Big Game: Rutgers vs. Norfolk State University

by Star-Ledger Staff

We gave our Rutgers writers six questions heading into Rutgers' game tomorrow against Norfolk State. Here's what they had to say:

1. Is there any cause for concern with Norfolk State? What can you tell us about them?

TOM LUICCI: Cause for concern? Norfolk State lost 13-10 to Howard last year -- a Howard team Rutgers beat 56-7. Norfolk State hasn't had a winning season since 1996 and has never faced a 1-A team before. This is Norfolk State, not Appalachian State. But why hear it from me? Take it from Spartans coach Pete Adrian.

"We're talking apples and oranges here," Adrian said of the Appalachian State comparisons. "Appalachian State won two national championships back to back, they've played a Division 1-A team for the last 20 years, every other year or whatever, and this is our first endeavor in playing a Division 1-A team. Like I've said, we haven't had a winning season in 10 years. There's a lot of Division 1-A teams that don't want to play Appalachian State with the speed they have."

STEVE POLITI: The only concern is a Rutgers injury. Norfolk State is 289-288-12 since 1938 in football, and this game will drop the Spartans to .500. Rutgers is past the days where it has to worry about Division 1-AA teams. Just make sure Ray Rice gets 200 yards and gets off the field without hurting himself, and this will be a successful day.

ALEX DELANIAN: I don't know how to be polite with this question. I think we all learned a nice lesson from Appalachian State never to underestimate, but this is going to be like a New Rochelle High School gym class and you just happen to have Ray Rice, Glen Lee and Courtney Greene on your side. With the wind at your backs. And you get to wear cleats while the other team plays barefoot. And their quarterback, a natural lefty, broke his hand and has to throw righty. And the cornerbacks are only named that because they prefer to sit in the corner and watch than play. I told you I didn't know how to be polite.

2. Assuming the game is a rout and leads to more reps for backups, who plays more: Young at RB or Lovelace at QB?

TL: I asked Rutgers coach Greg Schiano after practice on Thursday if there was any chance we would see redshirt freshman Chris Paul-Etienne, the No. 3 QB, if the game gets out of hand. Paul-Etienne hasn't played a down yet. Schiano indicated he wanted to get Jabu Lovelace as much work as possible. "We need to get him ready," he said. Kordell Young will get plenty of time at tailback, but I also think the coaching staff wants to see a little of true freshman Mason Robinson there. So Robinson could be in most of the fourth quarter -- working with Lovelace.

SP: I think you'll see more Lovelace, because they're more likely to work him earlier to use his speed against the Norfolk State defense. Here's one thing Rutgers fans should want to see: Lovelace throw some passes. Much like the Jets and Giants this weekend, the Scarlet Knights do not want to find out what life is like without their starting (and red hot) quarterback in a season like this.

AD: Lovelace. If only because if both of them are in the game, Young might not see the ball. From what we saw against Buffalo, the offensive package when Lovelace is in the game consists of snapping the ball to him and getting out of the way. Young can't catch a break, whether it's Rice in front of him on the depth chart or Tim Brown stepping in front of him on kickoff returns. We will see more of Lovelace, but it'd be nice for the backup running back to get some reps, just in case.

3. There's a fine line between getting your stats and running it up. What should be the goal of Rutgers for Ray Rice (100, 150, 200 yards) and how long should he play?

TL: The score and the tenor of the game -- not Rice's rushing yardage -- will dictate how long Rice plays. The fine line really is between getting your starters enough work to stay sharp, especially with a bye week coming up, and making sure you get out of a game like this healthy. Rice may play the first series of the second half if the games goes as I expect it will. Then he will get a nice ovation and take the rest of the day off. He may not need 20 carries to pile up solid rushing numbers.

SP: I'd say go for 200. There's no reason Rice shouldn't play well into the third quarter no matter what the score is. Look around the country -- these games are getting out of hand everywhere. The big boys in college football, a club Rutgers belongs to now, pay for the right to beat up on 1-AA teams. As long as Rutgers isn't throwing into the end zone in the fourth quarter, there won't be any hard feelings. Norfolk knows the drill.

AD: The goal is to get him a few carries and get him out of there. I can't fathom the backlash if Rice stays in one series too long and gets even a minor injury that keeps him out for one game.

4. The defense didn't bring its 'A' game in either of the first two games - though you could excuse both (they didn't force a turnover against Buffalo but held them to three points and Navy is Navy - an offense you only see once a year). Give me a way to measure their success in this one; should we look at points, total yards, turnovers ... you tell us.

TL: We will probably only be able to judge the defense off the first half, because that's as long as most of the starters figure to play. You want to see dominance in a game like this. You want to see some turnovers, but sacks and stuffing the run and making it nearly impossible for Norfolk State to function is what you want to look for. If Norfolk State has more than 140 yards of offense in the first half, the defense probably won't be happy. I think Rutgers will welcome the change back to a more traditional offense.

SP: This is another tough one to measure, but I'll throw one criteria out there: Get a shutout. Rutgers narrowly missed one last year against Howard, and playing a complete game (even if it's against an overmatched team) would be a confidence builder heading into the bye week.

AD: Keep an eye on penalties. There's no doubt that this is a talent mismatch, but stats can pile up in weird ways in a blowout. These guys are human, they will inevitably let up a little bit if they're winning by 30-40 points. You'll have a good idea of whether the players are doing their respective jobs the right way if the yellow flags stay in the referees' pockets. The 20 penalties accumulated in the team's first two games are very uncharacteristic, and not a good sign for tougher opponents. If we see the disciplined Rutgers again, it bodes well for the future.

5. Scrimmages (and games against 1-AA teams) are chances to work on different things. Anything we should look out for?

TL: The Norfolk State band. Rutgers' band has a score to settle after being soundly whipped by Howard's band last year. Reports are this was a good recruiting year for Norfolk State in brass section.

Injuries will be one thing to monitor. Seeing some backups get extensive time is another. It will be interesting to watch MLB Ryan D'Imperio if he plays for the first time since breaking his leg in three places in the spring. If he shows the mobility he needs, he could wind up as the starter by mid-season. Try not to blink too much in the first half. Rutgers should be able to break off some big plays that fans will not want to miss.

SP: For starters, look for more players to rotate in and out of this game than anyone all year. This is a good chance for the third stringers to get some valuable time on the field. If there's a starter who I'd like to see get passes thrown his way, it's Tim Brown, who is still recovering from a broken hand. He would have had his first touchdown against Navy if not for pass interference -- look for him to get his first this weekend.

AD: I've heard people questioning how "for real" Mike Teel's first two games were, playing against lesser defenses and throwing to superior talent. If it's smoke and mirrors, then that's fine, but every statistically impressive game he puts up can only help his confidence. If Teel and his crew of receivers continue to put up big numbers, even against this defense, it's a good sign.

6. Give us a score: at the half ... and a final.

TL: Rutgers 45, Norfolk State 0 at the half; Rutgers 62, Norfolk State 7 as the final.

SP: I'll go with Rutgers 31-7 at the half and Rutgers 52-7 final.

AD: Halftime: 35-0. Final: 45-0. Um, I'm picking Rutgers, by the way.

Morgan State can't commit to series with Towson after 2009

Photo: MSU star RB Chad Simpson

By Ken Murray, Baltimore Sun

As dusk settled over Hughes Stadium Saturday night, Towson coach Gordy Combs made a pitch to keep alive the football rivalry with Morgan State.

And it didn't have anything to do with the fact Towson has won 15 of the past 17 meetings between the schools.

"We still have a contract for 2008 and '09, and I hope we can extend the contract for another four or five years after that," Combs said. "I think it's a great game for both teams."

It's a game of local interest, easy travel arrangements and familiar opponents. But beyond 2009, the future of the series is uncertain.

Because the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has expanded to 10 teams this season --- and is considering further growth - the Bears are reluctant to commit to an extension.

A nine-game MEAC schedule leaves Morgan with two nonconference games each of the next three years. Morgan athletic director Floyd Kerr said discussions are ongoing in the MEAC over how the conference will reconfigure and how the schedule will be played.

"Where we are right now, we have to solve the internal part to it," Kerr said yesterday. "Are all 10 going to play each other [every year], or will we have divisional play or something else?"

Winston-Salem State, which plays at Morgan tomorrow in a game that will not count in the MEAC standings, became the 10th team in the conference last July. Other schools, such as North Carolina Central and Savannah State, also have applied.

Kerr likes the idea of extending the Towson series, but said he owes return games to Savannah and Maine in the near future.

"I think it's a good series, good for both schools, good for the community," Kerr said of the Towson rivalry. "It's all good, and in good spirit."

JSU Football: Atop the SWAC

Photo: JSU defensive end Marcus Benard prepares to sack Tino Edgecombe.

Rain doesn't dampen JSU's solid performance against Texas visitors

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

By the end of the evening, the turf at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium was nothing more than a slip-and-slide and the marching bands had long since left the stands.

But none of that mattered to Jackson State's football team, which happily took a 28-7 victory over Texas Southern on Thursday night in front of an announced crowd of 5,513 hearty souls.

Thanks to the remains of Hurricane Humberto, the game was played in a constant downpour that never let up. Botched snaps and dropped passes were the norm for both teams, especially in the third quarter when the rain intensified.

But for Jackson State, the foul weather only served to begin washing off the bad vibes of the team's early-season stuggles.

"This feels really good, and we really needed it," JSU receiver Jaymar Johnson said. "But we've got a lot bigger things to accomplish than this. We're going for that championship."

Now, instead of focusing on the season's opening two losses, Jackson State (1-2 overall, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) can trumpet its undefeated league standing going into next week's game against Mississippi Valley State.

JSU quarterback Jimmy Oliver was more than adequate in his return to a starting role, completing 9-of-18 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 48 yards on 10 carries. His best work was early, leading the Tigers on two touchdown drives in the first quarter.

"When I looked out and saw the rain, I was kind of worried because I hate the rain," Oliver said. "But I knew I had to do my part tonight so I just got tough."

Oliver's first touchdown drive ended on a 23-yard pass to Kethonne McLaurin, who broke several tackles on the way to the end zone. The second was a 24-yard touchdown pass to Johnson.

Johnson added a 75-yard touchdown on a punt return sandwiched between those two drives, and the Tigers had a 21-0 lead before the end of the first quarter. That margin remained the same going into halftime.

The first-quarter outburst was a far cry from a Jackson State team that managed just three offensive touchdowns during the first two games of the season combined.

Oliver's solid game should lay to rest a quarterback controversy that hounded Jackson State through the first two games of the season. Oliver and Tray Rutland had split time under center in the losses, combining to complete just 32.7 percent of their passes.

But on Wednesday, JSU coach Rick Comegy said he would go with Oliver for better or worse against Texas Southern. The senior rewarded Comegy with a performance reminiscent of last season when Oliver led the SWAC in total offense and threw for 1,906 yards and 14 touchdowns.
"Jimmy made a few mistakes out there, but he also made some plays to help us win the ballgame," Comegy said. "That's the Jimmy Oliver we need on the field."

Erik Haw added an 11-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to stretch Jackson State's lead to 28-0. Haw finished with 59 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in the brutal conditions.

Photo: The wet conditions forced the bands to perform their halftime show in the stands.

Texas Southern finally got on the scoreboard later in the third when Brent Wilson rumbled 2 yards for a touchdown, but the weather and JSU's defense wouldn't allow any miracle comebacks.

Texas Southern (0-3, 0-3) came into the game with the SWAC's most prolific passing offense, but was held to only 69 passing yards by the elements and a dogged Jackson State defense. The Maroon Tigers completed only 8 of 45 passes and had just 30 total yards.

JSU thrived on the wet surface, putting pressure on Texas Southern's quarterback nearly every play.

The Tigers picked off three TSU passes, including two by junior Domonique Johnson - who transferred from Missouri in the offseason.

"We've got guys on defense that will rock you," Comegy said. "We've got a little mean streak on defense that I really like to see."

A wet, wet win, but a big win nevertheless for JSU

Photo: Carlos Simpson (right) tries to catch a pass against the Lamar Herron who was called for holding on the play.

In this case, it was the winners who couldn't be choosy. Jackson State, which had lost its first two games this season and six of seven dating back to last October, wasn't about to complain.

Not about the rain, which was monotonously steady. Not about the playing conditions, which were miserable.

Not about the crowd, which was limited to an announced 5,513 hearty souls.

Jackson State needed a victory, any kind of victory, period.

And the Tigers got it, trouncing visiting Texas Southern 28-7 Thursday in JSU's 2007 Southwestern Athletic Conference debut.

"It wasn't the best game we've ever played and it certainly wasn't the best conditions, but I'm happy for our guys," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "I thought we showed a lot of spunk out there. Our guys come from all over the place, but tonight they were playing for the blue and white. They weren't playing for themselves. I'm proud of them."

In a game marked by numerous fumbled snaps and false starts, JSU proved to be by far the better mudders.

Texas Southern played three quarterbacks and all had trouble handling the snaps. They were no match at all for Jackson State's swarming defense that allowed only eight first downs and an amazing 30 yards of total offense.

How wet was it?

The bands, always so much a part of the SWAC football experience, couldn't even take the field at halftime. Five minutes into the third quarter both bands exited the stadium, presumably so their horns wouldn't rust.

How wet was it?

During one of the interminable ESPNU timeouts in the fourth quarter, I counted through the sheets of rain 44 people still sitting on the Texas Southern side of the stadium. They must have been parents.

Loving, doting parents.

Photo: Wide receiver Jaymar Johnson pulls in a catch after the JSU Tigers suffered several penalties prior to the snap.

OLIVER IS THE QUARTERBACK

So what did we learn about Jackson State from this game?

First and foremost, we learned Jimmy Oliver, the slippery and slightly built senior, is this team's quarterback. Oliver started and played the first three quarters. He completed nine of 18 passes for two touchdowns and ran 10 times for 48 yards. He threw for both touchdowns in the first quarter before the rain made throwing and catching all but impossible.

"I hate to play in weather like that," Oliver said afterward. "It's hard for a quarterback to make plays. It's hard just to hold onto the ball. It wasn't all that wet at first, and we took advantage of that. It feels good. There's nothing like a win."

We learned that rain doesn't slow wide receiver Jaymar Johnson much at all. Johnson, a senior from Gary, Ind., made Texas Southern players look like statues when he ran through them and then away from them on a 75-yard first-quarter punt return touchdown. He also caught three passes for 67 yards and another TD.

We learned that Jackson State's defense doesn't mind a muddy track either. The Tigers "D"dominated and gave up TSU's only score after a blocked punt gave the visitors a short field.

We learned that the press box at The Vet still leaks.

We learned that relatively small hurricanes that come ashore in Texas can still mess up a football game in Mississippi.

BRING ON THE DELTA DEVILS

Jackson State now has eight days to prepare for its next game, another conference game, this one against rival Mississippi Valley State at Itta Bena on Sept. 22.

Comegy expects even better things from Oliver.

"Jimmy's a winner; he's always been a winner," Comegy said. "He knows how to make plays when there doesn't seem to be anything there. He made some mistakes tonight, but nothing he can't correct."

Oliver would surely agree. And, no doubt, he'd like to make the corrections on a much drier field.

-Clarion Ledger

JSU Johnson of old simply dazzling

Photo: JSU wide receiver Jaymar Johnson checks his back after returning a punt for a 75-yard touchdown to make the score 13-0 with 3:14 left in the first quarter.

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

Jackson State senior Jaymar Johnson was supposed to be the Tigers' premier playmaker this season, with the speed to be both a primary receiver and the main return specialist.

But through two games, both losses, Johnson was mostly a non-factor, catching two passes for 47 yards and failing to break any big gains on special teams.

That all changed during the first quarter of Thursday night's game against Texas Southern, with Johnson involved in three huge plays to spark the Tigers' offense.

First, he caught a 44-yard pass on a third-and-31 situation to keep a touchdown drive alive. Quarterback Jimmy Oliver found Johnson in stride over the middle of the field and the JSU offense finally had the big play it craved.

"That reminded me of the old days last year with the Jimmy-to-Jaymar connection," Johnson said with a grin. "He put that pass right where it needed to be."

Johnson's second big play was a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead. He caught the ball on JSU's 25-yard line and was barely touched as he sprinted down the sideline on his way to six points.

"That's great to see because that punt return unit is my baby," said JSU coach Rick Comegy, who is heavily involved in special teams. "We did a good job blocking and then Jaymar has more than enough speed to get the job done from his end."

"There's no better feeling for a quarterback than to see seven points go on the board without you having to move," Oliver said. "That really put us in a good position."

And finally, Johnson ended his superb first quarter with a 24-yard touchdown reception from Oliver to give JSU the 21-0 lead.

When it was all over, Johnson had 143 total yards before the second quarter began. He finished the game with 201.

"We know when Jaymar touches the ball, he's capable of anything. Tonight he proved it," Comegy said.

Relentless rain puts dent in attendance, J-State balance sheet

Photo: The rain started to fall 30-minutes before game time. Many fans spent the game just trying to keep dry.

Jackson State splashed to a 28-7 victory over Texas Southern at rain-soaked Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Thursday night.

That's the good news for Jackson State fans.

The bad: Steady rain before and during the game helped keep the crowd down. The bands could not perform on the field at halftime and exited early in the third quarter.

The announced attendance was 5,513.

Jackson State depends on walk-up, game-day sales for the bulk of its attendance. Inclement weather can cost the athletic department tens of thousands of dollars.

The silver lining: JSU doubled its season ticket sales to more than 6,000 this season, said athletic director Bob Braddy. Those season tickets were scaled from $85 to $145.

"So a night like tonight doesn't hurt us quite as bad this year as it would have last year," Braddy said. "We are trying to impress upon our fans how important it is to build our season ticket base just because of days like this.

"We really need to get that base up to 20,000, and we're pushing in that direction."

The game was moved to Thursday to be televised by ESPNU through a contract with the SWAC that earns JSU about $25,000 a year.

JSU offered special group night ticket sales.

"A lot of those church and school groups chose not to come in this weather," Braddy said.

Braddy said he had hoped for a crowd of between 12,000 and 15,000.

"But given the weather, I thought it was a good crowd, an enthusiastic crowd," Braddy said. "Hey, at least I know we sold 6,000."

- Rick Cleveland

Photo: Diehard JSU fans enjoys game and the rain.

Ferocious JSU defense delivers plenty of punishment

Photo: The JSU defense shutdown Texas Southern for most of the first half.
(J.D. Schwalm/The Clarion-Ledger)


By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

Some nasty weather and an even nastier Jackson State defense led to a night to forget for Texas Southern.

The Maroon Tigers had just 30 total yards and minus-39 yards on the ground. JSU had 13 tackles for a loss, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

"Guys like (defensive end) Daniel Brooks and (linebacker) Marcellus Speaks, they'll ring your bell if you're not watching what you're doing out there," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "We've got guys really flying to the football and making some plays."

Jackson State's defense forced Texas Southern into an abysmal 8-for-45 passing performance. On top of the three interceptions, the secondary had countless more deflections.

Cornerback Domonique Johnson, a Missouri transfer, had two interceptions, but he was angry at himself because he could have easily had two more on a night when Texas Southern's quarterbacks were more than generous.

"The rule is, if you can touch it, you should catch it," Johnson said. "A little rain isn't going to stop us from doing anything. The only thing that can stop us is lightning, and then only if the refs make us leave the field."

At 6 feet 2, Johnson has the kind of height in the secondary that Comegy sought in the off-season after watching his team get burned by long pass plays last season.

Newcomers Oliver McNeil (6 feet 2), Jeremy Pierce (6-3) and Johnson were all on the field at different times as Texas Southern rarely found an open receiver.

"Now we've got enough solid guys back there that we can rotate them and keep them fresh," Comegy said. "I think that's going to make a big difference for us."

Photo: Sam Washington attemps to recover a fumbled snap by Texas Southern's Donnie Shorts in the second quarter. TSU rectained possession.

A DIFFICULT ENCORE

Running back Erik Haw had one of his best games in a JSU uniform last Saturday with 82 yards on 17 carries against Tennessee State.

But that momentum was hard to carry through the Texas Southern game as Haw had just 59 rushing yards on 23 carries. Soggy field conditions made running for both teams very difficult.

Quarterback Jimmy Oliver added 48 yards rushing on 10 carries, while newly converted fullback Jamile Owens, who weighs in at about 280 pounds, rumbled 16 yards on a big carry midway through the second quarter.

ODDS AND ENDS

Sophomore safety Malcolm Palmer had his third interception in three games on Thursday, a mark which leads the SWAC. ... Tray Rutland played quarterback in the fourth quarter for Jackson State, completing 1 of 4 passes for minus-11 yards. ... A slick football led to nine fumbles between the two teams - five for Jackson State and four for Texas Southern. ... JSU took the brunt of the yellow flags, being penalized 15 times for 149 yards. Texas Southern had four penalties for 25 yards. ... With the win, Comegy evened his record at Jackson State to 7-7.

Graham or Harris, FAMU's next men basketball coach

Florida A&M University athletic director Nelson Townsend confirmed last evening that the selection process for the new head basketball coach is nearing completion. The two finalist are Georgia State assistant coach Eugene Harris and former Colorado assistant coach Paul Graham. If your questions are like mine--who the heck are these guys and what do they bring to the table, here are a brief bio on both.

FAMU is currently conducting background checks and Mr. Townsend and FAMU President Dr. James Ammons are expected to make the public announcement on the selection as soon as a contract is finalized. The announcement is expected next week.

These are exciting times for FAMU and the MEAC. Each of the coaches brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our conference. With the new teaching gym, expect FAMU to become a mid-major power in basketball---soon. (beepbeep)

Coach Eugene Harris (photo on right)

ATLANTA (April 23, 2007) – Georgia State head men’s basketball coach Rod Barnes has announced Eugene Harris as his second hire for his new coaching staff.

Harris, a veteran of 23 years in college athletics in the southeast, brings more recruiting contacts and experience with his basketball knowledge.

“Eugene Harris is known as one of the best recruiters in the southeast,” Barnes noted. “We are excited to be able to add him to our staff at Georgia State because he is well thought of and respected. No doubt, he will be an asset in helping us take this program to a higher level.”

Harris began his college coaching with Cliff Ellis at South Alabama in 1983 and moved on to 10 years at Clemson University, 11 years at Auburn and one year at Alabama. He has also been a high school coach at Rickard High in Tallahassee, Fla., Pelham High in Pelham, Ga. and Smiths Station High in Smiths, Ala.

As a college player, Harris was a three-year starter for the Seminoles of Florida State under Coach Hugh Durham. The guard was a co-captain of the Florida State team that won the Metro Conference in 1978 and was the team’s most valuable defensive player winner for three seasons.

“It is obvious that Coach Harris has improved the programs every where he has been a coach,” Barnes added. “He brings invaluable experience and maturity to our program. I know he has recruited not only good college players, but players who have gone on to play extensively in the NBA.”

Harris is a graduate of Scottsboro, [Ala.] High School and of Florida State University in 1979.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to coach with Rod Barnes,” Harris said. “Coach Barnes has an outstanding reputation on and off the court. I look forward to helping improve this program.”
Harris and his wife, Phyllis, have three daughters.


Coach Paul Graham

(from Web files - Colorado basketball)

Paul Graham coached for fourth season with Colorado and brings over 19 years of coaching expertise. “Paul is a great addition to our staff and brings vast experience having served with future Hall of Fame coach Eddie Sutton,” Patton added. “Paul adds a great deal of experience and knowledge, and we expect him to continue to add to the success this team will have.”

Graham, 55, came to Boulder from Washington State, where he was the head coach from 1999-2003. He assists the Buffaloes with on the floor coaching, the development of the student-athletes, recruiting and scheduling. With over 18 years coaching experience, Graham was an assistant at Southern Methodist University, the University of New Mexico, and Oklahoma State, with 12 of his teams advancing to the NCAA Tournament. In 1995, Graham was part of a coaching staff at OSU from 1992-1999 that went 150-72 with five NCAA Tournament appearances including the 1995 Final Four when the Cowboys lost to eventual national champion UCLA. Five of those NCAA teams produced 20-win seasons.

At New Mexico from 1990-92, Graham was an assistant coach and helped the Lobos to a 40-23 record and a NCAA Tournament appearance in 1991. While an assistant at SMU, Graham helped the Mustangs to three NCAA Tournament berths (1985, 1986, 1988) and 129-58 mark. In addition to his coaching experience, Graham was the head boys’ coach at Justin F. Kimball High School in Dallas from 1974-82 with an impressive 111-40 record. Graham graduated from North Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and history minor in 1974 and earned his master’s degree in Education Administration from Prairie
View University in 1979. While at North Texas, he qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Championships in the high hurdles.

Born March 11, 1951, in Kansas City, Kan., Graham graduated from Sumner High School and was a member of a state championship basketball team as well as being an all-city basketball selection and a state track champion in the high hurdles and 60-yard dash. Graham and his wife, Vanessa, have two children, Nicholas (25) and Brittany (19).

The Graham File

Full Name: Paul Graham
Family: Wife Vanessa, son Nicholas,
daughter Brittany
Birth-date: March 11, 1951
Hometown: Kansas City, Kan.
High School: Sumner High
College: North Texas State ‘74
Graduate School: Prairie View ‘79
Coaching Career
2003-Present
Assistant Coach, University of Colorado
1999-2003
Head Coach, Washington State
1992-99
Assistant Coach, Oklahoma State
1990-92
Assistant Coach, New Mexico
1989-90
Head Cross Country Coach, Samuell
High School (Dallas, Texas)
1988-1989
Assistant Athletic Director, Southern
Methodist University
1982-88
Assistant Coach, Southern Methodist
University
1974-82
Head Coach, Kimball High School
(Dallas, Texas)

If Walls Could Speak...

Here is what is coming out of Houston regarding Paul Graham who received the endorsement of the Houston Chronicle sports writer Ronnie Turner on August 19, 2007, for the vacant head coaching position for basketball at Texas Southern University.

"Speaking of Texas Southern athletic director Alois Blackwell, he really needs to speed up his search for a men's basketball coach. Classes start Aug. 27, and there's no one in place to help prepare the Tigers for the upcoming season.

Some alumni have pushed for the hiring of former Rocket and Basketball Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy, but I'm not so sure this would be a wise thing. After all, Murphy doesn't have any real coaching experience, and probably isn't too familiar with NCAA rules.

Considering the turmoil the TSU athletic department is currently mired in, the school can't afford to screw up this coaching hire. TSU needs someone who is very familiar with NCAA rules, who has several years of experience at the collegiate level and who has the top-notch credentials that recruits look for when deciding on which coach to sign with. TSU needs someone like former Colorado assistant coach Paul Graham.

I can't vouch for the other candidates (many whom I don't know), but Graham, who spent the last four seasons on Ricardo Patton's staff at Colorado, would be my pick for the job. Graham, who put in his application last week, probably has the best resume of the entire group.

Graham, 56, has 22 years of experience at the collegiate level, including a four-year stint as head coach at Washington State (1999-2003). He was apart of three NCAA Tournament teams (1985, 1986, 1988) as an assistant at SMU from 1982-88, and five NCAA Tournament teams as an assistant under legendary coach Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State from 1992-99. He also helped lead the Cowboys to an appearance in the 1995 Final Four.

I spent nearly an hour talking with Graham on Saturday night, and he's excited to have a chance at another head coaching gig. His four years at Washington State produced a lowly 31-79 mark, but he's confident that, given some time, he could turn around the TSU program.

Graham's former boss, Patton, left Colorado at the end of last season and was hired by Northern Illinois, but Graham declined to join him. Now out of work, Graham is simply praying for another opening into the college coaching business.

After our conversation, I'm convinced Graham has a great vision for the TSU program, which I'll share with you at some point in the near future. However, it's been a long day, so I think I'll bring this entry to a close and call it a night.

Anyways, Graham is my pick, but that's just me. Who would you rather have: a highly-experienced coach such as Graham or a basketball celebrity with few, if any, coaching credentials such as Murphy?
-----------------
9/14/2007 - The Houston Chronicle reported that the leading candidate at Texas Southern is Kevin Granger. He is the school's leading career scorer and led the nation in scoring in 1996.

BCU Wyatt wants to tangle with Florida Gators

By SEAN KERNAN, Daytona Beach News Journal

It's time for Bethune-Cookman's football program to think big.

That's big as in playing one of the big boys of NCAA Division I-A football.

Imagine if today was the day before Bethune-Cookman took on the defending national champion Florida Gators in Gainesville. Wouldn't there be a buzz about town as kickoff drew near?

Instead, the Wildcats will be in Savannah, Ga., Saturday suiting up to play the No. 241-ranked Tigers. Those meowing Tigers would be dead last in the Sagarin ratings if not for No. 242-ranked La Salle.

Of course, if B-CU got to play an opponent such as the Gators, not even the most ardent Wildcat fan would expect B-CU to win let alone put up much of a fight. But just the fact the Wildcats would get a chance to be on the same field as the Gators would create some excitement. Even B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt gets goose bumps thinking about that.

"I'd love the opportunity to play the Gators. They gave it to FAMU (in 2003)," Wyatt said. "I just love Florida, period. That's my second love -- the University of Florida. They have a huge fan in me. Go Gators!"

Wyatt, who isn't as keen about playing say FSU or Miami, also believes B-CU's fans would like to see the 'Cats mix it up with the Gators.

"You know, I think our fans would love that," Wyatt says. "It wouldn't matter what the score was and I think our kids would try to make that leap to the next level to try to compete with them."

OTHERS DO IT

South Carolina State, the team that beat B-CU last week, opened the season with a road game at Air Force and Saturday travels to nearby Columbia, S.C., to take on Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks. This is the first year the Bulldogs have taken on a I-A opponent under Buddy Pough and the fifth-year head coach recently wondered aloud what took him so long.

MEAC members Norfolk State and Delaware State play at No. 13 Rutgers and Kent State, respectively, on Saturday. Former B-CU assistant coach Pete Adrian made it a priority to get a I-A opponent on the Spartans' slate when he first was hired. What he didn't expect was to be facing a nationally ranked team and Heisman candidate (Ray Rice). But that's the way the ball bounces.

So if a MEAC power like S.C. State, an up-and-coming Delaware State and a bottom-tier MEAC program like Norfolk State can find the right I-A match-ups, why can't B-CU?

QUICK CASH

Teams take on I-A opponents for several reasons, but No. 1 is the money. The quick cash in many of these deals allows a profit of more than $200,000. And with B-CU still $2.5 million shy of pledges for its football training center, those big checks could speed up that process for something the football program badly needs to aid recruiting.

Reasons high on the list not to play I-A opponents are the possibility of injuries from playing against players who are bigger, stronger and faster, and the effects of a lopsided loss on the team's morale and the coach's record. The reality is players get hurt in practice and every program has its price. If the paycheck is big enough, most I-AA coaches and athletic directors will take one for the team.

So B-CU, enough with teams like Savannah State, Elizabeth City and Johnson C. Smith. Victories against such teams are hollow. They don't do anything for what should be B-CU's goals -- winning the MEAC and advancing in the playoffs formerly known as I-AA. (In 2000, the Wildcats went 9-2 but were left out of the playoffs because of a weak non-conference slate that included Savannah State, Johnson C. Smith and Morris Brown).

What the Wildcats need is an upgrade of competition in non-conference games -- play stronger I-AA opponents like Hampton does or take on a I-A school like three MEAC teams are doing Saturday.

Howard quarterback Johnson will challenge FAMU

Photo: Howard University's QB Brian Johnson, 6-0/190 Sr., Gardenia, Calif./LA Southwest C.C.

By St. Clair Murraine, Democrat Staff Writer

Brian Johnson carried the ball 14 times for 79 yards and was Howard's leading rushing against Hampton University. That's Brian Johnson the Bison's quarterback.

Johnson's ability to pass and run the ball has been more than just casual talk around FAMU's fieldhouse this week. He has been one of the primary concerns for the Rattlers as they prepare to face the Bison in a match-up of winless MEAC teams.

"He's very athletic," coach Rubin Carter said. "He moves around and could cause some problems because it's hard to defend that type of mobile quarterback. We will have to make sure that we have good schemes to defend what Howard is doing."

For the second consecutive year - and three straight 0-2 starts - FAMU is facing Howard (0-1) in a pivotal game. FAMU began to turn its season around last year with a win over the Bison.

But even with a first-year head coach in Carey Bailey, Howard could still pose some challenges for the Rattlers.

Johnson is the main reason. In addition to his rushing yards, he completed 21 of 37 pass attempts for 244 yards in a 31-24 loss to Hampton on Saturday.

Johnson, a 6-0, 190-pound senior, took over as quarterback late last season when he started the Bison's last fives games, winning four. He solidified his claim to start this season with a strong spring.

"He is a very, very smart football player," Bailey said, assessing Johnson earlier this week. "He's been able to take a grasp of our offense and know it inside-out. He was able throughout the game to make checks.

"The only thing we asked him to do is to not try to create a play that is going to be impossible. He did a great job of making smart decisions."

Bailey is aware that FAMU has shown deficiencies against the pass and rush in both of its games As a result the Rattlers are ranked seventh in both areas in the league, but Bailey isn't counting on FAMU continuing that pattern.

"Florida A&M poses a lot of different challenges," Bailey said. "One, they have an extremely fast football team. Two, that environment down there is very difficult to play in. And three, we know right now they're a very hungry football squad. They're very, very motivated."

FAMU Jazz Ensemble

NSU Football Coach receives 2-Year contract extension

Photo: NSU Head Football Coach Pete Adrian

NSU Sports Information

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State University athletics director Marty L. Miller announced Thursday that he has signed head football coach Pete Adrian to a two-year contract extension that will keep him as the Spartans’ coach through the 2010 season.

Adrian, who is in his third year leading the Spartans, has compiled a 9-14 record through the Sept. 1 season-opening 33-7 win over Virginia State. The win was the largest for the Spartans over Virginia State since NSU moved to Division I in 1997, and it came before a crowd of 26,970 fans, the second-largest in Dick Price Stadium history.

“We’ve been pleased with the progress that has been made in our football program, both athletically and academically,” Miller said. “The football program is moving in the right direction. We are happy with the improvement in attendance and with the caliber of student-athlete that coach Adrian has recruited.”

Hampton QB shows leadership

By Marty O'Brien, Daily Press

Hampton University coach Joe Taylor always urges his players to leave everything on the field during a game. Quarterback T.J. Mitchell took him at his word in the Pirates' 31-24 season-opening win on Saturday at Howard.

While running the ball during the first half, Mitchell had a chance to go out of bounds and avoid being hit. Instead, he kept going to try an get an extra yard. He got the yard, but he also got hit. So hard, in fact, that he threw up on the Greene Stadium turf after returning to the huddle.

"T.J. told his teammates to huddle around him so no one could see what was happening," Taylor said. "But he never asked to come out and he didn't miss a single play.

"That sold me on his toughness right there. He really impressed me with his leadership."

Mitchell recovered from the hit to finish the game with a flourish. He completed 6 of 9 passes in the fourth quarter — including touchdown strikes of 38, 78 and 19 yards — as the Pirates broke a 10-10 tie to pull out the victory.

Mitchell, a 6-foot-3, 189-pound sophomore, finished 19-of-36 passing for 310 yards to earn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors. He's the first Hampton quarterback to throw for more then 300 yards in the past 30 games.

"What I liked most about T.J. was that he was making play suggestions to the coaches," Taylor said. "That shows me he not only knows what's going on with us, but that he's aware of what's happening on the other side.

"He has a chance to be something special for us."

HU NOTES
Junior cornerback Jackie Bates missed the Howard game with a hamstring pull, while starting tailback Kevin Beverly sat out the second half with an ankle sprain. Taylor said that both might be sidelined for Saturday's game at North Carolina A&T. …

Harry Galbreath, the Pirates' offensive-line coach last season, was hired in late August as the strength and conditioning coach at Tennessee.

Galbreath left Hampton in April to become the offensive line coach at Howard, where his former Tennessee teammate Carey Bailey is now head coach.

Delaware State (2-0) at Kent State (1-1) 4:00 pm

by College Football News

Why to Watch: Kent State can’t take it as easy as it might like to against a Delaware State team that just entered the national FCS rankings after a nice 2-0 start. The defense has been nice against Coastal Carolina and Florida A&M, and now the program is looking for one of its biggest wins in years. Kent State is coming off a 56-20 drubbing at Kentucky and desperately needs this win with road dates against Akron and Ohio coming up. Call this a litmus test game for the Golden Flashes. If this is really a team good enough to battle for the MAC title, it should win a game like this without breathing hard.

Why Delaware State Might Win: Kent State is as one dimensional as it gets, running the ball as well as anyone in the country, but failing to get much going through the air. DSU can spend all its prep time worrying about one thing, and while the defensive front isn’t anything special, it’s quick. The big key to pulling off the upset is if KSU starts turning the ball over. With seven giveaways in two weeks, the Golden Flashes haven’t been good when it comes to ball security.

Why Kent Might Win: There isn’t any one thing Delaware State does really well. It doesn’t have a high powered offense, it’s not particularly great at generating pressure, and the special teams aren’t anything to get too fired up about. Kent State shouldn’t have to do anything out of the ordinary to come up with the easy win.

Who to Watch: Eventually, a wide receiver has to emerge for the Golden Flashes So far, the passing game as revolved around Eugene Jarvis and Tom Sitko, while no one has stretched the field enough to make any defense blink. That has to change this week. You schedule a Delaware State to work on what you need to, and this week, Shawn Bayes and Phil Garner have to become dangerous targets.
What Will Happen: Kent State will run for 300 yards on the way to a walk in the park win.

CFN Prediction: Kent State 38 … Delaware State 13 ... Line: No Line

Richardson praises SU O-line

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Southern coach Pete Richardson’s offensive player of the week will have to be shared by at least five guys.

Richardson gave his personal award from Saturday’s 23-6 win over Mississippi Valley State to the entire offensive line.

“(Center Demarcus) Stewart, right tackle Myles (Williams), (left guard Rafael) Louis and (right guard Reuben) Oliver and also (left tackle Trent) Thomas did a good job,” said Richardson, naming the starters.

SU ran for 293 yards — the biggest total since Sept. 2003 — and had 499 total yards — the best total since Nov. 2005 — in Chicago.

“I think that’s great. That’s where it all starts: the offensive line,” said sophomore running back Brian Threat, who ran for a career-best 106 yards on 11 carries. “They were low on numbers, but they came out here and worked hard every day. We appreciate that. It’s good for the team.”

SU ran for 58 yards through two games last season, despite a 2-0 start.

This season, the Jaguars (2-0, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference), who host Prairie View (2-0, 1-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday in A.W. Mumford Stadium, have run for 531 yards.

Since the spring, the line lost five veterans to academics and reshuffled the unit through preseason camp.

“So far, we feel good,” first-year offensive line coach Damon Nivens said. “We’ve been making some things happen up front. We’ve got a pretty smart front, engineering majors. We’re trying to get better as each game goes on. There was a big change from game one.

“The biggest thing is getting confidence up front, knowing what you’re doing and going full speed.”

Southern has instituted a zone blocking scheme under Nivens and the Jaguars have a nice blend in running backs Darren Coates, Kendrick Smith and Threat.

“It’s like we have three first-string running backs,” Threat said.

Already, Coates and Threat have had their first career 100-yard games and Smith, from Saturday, was named the SWAC Newcomer of the Week.

“We’re very satisfied with it,” offensive coordinator Mark Orlando said. “The kids are getting more confidence in it. Football is about confidence.”

Whitewash
Southern is encouraging its fans to wear white for Saturday’s game, the Jaguars’ first home game of the season. Top Choice, a local store selling Southern paraphernalia, is selling a white T-shirt for the event, dubbed a “Whitewash Weekend.”

“It’s tough to play up here. The noise level is sky high, and most teams can’t concentrate up in here,” junior linebacker Johnathan Malveaux said. “It’s not hard for us to concentrate. This is our house.”

SU Athletic Director Greg LaFleur said single-game ticket sales have accelerated in the wake of the team’s 2-0 start.

“It’s a big boost for our fans to see how our team is looking, see what we’ve been doing on the road,” free safety Jarmaul George said.

Duran Duran
With Southern at the Mississippi Valley State 39-yard line, SU true freshman Josh Duran shanked his first punt Saturday, for minus-1 yard. But Duran recovered to average 35.6 yards per punt by getting off punts of 45, 45 and 53.

“He was trying to coffin (corner) kick the ball, and I guess he didn’t hit it right,” Richardson said.
Saturday, PV blocked two punts and a field-goal try, providing 13 points, in a 22-7 win over North Carolina A&T.

“We have to be concerned,” Richardson said.

Notes
Richardson said SS Glenn Bell (eight tackles, ‰ sack) and Duran were his defensive and special teams players of the week. … Richardson said junior QB C.J. Byrd, who was in a car accident in late July and recently returned to practice, could play if needed. … Sophomore QB Bryant Lee (ankle) returned to practice Wednesday. … SU has outscored its foes 30-7 (a Florida A&M TD with 16 seconds remaining) in the second half this season

No need to remind players of loss to PVU

VIDEO: http://media.swagit.com/s/wbrz/The_Advocate_Sports/09122007-28.high.flash8.html

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Southern coach Pete Richardson said he’s not talking up last season’s 26-23 overtime loss to Prairie View as incentive for his players before the teams meet at 6 p.m. Saturday in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

He’s either taking the high road or he’s choosing not to waste time stating the obvious.

“I’m not using that as a motivation,” Richardson said. “We have enough individuals who played in that game who understand what happened.

“Our thing is making sure we get focused, get ready to play. Our goal is to get to the championship; it’s not to kill anybody.”

That being said, SU’s first loss in the series since 1971 and the manner in which the game dissolved both stung hard.

“We’ve been looking for this game for 365 days,” said SU linebacker Johnathan Malveaux, who was carted off the field before overtime began and treated for heat exhaustion. “They really embarrassed us, but now we call this the payback.”

Southern blew a 14-point lead, at 20-6, and had the ball at the PV 15-yard line with 5:15 remaining before fumbling consecutive snaps, with the Panthers turning those into touchdowns to tie the game and bring on overtime.

“It was a game we should have won,” George said.

In the three preceding meetings alone, Southern had scored blowouts of 38-0, 42-12 and 62-7, continuing a series that’s been lopsided since the 1970s.

PV has improved under Henry Frazier III, and this season’s edition, at 2-0 like SU, may be the best yet. The school has restored scholarships after not having any in the 1990s, when PV set a record with 80 straight losses. Last season, though, even with five minutes left, the game didn’t seem to be the one that would provide a breakthrough against one of the SWAC’s traditional powers.

“It was horrible,” said sophomore running back Brian Threat, who had season bests of six carries and 26 yards that day. “I never want to re-live that again.”

The instant aftermath came with Prairie View players celebrating wildly and some taunting as Southern players stared on in disbelief.

“I have a memory of a guy taunting me, standing over my head, laughing at me,” senior strong safety Jarmaul George, a team co-captain this year, who was stretched out on the Tully Stadium artificial surface as a PV player danced atop him. “But now this is our year.”

Then, as Southern players got on the buses heading home, the cell calls started coming. And then they had to answer more questions from stunned classmates the next week.

Players this week have talked about how much last season’s loss hurt the older players.

“The main thing is, it’s payback week,” junior defensive tackle Joseph Selders said. “We were 2-0 going into Prairie View last year and we had a letdown late in the game. We’re going to try to pay them back this year.

“We’re going to show them Saturday who the real Jaguars are.”

Southern University 's 'Sunshine' walks off into sunset

Photo: #12 J.C. Lewis

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

There’s a redshirt sophomore running Southern’s offense these days, and Bryant Lee has shown he can be a pretty good one.

The thing is, though, the last guy to start as a redshirt sophomore, J.C. Lewis, can tell him all about how uncertain the road can be.

Lewis — a fifth-year senior known as “Sunshine” after the cool, California quarterback in “Remember the Titans” — walked into coach Pete Richardson’s office and called it a career Monday.

It’s a sad ending. It’s life. It’s football.

He finished as SU’s sixth-best passer all-time. And like Lee, Lewis once had so much going for him. Early last year, Lewis seemed a shoe-in to make the top two on that all-time list, behind Eric Randall.

First, the overtime disaster to Prairie View and a concussion/five-interception loss to North Carolina Central. Lewis, out for two games, started just one more game, in November against Texas Southern, but his last play came as he lowered his throwing shoulder on a block and got hurt. Lee has since become the starter.

So, after watching from the sideline for two games, Lewis went to see Richardson on Monday.

Said Lewis, “It was hard. Coach told me he appreciated the time I was here. It was more kind of a mutual thing. I guess he was kind of sad for me to go, but he also respected my decision to go.”

Said Richardson, “I’m kind of proud he made a decision he felt comfortable with.”

Lewis — who came to SU in June 2003 on a Monday after graduating that Friday — missed a lot of spring practice to finish his bachelor’s degree in mathematics in May. Then he spent the summer working for his mom’s real estate investment company in Houston.

He said he thought about not returning this fall, but when he was accepted to graduate school in mathematics, he came back.

But then his classes are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and conflicted with quarterbacks meetings.

“Eventually, that was going to put me further and further behind,” Lewis said.

Lewis has done what his parents insisted: gotten a degree and starting on another, while on scholarship.

“It really just came down to I just wasn’t going to play at all,” said Lewis, who will now sit down with his parents and talk about the future this weekend. “For me to play, two guys in front of me had to get hurt or we had to be doing really bad. I felt it was time for me to move on.”

Lewis also has done all a school can ask as well. He’ll be remembered for his coolness — as in easy-going, likeable and hard-to-rattle. Teammates named him a co-captain entering last season.

He’ll also be remembered for taking vicious blows (28 sacks in a nine-game 2005 season) that made Richardson, even after a lifetime around the game, wince. The elbow. The ribs. The shoulder. And most importantly, the noggin. Hits add up.

Lewis, who still throws a pretty ball, picked the right time to leave the pocket for good. The thing is, though, new days come, no matter how fondly the days of Sunshine are remembered.

Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

MVSU to challengeBulldogs' offense

Anthony Jones says Alabama A&M's high-powered offense will be challenged Saturday night when Mississippi Valley State comes to town. Kickoff is at 6:30 at Louis Crews Stadium.

The Bulldogs are averaging 45 points and 529 yards in total offense through their first two games. The Delta Devils, while they are next-to-last in the league in total defense, allowing more than 360 yards per game, but coach Willie Totten's team has given up just 16 points per game.

"Their defense is playing solid," Jones said. "They've changed their scheme a little bit and they're going to present some problems for us. They're not giving up a lot of points. Southern had a good day against them, but they shut Arkansas-Pine Bluff down. They've done a good job defensively and we've got to be ready for them."

MVSU has been led by defensive lineman Ronald Green, a 6-foot, 320-pound junior. A first-team, preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection, Green has 23 tackles through two games. In fact, the Delta Devils' defensive line has been very productive.

Delta Devils strugglingwithout Nelson:Life after Aries Nelson hasn't been too kind to MVSU coach Willie Totten.

Nelson, MVSU's do-it-all quarterback, guided the Delta Devils to back-to-back winning seasons the last two years. Now that he's gone, the Delta Devils offense hasn't run nearly as smooth. Through two games, MVSU is ninth in the SWAC in scoring (11.0) and passing (137.0) and last in rushing (35.5) and total offense (172.5).

Paul Roberts moved into the starting lineup after Nelson left and has completed 55 percent of his passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns, but MVSU hasn't been able to get much going offensively.

"Our quarterback has to grow up," Totten said. "We have to be patient with him. We may be doing a little too much with him right now and that's something we've got to look at. He has the potential to be good."

Towns not fooled by MVSU's offense:A&M defensive coordinator Brawnski Towns says he won't be fooled by MVSU's paltry numbers on offense.

Running back Johey Hargrett, who rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries and scored a touchdown against the Bulldogs last season, is back along with Roberts and wide receiver Clarence Cotton.

Roberts started against A&M last season and was 4-of-6 for 72 yards as MVSU won 23-20. Cotton had two catches for 17 yards.

"Cotton is a good wide receiver and he's an excellent return man," Towns said. "Hargrett is a good running back and Roberts is very agile. We've got to contain those three guys if we expect to have a chance to win."

Reggie Benson

AAMU Bulldogs-MVSU Devils 100 percent Totten

By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times

Brothers coaching on opposing teams won't spill secrets

When Roger Totten's phone rang almost six years ago at 2:30 a.m., he anticipated somebody was in trouble. After all, isn't that usually the case when the phone rings that early?

In this case, however, Roger's younger brother, Willie, was calling with good news.

Willie Totten had just been hired as the head football coach at Mississippi Valley State, their alma mater, and he called to invite his older brother to join his staff. Roger, now at Alabama A&M, was an assistant coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the time.

"Don't you want to come back and work at a place where your name is on the stadium?" Roger recalled his brother asking. "Don't you want to come back and help me restore this program?

"In all honesty, he blackmailed me into coming back to Valley."

The stadium at MVSU was renamed Rice-Totten Stadium in 1999 in honor of Willie and Jerry Rice, one of the most electrifying quarterback/wide receiver tandems in the country in the mid-1980s. Roger played receiver in Rice's shadow and they were both seniors in 1984. Roger stayed at MVSU in 1985 and helped coach Willie, a senior that season.

Willie used the stadium name to lure his brother back.

"We had gone through a lot," said Roger, who took on a leadership role in the family while in college after their father died.

"We had helped turn the program around as players, and we believed we could turn it around as coaches."

It took a year after Willie became the head coach at MVSU in 2002 before Roger could accept his invitation and join the Delta Devils' staff.

After posting back-to-back losing seasons in 2003 and 2004, MVSU put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in two decades and came within a win of playing for the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship last season.

But despite their success, things weren't all rosy for Roger at his alma mater, and he elected during the past offseason to take a job as receivers coach at Alabama A&M.

As a result, Roger, 46, and Willie, 45, will be on opposite sidelines Saturday night when the Delta Devils take on the Bulldogs at Louis Crews Stadium. Kickoff is at 6:30.

"Expectations were really high at Mississippi Valley last year for us to win (the SWAC) and things didn't work out," Roger said this week. "Once expectations are high and you don't meet them, people want to do something different.

"I felt if I left it would take some of the pressure off of Willie. It was nothing negative against Mississippi Valley. Mississippi Valley has been very good to me and my family. There's eight of us and five of us graduated from Valley. We felt like the program was moving in the right direction, but I guess it was time for me to do something different and let Willie run his own program."

Willie told a much different story earlier this week.

"I blame a lot of people for that," said Willie, referring to his brother's departure but refusing to elaborate. "When you have a seasoned coach. ... Roger has over 20 years experience in the game. He's been around the league and knows a lot of football.

"To lose him was very, very crucial for us. But we have to move on."

The Delta Devils haven't moved on very well.

Normally among the league's most potent offenses, MVSU is last or next to last in all four of the major statistical categories this year.

Meanwhile, A&M's offense has undergone an awakening since Roger arrived.

The Bulldogs, a ground-oriented offense during Anthony Jones' first five seasons as head coach, have not only been good on the ground but have been terrific through the air. A&M is averaging 45 points, to rank seventh nationally, and 529 yards in total offense after two games.

"Roger has added an attitude to our receiving corps," Jones said. "He's a no-excuse kind of guy. He brings some toughness to those guys and he has raised their level of expectation. He's really done a nice job of getting those guys to compete and play at a high level."

MVSU's loss has clearly been A&M's gain.

Willie and Roger, who grew up in Greenwood, Miss., say they haven't discussed Saturday's game. In fact, they haven't communicated in months.

"We haven't spoken since he left in June," Willie said. "That's normally how we operate. We both have a job to do. Both of us are loyal to our programs. When he was at Alcorn and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, we never talked during the season because it's strictly business.

"We talk family business, but not football business."

Added Roger: "We don't talk during football season. We've been doing that since we got in the business. We're very serious about what we're doing and it's all business to us."

They'll likely talk a little Saturday night. Approximately 25 of their family members are expected to attend the game.

Football Game Canceled: West Alabama vs. NCCU

WEST ALABAMA - West Alabama officials have canceled the Oct. 6 game with North Carolina Central, which had been scheduled for Birmingham's Legion Field.

The university cited problems with the game's promoter, Varsity Sports Marketing Group. The game promoter’s breach of contract forces cancellation of Oct. 6 contest.

"We want all of the UWA and NCCU fans to know that our great universities really wanted to play this football game and we did everything possible to salvage it, but we were unable to resolve the contract difficulties with the game's promoter," West Alabama athletic director E.J. Brophy said.

West Alabama and NCCU will have an open date on Oct. 6.

“We are disappointed that our football program and our fans will not have the opportunity to travel to Alabama for this event,” said NCCU Director of Athletics Bill Hayes. “We have developed a wonderful relationship with the administration of UWA and we were looking forward to the match-up on the gridiron. All possible efforts were exhausted by NCCU and UWA before having to come to this decision. This is quite unfortunate.”

NCCU, currently 2-1 after back-to-back shutouts of Fayetteville State and Saint Augustine’s, will play Elizabeth City State this Saturday (Sept. 15) in the New York Urban League's 37th Annual Whitney Young Football Classic at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The contest will kickoff at 2 p.m. with live coverage on WRJD 1410 AM beginning with a pre-game show at 1:30 p.m.

SSU's Justiniano gets a "kick" out of football

By Noell Barnidge, Savannah Morning News

Savannah State kicker Luis Justiniano moved from Bolivia to the United States in 2003 in search of a better life.

"Me and my mom flew to the States for me to get a better opportunity," he said. "And it's something that I've found at Savannah State."

Justiniano and his mother, Maria Lola Saldama, lived in Miami for six months before they settled in Bluffton, S.C., where he attended Bluffton High School.

During his senior season in 2005, his mother had to return to work in Miami, where she now lives, so Justiniano moved in with the family of the Bobcats' quarterback at the time.

At first, Justiniano watched Bluffton's football practices and counted the minutes until they would end so he could ride home with the quarterback. Eventually, the lifelong soccer player became intrigued with football. "The coaches knew I played soccer, so I figured why not (try football)? I might as well," he said.

The Bobcats did not attempt a field goal during Justiniano's only season of football, but he did handle kickoffs, extra points and punts.

"My first game ever in football, I didn't know how much a field goal was worth," he said, smiling. "I didn't know when I was supposed to go in the game. I actually had a couple of friends who were like, 'Luis, go in.' I got yelled at one time because the coaches were calling for the punt team and I didn't know it was me. I got yelled at and we had to call timeout."

After graduating, Justiniano gave up football and attended Armstrong Atlantic State. But AASU does not have a men's soccer program, and he missed organized sports. The 6-foot-1, 208-pound sophomore transferred to SSU this year and made the football team as a walk-on.

In the Tigers' 24-10 victory over Johnson C. Smith last Saturday, he attempted a field goal for the first time in his life during a game and made it. Justiniano's 41-yard field goal was SSU's first since Nov. 5, 2005, at Coastal Carolina. The Tigers did not attempt a field goal last season. It also was SSU's longest field goal since 2002.

"It feels pretty awesome," he said, moments after the victory. "It feels good to know that Coach (Theo) Lemon trusts me enough to kick."

Justiniano also made all three of his extra-point attempts, and he handled SSU's kickoffs. He attempted a 47-yard field goal, but the ball was deflected and fell wide left.

When SSU (1-1) plays host to Bethune-Cookman (1-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium, Lemon said he intends to give Justiniano the call if an offensive drive stalls and the Tigers are within field-goal range.

"We'll go to Justiniano a lot this season," Lemon said. "I have a lot of confidence in him. I think he's going to be a star here."

Lemon was so impressed with Justiniano that he offered the walk-on a partial scholarship. Justiniano, who is majoring in electrical engineering, works part time at Domino's Pizza in order to make ends meet.

"I got a little bit of scholarship money," he said, "But it wasn't enough to cover all of my books. I had to get a book for a class and it cost $140, and it's a used book!"

Justiniano's mother has to work each Saturday at a Rooms to Go furniture store in Miami, so she can not attend his games.

"I'm not sure if she's going to be able to make it to any of my games," he said.
Justiniano's father, Walter Justiniano, sister and brother live in Bolivia. "I told my sister to type in my name in Google and it shows up on ESPN," he said, smiling.

After SSU's win against JCSU, Justiniano called his mother and shared his good news. He hopes to continue calling with news of SSU victories.

SCSU Raymond Harrison heads back to Williams-Brice

SCSU RB Will Ford vs. Air Force

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer

COLUMBIA - As a sophomore linebacker at Richland Northeast High School, Rodney Paulk paid his dues on the scout team lining up against an established starting senior center in Raymond "Duck" Harrison.

For the most part, the more experienced Harrison got the better of the hungry, shorter Paulk. Yet while Harrison’s main scholarship offer came from South Carolina State, it was Paulk who ended up a year later at the University of South Carolina competing in the more high profile conference - the SEC.

When the Gamecocks play host to the Bulldogs Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, the 6-foot, 217-pound Paulk cannot wait for the first opportunity to show his former Cavalier teammate how much better he’s gotten.

"He used to really beat me down until I told him that it wasn’t happening this year because I grew up," Paulk said Tuesday. "He use to really beat me in high school, so I’m looking forward to this time and showing him that I’m a lot better than I was."

Harrison is just as anxious to show off the skills which made him a preseason All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference first-team selection and perennial starter for the Bulldogs since his freshman year.

"Right now, he’s (Paulk) playing in the SEC and I’m playing in the MEAC," he said. "So, he’s playing a little more big time football as far as bigger schools and more TV time and stuff. But it’s still football."

Although more a Clemson fan growing up in Columbia than USC, the 6-2, 275-pound Harrison was never seriously recruited by either the Tigers or the Gamecocks.

"Raymond’s a great player," said Paulk, who’s fourth on the team in tackles (12). "He was a great player in high school. That’s the only thing that got him was his size. That’s the one thing that got me too from getting offers out of high school. But, he’s a real good player. He could play Division I if the coaches would have looked at him."

According to Harrison, he’s not the only Bulldog itching to play well the second time around against a Football Bowl Subdivision foe.

"Just about everybody has something to prove," Harrison said. "We’ve got to play with a little chip on our shoulder because a lot of us were told we couldn’t play on the Division I-A level. So, we want to show that we can play a little bit."

Expect the Bulldogs to come out more confident and better prepared this Saturday having had the experience against Air Force Academy, according to Harrison. He said the initial shock of going into an FBS environment with bigger crowds and tougher, more conditioned players will not play a role against the Gamecocks.

Despite not allowing a single sack against Bethune-Cookman, Harrison said the offense did not play up to its capability.

"We feel like last week we left too many points out on the field," he said. "I feel we beat them way more than about 11 despite what the score says. So right now, we’re trying to get the early kinks out that teams have early in the season such as the false starts and stuff like that and a lot of penalties. We’re trying to get rid of all of that."

SCSU will not have at its disposal the possible element of surprise. With two-time defending FCS champion Appalachian State’s stunning win over Michigan, even Harrison acknowledges it’s wishful thinking to believe the Gamecocks will look pass the Bulldogs to concentrate on second-ranked LSU.

"As far as the players, they are not going to overlook a team much anymore," Harrison said. "They may overlook us because they’re coming off a big game against Georgia, beating Georgia, so they’re real high right now looking forward to LSU. So, I hope they do come out sleeping on us a little bit."

"We’re going out there to play the best we can," Paulk said. "I know people are talking about ‘you guys should have beat them by 50 or beat them by 40’ and we end up beating them by five. Just because they’re I-AA doesn’t mean they’re lower."

RETURN TO GLORY

SCSU freshman quarterback Malcolm Long expects to be greeted by a larger, though more hostile audience at Williams-Brice Stadium compared to his two previous visits.

Yet the raucous atmosphere will not prevent the former South Carolina "Mr. Football" from reminiscing of past championship glory experienced in the stadium where he and SCSU linebacker Julius Wilkerson played together on the first of Gaffney’s two consecutive Class 4-A Division I championships.

"It was just a great place to win back-to-back," Long said. "I know I’ll have flashbacks the moment I look at the field."

In 2005 against Summerville, Long rallied the Indians from a 26-7 halftime deficit to a come-from-behind 33-32 victory. The comeback was capped by an 11-play, 90-yard scoring drive orchestrated by Long in the final 2:12.

"That was a big moment in my life," Long remembered. "I just kept my poise out there and didn’t panic,"

Last year, Long was even more dominant in the state title game with three touchdown passes and two rushes for scores in a 45-0 victory over Irmo. He would go on to earn the prestigious "Mr. Football" Award and MVP honors at the North-South All-Star Game.

Like Harrison, SCSU was the only in-state school which made him a serious offer - a subject he declined to discuss. In fact, Long is more interested in helping the Bulldogs get the upset rather than proving a point if he enters the game.

"It’s a game of football and you’re trying to get a win and beat a good football team," Long said.

NSU Preston pleased to be getting an opportunity

By KEITH IDEC, HERALD NEWS

Markeece Preston braces himself for the trash talk each time Al-Ghaffaar Lane's name pops up on his cell phone.

He laughs it all off, of course, because Lane wouldn't be Lane if he wasn't talking smack. Preston's former Paterson Catholic teammate and close friend has especially enjoyed himself this week because Preston's Norfolk State Spartans are preparing to play Saturday at 13th-ranked Rutgers (3:30 p.m.; MSG Network), for which Lane likely will redshirt as a freshman. Sports books don't offer odds on games between I-A and I-AA teams, but NSU, a Division I-AA program that hasn't had a winning season since 1996, is considered a huge underdog, the easiest mark on Rutgers' 12-game schedule.

And Lane let Preston know about their teams' obviously different levels every day this week.

"He's saying how the All-Americans are going to tear me apart and stuff like that," Preston said. "I really don't listen to him. I just laugh at him."

All kidding aside, Preston probably will play with more purpose than usual Saturday, when the true freshman figures to see plenty of time as part of NSU's offensive line rotation.

The Paterson native wanted nothing more than to join Lane and fellow Paterson Catholic alum Chenry Lewis on Rutgers' roster, but coaches at the state university stopped recruiting him when they learned he stands 6-foot-2. Although the University of Cincinnati, another Big East school, offered him a scholarship in 2006, before the Bearcats' coaching staff completely changed, Preston's height was a concern for most other Division I-A coaching staffs, too. Rutgers' starting guards, Mike Fladell and Kevin Haslam, are listed at 6-8 and 6-7, respectively.

Preston, a versatile four-year starter and a two-time Associated Press All-State selection for the Cougars, ultimately chose between Norfolk State, St. Francis (Pa.) College and Wagner College, a perceived recruiting mystery that completely surprised Paterson Catholic coach Benjie Wimberly.

"Markeece is an unbelievable athlete," Wimberly said, "and he's unbelievably strong. It's just now, though, if you look at the major offensive linemen, these guys are all starting off, even centers, at 6-4, 6-5. Markeece is right around 6-2, so height was definitely an issue. (College coaches) were looking for sleeker, taller guys. Now you've got guys 6-6, 275 or 6-5, 280. Markeece kind of looked like the linemen of the past."

Nevertheless, Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian still believes Preston is one of his program's future standouts.

"He played quite a bit in our first ball game," Adrian said of NSU's season-opening blowout win against Division II Virginia State on Sept. 1. "He's a big kid, at (6-2) and 320 pounds, and has got great athletic ability. When you're a freshman, especially on the offensive line, there are a lot of things that happen to you, with all the different fronts and blitz pickups. It's more of a learning thing (for Preston). Physically, this young man can play. He'll only get better as he gets older, you know, as he matures as a man. So we think we've got a great player right there."

Preston is listed second on NSU's depth chart at left guard, behind 6-4, 280-pound Jamien Banks, a redshirt junior who started only two games in 2006. The Spartans' right guard, Jason Kressen, is a redshirt senior who was once their starting center, so Preston should at least enter training camp next season as a possible starter. He also played center during his freshman season at PC and is a capable long snapper, so those skills should help his cause as well.

No matter how much time Preston spends Saturday trying to prevent disruptions by Rutgers defensive tackles Eric Foster, an All-America candidate, and Pete Tverdov, he'll have plenty of support within the otherwise unfriendly confines of Rutgers Stadium. He expects nearly 20 family members to attend the game.

"I was really interested in going (to Rutgers) because my family always likes to come see me play," Preston said. "I wanted to be able to go there so they could come see every game. They were recruiting me, but then they found out I wasn't as tall as they thought. So they just stopped recruiting me. They didn't think I'd be able to play on their O-line.

"I thought it was the player that counts, not the height and stuff like that. But the coaches here at Norfolk State, they thought I had perfect height and that I'd be able to play here. I'm so happy that Norfolk State picked me up because I'm playing early and there's nothing better than that."

JSU, Look out for...

TINO EDGECOMBE

Quarterback, Texas Southern

Tino Edgecombe's seen some rough times as Texas Southern's quarterback.

When he was thrown into the lineup as a true freshman, the Maroon Tigers finished with an 0-11 record in 2004. Things have slightly improved since then, with TSU finishing 1-10 in 2005 and 3-8 last year.

But now that Edgecombe is a senior, Texas Southern coach Steve Wilson said he expects more wins to follow.

"We're very happy with the development of Tino," Wilson said. "... We've seen him battle back and learn and now he has some weapons around him."

Texas Southern has started the season with an 0-2 record, but the Maroon Tigers have a passing offense that averages more than 300 yards per game.

"Most of the things we do will start and finish with (Edgecombe)," Wilson said. "We've been a running team in the past, but now we think we can be a little more balanced."

Last season, Edgecombe was in the middle of a breakout season before injuries sidelined him for most of four games - all losses - in the middle of the season. Even with the missed time, he finished the year with 1,292 passing yards and nine touchdowns.


3 Keys for Jackson State

NO. 1

RUN THAT FOOTBALL

Texas Southern has the worst rushing defense in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, giving up more than 213 yards on the ground per game. Jackson State can exploit that weakness with the combination of running backs Erik Haw and Lavarius Giles. The two combined for 156 rushing yards against Tennessee State.

NO. 2

GET PRESSURE ON THE QB

Texas Southern can throw the football, averaging more than 305 passing yards per game. But TSU quarterback Tino Edgecombe has been error-prone with one touchdown pass and four interceptions. A good push by JSU's defensive line could force Edgecombe into some bad decisions.

NO. 3

QUARTERBACK CONFIDENCE

So far this season, Jackson State has used both Jimmy Oliver and Tray Rutland at quarterback, but neither has had much success. Between bad throws by the two QBs and bad drops by the wide receivers, nothing has been in sync. A couple of good pass plays early could help the Tigers have a more balanced offense.

- David Brandt