S.C. State quarterbacks talented, but inexperienced

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- A quick examination of the 2017 South Carolina State projected preseason football roster finds six quarterbacks listed.

Missing from that group are the two signal-callers who shared the quarterbacking duties on the 2016 team. Adrian Kollock Jr. completed his studies and playing eligibility and the once-promising Caleb York (1,116 passing yards in 2016) transferred to play at Campbell University.

That leaves Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough and his staff having to rely mostly on a youthful group of quarterbacks in 2017. The group has promise and loads of talent, but little game experience. That could prove to be big in a conference that has become more and more reliant on a top performer behind center.

The Bulldog quarterback logjam most likely signals a fierce preseason battle to win the position and lead S.C. State on the field September 3 against Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.

Leading the pack are ...

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'When Rickie says something, we listen:' Former Southern star Rickie Weeks a steadying influence for Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Inside the home clubhouse at Tropicana Field, it’s a night for good times. The sound system’s thump-thump-thump sets a fun-loving mood. Players for the Tampa Bay Rays, enjoying a victory, are making light-hearted conversation while mixing in occasional hijinks.

Over in the corner, it’s all business.

The team’s oldest player, Rickie Weeks Jr., is quietly sitting at his locker stall, slowly putting himself together, his back to the room.

Soon, he will slip away, barely making a sound.



“But when Rickie says something, we listen,’’ Rays pitcher Alex Cobb said. “He knows how to act like a pro. We respect him so much. Nobody has to say it. It’s just the truth.’’

To the untrained eye, Weeks appears to be a veteran with his best days long behind him, a name that once generated considerable buzz and All-Star votes. Now a first baseman who plays almost exclusively against left-handed pitching, the former Southern star batted .216 with two home runs and eight RBIs before landing on the disabled list.

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SWAC Basketball Tournament Trophy To Be Named After Legendary Coach Davey Whitney

LORMAN, Mississippi  -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) men's basketball championship trophy will bear the name of an iconic Alcorn State University sports figure.

The SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted to name the Men's SWAC Championship Basketball Tournament trophy after the legendary Coach Davey L. Whitney.

Whitney posted a 508-292 record at Alcorn including a 259-115 mark in the SWAC. He coached the Braves for 27 seasons over two stints from 1969-89 and 1996-03.

Whitney guided Alcorn to 12 SWAC Championships and was a nine-time SWAC Coach of the Year winner. His 508 wins are the most in school history, ahead of Dwight Fisher who recorded 190 victories from 1948-56.

Furthermore, Whitney coached three SWAC Player of the Year winners (Larry Smith twice and Michael Phelps once) and six SWAC Tournament MVP's (Larry Smith twice, Aaron Brandon twice, Albert Irving and Marcus Fleming).

President Alfred Rankins Jr. commended the Council for recognizing Whitney's achievements.

"I am pleased that the SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors recognized the great accomplishment and contributions of Coach Whitney by naming the tournament championship trophy in his honor," said Rankins. "Coach Whitney was one of the best Division I coaches of all time."

Whitney, who passed away in 2015, coached at Alcorn to a win over Mississippi State 80-78 in the 1979 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Whitney led Alcorn to a win against South Alabama in the first round of the 1980 NCAA Tournament, which was the first time a historically black college and university had won in the tournament. Whitney also guided Alcorn to NCAA Tournament wins in 1983 and 1984 and six appearances in the dance.

Whitney was elected to the Kentucky State University Hall of Fame in 1976, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1991, the Alcorn State University Hall of Honors in 1993, the Alcorn State University Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Whitney family expressed their appreciation upon receiving the good news. Gail Whitney, Coach Whitney's daughter, said that the family is grateful for the love and support that the SWAC and the University has shown for her late father.

"The Whitney family would like to extend our appreciation to the Southwestern Athletic Conference and Alcorn State University for honoring the legacy of our father, Davey "The Wiz" Whitney, Sr.," said Whitney. "We look forward to the first presentation of the trophy at the 2017-2018 SWAC Basketball Tournament Championship."

Alcorn renamed its basketball gym to the Davey L. Whitney Complex in 1995. It was previously known as Scalpin' Grounds Arena. Whitney was one of the few coaches in the history of the sport to ever coach in a building that was named after him.

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Fobbs: GSU Offense may take time to be as potent

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Expectations on the offensive side of the ball soar when the conference Offensive Player of the Year returns to the huddle.

With rising senior quarterback DeVante Kincade piloting the attack, Grambling State’s offensive firepower in 2017 has the chance to pack more gunpowder than last season’s potent arsenal that put up almost 40 points per game and scored 66 touchdowns.



Kincade, in his first year starting, accounted for 35 of those scores, with 31 coming through the air along with 3,022 passing yards, making him the lone 3,000-yard passer in the SWAC last season and landed him Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors at the conference’s annual Media Day Friday in Birmingham.

Preseason first-team All-Conference running back Martez Carter, looking to improve off his successful junior campaign of 891 yards and 10 touchdowns, also comes back to fully load the backfield chamber, giving the Tigers the most proven one-two punch in the league.

But standout wide receiver Chad Williams is gone and now lines up wide with the Arizona Cardinals. Three of GSU’s offensive linemen have graduated, and while those departures don’t diminish fourth-year head football coach Broderick Fobbs’ confidence, they do illicit some pause.

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FAMU High School Band Camp Halftime Show 2017

COURTESY: Derrell Smith, Videographer

Southern University High School Band & Dance Camp (2017) | Full Performance

COURTESY: trin.t productions

2017 Chicago Bears training camp preview: Running back Tarik Cohen (N.C. A&T)

CHICAGO, Illinois -- The star of the Bears’ offense this summer is at running back in the form of Jordan Howard, and he has a couple of new teammates in the position room with fourth-round rookie Tarik Cohen and former Rams back Benny Cunningham. The Bears also have a couple of fullbacks and bring back Jeremy Langford and Ka’Deem Carey. Here are the key questions to be answered at running back during training camp.

How will the offense utilize Cohen? One of the highlights in OTAs and minicamp was Cohen, a human highlight reel in college. He clearly has the shiftiness and playmaking ability to be a force in the open field, but making plays in minicamp in shorts is one thing. Doing it against a padded defense (albeit one that is not supposed to bring down the ball carrier) will be a challenge, especially as he makes the transition from the MEAC defense he faced in college. Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has a Swiss Army knife in the backfield to get creative with, and we’ll start to see how involved Cohen can be in the offense during camp.

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XULA Gold Nuggets sign 2; recruiting class increases to 6

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Thursday the signing of Vivica Price-Spraggins of Chicago and Whitney Young Magnet High School and Kayla Black of Magnolia, Texas, and Houston's St. Pius X High School to athletic scholarships for volleyball.

The Gold Nuggets have signed six for the 2017 season, which will begin in August. XULA won the last six Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and earned six consecutive automatic bids during that time to the NAIA National Championship.

Price-Spraggins is a 5-foot-11 middle blocker/right-side hitter. She helped Whitney Young's Dolphins in 2016 go 24-12, win a regional playoff and advance to sectionals. Price-Spraggins hit .402 as a senior with 105 kills, 47 blocks, 22 aces and 53 digs.

Price-Spraggins played five years of club ball — first with Club Kace, then with Chicago Elite. She was a starter for a bronze-medal-winning team at 2016 nationals.

Black, a 5-9 outside hitter, helped St. Pius in 2016 reach the Class 6A quarterfinals of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools playoffs. She was second-team all-state as a senior and junior. Black was her team's MVP in 2016.

Black has nine years of club experience, most recently with Willowbrook but also with Waves and Revolution. She was a starter for a Waves team that placed eighth in nationals in 15s.

Black's paternal grandfather is former NFL player and executive James "Shack" Harris, a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the first African-American quarterback to start and win an NFL playoff game (1974: Los Angeles 19, Washington 10).

Price-Spraggins will major in early elementary education, and Black will be a biology/pre-medical major with plans to pursue a career in pediatric cardiology.

2017-18 XULA Volleyball Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.* Hometown High School

Ariel Bell # OH 5-7 Fr. White Castle, La. White Castle
Kayla Black OH 5-9 Fr. Magnolia, Texas St. Pius X
Jaida Dowd OH 5-8 Fr. Aurora, Ill. Metea Valley
Eva Le Guillou S 5-9 Fr. Velizy-Villacoublay, France Emmanuel Mounier
Vivica Price-Spraggins MB/RS 5-11 Fr. Chicago, Ill. Whitney Young Magnet
Lauryn Taylor RS/OH 5-9 Fr. Sairburn, Ga. Booker T. Washington

* XULA athletic classification in 2017-18
# also will compete in track and field

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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LU's Donnita Rogers Honored as 2016-17 RRAC Athletic Director of the Year

WACO, Texas --  Langston University's (Okla.) Donnita Drain-Rogers has earned the distinction of 2016-17 RRAC Athletic Director of the Year, two years after returning to the school to take the lead role with the Lions' program. Rogers was the head women's basketball for Langston from 2000-08 and, since her return in 2015, the department has reached new heights.

The RRAC AD of the Year award recognizes the athletic director who had the best year in overall program improvement, facility development, game administration, NAIA Champions of Character commitment, ability to hire and keep quality coaches, program growth in sports and revenue opportunities, contributions at the conference and national levels, and student-athlete development.

Rogers was previously recognized as the 2003 NAIA Region VI Athletic Director of the Year while at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. In the last year, she improved Langston's promotional tools, created a new national event and has overseen a number of program honors such as the Lions first trip to the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Championship quarterfinals.

"Although I am not surprised, I am proud that our Director of Athletics, Donnita Drain-Rogers, was selected for this prestigious award by the RRAC," says Langston President Dr. Kent J. Smith, Jr. Donnita exhibits daily the rare combination of having a remarkably high work ethic while maintaining exemplary character at all times"

"We are blessed and honored to have her at Langston University and we appreciate the RRAC for recognizing her value and effort."

Led by Head Coach Stan Holt, the Langston men's basketball team reached the RRAC Basketball Tournament championship game before climbing to the Elite Eight of the NAIA tournament. The Lions won the RRAC tournament in 2016. Langston's women's basketball team also reached the RRAC tournament.

In the spring, Langston hosted the first ever National HBCU Softball Classic at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. In addition to the Lions, seven visiting teams competed over two days including Grambling State University (La.) and Southern University (La.). Langston followed that with two upsets in the RRAC Softball Tournament to finish fourth in the event. The Lions placed third in RRAC men's track & field and fourth in the women's meet.

Langston had five volleyball all-conference selections, four in women's basketball, five in men's basketball and two NAIA All-Americans.

During the last year, Langston redesigned its athletics website to enhance its coverage and stepped up its efforts to provide news and content through social media.

Rogers graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in December of 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education and an endorsement in Biology. She obtained her Master's degree in Education Administration at Texas A&M University-Commerce. While attending NWOSU, she obtained such honors as NAIA National Player of the Week, Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Scholar-Athlete, OIC and NAIA District IX All-Conference Teams and Northwestern Ranger Queen in 1988. Rogers was inducted into the NWOSU Hall of Fame in January of 1998. After gruaduating, she served four years as Athletic Director for Women's Sports at her alma mater.

During her coaching tenure at Langston, Rogers led the Lady Lions to six NAIA Division I National Tournament appearances. The 2007 season also marked Coach Rogers's first trip to the Elite Eight of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship. Rogers has more wins than any other Langston women's basketball coach and recorded nine consecutive winning seasons prior to leaving. Rogers' teams went undefeated in conference play their last two seasons and won 34 consecutive conference games. Her 2008 team had a 27-game winning streak and consisted of Jamie Skinner, the RRAC Player of the Year, First Team All-American and State Farm All-American, as well as Dominique Thomas, the RRAC Defensive Player of the Year. Rogers' 2007-2008 team finished with a #6 national ranking, a record of 31-2 and a berth to the round of 16 at the NAIA tournament.

Rogers coached for four years at Grambling and led the Tigers to two consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal appearances. Rogers was named the SWAC Coach of the Year during the 2010 season and had the ninth-ranked recruiting class among NCAA Division I mid-major colleges in her last season.

Prior to becoming the athletic director at Langston, Rogers served as the head boys basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Shreveport, La., and is the first female to coach a varsity boys' basketball team in Caddo Parish. Rogers picked up her 300th career win during her first season and finished 22-9 and ranked #13 in 3A boys' basketball this yea
r. Rogers' Lions made it to the LHSAA quarterfinals to achieve their best finish since the mid-1980s.

Rogers' husband, Eric, is Youth Minister at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Grambling, La., and a business entrepreneur.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Langston Volleyball Signs Three Players

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- Langston University head volleyball coach Jacob Rodriguez announced the addition of three incoming student-athletes for the 2017 season. The Lions welcome Allexus Frazier, Cynamyn Temple and Courtlyn Harris.

Allexus Frazier joins the Lady Lions as incoming freshman; she most recently played at Trimble Tech in Fort Worth, Texas. The 5'9 freshman is projected to play middle/front row for the Lady Lions.

Cynamyn Temple is a 5'9 middle from Westmoore High School in Moore, Okla.; Temple is another incoming freshman for Coach Rodriguez and is projected to play middle/front as well.

Courtlyn Harris is a 5'7 outside/defensive specialist from Naaman Forest High School in Garland, Texas. Harris is another incoming freshman and is projected to continue playing as an outside/defensive specialist.

"We're really excited about how this recruiting class came togeth
er," Rodriguez noted. "Not only are these incoming student-athletes highly skilled but there are also incoming freshman which helps us continue to build for a brighter future. We're ready to get everyone here and start come August."

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

GLVC Honors Eight Lincoln Football Players

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  --  Eight members of the Lincoln football team were honored by the Great Lakes Valley Conference for their academic performance during the 2016-17 school year, the league office announced on Tuesday (June 27).

Junior defensive back Aaron Brown (Quincy, Calif.) was recognized by the GLVC for having a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Seven other Blue Tigers who had cumulative GPAs of 3.3 or higher were also honored by the conference.

Junior defensive end Jervonta Jones (St. Louis, Mo.) and redshirt sophomore linebacker Justus Schulte (Jefferson City, Mo.) each received the third Academic All-GLVC awards of their Lincoln careers. Senior running back Miles Drummond (Centralia, Mo.), senior linebacker Daniel Mande (Cuthbert, Ga.) and sophomore defensive back Zeke Smith (Kansas City, Mo.), meanwhile, each earned their second career Academic All-GLVC award.

The other two first-time Academic All-GLVC honorees, besides Brown, included junior kicker Alexander Templeton (Poway, Calif.) and junior linebacker Addison Tucker (Memphis, Tenn.).

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

KSU FOOTBALL | John L. Smith excited for second season with Thorobreds

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- The Kentucky State football team won the SIAC western division in its first year under head coach John L. Smith, and as he enters year two, the standards are set even higher.

The Thorobreds are picked to finish third in standings this season, but after a year of overachieving, coach Smith says his players are hungry for an outright conference championship.

Sports Night producer Garrett Moore spoke with Coach Smith, and Smith says he is happy to see the progress his players and program are making.

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WSSU Rams Women's Basketball Announces 2017 Signing Class

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- The Winston-Salem State University women's basketball team will welcome a stellar cast of newcomers to the team in the fall of 2017. The Rams will welcome a quartet of players who will look to build upon a promising effort by the team in its second season under the guidance of head coach L'Tona Lamonte. The Rams wasted little time in getting their signees as the team signed three student-athletes in the fall and one in April.

"I am excited for this recruiting class and the future of WSSU women's basketball. We focused on bringing in winners with high character, a strong work ethic, and great students," Lamonte said. "I look forward to meshing them with our returners and watching this team develop. Each player brings something different to the table, but they all have an understanding of basketball."

One area of concern that the Rams addressed was the backcourt. The Rams will welcome the duo of Teara Johnson and Nyona Shields. Both players come to Winston-Salem State with some impressive resumes. Johnson is a well-decorated athlete from Dudley High School in nearby Greensboro, N.C. During her career, she earned Metro 4A All-Conference honors twice and was named the team's offensive MVP during her senior season. She also earned both all-district and all-area honors during her career as well. Her accomplishments also extended to the classroom where she holds a 4.3 grade-point average and will come to college with 50 credit hours. Shield is a four-year starter from Union Pines High School where she led the team to a 93-20 overall record during her career and scored 1,657 total points with 500 assists and earned Cape Fear Valley (CFV) first team all-conference honors three times and she was also named the CFV Conference Player of the Year during her senior season. She was also a four-time CFV Academic All-Conference honoree as well.



The Rams will also look to bolster their front court with the additions of incoming freshmen Tamani Manning and Lenzi Brown. Manning is a 6'2" forward from William Fleming School Roanoke, Va. She will come to WSSU after a great high school career at William Fleming High after beginning her career at nearby Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro, N.C. Her career includes 505 career points with 488 rebounds, and 38 total blocks. During her career, she led her team to a runner-up finish in the 2015-16 state championships and a regional appearance during the 2016-17 season. During her career, she led her teams to a combined 44-12 overall record with back-to-back Blue Ridge District championships. She is no stranger to WSSU as her brother, Shaquan Manning, was a member of the Rams' 2012 football team that reached the NCAA Division II National Championship Game. Joining her in the front court will be Brown, a 5'10" forward who comes to WSSU after attending Hopewell High School in Huntersville, N.C. She also spent time at Northside Christian Academy where she earned MAC All-Conference honors before completing her career at Hopewell High School.

The sole transfer among the Rams' newcomers is Ziara Doe, a 5'9" sophomore guard from Alabama State University. She is a graduate of Hilton Head Academy in Hardeeville, S.C. where she led the team to the 2015 South Carolina Independent Schools Association (SCISA) State Championship and earned All-Area Player of the Year and All-State honors. She also scored 1,900 points during her career. She played in 28 games with 11 starts for the Hornets and averaged 4.5 points per game.

The Rams and their recruiting class will look to build upon a solid 2016-17 season after a 14-14 overall record and finished third in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Southern Division. For more information on Rams women's basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.

WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Jenkins warns SWAC of breakout season for ASU

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Alabama State football coach Brian Jenkins was fashionably late for the 2017 SWAC media day at the Birmingham Marriott, but was grinning from ear-to-ear.

Jenkins spoke confidently about his team coming off his first losing season as a head coach.

The Hornets went 4-7 and suffered their first losing season since 2009, but Jenkins said his program is coming back with a vengeance.

“We’re really looking forward to playing this season,” Jenkins said. “They know how they felt and how I felt (about last season). You can tell that the feeling runs deep, because they haven’t repeated anything they did last year.”

Last year, the Hornets lost four games by seven points or less. They had leads in the fourth quarter against Texas Southern (31-27 loss) and Alabama A&M (42-41 overtime loss).

Hornets senior cornerback Ronnie Scott said the difference this season will paying attention to the smaller things.

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Picks to click: Four SWAC players sure to stand out this season

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- DeVante Kincade, QB, Grambling

The reigning SWAC Offensive Player of the Year guides a Grambling squad that is the heavy favorite to repeat as league champion. Kincade, who transferred from Ole Miss a year ago, is a capable runner but is at his best when attacking through the air. He posted an outstanding 31:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season to go with a league-best 3,022 passing yards. Kincade looked phenomenal in Grambling’s spring game, completing 38 of 47 passes for 502 yards and three scores.

Lenorris Footman, QB, Alcorn State

Footman was slowed by injury last season, but he could be primed for a big campaign in Year 2 under coach Fred McNair. When healthy, there are few players in the league who can match Footman’s ability to take over a game, particularly when he gets room to run. He gashed Southern in a losing effort for 147 yards and three touchdowns on the ground (in addition to 304 yards and two scores through the air). Three weeks later, he ran for 122 yards and three more scores against Alabama A&M.



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Can anybody catch Grambling in the SWAC? 'Everyone wants to exceed that standard'

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs doesn’t see the target on his team’s back, but he feels it.

After his Tigers went 10-0 against Southwestern Conference competition last season — including a come-from-behind win in the SWAC championship game — and then followed it up with a win in the Celebration Bowl, Fobbs knows everybody is gunning to take his team down a peg.

“Absolutely,” Fobbs said. “At the end of the day, every time you set the standard, everyone wants to exceed that standard. We understand that, that’s the reason we worked extremely hard.



“We don’t want to play the same way we played last year, we want to play better than we played last year. Of course we want the same result, but we realize we have to play better than we did last year in order to achieve so many goals.”

Grambling is expected to set the standard again this season. With several key pieces coming back, including SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Devante Kincade, Grambling was picked to win the SWAC west for the third consecutive year.

Asked if the gap between Grambling and the rest of the league is too big to overcome, Alcorn State coach Fred McNair was not so sure. McNair’s club was picked to win the SWAC east for the fourth straight year.

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Rabalais: The end of its title game and a seven-game slate makes this a big season of change in the SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — It’s a season of change in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and the reason for that change was summed up succinctly Friday by Southern coach Dawson Odums.

“At the end of the day,” Odums said at SWAC Media Day, “football is a business.”

For the SWAC, the business of continuing to put on a conference championship game no longer made financial sense. So this year’s game, Dec. 2 at NRG Stadium in Houston, will be the final edition of a game that made its debut in 1999 but in 2017 has outlived its usefulness.



Get your T-shirts and hats now, because when it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

From a business standpoint downsizing the conference schedule from nine to seven games also made financial sense for the SWAC’s members — at least for the time being.

More on that later. The biggest story for this season is the end of the championship game.

The SWAC, along with its playing partner the MEAC, has decided to put its nest egg in the Celebration Bowl’s basket. The game between the two conference champions, the de facto black college football national championship C, is moving this year into the Atlanta Falcons’ sparkling new $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the heart of Georgia’s capital city. The game kicks off at 11 a.m. Dec. 16 on ABC.

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Alcorn ready to move on after turbulent off-season

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- None of the Alcorn State football players involved in an on-campus brawl in April will miss playing time when the season begins, ASU coach Fred McNair said Friday at SWAC media day.

Seven of the 21 players arrested in relation to the fight were found guilty of simple assault, a misdemeanor, and ordered to pay $100 restitution. They were also subject to the school's disciplinary board, which addressed each of the players individually.

In the end, the Braves' coach said he felt the players involved had been through enough.

"We're ready to move on from it," McNair said. "I feel like the university did things the right way, and those guys have done everything they've been asked to do, been compliant and handled it the way they should have handled it. Now I think they are anxious to get back on the field."

That's big news for a team that was voted as the overwhelming favorite to win the SWAC's Eastern Division in the annual preseason poll.

McNair's Braves are eager to erase the bad taste left in their mouths coming off a 27-20 loss to Grambling in the SWAC Championship. If they can stay healthy, they might very well get their chance.

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Southern is eligible to compete in this year's Celebration Bowl, Odums hopeful for spring practice in 2018

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana — For the first time since the inception of the Celebration Bowl, Southern will be eligible to play in it.

The NCAA lifted its postseason ban on Southern, which had prohibited the football team from participating in the Southwestern Athletic Conference's only guaranteed postseason football game. The conference championship game is considered to be part of the regular season.

That said, coach Dawson Odums said not to expect his team to treat the season any differently.

“That opportunity doesn’t present itself if you don’t do what you’re supposed to,” Odums said. “That’s always been the approach. Nothing at the end matters if you don’t go through the beginning and the middle.”

While he hasn’t received official word, Odums said he is assuming it means his team will be able to go through full spring practices as a team in 2018.

Neither of Southern’s two representatives at Southwestern Athletic Conference media day, seniors Austin Howard and Danny Johnson, has gone through spring practice, as Southern has gone three years without it.

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Luke Johnson's SWAC media day Four Downs: Some good news for Southern, a suggestion for the SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  1. An end in sight.

Southern can finally go into a season knowing that, if it plays well enough, it will be able to compete for a bowl championship just like everybody else in the conference. While coach Dawson Odums said that having the end-of-season incentive doesn’t change anything for how his football team must approach the day, it is nice for the program to know it can be rewarded for a strong season.

2. New rule, same Odums.

A rule was implemented college football-wide this offseason aiming to penalize coaches for going onto the field of play to argue a call. “I’m rarely on the field arguing calls,” Odums said. “I think it also sets an example for your following to think that it’s okay to argue calls. I try to be the best role model for our players. Officials make mistakes just like we make mistakes. You live with it, they give you a good explanation.”

3. Money game.

The SWAC is abandoning its championship game to focus on the Celebration Bowl, but what it really boils down to is money — money for fans traveling, money to play in a fancy stadium with all the bells and whistles. What about this for a solution: Play the games on a campus site. The Conference USA has been using that system for years, and the Sun Belt is adopting it this season. The league is better with a championship game.

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SWAC Football All-Conference Preseason Teams Released

BIRMINGHAMN, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference released its 2017 SWAC Preseason Teams Friday with 14 players from defending SWAC Champion and Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl winner Grambling State being tabbed for the most individual honors.

The teams were announced during SWAC Football Media Day at the newly renovated Birmingham Marriott after ballots were cast by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

49 players were named to this year’s preseason teams, with several returning players that earned SWAC All-Conference honors at the conclusion of the 2016 season. Should a player that was named to the first team in the postseason awards not return, the second-team player for that position was elevated to the first team. Players were ranked in their position based upon the number of votes received. Ballots required voters to rank their selections in order. After helping lead the Tigers to a conference-best 11-win season, Grambling State quarterback Devante Kincade was the voters’ choice for the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year award. In 2016, Kincade completed 63 percent of his passes and threw for 3,022 yards with 31 touchdowns against just four interceptions.



Jackson State defensive end Keontre Anderson was tabbed as the SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after leading the nation with 25.5 tackles for a loss to go along with nine sacks and six hurries.

Prairie View A&M had the second most selections with eight including four first teamers. Alcorn State and Southern were tied for the third most amount of selections with seven apiece (four first team selections each) while Alabama A&M garnered five selections. Jackson State nabbed three spots, Alabama State and Mississippi Valley State each had two representatives while Texas Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff had one selection apiece.

Joining Kincade on the preseason first-team offense are: running backs Martez Carter (Grambling State) and Jordan Bentley (Alabama A&M), offensive linemen Trent Scott (Grambling State), Donovan Wheaton (Prairie View A&M), Timothy Gardner (Alcorn State), William Waddell (Grambling State), and Sam Baptiste (Alabama State), wide receivers KhaDarel Hodge (Prairie View A&M) and Devohn Lindsey (Grambling State) and tight end Dillon Beard (Southern). Joining Anderson on the preseason first-team defense are: defensive linemen Aaron Tiller (Southern), Michael Brooks (Alcorn State), and DeVohn Reed (Prairie View A&M), linebackers Kenneth Davis (Alabama A&M), Sean Jones (Texas Southern), De’Arius Christmas (Grambling State), and defensive backs Danny Johnson (Southern), Everett Nicholas (Mississippi Valley State), Tere Calloway (Alabama A&M) and Derrick Dixon (Grambling State). Kicker Nick Carden (Alabama A&M), punter Owen Hoolihan and Martez Carter (Grambling State) were each tabbed as first team selections for special teams. Carter was the only player to double as a first team selection at separate positions (also made first team as a running back).

East Division defending champion Alcorn State totaled 80 points as it was named the preseason favorite to win the East. Alabama State was selected to finish in second with 66 points, Jackson State received 59 points, followed by Alabama A&M (45) and Mississippi Valley State (20). In the West Division, reigning SWAC champion and Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl winner Grambling State was chosen as the overall favorite after amassing a conference-best 85 points in the voting. Southern was selected second after it received 68 points. Prairie View A&M followed closely in third place with 59 points while Texas Southern (37) and Arkansas Pine Bluff (21) rounded out the order of predicted finish.

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Devante Kincade (QB) – Grambling State

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Keontre Anderson (DL) – Jackson State

2017 Preseason All-SWAC Football Team

OFFENSE

• QB Devante Kincade, Grambling'
• RB Martez Carter, Grambling
• RB Jordan Bentley, Alabama A&M
• OL Trent Scott, Grambling
• OL Donovan Wheaton, Prairie View
• OL Timothy Gardner, Alcorn State
• OL William Waddell, Grambling
• OL Sam Baptiste, Alabama State
• WR KhaDarel Hodge, Prairie View
• WR Devohn Lindsey, Grambling
• TE Dillon Beard, Southern

Defense

• DL Aaron Tiller, Southern
• DL Keontre Anderson, Jackson State
• DL Michael Brooks, Alcorn State
• DL DeVohn Reed, Prairie View
• LB De'Arius Christmas, Grambling
• LB Kenneth Davis, Alabama A&M
• LB Seth Jones, Texas Southern
• DB Danny Johnson, Southern
• DB Everett Nicholas, Mississippi Valley State
• DB Tere Calloway, Alabama A&M
• DB Derrick Dixon, Grambling

Special teams

• PK Nick Carden, Alabama A&M
• P Owen Hoolihan, Prairie View
• RS Martez Carter, Grambling

Second team

Offense

• QB Austin Howard, Southern
• RB Sta'Fon McCray, Prairie View
• RB De'Lance Turner, Alcorn State
• OL Skylar Prol, Southern
• OL Deonte Brooks, Alcorn State
• OL Vincent Hunter, Jackson State
• OL Austin Simmons, Alabama A&M
• OL Alvin Solomon, Mississippi Valley State
• WR Norlando Veals, Alcorn State
• WR Darius Floyd, Prairie View
• TE Jordan Jones, Grambling

Defense

• DL Christopher Johnson, Grambling
• DL Brandon Varner, Grambling
• DL James Harper, Prairie View
• DL Ramonte Bell, Alcorn State
• LB Kentavious Preston, Southern
• LB Malcolm Williams, Grambling
• LB Shawn Bishop, Jackson State
• DB Jamar Mitchell, Southern
• DB Ja'Terious Pouncy, Grambling
• DB Percy Cargo, Grambling
• DB O.J. O'Neal, Alcorn State

Special teams

• PK Trevor Vincent, Alabama State
• P Jamie Gillan, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
• RS Joshua Simmons, Prairie View

Predicted order of finish

Western Division

1. Grambling, 85 points
2. Southern, 68
3. Prairie View, 59
4. Texas Southern, 37
5. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 21

Eastern Division

1.  Alcorn State, 80
2. Alabama State, 66
3.  Jackson State, 59
4. Alabama A&M, 45
5. Mississippi Valley State, 20

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

SWAC West Division is loaded again

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- – If Southwestern Athletic Conference member Prairie View A&M played in the East Division instead of the West Division, it would have won the title by two games last year.

Instead the Panthers finished as the third-place team in the West by two games.

Sure, the large FCS conferences like CAA Football, the Big Sky and the Missouri Valley are stuffed with depth, but the West Division also should be viewed as a gauntlet. It’s only five teams deep but boasts the likes of defending SWAC champion Grambling State, Southern and Prairie View, a trio that went a combined 24-3 in conference games, and perfect against the East.

Those three teams were installed in that order in the SWAC’s preseason poll on Friday. Over in the East, Alcorn State was favored to win its fourth straight division title.

Incredibly, Grambling (11-1, a second straight 9-0 in the SWAC), Southern (8-3, 8-1) and Prairie View (7-4, 7-2) combined for fewer losses than what Alcorn State (5-6, 5-4) suffered while winning the East under first-year coach Fred McNair. Grambling, under coach Broderick Fobbs, went on to beat Alcorn in the SWAC Championship Game and then topped Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champ North Carolina Central in the second annual Air Force Celebration Bowl to be crowned as the black college football national champion.

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SWAC banking on Celebration Bowl for money, prestige

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The Southwestern Athletic Conference is all-in when it comes to the Celebration Bowl, banking on it to put the league on better financial footing.

The SWAC is dropping its championship game in a money-saving move. The league won’t have a title contest starting in 2018 after ending up in the red because of dwindling attendance.

“Whenever you get a million dollars and you’re not spending a million dollars on your own championship game, it helps tremendously,” SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said Friday at the league’s media day.

The SWAC’s postseason, barring receiving what is believed would be its first at-large FCS playoff berth, will pit the champion against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference winner in the Celebration Bowl at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But it’s not just about the money. Coaches in the league that once routinely produced NFL stars, including Jerry Rice and Walter Payton, believe the platform will have a positive impact onTR recruiting, enhance the prestige of the conference and make travel easier for fans.

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Power and glory on display at annual Queen City Battle of the Bands

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Nothing sounds quite like black college bands – even in the rain.

Despite a driving downpour, last year’s Queen City Battle of the Bands rocked on before a packed house at Memorial Stadium. This year’s showcase will take the field August 26 at 7 p.m., featuring some of the nation’s best college bands Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the showcase.

Advance tickets can be bought at www.crowntickets.com or by calling 1-888-547-6478. A College Fair will be held 3-5 p.m. at the Grady Cole Center, Doors open at 5 p.m., with pre-show at 6:30 p.m.



EVENT BANDS

Alabama State University
Bethune Cookman University
North Carolina Central University
Miles College
Talladega College
Tennessee State University
Winston Salem State University

“To be honest, we were very blessed last year to have the amount of people we had with the rain,” QCBB founder Derek Webber said. “It shows the interest the community has in HBCUs and marching bands and supporting the event that donates scholarship money back to the universities. It’s a great testimony to what we’re doing and what we will continue to do to enhance the exposure of our HBCUs and marching bands.”

The 2017 lineup includes in-state rivals N.C. A&T State, N.C. Central and Winston-Salem State universities as well as out-of-state newcomers. The goal is to widen the QCBB’s reach and expose fans to bands they may not have seen in person.

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NCCU football lands another transfer

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Add another one to the list. The North Carolina Central football team added its fifth FBS transfer to its football roster Saturday night.

De’Niro Laster, a linebacker, posted on his personal Twitter account that he would be closing out his college career with the Eagles. Laster, a native of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, started his playing career at Minnesota but played at Kentucky last season.



Laster is a 6-4, 241-pound inside linebacker, who was a three-star player coming out of Cleveland Heights High School. He earned his degree in May and will be eligible to play right away for N.C. Central, which won its first outright MEAC title in 2016.

In 2014 Laster played in nine games as a redshirt freshman with the Gophers, making seven tackles. That same season he was also named to the Academic All-Big Ten list. He sat out 2015 at Kentucky due to NCAA transfer rules but did practice with the team. He missed most of last season with a knee injury, recording 14 tackles in five games during his lone season in Lexington. Laster also recorded one sack and a fumble recovery in 2016.

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