VUU picked eighth in CIAA; VSU 10th

VUU, VSU not deterred by preseason picks of 8th, 10th, respectively

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. Winston-Salem State’s football team will enter the 2013 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association season as it has ended the previous two — No. 1.

On Thursday, the two-time defending conference champion and reigning Division II runner-up was picked by conference coaches to capture the title during media day at the Donald J. Reaves Student Activities Center at WSSU.

“We don’t really like to talk about the past because that season is over with, that team is gone,” said Rams coach Connell Maynor.

“We’re going to be playing with possibly 30 less players who played last year and won’t be playing this year.”

CONTINUE READING

Gaither's Hunter Henderson to play baseball at FAMU

TAMPA, Florida  --  Gaither graduate Hunter Henderson, one of the area’s most versatile baseball players last spring, has signed with Florida A&M.

 

Henderson ranked fourth in Hillsborough County with a 0.73 ERA and hit .333 with 12 RBIs. He was essentially the top player on a team that included shortstop Oscar Mercado, who went on to become a second-round pick in the MLB Draft last month.

Henderson finished the year as a second-team selection at first base on the all-Western Conference team, which is selected by local coaches, and an honorable mention on the Tampa Bay Times’ all-Hillsborough team.

CONTINUE READING

YOUR HELP NEEDED! Howard U. sex assault person in video wanted (Video)

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has released this video of a man who may have information on the sexual assault of a female victim on Howard University's campus earlier this week.

Police want you to take a good look at the man in this surveillance video. It shows him getting on a metrobus outside the university on Monday – right after a disabled teenager was sexually assaulted. Police believe that the man in the video has information about the crime – a crime that Howard students tell us they can’t believe happened on their campus.

“When I first heard that, I was very surprised because Howard University is a very prestigious school and things like that usually do not happen here,” says junior David Bullock.



CONTINUE READING

Five DelState Hornets named to preseason All-MEAC First Team

COACH KERMIT BLOUNT
(Courtesy DSU Athletics)

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Delaware State has been picked to finish eighth in the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings, according to a poll of league head coaches and sports information representatives announced at the annual MEAC Kickoff Luncheon today.

The Hornets received a total of 201 points in the preseason poll. Bethune-Cookman is the overwhelming favorite to win its second straight MEAC championship. The Wildcats collected 16 of 21 first place votes and 480 points in the poll.

Delaware State exceeded the preseason MEAC expectations in 2012. The Hornets were tied for third in the final standings with a 5-3 record after a 10^th place prediction in the preseason poll last season.

“The preseason polls are good for conversation, but what happens on the field is all that matters,” said Delaware State third-year head coach Kermit Blount. “We lost a number of key players from last year, but we have a solid group of veterans returning and some promising newcomers. There are a lot of question marks on our team, and we have great deal of work to do to get ready for the new season.”

South Carolina State, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central and Florida A&M round out the top five in the 2013 MEAC preseason poll.

The MEAC also announced its 2013 preseason all-conference teams and players-of-the-year.



Five Delaware State players were selected to the preseason All-MEAC First Team: LB Ernest Adjei (sr.); DL Rodney Gunter; DB Terrick Colston (so.): C Brandon Cunningham (sr.); and RB Malcolm Williams.

Adjei, a 2012 All-MEAC First Team pick, Adjei was tied for sixth in the MEAC in tackles at 8.5 per game last season (93 total).

Gunter was a 2012 All-MEAC Second Team selection. He was tied for seventh in the MEAC in sacks (0.5 pg; 5.5 total) and tops among DSU defensive linemen with 49 tackles (27 solo) last season.

Colston, a 2012 Jerry Rice Award nominee (top FCS freshman), was second on the Hornets and fifth in the MEAC in tackles (8.6 pg; 95 total) a year ago.

A 2012 All-MEAC Second Team selection, Cunningham is the lone returning starter on the Hornets’ offensive line.

Williams is the Hornets’ top returning rusher with 437 yards despite missing two games due to an ankle injury in 2012. He had two 100-yard games last season, including 120 vs. FBS Cincinnati.

Delaware State free safety Davon Moore (jr.) was named to the 2013 preseason All-MEAC Second Team. A 2012 All-MEAC First Team pick, Moore was third in the league in tackles (8.8 pg; 97 total) and tied for third with four interceptions in 2012. His 175 interception return yards were tops in the MEAC and second among all FCS players last season.

Florida A&M quarterback Damien Fleming and Bethune-Cookman running back Isidore Jackson were selected as the MEAC’s 2013 Preseason Co-Offensive Players-of-the-Year; while Bethune-Cookman linebacker Jarkevis Fields was named as the top defensive player.

Delaware State was 6-5 overall in 2012, its first winning season since 2007.

The Hornets report for preseason camp on Aug. 7. The first camp day on the field is Aug. 9.

DSU will open the 2013 season with four consecutive road games, beginning at Delaware on Sep. 7 in the fifth meeting between the state’s two Division I football programs.  The Hornets will also visit Towson (Sep. 14), two-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State (Sep. 21) and Savannah State (Sep. 28) in the MEAC opener before playing at home.

The Hornets’ 2013 home opener is Oct. 5 against Bethune-Cookman. Game time is 2:00 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.

Delaware State will also welcome Norfolk State (Oct. 12), Howard (Nov. 2) and Morgan State
(Nov. 23) to Alumni Stadium this season.



COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bethune-Cookman Coach raises concern about law

NORFOLK, Virginia   — The few hundred people who had gathered in the huge meeting room at the Waterside Marriott here were hushed. They came Friday afternoon to the media day luncheon to hear MEAC football coaches talk about the upcoming season.

But Brian Jenkins, head coach of defending league champion Bethune-Cookman University, stunned the audience when he challenged his peers to be proactive against stand your ground laws in their home states. Jenkins said he had to make the appeal in the wake of the recent acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford.

It could have been his 13-year-old son.

“I asked myself what would I do if he were a victim,” he said. “I couldn’t deal with that so I decided that I wouldn’t wait to see if he becomes a victim of such a silly act.”

The MEAC is made up of ...

CONTINUE READING  

Mississippi Valley footiball season tickets on sale

(Courtesy MVSU Athletics)

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  –  Season tickets are now on sale for the 2013 Mississippi Valley State football season. This year's slate includes six exciting home games beginning Sept. 7 against Delta State.

General adult admission season tickets are on sale for only $80 while season passes for children ages 5-17 can be purchased for $50. Reserved chair-back seats, meanwhile, are priced at $150.

Season premium parking is also on sale for $150 to park inside the fence at Rice-Totten Stadium. RV and bus parking for the season is set at $180. Single game tickets will go on sale at a later date.

The Delta Devils' home schedule includes games against Delta State (Sept. 7), Southern University (Sept. 21), Jackson State (Oct. 12), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Homecoming –Oct. 26), Texas Southern (Nov. 9) and Alabama State (Nov. 16).

Tickets can be purchased at the MVSU Ticket Office or by calling 662-254-3313. 

View Brochure

Season Tickets

Reserved Chairbacks	$150
Adult General Admission	$80
Children (5-17)	$50
Children (0-4)	Free

Season Premium Parking

Stadium Parking (inside fence)	$150
RV and Bus Parking	$180

Single Game Tickets (vs. Delta State, Texas Southern and Alabama State)

Type	Advance Price	Game Day Price
Reserved Chairbacks	$30	$35
Adult General Admisson	$15	$20
Children (5-17)	$10	$20
Children (0-4)	Free	Free

Single Game Tickets (vs. Southern, Jackson State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff)

Type	Advance Price	Game Day Price
Reserved Chairbacks	$30	$35
Adult General Admission	$20	$25
Children (5-17)	$10	$20
Children (0-4)	Free	Free

Single Game Premium Parking

Stadium Parking (Inside Fence)	$30
RV and Bus Parking	$45

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern’s Dray Joseph: ‘We all can make this journey’

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  Southern’s players jokingly chide Dray Joseph after the senior utters a line during summer workouts.

As they pant and sweat under the sweltering sun, the senior quarterback will offer a refrain borrowed from a familiar source.

“We all can make this journey,” he says.

Chuckling and smiling, his fellow Jaguars offer a quick retort: “You sound just like Coach Odums.”



Relaying the anecdote to coach Dawson Odums, he only offers up a contended grin at the mind meld taking place to help Joseph evolve from the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s best passer into a field general mastering a West Coast scheme as the Jaguars try to end a stretch of three consecutive losing seasons.

“It’s great to see the leadership he’s displaying on and off the field,” Odums said Monday during SWAC Media Day. “It’s a tough position, and you want to be accepted as an individual, but it takes a quarterback to say, ‘I’m not really like everybody else.’ He’s accepted that pressure.”

CONTINUE READING

VUU Panthers Picked to Finish Eighth in CIAA Football

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Virginia Union University's football team was picked to finish eighth in the CIAA at the 2013 CIAA Football Media Day, held on Thursday, July 25, in Winston-Salem, N.C.

VUU's Denzel Duchenne earned Pre-Season All-CIAA Honors as a punt returner, it was released on the same day.

VUU finished 5-5 last season, including 3-4 in CIAA play.  The Panthers led the CIAA with an average of 4.9 yards per rush.

Duchenne, a sophomore from Brooklyn, N.Y., returned 22 punts for 319 yards (an average of 14.9 yards per return).  Duchenne also returned seven kickoffs for 115 yards and caught 19 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown.



COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

In the FCS Huddle: Depth underscores MEAC title race

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Pop open the hood on the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason football poll and the shiny engine that is defending champion Bethune-Cookman can make you reach for the sun-glasses.

Take a closer look, though, and you realize there's plenty of sparkling parts that comprise what could be a big season for MEAC football.

Plenty that threaten Bethune's title reign, too.

The Wildcats were the clear favorite at Friday's media day in Norfolk, Virginia, gaining 16 of the 21 first-place votes in the preseason poll, but an 11-team, one-division set-up makes for a grind each season, and the rise of North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T last season has heightened that scenario.

South Carolina State, which had been the recent MEAC power until ..,

CONTINUE READING

Hamilton: WSSU Rams’ success raises profile of CIAA

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  From start to finish Thursday, 11 CIAA football coaches stepped onto a small stage at Winston-Salem State and quoted from nearly identical scripts — list goals for the coming season and, at some point, kiss the host’s ring.

And why not? WSSU has earned any respect being thrown its way.
Since Connell Maynor took over as coach in 2010, the Rams are 35-4 overall, 21-2 against CIAA opponents and have won the last two league titles.

The 2012 team — one of the best in HBCU history — had a conference-best 14-1 record.

It also was the first HBCU team since ...



CONTINUE READING

Five Eagles earn preseason All-MEAC honors; NCCU picked 4th

NORFOLK, Virginia –  Five North Carolina Central University Eagles were named to the preseason all-conference team, while NCCU was picked to finish the upcoming season in fourth place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as voted by the league's head football coaches and sports information directors.

The announcements were made by the MEAC on Friday in Norfolk, Va., during the conference's annual football media day and luncheon.

The five Eagles named to the All-MEAC Second Team are senior quarterback Jordan Reid, senior offensive tackle Charles Goodwin, sophomore safety Ryan Smith, senior punter Matthew Cornelius and junior kicker Oleg Parent.

NCCU is coming off its first winning season since 2007 with a 6-5 overall record and a 5-3 conference mark. The Eagles tied for third place in the MEAC standings a year ago. With a fourth place prediction for 2013, NCCU is listed behind No. 3 North Carolina A&T, No. 2 South Carolina State and No. 1 Bethune-Cookman, the defending conference champion, on the preseason predicted order of finish.

Reid (High Point, N.C.) threw for 1,594 yards and 13 touchdowns, while breaking the NCCU single-season record by completing 62.3 percent of his pass attempts.

Goodwin (High Point, N.C.) started every game at left tackle for the Eagles last season, while recording an average grade of 89 percent with 19 pancake blocks and 28 knockdowns in 11 games.

Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md.) finished his rookie season as NCCU's second-leading tackler with 65 total takedowns. He also ranked second on the team with three interceptions and third on the squad with eight passes defended (three interceptions, five pass break-ups), while leading the MEAC and tying for second among NCAA-FCS leaders with four fumble recoveries.

Cornelius (Charlotte, N.C.) averaged 35.9 yards per punt with a long of 58 yards. He also placed 16 punts inside the 20-yard line with only two touchbacks.

Parent (Lake Forest, Calif.) was the No. 1 scoring kicker in the MEAC last year with an average of 6.2 points per game. He converted 11 field goals, including 3-of-6 from 40 yards or beyond with a career-long boot of 46 yards.

NCCU opens the 2013 season on Aug. 31 at Duke University inside Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.

The Eagles' first home game is on Sept. 7 against Saint Augustine's University inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Season tickets to NCCU's six home games are still available for purchase online at www.NCCUEaglePride.com or at the NCCU Ticket Office (919-530-5170) on the lower level of W.G. Pearson Cafeteria.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Five SSU Tigers Receive Preseason All-MEAC Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Head football coaches and sports information directors of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference have selected five Savannah State football players to the Preseason All-MEAC squad. The selections were announced at the annual MEAC football press luncheon held at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel.

Senior wide receiver Simon Heyward made the first team offense while senior defensive back John Wilson was named to the second team defense. Dylan Cook (wide receiver) and Kris Drummond (tight end) were named to the third team offense while senior Micah Blount (defensive lineman) was named to the third team defense.

Heyward (5-11, 185) had 44 receptions for 751 yards and six touchdowns last year. The Savannah, Georgia native enters his senior year with 116 career receptions for 1,381 yards and eight touchdowns. Earlier this summer, Heyward was named to the First Team by College Sports Madness Preseason All-MEAC team  Heyward is also on the watch list for the College Football Performance Awards FCS Wide Receiver Award.  The award is given annually to the top wide receiver in the Football Championship Subdivision.  Heyward is one of 34 players on the watch list.

Wilson (5-10, 175) finished last season with 68 tackles , three tackles for losses, four interceptions and seven pass break-ups. The Athens, GA native also blocked one kick.

Cook (6-2, 190), a senior from Hiram, GA, caught 37 passes a year ago for 491 yards and one touchdown while Drummond (6-5, 215), a junior who hails from Washington, D.C., hauled in 21 receptions for 318 yards and a touchdown. Blount (6-6, 225) played in nine games last year and had 37 tackles, four tackles for losses. The Stone Mountain, GA native also had 2.5 sacks.

Savannah State, which received one first place vote, was picked to finish 11th in the MEAC.

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

B-CU’s Jackson, Fields and FAMU’s Fleming Earn Top Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia – Florida A&M quarterback Damien Fleming and Bethune-Cookman running back Isidore Jackson along with linebacker Jarkevis Fields received top honors as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its 2013 preseason football players of the year at the annual Football Press Luncheon Banquet on Friday afternoon at the Norfolk Marriott Waterside Hotel in Virginia.

All preseason honors are voted on by the MEAC’s football coaches and sports information directors.



Bethune-Cookman, the defending conference champion, was predicted to finish first in the annual preseason poll.  The Wildcats finished the 2012 season with an unblemished 8-0 mark and 9-3 overall record.  For the second straight year South Carolina State was picked to finish second while North Carolina A&T was selected to finish third. 

Fleming finished second in the MEAC in passing yards with 2,175, completing 214-of-308 pass attempts.  He ranked second in the conference in passing efficiency (142.2) and passing yards per game (196.1).  Fleming led the Rattlers in total offense (2,351) in 11 games of action.

Jackson, a native of Mossy Head, Florida, led the MEAC in rushing with 1,069 yards on 191 attempts.  He averaged 89.1 yards per game and recorded 11 touchdowns.  He finished third on the team in receiving with 148 yards, averaging 12.3 yards per game.  He led the Wildcats in scoring (72 points) and all-purpose yards (1,217) during his junior season.

Fields finished sixth in the conference and led the Wildcats in total tackles with 103 including 46 solo and 57 assists.  He averaged 8.6 tackles per game and recorded six tackles for a loss, four breakups, four deflections, one sack, and one forced fumble.

Florida A&M led all teams with six student-athletes receiving first-team preseason honors.  Bethune-Cookman and Delaware State were tied at second with five student-athletes to earn a first-team nod.

COURTESY MEACSPORTS.COM 

2013 MEAC/SWAC Challenge by Disney

ORLANDO, Florida -- When Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State face off on Sept. 1 in the ninth installment of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney, it will be the third meeting between the two storied programs. Their first meeting was way back in 1990, a game FAMU won 28-13.

For the Florida A&M Rattlers, this game marks the team’s first under new head coach Earl Holmes, whose team finished with a 4-7 record last season. The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils, under Karl Morgan, ended the 2012 season with a 5-4 mark.

South Carolina State Picked Second; Six Bulldogs Earn Preseason All-MEAC Honors

SC State head coach Buddy Pough addresses the media
Friday  at the MEAC’s Annual Football Press Luncheon
held in  Norfolk, Virginia
(Courtesy SC State Athletics)

NORFOLK, Virginia — Six SC State University Bulldogs were named to the preseason all-conference team, while SC State was picked to finish second behind, the defending champion Bethune-Cookman in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) as voted by the league's head football coaches and sports information directors.

The announcements were made at the MEAC's Annual Football Press Luncheon held Friday afternoon at the Norfolk Marriott Waterside Hotel in Virginia.

Sophomore defensive lineman Javon Hargrave and redshirt-senior punter Nick Belcher earned All-MEAC First Team honors, while junior linebacker Justin Hughes earned Second Team All-MEAC accolades and senior wide receiver Tyler McDonald, redshirt-junior offense lineman Domanic Wilson, redshirt-junior defensive lineman Andrew Carter, and kicker Nick Belcher all earned Third Team All-MEAC honors respectively.

"I was surprised," head football coach Buddy Pough said. "I hadn't quite had a chance to digest it all. But I guess they still respect what we have done in the past."

Hargrave (Salisbury, NC) recorded 45 total tackles, 26 solos, with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks as a true freshman. He was named to The College Sports Journal 2012 FCS All-Freshman Team.

Belcher (Sumter, SC) averaged 38.9 yards on 75 punts and had a long of 62 yards with 20 kicks inside the 20-yard line. He also made 8 of 15 field goal attempts, with a long of 47 yards.

SC State is coming off a 5-6 overall record and a 4-4 conference mark. The Bulldogs were picked to finish second in the MEAC standings a year ago. With a second place prediction for 2013, SC State is listed ahead No. 3 North Carolina A&T, No. 4 NC Central and No. 5 Florida A&M to round out the top five teams.

"I think we've got guys who should be disturbed that they weren't selected and it might give them some inspiration," Pough said.

The Bulldogs open the 2013 season on Aug.31 at home against Coastal Carolina at Oliver. C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg, SC. Season tickets to SC State's five home games are still available for more information go online to www.scsuathletics.com or contact the SC State Ticket Office at 803-536-8579 or 1-800-298-9157.



BUY  S.C. STATE SEASON FOOTBALL TICKETS

2013 Predicted Order of Finish
(First Place Votes in Parenthesis)
School Points
1. Bethune-Cookman (16) 480
2. South Carolina State (2) 365
3. North Carolina A&T 302
4. North Carolina Central 260
5. Florida A&M 250
6.Howard 227
7. Norfolk State (1) 222
8. Delaware State 201
9. Hampton (1) 196
10. Morgan State 113
11. Savannah State (1) 52

First Team All-Defense
Pos. Player Cl. Hometown
DL Javon Hargrave So. Salisbury, N.C.
P Nick Belcher r-Sr. Sumter, S.C.

Second Team All-Defense
Pos. Player Cl. Hometown
LB Justin Hughes Jr. Virginia Beach, Va.

Third Team All-Offense
Pos. Player Cl. Hometown
WR Tyler McDonald Sr. Summerville, SC
OL Domanic Wilson r-Jr. Lake City, SC

Third Team All-Defense
Pos. Player Cl. Hometown
DL Andrew Carter r-Jr. Hamlet, NC
PK Nick Belcher r-Sr. Sumter,




COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M's Holmes & Players Participate In MEAC Media Day

NORFOLK, Virginia (July 26) –­ FAMU head coach Earl Holmes stepped to the podium at the MEAC football luncheon just moments after it was revealed that his team was picked to finish fifth in the conference by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.  It would have been easy to spend his five minutes dwelling on how inaccurate the prediction was from his standpoint, but the young coach displayed an uncommon poise for a first year coach.

“Greetings from the highest of seven hills in Tallahassee, Florida.  I’d like to say thanks for having us here.  On behalf of Dr. (Larry) Robinson, our AD Mike Smith, Faydre (Hawkins Brown) and our staff,” Holmes said.  It was a classy move, indicating a level of maturity from a rookie coach.

The good news of the day was the Rattlers placing 11 players on the preseason All-MEAC squad.  Along with making the first team, quarterback Damien Fleming was selected as co-offensive player of the year.  Still, for the staff he’s assembled, for the recruits he’s brought in and for the returning players, it was a hard pill to swallow.  But, he had a crafty comeback.  “Looking at the predictions they’ve got us ranked fifth.  That’s fine.  One thing about predictions and projections, you can say what you want to say, but at the end of the day you’ve got to play the game.  We all love to play the game, that’s why we’re all here,” he said.

Fleming and safety John Ojo were at the press conference and luncheon to represent the Rattlers.  Fleming is picked to have a banner year as the Rattler signal caller, while Ojo is under the radar.  Attaining a medical hardship from the NCAA allows the Spring 2012 graduate to begin work on his master’s degree, while playing for the Rattlers.

Fleming is excited about the fast approach of the season.  “I’m just excited to get this year started.  We’ve been going against each other all Summer in seven-on-seven and one-on-one, so I’m just really excited to put the pads on. I want to see some guys hit each other, even though I don’t really get to see any of that until the season starts,” Fleming said.



The media interviews allowed the players to take a quick glance at some of the top players in the MEAC.  That brought even more energy to the day.  “Just to see some of these guys, some familiar faces, we came up short against some of them last year…I mean it’s all about revenge this year,” Fleming said.

Ojo was humbled by the chance to go out on a more positive note than ending his career at FAMU with an injury.  “I’m just excited man and thankful to God I got another year to play.  I think for of all it starts with our discipline.  Bringing in new coaches is going to help with that, and our offseason strength and conditioning I think is going to help us.  I think we look forward to having a successful season by strengthening ourselves in those areas,” Ojo concluded.

Holmes did excite the crowd in his address at the luncheon.  His analysis of the level of disrespect was addressed in quite a tactful and witty utterance.  “Being from FAMU, we all love homecoming.  In fact, I’ve got four homecomings this year.  We play South Carolina State for their homecoming, Morgan State for their homecoming, coach Pete (Adrian), I play you for homecoming, so I guess Florida A&M is just the homecoming team.  That’s okay, I’m a young guy and a good guy.  But, like I tell everybody and I told these coaches, Holmes coming,” Holmes said.



COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
VISIT: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
VISIT: FAMUATHLETICS.COM

FAMU Head Coach Earl Holmes First MEAC Media Day

2013 Pre-Season All-MEAC Team

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU Rattlers Place 11 On Preseason All-MEAC Team

NORFORK, Virginia  --  The Florida A&M Football Team was predicted to finish fifth in the 2013 season.  Quarterback Damien Fleming was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason Co-Offense Player of the Year as the Rattler gridders placed 11 players on the 2013 Preseason All-MEAC team, voted on by the conference sports information directors and head coaches.  The teams and predictions were announced today by Patricia Porter, assistant MEAC commissioner for media relations, at the annual MEAC Football Kickoff Luncheon held at the Marriott Waterside Hotel.

Fleming, a 6-2, 205, junior quarterback from Jacksonville, Fla., is a First Team Preseason All-MEAC selection and Co-Offensive Player of the Year, an award shared with Bethune-Cookman’s running back Isidore Jackson.

Fleming finished last season with 2,157 yards as he completed 214 passes in 308 attempts with 16 TDs and five interceptions.  In addition, he became the first FAMU quarterback to pass for 2,000 plus yards in a season, since 2004 when Ben Dougherty was the Rattler signal caller.

Joining, Fleming on the Preseason All-MEAC first team are running back James Owens, wide receiver Lenworth Lennon, offensive linemen Kevin House and Zerrie Patterson and place kicker Chase Varnadore.

Earning second team honors is defensive back Jonathan Pillow and return specialist Owens, with his second nod.  Rounding out the cast of all-conference performers is center Douglas Almendares, linebacker Brandon Denmark, and defensive back Devonte “Terry”Johnson.

FAMU was picked to finish fifth as a team with 250 points.  Reigning champion Bethune-Cookman was predicted to finish first as the Wildcats garnered 480 points and 16 first place votes.  South Carolina State was predicted to finish second as they tallied 365 points and two first place votes, followed by North Carolina A&T with 302 points.  North Carolina Central was predicted to finish fourth with 260 points.

Predicted to finished sixth was Howard with 227 points, followed by Norfolk State with 222 points and 1 first place vote in seventh place.

Rounding out the conference is Delaware State with 201 points for an eighth place predicted finish, followed  by Hampton with 196 points and one first place vote for a predicted ninth place finish.  Morgan garnered 113 points for a 10 place predicted finish and Savannah State is predicted 11^th with 52 points and one first place vote.

FAMU will open its 2013 season against Mississippi Valley State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney, at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., broadcasted live on ESPN in an 11:45 a.m. start.

The following week, the Rattlers will open their 2013 home schedule against Tennessee State on Saturday, September 7 at Bragg Memorial Stadium in a 2 p.m. start.   For ticket information, contact the FAMU ticket office at 850-599-3141.

MEAC Press Conference and Luncheon

2013 Pre-Season All-MEAC Team

2013 MEAC Football Predicted Order of Finish 


1. Bethune-Cookman (16) - 480


2. South Carolina State (2) - 365


3. North Carolina A&T - 302


4. North Carolina Central - 260


5. Florida A&M - 250


6. Howard - 227


7. Norfolk State (1) - 222


8. Delaware State - 201


9. Hampton (1) - 196


10. Morgan State - 113


11. Savannah State (1) - 52

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SWAC Coaches join Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  Several Southwestern Athletic Conference assistant football coaches were selected to participate in the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship and will finish the off-season working side-by-side with NFL teams during Off-Season Training Activities (OTA) and training camp.

Southern co-offensive coordinator, Chad Germany, Mississippi Valley State offensive coordinator, Alex Jackson, and Prairie View A&M wide receivers coach, Harry Williams, were picked for the opportunity to work along side the teams during full activities.

The Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship is an annual program administered by the NFL Management Council and NFL Player Engagement.

Designed as a vocational tool to increase the number of full-time NFL minority coaches, all 32 NFL Clubs participate in the program on an annual basis. Specific aspects of the program (including hiring, salary and coaching duties) are administered on a Club-by-Club basis.

Germany was selected to work the summer with the Minnesota Vikings. He enters his third season as a member of the Jaguars coaching staff and has been instrumental in the development of All-SWAC quarterback Dray Joseph.

Jackson, who is set to begin his first season as offensive coordinator with Delta Devils, joins Germany with the Vikings organization after serving part of last season in the interim role at MVSU. He took over as offensive coordinator midway through the season and makes a consecutive stint in the fellowship.

Williams was tagged by the Houston Texans to particiapte in the program. He joined the Prairie View A&M staff in 2009 as a volunteer assistant and played an integral part in the passing game as three receivers had career years in receptions and yards.

The NFL established the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Advisory Council in 2012 to further enhance the idea conceived by the late Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh. Walsh introduced the concept to expose talented minority college coaches to the NFL’s methods and philosophies when he invited a group of minority coaches to participate in San Francisco 49ers’ training camp.

Participants are hired for the duration of training camp, including all pre-season games and clubs are encouraged to hire a minimum of four participants.

Bill Walsh introduced the concept of a minority coaching internship program in 1987 when he brought a group of coaches to 49ers training camp. Eventually, this program was picked up by every NFL team and now, 26 years later, the NFL has renamed it the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship Program.

The program has given hundreds of coaches a foot in the door. Several current NFL head coaches, including Super Bowl winning coach Mike Tomlin, are graduates of the program.

COURTESY SWAC.org

Bethune-Cookman Voted to Repeat as MEAC Champs

NORFOLK, Virginia – Bethune-Cookman University was selected to repeat as Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football champions for the 2013 season, it was announced Friday afternoon at the annual MEAC Football Kickoff Luncheon inside the grand ballroom of the Marriott Waterside Hotel.

Additionally, Isidore Jackson was selected as Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year, while Jarkevis Fields was voted Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

In all, a total of five Wildcats landed on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team, while another was voted to the Second Team.

Bethune-Cookman finished the 2012 campaign as regular season champions ending the conference season 8-0 for the first time in school history. It was the first undefeated record in league play for the Wildcats since winning the conference title in 1984.

Senior running back Isidore Jackson was tabbed Preseason MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year alongside Florida A&M quarterback Damien Fleming. A 5-10, 205-pound native of Mossy Head, Fla., Jackson finished the 2012 campaign on the all-conference team for the second consecutive season. He rushed for a league second-best 1,069 yards and aided the vaunted Wildcats offense that led the MEAC as a team in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and first downs. He would end the season becoming the first B-CU running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season since Steve Wallace in 1997, and the first Wildcat overall to gain 1,000 yards since quarterback Allen Suber in 2002.



Senior linebacker Jarkevis Fields was voted Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Wildcats in tackles during the 2012 campaign. Fields, a 6-0, 230-pound senior from Sanford, Fla., ended the 2012 campaign with 103 tackles (sixth-best in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), six tackles for losses and a sack. He also dropped back and broke up four passes, while helping the B-CU defense finish third nationally in passes intercepted. Fields was named to the First Team All-MEAC squad in 2012, as well as receiving the Army Strong Leadership Award at the Florida Blue Florida Classic. He was also the recipient of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Walter Payton Achievement Award, in addition to being a preseason HBCU All-America selection by BoxToRow.

Jackson and offensive lineman Alex Monroe were on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team for offense, while defensive end LeBrandon Richardson and defensive back Nick Addison joined Fields on the defensive team. Senior wide receiver Eddie Poole landed on the second team for offense, and defensive lineman Tevin Toney received honorable mention awards.

For a complete list of this year’s Preseason All-Conference Team, please click here. You can also visit MEACsports.com.

The Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman begin the season Sunday, Sept. 1, traveling to Tennessee State in Nashville, Tenn. A time for kickoff will be announced at a later date.

To purchase tickets for the 2013 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats football season, call the B-CU Ticket Office at 386-481-2465 or visit www.TicketMaster.com.

For the latest information on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, follow us on Twitter, @BCUGridIron, and make sure to ‘Like Us’ on Facebook at BCUathletics. Join the conversation for all things related to B-CU Football in 2013 by using the official hashtag #NeverSatisfied in all tweets.

2013 Preseason All-MEAC Team

Purchase Football Tickets

 

COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State coach's approach will be basic this season

NORFOLK, Virginia — At the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football media day Friday, Norfolk State head football coach Pete Adrian shared his philosophy for helping his team succeed this season.

"We're just going to take it one game at a time," he said.

After finishing the 2011 season with a 9-3 record, a MEAC title, and a berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, the Spartans struggled last year, finishing 4-7. Adrian said the team looks to rebound this season by getting back to the basics.



"The best part of a new season is that everyone starts with a 0-0 record," he said. "We aren't caught up in what happened last year, we are just going to go out and play and take it game by game."

Adrian attributed his team's record in the 2012 season to an excess of turnovers (34) and not focusing on the fundamentals. After winning their first two games of the season, the Spartans went on a seven-game losing streak before winning their final two games.

CONTINUE READING

Hampton U. football ready to contend after difficult season

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Outwardly, Donovan Rose appeared the same as ever: fit, trim, engaging, good natured. Internally, however, he feels like a man unchained.

Hampton University's head football coach enters the 2013 season, the fifth at his alma mater, again on a level playing field with his competitors.

He feels good about his staff and his personnel, and particularly about the Pirates' ability to prepare to compete each week.

"I feel revived," Rose said Friday at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference media day. "I feel that everything I went through is for a purpose. It made me better."

Rose and the Pirates endured a kind of imperfect storm that resulted in ...

CONTINUE READING

Jackson settled with Seahawks; Former Alabama State QB changes outlook on NFL career

SEATTLE, Washington  --  Tarvaris Jackson spent seven years trying to earn the starting job as quarterback of an NFL team. Now, as he prepares for his eighth season and a second stint with the Seattle Seahawks, the former Sidney Lanier High and Alabama State star has a new outlook.

“I could have gone to other teams, but I’m in the eighth year of my career now, and I’m just trying to get to the Super Bowl,” he said. “I’m all about winning championships. I feel like that was my best chance among the teams I could choose from.”

Forgive Jackson if he doesn’t sound quite as competitive as he used to be.

The last two years have been frustrating, downright mystifying at times, for a player who feels he has shown he has what it takes to be a starting quarterback in the league but can’t always overcome the business aspects of pro football.


Tarvaris Jackson #7 to Rice on 52 Yard Bomb for TD.

CONTINUE READING

North Carolina A&T Picked To Finish Third In Preseason MEAC Poll

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- The days of people thinking North Carolina A&T is a lower-tier football program in the MEAC seem to be behind the Aggies.

It was announced on Friday at the annual Preseason MEAC Football Luncheon at Norfolk's Waterside Marriott Hotel that MEAC head coaches and sports information directors predicted the Aggies to finish third in the conference in 2013.

A&T went 7-4 and 5-3 in the MEAC during the 2012 season. A season removed from its first winning season in nine years, A&T garnered 302 points in the preseason poll.

S.C. State, a team the Aggies beat for the first time in 12 years with a 17-7 win on Nov. 10, 2012, were picked to finish second with 365 points and two first-place votes. Bethune-Cookman, who won the MEAC title last season, was picked to repeat with 480 points and 16 first-place votes.

"My hope is that we have a really good football team," said A&T head coach Rod Broadway. "I expect us to be competitive, play hard and do the right things as far as football and school is concerned. How the ball bounces, I don't know. I know we will be well prepared, and I know the guys are going to give great effort. This could be a big year for us despite not having spring practice."

The Aggies were not allowed to have spring practice in 2013 because NCAA sanctions stemming from a poor academic progress rate score.

But Aggies' restrictions administered by the NCAA have been lifted because of improved single-year scores over the past four years.

A&T is now eligible to win the MEAC Championship and advance to the postseason. To help in that effort, the Aggies return all four starters from a secondary that posted the No. 1 pass defense in the Football Championship Subdivision. They return seven defensive starters in all from a defense that was ranked No. 2 in Division I-FCS.

"Last year we were able to win because of our defensive play," said Broadway. "Offensive football can be so unpredictable. Defensively, you have a chance of always being good. If you're sound defensively, that's going to keep you in a lot of football games."

The Aggies offense only produced four touchdown receptions last season. Broadway hopes the addition of veteran offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle will ignite the Aggies passing game, making it easier for senior running backs Ricky Lewis and Dominique Drake to operate.

"He brings experience, leadership and knowledge, and he is committed to his work," said Broadway about Bustle.

The Aggies open the season in Boone, N.C., when they take on Appalachian State, Saturday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. They come home a week later to face Piedmont rival Elon at 6 p.m.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton U. Wilson, Davis Each Named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Hampton University redshirt-senior offensive lineman Jamal Wilson and senior defensive end Matthew Davis were each named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC as the preseason honors were announced on Friday at the MEAC Football Press Luncheon.

Wilson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) started all 10 games for the Pirates last season, and he was part of an offensive line that helped Hampton rank fifth in the MEAC with 148.1 rushing yards per game. He was part of a Pirates offensive line that helped Jeremiah Schwartz become the first Pirate to rush for over 1,000 yards since 2009.

Behind Wilson's offensive line, Schwartz had seven 100-yard rushing games last season.

Davis (Chesapeake, Va.) tallied 37 tackles last season, including 13 solo efforts. His career-high of 12 tackles (five solo) came against Bethune-Cookman back on Sept. 29, and he led the team with 4.0 sacks last season.

His 7.0 tackles for loss were third-most on the team.

Senior defensive back Carvin Johnson (New Orleans, La.) was a Preseason All-MEAC Honorable Mention. He was fourth on the team with 57 tackles in 2012, including 31 solo stops. He had a career-high 18 tackles at Tennessee Tech, and he recovered a team-high three fumbles last season.

Florida A&M's Damien Flemming and Bethune-Cookman's Isidore Jackson were named Preseason MEAC Co-Offensive Players of the Year, while Jarkevis Fields of Bethune-Cookman was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

The Pirates, coming into their fifth season under head coach Donovan Rose, were picked to finish ninth in the MEAC in a preseason poll voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. Hampton, which went 3-7 last season, tallied 196 points and picked up a first-place vote.
 Defending champion Bethune-Cookman picked up 16 first-place votes and was picked to repeat with 480 points. South Carolina State picked up two first-place votes and tallied 365 points in being predicted to finish second.

North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, and Florida A&M were picked to finish third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

The Pirates will open the 2013 season on Thursday, Aug. 29, when they head to Macomb, Ill. to take on Western Illinois at 7 p.m. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION