Army Hosts Morgan State In 2013 Debut

WEST POINT, New York  -- Army opens its 124th season of competition Friday night against the Morgan State Bears. Kickoff is set for 7:06 p.m. and will be broadcast live by CBS Sports Network.

It is the first time the two teams have met on the football field. The Black Knights are starting a season at home for the first time since facing Temple in 2008. That game was played on a Friday night as well, marking the earliest game in Army football history (Aug. 29). Tonight’s contest is just the second time Army has taken the field prior to September.

The Black Knights return 58 letterwinners from last season, including 14 starters. The Army offense, coming off Academy-record performances in both rushing yards and total offense, will have someone other than Trent Steelman under center in the season opener for the first time since 2008. Junior Angel Santiago will take the first snap, but head coach Rich Ellerson has emphasized that both Santiago and sophomore A.J. Schurr could see action against the Bears.
 
No matter who is under center, the Black Knights’ rushing game should remain formidable. Army has led the nation in rushing the last two seasons and returns six of its top eight rushers from 2012. Senior Raymond Maples will be on top of opponents’ scouting reports this season. Maples has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons, including 1,215 during his junior season. Junior fullback Larry Dixon is also back after posting 839 yards and six touchdowns. Junior Terry Baggett is healthy after missing most of last season with a knee injury. Baggett was averaging nearly nine yards per carry on 16 attempts before his injury.
 
Defensively, Army returns three of its top five tacklers, including junior Geoffery Bacon. Bacon racked up 136 tackles last season, the ninth-highest total in Academy history. Bacon produced perhaps the biggest story of the offseason with his move from mike linebacker to free safety. He will make his first start at his new position tonight against the Bears. Sophomore Alex Meier moved to the middle after starting most of last season at rover. Junior Robert Kough is back anchoring the defensive line after recording 9.5 tackles for loss as a yearling.

ARMY IN SEASON OPENERS
Army owns a sterling 93-27-3 record in its previous 123 season-opening games (.768). The Black Knights’ have split their last four season openers after suffering a 12-year drought from 1997-2008. Army started 0-1 in 12 straight seasons from 1997-2008. Army head coach Rich Ellerson is 6-7 in season openers in his previous 13 years as a head coach.

ARMY VERSUS THE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISON
Since the Division I ranks split in 1978, the Black Knights have played 63 games against the Football Championship Subdivision, accumulating a 51-11-1 record. Lafayette has been Army’s most common FCS opponent. The two teams have played 12 times since 1978 with Army winning 11 times. Army played at least one game against an FCS school from 1978-97. The schedule was solely FBS squads from 1999-2001 before the 2002 team opened against Holy Cross. The Morgan State game will mark the ninth consecutive year the Black Knights have played an FCS squad.

ARMY OFFENSE VS. MORGAN STATE DEFENSE
The Black Knights are the two-time defending national rushing champions. It is the first time since 1944 and 1945 that Army has led the country in rushing in consecutive seasons. In 2012, the Black Knights averaged 369.8 yards per game which not only paced the nation, but also represented an Academy record. Army also broke school records for total rushing yards (4,438), total offense (5,235) and first downs (283). With six of top eight rushers returning, including two-time 1,000-yard man Raymond Maples, the 2013 campaign should not see much decline in production.
 
Junior Angel Santiago and sophomore A.J. Schurr waged a competition for the starting quarterback position throughout spring practice and preseason camp. While Schurr exited the spring with a slight edge, Santiago won the job and will take the first snap tonight. Santiago played in two games as a backup to Trent Steelman in 2012 and played in four games as a plebe. He has one career start, rushing 30 times for 72 yards against Rutgers in 2011. Schurr also gained experience last season, making five appearances in relief. He led the team with two touchdown passes.
 
Joining the duo in the backfield will be a bevy of proven players that should ease some of the pressure on the quarterback. It starts with Maples who enters his final season already ranked sixth on Army’s career rushing list with 2,489 yards. Tonight’s game marks the start of his quest to become only the second Army player to ever rush for 1,000 yards three times during their career (Mike Mayweather). Junior Larry Dixon is back for his third season as the Black Knights’ starting fullback. Dixon came up just shy of the 1,000-yard mark last season, running for 839 yards in 11 games. He has averaged better than 6.0 yards per carry for his career. Junior Terry Baggett will line up opposite Maples. In his first two seasons, Baggett has shown flashes of brilliance, but has struggled to stay healthy. He recorded his first 100-yard game in the 2012 opener at San Diego State and averaged more than 9.0 yards per carry before his injury. The receiving corps is made up of a mix of returning veterans and exciting prospects. Junior Chevaughn Lawrence led the team last season with 21 catches for 357 yards. Plebe Xavier Moss, a speedster who had a productive 2012 season at USMAPS, is expected to start at the other wideout. Senior Patrick Laird returns as well after catching 11 passes for 125 yards and a score last season.
 
The offensive line is anchored by left tackle Michael Kime. Kime, who was voted a team captain by his teammates, started at right tackle 11 times last season before suffering a knee injury. Despite not participating in spring practice, Kime is back at full strength. Junior Ryan Powis is back for his third season as the starter at center, while junior Stephen Shumaker and senior Zach Reichert will start at the guard positions. Sophomore Justin Gilbert will make his first career start at right tackle.
 
Morgan State’s defense gave up 29.7 points per game last season. The unit is anchored by Chris Robinson who led the team with 13.5 tackles and 8.5 sacks. He ranked 11th and 12th in those categories, respectively, in all of FCS last season. Nose tackle Demarco Bisbee is the team’s leading returning tackler with 41 total stops. He also racked up 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Bisbee and cornerback Joe Rankin were second-team preseason All-MEAC picks. Rankin tied for the MEAC lead with five interceptions.

MORGAN STATE OFFENSE VS. ARMY DEFENSE
The Morgan State offense scored 20.8 points and averaged 292.7 yards per game in 2012. The Bears return both quarterbacks that saw the majority of playing time last season. Junior Seth Higgins is slated to start. Higgins, who has been a regular under center since his freshman year, completed 42 of his 106 passes (.396) for 445 yards. Robert Council played in 11 outings last season, going 98-for-195 (.503) for 1,115 yards and five touchdowns. Council also ran for 302 yards on 80 attempts.
 
Redshirt freshman Lamont Brown is expected to make his career debut tonight. Brown will try to replace the production of last season’s leading rusher, Travis Davidson. Davidson ran for 958 yards and 12 touchdowns during his final season. Freshman Herb Walker will also see playing time in the backfield for the Bears. Andrew King returns to lead the Morgan State receiving group. King made 25 catches for 334 yards and a team-high two touchdowns in 2012.
(When Morgan State Has The Ball — continued)
 
The Bears’ massive offensive front will provide interesting match ups for Army’s smaller, quicker front seven. Morgan State’s projected starting offensive linemen average 328 pounds per man. The smallest weights in at 300 pounds, while center Clarence Swain is the biggest of the group at 360 pounds.
 
Army’s defense allowed 35.3 points and 427.3 yards per game last season. The use of several underclassmen in key spots during the past two seasons should start to pay dividends in 2013. The Black Knights’ top tackler from last season Geoffery Bacon returns, but will be in a different position. Bacon’s 136 stops move from mike linebacker to free safety. The coaches believe that the extra room will better utilize Bacon’s athleticism and make him an even more valuable member of the defense. Army’s defensive backfield has experienced a makeover. In addition to Bacon, the other three starters will also be starting at new positions. Strong safety Shaquille Tolbert did not see any action as a plebe in 2012, and shifted from cornerback to his new job during spring drills. On the corners, plebe Josh Jenkins and junior Hayden Pierce will man the field and boundary spots, respectively. Pierce has been a regular since his first season, but has played mostly strong safety. An injury to last year’s starter, Chris Carnegie, forced the move during preseason camp.
 
The defensive line boasts three experienced players. Junior Robert Kough, the most productive member of the group last season with 42 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss, returns, as do nose tackles T.J. Atimalala. and Richard Glover. Atimalala started four times as a plebe, while Glover started six times. Junior Joe Drummond, whio played in 10 games last season, is slated to start at right end.
 
One of the biggest pieces of improving Army’s defense will be improving the pass rush. Sophomore Dalton Mendenhall will get the nod at the “quick” outside linebacker position, Army’s primary pass rush spot. Mendenhall played in all 12 games last season as a reserve and on special teams. The other outside linebacker position will be manned by James Kelly who forced his way into the lineup as a sophomore last season, making 14 tackles in 11 games. Senior co-captain Jarrett Mackey will also get plenty of playing time at the “whip” linebacker spot.
 
With Bacon now playing seven yards deeper than last year, the coaches have called on sophomore Alex Meier  to man the middle of Army’s double-eagle flex. Meier was Army’s third-leading tackler with 71 takedowns as a plebe last season, playing most at rover. He suffered a knee injury versus Navy, but has made a remarkable recovery to get ready for the 2013 campaign. Senior co-captain Thomas Holloway, who has experience at both rover and free safety, will get the nod at rover.

SPECIAL TEAMS BREAKDOWN
Army will rely on Daniel Grochowski to handle the placekicking and kickoff duties. Grochowski was the Black Knights’ primary placekicker for most of the season as a plebe, hitting 10 of his 16 field goal tries, including a 46-yarder. Sophomore Alex Tardieu will serve as the Black Knights’ punter. He did not see any action in 2012. Julian Crockett returns as the team’s primary kick returner after averaging 19.2 yards per attempt last season. Josh Jenkins or senior Scott Williams will return punts.

Morgan State will be breaking in a new kicker and new punter in redshirt freshman Chris Moller and junior Miguel Bernard, respectively.

Tickets for Friday's game are still available onlineclicking here, or by calling the Army Athletics Ticket Office at 1-877-TIX-ARMY.
by

COURTESY U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT AND GOARMYSPORTS.COM
  

WSSU team to beat in South

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- The question for the CIAA South has a familiar ring: Can any team dethrone two-time defending champions Winston-Salem State?

The North certainly hasn’t been able to, and Shaw was the last South team to do so in 2010.

• Winston-Salem State. Every year coach Connell Maynor laments over what he lost the year before. And every season he reloads.

The Rams have a 35-4 record since returning to the conference four years ago. WSSU advanced all the way to the Division II championship game before losing to Valdosta State 35-7.

Gone is starting quarterback Kameron Smith, who broke a slew of passing records, and All-American center Markus Lawrence. But the team will be in capable hands with redshirt junior QB Anthony Carrothers (Independence High), who threw for 989 yards and 12 touchdowns against just four interceptions.

Running back stud Maurice Lewis (201 carries, 1,027 yards, 13 TDs) is back to take some of the pressure off Carrothers. The quarterback will need all the help he can get with the loss of WSSU’s top three wide receivers.

CONTINUE READING

The Skinny on Virginia Union football

Coach: Michael Bailey, 5th season, 19-21

2012: 5-5, 3-4 CIAA

Offense: The Panthers were fourth in the conference in rushing yards per game and first in average per rush, but Bailey believes he needs the run the ball more. VUU lost only two players from last season’s offense, but one was 1,000-yard rusher Jerrell Washington. With quarterback Kenneth Graham going into his sophomore season and his top three receivers returning, the Panthers could use the passing game to help alleviate the immediate need to find a replacement for Washington.

Defense: Graduation decimated a Panthers defense that finished third in the CIAA in points allowed (20.2). VUU lost eight starters from last season, but returns former University of Virginia transfer senior defensive back Devin Wallace, who was seventh on the team in tackles (46) last season. Junior Fritz Fenelon (46 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks) will be key up front.

CONTINUE READING
 

Tulane Opens 2013 Campaign With 34-7 Win Over Jackson State

Junior QB Nick Montana (son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe
 Montana) debut at Tulane saw the transfer toss a pair of
 touchdown passes while completing 6-of-14 passes for
144 yards.
(Courtesy Tulane Athletics)

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes |  Photo Gallery 

NEW ORLEANS  --    During his weekly press conference on Tuesday in the James W. Wilson, Jr., Center, second year Tulane head football coach Curtis Johnson said his team would be taking on a "faceless opponent" in the season-opener as he wanted his team to focus on execution and coming away with the ultimate goal of a win no matter who his team was squaring off against.

On the sideline two days later in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the faces on his sideline were all smiles when the final horn sounded as the Green Wave defeated Jackson State, 34-7, to open the campaign on a high note. Tulane's offense grounded out 158 rushing yards - including a 50-yard, two-touchdown performance by senior running back Orleans Darkwa - and a defense that forced six turnovers courtesy of four interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries.

"The victory was outstanding tonight," Johnson said. "It's good to be 1-0. There is a lot to improve on. We'll get better as the season goes on. (The running game) was the first thing that we talked about last year at the end of the season. We have to establish the running game. I thought those guys did pretty well.

"When our defensive line puts pressure on the quarterback, (six turnovers) are the kinds of numbers you'll get. That was the same thing we did with (former New Orleans Saints safety Darren) Sharper. He ran about a 5.3 40 (yard dash), but he was just back there getting catches because we put a lot of heat on guys. That's exactly what we want to do."

Tulane's six takeaways and four interceptions were the most by a Green Wave team since forcing eight turnovers on the strength of five picks and two fumble recoveries at Army on Sept. 20, 2003. The offense's rushing effort, meanwhile, was the most by the team since rumbling for 185 yards at Hawai'i on Nov. 26, 2011, in that year's season finale. Thirteen of Tulane's 34 points came after Jackson State turnovers, and the Green Wave's 27-point margin of victory was the team's largest in a season opener since defeating The Citadel, 54-6, on Sept. 19, 1953, at old Tulane Stadium.

The Green Wave wasted little time jumping ahead as sophomore cornerback Lorenzo Doss intercepted a pass on the first drive of the game and Tulane took advantage seven plays later when senior preseason All-American kicker Cairo Santos nailed a 22-yard field goal to stake the home team to a 3-0 lead less than five minutes into the contest.

Following a Jackson State punt on the ensuing possession, the Green Wave got an 11-yard run by junior running back Rob Kelley, a 43-yard pass from junior quarterback Nick Montana to senior wide receiver Ryan Grant and consecutive five-yard runs by Darkwa, the second of which saw the native of Nashville, Tenn., cross the goal line to put Tulane ahead, 10-0.

Two plays later, senior linebacker Kyle Davis picked off a pass to set up a 34-yard Santos field goal and Tulane added a 14-yard scoring strike from Montana to junior wideout Justyn Shackleford with 5:41 to play in the second quarter to send the Green Wave into the locker room at the half with a 20-0 lead. Jackson State had chances to get on the scoreboard twice in the second quarter only to fumble twice inside the Tulane five-yard line and sophomore free safety Darion Monroe and junior strong safety Sam Scofield fell on the respective loose balls to send the Tigers away empty handed.

Senior cornerback Jordan Sullen posted the team's third interception of the game midway through the third quarter to set up a Darkwa one-yard touchdown plunge with 3:30 to play in the period, and Montana found redshirt-freshman wide receiver Devon Breaux from 11 yards out for a score with 9:38 to play in the game to account for Tulane's final tally.

Jackson State avoided the shutout on a nine-yard touchdown run by quarterback Evan Ingram with 4:34 left in regulation, and the Green Wave defense made sure the Tigers would get no closer as rookie cornerback Jarrod Franklin joined the interception parade with a pick of his own with under a minute to go.

Monroe led the team with nine tackles (6 solo, 3 assists) while senior nickelback Derrick Strozier followed with six (2 solo, 4 assists). Sophomore defensive end Royce LaFrance had 1.5 of Tulane's seven tackles for loss and senior defensive end Julius Warmsley posted the squad's lone sack. Grant led the Wave's aerial assault with three receptions for 82 yards.

JSU starting quarterback LaMontiez Ivy paced the Tigers with 133 yards on 9-of-17 passing, but both he and Ingram - who was 6-of-12 for 111 yards - tossed a pair of costly interceptions. Tommy Gooden led all players with 64 rushing yards on 20 carries while Zach Pendleton had a game-high 95 receiving yards on three grabs. John McNabb led the Jackson State defense with 11 stops (9 solo, 2 assists), including a pair of sacks to go with a forced fumble.

The Green Wave return to action on Saturday, Sept. 7, when they play host to South Alabama at 2:30 p.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. For tickets to that game, as well as future Green Wave events, contact the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office. The Ticket Office is located on the first floor of the Wilson Center on Ben Weiner Drive, and tickets can be purchased in person, over the phone at 504-861-WAVE (9283) or via the Internet at www.TulaneGreenWave.com.

COURTESY TULANE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Defense Dominates in Season-Opening Win: Western Illinois 42, Hampton 9

MACOMB, Illinois – Western Illinois could not have asked for a better performance from its defense in the football team’s 42-9 season-opening win over Hampton University on Thursday night. The Fighting Leathernecks forced nine turnovers (six interceptions/three fumbles), and scored on three of those turnovers as the program snapped a six-game losing streak dating back to last year.

The game also marked the debut of head coach Bob Nielson. The team scored the most points in three years, and did not commit a turnover on offense, while the defense recorded five-or-more takeaways for the first time since the opening round playoff win in 2010.

Western began the scoring when junior safety Jonathon Rollins intercepted a pass and put Western 1st-and-10 on the Hampton 40. The Leathernecks needed 10 plays to score a touchdown, Nikko Watson’s 1-yard run. Kevin Kintzel rushed in for the 2-point conversion midway through the first quarter.

Hampton (0-1) responded in the second quarter with a 21-yard TD pass from Jaylian Williamson to Antwon Chisholm. Their 2-point try failed. On the ensuing drive, Nathan Knuffman pinned Hampton on the two. On second down, Kintzel forced a fumble and senior Ryan Demming scooped up the loose ball and scored a 6-yard TD – the first of his collegiate career.

The Pirates took the opening kick of the second half and marched down inside the redzone. JUCO transfer Dallas Nichols quickly put his name in the Western record book as he picked off a pass on the three and raced 97 yards for a touchdown. It marked the longest interception return in Leatherneck history, and the eighth-longest in Missouri Valley Football Conference history.

Both teams traded punts, then Kintzel struck again. The junior linebacker picked off Brian Swain on the 12 and ran in for his first collegiate score making it 28-6.

Adam Brown’s 40-yard field goal with just under four minutes left provided the final margin.



Rollins set a career-high with two interceptions in the game, the first two of his career. Kintzel recorded his second career pick and his second career forced fumble. Demming recovered his third career fumble. Devon Butler and Nichols both had their first career interception, while for Davis it was the sixth of his career (now three away from 10th place all-time).

"Well, it's always great to win. Give credit to our kids. They've worked hard, they surely deserved to win the football game today. There were a lot of good things,” said head coach Bob Nielson. “As I've said all along, our defense is certainly ahead of where our offense is right now. I think they have a chance to be a very good unit and they certainly showed that today. Forcing turnovers is one of the things that we talked about as one of the keys to this game... the fact is that you need to win the turnover margin [early in the year]. We not only won it, we won it substantially today and as a result got the score separated, so that was one of the good things.”

Overall the defense recorded eight tackles for a loss as Demming recorded the unit’s lone sack. Nichols also had a fumble recovery on the night to go with his five tackles. Western allowed 247 total yards of offense, just 88 on the ground, while gaining 262 in the game.

Offensively, Watson registered his sixth career 100-yard game tallying 108 on 27 attempts. Norvell completed 14-of-24 passes for 84 yards.

True-freshman Lance Lenoir, Jr. had five catches for 29 yards. Knuffman averaged 36.4 yards on his seven punts, with a long of 54 yards and placing four inside the 20-yard line. Both of his field goal attempts were blocked (42 and 23 yards).

Williamson threw for 113 yards to lead Hampton, but all three Pirate quarterbacks threw two interceptions. Chisholm led the receivers with 56 yards. Carvin Johnson and Delbert Tyler had 11 tackles each, two of the four Pirates with at least 10 tackles.

According to Nielson, despite the lopsided score there is certainly room for improvement.

“Some things we've certainly identified that we need to continue to improve upon. I thought we showed a little bit of a spark at times offensively, but not nearly as consistently as we need to be. We made some good plays in the kicking game; we also had some bad plays in the kicking game and that's got to be shored up. I'm disappointed that with the amount of time we spent on the kicking game in the preseason that we didn't execute better in some of those areas,” said Nielson. “It's a great way to start the season with a win. Now, as I told them on the field, our job is to make week two a week where we make a quantum leap of improvement and there's certainly room to do that."

Western will play host to Quincy University on Saturday, September 7th. Kickoff at Hanson Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Pirates will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 7, when they head to Zable Stadium in Williamsburg, Va. to take on William & Mary 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.

Game Boxscore

GAME NOTES: The last time Western had at least five turnovers in a game was at Coastal Carolina in the 2010 road playoff win (4 INT/1 FR)… Western had not reached 40-plus points since putting 65 on MVFC-rival Illinois State in 2010… In all, 16 Leathernecks made their debut but only two were true-freshman (Lenoir, Jr. and Joey Borsellino)… Western finished tied for 10th nationally last year with 16 interceptions, now with six already to start the 2013 campaign… Watson recorded a 100-yard game for the third straight time to start a season, each of his three years as a Leatherneck… Thirteen of the team’s 15 pass receptions were by newcomers (2 by Salomon)… Temperature at kickoff was 90 degrees… Western won the time of possession battle, 30:37 to 29:23… Western was 6-of-17 on third down and converted 2-of-3 on fourth down. Hampton was 4-of-11 on third down… The Leathernecks also committed 10 penalties totaling 81 yards… The 42 points scored in a season-opener were the most since putting 45 up against Valparaiso in the 2010 opener. It was also just the third time scoring 40-plus in the opner since 1998.
 
COURTESY WESTERN ILLINOIS ATHLETICS
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Spoken 4 Communications Game Preview -- NCCU vs. Duke

DURHAM, North Carolina --  Spoken 4 Communications "Every Child Deserves to Be Heard" previews the 2013 edition of the Bull City Gridiron Classic pitting NCCU against cross-town foe Duke. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m., but fans are encouraged to tune in at 3:30 p.m. as Chris Hooks (play-by-play), Joe Simmons (Color analyst), and Anthony Sharp (sideline reporter) break down the matchup between the two teams.

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

By Chris Hooks, Assistant Sports Information Director/Broadcast Media Coordinator
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former PVAMU Basketball Standout Signs Professional Contract

JOURDAN DEMUYNCH

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  --  Former Prairie View A&M men's basketball standout Jourdan DeMuynck has moved on to the professional ranks after inking a contract with Keravnos Strovolou in the Republic of Cyprus.

DeMuynck is the projected starter at shooting guard for his team which plays in the league's top division (A).  He's joining a squad which advanced to the semifinal round of the 2013 Cypriot Play-Offs and finished 3-1 in the EuroChallenge last season.  A native of San Leandro, Calif., DeMuynck had an impressive career for the Panthers as he led them to the 2013 SWAC Tournament Finals while also earning All-SWAC Second Team and All-Tournament Honors.

DeMuynck's signing continues a tradition of Panther standouts earning professional opportunities overseas under head coach Byron Rimm II.  Since 2010, a total of five players have moved on to the professional ranks after completing their careers at Prairie View A&M.

"I'm proud of what Jourdan has accomplished," said Rimm.  "It shows if you put in hard work on-and-off the court, you can achieve your dreams."

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SU Jaguars make last-minute tweaks for season-opener

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The Southern football team hit the practice fields for the final time Wednesday in making last-minute preparations before the season-opener Friday against Houston.

“The guys seemed to be really focused,” coach Dawson Odums said. “But you could see the nervous energy, and the guys are just ready to see a different colored jersey.”

Odums was looking for his team to be sharp Wednesday.

“We didn’t want to do too much today,” Odums said. “We wanted to keep the players fresh. We wanted to polish a few things up today.

“We wanted to see good tempo and just polish the little things up in preparation for the game, getting ready for Friday.”

Since the beginning of fall practice, Odums and his staff have preached a positive attitude to the players.

“We have to stay in the foxhole together,” Odums said. “We all have to be there for ...

CONTINUE READING

Jackson State invades the Superdome to face Tulane

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana  --  Jackson State is the first Little 7 member to open its season.

The Tigers travel to New Orleans for a Thursday night showdown against Tulane in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The 7 p.m. contest is the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Jackson State is led by defensive back Qua Cox, preseason SWAC defensive player of the year, and running back Tommy Gooden.

"I feel really good about this team," Tigers coach Rick Comegy said.

Tulane coach Curtis Johnson isn't overlooking the Tigers, who lost in the SWAC championship game last season.

"Everything is a challenge with us," Johnson said. "Jackson State, they're new. We haven't seen them. When you're playing against new opponents and you don't know them, you've got to be sure that your stuff is ready. On our stuff, we've got to be good at everything. You've got to know your assignments.
"We can't have a bunch of mentals. If we do that, it'll give us a chance to win."

CONTINUE READING

Alabama State football: Assistant Hendrick placed on administrative leave

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Alabama State will enter its season opener with special teams duties split among several coaches after placing special teams coordinator John Hendrick on paid administrative leave.

Hendrick, the defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator for the Hornets, was placed on administrative leave for unspecified reasons Aug. 13. Head coach Reggie Barlow refused to go into specifics regarding Hendrick’s situation but left the door open for his return at the end of the 2013 season.

“Of course, you always think the world of all your coaches and respect them, but I think for us, I’m all about good chemistry and good vibes. And we ... had a situation where we had to not part ways ... but we just wanted to take a step back and look at our special teams area and give the other coaches some responsibility in that,” Barlow said. “Obviously, we’ve changed a bit here. But the foundation of what we believe in and how we operate is about the team and esprit de corps, working together in harmony. And if you can’t do that, then obviously you can’t work here.”

CONTINUE READING 

Alabama A&M's Brandon Wells confident as college debut looms Saturday

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - More bold than merely precocious as a recent middle-school graduate, Brandon Wells years ago approached the late Mac Thompson, then the football coach at Calera High School.

"I told my coach I wasn't going to play unless he tried me at quarterback," Wells recalled. "I always felt like I could do it. I like to be the one in command. I want to be the one with the ball in my hand. He let me try, and I was successful at it."

Thompson would later tease Wells that "if it wasn't for that tryout, I don't know where you'd be."



"I've always been a pretty outspoken guy," Wells said. "I really don't lack in confidence. If I felt like I can do something I'm going to try to do it. I felt like I could do it, and I actually could, and now we're here."

Where Wells is is days away from his first collegiate appearance. He'll be the Alabama A&M quarterback on Saturday when the Bulldogs open the season at Grambling State (6 p.m. CDT).

CONTINUE READING

Thorpe’s arrival fills VSU’s quarterback void

Former JMU and Varina star joins new VSU coach

ETTRICK, Virginia -- When quarterback LaMonta Green left the Virginia State football program, he left a void for new Trojans coach Latrell Scott. Green, who would have been a senior, played in four games last year before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Green’s departure meant that there were no veteran quarterbacks on VSU’s roster heading into fall camp.

“It was an unfortunate situation because LaMonta had a very solid spring,” Scott said. “From practice one to practice 15, he grew up a whole bunch. I think he played well enough during the spring game to try to help us win.

“But when he left, we kind of looked at transfer situations and started to think what we could do because I really didn’t want to put Niko (Johnson, Hermitage) in that situation to have to play as a true freshman.”

One phone call from Justin Thorpe helped Scott solve the quarterback dilemma.

“He called us and said that he ‘wanted to be with you guys,’ ” said Scott. “Our main focus was for him to finish up at James Madison, do what he needed to do to graduate and do things the right way.

“I’ve known Justin since he was ...

CONTINUE READING

TSU Big Blue to Play Three Games on ESPN3

(Courtesy TSU Athletics)

BRENTWOOD, Tennessee  – The Ohio Valley Conference has announced that the Tennessee State football team will play three contests on ESPN3.

The Tigers will open up in front of a national audience on Sept. 1 against Bethune-Cookman at LP Field. TSU’s other streaming games will be at Tennessee Tech on Sept. 21 and at Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 2.

The trio of games are part of a nine game OVC football "Game of the Week" package that will be carried exclusively on ESPN3 this fall.

The nine game schedule will feature each of the nine OVC football-playing institutions at least once during the season and includes eight Conference matchups and one non-conference game.

TSU’s opener will be the OVC’s only non-conference matchup of the agreed upon package.

The games will be produced by WebStream Sports, an Indianapolis-based company which is a proven leader in video production, streaming video and content creation. The company, founded in 2006, produces more than 1,000 events annually and has also served as a web streaming consultant for the OVC for the past year. The OVC and WebStream have agreed to a three-year production agreement that will feature at least eight football games over each of the next three years.

Kevin Ingram, host of "The Wake Up Zone" on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, will handle play-by-play duties while and Bob Belvin, Sports Director for 100.7 FM/AM 540 (ESPN Clarksville), will provide analysis. The duo worked together last year in the league's TV package.

ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of global sports events annually and accessible online via WatchESPN.com, on smart phones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members and on Apple TV. It is currently available in more than 85 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. It is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.

2013 OVC Football TV Game of the Week on ESPN3
Sept. 1 - Bethune-Cookman at Tennessee State, 7:00 p.m. CT
Sept. 21 - Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech, 7:00 p.m. CT
Sept. 28 - Eastern Kentucky at Eastern Illinois, 1:30 p.m. CT
Oct. 5 - Jacksonville State at UT Martin, 2:00 p.m. CT
Oct. 19 - Austin Peay at Murray State, 3:00 p.m. CT
Oct. 26 - Eastern Kentucky at Southeast Missouri, 1:00 p.m. CT
Nov. 2 - Tennessee State at Eastern Kentucky, 12:00 p.m. CT
Nov. 16 - Jacksonville State at Eastern Illinois, 12:00 p.m. CT
Nov. 23 - Eastern Illinois at UT Martin, 1:00 p.m. CT

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bethune-Cookman names Tyree Price as assistant track coach

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Following consecutive seasons with program-best finishes at the conference championships, the Bethune-Cookman coaching staff has once again grown stronger in not only numbers, but in strength and experience, as Head Coach Donald Cooper announced the hiring of Tyree Price as an assistant coach on Wednesday (August 28) afternoon.

“Watching Bethune-Cookman from a rival’s perspective, I saw the progress that Coach Cooper has made with this team and program,” Price said. “It’s always great to have familiarity with a staff and a program; you know how everything is run, so there’s not too much of a change. You just have to make sure that you bring out his philosophies and convey them to the athletes.”

At B-CU, Price will coach with an emphasis on the men’s sprints and horizontal jumps, in addition to administrative duties.

Price comes to Bethune-Cookman after six seasons as the head track & field and cross country coach at South Carolina State (SCSU), and has developed a very long and strong relationship with Cooper as both a colleague and friend.

Before his arrival at B-CU, Cooper was the assistant head coach under Price at SCSU. However, their history began as college teammates at SCSU, later coaching together at Morris Brown and Fort Valley State.

“His presence definitely strengthens the program,” Cooper commented. “We’re at a point now that bringing on someone with such experience and knowledge gives us a unique advantage. His ability to recruit, motivate and prepare student-athletes is going to be a huge asset.”

Price’s experience in developing champions precedes him, producing 31 NCAA Regional qualifiers, one NCAA Indoor provisional qualifier, three USA Junior National qualifiers, 81 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) All-Conference athletes, over 50 MEAC Commissioner’s All-Academic Team honorees, 14 MEAC Champions, two MEAC record holders and 41 SCSU school record holders.

Price’s 2010 SCSU women’s cross country squad earned the highest placement in school history, finishing second overall at the MEAC Cross Country Championships.

Price joined the SC State staff after serving four seasons as the head men’s cross country/track & field coach, and three seasons as the head women’s cross country/track & field coach at Fort Valley State University. At FVSU, he produced 37 NCAA Division II National qualifiers (2004-07), 23 NCAA Division II All-Americans, 5 NCAA Division II Individual National Champions, 27 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Champions, 139 All-SIAC Conference athletes, the 2005 USTFCCCA South Region “Track Athlete of the Year”, the 2006 USTFCCCA South Region “Track Athlete of the Year”, the 2006 USTFCCCA South Region “Field Athlete of the Year”, and has guided the school to several top finishes at the SIAC Cross Country and Track & Field Championships as well as the NCAA Division II Championships.

Prior to his stint at Fort Valley, Price served three seasons as the assistant head coach at Morris Brown College in Atlanta. He also severed as an assistant with “In the Black Track Club”, which produced the 14th ranked 4x400m relay in the world, as well as the sixth place finisher in the triple jump in the 2001 USA Indoor Championships.

Price was a member of the SC State track & field team for four years (1995-98), and also was a member of the football team for one season (1995). Price received his Bachelor’s Degree from South Carolina State in 1998. In addition to his degree from SC State, the Summerville, S.C. native has done further study at Life University and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

His wife, Faith N. Price, will join him in Daytona Beach later this year.

For all the latest information on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, follow the official Twitter feeds at @BCUathletics and @CookmanTrack or "Like Us" on Facebook at BCUAthletics.
 
COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

CIAA teams trying to catch up to WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- There’s little doubt that any other CIAA team will have to go through fifth-ranked Winston-Salem State to win the conference championship.

The Rams, who rejoined the conference in 2010, have won the last two CIAA titles rather easily and catching them won’t be easy.

"What we have to do is start doing the things that got Winston where they are now,” Coach Robert Massey of Shaw said.

The Rams are 22-2 against CIAA teams (including two championship-game wins) in Coach Connell Maynor’s three seasons and were the preseason favorites in the coaches’ poll. They’ll be trying for the school’s 11th CIAA title overall and to become the first program to win three straight CIAA titles since Hampton did it from 1992 to 1994.

CONTINUE READING 

Southern Jaguars Football to honor '93 team for Sept. 14 home opener

Former Jaguars Head Coach Pete Richardson
SU Record: 134-62 (1993-2009)
4 Black College National Championships

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Twenty seasons of Southern football have passed since former head coach and Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Pete Richardson led his first team out of the tunnel of the Louisiana Superdome in 1993.

An emphatic 30-13 win over Northwestern State served as the start of a memorable 11-win season - the first double-digit win season since A.W. Mumford's 1954 team won ten games-producing the programs first outright SWAC championship since 1959.

Southern University athletics will commemorate the achievements of the 1993 Black College and SWAC champions during pregame of the Sept. 14 home opener against Prairie View A&M in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

In conjunction with the game's Alumni Day/Unite in White promotion, Southern is providing two free tickets to each member from the 1993 team and support staff along with a special pregame tailgate hosted by the Southern University Football Alumni Association. For more information about the pre-game festivities, contact SUFAA President Darryl Hurst at Darryl.Hurst@yahoo.com.

Former players, coaches and supports staff including trainers, equipment managers and strength coaches are required to contact Southern Athletics Director Will Broussard at 225-771-5930 or email him at will_broussard@subr.edu for verification purposes and to receive their tickets. Individuals wanting more than the allotted two tickets can purchase additional tickets for $30 in Sections 5W and 6W.

The 1993 team produced four All-SWAC first team selections including Sean Wallace, the SWAC's Defensive Player of the Year. Pete Richardson was also named the conference's coach of the year in 1993, the first of five awards the former coach received during his 17-year career at Southern.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Florida A&M's Holmes sees opportunities in Challenge

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Declining the invitation to play in Sunday’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge wasn’t an option this time for FAMU. The Rattlers believe the benefits are simply too good to pass on.

FAMU coach Earl Holmes pointed to the game’s television exposure on ESPN, its recruiting ramifications and the Rattlers’ large Central Florida alumni base.

FAMU makes its first appearance in the Challenge since 2007, facing Mississippi Valley State on Sunday in Orlando at the Citrus Bowl.

“It gives us a chance to reach out to the guys that we are trying to reach out to and bring into the program and fans don’t have to drive that far,” Holmes said on Tuesday during his first weekly news conference.

“If we can keep the games in the state, I think that’s a plus.”


Video is Courtesy of FAMU Athletics

CONTINUE READING

LET FREEDOM RING: The 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  President Obama is joined by President Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton, members of the King family and other civil rights leaders and luminaries at the Let Freedom Ring Commemoration and Call to Action event at the Lincoln Memorial, to commemorate Dr. King's soaring speech and the 1963 March on Washington.


VIDEO STARTS AT 30:20 minute mark

B-CU Cats In Preseason Top 25 for First Time Under Coach Brian Jenkins

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats enter the 2013 season at No. 23 in The Sports Network FCS Preseason Top 25, it was announced by The Sports Network office in Philadelphia, Pa. This is the first time the Wildcats have been a member of TSN’s preseason poll under head coach Brian Jenkins.

With Brian Jenkins set to embark upon his fourth year in Daytona Beach, the Wildcats finished the 2012 campaign ranked No. 22 after winning their second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title in three years with an overall record of 9-3 (8-0 MEAC). B-CU advanced to the opening round of the FCS Playoffs, hosting the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to Municipal Stadium – the third time the Cats hosted a playoff game since 2003.

The poll's national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries confirmed North Dakota State as the preseason No. 1, giving the Bison 127 of the 134 first-place votes and 3,340 points. NDSU was followed by Montana State in second place; defending runners-up Sam Houston State at third; Eastern Washington in fourth; and Villanova rounds out the top five.

Bethune-Cookman opens the 2013 slate at Tennessee State this coming Sunday, September 1, as part of the John Merritt Classic at L.P. Field in Nashville, Tenn. At 8 p.m. The Tigers of TSU received 151 votes in the preseason poll, figuring them at No. 30, respectively.

CONTINUE READING

  

MEAC/SWAC Challenge tops in FCS Week 1

ROBERT SIMPSON, DL
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

ORLANDO, Florida  -- The ninth annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney will feature Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State on Sunday, Sept. 1 (11:45 a.m. ET on ESPN) at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, Fla. This huge rivalry game between the two FCS historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) conferences will be the premier black college football game this weekend.

Although the MEAC certainly has the advantage in regards to wins in this series with a 6-2 record, the game always has some big-time players to watch. And this year is no exception. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge has arguably two of the best players in HBCU football in Florida A&M quarterback Damien Fleming and Mississippi Valley State defensive lineman Robert Simpson.

Fleming has a bundle of talent. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound junior, was selected preseason MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. A year ago, he displayed a strong passing arm throwing the ball down the field. Fleming completed 214 of 308 passes for 2,157 yards including 16 touchdowns to just five interceptions.

He shows a lot of poise in the pocket. In last season’s 24-22 victory over Delaware State, he connected on 30 of 37 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns. Fleming has a bright future.

CONTINUE READING

11 SIAC Teams in 11 Days: Central State University Marauders

WILBERFORCE, OHIO  --  When finding the recipe for success, Central State University head football coach EJ Junior should not have to look no further than two decades ago, when the program was the poster child of Black College Football. Under the direction of legendary head football coach Billy Joe and former Tuskegee head football coach Rick Comegy, the Marauder football team experienced much success in the NAIA and Division II during the 1980's through mid 1990's.  In 1983 the Marauders were Division II runner's up and NAIA National Champions in 1990 and 1992. The program also reached the same heights in 1995.

(COURTESY CSU ATHLETICS)

Consequently, the program was dropped in 1997, but returned in 2005. Now that Central State has taken off its training wheels, the program will look to place its stamp in its first season competing as a member of the SIAC.

"Being from the south and playing college football in the south, the style of play never left me," said Junior, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama. "I am very old school so our plan is to be very physical in all phases of the game."

Junior's philosophy should mirror the array of budding talent he has on his football team this season. Spearheaded by dual-threat quarterback Michael Wilson, a senior who accumulated over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns passing and rushing last season, Central State will offer many matchup problems for opposing defenses next season. Sophomore tight end Zach Thomas had 45 catches as a freshman and was named to the First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) team. The 6-foot-5 phenom, along with receivers Steven Heard and Jeremy Turner will be primary targets for Wilson. Seniors Kyle Jackson and DeQuan Slaughter anchor the offensive line that will return all five players. Terrell Clement and Jordan Hughes will provide the team with a 1-2 combo out of the backfield for Central State.

Matching the prospect of the offense's success, Central State's swarming defense, which returns six starters. Defensive end Jorden Paige, a Preseason All-SIAC selection, along with Justin Wood-West will lead the defensive line that ranked 3rd in the GLVC last season. Safeties Joseph Blount, another Preseason All-SIAC selection and Derryon Smith will be impact players, who will shepherd the inexperience of Devin Polzot and Trezz Shipmon Jr. in the defensive backfield. The biggest void will come in the absence of 2012 GLVC Defensive Player of the Year Darius Wilson, who was lost to graduation. Robert Martin and Blake Riley return to give the team some experience at the linebacker position.

Senior Gracewell Mahbena K/P returns and will be challenge by redshirt freshman Dustin Bryan for the kicking duties and Sr. Special Teams captain Paul Sains returns with Sophomore Aaron Wade as kick and returners

2013 Marauders At Glace
Head Coach: EJ Junior (5th Season)
Last SIAC Championship: 1st Year in Conference
Last Playoff Appearance: 1995
Players to Watch: QB Michael Wilson, TE Zach Thomas, DL Jordan Page, DB Joseph Blount

Strengths: Wilson is arguably the best All-Around player in the conference and can be a human-highlight film if not contained.  The rest of the offense will be just as strong as their leader. The true testament will be how the team will be able to adjust to the style of play in the SIAC.

Schedule: The Marauders will travel 7 of their 11 games on the road with one of the toughest schedules since football returned to CSU.  Besides playing conference foes Benedict, Kentucky State, Morehouse, Miles, Lane, Tuskegee, and Stillman, CSU will also face the likes of Tennessee State, West Texas A&M, West Alabama and Johnson C. Smith.

Date	Time	Opponent	Location	H/A
The Dayton Classic
9/7/2013	1:30PM	Benedict College	McPherson Stadium	Home
9/14/2013	1:30PM	Kentucky State University	McPherson Stadium	Home
Chicago Classic
9/21/2013	4:00pm CT	Morehouse College	Chicago, IL	Neutral
Gateway Classic
9/28/2013	2:00pm CT	Tennessee State University	St. Louis, MO	Neutral
10/5/2013	3:00pm CT	West Texas A&M University	Canyon, TX	Away
10/12/2013	1:30PM	Miles College	McPherson Stadium	Home
10/19/2013	2:00pm CT	Lane College	Jackson, TN	Away
10/24/2013	6:30pm CT	Stillman College	Tuscaloosa, Alabama	Away
11/2/2013	1:00pm CT	Tuskegee University	Tuskegee, Alabama	Away
11/9/2013	1:30PM	Johnson C. Smith University	McPherson Stadium	Home
11/16/2013	6:00pm CT	University of West Alabama	Livingston, AL	Away

COURTESY CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS & THESIAC.COM

INDUCTION WILL BE AIRED LIVE ON ESPN3: UMES' Art Shell to be Inducted Into College Football Hall of Fame TODAY

ATLANTA, Georgia  --  University of Maryland Eastern Shore alumnus and Hall of Famer, Art Shell, will be inducted today in the College Football Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in Atlanta. Shell, an alumnus of then Maryland State College in 1968, is already an NFL Hall of Famer and the modern era's first African-American NFL head coach.

The event, in coordination with the National Football Foundation (NFF), will be broadcast live on ESPN3 at 7:30 p.m. ET., August 28, 2013.  A press conference starts the activities today at 11 a.m. It will be hosted by the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta and is sold out.

The event will be emceed by award-winning broadcaster Wes Durham. In addition to the enshrinement ceremonies, the show will feature a preview of the 2013 college football season by a panel of top television analysts, including Tony Barnhart, Desmond Howard (a 2010 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame), Mark Schlabach and Matt Stinchcomb (the 1998 recipient of the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy).

Hosted by the Atlanta Hall Management and the Atlanta Sports Council, in partnership with the NFF, the event marks the first time that Atlanta will preside over the Enshrinement Ceremony.  he celebration builds on the significant progress made on the construction of the new 94,256-square-foot home for the Hall, which will open in the fall of 2014 in the heart of Atlanta's sports, tourism and entertainment district surrounding Centennial Olympic Park.

Shell is being inducted as part of the Division College Football Hall of Fame, which, according to its mission statement, honors players and coaches from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. In the 1960s, UMES competed in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a Division II conference.

Art Shell in his playing days at then,
Maryland State College
(Courtesy UMES Media Relations)

"This is a truly exceptional group of College Football Hall of Fame inductees from the divisional ranks," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning in the official press release.""We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments, and we applaud them for reaching the pinnacle of recognition in our great sport."

Shell played four seasons with the Hawks from 1964 to 1967. He was a two-time All-American as an offensive and defensive lineman in his junior and senior seasons plus earned All-CIAA honors his final three years. He would go on to have a strong professional career with the Oakland Raiders, being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after winning three Super Bowls and making eight Pro Bowls.

Shell is part of a seven-member 2013 Divisional College Football Hall of Fame Class along with Elby Jordan, Joe Micchia, Jeff Wittman, Frank Cignetti, James "Boots" Donnelly and Jess Dow.

He is one of 24 members of the overall class of 2013 and also includes:  Charles Alexander (LSU), Otis Armstrong (Purdue), Steve Bartkowski (California), Hal Bedsole (Southern California), Dave Casper (Notre Dame), coach Frank Cignetti (West Virginia, Indiana [Pa.]), Ty Detmer (BYU), coach James "Boots" Donnelly (Austin Peay State, Middle Tennessee State), coach Jess Dow (Southern Connecticut State), coach Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee), coach Jimmy Johnson (Oklahoma State, Miami [Fla.]), Shelby Jordan (Washington University in St. Louis [Mo.]), Tommy Kramer (Rice), Joe Micchia (Westminster College [Pa.]), Art Monk (Syracuse), Greg Myers (Colorado State), Jonathan Ogden (UCLA), Gabe Rivera (Texas Tech), Mark Simoneau (Kansas State), coach R.C. Slocum (Texas A&M), Scott Thomas (Air Force), Jeff Wittman (Ithaca College [N.Y.]) and John Wooten (Colorado).  

ABOUT ESPN3

ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of global sports events annually, and it is accessible online via WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members and Apple TV. It is currently available to more than 85 million households at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks. A list of participating providers for ESPN3 can be found HERE. For questions, contact ESPN Customer Care at 1-888-549-3776 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET daily.

ABOUT ATLANTA HALL MANAGEMENT

Scheduled to open in the fall of 2014, the new College Football Hall of Fame will be a 94,256-square-foot attraction located in the heart of Atlanta's sports, entertainment and tourism district. Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the new Hall will provide visitors with a highly-immersive, interactive and engaging experience using a blend of historic college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive multimedia exhibits. The National Football Foundation (NFF) launched the Hall in 1951 to stand as one of the nation's premier sports shrines, immortalizing the game's greatest players and coaches as positive role models for future generations. In 2009, Atlanta Hall Management, Inc., partnered with the NFF to construct and operate the new Hall of Fame facility, which will also provide a platform for community outreach, education and character development initiatives, as well as serve as one of Atlanta's premier special event spaces. For more information, please visit www.cfbhall.com.

ABOUT THE ATLANTA SPORTS COUNCIL

 The Atlanta Sports Council promotes the value of sports growth in Atlanta and Georgia by acting as an authority on the economic impact, visibility and quality of life issues associated with sports. Its mission is to lead, organize and support sports development. The Atlanta Sports Council was created in 1985 under the original name of Sports 2000, and is a division of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. For more information, visit www.AtlantaSportsCouncil.com.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME

Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award presented by Fidelity Investments, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Bowl, the William V. Campbell Trophy endowed by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. NFF corporate partners include the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the BCS, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, Liberty Mutual Insurance, NCAA Football, and Under Armour. For more information, please visit www.footballfoundation.org.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION 

Oral Roberts University Opens 2013 Season at TSU Invitational

TULSA, Oklahoma  --  Oral Roberts University will open their 2013 volleyball season this weekend when they travel to Houston for three matches as the TSU Invitational. ORU will face host Texas Southern in their season-opener, a 1 pm CT first serve on Friday, August 30. One day later, the Golden Eagles will face Prairie View A&M at 9 am CT and Southern University at 1 pm CT to close the weekend.

Live statistical coverage of all three matches is available on Texas Southern’s official athletics website, athletics.tsu.edu.

Oral Roberts posted a 17-15 record in 2012, with an 11-7 record in Southland Conference play. The Golden Eagles return four starters and eight letter winners from last season’s team, while the roster includes six newcomers who could potentially make their debut for Sheera Sirola's team this weekend.

Game Notes

Last season, the Golden Eagles became the first No. 6 seed in Southland Conference history to advance to the SLC Tournament Championship Match when they swept No. 3 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and No. 2 seed Sam Houston State in the first two rounds. ORU was beaten by tournament host and No. 1 seed Central Arkansas in the SLC Championship Match, 3-1, to end their Cinderella run through the postseason.

Three of ORU's returners were named to the Preseason All-SLC 1st Team last week. Reigning SLC Libero of the Year Bruna Silva, Jessica Pancratz and Laura Taylor were all recognized among the league's top performers heading into the 2013 campaign.

Opinions were varied on the Golden Eagles in last week's Southland Conference Preseason Polls. SLC Coaches picked the Golden Eagles second, with two first place votes, while the league's media relations personnel slotted ORU in a tie for 5th.

Defending champion Central Arkansas was the preseason favorite in both SLC polls.

All three of ORU’s opponents at the TSU Invitational are members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Golden Eagles  are 5-0 all-time against SWAC members, with the most recent victory coming on September 9, 2011, a 3-1 win over Prairie View A&M in Lake Charles, La.

Texas Southern posted a 15-15 record in 2012 and finished the season with an RPI of 297. The Tigers went 6-2 in the SWAC West Division, good for a 2nd place finish. Sophomore Robyn Shannon led the Tigers as a freshman last season with 3.02 kills per set and a .275 hitting percentage.

Prairie View A&M was 14-21 in 2012, with an NCAA Division I RPI of 289. The Panthers were much stronger in SWAC play, going 7-1 to win the SWAC West Division regular season championship. Senior Kelsey Espinosa is Prairie View’s top returner after averaging 7.94 assists per set last season, 4th-best in the SWAC.

Southern struggled in 2012, posting a 4-25 record and finishing with an RPI of 324. The Jaguars were 1-7 in SWAC West Division play last season Junior Marisol Macias led Southern with 1.45 kills per set and 25 service aces last season, while senior Michelle Williams added a team-best 3.12 digs per set.

Oral Roberts is 15-10 all-time in the city of Houston, although they’ve made the trip to America’s 4th-largest city just once since 1981, going 2-1 at the 2007 Mizuno Invitational, hosted by Rice.

This is the eighth consecutive season that the Golden Eagles have opened the season on the road at a four-team tournament. ORU went 2-1 at the UB Invitational in Buffalo, N.Y., to open the 2012 season, and they last opened the season 3-0 in 2009, when they knocked off UT-Arlington, Gardner-Webb and Illinois State at the Redbird Classic in Normal, Ill.

Following the season-opening TSU Invitational, ORU will head back to Oklahoma for their first local appearance of 2013. The Golden Eagles will bus across town to face city rival Tulsa on Tuesday, September 3. First serve at the Reynolds Center is scheduled for 7 pm CT.

COURTESY ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS