Prairie View, Texas - Henry Frazier III was the face of the Prairie View A&M program for the last seven years before resigning as coach in December to become head coach at North Carolina Central. That left the task of carrying on the program's success to former defensive coordinator Heishma Northern.
Frazier led the Panthers to winning seasons in each of his final four years, winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in 2009. Northern played a huge role in that success, orchestrating a defense that was second in the Football Championship Subdivision in scoring defense in 2007 and third in 2008. The pressure will be on Northern to build on Frazier's numbers. Anything less than a strong season in 2011 would constitute a setback for the program.
The Panthers return only 10 starters and plan to go with a two-quarterback system in the ...
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
XU Nuggets' Reuther is GCAC Player of the Week
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana freshman Taylor Reuther is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women's volleyball for Aug. 22-28, the conference announced Monday.Reuther — a 5-foot-7 outside hitter from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans — earned the award after recording 16 kills and 17 digs Friday in Xavier's 25-19, 25-17, 18-25, 24-26, 15-12 season-opening loss at
Belhaven. Reuther did something no Gold Nugget did in 2010 — reach 15 kills and 15 digs in the same match. Xavier had only three individual kill-dig double-doubles in 37 matches last season.
Xavier (1-1) will play city rival Loyola in its next match at 6 p.m. Sunday at Loyola's home facility, The Den. Xavier's next home opponent will be Judson (Ala.) on Sept. 8.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorVISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
Grambling, Alcorn State favored to meet for SWAC title
About the SWACPlayer to watch
Casey Therriault, Jackson State
The quarterback took the SWAC by storm last season with 3,436 yards and 31 touchdowns - with just eight interceptions - and he'll likely be a sore spot for SWAC defensive coordinators again in 2011.
Overview
The SWAC saw an unusual amount of head-coaching turnover in its programs during the offseason. On top of that, SWAC member presidents voted to uphold the NCAA's postseason ban on Jackson State and Southern. Grambling State is the favorite in the Western Division and will be aiming for its first SWAC title since 2008. Jackson State is the favorite to win the East, but because the Tigers are ineligible to appear in the SWAC championship game, Alcorn State will be the next in line to represent that division.
Toughest schedule
Prairie View A&M
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Rutgers Football vs. NCCU Eagles: Know Your Opponent
Piscataway, NJ - Welcome to the first installment of a new feature – Know Your Opponent (KYO). Each Tuesday we will conduct a question and answer session with a representative from the Scarlet Knights opponent during that week. This week we hooked up with Chris Hooks, the Assistant Sports Information Director for North Carolina Central University and Play-by-Play man for the NCCU Sports Network.
If you have a moment, make sure to check out the Durham based NCCU athletics website and twitter feed. I do have to admit I was very impressed with the Eagles media campaign, which includes You Tube interviews. The program appears to have a growing following and they are excited about having this opportunity to play at Rutgers. Enjoy:
As this is your first season being fully integrated into FCS football what are your expectations for the 2011 season?
This will be my fourth football season as the radio play-by-play voice at NCCU and I can say this and get no odd looks from the Eagle faithful. The anticipation for this year, the excitement of a new coaching staff who has already proven to be a winner in their previous stops has this fan base ready to explode. The last few years have been a real struggle for the fans and for this program only because the transition to Division I is not easy, but we’ve made it and that’s why expectations this year are such. Our fans are ready to have that hope for a championship like every other FCS school in the nation.
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If you have a moment, make sure to check out the Durham based NCCU athletics website and twitter feed. I do have to admit I was very impressed with the Eagles media campaign, which includes You Tube interviews. The program appears to have a growing following and they are excited about having this opportunity to play at Rutgers. Enjoy:
As this is your first season being fully integrated into FCS football what are your expectations for the 2011 season?
This will be my fourth football season as the radio play-by-play voice at NCCU and I can say this and get no odd looks from the Eagle faithful. The anticipation for this year, the excitement of a new coaching staff who has already proven to be a winner in their previous stops has this fan base ready to explode. The last few years have been a real struggle for the fans and for this program only because the transition to Division I is not easy, but we’ve made it and that’s why expectations this year are such. Our fans are ready to have that hope for a championship like every other FCS school in the nation.
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NSU: Boyce starting at WR, special teams a strength
Norfolk, VA - When Norfolk State wide receiver Xavier Boyce isn’t sure of his route, or his role, in a certain play he’ll look to his wide receivers coach or offensive coordinator, shrug his shoulders and hold out his hands.
Fortunately for the Spartans, that’s happening less and less often.
“I pretty much have most of it,” Boyce said. “There’s still little kinks that I have to work on. The more I practice, the more I work on it, the more it’s going to come.”
So infrequently, in fact, that NSU bumped Boyce into its most important wide receiver position, the starter at the “X” position, which traditionally leads a Joe Blackwell offense in catches.
“He and Reggie are out there right now,” Adrian said. “I think as it develops you’ll see ...
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Fortunately for the Spartans, that’s happening less and less often.
“I pretty much have most of it,” Boyce said. “There’s still little kinks that I have to work on. The more I practice, the more I work on it, the more it’s going to come.”
So infrequently, in fact, that NSU bumped Boyce into its most important wide receiver position, the starter at the “X” position, which traditionally leads a Joe Blackwell offense in catches.
“He and Reggie are out there right now,” Adrian said. “I think as it develops you’ll see ...
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Pough says S.C. State Bulldogs are ready to play
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| Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough |
Those, it turns out, were already on the road to Mount Pleasant, Mich., for Thursday night's game against Central Michigan. Today, at noon, Pough and his team will follow. Kickoff Thursday is slated for 7:05 p.m. Between now and then, the Bulldogs won't step on the practice field again. That is fine with Pough.
"We are pretty much done," the Bulldog head coach said Tuesday evening. "By the time you get to this part of the year, we've had enough of this stuff. You need to go out and see if it's going to work or not. We will have our general, usual, pregame routine that we will do in Michigan, and we will go out Thursday night and let it happen."
Following his team's final practice of the preseason on Willie E. Jeffries Field ...
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Southern Jaguars season opener nears
Baton Rouge, LA - It's easy to see Southern University coach Stump Mitchell wants his football program to win more games than it did in his first season on campus.Mitchell knows, and rightfully so following a 2-9 season in 2010, the Jaguars have a lot of improving to do. Mitchell, who doesn't shy away from putting in long hours, knows it won't be easy turning around his slumping program.
So in an attempt to do so, Mitchell is keeping things simple, now only four days away from the beginning of his second season at SU.
"Our preseason preparation was like everyone else's as we were trying to get our offense and our defense going. But, to be honest, it was much better than it was last season because it was a continuation (of) what we did last season," Mitchell said Monday.
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Morgan Bears set for season-operner against Towson Tigers
Baltimore, MD - MSU goes into this year's season-opener game ranked No. 5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason poll. The Bears return 65 letterman, including 9 starters on offense and 6 on defense, from last year's squad that posted a 4-7 overall mark and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the MEAC. In 9 years under Hill, the Bears have won 46 games and finished ranked as high as No. 2 in the MEAC (2002). MSU lost four of their last five games, including a tough 21-16 loss to Hampton to cap the 2010 season. Junior Donovan Dickerson was named the starter when the Bears take on the Tigers. The Michigan product last stepped foot onto the field for a game on Oct. 2, 2010, where he completed 8-of-25 passes for 74 yards in a loss against Bethune-Cookman. Since that time, Dickerson has spent time during the offseason earning his way back to the starting quarterback position.
Other offensive standouts for the Bears include WR Winfred Diggs (29 rec., 322 yards, TD in 2010), Chuka Okakpu (28 rec., 325 yards, 4 TDs) and RB David Brown (439 rushing yard, 2 TDs in 2010). Defensively, DT Zary Stewart (40 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks), LB Allen Stephens (65 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss) and S Reshaude Miller (67 tackles, 4 INTs) headline a group that ranked No. 6 in the MEAC in scoring offense (18.8/g) and No. 7 in total defense (335.0/g). MSU's offense will be directed by William 'B.T.' Sherman and Joseph Wright, along and head coach Donald Hill-Eley. Donald Hill-Eley added Alonzo Lee as his defensive coordinator (Lee returns after a brief head coaching stint at A&T).
MSU Gamenotes
GAME #1
Saturday, September 3, 2011 • 7:00 p.m.
Johnny Unitas Stadium (Capacity 11,198) • Towson, Md.
RADIO: Morgan State Radio Network WEAA - 88.9 FM: Lamont Germany (play-by-play) & Kelvin Bridgers (color).
INTERNET: www.MorganStateBears.com ; www.Towsontigers.com
INTERNET COVERAGE: Click here -- Listen Live
TICKETS: Individual tickets to the Morgan State football game at Towson (Sept. 3) are now on sale. Fans may purchase tickets at the Towson University box office. Or call 410-704-5192.
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By MSU Media Relations
Other offensive standouts for the Bears include WR Winfred Diggs (29 rec., 322 yards, TD in 2010), Chuka Okakpu (28 rec., 325 yards, 4 TDs) and RB David Brown (439 rushing yard, 2 TDs in 2010). Defensively, DT Zary Stewart (40 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks), LB Allen Stephens (65 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss) and S Reshaude Miller (67 tackles, 4 INTs) headline a group that ranked No. 6 in the MEAC in scoring offense (18.8/g) and No. 7 in total defense (335.0/g). MSU's offense will be directed by William 'B.T.' Sherman and Joseph Wright, along and head coach Donald Hill-Eley. Donald Hill-Eley added Alonzo Lee as his defensive coordinator (Lee returns after a brief head coaching stint at A&T).
MSU Gamenotes
GAME #1
Saturday, September 3, 2011 • 7:00 p.m.
Johnny Unitas Stadium (Capacity 11,198) • Towson, Md.
RADIO: Morgan State Radio Network WEAA - 88.9 FM: Lamont Germany (play-by-play) & Kelvin Bridgers (color).
INTERNET: www.MorganStateBears.com ; www.Towsontigers.com
INTERNET COVERAGE: Click here -- Listen Live
TICKETS: Individual tickets to the Morgan State football game at Towson (Sept. 3) are now on sale. Fans may purchase tickets at the Towson University box office. Or call 410-704-5192.
READ MORE
By MSU Media Relations
Game Notes: Central Michigan vs. South Carolina State
Gameday Central | Complete Game Notes in .pdf Format | Facebook | Twitter
Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Game Date: Thursday, Sept. 1@ 7:00 PM ET
LIVE WEB BROADCAST: CLICK HERE ($9.95 for CMU 1 month subscription)
LIVE STATS: CLICK HERE
The Matchup: Central Michigan vs. South Carolina State
A CMU Win Over South Carolina State Would …
… be the Chippewas’ fifth straight win in a home opener.
… mark CMU’s third win in a season opener in the last four seasons.
… make the Chippewas’ 2-0 all-time against current members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The Series
• Thursday’s game marks the first meeting between CMU and South Carolina State.
• The Chippewas have played just one other game in their history against a team from the state of South Carolina, a loss at Clemson in 2007.
The Friendly Confines of Kelly/Shorts Stadium
• Since Kelly/Shorts Stadium began hosting CMU football games in 1972, the Chippewas have posted a 144-58-4 record (.709 winning percentage) at home.
• The Chippewas are 18-7 at home since the start of the 2006 season.
Youth Movement
Of the 52 players listed on CMU’s offensive and defensive depth charts for the season opener, 27 are either freshmen or sophomores, including 17 who have yet to see the first game action of their collegiate careers. The Chippewas’ roster includes 69 players who are freshmen or sophomores.
Chippewas Partner with Army National Guard and Wounded Warrior Project
CMU will honor the 125th Infantry and 126th Calvary of the Michigan Army National Guard throughout the 2011 football season. The Chippewas will wear a special helmet sticker displaying the seals of the unit, and CMU will carry the unit’s flag onto the field prior to every home game this season. Members of the 125th and 126th, who are scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan later this fall, will be recognized on the field during Thursday’s game. CMU also has partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project and will honor Sgt. Thomas Pierce and retired Sgt. Douglas Szczepanski for their service during the game.
Student-Athlete Recognitions Planned for Thursday Night
The CMU athletics department will highlight the accomplishments of its student-athletes from the past academic year during the second quarter of Thursday’s game. Special recognitions are planned for first-year letterwinners who are receiving their CMU varsity jackets, student-athletes who were named to All-MAC or Academic All-MAC teams and the CMU teams that won conference championships during the 2010-11 school year.
Fritz Simons Selected Honorary Captain
The CMU football program is hosting former lettermen as honorary captains for each game this season. This week’s honorary captain is Fritz Simons, a two-year letterman as an offensive lineman in 1969 and 1970. Simons was a part of Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship teams as a freshman and sophomore, and he helped lead the Chippewas to a 7-3 record while playing an independent schedule in 1970.
Milestone Markers
• Ryan Radcliff needs 227 passing yards to move into eighth on CMU’s career passing yardage list.
• Ryan Radcliff needs 10 pass attempts to move into ninth on CMU’s career attempts list and 13 attempts to reach 500 career attempts.
• Ryan Radcliff needs 8 completions to reach 300 career completions and 28 completions to move into seventh on CMU’s career completions list.
• Cody Wilson needs 5 receptions to move into 10th on CMU’s career receptions list.
• Ryan Radcliff needs 3 touchdown passes to move into ninth on CMU’s career touchdown passes list.
CMU Head Coach Dan Enos
Enos Enters Second Season as CMU Head Coach
• Dan Enos is the 26th head coach in CMU history and the ninth since the start of the 1950 season. • The Chippewas’ 33-0 win over Hampton made Enos the first Chippewa head coach since Herb Deromedi to win his debut. Deromedi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, defeated Kent State, 41-0, in his debut in 1978.
• Enos guided the Chippewas to wins over in-state rivals Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan in 2010, victories that left CMU in possession of both the Victory Cannon and the Michigan MAC Trophy.
• Enos is one of eight Mid-American Conference head coaches in either his first or second season at his current school. Eleven of the MAC’s 13 head coaches have been at their current school three seasons or fewer.
• In 2011, Enos is reunited with Morris Watts, who was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Michigan State during Enos’s playing career (1987-90). Watts is in his first season as the passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach at CMU.
Central Michigan News and Notes
Four Chippewas Named Captains
Senior linebacker Mike Petrucci, senior nose guard John Williams, junior quarterback Ryan Radcliff and junior receiver Cody Wilson were named captains for the 2010 season by a vote of their teammates following preseason camp. Each of the four is serving as a captain for the first time in his career.
Experience Up Front
CMU’s projected starting five offensive linemen include a senior and four juniors who have combined for 69 career starts. Entering the 2011 season, the unit is tied for the 18th most combined starts of any offensive line in the country.
CMU Schedule Notables
CMU will play one of the most unique schedules in the history of its program in 2011:
• CMU opens Mid-American Conference play at Western Michigan on Sept. 17, the first time since 1996 the Chippewas have opened MAC play against the rival Broncos. It is the earliest calendar date for a CMU-WMU matchup since Sept. 8, 1979.
• CMU is the only team in the country with two three-game road trips on its 2011 schedule.
• CMU is one of just four teams (Colorado, Tulane, UAB) in the country scheduled to play its 12 regular-season games in 12 consecutive weeks.
• Six opponents on the 2011 schedule played in bowl games following the 2010 season, and a seventh—South Carolina State—competed in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Coaching Staff Features Fresh Faces
CMU’s coaching staff includes three new members in 2011. Morris Watts joins the CMU staff as the passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Vinson Reynolds is the Chippewas’ new defensive line coach and Taylor Stubblefield will coach CMU’s receivers.
• Watts was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Michigan State during CMU head coach Dan Enos’s playing career (1987-90). The 2011 season is his 48th overall in coaching (38 years at the college level, three at the professional level and six at the high school level). Penn State’s Joe Paterno and USC’s Monte Kiffin are the only active FBS coaches with more college and pro experience than Watts.
• Reynolds was a four-year letterman (2000-03) and All-MAC first team defensive end as a player at Northern Illinois.
• Stubblefield was a consensus All-American in 2004 at Purdue and finished his career with an NCAA-record 325 receptions.
Chippewas Hold Two Traveling Trophies
CMU opens the 2011 season in possession of a pair of traveling trophies: the Victory Cannon, awarded each year to the winner of the Central Michigan-Western Michigan rivalry game, and the Michigan MAC Trophy, presented annually to the winner of the round-robin competition between Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. CMU defeated Eastern Michigan, 52-14, and Western Michigan, 26-22, last season to claim the two trophies.
Wilson Named to Biletnikoff Watch List
Junior receiver Cody Wilson is a member of the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, presented to the nation’s top receiver. Wilson was named CMU’s Most Valuable Player in 2010 after catching 83 passes for 1,137 yards and five touchdowns. He ranked eighth nationally in receiving yards (94.8 ypg), 11th in receptions (6.9 rpg) and 13th in total receiving yards (1,137) and posted six 100-yard receiving games in 2010.
Radcliff Ranks Among Nation’s Leaders
Quarterback Ryan Radcliff ranked in the top-15 nationally in passing yards and completions in 2010, and he posted three of his best performances during the season’s final month. Over the season’s final three games, Radcliff completed 87-of-133 passes (65.4 percent) for 1,016 yards and five touchdowns. He threw for 295 or more yards in seven of the Chippewas’ 12 games in 2010, ranked 12th nationally in both passing yards (279.8 ypg) and completions (23.5 per game) and was 15th nationally in total passing yards (3,358).
Staten Receives Wilma Rudolph Award
Senior linebacker Armond Staten was one of six student-athletes nationwide to receive the Wilma Rudolph Award in 2011. Presented by the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics, the Wilma Rudolph Award honors student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics. Staten spent most of his childhood in foster care and group homes in Detroit and did not begin playing football until he was a sophomore at Inkster High School. Among the other award recipients was CMU track and field athlete Whitney Johnson; they are the first CMU student-athletes to receive the award, and CMU is just the third institution in the award’s 21-year history to have multiple winners in the same year.
Wilson Nominated for AFCA Good Works Team
Cody Wilson is one of 132 nominees nationwide from all divisions of college football nominated for the AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes student-athletes who are actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service while maintaining good academic standing. Wilson is a marketing major with a 3.47 grade-point average who was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV first team and was an Academic All-MAC selection in 2010. He is a member of CMU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a group that serves as a liaison between student-athletes and the athletics department and coordinates community outreach programs throughout the academic year. Along with collaborating with his teammates on several community service initiatives, Wilson has spent the past two spring breaks volunteering at various locations through mission trips organized by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
BATTLE OF THE BANDS: CMU Chippewa Band vs. SCSU 101 Band
Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Game Date: Thursday, Sept. 1@ 7:00 PM ET
LIVE WEB BROADCAST: CLICK HERE ($9.95 for CMU 1 month subscription)
LIVE STATS: CLICK HERE
The Matchup: Central Michigan vs. South Carolina State
A CMU Win Over South Carolina State Would …
… be the Chippewas’ fifth straight win in a home opener.
… mark CMU’s third win in a season opener in the last four seasons.
… make the Chippewas’ 2-0 all-time against current members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The Series
• Thursday’s game marks the first meeting between CMU and South Carolina State.
• The Chippewas have played just one other game in their history against a team from the state of South Carolina, a loss at Clemson in 2007.
The Friendly Confines of Kelly/Shorts Stadium
• Since Kelly/Shorts Stadium began hosting CMU football games in 1972, the Chippewas have posted a 144-58-4 record (.709 winning percentage) at home.
• The Chippewas are 18-7 at home since the start of the 2006 season.
Youth Movement
Of the 52 players listed on CMU’s offensive and defensive depth charts for the season opener, 27 are either freshmen or sophomores, including 17 who have yet to see the first game action of their collegiate careers. The Chippewas’ roster includes 69 players who are freshmen or sophomores.
Chippewas Partner with Army National Guard and Wounded Warrior Project
CMU will honor the 125th Infantry and 126th Calvary of the Michigan Army National Guard throughout the 2011 football season. The Chippewas will wear a special helmet sticker displaying the seals of the unit, and CMU will carry the unit’s flag onto the field prior to every home game this season. Members of the 125th and 126th, who are scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan later this fall, will be recognized on the field during Thursday’s game. CMU also has partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project and will honor Sgt. Thomas Pierce and retired Sgt. Douglas Szczepanski for their service during the game.
Student-Athlete Recognitions Planned for Thursday Night
The CMU athletics department will highlight the accomplishments of its student-athletes from the past academic year during the second quarter of Thursday’s game. Special recognitions are planned for first-year letterwinners who are receiving their CMU varsity jackets, student-athletes who were named to All-MAC or Academic All-MAC teams and the CMU teams that won conference championships during the 2010-11 school year.
Fritz Simons Selected Honorary Captain
The CMU football program is hosting former lettermen as honorary captains for each game this season. This week’s honorary captain is Fritz Simons, a two-year letterman as an offensive lineman in 1969 and 1970. Simons was a part of Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship teams as a freshman and sophomore, and he helped lead the Chippewas to a 7-3 record while playing an independent schedule in 1970.
Milestone Markers
• Ryan Radcliff needs 227 passing yards to move into eighth on CMU’s career passing yardage list.
• Ryan Radcliff needs 10 pass attempts to move into ninth on CMU’s career attempts list and 13 attempts to reach 500 career attempts.
• Ryan Radcliff needs 8 completions to reach 300 career completions and 28 completions to move into seventh on CMU’s career completions list.
• Cody Wilson needs 5 receptions to move into 10th on CMU’s career receptions list.
• Ryan Radcliff needs 3 touchdown passes to move into ninth on CMU’s career touchdown passes list.
CMU Head Coach Dan Enos
Enos Enters Second Season as CMU Head Coach
• Dan Enos is the 26th head coach in CMU history and the ninth since the start of the 1950 season. • The Chippewas’ 33-0 win over Hampton made Enos the first Chippewa head coach since Herb Deromedi to win his debut. Deromedi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, defeated Kent State, 41-0, in his debut in 1978.
• Enos guided the Chippewas to wins over in-state rivals Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan in 2010, victories that left CMU in possession of both the Victory Cannon and the Michigan MAC Trophy.
• Enos is one of eight Mid-American Conference head coaches in either his first or second season at his current school. Eleven of the MAC’s 13 head coaches have been at their current school three seasons or fewer.
• In 2011, Enos is reunited with Morris Watts, who was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Michigan State during Enos’s playing career (1987-90). Watts is in his first season as the passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach at CMU.
Central Michigan News and Notes
Four Chippewas Named Captains
Senior linebacker Mike Petrucci, senior nose guard John Williams, junior quarterback Ryan Radcliff and junior receiver Cody Wilson were named captains for the 2010 season by a vote of their teammates following preseason camp. Each of the four is serving as a captain for the first time in his career.
Experience Up Front
CMU’s projected starting five offensive linemen include a senior and four juniors who have combined for 69 career starts. Entering the 2011 season, the unit is tied for the 18th most combined starts of any offensive line in the country.
CMU Schedule Notables
CMU will play one of the most unique schedules in the history of its program in 2011:
• CMU opens Mid-American Conference play at Western Michigan on Sept. 17, the first time since 1996 the Chippewas have opened MAC play against the rival Broncos. It is the earliest calendar date for a CMU-WMU matchup since Sept. 8, 1979.
• CMU is the only team in the country with two three-game road trips on its 2011 schedule.
• CMU is one of just four teams (Colorado, Tulane, UAB) in the country scheduled to play its 12 regular-season games in 12 consecutive weeks.
• Six opponents on the 2011 schedule played in bowl games following the 2010 season, and a seventh—South Carolina State—competed in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Coaching Staff Features Fresh Faces
CMU’s coaching staff includes three new members in 2011. Morris Watts joins the CMU staff as the passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Vinson Reynolds is the Chippewas’ new defensive line coach and Taylor Stubblefield will coach CMU’s receivers.
• Watts was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Michigan State during CMU head coach Dan Enos’s playing career (1987-90). The 2011 season is his 48th overall in coaching (38 years at the college level, three at the professional level and six at the high school level). Penn State’s Joe Paterno and USC’s Monte Kiffin are the only active FBS coaches with more college and pro experience than Watts.
• Reynolds was a four-year letterman (2000-03) and All-MAC first team defensive end as a player at Northern Illinois.
• Stubblefield was a consensus All-American in 2004 at Purdue and finished his career with an NCAA-record 325 receptions.
Chippewas Hold Two Traveling Trophies
CMU opens the 2011 season in possession of a pair of traveling trophies: the Victory Cannon, awarded each year to the winner of the Central Michigan-Western Michigan rivalry game, and the Michigan MAC Trophy, presented annually to the winner of the round-robin competition between Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. CMU defeated Eastern Michigan, 52-14, and Western Michigan, 26-22, last season to claim the two trophies.
Wilson Named to Biletnikoff Watch List
Junior receiver Cody Wilson is a member of the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, presented to the nation’s top receiver. Wilson was named CMU’s Most Valuable Player in 2010 after catching 83 passes for 1,137 yards and five touchdowns. He ranked eighth nationally in receiving yards (94.8 ypg), 11th in receptions (6.9 rpg) and 13th in total receiving yards (1,137) and posted six 100-yard receiving games in 2010.
Radcliff Ranks Among Nation’s Leaders
Quarterback Ryan Radcliff ranked in the top-15 nationally in passing yards and completions in 2010, and he posted three of his best performances during the season’s final month. Over the season’s final three games, Radcliff completed 87-of-133 passes (65.4 percent) for 1,016 yards and five touchdowns. He threw for 295 or more yards in seven of the Chippewas’ 12 games in 2010, ranked 12th nationally in both passing yards (279.8 ypg) and completions (23.5 per game) and was 15th nationally in total passing yards (3,358).
Staten Receives Wilma Rudolph Award
Senior linebacker Armond Staten was one of six student-athletes nationwide to receive the Wilma Rudolph Award in 2011. Presented by the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics, the Wilma Rudolph Award honors student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics. Staten spent most of his childhood in foster care and group homes in Detroit and did not begin playing football until he was a sophomore at Inkster High School. Among the other award recipients was CMU track and field athlete Whitney Johnson; they are the first CMU student-athletes to receive the award, and CMU is just the third institution in the award’s 21-year history to have multiple winners in the same year.
Wilson Nominated for AFCA Good Works Team
Cody Wilson is one of 132 nominees nationwide from all divisions of college football nominated for the AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes student-athletes who are actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service while maintaining good academic standing. Wilson is a marketing major with a 3.47 grade-point average who was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV first team and was an Academic All-MAC selection in 2010. He is a member of CMU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a group that serves as a liaison between student-athletes and the athletics department and coordinates community outreach programs throughout the academic year. Along with collaborating with his teammates on several community service initiatives, Wilson has spent the past two spring breaks volunteering at various locations through mission trips organized by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
| Courtesy: CMU Athletic Communications |
BATTLE OF THE BANDS: CMU Chippewa Band vs. SCSU 101 Band
Hemsley Returns Home to Play for Bowie State
 |
| BSU Head Football Coach Damon Wilson |
"I talked to the coaches about changing positions," Hemsley said Monday. "They were not willing to do that."
So Hemsley, 22, changed schools and got to come home in the process. He is now a senior linebacker for Division II Bowie State University, which opens the season Saturday on the road at Assumption in Worcester, MA. Assumption was 6-5 last season.
The Bulldogs figure to use Hemsley, listed at 6-foot-3, 223 pounds, as a weakside linebacker this season.
READ MORE
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
EMU Football Opens 2011 Campaign Versus Howard Bison
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University football team embarks on its 120th season Saturday, Sept. 3, at Rynearson Stadium versus Football Championship Subdivision foe Howard University. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:06 p.m.
The Eagles and the Bison are meeting for the second time on the gridiron, with the Green and White holding down a 1-0 advantage in the all-time series. The last time the teams hooked up was Sept. 22, 2007, when EMU notched a convincing 38-15 victory at Rynearson Stadium.
TWO FCS OPPONENTS AWAIT: The 2011 schedule features a pair of home games against Football Championship Subdivision opponents in Howard University, Sept. 3, and Alabama State University, Sept. 10. It marks the first time since 2008 that EMU will have played a FCS school.
With the two-year absence from the schedule, the Eagles are one of only four teams – EMU, Bowling Green, Miami and Toledo – in the Mid-American Conference not to have played a Football Championship Subdivision team in either the 2009 or 2010 campaign.
OPENING UP: EMU is 53-58-8 (47.9%) all-time on opening day. This will be the fourth straight season, and the sixth occasion in the last 10 years, that the Eagles will open at home in Rynearson Stadium, where last year they debuted with a 31-27 setback to Army to start the 2010 campaign.
WINNING STREAK: The Eagles have posted a 6-3 record against Football Championship Subdivision opponents since the 2001 campaign. However, EMU is currently riding a two-game winning streak that includes a 38-15 decision over Howard, Sept. 22, 2007, and a 52-0 victory over Indiana State, Aug. 28, 2008.
During the nine-game span, the Green and White have averaged 30.1 points and 406.1 total yards of offense per game, while giving up an average of 23.4 points and 366.8 yards per contest.
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Complete GameDay Info.
The Eagles and the Bison are meeting for the second time on the gridiron, with the Green and White holding down a 1-0 advantage in the all-time series. The last time the teams hooked up was Sept. 22, 2007, when EMU notched a convincing 38-15 victory at Rynearson Stadium.
TWO FCS OPPONENTS AWAIT: The 2011 schedule features a pair of home games against Football Championship Subdivision opponents in Howard University, Sept. 3, and Alabama State University, Sept. 10. It marks the first time since 2008 that EMU will have played a FCS school.
With the two-year absence from the schedule, the Eagles are one of only four teams – EMU, Bowling Green, Miami and Toledo – in the Mid-American Conference not to have played a Football Championship Subdivision team in either the 2009 or 2010 campaign.
OPENING UP: EMU is 53-58-8 (47.9%) all-time on opening day. This will be the fourth straight season, and the sixth occasion in the last 10 years, that the Eagles will open at home in Rynearson Stadium, where last year they debuted with a 31-27 setback to Army to start the 2010 campaign.
WINNING STREAK: The Eagles have posted a 6-3 record against Football Championship Subdivision opponents since the 2001 campaign. However, EMU is currently riding a two-game winning streak that includes a 38-15 decision over Howard, Sept. 22, 2007, and a 52-0 victory over Indiana State, Aug. 28, 2008.
During the nine-game span, the Green and White have averaged 30.1 points and 406.1 total yards of offense per game, while giving up an average of 23.4 points and 366.8 yards per contest.
READ MORE
Click Here for the Full Release (PDF).
Click Here to Watch the Game.
Click Here to Listen to the Game.
Click Here for Live Stats.
Complete GameDay Info.
Xavier Gold Nuggets rally late to defeat Mobile in five sets
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| Xavier Volleyball coach Christabell Hamilton |
Celeste Poe had a career-high 17 digs for Xavier (1-1), and Patrice Hightower had 30 assists and 10 digs.
It was the first victory for new XU coach Christabell Hamilton.
Xavier trailed 12-10 in the fifth set after leading 3-0 and 6-3, but Mobile (2-1) committed five errors thereafter, four on attacks. Kirk and Hightower blocked Lisa Alms' attack on the final play.
Xavier reached match point with the help of Joyy Joseph's diving dig, one of a team-leading four she produced in the fifth set.
"We definitely have some fighters on our team," Hamilton said. "We make a lot of young mistakes. We're working on trying to find team chemistry and at the same time find maturity in our decision-marking during the match."
Alms, Alison Kenney and Melody Tenney combined for 11 kills to pull the Lady Rams out of at tie at 8 and force a fifth set.
Xavier trailed 17-15 and 25-24 in the third set before closing with a Jeanay Butler ace and three Reuther kills.
The Nuggets survived despite a combined six kills in the first and final sets. Mobile committed a combined 23 errors during those two periods.
It was the second straight match that Xavier played five sets — the first time that's happened since 2003, the Nuggets' debut season — and the second straight match that Reuther, a freshman, recorded a kill-dig double-double.
Mobile, picked fourth out of 11 teams in the Southern States Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll, swept a pair of matches against Xavier last year.
Xavier became the first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference team to win this season — the GCAC was a collective 0-6 prior to Monday — and the first this season to beat a Southern States opponent. The SSAC began the day 21-0, including Belhaven's victory against Xavier on Friday.
"Our goal is to get better each day," Hamilton said, "and so far we're on the right track."
Xavier's next match will start at 6 p.m. Sunday against another Southern States team, city rival Loyola, at The Den. The Nuggets will play Judson (Ala.) in their next home match Sept. 8.
NOTES: Attendance for the home opener was 300 — 100 more than Xavier's largest crowd at The Barn last season . . . The Nuggets are 1-3 in home openers . . . Hamilton said the Nuggets' regular-season and GCAC finale against Dillard at The Barn was pushed back one hour to 2 p.m.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
New star emerges from hurdles debris at WC Athletics Daegu
DAEGU, South Korea — Thrilling and controversial, an incident-packed world 110m hurdles final lived up to its billing by producing a dramatic disqualification for the Olympic champion -- and a new star.
In Monday's first ever meeting in a global final between the three fastest sprint hurdlers of all time -- Dayron Robles, Liu Xiang and David Oliver (Howard University) -- it was Jason Richardson who emerged with the gold after the dust had settled.
A day after defending champion Usain Bolt saw his 100m dream shattered after sensationally false-starting, the worlds were again rocked as another of the biggest stars in athletics was stripped of his medal for obstruction.
Cuba's Robles had won a thriller in 13.14sec, edging out American Richardson by just 0.02sec but made contact with former Olympic and world champion Liu in the latter stages of the race in South Korea.
A protest by China on behalf of Liu, who appeared to be impeded when Robles strayed to the edge of his lane and the pair clashed arms at each of the last two hurdles, was upheld and Robles lost his gold.
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110m Hurdles Men Final WC Athletics Daegu 2011
Jason Richardson USA 13.16
Xiang Liu CHN 13.27
Andrew Turner GBR 13.44
David Oliver USA 13.44
William Sharman GBR 13.67
Aries Merritt USA 13.67
Dayron Robles CUB DQ
Dwight Thomas JAM DNF
In Monday's first ever meeting in a global final between the three fastest sprint hurdlers of all time -- Dayron Robles, Liu Xiang and David Oliver (Howard University) -- it was Jason Richardson who emerged with the gold after the dust had settled.
A day after defending champion Usain Bolt saw his 100m dream shattered after sensationally false-starting, the worlds were again rocked as another of the biggest stars in athletics was stripped of his medal for obstruction.
Cuba's Robles had won a thriller in 13.14sec, edging out American Richardson by just 0.02sec but made contact with former Olympic and world champion Liu in the latter stages of the race in South Korea.
A protest by China on behalf of Liu, who appeared to be impeded when Robles strayed to the edge of his lane and the pair clashed arms at each of the last two hurdles, was upheld and Robles lost his gold.
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110m Hurdles Men Final WC Athletics Daegu 2011
Jason Richardson USA 13.16
Xiang Liu CHN 13.27
Andrew Turner GBR 13.44
David Oliver USA 13.44
William Sharman GBR 13.67
Aries Merritt USA 13.67
Dayron Robles CUB DQ
Dwight Thomas JAM DNF
McCorory 4th at Worlds in 400 meters
DAEGU, KOREA -— Twenty-one hundredths of a second. About one very long stride.
They're all that separated Francena McCorory from a spot on the medals stand on Day Three of the 13th World Championships of Track and Field.
The former Bethel High and Hampton University flash settled for fourth place in the women's 400 of the Worlds at Daegu Stadium with a 50.45 performance, just that mini-margin back of Russian bronze medalist Anastasiya Kapachinskaya's 50.24.
All this in a drama-packed race that saw Amantle Montsho bring joy - and a first-ever gold medal - to her African homeland of Botswana by fighting off the desperation homestretch charge of America's Allyson Felix, 49.56 to 49.59.
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400m Women Final WC Athletics Daegu 2011
Amantle Montsho BOT 49.56 (NR)
Allyson Felix USA 49.59 (PB)
Anastasiya Kapachinskaya RUS 50.24
Francena McCorory USA 50.45
Antonina Krivoshapka RUS 50.66
Shericka Williams JAM 50.79
Sanya Richards-Ross USA 51.32
Novlene Williams-Mills JAM 52.89
They're all that separated Francena McCorory from a spot on the medals stand on Day Three of the 13th World Championships of Track and Field.
The former Bethel High and Hampton University flash settled for fourth place in the women's 400 of the Worlds at Daegu Stadium with a 50.45 performance, just that mini-margin back of Russian bronze medalist Anastasiya Kapachinskaya's 50.24.
All this in a drama-packed race that saw Amantle Montsho bring joy - and a first-ever gold medal - to her African homeland of Botswana by fighting off the desperation homestretch charge of America's Allyson Felix, 49.56 to 49.59.
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400m Women Final WC Athletics Daegu 2011
Amantle Montsho BOT 49.56 (NR)
Allyson Felix USA 49.59 (PB)
Anastasiya Kapachinskaya RUS 50.24
Francena McCorory USA 50.45
Antonina Krivoshapka RUS 50.66
Shericka Williams JAM 50.79
Sanya Richards-Ross USA 51.32
Novlene Williams-Mills JAM 52.89
Joseph, SU Jaguars feel mood shifting
Baton Rouge, LA - Dray Joseph said he doesn’t know exactly when the mood of a football team begins to shift. But at some point, he said, everyone knows. At some point, the atmosphere changes. Everyone can sense it.
At Southern University, it changed sometime late last week, when the Jaguars turned away from the monotony of preseason. The anxiousness of game week took over.
In a few days, the Jaguars will pack for their trip to Nashville, Tenn., where they’ll break the seal on a new season. At 6 p.m. Saturday, they face Tennessee State, more than ready to prove they’re back on the path toward respectability.
Training camp shrinks in the rear-view mirror. LP Field, site of the opener, is coming into focus. It’s here. It’s time.
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At Southern University, it changed sometime late last week, when the Jaguars turned away from the monotony of preseason. The anxiousness of game week took over.
In a few days, the Jaguars will pack for their trip to Nashville, Tenn., where they’ll break the seal on a new season. At 6 p.m. Saturday, they face Tennessee State, more than ready to prove they’re back on the path toward respectability.
Training camp shrinks in the rear-view mirror. LP Field, site of the opener, is coming into focus. It’s here. It’s time.
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Alabama A&M: Seniors eager to live up to expectations
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M's 2008 recruiting class was supposed to be the group that would keep the Bulldogs among the Southwestern Athletic Conference's elite.Under Anthony Jones, A&M won more games (49) than any team in the league from 2002-2007 and when the Bulldogs signed 32 players in 2008, including the likes of Rico Porch, Willie Fuller, Clarence Morris, Markeith Cliatt, Lewis Graham and Trent Johnson, they had what they believed was a banner recruiting class.
Three years later, the class that was slated to keep A&M among the league's elite hasn't had much to celebrate.
The Bulldogs won the Eastern Division title in 2009 and advanced to the SWAC championship game before losing to Prairie View.
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N.C. Central Eagles just looking for consistency in volleyball
Durham, NC - The whole move to NCAA Division I volleyball is good and all, but there’s no pressure with that, N.C. Central volleyball coach Georgette Crawford-Crooks said. Any so-called pressure on the NCCU volleyball program comes from within, from the need for the team to play steady, the coach explained.
“Volleyball is a game of consistency,” Crawford-Crooks said.
NCCU returns to the court Friday to launch its volleyball season at the fifth annual Hilton/RTP NCCU Volleyball Tournament in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium, the Eagles’ home floor. NCCU never has won the tournament, which runs through Saturday.
Along with the official move this year to Division I, this season will be NCCU’s first time competing in volleyball in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
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“Volleyball is a game of consistency,” Crawford-Crooks said.
NCCU returns to the court Friday to launch its volleyball season at the fifth annual Hilton/RTP NCCU Volleyball Tournament in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium, the Eagles’ home floor. NCCU never has won the tournament, which runs through Saturday.
Along with the official move this year to Division I, this season will be NCCU’s first time competing in volleyball in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
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CIAA Football: Livingstone preview
SALISBURY, NC — Livingstone’s 2011 football season begins with an unavoidable question: Why is Elvin James smiling?
Is it because the second-year coach has four of his five starting offensive linemen from last season back on board? Or because a full complement of running backs returns intact, a year older and fiercer? Or because a handful of newcomers — including three highly touted assistants, four top-shelf local products and a bona fide, full-scholarship kicker — have injected the Blue Bears with a dose of inspiration?
All are poignant queries. But maybe, just maybe, the answers can be found in James’ old record collection.
“It was Sam Cooke who sang ‘A Change Is Gonna Come,’” he said, channeling the man who invented soul. “And it’s coming to us. I see the progression here and, mark my words, change is coming.”
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Is it because the second-year coach has four of his five starting offensive linemen from last season back on board? Or because a full complement of running backs returns intact, a year older and fiercer? Or because a handful of newcomers — including three highly touted assistants, four top-shelf local products and a bona fide, full-scholarship kicker — have injected the Blue Bears with a dose of inspiration?
All are poignant queries. But maybe, just maybe, the answers can be found in James’ old record collection.
“It was Sam Cooke who sang ‘A Change Is Gonna Come,’” he said, channeling the man who invented soul. “And it’s coming to us. I see the progression here and, mark my words, change is coming.”
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Howard's going back to the future
Washington, D.C. - Interspersed with dramatic footage from the film "Transformers" are Howard football highlights. The two-minute trailer on the school's athletic website, titled the "Road to Redemption," introduces a new era of high expectations for Howard football.
When the video was shown to the Bison at the start of preseason camp, the first image that popped on screen was 11-0.
If that goal sounds preposterous for a team coming off a 1-10 season, consider the man who authored it. If anyone knows the road map to 11-0 at Howard, it's new coach Gary "Flea" Harrell. As a player, the former New York Giants wide receiver helped Howard improve from 2-9 in 1991 to 11-1 in 1993, the last time the Bison went undefeated in the regular season and won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
"When I was here, [11-0] was our goal...
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When the video was shown to the Bison at the start of preseason camp, the first image that popped on screen was 11-0.
If that goal sounds preposterous for a team coming off a 1-10 season, consider the man who authored it. If anyone knows the road map to 11-0 at Howard, it's new coach Gary "Flea" Harrell. As a player, the former New York Giants wide receiver helped Howard improve from 2-9 in 1991 to 11-1 in 1993, the last time the Bison went undefeated in the regular season and won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
"When I was here, [11-0] was our goal...
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Miami-Dade’s high school marching bands make a joyful noise
Miami, Florida - Turns out John Phillip Sousa , the cowboy in the Village People and Lady Gaga have something in common.
All three figure prominently in South Florida high schools’ marching band’s repertoires. Sousa’s familiar march, The Washington Post, meets the disco wedding party staple, YMCA. But the combination isn’t a bad romance for the kids in the band — or the audience in the stands.
“Last year we did Lady Gaga; we did Bad Romance, and that was interesting,” says a laughing Andrea Villegas, lead drum major for the John A. Ferguson Senior High’s Mighty Falcon Band. The football team liked it, but it’s still weird listening to a marching band playing Lady Gaga.” Weird, perhaps, but don’t knock the sweet sounds of success.
Several South Florida high school marching bands are racking up honors in statewide competitions with their high-stepping blends of old and new. Some students use marching band as a platform to attend college. Many of the bands feature...
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All three figure prominently in South Florida high schools’ marching band’s repertoires. Sousa’s familiar march, The Washington Post, meets the disco wedding party staple, YMCA. But the combination isn’t a bad romance for the kids in the band — or the audience in the stands.
“Last year we did Lady Gaga; we did Bad Romance, and that was interesting,” says a laughing Andrea Villegas, lead drum major for the John A. Ferguson Senior High’s Mighty Falcon Band. The football team liked it, but it’s still weird listening to a marching band playing Lady Gaga.” Weird, perhaps, but don’t knock the sweet sounds of success.
Several South Florida high school marching bands are racking up honors in statewide competitions with their high-stepping blends of old and new. Some students use marching band as a platform to attend college. Many of the bands feature...
READ MORE
SCSU Pough expects tough test from Chippewas
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| Bulldogs QB Derrick Wiley |
In fact, he expects the Chippewas, which lost six of their last seven games last season, to be as formidable as the five previous Division I opponents the Bulldogs have faced since 2007.
"Offensively it's going to be tough," said Pough at Monday's press conference. "This defense in Central Michigan is a big, rugged, fundamental style defense and you can tell when a defense gets in some pretty classic looks and ...
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Two Rivers Classic: Fayetteville State, UNC-Pembroke prepare for Saturday's rivalry game
Fayetteville, NC - Fayetteville State safety Andre Lyles has been trained well. It's easy to see that. For when asked Monday to describe his emotions heading into Saturday's Two Rivers Classic against UNC-Pembroke, Lyles shrugged and played the "just another game" card.
"This rivalry doesn't necessarily flip a switch for me," he said. "It's just another football game. We try to win and we treat every game the same. So the rivalry won't be a big issue."
Don't, however, take that sentiment at face value. Ed McLean, Fayetteville State's athletic director, certainly didn't. McLean knows full well that no matter how composed Lyles seemed at Monday's press conference, his adrenaline will inevitably spike Saturday when the Broncos storm onto the turf at Nick Jeralds Stadium to square off against UNCP for the third straight season.
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"This rivalry doesn't necessarily flip a switch for me," he said. "It's just another football game. We try to win and we treat every game the same. So the rivalry won't be a big issue."
Don't, however, take that sentiment at face value. Ed McLean, Fayetteville State's athletic director, certainly didn't. McLean knows full well that no matter how composed Lyles seemed at Monday's press conference, his adrenaline will inevitably spike Saturday when the Broncos storm onto the turf at Nick Jeralds Stadium to square off against UNCP for the third straight season.
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