Former JCSU football standout fits in with Montreal Alouettes

Former Johnson C. Smith University All-America De’Audra Dix (#35 in photo) is in his second season with the Canadian Football Leauge’s Montreal Alouettes.

De’Audra Dix is making the transition to playing cornerback in the Canadian Football League. Learning a new language, however, is more challenging.

Dix, a former Johnson C. Smith All-America, is in his second season with the Montreal Alouettes. After sitting the bench during the Alouettes’ 2009 Grey Cup championship run, he’s earned a spot in the starting lineup. Getting past the language hurdles in predominantly French-speaking Montreal is a different matter.

“I’ve learned a little French, but I kind of talk fast and my teammates don’t understand me anyway,” the Merritt Island, Florida, native said. “There are guys on the team who speak French and when you hear it enough you kind of understand what they’re saying, but I’m not fluent in it at all.” Dix, 26, is becoming more fluent as a cornerback in the pass-oriented CFL. Because the Canadian game is played on a field that is longer and wider than the American standard, defenders have to be quicker to compete. In his first start, a 54-51 loss to Saskatchewan in the season opener, he was credited with a pair of tackles and forced a fumble.

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MEAC/SWAC/CIAA/SIAC Players in the CFL.

# Name Pos I/N HT WT Birthdate College

B.C. Lions
1 Printers, Casey QB Import 6.02 225 1981-05-16 Florida A&M University
63 Olafioye, Jovan OL Import 6.06 325 1987-12-16 N.C. Central
84 Arceneaux, Emmanuel WR Import 6.02 211 1987-09-17 Alcorn State

Edmonton Eskimos
99 Pettway, Kenneth DE Import 6'3 248 1982-11-13 Grambling State
37 Williams, Roderick DB Import 5'11 180 1987-05-27 Alcorn State (Practice Squad)

Calgary Stampeders
94 Landry, Mike DL Import 6.03 266 1978-12-12 Southern University

Saskatchewan Roughriders
14 Patrick, James S Import 5.11 175 1982-06-07 Stillman College
26 Jones, Kitwana DE Import 6.00 227 1981-07-07 Hampton University
19 Byrd, Willie DB Import 6.03 198 1983-07-19 Miles College
(Practice Squad)

Winnipeg Blue Bombers
None

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
6 McDaniel, Marquay WR Import 5.10 205 1984-04-20 Hampton University

Toronto Argonauts
7 Carpenter, Dwaine DB Import 6.02 207 1976-11-04 North Carolina A&T
84 Lucas, Chad WR Import 6.01 201 1981-11-07 Alabama State
5 Heard, Denatay DB Import 5.09 169 1984-03-13 Stillman College (Injured)

Montreal Alouettes
35 Dix, De'Audra CB Import 5.10 160 1984-03-03 Johnson C. Smith
34 Marc, Emmanuel RB Import 5.11 200 1982-11-17 Delaware State (Practice Squad)

Hampton Roads moves closer to UFL

NORFOLK, VA — Professional football moved one step closer to Hampton Roads with the head of a recently-formed league in town to give his blessing officially and the team owner saying that he is likely to select a stadium in a month.

Michael Huyghue, commissioner of the fledgling United Football League, removed the "conditional" tag from the start-up franchise awarded to the area last month after fully vetting team owner Jim Speros and receiving assurances that a suitable playing facility could be secured.

"I wanted to bring the league in and get comfortable," Speros said Monday during a presser at downtown Norfolk's World Trade Center, "so people don't think we're trying to play this (area) against Richmond or Raleigh. That's over with. We put the stake down today. We're coming here, we're going to play football here in 2011, and the venue will be announced soon."

Speros, who spent weeks crisscrossing Hampton Roads, said that he will choose from Old Dominion's Foreman Field, Norfolk State's Dick Price Stadium, Harbor Park and the Virginia Beach Sportsplex for a game venue, though he intends to hold scrimmages and practices all over the area.

"The good news is right now that the league is comfortable with us," he said. "We have a home. All the mayors want us, the community wants us, the business leaders want us. There's nobody (who has) told us that they won't embrace it and help us be successful."



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SWAC basketball tournament expected to bring millions to Garland, area

SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp.

Dignitaries from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Garland and Richardson officially kicked-off planning for the conference's 2011 basketball tournament Tuesday at the Garland Special Events Center. The conference, which includes 10 historically black colleges including Grambling State University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University, will hold the tournament at the center for three years.

SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said he didn't know how much money the tournaments would bring to the area, but said Birmingham, Ala., which has previously hosted the event, realized about $10 million a year. Attendance at last year's tournament in Shreveport, La. was about 15,000 but he expected that to be higher in Garland. Sharp said the Dallas-area was a good fit for the tournament because it has the second-largest alumni base for the 10 universities.

The conference wants to expand and improve the three-day event which includes men's and women's tournaments. It has hired Urban Sports, a marketing firm, to plan and publicize the event. Garland school board member Linda Griffin said she is pleased to see the tournament because of the educational opportunities that are being planned for the event.

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UAPB Golden Lions Look for Reversal of Fortune

PINE BLUFF, AK — A year ago, UA-Pine Bluff was anxiously awaiting the opening of the football season hoping some late success from the previous fall would carry over into a big 2009. Just the opposite is true this year. UAPB is looking forward to the season, but hoping it starts much better than how 2009 ended.

In Coach Monte Coleman’s second year as head coach, after previously serving as Mo Forte’s defensive coordinator, his Golden Lions stubbed their toes late in the season after a 4-2 start that included a monumental 20-13 overtime win at Jackson State.

Starting with a home loss against Southern, UAPB dropped three of its last four games. Even Texas Southern got the better of the Golden Lions in Dallas’ Cotton Bowl Stadium at season’s end, 14-10. A 49-42 win over Grambling State in Little Rock in that four-game stretch could not mask the overall disappointment within the program in the last month.



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Former CFL Star Baggs Preparing for NFL

Warren Moon, Doug Flutie and Jeff Garcia dominated the CFL for years before becoming stars in the NFL. Joe Theisman, Raghib “Rocket” Ismail and Mike Sellers used the CFL to mature before having very successful NFL careers. Marv Levy cut his teeth as the head coach in Montreal before taking the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowls.

Cardinals’ linebacker Stevie Baggs hopes to be the next CFL success story as he’ll look to make an impact for Arizona’s pass rush in 2010.

After three straight All-American seasons at Bethune-Cookman, Baggs, nicknamed “Shakespeare” in college, spent time on the practice squad for Detroit and Jacksonville.

Baggs then moved north and was a run-of-the-mill player for four seasons in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Saskatchewan until last season. The Ft. Lauderdale native broke out in 2009, tallying 55 tackles, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. Those efforts earned Baggs Defensive Player of the Week honors on three different occasions.



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Erickson looking for second chance to advance S.C. State in playoffs

Catching up with South Carolina State kicker Blake Erickson is not hard.

Just try Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Sunday afternoons, around 1 p.m., and Erickson will likely be there aiming at the uprights. "I'm there anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half," Erickson said. "Just trying to get better."

An improving Erickson isn't good news for the MEAC because last season, he was as good as they come in the conference. Erickson, a junior this season, led the MEAC in scoring (87 points), field goals (12 of 14), field-goal percentage (82.4) and point after attempt percentage (97.8). He also led the conference in points scored per game (7.2).

"I thought I did pretty well," Erickson said Monday. "But, I want to keep getting better. Every year I want to keep getting better. I try to set my goal every year to ... I don't want to miss at all. I don't want to miss any field goals or extra points, and punting wise, I want to help the team and keep getting better at that." They key to getting better, according to Erickson, is those Sunday after noon sessions as well as the work with new S.C. State strength and conditioning coach Torre Becton.



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Lincoln University (PA) is moving up to Division II‎

Lincoln University approved for full NCAA Division II membership

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. — Lincoln University of Pennsylvania has been approved for active National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II membership effective September 1, 2010.

As a Division II member, Lincoln will be able to subscribe to the National Letter of Intent, apply for enhancement funds, and earn the right to compete for national championships. Additionally, the University becomes a voting member at the 2011 NCAA Convention.

Lincoln’s administration was notified of the move Friday, July 9, 2010 with a formal announcement expected from the NCAA on Tuesday once the NCAA liaisons return to the National Office.

“Developing our athletic program has been an extensive yet rewarding journey, and is an important component in achieving our institutional objectives for the academic and social development of our students,” said University President Ivory V. Nelson.

“With the University receiving full active membership as Division II coupled with our plans to upgrade our athletic facilities, our students can take advantage of a top tier athletic program. The requirements of the Division II Life in the Balance focus, where student athletes must excel in the classroom, on the field and in the community, exemplifies the primary reason for Lincoln University seeking Division II status. The Membership Committee’s approval has allowed us to achieve another momentous milestone in our history.”

The acceptance culminates Lincoln’s three-year transition from Division III to Division II. As active members, the Lions are able to petition the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (which Lincoln helped found in 1912) for membership. The CIAA is the nation's oldest Black athletic conference. The CIAA is entering its 99th year of existence.

“The conference is excited to welcome home one of our founding institutions,” said CIAA Commissioner Leon Kerry. “Lincoln (PA) has a rich history, dedicated fan base and a prominent athletic program that will undoubtedly add to the continued success of the CIAA.”

The CIAA, which Lincoln has competed in heavily since the 2007-08 year, has 12 member schools as far north as Bowie State in Bowie, Md., and as far south as Fayetteville State in Fayetteville, N.C. With the

additions of Lincoln University and Winston-Salem State for the 2010-11 year, the conference split into northern and southern divisions in each of its sports except for baseball.

Lincoln Director of Athletics Dianthia Ford-Kee welcomes a full return to the conference she was familiar with for so long. She played basketball and softball at Fayetteville State and spent 18 years as a coach and administrator at Shaw University, located in Raleigh, N.C. She arrived at Lincoln prior to the 2008-09 season and is eager to begin her third year at the helm of the department.

“This is a great moment in Lincoln University’s rich athletic history,” said Ford-Kee. “I am proud to have played a part in this transition. My staff and I are excited about the opportunities that our student-athletes will embark upon as an active NCAA Division II member and as well as the official return to the CIAA. Many thanks to the NCAA DII Membership Committee and its representatives for the guidance and support provided throughout the transition.”

The conference affiliation is the Lions’ first since 1992-93 when they were a part of the Eastern States Athletic Conference in Division III, which included institutions such as Salisbury (Md.), Allentown (now DeSales), Frostburg State (Md.) and Shenandoah (Va.).

Men and women’s soccer will compete in Division II as an independent, as the CIAA does not sponsor those sports.

Office of Sports Information
Lincoln University ∙ 15710 Baltimore Pike ∙ Lincoln University, PA 19352

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Lincoln University Lions 2010 Football Schedule

LU football schedule released

Sep. 5 Cheyney University of Pa. Philadelphia, Pa. 3 p.m.
Sep. 11 University of New Haven New Haven, Conn. 1 p.m.
Sep. 18 Virginia Union University Richmond, Va. 1 p.m.
Sep. 25 Saint Augustine’s College West Grove, Pa. 1 p.m.
Oct. 2 Howard University (Division I-AA) Washington, D.C. 1 p.m.
Oct. 9 Chowan University Murfreesboro, N.C. 6 p.m.
Oct. 16 Bowie State University Bowie, Md. 1 p.m.
Oct. 23 Virginia State University Petersburg, Va. 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 30 Saint Paul’s College West Grove, Pa. 1 p.m.
Nov. 6 Elizabeth City State West Grove, Pa. 1 p.m.

B-CU eyes big time, to play Miami in 2011, 2012; UCF in 2013

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Bethune-Cookman University's Wildcats have never scheduled one of college football's top-tier teams, and now that they're starting, they're not exactly dipping their toes in the water.

Athletics Director Lynn Thompson confirmed Monday the Wildcats will play the University of Miami -- one of the nation's most storied football programs -- in 2011 and 2012 and renew an old rivalry against another Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team, the University of Central Florida, in 2013.

"If you're going to swim with fish in the open ocean, you might as well swim with whales," Thompson said. "When we started looking at guarantee games, our intent was to get the best opponent we could play." They'll also haul in a whale of a payout.

Thompson said the three games will generate "well over a million dollars" for the university. Thompson confirmed the 'Cats received the going rate from the Hurricanes. Florida Championship Subdivision schools like B-CU have been receiving about $400,000 to $500,000 from Bowl Championship Series schools in recent years. Delaware State, another MEAC school, collected $550,000 to play at Michigan last season.

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Vermont's would-be Jackie Robinson came in '05

Tuskegee University's William Clarence Matthews, whose photo is adapted from a June 1905 image in McClure’s Magazine (courtesy of Karl Lindholm), began playing for Burlington in the Northern League later that summer. (Photo Illustration by Mark Bushnell).

The rumor arose in July 1905: William Clarence Matthews was about to become the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. The news reached Vermont just days after Matthews did.

Matthews, who had just graduated from Harvard (University), had signed to play shortstop for the Burlington team in the Northern League. The rumor, which first appeared in the pages of the Boston Traveler newspaper, was that Fred Tenney, manager of Boston's National League club, was considering adding Matthews to his roster.

If a club was looking for a player to test the unwritten rule that kept blacks out of the major leagues, Matthews was an excellent candidate. Well-educated, well-spoken and well-liked, Matthews seems to have had the temperament and intellect to bear the pressure that would come with being the player to break the "color line." And, as he had proved while leading Harvard, one of the country's best amateur teams, he could hold his own with the best white players.

Today, we know that the rumor never came to fruition. The world would have to wait 42 more years for Jackie Robinson to break the color line. But thank goodness the Traveler printed the rumor, whether or not it had any basis in fact. Otherwise, Matthews might have been lost to the ages.

The notice in the Traveler sparked debate in newspapers around the country. That debate was mentioned briefly in a couple of books about blacks in baseball. When Vermont scholar Karl Lindholm saw those few lines, he suspected there was more to the story. He has been working since to resurrect Matthews from obscurity.

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Karl Lindholm is a Dean of Cook Commons and Assistant Professor of American Studies at Middlebury College. He specializes in the study of baseball, the Negro leagues in particular, and has published widely on baseball topics. He has written about William Clarence Matthews for academic journals and other magazines and is nearing completion of a full-length biography. Most of the details in this column come from Lindholm's research. Lindholm earned his B.A.( English ) from Middlebury (1967) and holds a Ph.D in American Studies (American Literature) from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Football season is only six weeks away

Excerpt:

Lorman, MS - On the college circuit, the feeling at Alcorn State is completely different than it was this time last year. While last year, the Braves were coming off a messy coaching change and 2-10 season, this year there is hope as coach Earnest Collins led his team to a surprising second place finish in the SWAC East division and a 14-7 victory over archrival Jackson State in the Capital City Classic.

Alcorn has some good things going for it this season, most notably a more favorable schedule. Instead of opening their season on the road against Bowl Subdivision teams Southern Miss and Central Michigan, the Braves open their 2010 season at home against NAIA school Langston. They then take a week off before beginning SWAC play against Mississippi Valley State at Soldier Field in Chicago.

The Braves do have to replace all-everything quarterback Tim Buckley, but do return their top receivers Edward Johnson and Terrance Lewis and their entire stable of running backs, as well as several key defensive starters.

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The shots heard around our world

Fred Lane Jr. beat the odds by rising from tiny Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee to become the NFL Carolina Panthers' career rushing leader(1997 to 2000) before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts in the Spring 2000.

The former Carolina Panther had just returned home from visiting relatives in Tennessee in July 2000, after training with his new team, when he was shot to death in the door of his Charlotte home, ambushed by his wife, Deidre Lane.

Fred Lane's killing 10 years ago created another shock to Charlotte pro sports.

Ten years ago today, Fred Lane died just inside his home in south Charlotte, shot twice by his own wife. Police found his body just inside the front door. His keys still hung in the door lock, a detail that haunts me a decade later. It was a horrifying moment in Charlotte's sports history. If you lived here then, you probably remember where you were when you heard of the shooting of Lane, a former Carolina Panthers starting running back. I certainly do - it was one of the oddest, saddest days of my journalism career.

Lane, 24, was killed by his estranged wife Deidra Lane at their South Charlotte home. She shot her husband twice at close range with a 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun. The first blast struck his chest. The second hit the back of his head. Deidra Lane ultimately pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2003 in connection with her husband's death. She was released from prison in 2009. Deidra and Fred Lane had a newborn daughter who was seven days old at the time of the shooting. That child had her 10th birthday last week.

Deidra Lane, the widow of slain former Carolina Panthers running back Fred Lane.

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South Carolina State Legend Gets His Due

Coach Jeffries reflects on his journey through college football history before Hall of Fame induction.

Willie Jeffries, his wife, Mary, and two of his children have a road trip on tap this week to South Bend, Indiana. It’s not a pilgrimage to Notre Dame. No, Jeffries is going to take his appointed place in the College Football Hall of Fame. The 2010 Enshrinement Festival runs Saturday and Sunday.

“It is quite an honor for me,” said Jeffries, whose 29-year college coaching career netted a 179-132-6 record, including a 128-77-4 mark in 19 seasons during twostints at South Carolina State, his alma mater.

“Being inducted into the college football hall of fame is the apex of my profession. In all my years of coaching, I never thought about any halls of fame, especially this one. There is no greater honor for a coach.”

Jeffries is a beloved South Carolinian — a man whose influence reaches beyond the field. In addition to being a member of several athletic halls of fame (South Carolina State, South Carolina, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Wichita, Kansas, to name a few), he is the recipient of two of the highest civilian honors in the state — the Order of the Silver Crescent for outstanding community service, and the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian award.



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2010 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ENSHRINEE BIO

WILLIE JEFFRIES - Howard University, Wichita State University, South Carolina State University Head Coach Emeritus - 179-132-6.


The first African-American to be hired as a head coach at a Division-I school (Wichita State), Willie Jeffries finished his career as the winningest coach in South Carolina State and MEAC history.

A three-time Black National Championship winner, Jeffries is credited with inventing the "Freeze Option" offense and is the only person in history to coach against College Football Hall of Famers Paul "Bear" Bryant and Eddie Robinson. Jeffries won the MEAC conference title seven times, six with SCSU and one with Howard. He has also coached College Football Hall of Famers Harry Carson and Donnie Shell.

Named coach of the year on eight different occasions, he was given the lifetime achievement award by the Black Coaches Association in 2002. An inductee of both the MEAC Hall of Fame and SCSU Athletic Hall of Fame, Jeffries was awarded the Order of the Silver Crescent in 2001, South Carolina's highest honor for Outstanding Community Service.

Jeffries was recently named head coach emeritus at South Carolina State and will serve as a liaison between the university, its alumni and other constituents. He currently resides in Elloree, S.C.

LINK: http://www.collegefootball.org/

Hard times dog Mississippi Valley Delta Devils athletics

Home football games moved to Greenville High; financial woes keep Delta Devils living on edge.

As bad days go for football coaches, Karl Morgan's story ranks up there. It was last winter - Morgan doesn't remember the date, and it's hard to blame him - when he was summoned to a campus-wide meeting to discuss Gov. Haley Barbour's proposal to merge his new employer, Mississippi Valley State, with the state's other two historically black public universities. Morgan, on the job just a few days, also found out that Rice-Totten Stadium was declared unsafe to use this season. Oh, and he wouldn't be able to hire all of his staff until a few months later.

"It was tough," he said with a laugh on a recent morning in his office.

Much of the scares from those days have blown over. The Legislature has since squashed the idea of consolidation, though the state's bleak fiscal picture at least suggests that further talks aren't out of the question. By the time August practice starts in advance of Valley's Sept. 4 opening game at Alabama State, Morgan expects to have his staff hired.

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UMES' Boozer named to College Football's Hall of Fame

PRINCESS ANNE, MD -- Emerson Boozer, who has garnered various honors for his abilities on the gridiron, can now add another accolade to his resume -- College Football Hall of Famer.

The former NFL running back and University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduate will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the weekend of July 16-17. Boozer will be the third UMES football representative inducted, following legendary coach Vernon "Skip" McCain in 2006 and Roger Brown last year.

"I was at home and my wife was on the computer and she says, 'Come here for a minute and read this,' " Boozer said. "Then I read about being accepted in the College Football Hall of Fame and being enshrined in July. I had to read it a couple of times to make sure that I had read what I had read."

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EMERSON BOOZER, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Halfback (1962-65)

A four-year letterman and storied halfback under legendary coach Vernon "Skip" McCain at Maryland Eastern Shore (formerly Maryland State College), Emerson Boozer ran over opposing defenses to secure a spot in the 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Class.

A two-time First Team All-America by the Pittsburgh Courier, Boozer amassed 2,537 yards and 22 touchdowns during his career. He averaged a remarkable 6.78 yards per carry and was named a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) All- Conference pick in 1964 and '65. He was also inducted into the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hall of Fame in 1982.

The New York Jets selected Boozer in the sixth round of the draft, and he played with the franchise for 10 seasons. He was named the 1966 Pittsburgh Courier AFL Rookie of the Year and was twice named a Pro Bowl selection. He also helped the Jets defeat the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

After his time in the pros, Boozer worked with CBS as an NFL analyst. He has been inducted into the State of Georgia and Suffolk Sports halls of fame. Now retired, he lives in Huntington Station, N.Y.

LINK: http://www.collegefootball.org/

FAMU's Printers suffers hamstring injury in Lions' loss to Riders

Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - British Columbia Lions starting quarterback Casey Printers suffered an apparent leg injury in the final minute of the first half of Saturday's 37-18 loss against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Printers was taken down by defensive end Brent Hawkins when he was hurt and limped gingerly off the field. Travis Lulay played under center for the second half. "I could've played but I couldn't risk making it worse. It was a precautionary thing to sit back. It's a long season," Printers said. Prior to suffering the injury, Printers completed 10-of-14 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

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Video Highlights: SSK 37, BC 18

BC Lions' had a brilliant night – except for the football

VANCOUVER — It was a great night for the lions. Stoic and noble, glorious and indomitable – those were the lions on the North Shore mountains. For the Lions down on the field, playing the first outdoor regular-season Canadian Football League game since 1982, B.C.'s football team was far eclipsed by its stadium. The Lions were far eclipsed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, too, losing 37-18 in a game that dulled the nostalgia of returning to Empire Field for the 2010 season.

The two best lions were those peaks in the Coast Range overlooking English Bay and Burrard Inlet. The only B.C. Lion close to them was Geroy Simon, whose first-half jumpball catch on Casey Printers' 32-yard heave-ho and a garbage-time grab of Travis Lulay's bomb for a 98-yard touchdown gave his team an illusion of competitiveness.

Roughriders spoil Lions' return to Empire lands before a sold-out crowd

VANCOUVER — The Empire didn't strike back, it struck out. Saskatchewan Roughriders stopped a five-game Lions win' streak against them at Hastings and Cassiar - albeit one that stretched back 28 years - as they crushed B.C. 37-18 before a sold-out crowd of 27,500 at Empire Field Saturday night. The game was the first CFL game played outdoors in Vancouver since the 1982 season at the former site of Empire Stadium, demolished after the Lions moved to BC Place a year later.

And demolished pretty much described the state of the Lions after their first regular-season game at Empire Field, the temporary, $15 million structure that is the team's contingency home while BC Place undergoes renovations for a retractable roof.

The Lions lost starting quarterback Casey Printers late in the second quarter with a strained quad muscle after he was flushed out of the pocket by defensive end Brent Hawkins, who was a monster all evening for the Roughriders. Besides his constant raids into the Lions backfield, Hawkins forced a fumble when he tackled Travis Lulay - Printers' replacement - then picked up the loose ball to score Saskatchewan's fourth touchown on 40-yard fumble return.


#1 Quarterback Casey Printers (FAMU)

CFLGame Video:

• Week 2: Roughriders vs. LionsPlay

Highlights: CGY 23, HAM 22

Highlights: TOR 36, WPG 34

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Shell’s play speaks for itself

Brandon Shell, a great-nephew of NFL and UMES Hall of Famer Art Shell, keeps low profile during recruiting. Brandon is ranked #74 by Rivals.com and is the #4 ranked recruit in South Carolina. He has a 5-star rating by Scout.com., and is already being projected as an NFL 1st round draft pick.

At first, the man whom some would call an NFL icon would sit in his car in the Goose Creek High (Goose Creek, South Carolina) parking lot. Apparently, the last thing Art Shell wanted to look like was a meddler. Yes, his great-nephew Brandon was a budding star at offensive tackle, the same position Art played on his way to a Hall of Fame career. But Art just sat in his car and watched Brandon. And Goose Creek coach Chuck Reedy kept on coaching.

“Not anything other than supportive,” Reedy said of Art’s involvement. “He will be involved in the process, but he’s not gonna tell him where to go.” Gradually, Art Shell has started to take on more of a role in the race between colleges for his great-nephew’s services. Art got out of the car and attended a couple practices, a scrimmage and a game. And, consciously or not, there is an obvious influence on Brandon Shell. Art Shell, who was born in Charleston, S.C., was named to eight Pro Bowls during an illustrious playing career. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

But he may be best known for being the first African-American coach in the NFL modern era (L.A. Raiders, 1990). Today, there are six black head coaches in the NFL, and three of the past four Super Bowls have featured a team with at least one black coach. Since he was fired in 1994, Shell has spent most of his time as an assistant coach or working for the NFL, except a one-year return to coach the Raiders in 2006. He lives in Atlanta.


WARNING: MUSIC is Offensive!!! Please mute sound. Video provided by tramelterry1's, a third party, and is NOT a reflection of Brandon Shell or MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street.

Now along comes Brandon, who at 6-foot-8 and 280 pounds reminds everyone of his great-uncle. College recruiters see the potential, with more than 30 offers to Shell, who recently whittled his list to South Carolina, Clemson, Alabama and Georgia.

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Stillman College/Detroit Lions DT Sammie Lee Hill Beating The Sophomore Slump

Former Stillman College and current Detroit Lions defensive tackle, Sammie Lee Hill (6'-4", 331 lbs., 5.20/40 yard dash), joins four other Tigers on NFL or CFL rosters.

Somewhere during the process of researching prospective players for selection in the NFL draft, the research has a way of revealing players to whom we gravitate for one reason or another. My research during the prelude to the 2009 NFL draft helped me discover a larger-than-life figure who had NFL-caliber defensive tackle size with enough athleticism to play “shut-down defensive end” for a small college in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The history of the former Stillman Institute is a fascinating read. From a small school steeped in roots with the Presbyterian Church comes a young man who Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham took under his wing to ensure the best possible transition for a homesick Sammie Lee. The information on Sammie Lee Hill from his NFL Combine profile is an intriguing read.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2009/profiles/sammie-lee-hill?id=79571

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Southern QBs to toss new balls

When he arrived at Southern University six months ago, first-year coach Stump Mitchell started to assess and review almost everything within the football program. Eventually, he even inspected the footballs themselves. Mitchell changed those, too.

When the Jaguars report for fall camp Aug. 3, they’ll break in a new set of footballs — the result of a new deal brokered between Mitchell and Wilson Sporting Goods Co., the Chicago-based firm that manufactures game balls for the NFL, not to mention thousands of other high school and college programs.

Mitchell said he made the move with two things in mind — quality and efficiency. “We’ve got to cut expenses around here. Everything is in cost-cutting mode at Southern,” Mitchell said. “So I had an opportunity to let our quarterbacks throw the Wilson. They liked it, and we just made the switch.” In recent years, SU had deals with Nike and Spalding, but the team was only allowed so many footballs per season. “With Wilson, we can get as many balls as we need,” he said. “The opportunity was afforded to me, and it worked out.”

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Clark Atlanta University hires Heritage coach Mike Davis

Just a year into its existence, Heritage High School (Palm Bay, Florida) is looking for a new leader for its football program. Mike Davis, who came to coach the Panthers from Bayside High, has taken an assistant coaching job at Clark Atlanta University, Heritage athletic director Greg McGrew said. Heritage has less than a month to find a replacement before football workouts begin. Phone messages left for Davis went unreturned Tuesday night.

"We're looking for a head coach with some experience. If anybody is interested, they should call me," McGrew said. "We want to go ahead and get the process going and see if somebody is interested in the county." McGrew was the athletics director at Bayside and brought Davis with him to begin the Panthers' program. In five years at Bayside, Davis led three teams to winning seasons. His 2006 and 2008 teams became the first in the school's history to make the playoffs.

Heritage went 0-9 in its first season, but the team consisted of only ninth- and 10th graders. In the coming season, the older of those will be 11th-graders, and there will be three classes available for the roster.

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Arrest made in Alabama A&M football player shooting

An arrest was made in the shooting death of an Alabama A&M football player.

According to the Birmingham News, police arrested and charged Terry Towns with murder and attempted murder. He's accused of shooting Alabama A&M football standout Maurice Thomas and injuring two others. The shooting happened last Friday inside a night club in Bessemer. Police say it started as a fight.

Towns, a 34 year old black male booked on July 3, was being held Friday night on bonds totaling $195,000, according to the Jefferson County (AL) Sheriff's Office. The shootings occurred on July 2, 2010.

Family and friends held a candlelight vigil outside Thomas' visitation Friday night. They leaned on each other for support while remembering the life of Thomas. His cousin said Thomas was more like a brother to her. She remembered when she learned about his death.

The funeral for the 23 year old Thomas will be held at Roosevelt City Church of Christ in Bessemer. Saturday morning.

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