Jackson finally catching on at Grambling State

Photo: Reginald Jackson leads GSU with 20 catches for 291 yards and three touchdowns.

By Nick Deriso, The News Star

GRAMBLING — Senior Grambling receiver Clyde Edwards, as his coaches like to say, is a marked man. That's meant an already-remarkable start for unheralded fellow senior Reginald Jackson.

Three games into this new season, Jackson is suddenly GSU's leading receiver for catches, total yards and yards per game.

"I'm finally getting a chance to showcase myself," Jackson said. "Clyde draws a whole lot of attention from defenses. The respect he gets, opens up things for me."

Always a standout in practice, Jackson has long labored in quiet obscurity behind record-smashing GSU products like Moses Harris and Henry Tolbert.

Jackson's career totals barely register: No catches as a freshman, seven as a sophomore (though three were for scores) and 12 as a junior. He'd caught just four touchdowns coming into 2007.

Even so, a new staff at GSU saw something in him that others perhaps hadn't.

"Reggie was good in the spring, he's been good since we've been here," said first-year coach Rod Broadway. "Everybody knows about Clyde; he's a marked man. So we had to find a couple more guys to get involved. We've got to spread it around."

Through it all, Jackson somehow remained focused and ready.

"You've got to stay humble, but you stay hungry at the same time," he said. "Other players had their chances. You've got to keep continuing to tell yourself that your chance will also come. When it was my time, I told myself that I would make the best of it."

He has.

In fact, "he might be stealing the show," as Edwards conceded.

Jackson scored the first touchdown of the Broadway era in Week 1, dashing 44 yards against Alcorn. Jackson then capped a six-play third-quarter drive with a stunning 69-yard TD in a blow out victory.

He added five catches a week later, though Grambling fell at upper-division Pittsburgh.

Then Jackson sparked an emotional win in last Saturday's game against reigning league champ Alabama A&M with a trick-play touchdown from 26 yards out.

"Everyday in practice, I kept saying we are going to score on this," Jackson said. "I was thinking 'six' the whole time."

It was.

A&M, which came into the game averaging 45 points a game, never scored again on the way to a 25-point loss to Grambling.

Jackson's backbreaking touchdown had a lot to do with that.

"At that point, once the other team gets hit with a play like that, it takes the swagger and the fight out of them," said Jackson, who then finished the scoring with a seven-yard TD.

Teammates say it was only a matter of time before Jackson's star rose.

"Coming into this year, we had to find another receiver, somebody to compliment Clyde," said redshirt junior quarterback Brandon Landers. "He brings that deceptive speed — people underestimate that — and he catches the ball well. He's taking advantage of his final year to shine."

Edwards, meanwhile, sits on the cusp of besting career marks across the Grambling receiving record book. He also sees Jackson as the wingman who can help pilot him there.

"I'm happy for him," Edwards said. "He's always practiced well, but hasn't always gotten the opportunity to perform on Saturdays. This year, he's finally in a situation where he can make some plays."

The 5-9, 170-pound Jackson, whose nickname is "Dee," was a celebrated Birmingham, Ala., recruit after being named all-city as a junior and senior. He considered at least four SWAC schools along with Alabama-Birmingham before becoming a member of one of former coach Doug Williams' last signing classes at GSU.

That followed a final prep season where Jackson scored on five receptions, three punt returns and a kickoff, helping his team to a 10-2 record at Parker High — a legendary Grambling recruiting stronghold that has produced Tolbert, Robert Taylor, Junious "Buck" Buchanan and his former high school coach Andre Robinson, who now oversees linebackers at GSU.

Could Jackson add his name to that list of Grambling greats? He's making a case so far this season.

A career spent waiting on the sidelines has put that goal into tight focus.

"You want to play every game like it's your last," Jackson said. "Every snap, every play, every quarter, I want to take that opportunity," Jackson said. "I want to fulfill every one of those dreams."

MEAC Notebook: School officials considering discipline for teams' brawl

COMPILED BY JOHN DELL

■ Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference officials are looking into Saturday’s postgame brawl between players from N.C. A&T and N.C. Central, and Erskine Bowles, the president of the University of North Carolina system, said yesterday that he would let chancellors at the schools decide on disciplinary procedures.

The fight broke out shortly after N.C. Central intercepted a pass to seal a 27-22 victory in Greensboro, then stormed the field and jumped on the A&T logo. Coaches couldn’t stop the fight, and after several minutes, at least one police officer from Central used pepper spray to break it up, The Associated Press reported. It was the first on-campus game between the teams since 1992.

The MEAC said that it will investigate and take appropriate action. N.C. A&T is in the MEAC. N.C. Central is make the transition from Division II to Division I and hoping to join the conference.

Commissioner Dennis Thomas of the MEAC said in a statement: “We are carefully investigating the incident and will evaluate the findings to determine if any necessary actions are to be taken by the conference office.”

Athletics Director Dee Todd of A&T said Sunday that she wanted to postpone next year’s game against Central, scheduled Aug. 30, but has backed off that statement. “We owe them a game, and at some point, we will honor our agreement that we will return the game,” she said. “When that’s going to be, I can’t say.”

Thomas would not comment when asked if the brawl would affect N.C. Central’s chance to join the conference.

■ Coach Joe Taylor, who is in his 15th season at Hampton, called the N.C. A&T-N.C. Central brawl unfortunate and said that “it’s not a common thing for those two institutions.”

Taylor said that, by MEAC rules, teams are supposed to meet and shake hands at midfield after the game.

“It’s all about good sportsmanship and sometimes emotions get out of control and it’s just human nature,” he said. “If you take 100 ballgames and see that one time, it shouldn’t be a concern. If it happens week in and week out, then you’d have a problem.… I’m the old guy in this league and sometimes human nature gets out of hand. I would say I’ve seen that two or three times, and I’ve been around a long time.”


■ Athletics Director Chico Caldwell of WSSU said that it was S.C. State’s fault that WSSU’s radio crew couldn’t broadcast last Saturday’s game.

“All our folks were there, but the phone line wasn’t working so there was nothing we could do,” he said.

Caldwell said that the campus radio station routinely calls ahead for road games to make sure that there is a phone line that it can use. On Saturday, there wasn’t a dedicated line at S.C. State’s Dawson Stadium that worked.

“We know that when teams come to our stadium and they have a radio team, we make sure there is a phone line for them to use,” Caldwell said. “And if it’s not working or whatever, we make sure we get it fixed. In this instance at South Carolina State, we know some of our fans are probably mad that the game wasn’t on the radio, but our folks did the best they could to get on the air.... Hopefully this won’t happen again.”

■ Winston-Salem State will play at Howard at 1 p.m. Saturday, but Coach Kermit Blount of WSSU said that Howard’s 0-3 record and last-place ranking in the MEAC in penalties doesn’t necessarily indicate an easy game.

“One thing I’ve learned is there’s nobody on our schedule who is a pushover,” Blount said. “We just keep preaching and teaching to our kids that everybody we play we have to be ready for.”

WSSU may be without QB Purvis at Howard

Photo: QB Monte Purvis

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

Coach Kermit Blount of Winston-Salem State will have to adjust his offense this week because of an injury to quarterback Monte Purvis.

Purvis, a fifth-year senior, sprained his left shoulder late in Saturday’s 20-7 loss to S.C. State. His arm was put in a sling on Sunday, and Blount said yesterday that he didn’t know if Purvis could play this week.

“We are going to have to take it on a day-by-day thing with Monte,” Blount said. “I think he may be OK, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Blount said that Purvis didn’t practice Monday.

“One thing about Monte is we’ll see how he feels toward the end of the week, because he’s so competitive he would play with a broken arm if he had to,” Blount said.

The Rams (2-2) will play at Howard (0-3) on Saturday in their fourth straight road game.

After Purvis went out, transfer Jarrett Dunston saw his first action of the season and was 0 for 2 passing.

Dunston (6-3, 220) spent last season at Temple, where he played running back and some at wide receiver. He spent the season before at Hargrave Military Academy and passed for 1,400 yards and 17 touchdowns, with four interceptions.

Dunston, who is from Raleigh, transferred to WSSU in the spring, went through spring drills and has shown flashes of good play in practice, according to Blount. He is a second cousin of Shawon Dunston, a former major-league baseball player.

“I really feel good about Jarrett because he’ll get a lot of reps in practice this week,” Blount said. “We aren’t afraid to put him out there. He’s a little bigger than Monte and probably has a stronger arm. But on the flip side, he’s probably not as fast as Monte.”

The Rams also will have to keep an eye on center Michael Helton, their most experienced lineman. He went down with a sprained knee in last week’s game, but Blount said that he is getting better.

“With both Michael and Monte, we’ll let our trainer (Darrell Turner) do his job, and I’ll listen to what he says about how they are progressing,” Blount said.

Getting the offense going in the right direction has been a problem for the Rams all season. Last week, they gained just 200 yards against S.C. State.

“Offensively we have to be consistent,” Blount said. “That’s the biggest thing we have to worry about.”

Chowan University makes historic move to join CIAA in 2008

By Michael N. Graff, Fayetteville Observer

Chowan will join the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association as a football-only member, becoming the first non-historically black college or university to affiliate with the conference.

The Hawks, who are in the process of moving from Division III to Division II, will join CIAA play next fall.

The move verifies the CIAA’s interest in becoming more diverse, and confirms the door is open for other non-HBCUs — including UNC-Pembroke.

“Our vision for the CIAA is to grow all aspects of the conference including educational synergies, athletic competition and to create a dynamic mixture of culture, history and geographic relevance,” CIAA Commissioner Leon Kerry said in a release. “We feel that Chowan University joining our football program is a great step on that path.”

Chowan has struggled in football recently, earning its first win since 2005 by beating Methodist two weeks ago.

About six years ago, Chowan attempted to join the Division III USA South Athletic Conference, which includes Methodist. But after a provisional period, the USA South voted not to extend an invitation to be a full-fledged member.

Fayetteville State Athletic Director Ed McLean said Monday he was excited about the new addition. But, he said, Chowan must prove itself worthy.

“I have my doubts,” McLean said. “It’ll be interesting to see.”

Lincoln University in Pennsylvania is scheduled to join the CIAA in 2009. It is starting a football program the same year. That would give the conference 12 football members.

But McLean said he is still waiting to complete Fayetteville State’s schedule for next year, because he anticipates another entry.

Chowan actually plays UNC-Pembroke this weekend. The CIAA has issued an invitation to UNC-Pembroke, which started its football program this year.

UNC-Pembroke Athletic Director Dan Kenney was out of the office and unavailable for comment Monday.

Chowan Athletic Website: http://www.gocuhawks.com/
----------------
Daily Press

Chowan to make historic move

The predominantly white N.C. school to join the historically black CIAA in football.

Chowan University will join the Division II CIAA as a member in football for the 2008 season, the league announced on Tuesday.

The arrangement is believed to be ground-breaking.

Leon Kerry, commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, said he knows of no other instance of a predominantly white institution joining an historically black athletic conference.

Chowan, in Murfreesboro, N.C., not far from the Virginia border, is close to CIAA member Elizabeth City State and a short distance from the Hampton Roads, long a hotbed for CIAA fans and alumni. Other CIAA schools in Virginia include Virginia State in Petersburg and Virginia Union in Richmond. Former CIAA members include Hampton University and Norfolk State.

"We have a plan where we can help each other, and we're working on a great sports relationship," Kerry said. "We want to be out of the box in our thinking. That's how we maintain our success."

He said Chowan might eventually join the CIAA in other sports.

Chowan currently is a Division I member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), and a Division II member of the NCAA where the CIAA and its school also are members.

"Chowan University is thrilled at the opportunity to become a part of the CIAA football culture," Chowan president M. Christopher White said. "We look forward to developing a relationship with the conference and its athletic programs."

Kerry said CIAA league officials began talking with Chowan officials over the summer, put together a plan and presented it to the CIAA board of directors.

"The CIAA member institutions are excited to have Chowan University and the Hawks join the conference's football member teams, said Dr. Dianne B. Suber, Chair, CIAA Board of Directors. "Chowan University's membership affirms the CIAA's commitment to building a diverse and competitive Conference and represents a new chapter in the CIAA's history of blazing new trails and raising the bar in NCAA Division II sports."

The CIAA has a rich history stemming from the days of segregation and continues to have one of the nation's most successful college basketball postseason tournaments, which continues to draw alumni even from the former CIAA schools.

DSU Hornets' Lavan understands heated rivalries

By KRISTIAN POPE, The News Journal

N.C. brawl shouldn't deter DSU-UD push.

DOVER -- Delaware State football coach Al Lavan said Tuesday he understands the tensions that led to a postgame fight between players from North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central last Saturday.

"There is disdain, but there's respect [for the opposition]," said Lavan, in his fourth season at DSU after being an assistant coach at, among other stops, Colorado State, Washington and Georgia Tech. Those programs play annual in-state rivals in what often can become the most important game of the season.

"It's almost a contradiction," Lavan said. "There's a healthy disdain for the guy you're playing. I mean, guys who are injured are suddenly healthy enough to play.

"I've never experienced anything like [the A&T-Central fight], but there are some serious emotions involved in rivalry games. There are no guarantees that won't happen again."

Lavan, who said he learned of the A&T-Central incident Monday, said that despite the emotions of an in-state rivalry he still would like to see the Hornets play the University of Delaware in a regular-season football game.

The two schools have played each other in most sports, but never in football.

The issue drew national attention last week after an ESPN.com column by UD graduate and former Sports Illustrated reporter Jeff Pearlman.

"On the playground, no one asks you where you're from," Lavan said. "If we play the game, we play it. If we don't, we don't. But, to me, it's very simple."

Lavan said an in-state rivalry is among the best features of college football. He said some of his fondest memories of coaching and playing at Colorado State came from facing the University of Colorado.

He said coaches must instill in their players the sportsmanship needed in rivalry situations to prevent misconduct on the field.

"It's how you approach it," Lavan said. "There are no guarantees. Anything can happen. But I'd be shocked if something like that happened [in a UD-DSU game]."

North Carolina A&T, a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member from Greensboro, has a longstanding football rivalry with North Carolina Central, located in Durham. The teams have played each other nearly every season since 1924, which also was the first year DSU fielded a team.

According to published reports, some North Carolina Central players initiated an altercation after their team's 27-22 victory at North Carolina A&T when they danced on A&T's midfield logo and then tore up pieces of the field.

Reports said police used pepper spray to subdue some players, leading some to vomit on the field.

In the aftermath, North Carolina A&T athletic director Dee Todd said the school is considering canceling next year's game between the teams.

Second-year A&T coach Lee Fobbs said he believed the two schools could move on and not have to eliminate the game.

"I learned a little more of the rivalry as the year went on and prior to the game, but that's rivalry football," Fobbs said.

Said North Carolina Central coach Mose Rison: "We've moved on, and we're looking forward to playing Presbyterian this weekend."

On Tuesday, MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas said he would analyze the circumstances surrounding the brawl before taking any action. He would not say if the league would intervene in order to keep the game from being canceled.

North Carolina Central, a provisional NCAA Division I-AA program, has petitioned to join the MEAC on a probationary basis beginning next year.

DSU senior defensive end Kelly Rouse said the tensions surrounding a potential DSU-UD game would be similar to what he expects Saturday when the Hornets play at 13th-ranked Hampton.

Rouse said the passion generated between North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central is inevitable.

"That's got to go somewhere," Rouse said.

MSU Bears at BC-U Homecoming on Saturday

Photo: All-MEAC RB Chad Simpson ran over Hampton for 142 yards on 33 carries last week.

Morgan State University Sports Information

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: Bears travel to Daytona Beach to take on Bethune-Cookman during the Wildcats Homecoming on Saturday

MORGAN STATE “BEARS” (1-3, 0-2 MEAC)
BETHUNE-COOKMAN “WILDCATS” (2-2, 0-2 MEAC)
GAME #5
Saturday, September 29, 2007 • 4:00 p.m.
Municipal Stadium (Capacity 10,000) • Daytona Beach, Fla.
RADIO: Morgan State Radio Network WEAA - 88.9 FM:
Rob Long (play-by-play) & Kelvin Bridgers (color).
INTERNET: www.MorganStateBears.com; www.BCCathletics.com/
INTERNET COVERAGE: Live Audio and Live Stats

Setting the Scene

• Morgan State fell in dramatic fashion last Thursday night at Hampton. T.J. Mitchell threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Justin Brown to clinch a thrilling 24-17 overtime victory against the Bears. The Bears were once again led by All-MEAC RB Chad Simpson who posted a game-best 142 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns. MSU’s offensive unit racked up 438 total yards, 270 on the ground. MSU will look to get back in the win column when they take on Bethune-Cookman.

• Bethune-Cookman is coming off a disappointing 38-31 loss at Norfolk State. The Wilcats had two critical tunovers to help Norfolk State walk off the field with the Fish Bowl Classic victory. Bethune-Cookman QB Jimmie Russell led the Cats by completing 8-of-15 passes for 86 yards with a touchdown, and rushing for 100 yards with a TD. Defensively, Ben Ballard collected a team-high eight tackles (7 solo), while Anotnio Cox finished with three tackles and a 42 yard interception return. With the loss the Wildcats dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the MEAC. Saturday night’s contest will mark the 22nd meeting between Morgan State and Bethune-Cookman.

• QB Jimmie Russell (Sr./5-9/175/Jonesboro, Ga./Rivedale HS)will be one to watch as the Wildcats prepare for Morgan State this Saturday at Municipal Stadium. Russell is ranked 5th in the MECA in total offense having completed 30-of-61 passes for 358 yards and rushing for 336 yards. Russell has accounted for eight touchdowns so far this season ... he was named MVP of the Fish Bowl as a result of throwing for 86 yards and running for 100 yards in a tough 38-31 loss at Norfolk State last Saturday night.

• The Bears defensive unit will attempt to contain running backs Justin Brannon (Sr./5-10/190/Jacksonville,Fla./Mandarin HS) and Brian Sumlar (Fr./5-11/180/Jacksonville,Fla./Orange Park HS) The duo has combined for 299 yards on 61 carries through four games... Brannon rushed for 54 yards (4.8) and Sumlar had 52 yards (4.3) and scored a touchdown in last week’s loss to the Spartans...Brannon ranks 10th in the MEAC with 177 yards on 33 carries game.

• SEE CHAD RUN … INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS - Chad Simpson entered the Towson game just needing 63 yards to reach 1,000 yards in his Morgan State career…he ended up rushing for 195 yards! The All-MEAC running back rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns in the season-opener vs. Savannah State and has increased his career total to 1,495 yards following a game-high 142 yards against #12 Hampton ... he now sits 16 yards behind T.J. Stallings (1999-02) who ranked #7 in the Bears rushing annals. As a result of his career-high 221 yard output against the Winston-Salem State Rams in Week 3, Simpson was selected as the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Photo: MSU Defense controlled MEAC Champs Hampton University for four quarters to give the Bears an opportunity to win in overtime.

Peck, Alabama State University have plenty to prove

By CASSANDRA M. TAYLOR, Press-Register

Jay Peck isn't surprised at the perfect record the Alabama State football team is sporting.

Peck and the Hornets sit atop the SWAC Eastern Division at 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the league. On Saturday at 2:30 p.m., they'll face the other unbeaten SWAC team, Southern (4-0, 2-0), in the 34th annual Gulf Coast Classic at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

Peck leads the SWAC in rushing with 492 yards on 98 carries and two touchdowns.

Peck said the Hornets were in perfect position in the preseason, when they were picked to finish last in the division.

"It was motivation for us, but it really didn't matter as much as you might think," Peck said. "We knew what we had and what we could do if things fell right. Right now, we hope they keep picking us to lose every weekend."

ASU coach Reggie Barlow said Peck is the kind of player every coach wants to have on his team.

"Jay is a big part of our offense and he's played a big part in all our wins," Barlow said. "He's exactly what you would want when talking about being a true student-athlete. He has already graduated, he's a great football player and even better young man."

After struggling in the team's opener against Jacksonville State (79 yards on 16 carries), Peck has had three consecutive games over 100 yards.

"I don't know what's happened since the Jacksonville State game. I guess things are just clicking better now," he said. "Also, I guess we're supposed to get better with each game. You also have first-game jitters and stupid penalties. But as the season progresses, your execution is supposed to get better, or it should get better, and that's been the case for us."

Coaching pals inducted into Alcorn Hall of Fame

PAUL BEAUDRY, For The Birmingham News

For the better part of the past 40 years, Willie Ray and Joseph Martin have been friends.

They went to the same high school in Birmingham, they went to the same college in Mississippi and they coached together on many levels back in Birmingham.

That's why it's more than appropriate that they were inducted into the Alcorn State University Hall of Fame together.

Ray and Martin were inducted into Alcorn's Athletic Hall of Fame last month as much for their achievements in college - Ray for football and Martin for basketball - as for their life after it.

"We've been friends forever," said Martin, now the principal at Parker High School and a four-year letter winner in basketball at the Mississippi SWAC school in the early 1970s. "We coach at the U.S. Youth Games together in track. In fact, he and his brother James recruited me to play basketball at Alcorn State."

Ray, a standout at Western-Olin in the mid-1960s, played football at Alcorn State for four seasons, taking a medical redshirt season for knee surgery.

"I was recruited as a fullback and to run track," said Ray, a former Jackson-Olin coach who was an assistant principal at Ensley. He retired the same year the school closed. "I was converted to running back and just got too big to run track. But I was also one of the premier punters in the city."

Ray wound up signing a free-agent contract with the Detroit Lions, but bad knees forced him into education. He was the head track coach and assistant football coach at Parker from 1971-72 and moved over to Jackson-Olin, where he coached until becoming an assistant principal at Ensley in 1990.

One of his biggest accomplishments came through one of his athletes. He coached Vonetta Flowers in track at J-O. She went on to win an Olympic gold medal in bobsled in the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Martin, a 6-foot-7 tweener at big guard or small forward, came out of Western-Olin to average about 19 points a game at Alcorn. He averaged 28 as a sophomore - starting all four years for the Braves. Upon returning to Birmingham, he coached girls basketball at Jackson-Olin - starting the program with the help of head football coach Robert Dickerson - for two seasons.

"When I was in high school, I played it all - I was a wide receiver in football and a first baseman in baseball and got drafted by the Baltimore Orioles," Martin said.

He moved to Glenn High School from 1975-81 as boys basketball coach (with a player named Bobby Humphrey) and followed that as an assistant basketball and football coach at Parker. He left coaching when he got into administration, and has served as principal of Huffman High School and Banks Middle School.

"Alcorn was a nice, friendly place," Martin said. "That's why I chose to go there. And a big part of that was Willie Ray. He was ahead of me in school and kept telling me how wonderful it was."

Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

Totten looking for leaders at receiver.

Alabama A&M receivers coach Roger Totten has been pleased with the play of his young group, but admits he's looking for some of them to emerge as leaders.

The Bulldogs have used five different players at wide receiver, but there are no seniors among the bunch.

The group includes seldom-used juniors Gerald Stockdale and Paul Kellum, sophomore Thomas Harris and redshirt freshmen Nate Baxter and Rashad Johnson.

"I'm trying to find a leader," Totten said. "That's something we haven't found yet ... a guy that's going to step up. Leadership is very important when you have a lot of young players.

"Sometimes, guys have to be put in leadership roles when they don't want to be or they have to be put in roles because they're in a position to be a leader. We need some of those guys to step up."

Totten said the likely candidates include Stockdale, Harris, Baxter and Johnson.

"All four of those guys have the same personality," he said. "We need them to be more involved in what we're doing and be more vocal."

Jones excited about practice:

The Bulldogs practiced for more than two hours Tuesday as they began preparations for Saturday's homecoming game against Texas Southern. Kickoff is 3 p.m. at Louis Crews Stadium.

"We had a real good practice," A&M coach Anthony Jones said. "Our guys were attentive. They had a desire to learn. We made some mistakes, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort ... it wasn't because guys weren't trying to understand. This was a good bounce back day for us."

Baxter status up in the air: Baxter, who sustained an ankle injury against Mississippi Valley State and didn't play in last week's 31-6 loss to Grambling, didn't practice Tuesday.

His status for Saturday's game against Texas Southern is up in the air.

Totten was unsure if Baxter would be available against the Tigers.

"I really don't know," Totten said. "He's still working on it ... trying to get it ready, but I really don't know."

Reggie Benson

Alabama A&M Jones' deal almost done

Photo: Betty Austin, AAMU Athletic Director

By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times Sports Staff

Raise would make A&M coach one of SWAC's highest paid.

Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones is close to signing a deal that would make him the fourth-highest paid coach in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The school's board of trustees approved a $32,500 raise for Jones last June that will pay him $142,500 annually. He is also slated to receive $12,500 for his radio and television show. The $12,500 would be paid from funds raised by Jones, who has been asked to raise $50,000 to be deposited into the school's football budget to help offset the deficit.

Jones will also receive bonuses for winning classic games, homecoming and the SWAC championship. Amounts were not available Tuesday, but Jones received $10,000 for winning the SWAC championship, $2,500 for the Magic City Classic and the John Merritt Classic, $2,000 for being SWAC Coach of the Year and Washington Pigskin Coach of the Year and $1,000 for homecoming.

The new deal will go into effect next month when the school's new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

A&M athletic director Betty Austin presented Jones with the contract earlier this month, but he says he hasn't had a lot of time to look it over.

"It's kind of a rough deal for me because a contract is a big thing," Jones said. "It takes a lot of looking into to make sure the language is correct and agreeable."

Jones, whose contract runs through 2009, said he hopes to be able to review the contract and get it back to Austin in the near future, but admitted the contract was the last thing on his mind.
"My concern right now is making sure my football team is ready to play," he said. "Am I concerned about my contract? Of course I am, but this week is a very urgent week."

A&M, 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the SWAC, is coming off of a 31-6 drubbing at the hands of Grambling. The Bulldogs host winless Texas Southern on Saturday afternoon for homecoming. Kickoff is at 3.

While Jones expressed thanks to A&M president Robert Jennings, Austin and the board of trustees, he said it would have been better had he been able to get the contract in July and likely could have had it done before the Bulldogs reported for preseason practice on Aug. 1.

"That would have been ideal because football season is tough," he said. "Every week you've got a deadline. I try to teach our players that. Every week our product is put on full display and people don't want to hear why you were distracted. They expect the product to be working at optimal level."

Jones has compiled a 44-19 record during his five-plus seasons and has led the Bulldogs to three appearances in the SWAC championship game. A&M won its first SWAC title last December with a 22-13 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. His 44 wins rank him third on the school's all-time wins list.

"We've had some success, but this program isn't where we want it to be," Jones said.

Jones was the seventh-highest paid coach in the league last season with a base salary of $110,000. Only Texas Southern's Steve Wilson, Mississippi Valley State's Willie Totten and Alcorn State's Johnny Thomas made less money.

However, the salary increase makes Jones the fourth-highest paid coach in the SWAC, trailing Southern's Pete Richardson, Grambling's Rod Broadway and Jackson State's Rick Comegy.

Wyatt: Official's call costs B-CU

Photo: BC-U Head Coach Alvin Wyatt

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona Beach News-Journal

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bethune-Cookman football coach Alvin Wyatt claims an official's rule interpretation did more than move a slotback a few feet closer to the middle, it impaired the Wildcats' ability to run their offense at Norfolk State on Saturday.

Norfolk State, coached by former B-CU defensive coordinator Pete Adrian, rallied from a 21-10 halftime deficit to defeat the 'Cats 38-31. On the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's weekly media teleconference call Tuesday, Wyatt said based on a tip from Norfolk State coaches in the days leading up to the game, officials forced B-CU out of a perfectly legal formation in the second half.

The result, he said, was that B-CU was forced to abandon a base formation because the alteration tipped off the defense to the Wildcats' plays.

"The way they had us lining up, the defense definitely knew what we were going to do," Wyatt said. "It was the only thing that stopped us, because we were ripping them apart. It was wrong. It was dead wrong."

NSU Head Football Coach Pete Adrian

Wyatt said B-CU sent tapes of the game to the conference commissioner's office for an interpretation. MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas said his office was awaiting the tape.

"Coach Wyatt apprised me of his concern," Thomas said Tuesday afternoon from the MEAC office in Virginia Beach, Va. "I asked him to send us a tape. Once we get the tape, we'll review it and see if there are legitimate concerns to his complaint."

The rule in question has to do with where a slotback must line up at the snap to be eligible to block below the waist. According to the NCAA's "Football Rules and Interpretations," the back must be lined up inside of the offensive tackle in front of him. Wyatt said after an illegal cut block was called against B-CU in the second quarter, officials told the Wildcats the player would have to move.

"I know what we were doing was legal. Everyone in football will tell you that," Wyatt said. "(The officials) put us in a suicidal position."

In fact, Adrian agreed the Wildcats never did anything illegal. He said it was a halftime adjustment by his team that neutralized the slotback's ability to cut block and not anything the officials did.

"They were in the same formation the entire game," Adrian said. "We simply moved our linebackers up, so they couldn't cut them."

Wyatt said he was upset an opposing head coach would go to officials during game week to complain about an opponent's formations.

"Our team was hurt. We were frustrated. It was wrong to be influenced like that," Wyatt said.

But Thomas and Adrian said it is common practice for coaches to talk to officials during the week.

"Coach Wyatt talks to officials. Other coaches talk to officials. I don't see how that's an issue," Thomas said.

Adrian said that it was actually another formation he inquired about during the week, one in which two split ends line up on the same side. He said the Wildcats also lined up correctly in that formation.

Adrian, who was Wyatt's defensive coordinator for seven seasons before he went to Norfolk State in 2005, said he was surprised Wyatt would use Tuesday's teleconference to complain about his tactics.

"He can do what he wants to do, he's a grown man," Adrian said. "I'm not losing any sleep over it, that's for sure."

Cut-Block Rule

Backs at the snap positioned with the frame of their body completely outside the frame of the body of the normal tackle (second player from the snapper) positioned in either direction toward a sideline, or in motion at the snap, are prohibted from blocking below the waist toward the original position of the ball in or behind the neutral zone and within 10 yards beyond the neutral zone. The frame of the body does not include arms or legs extended sideways.

Source: 2007 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations on NCAA.org

Coates leads rejuvenated Southern running game

Photo: Darren Coates, SU RB



















By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Headlining Southern University’s muscled-up running game has been senior Darren Coates.

Coates had his best game as a Jaguar in a 41-34 win over Tennessee State on Saturday, running for 115 yards and a career-high two touchdowns and making three catches for 45 yards and his first career receiving score.

Coates, a two-way star at West Feliciana High School, was a nonqualifier as a freshman at SU and was academically ineligible another season. He ran for 119 yards and one touchdown and had seven catches for 56 yards last season.

“Of anybody who is playing well and is consistent for us this year, it’s him,” Southern coach Pete Richardson said. “He’s finally weathered (the eligibility issues) and developed into quite a fine football player.”

So far this season, he has 48 carries for 341 yards, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, and four touchdowns on the ground and seven catches for 62 yards and the TD through the air.

“Catching and running the ball, he did a great job,” SU offensive coordinator Mark Orlando said. “I’m really excited.

“He’s a kid who has been in the program and to come to his last year and be productive like he is. And he’s a great kid, just works hard. For him to have the success he’s had early is a big plus. He’s really helping us.”

Factor in that Coates’ production comes as SU has balanced the running game with sophomore Brian Threat (22 carries for 110 yards — 5.0 yards per carry) and junior Kendrick Smith (135 yards on 24 carries — 5.6 per rush — and six catches for 48 yards and two touchdowns).

SU averages a SWAC-best 184.0 rushing yards per game.

“You’ve got three guys there who can tote that mail and make things happen,” Orlando said. “And the O-line is doing a good job up front of creating some running lanes for those guys, and they’re hitting them.”

Landry hurting
Southern senior wide receiver Gerard Landry had his left arm in a sling and got rehab for a shoulder injury Tuesday.

“I think he’s going to be all right,” Richardson said.

Landry, a second-team All-SWAC selection last season, has 14 catches for 199 yards and a team-high four touchdowns this season.

He has scored in all four games this season and six of SU’s last season. He also has a catch in 29 consecutive games.

He served a suspension in the first half of the Tennessee State game, with RaShon Jacobs starting in his place. Jacobs scored in the first quarter, and Landry caught a TD in the third quarter.

Passer to punter
What to do with a former starting quarterback? Alabama State’s Alex Engram, the team’s top quarterback last season and the starter of the season opener, is the punter. Pretty good move. Engram was named the SWAC co-specialist of the week after averaging 42.2 yards on six punts, with a long of 54 and two inside the 20-yard line, Saturday in a 28-25 win over Alcorn State.

“I love him,” Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. “This is a guy who had the starting quarterback job, instead of pouting he found a way to help us. He taught himself how to punt in one week. He not only did a good job, but he took a lot of pressure off Jeremy (Fetterhoff) and you can see how it helped (Fetterhoff’s) kicking.”

Fetterhoff went 4-for-4 on PATs.

Making the move
Engram was 59-for-137 (43.1 percent) for 787 yards, seven interceptions and six touchdowns and ran 86 times for 399 yards and five TDs last season. He was 4-for-9 for 32 yards and two interceptions a year ago in a 38-20 loss to Southern.

In the season opener, Engram was 3-for-6 for 44 yards and an interception when he was pulled in favor of Chris Mitchell. Mitchell went 10-for-11 for 206 yards and two TDs in a come-from-behind 24-19 win over Jacksonville State.

“We went last year with Alex and were kind of inconsistent,” Barlow said. “I just felt like I didn’t want to start the season off with the same stuff we had been through last year. &hellip If you’re making mistakes and you’ve been in the program for a while, we might as well go with someone else who hasn’t been in the program. We just decided to go with Chris, and he’s been doing pretty well.”

Harry back to defense
SU junior Frank Harry moved back to defensive tackle in practice Sunday. Harry worked at that spot in the spring after transferring from South Florida and at the beginning of preseason camp before moving to guard on offense.

Richardson said Harry could go back to offense in an emergency but said “he’s too good of an athlete” to keep on the sideline. Outside of a few snaps on defense, Harry’s been used just on special teams in games.

Notes
Barlow is the older brother of former Southern basketball player Darrell Barlow, whose last year for the Jaguars was 1997-98. Of SU’s five wins last season, the Jaguars’ largest margin of victory came in the 38-20 win over Alabama State. SU remains the least-penalized team in the SWAC, with 20 penalties for 168 yards. SU sophomore CB/RS Ronald Wade will miss Saturday’s game as the third game in a three-game suspension for violating team rules.

State Fair Classic to honor Eddie Robinson

By KATE HAIROPOULOS, The Dallas Morning News

State Fair Classic
Prairie View vs. Grambling St.
6 p.m. Sat., Cotton Bowl

Ex-Grambling coach to be remembered before State Fair Classic

The legendary, late Eddie Robinson coached his final game at the Cotton Bowl a decade ago, on Oct. 4, 1997.

"Long live Dallas and the football fans," Robinson said then. "I am aware of the fact Eddie Robinson has had a good life in football, and I am a lucky man."

Saturday, Dallas will honor Robinson's memory at the annual Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic between Prairie View A&M and Robinson's Grambling State.

Robinson died in April at the age of 88 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

His Tigers' 33-6 victory over Prairie View in 1997 was the 407th win of his career. He finished with 408, a national record when he retired at the end of the 1997 season after 57 seasons.

Dallas mayor Tom Leppert will present Robinson's widow, Doris, with a ceremonial award during Saturday's pregame show. She will be escorted by former Grambling player and coach Doug Williams, the former NFL Super Bowl MVP.

The Grambling and Prairie View bands, best known for their halftime battles, will perform together before the game to honor "Coach Rob."

"Coach Robinson, what he was able to do at Grambling is remarkable, and I don't think you'll ever see that again," said Rod Broadway, the first-year Grambling coach. "He's probably 40 or 50 years ahead of his time of how he was able to build that program, take a little, small town in northern Louisiana and put it on the national map."

As usual, Prairie View will be the underdog Saturday, having lost 19 straight to Grambling.

Grambling won 53-7 last year and has scored 50 or more points each of the last four meetings.

Grambling is 2-1 with wins over Alcorn State and Alabama A&M and a 34-10 loss at Pittsburgh. Prairie View is 2-1 with wins over Texas Southern and North Carolina A&T and a 12-2 loss last week to Southern.

Broadway, who came from North Carolina Centraland and is experiencing his first State Fair Classic, said the Tigers' dominance in the series doesn't affect Saturday's game.

That's something fourth-year Prairie View coach Henry Frazier III, who touted the program's rebuilding efforts, stressed Monday.

"We promise you," he said, "this year, you're not going to leave after halftime."

Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic: Prairie View A&M (2-1) vs. Grambling State (2-1), 6 p.m. Saturday, Cotton Bowl (pregame festivities start at 5:15)

Bowles says chancellors will deal with NCCU-NCA&T brawlers

ANNE BLYTHE, Greensboro News-Observer

The Monday morning after a postgame free-for-all, the athletics directors at N.C. Central and N.C. A&T universities, not the football coaches of the rival schools, were closely reviewing game-day tape.
The athletics officials were scanning TV news tape for details of a midfield clash that pushed both schools into the news -- not for the nail-biting 27-22 game won by the NCCU Eagles but for the unsportsmanlike behavior after the last seconds ticked off the game clock.

Erskine Bowles, president of the UNC system, which includes both universities, talked Monday with new chancellors Charlie Nelms of NCCU and Stanley F. Battle of A&T about the fight.

"We are all in complete agreement that this sort of unsportsmanlike behavior was just plain wrong, and that it will not be condoned or tolerated within our university," Bowles said in a statement released by his office on Monday.

"I am confident that both chancellors are going to handle this matter appropriately on their own campuses and will take steps to ensure that this sort of thing doesn't happen again."

Battle and Nelms released a joint statement Monday evening that read, in part: "We have met with the teams and coaching staffs and have reiterated to them the importance of proper athletic conduct, good sportsmanship, and team spirit. ... We have not made a decision regarding the future athletic events between our teams but we are jointly collaborating as sister institutions to decide the best course."

Cressie Thigpen, a Raleigh lawyer and chairman of the NCCU trustees, was in the stands Saturday. On Monday, he still was gathering facts about what unfolded.

"I know that both teams were in the field in the center," Thigpen said. "Beyond that, I'm not really sure what was going on."

Thigpen asked NCCU athletics director Bill Hayes to review tapes and report his findings.

Kyle Serba, an NCCU assistant athletics director for media relations, said responding to the request had proven difficult.

NCCU tapes of the game stopped before the players rushed the field, Serba said. So he collected footage from WNCN and started a search for any other video of the incident.

NCCU already has suspended for one game a player, whom school officials declined to name, citing privacy concerns.

A&T officials had not reported any punishments by late Monday afternoon. Dee Todd, athletics director at the Greensboro campus, said if any players or coaches were found to have behaved inappropriately, they would be punished.

On Monday, Todd backed off statements she made over the weekend that the fracas would force her to call off a 2008 game between the rival schools. "We owe them a game, and at some point we will honor our agreement and return the game," she said.

But Todd would not elaborate on whether the next game would be played next year.

Todd said media reports of the fracas were overblown. The fight, she said, lasted for a minute and a half before coaches fully separated the players, not five minutes.

"There were no fists and helmets flying," Todd said. "No one was hurt. The coaches were trying to get people off the field."

Jayme Bell-Williams, a 1997 NCCU graduate who lives in Raleigh, was sitting in the stands on the 37-yard line Saturday night.

After the game ended, she said, the Eagles went out to midfield and stomped on the Aggies' logo.

"This is not the first time NCCU has done this to any team," Bell-Williams said Monday. "It's to say, 'This is our ground. We took control of it.' I don't agree with it, but it's been done before."

At that point, she said, the Aggies' bench cleared. "They rushed the field," she said. "The coaches got between both teams and started separating the players."

Campus security officers then came in. Willie Williams, the NCCU police chief, said one of his officers used pepper spray. Any time an officer uses force, he said, an internal investigation is done.

"We have done a preliminary investigation," he said, "and in our view, this [use of pepper spray] did not violate our policy."

Williams would not elaborate further nor would he identify the officer who used the spray. The chief said he had not received any complaints about the use of pepper spray, but he did receive three calls from people complimenting the officer for the use of force.

It was unclear Monday whether A&T officers also used pepper spray. Richard Holden, the A&T campus police chief, said he has launched an investigation.

Mable Springfield Scott, associate vice chancellor of development and university relations at A&T, issued a statement Monday calling the fracas an "isolated incident."

"The N.C. A&T logo was stomped following a very spirited football game where athletes competed vigorously," she said in the statement. "We regret the conflict, ... for this is not indicative of what we represent."

(News & Observer staff writer Jaymes Powell Jr. contributed to this report.)

MEAC Commissioner: No Expansion At This Time

The commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference confirmed Monday that the league is not looking to expand at this time, a crucial situation for N.C. Central as it looks to move to find conference affiliation in Division I.

N.C. Central has left the CIAA, and Bill Hayes said in August that he hoped to hear something from the MEAC by December. The MEAC, which includes North Carolina A&T and is adding Winston-Salem State, would be a natural fit for the Eagles.

But MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas indicated Monday that his conference is not looking to add members.

“This past March of ’07 the conference decided to put a moratorium on expansion at this time,” Thomas said. “There is no timetable to it.”

The MEAC has 12 members, and 10 that play football. North Carolina A&T athletics director Dee Todd said expanding could make scheduling difficult, so the league wants to take a long look at any additions.

NCCU, however, could be appealing if the MEAC decides to grow. Thomas praised its academic and athletic reputation, and the Eagles are generally strong in men’s basketball and football. The addition of the Eagles would be a boost to the MEAC if the league basketball tournament remains in Raleigh.

The returns to the RBC Center for the third time this fall. Attendance has been low, and Thomas said the league is hoping to improve that.

“We’re pleased but not satisfied. We’re working assiduously to increase tournament attendance and make it more fan friendly.”

Thomas said the league expects to decide to award a three-year contract for the 2009-2011 tournaments by March.

Good effort can't save Lamar soccer against Grambling State

Photo: Lamar’s Beth Squires tries to maintain control of the ball as Grambling State’s Solange Robinson (18) and Natasha Nzeakor (14) defend at Cardinal Stadium in Beaumont on Sunday.

By PERRYN KEYS, The Enterprise

BEAUMONT - The effort was there. The production was better. The result?

Well, for the Lamar soccer team, the final score wasn't much different from its previous six games.

Sunday afternoon at Cardinal Stadium, playing the first official home game in the program's history, the Cardinals fired just as many shots as Grambling State. Lamar, however, did not have just as many goals. In that category, it wasn't even close.

The Tigers scored twice in the first half and poured it on after the intermission in a 6-0 victory that left the Cardinals winless after their first seven games.

"If I was their coach, I would tell them (to) just keep their heads up," Grambling coach Tamura Crawley said of Lamar.

"They have a lot of good players on their team. Just look to connect on more passes, things like that. And again, really keep their heads up."

As lopsided as the score was, it did offer at least some encouragement for the Cardinals.

Before Sunday's game, opponents had outshot Lamar by an average of 29.3 shots per game. In fact, the Cards had managed just eight shots on goal the entire season. Their opponents had 118.

Against Grambling (2-5), Lamar attacked more often and with more success, setting season highs with 19 shots and six shots on goal.

The difference: While the Tigers also took 19 shots, 12 of them were on goal. Six of those 12 found the back of the net.

"Honestly, I think we played some of the best soccer we've played in a long time," Lamar coach Matthew Dillon said. "Unfortunately, we let a couple of soft goals in, and that's always hard to come back from. ... To me, it's one of those games where if you played it 10 times, they'd win five and we'd win five. I think the teams were fairly even and equal, as far as ability (goes). They didn't go our way."

Now comes the hard part.

Despite the progress, the fact of the matter is that Lamar, a startup program in its first year, has been outscored 54-1 in seven games - and while Dillon has not seen his players mail it in yet, even he admitted the post office might not be very far off.

"You start to worry about it now," he said. "Seven games into the season and you're 0-7 - you want to make sure they're positive. You want to make sure they can believe they can win. We've come against some really good teams, and Grambling's a really good team ... (but) if we're 0-10 after 10 games, I think maybe their heads start to drop. At this point, they haven't yet."

Sunday's game is believed to be the first official Lamar sporting event in Cardinal Stadium since the university killed its football program in 1989.

It was also the first official home game for the soccer team, which played a pair of exhibitions last month before opening its regular season at three tournaments on the road.

Three hundred thirty-five fans showed up for the debut. They watched the home team fall behind in the 15th minute, when Grambling's Ashley Baker turned and fired off the first of her three goals on the afternoon.

Angelica Singh followed in the 23rd minute with a slow roller that LU goalkeeper Kelsie Binetti appeared ready to stop. But the ball trickled past Binetti, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Natasha Nzeakor scored on a penalty kick in the 51st minute, and Baker added her second goal on a nice centering pass from Obafemi Alao, who had three assists on the day.

Baker finished off her hat trick with a goal in the 67th minute. Alao added Grambling's sixth goal on a breakaway three minutes later.

Binetti had six saves in goal for Lamar. Stefani Turner and Beth Squires led the Cardinals with four shots off the bench.

"Actually, I thought they really played well," Crawley said of Lamar.

"From the scouting reports I got, I thought this would be a difficult game for us. We came out and took it to them, but I think even to the end, (Lamar) played with a lot of heart and a lot of character."

NCCU-NCA&T future remains in question

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

N.C. Central and North Carolina A&T may or may not meet on the football field next season.

Apparently, everyone will just have to wait a few days to find out.

After the teams' postgame fight Saturday night after NCCU won 27-22 at Aggie Stadium, A&T athletics director Dee Todd reportedly told The News & Observer that she didn't want the Eagles and Aggies to play in 2008.

Chancellors Charlie Nelms of NCCU and Stanley Battle of N.C. A&T spoke by telephone concerning the situation, and they released a joint statement Monday evening.

"Presently, we have not made a decision regarding the future athletic events between our teams but we are jointly collaborating as sister institutions to decide the best course," Battle and Nelms said in the statement (the entire text is on Page D5). "The primary factor in making our final decision will be our responsibility to our students."

Earlier Monday, Battle said he will release a statement "later on this week concerning when N.C. A&T plans to play the return game against N.C. Central."

"The North Carolina A&T logo was stomped following a very spirited football game, where athletes competed vigorously on Saturday night," according to an official statement released by the Aggies' athletics department. "We regret the conflict that ensued, for this is not indicative of what we represent. The teams were immediately separated. N.C. A&T Police and Public Safety officials were on the scene. No one was hurt.

"Please keep in mind, this is an isolated incident. No charges have been filed to this point. N.C. A&T and N.C. Central have had a long relationship as athletic rivals in many different sports. Saturday's brief incident is in no way indicative of the prestigious and proud history of both universities. Both schools have produced some of the most famous, distinguished and brightest citizens in our society today. Therefore, in the end, our common ground and number one mission is educating young people."

Todd also was quoted as saying: "A couple of their coaches led them out there and were in the middle. One of the coaches picked up a patch of dirt off the dog [logo on the field] and threw it. You know, that's just disrespectful and terribly unsportsmanlike. ... Coaches are your leaders, and if a coach does that, then, you can't really expect the kids to do anything different."

When contacted Monday afternoon, NCCU head coach Mose Rison said his coaching staff acted appropriately during the incident and referred to a written statement that was released Sunday night.

"On behalf of my staff, I will state that I believe we acted immediately and properly, and that our student-athletes responded accordingly to our instructions," Rison said, adding he planned no further comment on the postgame incident.

The Eagles improved to 4-1 with the victory Saturday night and stretched A&T's losing streak to 20 games -- the longest in the Football Championship Subdivision. NCCU has won two straight in the 83-year-old series, which was not contested in 2006.

After the end of the contest, which was sealed by Eric Ray's interception at the goal line in the closing seconds, there was a fight at midfield involving perhaps a couple of dozen players. A line of several NCCU players had been dancing at midfield when several A&T players took exception and began pushing and shoving before punches were thrown.

The altercation ended after less than two minutes, dispersed by pepper-spray wielding campus police from both schools. No fans were involved, no one was arrested and no one was seriously injured.

One unnamed NCCU player is serving a team-imposed one-week suspension for his part in the scuffle.

A&T is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, while NCCU currently competes as an independent. MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas said his conference can sanction players for misbehavior associated with non-conference games.

"The situation is still being investigated," Thomas said. "We will have a comment when the investigation is complete."

Off week a drag for Jackson State Tigers offense

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

THE JSU GAME
What: Alabama State at Jackson State
When: Oct. 6, 3 p.m.
Radio: JSU Network (WOAD-1300 AM)

Jackson State's offense put up 50 points in Saturday's victory for the first time under second-year coach Rick Comegy. In fact, the blowout over Mississippi Valley State was the first time JSU has scored that many points in nearly six years.

But just when the Tigers are achieving offensive continuity, the team will have to wait two weeks to play because they have an open date this weekend.

"You sort of wish you could keep things going," Comegy said. "But we've got a really tough road ahead of us. Getting to have a week off and rest those nicks and bruises should be good for us."

Comegy said the team would have a normal week of practice before giving players some time off over the weekend. The Tigers will play host to Alabama State (4-0 overall, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) on Oct. 6.

HIGH MARKS

JSU sophomore safety Malcolm Palmer continues his breakout season, earning SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Tigers' Saturday victory.

Palmer had 12 tackles, (including seven solo) one sack, a forced fumble and a blocked kick against MVSU. For the season, Palmer is second on the team with 31 tackles and also has two interceptions.

Eric Perri was the co-Specialist of the Week, converting 3 of 3 field goal attempts and 5 of 6 extra point attempts.

HAW STILL STARTING

Comegy said that while senior Cody Hull gave the team a fresh look against MVSU with 64 rushing yards, junior Erik Haw (24 rushing yards on Saturday) was still the starter.

But that doesn't mean Haw will see the majority of the carries.

"We like the competition that's been created," Comegy said. "They all really are hungry to carry the ball, and we think they can all bring different things to our offense."

SCSU Pough happy for a bye

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

Monday was business as usual for the South Carolina State football coaching staff.

The desk of head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough was stacked with videotapes from Saturday’s 20-7 victory over Winston-Salem State. In the adjacent offices, assistant coaches were at work studying film and reviewing plays from the previous contest.

The only thing not taking place was any type of game plan preparation. For the first time in over a month, the Bulldogs do not have an immediate opponent to strategize for this week as the team’s next game is not scheduled until Oct. 6 at Norfolk State.

Having seen his injured list grow to unfathomable lengths the past three games, Pough more than welcomes the bye week to regroup as a staff and evaluate the team’s progress.

"We’ll go back and actually study -- self-scout -- and figure out what we’ve done," he said. "Get a feel for what we’ve been for four weeks as a football team. It’s also an opportunity for us to plan for the rest of the year. We’ll spend the first part of the week just working on things that will help us overall for the rest of our schedule and then, towards the back part of the week, then we’ll start preparing for Norfolk."

Given the Bulldogs’ brutal early-season schedule which included two games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents Air Force and the University of South Carolina, Pough said the team is "fortunate" to be 2-2 overall, 1-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. While disappointed with the offense’s inconsistency and the high number of infractions the Bulldogs have committed this season Pough is ecstatic about the play of his defense which leads the MEAC in sacks (15) and is third in points allowed per game.

"We’ve had way more penalties this year than we had before," he said. "That’s a sore thumb of sorts that I’m embarrassed about a little bit. I’d like to think that we would be more consistent on offense. Defensively, we had a struggle or two adjustment wise against the (FBS) teams. I thought we played extremely well against Bethune-Cookman and Winston-Salem State, defensively. I’m hoping that will be a sign of things to come as we get to the rest of our season. Hopefully, our defense is going to continue to be somewhat dominant."

SCSU’s defense has accomplished this despite the absence due to injury of key players like BANDIT Marshall McFadden (elbow), linebacker David Erby (ACL, out for the season) and defensive linemen Steven Jacobs and Sterling Blunt (ankle sprains). The offensive line has been equally hit hard by the injury bug starting with the offensive line where tackle Nygel Pearson has missed all four games with a broken hand, center Raymond "Duck" Harrison played through a hand injury last Saturday and Devon Dawson suffered with the flu.

Both quarterback Cleveland McCoy and running back Will Ford also played with nagging injuries, but finished with season-high numbers.

On both sides of the football, the Bulldogs have received contributions from unlikely parties like defensive back Rafael Bush of Williston-Elko, defensive linemen Jayson Ayers and Sam Chester and offensive linemen Josh Harrison and Johnny Culbreath.

On Monday, Culbreath was named MEAC Rookie of the Week after posting four knockdown blocks, five domination blocks and allowed no sacks in assisting the SCSU offense with amassing 493 total yards.

"We’d like for it to be somewhat of a distraction ... a little bit of a confidence builder for us in the fact that we can go out and play these guys knowing that when we put another group in, we don’t have much of a drop off," Pough said. "As teams see us, I would hope that they would feel a little bit uncomfortable with the fact that we can continuously roll those guys and we’ve got really high level play at all times."

The various lineup changes have produced one negative when it comes to a lack of continuity on the offensive line. This has been especially troublesome on field goal attempts where Stephen Grantham has had four kicks blocked this season, two Pough blamed on an offensive lineman missing a block in his zone.

After giving his players some down time, Pough plans to address those areas of concern on offense and special teams as well as counting on his athletic training staff to keep his team close to full strength by Oct. 6.

"Our athletic trainer is really going to earn their keep this week," Pough said. "That staff’s going to earn their keep because we’ve got so many guys that are beat up."

Southern QB Lee racking up stats, wins

Photo: SU QB Bryant Lee

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Honors from all around.

The accolades are getting stacked right alongside the victories for Southern sophomore quarterback Bryant Lee. Monday, the Southwestern Athletic Conference named Lee as its Offensive Player of the Week.

That continues a trend for Lee, who is 5-1 as a starter at Southern.

In every victory in which Lee has had a meaningful role, save for a 12-2 win over Prairie View on Sept. 15, he has received some form of honor.

In chronological order:

*SWAC Newcomer of the Week in coming off the bench, tag-teaming with C.J. Byrd and running and throwing for his first collegiate touchdowns in a 38-20 win over Alabama State a year ago.

*SWAC Newcomer of the Week in coming off the bench in the second quarter and rallying SU to a second-half, 34-17 win over Texas Southern.

*Southern’s Bayou Classic MVP in his second game as a starter, leading the Jaguars to a 21-17, fourth-quarter win over Grambling.

*Southern’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge MVP and Louisiana Sports Writers Association *Offensive Player of the Week after leading SU’s rally in the second half for a 33-27 win over Florida A&M.

*The Chicago Football Classic Offensive MVP in a 23-6 win over Mississippi Valley State.

The latest SWAC honor came after Lee was 23-for-33 for career highs of 305 yards and four touchdowns as the Jaguars overcame a 21-point, second-quarter deficit to beat Tennessee State 41-34 Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

“It was great. Execution, that’s all it takes,” Lee said.

Saturday, the Jaguars played the first half without their top playmaker, senior wide receiver Gerard Landry, who had been suspended after being ejected for throwing a swing in the fourth quarter of the previous game.

“The offensive line blocked great for me,” Lee said. “They gave me the time to get the ball to the playmakers.”
Lee, who redshirted in 2005, has won his last five starts after a three-interception debacle in a blowout loss to eventual Western Division champ Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

In the five-game run, he’s 108-for-157 (68.8 percent) for 1,124 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions. Twice, he’s rallied SU in the fourth quarter (against Grambling and Tennessee State) and once, against Florida A&M, he led a second-half comeback.

Plus, he came off the bench in the second quarter against Texas Southern, notching a second-half comeback victory.

“You have to stay pretty calm, on and off the field,” Lee said. “Just going over reads and key is the main thing.”

Including his run at Hahnville High, Lee is now 32-2 as a starting quarterback.

“He’s making progress,” Southern coach Pete Richardson said. “He still missed some key reads (Saturday), but overall he has the confidence of the team. They know he’s going to deliver when he gets an opportunity.

“The more he plays, the better experience he gets, the more the game will slow down for him.”

ASU Reggie Barlow praises SU coach Richardson

Photo: ASU Rookie Coach (4-0) faces SU (4-0) Pete Richardson in the Gulf Coast Classic this week. Game televised by ESPNU.

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Southern’s Pete Richardson is the dean of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, establishing a tradition on par with some of the league’s storied coaches.

His counterpart Saturday, first-year Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow, is off to a strong start, 4-0, just like Southern, and exceeding expectations, just like Southern.

“When you talk about the SWAC and talk about doing it the right way, he’s done it a long time,” said Barlow, a former Alabama State standout who coached quarterbacks at the school the last two seasons.

“I have a lot of respect for him and his program. I’m a young coach, and, wanting to have a program that’s solid, you look to a guy like coach Richardson.”

Southern (4-0, 2-0 SWAC) faces Alabama State (4-0, 3-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Gulf Coast Classic at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.

The game will be televised on ESPNU.

“The players are buying into his system,” Richardson said. “They’ve come from behind (four times) and that’s got to help their confidence out. It’s going to be a good game for us, going against them at this time and seeing what type of football team we have.”

Richardson is at 118-49 (70.7 percent) in 15 seasons at Southern and 160-63-1 (71.7 percent) in 20 seasons and 224 games overall.

“I’m a young coach, and wanting to have a program that’s solid, you look to a guy like coach Richardson,” Barlow said.

SU is 4-0 for the sixth time in 15 seasons under Richardson.

However, hanging over this season is the question of what the future will be for the Southern program.

Richardson is in the final season of his latest contract with the school, a three-year deal.

The first two seasons have produced the only losing marks of Richardson’s career.

The school has said they’ll evaluate Richardson after the season.

“How fast do we forget? It’s a shame people forget and don’t appreciate greatness. That’s what he’s done there at Southern,” Barlow said. “I’ve always had a lot of respect for him and the way he runs his program. He’s a great coach. It’s obvious he’s always been a good coach.

“The people there at Southern should be happy to have him.”

Malveaux likely out
Richardson said junior eagle linebacker Johnathan Malveaux, the team’s top tackler with 33 stops and four pass breakups, is likely out with a high ankle sprain that will be evaluated week to week.

“He probably won’t be able to play for us. He’s pretty sore,” Richardson said.

Malveaux came down with the injury to his right ankle with 5:16 left in the third quarter, on a play in which cornerback Efe Osawemwenze recovered a fumble forced by Chapman.

Junior Donald Steele (four tackles) is Malveaux’s primary backup.

“He’s got experience, and he’ll have an opportunity to play,” Richardson said.
Chapman, Lee honored

The SWAC named sophomore quarterback Bryant Lee as its Offensive Player of the Week and sophomore drop linebacker Gary Chapman as its Newcomer of the Week.

Lee was 23-for-33 for career highs of 303 yards and four touchdowns and Chapman, a nonqualifier last season, had a career- and game-high 11 tackles, including his first sack, and forced a fumble in a 41-34 victory over Tennessee State on Saturday.

Lee is Southern’s first SWAC Offensive Player of the Week since quarterback J.C. Lewis, who left the team earlier this month, in the 2006 season opener.

Earlier this season, junior running back Kendrick Smith was a Newcomer of the Week.

Quick look at Southern
Barlow said, “Watching those guys on tape is scary. They have a lot of playmakers. They fly around to the ball and they’re having a lot of fun. It’s going to be a big challenge for us to try to contain them. &hellip We’re going to have to go and see if we can find someone to emulate all these fast guys so we can practice and get our guys up to par on the tempo these guys have.”

Quick look at Alabama St.
Richardson said, “Jay Peck is an outstanding running back and catches the ball extremely well. We’re going to have to stop him or at least slow him down.”

Century mark
SU has produced three 100-yard rushers (Darren Coates twice, Brian Threat once) in four games this season. Last season, SU had four 100-yard games, including Lee and running back Kendall Addison each topping 100 against Texas Southern. Addison had two other 100-yard games.

In total, SU has had at least one 100-yard individual effort in six of the last 10 games.

Notes
Scouts from the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans visited Monday. SU hadn’t trailed in the nine previous quarters (since the third quarter of the season opener) until falling behind Tennessee State 7-0 four minutes into Saturday’s game. SU overcame a 21-point second-quarter deficit to win 41-34. Alabama State punt returner Joel Ragins is seventh nationally, at 17.2 yards per return.

Door open to Delaware State - University of Delaware football matchup

Photo: Delaware football coach K.C. Keeler said a Hens-Hornets game "would be great for the state." He said he was getting a greater say in nonconference scheduling. Coaching Record: 14-year overall college coaching record of 129-43-1 (.748), including a four-year record of 41-22 record (.651) at Delaware...led University of Delaware to the 2003 NCAA I-AA national title with a 15-1 record...

By KEVIN TRESOLINI, The News Journal

UD coach addresses subject for first time

NEWARK -- The often-debated topic of if and when the University of Delaware Blue Hens and the Delaware State University Hornets should play their first-ever football game against each other had been off-limits for UD coach K.C. Keeler since his hiring in 2002.

That changed Monday.

"I think it would be great for the state, and then I wouldn't have to worry about every time we play a I-AA [opponent] outside of the conference having to have this discussion," Keeler said during his weekly news conference.

Though UD's football program began 36 years before DSU's, the two schools have each fielded a football team for the past 84 years. The two schools did not compete in any sport until 1991. They now traditionally meet in softball and baseball.

Delaware and Delaware State, both NCAA Division I-AA members in football, have never played because UD has been unwilling. Hens athletic director Edgar Johnson has said the schools will play, but has never offered a specific date.

Delaware is the only state in the country with at least two Division I football programs that have not played each other at least once.

The issue often comes up in weeks UD is facing a nonconference opponent. The Blue Hens face Monmouth, a Division I-AA foe, for the first time at 7 p.m. Saturday at Delaware Stadium.

Keeler had never been willing to comment publicly on the UD-DSU controversy. He'd often said that he was told two things when hired: Don't change Delaware's familiar blue-and-gold helmet design, patterned after Michigan's, and leave scheduling and questions about it to Johnson.

The issue, discussed in Delaware for more than 25 years, received national exposure last week because of a column on ESPN.com. This reporter was quoted in that column.

While there has been much speculation over the years as to why UD has refused to play historically black Delaware State, officials around the university traditionally have been reluctant to discuss the matter.

University of Delaware trustee Ruly Carpenter has told The News Journal that football scheduling is the responsibility of the athletics department and that the trustees are not involved.

On Monday, Keeler said that Johnson is giving him a greater say in nonconference scheduling.

Keeler's philosophy, he said, is to continue scheduling a Division II school every year, as UD has with West Chester annually since 1968, play a Division I-A foe every other year and seek I-AA opponents the Blue Hens can play at home.

"I want to play as many games in that stadium as I possibly can," he said, nodding toward Delaware Stadium from a view inside the neighboring Carpenter Center. "I don't want to be traveling all around the world to have to play people.

"If that means Delaware State figures into that, great. I think we'll play them sooner or later, but I know we're booked through 2011."

Delaware Stadium seats just over 22,000 fans. Attendance has averaged 22,280 in two home games so far this season. UD is the only Division I-AA program that has averaged more than 20,000 fans per home game in each of the last eight regular seasons. Eighteen of the last 21 regular-season games have been sellouts.

UD's ability to offer a financial guarantee is an incentive for teams to visit. Therefore, a game between the Hens and Hornets at Delaware Stadium would likely be more lucrative for both than if they played at DSU's 6,800-seat Alumni Stadium.

UD has an opening on its 2012 schedule and has spoken with several schools, but not DSU, Johnson said.

Told of Keeler's comments, Johnson would say only, "I think there are a lot of positives" about a UD-DSU meeting. He confirmed that he and Keeler have spoken more recently about scheduling philosophy.

UD President Patrick Harker, who took office this summer, told The News Journal he is giving the topic close scrutiny as he familiarizes himself with the university and its athletics.

Recently hired Delaware State Athletic Director Rick Costello said that Harker's hiring could signal more open-mindedness on UD's part, though he had not spoken with any UD officials.

Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

Jones says Bulldogswere trapped by success

Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones said Monday his team started reading its press clippings instead of preparing for Grambling.

The Tigers whipped the Bulldogs 31-6 Saturday night, handing A&M its first loss of the season.

"If you go back and listen to me talk, I've been trying to warn against this," Jones said. "When you score 45 points per game and you do it consistently, people tend to see that and I think our kids bought into it.

"Then we lined up against our best opponent, and we didn't prepare mentally the way we should have. ... We got a little ahead of ourselves and you saw what happened."

As a result, when A&M returns to practice today, Jones said he won't have any problem getting his team to focus on Texas Southern.

"We understand where we are and where we need to be," he said. "It's going to be a lot easier getting their attention now."

Crowd a factor: Tight end John Smith said Grambling's crowd played a part in the Bulldogs' poor play.

The announced crowd of 7,831, Smith said, made it difficult on A&M.

"Most of our guys weren't used to playing in that environment," Smith said. "The crowd was hostile. When we were warming up, they were talking to us. They were rough, but you've got to be able to perform in that type of environment and we didn't do it."

A&M's offense, which entered the game averaging 45 points and 519 yards, managed just six points and 147 total yards.

"It was difficult because we know what we're capable of when we're clicking on all cylinders," said Smith, who caught three passes for 40 yards. "We just couldn't get going. We didn't execute like we did the first three games. We had a good game plan. We just didn't play like we're supposed to play."

Four honored: Tight end John Smith, defensive tackle Justin Harper, inside linebacker Avery Moland and kicker Jeremy Licea were honored as players of the week by the coaching staff for their play in the loss to Grambling.

Smith received recognition on offense after catching three passes for 40 yards. Smith's 24-yard catch before halftime helped set up Licea's 36-yard field goal with six seconds left in the half to allow A&M to pull within 17-6.

Harper and Moland shared the team defensive honor. Harper finished with nine tackles, including six solos, two tackles for loss and a sack while grading out 92 percent. Moland finished with 11 tackles, including nine solos, and one tackle for loss as he graded out 89 percent.

Licea was 2-for-2 on field goals. His 37-yarder was the longest of his career.

Reggie Benson