No FAMU Marching 100 Show in Razorbacks Season Opener

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- There will be no halftime performance from the legendary FAMU Marching 100 band during the season opener for the Arkansas RazorAbacks.

When the Hogs take on the FAMU (Florida A&M) Rattlers at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Thursday, Aug. 31, the band known for its impressive halftime show will not be on the field.

A representative of the band confirmed the news in a Friday morning email.

The FAMU Marching 100 has been credited for many innovative techniques which have become standard operating procedures for many high school and collegiate marching band programs throughout the nation, according to its website. Its penchant for precision demonstrated in every aspect of its performance is a key to the success of the "100."

Kickoff is 7 p.m. for the Rattlers vs. Razorbacks game.

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FAMU's football team will take bus to Arkansas

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Since the 2015 arrival of Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr., Florida A&M’s athletic department has cut costs in an effort to balance its budget.

Overton earlier this year said repairs to a FAMU-owned bus saved the athletic department about $100,000 in travel costs.

Of course, that means long bus rides for some teams.

Florida A&M’s football team will take a bus instead of flying to Little Rock for its Thursday-night game against SEC foe Arkansas. The team will leave the morning of Aug. 30 – the Wednesday before the game – and embark on a 10-hour, 673-mile road trip.

The game against Arkansas is a "money game" for FAMU's athletic department -- Overton told the Tallahassee Democrat the game is worth "about $750,000."

Head coach Alex Wood said the team will be ready to take on the Razorbacks, even with the short week.

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Delaware State Hornets get ready for football season

DOVER, Delaware -- The Delaware State football team hit the field for its first official preseason practice at Alumni Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The session was heavy on individual and position drills, in addition to plenty of special teams work. The Hornets practice again today from 4-6 p.m.

DSU kicks off the season on Aug. 31 at Delaware at 7 p.m.

The Hornets, coming off an 0-11 season, have been picked to finish last in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

“I believe we have taken the right steps to be competitive in the MEAC this season,” said third-year coach Kenny Carter. “We return more than 50 players from the 2016 squad, led by many sophomores and juniors who have gained valuable experience while developing a dogged determination through the struggles of the last two years. In addition, we have our strongest class of newcomers since I arrived and several players who sat out due to injury last year are back and ready to contribute.”

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UAPB Golden Lions open with 'teaching day'

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Coach Monte Coleman had his players start with the basics when the Golden Lions opened fall practice Thursday afternoon.

Coleman said it was "just a teaching day," which focused on fundamentals like position alignment. It's a return to the basics for a team that has finished last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in each of the past three seasons and was voted in the conference's preseason poll to finish last again this season.

"We were 1-10 last season," Coleman said. "We have to have major progression across the board. We have to be smart, physical and technically sound, and that's across the board."

While other Arkansas college teams began practice last Saturday, UAPB starts classes five days later, which set back the 28 days of practices the NCAA permits its college teams to have before classes start.

Other than the fundamental work, Coleman said UAPB also went through 7-on-7 drills. Junior quarterback Brandon Duncan, who passed for 2,229 yard, 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 2016, entered fall practice as the starter.

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Alabama A&M boosted by veteran squad for 2017 football campaign

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama --This season, the Bulldogs will field the most veteran lineup in Head Coach James Spady's four years on The Hill.

And the team includes five preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selections - the most in Spady's term.

Alabama A&M returns seven starters on offense, eight on defense and all of the team's specialists.

Anchoring the returnees are All-SWAC running back Jordan Bentley; All-SWAC linebacker Kenneth Davis; All-SWAC defensive back Tere Calloway; All-SWAC kicker Nick Carden; and second team All-SWAC offensive lineman Austin Simmons.

But, there are a couple of major story lines at the most important position - quarterback.

Who will replace two-year starter Tuttie Ballard?

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B-E's Davis happy to be back "home" playing for S.C. State

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Former Bamberg-Ehrhardt defensive line standout LaSamuel Davis has been busy since high school. He just hasn't played a college football game yet.

But that should change this fall.

Two years ago, Davis went to prep school so he could qualify to play NCAA Division I football. Last year, he red-shirted at Clemson, working out and practicing with the team that won the national championship.

In April, the former dominant Red Raiders pass-rushing threat was a contributing member of the Tigers program who played in the Orange & White Spring Game.

Soon after, Davis decided he needed a third change of scenery in three years. Davis enrolled in summer school classes at South Carolina State and began working out with the Bulldogs team.

With Clemson in line to bring in three of the nation's top high school defensive ends in the next two seasons, that might have been a proactive move by Davis. The Tigers are now without three D-ends who were expected to play some in 2017. But, Davis had to do what he believed was best for him.

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NCAA rewarding Southern with $900K grant evidence it has 'confidence in Southern University athletics,' Banks says

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- It wasn’t that long ago that Southern’s athletic program found itself squarely on the NCAA’s naughty list as a result of letting its academics slide.

Southern has been making strides to put itself back on the nice list since the NCAA slammed it with APR-related sanctions, and earlier this week it was one of three schools rewarded with nearly $1 million in grant money over a three-year span through the NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program.

“I think it shows that the NCAA is now having confidence in Southern University athletics,” said Southern athletic director Roman Banks. “I think they’ve seen, and I know they have documented, the great turnaround we had at the university.”

The program has been in place since 2012. Only non-FBS schools in the bottom 10 percent of financial resources are eligible to apply.

Southern was one of three schools to receive a comprehensive, or multi-year, grant. Six other schools received single year grants.

Each year, Southern will receive $300,000 — the maximum amount — from the NCAA for a total of $900,000 in grant money. Southern is required to match 25 percent of the funding in the first year, 50 percent in the second year and 75 percent in the third year.

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Hardin: A&T football holds season's 1st practice

GREENSBORO North Carolina -- Footballs were flying around outside Aggie Stadium on a hot August afternoon. Coaches were screaming and players were sweating and Rod Broadway was smiling.

The old coach from Oakboro is in his element. He has his program where he wants it, and he’s not changing a thing.

“What’s the old saying?,” he asked, joking in front of the cameras. “We do chicken.”

That’s all.

No frills or fritters. A&T lost its best player but not its identity. This is a reloading season for the Aggies, and Broadway and his quarterback are looking to December.

“We’re going to be a good football team,” he said Tuesday, minutes before the first practice of the season, which starts in 28 days.

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Tripp Harrington takes most reps at QB as Norfolk State camp opens

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State coach Latrell Scott gave freshman quarterback Tripp most of the reps during the first official practice Wednesday.

"Tripp's the starter right now at the end of day one," Scott said.

Day Two could be different. Harrington is in a battle with sophomore Tyre Givers-Wilson and freshman Juwan Carter for the starting job.

Harrington, a Raleigh, N.C., native, started and played the entire spring game and apparently showed enough to get the early nod.

Givers-Wilson and Carter split reps in practice behind Harrington.

"I think it's a great relationship," Scott said of the quarterbacks. "It's a friendly competition which is good."

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RICK CLEVELAND: Six more ready to join state hall of fame

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum has worn a funeral wreath on its doors five times since last year’s induction ceremonies. That’s because Boo Ferriss, Orsmond Jordan, Robert Morgan, Larry Grantham and Eddie Crawford all have died in the interim.

All contributed much to Mississippi sports lore in their respective fields of endeavor.

And the legends of all five will live on in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, an important Jackson museum that tells the remarkable, uplifting story of the Magnolia State’s history of athletic success.

The Hall of Fame will induct six more members with a weekend of planned activities culminating in Saturday night’s induction banquet at the Jackson Convention Center. The latest inductees:

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Woodbury resigns as offensive coordinator at J.C. Smith

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Tory Woodbury, a Hall of Fame quarterback in his playing days at Winston-Salem State, has left his job as offensive coordinator at Johnson C. Smith.

Woodbury, 39, is a Winston-Salem native and a Glenn High School graduate.

Woodbury could not be reached for comment but posted on his Facebook and Twitter accounts that he is no longer works at Johnson C. Smith.

Woodbury, a member of the Big House Gaines Hall of Fame at WSSU and a member of the CIAA Hall of Fame, helped the Rams to CIAA titles in 1999 and 2000. Before getting into coaching he spent four seasons in the NFL signing as a rookie free agent with the New York Jets in 2001.

He’s the second-leading passer in WSSU history with 4,493 yards, and he is tied for third in school history with 38 touchdown passes.

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Hampton grad David Watford working hard to make the Eagles

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver David Watford has been keeping his sleeves rolled up in training camp. Watford landed a spot on the Eagles practice squad last year. The 6-foot-2, 212-pounder accomplished this task as an undrafted free agent out of Hampton University. The next step for Watford is to secure a spot on the Eagles’ 53-man roster. He knows what he has do to in order to reach this goal.

“I just have to keep working every day,” Watford said. “I just have to keep proving myself day in and day out. I have to keep working and finding the little things to do. I did get a lot of experience last year. I’m just using that experience for this year. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time to get better.”



Watford has made a lot of strides over the past year. In 2015, he came out of Hampton as one of the top quarterback in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. He completed 167-of-315 passes for 2,088 yards with 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He made a big adjustment when he came to Eagles moving from quarterback to wide receiver.

“It took a little while,” Watford said. “It wasn’t easy. It was a tough transition in a sense because it take a lot of attention to detail. It was a lot of work and a lot of practice.”

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Sophomore quarterback TJ Bell now the go-to guy for Savannah State

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The news of Savannah State’s upcoming transition to NCAA Division II athletics affected different players different ways.

Sophomore quarterback TJ Bell didn’t waver from his commitment and now the Tigers football program is committed more than ever to the dual-threat performer.

“At the end of the day it’s football, you have to go out and compete,” said Bell at SSU’s football media day Tuesday morning. “Just think positive about any situation.”

The Tigers’ first of 29 football practices begins today at 8:30 a.m., leading up to the Sept. 9 season opener in Boone, N.C., against Appalachian State.

At one time, naming SSU’s starting quarterback for the opener might have been a coin flip. Bell and Blake Dever, both heralded freshmen last season, saw nearly equal playing time during the 2016 season.

But in April, Tiger officials announced a plan to drop athletics from Division I to Division II. SSU’s football program had competed in the Football Championship Subdivision.

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NCCU Football: Strength in numbers

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Last month during the Pigskin Preview in Cary, North Carolina Central football coach Jerry Mack told the crowd he wasn’t worried about his 22 starters on offense and defense. His concern, going into his fourth season as head coach, was depth.

Mack and his staff want to make sure the guys behind his starters are quality guys, players he can plug in and not see a drop off in production. Tuesday, the first official day of practice for the Eagles, Mack looked over the practice field and saw more than 100 guys running around, the most players since he’s been at N.C. Central.

The Eagles, who won their first outright MEAC title last season, return 11 starters, including seven on defense. The guys who will fill those vacated spots are players who have been in the program for a number of years, but may not have seen a lot of snaps. That’s OK with Mack because those guys know the system. Once you get pass those first 22, it’s wide open for spots on the two-deep.

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GSU’s DeVante Kincade ready to leave mark among Tiger greats

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Life beyond Grambling's campus is still many month away for DeVante Kincade of early visits to the Eddie Robinson museum left him inspired.

"The day I stepped in there I couldn't believe it. It was so many NFL players. It's just like when you walk into Nick Saban's place; all them NFL players on the wall. I walked into Eddie Robinson's museum I said oh my goodness. All I could see is myself up there because they came through and did it so it's not impossible," explained Kincade.



The quarterback earned SWAC offensive player of the year honors and led GSU to a HBCU national championship in 2016 and even with some key names missing from the receiving corps, he's confident in their ability to take up the mantle.

"We got some you guys that's hungry and you know what they say about people that's hungry, they'll do anything to eat. So my receivers I know their excited to come in and fill those shoes because they know that everybody knows those guys are gone. They read the media, they know that they got to come out and play hard and meet their expectations and go above those expectations because there's no way you can be the same way and go back and win another championship," said Kincade.

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New Offense and Attitude Has Morehouse Football Excited About 2017 Season

ATLANTA, Georgia -- When the Morehouse football team hits the practice field Aug. 4 for the start of fall practice, things won’t look like they did at the end of the 2016 season.

With a new assistant coach, a new offense and a different kind of spirit around the football program, the season is looking to be a promising one, despite the Maroon Tigers being picked to finish in fifth-place in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s East Division, said Morehouse’s head football coach Rich Freeman.

“It definitely motivates me because I don’t see fifth-place talent when I look around our locker room,” Freeman said. “And I definitely don’t see fifth-place coaching when I see the experience on our staff; and I don’t see fifth-place scholarship resources as our institution invests in grant-in-aid so we can go out and bring in good players.

“We don’t have everything we need, but we have what we need to be a lot better than fifth-place,” he said. “I’m looking forward to that happening.”

Last season, the Maroon Tigers finished 3-7, largely because of an offense that sputtered despite having lots of talent, a defensive secondary that gave up way too many big plays, and inconsistent play on special teams. All of those issues have been addressed during the offseason.

Five Maroon Tigers were chosen for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s preseason All-Conference team announced in July – linebacker David Smith, tight end Ryan Edwards and kick returner Ricci Nuckles made the first team, while defensive linemen Antonio Johnson and Voris Bryant were named to the second team.

Freeman’s staff recruited a new kicker to help the special teams play, while added emphasis in recruiting and coaching is being put on shoring up the secondary, he said. That will help what is already one of the SIAC’s top overall defenses.

The biggest change has been the hiring of Harry Williams as the team’s new offensive coordinator. Williams, who was at Langston University last season, brings a spread offense that scored nearly 41 points a game and helped Langston lead their conference in scoring last season.

Gone is an offense heavy on reads and intricate blocking schemes. Now, the Morehouse offense will be one that is more aggressive and will spread the ball all over the field.

“With Coach Williams, he’s brought in a bunch of new looks and he kind of reinvented the spread look, and interspersed some power into it,” said quarterback Kivon Taylor. “So, it’s a new look. The conference hasn’t seen this look. Now, we have an offense designed around our strengths.”

It’s an offensive scheme that has ignited a sense of enthusiasm in the entire team, Freeman said.

“We had an exciting spring practice,” Freeman said. “Not just reinvigorating our offense, but our entire football team. We needed success and a lot better tone. We’ve gotten that tone, in a football perspective, back during that 15 days of spring practice and I’m excited.”

Edwards said this is also an important season for the Morehouse seniors. They are looking to show the entire Morehouse community – students, alumni, faculty and staff – that football at Morehouse is in great shape.

“We have a lot of pride in Morehouse,” he said. “We know that Morehouse is not the biggest football or athletic school, but with this new offense and the type of defense we have, we’re looking to make some noise in our conference and looking for different types of people to come to the games. That’s what it’s about – fans and support – so we’re going to give it to them.”

The Maroon Tigers open the season on Sept. 2 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff and then host Lane College on Sept. 9.

For more about Morehouse football, go to http://athletics.morehouse.edu/index.aspx?path=football.

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Claflin University Athletics Welcomes Two New Head Coaches

 Revonda Whitely
Head Coach Women's Basketball

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The Claflin University athletics department announces the hiring of Revonda Whitely and Mary Rotimi as the head women's basketball coach and head volleyball coach, respectively.

 
Whitely's appointment was effective July 24 while Rotimi's appointment was effective July 31. 
 

Revonda Whitley, WBB Coach

Whitley joins the Lady Panthers staff after serving 13 years as the associate head coach at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), an NCAA Division I program.
 "We are pleased to have someone of Whitley's caliber join our staff," Dr. Jerome Fitch said. The athletic director added: "Her length of service and experience on the Division I level was a major consideration in her selection and I'm confident that she has the capability to lead the Lady Panther program to sustained success in the SIAC."

 
Whitley is no stranger to the state of South Carolina, having played collegiately at Winthrop University in Rock Hill.  She was a four-year standout for the Eagles women's basketball program from 1990 to 1994, ending a stellar career, with over 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 140 steals.
 
"I'm excited to return to the area where it all started for me," Whitley said.  "I began volunteering with then, Head Varsity Girls Coach, Tammy Shadd at Eau Claire High School and my passion to develop young student-athletes grew from there."
 
"To be chosen as the head women's basketball coach at Claflin is an absolute honor and privilege.  I say this because of the academic prestige of the institution as well as the vision that President (Henry) Tisdale has for moving the institution forward.  I felt immediately that Claflin was the right fit for me."
 
Whitley began her collegiate coaching career at Elizabeth City State in 2001, just an hour away from where she grew up in Pantego, N.C. During her tenure at Elizabeth City State, she served as the Head Volleyball Coach for two seasons (2003-04), while also serving as an adjunct professor in the Physical Education Department (2002-04).
 
Her coaching resume includes stints with the Columbia Warriors men's semi-professional basketball team (1998), The Timmerman School (1999) and she was also the head junior varsity coach at Eau Claire High School (2000), all in Columbia, S.C.
 
She graduated from Winthrop with a degree in psychology and earned a master's degree in human performance and sport studies (sport psychology) from the University of Tennessee in 1997.

Rotimi rejoins the coaching ranks after serving as the Program Director with the Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia the past three years. She succeeds Ashley Jordan who was named volleyball coach in March, but was unable to remain in the position due to personal reasons.

Mary Rotimi
Head Coach Volleyball 

"We are pleased to have Coach Rotimi join our staff," Dr. Jerome Fitch said. The athletic director added: "She has extensive experience in the sport of volleyball at various levels and her experience will help the Claflin volleyball team continue its winning tradition."
 
Prior to her stint with the Boys and Girls Club, Rotimi spent one season (2013-14) as the assistant athletic director of recreation and head volleyball coach at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa. In addition she was the assistant women's basketball coach at Wilmington University (2012-2014) in New Castle, Del. and the head women's volleyball coach at Manor College (2012-2013).
 
Rotimi began her coaching career at Delaware County Community College where she served as the head women's basketball coach and head women's volleyball coach for two seasons (2008-2010).
 
"It feels good to be back in coaching, it's definitely something I've been looking to do," Rotimi said.  "Being chosen as the head coach volleyball at Claflin University is a great opportunity. Knowing that it is a winning program, I see nothing but great things for this program. I want to thank everyone at Claflin University for seeing me as a good fit to help lead the program."
 
Rotimi was a standout basketball player at Lincoln University (Pa).  She finished with the most career double-doubles in Lady Lion history (37).  Rotimi scored 921 points with 814 rebounds over four seasons (2003-2007).  During her career, she averaged 12.2 points and 10.8 rebounds.  In 1995 she was inducted in Lincoln University (Pa) Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
Romiti earned a degree in health science from Lincoln and a master's degree in public administration with a graduate certificate in sports management and athletics from West Chester in 2011. 

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Finding Purpose: Former Hampton University Pirates Greg Scott

WINTON, North Carolina – No question, Greg Scott is home.

It’s not here in the Roanoke-Chowan area, but just across the Virginia state line in Southampton County; the town of Franklin, to be exact.

Actually, in some ways he never left.

Raised near Courtland, VA, Scott played football at Southampton High, then went on to star as a defensive end at Hampton University, leading the Pirates to the 1998 MEAC conference championship. In 2002, he was drafted by the NFL Washington Redskins (another near-Virginia connection). He later played for the Cincinnati Bengals before heading overseas to play with the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe. He then closed out his five-and-a-half-year pro career in 2007 in the Arena Football League with the Grand Rapids Rampage.



When it was done he says he made some $3 million fulfilling his boyhood dream of making it in professional football.

Following football, Scott entered private business as an entrepreneur. Today, he is currently the founder and chairman of the board of a non-profit group that provides kids meals to at-risk youth and children who might not otherwise afford school meals. The group also teaches nutrition education and educates children on portion control to combat food insecurity, childhood obesity, and reduces health problems caused by poor diet. Currently they have more than 12,400 children in southeastern Virginia enrolled in their after-school feeding program and have served more than two-million meals and snacks since 2010.

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Title IX investigation into FAMU women's hoops coach complete

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M's Office of Equal Opportunity Programs last month ruled allegations that head women's basketball coach LeDawn Gibson bullied players based on sexual orientation were "unsubstantiated."

Allegations of bullying were originally brought to the attention of then-Deputy Athletic Director Elliot Charles, who on Feb. 3 forwarded an anonymous email to FAMU's director of equal opportunity programs.

The allegations included claims both Gibson and assistant coach LaTasha Ganus bullied, verbally abused and discriminated against the players who were dismissed from the team.

The findings of the investigation, dated June 30, said, "The same-sex allegation does not rise to the level of discriminatory behavior."

Added in the report, "It does not appear to be reasonable that a coach who has recruited and continues to recruit student-athletes who are openly homosexual would dismiss student-athletes because of same sex relationships when there is clear evidence that other, non-discriminatory factors impacted the dismissal decisions."

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FAMU head coach Alex Wood: 'We like this team'

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s fall football camp is underway, and third-year head coach Alex Wood likes the vibe of this year’s group.

He has some solid reasons to like what he sees heading into FAMU’s Aug. 26 season opener against Texas Southern.

For the first time in Wood’s tenure with the program, FAMU’s football team is sanction-free. The group had spring practice and a spring football game. There are no limits cutting into the time Wood and his coaches can spend with the Rattlers this fall.

And – even though Wood doesn’t put too much stock in preseason accolades – the MEAC’s coaches are noticing some improvement in the program. The Rattlers over the weekend were picked to finish sixth in the MEAC this season.

That’s better than the eighth-place predictions FAMU was saddled with in 2016 and 2015, though not quite where Wood would rank his team.

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Dawson Odums looks for mental sharpness as Southern wears pads in the heat for the first time

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The pop of pads was audible for the first time at Southern’s preseason camp, but that was not what coach Dawson Odums was looking for Monday.

With his players wearing shells — shoulder pads and helmets — for the first time, Odums was gauging how his players would handle the extra bit of discomfort.

“It’s concentration,” he said. “Once you add the shoulder pads, it creates another element. Our guys pushed through it.”

Odums paid close attention to the conditioning sprints his team ran at the end of practice, after roughly two hours spent practicing in muggy conditions.

The Jaguars broke into three groups to run sideline-to-sideline sprints. The lightest players needed to complete the sprint in 16 seconds, the medium group needed to complete it in 18 and the heavy group was given 20.

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Albany State University Statement: NCAA Enforcement Investigation

ALBANY, Georgia -- Albany State University (ASU) has conducted concurrent internal and external reviews of the athletics program and has reported possible violations of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) legislation to the NCAA.

ASU President Art Dunning tasked all new institutional leaders to formally assess all functions of their units. Sherie C. Gordon, director of athletics, conducted an NCAA review, which revealed possible violations. The university subsequently retained Buckner Sports Law Firm, a sports and education law firm, as outside legal counsel to assist with a comprehensive investigation into the possible violations. The NCAA enforcement staff has agreed to conduct a collaborative investigation with ASU's outside counsel.

Dunning and the athletics leadership team recognize the importance of ensuring a culture of compliance. In concert with the NCAA investigation, ASU is working diligently to implement recommendations from the NCAA review to ensure the university builds a model and compliant Division II program. To protect the integrity of the ongoing collaborative inquiry, as well as to adhere to NCAA confidentiality rules, university officials will not comment further at this time.

About ASU…Albany State University, in Southwest Georgia, has been a catalyst for change in the region from its inception as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute to its designation as a university. Founded in 1903 to educate African-American youth, the university continues to fulfill its historic mission while also serving the educational needs of an increasingly diverse student population. A progressive institution, Albany State University seeks to foster the growth and development of the region, state and nation through teaching, research, creative expression and public service. Through its collaborative efforts, the university responds to the needs of all of its constituents and offers educational programs and service to improve the quality of life in Southwest Georgia. For more information, please visit https://www.asurams.edu/. Follow the university on Twitter and Facebook at @AlbanyStateUniv.

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S.C. State Bulldog O-line mixes youth with veterans

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough and his offensive staff have spoken highly of the Bulldogs’ potential on offense for the 2017 campaign, giving thumbs up on the team’s talent at quarterback, its stable of running backs, as well as the wide receivers corps. But for those groups to deliver, the all-important offensive line must be productive.

Pough and his staff will have to fill two positions along the interior line, that of All-MEAC tackle Javarius Leamon, one of eight Bulldogs on current NFL rosters, and Eric Dickerson, a one-time All-MEAC performer who missed the team’s first four games last year before settling in with a strong showing at guard down the stretch.

The absence of those two veterans looms big for the S.C. State interior line. But three starters from the group return, giving the Bulldogs some key experience as Pough’s team seeks to bounce back from a 5-6 campaign. Pough will have to rely on inexperience and youth to establish the depth along the offensive line that will be needed to compete against improved MEAC competition.

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Norwood Leads FAMU Squad of Nine on All-MEAC List

NORFOLK, Virginia  – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference released its 2017 Preseason All-Star Football Team here Friday, and nine (9) FAMU student-athletes were named among the selected performers announced at the annual Football Media Luncheon at the Marriott Waterside Hotel.
Heading the list of Rattler All-Stars was senior wide receiver Brandon Norwood of Atlanta, Georgia, who was named to the All-MEAC First Team. Norwood had a team-high 51 catches for 458 yards and four touchdowns a year ago.



Second Team selections included offensive linemen Osman Aguilera and Loubens Polinice, along with defensive backs Orlando McKinley and Terry Jefferson, who each had four pass interceptions in 2016.

Third Team selections from FAMU were quarterback Ryan Stanley, tight end Desmond Noird, offensive tackle Obinna Nwanko and defensive end Elijah Price.

2017 FAMU Preseason MEAC Football All-Stars

First Team Offense
WR* Brandon Norwood Sr. Florida A&M Atlanta, Ga.

Second Team Offense
OL Osman Aguilera Sr. Florida A&M Miami, Fla.
OL Loubens Polinice So. Florida A&M Palm Coast, Fla.

Second Team Defense
DB Orlando McKinley Jr. Florida A&M Atlanta, Ga.
DB Terry Jefferson So. Florida A&M Miami, Fla.

Third Team Offense
QB Ryan Stanley So. Florida A&M Pembroke Pines, Fla.
TE Desmond Noird Sr. Florida A&M Atlanta, Ga.
OL Obinna Nwanko So. Florida A&M Miramar, Fla.

Third Team Defense
DL* Elijah Price Sr. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla.


The nine players was the most from Florida A&M since early 2000s.

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NCCU Eagles finally earn respect

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Well, N.C. Central can no longer consider themselves the Rodney Dangerfields of the MEAC.  Friday at MEAC Media Day, the Eagles finally got some respect.

At the league’s annual preseason gathering, N.C. Central was picked to win a fourth straight MEAC title. The coaches and sports information directors in the conference vote, and the Eagles finished one spot ahead of rival North Carolina A&T, who were picked to win it all in 2016. South Carolina State, Bethune-Cookman, Hampton, Florida A&M, Norfolk State, Morgan State, Howard, Savannah State and Delaware State round out the predicted order of finish. It was the first time since Jerry Mack took over in 2014 N.C. Central was predicted to finish first in the conference. Mack’s first season, the coaches predicted the Eagles to finish No. 8. That season Mack’s squad won the share of the MEAC title.

N.C. Central, which finished a perfect 8-0 in the MEAC last season, will play each of the remaining four teams in the top five predicted order of finish. The Eagles didn’t play South Carolina State or Hampton last season, who replaced Morgan State and Savannah State on N.C. Central’s schedule.

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