Quick turnaround gives UAPB Forte little time for answers

BY JEFFREY SLATTON, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

The calendar says five days. But when you factor in a rest day and a travel day, it’s seems much less.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Coach Maurice “Mo” Forte said it doesn’t matter how many days, his Golden Lions (0-1, 0-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference ) will be ready when they take on Alcorn State (0-1, 0-1 ) at 6: 30 tonight in Lorman, Miss., on ESPNU.

“You always would like to have a little more time to prepare. We’ve only had actually two days of preparation. We feel that we’re going to be ready to play,” Forte said.

UAPB opened the season with a 16-9 loss at Mississippi Valley State on Saturday, a game in which the Golden Lions’ offense sputtered to 70 rushing yards.

Is it better to come right back and play again, or would a bye week suit Forte more going into the second game ?

“We’d like to have more time, but we don’t have more time so that’s not going to change,” Forte said. “We always have a basic offense and a basic defense and everything else is just some offshoots of those things that you try to get ready for.”

Forte said UAPB had one of its longest practices of the season Tuesday before a walk-through Wednesday morning. Eliminating unforced errors was a focus. The Golden Lions fumbled four center-quarterback exchanges, losing two, in the loss to Mississippi Valley State. As a result, junior center Jonathan Porchia is expected to start at center over Patrick Kapuniai, who will move to another offensive line position.

“It is an area that we need to improve on. We didn’t play very well offensively, in particular on the offensive line. That’s one of the things we worked on this week. We’ve been working on it constantly,” Forte said. “We’ve got a lot of young kids that are playing up front. They’re good football players and one day they’ll be ready to play. Hopefully that day will be [tonight ].”

UAPB rushed 37 times for 70 yards, an average of 1. 9 yards per carry, against Mississippi Valley State. Quarterback Chris Wallace was the leading rusher with 38 yards. Martell Mallett gained 24 yards on five carries before straining a quadriceps muscle in the first half. Wallace completed 14 of 27 passes for 154 yards.

“We were very inconsistent in the things that we did. We had a couple of good runs, but not what we’re used to,” Forte said. “When you have a young offensive line you’re going to struggle at the beginning until they get the system down and understand what you’re trying to teach them as far as technique.”

Except for travel, Alcorn State is in a similar position after losing 31-10 at home to Grambling State on Saturday. The Braves had three turnovers and allowed a blocked punt.

“It was a struggle last week. We hope we’re getting better,” Forte said. “It’s a tough game every time we play Alcorn. We have to go out and fight and take it to them.”

UAPB vs. Alcorn State WHEN 6:30 tonight
WHERE Jack Spinks Stadium, Lorman, Miss.
RECORDS UAPB 0-1; Alcorn State 0-1
COACHES Maurice “ Mo’’ Forte (17-16 in fourth season at UAPB, 65-84-1 in 14th season overall ); Johnny Thomas (46-54 in 10th season at Alcorn State and overall)
LAST MEETING UAPB defeated Alcorn State 42-14 last season TV ESPNU RADIO KUAP-FM, 88.7,in Pine Bluff.

Alcorn may play No. 3 QB tonight

The Clarion-Ledger

THE ASU GAME
What: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-1, 0-1 SWAC) at Alcorn State (0-1, 0-1)
When: Today, 6:30 p.m.
TV: ESPNU

It's a good thing Alcorn State's roster is deep in quarterbacks, because it sure looks like the Braves may need all of them this season.

Sophomore Tim Buckley, the third-string quarterback, is in line to start in tonight's game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff because of injuries to senior starter Chris Walker and junior backup Tony Hobson, Jr.

The game is at 6:30 p.m. at Jack Spinks Stadium. It will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

Buckley has never thrown a collegiate pass, but was Alcorn State's starting punter last season. He was a two-time Clarion-Ledger All-Metro selection as a quarterback during his junior and senior seasons at Madison Central.

"We know Buckley's going to be a good quarterback for us someday," Alcorn State coach Johnny Thomas said. "We just hope he's ready to show that talent tomorrow in case we need him."

Walker suffered a deep quadriceps contusion in last Saturday's season-opening 31-10 loss to Grambling. He's tried to practice this week, but Thomas said progress has been slow and he'll be a game time decision today.

Hobson injured his throwing hand after hitting it on a defender's helmet Tuesday while trying to make a pass. The former Jim Hill standout was having X-rays taken late Wednesday to see if any bones were broken.

Hobson's availability today will depend on that news.

"It's unfortunate because quarterback's a spot where you'd like to have continuity," Thomas said. "But every team is dealing with injuries in football."

The Braves have had a lot of injuries already this season. Wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux (shoulder), defensive end Trentis Allen (knee) and offensive lineman Matt Hooper (hand) will all miss tonight's game.

Tight end Channin Pugh is out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

UAPB (0-1) lost to Mississippi Valley State 16-9 last Saturday. The Golden Lions are the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference West champions.

"(UAPB) will have a balanced attack that we have to deal with and match up with," Thomas said. "If we don't, it could be a very long night for us."

- David Brandt

20 years ago, Florida A&M pulled off a I-AA stunner; here's how it felt

We had no chance. None.

And then we won.

Sometimes upsets that just can't happen do and nobody is more surprised than the winner.

My role in helping Florida A&M stun Division I-AA top-ranked Georgia Southern 17-14 back in 1987 won't be remembered outside of a few hardcore fans in North Florida and South Georgia, but trust me, 20 years later, I know how good it feels to be Appalachian State this week.

You need a little perspective to appreciate this. When we won, we knocked Georgia Southern from No. 1 to nowheresville, all the way out of the Top 20.

Going in, the Eagles were the two-time defending national champs. They ran the vaunted "ham-bone" offense and their coach was the baldheaded tough guy Erk Russell, an icon of Southern football.

To us, Georgia Southern might as well have been Michigan. And we weren't close to being anybody's Appalachian State even.

We had lost our season-opener 23-0 to Division II Tuskegee and the Dunkel Index computer rating had us as 41-point underdogs. Even Appalachian State was given better odds last week when Michigan was favored by a mere 27 by Dunkel.

As huge underdogs, you practice hard and talk about how you're just as talented, but the big talk is really just pretend.

Maybe your dad gives you a "You can win!" pep talk. Meanwhile, your girlfriend just doesn't want you to get hurt and you just want to survive. I wanted to kick my first college field goal and get on the local news highlights.

But weird things seemed to be happening that night and it wasn't long until we realized the potential for a shocker.

Georgia Southern committed six turnovers and we trailed by seven instead of 30 in the third quarter. But the fact we could win and I could play a part didn't hit me until I trotted on the field with a chance to cut the score to 14-10.

I had been thinking it would be nice if we kept it close. Now my knees were shaking. Heck, I was even intimidated by Georgia Southern's kicker, Tim Foley, who could kick it farther than anybody I had ever seen in my life. He still owns the I-AA record with a 63-yarder.

But he missed twice that night. My knuckleballer -- even uglier than Appalachian State's game winner against Michigan -- just managed to drop over the crossbar. It was a 37-yarder that wouldn't have been good from 38.

One of the local papers later credited me with this nifty quote:

"First I kicked, then there was no sound. I looked up and my heart kind of sank, then I started praying. The record book won't say what it looked like, it will just say that I made it," I said.

Hey, that's how upsets happen. Some kid who had never been on the field makes a play.

Another turnover set up our second touchdown and a 17-14 lead early in the fourth. It was time to hold on. Every second on the scoreboard felt like an hour.

The Eagles were desperately trying to avoid being embarrassed. We were clinging to our moment of glory for dear life and our band, the famous "Marching 100" was pounding its drums and blasting its horns during timeouts. To be honest, I probably still thought we'd lose.

We had our own Appalachian State moment when Georgia Southern drove for what would've been the tying field goal, but Foley's 50-yarder with 8 seconds left missed

That's when our sideline broke loose. You would have thought we beat Michigan, too. I jumped on the back of Nick Maroulis, an offensive lineman and my roommate, as we mugged for the cameras.

Georgia Southern was stunned. I remember some of the Eagles were so mad they didn't want to shake our hands, although that may have been because we were running around the end zone like a bunch of 10-year-olds on the playground.

So you want to talk about an upset? I like the story about a 41-point underdog that knocked the top-ranked team in the country clear out of the polls. And I helped them do it.

Who cares if Georgia Southern pounded us by something like 30 points the next year? I've walked in Appalachian State's shoes. It still feels good.

By Jim Vertuno, Sports Writer

Showdown in Windy City for Jaguars and Delta Devils

By Troy Treasure, Delta Democrat Times

Delta Devils, Jaguars both 1-0 prior to meeting at Soldier Field in Chicago

ITTA BENA - Two Southwestern Athletic Conference teams fresh off season-opening wins are headed for a showdown Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Mississippi Valley State (1-0, 1-0) and Southern (1-0, 0-0) meet in a 4 p.m. kickoff.

This marks the third straight year for Valley to play in the Chicago Football Classic.

The Delta Devils are 2-0 in their first two appearances, beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Chicago the past two years.

MVSU coach Willie Totten believes that gives his team an edge over Southern.

“There are some distractions with a trip like this, but we know what goes into it. Our guys know it's all business when we get to Chicago,” Totten said.

It appears Valley's defense will get another test.

In MVSU's 16-9 Week 1 victory against UAPB, the Delta Devils' defense held the Golden Lions to 70 yards on 37 carries, a meager 1.9 yards per rush.

Photo: Mississippi Valley State's Ronald Brewer tries to avoid a tackle from Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Anton Williams in last week's season opener in Itta Bena. The Delta Devils won 16-9.

In Southern's 33-27 win against Florida A&M, the Jaguars pounded out 238 rushing yards, 5.5 per carry and four touchdowns. However, 90 of the total came on a 90-yard touchdown run by Darren Coates.

However, Southern's defense was not exactly the Great Wall of China against Florida A&M. The Jaguars yielded 434 total yards, 194 on the ground and 244 via the air.

In Valley's win against UAPB, Delta Devils' sophomore quarterback Paul Roberts was 15-of-27 passing for 153 yards and a touchdown.

MVSU will have to get its running game going against Southern, but Totten is optimistic.

“We think we match up well with Southern. I think we can run the ball on them,” Totten said.

The Delta Devils gained 30 yards on 35 carries against the Golden Lions. That number is slightly misleading because Valley lost 45 yards on four sacks. The output on the ground was the poorest by a SWAC team in Week 1 other than Jackson State being held to -29 yards rushing against Delta State.

“Most of our problems were mental mistakes in the second

half,” said Totten, whose team mustered just 45 yards and three first downs after halftime. “We had some penalties that we weren't able to overcome and we had a couple of freshmen fullbacks blow assignments and our young quarterback made some bad reads. The good news is that all of that is correctable.

“We've got a lot of work to do, but we scored when had to. Our defense will have to carry us early while our offense puts it all together.”

Valley's total of 183 yards offense against UAPB was also the lowest in the conference other than JSU's output of 122.

The SWAC's Week 2 slate of games gets underway Thursday as UAPB travels to Lorman and a contest with Alcorn State. The Braves were ripped by Grambling State 31-10 in their opener as Tigers' quarterback Brandon Landers threw for 303 yards, 198 to receiver Reginal Jackson.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Jackson State will try to bounce back from its 25-17 loss at home to Delta State with a date against Tennessee State of the Ohio Valley Conference at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis.

Others games have Alabama A&M hosting Clark, Alabama State at Texas Southern while Prairie View A&M meets North Carolina A&T in Los Angeles.

FAMU Rattlers fans fired up for home opener with DSU

THIS IS OUR HOUSE!

Howard drops home opener to Georgetown

Photo: Monique McCoy, Fr. 5-7, DS/L, Las Vegas Durango HS, NV

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Monique McCoy had a match-high 12 digs but it was not enough as Georgetown downed Howard 3-0 (30-27, 30-23, 30-27) in the women's volleyball home opener Tuesday night at Burr Gymnasium.

The Lady Bison (0-7) got a team-high eight kills from Gazelle d'Artois. Elyssa Lee and Janel James added four kills each while Morgan Maxwell chipped in with 20 set-assists. Lee and James also picked up nine kills on the defensive end.

Photo: Kimberly Watson, So. 6-2, MB, Archbishop Carroll HS, Glendale, MD



The Hoyas (1-6) were paced by Jessica Hardy's 15 kills. Allison Kern led the squad in digs with nine.

Howard held Georgetown to a .037 hitting percentage in the second game and picked up 16 blocked shots compared to nine by the Hoyas.

HU is off for a week, next returning to action on Tuesday, Sept. 11 with a non-conference match against UMBC at Baltimore, Md.

Black College Football Videogame BCFx

Nerjyzed Entertainment Announces Black College Football Videogame BCFx. Videogame to Showcase Classic HBCU Rivalries, Interactive Halftime Shows, Original Music and High Intensity Game Play.

Nerjyzed Launched a Multi-Market Road Show Labor Day Weekend To Give Fans a Hands-on Experience with the Game

BATON ROUGE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc., a privately held, African American owned digital entertainment company, announced today the launch of its new sports videogame, Black College Football Experience. An authentic, action-packed football game created using the Unreal 3.0 engine, BCFx is a cultural experience that puts players and fans into the heart of black college football. The game will be supported by a 12-week promotional road tour to HBCU campuses, Classics and homecoming games. BCFx will be available for the PC this November 2007.

“Nerjyzed Entertainment was founded by a veteran team whose mission is to create positive interactive products for the urban market,” said Jacqueline Beauchamp, chief executive officer of Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc. “As HBCU alumni and black college football enthusiasts, we’re proud that BCFx honors our rich tradition and provides an incredibly fun football game for the whole family to play.”

BCFx is a sports game that captures the unique culture of the black college football experience, fusing advanced videogame design with music, and entertainment. Nerjyzed has secured an exclusive 5-year licensing agreement with three HBCU conferences including the SWAC, SIAC, and CIAA, several schools within the MEAC as well as independent HBCUs. The game features more than 40 teams, bands and mascots; interactive halftime shows; realistic stadiums; play-by-play commentary; and ten authentic Classics. For more information about BCFx, the latest game trailers, fight song ring-tones, behind-the-scenes video footage and the BCFx Road Show schedule, go to www.nerjyzed.com.

About Nerjyzed Entertainment

Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc. is a privately held, African American owned digital entertainment media development and publishing company. Founded in 2003 by a team of professional entrepreneurs sharing the passion to create positive interactive products for the underserved urban market, the company is the first videogame company to be certified as a participant in Louisiana’s highly successful digital media tax incentive program. Nerjyzed’s executive team has decades of experience in technology, interactive entertainment and mainstream media, holding top-level positions at companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Motorola, IBM, Electronic Arts, Nickelodeon, ABC Radio Networks, DNA Productions, Mythic Entertainment, and Bethesda Softworks. The team also holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from esteemed HBCUs including Southern University, Howard University, Florida A&M University as well as from other top universities throughout the country.

WSSU's game vs. North Carolina A&T made tidy profit

The Journal and The Sun News

■ Exact figures won’t be available until later this week, but Winston-Salem State’s game against N.C. A&T on Saturday appears as if it will be a major windfall for WSSU. Athletics Director Chico Caldwell said he’s hoping for a profit of at least $200,000.

“I feel real good about the turnout and about the atmosphere around the game,” Caldwell said.

The game, a 28-7 WSSU victory, drew one of the biggest crowds in Bowman Gray Stadium history, about 22,000 according to Caldwell. Caldwell said that some fans had to be turned away during the fourth quarter because of traffic jams around the stadium.

“We just couldn’t let anymore people in,” Caldwell said.

“It was a nice problem to have.”

The Rams have three home games left, against Hampton (Oct. 27), Delaware State (Nov. 3) and N.C. Central (Nov. 10).

“I heard even some of the naysayers who questioned our move from Division II talk about what a great atmosphere it was,” Caldwell said. “This is the first year we ever charged for parking, so that helped as well.”

■CONWAY, S.C. When asked about quarterback Ren McKinnon on Tuesday, the initial reaction from Coastal Carolina head coach David Bennett and quarterbacks coach Kevin Brown was quiet and somber; downcast eyes and slight shakes of their heads.

McKinnon, who missed last season due to an injury, had battled his way back this summer to put himself in contention for the starting quarterback job only to suffer another season-ending injury Saturday at Delaware State University.

Bennett said during his teleconference Tuesday that the hip fracture McKinnon sustained will sideline him for the season.

"You're not going to find a better kid," Bennett said.

McKinnon was not at practice Tuesday, and Bennett did not say if the redshirt senior would apply for a sixth year of eligibility.

McKinnon's injury is rarely seen on the football field. The force of the hit Saturday produced a concussive impact between his right femur and right hip socket.

"It's not as bad as Bo Jackson's injury," said Bennett over the former NFL star. "But it is similar."

■ With McKinnon out of the picture for Coastal Carolina, redshirt junior Will Richardson will start the home opener against Winston-Salem State at 7 p.m. Saturday. Richardson also started Saturday's game, rotating series with McKinnon until the injury.

The blow could also have a trickle down effect on freshman Jamie Childers, who shared second-string snaps with Sean Fortson at practice Tuesday and might lose his redshirt status later this season depending on circumstance.

■ Next game: Winston-Salem State Rams at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

When 7 p.m. Saturday

Where Brooks Stadium, Conway, S.C.

TV None

Radio WJXY-FM, 93.9; WIQB-AM, 1050

5th Quarter: WSSU Rams vs NCAT Aggies Band

SWAC Team Notes

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Grambling
First-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway didn’t sound impressed with his team before a 31-10 victory at Alcorn State and he wasn’t impressed after.

“We’ve got to get much better. &hellip The way we played Saturday isn’t good enough to compete in this league,” said Broadway, who counted 14 points his team didn’t score. “I don’t know if we’re good enough right now.”

Quarterback Brandon Landers (303 yards, four TDs) was the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week, and true freshman running back Frank Warren (143 yards on 30 carries), the son of the late New Orleans Saints defensive end of the same name, was the SWAC Newcomer of the Week.

Broadway said Warren should have had 200 yards.

“We expect more out of him,” Broadway said. “We get him one-on-one on a safety, and he has to win some of those.”

Broadway did at least say his team had a “chance to be good.”

Grambling had 37 passes, with 11 first downs through the air, and 37 rushes, with nine first downs rushing, Saturday. &hellip Senior WR Reginald Jackson had six catches for a career-high 198 yards and two TDs. He had 12 catches and two TDs all last season. &hellip Senior Clyde Edwards had three catches, two for TDs. Edwards has a TD grab in his last four games and 10 of his last 12. He has 25 in his career.

Jackson State
Jackson State coach Rick Comegy said he was upset Ron Roberts, a first-year coach at Division II power Delta State, told him the Statesmen had tapes of JSU, even though the two schools did not exchange tapes. Comegy said he had no film on Delta State, which won 27-15.

Comegy said he was worried the same would happen this week, with Tennessee State.

“It hurts me to know our conference (teams) are sending film on us,” Comegy said. “I just think (SWAC Interim Commissioner) Duer Sharp has to have a handle on our conference teams sending film to other people.”

Sharp said, “That’s something we’ll look into.”
JSU may replace QB Jimmy Oliver (7-for-20, 93 yards, one TD, one INT) with Tray Rutland (4-for-14, 58 yards, two INTs), a Mississippi State transfer. &hellip RB Erik Haw, sprained ankle, and Cordy Hull, a Southern Miss transfer who was ineligible, did not play Saturday, but Comegy said he expected both to play against TSU. &hellip The offense totaled 122 yards Saturday.

Alabama State
Chris Mitchell, a junior-college transfer who was 10-for-11 for 206 yards and two TDs off the bench in a 24-19 win over Jacksonville State, has surpassed incumbent Alex Engram, a 43.1-percent passer last season who was 3-for-6 for 44 yards and an INT.

“He gave us a spark,” said first-year Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow, quarterbacks coach the last two years. “He has all the measurables, and he has a calm presence about him. He gives us the opportunity to get some things done downfield. We just weren’t sure how well he knew the system.”

Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Marquee RBs Martell Mallett (23 yards on five carries) and Mickey Dean (19 yards on nine carries) fizzled and UAPB suffered four sacks Saturday in a 16-9 loss at Valley. The opener confirmed the concern of rebuilding the offensive line, with three to four new starters. Mallett was knocked out with a hip injury.

“We knew we were going to have some problems with our offensive line,” UAPB coach Mo Forte said. “We have to get that fixed. In order to get your running game going, you have to get your offensive line going.”

Notes
Saturday, SWAC teams will play in Chicago (Southern vs. Valley), Pittsburgh (Grambling at Pitt), Memphis (Jackson State vs. Tennessee State) and Los Angeles (PVAM vs. North Carolina A&T). Alcorn QB Chris Walker will be out after getting injured Saturday. The Braves will go with Tony Hobson or Tim Buckley.

Alabama A&M turns to big play

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Alabama A&M has carved a solid defensive reputation for itself.

So what were the Bulldogs — after losing so many offensive players from last season’s team — doing Saturday night when they put up 49 points?

“In the second half, our kids made some big plays,” said Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones as the Bulldogs beat Tennessee State 49-23. “We kept going and kept going.”

A&M had four touchdowns of 25 yards or more. Plus, after Tennessee State closed to 14-13 three minutes into the second half, the Bulldogs pulled away with three TDs in a 5-minute span.

A&M, with 147 rushing yards and 303 passing yards, had its best scoring output since a 52-6 decision over Jackson State in November 2005.

“Everything we saw Saturday, we saw at one point during training camp,” Jones said.

A&M had lost running backs Nic Luke and Ta’Mar Scott, three of its top four receivers and three senior offensive linemen, with three linemen making their first starts. Only one player, fullback Kevin McCants, had a collegiate carry until Saturday — and McCants didn’t get a touch anyway.

The Bulldogs still have senior quarterback Kelcy Luke.
“Kelcy Luke played very good football, and our offense just exploded on them,” Jones said. “And our defense, in the last three quarters, played excellent football.”

Luke was 18-for-29 for 261 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. He ran for 37 yards and another touchdown.

“He’s going to use what he has. He makes very few mistakes,” Jones said. “He helped some guys grow up. He let them get their first catch, their first run. Guys responded well. Our team speed has improved.”

The former Auburn transfer has been A&M’s No. 1 quarterback for the last two seasons (after alternating in 2004).

“He’s the leader of this team. He’s the team captain, again,” Jones said.

Sophomore wide receiver Thomas Harris had 100 yards and one TD, a 44-yarder. Last season, he totaled 327 yards and two TDs.

Freshman Anthony Green, not listed on the team’s two-deep chart, had the most carries among the running backs, getting 41 yards on 10 touches. He scored from 25 yards and 1 yard.

Two-time All-SWAC tight end Charles Moody, a senior, also had three catches for 43 yards.

“To be able to score 49 points, the defense gave us short field to work with (including free safety Al Donaldson’s 45-yard interception return),” Jones said.

The sticking point, to A&M, is Luke has never been All-Southwestern Athletic Conference despite leading the Bulldogs to the SWAC title game each of the last two seasons.

“I don’t know how well (Luke is known in the conference), because he can’t get any honors,” Jones said.

As for the defense, which had eight starters back but also had to replace linebacker Johnny Baldwin, strong safety Marcus Black and defensive lineman Kevin Lockhart, Jones said he liked the improvement as the game progressed.

“They had to get used to the game speed,” Jones said. “We made mistakes in the early going, bent but not broke.”

Southern OL handles pressure

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

So far, so good.

That’s the assessment of Southern’s offensive line after one game, a 33-27 win over Florida A&M.

The line lost five veterans to academic issues since the spring, and sophomore center Ramon Chinyoung still has yet to be cleared. Yet the Jaguars were still able to have a balanced outing, running for 238 yards and passing for 215.

SU allowed two sacks, with one of those coming as quarterback Bryant Lee took too much time checking through his progression of receivers, what’s known as a “coverage sack.”

SU (1-0) plays Mississippi Valley State (1-0, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.

“What we’re going to need is to develop the chemistry, and that will bring confidence,” Southern coach Pete Richardson said. “But that’s going to take time.

“They held up well at times. We did some things, offensive scheme-wise, and that helped them out a great deal. The more reps they get, the better they’ll be. They’ll just have to be fortunate to stay away from any type of injuries.”

The Jaguars went with a mix-and-match line.

Senior tight end Trent Thomas moved inside to left tackle. &hellip Junior Rafael Louis moved from tackle to left guard. &hellip Junior Reuben Oliver, who has mainly been a tackle, started at right guard Saturday, with redshirt freshman Rodrell Stewart spelled him. &hellip And senior Demarcus Stewart worked at center, where he started last season, but taking him away from guard, necessitating the move of Oliver.

The only lineman who stayed put was junior right tackle Myles Williams.

The line cleared the way for a 90-yard touchdown run on the Jaguars’ first offensive play, helped SU overcome an eight-point halftime deficit with 21 unanswered points and stood its ground for a game that lasted 3 hours and 45 minutes.

“They did real well,” Lee said. “They had a couple of missed assignments here and there. I told the receivers before the game, they say the offensive line is real thin and weak, but we have to ride with them and roll with them until the wheels fall off.”

Roberts does OK
Valley sophomore quarterback Paul Roberts was 15-for-27 for 153 yards and one touchdown, a pretty 15-yard toss to Abner Brown along the left side of the end zone, in Saturday’s 16-9 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

He was also sacked four times.

“My biggest concern was at quarterback,” Valley coach Willie Totten said. “He made some mistakes early, but he held his composure. We knew Pine Bluff would be a very physical team. We tried to stay base and let the quarterback get his feet wet.”

Roberts was 17-for-33 for 233 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions last season. He started twice, though once (against Alabama A&M) just for a quarter as Aries Nelson was being disciplined. Nelson, the SWAC’s preseason offensive player of the year, had started the previous three seasons.

“It’s different being a backup and now being a starter,” Totten said. “&hellip Our quarterback has to grow up fast.”

Midwestern ties
Southern has one player from Chicago: true freshman LB Sir Edward Staten from Homewood-Flossmoore. The Jaguars also have other Midwesterners in injured WR Corderious Gregory (Cleveland) and true freshman DE Ted Jones (Akron).

Valley has three players from Chicago: starting RB Johey Hargrett, second-team All-SWAC OL Thaddeaus Coleman and OL Taylor Bryant. The Delta Devils have seven others from the Midwest: FB Markeef McBride (Milwaukee), DE Fred Poole (Cleveland), DB James Harris (Cleveland), DT Austin Robert (Columbus, Ohio), LB Kevin Golden (University Heights, Ohio), DL Issac Jones (Grand Rapid, Mich.) and OL Tilden Trotter (Grandview, Mo.).

Notes
Richardson is 11-3 in SWAC openers in his 14 seasons (losing in 1996, 2000 and 2005). He’s also 88-27 (76.5 percent) against members currently in the SWAC — even after going 8-10 the last two seasons. Valley’s two kickers are from Hawaii (Zack Gilarski) and England (Jamie Witworth). SU’s total of four rushing TDs Saturday was its most since notching four against Lincoln in 2003. Valley DT Ronald Green was on The Sports Network’s preseason football championship subdivision All-American third team, with SU FS Jarmaul George on the second team.

Southern University Human Jukebox Band

JSU Football: Tigers' QB battle rekindled

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

'Now we've got to find the one that fits best'

THE JSU GAME
What: Jackson State (0-1) vs. Tennessee State (0-1), at Memphis
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
TV: FSN South

Senior Jimmy Oliver's got the proven track record and magical elusiveness in the pocket. Sophomore Tray Rutland possesses the golden left arm and willingness to study game film until he's kicked out of the coaches' offices.

Blend them together and you'd have the ideal quarterback. But that isn't a realistic option for Jackson State coach Rick Comegy.

Instead, he has to make a choice that's been harder than expected. What started as a preseason quarterback competition has now spilled over into September.

"We like them both, but they have very different styles," Comegy said. "Now we've got to find the one that fits with this team and gives us the best chance to win."

And the competition between the two is basically wide-open once again after a dismal offensive showing in last Saturday's season-opening 27-15 loss to Delta State.

Against the Statesmen, both quarterbacks struggled mightily, though part of that was due to a shaky offensive line and non-existent running game.

Oliver started and was 7-of-20 passing for 93 yards, a touchdown and an interception. In relief, Rutland was 4-of-14 passing with two interceptions.

After looking at Saturday's game tape, Comegy weighed moving Rutland into the starting role, but reconsidered after realizing the DSU game was not a good barometer for either quarterback.

"Both boys were really under extreme heat (from Delta State's defense)," Comegy said. "I've got a lot of confidence in those guys that they can get the job done. I wouldn't want to be unfair to Jimmy. I think it's going to take a week to try and see which guy comes out of the pack."

Oliver, who threw for more than 1,900 yards last season as a junior, says he's fine with uncertainty.

"It really doesn't affect me," Oliver said. "I'll go out and work hard, just like I have the past two years. Then coach will make a decision and I'll deal with it."

The first day of competition on Tuesday was anticlimactic because Oliver has an afternoon class, so he wasn't on the field. In his absence, Rutland took almost all the snaps.

Rutland says he has a strong relationship with offensive coordinator James Woody, and that's served him well in his first season at JSU.

"You've got to be eye-to-eye with the offensive coordinator because he's your leader," Rutland said. "Then it's my job to take what he gives me and make things click."

Rutland's downside is a lack of experience that includes just five career college games last season with Mississippi State as a redshirt freshman. He completed just 41.7 percent of his passes at MSU, for 151 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions.

Though Rutland's more traditional quarterback qualities and studious nature are attractive, Comegy said he won't discount Oliver's knack for getting results despite an aversion to the film room.

Last season, Oliver was first in the SWAC in total offense (222.9 yards per game), second in pass efficiency (144.9 rating) and third in passing yards per game (173.3).

But Oliver's sometimes aloof personality has been maddening for the coaching staff.

"Sometimes it's 'Is Jimmy coming to play or is he not?'" Comegy said. "I do believe he comes to play (physically) every week, but mentally (we're worried) about him being with everything we're trying to get into the offense."

Legendary Jackson State WR Smith honored

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

Cruising around Jackson State’s football practice last week, former Tiger great Jimmy Smith said he’s impressed by the direction of the program under second-year coach Rick Comegy.

“I think the combination of Comegy, (athletic director) Bob Braddy and (president) Dr. Ronald Mason is perfect for growth of this school and this program,” Smith said. “I was thrilled they reached out to me and wanted me to be more involved with the school and the team.”

Smith, who played at JSU from 1988 to 1991, was also one of the NFL’s premier receivers during a 14-year career spent mostly with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He retired in 2005 with 862 career receptions for 12,287 yards and 67 touchdowns. Both his career catches and career yards rank in the Top 11 in NFL history.

Smith attended JSU’s game against Delta State on Saturday and was honored at halftime. He received a framed replica of his game jersey engraved with his name and career stats.

In four seasons at JSU, he caught 110 passes for 2,073 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Smith has a house in Madison, but spends much of his time living in Jacksonville.

“We’re trying to set up some things in Jacksonville to work with young kids to give them some direction,” Smith said. “When I was a kid I never had that. I’d like to eventually get something going in Jackson as well.”

INJURY REPORT

Senior tight end Marcel Frost (leg) continues to work into game shape and has been cleared for full contact. He could be ready for Saturday’s game against Tennessee State, though the Sept. 13 game against Texas Southern is a more likely goal ... Running back L.D. Briscoe (toe) missed part of practice, but should be back tomorrow ... Running back Erik Haw (ankle), who didn’t play in the 27-15 loss to Delta State, was back in full pads and should play on Saturday vs. TSU.

Running Back reinforcements on the way for FAMU

By Heath A. Smith, DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Florida A&M head football coach Rubin Carter is hoping to get some reinforcements in time for Saturday's home opener against MEAC opponent Delaware State.

Senior running back Anthony Edwards is expected to be among those reinforcements Friday. Edwards, FAMU's leading rusher in 2006, missed most of preseason camp with arthritis in his foot and did not travel with the team to Birmingham, Ala., for Saturday's season opener against Southern.

FAMU statistically did well rushing the ball (194 yards, 3 touchdowns), particularly freshman Philip Sylvester out of Marianna High School, who rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns against Southern.

There were several short-yardage and goal-line situations, however where FAMU's running game faltered. Edwards at 5-11, 230 pounds thrived in those type of situations last season.

"With his ability to run the ball, he should be able to complement Philip Sylvester," Carter said about Edwards. "We're looking forward to getting him back in the fold.

"Anthony understands his role in goal-line situations and third- and fourth-and-one situations. There were places within the game where we could have placed him in a position to help us execute and sustain drives."

Edwards, a 2007 preseason All-MEAC Second Team selection, looked strong in practice Tuesday and said he is ready to play against Delaware State.

"I feel like there were places where I could have helped the team a lot," Edwards said. "At the same time, I feel that the team was good enough to be able to do it without me. It's been three years, and I haven't beaten Delaware State yet. We got to take it to them."

Sophomore running back Demitric Henry is also expected to play Saturday after traveling to Birmingham but not playing Saturday. Henry, the team's second leading rusher last season, has been recovering from a pulled hamstring suffered in preseason camp.

FAMU Marching 100: Song--SOS

DSU Hornets seek to shake FAMU Rattlers

Photo: DSU Head Coach Al Lavan

By Chris Gasiewski, Delaware State News

DOVER — The rush of victory has already dissipated. Delaware State’s 23-18 win over then-No. 23 ranked Coastal Carolina Saturday brought a celebration and then immediate focus on the next foe.

And that opponent — Florida A&M — presents a number of challenges for DSU. When the Hornets walk into Bragg Memorial Stadium, which seats 25,500, 6 p.m. Saturday, the quest for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title begins.

“They have such a great tradition over the years,” DSU coach Al Lavan said. “The band is playing all over the place. It’s just an atmosphere you have to prepare your team for.”

The game is both teams’ MEAC openers as it has been for the past two seasons.

Back in 2005, Lavan trooped the Hornets to Tallahassee, Fla. for a game in which a very green, red-shirt quarterback Vashon Winton helped DSU escape with a 21-17 win in his first start.

Last season, the Hornets forfeited a home game to face FAMU in the Ford Football Classic in Detroit. DSU overpowered the Rattlers 34-14 in that game.

“I expect Coach Lavan and DSU to be as good as they have been the last two years,” FAMU coach Rubin Carter said. “They have been the thorn in our side. They have key players that we have to stop.

“Winton is very active. Then, Kareem Jones, he is a pretty good player. He has cutback abilty. And of course with (Shaheer) McBride, they have a triple threat.”

That trio keyed the offense against Coastal Carolina.

Winton, a former MEAC Rookie of the Year, was his former self after breaking his leg last season. He tossed two touchdown passes to McBride. Jones, a transfer from Syracuse, rushed for 171 yards on 24 carries.

But Florida A&M also has talent in the skill positions.

Quarterback Albert Chester II heads the charge, returning after tossing for a MEAC-high 198.6 yards per game last season. He was also tops in the conference in total offense (230.6 yards per game).

Saturday, in the Rattlers’ 33-27 loss to Southern in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge, Chester again proved his ability, producing a 106.96 passer rating.

“It’s much of the same anytime you go against Florida A&M,” Lavan said. “They’ve got good players with tremendous speed. Our challenge is to go into the Rattlers’ nest and come out alive.

“Anytime you play a Florida A&M you have to be ready for skill people.”

Reeves honored

Maybe it was the beard he grew during summer camp, but linebacker Russell Reeves played perhaps his best game as a Hornet Saturday.

The Mechanicsville, Md., native had 12 tackles, including seven solo, a sack and two pass breakups. He also dropped a potential interception in the second quarter.

It earned Reeves the MEAC’s Defensive Player of the Week award.

Lavan pleased

Lavan said he wasn’t surprised but pleased with the performance of several players from Saturday. Mostly, it was with Jones and his endurance and free safety Reggie McCoy, who had three tackles and blanketed receivers.

He also gave recognition to Jackie Watkins, who made his first start at outside linebacker, and Laronne Moore, who took a reverse for long yardage deep into Coastal territory that set up McBride’s second touchdown catch.

Also, Lavan acknowledged defensive back Frances Adjei for blocking an extra point in the fourth quarter.

“That was a turning point,” Lavan said. “That was his play. He did the same thing in practice.

“I can go on and on and pick out instances where guys have improved.”

New goal for line

Last year, the offensive line prided itself on giving Emmanuel Marc enough room to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He was DSU’s first running back to reach the milestone since 2001.

Now, with Jones behind them, the unit has a new goal to reach.

“We’re trying to get Kareem 1,500 (yards) this year,” sophomore center Nick Richmond said. “We also want to rush for about 2,200 (as a team).”

Jones and the line certainly took a big step toward that mark on Saturday.

Not ranked yet

Saturday’s win still wasn’t enough for DSU to crack into the Sports Network’s Top 25 poll. DSU received 192 points, which equates to a No. 27 ranking.

AAMU's Rice's move has no degree of difficulty

Reggie Benson, Huntsville Times

Mississippi State grad, ex-Johnson star enjoys playing time at A&M

Every year, Carlton Rice considered coming home from Mississippi State. But every year, the former Johnson High School star changed his mind.

Finally, with his fitness management degree in hand, there was no reason for Rice to stay in Starkville and languish on special teams, as he had done the previous three seasons.

So after graduating last December with a year of eligibility remaining, Rice headed home to Alabama A&M.

He's only played one game for the Bulldogs, but he's already made an impact.

Last Saturday against Tennessee State, the senior inside linebacker showed off his skills. He finished with a game-high eight tackles and had an interception in the first quarter that turned the game around as A&M went on to a convincing 49-23 victory. Rice was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Game.

"I give all the glory to God," Rice said. "Being here is a blessing."

Rice considered A&M coming out of high school. He eventually committed to Chattanooga, but MSU entered the picture late in the recruiting process. Ron Cooper, who coached from 1998-2001 at A&M, signed him.

After redshirting as a freshman, Rice spent the majority of his career playing special teams. While he played in all 34 games during his stay, he was credited with 25 tackles - 15 of which came last season.

"I got in basically when the game was over," Rice said. "I was second string, but never got the coach's confidence.

"It was a real tough situation, but I never complained. I went out there every day and did my job and hoped to get a chance."

That went on throughout his career. Even so, Rice decided to stick it out.

"I got there and decided I wanted to get a degree from Mississippi State," he said.

All the while, Rice stayed in contact with A&M coach Anthony Jones. When Mississippi State was idle, Rice came to watch A&M play.

"When he wasn't here, I felt like he was a part of our program because he still had an interest," Jones said. "We felt we had a real good shot at him coming out of high school, but Mississippi State came in. It's tough for a kid to turn down an SEC team."

After Rice realized he was going to graduate early and have a year of eligibility left, his mind was made up.

"I pretty much knew what I wanted to do," he said. "I was coming back home."

Rice certainly looked comfortable Saturday night. Making his first career start and playing extensively for the first time in college, Rice looked like a natural.

"He played an exceptional game," Martin said. "He has great awareness and instincts. He's brought more to the table than I expected.

"It was like he had been here five years and he's only been here one game. We're excited."

So is Rice.

"Saturday night was all I envisioned and more," he said.

Defensive line changes: Two new starters will be along A&M's defensive line Saturday night when Clark Atlanta visits. Dominique Cummings will start at right defensive end and David Winston will start at right defensive tackle against the Panthers.

Jeremy Maddox started in place of Cummings against Tennessee State and was credited with five tackles, but he was also whistled for two big penalties early in the third quarter that helped set up a Tigers touchdown. Meanwhile, Renaldo Askew started in place of Winston, who had sustained a back injury more than a week before the opener. Winston was credited with one tackle, while Askew didn't record one.

Working hard: A&M practiced for two-plus hours Tuesday as it began preparations for its home opener against Clark Atlanta. Kickoff is 6:30 Saturday night at Louis Crews Stadium.

"It's the toughest day of the week," he said. "You're challenged mentally because you're introducing a new game plan. You're challenged physically because you've had a couple of days off and the bumps and bruises have set in."

TSU Williams rejoins first team after opening performance

By MIKE ORGAN, the Tennesseean

Running back Javarris Williams, who provided one of the few bright spots for Tennessee State's offense in last Saturday's loss to Alabama A&M, has earned back his starting assignment.

Williams will be with the first team when TSU plays Jackson State on Saturday in the Southern Heritage Classic at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.

Williams, a junior who rushed for 1,233 yards and scored 12 touchdowns last season, had been bumped from the first team by sophomore Terrence Wright because Wright had performed so well in preseason camp.

But Wright struggled Saturday gaining only nine yards on seven carries in the 49-23 loss to A&M, while Williams ran for 123 yards on 20 carries.

"I'm real proud of Javarris, of the way he ran and the way he handled me," TSU Coach James Webster said. "When I say the way he handled me, I mean that when I told him he wasn't going to start because of some different things he never wavered. He gave us his best in practice, he always hustled, and he came out in the game and ran like the winner that he is."

Williams wasn't satisfied with his performance against Alabama A&M, even though it was the 10th time he has rushed for at least 100 yards in a game.

"I did okay, but we didn't win so I guess it wasn't good enough," Williams said. "I read my blocks good and followed my linemen. I ran hard and there was some poor tackling by Alabama A&M."

No injuries: Webster said the Tigers suffered some minor bumps and bruises but no injuries that would keep any players out of the Jackson State game.

Scouting: NFL scouts from the Chargers, 49ers and Patriots attended Tuesday's practice. They were interested in cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but also checked on defensive end Shaun Richardson and offensive tackle Cornelius Lewis, a transfer from Florida State.

Nice increase: TSU Athletics Director Teresa L. Phillips wasn't happy about the loss in the John Merritt Classic, but was pleased with the increase in attendance .

Saturday's attendance mark for the John Merritt Classic was 22,440, which was up 3,953 from last year.

Phillips also said she wished more fans had watched the game at LP Field instead of staying in the parking lot to tailgate.

"We're trying to figure out how to get some of those people into the stadium once the game starts, but anytime you're going in the right direction in terms of attendance it's a positive," Phillips said.

Southern, a more traditional rival for the Tigers, replaces A&M in next year's Classic.

'Wyatt-bone' ready for SCSU

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Sports Editor

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Last Saturday looked like vintage "Wyatt-bone" produced by the Bethune-Cookman’s offense.

With double-threat quarterback Jimmie Russell orchestrating the option attack as seamlessly as predecessors Allen Suber and Pa'tell Troutman and B-back Justin Brannon running effectively, the Wildcats rushed for 283 yards in a 31-17 victory over Jacksonville on Saturday.

Just don’t suggest to Bethune-Cookman head football coach Alvin Wyatt the performance marked a revival of his self-coined variation of the Wishbone and Ham-bone offense given how successfully the Wildcats’ passing game worked in last year’s 45-21 rout of Saturday’s 4 p.m. opponent South Carolina State.

"I don’t think it ever left us," said Wyatt about his offense on Tuesday . "We’ve averaged over 31 points a game last year and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that. So we’ve been putting up the points on the board.

"We kind of let down on our defense last year and I’ve made that perfectly clear with everybody. I was very satisfied with what we did offensively last year. We just had two injured quarterbacks and we had to do what we had to do. A guy with a hurt hand couldn’t get the ball from the center. We had a guy with a bad ankle that couldn’t pull away from the center. So, we knew the only way we could have success was try and throw the football.

With Russell hobbling, it was Jarrod Rucker who came off the bench to shred the Bulldogs’ secondary for 347 yards and five touchdowns. This happened after SCSU jumped out to a 14-0 advantage after capitalizing off two turnovers and containing the Wildcats’ ground game.

Should the same thing happen occur, Wyatt said Bethune-Cookman would resort to a similar strategy against an SCSU pass defense which had its difficulties defending Air Force’s mobile quarterback Shaun Carney.

"If we have to throw, we throw," he said. "If we have to run, we try to run the football. There’s no set thing. It’s whatever the defense gives us is how we’re going to react to the situation. So we ever come in saying we’re going to throw on these people or we’re going to run the football. Whatever the defense gives us, then that’s what we’re going to go from it."

Having a healthy Russell is important to the effectiveness of the "Wyatt-bone" attack. The reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns, matching his entire total from last season, and was 7 of 19 passing for 103 yards and no picks.

More important for Wyatt was how Russell’ play enabled first-time B-back starter Brannon to also rush for over 100 yards.

"When he’s healthy, he’s Suber and Pa'tell-like and he’s healthy right now and hopefully, that can continue through the course of the season," Wyatt said. "He had an outstanding choice as far as passing with no interceptions. Running the football, he had no fumbles. He rushed for over 115 yards, had three touchdowns and set up Justin Brannon, our first-time starter at the B-back position where he was able to get 100 yards also rushing. So we had two, 100-yard rushers and Jimmie was a huge part of that as well as that offensive line and the other guys who were on the field at that time."

Those "other guys" included senior wide receiver Paul Neufville, who was just cleared to play by the NCAA following a medical redshirt last season during which he had six catches for 92 yards against SCSU. Defensively, the Wildcats rebounded from a slow start to hold the Dolphins to 69 rushing yards and got a key interception return for a touchdown from defensive end Dennis King.

Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Bobbie Williams also had an interception, the 14th for his career, and Brendon Odom had a team-high 10 tackles.

"I just take my hats off to those kids simply because we played without five starters and a second guy who would have played a tremendous amount of football on Saturday and we had a lot of newcomers out there and I thought we did an outstanding job. Defensively, once we got on track, they hit us early with a pass that gave them the lead. But we came back and fought back and we shut them down and played well from then on."

Saturday’s matchup marks the renewal of a ‘"rivalry" between head coaches Wyatt and SCSU’s Oliver "Buddy" Pough. Since Pough made comments about how hard it is taking Wyatt seriously given his flashy flair for fashion back in 2002, the two have engaged in gamesmanship both on the field and during press conferences.

Most recently at the MEAC preseason luncheon, Wyatt once again played up the fact that SCSU is a public-supported school with more resources available at its disposal than private-school Bethune-Cookman.

"I enjoy Alvin," said Pough during Monday’s press conference. "He’s funny. I’m sure he’s got all kinds of reasons for all of the things that he does and most of them must work because he’s been very, very successful. What we need to do is maybe emulate some of his more desirable characteristics."

"They have a great football team," said Wyatt about SCSU. "They have great speed. They’re picked to finish number one in the conference. They had an outstanding game against Air Force. They always play tough football, of course, MEAC football is tough anyway. But it’s a rivalry-type atmosphere with these two teams. They really go at each other and it can set the tone for both teams for the season. We’re looking forward to them coming here to Daytona Beach and we know that we have to be at the top of our game. It’s going to be tough competition.and we’re just going to go out there and we’re going to compete and the best team in the end will come out to win the football game."

Off Topic: Going overboard on Appalachian State's upset win over Michigan

by Tresolini

"Greatest upset in college football history" and "David slaying Goliath" were two phrases being way too liberally tossed around Saturday night in the wake of Appalachian State's 34-32 upset over Michigan. Every time I heard or read one or the other, I cringed.

Don't get me wrong. It was a huge upset. A Division I-AA team had never beaten a ranked I-A team. But Appalachian State is hardly your typical I-AA team and, frankly, there are probably 25 Division I-A schools, at least, that would have shocked me more if they'd beaten Michigan. And I'm not just talking Temple and Buffalo. Appalachian State is probably better than a bunch of I-A schools, including a few of the lesser lights from BCS conferences.

The Mountaineers also happen to have a very experienced team -- they returned 13 of 21 offensive and defensive starters -- that knows how to win. They went 26-4 over the last two years, with three of those losses to I-A Kansas, LSU and North Carolina State. There are plenty of I-AA teams that, had they beaten Michigan, it might have been the greatest upset in college football history. Not this I-AA team. A colleague who covered App. State had told me last month he expected the Mountaineers had the guns to battle Michigan.

Michigan obviously isn't as good as it's cracked up to be and wasn't as ready as it should have been. Appalachian State was more than ready and, hence, the college football world was treated to (sorry Michigan fans) what was certainly a major upset but an even bigger spectacle. And give Appalachian State students extra credit for tearing down the goalposts on campus in celebration.
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by Anonymous Fan

It just goes to show you how narrow-minded the ESPN college football analysts are. Yes, it was a huge upset (on paper) but if you watched the game in black and white, no logos/team names and was asked which team is more likely to go to a BCS game, 10 out of 10 people would have pointed to Appalachian State. The ESPN guys don't care for a second about the FCS and are shocked when a FBS team loses to one of them. Mark May said, "I even doubt that a 1-AA team beat a bowl bound 1-A team in recent history." That made him look dumb on many fronts: University of Delaware over Navy is 'o3 and for others making such a hasty generalization without doing a second of research. Prior to the game he did a segment on the Big Ten scheduling "cupcakes," well Michigan can have it's cupcake and eat it too.
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by Ken Murray, Baltimore Sun

Coaches say teams in lower division win their share

Appalachian State struck a blow for the little guy and the repercussions stretched from Ann Arbor, Mich., to tiny Boone, N.C., and all points in the NCAA's former Division I-AA, now called the Football Championship Subdivision.

An upset over Michigan on Saturday shocked football's upper crust, and yesterday the Wolverines fell completely out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll after starting the season at No. 5. To those who have traveled in the I-AA circles, there was no shock. This was merely the latest endorsement of their game.

"That's the first time a ranked [Division I-A or Football Bowl Subdivision] lost so it gets everybody's attention," Navy coach Paul Johnson said, "But every year, somebody [in I-A] loses [to a team in I-AA]."

Johnson has worked both sidelines of the great divide. He won two national I-AA championships at Georgia Southern, where he nearly knocked off host Oregon State in 1999. He has spent the past five-plus years at top-division Navy, where he was upset by I-AA Delaware in 2003 when the Blue Hens won a national title.

The gap between the two divisions isn't as big as some believe, Johnson said.

"I think at the very top of the elite I-A schools, there's a pretty good gap," he said. "I think maybe the top 10, 15 I-AA schools would probably be comparable to the midlevel I-A schools. That's playing once - not if they had to play every week because depth would come into play with the scholarship limit."

FBS schools (I-A) are allotted 85 scholarships. FCS schools (I-AA) get 63. The difference is clear to Towson coach Gordy Combs.

"It's the depth factor," he said. "There are only so many players out there that are difference-makers, and most of those go to I-A. The big thing in I-AA, you have to develop your players."

Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley described Appalachian State's win over Michigan in biblical terms ("It was David and Goliath"). He doesn't believe the gap between the two divisions is closing.

"You can take 100 teams from I-A and play 100 I-AA teams, and you'll still end up with a 15 percent win record [for the I-AAs]," he said. "Michigan would beat them nine out of 10 times."

Still, the lower division manages to pull its share of surprises every September. A week apart in 2004, New Hampshire upset Rutgers, 35-24, and Maine stung Mississippi State, 9-7. Until Saturday, probably the biggest upset was by The Citadel in 1992, when a victory over Arkansas cost Razorbacks coach Jack Crowe his job.

Appalachian State had flirted with this kind of upset before. In 1999, the Mountaineers hung with Auburn before losing, 22-15.

The Mountaineers' speed and spread offense were too much Saturday for Michigan. The spread has helped balance the playing field.

"It's almost like the triple-option," Hill-Eley said. "When that first came about, it was for schools that didn't get the most-talented kids. The spread not only helps schools get more talent, it takes their offense and puts speed behind it. Appalachian State had I-A caliber talent at the receiver and quarterback position."

That wasn't always the case.

"Before, when it was 3 yards and a cloud of dust, it was tough for the I-AAs to play [with the I-A's]," Combs said. "Now even the I-A's are playing the spread."

Johnson hedged when asked whether Appalachian State's upset was the greatest in college football history.

"I don't have any idea about that," he said. "[But] I'm sure there have been less-talented teams beat more-talented teams. I mean, Appalachian State is not a bad football team; they're a pretty talented team."

When he was at Georgia Southern, Johnson was able to get just two I-A schools to play his two-time I-AA champions. In 2000, Georgia Southern lost at Georgia, 29-7. In 1999, the Eagles had Oregon State on the ropes. A touchdown in the final two minutes got them within 48-41.

They got the ball back - with a backup quarterback - and were on the Oregon State 25 when a fourth-down pass ended the game. Johnson said there was a bias by Pacific-10 officials, and remembered a comment from Oregon State coach Dennis Erickson coming off the field.

"After the game, he said, 'We won't be playing anymore,' " Johnson recalled.

There was pride in Johnson's voice.

Former Illinois wide receiver Derrick McPhearson transfers to Hampton University

BY MARTY O'BRIEN, Daily Press

The Pirates have signed five I-A transfers since spring

Hampton University added yet another FBS (I-A) transfer to the roster this week. The latest is Derrick McPhearson, a wide receiver who spent two seasons at Illinois.

McPhearson, 6-feet, 195 pounds, started several games in two seasons (2005-06) for the Illini. He caught 24 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown. He returned eight kicks for an average of 18.4 yards.

Pirates coach Joe Taylor said that McPhearson will begin practicing on Wednesday. McPhearson has two years of eligibility remaining.

"He runs a consistent 4.4 (second) 40, catches with his hands and is a real good route-runner," Taylor said. "He'll be a real contributor, but how quickly he contributes depends on where he is at physically and how quickly he picks up our system."

McPhearson is the fifth FBS player to transfer to Hampton since the spring. The others are cornerback Jackie Bates (Oregon), defensive tackle Kevin Burke (from West Virginia), safety Ben Greene (Tennessee) and cornerback Sam Pope (South Carolina). First team quarterback T.J. Mitchell (West Virginia) and starting tailback Kevin Beverly (Kent State) are also FBS transfers.

The Pirates open their season on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Howard in Washington, D.C.

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And now the rest of the story regarding this HU transfer...

On August 19, 2007, the Washington Post published the following story regarding former local star Derrick McPhearson from Hyattsville, Maryland, who is facing felony residential burglary and theft charges stemming from a March 11 arrest.

The Chicago Tribune reported on August 21, that McPhearson trial has been delayed until Oct.22, 2007, at the Champaign County Circuit Court, after a defense motion.

His attorney complained that a newspaper ("Washington Post")mentioned key evidence he'd never seen. A story in the Washington Post said the evidence against 21-year-old Derrick McPhearson is a videotape showing him and fellow player and defendant Jody Ellis carrying computers out of a fraternity house.

Head Coach Ron Zook, kicked both McPhearson and fellow receiver Jody Ellis off the Illinois team after their arrest with the stolen goods in Ellis car.

McPhearson's Trial Set to Begin

DeMatha All-Met Faces Burglary and Theft Charges in Illinois

By Josh Barr, Washington Post Staff Writer
August 19, 2007

Former All-Met football player Derrick McPhearson, a two-sport star at DeMatha who played football the past two seasons at the University of Illinois, will stand trial tomorrow in Champaign County (Ill.) Circuit Court after being charged with burglary and theft.

McPhearson, who turned down a plea bargain that would have allowed him to avoid prison time, is charged with three counts of felony burglary and two counts of theft under $300. If found guilty of burglary, McPhearson would face a minimum sentence of four years in prison. The theft charge is punishable by two to five years in prison.

McPhearson and former teammate Jody Ellis were arrested March 2. According to a Champaign police spokesman, McPhearson and Ellis were pulled over after Ellis drove away from a minor accident in his 1995 Honda Accord.

"Further investigation led to alleged stolen items being located in the vehicle," police investigations Sgt. Jim Rien said. "Further investigation led to actual victims of burglaries and charges were filed."

Champaign Chief of Police R.T. Finney told reporters that computers, electronic equipment, stolen wallets and identification cards were recovered from the vehicle. In all, 40 stolen items were found, Rien said.

"Both [McPhearson and Ellis] are responsible," Rien said. "We have video evidence that supports both are responsible and both are involved."

Illinois Coach Ron Zook immediately dismissed McPhearson and Ellis from the team following their arrest. An Illinois athletic department spokesman said the coach and his staff would not comment further until the case was resolved.

Court motions for McPhearson are set to be heard tomorrow before Judge Thomas Difanis, with jury selection in the afternoon followed by the start of what is expected to be a five-day trial.

The key evidence in the case is expected to be a videotape showing both players entering an unlocked door of a fraternity house and leaving with computer equipment, according to a source with detailed knowledge of the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.

The key witness against McPhearson is expected to be Ellis, who has been issued a subpoena to testify in the case. Prosecutors offered both players the chance to plead guilty to burglary and go to impact incarceration -- better known as boot camp -- in lieu of a prison sentence, but McPhearson rejected the deal, according to Ellis's attorney, Ed Piraino. With McPhearson set for trial, prosecutors withdrew the offer to Ellis, though Piraino hopes it will be extended again once McPhearson's case is resolved.

"That's not promised, but that's what I hope for, that they'll put an offer back on the table after" McPhearson's trial, Piraino said. The players are being tried separately.

Ellis "has been subpoenaed to testify and they want him to testify truthfully before they extend an offer. Otherwise he could get up there and lie.

"I asked Jody why [the alleged crimes occurred] and he just said because it was there," Piraino said. "Who knows why people do things to ruin their lives?"

Piraino said the terms of the plea agreement offered by prosecutors were rejected by McPhearson's father, Gerrick. Repeated attempts to reach Derrick McPhearson, his father and his lawyer, Robert Kirchner, were unsuccessful.

"His father would not have anything to do with [a plea] because he did not want his son to have a felony on his record," Piraino said, relating his discussions with McPhearson's first attorney, Mark Lipton, who recommended taking the deal, Piraino said. Lipton declined to comment. "So they fired Lipton and hired a new attorney. If you pay them, there is always someone out there who will tell you what you want to hear. Some people told my client he should [get a new attorney]. I told Jody the same thing and he listened to me.

"It's a horribly risky play. Bear in mind, what is he gambling? He is gambling probably the difference between boot camp and years in the department of corrections. If you [go to] boot camp, you're going to get four months. If you get four years [in prison], you probably have to serve 1 1/2 to two years. He is risking the difference. Boot camp is a dorm-style setup with kids your own age in barracks. The risk is huge."

Former FAMU basketball coach gets probation

TALLAHASSEE— Former Florida A&M University basketball coach Mike Gillespie pleaded no contest today to charges of stalking a former girlfriend, and was sentenced to a year of probation.

The court also ordered Gillespie, who is married, to permanently stay away from the victim in the case.

Gillespie was fired last month. Police had said they warned Gillespie in 2005 and again the night before he was arrested in May to stay away from the woman. He was arrested after driving by her workplace the morning after the latest warning.

Gillespie completed his sixth season at Florida A&M earlier this year, taking the team to its first 20-win season since 1988-89 and its second NCAA tournament berth in his tenure.

A formal search is currently underway by FAMU to hire a replacement head basketball coach. Mike Gillespie Jr., who served his father as an assistant basketball coach for the FAMU men's program was hired last week by Wichita State University, as an assistant coach for the women basketball program.

JSU starting QB spot back on the block

David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

Two days after Jackson State's offensive debacle in a 27-15 loss to Delta State, Tigers coach Rick Comegy announced that the starting quarterback position was up for grabs between senior Jimmy Oliver and sophomore Tray Rutland.

"After looking at the film, Tray might have jumped ahead of Jimmy a little," Comegy said. "We'll go through the week and see how both of them look."

Oliver started against DSU, but was on the bench by the second quarter. Rutland, a Mississippi State transfer, didn't have any more success than Oliver, and the two ended up splitting time the rest of the evening.

Oliver finished 7-of-20 passing for 93 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Rutland was 4-of-14 passing for 58 yards and was picked off twice. JSU finished with just 122 yards of total offense.

JSU (0-1) plays Tennessee State (0-1) at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the Southern Heritage Classic at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.

RUNNING BACKS COULD RETURN

Comegy said he expects running backs Erik Haw and Cody Hull to play on Saturday against Tennessee State.

Haw, a junior, missed the Delta State game because of a sprained ankle while Hull, a senior transfer from USM, was academically ineligible.

Without those two, JSU rushed for minus-29 yards on Saturday. Lavarius Giles led the Tigers with 16 rushing yards on eight carries.

TAPE EXCHANGE SPAT

Jackson State coach Rick Comegy said he was upset that other SWAC schools apparently gave game tape to Delta State to help the Statesmen study the Tigers.

"You would think the SWAC schools would try to stick together," Comegy said. "We need to get with (interim commissioner) Duer Sharp and try to get some kind of agreement."

Hyped up in the Mississippi Valley

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Totten excited about ’07 team

How confident is Mississippi Valley State after a 16-9 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday?

“I truly feel this will be the best team I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Valley coach Willie Totten said.

That’s saying something because Valley, which plays Southern at 4 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago, was thought to be rebuilding this season after a talent-rich team underachieved last season.

More, Valley came out fourth of five teams in the Eastern Division in the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s preseason poll in late July.

“Our guys understand the magnitude of going to Chicago,” Totten said. “They know what they have to do. It’s strictly business.”

Valley (1-0, 1-0 SWAC) has had back-to-back 6-5 seasons in the last two years — the first time since 1983-84 the Delta Devils posted consecutive winning years — but last year was a disappointment.

The Delta Devils were picked to finish second in the SWAC poll a year ago (and did so, but only in a four-team tie). After a 3-4 start, they reeled off three wins and nearly made the SWAC Championship Game but fell 25-20 at Alabama State in the season finale.

In particular, quarterback Aries Nelson, the preseason offensive player of the year, fizzled, not even making the all-conference team.

“Last year, we had a lot of talent,” Totten said. “But when you have a lot of talent, guys have a tendency to say they’ll do whatever it takes for them to get to the league (NFL).”

Totten said at least seven players “didn’t work within the team.”

In the offseason, Totten re-worked his staff and recruited junior college players to fill holes in the defense.

“Our guys now are finding a way to win,” Totten said. “That’s going to be the difference in this team. This team is now playing more together, as a team.”

Togetherness became the rallying point.
“That’s pretty much what we tried to teach in the preseason,” Totten said. “We had a lot of talent (last season). Those guys set the tone for the program. They laid the foundation. &hellip Our focus now is more as a team. These guys work as a unit.”

Last season, Valley opened with a 10-0 win over UAPB. Then Valley didn’t live up to expectations, while UAPB, not expected to do much, recovered from a 1-3 start to make the SWAC title game.

The roles were reversed Saturday. And UAPB, picked to repeat as the Western Division champ this season, lost to Valley for the third straight year.

Valley jammed UAPB workhorses Martell Mallett (23 yards on five carries) and Mickey Dean (19 yards on nine carries). They knocked Mallett out of the game with a hip injury and sacked Chris Wallace, last season’s SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, four times. Dean left in the third quarter with cramps.

Valley’s sophomore quarterback, Paul Roberts (15-for-27 for 153 yards and one TD), was steady but not spectacular.


“We’re talking about trying to surpass 6-5,” Totten said.
Last season, when SU and Valley met, both teams were 1-0 like this season and both were considered potential contenders to make the SWAC title game. Southern, which won 31-14 but then lost four of its next five games, was picked to win the Western Division.

This season, there are lower expectations for both, with SU picked third in the Western Division. That makes this game an interesting juncture for two rebuilding teams. SU beat Florida A&M 33-27 Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.

“It’s always good to start out on the right track early,” Totten said. “That was a big win for us and a big win for Southern. No doubt, beating a team like Florida A&M has to give Southern a lot of confidence.

“They were down last year, and that’s always going to be the case. (Southern’s) Pete Richardson is a very good football coach. I know (going 5-6) disturbed him a lot and they’ve worked hard to change that. I know there will be a lot of fireworks in Chicago.