Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Ramon Harewood Makes An Unlikely Journey From Barbados To The NFL

Ramon Harewood, Guard #70
Height:
6’6”
Weight: 340
Age: 25
Hometown: St. Michael, Barbados
College: Morehouse
Experience: 3 years

BALTIMORE, Maryland  - The Baltimore Ravens were set to play the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football in their season opener. Many expected the Ravens to field Bobbie Williams as the starter at left guard. Instead, the Ravens shocked everyone when they decided to start Ramon Harewood. Fans haven’t seen much of the third year player due to injuries throughout his career, but he played exceptionally well against Cincinnati. For the time being, Harewood will be a fixture in a Ravens’ offensive line that appears to be solid. Based on how Harewood started his journey, the fact that he is playing at all is a major accomplishment in itself.



Ramon Harewood didn’t play football in high school. That’s because his high school didn’t have a football team. Harewood grew up in the Barbados, a small Caribbean island known more for its beautiful beaches and less for producing NFL prospects. That’s probably because football isn’t really considered a sport in Barbados. Most of the residents of the island barely know what it is.

“I didn’t really know too much about football,” said Harewood during an interview with CNN hours before the NFL Draft. “I played volleyball for my country. I played rugby for my country and track and field. So, I was always into sports.”

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Gene Wojciechowski (ESPN.com) Commentary: Savannah State -- the carnage

SAVANNAH, Georgia - If it were up to Savannah State athletic director Sterling Steward Jr., he'd schedule the New England Patriots, provided they offered a big enough guarantee. Steward is all about the money, which is how he justified the preposterous pair of consecutive slaughterhouse road games that SSU lost by a combined score of 139-0.

Sept. 1: Oklahoma State 84, Savannah State 0.

Sept. 8: Florida State 55, Savannah State 0.

The loss at FSU would have been a lot worse had lightning storms not caused officials to call the game with 24 minutes still remaining in the second half. As it was, they were using a running clock for parts of the game.

In short, they imposed the mercy rule.

Anyway, whatever SSU is paying second-year coach Steve Davenport, it's not enough. And the next time Steward schedules one of these laughers, he ought to have to play in it.

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No. 24 Arizona plays host to FCS foe South Carolina State



TUCSON, Arizona – One of the real surprise teams of the early season closes out a three-game homestand to start the year, as the 24th-ranked Arizona Wildcats play host to the South Carolina State Bulldogs.

Rich Rodriguez was brought to Tucson to reverse the fortunes of a football program in need of a change. Well, he has accomplished it in a short amount of time, opening up 2-0 on the year, including an impressive 59-38 upset of nationally-ranked Oklahoma State last weekend in a game where the two teams combined for an eye-popping 1,137 yards of offense.

Oliver Pough has built an FCS powerhouse at South Carolina State. The Bulldogs have won or shared four MEAC titles under Pough with the last one coming in 2010. South Carolina State went 7-4 last year, finishing second in its league. This year has started with mixed reviews, as the Bulldogs opened 2012 with a 33-6 pasting of Georgia State, followed by last weekend's 27-14 loss to Bethune-Cookman.

Rodriguez knows the Wildcats can't overlook anyone, even the Bulldogs.


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Spring Hill sweeps Xavier after lengthy first set


NEW ORLEANS — Sha Sha Buchanan's 12 kills and Meredith Donald's 21 digs Tuesday led Spring Hill to a 35-33, 25-18, 25-14 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at The Barn.

The Badgers (9-3) are 12-0 all-time against the Gold Nuggets (5-3). They swept Xavier for the eighth consecutive time.

Taylor Reuther had 10 kills and Chinedu Echebelem nine for Xavier, whose five-match win streak ended. This was the Nuggets' home opener.

Xavier saved seven set points and Spring Hill five in the opening set. The Badgers scored the final two points on a Reuther service error and a Taryn Nash kill. The Nuggets trailed 21-15 and 24-21 and never led until Moira Kirk's ace made it 27-26. That was the first of four lead changes in the final 16 rallies.

The first set was the fourth highest scoring for Xavier and an opponent and the highest since the Nuggets' 37-35 first-set victory against Georgia Southwestern on Oct. 29, 2004. The highest scoring set in XU history was a 40-38 first-set victory against Loyola at The Barn on Oct. 26, 2004. During Xavier's first two seasons of intercollegiate competition, 2003 and 2004, teams needed 30 points to win sets.

Spring Hill rolled to leads of 8-1 in the second set and 15-5 in the third.
Xavier will play Mobile at 7 p.m. next Tuesday at The Barn.

Box score

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

Nuggets open season with victory at Wolf Pack Invitational

From left: Zahri Jackson, Hannah Finnegan, Donyé Coleman, Catherine Fakler, Briana Simms, Paige Rochelle and Hali Yarmush pose after winning the women's team championship of the season-opening Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational.
METAIRIE, Louisiana — Xavier Univerity of Louisiana got a 2-4-9 finish from Zahri Jackson, Catherine Fakler and Briana Simms to win the women's team championship of the season-opening Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational cross country meet at Lafreniere Park on Saturday.

The Gold Nuggets scored 33 points to beat eight teams and finish 21 points ahead of runner-up Mississippi College. It's the first time in six years that the XU women won their opener, and it's the 13th time the Nuggets won a meet in Joseph Moses' eight seasons as coach.

It was the third team title in four meets for the XU women, dating to the University of Dallas Invitational 11 months ago.

MC's Jennifer Cooper won the 5,000-meter women's race in 19 minutes, 57.23 seconds. Jackson, a sophomore, was next in 20:08.05 and earned her fifth top-5 finish in nine collegiate meets. Fakler's time was 20:39.45, and Simms, a freshman in her collegiate debut, finished in 21:06.85.

Also scoring for the Gold Nuggets were Hali Yarmush in 12th place (21:30.24) and Hannah Finnegan in 13th (21:32.50). Finnegan, a freshman, also made her XU debut.

Jackson set a Xavier women's sophomore record for fastest 5K; she beat Ebony Harding's 2007 mark by nearly 11 seconds. She also posted the highest finish of the past 12 seasons by a Xavier female in a season opener.

In the 5K men's race, Xavier's Kwame Jackson, Zahri's brother, was second (16:36.40), and Matt Pieri was fourth (16:49.08). Pieri placed in the top four of this event for the third time in four years.

Gold Rush freshman David Holobowicz (18:14.28) was 16th in his collegiate debut. Charles Shaw was 35th in 19:34.33, and Emmanuel Detiege was 40th in 19:46.41.

William Carey's Joash Osoro won in 15:33.85 and led the Crusaders to the men's team title wisth 51 points, 10 fewer than runner-up Mississippi College. Xavier placed third with 87 points.

Both XU teams will compete next Saturday in the Azalea City Classic at Mobile, Ala.

Results: Men Women


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

Tennessee State returns to Hale Stadium

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State hosts Austin Peay for the first conference matchup in the OVC of the 2012 season and the first game held at Hale Stadium since 1998. TSU improved to 2-0 on the young season last week with an impressive 38-12 victory vs. Jackson State at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis at the 23rd annual Southern Heritage Classic.

The Tigers were led by junior running back Trabis Ward, who was named adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week.

Ward carried the ball 22 times for 114 yards and a career-best three touchdowns
 
 

The junior became just the sixth TSU player to rush for three or more touchdowns in a game and the first since the 2008 season (Javarris Williams). All of Ward’s touchdowns came in the second quarter, the last coming on a 47-yard scamper to put the Tigers up, 21-6, heading into halftime.

For his efforts Ward was named Southern Heritage Classic MVP. Ward currently ranks 10th nationally in rushing (119.0 yards/game) and sixth nationally in scoring (12.0 points/game).

For Austin Peay, they dropped to 0-2 on the season with a 42-7 defeat against Virginia Tech.

The Governors forced two Hokie punts, forced a turnover and stopped Virginia Tech on a fourth-and-one deep in APSU territory, in the first half.

A late first-half score gave Virginia Tech a 21-0 lead going into halftime .The Hokies took advantage of a blocked punt in the second quarter to score their second TD. The Hokies benefitted from a Govs turnover midway through the third quarter to break open the game 28-0.

However, the Governors responded with their season’s most impressive drive, going 78 yards on six plays, the bulk coming on Wesley Kitts runs. He accounted for 49 yards, including a 32-yard run. Kitts got the Govs to the 10 and Terrence Oliver scored his career’s first TD, a 10-yard up-the-middle run as APSU cut the deficit to 28-7.

Kitts finished with a career-best 110 yards on 22 carries. In his first two career starts, both against Football Bowl Subdivision schools, Kitts has rushed for more than 100 yards.

But the most improved play came up front defensively. The Govs held Virginia Tech to 187 yards rushing, many coming late in the contest when APSU began to tire.

Defensively, safety Johnathan Shuler led the way with nine stops, including 1.5 for loss while linebacker Craig Salley, defensive end Earnest Smith and safety Steven Rich each had nine. Salley and Smith had sacks of Thomas.

Tennessee State holds an 8-6 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1988. Since the series was renewed in 2007 after a 10-year break (when APSU was playing non-scholarship football), Austin Peay has won the last three meetings over the last three seasons, each game being decided by three points.

TSU last defeated the Govs in 2008, a 37-34 Tigers victory. In 2007, the Tigers won by the slimmest of margins, a 33-32 overtime win.

In last year’s meeting Tennessee State pulled ahead 34-20 with 7:32 to play in the third quarter before Austin Peay scored the final 17 points of the game, including touchdown runs by Ryan White and Wesley Kitts and a game-winning 35-yard field goal by Stephen Stansell with 11 seconds to play. Trabis Ward led the Tigers with 101 yards rushing while TSU quarterback Michael German passed for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Ryan led the APSU attack with 314 passing yards and two scores.
This is the first game in the sixth annual Sgt. York Trophy series, which is played between the four OVC schools from the state of Tennessee. Tennessee State is the defending Sgt. York Champion, winning the title for the third time a year ago (TSU also won in 2007 and 2008).

TSU and APSU last played against each other in Hale Stadium (also known as “The Hole”) in 1996, when TSU captured a 38-14 victory. Saturday’s game also features a pair of head coaches coaching at their alma maters.

Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers and Twitter @TSU_Tigers.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Game 3: Morgan State (1-1) at Akron (0-2)



Gamenotes

ESPN3 Game Link

GAME TIMEThe Bears (1-1) are set for the second of four consecutive road tests when they travel west to face the Akron Zips on Saturday (Sept. 15). The Zips enter the 2012 season under the leadership of first-year head coach Terry Bowden. Akron (0-2) is coming off a 41-38 overtime loss at FIU. Morgan State fell 56-34 at Buffalo in a game that was decided in UB Stadium. Game time at InfoCision Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast by ESPN3. The game will also be carried live by WEAA 88.9 FM.

THE BEARS-ZIPS MATCHUP
• The Bears and Zips will meet for the second time in history. Akron leads the series1-0 following a 41-0 shutout victory of the Bears on Sept. 12, 2009 during the grand opening of InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

QUICK HITS
• Morgan State will enter the 2012 season with plenty of veterans ... the Bears' roster includes 22 seniors.
Seth Higgins returns as the Bears starting QB ... He completed 97-of-186 passes for 1,116 yards, including 9 TDs as a true freshman. He was sacked three times before being replaced in the 2nd quarter by backup QB Robert Council.
• Morgan State returns three of its top rushers from last season: Travis Davidson (792 yards), Tracy Martin (317 yards) and Brian Mann (101 yards).
Travis Davidson currently leads the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in rushing and ranks No. 8 in the FCS with 243 yards (121.5 avg/g). He also leads the MEAC in scoring (12 Pts/G).
Robert Council checked into the ballgame against Buffalo toward the end of the first quarter and provided a spark for the Bears ... Council completed 12-of-16 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 23 yards.
Kenneth Ridley emerged as a shutdown cornerback in 2011 and ranked T-No. 2 in the MEAC with four interceptions...he collected his first pick of the season vs. Sacred Heart in Week 1.
• RB Brian Mann posted a career-high 74 yards on 17 carries and posted a 5 yard TD run in the 3rd quarter at Buffalo.
• DE Richard Ndubueze was selected to the 2012 Preseason All-MEAC First Team ... he has missed the first two games due in unspecified issues.
Chris Flowers leads the MEAC in kick returns and currently ranks No. 4 in the country by averaging 33.8 yards per return.
• LB Elandon Roberts recorded his first career interception and added 7 tackles and was selected MEAC Rookie of the Week by the league.
• Statistically, the Bears posted a season-high 366 yards of total offense (78 plays) against Buffalo, while the Bulls finished with 571 yards on just 56 plays.

AKRON THUMBNAILS
• Jawon Chisholm broke the program's freshman rushing record with 961 yards and five touchdowns last season. He finished the 2011 campaign with 84 yards receiving and added one passing touchdown in four passing attempts. He enters the season as an All-MAC candidate.

• Through two games, the UA defense has recorded five sacks (three against FIU last Saturday), which ties for fourth most in the league. The Zips recorded 11 sacks over 12 total games in 2011.



NEXT UP:
Morgan State will travel to take on the Aggies of North Carolina A&T on Sept. 29th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm. at Aggies Stadium and the game will be televised by ESPNU.

By Leonard Haynes - MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

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.

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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
 
 
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)

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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."



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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

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.

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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.

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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.

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Monday, September 10, 2012

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.



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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.
 

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 ...

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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.

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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 ...

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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.

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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.

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