Banks spark plug for potent Alabama A&M offense

By REGGIE BENSON, Special to The Advocate

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Ulysses Banks had no intentions of coming to Alabama A&M. He wanted to play in the Southeastern Conference and had verbally committed to the University of Kentucky, but that was before he failed to qualify academically after a star-studded career at Parker High School in Birmingham.

Even so, Kentucky wanted to send Banks to Butler Community (Kan.) College and re-sign him two years later. That’s when Banks’ mother (Shirley) stepped in.

“My mother helped me make up my mind,” Banks said. “She told me you’re not going way up there.”

As a result, Banks landed at A&M and Bulldog fans couldn’t be happier.

After redshirting in 2005, Banks burst on the scene last season as a standout on special teams.

He led the nation in kickoff returns, averaging a whopping 34.2 yards, with 14 returns for 480 yards and two touchdowns. Banks was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, was a first-team All-SWAC selection and earned third-team All-America honors.

This season, Banks has been even better.
A month ago, in just his second career start at running back, Banks had a night to remember.

A 5-foot-8, 172-pound sophomore, Banks rushed for a Division I school record 211 yards on 19 carries in A&M’s 41-10 trouncing of Clark Atlanta. His 211 yards eclipsed the mark of Jeremiah Bonds, who rushed for 197 yards against Mississippi Valley State on Sept. 20, 2003.

“We knew we could have a big night as an offensive unit, but I didn’t know it was going to be that big,” said Banks, whose father Kenny played for the Bulldogs in the 1980s. “I’m excited about it because it’s my first 200-yard game and I’ve been playing football since I was 3.

“If I wouldn’t have done it, it wouldn’t have been right. The holes were so big that if I wouldn’t have run for 200 yards, I would have let my linemen down because they worked so hard.”

One of those linemen, left tackle Darius Turner, was mesmerized by Banks’ effort. Turner has spent the last two years blocking for Nic Luke and Ta’mar Scott, more power runners than scat backs.

“I enjoyed his running,” Turner said of Banks. “It’s not something that I’m used to. He makes my job easy.”

Banks has made it look easy so far this season.
He has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of his last four games, including 112 on 17 carries in last week’s 48-24 victory over Texas Southern. That effort earned him SWAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Through five games, he is second in the league in rushing (98.2 ypg) with 491 yards on just 66 carries and four touchdowns. He is averaging a league-high 7.4 yards per carry and also has eight receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Banks is also averaging 10.3 yards on three punt returns and 18.2 yards on 10 kickoff returns.

All total, Banks is averaging 172 all-purpose yards per game, which ranks him 20th in the country.

“We saw what he could do in spring ball,” A&M coach Anthony Jones said. “We knew he had the speed. We knew he had good vision. He’s not a big kid, so we had to be smart how we used him.”

Banks will try to continue his hot play Saturday when A&M visits Southern in an important SWAC game at A.W. Mumford Stadium. Kickoff is 5:30 p.m.

Banks opened the game last season with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown (the first one of his career) to spark A&M to an early lead. Southern, down 14-0, scored 21 unanswered points to take a 21-14 advantage, but A&M scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to claim a 28-21 victory.

Banks also had a 99-yard kickoff return against Alabama State in last year’s Magic City Classic.

“We don’t win those games without him,” Jones said. “We wouldn’t have won the SWAC championship without him.”

A&M probably won’t win it without him this season, either.

FAMU Rattlers rally behind Camel

Photo: FAMU QB Leon Camel rolls out to pass in TSU game last week.

By St. Clair Murraine, DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

As surprising as the departure of Albert Chester II was as quarterback of FAMU's football team earlier this week, the move doesn't seem to have affected the Rattlers offense. After spending the last hour of Thursday's practice watching film following a downpour, the players emerged pumped full of enthusiasm.

Coach Rubin Carter said the offense is ready to complete the season with senior walk-on Leon Camel under center. Eddie Battle will be the backup, Carter said.

“Everybody wants to rally behind (Camel); just give him that confidence that he needs to win,” said senior wide receiver Willie Hayward, who walked on with Camel four years ago. “It (Chester's departure) wasn't disruptive, but we had to adjust real quickly and be focused for the upcoming game.”

FAMU plays Winston-Salem State in the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis. Chester said Tuesday that he wouldn't continue to quarterback the team because of multiple injuries.

That opened the door for Camel, who became Chester's backup last season. He started the Miami game.

Camel has completed 9 of 23 passes for 115 yards in two games this season. He scored one touchdown, which came last weekend when he came on in the third quarter to lead FAMU to an 18-17 win.

“The offense is basically in for the game,” he said. “I feel real good about playing. I'm not nervous or anything. It's football. I've been doing it for a while. I'm ready to get in and have some fun.”

FAMU vs. Winston-Salem St., 4 p.m. on NFL Network, WHBX (96.1 FM).

Photo: Leon Camel,#16 celebrates with Willie Hayward after running for a second half touchdown. The Florida A&M football team takes on Winston Salem State on Saturday in the Circle City Classic.

Princeton will take on Hampton in historic matchup

By Roscoe Nance, USA TODAY

Princeton traditionally fills its non-conference football dates with opponents from the Patriot League, the same as other Ivy League members, because of geography and similar academic philosophy.

Saturday the Tigers will set tradition aside when they host Hampton, the defending champ of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. It will be Princeton's first game against a historically black college or university and only the second time for an Ivy League school to play an HBCU. Yale defeated Morgan State 41-0 in 1984.

The historic meeting between Princeton (2-1) and Hampton (3-1) is part of Tigers athletics director Gary Walters' effort to add "some flavoring" to the defending Ivy League champ's non-conference schedule.

"In the Ivy League, we don't play in the postseason," Walters says. "As a result, we would like our student-athletes to have at least one game during their four years that takes place outside the region. That provides players with a cultural education experience they wouldn't have. We think that compensates for no postseason."

Princeton played San Diego in 2004 and 2005 and will play The Citadel next season. The Tigers play at Hampton in 2011.

Walters says the idea of playing an HBCU came to him during his tenure as chairman of the Division I men's basketball tournament committee. Hampton was one of the two or three HBCUs that he considered and the first he called because of quality of the university.

Hampton President William Harvey says the game is a natural, given the schools' academic and athletic reputations.

"Hampton is objectively recognized as having an outstanding academic program," Harvey says. "Princeton and other Ivy League schools are objectively recognized as having outstanding academic programs. Hampton is known in the last couple of decades as having an outstanding athletic program."

Hampton U undeterred by loss to Delaware State

The Pirates remain confident of winning the MEAC title despite last week’s defeat.

By Marty O'Brien, Daily Press

HAMPTON - Hampton University coach Joe Taylor tossed his homemade penalty flag -- a piece of yellow cloth tied around a small rock -- several times on Tuesday at practice. The message he sent is that the Pirates' 15 penalties for 157 yards in the loss to Delaware State last week were too many.

Otherwise, it's been mostly business as usual this week for the Pirates. Taylor made a couple of lineup changes and is slightly adjusting his offensive scheme to energize a running game that generated only 100 yards on 35 carries last week.

But the players called for no emergency meetings in the wake of their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home loss in four years. By all indications, their confidence in a fourth consecutive MEAC title remains unshaken.

"Some of the guys were hanging their heads like the season was over," offensive guard Ryan Cave said. "It's just beginning. How you react to a setback determines the type of person, and type of team, you are.

"We're looking at this as something that will make us better in the long run. We've been here before."

In fact, the Pirates (3-1, 3-1 MEAC) recovered from losses in 2004 and '06 to finish 7-1 in the conference and earn the automatic berth to the Division I-AA playoffs. Taylor predicts a repeat.

"We're the only team that's played 50 percent of its (eight) conference games," Taylor said. "All of the other contenders have played just two games, and (preseason favorite) South Carolina State has played only one.

"Teams are going to knock each other off, so we still control our conference fate. But it doesn't matter if Delaware State loses games if we don't win all of ours."

So the emphasis in preparation for Saturday's non-conference game at Princeton (2-1) has been eliminating the weaknesses evident in the loss to Delaware State.

Taylor said the Pirates will use a fullback and tight end more often this week to create a surge for the running attack, while Everett Hopkins will get his first start at center.

Hampton's Joe Taylor faces Princeton in historic game that has playoff impact.

It should help that tailbacks Van Morgan and Kevin Beverly will be healthy for the trip to Princeton. Morgan (abdominal pain) and Beverly (ankle sprain) were limited by injuries against Delaware State, while No. 3 tailback Dennis Mathis (thigh contusion) did not play at all.

"We ran 35 running plays and 35 passing plays last week," Taylor said. "But when you have injuries to your backs, it's hard to run the ball.

"From Mars to Jupiter to the United States, you've got to run the ball to win." Taylor said the Pirates also must stop the run. HU's defense is surrendering a MEAC-worst 187 rushing yards per game.

Taylor said that his defensive line -- a unit considered one of the nation's best at rushing the passer -- has not been communicating well on running plays.

"When you've got a defensive end and tackle not communicating, that leaves a big gap," Taylor said. "Part of the problem is that we changed defenses last week, going more often with four down linemen.

"The good thing is that the linemen learn quickly from their mistakes."

Ditto for free safety Tobin Lyon, who got burned on a key pass play last week. Taylor has since replaced Lyon in the starting lineup with Vaughn Mansfield. Taylor and Mansfield said Lyon reacted with one of his best practices of the season.

"Tobin had a great practice, intercepting one pass and breaking up three others," Mansfield said. "I was impressed by his attitude, because he didn't come out and complain. He just worked hard."

The loss, it seems, has brought out the best in many of the players. Cave said that several of the seniors -- Mansfield, tight end Ernie Lomax and defensive end Kendall Langford -- have encouraged their teammates to remain optimistic. Hopkins said the loss reignited the team's focus.

As for those pesky penalties, Taylor still wants the players to reduce their number but admits he's using that homemade flag less often.

"I don't like even a single penalty," he said. "But sometimes if a guy is jumping offside, it's because he's aggressive.

"I want our guys to continue being aggressive. There's a lot of games left and we can still win the conference."

Chowan's bold move to CIAA in '08 draws mostly positive reaction

by Tom Robinson, The Virginian-Pilot

REMOVE RACE FROM the issue and Chowan University's move next year into the historically black CIAA for football makes total sense.

Chowan needs a home for its budding Division II football program within manageable driving distance of its opponents. The 10-member CIAA, which has lost schools such as Norfolk State and Hampton to Division I-AA, needs new blood for its health and relevancy.

It's a win-win. A logical marriage for Chowan, a private, 900-student Baptist school in northeastern North Carolina, and a Virginia-North Carolina-based conference, headquartered in Hampton.

In the real world, of course, the nuptials announced last week are landmark stuff, a barrier-breaking moment to be recognized and congratulated.

The CIAA is the country's oldest and possibly proudest "historically black conference," a label that seems quaint in 21st century college sports, where racial lines are easily blurred. But Chowan's student body is 50 percent white. It never has been and obviously never will be a historically black college.

And yet, after a back-channel courting dance that lasted the better part of a year, CIAA commissioner Leon Kerry asked and Chowan president M. Christopher White accepted the offer to help form a new reality.

"I'm not going to say it was an obvious fit, but there were a lot of pros," says Chowan's athletic director, Dennis Helsel, citing geographic and academic similarities. "And there were some negatives."

None was larger than the uncertainty of how the bold move would be perceived by supporters in both camps. To their credit, neither Chowan nor the CIAA let anything clutter the supporting evidence they'd diligently compiled.

The CIAA, Helsel says, is well aware that Chowan football has been down on its luck. The Hawks - Chowan sports are transitioning from Division III to II - snapped an 18-game losing streak two weeks ago.

Helsel, a former assistant AD at Old Dominion, knows CIAA loyalists question whether Chowan, simply on merit, deserves its invitation and can ever be "more than just a doormat" in the CIAA.

He responds as he responded to Kerry, whom Helsel calls a visionary: Chowan has firm plans to improve facilities, raise more scholarship money and generally be "a good partner" to the CIAA, with an eye toward CIAA acceptance in all sports.

Until then, Chowan's 10 other sports will remain independents in Division II.

"This is not a free pass," Helsel says. "Leon wasn't out begging. If he was going to break ground, he didn't want to break ground with someone that was going to embarrass him."

Kerry couldn't be reached Thursday to address reaction to his conference's decision. Helsel, however, says feedback that's crossed his desk is strongly positive. Negative messages he's received that do reference race, he says, haven't been overtly bigoted.

"Nobody's said, 'How dare you do what you are doing?' " Helsel says. "At least nobody's had the guts to send me something like that."

They would forget Chowan's trailblazing history. Chowan was created in Murfreesboro in 1848 as a four-year educational school for women, Helsel notes, not as a "finishing school," which was common for the day.

From the start, Helsel says, "Chowan had the vision to buck society."

Vision, plus necessity, just put Chowan back out front.

NCA&T Aggies look for win on road against Morgan State

By Daniel Henderson, A&T Register

Head Coach Lee Fobbs stated that his team is ready for the challenge in Baltimore Saturday when the Aggie football team gets set to play the 2-3 Bears of Morgan State.
A&T lost 50-20 at home this weekend to Norfolk State.

"We go back to work on the practice field and continue to work," said Coach Fobbs. "We've got a ball game next week.
The Aggies (0-5), have not beaten the Bears since 2005, but have won seven out of the last ten meetings.

The last time A&T football has celebrated a victory was against Morgan State in 2005 at Fed Ex Field in Landover, Maryland.
Morgan State shut-out the blue and gold 32-0 in their previous 2006 rival at Aggie Stadium last season.

The Bears lead the all time series 37-35-3.

Offense

The Aggies hope to continue their effective ground attack this weekend behind junior running back Michael Ferguson.

Ferguson is currently ranked second in the MEAC in rushing yards with 587 on the season behind Morgan State's running back Chad Simpson.

A&T is averaging 14 points per game and 271.6 yards of total offense.

The running game has been the bulk of the offensive success as the Aggies obtain 51 more yards on the rushing than in the air a game.

Freshmen quarterback, Shelton Morgan, missed last Thursday's game due to a concussion, but is expected to start against the Bears.

The dual quarterback attack, which includes junior quarterback Herb Miller, is once again expected and has been quite valuable for the team. When executed, A&T has decreased their margin of victory by two touchdowns or less.

"I do not feel our success is weighted on how we use our quarterbacks", said Coach Fobbs.

"We've always been a two-quarterback system and we'll do whatever we have to do in order to win the game."

Defense

The blue and gold defense will try to relocate the supremacy displayed against the North Carolina Central Eagles earlier in the season this Saturday.

Allowing 351 passing yards last Thursday is certainly not a way of finding it for A&T after displaying it's poorest performance of the year from a consistent secondary last week.

Opponents are averaging 37.8 points per game against A&T this season, and over 100 more total offensive yards in comparison to their defense yards on the year.

Perhaps the highlight of the defense this season is leading tackler sophomore linebacker Andre Thornton, who has continually played well with his 33 tackles in five contests, with five being for losses.

After leading the team in tackles a year ago, Thornton is on the verge of becoming one of a few Aggies to lead his team in tackle in each of his four seasons.

The defense has surrendered 186 rushing yards per game, and will need to find a way to manage Morgan State's running game that averages 237.8 yards per contest.

Morgan State

The run heavy Morgan State offense is equally significant in their run stopping defense.

Morgan State has allowed a low 79 rushing ypg. game, while giving up 17.4 ppg.
The Bears are lead by running backs Chad Simpson and Devan James, who are coming off a combined 181 ground game attack in their 33-9 spoiler at Bethune-Cookman's College 2007 homecoming.

Quarterback Byron Selby will dictate the play calling on the field, and is pretty sufficient at distributing the ball to a variety of receivers.

The accomplishments of the Bears is still not enough to lower the level of Fobbs confidence on the Aggies.

"We will just rely on our offensive and defensive coordinators to come up with great schemes against Morgan State," said Coach Fobbs.

Game time is 4 p.m. and can be viewed live at www.morganstatebears.com

Morgan State's Hill-Eley offered extension

By Ken Murray, Baltimore Sun

Morgan coach 'really can't say' whether one-year deal is enough

Baltimore - Despite delivering Morgan State's football program from an era of unmitigated losing, when the Bears endured 22 consecutive sub-.500 seasons, coach Donald Hill-Eley is not assured of keeping his job for another year.

Hill-Eley, whose contract is up in December, said the university offered him a one-year extension last week.

He declined to say yesterday whether he would accept a one-year deal.

"At this point, I don't know. I really can't say," he said.

In his sixth season, Hill-Eley is already the third-winningest coach in school history. But his 27 victories leave him far behind legendary coaches Eddie Hurt (174 wins) and Earl Banks (94).

Hill-Eley resuscitated a program that won 31 straight games and one mythical NCAA Division II title (1966) under Banks but had fallen into disrepair. Since he was appointed head coach in 2002 - after one year as offensive coordinator - the Bears have had two winning seasons and a pair of five-win seasons. They also had a 2-9 season in 2005.

Before 2002, Morgan had not won five games in any of the previous 22 seasons, a period that spanned nine head coaches.

University spokesman Jarrett Carter would say only that the school is "in negotiations and considering an extension" for Hill-Eley.

Floyd Kerr, the director of athletics since 2005, acknowledged the progress the football team has achieved under Hill-Eley.

Photo: Coach Donald Hill-Eley

"I know great strides have been made in the program, and we want to get this thing resolved as soon as possible," Kerr said.

After the Bears went 7-5 in 2002, Morgan president Earl S. Richardson rewarded Hill-Eley with a three-year extension of his original three-year contract.

But Hill-Eley went into last spring's recruiting season without any guarantee he would be back.

"It was an obstacle," he said. "It makes [recruits] kind of leery. I tell them they're not coming to play for Don Hill, but that they're coming to Morgan State and should look at the opportunity to get an education."

Under Hill-Eley, Morgan opened a pipeline to Florida recruits. There are 18 players from that state on the roster. Hill-Eley also upgraded his coaching staff by adding defensive coordinator Alonzo Lee and strength and conditioning coach Josh Bush in the past two years.

This season, the Bears are ranked fourth in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) in total defense, and sixth in rush defense. They have the leading rusher in the FCS in tailback Chad Simpson with 798 yards.

Hill-Eley also has seen the team's graduation rate jump from 52 percent in 2005 to 63 percent a year ago and 61 percent this year. In a conference call Wednesday, NCAA president Myles Brand said he wants every program in every sport to be above 60 percent.

"I think I've earned the right to stay longer, to continue to build the program," Hill-Eley said. "I'm invested in the school here. It'd be a shame not to be able to finish it off and let [another head coach] benefit."

The Bears are 27-34 overall under Hill-Eley. They take a 1-1 record in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (2-3 overall) into tomorrow's home game against North Carolina A&T.

"I'm here to coach the football team," Hill-Eley said. "No coach has control over his own fate. You work like hell and hope the people notice it and that they want to keep your around. ... I feel confident the administration is going to do the right thing."

Savannah State University AD O'Neal resigns

More information on the Savannah State athletic department situation...

Photo: SSU Former AD Robert "Tony" O'Neal

By Noell Barnidge, Savannah Morning News

Savannah State University athletics director Robert "Tony" O'Neal unexpectedly resigned Thursday from the position he had held for three years.

SSU vice president for administration Claud Flythe has appointed Paula Jackson as interim athletics director. Flythe was hired in June by new SSU President Earl Yarbrough to a newly created position to oversee athletics, facilities operations and public safety.

Jackson, who has worked at SSU since 2005, is the senior women's administrator and assistant athletics director for compliance.

"It's time to look out for Tony," O'Neal said. "It hasn't always been easy, but it's been a very rewarding experience."

O'Neal will assume other athletics-related duties at SSU.
"I will be working with (Flythe), implementing my parts of the strategic plan, the financial piece," O'Neal said.

Asked if he would remain at SSU after the school year, O'Neal said, "I haven't thought beyond that. Right now, my focus is on doing the necessary things to enhance athletics at Savannah State University."

Jackson said of O'Neal's resignation: "This decision took me by surprise today. The information that I got today is there will not be a search anytime soon. I will have the opportunity to move into the full-time position. It just depends on my performance."

Photo: Paula Jackson, SSU Interim AD and Director of Compliance/Senior Women’s Administrator

O'Neal became SSU's 14th athletics director on Aug. 1, 2004, when he was hired by former president Carlton Brown.

During O'Neal's tenure, SSU's football program was placed on probation for three years by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.

Last May, following an investigation that began Oct. 18, 2004, the NCAA found SSU guilty of violations in recruiting, playing and practice seasons, financial aid, ethical conduct and institutional control.

In men's basketball, SSU finished 0-28 during the 2004-05 season. The football team followed with a 0-11 record in 2005.

Also during O'Neal's tenure, SSU's athletics department was certified by the NCAA as a Division I program, and he revitalized the athletics lettermen program. At the annual banquet, athletes are awarded letterman jackets, plaques, trophies, watches and scholarships.

O'Neal also led SSU's attempt to join a Division I conference by submitting a $10,000 non-refundable application fee to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in May 2005. MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas said the conference will reconsider SSU's application after the school's NCAA probation ends May 18, 2009.

O'Neal came to SSU from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he served as Associate Athletics Director for Compliance for four years.

Jackson, a native of Baton Rouge, La., came to SSU from Morehead State University, where she served as an assistant athletics director and senior women's administrator. She has held the same positions at Clark-Atlanta University.

"First and foremost, I'm still in the position of compliance director," Jackson said. "Being in athletics, this has always been a goal: to be an athletics director. This is right in step with my goals."

SSU sports information director Opio Mashariki said the Tigers' coaches were asked to refer all media questions to him.

Flythe, in a press release sent by SSU on Thursday night, said, "Paula Jackson has full power and authority to exercise as the interim athletic director. She has full support from my office and the president's office."

Link: http://www.savstate.edu/Athletics/athleticdept/2007_Staff_Bios/asst-athl-dir_Paula-Jackson.htm

Circle City Classic still draws a crowd, just not inside the Dome

By Robert King, Indy Star

More than 150,000 people are expected Downtown this weekend for the 24th Circle City Classic, but the event's supporters are increasingly concerned about how many of those folks will show up for Saturday's football game.

Big crowds continue to turn out for the game-day parade, the daylong Fall Fest and a long list of outside-the-game activities such as the black-tie gala, comedy show and the like.

But the matchup that makes it all possible -- the annual football game between teams from historically black colleges and universities -- has been hemorrhaging fans. This year, Florida A&M faces Winston-Salem State.

Once a contest that drew 60,000 people to the RCA Dome, the game hasn't hit that mark in a decade. The past three years, attendance has slipped significantly. Last year's game drew 31,597.

For an event that provides much-needed scholarship money to local organizations and an important payday to the participating colleges, the downward spiral isn't prompting panic. But there is growing concern that the game has become almost incidental.

Classic officials are targeting ads at white and Hispanic audiences, turning to new technology and amping up the halftime show to increase attendance.

"Only the alumni watch the game. I think everybody else comes to socialize," said Sharon Maxey, who saw the first Classic and is a part of its older fan base. As an advertising sales consultant for The Indianapolis Recorder, she has seen game-related ad sales decline in recent years in part, she fears, because of fading interest.

"There is a feeling among some that the focus has gotten off the game and that the game benefits African-American education," said Amos Brown, a local radio personality on WTLC-AM (1310) and longtime Classic supporter. "I think that has gotten lost in the shuffle in an emphasis on partying and entertainment that is part of the weekend."

But it is competing in a crowded field.

There are more than 40 games around the country this year between historically black colleges that bear the title "classic." Most, like many black colleges themselves, are in the South.

For years, the Circle City Classic stood alone among cities in the Midwest that hosted such a game. The bowl-game-like atmosphere and opportunity for black college alumni -- even those whose teams weren't on the bill -- was a great attraction for people in surrounding states, said Eric Moore, managing editor of HBCUSports.com, a Web site that covers black college sports.

The problem now, Moore said, is that cities like Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati and St. Louis have added their own games.

"There has been sort of a dilution of the uniqueness of the Classic," he said.
That has made it more important for games like the Circle City Classic to get good matchups involving bigger-name black colleges or at least those with rivalries. Moore said some cities, like Cincinnati and Detroit, opted to postpone their classics rather than settle for lackluster matchups.

Florida A&M is considered a big-name school among black colleges, Moore said. Winston-Salem State is more of a newcomer. And theirs is not a great rivalry. Still, he considers the Circle City Classic a top-notch event.

Saturday's Classic will be the last in RCA Dome, which gets demolished next year. The 2008 Classic is expected to move into the more spacious Lucas Oil Stadium. By then, organizers hope a research survey being conducted of the fans this weekend will give them a better understanding of what's working, what's not, and how best to sell the game.

Classic officials chalk up their attendance problem primarily to an aging fan base. Most of the game's original core fans -- black college alumni from around the Midwest -- have moved solidly into the older-than-50 demographic. Meanwhile, the game has been slow to develop a younger generation of ticket-buying fans and new audiences.

"We are at that point where we have to bridge that gap and sustain what has been a great event," said Classic executive director Tony Mason. "And we will."
The effort to reach new fans is evident in this year's marketing.

Aside from the traditional bombarding of black radio stations, the Classic has been advertising on "non-urban" radio outlets in hopes of attracting white and Hispanic fans, said Denise Herd, vice president of marketing and sales for Indiana Black Expo, the Classic's parent organization.

It has also tuned to so-called new media.

The Classic has been sending e-mail "blasts" to 10,000 addresses it compiled over the years, offering updates on the event list and entertainment lineup. It created podcasts to promote the game to the YouTube generation. There's a page on MySpace.com with a new Circle City Classic theme song that puts some funk into the traditional commercial jingle.

And the game's 30-minute halftime show will offer a lineup aimed at young audiences. It features Kelly Rowland, of Destiny's Child fame, and a face-to-face battle of the participating college bands, a la the movie "Drumline."

There will even be a massive exhibition of the country's latest dance craze -- the Cupid Shuffle -- featuring the R&B singer Cupid performing the song that inspired it.
The early returns are promising. As of Wednesday, Mason said, 34,000 tickets had been sold. For an event that usually features a big game-day walk-up crowd, Mason is expecting at least 45,000 people, maybe more.

And despite concerns of the game being overshadowed by the festivities, Mason said the two can go hand in hand. Some fans, he said, may come for the party but stay for the game.

"Sometimes," Mason said, "we find that the last ticket people buy is the game ticket."

Classic highlights

The Circle City Classic is expected to pump 150,000 people and $11.8.million into Indianapolis this weekend. What to expect:
FRIDAY
Indianapolis Colts Classic Coaches Luncheon
Colts coach Tony Dungy and Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings will receive Major Taylor awards.
Time: Noon-1:30 p.m.
Place: Indiana Convention Center.
Cost: $30.
The Mike Epps Comedy Jam
Homegrown comedian-actor Mike Epps performs two shows.
Time: 8 and 11 p.m.
Place: Murat Theatre.
Cost: $39.
SATURDAY
American Family Insurance Classic Parade
More than 100 entries.
Time: 10 a.m.-noon.
Place: Downtown.
Cost: Free, with some areas of paid VIP seating.
24th Annual Coca-Cola Circle City Classic
Winston-Salem State plays Florida A&M. Halftime show features Kelly Rowland and Battle of the Bands.
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: RCA Dome.
Cost: $10-$40.
For more information, details and reviews of the Classic’s entertainment events, see Friday’s Go! section.
For a complete schedule of events, go to IndyStar.com/entertainment.

WSSU Versatile: A Mack of all trades

Photo: #22 Jamaine Mack of the Rams is averaging 35 yards per punt and has 27 tackles as a strong safety, which is sixth on the team.

by John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

Jamaine Mack came to Winston-Salem State three years ago with no promises from Coach Kermit Blount.

He joined the program as a walk-on and had to prove himself every day in practice or games. Now, he’s on scholarship and is an invaluable member of the team.

Mack, a sturdy 6-1, 200-pounder from Columbia, S.C., pulls double duty as a punter and strong safety, and he’ll go into Saturday’s game against Florida A&M - the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis - with a respectable 35-yard punting average and a total of 27 tackles, good for sixth on the team.

WSSU lost one of the top punters in school history when Chad Oakley (40-yard career average) graduated in the spring. Defensive coordinator Mike Ketchum told Mack - who had punted in high school - to work on punting over the summer.

“I had forgotten that he punted in high school,” Ketchum said. “So we knew he could do it.”

Mack said he worked hard to try to win the job.

“There was some adjustment to getting back into punting again,” he said. “But I knew I could handle it.”

Even though he was a solid defensive player at Lower Richland High School, Mack didn’t have many offers to play in college. But one of the Lower Richland assistants, John Javis, encouraged Mack to visit WSSU. Javis had been coached by Blount when Blount was an assistant at Howard.
“We really found out about Jamaine because of the recommendation from John,” Blount said.

Mack said he never had much growing up but that his parents, Dudley Mack and Elonda Johnson, always provided enough for him and his six brothers.

“It wasn’t that bad, and you know everybody has their ups and downs, but we just happened to have more downs than ups,” Mack said. “I didn’t want to be a product of my environment, so I decided to come to college to play football.”

Mack said that the family support he receives makes him want to play even harder on game days.

“They go to all the games and are even going to our game this weekend,” Mack said. “So I’m always excited to see them in the crowd cheering me on. I’m the first one in my family to go to college, so they are kind of enjoying all of this as well.”

Mack said he had two choices after high school - join the military or try to walk on to the football team at WSSU. He came to WSSU in the summer of 2005, and he was so impressive in practice that he made the team and played in seven games that season.

“You can only respect a kid like that,” Blount said. “Here’s a kid who could have easily said ‘I’m not going to do this because I don’t have much’ and he could feel sorry for himself. But he’s not that kind of kid.

“I’m real happy with him, and you don’t have to worry about him academically or socially because he’s not going to embarrass anybody. Those are the kind of kids you love to have in your program.”

Mack is also taking advantage of the chance to get an education. He has a 2.9 grade-point average, he plans to graduate in the spring of 2009 with a degree in rehabilitation studies, and he’s looking ahead to graduate school.

“The more education you receive, the more money you can make,” Mack said with a big smile.

Mack can also become the first in his extended family to graduate from college.

He will take his first airplane trip today when the Rams’ charter flight leaves for Indianapolis but said he isn’t worried.

“I’m a little nervous,” he said, “but I’ll be all right.”

Delaware State avoids B-CU's upset bid

Photo: BCU Jimmie Russell had an All-MEAC performance rushing for 175 yards against the DSU defense.

By MIKE FINNEY, Special to The News-Journal

Attendance: 3,239, TV: ESPNU

DOVER, Del. -- Delaware State was the perfect target for a letdown following its huge victory over three-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Hampton last weekend.

It was almost as if Bethune-Cookman's football team had the Hornets right where it wanted, looking back instead of directly at the task at hand.

However, Delaware State quarterback Vashon Winton connected with Shaheer McBride for a pair of touchdowns in the second half and the Hornets survived for a 24-10 victory at Alumni Stadium on Thursday night.

It was the Wildcats' third consecutive defeat to the Hornets and dropped them to 2-4, 0-4 in the MEAC. The last time B-CU started conference play winless in its first four games was Alvin Wyatt's first year as coachin 1997.

Wyatt was still pleased with his team's performance at Delaware State.

"Our guys played good, I thought they played a gallant game out there," Wyatt said. "I thought it was a great effort on our part. We just need to play for four quarters."

Wildcats quarterback Jimmie Russell led the option attack by gaining 175 yards on 27 carries. He also completed seven of 16 passes for 102 yards.

He was disappointed that it was Delaware State (4-1, 3-0) that made the big plays at the end.

"Sometimes that's just the way the ball rolls," Russell said. "We had our opportunities to make plays, we just came up a little bit short."

In fact, B-CU outgained the Hornets 278-255 in total yards. But it was McBride, who caught five passes for 111 yards, who proved to be the Wildcats' undoing.

McBride raced past Antwane Cox for a 37-yard TD down the right sideline with 12 seconds left in the third quarter as the Hornets took a 17-10 lead.

The speedy receiver struck again when he brought down a 24-yard scoring pass from Winton in the end zone with 5:57 remaining to produce the final.

The last time Bethune-Cookman played at Delaware State's Alumni Stadium, the Wildcats were held scoreless in a 17-0 defeat back in 2005.

It appeared as if Thursday night's game was also going to be a low-scoring affair.

Russell was finally able to get the Wildcats moving on their first possession of the second quarter.

It took 7 1/2 minutes for B-CU to drive 80 yards on 16 plays before Russell scored on a 3-yard keeper with 8:51 left in the first half.

But then B-CU shot itself in the foot just before halftime.

Following a Hornets punt that pinned B-CU on its own 5-yard line, Justin Brannon fumbled a handoff on the first play of the drive and Delaware State's Jackie Watkins recovered.

It took three plays for Winton to reach the football over the goal line from 1 yard out to tie the score at 7 with 1:17 left until the half.

The Wildcats got rolling on its first series of the second half, pushing the ball to the Hornets 13 on eight plays. But the drive stalled and Lucas Esquivel connected on a 39-yard field goal for a 10-7 Wildcat lead with 9:53 left in the third quarter.

Delaware State tied it on its ensuing series. After the Wildcats defense held the Hornets out of the end zone for five plays from within the B-CU 5, Peter Gaertner kicked a 28-yard field goal to tie it at 10 with 5:27 left in the third quarter.


Take five

Rise of the Hornets

Delaware State rose to 20th in the FCS Sports Network Top 25 poll following last Saturday's 24-17 victory over three-time defending MEAC champion Hampton (Va.).

However, coach Al Lavan said without pulling off a 33-31 win over Bethune-Cookman with a rally in the closing minutes last year, his team might not have improved so much, so quickly. That win brought the Hornets closer on the long road trip.

The Hornets have gone 8-1 in the MEAC since.

Broken 'Wyattbone'

Head coach Alvin B. Wyatt's heralded "Wyattbone" triple-option offensive attack has been misfiring during B-CU's home games at Municipal Stadium/Larry Kelly Field so far this season.

The Wildcats have not scored a single offensive touchdown at home since Jimmie Russell rushed for a TD in the fourth quarter against Jacksonville in the season-opener.

However, B-CU has scored 76 points in its first two games on the road.

Williams' Stock Rises

Wildcats senior defensive back/safety Bobbie Williams was recently added to the Buchanan Award watch list with his impressive performances over the opening weeks of the season. He came within inches of pulling off a pair of interceptions three weeks ago against Savannah State, but he did deflect three passes to improve his stock.

Hughes Back on Track

Wildcats defensive end/linebacker Rodney Hughes returned to the lineup against Morgan State last week after sitting out the first four games of the year with an arm injury. He didn't seem to miss a beat, as he collected 11 tackles in his first game since the 2006 Florida Classic.

TV Makes it OK

Wyatt was none too happy when he looked at his schedule and saw he would have to make the long road trip to Delaware State University's Alumni Stadium for a Thursday night game.

"This was one game that I did not want to play on Thursday night," Wyatt said. "We decided to play it since it was on ESPN."

Questions & attitude

Why can't Bethune-Cookman catch up with Delaware State?

The Wildcats trail the all-time series 18-13 and have lost their last two meetings with the Hornets. Prior to 2005, B-CU had won five games in a row against Delaware State. Last season's 33-31 come-from behind victory by the Hornets has been called one of the most exciting games ever at Municipal Stadium.

"We had some great games against each other," Bethune-Cookman coach Alvin Wyatt said. "The last one (in 2006) was a shootout. And two years ago, we played on a (rain-soaked field). I used to go up there and look around at the facilities and think, 'I'm at the bottom.' Now they have turf . . . That gives us a different opportunity to play with them."

It is most likely just a negative cyclical change for B-CU.

What has been the main problem for the "Wyattbone"?

One of the biggest troubles encountered by B-CU's offense early this season has been turnovers.

The Wildcats have fumbled seven times and lost five of them in the first five games.

Running back Justin Brannon tried to turn those fortunes around Thursday night when he recovered a fumble by quarterback Jimmie Russell on the Wildcats' 23-yard line midway through the first quarter.

Why was the picture so blurry on ESPNU?

There was no need to adjust those TV screens because the field at Alumni Stadium was blanketed in smoke throughout the first quarter.

Smoke from barbecues in the stadium's parking lots and pre-game fireworks viewing difficult early on.

How big is the transfer of Joe Singleton to B-CU?

The junior wide receiver transferred from Southern Miss to B-CU just a few months ago and has been quick to make an impact. Singleton entered Thursday's game at Delaware State with 11 receptions for 196 yards and a TD. His catch of a 7-yard pass on third-and-five kept the Wildcats' first drive of the second quarter alive, which culminated with a 3-yard TD keeper by Russell that gave them a 7-0 lead.


Delaware St. 24, B-CU 10

Bethune-Cookman

0

7

3

0

-- 10

Delaware St.

0

7

10

7

-- 24

Beth-Russell 3 run (Esquivel kick), 8:51.

DeSt-Winton 1 run (Gaertner kick), 1:17.

Beth-FG Esquivel 39, 9:53.

DeSt-FG Gaertner 28, 5:27.

DeSt-McBride 37 pass from Winton (Gaertner kick), :12.

DeSt-McBride 24 pass from Winton (Gaertner kick), 5:57.

A-3,239.

Beth

DeSt

First downs

16

12

Rushes-yards

45-176

36-78

Passing

102

177

Comp-Att-Int

7-16-1

8-15-0

Return Yards

11

28

Punts-Avg.

4-40.8

5-59.8

Fumbles-Lost

5-1

0-0

Penalties-Yards

12-90

6-61

Time of Poss.

30:22

29:38

RUSHING: Bethune-Cookman, Russell 27-175, Brannon 12-17, Souverain 4-(minus 2), Walker 1-(minus 5), Singleton 1-(minus 9). Delaware St., Strother 14-45, K.Jones 15-35, Winton 5-1, Moore 1-(minus 1), Team 1-(minus 2).

PASSING: Bethune-Cookman, Russell 7-16-1-102. Delaware St., Winton 8-15-0-177.

RECEIVING: Bethune-Cookman, Singleton 4-42, Neufville 2-54, Walker 1-6. Delaware St., McBride 5-111, McNeil 3-66.

Delaware State a prime-time success

Photo: Delaware State's 6-3/200 senior WR, Shaheer McBride

By KRISTIAN POPE, The News Journal

Hornets pull away in second half for televised victory

DOVER -- At least one football coach in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference apparently has underestimated Shaheer McBride, even if he didn't want to admit it.

Bethune-Cookman coach Alvin Wyatt got well-acquainted with McBride, Delaware State's senior receiver, in the second half of the Hornets' 24-10 victory over the Wildcats on a muggy Thursday night at Alumni Stadium.

After the game, when Wyatt was asked about McBride's 111-yard, two-touchdown performance, the coach feigned ignorance toward the marquee player for the 20th-ranked Hornets (4-1 overall, 3-0 MEAC).

"I don't know who that is," Wyatt said.

When reminded that McBride was chosen the league's preseason offensive player of the year, Wyatt said, "We have a player of the year, and his name is [cornerback] Bobbie Williams."

Chances are, Wyatt had heard of McBride before. He's faced him three times, in fact. But Wyatt's tone may have had more to do with his frustration in trying to stop McBride.

McBride, DSU's all-time leader in receiving yards and receptions, scored the go-ahead TD with 12 seconds left in the third quarter. He added a 23-yard TD in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

"I just had to be patient and our offense would find me," said McBride, who had one catch for 20 yards in the first half. "They were doubling me at first. They had two corners on me."

"That's all right," DSU coach Al Lavan said when told of Wyatt's remarks. "Look at the scoreboard. I can only speak for me."

The Hornets had much on the line playing BCC. They wanted to make a good impression on ESPNU's national telecast. And they surely wanted to protect their ranking, DSU's highest position since it reached No. 17 in 1997.

The Wildcats' triple-option attack was led Kristian Pope

by quarterback Jimmie Russell, who rushed for 175 yards and one score. He also passed for 102 yards.

The loss gave the Wildcats (2-4) their first 0-4 record in the MEAC since 1997, Wyatt's first season.

"I thought we gave a gallant effort," Wyatt said.

DSU quarterback Vashon Winton was McBride's partner in subduing BCC. Winton ran for a TD in the second quarter, and found McBride at the goal line for a 37-yard TD to give the Hornets breathing room.

McBride's second score, which gave him his second multiple-touchdown game this season, ended a 74-yard drive in the fourth quarter.

DSU's second-half success offset a lackluster first half in which the Hornets mustered a paltry 56 yards.

"We couldn't do anything in the first half," Lavan said. "It was ugly."

The Wildcats looked like they would lead 7-0 at halftime, but let DSU back in the game with one play.

With BCC at its 5-yard line with 2:12 left in the second quarter, running back Justin Brannon fumbled when he was hit at the line by several DSU defenders. Linebacker Jackie Watkins recovered the loose ball to give DSU possession at the 7.

Three plays later, Winton leapt over his linemen from the 1, extending the ball past the goal line, to tie it 7-7 with 1:17 left.

The Wildcats, who had averaged 25 points in their first five games, were held scoreless until Russell orchestrated a long drive to start the second quarter.

The 80-yard march took 7:26 and ended with Russell's 3-yard TD run at the 8:51 mark. The Wildcats converted a key fourth down-and-1 play on a run by Brannon.

Bethune-Cookman had another prime touchdown opportunity in the third quarter that was thwarted by a steadfast Hornets defense.

Wildcats receiver Joe Singleton took the ball from Russell in the backfield on a reverse, but DSU linebacker Russell Reeves dropped Singleton for a 9-yard loss.

The Wildcats instead settled for a 39-yard field goal by Matthew Johnson for a 10-7 lead with 9:53 to play in the third quarter.

Bethune-Cookman's defense also came up with a TD-stopping effort.

Midway through the third quarter, DSU crafted a nine-play drive to tie the score 10-10 on Peter Gaertner's 23-yard field goal with 5:27 left.

But that came after the Hornets couldn't score a TD from the 5 after Winton's 34-yard pass to Derrick McNeil. BCC held on three plays, but a personal foul gave the Hornets a first down. The Wildcats held again, setting up the field goal.

FAMU's Harris seeks long-term success

Photo: FAMU head basketball coach Eugene Harris

By Heath A. Smith, DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Eugene Harris, Florida A&M's new men's basketball coach, spent last weekend in Atlanta doing what perhaps he does best - looking for talent.

“We have to hit the ground running,” Harris said Thursday at his introduction press conference. “There is a big AAU tournament in Atlanta with 18 teams. Coaches have called me to see some of their players play.”

The success the basketball program has enjoyed (two MEAC Tournament Championships in four years) under former coach Mike Gillespie Sr. was largely due to recruiting junior-college players and transfers from major conference programs.

Terrence Woods, a transfer from Tennessee, was FAMU's most prolific three-point shooter and led the Rattlers to the Big Dance in 2003.

The nucleus of FAMU's 2007 MEAC Tournament championship team was made up of Darius Glover and Brian Greene from the junior-college ranks and Rome Sanders, a transfer from Northern Illinois.

Harris said his goals for are higher than just getting to the prestigious NCAA tournament. He wants to lead the Rattlers past the first round of the tournament and into the Sweet 16.

He said he doesn't plan to assemble the team through transfers or junior-college players, however.

“I have no problem with junior-college players, but my program will be built on high-school players,” Harris said. “That's how I've always built the programs at the previous schools I've worked at. I'm not a quick-fix guy.”

Harris' resume includes Clemson from the ACC and Alabama and Auburn from the SEC. All three have big-time name recognition and deep recruiting pockets to go after the nation's top high-school talent.

FAMU must play those types of schools just to support its program, and even they don't make the Sweet 16 on a consistent basis.

Even Harris' alma mater, Florida State, with all its resources, struggles to make the NCAA tourney. It's been 10 years since FSU was invited to the Big Dance.

While Harris realizes he faces an uphill battle to lure the type of talent necessary to make the Rattlers one of the nation's top team, he says he is committed to doing it his way. He's also prepared to be patient.

“It will take at least two good recruiting seasons,” Harris said. “I don't count this season because we've already missed 12 days going into the homes.”

FAMU President James Ammons said he is on board with Harris' recruiting philosophy.

“He reinforced all of our thoughts during his interview,” Ammons said. “We're going to support him and make sure he is successful. Our philosophy here at Florida A&M is that all of the students here on campus are students first.

“Our goal is for them to graduate and leave here with a degree. Everything we've seen in Coach Harris' background he is about the student part of student athlete.”

Despite the fact that no school from the MEAC has ever reached the Sweet 16, FAMU Athletic Director Nelson Townsend thinks FAMU can be the first and that it can be done Harris' way.

“It is not an unbelievable or unachievable goal,” Townsend said. “It has happened to schools bigger than us and without the resources that we have.

“I think with a new facility coming on line and with the excitement of a recruiting coach we can get those types of players.”

SU hopes to avoid offensive shootout

Photo: SU Del Roberts, 5-9/190 Jr., WR/PR, North Florida Christian H.S., Tallahassee, FL

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

The temptation, with the way Alabama A&M has been scoring this season, is to think No. 25 Southern may need to start chasing points as soon as the ball is kicked off.

The homecoming game between SU and defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champ Alabama A&M at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium will feature the SWAC’s top two offenses.

But A&M’s offense, remolded this season into a big-play machine, has been the better, statistically, so far this season.

A&M (4-1, 3-0 SWAC) is averaging 443.6 yards and 37.8 points per game and is led by a senior quarterback in Kelcy Luke, a former Auburn transfer who has started since 2004.

Southern (5-0, 3-0) is averaging 408.4 ypg and 26.0 ppg and is led by a sophomore quarterback in Bryant Lee, who is a solid 6-1 as a starter but that’s just seven starts.

“It’s important any time you can move the ball and score,” SU coach Pete Richardson said. “But what we don’t want to do is get out of our element. We understand what we’re trying to do offensively. We’re going to play for 60 minutes, and there are going to be times when it’s not going to look very good.

“What we have to guard against, especially at quarterback, he’s still learning. He has to play within the confines of what we’re trying to do offensively.”

Southern has scored just 12 points, on two touchdowns, in the first quarter in five games this season. One of those scores was Darren Coates’ 90-yard run on the Jaguars’ first offensive play of the season.

A&M, in contrast, has put up 52 points in the first quarter (with 58 in the third and another 52 in the fourth).

“Whatever the game brings to us, we’re going to be ready,” SU wide receiver Gerard Landry said.

Both offenses, of course, won’t play each other at the same time.

“They’re a real good offensive team, but our defense is strong,” Lee said. “They’ve won a lot of games for us. We just have to work as a team and get the job done.”

So far, SU’s defense has helped out its offense and vice versa.

With the offense struggling, the defense allowed one touchdown (in a 23-6 win over Mississippi Valley State) and none against Prairie View (a 12-2 win) and Alabama State (a 21-2 win).

And in two games in which SU’s defense got burnt for long touchdowns and the Jaguars trailed in the second quarter, the offense came alive — a 33-27 win over Florida A&M and a 41-34 win over Tennessee State.

“We know the defense is going to hold its own,” Landry said.
Important Grambling film

Alabama A&M put up at least 41 points in four of its five games. But the Bulldogs lost 31-6 at Grambling.

That made going over the Grambling film pretty important.
“I looked at the film, and really they didn’t do anything special,” Richardson said. “They just lined up and made them play basic football. They didn’t give up any big plays, made them drive the length of the field and put a lot of pressure on them up front. And kept the quarterback contained.

“I don’t think they did a lot of blitzing. They just sat back and put the pressure up front with four down linemen, did a few line stunts. When they caught the ball, they made them pay for it.”

After the win, both Grambling head coach Rod Broadway and defensive coordinator Cliff Yoshida stressed the importance of keeping A&M quarterback Kelcy Luke contained. Luke was 14-for-26 for 117 yards, and he was sacked three times.

Baseball alumni game
The SU baseball team will stage an alumni game — pitting former players against current ones — at 6 p.m. Friday at Lee-Hines Stadium.


There is no cost to attend.
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks likely will be there, but will not play, SU coach Roger Cador said.

This will be the third time since 2004 that the team has had this game.

According to assistant coach Fernando Puebla, some of the alumni expected to play are pitcher Jason Anderson, pitcher Corey Poret, outfielder Robert Primus, catcher Joey Mouton, outfielder Andre Gordon, catcher Brandon Mason and first baseman Kevin Nelson.

Notes
SU is ranked third and A&M sixth in the Sheridan Broadcasting Network poll of black college teams. Richardson named RB Darren Coates and SS Glenn Bell as his offensive and defensive players of the week from the win over Alabama State. Richardson said RB Kendrick Smith (strained Achilles’ tendon) could be out “a while yet.” Smith missed the ASU game.

SSU athletics director resigns

Photo: Former SSU AD Tony O'Neal

Reported by WTOC, Savannah, GA

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- After three years at the helm of Savannah State University's athletic department, Robert "Tony" O'Neal today announced he is stepping down as athletic director for personal reasons effective immediately. O'Neal will assume other athletic-related duties at the university.

"I have decided to resign as the athletics director at Savannah State,"

O'Neal said. "It was a very tough decision, but I feel this is what's best for me and my family."

Dr. Claud Flythe, vice president for Administration, has appointed Paula Jackson as interim athletic director. Jackson, who has worked at Savannah State since 2005, is currently the senior women's administrator and assistant athletic director for compliance. SSU has not made plans to conduct a nationwide search at this time.

"Paula Jackson has full power and authority to exercise as the interim athletic director," said Flythe. "She has full support from my office and the President's office."

Jackson, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, comes to SSU from Morehead State University where she served as an asst. athletic director and senior women's administrator. She has held the same positions at Clark-Atlanta University.

O'Neal became the 14th athletic director at SSU on August 1, 2004. During his tenure, Savannah State's athletics department was certified by the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a Division I program.

He has shown his commitment to honoring SSU student-athletes by revitalizing the athletic letterman program. At the annual banquet, student athletics are awarded for their academic and athletic dedication to SSU with letterman jackets, plaques, trophies, watches and scholarships.

"SSU has provided me with an opportunity to make an immediate impact as the Athletics Director," said O'Neal. "I am confident that Dr. Yarbrough and Dr.
Flythe will bring in someone that will continue to take SSU in the right direction. Savannah State athletics has a bright future."

O'Neal also led the push in SSU's quest to join a Division I conference by submitting an application to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in May of 2005. The MEAC said it will reconsider SSU's application in 2009.

The Detroit, Michigan native earned his bachelor of arts in social welfare from Central State University. Prior, to his arrival at Savannah State, he served as the associate athletic director for compliance at Bethune-Cookman College.

Honda BOTB DVD: Stompin' at the Dome

FAMU Marching 100 is not on this one; taped in 2007--NSU and BCU represented the MEAC. My favorite is Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm, directed by George W. Edwards, (FAMU grad) who put on a spectacular show, as always. Order it--worth the price and great entertainment! Proceeds from the DVD sales will benefit each school’s music program.

Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

Tucker challenges defensive teammates

Defensive back Stephan Tucker lashed out at his teammates Tuesday in an attempt to get them fired up to play Southern.

The Bulldogs, who have struggled defensively in their last two games, will be severely tested by the Jaguars' high-octane offense Saturday in Baton Rouge, La.

After giving up just more than 156 yards passing through its first three games, A&M has given up almost 600 yards through the air in its last two games, including 352 in Saturday's 48-24 win over Texas Southern.

"We've got to step it up and stop giving up so many yards," Tucker said. "Guys need to get it in their heads that we need to play up to a certain level. They need to step it up and bring it to the field.

"We've got a real talented defense. We've just got to put it all together and play as a team."

This would be a good week to do it.

Southern is averaging 26 points and almost 410 yards in total offense. The Jaguars are averaging 232.2 yards passing and 176.2 yards rushing.

A&M is second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in rushing defense (106.4), fifth in total defense (317.6), sixth in scoring defense (20.4) and ninth in pass defense (211.2).

Banks concerns Richardson: Southern coach Pete Richardson remembers Alabama A&M's Ulysses Banks. It was Banks who took the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown in last year's game as the Bulldogs downed the Jaguars 28-21 at Louis Crews Stadium.

AAMU band member shows his leaping capabilities during half-time show.

While Banks hasn't returned any kickoffs for touchdowns for this season, he has been one of the catalysts in A&M's high-powered offense at running back.

He has 491 yards rushing and four touchdowns and is averaging a league-high 7.4 yards per carry. Banks also has eight catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's a versatile kid," Richardson said. "He's making a lot of big plays for them. ... They're going to put him in position where he's going to get his hands on it and hopefully he can do something with it."

Huge crowd expected: Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones estimated 40,000 people would be on hand for Saturday's game against Southern. He said the Bulldogs have to find a way to keep the spectators from being a factor.

"The best way to keep the crowd of out it is to not give them a lot to cheer about," Jones said. "That's what we'll try to do. We need to keep this game competitive."

Furthermore: WR Nate Baxter, who suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter against Mississippi Valley State and never returned, is expected to miss his third straight game against Southern. Trainer John Gaines said he is hopeful with the Bulldogs being idle next week, Baxter can return for the Arkansas-Pine Bluff game on Oct. 18. ... Southern RB Kendrick Smith, who missed Saturday's game against Alabama State with a strained Achilles tendon, is listed as doubtful for the A&M, Richardson said. ... The Jaguars have won six straight games dating back to last season. It is their longest winning streak since winning seven in a row in 2003. ... SU QB Bryant Lee is 6-1 as a starter. ... Southern leads the series 5-4, but A&M has won the last two meetings.

Reggie Benson

Alabama A&M University Marching Maroon and White Band

Defense is Southern's comfort

Photo: SU Head Coach Pete Richardson has the Jaguars playing championship football.

By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times

Pete Richardson has put together a pretty good worksheet in his 14-plus seasons at Southern.

During Richardson's first 11 seasons - from 1993 through 2003 - the Jaguars won 11 games or more five times, five Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and four black college national championships.

However, Southern hasn't been nearly as good in recent years.

Since winning the SWAC and the black college national championship in 2003 and finishing 12-1, the Jaguars have gone 17-15 over the last three seasons, including back-to-back losing seasons.

Entering this season, Southern officials informed Richardson that he would be evaluated before receiving a contract. He is in the last year of a deal that pays him $200,000 annually.

Through the first five games, Richardson has had the last laugh.

The Jaguars are 5-0 overall, including 3-0 in the SWAC, and are ranked 25th in the nation.

"A lot of good things have happened," said Richardson, whose team was picked to finish third in the league's preseason poll. "We're playing well and we've had great senior leadership. Defensively, we're able to put pressure on the quarterback and offensively, we've protected the football. When you can do those two things it increases your chances of winning."

Southern will try to run its record to 6-0 Saturday when it hosts Alabama A&M for homecoming. Kickoff is 5:30 at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

Richardson said some of his players didn't believe the Jaguars were capable of having a big year when preseason practice began. However, as the wins piled up, the players started to believe.

"You see the attitude starting to change in our football team," he said. "We've come from a point where a lot of individuals didn't think we had a chance to win any games to now being 5-0. A lot of them are gradually starting to believe maybe we can get to that championship game.

"I see the enthusiasm and passion they're playing with and also the attention in practice is starting to pick up."

Defections and injuries forced many young players onto the field last season. While that was a problem a year ago, it has been a blessing this season, Richardson said.

"The difference between last year and this year is experience," he said. "We were decimated with injuries last year. A lot of those kids came back and created competition. We finished strong last year and had a good spring practice.

"We were in a lot of tight games last year and made some growing mistakes and we're not making those mistakes this year."

Southern has always been good offensively. This season, however, the Jaguars have been among the top defensive teams in the league.

Free safety Jarmaul George was the SWAC's preseason defensive player of the year, while defensive lineman Vincent Lands was named to the second team.

Cornerbacks Michael Williams and Efe Osawemwenze are all-conference caliber players along with strong safety Glenn Bell.

Why has Southern been so much better on defense this season?

"There's really no secret," Bell said. "It's hard work."


SU Band vs. Alabama State University Band 2007- 5th Quarter Band

2007-08 Hampton Basketball Preview

Photo: Hampton Head Baskeball Coach Kevin Nickelberry

by Joel Welser, Collegehoops.net

Hampton Pirates: Overall Rank: #128

Conference Rank: #1 MEAC

2006-07: 15-16, 10-8, 3rd (t)

2006-07 postseason: none

Over the last two years Coach Kevin Nickelberry has done an amazing job recruiting stellar talent into the Hampton program. Last season was supposed to be a major transition year with the new coach and the loss of four key players, but the Pirates still put together a solid season. Hampton started four freshman most of the year and expect improvement from each of them, but senior Rashad West is what makes the team tick. The 6-1 point guard led the team with 17.8 points and 2.6 assists per game and will have to once again be the steadying force on a young team.

Who’s Out:

The depth in the backcourt has taken a hit with the transfer of Demario Mattox and the graduation of Junior Pehoua. Mattox averaged 6.0 points and Pehoua added 3.9 per contest. The depth chart for the guards will be full of new players, but they are talented enough to be quality reserves. Forward Kevin Clark, who averaged 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds and earned seven starts, is not returning to the program.

Who’s In:

Hampton fans hope this recruiting class can perform as well as last year’s. The backcourt is where some help is needed immediately and guards Chris Tolson and Brandon Tunnell will answer the call. The duo will likely spend the season being groomed to take over the starting point guard duties in 2008-2009. Milade Lola-Charles and redshirt freshman Oluwaseyi Oseni have the size, at 6-11 and 6-10, to develop into a dominating duo up front, but it is junior college transfer Donte Harrison who will make an impact on the Hampton frontline right away. Harrison averaged 11.6 points and 11.3 rebounds at Sullivan County Community College in New York. He is a good defender and his long arms will be an asset in the shot blocking department.

Who to Watch:

The development of Vincent Simpson, Theo Smalling, Matthew Pilgrim and Mike Freeman will be the key to the campaign. The foursome did a great job as freshmen, but they need to continue to improve if Hampton wants to reach the NCAA Tournament. Simpson has to become a more consistent shooter for a shooting guard and Smalling could develop a better game on the offensive end, although he may be relegated to being a specialist off the bench with the talent coming in. Pilgrim and Freeman are harder to find faults with and as long as they continue to develop, the duo will be tough to stop. Pilgrim and Freeman combined for 25.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

Final Projection:

With West running the show and the four freshmen now sophomores, nobody should be able to stop the Pirates. Adrian Woodard will provide some experienced depth and that should help the team stay fresher down the stretch. Considering the last two recruiting classes have been among the best the MEAC has ever seen, the future is even brighter than the present. If Hampton can dominate the conference this year, they will own the conference for at least the next few years. The Achilles heel for the Pirates is their poor shooting. The team ranked 234th in the nation in field-goal percentage, 286th in three point field-goal percentage and 249th in free-throw percentage. If it gets worse, the door will be open for teams like Morgan State, Coppin State and North Carolina A&T to capture an NCAA bid.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Rashad West, Senior, Guard, 17.8 points per game

Vincent Simpson, Sophomore, Guard, 5.9 points per game

Matthew Pilgrim, Sophomore, Forward, 11.0 points per game

Theo Smalling, Sophomore, Forward, 2.7 points per game

Mike Freeman, Sophomore, Forward, 14.2 points per game

SCSU Blackwell: Don't blame Cleve

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

Just because South Carolina State was idle last week did not mean Joe Blackwell took it easy.

As the team's offensive line coach and offensive coordinator, Blackwell has spent the past 11 days trying to pinpoint those areas which have kept the Bulldogs' offense from putting up points this season. Although SCSU is the second-best rushing team in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, averaging 209.2 yards per game, it's ranked last in scoring (12.5 points per game) and passing efficiency (86.7).

Yet despite those low numbers and the frustration of watching SCSU go 1-4 on scoring opportunities inside the 10-yard line against Winston-Salem State on a night it amassed 493 total yards, Blackwell is not ready to push the panic button - as long as the Bulldogs continue to win.

"They're some things we're doing really well right now and some things that we're doing that's not so well," Blackwell said following Wednesday's practice. "We had a big night against Winston as far as yardage, first-down plays and conversions on third down. But we had way too many turnovers. That's something we can't have here and then the bottom line, we didn't get the ball into the end zone.

"But, the biggest stat we check around here is wins and losses and to be honest with you, the thing we care about more than anything else is Ws and this season is going to be graded on how many Ws we get. It's not about whether we're the best offense in the league or the worst. The bottom line, we can be the best offense in the league and if we don't get to where we want to be and that's winning the league, then it's a failure. We can be the worst offense in the league and win the league and we'll be happy. But now, we don't want that. Our goal is to win the conference and we're getting better."

During the bye week, Blackwell and SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough focused on cleaning up the team's execution inside the "Red Zone" and correcting those areas which have held back the passing attack. While acknowledging quarterback Cleveland McCoy must become more proficient throwing the football, Blackwell said his value to the offense goes far beyond passing numbers.

"One of the things we looked at was what are we asking (McCoy) to do," he said. "Are we asking him to do too much? Are we not asking him to do enough? Are we asking him to make throws that he can make and that's one of the things we spent a lot of time this week looking at and getting him more comfortable. To be honest with you, if he doesn't have the interception in the 'Red Zone' last week and the fumble in the end zone, he probably would have had his best game of his career last week. He threw for a lot of yards (204 yards), but he made a lot of good decisions.

"There's a lot of other things that he does that don't show up in the stats. He's such a threat running the football. Why we're able to run the ball so well is a lot of people are scared to load up on us to stop the run because they're so scared of getting him in space. It's kind of like last year when we played Hampton. They had a hard time dealing with him in space. (University of South) Carolina had some trouble with him in space. A lot of people do. And there are things he does for us that don't show up in the stat book. Like it, love it, leave it, he's our guy and we love him and we believe in him and he's the guy that's going to take us where we want to go."

Ask Blackwell what's holding back the passing game and he immediately points to the injury list. The offensive line, a stable group during Blackwell's four seasons at SCSU, has lacked cohesion this season as he's had to shuffle around players due to the loss of tackle at the start of the season and injuries and ailments suffered by center Raymond Harrison (hand) and guard Devon Dawson (flu).

A major silver lining for the Bulldogs has been the play of redshirt freshman Johnny Culbreath, whom Blackwell said "has a chance to be as good as anybody we've had since I've been here upfront".

Injuries and suspensions have especially decimated the wide receiving corps. Blackwell pointed out wide receivers Terrance Smith, Tre' Young and Dustin DuBose and tight end Octavius Darby have yet to play a single game together - while not even counting the absence of wide receivers Chase Robinson (foot) and Tron Jackson (knee).

Which is why Blackwell said getting healthy from a physical standpoint will turn things around more quickly than making any significant personnel changes.

"We looked at what we're doing, we looked to see if we were trying to do too much and then the last thing we did was we wanted to take everything that we had not executed well and correct it and get better at it." he said. "We want to get better at our pass efficiency. The thing we have to do is we have to be efficient throwing the ball. We're running the ball right now kind of ahead of schedule where we were last year. If you take the two Division I games (Air Force Academy and the University of South Carolina) out, we're running the ball about 280 yards a game which is 40 yards up from where we were last year. What we've got to do in our passing game is be more efficient.

"Some of that's (McCoy) and some of it is not. Some of it is a call and some of it is dropped balls. There's a couple of things that have played into that and I don't want to stick that on Cleve now. But it's something we work on every day. When Terrance Smith was not playing at (University of South) Carolina, that hurt. Trey Young being out hurts. But we've got to get better throwing the ball. We know that. We've been working on that, but we've got to be efficient at it and we've got to take what people give us."

By getting healthy and keeping the current starting offensive line intact, Blackwell believes the Bulldogs will begin to live up to the high expectations they've set for themselves.

At least that's what Pough hopes will happen this Saturday against Norfolk State.

"They're some things you see in practice you say 'You know, maybe this will get us going'," he said. "But you don't really know until you get to a game and this is the kind of game we'll know."

BCU 'Cats seek redemption

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona News Journal Staff Writer

Late loss still stings BC-U

When Delaware State rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes to defeat Bethune-Cookman 33-31 last year, few could foresee the significance the victory would have on the Hornets' rise to national prominence.

But without it, says DSU coach Al Lavan, the Hornets (3-1, 2-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) may not be where they are today -- ranked 20th in The Sports Network's Division I Championship Subdivision poll and considered by many as the top team in the conference.

"That was the type of game you must win to grow your program," Lavan said. "In my estimation, that game was second only to our game Saturday in Hampton."

Delaware State upended three-time defending conference champ Hampton 24-17 last week to take over the favorite's role in the MEAC race. The Hornets will try to avoid a letdown tonight at 7:30 when they host Bethune-Cookman in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU.

"They're probably the best team in the conference," said B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt. "I just marvel at the fact that they were able to get it done so quickly."

Lavan took over a team in 2004 that had finished 1-10 the previous season. After a 4-7 first year, his Hornets have gone 7-4 and 8-3 the past two seasons with consecutive 6-2 conference marks.

Their breakout game might have been the comeback at Daytona Beach on Oct. 7, 2006. The Hornets scored two touchdowns in the final 4:38, including Vashon Winton's 18-yard scoring pass with 1:30 left. The victory began a six-game winning streak for DSU.

"It was a tremendous win for us," Lavan said. "Once you're faced with that kind of adversity you must prove you can overcome it (in order to keep progressing)."

B-CU is now facing that kind of adversity. The Wildcats (2-3, 0-3 MEAC) have lost six straight conference games dating back to last season and are coming off a 33-9 homecoming loss to Morgan State, in which they turned the ball over five times and produced just 146 yards of offense in muddy Municipal Stadium.

"We just have to get back to the drawing board and get things right," Wyatt said. "Bad weather doesn't favor us because we have speed. We just couldn't get out of our tracks (last week). Whatever we do, we need to do it and put what happened behind us."

The Hornets, on the other hand, will try to keep rolling.

"This is another step we must take after having success Saturday," Lavan said. "It's another test. Coach Wyatt will bring a hungry, tough and skilled football team. That's a given."