HOUSTON, Texas -- Ten members of the Texas Southern University marching band will face punishment for an alleged hazing incident, FOX 26 News has learned.
Sources tell FOX 26 that those band members will be suspended for the rest of the year from the band and university.
The students will also have their scholarships revoked as a result of their actions.
The full marching band will have limited performances as a result of the hazing investigation, FOX 26 has learned from the university.
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Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Texas Southern University cited, sanctioned for lack of institutional control by NCAA
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Texas Southern demonstrated a lack of institutional control and was responsible for booster involvement in recruiting, academic improprieties, ineligible student-athlete participation and exceeding scholarship limits, according to a decision announced Tuesday by the Division I Committee on Infractions.In addition, the former head basketball coach was cited for unethical conduct and the former head football coach did not promote an atmosphere for compliance, the committee said in its report.
The committee noted that as a double repeat violator, Texas Southern either has been on probation or had violations occurring on campus, or both, for 16 of the past 20 years. At various times during the earlier probation periods the university reported to the committee it was taking certain remedial actions when it actually was not, which was of particular concern to the committee.
In this case, the university allowed 129 student-athletes in 13 sports during seven academic years to compete and receive financial aid and travel expenses when they were ineligible. The majority of these student-athletes had not met progress toward degree or transfer requirements. The committee noted “particularly serious violations” occurred when the former head football coach knowingly allowed a booster to recruit for the football program and the former head men’s basketball coach provided false or misleading information during the investigation.
The men’s basketball team also failed to serve its academic performance program penalty. During the 2009-10 season, the university was required to limit scholarships and restrict its athletically related activity to five days a week. The team awarded two more scholarships than allowed in the penalty and did not adhere to the practice restrictions.
The former head football coach and three former assistant football coaches were all aware that a booster was contacting potential transfers and their parents, according to committee findings. The booster also purchased an airline ticket for a prospective student-athlete’s girlfriend through an acquaintance of the former head football coach. The committee notes the staff not only failed to dissuade the booster from making such contacts but also actively encouraged him and did not attempt to determine if the booster’s activities were permissible under NCAA rules.
Over two academic years, the former head basketball coach and former head football coach made an arrangement to put two student-athletes on football scholarships for the purpose of circumventing the scholarship limits placed on the men’s basketball program. One of the student-athletes admitted he had initially been untruthful about playing football during the investigation and both student-athletes did not participate in the football program.
The university exceeded financial aid limits during the 2008-09 through 2010-11 academic years. Compounding the problems with oversight was that no squad lists were produced by the compliance office during the years the violations occurred.
The former head football coach failed to promote an atmosphere for compliance in the football program and monitor the activities regarding compliance by assistant coaches. The report states, “The former head football coach’s purported ignorance of well-understood and long-standing NCAA rules is not persuasive.” The committee noted the former head football coach demonstrated that rules compliance was not of foremost importance. Additionally, he did not establish a culture for rules compliance within his program and he did not monitor his staff’s interactions with the booster.
The former head basketball coach was cited for unethical conduct for knowingly providing false or misleading information concerning improperly awarded scholarships to two men’s basketball student-athletes. In its findings, the committee noted that the coach’s sole purpose in asking the head football coach to put the two student-athletes on a football scholarship was to procure athletically related scholarships beyond what the men’s basketball program was able to provide.
Because of the scope and nature of the findings, Texas Southern lacked institutional control due to its failure to have necessary safeguards in place to prevent violations; ensure the academic performance program sanctions were fully understood and complied with; and make certain that all scholarships were properly awarded and to generate squad lists. The university also insufficiently investigated academic issues that involved 24 student-athletes and allowed 12 of the 24 student-athletes to receive unearned academic credit. Texas Southern also failed to notify the NCAA about the ineligible competition of some of the student-athletes.
Penalties in this case include:
•Public reprimand and censure.
• Five years probation from October 9, 2012, through October 8, 2017.
• Postseason ban for the 2013 and 2014 football seasons and 2012-13 men’s basketball season.
• Three-year show-cause orders for the former head men’s basketball coach and the former head football coach. The public report contains further details.
• A limit of no more than 65 overall counters, 25 initial counters (from 30 maximum) and 60 equivalency scholarships (from 63 maximum) in football for four academic years.
• A limit of 11 men’s basketball scholarships (from 13 maximum) for three academic years.
• Due to health and safety concerns related to the reductions in scholarships and squad size, during probation, the football team may only compete against FCS member schools.
• Vacation of all team records for the 2006-07 through 2009-10 academic years in all sports, and vacation of all team records for the 2010-11 academic year in football and woman’s soccer (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by 10 for men’s basketball during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years (self-imposed by the university).
• During the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years, the university may only use half the available evaluation days in both the spring and fall evaluation periods in football.
• Football official paid visits are limited to 30 total per year for football and nine total per year for men’s basketball during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
• An in-person review of the university’s athletics policies and practices must be conducted annually, at the university’s expense, through the term of probation. The review must generate a report of his/her findings, to be submitted with the annual compliance reports and submitted to the committee.
The members of the Division I Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case include Melissa (Missy) Conboy, acting chair of the Committee on Infractions and deputy director of athletics at the Notre Dame; John S. Black, attorney; Christopher L. Griffin, attorney; Roscoe C. Howard, Jr., attorney; Eleanor W. Myers, faculty athletics representative and law professor at Temple; James O’Fallon, law professor and faculty athletics representative at Oregon; Josephine (Jo) R. Potuto, faculty athletics representative and the Richard H. Larson Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law; Greg Sankey, executive associate commissioner and chief operating officer for the Southeastern Conference; and Rodney J. Uphoff, coordinator of appeals and law professor at Missouri.
COURTESY NCAA.COM
Remembering A Legend: FAMU's Coach Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither
TEACHER, COACH, CITIZEN
-- Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither
Video 3: Willie Galimore; Video 4: Bob Hayes 100m final at 1964 Tokyo Olympics; and Video 5: Bob Hayes 400m Relay World Record at 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Video 3: Willie Galimore; Video 4: Bob Hayes 100m final at 1964 Tokyo Olympics; and Video 5: Bob Hayes 400m Relay World Record at 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Robert Booker: Basketball legacy at Knoxville College celebrated
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| Knoxville College President Dr. Horace Judson |
It is expected that all of the living members of both championship teams will be present. Representatives of women's basket ball teams and other sports have been invited to participate. Several members of the 1956 team will speak to the Knoxville College student body at its Contemporary Issues Program on Thursday morning.
The gathering at the Holiday Inn comes 56 years after the big tournament win in 1956 and 84 years after the Knoxville College gymnasium was built in 1928. That year the alumni raised $10,000 for the construction of the building. It was "a place to practice and a good excuse to form a team," said one observer.
A member of that first team was Theodore E. "Ted" Gross, who also played football and baseball and ran track. After graduating from Knoxville College in 1930, he taught at Maynard Elementary School and later became the highly successful basketball and football coach at Beardsley Junior High School.
As the new kids on the block, that first team lost ...
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Sports Fans:
If you do not know where Knoxville College stand in American history, following is a brief list of notable alumni of this historical institution. Without Knoxville College, there may have never been an Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither in the College Football Hall of Fame, or the countless young men that went on to successful professional careers in the NFL -- and in life -- from Florida A&M, under Coach Gaither.
| George E. Curry | editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association news service (NNPA) and www.BlackPressUSA.com. | ||
| Michael Eric Dyson | Professor of sociology at Georgetown University, author, media commentator, talk radio show host | [1] | |
| C. Virginia Fields | social worker and former Borough President of Manhattan, New York | ||
| Johnny Ford | Mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama | ||
| Jake Gaither | Legendary Florida A&M University football coach who won more than 85 percent of his games over a 24-year period, from 1945 to 1969. College Football Hall of Famer. | ||
| Grady Jackson | former defensive tackle in the National Football League | ||
| Vernon Jarrett | first African-American columnist for the Chicago Tribune and former president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) | ||
| Ken Johnson | former defensive end in the National Football League | ||
| Lyman T. Johnson | educator and influential leader of racial desegregation in the state of Kentucky during the 1940s | ||
| Dr. Edith Irby Jones | first female president of the National Medical Association | ||
| Barbara Rodgers | anchor for KPIX TV in San Francisco | ||
| Ralph Wiley | noted author, speaker, and sports columnist for The Oakland Tribune, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN |
Xavier Gold Nuggets defeat Dillard in three at The Barn
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| Xavier University of Louisiana's 2012 women's volleyball team ROSTER COACHES |
NEW ORLEANS — Chinedu Echebelem and Taylor Reuther had 14 kills apiece Monday, leading Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-20, 25-12, 25-22 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against city rival Dillard at The Barn.
The Gold Nuggets (12-4, 6-0 GCAC) have a seven-match win streak and 20 consecutive victories against conference opponents over the last two seasons. They beat the Lady Bleu Devils (3-6, 2-5) in three sets for the first time.
Carolyn Baker had 17 kills for Dillard.
Xavier trailed 15-12 in the first set before taking the leading for good with a 7-2 run which included two Reuther kills. An Echebelem kill put Xavier ahead to stay, 10-9, in the third set.
"I'm so proud of our team," XU coach Christabell Hamilton said. "We wanted them to serve tough, ball control and take advantage of the free balls. They executed the game plan."
Echebelem and Reuther each hit .423 in 26 attacks. Echebelem had 10 digs to tie Reuther for the team lead in double-doubles this season with five. Reuther, the NAIA leader in aces per set, served four more against Dillard and has 27 aces in the last seven matches.
Darian Harris led Xavier with 11 digs, and Franziska Pirkl assisted on 36 kills.
Xavier out hit Dillard .309 to .229 and had advantages of 44-28 advantage in kills, 7-5 in aces and 35-25 in digs. The Gold Nuggets hit at least .300 for the fourth consecutive time and the sixth time in their last seven matches.
Dillard leads the series 7-5, but Xavier has won the last five meetings.
The Gold Nuggets will play another city rival, Loyola, in a non-conference match at 7 p.m. Wednesday at The Barn.
Box scoreBy Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
Livingstone's Edwards fitting in
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| DORIAN EDWARDS Livingstone College Blue Bears 5'-10'' DT, Senior Hometown: Kinston, N.C. (Courtesy LC Athletics) |
In high school, Edwards played center for the Kinston Vikings, earning All-Area honors his freshman and sophomore years and All-Conference honors his junior and senior years. During his senior season, he was selected to play in the prestigious East-West All-Star game.
Edwards was good, but at 5-foot-10 and 280 pounds, Division I coaches didn't consider him big enough to compete at the Division I level. Edwards was offered a chance to play for the Wolfpack - via an academic scholarship.
"I was almost in tears when I realized I was too small to play football for a Division 1 school," Edwards recalled this week. "To be so close to the opportunity to live out my dream and have something I couldn't control stop me really hurt."
Edwards didn't remain disappointed for long.
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Monday, October 8, 2012
Winston-Salem Rams Moves to #3 in AFCA Division II Poll
WACO, Texas -- With its 23-20 win over Southern Arkansas, Harding (Ark.) moved its record to 5-0 and jumped into the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time since September 20, 2005, at No. 23. Pittsburg State (Kan.) still sits at No. 1 with 29 first-place votes after a 30-21 victory over Central Missouri. Colorado State-Pueblo still sits No. 2, but a loss by then-No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.) causes some change with the rest of the Top 5.
Winston-Salem State (N.C.) moves up to No. 3, followed by No. 4 Missouri Western State and No. 5 New Haven (Conn.).
Grand Valley State (Mich.) fell 11 spots to No. 14 after its 40-24 loss to Ferris State (Mich.). West Alabama, Sioux Falls (S.D.) and Humboldt State (Calif.) all fell out of the poll this week after losses, causing two more teams to join Harding (Ark.) as newcomers this week.
North Carolina-Pembroke enters the poll at No. 24 after a 20-10 victory over Tusculum (Tenn.), moving its record to 5-1. The last time the Braves were in the Top 25 was October 4, 2010. Shepherd (W.Va.) is the final newcomer this week. The Rams re-enter the poll at No. 25 after a five week layoff. They beat West Virginia Wesleyan, 37-6, to move their record to 5-1.
2012 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 8, 2012
Dropped Out: West Alabama (18), Sioux Falls (S.D.) (23), Humboldt St. (Calif.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Bentley (Mass.), 20; Miles (Ala.), 17; Michigan Tech, 16; West Alabama, 16; Indianapolis (Ind.), 14; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 13; New Mexico Highlands, 8; North Alabama, 6; Tuskegee (Ala.), 5; Hillsdale (Mich.), 4; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 3; Southern Arkansas, 3; American International (Mass.), 2.
Winston-Salem State (N.C.) moves up to No. 3, followed by No. 4 Missouri Western State and No. 5 New Haven (Conn.).
Grand Valley State (Mich.) fell 11 spots to No. 14 after its 40-24 loss to Ferris State (Mich.). West Alabama, Sioux Falls (S.D.) and Humboldt State (Calif.) all fell out of the poll this week after losses, causing two more teams to join Harding (Ark.) as newcomers this week.
North Carolina-Pembroke enters the poll at No. 24 after a 20-10 victory over Tusculum (Tenn.), moving its record to 5-1. The last time the Braves were in the Top 25 was October 4, 2010. Shepherd (W.Va.) is the final newcomer this week. The Rams re-enter the poll at No. 25 after a five week layoff. They beat West Virginia Wesleyan, 37-6, to move their record to 5-1.
2012 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 8, 2012
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week Six | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (29) | 5-0 | 749 | 1 | D. Central Missouri, 30-21 | Oct. 13 vs. No. 7 Northwest Missouri St. |
| 2. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 6-0 | 708 | 2 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 45-38 OT | Oct. 13 at Colorado School of Mines |
| 3. | Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) (1) | 6-0 | 681 | 4 | D. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 63-7 | Oct. 13 vs. St. Augustine’s (N.C.) |
| 4. | Missouri Western St. | 6-0 | 658 | 5 | D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 45-31 | Oct. 13 vs. Missouri Southern St. |
| 5. | New Haven (Conn.) | 5-0 | 632 | 6 | D. Assumption (Mass.), 65-7 | Oct. 13 at Bentley (Mass.) |
| 6. | Bloomsburg (Pa.) | 6-0 | 600 | 7 | D. Millersville (Pa.), 38-14 | Oct. 13 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) |
| 7. | Northwest Missouri St. | 5-1 | 540 | 8 | D. Central Oklahoma, 70-7 | Oct. 13 vs. No. 1 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) |
| 8. | Ashland (Ohio) | 6-0 | 538 | 9 | D. Ohio Dominican, 44-21 | Oct. 13 vs. Walsh (Ohio) |
| 9. | Minnesota-Duluth | 5-1 | 472 | 10 | D. Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 45-14 | Oct. 13 at Minot St. (N.D.) |
| 10. | Minnesota St.-Mankato | 6-0 | 458 | 12 | D. Augustana (S.D.), 52-14 | Oct. 13 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. |
| 11. | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 5-0 | 456 | 11 | D. Southwestern Oklahoma St., 33-12 | Oct. 13 at Arkansas-Monticello |
| 12. | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 6-0 | 388 | 14 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 71-0 | Oct. 13 at No. 23 Harding (Ark.) |
| 13. | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 4-1 | 370 | 13 | D. No. 18 West Alabama, 42-27 | Oct. 13 vs. Angelo St. (Texas) |
| 14. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 5-1 | 335 | 3 | Lost to Ferris St. (Minn.), 40-24 | Oct. 13 at Northern Michigan |
| 15. | California (Pa.) | 5-1 | 296 | 16t | D. Clarion (Pa.), 41-22 | Oct. 13 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.) |
| 16. | Shippensburg (Pa.) | 6-0 | 293 | 16t | D. LIU Post (N.Y.), 36-20 | Oct. 13 at Kutztown (Pa.) |
| 17. | Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | 5-1 | 286 | 15 | D. Northwood (Mich.), 28-20 | Oct. 11 vs. No. 18 Wayne St. (Mich.) |
| 18. | Wayne St. (Mich.) | 4-1 | 247 | 19 | D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 24-21 | Oct. 11 at No. 17 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) |
| 19. | Washburn (Kan.) | 5-1 | 209 | 20 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 51-18 | Oct. 13 vs. Truman St. (Mo.) |
| 20. | West Texas A&M | 5-1 | 197 | 21 | D. Angelo St. (Texas), 35-9 | Oct. 13 vs. Abilene Christian (Texas) |
| 21. | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 6-0 | 162 | 25 | D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 19-15 | Oct. 13 vs. Lindenwood (Mo.) |
| 22. | Indiana (Pa.) | 5-1 | 153 | 22 | D. Slippery Rock (Pa.), 33-16 | Oct. 13 at Edinboro (Pa.) |
| 23. | Harding (Ark.) | 5-0 | 132 | NR | D. Southern Arkansas, 23-20 | Oct. 13 vs. No. 12 Henderson St. (Ark.) |
| 24. | North Carolina-Pembroke | 5-1 | 39 | NR | D. Tusculum (Tenn.), 20-10 | Oct. 13 vs. Charleston (W.Va.) |
| 25. | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 5-1 | 24 | NR | D. West Virginia Wesleyan, 37-6 | Oct. 13 at West Liberty (W.Va.) |
Others Receiving Votes: Bentley (Mass.), 20; Miles (Ala.), 17; Michigan Tech, 16; West Alabama, 16; Indianapolis (Ind.), 14; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 13; New Mexico Highlands, 8; North Alabama, 6; Tuskegee (Ala.), 5; Hillsdale (Mich.), 4; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 3; Southern Arkansas, 3; American International (Mass.), 2.
South Carolina State’s woes can be summed up in two words: no offense
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — The final nail in what was South Carolina State’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title hopes was potentially hammered in in resounding fashion Saturday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Quite literally doing the hammering was North Carolina Central, a team which in a losing effort last year scored the most points by a conference team against S.C. State. Not only did the Eagles equal the feat in a 40-10 win at the 29th annual Circle City Classic, it also now holds the distinction of having the largest margin of victory in MEAC play over a Buddy Pough-led Bulldog team.
With five games remaining, S.C. State (2-4, 1-2) could still salvage a 12th consecutive winning season . Yet for many Bulldog supporters, the epitaph for the 2012 campaign can already be summed up in two words — NO OFFENSE.
It’s an expression which for this year’s S.C. State football team has a double meaning. For Pough, his assistants and players, “NO OFFENSE” could sum up their feelings toward a frustrated fan base where high championship expectations are the norm.
From fans and an observers’ standpoint, “NO OFFENSE” means exactly what it says. Exclude the dominating performance in the season-opener against Georgia State and one could see what’s been missing.
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Quite literally doing the hammering was North Carolina Central, a team which in a losing effort last year scored the most points by a conference team against S.C. State. Not only did the Eagles equal the feat in a 40-10 win at the 29th annual Circle City Classic, it also now holds the distinction of having the largest margin of victory in MEAC play over a Buddy Pough-led Bulldog team.
With five games remaining, S.C. State (2-4, 1-2) could still salvage a 12th consecutive winning season . Yet for many Bulldog supporters, the epitaph for the 2012 campaign can already be summed up in two words — NO OFFENSE.
It’s an expression which for this year’s S.C. State football team has a double meaning. For Pough, his assistants and players, “NO OFFENSE” could sum up their feelings toward a frustrated fan base where high championship expectations are the norm.
From fans and an observers’ standpoint, “NO OFFENSE” means exactly what it says. Exclude the dominating performance in the season-opener against Georgia State and one could see what’s been missing.
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St. Augustine's 32, Livingstone 27
SALISBURY, North Carolina - Livingstone's drive for a Southern Division championship hit a minor speed-bump Saturday afternoon.With a chance to reinforce their newborn identity and win a third straight CIAA game, the Blue Bears fell to the occasion and suffered a 32-27 homecoming day loss to St. Augustine's.
"I've got a bad taste in my mouth," senior receiver Anthony Holland said at lively Alumni Stadium, where LC fell 32-27. "As a team we didn't execute like we should have in the first half. We dug ourselves a hole and never got out of it."
The loss dropped Livingstone (2-4, 2-1) out of a tie for first place in the division standings and may have set off some alarms. The Blue Bears surrendered 495 total yards, had no sustainable running game (35 yards) and even misfired on a couple of extra-point attempts.
"It would have been a nice one to win," said LC coach Elvin James. "But we were always fighting to catch up. If we had only played the whole game the way we played the second half, we might have come out on top."
Livingstone's first half was a 30-car pile-up. St. Aug's (4-2, 2-1) jumped to ...
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Virginia State Trojans stuns Elizabeth City State Vikings 28-17
ETTRICK, Virginia -- Virginia State quarterback Jarred Battle said earlier this week he had to step his game up if the Trojans are to turn around their season. Battle, a senior from Norfolk, made true his declaration.Battle completed 12 of 14 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns, and the Trojans' defense got a key turnover with four minutes remaining to stun Elizabeth City State 28-17 Saturday at Rogers Stadium.
"I was very relaxed," Battle said. "I knew we had to get the win to stay within the means of getting the championship.
"I just think we came out here and played as a team. That was the No. 1 thing and that's why we won, as a team."
The loss halted the Vikings' three-game winning streak.
"It was a big win for us. We were playing the defending Northern Division champs and it was kind of like our season," said Trojans coach Andrew Faison. "Everything is on our side now. We still have to play everybody, so we kind of control our own destiny."
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Alcorn rallies by Southern
ALCORN STATE, Mississippi -- Jordan Payne ran for two touchdowns as Alcorn State rallied to beat Southern University 20-17 on Saturday in Southwestern Athletic Conference action.The Braves opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run from freshman backup quarterback Payne. Alcorn State (2-4, 2-2) then jumped ahead 14-0 after John Gibbs connected with Joe Price on a 42-yard strike. Four different quarterbacks took snaps for the Braves.
Southern (2-3, 1-2), however, did not give up, tying the game 14-all behind a 50-yard punt return for a touchdown by Virgil Williams. Southern took a 20-17 lead after Greg Pittman converted his first career field goal.
Alcorn State and Southern traded possessions until the Braves got the ball on their 29 with 6:10 remaining for the final drive of the game.
The Braves drove to the Jaguars 1 and capped the 14-play drive with a touchdown run from Payne with 20 seconds remaining.
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Jaguars take loss to Braves in good fashion
LORMAN, Miss. — For a team that had just fallen in heartbreaking fashion and seen its brief win streak dashed, Southern took its 20-17 loss to Alcorn State remarkably well.
Unlike in the Jaguars’ last loss, which came to Mississippi Valley State, there wasn’t a flood of tears or seething anger.
Disappointed? Sure. But that’s really all this amounted to — a disappointing outing that put the kibosh on some grandiose visions of where their season could go.
Mathematically, Southern is still in the Southwestern Athletic Conference title hunt. At 1-2 in the conference and a game-and-a-half behind Arkansas-Pine Bluff, all it takes is six straight wins to book a spot in the SWAC Championship.
But unlike at this time last week, when SU was coming off back-to-back victories and on top of the world, that doesn’t seem likely.
Southern was outworked by a struggling Alcorn team, dispelling the notion that the Jaguars were somehow invincible under interim coach Dawson Odums.
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Savannah State remains winless in 2012
SAVANNAH, Georgia - Travis Davidson ran 13 times for 125 yards and three touchdowns to lead Morgan State University to a 45-6 victory over Savannah State University in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football game Saturday night at T.A. Wright Stadium.A crowd of 1,978 watched as SSU (0-5, 0-3) took a 6-0 lead with 8:20 left in the first quarter on quarterback Antonio Bostick’s 1-yard touchdown run, which capped an 11-play, 74-yard drive. Preston McCarthy’s kick for the extra point was blocked.
Morgan State (3-2, 2-0) responded immediately. Chris Flowers returned the ensuing kickoff for an 88-yard touchdown and Earvin Gonzalez kicked the extra point to give the Bears a 7-6 lead with 8:06 remaining in the first quarter.
“There was nothing special about our special teams, and that has been a continuing issue all year,” SSU head coach Steve Davenport said. “We’ll continue to address it. But it really is putting us in bad situations right now.”
In the second quarter, Morgan State made it 14-6 when Brian Mann ran for a 4-yard touchdown and Gonzalez kicked the extra point with 1:50 remaining before halftime.
Morgan State led, 14-6, at halftime.
“I am happy for the kids that they’re playing one half, but the game is two halves, 60 minutes, and we’ve been preaching that since Day 1, and we’ve got to fix it,” Davenport said. “It does us no good to play a good half if we’re not going to follow it up with a second half.”
Morgan State, playing its fourth consecutive road game, scored 31 unanswered points in the second half to improve to 7-0 in the series with SSU.
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Bethune-Cookman defense, Williams topple N.C. A&T, 28-12
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman let quarterback Quentin Williams air it out on the first series of Saturday's 28-12 MEAC win over North Carolina A&T at Municipal Stadium and it was not pretty.
Operating out of a five-receiver set, Williams missed on three straight passes and the Wildcats punted.
“That was on me, I was a little too hyped up,” Williams said.
Williams said a conversation with receiver Preston Cleckley with the Wildcats trailing 7-0 helped him settle down and get going in leading Bethune-Cookman (4-2, 3-0) past North Carolina A&T (2-3, 0-2).
“He just said ‘Q' be you,” Williams said.
The first series might not have been pretty, but for the majority of the game “Q” being “Q” was a thing of beauty. The redshirt freshman accounted for 239 yards – 111 rushing and 128 passing. He scored twice on runs and passed for another touchdown.
“Quentin is a very good athlete,” Bethune-Cookman head coach Brian Jenkins. “He can operate our offense at a high level as well as Brodrick (Waters) as well as Jackie (Wilson).
FAMU shows much promise, too many losses
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It’s been more than a decade since Howard University put a football team on the field that looks as good as this year’s Bison.
FAMU’s football team is in a place it hasn’t been for awhile, either.
The Rattlers are losing football games. Way too many.
They lost to Tennessee State to start the season. Yet, there was promise that things could turn around.
The loss to Oklahoma that followed was expected the moment it showed on the schedule. Again, FAMU players gave the impression they could do a lot of damage in the MEAC by their showing against the Big 12 power.
It’s midseason now and it’s the FCS teams that the Rattlers faced that have done the damage.
FAMU is struggling and it shouldn’t. This team came into the season physically prepared by all accounts. It seemed to have some weapons, too.
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FAMU’s football team is in a place it hasn’t been for awhile, either.
The Rattlers are losing football games. Way too many.
They lost to Tennessee State to start the season. Yet, there was promise that things could turn around.
The loss to Oklahoma that followed was expected the moment it showed on the schedule. Again, FAMU players gave the impression they could do a lot of damage in the MEAC by their showing against the Big 12 power.
It’s midseason now and it’s the FCS teams that the Rattlers faced that have done the damage.
FAMU is struggling and it shouldn’t. This team came into the season physically prepared by all accounts. It seemed to have some weapons, too.
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Arkansas Pine Bluff Still Moving In The Right Direction
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Despite giving up 420 yards of total offense to the Jackson State University Tigers, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions held on for 34-24 victory. Although there was 40 minute rain delay, Golden Lion fans got their money's worth tonight.
Dennis Jenkins asserted himself tonight as a dominant rusher in the Golden Lion offense with 154 yards on 24 carries with two touchdowns. Jenkins shouldered the load when UAPB rusher Justin Billings went down in the first quarter with an injury. Jenkins first score came on a 23 yard jaunt early in the second quarter. Later in that quarter, Jenkins found the pay dirt once more; this time from 50 yards out to give the Golden Lions a 21-7 lead.
The Golden Lions were able to score in many facets tonight. Second year quarterback Ben Anderson, found the end zone twice on passes of 10yards and five yards; the first going to Dezmond Beverly and the second to Aaron Lagrone respectively. Tyler Strickland added two field goals from 27 and 22 yards.
Defensively, the Golden Lions had four defenders with double digit tackles. Xavier Lofton and Jer-ryan Harris led all tacklers with 15 stops apiece. Bill Ross added 14 stops and Jarvis Webb ended the day with 11. Brandon Thurmond added to his league leading sack total by getting to Jackson State's quarterback causing a fumble that was scooped up by Demarcus Berry for a 16 yard return.
The Golden Lions will be off next weekend but return to gridiron action on October 20th when they travel to Baton Rouge to face the Jaguars of Southern University.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Dennis Jenkins asserted himself tonight as a dominant rusher in the Golden Lion offense with 154 yards on 24 carries with two touchdowns. Jenkins shouldered the load when UAPB rusher Justin Billings went down in the first quarter with an injury. Jenkins first score came on a 23 yard jaunt early in the second quarter. Later in that quarter, Jenkins found the pay dirt once more; this time from 50 yards out to give the Golden Lions a 21-7 lead.
The Golden Lions were able to score in many facets tonight. Second year quarterback Ben Anderson, found the end zone twice on passes of 10yards and five yards; the first going to Dezmond Beverly and the second to Aaron Lagrone respectively. Tyler Strickland added two field goals from 27 and 22 yards.
Defensively, the Golden Lions had four defenders with double digit tackles. Xavier Lofton and Jer-ryan Harris led all tacklers with 15 stops apiece. Bill Ross added 14 stops and Jarvis Webb ended the day with 11. Brandon Thurmond added to his league leading sack total by getting to Jackson State's quarterback causing a fumble that was scooped up by Demarcus Berry for a 16 yard return.
The Golden Lions will be off next weekend but return to gridiron action on October 20th when they travel to Baton Rouge to face the Jaguars of Southern University.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Bowie State Holds off Chowan U. to Steal Road Victory
MURFREESBORO, North Carolina -- Chowan University scored 15 unanswered points during most of the fourth quarter, but Bowie State University (BSU) redshirt sophomore Keith Brown rushed for a 57 yard touchdown with 39 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a thrilling 35-31 victory on Oct. 6 in Murfreesboro, N.C.Brown finished the game with a career-high 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns to lead Bowie State. The victory snapped a two game losing streak and improved the Bulldogs’ record to 4-2 (1-2 CIAA).
Chowan missed a great opportunity to score early when they fumbled deep in Bowie State territory on their opening drive. Bowie State was unable to capitalize and turned the ball back over to Chowan on downs.
Chowan’s third red zone trip finally resulted a positive result, when junior quarterback Cameron Stover rushed for an eight-yard touchdown with 1:20 left in the first quarter for the game's first six points. Alex Noboa added the extra point to give Chowan a 7-0 advantage. Stover completed eight of his 12 first quarter passes for 108 yards, but was intercepted once by BSU redshirt freshman Antoine Young.
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Flag cancels NSU TD in heartbreaking loss to Delaware State
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Even when the Spartan offense does it right, it goes wrong.
With just more than 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Xavier Boyce caught what should have been a game-icing 46-yard touchdown. All alone behind the Delaware State defense, he high-stepped the last 7 yards into the end zone.
Then came the penalty flag for unsportsmanlike conduct, and there went the touchdown. Teammate Marcus Cooperwood streamed off the bench to celebrate with quarterback Jake Basmagian, and that cost the Spartans another 15 yards, taking NSU all the way back to the 37.
"I felt all the life come out of me right there, to be honest," senior Takeem Hedgeman said.
An interception followed on the very next play, NSU's chance to score was gone and eventually so was the game. Delaware State won 20-17, and the Spartans suffered likely the most crushing defeat of a season already full of them.
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Elko tosses two scores as DSU snaps losing skid
NORFOLK, VA. — Nick Elko’s late touchdown helped the Hornets beat Norfolk State on Saturday.
Trailing 7-0, Elko connected with Justin Wilson for a 22-yard touchdown to tie the game. Elko finished 15 for 30 for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
Delaware State (2-3, 1-1 MEAC) jumped ahead 10-7 after Mitchell Ward’s 24-yard field goal, but the Spartans regained the lead on Jake Basmagian’s 86-yard touchdown pass to Takeem Hedgeman. Basmagian finished 24 of 35 for 312 yards with three interceptions.
After trading field goals, Norfolk State (2-4, 0-3) led 17-13 at halftime. The second half was dominated by defense as both teams went scoreless in the third quarter.
Elko’s 23-yard pass to Justin Brewer with 10:01 left in the fourth quarter gave the Hornets the lead for good.
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With just more than 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Xavier Boyce caught what should have been a game-icing 46-yard touchdown. All alone behind the Delaware State defense, he high-stepped the last 7 yards into the end zone.
Then came the penalty flag for unsportsmanlike conduct, and there went the touchdown. Teammate Marcus Cooperwood streamed off the bench to celebrate with quarterback Jake Basmagian, and that cost the Spartans another 15 yards, taking NSU all the way back to the 37.
"I felt all the life come out of me right there, to be honest," senior Takeem Hedgeman said.
An interception followed on the very next play, NSU's chance to score was gone and eventually so was the game. Delaware State won 20-17, and the Spartans suffered likely the most crushing defeat of a season already full of them.
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Elko tosses two scores as DSU snaps losing skid
NORFOLK, VA. — Nick Elko’s late touchdown helped the Hornets beat Norfolk State on Saturday.
Trailing 7-0, Elko connected with Justin Wilson for a 22-yard touchdown to tie the game. Elko finished 15 for 30 for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
Delaware State (2-3, 1-1 MEAC) jumped ahead 10-7 after Mitchell Ward’s 24-yard field goal, but the Spartans regained the lead on Jake Basmagian’s 86-yard touchdown pass to Takeem Hedgeman. Basmagian finished 24 of 35 for 312 yards with three interceptions.
After trading field goals, Norfolk State (2-4, 0-3) led 17-13 at halftime. The second half was dominated by defense as both teams went scoreless in the third quarter.
Elko’s 23-yard pass to Justin Brewer with 10:01 left in the fourth quarter gave the Hornets the lead for good.
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Miles College edged pesky Clark Atlanta University 28-7
FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Despite play often as gloomy as the afternoon sky, Miles College edged pesky Clark Atlanta University 28-7 Saturday to win its fifth game in a row and to stay unbeaten in SIAC play.
A crowd announced as 13,700 watched Miles win its homecoming game.
The Golden Bears, which were averaging more than 38 points per game entering the contest, struggled against the visitors who have won one but game all season and dropped to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the SIAC.
Miles entered the game ranked No. 2 in two different polls.
Penalties stalled numerous Miles efforts with the host team being penalized 13 times for 108 yards.
Starting tight end Delarius Webb was charged with a flagrant foul and was ejected from the game and will be ineligible next week for Miles' game against Kentucky State. Ruffin says he plans to protest because Webb is not on the kick return team and was not even on the field.
An angry Head Coach Reginald Ruffin blamed his team's sloppy play on homecoming week saying his players participated in too many activities and parties instead of focusing on football and CAU.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Prairie View defeats Grambling State 31-14
DALLAS, Texas -- A 75-yard kickoff return helped Prairie View win its first game of the season Saturday night, defeating Grambling State 31-14 at The State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
The Panthers are now 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the SWAC.
For the Tigers (0-5, 0-4 SWAC), their scoring came on the ground as Cedric Skinner scored on a 2-yard run and D. J. Williams on a 19-yard run. Following both, the kicks by Angelo Eave were good
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WEEK 6, HBCU Football Scorecard
OVC
Tennessee State 23, Eastern Kentucky 20
MEAC
Howard 17, Florida A&M 10
North Carolina Central 40, South Carolina State 10
Bethune-Cookman 28, North Carolina A&T 12
Morgan State 45, Savannah State 6
Delaware State 20, Norfolk State 17
SWAC
Alabama A&M 35, Mississippi Valley State 0
Alabama State 45, Texas Southern 0
Alcorn State 20, Southern 17
Prairie View A&M 31, Grambling State 14
SIAC
Fort Valley State 36, Kentucky State 6
Miles 28, Clark-Atlanta 7
Albany State (Ga.) 36, Lane 14
Tuskegee 21, Morehouse 14
Stillman 24, Benedict 19
OTHER
Shorter 35, Point U. 13
Kutztown 56, Cheyney 7
Missouri S&T 27, Central State (Ohio) 21
West Liberty State 52, West Virginia State 19
Oklahoma Panhandle State 30, Texas College 9
Washburn 51, Lincoln (Mo.) 18
Concordia-Selma 20, Virginia University of Lynchburg 7
CIAA
Virginia State 28, Elizabeth City State 17
Shaw 45, Fayetteville State 28
Saint Augustine's U. 32, Livingstone 27
Virginia Union 61, Lincoln (Pa.) 13
Bowie State 35, Chowan 31
Winston-Salem State 63, Johnson C. Smith U. 7
CONFERENCE LEADERS
OHIO VALLEY: Tennessee State Tigers: Conf. 2-0, Overall 6-0
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC: Tie - Howard University Bison: Conf. 3-0, Overall 4-1; Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, Conf: 3-0, Overall: 4-2.
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC: EAST Division - Alabama A&M: Conf. 5-0, Overall 6-0; WEST Division: Arkansas Pine Bluff, Conf. 3-1, Overall: 4-2.
CIAA: NORTHERN Division: Chowan U. Conf. 3-0, Overall: 3-1; SOUTHERN Division: Winston-Salem State, Conf. 3-0, Overall: 6-0.
SIAC: 3-Way Tie: Miles College: Conf. 3-0, Overall 5-1; Tuskegee U. Conf. 3-0, Overall 4-0; and Stillman 3-0, Overall: 4-2.
Howard Defense, Special Teams Combine in Win Over FAMU
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Howard University parlayed a rugged defense, some outstanding special teams play and the consistent running of Terrence Leffall into a 17-10 in over Florida A&M University in a key Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Greene Stadium.
There was a lot on the line coming into the game as both teams entered undefeated in conference play. The Rattlers (2-4, 2-1 in the MEAC) got on the board first when sophomore quarterback Damien Fleming put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off with a beautifully thrown, seven-yard TD pass to Lenworth Lennon on a fade route in the deep right corner of the end zone.
During the drive, Fleming was able to extend several plays with his ability to run and find secondary receivers. Chase Varnadore split the uprights and Florida A&M led, 7-0 with 3:20 left in the first quarter.
Howard (4-1, 3-0 in the MEAC) responded however with a short drive of its own. Florida A&M's defense stiffened and the Bison had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by freshman John Fleck at the 14:11 mark.
From there, the Howard defense, led by senior All American Keith Pough, began to take over, constantly pressuring Fleming into errant throws and sacking him five times. The defense allowed the Bison to play field position and the offense was able to capitalize when sophomore quarterback Greg McGhee connected with junior tight end David Wilson from 31 yards to give Howard 1a 10-7 lead at the half.
"We did a good job of containing their receivers," noted Howard Coach Gary Harrell. "That is the strength of their team, so we put great emphasis on that."
Florida A&M was able to tie the game at 10-10 early in the third quarter when Varnadore connected from 34 yards out with 12:45 left.
In a tightly played game dictated by the defenses, special teams play suddenly became the deciding factor. Junior Brandon Flanagan made what turned out to be a pivotal play when he returned a FAMU punt 42 yards deep in Rattler territory. It took the Bison four plays to score as McGhee capped it off with a one-yard quarterback sneak with 3:36 in the third stanza.
"It all starts in practice," sad McGhee, who played an efficient game in his first start of the season, completing 13 of 20 for 120 yards, a TD and the team's first interception of the season. "We just had to be patient and stay with the game plan. The defense and special teams were outstanding."
The talented Rattler offense tested the Bison defense several times in the fourth quarter but each time, the defense would come up big and Fleck could not have waited for a better time to have the best game of his young career. The freshman from Indianapolis, IN, averaged almost 48 yards on six punts, four landing inside the FAMU 20-yards, including a career-best 60 yarder that pinned the Rattlers at their own one-yard line on their last possession.
Pough came into the game needing 3.5 tackles for losses to break the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) career record of 65. He now has 66. The 6-3, 235-pound red-shirt senior tallied 17 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble in what was one of the best performances of his career.
"My thinking coming into the game was to not think about breaking or setting records," said Pough.
"It's about team defense. I want to thank God, the defensive line, the defensive secondary and the coaches for this victory. It is an unbelievable feeling being 3-0 in the MEAC."
Leffall, a 5-10 senior from Stone Mountain, Ga did not score, but his ability to run between the tackles and set up second and third and short on several possessions, proved to be a key as he finished with 104 yards on 22 carries.
"It was great to be back out there," said Leffall, who rushed for over 100 yards in his only other game this season. "I just wanted to come in and hit the ground running."
Added Harrell," We ran the ball effectively, not like we wanted to. But it's our strength and we will continue to commit to that. Terrence is our guy and we feel confident with him running the ball."
Fleming was 26 of 41 for 228 yards, a TD and an interception, but the Rattlers were not able to run the ball effectively, gaining just 37 yards on 26 carries.
BOX SCORE
COURTESY : Edward Hill Jr., Sports Information Director
HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
There was a lot on the line coming into the game as both teams entered undefeated in conference play. The Rattlers (2-4, 2-1 in the MEAC) got on the board first when sophomore quarterback Damien Fleming put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off with a beautifully thrown, seven-yard TD pass to Lenworth Lennon on a fade route in the deep right corner of the end zone.
During the drive, Fleming was able to extend several plays with his ability to run and find secondary receivers. Chase Varnadore split the uprights and Florida A&M led, 7-0 with 3:20 left in the first quarter.
Howard (4-1, 3-0 in the MEAC) responded however with a short drive of its own. Florida A&M's defense stiffened and the Bison had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by freshman John Fleck at the 14:11 mark.
From there, the Howard defense, led by senior All American Keith Pough, began to take over, constantly pressuring Fleming into errant throws and sacking him five times. The defense allowed the Bison to play field position and the offense was able to capitalize when sophomore quarterback Greg McGhee connected with junior tight end David Wilson from 31 yards to give Howard 1a 10-7 lead at the half.
"We did a good job of containing their receivers," noted Howard Coach Gary Harrell. "That is the strength of their team, so we put great emphasis on that."
Florida A&M was able to tie the game at 10-10 early in the third quarter when Varnadore connected from 34 yards out with 12:45 left.
In a tightly played game dictated by the defenses, special teams play suddenly became the deciding factor. Junior Brandon Flanagan made what turned out to be a pivotal play when he returned a FAMU punt 42 yards deep in Rattler territory. It took the Bison four plays to score as McGhee capped it off with a one-yard quarterback sneak with 3:36 in the third stanza.
"It all starts in practice," sad McGhee, who played an efficient game in his first start of the season, completing 13 of 20 for 120 yards, a TD and the team's first interception of the season. "We just had to be patient and stay with the game plan. The defense and special teams were outstanding."
The talented Rattler offense tested the Bison defense several times in the fourth quarter but each time, the defense would come up big and Fleck could not have waited for a better time to have the best game of his young career. The freshman from Indianapolis, IN, averaged almost 48 yards on six punts, four landing inside the FAMU 20-yards, including a career-best 60 yarder that pinned the Rattlers at their own one-yard line on their last possession.
Pough came into the game needing 3.5 tackles for losses to break the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) career record of 65. He now has 66. The 6-3, 235-pound red-shirt senior tallied 17 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble in what was one of the best performances of his career.
"My thinking coming into the game was to not think about breaking or setting records," said Pough.
"It's about team defense. I want to thank God, the defensive line, the defensive secondary and the coaches for this victory. It is an unbelievable feeling being 3-0 in the MEAC."
Leffall, a 5-10 senior from Stone Mountain, Ga did not score, but his ability to run between the tackles and set up second and third and short on several possessions, proved to be a key as he finished with 104 yards on 22 carries.
"It was great to be back out there," said Leffall, who rushed for over 100 yards in his only other game this season. "I just wanted to come in and hit the ground running."
Added Harrell," We ran the ball effectively, not like we wanted to. But it's our strength and we will continue to commit to that. Terrence is our guy and we feel confident with him running the ball."
Fleming was 26 of 41 for 228 yards, a TD and an interception, but the Rattlers were not able to run the ball effectively, gaining just 37 yards on 26 carries.
BOX SCORE
COURTESY : Edward Hill Jr., Sports Information Director
HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic: Golden Tigers' defense proves to be the winning difference
COLUMBUS, Georgia -- By all appearances, Saturday's 77th Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic had the makings of a shootout. After all, Tuskegee and Morehouse had the two highest-scoring offenses in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coming into the game.
However, it was Tuskegee's defense that made the difference, forcing five turnovers and stopping the Maroon Tigers twice on drives inside the 5-yard line to earn a 21-14 victory.
"We have to do a better job of stopping the short passing game, but when the field gets short, it's harder to do that," said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater, whose team won for the eighth time in the past nine meetings in the series. "We never really let Morehouse drive on us. Our defense bent, but we didn't break."
Tuskegee's first big defensive stop came on Morehouse's first possession of the game. Following a punt by the Golden Tigers (4-1, 3-0), Morehouse (2-4, 1-2) took over on its 20-yard line and took 19 plays to march 77 yards. The drive ate up 6:25 of clock and ended when Tuskegee stopped Quendarius Hall for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-and-2 from the Golden Tigers' 3.
"This was a game of turnovers and missed opportunities for us," said Morehouse coach Rich Freeman. "We had some chances to punch it in, but we didn't. I felt like we moved the ball, but we just couldn't score."
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Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic notes: Latavius Watts of Carver High does his share
COLUMBUS, Georgia -- The Morehouse Maroon Tigers came up a bit short against Tuskegee in Saturday's 77th Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, but it sure wasn't because of Latavius Watts.
Watts, a Carver High product who starts at strong safety for Morehouse, finished with seven tackles (3 solo, 4 assists) in the Maroon Tigers' 21-14 loss to Tuskegee. Watts was the only local product to play in the game.
Coming into the game, the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder was third on the team in tackles with 35 (20 solo, 15 assists). Watts also had two tackles for losses totalling7 yards, a pass breakup and three quarterback hurries to his credit.
Something to play for
Yes, his team is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but Morehouse coach Rich Freeman knows there is a lot of football left to be played this season.
"Everybody in our division (the SIAC East) has lost at least one conference game, and we haven't played anyone in the East yet," said Freeman. "We're looking forward to it.
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However, it was Tuskegee's defense that made the difference, forcing five turnovers and stopping the Maroon Tigers twice on drives inside the 5-yard line to earn a 21-14 victory.
"We have to do a better job of stopping the short passing game, but when the field gets short, it's harder to do that," said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater, whose team won for the eighth time in the past nine meetings in the series. "We never really let Morehouse drive on us. Our defense bent, but we didn't break."
Tuskegee's first big defensive stop came on Morehouse's first possession of the game. Following a punt by the Golden Tigers (4-1, 3-0), Morehouse (2-4, 1-2) took over on its 20-yard line and took 19 plays to march 77 yards. The drive ate up 6:25 of clock and ended when Tuskegee stopped Quendarius Hall for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-and-2 from the Golden Tigers' 3.
"This was a game of turnovers and missed opportunities for us," said Morehouse coach Rich Freeman. "We had some chances to punch it in, but we didn't. I felt like we moved the ball, but we just couldn't score."
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Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic notes: Latavius Watts of Carver High does his share
COLUMBUS, Georgia -- The Morehouse Maroon Tigers came up a bit short against Tuskegee in Saturday's 77th Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, but it sure wasn't because of Latavius Watts.
Watts, a Carver High product who starts at strong safety for Morehouse, finished with seven tackles (3 solo, 4 assists) in the Maroon Tigers' 21-14 loss to Tuskegee. Watts was the only local product to play in the game.
Coming into the game, the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder was third on the team in tackles with 35 (20 solo, 15 assists). Watts also had two tackles for losses totalling7 yards, a pass breakup and three quarterback hurries to his credit.
Something to play for
Yes, his team is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but Morehouse coach Rich Freeman knows there is a lot of football left to be played this season.
"Everybody in our division (the SIAC East) has lost at least one conference game, and we haven't played anyone in the East yet," said Freeman. "We're looking forward to it.
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Tuskegee-Morehouse parade draws thousands
COLUMBUS, Georgia -- As thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Columbus Saturday, Arrica Baker remarked on the tradition that brings people together for the annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic Parade.
"I just love things like this because it's like a big family reunion, the opportunity to get out, see and meet people," said Baker, standing on the sidewalk along Broadway.
She was among the crowd for the parade before the football game at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. At an event held one month before the Nov. 6 General Election, the parade was a popular location for many politicians to greet supporters along with the marching bands, civic groups, motorcycle clubs and other groups.
Many like Baker said they didn't even have a favorite team because it's hard to choose between Morehouse and Tuskegee. "I know somebody is going to win," she said.
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"I just love things like this because it's like a big family reunion, the opportunity to get out, see and meet people," said Baker, standing on the sidewalk along Broadway.
She was among the crowd for the parade before the football game at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. At an event held one month before the Nov. 6 General Election, the parade was a popular location for many politicians to greet supporters along with the marching bands, civic groups, motorcycle clubs and other groups.
Many like Baker said they didn't even have a favorite team because it's hard to choose between Morehouse and Tuskegee. "I know somebody is going to win," she said.
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