North Carolina A&T beat Florida A&M in O.T.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- After a three-week hiatus, luck finally found its way to the field for the North Carolina A&T football team. Florida A&M kicker Chase Varnadore missed an extra point with 19 seconds remaining, leaving the door open for A&T to snap a three-game losing streak with a 20-13 overtime win at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

It was the Aggies first win in Tallahassee, Fla., in 13 years. Freshman Aggies running back Tarik Cohen led the way with a season-best 210 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries. His performance helped him surpass Barry Turner’s 23-year old school freshman rushing record of 556 yards. Cohen now has 610 yards on the season.

“He’s small, but he is special and he is tough,” said A&T head coach Rod Broadway. “He has great vision and a great change of direction. He’s a warrior. We just have to find more creative ways to get him the ball in open space, and let him make plays for us.”

Cohen’s day was almost spoiled by something FAMU didn’t do the majority of the game, move the ball against A&T’s defense.  The Aggies held FAMU to 179 total yards. Eighty-one of those yards came on FAMU’s final drive of regulation with A&T leading 13-7. The Rattlers’ game-tying, 13-play, 96-yard drive was highlighted by two spectacular plays from FAMU quarterback Damien Fleming.

On 4^th-and-2 from the FAMU 12-yard line, Fleming escaped the clutches of several A&T defenders, scrambled forward and threaded a pass into the hands of Lenworth Lennon for a 5-yard gain. Three plays later, he escaped another Aggie pass rush to pick up 19 yards to the A&T 42-yard line. Faced with 3^rd-and-3 from the A&T 23, Fleming unleashed a pass over the outside shoulder Casey Glines as the ball innocently sailed out of bounds.

But a pass interference call on Ayodeji Olatoye sent Broadway, who was visibly upset by the call, into a rage. It also gave the Rattlers a first down. Fleming took advantage by finding Dewayne Harvey in the end zone to tie the game at 13 with 19 seconds remaining.

Varnadore’s attempt to give FAMU the lead was hooked left, sending A&T into its first overtime in four years.

“It is a combination of being good and being lucky,” said Broadway. “I’m going to say this until I’m blue in the face. Great teams win close ball games. If we would have won the three ball games we lost by five points, we’d be in great position right now. If we would have won two of the games, we’d be in great position. But to be a great team you have to win those close ball games.  Right now we’re not good enough to beat people by two touchdowns, three touchdowns because we can’t score, so we just have to take advantage of what we get.”

A&T accepted the gift and then gave FAMU more of Cohen in return. Cohen carried the ball all four times on A&T’s first and only possession of overtime. He was aided by a 7-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Cohen ended the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run. Cody Jones made the all-important extra point to give A&T the seven-point advantage.

FAMU (2-6, 1-3 MEAC) then got its opportunity with the ball at the opponent’s 25. But the A&T defense that had been present the majority of the game returned. Fleming was sacked by Daniel Pinnix and James Morris on first down. On fourth down, free safety Isaiah Martin intercepted Fleming’s pass to give A&T (4-3, 2-3 MEAC) the win.

“We’ve gave them seven points. It is always a big concern of mine when we give people points,” said Broadway. “If we don’t give them points, the game doesn’t come down to what it came down to.”

The Aggies led 7-0 for 2 ½ quarters. But when Lewis Kindle tried to make a play under duress, his pass was tipped into the arms of Shaun Ward for a 17-yard pick-6 that tied the game at 7 with 8:03 remaining in the third quarter. The Aggies answered with old fumblerooski play. Cohen picked the ball up on the deception and ran 27 yards for a touchdown. But Jones missed the extra point, leading to the late-game drama.

D’Vonte Grant led the Aggies defensively with 11 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss. Cohen’s big day offset A&T’s 18 yards passing. The Aggies will play Virginia University of Lynchburg for homecoming next week at Aggie Stadium.  Game time is 1 p.m.

Photo Album

A&T 20, FAMU 13 OT

  

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tuskegee defeats Kentucky State 36-7

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- For the first time in three games, Justin Nared returned to action for the Golden Tigers on Saturday.  However, the game was all but decided by the time he entered into action during the early portion of the second quarter, as Tuskegee already had a 14-0 lead on the road against the Thorobreds.  Two rushing touchdowns by Senior QB Rashard Burkette led the way to 29 first half points en route to a 36-7 blowout of Kentucky State (4-4 to start 2013) on Saturday afternoon by Tuskegee (7-1 overall; 4-0 in the SIAC).

Tuskegee Coach Willie Slater wouldn't absolutely rule out that Burkette is the de facto starting quarterback for the final two games of the 2013 regular season.  But, given how the Senior from Montgomery has played, any unbiased eye would have to say that he has all but earned it with his play on the field for three consecutive weeks.

"He's playing good," Slater said.  "We'll see."

Slater described how Burkette was able to take advantage of the first two offensive drives of the game for the Golden Tigers.

"I think one was a pass, and then he broke pass containment before he ran it in for a touchdown," Slater said.  "The other one was a designed run.  He just read it, and kept the ball, and broke the ball behind pursuit and ran it in for a touchdown.  I thought that he had a really good game."

A really good game could be deemed an understatement for Burkette's performance, as he ended up as the leading rusher for the Golden Tigers in addition to having a good completion percentage on the afternoon.  The Sidney Lanier graduate had nine carries for 72 yards to go with the two aforementioned scores, in addition to completing 14-of-23 pass attempts for 136 yards and a late 26-yard touchdown pass to Kaleep Williams during garbage time inside the final three minutes of the fourth quarter.

Major errors on special teams by Kentucky State allowed Tuskegee to break the game open and essentially end the game by halftime.  First, Cameron Lee missed a 43-yard field goal that would have given KSU the first lead of the game.  Then, the Golden Tigers were able to recover an onside kick after Burkette ran in his first touchdown.  In the second quarter, Damarquis Lumpkin recovered a fumble for the Golden Tigers at the KSU 32-yard line, where Nared was able to begin his first offensive drive in 12 quarters.  Michael J. Thornton was able to run in a one-yard score seven plays later.

Slater attributed the burst in the opening half to a stingy effort for Tuskegee on both special teams and defense.

"I think that speaks for itself," Slater said.  "We didn't turn the ball over, and then they (the defense) got turnovers.  It goes with my saying.  The team that has the most big plays and the least turnovers wins 100 percent of the time."

Up next for Tuskegee is the 90^th annual Homecoming game against SIAC newcomer Central State.  The Marauders dropped to 2-6 on Thursday night after a two-point loss on the road against Stillman, but they had previously defeated Miles and Lane in back-to-back weeks in their first victories as a member of the SIAC.

"They're a very good team," Slater said.  "You can see them getting better and better each week.  They've beaten some good teams."

Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. Central/2:00 p.m. Eastern at Cleve Abbott Stadium next Saturday.

By: Michael Stewart, Sports Information Director, Tuskegee University
COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Shaw Holds Off Hard Charging JCSU For 39-33 Win

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  Shaw University scored three touchdowns in the third quarter, then allowed homestanding Johnson C. Smith back into the game, finally holding off the Golden Bulls for a 39-33 win at the Irwin Belk Complex on the JCSU campus Saturday afternoon.

 

The Bears, who improve to 5-3 and 3-2 in the CIAA, exacted some small amount of vengeance in the win on Johnson C. Smith's homecoming.  For the last two seasons, JCSU - now 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the conference - downed Shaw on the Bears' homecoming games.

 

"It feels good to get the win," said Shaw head coach Robert Massey.  "But we didn't look good doing it and we can't play like this and have any chance against Winston-Salem State."

 

After the Bears built a 32-13, they allowed the Golden Bulls back into the game on the back of penalties.  For the game, Shaw had 11 penalties for 96 yards while the Golden Bulls committed four infractions for 16 yards.  Shaw also struggled with turnovers, fumbling five times in the game, with JCSU recovering three of those.

 

Starting quarterback Quinshon Odom went down with injury just before the half, and it was left to Trevius Folston to engineer the big third quarter and lead the Bears to the win.

 

"He played well," said Massey.  "I was pleased.  He came in in a tight spot and held his own."

 

Folston finished the game four for six for 128 yards and two touchdowns.  He ran for another 17 yards and another touchdown.

 

The Bears' real strength came on the ground, where Marquise Grizzle crossed the 1,000-yard threshold for the season with a 167-yard performance that included two touchdowns, including a 40-yard sprint that gave Shaw the lead in the final minute of the first half.

 

The game started slowly for both teams with JCSU opening with a three-and-out, followed by three-and-a-punt for Shaw.  On the next Golden Bull drive, quarterback Keahn Wallace was picked off in the end zone by Thomas Street, giving Shaw back the ball, but on their first play of the drive, Grizzle fumbled the ball, giving JCSU the ball on the nine-yard line.

 

Three plays later, Wallace hit Avius Capers on a two-yard pass to give JCSU the early 7-0 lead.

 

After a 47-yard kickoff return by DeShawn Beck, the Bears started near midfield.  They moved to the three-yard line, where Odom fumbled, giving JCSU back the ball in the shadow of their own end zone.

 

Two plays later, LeAnder Barney was tackled in the endzone by Darius Hall for the safety, trimming the Golden Bull lead to 7-2.

 

An exchange of field goals made the score 10-5, in favor of JCSU.  With just over two minutes left in the half, Shaw started a drive on their own 28.  Odom opened the drive with a 25-yard strike to Ta'Juan Brown, then three plays later, Grizzle broke off the 40-yard dash, giving Shaw a 12-10 lead with  just over a minute left in the half.

 

The Shaw defense held JCSU to a three-and-out, then knelt down to end the first half.

 

The second half did not begin well for Folston as he opened with an incomplete pass, but later rebounded when he found Brown for a 53-yard strike down the sideline for a 19-10 lead.

 

With 8:52 left in the third quarter, the Golden Bulls hit a field goal to cut the Shaw lead to 19-13.

 

Two Shaw drives later, Grizzle broke through the line and into the open for a 47-yard run that moved the Bears to the JCSU seven-yard line.  After a JCSU penalty moved the Bears to the two, Folston powered his way through the crowd, scoring the touchdown and giving the Bears a 25-13 lead.

 

On the next Golden Bull drive, Keith Lomon forced a fumble and teammate Darius Moffett recovered it, giving Shaw the ball on the JCSU 32.

 

Folston hit David Jordan for 22 yards, and then Grizzle covered the final ten yards for the touchdown and the 32-13 lead with 2:52 left in the quarter.

 

JCSU scored a touchdown on their next drive, but missed the extra point, cutting the Shaw lead to 32-19.

 

Early in the fourth, and with Andre Alexander in at quarterback for the Golden Bulls, JCSU drove 80 yards, finally scoring on a pass from Alexander to Capers, making the score 32-26 in favor of Shaw.

 

The Bears answered with a three-play drive that culminated with a Folston pass to Jordan at the Shaw ten.  Jordan was hit immediately, but he dragged the tackler the ten yards, ending in the end zone for a 39-26 lead.

 

On the next drive, JCSU drove the length of the field, in part due to a Shaw pass interference penalty that moved the Golden Bulls to the two.  With 3:39 left in the game, Alexander found Evan Jones in the end zone, trimming the Shaw lead to 39-33.

 

On the second play of the next drive, Grizzle fumbled, giving the Golden Bulls a short field and 2:49 to play.

 

With the game on the line, the Shaw defense stiffened, driving the Golden Bulls backwards three yards before forcing the failed fourth-down attempt and getting the ball back with 1:49 left, leading to three straight rushes to run out the clock.

 

The Bears ended the game with 419 yards on offense -- 214 on the ground and 205 through the air.  As a team, Shaw threw the ball only 18 times, finding the mark 13 times and committing no interceptions.

 

Brown was the leading receiver with three catches for a total of 78 yards and one touchdown.  Jordan finished with 64 yards on three catches and Tyrone Craig had two receptions for 31 yards.

 

Moffett was the star on defense, amassing 14 tackles - 12 of them solo hits - including two and a half tackles for a loss and one and a half sacks while also recovering two fumbles.

 

Johnson C. Smith had only 21 yards rushing, while gaining 251 yards through the air.  JCSU put the ball up 49 times, completing 30 and tossing one interception.

 

Alexander finished the game 18 of 31 for 174 yards and two touchdowns, while Wallace was 12 for 18 with one  interception and one touchdown.  Wallace was sacked three times.

 

Chris Patterson was the leading receiver for the Golden Bulls with nine catches for 82 yards.  Capers finished with six catches for 51 yards and two touchdowns.  Denzel Harvey was the leading rusher with 42 yards and one touchdown.

 

Defensively for the Golden Bulls, Damion Miles and Anthony Allen had seven tackles apiece.  Allen recovered a fumble, while Miles had a pass breakup.

 

Next week, the Bears travel to Winston-Salem to take on the division-leading Winston-Salem State Rams.

 

"We can't play like we did today and have any hope," said Massey.  "We have to play smarter."

 

Game time is 1:30 p.m.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Wilkins Sparks NCCU as Eagles Spoil Savannah State Homecoming

SAVANNAH, Ga. – North Carolina Central University sophomore Adrian Wilkins amassed 241 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, including a 73-yard punt return touchdown late in the second quarter to put the Eagles on top and sap the energy from the Savannah State Tigers and their homecoming crowd.  NCCU held the Tigers scoreless the rest of the way to snap a two-game losing skid with a 24-10 road victory inside Ted Wright Stadium in Savannah, Ga.

A sophomore out of Forest City, N.C., Wilkins caught nine passes for 105 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown from redshirt-freshman quarterback Malcolm Bell in the third quarter, while also tallying 82 punt return yards and 54 kickoff return yards. Wilkins is the first 100-yard receiver for NCCU since Demario Lackey tallied 100 yards receiving against Hampton in 2011.

Bell, making his first career start under center, completed 14-of-30 passes for 174 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, while also running for 33 yards with a 6-yard touchdown scamper in the first quarter.



NCCU junior Andre Clarke pounded out 140 ground yards on 20 carries to become the first Eagle running back to reach the century-mark since he accomplished the feat against Savannah State last season.

A stingy NCCU defense was topped by senior linebacker Tazmon Foster with 11 tackles, while junior linebacker Tiron Guion added eight stops with an assisted sack and a pass break-up. Two first-year NCCU defensive backs, Cam Sullivan and Hakiem Swann, each intercepted passes in the second half to help shut down the Tigers.

In the first half, Savannah State quarterback Antonio Bostick threw for 209 yards and a score on 22-of-31 passing. He was just 2-of-18 for 10 yards with two interceptions after intermission.

NCCU (4-4, 2-2 MEAC) recorded 411 yards of total offense, including 237 yards rushing. Savannah State (1-8, 0-5 MEAC) finished with 382 total yards, but only 90 of those yards came in the second half.

The Eagles return home to O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2 to host defending MEAC champion Bethune-Cookman at 12 noon on ESPNews.

Box Score            

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Parlays Opportunistic Defense and Ground Game Into Win Over Morgan State

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- The defense forced four turnovers and Charles Philyaw rushed for three touchdowns to give Howard University a 28-14 win over Morgan State at Greene Stadium before a homecoming crowd of 7,053.
               
The Bison (3-5, 2-3 in the MEAC) set the tone early on their first possession when quarterback Greg McGhee put together an 18-play, 65-yard drive that was capped off with a one-yard plunge by Philyaw.  Howard got a two-point conversion on a pass from the holder on snaps, Richard Aiyegoro to tight end David Wilson for an 8-0 lead.
               
From there, both teams stiffened on defense.  The Bison defense was giving up some plays in the running game, but each time the Bears threatened to score, Howard was able to thwart their attempts to get in the end zone.
               
"They played hard; they stood in there and fought, time and time again" said Howard head coach Ray Petty.  " Morgan State had a great plan offensively, especially running the football on us.  When they got into the Red Zone, our guys stepped up on defense and turned them away."
               
With the offense unable to produce points, Morgan State turned to another option:  punt return specialist Broderick Gager fielded a John Fleck punt at his own 11-yard, eluded several Howard defenders before reversing his field and sprinting 89 yards to his team's first score.  It marked the second time this season that a punt has been returned 89 yards against the Bison.
               
Not to be outdone, Howard a trick of its own on special teams.  Facing a fourth and long at his own 48, Fleck dropped back to take the snap for an apparent punt attempt.  But the sophomore saw an opening in the Morgan State protection, started towards the right sideline and weaved his way 52 for the first TD of his career.
               
The Bison opened the third quarter with the same approach that they used to start the game:  Utilize the running of McGhee, William Parker and Philyaw to control the clock and grind out yards.  The result was a 73-yard drive that was capped by Philyaw's second TD run of the game, this time from seven yards out.  It upped the score to 22-7 with just under nine minutes remaining in the third period.
               
Morgan State would not go away, however.  The Bears, who entered the game on a two-game win streak, took advantage of a poor Fleck punt that traveled only seven yards, giving them a short field at the Howard 13-yard line.  It took them four plays with reserve quarterback Moses Skillon going the final yard to get his team to within 22-14 at the 3:02 mark of the third period.
               
From there, the Bison defense did its part, stopping two Morgan State drives with interceptions.  The second one set up Philyaw's third TD of the day, this one from four yards out.
               
"I think we played well overall," said Howard red-shirt junior safety Cameron Alston, who led all players in tackles with 11, 10 of them unassisted.  "And the biggest thing is when we had opportunity to make plays and get off the field.  We did that this game and as opposed to the last couple of games where we left plays on the field.  It was a good team effort."
               
For the second straight week, the Bison running game proved to be effective.  Against Florida A&M, Howard rushed for a season-high 254 yards.  Against a good Morgan State defense, the Bison ground out a season-high 315 yards.  McGhee led all rushers with 122 yards on 15 carries.  Philyaw, last week's MEAC Rookie of the Week, just missed the century mark with 98 yards and Parker contributed 41.
               
"The offensive line had an outstanding day," praised McGhee, who completed 11 of 21 for 89 yards.  "They did not give up any sacks.  Anthony Philyaw ran the ball well. I ran the ball well.  Give credit to the offensive line.  They did a heck of a job blocking."

Added Petty, "Greg made some outstanding runs and I have been telling people since Day One that this young man Philyaw is going to be special in this conference over the next couple of years."
               
The Bears managed a respectable 206 yards on the ground, but the four turnovers proved to be too much.   
               
"We knew that they were going to come out and play with a lot of energy and they did," said Morgan State head coach Donald Hill Eley.  "They did a good job of stopping us when they had to.  We had a couple of chances in the Red Zone and came away with nothing. Collectively, we did not play well enough to win."

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern U. vs. Alcorn State: Special teams play critical

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Special teams play was a key factor for both Southern and Alcorn State, leaving an indelible mark on the Braves’ 44-38 overtime win Saturday night at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

There was pinpoint punting placement by Southern’s Paul Randall Soden, long kickoff returns, unusual punt formations, and two blocked punts by the Jaguars’ Demetrius Carter.

“We have guys that have a knack (to block a kick),” Southern coach Dawson Odums said. “That’s what really kept us in the game. It turned out to be 14 points.”

Alcorn took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter, but was unable to move at the Alcorn 16. On fourth-and-8, Carter blocked Haiden McCraney’s punt, and Randall Menard grabbed it and ran in from 6 yards out for the Jaguars first score.

“I was just trying to give great effort,” Carter said. “Trying to make a play for my team. We were down, the momentum shifted. I just gave good effort and ended up getting a block.”

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UAPB Golden Lions Get First Win of the Season, Rolls Past MVSU

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Benjamin Anderson threw two touchdowns passes and rushed for two as UAPB finally broke into the win column with a solid 38-18 victory over Mississippi Valley State Saturday night. The Golden Lions improved to 1-7 and 1-5 in SWAC), while MVSU fell to 1-7 and 1-5.

Anderson was 20-of-30 for 269 yards passing. One of his TD strikes was an 86-yard pass to Cody Swain, which was the longest touchdown connection of the afternoon, Anderson also had 22 carries for 123 yards rushing. His two rushing TDs were sneaks from 3 and 2 yards out.

The Golden Lions defense also had its best day of the season, forcing three interceptions, two in the fourth quarter, to snuff out any chance of a comeback. Xavier Lofton also recovered a fumble and returned it for a 55-yard touchdown as the Golden Lions forced four MVSU turnovers.

The Golden Lions got on the board first on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Swain with 9:09 left in the opening quarter. Tyler Strickland added to the UAPB lead with a 38-yard fieldgoal with 9:40 left in the second quarter to give the Golden Lions a 10-0 lead.

After MVSU cut the lead to 10-6 with a touchdown, UAPB answered on Lofton's fumble return. The defensive touchdown made it 17-6 at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, UAPB added to their lead with Anderson's 3-yard plunge. MVSU answered with a 64-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Ivy to Kenneth Dabney. The bomb made it 24-12 with 9:56 left.

The Golden Lions came right back with a 12-play, 81-yard drive to take a commanding 31-12 lead. Anderson capped the drive with his 2-yard run.

The Delta Devils scored another touchdown to make it 31-18, the Golden Lions put the game away with the 86-yard Anderson to Swain hook-up.

The UAPB offense enjoyed their best game of the season, carving up the once stingy MVSU defense with 484 yards. Meanwhile. the Golden Lions defense held MVSU to 296 yards.

The Golden Lions have the week off before hosting Grambling State in the final home game of the season on Nov. 9.

Box Score

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION

Turnovers halt Texas College in loss to Bacone

NEW CHAPEL HILL, Texas — The Texas College Steers gave 25th-ranked Bacone College Warriors a battle before ultimately losing the war, falling 49-13 Saturday on homecoming at Bulldog Stadium.

The Steers were picked off five times with two of those returned the other way for touchdowns in the final quarter to make the final deficit seem a lot more than it was through three quarters.

“We just had too many turnovers and those two interceptions down deep in their territory really knocked the wind out of us,” TC coach George Cumby said. “Bacone is too good a team to give them anything and we give them the ball six times and twice they scored on the plays, so we have just got to stop killing ourselves with the fumbles, tipped passes that turn into interceptions; and I am still really disappointed with the penalties and the discipline that goes with that.

“You expect those things early in the year but we are still making some very fundamental mistakes that keep getting us beat.”

The Steers led 3-0 on a Erick Trigueros 29-yard field goal, but it was short-lived as Bacone answered with a 19-yard scoring strike from Kyle Coogan to Jamaal Surrell.

As the first quarter was drawing to a close, TC was on the drive again, but an interception on the first play in the second frame was the first of many miscues the Steers would serve up to Bacone. Nick Cannon converted the first of his seven extra points.

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ECSU Vikings steal overtime thriller: Defeat Chowan 37-31

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina  --  It took an extra quarter and a fourth down turnover however Elizabeth City State University held on to defeat Chowan University 37-31 in overtime Saturday afternoon at Garrison Stadium.

After the first half combined for 13 points (ECSU led 10-3 at the intermission), the teams scored 49 points over the 3rd and 4th quarters for 31-31 tie at the end of regulation.

The Hawks won the coin toss but gave ECSU the first crack on offense from the 25 yard line in the sudden death overtime.  Three plays, a first down and a one yard rush by Petey Boone later, Tyrell Houghton found Javoris Bryant in the corner of the end zone from 14 yards out to break the tie, however the extra point flew wide right and ECSU clung to a 37-31 lead.

The Hawks began their do or die drive from the 25 yard line but the ECSU defense was staunch, yielding only a two yard rush on Chowan's second play from scrimmage. After a third and goal pass attempt to Robert Holland fell incomplete the Hawks faced a final shot to tie and win with a successful extra point conversion.

On what turned out to be the final play of the game CU's Ryan Simpson dropped back and fired a 23-yard strike to Antjuan Randall in the end zone. But while he was airborne the Vikings' Lavonte Baker snatched the ball from Randall's grasp for a game sealing interception, simultaneously spoiling the Hawks' Homecoming.

For the second straight week the Vikings put up over 500 yards offense, finishing the afternoon with 567 total yards. Tyrell Houghton threw for 380 yards on 31-40 passing; his most impressive drive of the day came after the Hawks took their first lead, 31-24, with 4:05 remaining in regulation.

Houghton led the Vikings on a 6 play, 66 yard game drive, tying the contest at 31 apiece on a 15 yard touchdown pass to Darrius Wesson. He spread the ball around to nine different receivers and had 4 passing touchdowns on the day; his longest completion of the came after a 5-yard screen pass to Boone went 65 yards for a score at the 7:24 mark in the 3rd quarter.

The Hawks fall to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play.

ECSU (3-5, CIAA 3-2) will hit the road next Saturday when they travel to Richmond, VA to take on Virginia Union University. Game time is scheduled for 1:00pm at Hovey Field in Richmond, VA.

Follow on Twitter @ECSUVikings and log onto www.ecsuvikings.com for more information.

COURTESY ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Defensive masterpiece: ASU holds Clark Atlanta to 54 total yards in win

ATLANTA, Georgia — For the second straight week the Albany State Golden Rams played in a homecoming game, and though Saturday’s contest at Clark Atlanta took place some 200 miles from Albany, the Rams looked quite at home from the start.

Dominating on both sides of the ball, the Rams cruised to a 30-7 win over Clark, their 12th straight over the Panthers.

 

Unlike some recent results in the series, this one was not in doubt late.

 

Albany State quarterback Frank Rivers passed for 112 yards and rushed for 64 more as the Rams (3-4, 2-1 SIAC) kept their hopes of a berth in the conference championship game alive.

 

“We have all our goals still intact,” linebacker Glen Stanley said. “Two more wins and we’ll be in the conference championship game back here in Atlanta. We just need to play these last two games like it’s the last two games of our life and we can win the championship.”

 

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Southern’s late-game magic runs out against Alcorn State

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The Southern Jaguars have made a habit this season of falling behind at home and engineering huge comeback wins. 

Not this time.

When Alcorn State’s Arnold Walker scored on the first play of the Braves’ first overtime drive — moments after ASU’s Anthony Williams Jr. ended Southern’s OT possession by intercepting quarterback Dray Joseph — it assured the Braves a 44-38 victory and meant the Jaguars’ run of overtime comeback wins would not reach three.

Having fought back from a third-quarter 31-14 deficit to force overtime through a series of pivotal special teams and defensive plays, SU players and a raucous homecoming crowd appeared animated and confident at the end of regulation.

They had been here before. Dray Joseph’s 329 passing yards and three TDs and the three-catch, 119-yard, two-touchdown night by freshman receiver Randall Menard told them SU had one more comeback win on the way.

This time, though, it was Alcorn making the ...


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Williams, B-CU win homecoming game 14-3 over S.C. State

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- Quentin Williams passed for a season-high 220 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 6-yard run to lead Bethune-Cookman to a 14-3 victory over South Carolina State in front of a homecoming crowd of 10,421 on Saturday at Municipal Stadium.
             

The Wildcats, who won their 17th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game in row since 2011, improved to 7-1 this season, 4-0 in the conference, with four games to play. The Bulldogs fell to 5-3, 3-1.

B-CU held S.C. State to 143 yards of offense and forced four turnovers, including two Richard Cue interceptions.

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HU football wins third MEAC game, defeating Delaware State 30-7

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- Looking for its third straight win and a chance to contend for the MEAC regular-season title, the Hampton Pirates served notice to their conference competition Saturday, defeating Delaware State 30-7 at Armstrong Stadium.

With the win, the Pirates (3-5, 3-1 MEAC), who lost their first five games, moved into a second-place tie in the conference with the loser of Saturday's Bethune-Cookman-South Carolina State game.

A first-quarter interception by Pirates cornerback Khambrel McGee gave Hampton its first good field position of the day, at the Hornets' 29. A holding penalty kept the Pirates from gaining momentum, and they settled for a 28-yard field goal by Anthony Prevost.

Later, in the first quarter, a sack by Myles Grooms and Alveron Wright on Delaware State quarterback Cory Murphy led to a fumble recovery by Hampton at the Hornet 9, setting up the Pirates' next score, a 1-yard plunge over the right side by senior tight end Robert Bebek.

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Nuggets beat Tougaloo again, improve win streak to 14

TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- Xavier University of Louisiana increased its school-record women's volleyball win streak to 14 matches Saturday with a 25-17, 25-9, 25-7 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference victory against Tougaloo.

It's the longest overall win streak by an XU team in any sport since women's basketball won 21 in a row during the 2009-10 season.

The Gold Nuggets (20-7, 9-0) defeated the Lady Bulldogs (2-17, 2-8) for the second time in four days and reduced their magic number to two for clinching a third consecutve GCAC regular-season championship.

CeCe Williams had a career-high-tying nine kills for Xavier. Franziska Pirkl served three aces for the second consecutive match. Kerris Crier's 10 digs were a career high, and Darian Harris had a season-high 10 digs.

Xavier reached 20 victories for the third consecutive season. Against GCAC opponents, the Gold Nuggets have won 31 in a row during the regular season and 37 straight overall.

It's the first time since the first week of  September 2003 that the Gold Nuggets' career record has been at .500. They're 95-95 in six seasons and 65-22 during the last three. Xavier first played this sport intercollegiately in 2003 and 2004 and revived the program in 2010.

Tougaloo has lost eight in a row.

Xavier will conclude the regular season next week with three conference matches -- 7 p.m. Monday at home against Philander Smith, 6 p.m. Wednesday at home against Dillard and 1 p.m. Saturday at Dillard -- before competing in the GCAC Tournament the following week as a two-time defending champion.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Fakler, Jackson lead XU to repeat GCAC championships

Catherine Fakler

Kwame Jackson

CLINTON, Mississippi -- Xavier University of Louisiana, led by record-setting Catherine Fakler and repeat champion Kwame Jackson, again won the women's and men's team titles at the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

The team championships were the eighth in a row for the Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush. The XU women have won nine team titles overall, a GCAC record in this sport.

Joseph Moses was voted GCAC Coach of the Year for the eighth consecutive time on the men's side and the fifth straight season and the seventh time in eight years on the women's.

Fakler ran 5,000 meters in a school-record 18 minutes, 8.32 seconds to win the women's race by more than 90 seconds over teammate Donyé Coleman, the runner-up in 19:42.65. Coleman ran her best time as a collegian at this distance.

Jackson ran 8,000 meters in 27:15.84 to win the men's title for the second time in three years. Jackson won by 20 seconds over teammate David Holobowicz (career-best 27:35.28), the runner-up for the second consecutive year.

The top three female and male finishers qualified for the NAIA National Championships at Lawrence, Kan., on Nov. 23. SUNO's Mackola Joseph (20:19.21) was third in the women's race, and Xavier's Brent Kitto was third in 27:52.46 to give the Gold Rush a 1-2-3 finish at this meet for the fifth consecutive year.

The top 10 female and male finishers were named All-GCAC. All seven Gold Nuggets who competed earned that honor; Hannah Finnegan was fourth in 20:26.10, Reeka Belton was fifth in 20:30.78, Hali Yarmush was sixth in 21:01.32, Briana Simms was seventh in 21:28.75, and Danielle Rogers placed ninth in 21:37.22. Joining Jackson, Holobowicz and Kitto on the men's all-conference team were teammates Christopher August (fourth, 28:08.15) and Aaron Yarmush (sixth, 29:55.37).

Coleman is the fourth Gold Nugget to be All-GCAC four times. Fakler, Hali Yarmush and Jackson were All-GCAC for the third time.

Both XU teams missed a chance to repeat to their perfect scores of a year ago, but both came close. The Nuggets scored 18 points to win their title by 55 points over runner-up Dillard, and the Rush scored 16 points to win by 46 over runner-up Edward Waters.

It was the third consecutive year and the fourth time in five years that Xavier produced the GCAC individual women's champion, and it was the fifth straight season that an XU male placed first in the conference. Fakler broke her XU record of 18:41.03 which she set in winning her previous race, the Ram Ramble Invitational at Fort Worth, Texas, on Sept. 21. Her 5K time is the fastest at this meet since Mobile's Zola Davis won in 17:47 in 1998.

Fakler has finished in the top three in all five meets this season and broken XU records three times. She set the 4K mark of 15:34 in the opener on Aug. 30.

Jackson won for the second time this season and finished in the top six for the fourth time.

Results:  Men    Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Grambling State University football falls to Texas Southern in return from boycott

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State University linebacker Steve Orisakwe and his Tiger teammates tasted a bittersweet dish Saturday afternoon, often served by football. They enjoyed the wonderful rapture again of playing the game they loved.

They gave a formidable effort in what he called the best contest they played all year.

But they lost.

Texas Southern quarterback Jamal Small ran 3 yards for a touchdown in overtime to give the Tigers a 23-17 SWAC victory against Grambling in the squad’s first game back after a boycott.

It was a tough loss as Grambling led 17-10 before Texas Southern rallied to tie the game in the fourth quarter then ultimately won in overtime.

Orisakwe took the loss hard as did the rest of the team. They lingered, some crying, on the turf of Eddie Robinson Stadium after Small dashed into the end zone.



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Bowie State Dominates Virginia Union with 34-7 Victory

BOWIE, Maryland  --  Bowie State University dominated from beginning to end in a sunny, but very chilly Bulldogs Stadium on Saturday, beating rival Virginia Union University 34-7. The victory snaps a four-game Bowie State losing streak.

The Bulldogs (3-5, 1-4 CIAA) jumped on Virginia Union from the opening kickoff. Redshirt junior Kendall Jefferson returned the kickoff 55 yards to the Virginia Union 45 yard line. Senior Jared Johnston (Dumfries, Va.) connected with sophomore Garry Cropper (Odenton, Md.) for 30 yards on BSU's first play from scrimmage. From there, senior Keith Brown (Temple Hills, Md.) carried the ball three straight plays, scoring from one-yard out. Junior Mario Diaz-Aviles (Washington, D.C.) added the extra point to give the Bulldogs the early 7-0 lead at the 12:59 mark.

Virginia Union (3-5, 3-2 CIAA) tied the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter on a three yard rushing touchdown by Damon Kelly (Orange Park, Md.) and extra point by Troy Krepich (Leesburg, Va.), capping off a nine-play. 41 yard drive.

The Bulldogs put together a 12-play, 82 yard drive on the games very next possession with Brown finding the Panthers end zone again, this time scoring from four yards out.

Bowie State pushed their lead to 21-7 at the 2:09 mark of the second quarter following an interception by junior Anthony McDaniel (Ft. Washington, Md.) at the Panthers 11 yard line. Redshirt junior Khari Lee (Baltimore, Md.) caught a four yard TD bullet for six from Johnston.

Jefferson recorded his seventh touchdown run of the season, scoring on a five yard run with 5:35 left in the third quarter to give the Bulldogs a comfortable 28-7 advantage.

The Bulldogs final points of the game came about following an interception by redshirt sophomore Curtis Pumphrey (Laurel, Md.), his second of the afternoon. Bowie State began the drive at the Virginia Union 35 yard line with 4:21 remaining in the game.

Johnston did most of the damage, rushing for 24 yards and passing for 15 yards, capping off the drive with a seven yard TD run to put the game on ice with 1:19 left on the clock

Brown rushed for 93 yards on 26 carries, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. Johnston went 8-for-20 in the air for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Lee led the Bowie State receivers with four catches for 46 yards and Cropper had to catches for 50 yards.

Senior Delante White (Temple Hills, Md.) led the Bulldogs defense with 13 tackles, while redshirt sophomore Antoine Young added 11 tackles. Senior Dwayne Price (Ft. Washington, Md.) contributed seven tackles and redshirt freshman Kevaugn Townsend (Ft. Washington, Md.) had five tackles in the win.

Eric Shaw (Washington, D.C.) was the leading offensive producer for VUU's Panthers, rushing for 85 yards on 27 carries. Panthers quarterback Kenneth Graham (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) completed 8-of-20 passes for 46 yards. Jamaal Wright caught two of those passes for just six yards. London Byrd (Sanford, Fla.), Tyrell Austin (Miami, Fla.) and Dominique Roane (Richmond, Va.) were tops for the Panthers defense with seven tackles each.

The Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday (November 2nd), taking on The Lincoln University at Bulldogs Stadium at 1 pm. Fifteen seniors will be honored in a special pre-game ceremony.  

Week 9: HBCU ScoreCard

Saturday, October 26, 2013



OVC
#2 Eastern Illinois 34, #21 Tennessee State 16  H

CIAA
Shaw 39, Johnson C. Smith 33  H
#15 Winston-Salem State 40, Livingstone 0 H
Bowie State 34, Virginia Union 7
Virginia State 34, Lincoln (Pa.) 14 H
Fayetteville State 43, Saint Augustine's 19
Elizabeth City State 37, Chowan 31 H O.T.

SIAC
Miles 38, Lane 26  (Thursday)
Stillman 35, Central State (Ohio) 33 (Thursday)
Tuskegee 36, Kentucky State 7
Fort Valley State 52, Concordia -Selma 19  H
Benedict 29, Morehouse 26
Albany State 30, Clark Atlanta 7 H

MEAC
Old Dominion 27, Norfolk State 24
Howard 28, Morgan State 14  H
Hampton 30, Delaware State 7
North Carolina Central 24, Savannah State 10
North Carolina A&T 20, Florida A&M 13 O.T.
Bethune-Cookman 14, South Carolina State 3

SWAC
Arkansas Pine Bluff 38, Mississippi Valley 18 H 
Texas Southern 23, Grambling State 17 O.T.
Alabama State 31, Alabama A&M 7
Jackson State 51, Prairie View A&M 38 at Shreveport, La.
Alcorn State 44, Southern 38 O.T.  H

OTHER CONFERENCES AND INDEPENDENTS
Virginia-Wise 18, West Virginia State 10
Edward Waters 38, Apprentice School 21
#7 Bloomsburg 35, Cheyney 7
Fort Hayes State 45, Lincoln (Mo.) 35
Langston 53, Oklahoma Baptist 7
Bacone 49, Texas College 13 H

(H) Homecoming

EWC Tigers Take Bite Out Of Builders 38-21

NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia  -- Freshman quarterback Taron Williams threw for 134 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a team-high 93 yards as visiting Edward Waters College defeated The Apprentice School 38-21 on Saturday afternoon at Apprentice Field.

Apprentice School forced a turnover on the Tigers first possession to set them up on the Builder 47.  That drive finished with a Joseph Hodge two-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play, 53-yard drive with 10:16 left for a 7-0 Apprentice School lead.

Edward Waters scored as they held the Builders on a fourth down on the Builder 24.  Three plays later Williams found Suwayne Hylton on a 22-yard scoring pass to tie the game with 5:04 left in the first quarter.

The Tigers put two scores on the board in the second quarter as Darryl Campbell scored on a 14-yard run with 13:26 left and Ray Dukes returned a punt 63-yards for a touchdown with nine seconds left in the half to give Edward Waters a 21-7 lead at halftime.

The Builders' special team unit brought the hosts within a touchdown as Tequan Mayfield blocked a punt and Marlon Lane scooped the ball on the Edward Waters 15 and scored for a 21-14 deficit with 4:24 left in the third.

Williams connected with Dukes for a 30-yard touchdown pass for the Tigers with 11:27 left in the game to go up 28-14.  Apprentice School responded with a 65-yard drive finished by a Leonard Leak two-yard run to get back within a touchdown at 28-21 with 9:02 remaining.

The visitors put the game away as Diondre Wynn busted off a 65-yard touchdown run with 7:15 left for a 35-21 lead.  Jerry Martin finished it off for Edward Waters with a 32-yard field goal at the 2:31 mark and a 38-21 score.

Dukes had 284 all-purpose yards for Edward Waters gaining 53 on the ground, 77 in receptions, 84 on kickoff returns and 70 on punt returns.  Williams was 14-of-23 passing as Dukes was his favorite target with nine receptions.

Apprentice School was paced by Hodge with 97 yards while Jonathan Whelan was 12-of-26 for 147 yards and was picked off four times.  Derek Banks was his favorite target catching seven passes for 62 yards.  Brock Bullock had 19 tackles, while Izhia Roundtree added 10 to lead the defense.

BUILDER BITS

• Senior Brock Bullock continued his assault on the tackling record books as he had a game-high 19 tackles.  With those 19 he tied the single season record of Steve Sobczak in 1991 with 109.  Both Bullock and Sobczak had 52 solo and 57 assisted tackles, as Sobczak did it in ten games while Bullock has done it in seven.  Bullock is 22 tackles from the career record of 295 by Sobczak from 1989-91.
• The 97 yards from Hodge is a single-game high this year for an Apprentice School running back.  Leak had 85 against Greensboro College on September 21 as the previous high.
• Lane's scoop-and-score off the Mayfield blocked punt was his second return for a touchdown this year and the sixth time he has scored a touchdown in his career.  He scored on a 92-yard fumble return against Alfred State on September 28.

NEXT UP
The Builders start November with a rematch against Southern Virginia University on November 2 at 1 pm.  The Knights defeated the Builders 34-7 on October 19 in Buena Vista, Va.

FINAL STATS

COURTESY THE APPRENTICE SCHOOL ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TSU: The Battle Begins Upfront

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- Oftentimes the key to winning football games starts with the battle in the trenches. For Tennessee State the defensive line has been a huge part of the success of Big Blue this season.

If you look at the tackles for loss leaders in the OVC, the first four names all have one thing in common; they all play for Tennessee State. On the list are defensive lineman Anthony Bass (9.5), Marquaveus Jackson (8.5) and Samquan Evans (8.0) as well as middle linebacker Nick Thrasher (8.5).

“The best pass defense is the pass rush,” said coach Rod Reed. “When you’re able to put pressure on the passer and make him uneasy in the pocket and move things around, it makes things easier for your secondary.”

Not only does the unit rank highly in tackles for loss they also boast the best pass rusher in the conference in Anthony Bass. The Clarksville, Tenn. native has registered 6.0 sacks on the season in his first full year as a starting defensive end.

Although Bass may appear soft spoken off the field, on the field he’s a quarterback’s nightmare.

“I’m all about business once I step on the field,” said Bass about his focus on gamedays. “It’s just a mindset to get to the quarterback.”

But it isn’t just Bass that’s getting to opponents quarterbacks, the unit as a whole has an OVC leading 23 sacks, including four in last week’s 29-15 win over UT Martin. 

Along with Bass’s league leading total, Jackson ranks fifth in the conference with 4.5 sacks and fellow defensive end Antonio Harper has the seventh best league total, 3.5 sacks.

The group has grown together from offseason workouts to where they are now and they say that those long days in the heat built their bond on the field.

“It just shows me the grind in the offseason pays off and that everybody was really working hard to meet one common goal, to win a championship,” said Evans. “I could tell by each of every defensive lineman workouts it was going to be a great season.”

Even when the unit makes mistakes, they know with the teammates around them plays will be made in their place. It’s the ultimate trust.

“I know they got my back all the time,” Evans said about his fellow lineman.  ”I know if I miss my tackle I know somebody is right there like a split second away, not even a split second, like the lowest millisecond you could ever think of."

According to coach Reed the reason for the unit’s success is simple, yet for opposing offenses it’s the most complex to stop.

“They’re relentless, they’re just refusing to be blocked right now,” Reed said.

For defensive coordinators it’s a dream come true to see the time the opponents quarterback has to find open receivers diminishes.

“We’re blessed to have them,” said co-defensive coordinator Justin Roberts.  ”It makes you feel good on the backend knowing you’re going to have pressure on the quarterback and get him to make some bad decisions.”

The Tigers’ defensive backs have capitalized on the mistakes by the pressured signal callers, to a tune of an OVC best eight interceptions, with three returned for touchdowns.

Most importantly the defense as a whole ranks second in total defense nationally for FCS programs. It was only last week the Tigers laid claim to the best defense in the entire country.

‘We’re going to come back and get the number one spot,” said Bass, knowing the challenge that presents itself this afternoon.

Today, the Big Blue defense will face their toughest challenge yet, Eastern Illinois. The Panthers offensive pedigree is just as impressive as the Tigers’ defensive prowess. As a team, their offense is the FCS’ elite team ranking first in total offense and boasting the best quarterback, statistics wise, in the country in Jimmy Garoppolo and the country’s best receiver in Erik Lora.

On the year, the senior signal caller has compiled 2,735 yards passing along with an FCS leading 31 touchdown passes. Graoppolo’s favorite target Erik Lora ranks third in the country with 928 yards receiving and an FCS best 13 touchdowns.

So once again the defensive unit has to prove they’re up to the task, something they’ve done all season, and like all those tasks they expect to exceed expectations just as they’ve done time and time again.

”Our defense is better than their offense that’s all I’m going to say,” Evans said about today’s matchup. ”I hope (Garoppolo) is ready because he’s going to be in a world of trouble come Saturday.”

If the stats are any indication; today’s matchup of strengths should be one for the ages and Tennessee State’s defensive line will be a huge factor in determining the outcome. Which is something they don’t mind at all.

“We’re going to go out and do our jobs and when it’s time for plays to be made by the defensive line, we’re going to go out and make those plays,” Bass said.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Quick read: Alcorn State at Southern

Storyline: Contender or pretender?

Southern has won four of its last five contests, all conference matchups. However, of the four victories, only one has come against a team with a winning conference record (Prairie View). The other teams are a combined 3-12 in conference play. Southern’s lone loss in that stretch came to Eastern Division front-runner Jackson State, which defeated the Jaguars 19-14 last month. Alcorn State, which enters with a 4-1 SWAC record, has yet to defeat a conference foe with a winning record. Saturday presents a big opportunity for both teams to separate the pretenders from the contenders.

Keep an eye on: How SU holds up against the run

Alcorn State boasts the conference’s second-best rusher statistically in Arnold Walker, who averages 88.6 yards per contest. Southern has held up relatively well in recent weeks in stopping the run after a dreadful start to the season. Walker and the Alcorn State rushing attack is perhaps the best unit the Jaguars defense has faced since the Prairie View game and will certainly test Southern to see if the improvement is legitimate.

Key matchup: Southern WRs vs. Alcorn State DBs

CONTINUE READING

Grambling alumni group approaches ex-Southern coach Pete Richardson

COACH PETE RICHARDSON

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  -- Can you imagine Pete Richardson coaching Grambling’s football team?

In the black and gold? Not in the blue and gold?

It could happen.

A prominent Grambling alumni group has reached out to Richardson about becoming the school’s next head football coach. And Richardson is considering the opportunity, although he has yet to interview for the job or discuss the position with the athletic director or coaching search committee.

“It would be difficult,” Richardson said. “Especially since I accomplished so much at the other school. To go into a rival situation, it would be a little difficult.”

Richardson has been out of coaching since being fired by Southern in December 2009 with one year left on his contract — and without ever getting to work out of an office in the field house he lobbied so long for the school to build.

CONTINUE READING

Magic City Classic could be decided in the trenches (w/videos)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- For all the glitz and glam, the pregame press conferences, the luncheons, the parties and the events, that come along with the Magic City Classic, the game itself, like most others, will likely come down to the action that occurs on the most gory part of the field---the trenches.

Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said his team will face the largest offensive line it's seen thus far this season seen when it squares off against arch rival Alabama A&M in the 72^nd Annual State Farm Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola at historic Legion Field Saturday at 2:30 p.m.



"They're big across the board," Barlow said. "Which means they're going to probably try to pound the ball on us. They've got some big guys and it's going to be a challenge to fight and get off blocks against these big offensive linemen."

And the Bulldogs' (2-5, 2-3) front five will be challenged as well. The Hornets (5-2, 5-1) possess what could be the most mobile, agile and hostile pair of defensive tackles in all of the Southwestern Athletic Conference in juniors 6-foot-3, 305-pound Justin Mitchell and 6-2, 310-pound Derrick Billups.

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Timing works out perfect for Oak Ridge and former coach Elijah Williams, who returns tonight

Following upheaval involving Ricky Watters, Oak Ridge looks for return to normalcy

ORLANDO, Florida (Oct. 18, 2013) --  The Orlando Oak Ridge football team will be under the direction of its third head coach in six games, and fourth in six months, Friday night when Elijah Williams takes over as the Pioneers' coach.

Williams confirmed the hiring Thursday afternoon. He will lead Oak Ridge against East River. 
 
Williams, who guided Oak Ridge to a 30-14 record in four seasons as the head coach, left this past spring to take on the position of running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida A&M in Tallahassee.

The Oak Ridge program has gone through a topsy-turvy change in command during the first two months of the school year and it's a situation to which school officials are hoping to bring a bit more normalcy by bringing back Williams.

The coach happened to be in town this week to deal with a family matter and had dropped by the school for a visit. During that visit the possibility of him returning was presented by school officials. 

Williams, who coached at Oak Ridge from 2008-2012, the first year being as an assistant coach, will also regain his former duties as girls basketball coach for the Pioneers.

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FAMU Running backs coach Williams resigns

Elijah Williams
(Courtesy FAMU Athletics)
 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  (Oct. 24, 2013) -- One day after Holmes said he expected running backs coach Elijah Williams to return to his staff, FAMU’s athletic department issued a statement saying that Williams has resigned effective immediately. The statement said Williams has a pressing family issue that requires his presence in Orlando.

“I brought him in to help our running backs, and thus far, they have performed well this season,” Holmes said. “At the same time, me being a family man myself, we discussed his situation and it is truly unfortunate. I support his return to central Florida to be with his family.

“It speaks volumes of his character to put his own dreams and aspirations on hold for the betterment of his family.”

CONTINUE READING