THE GAME
When: 1:04 p.m. today
Where: Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium
Records: Tuskegee (2-0); Winston-Salem State (0-2)
On the air: TV – ESPN3; Radio – Tuskegee Sports Network
Twitter: @mgmsports @MyTUAthletics
FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY
1. Benchmark game: One of the few teams he hasn’t registered a win against, Tuskegee coach Willie Slater is 0-2 against Winston-Salem State. The Rams played in the 2012 Division II National Championship, a place the Golden Tigers hope to get this season. Slater said this game will be a measuring stick for his squad.
“They’re a very good football program. Their program is where we want to be. They’ve played for the national championship before, and we’d like to be in that position at some point,” Slater said. “It’s going to be a benchmark for us to be able to play on the same plane they’re playing on.”
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Saturday, September 19, 2015
North Carolina Central vs. FIU Preview: Taking Care of Business
MIAMI, Florida -- Looking at the 2015 FIU home opener against North Carolina Central brings to mind the phrase, "taking care of business" or the song of the same name by BTO (Bachman-Turner Overdrive). As far as I know Fred Turner, the Turner in BTO, is no relation to FIU coach Ron Turner.
The reason "taking care of business" comes to mind is because if FIU does what it is supposed to do in Saturday's game then the Panthers will win and be 2-1 heading into its Conference USA opener at Louisiana Tech next Saturday.
First of all FIU cannot turn the ball over like it did last week at Indiana. Considering the Panthers and Eagles teams, turnovers are about the only thing that can keep NCC in Saturday's game.
NCC is 1-1 and is the co-defending MEAC champion, but they have holes on their squad. The FIU offense should be able to exploit an inexperienced NCC defensive line with a combination of Alex Gardner and Anthon Samuel. NCC gives up 160 rushing yards per game. By running the ball effectively, FIU will give quarterback Alex McGough time to operate through the air and keep his jersey clean as well.
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The reason "taking care of business" comes to mind is because if FIU does what it is supposed to do in Saturday's game then the Panthers will win and be 2-1 heading into its Conference USA opener at Louisiana Tech next Saturday.
First of all FIU cannot turn the ball over like it did last week at Indiana. Considering the Panthers and Eagles teams, turnovers are about the only thing that can keep NCC in Saturday's game.
NCC is 1-1 and is the co-defending MEAC champion, but they have holes on their squad. The FIU offense should be able to exploit an inexperienced NCC defensive line with a combination of Alex Gardner and Anthon Samuel. NCC gives up 160 rushing yards per game. By running the ball effectively, FIU will give quarterback Alex McGough time to operate through the air and keep his jersey clean as well.
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XU's Salwan, Chakma to play for titles at HBCU National Tennis Championships
COLLEGE PARK, Georgia — Xavier University of Louisiana's men's tennis team will play for a pair of titles in singles Saturday and possibly two more in doubles at the HBCU National Championships.
XU newcomer Karan Salwan will meet Bethune-Cookman's Alexander Chepik at 9 a.m. EDT in the A-flight final. Salwan defeated North Carolina Central's Kert Kilumets 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals Friday and Bluefield State's Jacob Carey 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals. This is Salwan's first XU tournament after transferring from Utah State, where he was all-conference.
Chepik eliminated XU's Kyle Montrel 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in the semifinals. Montrel beat North Carolina A&T's Dre Jarmon 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.
The other Gold Rush finalist is Manav Chakma in the B-flight consolation bracket. Chakma defeated Howard's Myron Davis 8-2, North Carolina A&T's George Tojeda 8-1 and Tennessee State's Kyle Burton 8-5. Chakma will play Bethune-Cookman's Greg Almeida for the title at 9 a.m.
Salwan and Tushar Mandlekar reached the A-flight doubles semifinals with an 8-2 victory against A&T's Jarmon and John Wilson. The XU team will play Hampton's Luke Thompson and Matthew Foster-Estwick at 11 a.m.
Playing in the other half of that doubles bracket at 11 a.m. will be Montrel and Kevin Chaouat against Florida A&M's Walner Espinoza and Courage Okungbowa. Chaouat and Montrel defeated Bluefield State's Carey and Aziz Yuldashev 8-2 in the quarters.
Chakma and Adam Albrecht will meet Shaw's Guido Margiotta and Mauricio Gonzalez in the B-flight doubles semifinals. Chakma and Albrecht defeated Florida A&M's Heme Hasona and Jalen Evans 8-4 in the round of 16 and A&T's Tojeda and Brett Cobert 8-3 in the quarterfinals.
Sha'Nel Bruins had the best run for XU's women. She won three matches in the singles C-flight before losing 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals to FAMU's Arrice Robinson. Bruins defeated Bethune-Cookman's Ancia Fill 7-5, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Albany State looks to rebound against Stillman
ALBANY, Georgia — There’s good news and bad news for the Albany State football team.The bad news is they’re 0-2.
The good news, depending on if you’re a glass half-full-type person, is that both games have been decided by less than two touchdowns. And in both games, the Rams seemed to be the biggest detriment to themselves.
As they host Stillman tonight at 7 p.m. at the Albany State University Coliseum and seek their first win of the season, head coach Dan Land is optimistic. After the heartbreaking loss to Tuskegee, he said he feels one of the biggest things they’ll have do is get out of their own way.
“I see we’re still beating ourselves,” he said. “We’re making mistakes and we’re giving up points that we shouldn’t give up,” he said. “We did it to ourselves and we’ve got to continue working and getting better at that…we didn’t play bad, we’ve just gotta play better.”
To do that, the Rams need to be sharper and focused from the opening kick. In both games, ASU allowed teams to return the opening kick inside their 20 yard line. From there Valdosta State and Tuskegee went on to score in the opening two minutes, forcing the Rams to play catchup.
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Notebook: Marshall QB battle changes nothing for Spartans
NORFOLK, Virginia -- The quarterback shuffle at Marshall has not affected how Norfolk State has prepared for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. game in Huntington, W.Va.Thundering Herd coach Doc Holliday announced this week that he’ll use both junior Michael Birdsong, a transfer from James Madison who was intercepted twice in last week’s 21-10 loss at Ohio, and true freshman Chase Litton, who doesn’t have a college snap to his credit.
First-year NSU coach Latrell Scott, though, said the news didn’t alter his approach.
“They’re similar athletically,” said Scott, who was on JMU’s staff while Birdsong was there.
“I think they’re probably trying to create some consistency and some competition at the same time.”
While junior Greg Hankerson has won the competition to be NSU’s quarterback, the Spartans also seek consistency. Their offense has been lethargic at times and explosive in short bursts at others.
In last week’s rain-soaked 24-10 loss at Old Dominion, NSU took a 10-7 lead in the second quarter but failed to score in three trips into ODU territory in the second half.
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Friday, September 18, 2015
Bobby Bowden offers FAMU a Football foundation-building idea from 1981
ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s 36-0 loss to South Carolina State on Thursday again exposed a few realities. At the top of the list is a gap in talent between the Rattlers and their first three opponents.
To be successful, the level of talent does not need to equal that of FAMU legends like Bob Hayes, Willie Gallimore, Ken Riley, Glen Edwards or Hewritt Dixon. In the era of ESPN and today’s integrated universities, players of that caliber receive offers from elite Division 1-FBS programs.
New Coach Alex Wood is the latest to take on the task of rebuilding. For all we know, he may have football smarts and leadership characteristics equal to legends such as Jake Gaither or Rudy Hubbard. That will be determined much later.
FAMU fans and alumni want to see wins. With a record of 10-25 over the past three years, the Athletics Department wants both that and the revenue provided by increased home attendance that comes with winning.
Milton Overton, Jr. has been Athletic Director for all of three months. He understood from the first day that a successful football program is the tide that lifts all boats within an entire athletic department.
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Jackson State’s Jairus Moll looking forward to Southern Game
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- When Harold Jackson returned two years ago to coach at his alma mater Jackson State, he began the process of identifying his personnel and almost immediately gravitated toward an undersized but talented wide receiver.
In many ways Jackson, a five-time All-Pro wide receiver who spent 16 years in the NFL with five teams, saw a lot of himself in wideout Jairus Moll and continues to sing the praises of the former West St. John standout.
“When I first set eyes on him on the practice field, he was the guy I picked out when I got here,” Jackson said. “I was a small guy that played in the league, and he’s a small guy. I thought he was a football player. He’s made a lot of plays for us. He’s a great receiver.”
Because of a season-ending injury that cost Moll his entire sophomore season, the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder gets his first opportunity to oppose Southern (1-1, 1-0 in SWAC) in Mumford Stadium when Jackson State (0-2, 0-0) visits Saturday for a 5 p.m. kickoff.
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GSU wants to ‘answer the call’ against Alabama State
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- For a program that rarely concerns itself with the past, Grambling is well aware of a 2014 loss that eventually led to the Tigers missing out on the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division title.Winners of seven straight games at the time, Grambling dropped a 37-23 home game to Alabama State late in the season. The loss trickled over into the Bayou Classic later that month where the Tigers came up short in the final seconds.
“They came down here last year and we didn’t answer the call,” Grambling offensive line coach Reggie Nelson said. “They started the losing streak, and that’s what I remember.”
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Alcorn prepares for tough matchup against Mississippi Valley
LORMAN, Mississippi -- Alcorn’s Southwestern Athletic Conference title defense is put to the test against Mississippi Valley Saturday in Lorman. The Braves are coming off a win against Alabama State, where they showed their domineering strength to kick off their conference opener. The defense was able to contain the Hornets passing game only allowing 99 yards, but gave up 137 yards on the ground. The Braves hurt themselves with 15 penalties costing them 141 yards in the process.
Valley always presents a tough matchup for Alcorn so they’re not taking this game lightly. Playing a ranked team like Georgia Tech in his season opener prepared the Braves for tough games later in the season.
“We know we always got to be prepared and ready, because it’s always a battle. The Booker (Chambers) kid made a couple of nice plays Thursday night,” Alcorn coach Jay Hopson said during his SWAC teleconference reflecting on Valley’s game against Southern University.
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Xavier's Reuther, Pirkl earn GCAC Player of Week awards
NEW ORLEANS — For the third time in four weeks, Xavier University of Louisiana received two of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's three weekly volleyball awards. Taylor Reuther is the Attacker of the Week, and Franziska Pirkl is the Setter of the Week for Sept. 7-13. The GCAC announced the awards Tuesday.
Reuther, a senior outside hitter from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School, had 10 kills, 11 digs and hit .308 in her only match of the week, a three-set GCAC home victory (25-15, 25-14, 25-21) against Talladega. Reuther extended her school record with her 44th career double-double.
Pirkl, a senior setter from Munich, Germany, and a graduate of Theodolinden Gymnasium, had two kills, six digs and 16 assists against Talladega and three kills, six digs and 20 assists in a 25-15, 25-14, 25-15 GCAC road victory against Edward Waters. Pirkl, the GCAC leader in assists per set, helped Xavier extend its win streak against GCAC opponents to 61 matches. The Gold Nuggets' GCAC regular-season win streak is 50.
Pirkl is the Setter of the Week for the second time this season. This is the first Attacker of the Week award for Reuther, who was GCAC Player of the Week six times from 2011-13 and redshirted in 2014.Xavier (6-4, 2-0 GCAC) will play Tougaloo at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in a conference match at the Convocation Center. Admission is free.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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UAPB defensive end forces taunters to change tune
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Jontrell Lockett has started two games for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and in each one he's heard similar things coming from the opposing offensive line as he got into his stance at defensive end.
"Fifty-three, you're too small. You're too small," Lockett said of the comments directed toward him from South Carolina State and Morehouse College players. "I'm like, 'Just play ball. Watch and see.'"
Lockett has gotten the last laugh in his first two starts in a career that began in 2011.
Up next
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
VS. TEXAS SOUTHERN
WHEN 6 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Golden Lion Stadium, Pine Bluff
RECORDS UAPB 1-1; Texas Southern 1-1
RADIO KUAP-FM, 89.7, in Pine Bluff
INTERNET uapblionsroar.com
The 6-1, 295-pound senior had three sacks in a 29-27 overtime victory over Morehouse last week and one in a season-opening loss to South Carolina State. The senior from New Orleans also has forced 1 fumble and has 3 tackles for loss to go along with his 4 sackswhile bolstering one of UAPB's biggest points of emphasis.
UAPB ranked ninth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference last season with 20 total sacks, and Lockett's four sacks through two games this season would have ranked second for the Golden Lions for all of last season.
"We need that pass rush," Coach Monte Coleman said. "We need it bad."
Compilation of the highlights from UAPB vs. Morehouse. 9-12-15
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Pace, August repeat as GCAC XC Runners of Week
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana cross country standouts Brianna Pace and Christopher August were repeat winners Tuesday of Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runner of the Week awards.
Pace won for the second consecutive week, and August did it a third straight time.
Pace, a freshman from Junction City, Kan., and a graduate of Junction City High School, ran 5,000 meters in 21 minutes, 49.3 seconds Saturday to finish 11th at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Festival. Pace finished ahead of 15 runners from NCAA Division I and led the Gold Nuggets to the team championship among non-NCAA Division I schools. Her time was nearly 10 seconds faster than previous best.
August, a junior from Spring, Texas, and a graduate of Klein Collins High School, placed 20th in the men's division at the Sugar Bowl meet with a 5K time of 18:09. August was the second NAIA finisher in the meet and the first from the three GCAC schools entered.
August is the fourth Gold Rush harrier to be named GCAC Runner of the Week three or more times in a season. Former teammate Kwame Jackson won the award a conference-record six times a year ago.
Xavier has earned 69 GCAC Runner of the Week awards, 40 by the Gold Rush, since the awards were instituted in 2008.Both XU teams will compete Saturday in the LSU Invitational at Highland Road Park in Baton Rouge, La. Both collegiate races will be 5Ks, with the women staring at 8:05 a.m. and the men running at 9:15.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XU tennis wins six times against NCAA Division I
COLLEGE PARK, Georgia — NAIA power Xavier University of Louisiana earned six victories against NCAA Division I opponents and advanced seven players to singles quarterfinals in the main draw of the HBCU National Tennis Championships.
Karan Salwan, in his first XU match after transferring from Utah State, defeated Howard's William Jones 6-3, 6-1 to reach the men's A-flight quarterfinals. Teammate Kyle Montrel, seeded second in that bracket, defeated Shaw's Daniel Ac 6-3 7-6. Tushar Mandlekar reached the men's B quarterfinals by beating Hampton's Matthew Foster-Estwick 6-4, 7-6.
In the men's C bracket, Kevin Chaouat defeated Hampton's Johsua McQueen 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8), and Adam Albrecht beat Shaw's Mauricio Gonzalez 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5) to reach the quarterfinals. Hampton and Howard are NCAA DI members.
In women's C singles, Sha'Nel Bruins beat Taylor Wilson of Tuskegee 6-2, 6-0 and Howard's Margie Funches 6-1, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals. Dasia Harris beat Phylicia Hemphill of DI Tennessee State 2-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-7) in the first round before losing 7-5, 6-0 to Bluefield State's aura Hernandez in the round of 16.
Also advancing to the quarterfinals was Caroline Vernet, who had a bye in the women's A bracket. Vernet will play Hampton's Kristina Titova at 8 a.m. EDT Friday.
XavieSr's other victory against NCAA DI occurred in women's B doubles, where Bruins and Jana van der Walt defeated North Carolina A&T's Angelica Ochoe and Nadia Hilton 8-2 to reach the round of 16.The Gold Nuggets' Brandi Nelson, seeded first in B singles, lost 7-5, 6-1 to Tennessee State's Pragait Natraj in the round of 16.
The tournament, Xavier's first of the fall season, will conclude Saturday.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Friday Night Lights: 2015 AT&T Nation's Football Classic
Washington, D.C. -- Hampton Coach Connell Maynor & Howard Coach Gary Harrell talk to Mark Gray about their rivalry being played at RFK Stadium in the 5th edition of this Black College Football Classic. Yes, the game will be nationally televised at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Be there!
S.C. State shuts out Florida A&M, 36-0
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State Bulldogs football team got the medicine that cures all ills on Thursday night at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium – a win to start conference play.
Opening the MEAC schedule, SCSU got back to doing what this team has to do to be successful this season, getting a 36-0 win against Florida A&M. It was a great way to move on from Saturday’s 41-14 home loss to FCS top-ranked Coastal Carolina.
“This is exactly what the doctor ordered for us,” SCSU head coach Buddy Pough said afterwards. “We showed some signs of life on offense, our quarterback is improving by leaps and bounds every day, and we ran the ball very well.”
The vaunted defense stood strong, senior tailback Jalen “Scoot” Simmons (190 yards on 16 carries) helped establish a solid ground game, and freshman quarterback Caleb York managed the offense for a win in his second collegiate start.
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Opening the MEAC schedule, SCSU got back to doing what this team has to do to be successful this season, getting a 36-0 win against Florida A&M. It was a great way to move on from Saturday’s 41-14 home loss to FCS top-ranked Coastal Carolina.
“This is exactly what the doctor ordered for us,” SCSU head coach Buddy Pough said afterwards. “We showed some signs of life on offense, our quarterback is improving by leaps and bounds every day, and we ran the ball very well.”
The vaunted defense stood strong, senior tailback Jalen “Scoot” Simmons (190 yards on 16 carries) helped establish a solid ground game, and freshman quarterback Caleb York managed the offense for a win in his second collegiate start.
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Thursday, September 17, 2015
NSU Spartans Cap Non-Conference Schedule at Marshall
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State (0-2) concludes its three-game road swing against Football Bowl Subdivision teams to begin the year with perhaps its most difficult test yet, a road contest at defending Conference USA champion Marshall (1-1). Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. from Marshall's Joan C. Edwards Stadium. It will be NSU's second-ever trip to the Mountain state as a Division I team, following a 2011 visit to face No. 19 West Virginia, a game the Mountaineers won, 55-12 after trailing 12-10 at halftime.
TELEVISION
American Sports Network (ASN) will broadcast the game Saturday with Ron Thulin handling play-by-play duties, Keith Moreland serving as color analyst and Monica McNutt on the sideline. The game can be seen on MyTVZ in Hampton Roads (Channel 2 and 502 on Cox Cable, 11 and 511 on Verizon Fios, 33 over the air, on DISH Network and DirecTV). For a complete listing of where you can find the game in your area, see the link at the top of this page.
RADIO
WGH Star 1310 AM is in its second season as the flagship network for NSU football and basketball games. Ross Gordon will handle the play-by-play duties, with Terrell Ducre' serving as the color analyst. The game can also be heard online at www.star1310.com.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU fell to 0-2 on the year following a 24-10 setback last Saturday at cross-town foe Old Dominion. The Spartans led 10-7 in the second quarter, but were unable to score on any of three trips inside ODU territory in the second half. The Monarchs rushed for 338 yards, 215 by Ray Lawry, to pull away.
Quarterback Greg Hankerson Jr. rushed for 74 yards and passed for 163 for NSU, which had 266 yards of total offense. Quinta Funderburk notched career highs of six receptions for 92 yards. NSU scored its only points on a 27-yard Cameron Marouf field goal early in the second quarter, and a 32-yard blocked punt return for touchdown by defensive lineman Hadji Gaylord.
Deon King registered a career-high 21 tackles for the NSU defense. Donte' Haynesworth recorded his first career interception, while Leroy Parker (12), Brandon Walker (10) and Lamar Neal (10) also reached double figures in tackles.
SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD
Marshall committed four turnovers and allowed 229 yards on the ground in a 21-10 loss at Ohio University last Saturday, evening the Herd's record at 1-1 on the season. Devon Johnson ran for 170 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, to lead Marshall. Quarterback Michael Birdsong, a James Madison transfer starting his second career game for the Herd, completed 16-of-33 passes for 106 yards and two interceptions.
Leading 14-10 in the fourth quarter, Ohio put together a 15-play, 85-yard drive that ended with A.J. Ouellette's 1-yard scoring run with 2:05 left to play, which all but sealed the final outcome.
THE SERIES
• This will be the first meeting all-time between NSU and Marshall.
• The game marks the end of NSU's three straight FBS games to open the season. The Spartans are 0-9 all-time against FBS teams, including losses to Rutgers and Old Dominion to begin the year.
GAYLORD NAMED MEAC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NSU freshman Hadji Gaylord was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday, the league office announced. Gaylord blocked a punt and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown in NSU's 24-10 loss at Old Dominion on Saturday night, accounting for the Spartans' only touchdown early in the second quarter.
Gaylord had a solid all-round performance. Making his first career start at defensive end, he also finished with five tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry against ODU. Gaylord is the first Spartan to win weekly MEAC honors this season.
STAFF CONNECTION
Norfolk State defensive coordinator Jerry Holmes played with Marshall head coach Doc Holliday at West Virginia in the late 1970s. Those two, along with Marshall offensive coordinator Bill Legg, also coached together at WVU in the mid and late-1990s.
Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
SSU’s Handler to start at QB against Akron
SAVANNAH, Georgia – Freshman David Handler will start at quarterback for Savannah State University against Akron on Saturday, SSU head coach Earnest Wilson III said.It will be the first collegiate start for Handler, who replaces sophomore Tino Smith, who will be out with a broken hand for Saturday's game.
"Tino is going to be out for four weeks," Wilson said of the 6-foot-2, 215-pound sophomore from Carmel, Ind. "Handler can throw well. He is very intelligent. He's just inexperienced. Handler played last week so it's not like we're going in with someone without any experience."
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Handler replaced Smith against Colorado State and finished 3-of-8 passing for 18 yards. Handler, a native of Culver City, Calif., ran six times for minus-17 yards.
"I think what (Handler) has to do is learn to control the game," Wilson said. "He has to slow the game down in his head. He has to go through his reads. He has to go through his checks. If he does that, I think he'll be just fine."
SSU (0-1) will play Akron (0-2) at noon Saturday at InfoCision Stadium in Akron, Ohio. This is the first meeting between the teams. The game will be webcast on ESPN3.com and radio-broadcast on WHCJ 90.3 FM.
Wilson said Handler has an opportunity to earn the starting job permanently. Senior Ker-Sean Wilson, who played at quarterback last season before moving to wide receiver, will remain at receiver, Wilson said. Junior Leon Prunty, who has seen action at quarterback during his career, is not eligible for SSU's first four games, Wilson said.
"We haven't had consistency at quarterback in three years," said Wilson, who is in his third season at the helm. "That's been a really big disappointment. In order to be a good football team, we've got to find that quarterback. Some people thought I was substituting quarterbacks, which I wasn't. They were always injured. We're not a program that will advertise that. We feel like we've been snake-bit a little bit at quarterback. I hope we can overcome all of this."
SSU AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Among Football Championship Subdivision teams, SSU leads the nation in red zone offense (1.000). The Tigers are No. 3 in turnover margin (3.00) and fumbles recovered (4.0). SSU is No. 22 in fourth-down conversions (0.667).
Junior kicker John Barron leads the nation in field goal percentage (1.000). He is No. 2 in field goals per game (2.00).
SOLID DEFENSIVE LINE
Wilson praised the performance of SSU's defensive line against Colorado State. He said right defensive end Edward Goubadia, nose tackle Jovanta Mobley and left defensive end Connor Christian were exceptional.
"I think we've got a good defensive line," Wilson said. "They showed the most production that we've had in two years. I thought the young DBs played somewhat well. I think the linebackers, if they would just step up more, make more tackles and get more aggressive, it would really help everyone."
IMPROVING OFFENSIVE LINE
Wilson said he was encouraged by the performance of SSU's offensive line against Colorado State. Left guard Jerome Maddox (freshman), left tackle Afolabi Ayangbayi (junior), center James Livingston (freshman), right guard Devon Stainrod (senior) and right tackle Sean Fogarty (freshman) are becoming a cohesive unit.
"We thought that we played decent up front, considering that we had three freshmen, one senior and one junior on the offensive line," Wilson said. "We played with a host of freshmen on the defensive line but we held our own. Our problem is that we've got to get the skill positions to step up. We've got to get the quarterback position to have better leadership and learning how to control a football game. When we do that, Savannah State will win a lot of football games."
SSU, which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, will attempt to snap a 24-game losing streak. The Tigers' last victory was a 27-20 decision against NCAA Division II Fort Valley State on Sept. 14, 2013.
WANTED: PLAYMAKERS AT RECEIVER
SSU had seven players combine for 10 catches and 100 yards against Colorado State. Nicholas Carrera, Derek Kirkland and Ker-Sean Wilson each had two catches apiece.
"We have young guys there," Earnest Wilson said. "They need to learn to sit down in the zone. I think they need to be more consistent. We've got to get some playmakers out there. Right now, we don't have any playmakers at receiver."
SSU LINEBACKERS
Last season, SSU's linebackers were widely considered to be the team's greatest strength. This season, following a 65-13 loss to Colorado State on Sept. 5 and then a bye week last week to think about it, Wilson called out his linebacker corps this week.
"I wasn't very happy with the linebackers," he said. "That's a group I thought would do well. Right now, they're underachievers. They were cut (blocked) a lot. They were not very aggressive. They gave up 6.6 yards per carry. I told my defense that I'm tired of them just being a defense. We have too many skilled players who are not stepping up. If we really wanted to be, we could be a great defense."
AKRON OUTLOOK
Akron, which competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Mid-American Conference, is coming off a 24-7 loss to Pittsburgh last Saturday. The Zips fell, 41-3, to Oklahoma in their Sept. 5 season opener.
"They're 0-2 right now," Wilson said. "They played Oklahoma and they played Pitt. They played Pitt pretty tough last week. They have a two-quarterback system. One can run it, the other one can throw it."
The Zips are coached by Terry Bowden, who is in his fourth season at the helm. The former Auburn head coach guided Akron to a 5-7 record last season.
The Zips have 14 transfers: senior running back Donnell Alexander (Colorado State), senior offensive lineman Tommy Brown (Ohio State), sophomore quarterback Tra'Von Chapman (Pittsburgh), redshirt junior cornerback Wedley Charles (Hiram), redshirt senior defensive lineman Rodney Coe (Iowa State), redshirt sophomore wide receiver A.J. Coney (Weber State), junior defensive back Larry Hope (Miami, Fla.), redshirt senior defensive back Bryce Jones (Boston College), sophomore offensive lineman Josh Krok (Kentucky), redshirt junior defensive lineman Jamal Marcus (Ohio State), senior linebacker Darryl Monroe (Washington State), junior defensive lineman Se'Von Pittman (Ohio State), junior offensive lineman Xavier Quigley (Western Iowa) and sophomore athlete Anthony Young (Indiana).
Akron will be without backup quarterback Kyle Pohl, who suffered a head-to-head hit against Pittsburgh and was sidelined. Chapman, a sophomore, is the starting quarterback.
"We don't know how (serious) it is, but it's a head injury and we have to be very, very cautious," Bowden told reporters during his news conference Tuesday. "In today's game, we're very cautious of head injuries to make sure at least for a week (that he's OK). We re-evaluate after."
Pohl, a senior, will be replaced by sophomore Thomas Woodson as the backup.
"Woodson's getting a lot of reps," Bowden said. "There's a lot of things when you're dealing with Woodson. He's had a lot more at-bats with things we do than Tra'Von Chapman, but it gives us two guys who are at least probably more similar in the way they do things."
Chapman was 0-of-8 passing against Oklahoma but he was the Zips' leading rusher with 48 yards on 14 carries. Chapman was 4-of-14 passing for 29 yards against Pittsburgh.
Woodson ran three times for 30 yards against Oklahoma.
COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
NCCU Football Weekly Press Conference: Week 3 at FIU
DURHAM, North Carolina -- The North Carolina Central University football team held its weekly press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 15 leading up to the Eagles' matchup at Florida International on Saturday, Sept. 19. Hear from head coach Jerry Mack as he addresses the media.
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Hampton Pirates Gearing Up for AT&T Nation's Football Classic
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Hampton University football team will compete in the AT&T Nation's Football Classic on Friday evening at historic RFK Stadium, taking on rival Howard to open MEAC play. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Live Stats: Click here.
Radio: WHOV 88.1 FM/HSRN.
TV: ESPNU.
Last Time Out: The Pirates (1-1), in their second season under head coach Connell Maynor, are coming off a 31-28 loss to Richmond despite three touchdown passes from quarterback David Watford, while the Bison (0-2) are coming off a 76-0 loss this past weekend at Boston College.
Coach Speak: "(The Richmond game) was a test to let us know where we were, where we stack up against FCS opponents, and we know we can play with anybody. (Being on national TV) means a lot. It means a lot of exposure for our conference and our program – for our players to represent Hampton University and the MEAC at a high level."
Coach Maynor on Howard: "They're not gonna quit. They play hard. They've been over-matched the first two games (against FBS programs Appalachian State and Boston College). But they've beat us the last four years, so they have confidence playing against us. We expect them to come out hard, ready to play, and expecting to win."
The Series: The Pirates are 47-43-1 all-time against Howard, though the Bison have won each of the last four meetings – including a 30-29 defeat in Washington, D.C. last season. Prior to Howard four-game winning streak in the series, the Pirates had won 14 straight games against the Bison. Overall, the Pirates are 4-2 against Howard on a neutral field.
Pirates on Neutral Fields: Hampton last played on a neutral field in 2011, opening that season in Chicago, Ill. with a 21-20 win over Alabama A&M. Prior to that, the Pirates' last neutral-field game came in the 2008 MEAC'SWAC Challenge, when Hampton defeated Jackson State 17-13 in Orlando, Fla. Dating back to 2003, the Pirates have won their last nine neutral-field contests.
Pirates Against the MEAC: The Pirates are 200-175-6 all-time against schools currently competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after going 2-6 in league play last season – boasting wins over Delaware State and Bethune-Cookman. Hampton is 10-10 against Bethune-Cookman; 26-14 against Delaware State; 8-13 against Florida A&M; 47-43-1 against Howard; 24-37-2 against Morgan State; 25-26-1 against Norfolk State; 26-16-2 against North Carolina A&T; 18-7 against North Carolina Central; 5-0 against Savannah State; and 11-8 against South Carolina State. Since joining the MEAC in 1995, the Pirates have won the conference championship five times, including three straight in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Pirates Picked to Finish Sixth: The MEAC preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, picked the Pirates to finish sixth this season. In addition, the Pirates landed eight players on the conference's preseason teams, headlined Mixson, defensive lineman Miles Grooms, linebacker Joshua Thorne, and punter Christian Faber-Kinney – all of whom were First Team selections. Four Pirates were named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC: offensive lineman Michael Young, defensive lineman Charles Owens, wideout Rashawn Proctor, and offensive lineman Torrian White.
Counting To 1,000: This Friday's game against rival Howard will be the 1,000th in the history of Hampton University football. Heading into Friday's game, the Pirates are 549-416-34 all-time (a .550 winning percentage).
Quarterback Returns Home: For Watford, who transferred to the Pirates from the University of Virginia, Hampton is home. Watford played his high school football at nearby Hampton High, totaling over 3,000 yards as a senior en route to All-District and All-Region honors. He did not throw an interception that season, guiding the Crabbers to an 11-2 record – the only losses coming to eventual state champion Phoebus. In 2012 with U.Va., Watford set a school record with 244 completions, and against Georgia Tech, he completed a school-record 43 passes for a career-high 376 yards. In his Pirates debut against Kentucky State, Watford threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns – four of which went to T.J. Mixson. He also threw three touchdowns this past Saturday against Richmond, and through two weeks, Watford leads the MEAC in passing (292.0 yards per game) and total offense (311.0 yards per game).
Mixson Leading Pirates Receivers: Mixson was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season and was on the conference preseason First Team. In 2014, Mixson led the team and the MEAC in receiving, averaging 68.3 yards per contest. He caught 5.6 passes per game, and Mixson had a team-high 615 receiving yards on the season with six touchdowns. He opened the 2015 season in style against Kentucky State, catching seven passes for a career-high 135 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 93 yards and a score against Richmond, while also throwing a touchdown pass. Through two weeks, Mixson leads the MEAC in receptions (6.0 per game), receiving yards (114.0 per game), scoring (15.0 ppg), and all-purpose yards (114.0 per game).
At or Near the Top of the Pile: Through the first two weeks of the regular season, the Pirates are at the top or near the top of the MEAC in several statistical categories. Hampton leads the conference in total offense, averaging 373.5 yards per game, while the Pirates' 297.0 passing yards per contest are also a MEAC best. Hampton's defense also has a MEAC-best eight sacks through two games, while the offense has yet to give up a sack (the only team in the MEAC to boast that). The Pirates are second in the MEAC in scoring defense, giving up 25.5 points a game, while their 31.5 points per game on offense are the third-most in the conference. Hampton is second in the MEAC in rushing defense (146.5 ypg) and third in total defense (364.5 ypg), and the Pirates also rank second in the MEAC in both pass efficiency and pass defense efficiency. The Pirates rank third in the MEAC in interceptions on defense, and their offense is second-best in the MEAC in terms of third-down conversions (55.6 percent).
Grooms a Force on the Line: Grooms was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into 2015, after being named Third Team All-MEAC in 2014. He was sixth on the team with 52 total tackles in 2014, while also ranking second on the team in tackles for loss (13.0) and third in sacks (5.0). His 10 quarterback hurries were a team high, and Grooms also forced a pair of fumbles last season. In Saturday's opener against Kentucky State, Grooms had four quarterback hurries, seven tackles, and 1.5 sacks. After two weeks of play, Grooms is tied for the MEAC lead in sacks.
Thorne a Tackling Machine: Thorne had 113 total tackles last season, leading both the team and the MEAC while recording 100 tackles for the second straight season. Thorne was a Second Team All-MEAC selection in 2014, and he also led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss – while his 5.5 sacks tied for the team lead. Thorne averaged 5.5 tackles per contest, and twice last season he racked up a career-high 19 tackles: at Delaware State and at North Carolina Central. He also had three sacks and six tackles for loss in Hampton's shutout win over the Hornets. Thorne was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection leading into the 2015 season.
Faber-Kinney One to Watch Out For: After being named Second Team All-MEAC in 2013, Faber-Kinney was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season. He led the conference in punting in 2014, averaging 42.9 yards per kick and recording 14 punts of at least 50 yards. The VaSID Second Team All-State selection pinned 10 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, and he had a career-long 72-yard punt at Delaware State. Faber-Kinney, who was also a Third Team All-MEAC honoree in the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon, was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into the 2015 campaign.
Coaching Staff Changes: Michael Ketchum is but one of the new faces roaming the Pirates sideline this season, coming over from Delaware State to serve as defensive coordinator. Tremayne Henry, who served as defensive coordinator for part of last season, will coach the defensive line in 2015. Marc Bacote also joined the staff, where he will serve as safeties coach, and Bryant Foster has come on board to serve as cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Former Pirate Marcus Wade has also joined head coach Connell Maynor's staff, serving as a graduate assistant.
Pirates Wideouts Standing Out: Mixson received all of the accolades, but the Pirates receiving corps boasted two other high-caliber threats on the outside. In fact, two Pirate receivers ranked in the top 10 in the conference in receptions per game last season; Rayshad Riddick was tied for fourth in the MEAC with 4.2 catches per game, while Proctor was sixth in the MEAC with 4.1 catches per contest. Proctor is also seventh in the MEAC in receiving yards, averaging 50.0 per game. So far this season, Proctor is tied for third in the MEAC in receptions (4.5 per game), while also ranking fourth in receiving yards (67.5 per game). Leon Shorter is fifth in the MEAC with 60.5 receiving yards per game.
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES SPORTS INFORMATION
Live Stats: Click here.
Radio: WHOV 88.1 FM/HSRN.
TV: ESPNU.
Last Time Out: The Pirates (1-1), in their second season under head coach Connell Maynor, are coming off a 31-28 loss to Richmond despite three touchdown passes from quarterback David Watford, while the Bison (0-2) are coming off a 76-0 loss this past weekend at Boston College.
Coach Speak: "(The Richmond game) was a test to let us know where we were, where we stack up against FCS opponents, and we know we can play with anybody. (Being on national TV) means a lot. It means a lot of exposure for our conference and our program – for our players to represent Hampton University and the MEAC at a high level."
Coach Maynor on Howard: "They're not gonna quit. They play hard. They've been over-matched the first two games (against FBS programs Appalachian State and Boston College). But they've beat us the last four years, so they have confidence playing against us. We expect them to come out hard, ready to play, and expecting to win."
The Series: The Pirates are 47-43-1 all-time against Howard, though the Bison have won each of the last four meetings – including a 30-29 defeat in Washington, D.C. last season. Prior to Howard four-game winning streak in the series, the Pirates had won 14 straight games against the Bison. Overall, the Pirates are 4-2 against Howard on a neutral field.
Pirates on Neutral Fields: Hampton last played on a neutral field in 2011, opening that season in Chicago, Ill. with a 21-20 win over Alabama A&M. Prior to that, the Pirates' last neutral-field game came in the 2008 MEAC'SWAC Challenge, when Hampton defeated Jackson State 17-13 in Orlando, Fla. Dating back to 2003, the Pirates have won their last nine neutral-field contests.
Pirates Against the MEAC: The Pirates are 200-175-6 all-time against schools currently competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after going 2-6 in league play last season – boasting wins over Delaware State and Bethune-Cookman. Hampton is 10-10 against Bethune-Cookman; 26-14 against Delaware State; 8-13 against Florida A&M; 47-43-1 against Howard; 24-37-2 against Morgan State; 25-26-1 against Norfolk State; 26-16-2 against North Carolina A&T; 18-7 against North Carolina Central; 5-0 against Savannah State; and 11-8 against South Carolina State. Since joining the MEAC in 1995, the Pirates have won the conference championship five times, including three straight in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Pirates Picked to Finish Sixth: The MEAC preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, picked the Pirates to finish sixth this season. In addition, the Pirates landed eight players on the conference's preseason teams, headlined Mixson, defensive lineman Miles Grooms, linebacker Joshua Thorne, and punter Christian Faber-Kinney – all of whom were First Team selections. Four Pirates were named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC: offensive lineman Michael Young, defensive lineman Charles Owens, wideout Rashawn Proctor, and offensive lineman Torrian White.
Counting To 1,000: This Friday's game against rival Howard will be the 1,000th in the history of Hampton University football. Heading into Friday's game, the Pirates are 549-416-34 all-time (a .550 winning percentage).
Quarterback Returns Home: For Watford, who transferred to the Pirates from the University of Virginia, Hampton is home. Watford played his high school football at nearby Hampton High, totaling over 3,000 yards as a senior en route to All-District and All-Region honors. He did not throw an interception that season, guiding the Crabbers to an 11-2 record – the only losses coming to eventual state champion Phoebus. In 2012 with U.Va., Watford set a school record with 244 completions, and against Georgia Tech, he completed a school-record 43 passes for a career-high 376 yards. In his Pirates debut against Kentucky State, Watford threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns – four of which went to T.J. Mixson. He also threw three touchdowns this past Saturday against Richmond, and through two weeks, Watford leads the MEAC in passing (292.0 yards per game) and total offense (311.0 yards per game).
Mixson Leading Pirates Receivers: Mixson was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season and was on the conference preseason First Team. In 2014, Mixson led the team and the MEAC in receiving, averaging 68.3 yards per contest. He caught 5.6 passes per game, and Mixson had a team-high 615 receiving yards on the season with six touchdowns. He opened the 2015 season in style against Kentucky State, catching seven passes for a career-high 135 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 93 yards and a score against Richmond, while also throwing a touchdown pass. Through two weeks, Mixson leads the MEAC in receptions (6.0 per game), receiving yards (114.0 per game), scoring (15.0 ppg), and all-purpose yards (114.0 per game).
At or Near the Top of the Pile: Through the first two weeks of the regular season, the Pirates are at the top or near the top of the MEAC in several statistical categories. Hampton leads the conference in total offense, averaging 373.5 yards per game, while the Pirates' 297.0 passing yards per contest are also a MEAC best. Hampton's defense also has a MEAC-best eight sacks through two games, while the offense has yet to give up a sack (the only team in the MEAC to boast that). The Pirates are second in the MEAC in scoring defense, giving up 25.5 points a game, while their 31.5 points per game on offense are the third-most in the conference. Hampton is second in the MEAC in rushing defense (146.5 ypg) and third in total defense (364.5 ypg), and the Pirates also rank second in the MEAC in both pass efficiency and pass defense efficiency. The Pirates rank third in the MEAC in interceptions on defense, and their offense is second-best in the MEAC in terms of third-down conversions (55.6 percent).
Grooms a Force on the Line: Grooms was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into 2015, after being named Third Team All-MEAC in 2014. He was sixth on the team with 52 total tackles in 2014, while also ranking second on the team in tackles for loss (13.0) and third in sacks (5.0). His 10 quarterback hurries were a team high, and Grooms also forced a pair of fumbles last season. In Saturday's opener against Kentucky State, Grooms had four quarterback hurries, seven tackles, and 1.5 sacks. After two weeks of play, Grooms is tied for the MEAC lead in sacks.
Thorne a Tackling Machine: Thorne had 113 total tackles last season, leading both the team and the MEAC while recording 100 tackles for the second straight season. Thorne was a Second Team All-MEAC selection in 2014, and he also led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss – while his 5.5 sacks tied for the team lead. Thorne averaged 5.5 tackles per contest, and twice last season he racked up a career-high 19 tackles: at Delaware State and at North Carolina Central. He also had three sacks and six tackles for loss in Hampton's shutout win over the Hornets. Thorne was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection leading into the 2015 season.
Faber-Kinney One to Watch Out For: After being named Second Team All-MEAC in 2013, Faber-Kinney was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season. He led the conference in punting in 2014, averaging 42.9 yards per kick and recording 14 punts of at least 50 yards. The VaSID Second Team All-State selection pinned 10 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, and he had a career-long 72-yard punt at Delaware State. Faber-Kinney, who was also a Third Team All-MEAC honoree in the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon, was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into the 2015 campaign.
Coaching Staff Changes: Michael Ketchum is but one of the new faces roaming the Pirates sideline this season, coming over from Delaware State to serve as defensive coordinator. Tremayne Henry, who served as defensive coordinator for part of last season, will coach the defensive line in 2015. Marc Bacote also joined the staff, where he will serve as safeties coach, and Bryant Foster has come on board to serve as cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Former Pirate Marcus Wade has also joined head coach Connell Maynor's staff, serving as a graduate assistant.
Pirates Wideouts Standing Out: Mixson received all of the accolades, but the Pirates receiving corps boasted two other high-caliber threats on the outside. In fact, two Pirate receivers ranked in the top 10 in the conference in receptions per game last season; Rayshad Riddick was tied for fourth in the MEAC with 4.2 catches per game, while Proctor was sixth in the MEAC with 4.1 catches per contest. Proctor is also seventh in the MEAC in receiving yards, averaging 50.0 per game. So far this season, Proctor is tied for third in the MEAC in receptions (4.5 per game), while also ranking fourth in receiving yards (67.5 per game). Leon Shorter is fifth in the MEAC with 60.5 receiving yards per game.
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES SPORTS INFORMATION
Elon Phoenix Comes Home to Rhodes Stadium to Tackle N.C. A&T Aggies
ELON, North Carolina – After two weeks on the road, the Elon Phoenix football team will open the home portion of its 2015 schedule on Saturday, Sept. 19, by hosting the Aggies of North Carolina A&T at 6 p.m. inside of Rhodes Stadium. It is Hall of Fame Weekend at Elon and the five-member class of 2015 will be recognized at halftime.
This weekend's Phoenix Walk will occur at approximately 3:30 p.m. as the Elon squad will walk down Bank of America Drive, through the tailgate area and into the stadium. Phoenix fans are encouraged to line the street and cheer on the maroon and gold.
Fans unable to attend the game can also listen to the game on WSML 104.5 FM and 1200 AM or at elonphoenix.com as David Hibbard and Taylor Durham have the call. The radio broadcast will start at 5 p.m. Fans can also listen to all Elon football games via the TuneIn Radio app. This app is free to download to your smartphone.
A free video stream is available through Phoenix All-Access.
AWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
ELON VS. NORTH CAROLINA A&T:
Elon and North Carolina A&T will meet for the 11th time ever on Saturday night. The Phoenix trails the all-time series 4-6 following a narrow defeat at home last season. The two first met in 1999 with the maroon and gold claiming a 40-7 victory.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
The Phoenix football squad elected two captains for the 2015 season. Serving as captain for the second year in a row is senior defensive back Miles Williams. He will be joined by first-year captain, junior linebacker John Silas.
Each week the Phoenix will also name a game-week captain and are listed below:
• at Wake Forest – B.J. Bennett
• at Gardner-Webb – Rob Sullivan
• vs. North Carolina A&T – Corey Mitchell
NOTES FROM LAST GAME
• Elon improved to 3-0 all-time in multiple overtime games; The other two were a 36-33 win over Georgia Southern in 2007 and a 34-31 win at Samford in 1999 – both of which were two-overtime contests
• Elon is now 21-9 all-time against Gardner-Webb and has won four of the last five meetings
• Rob Sullivan had two of Elon's five sacks, giving him four for the year
• Both Corey Mitchell and John Silas set new personal-bests for tackles with 18 and 17, respectively
• David Petroni booted four punts 50 or more yards, including a career-long 63-yarder; He now has seven punts of 50+ yards this season, including three of 60+
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Following a career-best 18-tackle performance against Gardner-Webb, Elon junior linebacker Corey Mitchell (Jacksonville, N.C.) was named the STATS National Defensive Player of the Week in addition to the CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week. Of his 18 tackles, eight were solo stops. He added had one tackle for a loss of three yards and forced a fumble which set up Elon's first touchdown. Mitchell also broke up one pass.
Mitchell is the first Elon player to earn a national player of the week award since Aaron Mellette in 2012 and the first defensive player to do so since Chad Nkang in 2006.
BOOMING PETRONI
Junior punter David Petroni (Buford, Ga.) drilled two of the longest punts of his career against Wake Forest as he hit punts of 61 and 60 yards. He bested that the next week at Gardner-Webb when he hit a 63-yarder along with a 61-yarder.
Through two games, Petroni is averaging 46.7 yards per punt. Eight of his 21 punts have pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line and he has seven punts of 50 or more yards.
SACKED
The Phoenix defense amassed five sacks in the victory over Gardner-Webb. That was the most sacks by an Elon team since recording five sacks at Western Carolina on Nov. 7, 2009.
Through two games, the Phoenix has tallied eight sacks, nearly halfway to its total of 20 from the 2014 campaign.
SCORELESS HALF
Elon and Gardner-Webb played a scoreless first half in week two. It marked the first such half for the Phoenix since an Oct. 15, 2005 date with Chattanooga at Rhodes Stadium. Elon would lose that game 10-7.
COURTESY ELON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
This weekend's Phoenix Walk will occur at approximately 3:30 p.m. as the Elon squad will walk down Bank of America Drive, through the tailgate area and into the stadium. Phoenix fans are encouraged to line the street and cheer on the maroon and gold.
Fans unable to attend the game can also listen to the game on WSML 104.5 FM and 1200 AM or at elonphoenix.com as David Hibbard and Taylor Durham have the call. The radio broadcast will start at 5 p.m. Fans can also listen to all Elon football games via the TuneIn Radio app. This app is free to download to your smartphone.
A free video stream is available through Phoenix All-Access.
AWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
| Elon vs. North Carolina A&T | |
| Date | Time | Sept. 19 | 6 p.m. |
| Location | Elon, N.C. |
| Stadium | Rhodes Stadium |
| Video | Phoenix All-Access |
| Radio | WSML 104.5 FM / 1200 AM |
| Radio App | TuneIn |
| Tickets | Purchase Now |
| Live Stats | Stats |
| Digital Game Program | View |
| Twitter Updates | @elonscores |
| Notes | Elon | N.C. A&T | CAA Football |
Elon and North Carolina A&T will meet for the 11th time ever on Saturday night. The Phoenix trails the all-time series 4-6 following a narrow defeat at home last season. The two first met in 1999 with the maroon and gold claiming a 40-7 victory.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
The Phoenix football squad elected two captains for the 2015 season. Serving as captain for the second year in a row is senior defensive back Miles Williams. He will be joined by first-year captain, junior linebacker John Silas.
Each week the Phoenix will also name a game-week captain and are listed below:
• at Wake Forest – B.J. Bennett
• at Gardner-Webb – Rob Sullivan
• vs. North Carolina A&T – Corey Mitchell
NOTES FROM LAST GAME
• Elon improved to 3-0 all-time in multiple overtime games; The other two were a 36-33 win over Georgia Southern in 2007 and a 34-31 win at Samford in 1999 – both of which were two-overtime contests
• Elon is now 21-9 all-time against Gardner-Webb and has won four of the last five meetings
• Rob Sullivan had two of Elon's five sacks, giving him four for the year
• Both Corey Mitchell and John Silas set new personal-bests for tackles with 18 and 17, respectively
• David Petroni booted four punts 50 or more yards, including a career-long 63-yarder; He now has seven punts of 50+ yards this season, including three of 60+
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Following a career-best 18-tackle performance against Gardner-Webb, Elon junior linebacker Corey Mitchell (Jacksonville, N.C.) was named the STATS National Defensive Player of the Week in addition to the CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week. Of his 18 tackles, eight were solo stops. He added had one tackle for a loss of three yards and forced a fumble which set up Elon's first touchdown. Mitchell also broke up one pass.
Mitchell is the first Elon player to earn a national player of the week award since Aaron Mellette in 2012 and the first defensive player to do so since Chad Nkang in 2006.
BOOMING PETRONI
Junior punter David Petroni (Buford, Ga.) drilled two of the longest punts of his career against Wake Forest as he hit punts of 61 and 60 yards. He bested that the next week at Gardner-Webb when he hit a 63-yarder along with a 61-yarder.
Through two games, Petroni is averaging 46.7 yards per punt. Eight of his 21 punts have pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line and he has seven punts of 50 or more yards.
SACKED
The Phoenix defense amassed five sacks in the victory over Gardner-Webb. That was the most sacks by an Elon team since recording five sacks at Western Carolina on Nov. 7, 2009.
Through two games, the Phoenix has tallied eight sacks, nearly halfway to its total of 20 from the 2014 campaign.
SCORELESS HALF
Elon and Gardner-Webb played a scoreless first half in week two. It marked the first such half for the Phoenix since an Oct. 15, 2005 date with Chattanooga at Rhodes Stadium. Elon would lose that game 10-7.
COURTESY ELON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
WSSU settling into new digs
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Being versatile can sometimes be a curse.Kailan Chavis, who has finally settled into one position at Winston-Salem State, loves his new spot as a rover, which is a fancy term for attacking linebacker.
Last spring after transferring from Gannon in Erie, Pa., he quickly won a starting spot at cornerback. Then this preseason he was moved to one linebacker position only to be switched again.
The move to rover has been good for WSSU and for Chavis, who leads the Rams with 13 tackles after two games.
“I like being a rover,” said Chavis, who is 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. “I played more of a strong safety in high school so I like where I’m playing now. I like to hit so playing rover is about hitting.”
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Football Preview: #2 UWG vs. Fayetteville State
CARROLLTON, Georgia -- The West Georgia Wolves ran their home record to 22-14 all-time at University Stadium last week and 5-2 in home openers with a 33-7 victory over Miles. The now 2nd-ranked Wolves will play their second of three-straight home games this weekend, taking on Fayetteville State at 2 p.m.Gameday Timeline
9:00 PM - UWG Athletic Complex Opens for Tailgating
Noon - The Hill (Student Zone Tailgate) Opens
12:30 - Wolf Walk at Wolf Plaza
After the Wolf Walk - Gates Open
2:00 - #2 UWG vs. Fayetteville State
Live Audio
• This year's Wolves join the 1982 Division III football national champion UWG and the 1974 NAIA men's basketball national champion West Georgia as the only teams to be ranked as high as 2nd in the nation in any national poll or ranking.
• West Georgia is coached by Will Hall, who is in his second season at West Georgia. He has an overall record of 39-14 in his fifth year as a head coach. In 17 games at the helm of the UWG program, Hall is 14-3. The head coach at Fayetteville State is Lawrence Kershaw, who is in his third season as the leader of the football program for the Broncos and he has an 11-11 record in that time. .
• Redshirt freshman running back Aares McCall has been getting a lot of the headlines in the first two weeks of the season, as he has rushed for 100 yards in his first two collegiate games. The Grayson, Ga. native had 107 yards on 11 carries against Catawba in week one, then went for 101 yards last week against Miles. He was also a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield against Miles, as he caught two passes for 55 yards. In two games, he has nearly 300 all-purpose yards for the Wolves.
• Junior kicker Hunter Heck is working hard to put the heartbreaking nature of the 2014 season behind him, and he took a big step in that direction last week against Miles. Heck was 3-for-3 on field goals with kicks of 21, 29 and 37 yards and was also 2-for-2 on extra points, earning him the distinction as the Gulf South Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.
• West Georgia's defense is back in the top-10 in the nation in total defense, checking in at 5th in the nation this week. The Wolves have given up an average of 180 yards per game through the first two contests and have also given up just 19 first downs through the first two games, good for 7th in the country. Against Miles last week, UWG allowed 10 first downs.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA SPORTS INFORMATION
GameDay preview: Grambling State at Alabama State
THE GAMEWhen: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: ASU Stadium
Records: Alabama State (0-2, 0-1 SWAC), Grambling State (0-2, 0-0)
On the air: TV — none; Radio — WQKS-FM 100.5, WKXK-FM 96.7, WKXN-FM 95.7, WJAM-FM 96.3
Twitter: @AStacyLong, @MGMsports
FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY
1. Gotta have faith: Despite an 0-2 start, in which ASU has held leads in both games, the Hornets remain confident, coach Brian Jenkins said. “Haven’t lost faith, haven’t lost belief,” Jenkins said. “That’s why I admire my players because they haven’t shown one bit of regret. They have not taken a step back. They’ve shown up to practice ready to work, great attitude and great effort.” The Hornets led 14-3 before Tennessee State scored the final 21 points in the season opener. Last week, Alabama State led 14-7 before Alcorn State ran off the final 24 points. “We need to redeem ourselves,” linebacker Kourtney Berry said.
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For SCSU Bulldogs, playing again is best way to move on from Coastal loss
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- You know that sensation when you eat something that leaves a bad aftertaste in your mouth?
If you don’t find something else soon to eat or drink to take that aftertaste away, it just lingers and bothers you.
Well, what head football Coach Buddy Pough and his South Carolina State Bulldogs' football team has been tasting this week is something akin to that feeling.
The Bulldogs endured a 41-14 home-opening loss to Football Championship Series (FCS) top-ranked Coastal Carolina on Saturday night.
Fortunately for Pough and the Bulldogs, the next game on the schedule is tonight at home against Florida A&M (0-2) in a nationally televised game on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m.
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If you don’t find something else soon to eat or drink to take that aftertaste away, it just lingers and bothers you.
Well, what head football Coach Buddy Pough and his South Carolina State Bulldogs' football team has been tasting this week is something akin to that feeling.
The Bulldogs endured a 41-14 home-opening loss to Football Championship Series (FCS) top-ranked Coastal Carolina on Saturday night.
Fortunately for Pough and the Bulldogs, the next game on the schedule is tonight at home against Florida A&M (0-2) in a nationally televised game on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m.
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The SWAC mourns the loss of Doris Robinson
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference mourns the loss of Doris Robinson, the spouse of the late Legendary Coach Eddie G. Robinson, Sr.Family members report Mrs. Robinson passed away Wednesday morning after a brief illness at Northern Louisiana Medical Center in Ruston.
Mrs. Robinson, 96, was an especially beloved figure within the Grambling State University Athletics Department. She was widely known for her attendance at GSU athletic events and will be fondly remembered as the “Matriarch of Grambling Athletics.”
Doris and Eddie Robinson both graduated as English majors from Leland College in 1941. They married the same year and moved to Grambling when Eddie Robinson became the head football coach at what was then Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute.
Mrs. Robinson worked as a teacher at Lincoln High School and a counselor at Ruston High School. She was a member of New Rocky Valley Baptist Church in Grambling and The Links, an international, professional service organization for women of color. She was honored in 2014 as a contributor to the Grambling Legends Hall of Fame.
COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS
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