S.C. State Bulldogs picked to win MEAC Football Crown

NORFOLK, VA – For the second consecutive year, South Carolina State (7-4, 6-2 MEAC) has been picked to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football championship, edging out defending champion Delaware State (10-0, 8-0 MEAC) in an announcement made at the league’s annual Football Press Luncheon.

Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's Bulldogs have the conference championship target on their backs again in 2008 (Mark's Digital Photography).

Also, the Bulldogs (7-4, 6-2 MEAC) placed 10 players on the preseason All-MEAC squad, among them junior running back Will Ford, tabbed as preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and one of five S.C. State players earning first-team honors.

In being named as the team to beat in the MEAC again, Coach Buddy Pough’s team, which has finished tied for runner-up in the league the last two seasons, received 272 points to 252 for Coach Al Lavan and the 2007 champion Hornets.

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SCSU Bulldogs 2008 Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time/Result
8/30/2008 UCF Orlando, FL 6 PM
9/6/2008 BENEDICT$ Orangeburg, SC 6 PM
9/13/2008 BETHUNE-COOKMAN Charleston, SC 4 PM
9/20/2008 Clemson Clemson, SC 1 PM
9/27/2008 Winston-Salem State Winston-Salem, NC 6:00 PM
10/4/2008 * Florida A&M Tallahassee, FL 6 PM
10/11/2008 * NORFOLK STATE ! Orangeburg, SC 1:30 PM
10/18/2008 Open TBA
10/25/2008 * HAMPTON Orangeburg, SC 2:00 PM
11/1/2008 * Delaware State Dover, DE TBA
11/6/2008 * HOWARD Orangeburg, SC 7:30 PM
11/15/2008 * Morgan State Baltimore, MD 4:00 PM
11/22/2008 * North Carolina A&T TBA 1:30 PM

Home Games are in bold
Neutral Site Games are in italics
* Denotes a conference game.

!-Denotes Homecoming
$-Denotes Hall of Fame Game

Head Coach: Oliver "Buddy" Pough (Sixth Season)
Asst. Head Coach/Def. Line/Def. Ends: David Blanchard
Asst. Coaches: Demetrius Davis (Off. Line/Tightends); Joe Blackwell (Off. Coordinator/Off. Line); Gerald Harrison (Def. Line/Tackles); Mike Adams( Def. Coordinator/Linebackers); Maurice Drayton (Secondary); Kevin Magouirk (Quarterbacks); Howard Feggins (Receivers); Daniel Lewis (Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator); Joel Taylor (Defensive Assistant ); Rawn Miro (Videographer).

Car Crash Kills Alcorn State Athlete; Two Other Alcorn Student Athletes Injured

FAYETTE, Miss. -- Alcorn State University officials said that a car crash has claimed the life of freshman football player Ladarrius Adams. The wreck, which occurred on Highway 61 south near Fayette early Friday morning, also injured D'Angelo Buckner and Isaac Williams. The university said that Buckner and Williams are also incoming freshmen and members of the football team.

Adams was a native of Fort Meyers, Florida and was recruited as a running back to Alcorn State. Buckner and Williams are natives of Clinton, Mississippi and were recruited as corner back and offensive lineman, respectively.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson not offended by Brett Favre speculation

Former Alabama State University Hornets quarterback Tarvaris Jackson handles Favre speculation with maturity.

MANKATO — Tarvaris Jackson said the Brett Favre speculation would never have come up if Jackson were an established, proven quarterback. But he's not. The Vikings reportedly are considered Favre's ideal destination if he were to work his way out of Green Bay, with which he remains under contract. Jackson has heard all the speculation regarding Favre, and he's taking it in stride. He said he's not offended by the talk.

"I know I've got to get better to the point where if it happens again with any other guy, it wouldn't be a question," Jackson said today after the first practice of training camp at Minnesota State Mankato. "I've still got some improving to do, and I know that. It's only speculation. I know it was going to happen because the type of quarterback he is, and I haven't proved myself yet."

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MEAC expresses academic concerns

Photo: Florida A&M University director of athletics, William "Bill" Hayes

NORFOLK, Va. — There's no middle ground when it comes to meeting the NCAA-mandated Academic Progress Report standards. That was the message FAMU athletic director Bill Hayes and other MEAC officials heard for more than 90 minutes Thursday.

Hayes came away from the all-day meeting, promising to make FAMU a flagship school for graduating student-athletes. FAMU will use money from a grant it recently received to hire a full-time monitor to gauge athletes' classroom performance, Hayes said.

"We're going to put more teeth into it," he said. "We've got to have better supervision. It can't be lax. It's got to be matter-of-fact. Once we do that you will see an improvement." FAMU's APR rating wasn't immediately available, but in a recent report it hovered close to 50 percent.

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A long, happy journey for SSU's Jessie Kenlaw

Savannah State University graduate now interim head coach for WNBA team, Washington Mystics

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Jessie Kenlaw, while at Savannah State in the 1970s, was among a group of students who petitioned the office of the president to begin a women's basketball program. Their efforts paid off after a few years as Kenlaw played in her only season as a senior, 1976-77, when she was named the team's most valuable player. The Guyton native said the school did not offer basketball scholarships for women at the time.

"We knew there was a lot of talented players there through AAU, travel teams and intramurals," said Kenlaw, who graduated from Savannah State with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1977. "We had to fight but we ended up getting it." Some 30 years later it was a person in authority - general manager Linda Hargrove of the WNBA's Washington Mystics - who recently came to Kenlaw with a proposal. Hargrove asked Kenlaw to take over as the interim head coach of the Mystics.

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MVSU Delta Devils seek fresh start

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Last year, Steven Fulbright experienced the nightmare of any senior player who sweated through an entire offseason of work: He was injured, lost for the season with a ligament tear in his knee, on the first play of Mississippi Valley State's first game. So how did the defensive back deal with this crushing disappointment?

"Every game, I was in the press box writing down the plays," he said. "I learned more about the game and I just learned a lot being in the press box with the coaches, and learning the game from a higher point of view."

If anything gives Valley coach Willie Totten reason to believe his team can shake off its 3-8 season from a year ago and return to winning ways, it's players like Fulbright. He'll return, the recipient of a medical redshirt, with added knowledge about the game and a bunch of optimism, too.

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Alcorn Braves planning to aim high

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Anyone paying attention to the Alcorn State football program can tell there's a stark difference between the lively new coach Ernest Jones and his stoic predecessor Johnny Thomas. But as the saying goes, "Talk is cheap." Jones can say all the right things, but if players don't buy what he's selling none of it will matter for a team picked to finish dead last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division.

But when Emmanuel Arceneaux drops the phrase, "It's a new day," in a casual conversation at the Southwestern Athletic Conference Media Day in Birmingham, you get the feeling he's been paying attention to the new face of Alcorn football. "It did need to change," said Arceneaux, the team's top returning receiver. "The mindset is the pride and tradition that he's trying to bring back to Alcorn. No disrespect to the former coaches, but they came in and gave a boost of energy. Everything is just fired up."

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Reid seeking redemption at Texas Southern

BIRMINGHAM — He has yet to coach a game at Texas Southern, but Johnnie Cole has already made a big splash in the name recognition of his new transfer quarterback.

It's Bobby Reid, who started 27 games in an up-and-down three-season career at Oklahoma State. But while Reid is a household name maybe only to Oklahoma State fans, he was the spark for something that became household to college football fans nationwide - the press conference rant of his coach, Mike Gundy, when he disagreed with an Oklahoma City newspaper columnist who wrote about Reid last year.

The press conference video gained infamy on YouTube.com. And while Reid criticized Gundy in an ESPN The Magazine article earlier this year, it was clear that on Tuesday, he didn't want to dwell on it.



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Colts sign ex-Jaguars QB Quinn Gray

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indianapolis Colts have added depth to their quarterback position by signing Quinn Gray. The former Jacksonville Jaguars backup signed a one-year contract with the Colts on Wednesday, according to his agent.

“This is a fresh start for Quinn and I’m confident he will take full advantage of it,’’ agent Drew Rosenhaus said this morning. “He’s getting an opportunity to work in a great offense with a great coaching staff.’’ Gray, 29, appeared in 11 games, four as a starter, with Jacksonville the past three seasons. He’s 2-2 as a starter.

Photo: Former Florida A & M University Rattlers QB Quinn Gray signed with Indianapolis Colts, his third NFL team.

A report by the NFL Network said the Colts also have signed ex-New York Giants quarterback Jared Lorenzen.

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Taylor enjoys FAMU project

Joe Taylor looks to resurrect Florida A & M's football fortunes, just as he did Hampton's.

Joe Taylor is more of a jazz than a rock guy. But his 20-day road trek during the late spring and early summer — stops in Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville included — was as frenetic as a rock tour. The purpose was similar, too: Generate excitement and money. Taylor hit the road to rally the alumni of Florida A&M, where he became head football coach seven months ago.

"I hope I have one more resurrection left in me," said Taylor, who coached at Hampton University for 16 seasons before moving in January to FAMU. "The support I'm getting from the alumni is great. I just hope I can live up to their expectations.

Photo: FAMU head football coach Joe Taylor by Mark's Digital Photography.

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SCSU football wraps up summer workouts

The roles were much different for Terrance Smith and Malcolm Long the last time they suited up for South Carolina State at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. Long backed up Cleveland McCoy at quarterback as Smith was making the “Centennial Catch” to defeat Morgan State last November.

As the Bulldogs completed night workouts on Tuesday, the two players had undergone some role changes. Long was once again displaying the strong arm which made him so coveted out of Gaffney by head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough. This summer, however, he’s taken on a more assertive role as the new starting quarterback.

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Coppin State, Jackson State to be nationally televised

It appears from the following article that Coppin State University Eagles (MEAC) and Jackson State University Tigers (SWAC) will get a win-fall by having their game at Kansas being nationally televised. Regardless, the Tigers and Eagles will have severe difficulty in being competitive in this game. The 2007-08 Jayhawks won the school’s fifth national championship, winning their last 13 games to finish 37-3.

Entire Kansas Men’s Basketball Schedule to be Nationally Televised in 2008-09

“This will be as difficult a schedule as we will have played since we’ve been here,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self, who is 142-32 in five seasons at KU. “We’ve got a great home schedule with Tennessee, Temple, UMass, Siena, Kent State, Coppin State and Jackson State, all of whom will be picked at or near the top of their conferences. The Big 12 home schedule will be tough, with Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Texas from the south, in addition to the north schools.”

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SWAC expands TV football schedule

The SWAC added four television listings to this season’s slate: Alcorn State at Grambling on Sept. 6 on ESPN Classic, Grambling at Northwestern State on Sept. 13 on the Southland Conference TV Network, Jackson State vs. Tennessee State in the Southern Heritage Classic on Sept. 13 on SportSouth and Texas Southern at Texas State on Oct. 4 on the Southland Network.

The Nov. 20 matchup between Grambling State and Texas Southern has moved to the Alamodome in San Antonio. The kickoff time remains at 8 p.m. and the game will be televised live on ESPNU.

Also, the conference revealed Southern’s home game with Florida A&M on Oct. 18 will be televised on a tape-delayed basis. The game starts at 6 p.m. but will be televised at 9:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

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Two Hornets on All-SWAC first team

BIRMINGHAM -- When Alabama State football coach Reggie Barlow began making preparations to attend this year's Southwestern Athletic Conference media day, he found himself facing a tough choice: Who would he take?

It's customary for coaches to take along two players to the preseasonmedia events -- one offensive representative and one defensive representative. Finding a defensive rep was no problem. The Hornets have a roster stacked with recognizable -- and in some cases feared -- defensive players.

The offensive rep, however, was a bit more troublesome. ASU doesn't have an experienced quarterback or running back returning, none of the returning wideouts were particularly dominant last season and the offensive line still has big question marks.

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Norfolk State's Bell takes deal, avoids jail time

Former football player will receive probation after pulling kitchen knife

Former Penn State football player Christopher Bell accepted a plea deal offered by the commonwealth Tuesday, avoiding jail time for an April incident during which police say he threatened a teammate with a knife.

Bell pleaded guilty to one count of terroristic threats -- a first-degree misdemeanor and his most serious charge -- while his charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment were dismissed, Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira said yesterday.

Bell will receive two years probation at the request of the commonwealth, but he could face added community service or fines imposed by Centre County Judge Bradley Lunsford at his Aug. 29 sentencing, Madeira said.

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TSU has offense for title run

Healthy Heffner holds hopes for Tigers

Tennessee State Coach James Webster drew laughter from the crowd and a bit of fear from opposing coaches while fielding questions at the Ohio Valley Conference Football Media Day at LP Field on Tuesday. Webster made a bold prediction when the subject turned toward the health of senior quarterback Antonio Heffner, who suffered a broken ankle against Eastern Kentucky in the seventh game of the season last year.

"A healthy Antonio?" Webster pondered. "Well, that's an OVC championship." Webster might not be too far off about the potential of his talented dual threat quarterback. Prior to his injury, Heffner led the conference in passing (212.3 yards per game) and total offense (260.4 yards per game). In his seven games in 2007, Heffner managed to complete 96 of 171 passes for 1,486 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed for 337 yards and three touchdowns on just 94 carries.

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Nine Southern University players on All-SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A year ago at this time, Bryant Lee was preparing for a preseason camp battle with Warren Matthews to see who would be Southern’s starting quarterback. Now, Lee is the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s preseason offensive player of the year. Winning the starting job wasn’t a stretch, because Lee finished the 2006 season as the starter. Then a redshirt freshman, he was Southern’s MVP of the Bayou Classic

After holding off Matthews in the preseason, Lee went on to become a second-team All-SWAC pick last season. Despite ankle and knee injuries and ultimately a broken thumb, he threw for 2,326 yards and 23 touchdowns, with just four interceptions and a 65.7 completion percentage. He also ran for 274 yards and four more TDs.

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Jackson State, Grambling are top picks again in SWAC

BIRMINGHAM — If the preseason poll is correct, fans of the Southwestern Athletic Conference can expect a repeat of last year's championship game featuring Jackson State and Grambling.

But, while coaches admit it's a great honor to be chosen as the favorites, they are not putting much stock in it. "The game is decided on the field, always has been and always will be," said Alabama State head coach Reggie Barlow. "Preseason polls and honors are great, but you have to work hard between the lines week in and week out."

Jackson State was selected by league coaches, sports information directors and selected media members to claim the Eastern Division title, receiving 105 points and an overwhelming 17 first-place points. Jackson State was followed by Alabama A&M with 92 points and five first-place votes, Mississippi Valley State (51), Alabama State (49) and Alcorn State (33).

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Former FAMU coach hired to DSU football staff

Dover, DE - Delaware State University Head Football Coach Al Lavan has announced the appointment of Renato Diaz as running backs coach for the Hornets.

Diaz, who has more than 12 years of college coaching experience, most recently served as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rival Florida A&M the past three years, under former head coach Rubin Carter.

“Coach Diaz brings a wealth of coaching and administrative experience, in addition to familiarity with the conference, to our staff,” Lavan said. “He has enjoyed success at every stop in his career, and we are fortunate to have someone of his caliber join our team.”

During the 2007 season, Diaz was credited with the success of Florida A&M freshman tailback Philip Sylvester, who was named MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year after rushing for nearly 900 yards and leading the league in all-purpose yards (164.3 ypg).

“Coach Lavan is doing a tremendous job at Delaware State, and I’m honored to join his staff,” Diaz said. “I’m extremely impressed with the university, and its commitment to its teams. I’m looking forward to working with the staff to continue the success the Hornets have enjoyed the last few years.”

Diaz began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Fla. (1996-1998), where he was an assistant to the offensive coordinator.

Photo: Coach Diaz and the entire Rattlers football staff of head coach Rubin Carter was fired by incoming A.D. William "Bill" Hayes in January 2008.

In 1998, Diaz was promoted to tight ends coach for USF, and also served as coordinator for recruiting and special teams. That season, the Bulls led the nation in total punt return yards and was seventh in net punting, limiting opponents to 2.1 yards per return. During the 1999 season, South Florida was eighth in the nation in net punting and 12th in kickoff returns.

Diaz also served as running backs coach at Columbia University in New York during the 2000 season. At Columbia, Diaz coached Johnathan Reese, the school's first 1,000 yard rusher, who was an All-Ivy League First Team selection after leading the conference with 1,330 yards rushing.

From 2001 to ’03, Diaz was running backs coach at Florida International University. FIU’s Rashod Smith was a Division I-AA All-Independent First Team selection at running back in 2001.

In the summer of 2003, Diaz did a brief stint with the NFL’s New York Jets during training camp, working with the offensive staff in all phases of preparation for the season.

Diaz was running backs coach and special teams consultant at Widener University in Chester, Pa. in 2004. That season, the Division III Pioneers were 11th in the nation in kickoff returns (23.3 ypr).

Diaz earned a bachelors in geology from South Florida in 1983. He is also a 2005 graduate of the NCAA Advanced Coaches Academy.

Courtesy: DSU Athletic Media Relations

McBride under microscope at Eagles camp

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — One of just four receivers in camp so far, Shaheer McBride knows every play in which he's involved gets noticed – especially the ones he'd like to forget. The former Delaware State receiver made a nice catch in traffic across the middle in 7-on-7 drills in today's morning session of training camp, but had the ball jarred from his grip after he came crashing to the ground.

"You gotta squeeze it," barked coach Andy Reid as McBride ran back to the huddle. Reid later praised McBride during his press conference, but the dropped pass still lingered for the Chester, Pa., native. "You can't just be able to process it and be done with it.," McBride admitted. "Someone tells you that they'd be lying to you."

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All-American Vasquez hired as FAMU's special-teams coach

What was just an idea for former FAMU kicker Juan Vasquez is now a reality after several years of volunteering as a special-teams coach. "After a while of being successful, I started thinking, 'Wow, I could really do this for a living,'" Vasquez said Tuesday. "What a better way to do something that you like to do as a livelihood."

He got his opportunity to do nothing but coach for a living when head coach Joe Taylor hired him as kicking coach. An official announcement of his hire was delayed until the process was recently completed. "This is a dream come true," he said. "I didn't know this would really happen, and I want to thank coach Taylor for giving me the opportunity. I've put in a lot of hard work, but you never know when the opportunity is going to come."

Coach Vasquez has been successful in mentoring former Rattlers All-American kicker, Wesley Taylor, #20.

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SWAC Q&A: First-year commissioner Duer Sharp talks league’s future

As the Southwestern Athletic Conference holds football media day, we check in with first-year commissioner Duer Sharp. A former interim athletic director at Grambling, Sharp previously served as the SWAC’s assistant commissioner and had a previous tenure in the Big Ten Conference. He replaced Robert Vowels in January.

Question: Any surprises so far?
Answer: Coming from the Big Ten to the SWAC, you see that we have a long way to go. You are in here early, and you work late. But we feel like we’ve made a lot of advances. It took some time, but we’re partnered with corporate sponsors now like Russell and State Farm. If we continue to work with member institutions as a team, and the conference office stays ahead of the curve, we can continue to have a voice.

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A&M Jones at ease entering 7th year

A&M coach confident as season nears

BIRMINGHAM - There was a time when Alabama A&M football coach Anthony Jones was a little apprehensive about dealing with the media. He was in a new position. He was in a new city. And he didn't know how the media would treat him. "Dealing with the media is just like any other type of relationship," Jones said. "There has to be a level of trust involved. Over the years, the level of trust has heightened and increased."

As a result, Jones, now entering his seventh season at A&M, has become somewhat of a media darling. "The longer you do something the more comfortable you're going to become," he said. "I didn't want to come out when I first got here and make a bunch of statements because I had a bunch of new players and some new coaches that I had never been in the fire with and we had to grow together.

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Leon's McSayles to play for ex-FAMU head coach

Photo: Miles College head football coach, William "Billy" Joe

In college football recruiting, courting the student-athlete's parents can be just as important as wooing the student-athlete. Take cornerback Jared McSayles, for example. The recent Tallahassee Leon High graduate will head to Miles College in Birmingham, Ala. to attend school and play football. At Miles, he will play under first-year head coach Billy Joe, who was inducted into Florida A&M University's Hall of Fame last year.

McSayles, 18, cites two major factors in his decision to select the NCAA Division II school in Alabama:

Hearing from the Miles coaching staff that he would receive the opportunity to play college football as a freshman;

His mother's comfort with the Miles coaching staff.

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WSSU's Hayes, Titans agree to contract

Defensive end William Hayes, a fourth-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans and a former star at Winston-Salem State, has agreed to a four-year contract. Hayes, a High Point native and the first Rams' draft pick since 1993, was hoping to be signed before training camp for the Titans opens on Saturday. Hayes will report to training camp on Friday.

"I'm actually signing (on Tuesday) but the deal is done," Hayes said Monday afternoon just as he was about to work out at Winston-Salem State with former teammate, Jason Holman. "I guess my celebration is I'm working out to get ready for the start of camp."

Hayes, 23, said that the details of the contract have been hammered out over the last few days. He didn't know how much the deal was worth but it's believed to be a total package of...

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