WSSU seeks new heights

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - Coming off the best season in school history, Winston-Salem State hopes the encore is better.

The Rams, who set school and CIAA records for victories by finishing 13-1 in 2011, made it to the NCAA Division II semifinals before losing 21-14 to Wayne State.

So close, but yet so far.

"We can go further," said the ultra-confident Connell Maynor, who is entering his third season at WSSU. "But it's not going to be easy, and guys have to work and realize the price that you have to pay to get back there again and go one step more. We have the team and the players and everything is in place, but now we have to go out and execute….."

The Rams are loaded again — they lost just six starters — and are intent on not being a one-hit wonders.



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The Howard School documentary packs Tivoli in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - The Tivoli Theatre was packed with viewers for a locally filmed documentary of The Howard School.

The movie, “Build Me a World: The Story of Howard School,” was created by Fancy Rhino through a MakeWork grant. The story followed several Howard seniors through the last school year as they moved toward graduation and parts of the filming was done by students that participated in the movie.

The audience, which full of Howard students, local boosters and civic and nonprofit leaders, gave the film a standing ovation.

Alexis Walton, who stared in the movie and plans to attend Tennessee State University this fall, said she has been thrilled by the response the film has received.

“I’m just speechless,” she said after seeing it for the first time at the premier. “It’s overwhelming, seeing where I was at the beginning of last school year.”

Howard Principal Paul Smith said he hopes the film will draw attention to the need at Howard and raise finally and moral support for students. Last year, the school was part of the state’s achievement school district and was named a failing school because of its poor graduation rate.



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A Milestone For Chattanooga's Howard School

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - The new school year begins with plenty to celebrate at Chattanooga's Howard School, which is "making the grade" and exceeding other schools in several key areas.

Howard has been on several unflattering lists over the years because of poor grades and attendance. But you will be hearing and reading a lot about Howard School's remarkable turnaround for quite some time. It's all about having the right team in place to inspire young minds.

English teacher Kelly Greene is part of the right team. Executive Principal Dr. Paul Smith calls her and others "superstars."

"We have some of the best instructors in the district at this school and you have to have the best when you have the toughest population of kids in the schools," Dr. Smith said.

Dr. Smith and his leadership team challenged teachers like Ms. Greene by developing their skills above and beyond what's expected. So this year Howard School is no longer a "priority" or "focus" school -- words the state uses to describe chronically poor performing schools.

"It's wonderful because you see one of your lifelong dreams come true, you see that light bulb come on in front of your eyes, you see that child seeking knowledge wanting to learn more," Greene said.

TCAP scores are through the roof considering where they were and where they are now. The graduation rate is up from 24% to 88%. Students are so proud of what they've achieved they produced a 90-minute documentary titled "Build Me A World," highlighting the history, legacy and successes at Howard.



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History: The Howard School of Academics and Technology (Grades 9-12) was the first public school in the Chattanooga area. The name is drawn from Civil War General Oliver O. Howard, as is Howard University.  The Howard School was established in 1865.

The film, "Build Me A World" was created by Fancy Rhino with a MakeWork grant. The experiences of three seniors through their final year at Howard comprise the storyline. "Build Me a World" was produced in order to call attention to the school's historical significance as one of the oldest public schools for African-Americans in the US (1865), to the turnaround in the graduation rate from 20% to 88% over the last six years, and to the particular needs of the school for help as it seeks to prepare students from difficult circumstances for better academic and professional opportunities in the future.

Over 90% of the student body lives in poverty, and incoming freshmen typically enter with a third-grade reading level.  Students were not only subjects in the project but also participated in the filming process.  

Most notable alumni are:

• The late Reggie White - NFL Football star and College and Pro Football  Hall of Fame member
• Johnny Taylor - Chattanooga Mocs and National Basketball Association player
• Roland Carter - Composer-Arranger and Conductor, member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
• Rashad Jones-Jennings, professional basketball player

Howard school is split up into four academies. First, there is the 9th Grade Academy, in which all freshmen are automatically placed. At the end of a student's freshman year, they are required to pick an academy. They may choose between an Engineering/Vocational-focused academy, a IT-focused academy, or a Health/Human Services academy.

Another measure of that success is 94% of graduating Howard School students are now being accepted to a college or university.

There is hope for a better world in public education ...  (beepbeep)

Former Gov. Charlie Crist: Here's why I'm backing Barack Obama

Former Florida Governor Charlie Christ endorses
President Barack Obama in 2012 presidential race.
 

TAMPA, Florida - I’ve studied, admired and gotten to know a lot of leaders in my life. Across Florida, in Washington and around the country, I've watched the failure of those who favor extreme rhetoric over sensible compromise, and I've seen how those who never lose sight of solutions sow the greatest successes.

As America prepares to pick our president for the next four years — and as Florida prepares once again to play a decisive role — I'm confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation. I applaud and share his vision of a future built by a strong and confident middle class in an economy that gives us the opportunity to reap prosperity through hard work and personal responsibility. It is a vision of the future proven right by our history.

We often remind ourselves to learn the lessons of the past, lest we risk repeating its mistakes. Yet nearly as often, our short-term memory fails us. Many have already forgotten how deep and daunting our shared crisis was in the winter of 2009, as President Obama was inaugurated. It was no ordinary challenge, and the president served as the nation's calm through a historically turbulent storm.

The president's response was swift, smart and farsighted. He kept his compass pointed due north and relentlessly focused on saving jobs, creating more and helping the many who felt trapped beneath the house of cards that had collapsed upon them.

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Alabama A&M analysis: SWAC title may be what Jones needs

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - There's no disputing the terrific job Anthony Jones has done as the football coach at Alabama A&M the last 10 years.

He has won 72 games while losing only 46. He has posted two nine-win seasons, the only two in school history, and has won eight or more games on six other occasions.

That had happened only seven times prior to Jones' arrival, including four times under lengendary coach Louis Crews, the Bulldogs' all-time winningest coach.

His players have stayed out of trouble for the most part and done well in the classroom. They have represented themselves and the university well.

Jones is 22 wins away from surpassing Crews' record ...

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Concordia-Selma looks to coach's fast tempo

SELMA, Alabama - When the Concordia-Selma football team takes the field, whether it's for practice or games, the players are expected to play at the "Skanes Tempo." That's the name Hornets head coach Shepherd Skanes branded his style.

"It's fast-paced football," Skanes said. "They have to play fast in all three phases of the game for four quarters. I preach that to the team all the time."

In 2011, the "Skanes Tempo" produced a 6-4 record and NAIA Concordia was tabbed the co-independent program of the year among historically black colleges and universities by TSPNsports.com.  Skanes was named coach of the year.  With nine starters returning on offense and seven on defense, Skanes believes the Hornets will have another successful season in 2012.

"We have got to stay focused," he said. "If we do that and keep the tempo I want, I think this could be another big year for our football program."

A big part of Skanes' optimism is centered on the return of junior quarterback Keith Ray. Skanes calls the Hornets leader "Mr. Everything."

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Isaiah Crowell ‘happy,’ seeking fresh start at Alabama State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -  About 225 miles from Athens, in the opposite direction from where most people will be looking when the college football season opens, you can find Isaiah Crowell here.

Take the last exit of I-85 south, make a left under the overpass and drive straight down Decatur and into the projects. There you will see a weathered sign reading, “Hornets Stadium,” and a football practice field bordered on one side by a small college campus and on the other by less-than-idyllic surroundings.



“The culture is a little different here,” Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said with understatement.

Barlow, the seventh year coach, said that when he met Crowell, he found him “regretful for what had happened. I remember when he was here for his visit, I heard him whisper to his mom, ‘Thank God for a fresh start.’ I didn’t say anything. But I saw Isaiah walking around and looking. He seemed relieved that somebody was ready to embrace him again and give him a second chance.”

Alabama State is in the midst of a makeover. A 30-year, $600 million wish list of constructions projects includes several new athletic facilities, including a $62 million football stadium scheduled to open on ...

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Morris Brown College seeks federal protection, hopes to prevent auction of campus

Bishop Preston W. Williams II, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Morris Brown College address supporters on the status of Morris Brown College. The historically black institution today filed for Chapter 11 Reorganization in the Federal Bankruptcy Court in Atlanta.

ATLANTA, Georgia - Morris Brown College officials have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a last ditch effort to prevent the 131-year-old school from being foreclosed on and sold at auction, and to give them time to regroup.

Morris Brown, which is more than $30 million in debt, was facing foreclosure next month after investors called $13 million worth of bonds tied to the college. The bonds were issued by the Fulton County Development Authority in 1996. As security for the bonds, Morris Brown pledged several pieces of property, including the school's administration building. An auction of assets had been scheduled for Sept. 4.

"The trustees are taking several deliberate actions to insure that we not only survive, but thrive," board Chairman Preston W. Williams said Saturday. "Our commitment is to focus on restructuring and making it possible for us to survive another day."

Chapter 11 is part of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization and gives federal protection to businesses unable to pay their debts.

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Ex-Wildcat returns as B-CU quarterback's coach

MATT JOHNSON
(COURTESY B-CU ATHLETICS)

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - Graduate assistants coaches usually don't have a lot of heavy lifting to do, other than maybe lifting some heavy equipment. Grad assistants are like the scout team of college football coaching. It's where you pay your dues.

But Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins is bucking the trend by giving the keys to his newest grad assistant, Matt Johnson. The 2010 Jake Gaither Award winner will be the Wildcats' quarterback's coach this season while working on his master's degree, Jenkins said during B-CU's media day Sunday at Municipal Stadium.

"I've been impressed already with the things he has been able to do with the quarterbacks and some of the things he's noticed offensively," Jenkins said of Johnson, who has been with the team since the beginning of training camp on Aug. 2.

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TSU running back Trabis Ward sets sights on record books

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Trabis Ward checked the Tennessee State record books in the offseason and then checked with his offensive line.

The junior running back from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., thought his linemen should be the first to know that he had set a goal to break the Tigers’ single-season rushing record this season.

Ward gained 978 yards last season despite being sidelined with an ankle injury for two games and part of another.



He spent the summer in an intense workout program with former Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder. The record is 1,739 yards set by Charles Anthony in 2004.

“I got injured in the (Sept. 24) Air Force game last year and then missed two other games and was still just 22 yards away from 1,000,” Ward said. “I also split carries last year with Dante’ Thomas. That showed me that I could do something special this year, so I checked the school rushing record and I believe it’s something I should be able to break.”

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Southern University basketball team expecting uphill climb in 2012

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -  Last year, men’s basketball coach Roman Banks brought the excitement back to Southern, engineering a 13-win turnaround that saw the 17-14 Jaguars finish second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

That means an older, wiser group will go even further in Year 2 under Banks, right?

It’s too early to say “wrong,” but after a ton of offseason comings and goings, it will certainly be an uphill climb.

Of the 12 players on last season’s roster, seven are gone, and Banks will have to re-teach his system to seven newcomers in what’s essentially a second first-go-round.

“This is going to be like a brand-new year because we have so many new guys and so many first-year players,” Banks said. “We have to take baby steps just like we did last year.”

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Fort Valley State hoping for improvements up front

FORT VALLEY, Georgia  -  The line is where everything on the offensive side of the ball begins or ends.  And a year ago, Fort Valley State’s offensive line had a season it would certainly like to forget, like pretty much the rest of the team.

That unit caught plenty of heat for the many woes of the offense, which were affected by injuries to FVSU’s top two quarterbacks and shuffling in the backfield.

FVSU was 110th nationally in Division II in rushing (115.7 yards per game), 97th in passing (188.7 yards per game), 114th in pass efficiency (108.66 rating) and 126th in total offense (304.4 yards per game) out of 152 teams.

And the Wildcats were ...

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S.C. State football 2012: Bulldogs look to take back the MEAC

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - Darius Drummond looks toward the skies in frustration. What draws the preseason All-American South Carolina State defensive back and kick returner’s ire is the outside wall of the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium pressbox.

“There’s not even an ‘11’ up there!” said Drummond, in reference to the year missing from those posted on the press box signifying Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships won.

Last season, for the first time in three years, S.C. State did not win or share the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. For the first time since the 2007 campaign, the Bulldogs were on the sideline for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

That feeling was not enjoyable for head coach Buddy Pough and his staff, and neither did it sit well with the Bulldog players. All involved hope to regain the spotlight enjoyed by Norfolk State for 2011.

Pough’s team came within a couple of field goals of a third straight MEAC title and an undefeated league campaign. S.C. State’s conference losses were both by three points, 17-14 at Norfolk State and 27-24 to Florida A&M.




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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