Wednesday, August 28, 2013
FAMU's Lovejoy settles in on D-line
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| Michael Lovejoy |
When he was 10 years old and wanted to play quarterback, his coaches told him he’d be a better fit on either the defensive or offensive line. He played both.
A year ago, he came to FAMU as a freshman with the size to play on either side of the ball. He wasn’t sure where he’d end up, but quickly found himself as the backup to Padric Scott at nose tackle.
Coming into this season, Lovejoy finds himself as defensive line coach George Small’s choice to start at nose tackle on a young defensive
line. Now his teammates are looking to him for the same kind of smash-mouth leadership that Scott brought in his final season last fall.
“They are big shoes to fill, but ...
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FAMU vs MVSU Press Conference for MEAC-SWAC
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The weekly football press conference with the media will start today.
The media-only press conference will be at 12 noon, but will be posted on FAMUAthletics.com at 6 p.m. Today's presser will be aired free of charge. Today's press conference will feature head coach Earl Holmes, quarterback Damien Fleming, running back James Owens, safety John Ojo and kicker Chase Varnadore.
FAMU Athletics is proud to announce expanded partnerships with both the FAMU School of Business and Industry and the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication. These partnerships have provided interns to the sports information department over the last two years, but this year it has also resulted in a migration to high definition video for Rattler Vision. In upgrading the infrastructure to HD, the experience for fans will be better when viewing content online.
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
The media-only press conference will be at 12 noon, but will be posted on FAMUAthletics.com at 6 p.m. Today's presser will be aired free of charge. Today's press conference will feature head coach Earl Holmes, quarterback Damien Fleming, running back James Owens, safety John Ojo and kicker Chase Varnadore.
FAMU Athletics is proud to announce expanded partnerships with both the FAMU School of Business and Industry and the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication. These partnerships have provided interns to the sports information department over the last two years, but this year it has also resulted in a migration to high definition video for Rattler Vision. In upgrading the infrastructure to HD, the experience for fans will be better when viewing content online.
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Donald Hill-Eley not worrying about his future at Morgan State
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| DONALD HILL-ELEY HEAD FOOTBALL COACH MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY BEARS |
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- In the final year of his contract at Morgan State, Donald Hill-Eley knows his time is winding down. Despite the absence of an extension, however, the coach is not fretting about his future.
“The uncertainty affects us all,” he conceded. “[But] the things I can control, I can control. I should be getting my doctorate degree at the end of this year. I can control how I coach this particular team, and I can control coming to work every day and working hard. It’s very unfortunate sometimes when you look at it. I’ve graduated more than 200 men and took over a program that hadn’t won in 23 years, but I’m only evaluated by my record – not by what I’ve done for the community or for the young people. But that’s the game of football. You don’t sit there and lick a wound. You just keep working. I can’t get into the situation. It took work and creating belief, and that’s what I’m doing.”
Hill-Eley was nearly out of a job after last season when he accidentally received in November a email outlining the search for his successor. Two months later, he was given a reprieve, but there has been no talk about negotiating for an extension.
Morgan addresses media as MVSU Delta Devils prep for national TV appearance with FAMU
ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Mississippi Valley State head football coach Karl Morgan addressed the media today on the first of many Monday's to come as the fourth-year coach spoke about the Delta Devils' upcoming trip to Orlando and a host of other topics. Watch the full interview here.
The Delta Devils will kick off their season Sunday live on ESPN at 11:45 a.m. EST in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney against Florida A&M at the Citrus Bowl. It marks the first time that MVSU has played in the event.
"I think it's an honor for us to be there," said Morgan. "Talking to (former MVSU Athletic Director Ashley Robinson), he mentioned that the fact we finished (last season) with a three-game winning streak and five conference wins helped us in our bid to get here. It's an honor to represent the conference."
Valley recently wrapped up fall camp and one of the starting positions fans have kept an eye on is the quarterback battle between Jeremy Collins and Patrick Ivy. Morgan said the staff will likely name a starter on Tuesday.
Morgan also mentioned that he has been impressed by all of the quarterbacks in fall camp. And much of that progression can be attributed to new quarterbacks coach Rick Worman.
"Quarterback play has been better than it has been in the past three years and I attribute that to Rick Worman, our quarterbacks coach," said Morgan. "He has brought in a wealth of quarterback-play knowledge."
Worman, however, isn't the only new coach on the Delta Devil staff this season. Carlos Hollis, who was a starting safety for the Delta Devils last season and was named First Team All-SWAC, has taken over the duties as defensive backs coach.
"I thought who better to get than a person who's played in the system the last few years," Morgan said. "He knows what we're trying to do defensively (and) he's done it defensively, so I think that put him ahead of any other candidates."
When the Delta Devils hit the field Sunday they'll also honor former MVSU kicker Kevin Monzon, who died in June in a car accident in Leflore County. Each Valley player will wear a No. 47 decal on their helmet in honor of Monzon, who played one season at MVSU after transferring from Marietta College.
"We're going to honor him all this season with that on that back of our helmets," Morgan said.
Morgan also gave an update on linebacker Marcus Thompson, who was seriously injured in the same car accident. Thompson, who is at his home in Houston, Texas, has not yet been able to walk since the accident but has regained some feeling in his lower body, said Morgan.
"We kept his (jersey) number (and) locker open," he said. "We're hoping that he can come to a game this year. He's optimistic of his chances of walking again.
"We'll always carry the memories of those guys with us," Morgan added, "and hopefully we can do something that will make them proud."
The No. 47 decal won't be the only thing new about the Delta Devils. They'll also have new game jerseys, said Morgan. Unlike last year's jerseys, the new ones won't have red in them.
"School colors are officially green so we went back to a more traditional look," he said.
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Alabama A&M offense shaping up heading into opener at Grambling State
NORMAL, Alabama -- Alabama A&M had its bumps and bruises during preseason camp as injuries forced the Bulldogs to have to modify their regular routine.
Nonetheless, the they were able to get a lot of work done.
They found a starter at in quarterback in redshirt sophomore and Calera native Brandon Wells after relying on former signal-caller Deaunte Mason the past three seasons. Ball State transfer senior Barrington Scott and redshirt sophomore Brandon Eldemire shown themselves worth of carrying the load at tailback in A&M's opener at SWAC foe Grambling State (La.) Saturday.
"I don't know if you sit back and try to replace," longtime Bulldogs' coach Anthony Jones said during Monday's league coaches' teleconference. "What I think you do is try to concentrate on what you have here and not what you don't have and that's what we're doing. This is one of the great things about college football. Every three or four years, you get a new crop of guys to come in here and show what they can do."
Southern Jaguars energized by game week
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern football team took to the practice fields Monday with plenty of enthusiasm, energized by the fact that game week is finally here.
“We’re just ready to go up against someone other than our own team,” co-offensive coordinator Chad Germany said.
The Jaguars practiced in full pads with a heavy emphasis on special teams. Coach Dawson Odums said sophomore place-kicker Greg Pittman holds a slight advantage over senior Matt Hill.
The Jaguars are also excited about the environment they’ll get to experience Friday night.
“From the type of field we practice on to going inside to Reliant Stadium with great turf, great surroundings and a great environment,” Odums said. “It will feel like a great football atmosphere to us. I really think it’s a win-win for everybody.”
Alabama State RB Isaiah Crowell to play Saturday against Jacksonville State despite sitting out Hornets' last scrimmage
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Isaiah Crowell will be ready to go when Alabama State opens its 2013 football season at home against Jacksonville State Saturday despite sitting out the Hornets' final preseason scrimmage this past weekend.
"Isaiah's fine," ASU's Reggie Barlow said during Monday's first weekly coaches' teleconference. "He showed us all we needed to see from him in the first couple scrimmages. Saturday, we weren't going to have him do a whole bunch anyway because it was a controlled scrimmage. We weren't tackling. It was just, you know, another opportunity to kind of get a good practice in."
The Georgia transfer rushed for 842 yards and a SWAC-leading 15 touchdowns to help the Hornets finish 7-4 in his first season in black and gold in 2012 and earned him first-team all-league honors. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder from Columbus, Ga. scored on a 21-yard run in the Hornets second scrimmage a week prior.
Hampton Pirates to Open 2013 at Western Illinois
 DONOVAN ROSE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH HAMPTON UNIVERSITY |
The Pirates (3-7, 3-5 MEAC in 2012), coming into their fifth season under head coach Donovan Rose, were picked to finish ninth in the MEAC, while the Leathernecks (3-8, 1-7 MVFC), under first-year head coach Bob Nielson, were picked to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Redshirt-senior offensive lineman Jamal Wilson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior linebacker Matthew Davis (Chesapeake, Va.) were each named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC, while senior defensive back Carvin Johnson (New Orleans, La.) was on the Honorable Mention All-MEAC squad.
Wilson 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 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.
Johnson 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.
The Pirates will have their fifth offensive coordinator in five seasons in Glen Ferebee. Ferebee comes to Hampton after spending five seasons as the head football coach at nearby Lakeland High School in Suffolk, where he recorded three winning seasons and led Lakeland to back-to-back state playoff appearances in 2011 and 2012. Ferebee played quarterback at Liberty University from 1995-99.
Bernard Clark Jr. returns to the Pirates this season to serve as defensive coordinator, taking the same position he held with the program back in 2009. That season, Hampton was third in the MEAC in both scoring defense (19.4 ppg) and total defense (278.1 ypg) – and Clark's Pirates were second in the conference in rushing defense, holding opponents to just 117.0 yards per game on the ground.
His team also had 157 sacks in 2009, second-most in the MEAC.
The Pirates are 1-0 all-time against Western Illinois, after beating the Leathernecks 40-20 at Armstrong Stadium on Sept. 18, 2004 – a year in which Hampton won 10 games and advanced to the NCAA Div. I-AA playoffs.
This will be the first-ever meeting between these two teams in Macomb, Ill.
The Pirates are 1-3 all-time against schools currently in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Hampton's last game against a MVFC school came in 2008, when the Pirates fell 37-31 at Southern Illinois. The Pirates are 1-0 all-time against Western Illinois, 0-2 against Southern Illinois, and 0-1 against Youngstown State.
Hampton has never faced Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, or South Dakota State.
The Pirates went 1-5 on the road last season, with their lone win coming at Morgan State in the season finale. During Donovan Rose's tenure as head coach, Hampton is 8-13 on the road, and last season, the Pirates dropped road contests against Tennessee Tech, Florida A&M, North Carolina Central, Howard, and Delaware State.
The Pirates have seven road contests this season.
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.
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Mondays with Anthony: Alabama A&M football outlook for Grambling State game
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| HEAD COACH ANTHONY JONES AAMU BULLDOGS |
This week: Alabama A&M (7-4, 6-3 in the SWAC in 2012) at Grambling State (1-10, 0-9), 6 p.m., Eddie Robinson Stadium, Grambling, La.
Last week: This is the season opener, but the Bulldogs are coming off a 2 ½-hour Saturday scrimmage in which the first-team offenses and defense both performed smoothly.
Saturday's standouts: Quarterback Brandon Wells had several long touchdown passes, including two to Montaurius Smith.
Coach Anthony Jones says: "When you deal with a first game of the year, you're going to be in a fog with what they do. We're more so in a fog because we don't have footage on their tendencies, what their personnel is, that sort of things. The way you prepare for that is (in practice give them) different looks, send a lot of pressure. You try to put your quarterback, running backs, offensive line, receivers, in the toughest situation you can put them in as far as pressure is concerned and different looks. You're not easy on them. And that's what I've done this training camp. ... You turn the heat up and maybe the guys go back and think, 'I need to work a little harder.'"
Piland, Houston Cougars ready for Southern Jaguars
HOUSTON, Texas -- Houston coach Tony Levine announced Friday night that incumbent starter David Piland will be the Cougars’ starter this season again under center.
Piland, who threw for 2,929 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2012, was able to beat out freshman quarterbacks John O’Korn and Greg Ward Jr. in what was a heated positional battle during fall camp.
“Everyone got better, which is the whole point,” Piland said. “We wanted to push each other to try and bring back that competitiveness that we were lacking.”
Piland credited his experience with the program in holding the advantage at camp.
“I been around a little longer,” Piland said. “That was a big benefit to me.”
A product of Texas high school power Southlake Carroll, Piland acknowledges the benefits of playing for a distinguished program.
“The level that Southlake plays at ...
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Piland, who threw for 2,929 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2012, was able to beat out freshman quarterbacks John O’Korn and Greg Ward Jr. in what was a heated positional battle during fall camp.
“Everyone got better, which is the whole point,” Piland said. “We wanted to push each other to try and bring back that competitiveness that we were lacking.”
Piland credited his experience with the program in holding the advantage at camp.
“I been around a little longer,” Piland said. “That was a big benefit to me.”
A product of Texas high school power Southlake Carroll, Piland acknowledges the benefits of playing for a distinguished program.
“The level that Southlake plays at ...
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‘Championship or bust’: After success of ’12, WSSU has its sights set on the big prize
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- When Coach Connell Maynor hears that Winston-Salem State has nothing to prove this season, his eyes bulge and his voice rises.
"We have to keep that chip on our shoulder,” said Maynor, whose Rams have a 20-game winning streak in the regular season and the No. 5 ranking in the AFCA Division II preseason poll. “I had that chip there when I took over and we were coming off a 1-10 season. That chip hasn’t gone anywhere.”
The Rams lost plenty of offensive firepower from last season, when they finished a school-best 14-1 and as Division II runners-up. The defense, on the other hand, could be one of the best in school history and will have to carry the load early.
One benefit of last season’s success is that Maynor, who is entering his fourth season, and his staff have fielded calls from players at Division I programs looking for a place to play — WSSU opened camp with close to 120 players, including nearly 30 D-I transfers.
PVAMU Panthers Conclude Camp, Focus On Labor Day Classic
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- After three weeks of training camp, the Prairie View A&M Panthers enter game week mode as the 2013 football season opener is only six days away.
The Panthers recently completed their third training camp under head coach Heishma Northern and broke camp full of enthuisam as the team focuses solely on SWAC rival TSU this week. This year's camp had a different tone due to coaching changes on the defensive side of the ball while the offensive and special teams units focused on fine tuning their areas in addition to developing quality depth. Northern was pleased with what he saw during the final days of training camp.
"We're paying attention to detail and the small things that we think Texas Southern will do on offense, defense and special teams," said Northern. "The biggest thing is getting our defense on the same page. We've dramatically improved in terms of the checks they need to know while our offense needs to play with a little more effort and concentrate on catching the ball. Our kicking game has improved on special teams even though we've been pretty good but I think we have some guys that may be a little bit better or more suited to what we want to do."
On Monday afternoon, Northern will kick off the annual Labor Day Classic game week with a noon press conference at BBVA Compass Stadium in Downtown Houston. On Wednesday, Northern along with several Prairie View A&M officials will speak at the annual Touchdown Club of Houston Luncheon at The Power Center at noon. Tickets to Wednesday's luncheon are available by e-mailing houtdclub@att.net, or calling Neal Farmer at 713-849-9860.
The 29th annual Labor Day Classic takes place this Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium in Downtown Houston. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with tickets available at the PVAMU Bookstore (PV side only) in the Memorial Student Center, Wolfe's Department Store (both sides), BBVA Compass Stadium Ticket Office and www.AXS.com. All seats for this year's game are reserved.
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The Panthers recently completed their third training camp under head coach Heishma Northern and broke camp full of enthuisam as the team focuses solely on SWAC rival TSU this week. This year's camp had a different tone due to coaching changes on the defensive side of the ball while the offensive and special teams units focused on fine tuning their areas in addition to developing quality depth. Northern was pleased with what he saw during the final days of training camp.
"We're paying attention to detail and the small things that we think Texas Southern will do on offense, defense and special teams," said Northern. "The biggest thing is getting our defense on the same page. We've dramatically improved in terms of the checks they need to know while our offense needs to play with a little more effort and concentrate on catching the ball. Our kicking game has improved on special teams even though we've been pretty good but I think we have some guys that may be a little bit better or more suited to what we want to do."
On Monday afternoon, Northern will kick off the annual Labor Day Classic game week with a noon press conference at BBVA Compass Stadium in Downtown Houston. On Wednesday, Northern along with several Prairie View A&M officials will speak at the annual Touchdown Club of Houston Luncheon at The Power Center at noon. Tickets to Wednesday's luncheon are available by e-mailing houtdclub@att.net, or calling Neal Farmer at 713-849-9860.
The 29th annual Labor Day Classic takes place this Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium in Downtown Houston. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with tickets available at the PVAMU Bookstore (PV side only) in the Memorial Student Center, Wolfe's Department Store (both sides), BBVA Compass Stadium Ticket Office and www.AXS.com. All seats for this year's game are reserved.
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Best: At NCCU, the show must go on
DURHAM, North Carolina -- When N.C. Central football’s team met for the first time after winter break, quarterback Jordan Reid wrote one thing on the bulletin board: “1999.”
That’s the last year a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference won a Football Championship Series (formerly Division I-AA) playoff game.
“Nobody knew what it meant. I explained it a week later,” the redshirt senior said. “And that’s definitely one of my goals – to not only win the MEAC but a playoff game and a national championship.”
The Eagles are coming off their first winning season (6-5) since 2007. Coaches took notice and picked them to finish fourth behind conference champion Bethune-Cookman, South Carolina State and archrival N.C. A&T. But with 40 returning letter winners, plus a mixture of transfers and redshirt freshmen waiting in the wings, many feel fourth place is still too low.
Grambling Tigers Break Camp and Get Ready for Game Week
GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The Grambling State University Tiger football team moves into game week mode as they get ready for the Alabama A&M Bulldogs Saturday night at Robinson stadium. The Tigers have stepped it up a notch and you can tell in the way practice is going. "The past few practices have been pretty good", said Head Coach Doug Williams. "We had more of a mental practice on Saturday as we went over a lot of situational things. We want the players to know that things can come up during the course of the game and we want them to be ready."
The intensity of practice has been increased by not only the coaches, but also the players. "They (the players) know what's at stake", said Coach Williams. "We want the players focus this week to be on school and Alabama A&M. If they can keep that focus and give 110 percent in
the classroom and on the field, we feel like we have a chance.
the classroom and on the field, we feel like we have a chance.
As the Tigers came into camp there was a different look and attitude. The coaches encouraged to let the things of the past motivate them and dedicate themselves to getting into good shape. "A lot of the work went on this summer in preparation for fall camp, "said Junior starting quarterback D.J. Williams. "We had a lot of guys that came in this summer and pushed themselves to be the best and prepare for the season."
Murray seeks redemption at Texas Southern
HOUSTON, Texas -- Aaric Murray is a classic archetype. "Talented but troubled." So named because the alliteration is usually too much for our sportswriting brethren to resist, but also because it deftly sums up the situation. Murray, like so many before him, is a very good basketball player. When he's interested and engaged -- and sometimes even when he's not -- he's an excellent interior scorer and rebounder, an obvious asset.
The only problem is, well, everything else. In 2011, in search of more exposure and in the doghouse of the coaching staff, Murray left La Salle. His departure was greeted with dismay by some, because it seemed to rob a rebuilt La Salle team of its interior anchor just as the Explorers were cresting. But the response also included a few "good riddance" rumblings from around the team. In December 2011, Murray was sitting out his transfer year en route to West Virginia when he was arrested and charged with marijuana possession. When he became eligible, he was supposed to play a large role in Bob Huggins' transfer-heavy Mountaineers reconfiguration. Instead, Huggins suspended him for a violation of team rules in 2012, and when the season rolled around, his minutes, points and rebounds all dropped. WVU limped to a truly ugly 13-19 campaign. In July, Huggins announced he and Murray had arrived at a "mutual decision" -- the polite way to say, "I kicked him off the team" -- and that Murray would finish his final year of eligibility elsewhere.
CIAA at a glance
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Players to watch: RB Colon Bailey (Fayetteville State), DL T.J. Batchelor (Chowan), PR Denzel Duchenne (Va. Union), KR Darnell Evans (Shaw), LB Carlos Fields (WSSU), OL David Gatlin (Elizabeth City), WR Robert Holland (Chowan), TE Khari Lee (Bowie State), RB Maurice Lewis (WSSU), DL Donnie Owens (WSSU), LB Chaz Robinson (St. Aug’s), WR Fred Scott (J.C. Smith), DB Sean Smith (Virginia State), PK Brett Symonds (Elizabeth City), QB Keahn Wallace (J.C. Smith), LB Ken White (Livingstone).
Key games: Sept. 28, Fayetteville State vs. Elizabeth City in Rocky Mount. Oct. 12, Chowan at Bowie State; Shaw at Fayetteville State. Oct. 19, WSSU at St. Aug’s. Oct. 26, Elizabeth City at Chowan. Nov. 2, Shaw at WSSU.
The Tuition is Too Damn High, Part II: Why college is still worth it
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Before diving into the causes of rising higher education spending, it’s worth asking if we ought to care. It’s obvious that we should care about, say, our rising spending on health care. It is very important for cancer patients to be able to afford chemotherapy; any argument that it’s not fails the laugh test. But it’s become somewhat fashionable of late to claim that higher education isn’t really that essential. Perhaps the answer to the cost problem is for kids to simply stop going.
“For an increasing number of kids, the extra time and money spent pursuing a college diploma will leave them worse off than they were before they set foot on campus,” Megan McArdle concluded in a Newsweek cover story last fall. Peter Thiel, the billionaire PayPal co-founder, has been paying smart undergraduates to drop out and start working on something, anything, other than college.
So does college raise incomes? Is it an investment good enough to make widely accessible?
Yes, it is. Period. Usually, this would be the part of the article where I note that there’s disagreement and perhaps a slight weighting of evidence to one side or the other. I won’t. Even McArdle and other college skeptics acknowledge that the average college graduate today will make far more over the course of his or her life than the average high-school graduate who doesn’t attend college. And the bulk of the information indicates that college really is the cause.
Going to college means you make more money than you otherwise would, and that benefit far, far outstrips its upfront price.
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Tennessee State Volleyball to Host Meet and Greet
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tennessee State volleyball team welcome the public and fans to join them for their annual meet and greet. The event will take place tomorrow evening, Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 6:00 p.m. in room 302 of the Floyd-Payne Campus Center.
Head coach Kathy Roulhac and the 2013 Tigers will be available for pictures and autographs. They will also be signing and handing out their 2013 Tiger Nation posters.
TSU returns five players from 2012 including senior Erika Moss, sophomore Jordon Piper, and juniors Naomi Wells, Sherryce Butler and Jaime Cooper. Coah Roulhac will also introduce eight new Tigers, which includes a sophomore and four junior transfers along with three incoming freshman.
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SSU Athletics Getting A Boost
Nash's incentive is not only a gesture of support for his alma mater, but a "challenge", call to arms for all his fellow alumni. Nash hopes the donation will be motivation for other SSU alumni, boosters, and stakeholders to join him.
The SSU athletics department will accept pledges of $1, $5, $10 or any amount for every point the football squad scores this season. Nash's "challenge" has already been met by The Grovner Family , Arthur and Judy , of the Augusta Alumni Chapter, with a pledge of $4 per point scored.
If you are interested in being a part of history, contact the athletics business manager Selena Warner at 912-358-3429 or warners@savannahstate.
Nash, a resident of the Washington, D.C. area, has been one of Savannah State's biggest contributors and a major part of the athletic booster club. During the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) basketball tournament, he was honored by Savannah State president Cheryl Davenport Dozier, DSW with the 2013 SSU Distinguished Alumni Award for his continual support of SSU.
This season, SSU football has entered into a new era under head coach Earnest Wilson III. The 22-year coaching veteran has surrounded himself with a coaching staff chalked full of experience
, and will undoubtedly lead SSU into a bright future.
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Monday, August 26, 2013
Howard football preview: Bison aim to build on recent success
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Following its highest win total in more than a decade, the Howard football team was brimming with optimism entering spring practice. Former Bison wide receiver Gary Harrell, who had returned to his alma mater two years earlier, directed an upswing in which the Bison contended for a MEAC championship last season and had designs on another push in 2013.Then shortly before the team was to begin practice in April, Harrell announced he would be taking a one-year leave of absence for personal reasons. The revelation initially left players stunned and saddened, but following time to process the news, they emerged energized for training camp thanks in part to upperclassmen who preached elevated individual responsibility.
“Coach Flea, he’s been a big help to this program,” senior safety Julien David said, referring to Harrell’s nickname. “There’s definitely no replacing a guy like that. As men, we know we’ve just got to learn to be strong and be able play no matter what the situation is. We’ve got to be able to adjust even if we had gotten a brand new coach we’ve never even seen before.”
The transition, players said, has been as smooth as could be expected because Howard officials did not need to look outside of their campus for Harrell’s temporary replacement. They instead promoted defensive coordinator Rayford Petty to interim coach.
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XU's Reuther is GCAC Player of the Week for 6th time in career
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| Taylor Reuther |
Reuther — a 5-foot-7 outside hitter, a junior from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans — won the award for Aug. 19-25 after producing three kill-dig double-doubles during the season-opening UMobile/Spring Hill Tournament at Mobile, Ala. Reuther finished the tournament with 59 kills and 57 digs in 15 sets over four matches. She had 18 kills and 11 digs in a three-set sweep of Asbury and a career-high-tying 21 kills and 22 digs in a five-set victory against Southern Wesleyan.
Xavier, the two-time defending GCAC regular-season and tournament champion, will travel to Houston for matches Friday and Saturday in the UST Labor Day Tournament. On Friday the Gold Nuggets will play city rival Loyola at 11 a.m. and St. Thomas (Texas) at 3 p.m. On Saturday the Nuggets will play Columbia (S.C.) at 10 a.m. and Montana Tech at 4 p.m.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
Xavier Gold Rush to conduct tryout for walk-ons on September 7
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| The Gold Rush are two-time defending GCAC co-champions. |
The XU men will conduct their annual tryout at 7 a.m. on September 7 in the Convocation Center. Candidates must be enrolled at Xavier during the fall semester, which began Monday.
For more information, contact assistant coach Alfred Williams at (504) 520-6778 orawilli39@xula.edu.
The Gold Rush were 24-8 in 2012-13 to extend Xavier's state record for 20-win seasons to 28. The Gold Rush reached 20 victories for the third consecutive season and the eighth time in Dannton Jackson's 10 seasons as head coach. The Gold Rush shared the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship with Philander Smith and qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the third consecutive year and the seventh time in nine seasons.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Does FAMU have a Coaching Advantage?
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Dwight Floyd, theeditor@sportedit.org has developed an interesting poll for Mississippi Valley and FAMU fans for the upcoming MEAC/SWAC Challenge. You definitely want to skip over to the Sportsedit.org site and provide your input. For the haters of MVSU and FAMU, its acceptable for you to cast your votes in the Poll and to buy tickets for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge by Disney. This is shaping up to be a great contest for both programs.So, who has the Coaching Advantage?
Check it out at SportsEdit.Org
#1 in USA -- Da’Shawn Hand: A vaunted college football recruit with a hefty decision on his mind
WOODBRIDGE, Virginia -- In the last daylight hours of the last aimless day of the last carefree summer of Da’Shawn Hand’s childhood, he stood in front of a dusty trophy case full of ancient glories and daydreamed.
“Freshman year, I stood right here and looked at this,” he said in a near-whisper, his eyes locked in on the trophies and plaques inside, some of them dating from the 1960s. “I was like, ‘Dang, I want to lead this team to some championships. I want to be in this trophy case.’ ”
Late afternoon was melting into evening, the last day of July, the day before the Woodbridge High Vikings’ first football practice. The only sound in that part of the school’s main lobby was the hum of a nearby soda machine and the distant chants of the cheerleading squad practicing down some unseen hallway.
“When I was 8, I had a dream,” said Hand, a 6-foot-4, 256-pound senior defensive end who is one of the most sought-after high school players in the country. “I couldn’t make this up. I had a baby-blue suit on. I was committing to a college. I was a wide receiver — ’cause that’s what my dad was. ‘The number one player in the nation — Da’Shawn Hand! What school is he going to choose?’ ”
CONTINUE READING
Da'Shawn's college choices
WOODBRIDGE, Virginia -- There were 94 official offers, recalls Da'Shawn Hand, the senior defensive end at Woodbridge High who is rated as the nation's No. 1 high school recruit by Rivals.com.
WOODBRIDGE, Virginia -- Hand, a 6’4”, 256-lb 5-star recruit, has earned the moniker “The #1 recruit in the country.” Hand received more than fifty scholarship offers, but has narrowed his list to Alabama, Florida and Michigan. Despite his accomplishments on the field, Hand has consistently said he considers academics just as important as football. He is planning to major in some combination of architecture, engineering, and sports marketing and management. Hand’s goals for the 2013 season include 30 sacks and a state championship.
CONTINUE READING
“Freshman year, I stood right here and looked at this,” he said in a near-whisper, his eyes locked in on the trophies and plaques inside, some of them dating from the 1960s. “I was like, ‘Dang, I want to lead this team to some championships. I want to be in this trophy case.’ ”
Late afternoon was melting into evening, the last day of July, the day before the Woodbridge High Vikings’ first football practice. The only sound in that part of the school’s main lobby was the hum of a nearby soda machine and the distant chants of the cheerleading squad practicing down some unseen hallway.
“When I was 8, I had a dream,” said Hand, a 6-foot-4, 256-pound senior defensive end who is one of the most sought-after high school players in the country. “I couldn’t make this up. I had a baby-blue suit on. I was committing to a college. I was a wide receiver — ’cause that’s what my dad was. ‘The number one player in the nation — Da’Shawn Hand! What school is he going to choose?’ ”
CONTINUE READING
Da'Shawn's college choices
WOODBRIDGE, Virginia -- There were 94 official offers, recalls Da'Shawn Hand, the senior defensive end at Woodbridge High who is rated as the nation's No. 1 high school recruit by Rivals.com.
Once Hand, who has a 3.71 GPA, investigated academic considerations such as which schools offered one or all of his potential majors (civil engineering, architecture/design and sports marketing/management), he whittled the list to a top 10: Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.
According to Rivals.com's Mike Farrell, Hand was down to five by early January: Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech. Farrell said Hand replaced North Carolina with Florida by February, and further streamlined his list in July ...
WOODBRIDGE, Virginia -- Hand, a 6’4”, 256-lb 5-star recruit, has earned the moniker “The #1 recruit in the country.” Hand received more than fifty scholarship offers, but has narrowed his list to Alabama, Florida and Michigan. Despite his accomplishments on the field, Hand has consistently said he considers academics just as important as football. He is planning to major in some combination of architecture, engineering, and sports marketing and management. Hand’s goals for the 2013 season include 30 sacks and a state championship.
CONTINUE READING
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