Florida A&M 34, Winston Salem State 10

Rattlers run wild: A&M's Vann scores twice on punt returns of 95 ...

Winston-Salem State had no answer for return specialist LeRoy Vann of Florida A&M last night at Bowman Gray Stadium. Vann, one of the fastest players in the MEAC, scored on two long punt returns as the Rattlers won 34-10 in front of 6,313. On the bright side for the Rams (0-2) was their offense, which came to life a little bit, much to the delight of Coach Kermit Blount.

"I think the tempo was a little better," Blount said of an offense that generated 218 yards. "But those two punt returns really got us. But overall we improved and got better, but the score didn't indicate that." Vann scored on a 95-yard punt return that stunned the Rams in the second quarter. It was bad enough that Vann, 5-9 and 185 pounds, went the 95 yards, but he did so without being touched. He added an 80-yard punt return in the third quarter, which made the score 21-3 and put the Rattlers (2-0) in control.

» PHOTOS: WSSU vs. FAMU - 09-10-09

Vann strikes twice to lead the Rattlers

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – As for wins and losses, beating Winston-Salem State didn't do anything for the Florida A&M football team in the MEAC standings. But Thursday's 34-10 victory at Gray Stadium gave a national television audience a pretty good peek at what the Rattlers could become this season — not to mention a breathtaking view of one of the nation's most accomplished return specialists.

While the FAMU offense looked out of sorts at times Thursday night, defensive back LeRoy Vann scored twice on punt returns — of 95 and 80 yards — to highlight the night. FAMU can now take the victory over the Rams, a provisional MEAC team, into a week of preparation for Howard University in another Thursday night game that will mean a whole lot more. Vann set a school record for most returns for touchdowns with his second in the third quarter at a time when FAMU needed it. The Rattlers were held to 147 yards in the first half.

Battle would have been ready ... if

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State University coach Kermit Blount said a lot of things would have been different when his team faced FAMU on Thursday night. He promised that if freshman Brandon Williams had to play at quarterback he'd do better than he did in a season-opening loss to North Carolina A&T State. We saw it — at least through the first three quarters. Up to that point, he threw for 111 yards. That's 20 more yards than the Rams had in total offense in their first game.

Another promise was that the defense would be much tougher and productive against FAMU. Right again. The Rattlers had 194 yards through three quarters — two yards fewer than quarterback Curtis Pulley had rushing alone last weekend. Thanks to kick returner LeRoy Vann the Rattlers went into the fourth with a 16-point lead. Blount had talked about finding ways to stop Vann, too. He didn't find solutions Thursday night as Vann had a record night.

MEAC Football Standings
CONFERENCE OVERALL
Florida A&M 1-0 - 2-0
Hampton 0-0 - 1-0
Norfolk State 0-0 - 1-0
North Carolina A&T 0-0 - 1-0
South Carolina State 0-0 - 1-0
Howard 0-0 - 0-0
Morgan State 0-0 - 0-0
Bethune-Cookman 0-0 - 0-1
Delaware State 0-1 - 0-1

2009 Conference Leaders
PASSING ATT COMP YDS TD
C. Pulley, Florida A&M 40 29 349 3
A. Glaud, Delaware St 32 17 188 1
D. Legree, Hampton 18 10 140 1

RUSHING CAR YDS AVG TD
C. Pulley, Florida A&M 25 230 9.2 1
E. Rocker, Florida A&M 20 94 4.7 0
C. Fears, NC A&T 10 78 7.8 1

RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD
I. West, Florida A&M 10 163 16.3 1
K. Elliott, Florida A&M 9 95 10.6 1
D. Jackson, Delaware St 7 67 9.6 0

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North Carolina Central University wins admission to MEAC

North Carolina Central University has won admission to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, returning the Durham institution to a league it helped found but then left 30 years ago. The conference said Thursday that its Council of Chief Executive Officers voted to admit NCCU as the MEAC’s 13th member effective July 1, 2010.

The decision gives NCCU a conference home as it continues to make the transition from a NCAA Division II athletics program to one competing in the top-level, and more expensive, Division I. NCCU is entering its third season of competition in Division I. "This is a significant milestone in North Carolina Central University's transition to Division I," said NCCU Chancellor Charlie Nelms. "Membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a win-win proposition for our student-athletes, alumni and fans – indeed, all our university constituents."

With its return to the MEAC, NCCU will now play in the same conference as its most fierce rival, North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, and another in-state school that recently made the jump to Division I, Winston-Salem State University. WSSU, which became the MEAC’s 12th member in 2007, was a rival of NCCU’s in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a Division II conference. The highlight of NCCU’s time in the CIAA was winning the Division II national men’s basketball championship in 1989.

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Tonight on ESPNU: FAMU Rattlers vs. Winston Salem State Rams

WSSU Rams Coach Kermit Blount: "I think we can neutralize their (FAMU) speed if it's a team effort," Blount said.

WSSU is likely to switch passers

Winston-Salem State most likely will have a new starting quarterback tonight when it plays Florida A&M at Bowman Gray Stadium. Senior Jarrett Dunston sprained his right ankle in last week's 19-10 loss to N.C. A&T, hasn't practiced all week and was limping noticeably yesterday at the WSSU field house. Coach Kermit Blount was coy about the starter, but every indication is that it will be redshirt freshman Branden Williams.

Kickoff will be at 7:30, with television coverage on ESPNU (Time Warner Ch. 143). The Rams had just 90 yards of offense last week, with two turnovers and several mishandled Shotgun snaps, and correcting those mistakes has been emphasized in practice. "I've had some people ask me about what's wrong with the offense," Blount said. "I had one guy ask me after the game, and I said, ‘Look, I don't come on your job asking you about things.' It's just a work in progress and considering we lost Jarrett during the game that was a huge loss for us."

FAMU's athletic director Hayes interested in WSSU job

Bill Hayes has applied for the athletics-director position at Winston-Salem State, sources have confirmed. Hayes, in his second year as the athletics director at Florida A&M, has sent in an application and is interested in the WSSU vacancy, according to one source in Winston-Salem and one in Tallahassee, Fla. Hayes was traveling to Winston-Salem yesterday for tonight's football game between A&M and WSSU and did not respond to a message left on his cell phone.
Hayes, 64, coached football at WSSU for 12 seasons in the late 1970s and 1980s, compiling a record of 89-41-2 and leading the Rams to seven CIAA championship games and three titles.

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Norfolk State 28, Virginia State 10

Spartans' 'D' awakens, stands tall

Kickoff at Norfolk State's Dick Price Stadium was a little after 6 Saturday night. The Spartans defense arrived about 6:15. Once it did, though, it dominated the proceedings, in a 28-10 victory over Virginia State in front of 24,325 fans at the annual Labor Day Classic. The Division II Trojans got a field goal on their first drive and a touchdown on their last - receiving some help from a pair of 15-yard penalties against NSU's second-team D on the latter score.

In between, nothing. Virginia State had tallied just 119 yards of offense prior to its final possession. The Trojans finished with just 169. "We were kind of rusty on our first series," linebacker Anthony Taylor said. "It was our first time being out there and we got roughed up a little bit." NSU coach Pete Adrian said it was a matter of adjusting to game tempo. Virginia State had played a game, beating Livingstone 37-7 Aug. 29. The Spartans were making their season debut.

Once the Spartans settled in, they had little trouble, forcing five Virginia State turnovers, including three interceptions. NSU's new spread offense did not exactly light up the night, but was efficient and mostly mistake-free. Quarterback Dennis Brown threw for 109 yards and ran for 72. Tailback DeAngelo Branche rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Brown spread his 13 completions among six receivers, none going for more than 15 yards. NSU totaled 312 yards of offense, 203 on the ground.

NSU's quarterback, in pursuit of perfection

On a drizzly and unseasonably cool afternoon on the Norfolk State campus, quarterback Dennis Brown strolled out of a dining hall, a one man ray of South Florida sunshine. While most students huddled against the gloom in jeans and hoodies, Brown looked like his native Miami in a white linen shirt, plaid shorts and gleaming white Creative Recreation low-top sneakers. "I thought it was gonna be sunny out, you know?" he explained. "I've got to bring the Miami flavor up here a little bit."

Brown, a senior who will lead the Spartans in the season opener tonight against Virginia State, swears he used to be shy, but it's hard to believe. As he walked from the dining hall toward the student center, he shared an umbrella with a comely coed. Just a friend, he said. When he turned toward an academic building, his friend went the other way, but he ran into another, at the top of a stairwell. "How you doing, Tasha?" he said. She just smiled. "What, you don't talk to me any more?" Brown continued on his way, toward the marketing department. Marketing is his major, and it seems perfect for him. Since coming to Norfolk, which he said he loves, he's met seemingly everyone on campus.

Fast return from torn ACL has NSU's Craig feeling hopeful

Hasan Craig is going to give it a go. The outside linebacker, just eight months removed from surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, plans to test his leg before deciding whether to seek a medical redshirt. "I'm going to play the first three games and see how it feels," he said. A junior, Craig started six games last year and showed a knack for big plays. He forced two fumbles and had six quarterback hurries, leading the team in both categories. He was second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss.

Craig injured his knee in a pickup basketball game in December. He has been practicing but was held out of contact until last week. Complete recovery from ACL surgery can take a year, but Craig said he's a fast healer. Meanwhile, the Spartans are well-stocked at Craig's old spot. Lamont Thorpe is the starter and backup Terrence Pugh was one of the standouts at NSU's last two scrimmages.

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Hampton Pirates 31, North Carolina Central 24

Hampton U. rallies late on Coker's 29-yard run

Hampton, VA--LaMarcus Coker's touchdown run technically measured 29 yards. Throw in the long celebration run on Hampton University's newly surfaced track and it was closer to 100 — at a clip few other than Usain Bolt could manage. Coker's sprint to the end zone on a draw with 1 minute, 28 seconds to play in the game gave the Pirates a come-from-behind 31-24 win over North Carolina Central. His run afterward was a combination of celebration for new head coach Donovan Rose, and an expression of relief for a Hampton team that seemed beaten only 90 seconds earlier.

"At that point I was having a horrible game, but I told my teammates, 'I'll get it this time,' " said Coker, who ran for only 59 yards. "After I scored, I just got emotional and didn't know what to do, so I just ran." Pirates, quarterback David Legree, who started because school record-setting quarterback Herbert Bynes was hobbled by a sprained ankle, added, "That's Coker for you, man. Coker will give you that five yards a pop, five yards a pop, and then spring the big play on you." The Pirates (1-0) needed the big play to secure the non-conference win. The Eagles disintegration moments earlier put them in position to get it.

Happy return for HU QB

Hampton University quarterback David Legree had not played in a football game since 2006, as a senior at South Shore High School in New York. He said it felt more like 20 years."And I'm only 19," he joked.Legree, a transfer from Syracuse University, handled himself admirably in a fill-in role. He completed 10-of-18 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown in the Pirates' 31-24 win over N.C. Central. Most important, he displayed poise after a rough start. On the first series of the game, he threw an interception, which the Eagles converted into a touchdown.

Often under heavy pressure, Legree was sacked on the Pirates' next two possessions, which ended in punts. But, after Julio Sanchez forced a fumble by Eagles quarterback Michael Johnson, Legree put his new scrambling experience to work. Hounded yet again by an Eagles defender, Legree scrambled to the right. His run prompted receiver Damon McDaniel's defender to break away from him in case Legree ran with the ball. Legree braked and threw to a wide-open McDaniel. The 32-yard touchdown pass tied the score at 7 and settled Legree.

QB coach Pep Hamilton knows how to deal with talent

As the point guard on the same AAU team as college stars Jeff Capel and Jeff McInnis, Pep Hamilton learned to funnel his basketball knowledge to highly skilled players. Now, 15-plus years later, Hamilton finds himself in a similar situation as the Chicago Bears' quarterbacks coach, working with Pro Bowler Jay Cutler. Inheriting such a talented player should make Hamilton's job a lot easier, considering the unsteady quarterback situation from a year ago.

3rd. year Chicago Bears QB Coach Pep Hamilton is a former Hampton University Top Student and star quarterback.

"I take pride in the fact it's my job to try and help guys realize their full potential," Hamilton said. "We didn't achieve our ultimate goal as a team [last season], so there's no way I can say that any us did our job to the level we expected."

Hamilton, who turns 35 on Sept. 19, is in his third season with the Bears and sixth in the NFL. The Charlotte native never played in the league, opting to jump into coaching after his last season as quarterback at Hampton University. Yet his lack of pro playing experience has not impeded his progress up the coaching ranks. Cutler is the third first-round quarterback under Hamilton's tutelage, joining former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith of 49ers and ex-Bear Rex Grossman. No doubt Cutler is the most talented of the three.

Hampton bowler returns to No. 1

Becca Glazier of Sparetimes headed the girls all-star team with a 185 average. Glazier, the Hampton Women's Bowling Association Female Bowler of the Year for 2009, is a repeat selection. As a freshman at Hampton University, she hopes to pursue a career in forensic science and will compete for the school's bowling team this season.

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South Carolina State 34, Grambling State 31

Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough had South Carolina State Bulldogs in mid-season form against a great Grambling State Tigers program.

Bulldogs take measure of Grambling, 34-31, in MEAC/SWAC Challenge

There was already some sense of foreboding going through South Carolina State head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough entering Sunday’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge against Grambling. “I got scared when I got out of my car in Orlando on Friday afternoon when we got here because it was smoking,” he said. “It had been cool at home the last week, so we really hadn’t had any real hot weather for a while. So I knew that we might be in a little bit of trouble with the elements and when we came over here today, it was really hot when we walked on the field.”

Pough’s concerns became more legitimate as Bulldog players like quarterback Malcolm Long missed most of the second half due to heat cramps. On the same day he surpassed DeShawn Baker for second place on the school’s career rushing list, Walter Payton Award finalist William Ford saw limited action after injuring his left shoulder on the first play of the second half. Despite those adversities, the 16th-ranked Bulldogs still managed to hold off 25th-ranked Grambling 34-31 in a matchup of the top two teams in black college football. Backup redshirt freshman quarterback Derrick Wiley accounted for 118 total yards and one touchdown, all in the second half in relief of Long, to earn ESPN and “Challenge” Player of the Game honors.

Semaj Moody nabs win for SC State at MEAC/SWAC Challenge

Two weeks ago, catching passes was Semaj Moody's job on the football field. "Why'd Semaj move to DB?" South Carolina State Coach Buddy Pough asked, chuckling. "Because he couldn't catch."
Turns out he could, and when it most counted, too. Moody, who said he played cornerback for the first time in his collegiate career on Sunday, made a game-winning interception with fewer than 90 seconds remaining in the MEAC/SWAC challenge. He picked off Grambling State quarterback Greg Dillon at South Carolina State's 10-yard line, allowing the Bulldogs to run out the clock and keep a three-point lead. "That was Coach, good call," Moody said after the game. "All defensive line, DBs, everybody was just where they were supposed to be. I ran at the QB. ... It was a play that needed to be made and I made it."The interception ended the Tigers' comeback bid. The Bulldogs won the opener 34-31 before 21,367 at the Citrus Bowl.

SC State prevails in Black College showdown

South Carolina State used a national stage to show that it is one of the best teams in Black College football - if not the best. The Bulldogs continued the MEAC’s dominance in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Sunday by holding off Grambling State 34-31 in a nationally-televised game from the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Malcolm Long passed for two touchdowns and Travil Jamison rushed for two more to lead South Carolina State (1-0) to the MEAC’s fourth win in the five-year history of the Challenge.

Legendary Coach Willie Jeffries, S.C. State University Bulldogs

Sunday Conversation with Willie Jeffries

When Willie Jeffries watches the MEAC/SWAC Challenge between South Carolina State and Grambling, he’ll have a rooting interest for both programs. Much like the late Eddie Robinson is synonymous with Grambling, Jeffries is seen as the face of the Bulldogs eight years after his retirement. He also served eight months in 2005 as the Tigers’ athletic director.

These days, Jeffries remains a man on the go from speaking engagements, to contributing to charitable causes. In an interview with T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr., Jeffries talks about his post-retirement, S.C. State football and Coach Rob:

Q. In the eight years since coaching your last game at South Carolina State, you’ve been one of the hardest-working men in retirement. What is a typical day like for you?

Path to sports glory isn't always on the field

After a solid run playing linebacker at Duke University, where he lettered in his final season, Robert Vowels anticipated joining the helmeted warriors who knocked heads for big bucks on Sundays. Being cut by a pro-football team took the starch out that plan. Nevertheless, he got up, dusted himself off and made the transition from star player to studious pupil. He earned his law degree and, over time, parlayed his education into a series of upwardly mobile executive positions within college sports.

As he told the 350 or so juniors and seniors who attended the ESPN 101 Career Panel this week, reality may have cut short his on-field dreams, but having a Plan B kept him in the game. "Once you get punched in the face the first time, you have to make some choices," said Vowels, vice president for educational affairs for the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

It was a pin-drop moment in a session replete with such moments at the Walt Disney World branch of Boys & Girls Club in Pine Hills. When Vowels spoke, the crowd — consisting largely of hoopsters, footballers, and Stuart Scott wannabes from Evans, Jones, and Oak Ridge high schools in Orlando — listened intently. The session, among the activities orbiting the Disney-sponsored MEAC/SWAC Challenge football game, which pits two historically black colleges, was meant to familiarize sports-minded students with other pursuits.

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MEAC/SWAC Challenge: S.C. State 101 Marching Band

Alabama A&M 24, Tennessee State 7

A&M confidence high after romp

Bulldogs answer many preseason questions in 24-7 opening victory. Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones had questions about his football team he was hoping to answer in Saturday night's season opener against Tennessee State. How much had quarterback Kevin Atkins matured since last season? Could the Bulldogs get their running game - which was nonexistent last season - going again? Could A&M's defense regain the form it had in recent years before last season? Had the Bulldogs improved their special teams - particularly their kickoff coverage team - from a year ago?

A&M answered those questions with a resounding "yes" en route to a 24-7 win over Tennessee State. A&M answered those questions with a resounding "yes" en route to a 24-7 win over Tennessee State. "I was impressed with the way our kids responded to the challenge," Jones said Sunday. "The big challenge was playing in an NFL stadium. That could have been intimidating, but our guys rose to the challenge. We played well for the first time out."

TSU loses more than opening game

The news went from bad to worse for Tennessee State in its season opener Saturday night against Alabama A&M. First, it became obvious early that the Tigers have a long way to go to rebuild their depleted offense. Then, just as the offense started to show signs of life, quarterback Dominic Grooms was knocked out of the game. Alabama A&M coasted to a 24-7 win in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field before a crowd of 23,871.

The lopsided loss left the Tigers, who were coming off an 8-4 record in 2008, with more questions than before the game started. "I knew going in that our offense was going to take some time to jell," TSU Coach James Webster said. "We had nine new starters. I did expect us to perform better than what we did. And now losing our quarterback, that sets us back even further." Grooms suffered a severe hamstring pull and is out indefinitely.

Photo Gallery: TSU vs. Alabama A&M

TSU QB Jeremy Perry poor decision making earns the criticism of his coach, James Webster.

TSU coach criticizes backup quarterback's play

Tennessee State Coach James Webster did not sugarcoat his comments when asked to evaluate the performance by quarterback Jeremy Perry, who replaced injured starter Dominic Grooms in the Tigers' 24-7 loss to Alabama A&M. Two of Perry's first four passes were intercepted and he finished 10-of-30 for 136 yards and was sacked twice. He failed to get the offense in scoring position until late in the game and then, with the ball on Alabama A&M's 23, tossed four consecutive incomplete passes.

"The one thing we always say is to protect the football,'' Webster said. "If he protects the football we've got a chance to win. He threw two interceptions so he didn't protect the football. I thought he did some good things, but we've got to protect the football. We can't have turnovers."

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Alabama State 38, Concordia 33

ALABAMA STATE 38, CONCORDIA 33: Hornets hold off Concordia

Alabama State got more than it bargained for Saturday night. What some thought would be a routine season opener turned into a fight for survival. Concordia College of Selma rallied from an early deficit and pulled within one score of upsetting ASU in the final minutes at Cramton Bowl. ASU's defense made a final stand at its 26 to seal a 38-33 win. "We weren't overlooking them. That wasn't the problem," ASU linebacker Adrian Hardy said. "We knew they would be ready to play and we expected it to be a fight. It was."

ASU head coach Reggie Barlow said the game was a starting point. "This game served its purpose," Barlow said. "We got to see our team under the lights and we got a look at how we would perform. We've got a long way to go." The game may have served its purpose, but not without leaving Barlow and his Hornets sweating the finals minutes. After watching a 38-14 lead disappear in the final 17 minutes, ASU needed its defense to step up.

Photo Galleries: ASU plays Concordia College

Hornets' comeback falls short

Concordia College football coach Shepherd Skanes felt the pain Saturday night. Not the pain of losing 38-33 to Alabama State University in the Cramton Bowl. The pain of not winning, however, cut to the quick. “As hard as we played tonight, it hurts,” said Skanes, whose Hornets dropped to 1-1 with the narrow defeat. “We were supposed to win.” Skanes had problems with the amount of penalties and the officiating difficulties the Hornets suffered during the game.

After having to deal with nine penalties for 74 yards in the first half, Concordia had to call attention to the time clock, which was running after an incomplete pass. “I know (the officials) did what they had to do, what they were supposed to do,” he said. “But it's not supposed to be that way.” Concordia pulled within three scores to open the fourth quarter when quarterback T'Chelpio Woods hit Calvin Cornish for a 19-yard TD pass with 9:22 to play. ASU led 38-27.

ASU Hornets Jermaine Peryear fights for yardage against Concordia defense.

Maturity RB Traylor's top trait

Rahmod Traylor is mature. To Alabama State head coach Reggie Barlow, that's the most obvious character trait in his senior running back. No matter the situation, no matter the circumstances, Barlow and the rest of the ASU coaches know that Traylor will do what's expected and what's right. Every time. "He's a guy that's just always there, always steady," Barlow said. "That maturity is so important to have around a team. Having that guy you can count on to be accountable and be where he's supposed to be is a great lesson for the other players." Being where he's supposed to be has been a bit difficult for Traylor the last couple of seasons.

Woods takes Hornets to ASU

Concordia College junior quarterback T’Chelpio Woods played two years at Alabama State, but his return to Montgomery to face his former team Saturday will not be a homecoming. “I’m from Selma,” Woods said Thursday on the Hornets’ practice field. “Whether we win or lose, it’s a milestone for us, showing how far we’ve gone. They’ve got everything to lose. We’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Woods played two years at Selma High before completing his high school football at Central Christian Academy. The Hornets (1-0) of Dallas County have the momentum from last week’s season opener, when they shellacked Texas College 68-0. They will be the opponent in the season opener for the Hornets of Montgomery County. Alabama State is a larger school than Concordia, but that doesn’t concern Woods.

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MEAC/SWAC: HBCUs' real challenge is survival

SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp, "Disney and the City of Orlando have done an excellent job, but I want to bring it [MEAC/SWAC Challenge] back to Birmingham," Sharp said.

The lousy economy has long tentacles. It's all about survival, whether it's a distressed auto industry or banks trying to regain their footing. No different whether the business model involves Manolo Blahniks or football cleats. There are 105 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in this nation. Two of them gathered their football teams, fans and alumni in Central Florida this weekend for a smorgasbord of events meant to pump up not only interest but financial stability.

MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas, "The landscape is tough but it's nothing that we haven't experienced over an extended period of time."

South Carolina State University and Grambling State University put on an entertaining show during the Fifth Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge at the Florida Citrus Bowl Sunday afternoon. South Carolina State won, 34-31, on a defensive stop in the final minutes when cornerback Semaj Moody intercepted a pass by Greg Dillon. It was a pleasant way to spend three-plus hours despite the occasional drop of rain. But when everybody packs up and goes home, it's time to put away the party favors and deal with the economic realities: Many non-state-supported HBCUs are trying to stay solvent, given increased educational costs, and drops in endowments and financial aid for students.

2009 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Attendance: 21,367.

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Shooting sidelines FAMU's Running Back Page for season

"The involved parties had no affiliation with FAMU except for the victims."

Running back Lonvontae Page had mixed emotions Sunday afternoon while sitting in FAMU's locker room. He was glad to be alive after being shot in his left forearm Saturday night. Some anger was in his voice as he talked about the incident that ruined what was the best start to his college football career. He will miss the remaining games this season and will request a medical red shirt, coach Joe Taylor said.
























Sophomore RB Lonvontae Page plows 6 yards for Rattler TD, gaining 61 yards on 20 carries in FAMU 21-12 win over Delaware State Hornets.

Page was the victim of a stray bullet about two hours after he'd rushed for 61 yards on 20 carries to help the Rattlers beat Delaware State 21-12 in their season opener. His 14-year old cousin, Quinterrius Page, also was struck in the jaw by the same bullet that wounded the sophomore running back. A third victim was identified as a 17-year-old. FAMU police arrested a 17-year old boy Sunday morning on three counts each of felony battery using a deadly weapon, firing a weapon in public and crimes against persons, said FAMU Police Chief Calvin Ross.

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Arkansas State 61, Mississippi Valley 0

MVSU Delta Devils head coach Willie Totten

Red Wolves Roll Past Mississippi Valley State in Season Opener

Senior tailback Reggie Arnold rushed for 126 yards and four touchdowns and senior quarterback Corey Leonard became the Arkansas State all-time yardage leader as the Red Wolves rolled to 61-0 victory over the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils in the season opener Saturday night at ASU Stadium. Leonard passed for 129 yards and a touchdown and rushed for seven more to finish the night with 7,433 career yards, surpassing Cleo Lemon's mark of 7,309 set from 1997-2000.

Arkansas State piled up 496 yards on the night while holding the Delta Devils to 69 yards of total offense. The shutout was the Red Wolves' first since a 3-0 overtime victory over Florida Atlantic during the 2005 season. "We did what we needed to do, we came out and got a victory," said ASU head coach Steve Roberts. "I was very proud of the preparation of our young men, coming out and taking care of business. We got to play a lot of people tonight and got sloppy towards the end on special teams, but I thought our offense and defense continued to play well. We got a lot of guys on scout team who never get an opportunity to play, and we rewarded them by letting them play in the 3rd and 4th quarters."

Next up for Arkansas St.: Nebraska

Arkansas State won't have long to savor its 61-0 victory over Mississippi Valley State. Next up for the Red Wolves is a trip Saturday to Nebraska, which opened its season with a 49-3 victory over Florida Atlantic. Like ASU, Florida Atlantic is a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Against Mississippi Valley, Reggie Arnold scored four touchdowns for the Red Wolves and rushed for 126 yards on 12 carries. Corey Leonard completed 8 of 13 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown, and he rushed for another 10 yards. Leonard became ASU's leader in career total offense, with 7,433 yards. ASU's defense held the Delta Devils to 69 total yards.

Delta Devils Armon Williams goes in for the tackle.

Valley braced for brutal first game

Mississippi Valley State's first game will be its toughest. Trying to rebound from back-to-back 3-9 seasons, the Delta Devils kick off the 2009 season Saturday at Arkansas State - a Football Bowl Subdivision team (formerly known as Division I-A) that returns 17 starters from last year's team that went 6-6 and defeated Texas A&M."No doubt this will be a challenge for us," Valley coach Willie Totten said. "They play a lot of tough competition in Division I-A in the Sun Belt conference."The good news is that we will know exactly where we are with this team, and with an open date coming up, we will have two weeks to get it right before we open conference play.

"The Red Wolves are 4-0 against Southwestern Athletic Conference teams, with the last two wins coming in major blowouts (55-3 over MVSU in 1995 and 83-10 over Texas Southern in 2008). This is obviously not the way Totten would have preferred to open the season, but this game gives Valley's strapped athletic budget a boost because Arkansas State will pay MVSU $200,000 to play Saturday. Totten says the program should net at least $185,000 once all the travel expenses are paid.

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Southern Mississippi 52, Alcorn State Braves 0

Davis fuels rout

HATTIESBURG, MS - Austin Davis directed the Southern Miss offense with efficiency Saturday night against Alcorn State, finding everyone of his playmakers with ease in the first game of the season. With his biggest target, DeAndre Brown, standing on the sideline in jeans, Davis picked apart the Alcorn State defense as every key player on the Golden Eagles offense had several opportunities with the ball in their hands.

"What Austin has done is he's doing a better job of managing the offense," coach Larry Fedora said. "He's got a fresh understanding of what we want him to accomplish. He's going to take the open receiver because he's reading the coverage to see where it should go." Southern Miss cruised to a 52-0 victory over the SWAC team from Lorman before a record crowd of 36,232 at M.M. Roberts Stadium.

Collins: character will show on film

First-year Alcorn State head football coach Earnest Collins Jr. has much better memories from his first visit to Roberts Stadium than the ones he and his Braves carried back to Lorman on Saturday night. In 2007, Collins was defensive backs coach for Central Florida when the Knights left Hattiesburg with a Conference USA victory over Southern Miss. Saturday night was a completely different story, as the Golden Eagles struck early and often, handing the Braves a 52-0 thumping before the largest crowd in stadium history - 36,232 - in the season opener for both teams.

"I'm a realist," said Collins, who was associate head coach/defensive coordinator for the Braves last season. "The first part is, we didn't execute like we should have. The second part is, to put it bluntly, we were outmanned." Collins paused, offering a possible third part.

Photo Gallery: USM-Alcorn

Schools, fans honor McNair

Roars reverberated at Roberts Stadium Saturday well before the University of Southern Mississippi and Alcorn State University lined up in the historic first meeting between the intrastate rivals. Damion Fletcher’s picture, looming from the big board over the south end of the stadium, revved up the Black and Gold faithful every time. The U.S. Army’s parachutist team turned the crowd into children, with eyes turned to the sky and fingers pointing at the smoky, red swirls following the Black Daggers descent into the stadium.

But the most poignant applause came during a video tribute to the late Steve McNair, the Mount Olive native who rose to national prominence while quarterbacking the Braves and whose summer football camp was an annual fixture on the USM campus. McNair, who went on to become a standout in the National Football League with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens during a 13-year career, was shot and killed on July 4 in Nashville. Thousands attended a memorial service a week later at USM’s basketball arena, Green Coliseum.


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Mississippi State 45, Jackson State 7

Dogs deliver

Hungry Mississippi State fans waited nine long months for Dan Mullen's coaching debut. Then, they had to wait about 30 extra minutes because of lightning that accompanied a pre-game rainstorm. That's not all. They then had to wait another two sluggish quarters before Mullen's Bulldogs carried through on his preseason vow: "THIS is going to be exciting." Finally, it was. Here's some of what we can take from State's 45-7 victory over Jackson State in the first-ever meeting between a Southeastern Conference team and one from the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Great idea. All tickets were sold. Tail-gating fans jammed this lovely, old campus. State got what it wanted, a capacity crowd and a relatively easy victory. Jackson State earned the biggest payday in school history. This was a no-brainer. Let's do it again. Next time, JSU, bring a long snapper.

JSU was over-matched with SEC foe Mississippi State Bulldogs. Coach Comegy had no answers for Bulldog attack before full house of 54,232 fans.

QB Rutland struggles but keeps job

The saga surrounding Tray Rutland continued Saturday as Jackson State lost 45-7 to Mississippi State at Scott Field. The JSU quarterback was named the starter last week despite coach Rick Comegy having named redshirt freshman Dedric McDonald the No. 1 the previous two weeks. Rutland's performance was fairly consistent with what fans have seen over the past few years. There were flashes of brilliance, like his 52-yard pass to Keenan Tillman and a 32-yarder to Carlos Everett. Then there was the interception to Corey Broomfield, who returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. Rutland threw a touch pass down the middle of the field when he should have put more arm into the pass.

He completed 8 of 19 passes for 132 yards with two interceptions and zero touchdowns. Rutland led JSU with 46 rushing yards on 14 carries. "I thought (he) was spotty," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "He made some good calls and some good checks ... but I know Tray Rutland has a better football game in him than what he displayed today. There's a lot we got to talk about from an offensive point of view."

Kareem Copeland's Talking Points

Special teams meltdown. There's a sure-fire way to take yourself out of a game when playing up a division - poor special teams play. That's exactly what Jackson State put on the field on Saturday. JSU found out only this week that long snapper LaDarius Kimp, who was a late addition to camp, was not eligible. So, receiver Cedric Dixon was forced into action with just two days practice, coach Rick Comegy said.

Dixon, who just returned from an injury to practice this week, had three snaps on punts that never got six inches off the ground. Punter Brett Bennett had to dive on two, giving MSU the ball inside JSU's 25-yard line both times. Fortunately for JSU, the Bulldogs only came away with seven points after missing a field goal on the second miscue. The question is: Why hadn't another long snapper been prepared if Kimp's paperwork wasn't submitted and his status was in doubt?What happened to the GP?

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I-40 Show Down: NCAT Aggies vs WSSU Rams

North Carolina A&T 19, Winston Salem State 10

Aggies start Lee era with statement win

Alonzo Lee built a reputation as an aggressive defensive coordinator in 12 seasons coaching in the MEAC. Turns out Alonzo Lee the head coach is even more aggressive. Senior quarterback Carlton Fears passed for 131 yards and ran for 78 and a touchdown to lead N.C. A&T's offense during a 19-10 victory over Winston-Salem State in Lee's debut as the Aggies' head coach Saturday night at Bowman Gray Stadium. It wasn't that close.

The Aggies' offense left some scoring chances on the field. They missed a field-goal attempt, saw another field-goal try blocked, got stopped on a fourth-and-3 gamble at the 8 and let the first-half clock run out 2 yards short of the end zone. "I thought we moved the ball well, but we've got to get better in the red zone," Lee said. "We were in the red zone too many times where we did not come up with points. We've got to work on it. We're going to go back to the drawing board and find our best red-zone plays and get better." On this night, the Aggies didn't need those points because their defense was flat-out dominant. A&T grudgingly surrendered just 90 total yards, had four sacks and recovered two fumbles.

Photo Gallery: N.C. A&T 19, Winston-Salem State 10

Aggies beat Rams 19-10

N.C. A&T won the backyard battle with Winston-Salem State, mainly because it had fewer mistakes. The Aggies won 19-10 in front of a sellout crowd of 22,000 at Bowman Gray Stadium. Coach Alonzo Lee of the Aggies, making his debut, built his reputation on defense as an assistant coach. That trait has carried over because the Aggies held the offensive-stagnant Rams to just 90 yards. The Rams' defense, spending way too much time on the field, tired in the fourth quarter and the Aggies took advantage. Coach Kermit Blount of the Rams summed it up best: "The bottom line is we can't turn the ball over and we can't keep our defense out there as long as we did."

The game was tied at 10 going into the fourth quarter, but the momentum swung toward the Aggies after a bad snap on a punt by long-snapper Rodney Taylor of the Rams. Pinned deep in their own territory punter Landon Thayer had to fall on a bad snap that nearly sailed all the way over his head. The Aggies took over on the Rams' 10 and after the defense held again; freshman place-kicker Patrick Courtney made a 25-yard field goal for a 13-10 lead with 7:54 left. The way the Rams' offense was going, the field goal was enough.

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Arkansas-Monticello 27, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3

Arkansas-Pine Bluff had put together a couple of lengthy drives. Mickey Dean was finding small holes to dart through. And, most importantly, it was keeping ultra-dangerous Scott Buisson from finding creases to run or pass through. No, the first half of Saturday’s season-opener against Arkansas-Monticello didn’t go exactly as planned for the Golden Lions. But there were enough positives to go into halftime with upbeat spirits and a three-point lead. But that’s when time seemed to travel back to last year’s loss to the Boll Weevils, when UAPB lost its starting quarterback and a series of turnovers led to Buisson making big plays that eventually buried the Golden Lions.

Three touchdowns scored off UAPB mistakes — a roughing-the-punter penalty that continued a drive and two fumbles — led to 20 UAM points in the third quarter of an eventual 27-3 win for the Boll Weevils at Golden Lion Stadium. For UAPB coach Monte Coleman, it was proof that all the plays that turned games into disaster for his team last season are not yet out of their system. “What caused it to happen? I have no idea,” Coleman said. “That’s the most disappointing thing about it, because I know for a fact we’re a better football team than what we played tonight.”


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Q&A with Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman

There will be a mix of new and old on the roster of the defending MEAC champions this season. Nine players return from Morgan State’s NCAA tournament team, but Bears head coach Todd Bozeman is adding five new faces to the mix. Point guard Danny Smith (5-11, 190 pounds), combo guard Joe Davis (6-0, 180), shooting guard Jarrod Denard (6-2, 185), power forward DeWayne Jackson (6-8, 210) and center Anthony Anderson (6-10, 235) will all suit up for Morgan State this season.

Morgan State University Bears Coach Todd Bozeman has a new contract and a top-notch incoming class of multidimensional players.

Smith, a Randallstown native and Woodlawn graduate, will have two years of eligibility remaining after playing at Western Nebraska Community College the past two seasons. Davis, a junior from Warrensville, Ohio, sat out last year as a transfer from Cleveland State, where he averaged 8.8 points per game in his first two seasons. Denard was a highly touted shooting guard from Philadelphia’s Freire Charter School. Jackson, a Bowie High graduate, and Anderson, a LaPlata alumnus, both enrolled at Morgan one year ago and sat out as non-qualifiers. They will each have four years of eligibility remaining. Bozeman spoke with Recruiting Report recently about Morgan State’s incoming class.

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Prairie View A&M 17, Texas Southern 7

PVAMU extends reign over TSU at Labor Day Classic

It wasn’t exactly a classic way to open the season. Not for either school. Nonetheless, Prairie View A&M will savor a 17-7 season-opening victory over Texas Southern on Saturday night in the State Farm Labor Day Classic at Reliant Stadium. The Panthers have won the last three Labor Day Classic games. Prairie View escaped with a win in this Southwestern Athletic Conference game, despite producing just 176 yards of offense and committing 13 penalties. TSU had 204 yards of offense and was penalized 20 times.

On their first possession of the fourth quarter, the Tigers were forced to punt from their goal line, giving the Panthers excellent field position. Anthony Weeden returned the punt to the TSU 15 to set up quarterback Jay Bluford’s touchdown pass to Brandon Bell to push the Panthers ahead by 10 points with 12:02 to go. “We went into the game blind,” Bluford said. “We had absolutely nothing to go off. We had to make adjustments on the fly. We had no film. (Offensive coordinator Michael) Bryant did a wonderful job today, especially not knowing what they were going to throw at us.

Photo Gallery:
• Photos: Football and music at Labor Day Classic

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Shaw University 20, Bethune-Cookman 6

Bethune Cookman Wildcat twins Antonio and Antwane Cox.

B-CU commits 7 turnovers in loss to Shaw

Bethune-Cookman knew it would be playing a formidable foe Saturday. But the Wildcats had no idea they would be playing against two of them -- Division II power Shaw and themselves. The Wildcats turned the ball over seven times, including four inside the Bears 12-yard line, as Shaw upset B-CU 20-6 in the 'Cats' season-opener Saturday at Municipal Stadium. "(Saturday) the people that beat us have Wildcats on their jerseys," said B-CU quarterback Matt Johnson, who provided a spark off the bench with 126 total yards, but, like starter Maurice Francois, had trouble getting his team into the end zone.

The Wildcats fumbled six times, five times inside Shaw territory. Running back Brian Sumlar, who rushed for 67 yards and a 12-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats' lone score, fumbled at the Bears 10 and 6. Francois fumbled at the 5 in the fourth quarter. And Johnson threw an interception at Shaw's 11 on B-CU's first possession of the second half. "What else can you do? We had opportunities to score touchdowns," B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt said. "Fumbles killed us; they were our worst nightmare."

Big Cash Schools in B-CU's future

Shaw University backup quarterback Brandon Landers strutted off the field Saturday after the Bears upset Bethune-Cookman 20-6 before 4,137 stunned fans at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium. "We don't have to jump around," Landers exclaimed. "We're supposed to win." A few years down the road, it's possible that a similar scene could unfold in a much larger stadium. And the underdog winner could be wearing Bethune-Cookman's Maroon and Gold instead of Shaw's Maroon and White.

While Division II Shaw played a Division I Football Championship Subdivision opponent for the competition, B-CU could follow a growing trend and play at a Bowl Championship Series team mainly for the guaranteed money. "For me," B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson said, "BCS means Big Cash Schools." The Wildcats always turned away guaranteed games in the past because B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt was afraid his squad would get badly beaten up -- physically and mentally by the bigger and deeper D-I powerhouses. But due to the downward spiraling economy, the 'Cats have been listening to offers in recent years. And what started as a trickle has become a raging river of offers.

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Louisiana-Lafayette 42, Southern Jaguars 19

Southern University Jaguars Coach Pete Richards begins 17th season on the Bluff with expectations of winning the 2009 SWAC Championship after blowing a 12-7 lead at ULL.

Missed opportunities

Jaguars lead early, but fall to Cajuns...Wherever and whenever this season ends, the Southern football team probably won’t remember the final score of Saturday’s season opener — a 42-19 runaway for Louisiana-Lafayette, a game that started with a bevy of big plays and ended as a snoozer. The Jaguars might remember the record crowd of 41,357 at Cajun Field and how lively it seemed for the first two quarters. They’ll remember other things, too.

As they walked off the field, outmatched against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent that controlled the line of scrimmage and cashed in on their mistakes, the Jaguars were left to lament the opportunities they missed, the mistakes they made and the potential for a strong season that might still lie ahead. “Our goal is to get to the (Southwestern Athletic Conference) championship game,” 17th-year coach Pete Richardson said. “Now, we’ve just got to get back home and try to get some of our guys back together. “Every time we play up, it’s such a physical type game — and it’s a numbers game.

SU shakes off bumps, bruises

Southern coach Pete Richardson said his No. 1 priority in Saturday’s season opener at Louisiana-Lafayette — aside from winning, of course — was escaping Cajun Field with relatively few injuries. At the end of the Jaguars’ 42-19 loss, they appeared to get lucky. With 8:54 left in the first quarter, freshman cornerback Pierre Warford and senior free safety Anthony Wells collided while trying to make an interception near the Southern 10-yard line. Warford suffered a rib injury and did not return. Jeremy Ivory came off the bench to play corner, while House replaced Wells at free safety. Wells returned to the field later, but junior Jason House played much of the rest of the game.


Stewart keeps SU close

Jaguars leave opportunities on the field... For all of the success that Louisiana-Lafayette had operating against Southern’s defense, the Cajuns were in a tight battle for most of the first half of Saturday’s season-opening game. With wideout Juamorris Stewart threatening all of his single-game best numbers, Southern came away from a 42-19 loss at Cajun Field feeling like it left too many opportunities on the field. “We know, as an offense, we left a lot of points out there,” Stewart said. “We’re just going to have to get in the film room and work it out.”

Game Statistics: SU-ULL

Photo Gallery
Photos: ULL 42, Southern 19