FAMU's Backup QB Bass ready when needed

PHOTO COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -  If FAMU quarterback Tyler Bass wanted to walk around feeling sorry for himself, he’s earned that right. Consider his college football journey that brought him to the point where he’s playing his final season as a backup for the Rattlers.

After enrolling at Maryland out of Atlanta Stockbridge High in 2008, Bass left the Terrapins before the start of the season to attend the University of Memphis. Two injuries (shoulder and knee) thwarted any chance he had to make a case for the starting job.

Lack of playing time and a coaching change at Memphis prompted his transfer to FAMU last year. He demonstrated his ability in a handful of practices, but when coach Joe Taylor decided he needed a quarterback change, Bass was being hampered by back pain.

Enter then-freshman Damien Fleming, who performed well enough to begin this season at the starting quarterback. “It’s life,” said Bass.



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Receivers solid in final FAMU scrimmage

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - The biggest question coming into preseason camp was just how effective will the FAMU receiving corps be with the loss of Kevin Elliott and Brian Tyms.

A surprisingly large crowd witnessed the answer at Bragg Stadium on Saturday night in the Rattlers’ final scrimmage. Converted running back Al-Terek McBurse showed he has the hands, and Travis Harvey, a backup to Tyms last season, stepped out of the shadows and impressed.

With redshirt sophomore Lenworth Lennon as the most consistent returning starter in camp, the presence of McBurse and Harvey should give the unit some depth.

“They work hard, but you’ve got a quarterback that throws the ball like our guy does,” said coach Joe Taylor, referring to starter Damien Fleming. “I’m pleased because with you lose two guys like Elliott and Tyms you might have some concerns.”




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Darrius Coleman emerges in ailing SU Jaguars backfield

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - On his way off the practice field Thursday, Southern coach Stump Mitchell stopped near running back Darrius Coleman, the team’s likely starter for the season opener at New Mexico next weekend.

“He’s not starting. He’s wearing my number. I’m starting,” said Mitchell, pointing to the No. 30 jersey that he wore during his NFL career and adding that he planned to shave so as to avoid age suspicions.

Mitchell was joking, but after the rash of injuries the Jaguars have seen this fall, he’s not far from being their most able-bodied back.

With Sylvester Nzekwe (ankle) and Jerry Joseph (knee surgery) likely to miss the first game, the rushing load will fall to a group of backups, and Coleman is leading the way.

The redshirt junior has been the beneficiary of more playing time since the two starters went down, and the Jaguars will look for him to set the tone against the Lobos.

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Spike Lee hints that troubled HBCU may be wanted for land

ATLANTA, Georgia - Filmmaker Spike Lee says he hopes Morris Brown College is able to survive a looming foreclosure and not dismantled and used for some other purpose.

"Hopefully something can be worked out," the "Do the Right Thing" director told Redding News Review.

"I do know that Morris Brown's campus has a lot of acreage and that's some valuable land," he said, "So something's going to happen."



Lee, who is a graduate of nearby Morehouse College, made the comments during an interview about his new film "Red Hook Summer" on the upcoming edition of the Redding News Review radio show.

He also talked about his new upcoming films, the Michael Jackson-focused "Bad 25" and "Oldboy" with ...

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From the 2001 history files -- MBC Marching Wolverines

HU's Jay Walker stays close to football

FORT WASHINGTON, Maryland  -  Few athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) -- and particularly at Howard University -- have achieved the level of success that Jay Walker did in the mid-90s, and no other player at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school has come close since.

A native of Los Angeles, Walker transferred from Long Beach State to HU after Long Beach State dropped its program. In only two seasons, Walker received All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference honors both years (in 1992 and '93), and was selected as the Offensive Player of the Year in 1993. Furthermore, he led the Bison to an undefeated season in 1993 -- winning the MEAC and the Black College National Championship.



Walker was taken in the seventh round in the 1994 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, where he played for two years before moving on to the Minnesota Vikings, where he played another two.

"I got four years in the league," said Walker, who graduated from Howard with a political science degree and has been a member of the House of Delegates in Maryland since 2007.

"The NFL provided me with opportunities in life that if it wasn't for the game of football I wouldn't have gotten. I was very thankful. It was just a start of my life. I had a great time playing the game. I graduated with my degree in political science. I did everything I could to prepare myself for life beyond football."

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XU Gold Nuggets bust Union, collect first victory of season

CLEVELAND, Tennessee -- Xavier University of Louisiana got double-doubles from Taylor Reuther (14 kills, 20 digs) and Chinedu Echebelem (12 kills, 14 digs) in a 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 25-16 women's volleyball victory Saturday against Union (Ky.) in the Lee Invitational.

The Gold Nuggets (1-2) tied for third place in the six-team season-opening tournament with Lindsey Wilson and Olivet Nazarene. Indiana Wesleyan (4-0) was the lone unbeaten team.

Reuther, who had 13 double-doubles as a freshman in 2011, also served four aces in the matchup of defending regular-season conference champions. Echebelem produced her second double-double of the season and her fourth in two years.

Moira Kirk hit .417 and had 13 kills, five digs and four blocks for Xavier, and Darian Harris had 20 digs, eight in the second set. CeCe Williams had 12 digs and three kills, and setter Franziska Pirkl had 43 assists, nine digs, three kills and three aces. Harris, Williams and Pirkl are freshmen.

"We had great energy," said XU coach Christabell Hamilton, whose team lost in straight sets Friday to ranked NAIA teams Lindsey Wilson and Lee, "and our ladies looked like they enjoyed themselves on the court."

Williams clinched the first set with a kill. The Nuggets rallied from a 21-17 deficit in set two with a pair of Reuther aces and Kirk's clinching ace. Kirk had six kills and Echebelem four in the final set.

Xavier outhit Union .166 to .138 and led 52-44 in kills, 82-77 in digs and 9-1 in aces. Cat Neumann had 14 kills, and Caity Merritt and Paige Moore had nine apiece for Union (0-3).

Xavier's next match will be its home opener -- 7 p.m. on Sept. 4 against city rival Loyola at The Barn.


Box score

By Ed Cassiere, SID
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Alabama State season preview: Hornets eyeing conference title

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  - Wetumpka’s Kejuan Riley finished second in Division I-AA last year with nine interceptions, which earned him consensus All-America honors. The ASU free safety is tied for the career school record with 17 interceptions, but is aiming for double-digit picks this year.

 • EXTRA POINT

Since his second year as a head coach in 2008, Reggie Barlow and the Hornets have improved their record every year. Battling back from NCAA probation, the Hornets have used recruiting and coaching hires to field a stronger team each year. Last year’s team lost three games by a total of 11 points, and their chief weapon (QB Greg Jenkins) played sparingly in all three games. This year, there are more weapons at every position, an indication that Barlow will improve on last year’s eight-win season.

• PLAYER TO WATCH

Isaiah Crowell: The running game was a glaring weakness last year, and while many of the problems could be attributed to a makeshift offensive line, the addition of Georgia transfer Isaiah Crowell should remove any doubts this season. Crowell, one of the nation’s top running backs as a high school senior two years ago, needed a place to play after getting kicked off the Bulldogs’ squad, and the sophomore may have found the perfect match at ASU, a team that runs an offense similar in style to what he ran at Carver High in Columbus, Ga.

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Travis Richmond’s status with Fort Valley State in doubt

FORT VALLEY, Georgia  -  Throughout the latter stages of the summer, there have been murmurs that Fort Valley State sophomore running back Travis Richmond might miss the first two games of the season, ostensibly for an academic issue that needed to be clarified.

As it turns out, if and when Richmond suits up at all is in question.

Head coach Donald Pittman said Saturday that Richmond has not practiced this month and that his status is not related to academics, any rules violations, nor regarding a possible transfer.

“It’s not academic at all,” Pittman said. “I guess can’t talk about it. It’s something personal to him. It’s a personal matter.”

Pittman said he expected to ...


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DSU Announces 2012 Athletics Hall of Fame Class

DOVER, Delaware - Rahsaan Matthews, Delaware State University's career passing leader; and Jahsha Bluntt, who led the DSU men's basketball team to the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, head the University's 2011 Athletics Hall-of-Fame class. A total of 11 former athletes will be inducted during a ceremony on Friday, Oct. 12 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Dover.

The 2012 DSU Hall of Fame class also includes former baseball standouts Maynard Jack Miles, Shawn Phillips, Fred Ruben and Howard Smack.

In addition, Delaware State will honor former football stars Calvin Stephens and Greg Wright, along with basketball greats Robert Vanderhost and Terrelle Waller; and volleyball record-holder Dawn (Alford) Jones.

Matthews was the MEAC Football Offensive Player-of-the-Year and a Black College All-America selection in 2000. He ranks second on the MEAC's career list for passing yards (8,073) and touchdown passes (74), and is fourth in completions (563). He was a Delaware high school all-star before enrolling at DSU.

Bluntt is Delaware State's third all-time leading men's basketball scorer with 1,721 points and the team's career leader with 303 three-point field goals. He was the Most Outstanding Player of the Hornets' lone MEAC Tournament championship team in 2005. The team was the first in school history to compete in a NCAA national championship tournament.

Miles helped lead the Hornets to two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) baseball championships in the 1960s. A four-time All-CIAA selection, Miles was the conference leader, and ranked sixth among all NCAA Div. II players in hitting, in 1963. He also played two seasons with the Hornet basketball team.

Phillips, a former Laurel (Del.) High School star, is the Hornets' modern-day record holder in wins (24), complete games (18), strikeouts (281) and innings pitched (308.2). He led DSU to the MEAC Tournament championship game, and selected by the Texas Rangers in the Major League Baseball draft in 2004.

Smack, a resident of Seaford, Del., was selected as Delaware State's baseball Most Valuable Player after posting a 5-0 record and 1.84 earned run average in 1970.

A standout infielder, Ruben was an All-CIAA performer for the Hornets in the late 1960s.

Wright was a standout linebacker at DSU from 1976 to '79. He earned Associated Press Division II All-America honors in 1978, and was a three-time All-MEAC selection. He competed in the 1979 Black College All-Star Game, and signed by the NFL's Cleveland Browns after his senior year with the Hornets.

Stephens was a top offensive lineman for the Hornets in the late 1970s and 1980. An All-MEAC selection in 1978, he was selected to play in the Black College All-Star Game in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans in 1979.

Vanderhost was a two-time All-MEAC basketball selection and 1000-point scorer for the Hornets. He was also an assistant coach at DSU.

Waller was a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Hornets' basketball team. A three-time All-MEAC First Team selection and 1000-point scorer, she helped lead DSU to the MEAC Tournament championship game in 2003 and '04. Waller was named to the MEAC All-Tournament in each of those years.

Jones, formerly Dawn Alford, was the Hornets' volleyball career assist leader following her final season in 2005. She holds the top two single-season assist totals in team history.

For more information, contact George Robinson, DSU Director of Athletic Development at (302) 857-7087.

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY 2012 ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME CLASS

Jahsha Bluntt Basketball

Dawn (Alford) Jones Volleyball

Rahsaan Matthews Football

Maynard Jack Miles Baseball

Shawn Phillips Baseball

Fred Ruben Baseball

Howard Smack Baseball

Calvin Stephens Football

Robert Vanderhost Basketball

Terrelle Waller Basketball

Greg Wright Football

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

QB Jenkins expected to serve as ASU coach on the field

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - When asked about quarterback Greg Jenkins' role on his team this upcoming season, Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow was honest in his answer.

"Greg is as important to the program right now as I am," he said. "He stirs the offense and our defensive group knows when he's out there we have a chance."


Jenkins, a transfer from Troy, finished the 2011 season with 1,475 yards on 125 of 210 passes and 11 touchdowns in the air while rushing the ball 122 times for 330 yards and another seven touchdowns.



"The three games we lost last season were the three games where Greg didn't play the entire game," Barlow said. "So far, I've been really impressed with Greg. His approach and competition level is where he left off last season. He understands the system and it fits him."

Jenkins and the Hornets finished the 2011 season 8-3 overall and 7-2 in the East Division of the SWAC.

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Tuskegee season preview: Golden Tigers sputtering with quarterback play

TUSKEGEE, Alabama - • EXTRA POINT

While this year’s schedule is tough, with just three home games, it’s not terribly unusual for Tuskegee. Because the program has a large fan following that travels well for the D-II level, the Golden Tigers are invited to participate in a number of “classics” each year. Those neutral site games, in addition to TU’s commitments to play ASU in Montgomery and Morehouse in Columbus, Ga., burn through home games. In Slater’s first season at Tuskegee, the team played in five classics.

• PLAYER TO WATCH

Justin Nared, QB, Soph., 6-1, 195:Quarterback has been an issue for the Golden Tigers the last three or four seasons. In two of those years, the coaches were able to piece together enough offense to get the job done. But the last two years, TU has been one of the worst passing teams in the SIAC. The coaches hope Nared, who took over as the starter late in his freshman season last year, has matured enough to be the consistent starter they need. After completing less than 40 percent of his passes and throwing just one TD and six picks, he’ll need to step it up significantly.

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Florida A&M finds fresh talent

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - During the walk-through phase of preseason camp, FAMU offensive lineman Zerrie Patterson stayed zoned in on his every move during a technique drill. He wanted to make sure his footwork was right. Hand placement appeared to be a concern too, but he kept trying until he got it right.

Coaches were watching and when the football team was evaluated after its first scrimmage, Patterson and at least seven other freshmen came up with high marks. They were good enough to earn playing time.

But some of them already knew they’d be on the field when the Rattlers open the season on Sept. 1. They are that talented, said FAMU coach Joe Taylor.

“When I found out I was starting I was like, ‘oh snap,’ ” Patterson said. “I’ve got to step up’ and I can’t miss blocks or anything like that.”

The list of freshmen expected to get some playing time includes four local players — Caleb Helms (North Florida Christian), offensive lineman Drew Savary (North Florida Christian), running back Lee Williams (Maclay School) and running back Will Thomas (Wakulla High).

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Third-ranked Lee hits the jackpot, defeats Xavier Nuggets in 3

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CLEVELAND, Tennessee — Irene Ojukwu and Marija Zelenovic, both honorable-mention NAIA All-Americans a year ago, combined for 29 kills Friday to lead third-ranked Lee (Tenn.) to a 25-14, 25-16, 25-16 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the Lee Invitational.

The Lady Flames (1-1) had a .506 hitting percentage — the best against the Gold Nuggets since Xavier reinstated its program in 2010 — to rebound from a five-set loss to ninth-ranked Indiana Wesleyan earlier in the day. Ojukwu had 16 kills — six in as many attempts in the opening set — and hit .667. Zelenovic, the 2011 Southern States Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, had 13 kills and hit .524.

Taylor Reuther and Chinedu Echebelem had six kills apiece, and freshman CeCe Williams had five in her collegiate debut for the Gold Nuggets (0-2), who dropped their second straight against a ranked opponent. No. 20 Lindsey Wilson swept Xavier earlier in the day. The Nuggets never lost consecutive matches in 2011.

Lee overcame deficits of 8-5 in the second set and 8-6 in the third to win for the 108th time in its last 117 matches. The Lady Flames were an NAIA national semifinalist each of the past three seasons.

Moira Kirk, the 2011 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, finished with no kills for the first time at Xavier. She led the Nuggets with three blocks.

Lee limited Xavier to a .136 hitting percentage and had advantages of 52-22 in kills, 27-20 in digs and 9-2 in aces.

Xavier will play Union (Ky.) in the Nuggets' final match of the tournament at 3 p.m. EDT Saturday. Union, the defending Appalachian Athletic Conference regular-season champion, lost in five sets Friday to Olivet Nazarene.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, SID
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

NSU report | As expected, Flores gets starting QB nod

NORFOLK, Virginia - Nico Flores will open the season at quarterback.

Head coach Pete Adrian officially announced his decision late Thursday, but it had become apparent as NSU prepared for next Saturday's season opener against Virginia State.

Flores, who got the nod over junior-college transfer Jake Basmagian, has looked more comfortable as he's gotten more time, sandwiching a pair of good practices this week around a poor one.



"Nico has earned it," Adrian said. "He's playing well. I think every day he seems to be growing. The one thing he'll do this year, I believe - at least I hope - is you're going to see him break runs he couldn't last year because we're running on offense. You're never going to know when he's going to take off."

On Tuesday, Flores completed ...

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Tiger Camp: TSU Prime For Opener

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Not only can you tell by the calendar that the college football season is quickly approaching, but also by what the Tennessee State players and coaches are feeling.

"You can tell that sleep is getting a little shorter," head coach Rod Reed said. "Nerves are getting a little edgier. It’s time."

The Tigers got ready for their mock game on Saturday with a lighter practice on Friday morning.

"We were crisp today, but we didn’t have the pads on," Reed said. "We’ve got our mock game tomorrow, so we wanted to take a bit of the pressure off today and let them get their legs back."

Players are getting healthy and everyone seems to be peaking at the right time, just one week away from the season opener vs. Florida A&M at LP Field.

"We have some guys that we were going to hold back a little bit, but we want to be healthy going into the first game," Reed said. "A lot of the guys that you saw in red or green [no-contact] jerseys are now back in blue."

The Tigers will practice Saturday morning at Hale Stadium at 9:15 a.m. The practice is closed to the public and media due to construction at the stadium.

However, fans and media are encouraged to come see the Tigers during Fan Day starting at 2 p.m. Saturday at the indoor practice facility.



Kick-Off Times Confirmed

TSU Athletics announced last week that kick-off times have been set for all home games. The John Merritt Classic against Florida A&M is slated for a 6pm contest on Sept. 1. All Hale Stadium games (Austin Peay - Sept. 15, Eastern Kentucky - Oct. 6 and Tennessee Tech - Oct. 27) are scheduled for a 1pm start time. TSU kicks off Homecoming against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 29 at 5pm.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M Rattlers turn focus to Tennessee State Tigers

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - With the first phase of preseason camp completed over the weekend, FAMU began Monday to focus on Tennessee State University, its first opponent this season.

The Rattlers practiced on a soggy field in a steady downpour, but it didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for finally zoning in on the Sept. 1 opener, which will take place in Nashville.

“Even thought it was a little bit wet, I thought it was good to see how they align,” FAMU coach Joe Taylor said. “It was good to go out and get a feel for what we are going to see in our first game.”

The match-up with TSU will be the first between the two teams since the 2010 Atlanta Classic. In that game, the Tiger snapped an eight-game losing skid to the Rattlers to take a 26-24 lead in the series, which dates back to 1944 as one of the oldest rivalries involving two historically black universities.

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Headed to the Hall: Trifonov overcomes language barrier, creates MEAC power

HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACH TONY TRIFONOV

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - FAMU volleyball coach Tony Trifonov has such a passion for teaching the game that not even a language barrier could have kept him from getting his message to his protégés.

As a high school and club coach in Tampa (Florida), he used hand signals and drew plays out on a clipboard. That was a few years after he came to the United States in the early 1990s from Bulgaria, where he was one of the rising stars in the former communist country.

But by the time he took the head coaching job at FAMU, Trifonov’s English was much better and it didn’t take him long to begin what has become the MEAC’s longest conference title-winning streak in any sport. He accomplished the feat by incorporating things he learned back home with today’s techniques, he said.

“Along with the coaching experience, I was able to relate to the players and use my experience in recruiting to make those kids championship-caliber athletes,” Trifonov said. “A lot of them went on from here and have different careers. That’s what it’s all about.”

On Sept. 14, Trifonov will receive the highest honor that FAMU bestows on a coach or athlete when he is inducted in its Hall of Fame. The class also includes Chris Burls (tennis), Darrell Spence (basketball) and Burney Adams (football). Eddie Shannon, the school’s first full-time athletic trainer, will be inducted a as a supporter of athletics.

Trifonov’s induction will make him one of ...

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Southern WR Willie Quinn learning quickly

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - For freshmen coming in during fall training camp, the goal is often to cram, study and learn the playbook as fast as possible, adjust to the speed of college football and maybe, if they’re lucky, dodge a redshirt and earn some playing time.

For the fortunate few who pull that off, it usually takes a full preseason of hard work. For Southern wide receiver Willie Quinn, it took about two-thirds of a practice.

By that point in the Jaguars’ opening session of fall camp, Quinn had already set himself apart. The definitive moment came after he made a catch down the middle of the field during a non-contact team drill, when coach Stump Mitchell came charging after him, yelling excitedly.

“Hey Willie! You’re going to help us this year! Keep working!”

Quinn did, and he is. With sure hands, lightning quickness and a tenacious work ethic, the freshman from Miami wasted no time making an impression on his new teammates and coaches.

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The skinny on NSU's 2012 football schedule

Beat Writer Chris Carlson's 2012 Norfolk State football prediction: 8-3

NORFOLK, Virginia  -  The Spartans face three road games against teams that received votes in The Sports Network Top 25 poll: Liberty, Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State. They face FBS opponent Ohio on the road. And they face MEAC rivals Hampton and North Carolina A&T on the road. Winning half of those should qualify as a success, especially without an experienced quarterback under center.   

September 1
Virginia State, 6 p.m.
The skinny The question no longer is who will win the Labor Day Classic but how big the Spartans’ victory will be. Since Virginia State’s most recent win in 2005, the Spartans have won six by an average margin of 26 points.

September 8
at Liberty, 7 p.m.
The skinny Credit NSU athletic director Marty Miller and head coach Pete Adrian for scheduling this one. It’s the type of game the MEAC needs to play to earn respect. Liberty was picked to finish second in the Big South, is led by former Kansas coach Turner Gill and, like NSU, is replacing one of the most prolific quarterbacks in FCS.

September 15
Howard, 4 p.m.
The skinny The Bison are led by linebacker Keith Pough, the MEAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and quarterback Greg McGhee, last year’s MEAC Freshman of the Year and, possibly, the best quarterback the conference has this season.

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Transfers attest to Norfolk State's strides

NORFOLK, Virginia - Mike Privott grew up loving Norfolk State. But when it was time to decide where he’d play in college, he didn’t think about the Spartans.

The all-time leading tackler at Lake Taylor, Privott, a linebacker, wanted to test himself at a top FBS school. He picked Louisville.

But even if he was interested in FCS football, he said, it’s unlikely NSU would have been his choice.

“Probably somewhere like Hampton or JMU; those were the top programs,” Privott said. “I probably would have done something like that. (The Spartans) were the home team, but they weren’t winning.”

That changed last year when NSU won its first MEAC championship.

Something else changed, too. Head coach Pete Adrian welcomed a rare transfer from a high-level FBS program when linebacker Brent Singleton arrived from Minnesota. Lynden Trail, a linebacker from Florida, followed.

Then a third transfer arrived: Privott.

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20th-ranked Lindsey Wilson stymies XU Nuggets in opener

CLEVELAND, Tennessee — Kailey Moorhead's 12 kills and Kristi Hager's 27 digs Friday helped NAIA No. 20 Lindsey Wilson defeat Xavier University of Louisiana 25-16, 25-23, 25-7 in the women's volleyball season opener for both teams at the Lee Invitational.

The Blue Raiders limited Xavier's two best offensive players of a year ago, Taylor Reuther and Moira Kirk, to a combined six kills and a minus-.070 hitting percentage. Kirk's two kills were the fewest of her XU career, and Reuther's minus-.091 hitting percentage — four kills and seven errors in 33 attack attempts — was her worst.

Chinedu Echebelem recorded her third career double-double at Xavier, 12 kills and 12 digs. Freshman Alexis Clay had 17 digs.

Echebelem had seven kills in the second set to help the Gold Nuggets build a 20-16 advantage. But Lindsey Wilson scored six of the next seven points to take the lead for good, and Taylor Hayne closed the set with a kill.

Lindsey Wilson's Angela Mlachnik served all four of her aces during a 16-3 run to open the third set.

"We played really well in the second set," XU coach Christabell Hamilton said. "The first set we were a little nervous, and the third one we lost all momentum because we couldn't pass at all. We are very young and still trying to find a lineup that works and get used to each other on the court."

Four of the eight Nuggets who played were freshmen. Franziska Pirkl started at setter and had 20 assists and five digs, Claudia Haywood had four kills and two blocks, and Darian Harris had five digs in their collegiate debuts.

Lindsey Wilson outhit Xavier .264 to .069 and had advantages of 42-26 in kills, 60-51 in digs and 9-0 in aces.

It was the first time Xavier opened the season against a ranked opponent. The Gold Nuggets will play another ranked team, No. 3 Lee, at 7 p.m. EDT Friday.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

MEAC champs NSU ready to take foes’ best shots

NORFOLK, Virginia - Most of the Spartans acknowledge the adage is true: It’s tougher to repeat as football champions than it is to win the first one.

That doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

“Oh, it’s definitely harder to repeat,” senior Terrence Pugh said. “There’s no doubt about that. We’re also up for the challenge. We’re not sneaking on anyone’s radar. We have to work twice as hard to win this year.”

Things are different at Norfolk State, which won its first MEAC title in 14 tries last season, erasing a reputation for being a good – but not great – program.

Now, opponents will see the Spartans as owners of a championship tradition. Conference rivals especially will get up for the games.

One reason is the MEAC’s coaches and sports information directors made the Spartans the ...

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Tuskegee looks to bounce back with a young team -- again

TUSKEGEE, Alabama - As he enters his seventh season at the helm, head coach Willie Slater is not quite sure what to make of his 2012 Tuskegee team.

"We had a lot of young players who played last year and we've got a lot of them," Slater said. "We went 4-6, so I'm not sure if they can play or not."

Predictably, the newcomers took their lumps adjusting to college football. Tuskegee started 1-4 in 2011 before bouncing back to win three of its final five games.



This season the Golden Tigers return 67 lettermen, including six starters on offense and five on defense.

"We've got 18 seniors, but we have mostly sophomores and juniors," Slater said. "I think we've got a lot of young players who can play."

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SIAC champion Miles seeks to make turnaround the norm

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Perhaps no one symbolized Miles' dramatic turnaround in 2011 more than quarterback David Thomas.

In his first season as a starter, Thomas passed for 2,088 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 489 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading the Golden Bears to their first SIAC championship since 1985 and their first bowl game appearance.

"I did well," Thomas said modestly. "It took a lot of hard work. I thank the coaching staff and my teammates for hanging in there with me."

Thomas' performance wasn't overlooked. As the senior from Opelika embarks on the 2012 season, he does so as the first-team quarterback on the preseason All-SIAC team.



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Louisiana College Football Tour 2012: Father-Son Combo to Lead SWAC Favorite Grambling

GRAMBLING – He's tall, a lot like his father, but the 200-pound official listing is probably stretching things. D. J. Williams doesn't look that heavy.

That could be a problem, because a lot is resting on his shoulders as Grambling seeks to defend its Southwestern Athletic Conference football title.



Williams will likely be the starting quarterback, a position he held more than half the time, when the Tigers open up next Saturday in Shreveport's Port City Classic against SWAC rival Alcorn State. And his father, Grambling head coach and former NFL standout Doug Williams, has confidence in him.

"Everyone wants to know about the quarterback situation," the elder Williams said. "We don't have a quarterback situation. We have a starting quarterback and we have some good backups that I won't hesitate to play."

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