"Air Raid" offense strikes in second half of SSU Tigers' first scrimmage

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  The defense dominated the first half of Savannah State's first football scrimmage Saturday but the “Air Raid” offense of first-year head coach Earnest Wilson III owned the second half.

“Our defense played well but if it wasn't for our mistakes on offense, they would have been exposed,” Wilson said following a two-and-a-half-hour scrimmage at T.A. Wright Stadium. “So what I'm asking our (defensive) coaches to do is go back and really become teachers.”

Senior Antonio Bostick started at quarterback during the first offensive possession and junior Victorian Hardison began the second drive at QB. Both drives ended in punts.

Redshirt freshman Leon Prunty started the third possession at QB and he was intercepted by sophomore Alfred Ansley.

“When you're not quite sure and you're thrown into battle, you're going to go back to your old ways, and that's what they did in the first half,” said Wilson, who was hired June 7 from Hampton University, where he was the Pirates' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. “A lot of them went back to their old ways. They freaked out. But as time went on they got more relaxed. And what I've got to do is get that out of them before Aug. 31. That's going to be the key in order for us to be able to beat Georgia Southern.”

The defense intercepted four passes. In addition to Ansley picking off Prunty's pass, sophomore Justin Dixon intercepted sophomore transfer Zach Hutcheson, and junior Edward Baety and freshman Damion Gordon each picked off Hardison. Bostick was the only quarterback who did not throw an interception.

“We had a good tempo,” Dixon said. “Everybody was really trying to get after the football. That's one thing we've really been heavy on in this camp is getting to the football. When the football's in the air, on the ground, the defense is flying. Everybody is flying to the football.”

Wilson said all four quarterbacks tried to do too much, resulting in stalled drives until late in the scrimmage.

“They're trying to do too much instead of just working within the offense,” Wilson said. “When they do that, they'll be alright.

“I want them to understand the down and distance. What they've done is they went back to the old (ways) and tried to get big plays when they didn't need to. Instead of just dumping the ball off and letting people run with the ball, and get yardage and get first downs and touchdowns, they're trying to do too much. They're good players but they're just trying to do too much.”

Senior running back Sheldon Barnes ran for three touchdowns of 12, 11 and 8 yards. His 12-yard run resulted in the first points of the scrimmage.

“After I scored the first touchdown it just seemed like the end zone was our friend, so we just kept going back,” Barnes said. “We started out a little slow. Those interceptions really weighed heavy on us. Anytime you get a turnover after you've been driving, you kind of hold your head down a little bit. But Coach (Wilson) called a timeout, gave us a few words and we came out and just turned it on.”

Barnes, who is competing for the starting job at running back, said he wanted to make a strong impression on SSU's new coaching staff.

“Nobody has a permanent job going from the spring to the fall, especially having these new coaches,” Barnes said. “You've got to come out here and show who you are.”

Sophomore running back Lereginald Veals ran for a 25-yard touchdown. Freshman running back De'Quan Daniels did not scrimmage because of an undisclosed injury.

“The running game is a big, big key in this offense,” Bostick said. “If we get our running backs to get 4, 5, 6 or 7 yards, that will open up the passing lanes for us. That's the No. 1 thing with the 'Air Raid,' get the ball to your best offensive players in space. We have a lot of athletic guys and the No. 1 thing is we have to get our athletes the ball out in space and let them do what they do.”

On the first play of the series after Barnes' second touchdown run, Bostick connected with senior Simon Heyward for a 40-yard touchdown. Heyward later scored a 30-yard touchdown on a pass from Hardison.

“Everybody is open in this offense,” Bostick said of the “Air Raid” attack, which Wilson coached to lead the Southwestern Athletic Conference in scoring offense and total offense when he was the offensive coordinator at Jackson State. “There is not one guy who is not open if everybody is running their routes correctly. If the quarterback makes the right read, the running backs run the right route, everybody is pretty much open so it's a very explosive offense.”

Prunty ran for an 18-yard touchdown and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to senior Edward Lackey Jr.

Hutcheson threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to freshman Justin Clark. A bad hold ruined the extra-point attempt.

A bad snap botched an extra-point attempt after Barnes' second touchdown run. Junior Preston McCarthy kicked two extra points but missed a 45-yard field goal. Freshman John Barron's 34-yard field goal attempt was blocked after a bad snap.

SSU will not practice Sunday or Monday, the day classes begin. The Tigers' next practice will be Tuesday.

“We'll start preparing for Georgia Southern and figuring out how we're going to beat them,” Wilson said. “I know they're going to be ready but we want to be ready more.”

The Tigers also will practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Wilson said. SSU's annual Blue & Orange Fall Scrimmage (Fan Appreciation Day) is at 6 p.m. Aug. 17. Players and coaches will be available to sign posters and schedule cards before kickoff.

The Tigers' season-opener is at 6 p.m. Aug. 31 against Georgia Southern at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro.

“We've got some guys that are capable of playing on the next level on this team,” Wilson said. “But they're scared to give their total effort. Because they're scared of failure. I can't let these guys get scared of failure. These coaches can't let these guys get scared to fail. They're going to have to work, and work hard, and they're going to overcome those failures. And that's what I'm looking for.”  


By Noell Barnidge, SSU Media Relations Freelance Writer
COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Defense shines in Southern scrimmage

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  The opening play of Saturday’s scrimmage was a telling sign of what was to come in the first of two intrasquad scrimmages for the Southern football team this preseason.

Quarterback Wynton Perro and tailback Darius Coleman muffed the exchange on the opening drive resulting in a turnover, one of five on the day for the Southern offense.

“I think on offense we did an average job as a whole,” co-offensive coordinator Chadwick Germany said. “Tempo and execution are two things we want to get better at by the time we have our next scrimmage. We want to play fast.”

One of the reasons the offense may have struggled in Saturday’s scrimmage could be credited to the absence of senior All-Southwestern Athletic Conference receiver Lee Doss, who played a part in Saturday’s scrimmage, just from the sideline.

“Coach sat me out because ...

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TSU Tiger Camp Report: Day Six

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State football team wrapped up the first week of fall camp with a two-hour scrimmage on a sunny and breezy Saturday morning.

“I thought that the defense dominated at times [on Saturday],” head coach Rod Reed said. “The offense finished strong, and overall I felt like we had a solid first week.”

The offensive line, led by Demetrius Rhaney and Deshawn Byrd, opened by big holes and wide running lanes for TSU's running backs, and the ball carriers responded with some big plays. Senior Tim Broughton scored a pair of short-yardage touchdowns while Darion Hall and Tevin Spells broke off big chunks of yards throughout the mock game.

Big Blue's quarterbacks also showed marked improvement on Saturday with Ronnie Butler and Lamar McKnight splitting snaps with the first team. TSU's defensive line, and especially Antonio Harper, were in the face of the passers for much of the day, but when they had time, the quarterbacks were able to find open receivers.

Butler also ran for a touchdown in the latter part of the scrimmage and fellow quarterback senior Holt Claiborne led a crisp scoring drive with the second-string offense.

The Tigers will take their first day off on Sunday before starting week two on Monday at 9:15 a.m.

This Week's Practice Schedule
MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2013 - 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #8 (FULL)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013 - 7:30-9:30 PRACTICE #9 (FULL)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 - 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #10 (FULL)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 - 7:30-9:30 PRACTICE #11 (FULL)FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013 - 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #12 (FULL)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013- 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #13 (FULL)

 COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Continuity with staff a big plus at WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  One of Coach Connell Maynor’s goals during the offseason was to get his loyal assistant coaches small raises.

That might have helped in keeping his staff together, but money isn’t the only reason those assistants stayed at Winston-Salem State.

In college coaching, no matter the level, assistant coaches move from job to job and head coaches constantly replace them.

Maynor, however, hasn’t had to do much hiring in his three seasons. There was a little turnover after the first season, but that has been it.

“It is hard to keep a staff together,” Maynor said. “At our level in D-II, you don’t lose as many assistants because our staffs aren’t as big as D-I staffs, but for us to not lose anybody off last year’s staff is huge.”

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Old warhorse fits A&T's Aggies to a 'T'

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  — Rickey Bustle was back in his element.

The sun was shining and the wind was blowing and he had a whistle around his neck. Just like old times.

Bustle, an old warhorse of a football coach, is back in the area. He’s the new offensive coordinator at A&T, and he couldn’t be happier.

“It’s like coming home,” he said.

Bustle, 59, grew up in Danville the son of a baseball player who longed to be a coach. That dream took him all over the country and back again.

“He looks right at home,’ Aggies head coach Rod Broadway said Thursday as A&T went through its first practice of the year. “He’s a good one.”

A&T is coming off of a 7-4 season that marked a ...

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Costa Pleased With First St. Aug Football Practice

RALEIGH, North Carolina  --  Head Coach Michael Costa was impressed with the attitude of the veterans during the first Saint Augustine's University football practice of the 2013 season at SAU Stadium on Wednesday evening, August 7, 2013. The Falcons return 58 players including 14 offensive and defensive starters combined.

"It was a good practice," said Costa, who led the Falcons to two winning seasons in the last three years. "It was not a lot of confusion. From what I've seen from the older guys, they have not missed a beat. They were real hungry, and I like that. The older guys are very eager and very enthusiastic. Right now, the younger guys have to catch up to the older guys."

The Falcons ran drills in helmets, T-shirts and shorts during the brisk two-hour workout. It was the first step toward preparation for the season opener on Sept. 7, 2013 against Division I foe North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C.

Three-time All-CIAA linebacker Chaz Robinson (Sr./Hampton, Va.) agreed with Costa about the first practice. He says the Falcons need to bring the same level of intensity to every practice. If they do that, the Falcons should be ready when the season begins.

"Our theme this season is consistency," said Robinson, a Pre-season 2013 All-CIAA pick. "The goal is to practice well every day."

The Falcons, 6-4 overall in 2012, will play their first two games on the road. They open at home Sept. 21 against Stillman College.

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Baker Adds Five To SSU Women's Basketball Roster

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- Savannah State women's basketball head coach Cedric Baker, in his 11^th year at SSU, has added five newcomers to his 2013-14 roster.

"I am excited about the body of work that was put into our 2013 recruiting class," Baker said. "As always you want to fill some vacancies that come along with graduation and kids moving on."

The 2013-14 class consists of four freshmen and one junior transfer. All of the class' freshmen come to Savannah State from inside Georgia.

"Our most decorated recruit is Bria Doresey," Baker said. "She had some success at Indian River Community College, and hopefully that will translate to the program here at Savannah State."

Doresey, an Atlanta, Georgia native and 5-7 point guard, averaged 17.0 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and 3.7 assists per game last year. She shot 45.5 percent from the field, and 57.0 percent from the free-throw line.

"We definitely were looking to meet some needs in terms of our post play and our back court play," Baker said. "With the rules of the game changing – the 10 second back court- we definitely wanted to make sure that we had combo guards that could be primary ball handlers if necessary, and also be a threat on the perimeter. I felt like we met our needs with this class."

Baker didn't have to travel far to find a new forward. Charmia Graham  out of Richmond Hill High School will help fill that back court need for the Lady Tigers. The 6-2, Richmond Hill native averaged 6.5 points per game last year and 7.1 rebounds per game in 10 games last year.

Along with Graham, Baker added 6-2 center Tiyonda Davis from Cedar Shoals High School in Athens. Davis averaged 11.6 points per game and 9.79 rebounds per game last year.

"Tiyonda is a very skilled post player," Baker. "She can score multiple ways. She's effective in the open court and can give us a size presence that we're going need playing the schedule we're going to play. I think she has a basketball IQ that is going to put her in a position to get some valuable minutes as a freshman."

Balancing out the class will be two freshman shooting guards, Kenyata Hendrix, a 5-10, Carrollton, Ga. native, and Rhianna Warren, a 5-8 guard from Douglasville, Ga.

Hednrix comes to Savannah State from Carrollton High. Hendrix averaged 13.5 points per game and 3.0 assists per game last year. Hendrix's Lady Trojans went 19-9 in the 2012-13 season.

"Hendrix is probably the best late signee I've ever had," Baker said. "She had some offers from LaSalle and North Carolina Central. She'll play a combo guard position for us. She's long, rangy and can play multiple positions; from the one to the three. She's coming from a great basketball program at Carrollton High School."

Warren comes to Savannah State from Villa Rica High School. She averaged 13.9 points per game and 1.5 assist per game. She helped lead her team to a 22-9 overall record and an 11-3 record in the 2012-13 season.

"Warren is capable of stretching the defense," Baker said. "She is a slim, athletic kid that can get separation from defenders. Her strength is definitely shooting the basketball. In the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), we see a lot of zones. So, we're looking forward to her helping us on the perimeter."

The five newcomers will accent the nine lettermen returning for the Lady Tigers this year and try and help SSU improve upon a 7-23 2012-13 season.

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Kentucky State Thorobreds 2013 Football Media Day Announced

FRANKFORT, Kentucky  --  The Kentucky State University Athletics Department has announced that the 2013 Football Media Day is scheduled for Saturday, August, 24. Media Day will begin at 10:00 a.m. at Alumni Stadium on the campus of KSU.

Players and coaches will be available to members of the media for interviews and pictures. Special media requests should be directed to the Kentucky State Sports Information Office by calling 502-597-6399 or emailing joshua.hazard@kysu.edu.

Immediately following Media Day, the Kentucky State football team will play an inter-squad scrimmage at 1:00 p.m. All media members and fans are welcome to attend the scrimmage.

KSU Ticket Information

2013 SIAC Predicted Order of Finish

East Division	West Division
1. Albany State University (3)	1. Tuskegee University (4)
2. Fort Valley State University (2)	2. Miles College (2)
3. MorehKouse College	3. Stillman College
4. Benedict College	4. Kentucky State University
5. Clark Atlanta University	5.  Lane College
	6. Central State University

East Division Champion: Albany State                  
West Division Champion: Tuskegee
Overall SIAC Champion: Tuskegee (7)
Note: Number of first place votes in parenthesis

2013 SIAC Football Preseason All-Conference Teams (Link)

Three Kentucky State student-athletes were among those recognized on the Preseason All-Conference Team.

From left to right: Justin Williams, Kenneth Townsend and Cade Berryman.

Senior running back, Justin Williams, was named to the First Team Offense. Williams, from Pompano Beach, Fla., is an extremely explosive running back that will be used as a change of pace back for the Thorobreds during the 2013 campaign. He has amassed 1157 rushing yards and five touchdowns in his career. Williams has also caught 40 passes for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns during his time at KSU.

Williams is a versatile athlete, having played several positions at various times last season including running back, wide receiver and quarterback. Williams will be utilized in a variety of ways in order to capitalize on his explosiveness including playing time at wide receiver and as a kick returner.

Sophomore kicker, Cade Berryman, was named to the Second Team Offense. Berryman, out of Irvine, KY, will be the starting placekicker as well as the kickoff specialist for the Thorobreds this season.

Senior defensive lineman, Kenny Townsend, was named to the Second Team Defense. Townsend had 74 total tackles and 4.5 sacks for the Thorobreds last season. Townsend averaged 7.4 tackles a game last season, which was 15th best in the conference.

For more information regarding Kentucky State football call the Sports Information Office at 502-597-6399 or visit our website, www.ksuthorobreds.com.

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY THOROBREDS SPORTS INFORMATION

Hundreds gather for funeral for fallen Seventy-First High football player Evan Raines

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  --  Rodney Raines was concerned when his son, Evan, decided to play football at Seventy-First High School. He was afraid Evan would get hurt. It wasn't like the days of youth football.

"I knew once they got to the varsity level, there was going to be some serious football being played because those boys were trying to earn their place in the NFL," Rodney Raines told several hundred people in the sanctuary of Kingdom Impact Global Ministries on Friday. "I went out to the first game and I kept seeing the number 40. I asked which one was Evan. They said he was the one knocking everyone down."

Raines looked over to the group of Seventy-First varsity football players who sat together in a reserved section in the church. Each one wore a red practice jersey.

"He was so proud. He loved the team. He loved you guys. He loved you," Raines said. "My son went after his dream."

Raines, 16, a junior defensive end at Seventy-First, died Aug. 3 at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center after collapsing on the football practice field. Rodney Raines said hospital officials told him his son died of cardiac arrest.

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Barry Switzer aiding Texas College with weight room project

Coach Barry Switzer

TYLER, Texas  --  Barry Switzer was always comfortable on either side of the Red River and Friday was no different. The charismatic Switzer came to Tyler to help his former player, Texas College football coach George Cumby. 

The former Dallas Cowboys and University of Oklahoma football coach is a natural-born speaker who lets his emotions show through at times. His affection for Cumby, a two-time All-American at OU who he recruited out of Bishop T.K. Gorman, was quite apparent as Switzer teared up at times when speaking of the former NFL first-round draft choice. 

Switzer was in town to help Cumby and Dr. Dwight J. Fennell, Texas College president, raise money for a weight room for the TC campus. He spoke to community leaders, along with alums from OU, Texas, Texas Tech and others, at Willow Brook Country Club.

Switzer said he can get the weight equipment, and the school just needs the funds for a building. He said he would raise $50,000 and he already has pitched in $5,000 himself.

“George was one of the special players,” Switzer said of Cumby, who is from Moore Station near Chandler. “If I’ve got a place in my heart for special players, it is George Cumby. He is a wonderful man, a minister, football player, coach, mentor, just a wonderful, wonderful person.

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TC NOTES: If you would like to donate to the weight room project, send checks to Texas College, Office of the President, 2404 N. Grand Ave., Tyler, Texas 75702-9703. Also write attention: Athletics.

Howard U. Announces Its 2013-14 Women's Basketball Schedule

WASHINGTO N, D.C.  --  The Howard University Women's basketball team has released its 2013-14 schedule.

The Lady Bison, who will be under new head coach Tennille Adams, open the season on November 8 at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.  Howard will follow with back-to-back home games against Jackson State on November 11 and NJIT on November 17.

The Lady Bison will then embark on a long road trip that interestingly starts in Baltimore, Maryland at Loyola on November 20 and ends back in Baltimore against Morgan State in the MEAC opener on December 7. In between, there will be games at Rutgers, at Saint Francis of Pennsylvania, at Central Florida for a tournament and at New Hampshire.

Howard will also play non-conference games at Temple on December 19, at the University of Maryland Tournament, December 28-29 and at home versus Cornell on January 8 before resuming conference play.

Senior Night will be observed on the regular season home finale against Morgan State at 6 pm in Burr Gymnasium.

ABOUT HEAD COACH TENNILLE ADAMS
Howard University Director of Athletics Louis “Skip” Perkins named Tennille Adams as the new head women’s basketball coach on May 24, 2013. Adams comes to Howard with an impressive record, including an integral role in six double-figure winning seasons at Northwestern University and a notable coaching career with Big Ten, Patriot League and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Division I institutions.

While at Northwestern (five seasons), Adams was named defensive coordinator (2012-13), offensive coordinator (2011-12), while being instrumental in Northwestern’s 10th best turnaround season, a fourth place finish in the BCS (2009), back-to-back WNIT appearances (2009-10 and 2010-11), and the development of two First Team All-Big Ten student-athletes, one Third Team All-Big Ten student-athlete, and one Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection.

No stranger to the District of Columbia, Adams was the assistant women’s basketball coach at American University. Adams was responsible for recruiting as well as key involvement on post player development and the point person for academic affairs and external relations with the basketball program.

 

Prior to her stint at American, Adams spent two years with the Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University as an assistant to the legendary Patricia Cage-Bibbs. 

 

Adams, a standout at the University of Arkansas, began her coaching career in 2004 as an assistant at Lon Morris Junior College in Jacksonville, Texas.

As a student-athlete at Arkansas, Adams was a member of the 1997-98 Final Four team and the 1998-99 WNIT Championship team. On an individual level, Adams was ranked in the top five post players in the nation and as one of the top 50 seniors by Blue Star.  Adams completed her matriculation with a bachelor’s of art in English.

Adams will inherit a program with strong reputation of winning, including three consecutive championship game appearances, two invitations to the WNIT (2011 and 2012), the first-ever Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) appearance (2013), and two 20+ wins seasons

LADY BISON 2013-14 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
November 8 at Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA TBA
November 11 vs JACKSON ST Burr Gymnasium TBA
November 17 vs NJIT Burr Gymnasium TBA
November 20 at Loyola (MD) Baltimore, MD TBA
November 22 at Rutgers Piscataway, NJ TBA
November 26 at St. Francis (PA) Loretto, PA TBA
November 29-30 %at Central FL Tourney Orlando, FL TBA
(Tournament)
December 4 at New Hampshire Durham, NH TBA
December 7 #at Morgan State Baltimore, MD 5:30 pm
December 9 #vs DELAWARE ST Burr Gymnasium 5:30 pm
December 19 at Temple Philadelphia, PA TBA
December 28-29 &at University of MD College Park, MD TBA
(Tournament)
January 8 vs CORNELL Burr Gymnasium 7 pm
January 13 #vs SAVANNAH ST Burr Gymnasium 5:30 pm
January 18 #at UMES Princess Anne, MD 2 pm
January 25 #at Florida A&M Tallahassee, FL 7:30 pm
January 27 #at Bethune Cookman Daytona Beach, FL 5:30 pm
February 1 #vs NC CENTRAL Burr Gymnasium 2 pm
February 3 #vs NC A&T Burr Gymnasium 5:30 pm
February 8 #at Hampton Hampton, VA 2 pm
February 10 #at Norfolk State Norfolk, VA 5:30 pm
February 15 #vs UMES Burr Gymnasium 2 pm
February 22 #vs HAMPTON Burr Gymnasium 2 pm
February 24 #vs NORFOLK ST Burr Gymnasium 5:30 pm
March 1 #at Delaware State Dover, DE 4 pm
March 3 #at Coppin State Baltimore, MD 5:30 pm
March 6 #vs MORGAN ST Burr Gymnasium 6 pm
March 10-15 MEAC Tournament Norfolk, VA TBA

#Denotes MEAC Game
All HOME GAMES in All CAPS
ALL MEAC HOME GAMES in All CAPS and bold
%University of Central Florida Tournament
&University of Maryland Tournament  

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

AAMU Bulldogs answer a few questions with second scrimmage of the preseason

NORMAL, Alabama -- "If I had to say which quarterback had the edge today it was Brandon Wells," head football coach Anthony Jones mentioned, after the Bulldogs second scrimmage of the fall preseason camp.

Unofficially Wells finished six for eight for 125 yards and two touchdowns but fumbled the ball on separate occasions.

Transfer quarterback Kyle Harmyk, who suffered two helmet dislodging hits, finished the morning get together 3-5 for 37 yards. The California native spent most of the time running as he totaled 31 yards on the ground. A handoff to Ball State transfer Barrington Scott resulted in a fumble that defensive linemen Corey Johnson picked up.

The other California quarterback, Chris Leachman, ended the day four-for-five for 27 yards. Leachman was sacked by D-linemen Anthony Lanier once.



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The final QB in the hunt for the starting role, Jaymason Lee, spent a lot of time on the field collecting over 18 plays in the 75 play scrimmage and totaled three completions on four attempts. The Honolulu native was sacked three times and had two of his passes broken up by the defense.

The Maroon & White defense posted a touchdown when David Dagrin pick up a fumble and raced it 47 yards for a score while six sacks were recorded.

It was the offense that won the day as Wells other TD came when he found Jeremy Ford for a 24 yard touchdown. Wells also showed what he can do with his legs, when in a third and seven situation, he rushed for 12-yards picking up the much needed first down.

A&M will be off on Sunday and return to the practice field on Monday, August 12th for another two-a-day session.

For more information on the Alabama A&M soccer team, visit aamusports.com. Fans can also find the Bulldogs on Twitter at @aamubulldogs or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Alabama-AM-Bulldogs.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

PV Football Training Camp Day 4: Defense Continues To Take Shape, PV NFL Update

2013 SCHEDULE (NOTE THE STATE FAIR CLASSIC TIME CHANGE ON OCT. 5)

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The Panthers returned to the practice field on Thursday evening and had a spirited practice before cutting it a few minutes short due to the field lights turning off prematurely.  Despite the darkness, several units stayed behind and worked on conditioning as the word 'finish' was barked out from several coaches.

One area that has been quite vocal this summer is the defensive unit.  Led by new defensive coordinator Charles McMillian, the defense is learning a new scheme along with new terminology which makes practice quite interesting. McMillian, a former assistant at Texas A&M and TCU, has his work cut out for him as the Panthers struggled defensively last fall.  The team finished ninth in total defense, seventh in rush defense, ninth in scoring defense, 10th in pass defense and ninth in sacks.

With a new scheme along with several coaching changes on defense, the Panthers have nowhere to go but up and if the team's defensive unit can match the production of the offense and overcome last year's mistakes, the Panthers have the potential for a strong season.

NFL NEWS

The Baltimore Ravens rolled over Tampa Bay on Thursday in their 2013 NFL Preseason debut.  Former Panther Adrian Hamilton finished with two tackles, a sack and two quarterback hits.  His performance on Thursday drew praise on BaltimoreRavens.com.  Click here to read the comment.

The team returns to practice on Friday evening at 7 p.m. as they'll begin its third straight practice in shoulder pads.

 

Season tickets are still available by calling (936) 261-9111 in addition to special hotel rates for selected games through the month of August.

 

Keep up with all the action through PVAMU's official Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram social media websites. Also stay connected through daily updates delivered right to your e-mail by subscribing to PVPanthers.com's newsletter.

 

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY PANTHERS SPORTS INFORMATION

NCCU Eagles Focus on Laying Solid Foundation for Upcoming Season

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  After one week of preseason training camp, North Carolina Central University football head coach Henry Frazier III likes what he has seen so far.

Below are a few of coach's comments prior to the team's practice on Friday, Aug. 9:

•  "In terms of us laying this foundation, I think we're definitely off to a great start."

•  "The overall attitude has been awesome. We're looking to see who is going to be the leader on this year's ball club. Every year, every team is a different team, and different people have to step up."

•  "The overall speed of the team, the athleticism has been pretty impressive. I have seen some guys make some plays that I haven't seen around here since I've been here.

•  "Right now, we're trying to identify who are going to be our leaders, we're trying to identify starters, and then we will switch our focus to Duke. Right now the focus is us, in terms of laying a foundation that we are going to stand on for the next three or four months."

To watch the complete video interview, visit the link below:



The preseason camp will wrap up on Friday, Aug. 16 with a scrimmage at 10 a.m. inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.  The scrimmage is open to the public and admission is free.

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.

For more information about NCCU football, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.



COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alcorn State Football Media Day Set for Saturday, Aug. 10th

LORMAN, Mississippi  -- The Alcorn State Football team will host its' annual media day this Saturday, August, 10^th at the Alcorn State Football Practice Facilities.  The team will practice that morning at 9 a.m. and return at 1 p.m. for player and coaches interviews and photos.

The Braves open the 2013 football season at Jack Spinks/Marino Casem Stadium on Aug. 31^st against Edward Waters. The game is set for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff.  For more information on the Alcorn State 2013 Football season, follow the team on twitter @BRAVESSPORTS, on instagram @alcornstatesports at www.alcornsports.com.

2013 Media Day Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 10
Practice at 9:00 a.m.
Brunch at 11:00 a.m.
Open to media at 1:00 p.m.


2013 ASU BRAVES FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Time	Opponent	Location	Home / Away
8/31/2013	4:00 PM	Edward Waters	Lorman, MS	H
9/7/2013	TBA	Mississippi State	Starkville, MS	A
High School Day
9/14/2013	2:00 PM	Mississippi Valley State	Lorman, MS	H	*
9/21/2013	6:00 PM	Arkansas Pine-Bluff	Pine Bluff, AR	A	*
9/28/2013	5:00 PM	Alabama State	Montgomery, AL	A	*
Homecoming
10/5/2013	2:00 PM	Warner University	Lorman, MS	H
Circle City Classic
10/12/2013	3:00 PM	Grambling State	Indianapolis, IN	N	*
10/19/2013	2:00 PM	Texas Southern	Houston, TX	A	*
10/26/2013	5:30 PM	Southern	Baton Rouge, LA	A	*
11/2/2013	4:00 PM	Alabama A&M	Lorman, MS	H	*
11/7/2013	6:30 PM	Prairie View	Lorman, MS	H	*
11/16/2013	2:00 PM	Jackson State	Jackson, MS	A	*

COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Zippy Jackson State athlete Jarius Moore turning heads

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  The latest Jackson State newbie to stand out in practices has been a zippy freshman.

Jarius Moore carried the ball during running drills, slipping through holes in tackles, and in Thursday morning’s full-pads session, Moore showed what he can do at 5-foot-11, 205-pounds.

“That No. 3, I love him,” head coach Rick Comegy said. “Good God, he turned the corner today and ran up and down the end zone. I put him at the plus-20, and when he turned that corner, there was nobody by him. Zip.

“I didn’t think he had all of that until he turned that corner and took the pitch, and there were a lot of guys that had angles on him, he just — I said good God.”



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Scrimmage could help separate Southern running backs

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Two weeks into the fall practice schedule and three weeks away from the season opener, the Southern Jaguars have their share of questions going into Saturday’s first scrimmage of preseason practice.

One of the biggest is how their stable of tailbacks will shake out come Aug. 30.

Projected starter Lenard Tillery is sidelined with a minor ankle injury.

“Tillery has had a pretty nice spring,” running backs coach Elvis Joseph said. “He’ll back in a couple of days, so we’re just going to be smart with him right now. We don’t want to push him.”

The injury to Tillery will give the other backs a chance to showcase their abilities and make their claim to be included in the rotation this fa

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Southern cooks up depth at receiver with Chuck Baker aboard

If Thursday morning’s practice was any indication, the Southern football team’s defense looks to be a step ahead of its offensive counterparts.

When practice concluded with the sides squaring off in red zone, goal line and overtime situations, the defense consistently came out ahead. Co-offensive coordinator Chadwick Germany said his players have a lot of catching up to do.

“The defense did a great job of being hard-nosed,” he said. “As an offense, we’re not satisfied with where we are.”

His group welcomed All-Southwestern Athletic Conference receiver Lee Doss back to practice Thursday after he suffered a hip contusion Monday. Doss led the Jaguars with 65 catches for 703 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior last season.

“We think we’ll have a good, solid unit at receiver led by Doss,” Germany said.

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Southern football team to scrimmage Saturday

The Southern football team will conduct the first of two full-squad scrimmages on Saturday with an eye on improving execution and communication.

The scrimmage, which is set to start at 9 a.m., will consist of the first-team offense against the first-team defense, as well as the second-team units squaring off with some third-unit players seeing action.

Coach Dawson Odums said the scrimmage will focus on game-day situations: red-zone, goal-line and open-field scenarios.

“Everything will be situational,” Odums said. “We’ll work on being backed up on our own goal line. Just all game-day situations.”

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Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils kick off fall camp

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- The Mississippi Valley State football team kicked off fall camp Monday in preparation for the 2013 season which is set to begin Sept. 1 in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney against Florida A&M at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

A total of 93 players have reported to camp, including a host of former high school standouts and community college transfers. All-SWAC selections Robert Simpson (DT, 6-3, 267, Sr.), Kevin Eugene (DB, 5-11, 175, Sr.) and Julian Stafford (WR, 5-10, 180, R-Sr.) also return to help the Delta Devils pick up where they left off last season after winning its final three games.

Valley will hold its first full practice Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the MVSU practice field.

 Get instant updates on Twitter (@MVSUDevilSports) and Facebook.

The upcoming pratice schedule for MVSU includes:

Friday, Aug. 9	Practice #4 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 10	Practice #5 (Full)	5:45 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 11	Practice #6 (Helmets)	5:45 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 12	Practice #7 (Full)	6:15 a.m.
Monday, Aug. 12	Practice #8 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 13	Practice #9 (Full)	5:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 14	Practice #10 (Full)	6:15 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 14	Practice #11 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 15	Practice #12 (Helmets)	5:45 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 16	Practice #13 (Full)	6:15 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 16	Practice #13 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 17	Practice #15 (Full)	5:45 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 18	Practice #16 (Helmets)	5:45 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 19	Practice #17 (Full)	6:15 a.m.
Monday, Aug. 19	Practice #18 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 20	Practice #19 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 21	Practice #20 (Full)	6:15 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 21	Practice #21	5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 22	Practice #22 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 23	Practice #23 (Full)	6:15 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 23	Practice #24 (Uppers)	5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 24	Practice #25 (Helmets)	5:45 p.m.

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State Hornets Looking Forward to First Scrimmage

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  — The Alabama State football team has practiced for eight days and will hold their first controlled scrimmage at New Hornet Stadium Saturday, Aug. 10 at 9 a.m. The scrimmage will be closed to the public.

The scrimmage may be trimmed down some, because the Hornets have several players who will not be able to participate due to injuries.

"We want to try and get about 80 to 90 plays in," Head Coach Reggie Barlow said. "Unfortunately, we have a lot of guys either banged up, injured or hurt, so the scrimmage will be predicated on the guys we have out there, but we are looking forward to those 80 or 90 plays."

Like all teams, ASU films all of their practices and goes back to evaluate those films to look for standout plays and players and also teach from the mistakes. Tomorrow's live scrimmage will give an even deeper look at film study and evaluation.

"I am looking forward to us having an opportunity to have the officials out there to help us to tighten up our play and play without making penalties," Barlow said. "It also gives us a chance to play on the field without the coaches being out there. We will be able to stay on the sidelines which give us an opportunity to observe and grade these guys. Sometimes it becomes a bit cluttered when we are out here on the field. So I am looking forward to in the morning."

ASU will hold two more scrimmages after tomorrow. One on Aug. 17 and the final scrimmage will be set for Aug. 24.



Hornets Have Options at Quarterback; Saturday's Scrimmaged Closed to the Public

MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Alabama State University hit the field Thursday with the first of six scheduled two-a-day practice sessions. The ASU coaching staff will have an extra period of practice during those six days to look at one of the top positions that needs to be filled, and that is quarterback.

ASU enters the 2013 football season with three experienced running backs, an experienced offensive line, and several young, but talented receivers, but replacing two-year starter Greg Jenkins at quarterback has become one of the top decisions during preseason camp. Jenkins amassed over 4,000 career yards (rushing and passing) and a total of 35 touchdowns (rushing and passing) over his two years under center.

Daniel Duhart served as the Hornets' backup last season and proved himself by completing 69 percent of his passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions.

One would think Duhart would be the starting quarterback heading into the 2013 season, and he has done nothing to hurt his chances during the spring and in preseason camp, but the arrival of Arsenio Favor, who transferred to ASU from Southern Mississippi, has given the Hornets' coaching staff plenty of options under center.

"We do have two guys (Duhart and Favor) we believe in," Head Coach Reggie Barlow said. "We just need for them to take ownership of it. I have been preaching throughout this camp the quarterback position is more than just calling the plays and getting the guys lined up. It's about how you carry yourself; it's how you walk, its how you communicate. So we are expecting one of those guys to step into it. We believe both of those guys can get the job done we just need one of them to step up and take ownership of it and to be the guy."

ASU did sign two freshmen in Quinteris Toppings (Eight Mile, Ala.) and Sir Jackson (Gainesville, Fla.). Those players are talented, but are a little behind the other two.

"I think those guys are picking up things pretty good," Barlow said. "Quinteris is a little ahead of Jackson. He knows the system and being here this summer helped him out. Sir is a guy that has some ability, but he is a bit too casual right now and has to pick it up and understand the college game, but those are two good gets for us."

All of the quarterbacks will get plenty of reps Saturday, when ASU holds their first scrimmage of preseason camp. The scrimmage is set to begin at 9 a.m., at New Hornet Stadium. The scrimmage will be closed to the public. ASU will only practice once on Friday, at 3:30 p.m.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

South Carolina State Bulldogs Hold First Preseason Scrimmage

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  — South Carolina State continued preseason fall workouts Friday morning in preparation for the Bulldogs first scrimmage Saturday at O. C. Dawson Stadium. The Bulldogs held a two-hour morning workout session in full pads.

"Another full day a practice and we seemed to have gotten a lot accomplished today," said head coach Buddy Pough. "For the most part it was a pretty good day and our team is still showing some life."

In addition to team-style drills, the Bulldogs continued their focus on special teams, an area that has become a bit of a concern for Pough and his staff.

"We are still trying to find our way in some instances (as it relates to special teams), but we appear to be moving in the right direction in identifying people who will be able to help us in those roles (on special teams) in which we need them."



Pough noted that the defense seems to be a little bit ahead of things at this point, and have more of an established plan with being familiar with what the team is trying to accomplish

"During our first scrimmage I would like to get as many young guys involved as I possibly can tomorrow," he said. "But the main thing is show some signs of understanding of what we are trying to install and try to get a good look at those new guys."

SC State will hold its annual Media & Picture Day beginning tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., followed by a scrimmage during the evening at 7 p.m., the first of the preseason.

The Bulldogs will return to the practice field Monday with two workouts – an early morning session at 9:30 a.m. in full pads and an evening practice at 7:10 in shells.

Saturday Aug. 10 Media & Picture Day-9 a.m. O.C. Dawson Stadium

Practice#9(scrimmage #1-full pads)-7 p.m.

Sunday Aug. 11 No practice

Monday Aug. 12 Two-a-day Practices
Practice # 10(full pads) 9:30 a.m.
Practice # 11(shells) 7:10 p.m.

Tuesday Aug. 13 Practice # 12(full pads)-9:30 a.m.

Wednesday Aug. 14 Two-a-day Practices
Practice # 13(full pads) 9:30 a.m.
Practice # 14(shells) 7:10 p.m.

Thursday Aug. 15 Practice #15(full pads)-9:30 a.m.

Friday Aug. 16 Two-a-day Practices
Practice # 16(full pads) 9:30 a.m.
Practice # 17(shells) 7:10 p.m.

Saturday Aug. 17 Practice# 18(Scrimmage 2-full pads) 10 a.m.

Sunday Aug. 18 No practice

Monday Aug.19 Two-a-day Practices

Practice # 19(full pads) 9:30 a.m.

Practice # 20(shells) 7 p.m.

Tuesday Aug. 20 Classes Begin, No Practice
Rally on the Square (Downtown Orangeburg) 6:30 p.m.

**In-season practice schedule begins Aug. 21(times vary, consult Sports Information Office).**

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tiger Camp Report: Day Five

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State football team completed Friday’s practice inside the Indoor Practice Facility for fear of inclement weather the likes of the previous two days. There was marked improvement team-wide from Monday to the fifth practice.

“We have a veteran group returning this year,” head coach Rod Reed said. “So they are catching on to the system a lot quicker. Now we are just trying to get the new guys some reps.”

The upperclassmen dominated Friday’s session, especially in the defensive front-seven where linebackers Wilson Robinson and Nick Thrasher were flying around all day. Thrasher made many stops on running plays, while Robinson came out of nowhere to deflect a pass during the latter portion of practice.

“This is a different Wilson Robinson than I have seen in the past few years. He seems to have an agenda and is much more focused on details and refining his skills,” Reed said.

On the offensive side of the ball, the quarterbacks threw the ball better on Friday, but the running backs produced the biggest plays. True freshman Tevin Spells made two eye-opening cuts on a run that seemed to be doomed from the start, and ended up in the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown. Spells’s long run was one of many by TSU’s backs, providing even more question marks as to who would be getting the most carries come Sept. 1.

“Three years ago, I made a promise that we would never be short on running backs. We may have an overflow at the position [now], but it’s a good problem to have,” Reed said.

Big Blue will scrimmage tomorrow from 7:30-9:30 a.m. to wrap up the first week of fall camp.

This Week's Practice Schedule
SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2013- 7:30-9:30 PRACTICE #6 (SHELLS)
MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2013 - 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #8 (FULL)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013 - 7:30-9:30 PRACTICE #9 (FULL)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 - 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #10 (FULL)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 - 7:30-9:30 PRACTICE #11 (FULL)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013 - 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #12 (FULL)

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

SSU Football Team To Conduct First Scrimmage Saturday

HEAD COACH EARNEST WILSON III
(Courtesy SSU Athletics)

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- A tenacious defense, efficient offense and overall display of solid fundamentals. Those are the things Savannah State University first-year head coach Earnest Wilson III said he hopes to see during the Tigers' first scrimmage at 8 a.m. Saturday at T.A. Wright Stadium.
 
“You want to be able to see the defense stop people but at the same time you want to see the offense score,” said Wilson, who was hired June 7 from Hampton University, where he was the Pirates' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. “You want to see consistency. You want to see the fundamentals and good technique being executed. You want to see a sense of urgency on both sides of the ball, and we want to make sure that they are assignment-correct. If I can see fundamentals and good technique, and a sense of urgency, then I think Savannah State football is going in the right direction.”

Wilson and his assistants have been busy working with the players who returned after finishing 1-10 overall and 0-8 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last season. The coaching staff sees tremendous potential in an offense that returns 10 starters and a defense that brings back eight starters. SSU lost three starters from last season's team: offensive lineman Cedric Brown, defensive tackle James Briscoe, and nose tackle Terrance Williams.
 
“We have 86 guys now on our roster,” Wilson said. “We pretty much hit every day. We're doing a lot of hitting. We're trying to get the team into a game-mode mentality at all times.”

SSU averaged 13.4 points per game while allowing 44.9 points last season. The Tigers averaged 82.1 yards rushing and 169.3 yards passing. Defensively, SSU allowed 286.5 yards rushing and 179.5 yards passing.
 
“All positions are open,” Wilson said. “This team went 1-10 last year so nobody's a real starter here. Everybody's got to fight it out for a position.”

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