL

3 DB Phillip Adams SC State 6-1 180 Rock Hill, SC

4 DB Jody Ellis Morgan State 6-0 180 Evansboro, IL

5 DB Quintez Smith Shaw 6-1 187 Dublin, GA

6 DB Terrell Whitehead Norfolk 6-2 200 VA Beach,VA

7 DB Leroy Vann FAMU 5-9 185 Tampa, FL

8 WR DeAndre Okonji Shaw 6-2 198 Upland, CA

10 QB Dennis Brown Norfolk 6-3 202 Miami, FL

12 QB Carlton Fears NC A&T 6-1 190 St. Mountain, GA

21 DB Jeff Gowdy Fayetteville St 5-11 185 Jacksonville, NC

22 RB Will Ford SC State 5-11 200 Travelors Rest, SC

23 RB Lamarcus Coker Hampton 5-10 195 Nashville, TN

32 LB Marcus Esquivel Fayetteville State 6-1 228 Kearny, AZ

33 DB Justin Hamilton Elizabeth City 5-10 170 Washington, DC

34 RB Devan James Morgan State 5-10 200 Pompano Beach, FL

37 K Justin Castellat Norfolk 6-1 170 VA Beach, VA

40 LB Hurley Hemphill VA Union 6-2 240 Kannapolis, NC

47 LB Kalvin Baker Tennessee State 6-1 260 Columbus, GA

48 LB Brandon Roundtree Hampton 6-2 220 Compton, CA

49 LB Bryan Parker FAMU 6-3 230 Randlestown, MD

55 LB George Howard Morgan State 6-1 230 Chesapeake, VA

56 OL Robert Norris Morgan State 6-4 300 Cheltenham, MD

58 OL Ryan Griffin Bethune-Cookman 6-3 280 Miami, FL

65 OL Anthony Collins FAMU 6-3 355 Miami, FL

68 OL Mike Maloney Delaware State 6-6 290 Chicago, IL

71 OL Steve Brazzle FAMU 6-4 325 Coatesville, PA

74 OL Dylan Stivers Elizabeth City 6-6 305 Guerneville, CA

75 OL Gabriel Manns NC Central 6-6 305 Winston Salem, NC

76 OL Nicolas Royal Hampton 6-4 323 Keeling, VA

77 OL Ryan Cave Hampton 6-4 360 Beaufort, SC

79 OL Robert Okeafor FAMU 6-4 320 Jacksonville, FL

81 K Daniel Mendez Elizabeth City 5-11 190 Riverside, CA

83 DL Yuself Dorman-EL Bowie 6-5 240 Baltimore, MD

84 DL Dewayne Moss Shaw 6-4 275 Petersburg, VA

85 WR Oliver Young SC State 6-0 200 Charleston, SC

87 WR Damon McDaniel Hampton 6-0 185 VA Beach, VA

88 WR Reggie Smith Elizabeth City 5-11 195 Ft. Wayne, IN

89 WR Phillip Kirkland Bethune-Cookman 5-10 195 Quincy, FL

90 DL Marcus Crump St. Augustine 6-6 240 Pittsboro, NC

91 DL Tyree Glasper NC A&T 6-3 274 Detroit, MI

92 DL Justin Lawrence Morgan State 6-1 275 Cheltenham, MD

95 DL Dexter Jackson Bethune-Cookman 6-2 280 Jacksonville, Fl

98 DL James Carter Howard 6-2 265 Tifton, GA

99 DL Cameron Houston FAMU 6-0 285 Rockledge, FL

WEST ROSTER

1 DB Rod Williams Alcorn 5-11 180 Monroe, LA

2 DB Anthony Beck Prairie View 6-1 205 Houston, TX

3 WR Antonio Dejarnett Alcorn 6-1 182 Elridge, AL

4 DB Justin Hannah Tuskegee 5-10 185 Birmingham, AL

5 DB Jason Bruce Alabama State 6-1 195 Montgomery, AL

6 RB Rahmond Traylor Alabama State 5-11 205 Memphis, TN

7 QB Tim Buckley Alcorn 6-1 185 Madison, MS

8 DB Nigel Copeland Grambling 6-0 190 Birmingham, AL

10 QB AJ McKenna Albany State 6-5 220 Albany, GA

12 QB Bryant Lee Southern 6-3 205 Boutte, LA

21 RB Ulysses Banks Alabama A&M 5-11 200 Birmingham, AL

22 DB Rechard Johnson Alabama State 6-0 190 Montgomery, AL

23 DB Derrick Shelton Lane 5-10 170 Missouri City, TX

32 DB Kevin Thornton Arkansas Pine Bluff 6-1 200 Little Rock, AR

33 RB Demetrice Johnson Albany State 5-11 210 Albany, GA

34 RB Quinn Porter Stillman 6-1 200 Los Angelos, CA

37 LB Michael Thompson Benedict 6-0 220 Springfield, OH

40 DB Jeremy Obie Tuskegee 5-11 184 High Point, NC

47 LB Marcus Jamison Jackson State 6-1 235 Brooksville, MS

48 LB Brandon Anderson Tuskegee 6-3 220 Toxey, AL

49 LB Zimier McCloud Clark-Atlanta 5-11 236 Philadelphia, PA

55 LB Adrian Hardy Alabama State 6-2 197 Selma, AL

56 LB Allan Baugh Southern 6-0 235 Houston, TX

58 DL Jeremy Maddox Alabama A&M 6-0 263 Grand Bay, AL

65 OL Robert Ogletree Mississippi Valley 6-2 290 Birmingham, AL

68 OL Xavier Manuel Alabama A&M 6-1 325 Vinegar Bend, AL

71 OL Revay Smith Grambling 6-1 330 Port Allen, LA

74 OL Adrian Banks Southern 6-1 295 Houston, TX

75 OL Chris Hymel Stillman 6-3 300 Birmingham, AL

76 OL Mikeal Harshaw Jackson State 6-4 310 Memphis, TN

77 OL Ramone Harewood Morehouse 6-8 310 St Michael, Barbados

79 OL Collin Cordell Ft Valley 6-5 345 Douglasville, GA

81 TE Remo Gay Arkansas Pine Bluff 6-2 230 Bartlett, TN

83 TE Jonathan Hannah Texas Southern 6-4 260 Bethesda, MD

84 DL Robert Jackson Ft Valley 6-4 300 Jonesboro, GA

85 WR Thomas Harris Alabama A&M 6-0 174 Alexander City, AL

87 WR Archille Henje Morehouse 6-2 190 Silver Springs, MD

88 WR Jumorris Stewart Southern 6-3 205 Baton Rouge, LA

89 K Christopher Khan Tuskegee 6-0 190 Tuskegee, AL

90 DL Tyrell Henderson Kentucky State 6-7 255 Columbus, OH

91 DL Daryl Corley Miles 6-4 313 Birmingham, AL

92 DL Jared Dorn Arkansa Pine Bluff 6-2 250 Pine Bluff, AR

95 DL Terrence Banks Jackson State 6-2 290 Newark, NJ

98 DL Noel Alphonso Alabama State 6-5 270 Tallahassee, FL

99 DL Junior Galette Stillman 6-2 255 Spring,Valley, NY

South Carolina State 93, Furman 91

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Carrio Bennett made a three-point play with 4 seconds left in overtime and South Carolina State defeated Furman 93-91 on Friday night. Bennett was one of five Bulldogs (6-2) in double figures as Jason Flagler scored 19, Darnell Porter and Brandon Small had 16 each and Arsenio Williams added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Furman's Neil Duval tied the game at 90 on two free throws with 21 seconds left in overtime. Bennett then put the Bulldogs ahead 93-90, and the Paladins' Darryl Evans went to the free throw line with 3 seconds left. He made the first shot, missed the second and Jordan Miller grabbed the offensive rebound. However, Furman (5-4) couldn't get off a shot. Evans finished with 19 points.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
South Carolina State tops High Point 76-63
Miami Hurricanes trample SC State 91-54
Three seniors from SC State to Play in HBCU Bowl Saturday

PVAMU's Henry Frazier III Wins Eddie Robinson Award

Coach Frazier is the first coach of a Southwestern Athletic Conference team, or a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to win the Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the top coach in the Football Championship Subdivision.

CHATTANOOGA, TN -- Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III was named the 23rd winner of the Eddie Robinson Award Thursday night at The Sports Network's Football Championship Subdivision Awards Banquet, held at the Chattanooga Convention Center on the eve of the NCAA Division I Football Championship title game. Frazier is the first coach of a Southwestern Athletic Conference team, or a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to win the Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the top coach in FCS. Robinson, the legendary Grambling State coach, spent much of his career in the SWAC.

"It is a humbling honor," said Frazier. "It's a great honor to be considered the top coach in your conference and it's an even greater honor to be considered the top coach in the country." Taking over a program best known for losing an NCAA-record 80 consecutive games from 1989-98, Frazier led the Panthers to a perfect 7-0 conference mark, the SWAC West Division title and their first-ever berth in the SWAC championship game since the title contest was introduced in 1999.



Frazier is 36-27 at Prairie View and has gone 25-5 in the past three years. Prairie View completed its season with a thrilling, 30-24 SWAC title game victory over Alabama A&M. The Panthers hadn't won a SWAC championship since 1964, and 2009 marked the team's second consecutive 9-1 season. "When we took over at Prairie View, if there were 119 teams, we were the 119(th) team in the country," Frazier said. In 2008, Prairie View also beat both Grambling and Southern in the same year for the first time in 35 seasons, and posted its first nine-win campaign since 1953, a feat they duplicated this season.

The 2009 season marks the first time the Panthers have had three consecutive winning years since legendary PVAM coach W.J. Nicks ran off nine straight such seasons from 1957-65. Frazier also coached the Panthers to the No. 18 spot in the final regular season Sports Network poll, the highest ranking Prairie View has ever held. PVAM was ranked 25th last season, the first time the Panthers had ever made a poll appearance.

In the second-closest balloting in Robinson Award history, Frazier received 24 first-place votes out of the 125 ballots cast by a panel of sports information directors and select media who regularly cover FCS. He picked up 237 points to edge J.C. Harper of Stephen F. Austin by two points. (Full voting information is available at sportsnetwork.com). Jerry Moore of Appalachian State won by one point over Craig Bohl of North Dakota State in 2006.

The Sports Network established the Eddie Robinson Award in 1987. Past recipients of this prestigious honor include current FCS coaches, two-time winner Mickey Matthews of James Madison, Northern Iowa skipper Mark Farley, New Hampshire's Sean McDonnell, Villanova's Andy Talley, Mike Ayers of Wofford and Elon's Pete Lembo, when he won the coveted award with Lehigh.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Area college notebook: Prairie View looking to 2010
Prairie View's Frazier named FCS coach of the year

NC A&T releases 2010 football schedule

Head coach Alonzo Lee has Aggies moving in right direction.

N.C. A&T will play in the 2010 Circle City Classic in Indianapolis on Oct. 2, the university announced Wednesday. The Aggies will play Tennessee State, their opponent in the 2005 Classic. A&T won that game 16-3. A&T will open its 2010 football season at home against Winston-Salem State on Sept. 4. Homecoming will be Oct. 9, with Morgan State as the Aggies' opponent. Other home games for A&T include Howard on Oct. 23, Florida A&M on Nov. 6; and S.C. State on Nov. 20. The Aggies travel to Norfolk State on Sept. 11 and Hampton on Sept. 18. They will play rival and newest MEAC member N.C. Central on September 25.

North Carolina A&T's 2010 football schedule as it stands now:
Sept. 4: Winston-Salem State
Sept. 11: at Norfolk State
Sept. 18: at Hampton
Sept. 25: vs. N.C. Central, location tba
Oct. 2: vs. Tennessee State at Indianapolis, Ind.
Oct. 9: Morgan State (homecoming)
Oct. 23: Howard
Nov. 6: Florida A&M
Nov. 20: South Carolina State

Texas Southern Football to Play at UConn in 2010

The University of Connecticut football team had a hole in its schedule for next season when Northeastern abruptly dropped its football program this month. Texas Southern has filled the vacancy. The Huskies will host FCS Texas Southern, out of the Southern Athletic Conference, on Saturday, Sept. 11, a week after a season-opening game at Michigan. It will be the home opener at Rentschler Field for the Huskies.

Coach Johnnie Cole's Texas Southern Tigers went 6-5 this season and expects to lose only four starters heading into the 2010 season.

UConn has tried to have a single FCS game on the schedule every year and was playing regional FCS teams including Rhode Island, Maine, and Hofstra in recent seasons. Northeastern was due to be next, but ended up folding instead. Hofstra also dropped its football program. Schedules are set years in advance and the Huskies had to struggle to find a team with an open date and willing to go on the road early in the season. UConn’s non-conference schedule for 2010 is at Michigan, at Temple and home against Texas Southern, Buffalo and Vanderbilt.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
TSU to Play UCONN in Football
Cole in Texas Southern's stocking...so far

Florida A&M 61, Alabama 52

FAMU scores big comeback win, 61-52

Alabama was on a run that produced a five-point lead over FAMU with eight minutes left in the game, when Qiana Donald summoned the rest of the Rattlers into a huddle. "Once they started taking the lead, I had to call everybody together and let them know this is our game," Donald said. "We couldn't let them walk out with the win." The Crimson Tide didn't, as the Rattlers regained the lead with 6:01 left and completed a stunning comeback for a 61-52 victory Tuesday night at the Lawson Center. It was FAMU's second third victory over a major women's basketball program and its second over a SEC team. This one seemingly was headed the way of a blowout loss to Kentucky just four days ago as the Rattlers (6-3) spotted Alabama (6-5) a 13-point lead early in the first half. During the Alabama run, not even routine plays worked for the Rattlers.

Photo Gallery: FAMU vs Alabama Basketball

Women's Basketball Drops 61-52 Decision at Florida A&M

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The women's basketball team fell 61-52 to Florida A&M on Monday at the Al Lawson Center. With the loss, the Crimson Tide drops to 6-5 overall, while the Lady Rattlers up their season standing to 6-3. "You can't go on the road and shoot the way we did tonight," said head coach Wendell Hudson. "We have to step up and make those shots. We did all the things we were supposed to do from a defensive standpoint and all that added up, you would have thought we won the game. Like I've said before though it's hard to win basketball games on the road, and even harder if we can't make shots."

Final Stats

NEXT GAME: Dec. 30, FAMU at Alabama State, 8 p.m.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLES.

Morgan State 83, Manhattan 74

MSU Bears Reggie Holmes waxes the Jaspers with 31 points, hitting 4 of 6 three's.

Holmes scores 31 in Morgan's win over Manhattan

Reggie Holmes scored 31 points and Morgan State held off Manhattan 83-74 on Saturday.
Troy Smith came off the bench to score 12 points, and Kevin Thompson had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Bears (6-4). The Bears led 33-28 at halftime and never trailed in the second half. Leading 50-49 with 9:38 to play, the Bears went on a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach, capped by a jumper by Joe Davis for a 59-49 lead with 8:17 to play. The Bears built their largest lead at 78-65 with 1:18 to play on a pair of free throws by Troy Smith. Morgan State shot 46.2 percent from the field (24 of 52) while the Jaspers shot 37.1 percent (23 of 62).

The expression of Morgan State Bears Coach Todd Bozeman says it all--Please, tell me these scores are a mistake. The MEAC and SWAC really didn't get beat like this!

SCORES FROM AROUND THE MEAC...

West Virginia 69 (7-0), Coppin State 43 (5-4)
Arizona State 76 (7-3), Delaware State 34 (4-4)
Miami (FL) 91 (9-1) S. Carolina State 54 (5-2)
Central Fla. 63 (7-2), Bethune Cookman 50 (5-4)Minnesota 94, Morgan State 64 (12/8/09)

SCORES FROM AROUND THE SWAC ...

Chattanooga 82 (5-4), MVSU 60 (1-8)
S. Illinois 82 (5-2), Alabama State 63 (1-6)
Southern 78 (1-8), New Orleans 73 (5-3)

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE

Prairie View wins first SWAC title in 45 years

PVAMU Coach Henry Fraizer III does the impossible--makes Panthers into SWAC Champions!

Prairie View wins first SWAC title in 45 years

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Nasty weather, a tough Alabama A&M squad and a few costly mistakes couldn’t keep Prairie View A&M from reaching its season-long goal of winning the school’s first conference championship since 1964. With quarterback K.J. Black leading the way, the Panthers claimed a 30-24 victory over Alabama A&M on Saturday in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game before a crowd of 20,218 at Legion Field.

Black, voted the game’s Offensive Most Valuable Player, completed 18 of 28 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter when Prairie View (9-1) seized control. “When I got here, all anybody was talking about this year was a championship,” said Black, a first-year transfer from Western Kentucky who went 8-0 as a starter this season. “When you can see that in somebody’s eyes and you know everybody is striving for the same goal, it makes you want to work that much harder. That collective effort got us to where we are right now.”

WATCH REPLAY SWAC Championship - Prairie View A&M vs. Alabama A&M

Happy days here again for Prairie View

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As a glorious celebration carried on behind him, Henry Frazier III — the coach of the championship Prairie View A&M football team — struggled to fit the title belt around his waist. He joked that his expanded waistline made things a bit more difficult than he imagined it would be last January when he purchased the belt to inspire his squad. If only building a champion at Prairie View were as easy as fitting a prong through an eyelet.

What nerve and courage Frazier showed to have even imagined Prairie View as a football champion. But that is what the Panthers are after they fended off Alabama A&M 30-24 on Saturday to claim their first Southwestern Athletic Conference title since 1964. It came in a chilly 40 degrees with a steady drizzle at Legion Field, but the Panther faithful were warm with pride after witnessing the final step in their program's climb from the depths of the college football world to the height of the SWAC.

Prairie View's Title Is Its First in 45 Years (New York Times)

Prairie View, which lost 80 straight games in the 1990s, won the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship Saturday, beating Alabama A&M, 30-24 in Birmingham, Ala. It was the program’s first conference title in 45 years. “Nobody on this staff, nobody on this team was born in 1964,” Coach Henry Frazier III said. “This is a special time.” K. J. Black threw for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns. Two of his scoring passes came in the fourth quarter as Prairie View (9-1) rallied past Alabama A&M (7-5).

Harry Williams finds a coaching home at Prairie View A&M

Former Jackson-Olin High, Tuskegee University and Houston Texans star Harry Williams #86 is at home on the football field as an assistant for Prairie View.

The place that Harry Williams feels most at home — the foot­ball field — felt for­eign to him in the days of early August. His steps were tentative. His thoughts were guarded. His decisions didn’t come easily. His new boss — Prairie View A&M head football coach Henry Frazier III — noticed. “When he first went on the field, it was different for him,” Frazier said. “I watched him, because, you know, you got a new guy and don’t really know how he’s going to be around my kids. I kind of watched him the first few days and he would just wander around. I went to him and said, ‘Hey Harry, get involved with whatever you want. I trust your judgment, so get involved." So how did things work out after that conversation? “He’s been a blessing,” Frazier said.

Updated, with photos: Prairie View tops Alabama A&M to win SWAC title

Former Western Kentucky starter K.J. Black threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, leading Prairie View A&M to a 30-24 victory against Alabama A&M in the SWAC Championship Game today at cold and wet Legion Field. Alabama A&M had one last shot on the game's final play, but freshman Deaunte Mason's Hail Mary heave into the end zone was knocked down as the horn sounded. Prairie View finishes the season 9-1, its only loss to Division I-A New Mexico State. Black was named the Offensive MVP and Panthers defensive end Quinton Spears was voted Defensive MVP.

SWAC Championship Game: It's cold and wet, but offenses are hot

Despite drizzling rain and chilly temperatures, the SWAC Championship Game is off and running (for the live telecast, tune into ESPN Classic). Both offenses started hot, scoring on their first possession. Prairie View got on the board first, thanks to a 39-yard Brady Faggard field goal. Alabama A&M answered with a 2-yard touchdown run from Ulysses Banks, the Birmingham native, and takes a 7-3 lead into the second quarter.

Prairie View rallies past 'Bama A&M for SWAC title

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Prairie View A&M, a program once synonymous with football futility, is a conference champion for the first time in 45 years.K.J. Black threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, two coming in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers ralllied for a 30-24 win over Alabama A&M in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game on Saturday."It's been a long time coming," said Prairie View coach Henry Frazier III. "Nobody on this staff, nobody on this team was born in 1964. This is a special time."Frazier is the one most responsible for turning around a program that gained notoriety during the 1990s by losing 80 consecutive games. "It's a special occasion," Frazier added. "I'm very proud of this football team."

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

SC State moves to extend Pough's contract

SC State moves to extend Pough's contract

At a time when colleges are filling head football coaching vacancies, South Carolina State furthered efforts Friday to keep around longer Oliver ‘Buddy’ Pough. On Friday, school attorney Ed Givens presented to the Board of Trustees a copy of a four-year contract extension offer given Thursday to Pough’s attorney Ricky Lefft. The deal would retain Pough at his alma mater through 2015 and increase his annual base salary starting in 2012 to $225,000. Pough was also reportedly given the right to hire nine assistant coaches and raise on his own outside funds, 40 percent of which would go back to the university’s athletics department.

Bulldogs take in $250000 more in 2009 season

South Carolina State University’s Bulldogs brought in more fans and money this year, the athletics director said. The creation of the Gamezone helped increase gross revenue for the 2009 football season more than $250,000 over 2008, Charlene Johnson said during an S.C. State board committee meeting. “I attribute promotion of football earlier in the year and Gamezone to that success,” Johnson said. Gamezone, “is still a work in progress.” Starting this season, the university began requiring fans to have a ticket to gain entry to the Gamezone area surrounding the stadium and pay for special parking passes in advance. The controversial policy is meant to generate additional revenue for the university during tight financial times, cut down on loitering and get more fans into the stands.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Job market for black coaches improving

Alabama A&M University Coach Anthony Jones has played in the NFL, coached successfully at the NCAA Division III, II and I-AA levels, but has not received any head coaching offers to move to the Division I-A level. Why?

Anthony Jones and Henry Frazier III can match resumes with any football coach in America. Both have taken over programs that were among the worst in the country: Frazier's Prairie View A&M team once went 0-80 in the 1990s and Alabama A&M's Jones got his first head coaching job at Morehouse College, which he says had won "eight games in 70 years" before he got there. Today in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game at Legion Field, Frazier has Prairie View playing for its first SWAC championship since 1964, which could lead to the school's first Black College National Championship since that year. Hoping to stop him is Jones, who left Morehouse for Alabama A&M and has the Bulldogs playing for their second SWAC title in his eight years.

"Anybody else with that resume, taking over programs like that and turning it around, would be considered a hot (coaching) prospect," Jones said. Yes, this another column about the shocking lack of opportunity for minority head coaches at the college level. Only this time, the situation seems to be getting better. Four minority head coaches have been hired at the Division I-A level this offseason: Charlie Strong at Louisville; Mike London at Virginia; Larry Porter at Memphis; and Willie Taggart at Western Kentucky. The hiring of Strong and London at BCS schools is a particularly good sign, considering that Miami's Randy Shannon was the only black coach among 66 BCS programs this past football season.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Prairie View, Alabama A&M meet for SWAC title

Prairie View, Alabama A&M meet for SWAC title

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Prairie View A&M's football program has come a long way. The team that once couldn't win now doesn't bother pondering the possibility of losing. The Panthers face Alabama A&M Saturday at Legion Field in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game, and coach Henry Frazier III was taken aback when asked if his team would still consider the season a success if it loses. “I haven't even thought about that,” Frazier said. “Not winning, that's not even something we've thought about. Ask me Saturday. I can't really answer that. That's not even in our minds.”

Yep, Prairie View (8-1) hardly resembles the program that lost 80 consecutive games in the 1990s. The Panthers are playing in their first SWAC title game and haven't won the league title since 1964. They won 11 league titles before there was a championship contest. Alabama A&M (7-4) made it to the championship game by winning its last two games following a 33-27 loss to Prairie View. The Bulldogs rallied from a 33-7 deficit midway through the third quarter before the comeback stalled.

Prairie View climbs from rock bottom to top of SWAC

Once a rock-bottom program, PV has made one of college football’s all-time-great climbs.

PRAIRIE VIEW — While his assistants prepare the Prairie View A&M Panthers for their next football game, head coach Henry Frazier III swaps stories during practice with John “Doc” Mayes, the school's longtime director of athletic training. Most of Mayes' tales have a similar theme — the time one of the team's buses caught fire en route to a game, the road trip on which each player's daily meal allowance was $12.50, the overnight stays when the Panthers had to sleep three to a hotel room, with the odd man out relegated to a rollaway bed. They all end the same way: At the final gun, Prairie View always lost.

Frazier makes the implausible a reality

Prairie View goes from basement mainstays to conference title game

PRAIRIE VIEW — Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III does not have a large office, but what there is contains a lot of significant mementos. On his desk are pictures of family members. Nearby are trophies in recognition of his coaching achievements. And nestled against a wall is Frazier's signature “championship” belt. The belt, which reads “PV Football 2009” on one side and “SWAC Champions” on the other, has become the symbol of Frazier's primary goal since he took over the program Dec. 22, 2003. That goal can become a reality if the Panthers (8-1) defeat Alabama A&M in Saturday's Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game at Birmingham, Ala.

Thanks to Frazier, Prairie View no joke

Long before Anthony Jones became the head football coach at Alabama A&M, he knew about Henry Frazier III, an up-and-coming coach at Bowie State. Jones coached against Frazier during his days at Morehouse College. The two hit it off, Jones said, during a recruiting fair in Maryland a few years ago. "I brought my son with me and he was going around recruiting players for me to come to Morehouse," Jones said. "Frazier was impressed with that. We became friends from that point on. "I have a lot of respect for him." Jones and Frazier, now the head coach at Prairie View, will put their friendship aside Saturday when the Bulldogs (7-4) take on the Panthers (8-1) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game at Birmingham's Legion Field. Kickoff is 1 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN Classic.

Prairie View's Black wins top SWAC offensive honor

Prairie View A&M junior quarterback K.J. Black was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year when the conference's postseason honors were released Wednesday. Texas Southern junior quarterback Arvell Nelson received Newcomer of the Year honors. Grambling State defensive end Christian Anthony was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Grambling kicker Ari Johnson was named Freshman of the Year.

Black, a transfer from Western Kentucky, threw for 1,775 yards and 19 touchdowns against four interceptions to lead Prairie View (8-1) to its first SWAC Western Division title. The Panthers will face Alabama A&M in Saturday's SWAC championship game in Birmingham, Ala. Black, who was also named to the All-SWAC second team, began the season as a backup, but started the Panthers' last seven games, all wins. He completed 71.3 percent of his passes and was second in the FCS in passing efficiency (172.18).

Seniors have sad history vs. Prairie View

Ulysses Banks has never beaten Prairie View. Neither has Thomas Harris, Xavier Manuel, Jeremy Maddox or Maurice Thomas just to name a few. In fact, only one of Alabama A&M's 12 seniors - fifth-year receiver Anthony Mitchell - has ever beaten Prairie View. That came in 2005. Since then, Prairie View has beaten A&M four straight times. Banks and the rest of A&M's seniors will take their final shot at Prairie View Saturday in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game at Birmingham's Legion Field. Kickoff is 1 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN Classic.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Morgan State Bears vs. Minnesota Gophers - ESPNU @ 6 p.m CT TONIGHT.

Morgan State at Gophers (6 p.m. CT, Tuesday, ESPNU)

U faces coach making best of his 2nd chance

Taking over at Morgan State after eight years in exile for a Cal scandal, Todd Bozeman led the team to a MEAC title.

Morgan State doesn't have Cal's prestige, TV contracts, weather or pay scale. And Todd Bozeman has a better chance of winning the lottery than recruiting future NBA lottery picks -- an annual feat for him when he coached Cal in the early '90s -- to the Baltimore-based historically black college that plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. But he's content to have a second chance, albeit as head coach of a midmajor program. Bozeman viewed recruiting as a "life or death" pursuit when he took over at Cal as a 29-year-old in 1993. In 1996, he resigned after admitting that he paid the parents of a player $30,000. In 1997, the NCAA banned any school from hiring him without permission for eight years.

After a lengthy hiatus that included a stint in pharmaceutical sales, a wiser Bozeman took over at Morgan State in 2006. And in three years, he took a team that won four games the season before he arrived to a conference championship at the conclusion of the 2008-09 season. The cherry on the sundae of Morgan State's redemption -- and Bozeman's -- was the school's first Division I NCAA tournament bid last season. Bozeman signed a new five-year contract in April. "We've just been trying to build slowly but surely and take positive steps every year," said Bozeman, whose team faces the Gophers tonight at Williams Arena.

U men gameday

Preview: Todd Bozeman has rebuilt Morgan State (5-3), taking the Bears to their first NCAA tournament appearance last season. The Gophers (5-3) hope to get their second victory in a row and continue to shake a startling three-game losing streak.

Key players: Reggie Holmes, a 6-4 guard, averages 24.6 points per game for Morgan State. Stat line for Minnesota's Damian Johnson: 11.6 points, 2.3 blocks and 2.4 steals per game.

Numbers: Minnesota is Morgan State's eighth road opponent in nine games. Entering the week, the Gophers had the Big Ten's top scoring defense (57.6 points allowed per game).

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Gophers and Bears to Tangle at Williams
Bears Set To Face Golden Gophers Tuesday Night in ESPNU Televised Match-up

Southern University fires football coach Pete Richardson

BREAKING SPORTS NEWS: Southern fires football coach Pete Richardson

BATON ROUGE – Southern University has fired Head Football Coach Pete Richardson. Athletic Director Greg LaFleur said Richardson was notified at 3 p.m. that after 17 years in the post his services were no longer needed. “We’re concerned about the direction of the football program,” LaFleur said. “It’s time to go in a different direction.”

Southern ended the 2009 season with a 6-5 record but lost perhaps the biggest game of the season – the Bayou Classic in New Orleans – to Grambling 31-13. The Jaguars also dropped its final game to Texas Southern 30-25, giving up a touchdown with 16 seconds remaining. “No one game did it,” LaFleur said. “You have to look at it as a whole.”

Southern U fires football coach

BATON ROUGE, La. - Pete Richardson, the football coach at Southern University for 17 years, has been fired. Southern's Athletic Director Greg LaFleur announced the move on Monday. Lafleur says offensive line coach Damon Nivens will serve as interim coach until a replacement is named. Known as the "Dean of the SWAC,'' Richardson had a 134-62 record in his 17 years at Southern. That included four, 11-win seasons and one 12-win season.

Southern fires football coach Pete Richardson

The run for Pete Richardson "On the Bluff" in Baton Rouge has come to an end. The man known as Coach Pete was fired as head football coach at Southern University. In his 17 seasons at the school, Richardson led the Jaguars to a 105-38 record, second only to legendary A.W. Mumford. He coached the Jags to 5 SWAC championships and one black college national championship.

In 2009, the Jaguars finished up at 6-5, losing their last two contests to Grambling in the Bayou Classic and Texas Southern on the road. Southern was 3-5 this season in the SWAC. The listless finish to the season as well as questionable management style regarding timeouts in the finale versus Texas Southern sealed the deal. Richardson had one year remaining on his contract.

Keys: SU football at crossroads

How’s that for a crummy way to finish off a football season? Saturday afternoon at Delmar Stadium, in a not-so-grand finale before a tiny crowd (attendance was listed at 10,769, but the actual crowd could have practically fit inside a Dodge Neon), Southern played well enough for 58 minutes to defeat Texas Southern. But those pesky last two minutes were a doozy.

The result was a 30-25 loss that seemed to trump all others in shock value. Saturday’s game wasn’t so crushing because the Jaguars lost. It was how they lost. Those final two minutes were peppered with confusion on the sideline and poor execution on the field. TSU took advantage, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Fans react to firing of Pete Richardson
Richardson had impact
Richardson fired
Season brings mostly disappointing results for area teams

Grambling State 46, Wisconsin 79

Wisconsin 79, Grambling St. 46

MADISON, Wis. - Trevon Hughes had 13 of his 20 points in the second half and added seven rebounds and four assists to lead Wisconsin to a 79-46 victory over Grambling State on Saturday. It was the senior point guard's second straight strong performance, and the Badgers (6-1) didn't show any drop off after winning consecutive games against then-No. 21 Maryland last week and No. 6 Duke on Wednesday night. Even with his team up 74-37, Hughes was still working, diving into press row and landing awkwardly with 3:56 remaining. He came back out with a bandage on his upper right arm. Donald Qualls scored 15 points for Grambling State (1-4), which had problems just getting to the game after 16 hours of travel on a Friday full of delays. The Tigers' only lead came at 4-3 and was quickly erased on a 17-2 run by Wisconsin that was capped by Jordan Taylor's layup just over seven minutes into the game.

No let-down for Badger hoops as they crush Grambling

MADISON - Trevon Hughes scored 20 points and took down seven rebounds, leading Wisconsin to a 79-46 rout of Grambling State at the Kohl Center. Hughes scored 13 of his points in the second half. He also had four assists. The Badgers are 6-1. The Tigers only led the game once at 4-3, but Wisconsin promptly went on a 17-2 run and never was threatened again. The Saturday win, coupled with defeats of top-25 teams Maryland and Duke, means Wisconsin could be ranked when the poll comes out this week.
It was a chore to simply make it to the game for Grambling. The Louisiana school's plane had mechanical problems, meaning the traveling party had to split up. They didn't make it to Madison until after 11 Friday night. They had left Shreveport 16 hours earlier.

READ MORE, CLICK BLOG TITLE.