Norfolk State-ODU football series made official

NORFOLK, Virginia - Norfolk State athletic director Marty Miller stepped forward, holding a green-and-gold jersey, thinking briefly that he was posing for an individual picture.

He looked back toward ODU athletic director Wood Selig and paused, waiting for Selig to join him, the two combining to figure out the best way to hold two jerseys and a football among four hands. After all, the schools are officially in this together now.



The athletic directors from ODU and NSU announced a new two-game football contract on Tuesday during a press conference at the Norfolk Sheraton Waterside.

The Monarchs will play at NSU on Oct. 26, 2013, a game that fills a vacancy in a difficult-to-fill schedule for Old Dominion and promises to fill Dick Price Stadium. In return, the Spartans will visit Old Dominion two years later on Sept. 12, 2015.

READ MORE

Darryl Jacobs Appointed to the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Committee

PETERSBURG, Virginia - Trojans head men’s basketball coach Darryl Jacobs has been appointed to serve as a member of the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Committee, effectively immediately.

Coach Jacobs is in his second season as head coach of the VSU men’s basketball team. “This is indeed a great honor to serve on such a distinguish committee and I am very humble by my selection. I am looking forward to working with the other committee members on issues and recommendations that will come before us” states Jacobs. Prior to his arrival to Virginia State University, Jacobs served as Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Facility Coordinator and Co-Chairperson for the Health and Wellness program at Clark Atlanta University. He also served on the NCAA Men’s Division II Basketball South Regional committee from 2008-2009 and as vice president for the SIAC Men’s Basketball Coaches Committee from 2009-2011. He has attended numerous NCAA Rules and Compliance conferences during his career.

As a coach, he has won numerous coaches of the year awards as well as leading his programs to numerous conference, tournament championships and NCAA tournament appearances. He is member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Black Coaches Association (BCA). He is native of Paterson, NJ.



COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Virginia State University Trojans add basketball recruits

PETERSBURG, Virginia  - Virginia State University’s men’s basketball coaching staff has added their last recruit to their 2012-13 recruiting class for the upcoming season. Division I transfer guard from Charleston Southern University, Chris Grier (junior/Stone Mountain, GA) will join the Trojans basketball team.

Chris Grier 6’3 JR Charleston Southern University/Stone Mountain, GAGrier is a tremendously athletic combo guard who can play the 1,2,3 positions on the court. He handles the ball well, is a good defender and is also an excellent 3 pt shooter. Chris shot 42% from three-point land and averaged 6.1ppg last season at D-I Charleston Southern. He scored a season high 13 points at NCAA 2012 tournament against Florida State last season

Jeremy Canty 6’2 SO Morgan State University/Portsmouth, VACanty transfers from Division I Morgan State University, where he was a tremendous shooter and athlete. He can create off the bounce and has unlimited range on his jump-shot. He Played at I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, VA where he won back-to-back state Championships and helped lead his team to their final ranking of 5th in the nation during his senior year.

Allen Harris 6’6 JR St. Anselm’s College/Boston, MAHarris is a transfer from St. Anselm’s College. He is an athletic guard/small forward who can shoot and pass the basketball. Harris was voted Northeast 10 conference Freshman of the Year in 2010-2011, when he averaged 17.1 ppg with 5.1 rpg. He comes to VSU with a college-career scoring average of 15.1 ppg while playing at St. Anselm’s College.

John Holleman 6’9 SR Carson Newman/Petersburg, VAHolleman is a local Petersburg High School graduate who comes to VSU after averaging 11.1 ppg and 7.1 rpg at Carson Newman College during the 2010-2011 season. He is a very skilled, athletic versatile forward/center who can shoot the trey, pass the ball, attack of the dribble, and also post up. He is a traffic rebounder and is a great finisher around the basket.

Alex Jackson 6’5 JR Quinnipiac University /Baltimore, MDJackson transfers from Division I Quinnipiac University. He is an athletic guard/forward who can post up and attack off of the dribble. He is an excellent rebounder and mid-range shooter; tremendous competitor. Jackson is a former JUCO All-American that averaged 19.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.5 apg.

Lamar Kearse 6’2 JR NJIT/Syracuse, NYKearse is a heady combo guard that averaged 8.7 ppg while at Division I NJIT. He was born in Petersburg, VA and his mother is an alumnus of Virginia State University.

Michael Mann 6’3 JR Saulk Valley CC/Chicago, ILMann is an athletic shooting guard who was a two year starter at Saulk Valley Junior College. He averaged 12.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 3.5 stls. Mann also led his team in three point percentage and makes with 63 nailed treys. He was recruited by Tennessee- Martin, Chicago State, Illinois-Chicago and numerous others.

Jacolby Wells 6’8 Grad Mount St. Mary’s University/Emporia, VAWells is a recent graduate of Division I Mount St. Mary’s University. He is an athletic power forward/center with great size that comes to Virginia State University with a reputation of finishing well around the basket with some additional rebounding.

Jhamir White 6’0 FR The Robinson School/Paterson, NJ

White is the Trojans’ lone freshman of their 2012-13 class. He is a smart, heady point guard known for his leadership and calmness under pressure. White has a high basketball IQ and passing ability. He can get into the lane and finish well while being a good shooter. He was recruited by Manhattan, Siena, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. Peters, UMBC.

COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Miami Hosts Bethune-Cookman in Home Opener

University of Miami Hurricanes vs. Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats

 

GAME INFORMATION
Date / Time: Sat., Sept. 15, 2012 / 12:04 p.m. EDT
Site: Miami Gardens, Fla. / Sun Life Stadium (74,916)
TV: ESPN3
Play-by-Play: Drew Fellios; Analyst: Doug Graber; Sideline: Tiffany Greene
Local Radio: 560 WQAM
Play-by-Play: Joe Zagacki; Analyst: Don Bailey Jr.; Sideline: Josh Darrow
Spanish Radio: Caracol 1260 AM
Play-by-Play: Roly Martin; Analysts: Pepe Campos and Joe Martinez
Student Radio: 90.5 FM WVUM
Talent: Chris Wittyngham, Nick Greenberg and Chip Brierre
Satellite Radio: Sirius 136, XM 192 (UM broadcast)
Live Stats: HurricaneSports.com
Twitter Updates: @HurricaneSports
Series: Miami leads, 1-0
Miami: Miami leads, 1-0
First Meeting: 2011 — W, 45-14
Last Meeting: Same
Streak: Miami, 1 win

 

Game Notes

 

STORY LINES
* Miami will face Bethune-Cookman in the Canes' 2012 home opener at Sun Life Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. EDT on ESPN3. It will be the second all-time meeting between the programs after they met for the first time at Sun Life Stadium in Miami's 45-14 win in 2011.
* Under Al Golden, the Hurricanes are a perfect 6-0 after a loss, including this season’s opener in which Miami avenged a loss at home to Boston College.
* The Hurricanes are a perfect 4-0 in home openers at Sun Life Stadium. Miami has defeated Charleston Southern (2008), Georgia Tech (2009), Florida A&M (2010) and Ohio State (2011) since it left the Orange Bowl following the 2007 season.
* After racking up 214 all-purpose yards in his collegiate debut against Boston College, RB Duke Johnson added 178 more to his season total. His total was bolstered by a 77-yard fourth-quarter kickoff return that set up Miami's only touchdown against Kansas State. Johnson ranks 1st in the ACC this season with 198.5 all-purpose yards per game.
* Redshirt sophomore TE Clive Walford had three catches for 61 yards and a touchdown against K-State, including a career-best 56-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter. Walford's TD grab in the fourth quarter was the first of the season and second of his career.
* The Canes are undefeated at home against MEAC opponents, outscoring them 400-49. Miami’s only other MEAC opponent is Florida A&M, posting an 8-1 record against the Rattlers and winning the last eight meetings.
* Nearly 70 of Miami's 2012 roster hails from Florida (67 players), including 21 that hail from Miami-Dade County.
* Four Miami Hurricanes are among 312 seniors named to the 2013 Senior Bowl Watch List, the nation's premier all-star game announced August 23. Senior RB Mike James, DB Brandon McGee, DT Darius Smith and S Vaughn Telemaque represent the Hurricanes on the Senior Bowl's inaugural watch list.
 

 

NATIONAL TELEVISION COVERAGE
* Saturday's meeting with Bethune-Cookman will be streamed nationally exclusively on ESPN3. WatchESPN/ESPN3 is currently available for Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV and Comcast Xfinity TV subscribers.
* Miami's Oct. 6 game against Notre Dame in Chicago will be televised nationally at 7:30 p.m. EDT on NBC.
 

BETHUNE-COOKMAN SERIES HISTORY
* Saturday will mark the second series meeting with Miami winning the first meeting, 45-14, in 2011.
* In last season's meeting, then-freshman DE Anthony Chickillo made his first career start against the Wildcats. He recorded 1.5 sacks and ended the game with four tackles, 1.5 of which were for five lost yards.
* LB Kelvin Cain picked up his only career interception against B-CU in 2011 and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown for the Canes.
 

 A WIN BY MIAMI WOULD... * Give Miami a 65-21 record in home openers.
* Improve its record to 5-0 in home-openers at Sun Life Stadium.
* Improve its record to 5-2 over non-conference opponents under Al Golden.
* Improve its record to 9-1 all-time over MEAC teams.

 

#ROOKIECANES * In Miami's second game of the season, 13 freshmen including 11 true freshman played at Kansas State.
* True freshman OL Ereck Flowers made his second consecutive start at right tackle. On the defensive side of the ball, redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson made his career-first start, notching a career-best seven tackles.
* S Deon Bush also recorded seven tackles in the contest. DB Tracy Howard, DB Rayshawn Jenkins and DL Earl Moore each tallied a tackle each.
* For the second consecutive game, true freshman RB Duke Johnson has led the Canes in all-purpose yards. After totaling 214 total yards at Boston College, Johnson added 178 more at Kansas State, bolstered by a 77-yard fourth quarter kick-off return.

 

A GAME OF FIRSTS * Miami's visit to Kansas State's Bill Snyder Family Stadium was the first in program history.
* DB Brandon McGee intercepted his first pass of the season, when he picked-off KSU's Collin Klein in the third quarter. It was his first interception since facing USF in 2011.
* Redshirt sophomore QB Ryan Williams made his Hurricane debut in the four quarter. He connected on both of his pass attempts, including his first touchdown pass, a 2-yard strike to TE Clive Walford.

 

PLENTY OF OPTIONS
* Miami has 12 different players that have at least one reception in the first two games of the season.
* Allen Hurns, Rayshawn Scott, Phillip Dorsett, Clive Walford, Malcolm Lewis, Duke Johnson, Devon Johnson, Mike James, Asante Cleveland, Kendal Thompkins, Eduardo Clements and Herb Waters each have at least one grab through two games.
* Junior Allen Hurns leads all receivers with 10 catches and 113 receiving yards on the season.

 

TWO-MINUTE OFFENSE
* Five of Miami's nine scoring drives this season have needed less than two minutes.

MIAMI SCORING DRIVES UNDER TWO MINUTESat Boston College - Du. Johnson 54-yard run (1:51)
at Boston College - Du. Johnson 56-yard run (1:17)
at Boston College - Wieclaw 24-yard FG (0:46)
at Kansas State - Wieclaw 27-yard FG (1:42)
at Kansas State - Walford 2-yard pass from Williams (1:39)

 

HURRICANE HOME-OPENER SUCCESS * Saturday's home opener against Bethune-Cookman marks Miami's fifth season at Sun Life Stadium.
* The Hurricanes are 4-0 in home openers at Sun Life Stadium, defeating Charleston Southern (2008), Georgia Tech (2009), Florida A&M (2010) and Ohio State (2011) since it left the Orange Bowl following the 2007 season.
* Miami is 64-21 all-time in home openers and has won five consecutive home openers.
* Miami has won 13 of its last 14 home openers; its last home-opening loss came in a 13-10 defeat to No. 11 Florida State in 2006 at the Orange Bowl.

 

#DUUUKE ADDING ON
* True freshman RB Duke Johnson leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in all-purpose yards after the second week of the season. The Norland High product is currently averaging 198.5 yards per game, 51.5 yards more per game than second-ranked Michael Campanaro of Wake Forest (147.0).
* Johnson's 392 all-purpose yards on the season account for 39 percent of the Canes’ 997 total all-purpose yardage.
* Against Boston College in the season-opener, Johnson became the first UM freshman RB to rush for 100 or more yards in first college game since Clinton Portis in 1999.

 

CAREER DAY * Four different Hurricanes set career highs in tackles against Kansas State. Deon Bush (6 tackles, 1 FF), Shayon Green (8 tackles, 1.0 TFL), Olsen Pierre (7 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 FF) and Eddie Johnson (7 tackles, 1.0 TFL) each set career bests in stops.

 

COURTESY HURRICANESPORTS.COM

FAMU blames hazing victim for his own death: Heartless or prudent?

ATLANTA, Georgia  -  Florida A&M University said Tuesday that senior drum major Robert Champion's decision to take part in a violent hazing ritual, even after signing a university pledge that he would not participate in hazing, absolves the university and Florida taxpayers from liability for his death.

FAMU’s assertion goes to the core of a still-evolving area of liability law: Are institutions proxy parents for their students, or do they have no duty to act as custodians? The civil lawsuit brought by Mr. Champion's parents against FAMU argues that adult students are not at fault for their own deaths if they take part in hazing, and a Florida state law seems to back that viewpoint, legal experts say. But FAMU's rejection of the claim sets up a potential test case for the law.

“In many states, you can’t recover [in civil court] if you are the cause of your own harm, but states that have enacted hazing legislation [including Florida] recognize that this act involves a unique type of coercion which removes that defense,” says Doug Fierberg, a hazing law attorney at Bode & Grenier in Washington, D.C. 

Read: DEFENDANT FAMU’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT (.pdf)

READ MORE

Southern Jags Know Thursday Night is Big

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -  Roughly a week and a half has passed since the Southern Jaguars began their season with a disappointing 66-21 thrashing at the hands of New Mexico. Now the Jaguars look forward to not only playing an opponent more on their level, but also hosting their first home game at Mumford Stadium this season. Southern plays host to Mississippi Valley State in a rare Thursday night affair, with the contest being televised nationally by ESPNU at 6:30 pm.

"This serves as a recruiting function for us, an audition for Southern University," says athletic director William Broussard III, "For a lot of people who aren't familiar with the university as an entity. This is an opportunity for us to share that story outside the city of Baton Rouge, outside of this region to the entire nation. To show what brand of Southern University is…every element. From our robust fan base, to the quality of the football team, to the excitement of the band. This is an opportunity to sell Southern University to the local community and the nation at large."



READ MORE

Booster groups make big impact at Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - In 2010, soon after Stump Mitchell and his coaching staff arrived as Southern, Charles Wells paid them a visit and found one basic but glaring need.

“They didn’t have any garbage cans,” Wells said. “A couple of coaches were telling me, ‘We’ve got to get some garbage cans.’ ”

So Wells did what any well-intentioned Jaguars fan would do. He and his wife went out and bought garbage cans, slapped the coaches’ names on the sides and delivered them.

When Wells went back by the offices with his friend Willie Hughes, they noticed the coaches didn’t have any SU shirts to wear while recruiting. So they bought those, too.

Thus, A Nation of Dominance (ANOD) was born.

READ MORE

Pough upbeat after loss, says team will play hard vs. Arizona

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  - “Doom and gloom” is not the approach South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough has toward team adversity.

He could have used Monday’s weekly press conference to further dwell on last Saturday’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference 27-14 loss to Bethune-Cookman. Then Pough could have expressed his concern and dread about facing two straight Division I teams prior to a critical home match-up Sept. 29 against defending conference champion Norfolk State.

Instead, Pough was nearly as upbeat about the upcoming match-up with 24th-ranked Arizona as he was a week earlier coming off a victory. The next week, S.C. State in on the road at Texas A&M.

“We’re in a hole, but we’re not in a hole that we can’t get out,” he said. “There’s too many different scenarios possible ...

READ MORE

Norfolk State, Old Dominion to play in 2013

NORFOLK, Virginia (WAVY) - Old Dominion University will announce Tuesday they have agreed to a two-game deal to play Norfolk State University in football starting in 2013.

Both teams are 2-0 this season. NSU won the MEAC Championship last year and ODU is not eligible to win the Colonial Athletic Association in 2012 because of the move to Conference USA. ODU and NSU had originally agreed to play for the next six years, until ODU moved to Conference USA.

Even though ODU's game against Hampton University was called early do to bad weather, ODU beat the Pirates 45-7 last Saturday. They have now scored more than 100 points in their first two games.

The Sports Network Poll ...

READ MORE

Quarterback play to be big factor when Alabama State and Grambling State meet

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - The quarterback matchup between Alabama State's Greg Jenkins and Grambling State's D.J. Williams made for good chatter during today's SWAC football coaches teleconference.

The Hornets (1-1, 1-0), led by Jenkins, a senior in his second season as a starter, will travel to face the Tigers (0-2), who are guided by Williams, just a sophomore, Saturday at 6 p.m. The contest will be the SWAC TV Game of the Week and broadcasted live on the conference's Web site.

Jenkins, who threw for close to 1,500 yards and 11 scores last season when the Hornets went 8-3, picked things up in Alabama State's 29-7 win against Mississippi Valley State this past Saturday. He completed 13 of 21 passes for 130 yards and carried the ball 13 times for 91 yards and a pair of scores, both in the first half, to catapult his team to a victory.

READ MORE

CFL: Tiger-Cats land Peguese in trade with Lions

HAMILTON, B.C.  -  The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced today that the team has acquired import defensive lineman Brandon Peguese from the BC Lions in exchange for future considerations.

Peguese, a 6-1, 250-pound native of Greensboro, North Carolina, has made four defensive tackles, three special teams tackles and one quarterback sack in seven games with the Lions this season. Peguese signed with the Lions as a free agent on June 16, 2012 after previously suiting up with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles.

In four seasons (2007-10) at Hampton University, Peguese recorded 179 tackles and 18 quarterback sacks, earning FCS All-American and First Team All-MEAC honours in 2010.

READ MORE

Grambling could see influx of ball carriers

2012 TCU vs Grambling State Time Lapse One Hour to Kickoff, By TheKgilley

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  -  Grambling State head football coach Doug Williams made it clear in no uncertain terms there is no quarterback controversy within his team.

“D.J. (Williams) is the starting quarterback, point blank,” Williams said during his weekly news conference Monday. “You can write that to all the naysayers who coach from the sidelines, from the booth and all your buddies. It’s no quarterback controversy. D.J. is the quarterback. Clear?”

Doug Williams, however, could not say with equal certainty the same about the Tigers’ running back situation.

Preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Dawrence Roberts was expected to be the leading man in the GSU backfield, but has had an uneven first two games of the season.



READ MORE

Five things we (Norfolk State) learned, the Liberty edition

NORFOLK, Virginia  -  Five things we learned.

The Brendon Riddick switch worked – Norfolk State’s redshirt freshman played quarterback until last spring. Now, just two games into his career at running back, he’s the team’s top tailback. He’s been the team’s best offensive weapon in each of the first two weeks, ripping off a run of more than 60 yards in two straight games. He carried the Spartans to victory against Liberty and, despite coming into Week 2 as the third-string running back on his team, he’s second in the entire MEAC in rushing yardage (118.5 yards per game) and tied for first in touchdowns (4).

Nico Flores is different from last year – We’re still not sure how effectively Flores can throw the ball, but the quarterback has made significant improvements in his overall game from last year. Now that he’s not just a wildcat quarterback where opponents know he’ll be running the ball on every play, Flores was the scrambling threat (76 yards) that head coach Pete Adrian hoped he’d be against Liberty. If nothing else, he seems to have curbed his penchant for unforced fumbles and is running with m ore authority. Even without a passing game, that, combined with NSU’s defense, should give the Spartans a chance nearly every week.

 

READ  MORE 

MEAC Line judge Shannon Eastin makes history in NFL

DETROIT, Michigan - Shannon Eastin used her left hand to tuck her pony tail under her cap after the national anthem and got ready for work.

She seemed to do her job, which ended by helping to separate St. Louis Rams and Detroit Lions players after some shoving, pushing and shouting broke out following the final play.

Eastin became the first woman to be an official in an NFL regular-season game, working as the line judge in the Rams-Lions matchup Sunday.

"It's a great milestone," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said after his team beat St. Louis 27-23. "But we didn't think about it all during the game."



That's probably just the way she — and the league — liked it. Eastin is among the replacement officials hired by the league while the regular officials are locked out. Replacement officials are working games for the first time in 11 years.

She became the first female official to work an NFL preseason game last month as the line judge when Green Bay played at San Diego. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has the hat and whistle she used during that preseason game, and they'll are expected to be displayed in Canton, Ohio.

The 42-year-old resident of Tempe, Ariz. has worked as a referee in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference — college football's second-highest level — and has 16 years of officiating experience. MEAC officials declined comment on Eastin, as did the NFL in the days leading up ...

READ MORE

THE SHOW: Bethune-Cookman University Marching Wildcats vs. South Carolina State University Marching 101 Band

CREDITS: Videographer: MrTJ85's

FAMU's Coach Taylor pleased by effort at OU

NORMAN, Oklahoma — There wasn’t a single head hanging as FAMU’s football team trotted back to its locker room after losing by eight touchdowns to the No. 5 team in the country Saturday night.

“This game gave us plenty of confidence,” quarterback Damien Fleming said, following the Rattlers’ 69-13 loss to Oklahoma. “I was able to complete passes without the key guy (Lenworth Lennon) in the game, and I feel with those guys coming back we’re gong to step our game up. If we can complete passes against those guys, we can do it against anybody.”



Lennon and three other players who were suspended by coach Joe Taylor for a violation of team rules will return this week. The Rattlers will need every hand on board if they want to get through the first month of the season without another loss.

The remaining games this month begin Saturday against Hampton in the home opener at Bragg Stadium. That will be followed by a trip to Delaware State, and they’ll round out the month in Atlanta against Southern.

READ MORE

Attitude adjustment: Pough knows SCSU Bulldogs have to rebound quick

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - Optimism is one of Buddy Pough’s biggest character attributes during his 11 seasons as South Carolina State head football coach.

Even after crushing setbacks, Pough has kept upbeat about the Bulldogs’ prospects and turned those moments of negativity into positives.



Over the next two weeks, those motivational skills will be put to the test. With Saturday’s 27-14 loss to Bethune-Cookman, the Bulldogs not only find themselves behind the proverbial 8-ball in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title race, but face the prospect of experiencing Pough’s worst nightmare — a three-game losing streak.

“That was a big issue that I was really concerned about during the entire offseason,” Pough said. “The fact that we could lose one of these two games and the worst of the two is ...

READ MORE

FAMU was in right place for OU game

NORMAN, Oklahoma — When conference alignment caused the University of Oklahoma to scramble to fill a void on its schedule, FAMU just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Thus, the deal was done to bring the Rattlers to face the Sooners on Saturday. OU got its game and FAMU filled the date with a payday of $650,000 that it desperately needs.



But even more than that, FAMU came into the game hoping it would put on a showing good enough to have some weight in the postseason. It’s just what MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas has been pleading with teams in the league to do figuring such a move would help the league in its push to get at least one at-large bid in the NCAA playoffs.

During the next few weeks, a few other MEAC programs will step out of their league as well. Savannah State was at FSU on Saturday and South Carolina State, which is running its athletic program in a $6 million deficit and faces the same need for cash as FAMU, will play Texas A&M in two weeks.

FAMU coach Joe Taylor came away from Saturday’s game feeling that he will see something on the game film that shows his team’s progress.

READ MORE

OU runs away from Rattlers

NORMAN, OKLA. — It ended like this at Memorial Stadium: Oklahoma 69, FAMU 13.

No surprise there, but if anyone is looking to find positives about the expected beating that the Rattlers took, just look at the points they scored. None of the four FCS (formerly Division I-AA) programs that OU played in the last four seasons had scored more than a safety against the home team.

There were also some bright spots defensively for the Rattlers. Twice they silenced the crowd of 84,852 that came out for the Sooners’ first home game — once with an interception and again with a fumble recovery.

Then, there was Travis Harvey’s 75-yard touchdown catch late in the second quarter. That cut the lead to 28-10 after Chase Varnadore tacked on the extra point to keep the Sooners from making it a blowout in the first half.

The difference in class gradually became obvious in the second half, though, and FAMU was left with its first 0-2 start to a season since 2007.

READ MORE

Lamar 31, PVAMU 0: Win was Lamar's 'best,' coach says

BEAUMONT, Texas - Lamar football Saturday played what coach Ray Woodard called "probably the best game we played since I've been here."

On offense, the Cardinals scored touchdowns the first three times they had the ball. Running backs combined for more than 200 rushing yards, and quarterback Ryan Mossakowski completed 21 passes to nine different receivers.

On defense, Lamar never let Prairie View A&M beyond the Lamar 28, and that was on the opening drive of the game. That drive ended when linebackers Ronnie Jones and Jestin White stuffed the visiting Panthers on a fourth-and-1 run. The 249 total yards allowed were the fewest against an NCAA Division I team since the revived football program returned in 2010.

The result - a 31-0 victory - boosted spirits after the 40-0 loss at Louisiana-Lafayette opened the season a week earlier.

"I needed it, the coaches needed it, players needed it, fans needed it," Woodard said. "A good step. I thought we really improved as a team from getting off the bus at Lafayette to (Saturday night)."




READ MORE

Catawba 49, Livingstone 17

SALISBURY, North Carolina - Catawba's record against Livinstone stayed unblemished, but the Indians' 49-17 victory on Saturday night had a different look. Catawba won its 13th straight in the series, but this wasn't one of those over-before-halftime, play-everyone-with-a-uniform, hide-the women-and children Mayor's Cup massacres that fans have gotten accustomed to.

"This was a football game," agreed Catawba's L.J. McCray, who made an interception and returned three kickoffs for 133 yards. "The truth is Livingstone came over here and played like they believed they would win it."

Both young quarterbacks - Catawba redshirt freshman B.J. Sherrill and Livingstone true freshmen Drew Powell - were sensational. Sherrill threw for 317 yards and three TDs. Powell accounted for two scores, threw for 305 yards and was the Blue Bears' leading rusher with 65 yards.

"Livingstone's passing scheme was great, and the quarterback was very good," McCray said. "Every time they got a man open over the middle, he completed a pass."



READ MORE

JCSU falls to Tuskegee 35-17 in the inaugural Inner City Classic

ATLANTA, Georgia  - The Johnson C. Smith University football team suffered a 35-17 loss to Tuskegee University in the inaugural Inner City Classic held in Lakewood Stadium. JCSU falls to 0-2 overall, while the Golden Tigers improve to 1-1 on the season.

JCSU jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter against Tuskegee. Following a made 23 yard field goal by junior place kicker Alfred Ntiamoah (Los Angeles, CA), the Golden Bulls defense forced a fumble on the next possession. Senior defensive end Derrick Johnson II (Charlotte, NC) forced the fumble and it was recovered by senior Dylan Steele (Orlando, FL) and returned to the Tuskegee 30 yard line.

Sophomore quarterback Keahn Wallace (Homestead, FL) eventually connected with Terrell Hutchison (Chester, SC) for an eight yard touchdown reception. JCSU forced the Golden Tigers to punt and had an opportunity to really gain some momentum. Unfortunately, freshman returner Fred Scott (Stone Mountain, GA) bobbled the punt and Tuskegee recovered on the JCSU two yard line.

Derrick Washington crossed the goal line on a two yard run to draw the Golden Tigers within three (10-7). JCSU relinquished the lead in the second quarter after a nine yard touchdown by Desmond Reece. Tuskegee missed the extra point to account for a 13-10 advantage.

The Golden Bulls responded with a nine play, 76 yard drive for a TD. The drive was capped by a 35 yard touchdown toss from Wallace to senior receiver Matthew Jeffries. Jeffries juggled in the reception over a defender for JCSU to move ahead 17-13 against the Golden Tigers.



The score remained the same heading into the second half. Wallace suffered a significant injury to his lower leg and did not play at all after halftime.

Tuskegee produced 22 unanswered points in the second half of the contest. Golden Tiger running back Derrick Washington ended the game with 155 yards off 17 carries and two touchdowns to earn MVP honors.

Senior running back Dedrick Anderson (Winston-Salem, NC) picked the Offensive Player of the Game award with 82 yards rushing and 38 yards receiving. Quavon Taylor was named Defensive Player of the Game with 12 tackles (10 solo).

JCSU returns to Charlotte, NC to host Concordia College of Selma for the home opener on Saturday, September 15th. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. inside the Irwin Belk Complex. The Golden Bulls will celebrate the first home game with the Eddie McGirt Classic.

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SHOW TIME: 23rd Southern Hertiage Classic - Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South vs. Tennessee State Aristocrat of Marching Bands

Tennessee State cruises to win over Jackson State in Southern Heritage Classic

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  -  Chief organizer of the Southern Heritage Classic, Fred Jones, predicted Friday afternoon that there would be somewhere between 40,000 and 45,000 fans in attendance for Saturday's game between Jackson State and Tennessee State.

He was right on target with 42,257 people filing into the Liberty Bowl. Jones also predicted another close game in the heated annual rivalry, but Tennessee State kept that prediction from coming true.

TSU got superstar performances from junior running back Trabis Ward and redshirt freshman Telvin Hooks and stormed past struggling Jackson State, 38-12, in one of the more lopsided Southern Heritage Classic games in years.

Tennessee State improved to 2-0 on the young season while Jackson State fell to 0-2 and has now been outscored 97-21 in eight quarters of play.

"We are still very young on defense — not one senior starting for us," Tennessee State coach Rod Reed said. "Our offense is having to kind of carry the defense along a little bit. It took us a while to get into a rhythm. But once we found it, we did a very nice job."

READ MORE



TSU runs by Jackson State

MEMPHIS, Tennessee - Trabis Ward, who was injured last season against Jackson State, inflicted plenty of pain Saturday night while leading Tennessee State to a 38-12 win in the 23rd annual Southern Heritage Classic.

The junior running back scored a career-high three touchdowns, all in the second quarter, and helped TSU get off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2008.

A Liberty Bowl crowd of 42,257 watched TSU snap its two-game losing streak against JSU (0-2). TSU has won eight of the past 10 games in the Southern Heritage Classic.

“Trabis came to me before the game and said, ‘Coach, I don’t think you know what kind of team we have,’” coach Rod Reed said. “They’re starting to show me more and more each week.”

Ward, who ran for 114 yards on 22 carries and had two catches for 23 yards, was named the game’s most valuable player.

Last year against Jackson State, he injured his ankle on a TD run that tied the score at 14 in the first quarter. With Ward limited the rest of the way (35 yards on 13 carries), JSU overcame a 24-21 halftime deficit to claim a 35-29 victory.



READ MORE

Alabama State Hornets 29, Mississippi Valley State 7: Hornets slug way past Delta Devils

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - In some ways, Saturday night’s home opener by Alabama State resembled the Hornets’ season opener with Bethune-Cookman a week earlier.

The Hornets jumped out to a three-touchdown lead in the first quarter while their opponent struggled to keep up on defense with Alabama State’s fast-paced offense and couldn’t get in synch offensively against the Hornet defense. That’s where the similarities ended.

Alabama State got sloppy at times in the last three quarters of Saturday’s game, just as they did in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge, but Mississippi Valley wasn’t up to the challenge of making the Hornets pay in the Hornets’ 29-7 win over the Delta Devils at Cramton Bowl.



“It was kind of like déjà vu,” ASU quarterback Greg Jenkins said. “We started fast, then we had some struggles in the second half. We just have to go back to the drawing board and learn how to finish.”

Jenkins and Isaiah Crowell each scored twice and the Hornet defense survived a second-half rushing challenge to win the conference opener.

READ MORE

Shaw Bears Struggles on the Ground; Falls 28-15 to Miles College

DURHAM, North Carolina - Shaw University struggled on the ground and with penalties, losing 28-15 to Miles despite a decided advantage in time of possession in a game played at Durham County Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, Shaw drops to 0-2, while Miles improves to 1-1 on the season.

"We have to put an end to this fast," said Shaw head coach Robert Massey of the losing streak. "Losing is contagious and losing can become a habit. We can't have that. At the end of the day, it's a non-conference game and doesn't hurt us that way, but we want to win them all."

Shaw had possession of the ball for 36:13 - compared to Miles' 23:47 - but were only four of 18 in third down conversions and suffered from 14 penalties for a loss of 153 yards.

"We had some dumb penalties," said Massey. "We looked undisciplined and uncoached, which is not acceptable. We have to be smarter."

The Bears could not generate a ground game, amassing only 34 net yards rushing. Shaw quarterback James Stallons spent much of the game scrambling - losing 39 yards on the ground.

"Last week we struggled with defense." Massey said. "This week was the offense. We moved the ball, but we couldn't punch it in. It's pride. We have got to find a way to finish drives."

The Bears moved the ball within the Miles 10-yard line six times, coming away with only a field goal and two touchdowns. The special teams unit struggled as well - especially in the kicking game. Shaw missed two of three field goal attempts and an extra point try.

The punting game struggled as well, with the Bears finally resorting to using Stallons as the punter after the first two kicks went eight and 16 yards. Stallons averaged 38.7 yards on three punts.

The game started slowly for both teams, with each missing a field goal. Shaw made it inside the Miles' 20 once in the first quarter, but the Golden Bears never cracked the Shaw 20.

Shaw opened the second quarter with a field goal, giving them a 3-0 lead. On the next drive, Miles drove to the Shaw eight-yard line and fumbled the ball. Chris Ellerbe recovered and returned it 81 yards, but being brought down at the 14-yard line. The Bears went only six yards before trying a field goal that went wide right.

With 28 seconds remaining in the first half, Miles' David Thomas hit Antonio Pitts on a three-yard slant that gave the Golden Bears a 7-3 going into the locker room.

After driving Shaw backwards 12 yards on the opening drive of the second half, Miles wound up with the ball on the Shaw 34 after a Shaw penalty on a Stallons' 41-yard punt. Five plays later, Thomas scrambled out of the backfield for 24 yards and a Miles touchdown, giving them a 14-3 lead.

With less than four minutes left in the third quarter, the Bears drove to the Miles three-yard line, but could not cross the goal line, giving up the ball on downs. In the shadow of their own goal posts, Miles was the beneficiary of a Shaw personal foul that moved them to the 17-yard line, then Thomas hit Jerommy Mardis for 83 yards and a 21-3 lead.

Shaw opened the fourth quarter at the Miles' 15-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs. The Bear defense held, though, then Chris Ellerbe blocked the Golden Bear punt, giving Shaw back the ball inside the 20. Three plays later, the Bears finally crossed the goal line on an Antonio Dunn three-yard dash. The extra point attempt failed, making the score 21-9 in favor of Miles.



Midway through the fourth, Miles was again the beneficiary of Shaw penalties - this time a pass interference call followed immediately by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty - giving the Golden Bears the ball on the Shaw eight. Denzell Veale got the ball on the option and ran left, gaining the eight yard and giving the Golden Bears a 28-9 lead.

Shaw then went on their longest drive of the game - starting on their own 13. Stallons hit six straight passes, moving the Bears down to the one-yard line, and Marquise Grizzle leapt over the pile for the second Shaw touchdown. The two-point attempt failed, setting the final score at 28-15.

Stallons finished the game going 20 for 39 for 277 yards with no interceptions. He was sacked four times. Dunn finished the game with 53 yards on the ground and the one touchdown. Grizzle had 24 yards rushing and one touchdown.

Ta'Juan Brown had 71 yards receiving with only two catches - one for 44 yards and the other for 27. Derek Grant had five catches for a total of 65 yards while Nick Jones pulled in three receptions for 64 yards.

Defensively, the Bears were led by Evan Strange who had eight tackles, including two sacks and three tackles for a loss. He also recovered a fumble for Shaw. Derrick Washington and Chris Martin had six tackles apiece, with Martin having a tackle and a half for a loss and adding one quarterback hurry to his tally. Frank Marin picked off a Thomas pass and had one sack while collecting three tackles.

Thomas finished the game 12 for 21 with one interception and two touchdowns and 190 yards through the air. The Golden Bears had only 72 yards rushing, led by Devonta Parker-Johnson who had 50 yards on 15 rushes. Mardis collected 119 receiving yards with four catches and had the one touchdown.

Defensively, Reginal Virges and James Gaines, III had seven tackles apiece. Virges recovered a fumble and Gaines had a sack for a loss of 12 yards.

The Bears continue their three-game homestand next Saturday when they host Stillman in a 1:00 p.m. contest at Durham County Memorial Stadium.

Box Score

 

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION