Cal Bears Roll Past Grambling State In Season Opener

BERKELEY, California  --  If the Cal football team had designs on making a good first impression to kick off the 2015 season, consider Saturday's 73-14 victory over Grambling State about as emphatic a tone-setter as the Bears could've hoped for.

Jared Goff kicked off his junior season in fine fashion, completing 24 of 32 passes for 309 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Kenny Lawler was Goff's main target as the junior from Pomona, Calif. made six catches for 69 yards and equaled a school record with three touchdown receptions. The Bears amassed 656 yards of total offense and the 73 points are the second-most in program history behind only an 86-point performance against Pacific in 1991.



For all the offensive numbers Cal put up, it was the defense that provided some of the most emphatic lines on the stat sheet. The Bears scored two defensive touchdowns in a game for the first time since Sept. 11, 2010 against Colorado. Cal also intercepted four passes, the Bears' most since they grabbed four against UCLA in 2012, and forced five turnovers for the first time since picking up six in that same game.

"I thought we played well," Cal head coach Sonny Dykes said. "Our players were really excited about having a chance to get out and play and compete this Saturday and I thought they played well. I was proud of them. It got a little sloppy at times and there are a lot of things we need to improve on to become a good football team but I certainly thought it was a good starting point."

The highlights started right off the bat Saturday on a sun-splashed day in Strawberry Canyon. And, it was the defense that set the stage for the good times to come. A three-and-out on Grambling State's opening drive gave the Bears the ball on the Tigers' 41 and it took Cal just three plays to find the south end zone. Running back Daniel Lasco did the honors, rumbling over right tackle for a four-yard touchdown to score the first points of the new season.

Cameron Walker continued the defensive theme when he plucked a ricochet off the back of an unsuspecting Grambling State receiver and returned it 14 yards for his first career touchdown. Darius Allensworth grabbed another interception to put the Bears in plus territory again and Goff found Lawler for a three-yard touchdown.



A blocked punt by Matt Rockett put Cal (1-0) in position yet again and Goff hooked up with Lawler again for a 19-yard touchdown and 28-0 Cal lead. And, with 21 seconds left in the quarter, Devante Downs put an exclamation point on the season's first period with an 8-yard interception return for a touchdown of his own, tying the school record for points in a quarter (Baylor, 2002) and making it 35-0.

"Hopefully it's the first step of our defense getting on the same level as our offense nationally," Walker said. "We've been talked badly about since I've been here, the past three years, so it's finally time to get rid of that and make forward strides."

Goff's rapport with his receivers showed more and more as the first half went on, but it was Lawler who could be found most often in the end zone. His 16-yard touchdown reception with 3:11 left in the first half made it 42-0 Bears and tied him with Keenan Allen for seventh on Cal's all-time TD reception list with 17. Lawler has six TD catches in last two games, dating back to last season.

"Probably every touchdown I threw to Kenny, I wouldn't have thrown three years ago," Goff said. "Those were all timing routes, stuff we've worked on in the offseason. I have to trust him, he has to trust me to throw it to the right spot. He did a great job today."

The Bears carried a 52-0 lead into halftime, their biggest lead at intermission and most points in any half in program history. Touchdown runs by Tre Watson and Jeffrey Coprich and a 63-yard touchdown pass from Chase Forrest to Bug Rivera rounded out the scoring for the Bears. Grambling State (0-1) got on the board with 12:40 left to play when Trevon Cherry found Brandon Byrdsong for a four-yard touchdown pass and added another score a few minutes later when Martez Carter broke free for a 90-yard touchdown run.

Cal returns to Memorial Stadium next Saturday as the Bears host San Diego State at 2 p.m. That game will be televised live by Pac-12 Networks. From there, Cal hits the road for two in a row as it travels to Texas on Sept. 19 and Washington on Sept. 26. The Bears come home to start October when Washington State visits for the Bears' homecoming on Oct. 3.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BEARS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Middle Tennessee State rolls over Jackson State, 70-14

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee -- The opening game of the season often brings its share of sloppiness and mistakes.

Earlier this week Jackson State coach Harold Jackson seemed concerned about his team playing its toughest opponent of the season, Middle Tennessee State, in its first game.

"I don't feel good about (having to play the best team first). I kind of like having somebody (to play) that we can get ourselves together," Jackson said. "But we'll take it on as we got it."

The Tigers committed their share of errors on offense, defense, and special teams, and that was the recipe for a 70-14 loss to the Blue Raiders in front of 15,908 fans at Floyd Stadium on Saturday.

"I thought we came into this ballgame ready to play," Jackson said. "Unfortunately, we weren't ready to play. In the beginning of the game they ran with that fast offense, and that wears your defense down. I think that's what happened.

"They rolled in a lot of guys, and we just didn't have enough guys to roll with them."

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Livingstone opens at Benedict in televised game

COURTESY THE SIAC MEDIA RELATIONS

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- Livingstone College’s Blue Bears kick off their football season this afternoon, facing Benedict in the 14th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic. The game will be played at 5 p.m., at Charlie Johnson Stadium on Benedict’s campus in Columbia, S.C. It will be televised on ASPIRE Network, channel 185 on Time Warner Cable.

Livingstone, entering its third year under head coach Daryl Williams, hopes to have a winning season for the first time in 17 years. A win today would be a nice start in achieving that goal.

The Blue Bears were 5-5 last season, but lost its last three games, to strong opponents Winston-Salem State, Fayetteville State and Johnson C. Smith. The team returns a potent offense, but has rebuilt its defense, probably a good thing considering last year, Livingstone allowed nearly 35 points per game.

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Air Force opens 2015 season by hosting Morgan State

Game Notes 

BROADCAST INFORMATION

TELEVISION: ROOT Sports
Marc Stout (play-by-play), Sed Bonner (analyst), Tori Holt (sidelines)
 
RADIO: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, CO; The Fan 104.3 in Denver;
goairforcefalcons.com
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)

NOTES

• Air Force opens the season with consecutive home games.
• The Falcons are 38-19-2 overall in season openers, including a 33-8 mark at home.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is 8-0 in season openers.
• Air Force is 25-16 all-time in non-conference games under coach Troy Calhoun.
• Air Force has won seven straight home games dating back to 2013.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun has led Air Force to five eight-win seasons.
• Air Force’s schedule has two teams that are nationally ranked. Michigan State is

    No. 5 while Boise State is No. 23.

• Air Force defeated Nicholls State, 44-16, in last season’s opener.

THE SERIES

Air Force and Morgan State are meeting for the first time.

ABOUT MORGAN STATE

Morgan State is an FBS member ... Morgan State was 7-6 overall last season and tied for first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 5-2 mark ... The cconference title is the first since 1979 for the program ... The Bears were picked ninth in the Boxtorow FCS HBCU preseason poll ... Morgan State has a league-best 10 players on the preseason all-MEAC team ... Running back Herb Walker, Jr. and offensive lineman Dominique Woods were each selected to the 2015 Boxtorow Preseason All-American team ... Walker led the Bears in rushing last season with 1,408 yards on 233 carries while earning first-team all-league honors ... He was 12th nationally in rushing last season and was a nominee for the Walter Payton Award.

SEASON OPENERS

• Air Force is 38-19-2 overall in season openers, including a 33-8 mark in season openers at home.
• Air Force has won eight straight and nine of the last 11 season openers with the only losses coming at No. 11 Tennessee in 2006 and vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• The Falcons have won 10 of the last 11 season openers at home with the only loss coming vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• Air Force has won 17 straight season openers vs. unranked teams dating back to a 34-21 setback vs. Colorado State in 1994.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is 8-0 in season openers, all eight coming at home.

AIR FORCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER CALHOUN

Air Force is 25-16 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons are 15-3 at home, 6-9 on the road and 4-4 in neutral site games.

Air Force was 5-0 last season in non-conference games. The Falcons opened the season with a 44-16 win over Nicholls State in Falcon Stadium. Air Force snapped a nine-game road losing streak with a 48-38 win at Georgia State. The Falcons beat Navy 30-21 in Falcon Stadium Oct. 4, won at Army, 23-6, on Nov. 1 and beat Western Michigan, 38-24, Dec. 20 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Air Force has won six straight non-conference games dating back to 2013.

AIR FORCE VS. FCS TEAMS

Air Force is 19-0 all-time against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision. Head Coach Troy Calhoun is 9-0, including last season’s 44-16 victory over Nicholls State to open the season.

 AIR FORCE AT HOME

Air Force is 36-14 in Falcon Stadium under head coach Troy Calhoun, including a 6-0 mark in 2014. The 2014 season was just the fourth time in school history and second under Calhoun, that Air Force has posted a 6-0 home mark.

LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR’S SEASON OPENER

Air Force defeated Nicholls, 44-16, to improve to 8-0 all-time in season openers under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons ran wild, rushing for a nation’s-best 539 yards. Jacobi Owens led the way with 233 yards on 23 carries to set a school record for rushing yards by a player in his first-career start. Owens averaged 10.1 yards per carry and had three runs of 20 or more yards.

The Falcons broke open a 9-9 tie early in the second quarter with touchdown runs from Broam Hart and Devin Rushing to take a 23-9 halftime lead. Owens helped power the first half outbreak collecting 171 of his yards in the first two quarters. The Falcons made it 35 unanswered points with third quarter rushing touchdowns from Shayne Davern and Rushing, while Paco Solano closed the scoring for Air Force with an 11-yard rushing touchdown to make it 44-9 midway through the fourth quarter. Nicholls added a late touchdown to make up the final margin.

Rushing added 55 yards rushing while quarterback Kale Pearson chipped in with 46 yards. He also hit three of six passes for 19 yards as Air Force finished with 558 total yards. The defense was led by Connor Healy, who had eight tackles in his first-career start. Weston Steelhammer added two sacks, including one in the end zone for a safety to open the scoring for Air Force. The defense gave up just 263 total yards and had five quarterback sacks.

LOOKING BACK AT LAST SEASON

Air Force completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football in 2014. The Falcons finished the season 10-3 overall and had a 5-3 mark in conference play after a 2-10 mark in 2013. The eight-game turnaround is the best in school history and tied with TCU as the best in the country. The Falcons qualified for their seventh bowl game in eight seasons, defeating Western Michigan, 38-24, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Air Force defeated both Army and Navy to win a record 19th Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy title and its third in the last five years.

The Falcons entered the bowl season as one of just two teams nationally to have beaten two 10-win teams in the regular season. The Falcons beat Boise State and in-state rival Colorado State, who each won 10 or more games. Air Force’s 10-win season is just is sixth in school history. The victory over Boise State was historic, as the Falcons became the first team in the Mountain West’s Mountain Division to beat the Broncos. The victory over Colorado State, who was ranked 21st nationally, marked the highest ranked team Air Force has beaten since 1996. Air Force finished 6-0 at home for just the fourth time in school history.

COURTESY U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Judgment Day: HBCU Football Week One Schedule (Sept. 3 -6)

ALWAYS WATCH IN 720p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Saturday, September 5, 2015

SWAC
Grambling State at California, 5 p.m.   TV: PAC12
Alabama A&M at Cincinnati, 7 p.m.   TV: ESPN3
Jackson State at Middle Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Southern at Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m.
Mississippi Valley at New Mexico, 7 p.m.
Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern, 9 p.m., Labor Day Classic

MEAC
Norfolk State at Rutgers, 12 Noon TV: ESPNN
Howard at Appalachian State, 3:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3
Morgan State at Air Force, 3:30 p.m.
Savannah State at Colorado State, 4 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman at Miami (Fla.), 6 p.m. TV: ESPN3
Shaw at North Carolina A&T, 6 p.m.
Saint Augustine's at North Carolina Central, 6 p.m.
Kentucky State at Hampton, 6 p.m.
Delaware State at Liberty, 7 p.m. TV: ESPN3
Florida A&M at South Florida, 7 p.m.   TV: ESPN3

SIAC
Central State at Alderson Broaddus, 12 Noon
Clark Atlanta at Tuskegee, 1 p.m.
Lane at Concordia-Selma, 3 p.m.
Livingstone at Benedict, 4:30 p.m., Palmetto Capitol City Classic  TV: ASPIRE
Stillman at West Alabama, 6 p.m.
North Alabama vs. Miles, 6 p.m., Labor Day Golden Classic, Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
Kentucky State at Hampton, 6 p.m.
Edward Waters at Morehouse, 7 p.m.
Valdosta State at Albany State, 7 p.m.

GLVC
Lincoln (Missouri) at Langston, 4 p.m.

CIAA
Bowie State at Merrimack. 1 p.m., LIVE VIDEO
Brevard at Virginia Union, 1 p.m.
Lincoln (Pa.) at Cheyney, 1 p.m.,  Annual Battle of the Firsts TV: ESPN3
California (Pa.) at Virginia State, 1 p.m.
Livingstone at Benedict, 4:30 p.m.  Palmetto Capitol City Classic, TV: ASPIRE
Wingate at Johnson C. Smith, 6 p.m.
Shaw at North Carolina A&T, 6 p.m.
Chowan at Fayetteville State, 6 p.m.
Virginia-Lynchburg at Elizabeth City State, 6 p.m.
Saint Augustine's at North Carolina Central, 6 p.m.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Arkansas - Pine Bluff vs. South Carolina State, 3:30 p.m., Orlando, FL, Florida Citrus Bowl, MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE, TV: ESPN

Alabama State at Tennessee State 7:00 p.m., Nashville, NISSAN STADIUM, John Merritt Classic

All Game Times are shown in Eastern Time Zone

WEEK ONE SCORECARD
West Virginia State 59, Fairmont State 34
Delta State 48, Fort Valley State 7
UNC Pembroke 17, #20 Winston-Salem State 7
#16 Georgia Tech 69, Alcorn State 6   TV: ESPN3


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

ASU-Howard Football Preview, Kickoff Set for 3:30 at Kidd Brewer Stadium Saturday

BOONE, North Carolina -- There is always something a little extra special about the opening game of the college football season and Saturday at 3:30 p.m., when Appalachian State takes the field at Kidd Brewer Stadium for its first contest against Howard, there will be some added inspiration.

App State will be honoring its newest athletic hall of fame class and will be recognizing players from the 1975, 1995 and 2005 teams during on-field presentations.
“You always want to put on a good show for the guys who built the program,” said senior defensive end Ronald Blair.

The hall of fame ceremony will honor legendary coach Jerry Moore and three of his former players, quarterback Armanti Edwards, running back Chip Hooks and tight end Daniel Wilcox. There will also be one special non-football inductee, cross country and track and field standout Leigh Cooper Wallace.

The 1975 football team was the most successful ASU team of its era, posting an 8-3 record and a third-place finish in the Southern Conference as the Mountaineers made the transition into NCAA Division I.

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NSU Spartans Open 2015 Season, Latrell Scott Era at Rutgers

Game Notes  |  Watch Live  |  Live Stats  |  Twitter Updates

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Norfolk State opens the 2015 season and kicks off the Latrell Scott era Saturday, as the Spartans face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. Kickoff is at 12 noon. It will be the fourth meeting between the teams, but first since Rutgers moved to the Big 10 Conference. The game will be televised live on ESPNEWS.

TELEVISION
This week's game will be televised live on ESPNEWS. Shawn Kenney will call the action, with Al Groh serving as color commentator. The game can also be seen on watchespn.com and via the Watch ESPN app.

RADIO
WGH Star 1310 AM begins its second season as the flagship network for NSU football and basketball games. Ross Gordon will handle the play-by-play duties, with Terrell Ducre' serving as the color analyst. The game can also be heard online at www.star1310.com, accessible by computers or mobile devices.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU is coming off a 4-8 season in which the Spartans finished 4-4 in the MEAC, sixth in the conference standings. The Spartans return 14 starters and 53 lettermen from that squad but also welcome in a new head coach in former Virginia State and Richmond head man, Latrell Scott. Scott replaces Pete Adrian, who retired following a 10-year run with the Spartans following 2014.

Offensively, NSU welcomes back six offensive linemen with starting experience, including senior right guard Mike Phillips and junior center Louis "Tres" Humphrey. Senior receiver Isaac White (48 catches, 664 yards, 7 TD in 2014), a preseason All-MEAC first team wideout, headlines an upperclassman-heavy receiving corps.  Florida Atlantic quarterback Greg Hankerson Jr. will man the controls of the offense, while Old Dominion transfer running back Gerard Johnson leads the ground game.

Defensively, senior linebacker Deon King (106 tackles, 18 TFL, 7.5 sacks) is one of five starters back from a unit which ranked No. 2 in the nation in the FCS in total defense. Linemen Shawn Fauntleroy (33 tackles) and Kevin Williams (19 tackles, 2.5 TFL) bring a veteran presence up front, while safeties Brandon Walker (43 tackles, 8 PBU) and Leroy Parker (29 tackles, 1.5 TFL) and cornerback D'Metrius Williams (22 tackles, 1 INT, 5 PBU) head up a talented secondary.

SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers finished the 2014 season 8-5 overall, 3-5 in its inaugural season in the Big 10. The Scarlet Knights beat North Carolina 40-21 in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

The Scarlet Knights return three All-Big 10 players from last year, led by first-team all-conference senior wideout Leonte Carroo (55 catches, 1,086 yards, 10 TD). Redshirt senior Paul James, who scored seven touchdowns in four games last season before suffering an injury, also returns. Rutgers is slated to start redshirt sophomore Hayden Rettig, an LSU transfer, at quarterback.

The Scarlet Knights' defense is led by 2014 Big 10 honorable mention picks Darius Hamilton (45 tackles, 1.5 TFL) and Kemoko Turay (7.5 sacks) along the defensive line.

THE SERIES
• This will be the fourth meeting between the teams, with Rutgers leading the series 3-0.
• The Scarlet Knights have outscored NSU 128-0 in those meetings (2007, '10, '13).
• NSU trailed 3-0 after the first quarter of the 2007 matchup, and 6-0 at halftime of the 2010 contest.

SCOTT USHERS IN NEW ERA OF SPARTAN FOOTBALL
NSU hired Latrell Scott as the 17th head coach in Spartan football history on Dec. 16, 2014. Scott comes to NSU following an outstanding two-year run as head coach at Virginia State University. More on the Spartans' new head man:
• Scott directed the Trojans to a 19-4 record and two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Northern Division regular-season titles in 2013 and 2014.
• The Trojans never lost to a CIAA team under Scott's direction, going a combined 15-0.
• In 2014, VSU went 10-3 overall and won its first outright CIAA championship since 1996.
• Also in 2014, VSU recorded its first-ever NCAA football playoff appearance and victory by defeating Long Island University Post in the first round of the Division II Championship.
• For his efforts, Scott was named the 2014 CIAA Coach of the Year.
• Scott also served as Richmond's head coach in 2010, leading the Spiders to a 6-5 mark.
• He has had winning seasons in all three of his years as head coach, with a cumulative record of 25-9.
• Scott has served as a position coach at James Madison, U.Va., Tennessee, Richmond, VMI and Western Carolina.
• He is a former tight end at Hampton University and a native of Richmond, Va.

SPARTANS PICKED 7TH IN PRESEASON MEAC POLL
The Norfolk State football team was predicted to finish seventh in the preseason poll of MEAC head coaches and sports information directors, and seven Spartans were named to the preseason All-MEAC teams. Senior linebacker Deon King and senior receiver Isaac White were both named to the preseason All-MEAC first team. Senior defensive lineman Shawn Fauntleroy Jr. was voted to the second team, while the quartet of senior defensive lineman Kevin Williams, senior linebacker Lamar Neal, junior safety Brandon Walker and junior kicker Cameron Marouf were all voted to the third team.

North Carolina A&T, one of last season's five MEAC co-champions, was narrowly voted as the favorite to win the conference. The Aggies were followed in the preseason poll by the other four co-champions from last year: South Carolina State was predicted second, Bethune-Cookman third, N.C. Central fourth and Morgan State fifth. Hampton was tabbed sixth and NSU seventh.

LAST MEETING WITH RUTGERS
Paul James rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns, and host Rutgers took advantage of outstanding field position throughout the day in a 38-0 win over Norfolk State on Sept. 7, 2013 at High Point Solutions Stadium in the teams' previous meeting. In the third meeting between the schools, Rutgers' first five scoring drives all began in NSU territory thanks largely to Spartan miscues. A blocked punt set up Rutgers for a short 15-yard drive which James finished with a 1-yard TD run. An NSU fumble was recovered at the Spartans' 19 later in the first quarter, setting up an 8-yard Gary Nova to Ruhann Peele TD pass. James then capped a 33-yard drive set up by a short punt with a 10-yard TD run on the final play of the first quarter for a 21-0 Rutgers lead.

James (25-yard run) and Savon Huggins (1-yard run) scored on third-quarter TDs for Rutgers.

 

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Defense may give Lincoln hope

LOWER OXFORD, Pennsylvania -- As Lincoln heads into its eighth season since resurrecting football following a 47-year hiatus from 1961-2007, an overriding theme has developed under interim head coach Herb Pickens.

The Lions have faced plenty of adversity on the gridiron in the modern era – winning just 10 of 70 contests. But the LU program is now focused its collective attention on how to more effectively react to the misfortune and hardship that inevitably pops up during every game in every season.

“Our mindset is to expect the unexpected, and keep prevailing through regardless,” said defensive standout Brion Robinson.

“Penalties, turnovers are going to happen – that’s football,” added star runner Stephen Scott added. “What we’ve been working on is being able to persevere through all of that stuff.”



CONTINUE READING 

The Lincoln University Welcomes Back Ray Williams as Head Cross Country & Track and Field Coach

COACH RAY WILLIAMS

LOWER OXFORD, Pennsylvania -- Coach Ray Williams returns to Lincoln after spending a year on the Ole Miss staff as an assistant coach. Prior to Ole Miss, he was the Head Coach at Lincoln for four seasons.

"I appreciate the opportunity that Ross Bjork and Coach Brian O'Neil gave me to serve at Ole Miss last season. Now I am ready to get back on track at Lincoln to advance the legacy," said Williams.

Williams had at least one men's cross country runner on the All-CIAA team and in 2012, Shana Brown (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame) was the first-ever female on the All-CIAA squad.  On the track, in 2011 Williams guided Matthew Coston to an 800 Meter Indoor CIAA Champion as well as IC4A qualifiers in the 200 Meters, 800 Meters and 4x400 Relay Team.  During the 2012 season Diane Lindsey became the first student-athlete to qualify for the NCAA Division II national championships while Tarem Cannonier was All-IC4A and ranked in the top 20 in the 400 Hurdles.

Williams arrived at Lincoln back in 2010 from a highly decorated NCAA Division II program at Grand Valley State University. Prior to coaching at Grand Valley, Williams was a men's and women's assistant track & field coach at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., where he concentrated on sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers.

In his years preceding the position at Marquette, Williams served as the Director of Student-Athlete Development and men's and women's assistant track and field coach at the University of Detroit for the 2001-2002 season. During his stint with the Titans, four of his athletes captured conference titles.

Before he joined the Detroit program, he was the assistant women's cross country and track and field coach at Western Michigan in 2000-2001 and from 1997-2000 he enjoyed a productive stint as the assistant track and field coach at the University of Chicago. While at Chicago, he coached a three-time NCAA Division III All-American and two NCAA Division III national qualifiers.

Williams, a native of Chicago, has worked diligently at many national camps throughout his career. In 2012, he was appointed Secretary of the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  He has served as an instructor at the UCLA Speed and Power Camp, directed the Speed and Power Development Camp at Grand Valley State from 2005-2010 and served as the keynote speaker and clinician at the 2010 Chicago Public Schools Track & Field Clinic. Williams completed his Masters in Education at GVSU, and graduated from North Central College in Naperville, Ill., in 1995 with a degree in Urban Sociology.

In addition to coaching, Williams has worked with the Boy Scouts of America, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL). He also served as the Undergraduate Advisor for the Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. at GVSU and currently an active member.

During his undergraduate years at North Central, Williams was a NCAA Division III All-American in the 110 hurdles in 1995, Team Captain, and three-time CCIW Conference Champion. His efforts helped the Cardinals on their way to a Division III Outdoor National Championship in 1994. Williams was also a member of the DC Capitals Track and Field Club teams from 1996-2000.

Williams and his wife, Danyual, have two sons: Daniel and Kamran.

COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Another top-10 for August; Nuggets 2nd at USM

Results:  Men    Women

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi Christopher August for the second consecutive week, and the XU women were runner-up for the second straight year in the Southern Miss Invitational cross country meet Friday.
— Xavier University of Louisiana received a top-10 finish from

August ran 5,000 meters in 17 minutes, 16.69 seconds to place seventh out of 21 men. It was his eighth career top-10 finish.

The Gold Nuggets scored 67 points to finish ahead of Spring Hill, a former NAIA member transitioning to NCAA Division II, and NCAA DI member Louisiana-Monroe. It was the 29th top-2 team finish for the XU women during Joseph Moses' 11 seasons as coach.

Xavier freshman Brianna Pace led the Gold Nuggets and placed 11th out of 28 women. She finished the 5K in 21:58.70.

The other Gold Rush finishers were Darrick Williams (12th place, 19:33.03), Brent Kitto (16th, 21:36.81), Xaiver Latting (19th, 23:48.25) and Felipe Perrier (20th, 23:51.77). Williams, Latting and Perrier all ran faster than they did a week ago.

The Gold Rush scored 67 points and finished third behind ULM, the men's champion, and Spring Hill.
    
Also finishing for the XU women were Dionysia Love (13th, 22:17.34), Zahri Jackson (14th, 22:36.92), Briana Simms (15th, 22:55.10), Hannah Finnegan (19th, 23:36.44) and Clarke Allen (20th, 24:04.66).
    
Individual winners were Isaac Ndirangu (16:50.12) of ULM and Rebecca Ulrich (18:12.90) of Southern Miss. Ulrich repeated as women's champion and led USM to the team title.
    
It was the second meet of the season for both XU teams. The next competition will be Sept. 12 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Festival at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, La., a New Orleans suburb.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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NAIA No. 20 Coastal Georgia defeats Gold Nuggets

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

BRUNSWICK, Georgia — Xavier University of Louisiana lost 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 to NAIA No. 20 Coastal Georgia in the Gold Nuggets' second match of the Mariner Invitational volleyball tournament Friday.
     
Taylor Reuther had eight kills and eight digs for Xavier (2-4), and CeCe Williams had seven kills and 14 digs. The loss was Xavier's second of the season against a top-25 team.
    
Kyra White had 10 kills for Coastal Georgia (6-1), which outhit the Gold Nuggets .320 to .120. Xavier's hitting percentage and 38 kills were season lows.

The Mariners built a 21-10 lead in the first set and rallied in the second set after trailing five times by five points, the latest at 13-8.

"We showed some flashes of brilliance," XU coach Hannah Lawing said, "but our goal is to be consistent for 75 points."
It was the teams' first meeting.

Xavier lost 19-25, 25-16, 25-14, 22-25, 15-10 to Bethel (Ind.) in the tournament's opening match.
    
Xavier will play Saturday against Martin Methodist at 9 a.m. EDT and 5 p.m. against Bryan. Like Xavier, Martin Methodist and Bryan were 0-2 apiece Friday. Martin Methodist is 0-7 overall.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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from THE EDITOR, DWIGHT FLOYD: 2015 College Football is Here and It Makes You Wanna Sing

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Yes! College football is here and you won’t have to Wake Me Up” to start the season because already “I Feel Good All Over.” It is something about all the people coming together on one accord; the atmosphere of competition. The crisp fall weather, or just the thought of it makes you feel so ”Alive.” Today is a day of hope for many of the FCS teams that have chosen to take on the bigger Division 1 FBS teams like Miami and Florida State. Here are Sportsedit’s games of the week. I’ll have three televisions and one computer going, so I can watch all of them.

Division II Game of the Week
Valdosta State at Albany State
7:00 PM EST

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Ram Ramblings: New WSSU helmets need a reboot

PHOTO GALLERY

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Maybe WSSU can reboot.

No, I’m not talking about the loss to UNC Pembroke on Thursday night. That 17-7 setback is in the books and there’s no going back.

I’m talking about the new helmets. They are bad. No, they are awful.

At first I thought they didn’t look too bad but then I got a closer look. I guess I’m old school when it comes to bragging about accomplishments but listing the CIAA titles on the top of the helmets by each season wasn’t a great idea.

The reason I say that is it seems to be rather short sighted. When Connell Maynor took over before the 2010 season he didn’t talk about winning just the CIAA, he talked about winning the national championship. A lot of folks laughed at him.

Then in 2012 when the Rams got to the Division II national championship game folks weren’t laughing, they were on the bandwagon.

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Langston University Names New Volleyball Coach

LANGSTON, Oklahoma  -- Langston University has appointed a new head coach for Volleyball, Jacob Rodriguez.

“Coach Rodriguez, a true man of integrity and great character, is a great addition to our athletic department,” said Donnita Rogers, the Director of Athletics.

“His enthusiasm is contagious. Rodriguez will be a tremendous role model for our student athletes and will play a pivotal role in putting Langston University volleyball on the map.”

Rodriguez comes to Langston from Bacone College, where he served as the head volleyball coach for three years. During his three years as head coach, the team went 46-52 overall and 24-16 in the Red River Athletic Conference.

Prior to Bacone College he served as the assistant coach at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. During this time the team made tremendous strides, which included trips to the NAIA Regionals and the National Christian College Athletic Association Regional and National Tournament in 2007.

Rodriguez currently holds a masters degree in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist University and a Bachelor of Science degree in History from Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

Stepping into this position, he has high hopes for the volleyball program’s fourth season. Last year the Volleyball program reached historic new heights, the team recorded its first win over East Central University, an NCAA Division 2 opponent.

The Lady Lions made it to the Conference Tournament last year; he knows the bar is already set high. He is ready to build a strong 2015 recruiting class and turn Langston's volleyball team into a program that strives to win national championships.

“The most important thing for this team is to compete; the team will need to continue to build off of this foundation,” said Rodriguez.

“Our first goal as a team is to give a unified effort every time we step on the court.”

The Lady Lions open the 2015 season on August 21, 2015 against Southwest Assemblies of God in Waxahachie, Texas. For more information or to view the Langston Sports schedules please visit www.langstonsports.com.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Starting with Saturday’s opener at Louisiana Tech, Southern’s ready to push the pace

RUSTON, Louisiana --Southern believes its offense is going to be difficult to defend this season.

So the Jaguars plan to use a faster tempo more often, giving their myriad playmakers more and better opportunities to make big plays.

“When we go tempo, I think we’re at our best,” coach Dawson Odums said. “When you go tempo, you run more plays. And the more plays you have, the better your chances to move the football around. I think that’s helpful.”



A faster tempo could come in handy at 6 p.m. Saturday in the season opener at Louisiana Tech, which has a defense that likes to confuse blockers with a lot of presnap movement. The faster the ball is snapped, the less time there is for presnap maneuvering, as well as substitutions.

“I think a lot of their big plays on defense come from the confusion that they have when they’re moving around a lot on defense,” Odums said. “That creates some bad reads and some opportunities for big plays.”

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Gill Recaps LU Flames Preparation for the DSU Hornets

LYNCHBURG, Virginia -- Following Liberty's final full practice of the week on Thursday, Flames Head Coach Turner Gill met with the media one last time to recap his team's practice this week.

Liberty will open its fourth season under Gill on Saturday night when they face the Delaware State Hornets at 7 p.m., in Williams Stadium. The contest will be Liberty's first home opener at its on-campus facility since 2008.

Liberty is 19-23 all-time in season openers. The Flames have lost four straight season openers, all of which have been played against FBS opponents.

Liberty is 17-7 all-time in season openers played at home. The Flames have won six consecutive openers in Lynchburg since a 23-3 loss to Western Carolina to start the 2002 season.

Liberty is 11-2 all-time in season openers at Williams Stadium. The Flames have won five season openers in a row at Williams Stadium, since the setback to Western Carolina in 2002. Saturday's game is Liberty's first season opener at Williams Stadium since 2008, when the Flames defeated North Greenville, 49-10.



COURTESY LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Lobos trying to rid their Devils (MVSU)

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico  --  Tonight, at least, the Devils are not in the details. Or vice versa.
This one, coach Bob Davie says, is all about the Lobos.

Year 4 of the Davie Era begins tonight at University Stadium with a college football game between the New Mexico Lobos and the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils.

The visitors, Davie said this week, are a bit of a mystery.

Second-year MVSU coach Rick Comegy has new coordinators on offense and defense. On defense in particular, this is a young Delta Devils team.

Davie, his assistants and his players nevertheless have done their homework – viewing game film not only from last year’s MVSU team but from Jackson State and Paine College, the two coordinators’ last coaching addresses.  And yet, Davie said, all that barely matters.

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NCCU Football PROTECT THE NEST Sept. 5 vs Saint Augustine's

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Eagle fans, it's time to PROTECT THE NEST! #NCCUFootball opens up their home schedule against Saint Augustine's on Saturday, Sept.5, 2015. Kickoff is at 6:00 PM. Come out and support NCCU Athletics!!



COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Defendant in FAMU hazing death gets 4 years, credit for time served

ORLANDO, Florida -- A former Florida A&M band member who's been awaiting his punishment for more than two years for his role in a drum major's hazing death, has been sentenced to four years in prison with credit for time served.

Caleb Jackson, 26, will serve roughly 11 more months after receiving credit for two years and 149 days, according to Channel 9's Julie Salomone.

Jackson was sentenced Friday after it had been postponed twice in the past month. He pleaded no contest to manslaughter and hazing in 2013 for his role in the 2011 death of Robert Champion, who was from Decatur, Georgia. Jackson faced 35 years in prison.



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Alcorn coach gets hall of fame induction

VICKSBURG, Mississippi -- Miraculous Powers will step on the field tonight in his final rivalry game against the Vicksburg Gators. Since he was a child, he’s had a close-knight relationship with his grandfather, Ocie Brown Sr., who is one of the main reasons he started playing football.

Brown was a beloved running backs coach and offensive coordinator at Alcorn State University from 1972 to 1998. He coached Braves greats such as Steve McNair, Perry Quails, Gregory Jones and Augusta Lee.

“He’ll always tell me don’t never give up on your dreams. He inspired me to play football or anything I wanted to do,” Powers said. In Brown’s 26 years on the coaching staff he, — alongside the “Godfather of the SWAC” Marino Casem and Cardell Jones — helped record 17 winning seasons, win seven Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and two National Black College Championships.

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Nippert is Back: UC Bearcats vs Alabama A&M Bulldogs Preview

CINCINNATI, Ohio  -- On September, 5th the Bearcats and Bulldogs will collide at the newly renovated Nippert Stadium. This will be the first Bearcats game at the new Nippert, so that in itself will make the night special.

The game is set to start at 7 PM and this will be the first game for both teams. The Bearcats are one of the favorites in the AAC while the Bulldogs are picked to be in the middle of the pack in the Southwestern Atlantic Conference.

The Bearcats return a lot of fire power on offense as Gunner Kiel, Mike Boone, Chris Moore, Mekale McKay and Shaq Washington all return. Kiel, who is fully healthy, will lead the offense and has a good chance to improve on his stellar first year with the Bearcats.

I've already highlighted how good this trio of receivers are, so I don't think the Bulldogs will have must in terms of talent to control this group. Mike Boone last year's leading rusher as a freshman will be joined in the back field with junior Tion Green will be back sharing some ofC the load, also a sprinkle of Hosey Williams. The real question will be out the defense looks, but tonight I don't expect the Bearcats and their defense to be tested much if at all.



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Students protest red tape, mice, mold and financial-aid glitches at Howard University

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Some students protested at Howard University on Friday, sticking colored notes full of complaints and demands onto pillars in the administration building.

Not Chinae Nwaokoro – she was too busy rushing around campus trying to straighten out her financial aid for the semester. After waiting in one very long line, the nursing student was told “they lost some papers. So I didn’t get my money yet.”

Other students said they were going from faculty office to faculty office, pleading with professors to add them to class lists because they were unable to register online. “They need to fix this,” Nwaokoro said.

The school year got off to an especially hectic start this fall at Howard, the iconic historically black university whose students are staunchly loyal to the school even as they demand improvements.

They love the history, the legacy, the culture, the classes, the friendships they form. But they’re tired of persistent problems at a school with troubled finances.

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Former Prairie View coach Northern starting fresh at TSU

HOUSTON, Texas  -- Heishma Northern has a challenge in his first game as TSU defensive coordinator. He has to help the Tigers defeat his former team, Prairie View A&M, in the Labor Day Classic at 8 p.m. Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Northern impressed early as a rookie coach for the Panthers in 2011, but the team struggled to win games after that season. Along with the losses, there were the Academic Performance Rate penalties last year. Prairie View A&M was one of four SWAC schools punished for a low four-year score. The Panthers' score fell two points short of the NCAA requirement of 910 in 2014.

APR penalties affect things like number of practice days allowed and maybe the biggest punishment, postseason bans. The Panthers were eligible for a SWAC title in 2014 because the conference opts out of the FCS playoffs.

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Cross country teams compete Friday at Southern Miss

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's cross country teams will compete Friday in their second meet of the season, the Southern Miss Invitational at Hattiesburg, Miss.

Both races will be 5,000 meters. The men will run at 5:30 p.m., followed by the women at 6. Tatum Park will be the venue.

Competing against the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will be the men's and women's teams of Louisiana-Monroe, Alcorn State and Spring Hill and the women of the host school, Southern Miss.

Xavier won women's team and individual championships this past Friday in its Big Easy Opener at City Park. Fifth-year senior Zahri Jackson earned her first victory since 2012 — she ran two miles in 14 minutes, 27.3 seconds — and the fourth of her career.

Leading the XU men in the Big Easy Opener was junior Christopher August, whose time of 17:03.6 was XU's 15th-fastest for 5,000 meters during the past 13 seasons. August was the first collegiate finisher and placed eighth overall.

As a result of their performances, Jackson and August received Gulf Caost Athletic Conference Runner of the Week awards.

Xavier's women were second in the 2014 Southern Miss Invitational, and Brent Kitto was the No, 2 male finisher. Kitto is a senior this season.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Nuggets on road for 4-pack of matches

NEW ORLEANS — The second-week schedule of the Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball team has similarities to this past week.

Once again the Gold Nuggets (2-2) will face an NAIA top-25 team and another receiving votes. But this time Xavier is on the road, competing in the Mariner Invitational at Brunswick, Ga.

Xavier will play Friday at 9 a.m. EDT against Bethel (Ind.) (4-2) and 1 p.m. against 20th-ranked Coastal Georgia (5-1), the host team. The Gold Nuggets will play Saturday at 9 a.m. EDT against Martin Methodist (0-5) and 5 p.m. against Bryan (1-4), which received votes in the preseason coaches poll.

Xavier split four matches in its Big Easy Blastoff, sandwiching victories against Faulkner and NCAA Division I's Mississippi Valley State around losses to NAIA No. 19 Wayland Baptist and vote-receiving Mobile.

"Our serve-receive and defense were our strong points last week," XU coach Hannah Lawing said. "We'll be better in those areas than we were last season. Our offense will get better."

Xavier ranks eighth in the NAIA with 19.46 digs per set, 13th with 12.62 assists per set and 16th with 13.69 kills per set. Two XU seniors are ranked — Franziska Pirkl is seventh with 11.15 assists per set, and Darian Harris is 33rd with 5.00 digs per set. Pirkl (setter) and Harris (defender) are two of the three reigning Gulf Coast Athletic Conference players of the week.

All but Martin Methodist will be first-time XU opponents. The Gold Nuggets are 0-3 all-time against Martin Methodist but has not played the RedHawks since 2010.

Xavier will open its GCAC schedule at 7 p.m. Monday against Talladega at the Convocation Center.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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