SWAC preview: Alabama State Hornets

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1. ‘Main course’: Alabama State head coach Brian Jenkins said he’s tired of just being in the mix for a conference title. The Hornets finished 4-7 last season, posting their first losing mark since 2009. This season, the Hornets were picked to finish second in the SWAC East behind Alcorn State. “It’s time for us to be in the main course,” Jenkins said. “The East is tough, just like the West. There’s a lot of parody in the league, but I think that’s a good thing. That means that if we’re the last team standing, we’ve earned the right to be called (SWAC) champion.” ASU hasn’t earned that distinction since 2004 and hasn’t reached the SWAC title game since 2011.

2. Next man up? Alabama State has rushed for over 2,000 yards in each of the last four seasons. Last year, the Hornets were once again tops in the SWAC with 220.5 rushing yards per game. Hornets junior Alex Anderson has been plagued by injuries throughout this career, but Jenkins said Anderson is finally healthy enough to carry the load. “Alex has come in 10-12 pounds heavier," Jenkins said. "Last year, he tried to play through some injuries. This year, he has a better understanding of the offense. With the added weight and his health, we expect some big things from him."

3. Defensive reload: ASU has a new defensive coordinator in ...

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Hampton hopes to continue MEAC upswing with swarming defense

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Brendan Cole and Steven Smith are determined to end their Hampton careers by keeping the Pirates on an upward trend.

Following a string of losing seasons, both overall and in the MEAC, Hampton finished 5-3 in conference the past two years.

“We took a big step last year in leadership,” said Cole, a safety and grad student. “The year before we had our first winning season in about three years, so we built off that. Now we’re trying to take that next step, which is just togetherness.”

The defense, which ranked second in the MEAC in yards allowed in 2016, returns most of its starters. Cole and Smith – a senior linebacker and former Salem High standout – anchor the swarming D.

“We fly around and everybody runs to the ball,” Smith said. “Hustle, determination and not giving up.”

While both offense and defense finished in the top five in nearly every category, Smith believes the two weren’t synced in enough games to top the team standings.

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For Norfolk State this year, "there can’t be any more excuses"

NORFOLK, Virginia -- No more excuses.

That’s how tight end Demetreus Ferebee sees it.

As Norfolk State enters its third year of the Latrell Scott regime, most players on the roster are his recruits. And while Ferebee, a redshirt senior, is one of the few holdovers from former coach Pete Adrian’s guys, he recognizes this year should be a pivot toward improvement.

“There can’t be any more excuses,” Ferebee said. “We gotta make it happen.”

The Spartans finished 4-7 overall in each of Scott’s first two seasons, sandwiched in the middle of the MEAC standings. In a favorable light, the first two years were mostly a transition period as new and old recruits mingled.

“The first two years, we were polishing up and getting guys ready,” said Nigel Chavis, a redshirt sophomore defensive end/linebacker. “To me, the third year is when the work shows.”

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What we learned from FAMU's 29-7 victory over Texas Southern

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Ryan Stanley deserves to be FAMU’s starter

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Stanley remains undefeated at home and Florida A&M’s starter (4-0). He got off to a somewhat shaky start on Saturday against Texas Southern, but he more than made up for it as the game went on.

Vincent Jefferies saw a bit of time – like head coach Alex Wood said he would – but Saturday was Stanley’s game. He finished the game 19 for 32 with 217 yards and a touchdown and didn’t turn the ball over. He also had a rushing touchdown.

Jefferies completed one pass for five yards, but had a 12-yard rushing touchdown.

“We’ve got confidence in Ryan,” Wood said. “We all have work to do, the whole operation, but he did well today. I thought Vince came in and did well protecting the ball. There’s some systemic things we need to work with for both of them, but we’ll get that done.”

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Ryan Stanley shines in FAMU's season opener against Texas Southern

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- For redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Stanley, home-field advantage is real.

There’s some magic in Bragg Memorial Stadium for Florida A&M’s second-year starter. He’s undefeated at home in four starts, and has only turned the ball over twice as a starter in Tallahassee.

He led the Rattlers to yet another home victory Saturday against SWAC opponent Texas Southern in front of 15,401 fans as FAMU dismantled the Tigers 29-7 in the first game of the FCS season, the inaugural Jake Gaither Classic at Bragg.

For Stanley, it was just another day in his favorite place to play. He finished the game 19 for 32 for 217 yards and two touchdowns (one rushing, one passing).

“I don’t know maybe it’s just the atmosphere,” Stanley said with a smile after the game. “Great fans, I don’t know… there’s something about Bragg. I don’t know what it is.”

It was FAMU’s first season-opening victory at home since 2011, the team’s first season-opening victory overall since 2013.



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Jake Gaither Classic Half-Time: FAMU Marching 100 vs. Tx So Ocean of Soul Marching Band

XULA Gold Nuggets defeat Lawrence Tech in 5 sets at UMD

DEARBORN, Mich. — Senior Juliana Tomasoni and freshman Jaida Dowd combined for 25 kills Saturday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 15-25, 15-12 volleyball victory against Lawrence Tech in the UM-Dearborn Early Bird.
     
The Gold Nuggets start the season 2-1 for the first time since 2013. They gave Lawrence Tech its first loss of the year.
     
Tomasoni produced 16 kills, a season high, and two aces. Dowd had a career-best nine kills.
     
Also contributing to XULA's 53 kills were Hasani Salaam with eight, Adili Rikondja with seven and Lauryn Taylor with six. Eva Le Guillou served two aces. Taylor and Le Guillou are freshmen.
     
The Gold Nuggets missed a chance for a 3-set sweep when the Blue Devils (3-1) rallied from a 21-16 deficit in the third. Lawrence Tech forced a fifth set after opening the fourth with a 13-1 run.
     
"Started strong," XULA head coach Pat Kendrick said. "Backed off our intensity in the third and had to fight our way back to win."
    
XULA scored five of the final six points in the fifth to wipe out Lawrence Tech's 11-10 lead.
     
It was the first time in three years that XULA played consecutive 5-set matches and the first time ever that the Gold Nuggets went to five sets on consecutive days. NAIA No. 24 Madonna beat XULA 15-11 in the fifth Friday evening.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Gold Nuggets split a pair of matches on opening day

DEARBORN, Michigan— Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball opened the Pat Kendrick era Friday with a split of two matches at the UM-Dearborn Early Bird.

The Gold Nuggets trailed 8-4 early against Trinity International, then rallied for a 25-23, 25-16, 25-16 victory. But in the second match NAIA No. 24 Madonna erased a 10-6 XULA lead in the final set and defeated the Nuggets 25-15, 21-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-11.

Freshman Vivica Price-Spraggins led XULA with eight kills against Trinity International, and Tiffany Phillips served two aces. Against Madonna, Juliana Tomasoni had 12 kills, and freshman Kayla Black had 11. Another freshman, Anna Dalla Vecchia, served four aces, all in the second set.

Kendrick, who led NCAA Division I George Mason from 1985-2014, was hired in February as XULA's head coach.

The victory against Trinity International was XULA's first on the road in a season opener since its debut season in 2003.

Trinity International is 1-3, and Madonna is 5-0.

XULA will play two more matches in this event Saturday — 10 a.m. EDT against Lawrence Tech and 2 p.m. against Fisk — then open its home schedule at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Mobile at the Convocation Center.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XULA Price opens season with nearly 30-second victory

Results:  Men    Women

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana sophomore Taylor Price ran two miles in 12 minutes, 51.42 seconds Friday to win the women's individual championship of the Xavier Big Easy Opener cross country meet at City Park.

Price, from Missouri City, Texas, and a graduate of Ridge Point High School, recorded the second-fastest time by a XULA woman at this distance. Catherine Fakler set the record of 12:42.18 in this meet three years ago.

"The course was pretty easy," Price said. "It went by faster than I thought. For the first mile I paced myself, then on the second mile I just gave what I had left."

It was Price's second collegiate victory. She was the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champion in 2016. Price won by nearly 30 seconds over runner-up Sasha Solano-McDaniel of Loyola, whose time was 13:18.50.

In a meet featuring three city rivals, Loyola won the women's and men's team championships and had the men's individual winner, Walter Ramsey. The freshman ran 5,000 meters in 16:51.79.

XULA's other top-10 finishers were Maliya Vaughan (third place, 13:46.17) and Brianna Pace (eighth, 15:10.51) in the women's race and Camren Sewell (third, 17:36.27) and Oji Wells (10th, 19:36.14) in the men's. It was collegiate debut of Sewell, a freshman.

In women's team scoring, Loyola had 24 points, followed by XULA with 40 points and Dillard with 61. Loyola won the men's title with 18 points, followed by Dillard with 58 and XULA with 59. Loyola had five of the first seven women's finishers and five of the first six men's finishers.

XULA will travel to Clinton, Miss., for the Mississippi College Season Opener next Friday.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Full Battle -- FAMU "Marching 100" vs Texas Southern "Ocean of Soul" 2017

S.C. State linebacker Darius Leonard gives Bulldogs reason to be optimistic

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Coming out of Lake View High School, linebacker Darius Leonard was used to being on the football field for just about every snap.

So when Leonard arrived at South Carolina State in the fall of 2013, the last thing he expected was to sit on the sidelines for an entire season.

But sitting out as a freshman and redshirting might have been the best thing that ever happened to Leonard.



Like a lot of athletes that S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough recruits, Leonard came to Orangeburg as an undersized player at his position. The lanky, 6-3 Leonard had the height and quickness to play linebacker in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, but weighed just 185 pounds and needed a year in the weight room and at the training table.

Leonard’s talent became apparent after just a handful of practices. There was talk early in Leonard’s freshman season about burning his redshirt year and getting him on the field.

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Eyeing defensive upgrade, FAMU has conference title aspirations

TALLAHASSE, Florida -- Florida A&M coach Alex Wood knows what it takes to improve. And it will only come with progress on defense.

The Rattlers gave up 39 or more points in four of their 10 games against FCS opponents. FAMU was somehow quite good against the pass, ranking fifth nationally, yet allowed 223 rushing yards per game (105th in the FCS).

“We’ll be exciting, colorful, explosive and play good defense,” Wood said. “To win a championship, you have to play really good defense.”

Wood is right. And just the fact that the Rattlers are discussing the prospects of winning a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title is also a significant point. FAMU last won a MEAC championship in 2010, when it shared a piece of the title. Seven years and three coaching changes later, there is optimism for the future as FAMU tries to build on a 4-7 season.

FAMU returns its leading tailback and two top receivers.

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Just the facts: FAMU vs. Texas Southern

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The skinny: Florida A&M kicks off the college football season with a Week Zero game against SWAC foe Texas Southern at noon on Saturday. It’s the first time FAMU has opened its season at home since 2011 – coincidentally, that’s the last time FAMU had a winning season. The Rattlers came on strong last season with Ryan Stanley as the team’s starting quarterback. FAMU won four of its last seven games, but the season ended with a disappointing showing in the Florida Classic.

Florida A&M (4-7, 4-4 MEAC last season) vs. Texas Southern (4-7, 4-5 SWAC last season)
When/where: Noon, Saturday, Bragg Memorial Stadium
TV: ESPNU
Radio: 96.1 FM

Texas Southern looking to climb the ranks of the SWAC after going 4-7 last season. The Tigers lost their starting quarterback in the first game of the season. Jay Christophe is back now as a redshirt senior. Still Texas Southern lost some key pieces on defense and switched to a 3-4 this offseason.

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding this game in the HBCU sports world. It’s the first game of the year, and the only one that’ll be on national television during its noon time slot. Some fans have worried about the potential heat in Bragg, but FAMU’s administration has taken steps to provide some relief during what promises to be a sweltering game.

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Saturday's FAMU game could be a season opener to remember with a national spotlight

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta may be getting all the attention, but the fans on the Highest of Seven Hills know which game is really kicking off the college football season.

Florida A&M’s Week Zero game against Texas Southern – dubbed the Jake Gaither Classic – is the first Division I football game being played this season. Yes, it’s a contest between two teams that went 4-7 last season, but it’s the first taste of real college football anyone is going to get.

For FAMU fans, this is the best first look at the Rattlers in years.

I know it’s going to be hot – high noon near the end of August is no joke in Tallahassee – but this is a season opener, at home, on national television and it’s not against a powerhouse opponent.

FSU has its “greatest opener of all time” set for Sept. 2. FAMU has its “greatest opener of Milton Overton Jr.’s tenure as athletic director” set for Saturday.

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Bowie State Looks to Finally Win the CIAA Championship Game

BOWIE, Maryland -- During the late 1970’s then Houston Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini made a bold declaration after a second straight AFC Championship Game loss to the great Pittsburgh Steelers. “Last year we knocked on the door, this year we banged on it, next year we’re going to kick it in.” The Oilers never went back to that championship game and ultimately became the Tennessee Titans.

Bowie State finds themselves in the same circumstance entering this season. For the last two years they’ve lost to Winston Salem State in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championship game which drives everyone in the program as they try to find the key to get that last victory and bring a football championship home.



“Our veteran leaders have had a lot of success and done all we asked of them so I would like to send them out with a championship,” head coach Damon Wilson told the AFRO.

Despite not having as many full scholarships or a complete full time coaching staff, Bowie State has dominated the northern division of the CIAA. The Bulldogs know what it takes to win the division but with Virginia State, Virginia Union and Chowan closing the gap nothing is guaranteed.

NCAA Division II rules state football teams can award a maximum of 53 full scholarships yet Bowie St. can only offer 11. Those same rules also mandate that programs can totally compensate seven full time staff coaching positions yet they can only afford two. The financial disparity that separates them from the other elite programs in the CIAA is not an excuse but a reality that hovers over the program every year.

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WSSU Rams gearing up for opener against UNC Pembroke

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Coach Kienus Boulware of Winston-Salem State needed to get away from his phone and office and the usual distractions of a busy day before practice earlier this week.

He found his escape by lining the team’s practice field with red paint, and the results were pretty good.

“It’s a great way to kind of clear my mind,” Boulware said about the maintenance duty that’s obviously not part of his contract. “I don’t mind doing it every now and then.”



It’s a good bet not many head coaches would take the time to line the team’s practice field, but to Boulware it’s just another way of building his program.

The Rams have a few practices left before their opener at UNC Pembroke on Aug. 31 in a Thursday night game. They have lost to Pembroke in each of the last two openers.

Boulware’s Rams have experience all over the field having lost only six starters from last season’s 9-3 team that won the CIAA for the second straight season and went to the Division II playoffs.

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$8.4M for Edward Waters College? Controversy on Jax City Council

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- This summer, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry proposed a $131M capital improvement budget — a cornucopia of one-time spending designed to take advantage of budget relief created by pension reform, fueled by the confidence created by Jacksonville’s strong position with bond ratings agencies.

And on Wednesday, the Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee — along with visiting Council members — took their pencils and erasers to the budget proposal, one which also included ramped up recurring budgets for maintenance projects — especially sidewalk construction and sewerage system rehab.

Those items didn’t prove so controversial. What did prove controversial: a priority spend of Mayor Lenny Curry opposed by one Council member, who said it might cause him to vote against the budget entirely.

Councilman Danny Becton proposing moving $8.4M away from Edward Waters College capital improvements (a community field and a dorm) to water projects that have been delayed.

Curry’s political ally Nat Glover is President of EWC, and was instrumental in helping market the 2016 pension reform referendum to local African-American Democrats.

Becton’s motion was not seconded. Discussion was robust nonetheless.

CAO Sam Mousa said the administration is “extremely passionate” about Edward Waters and the New Town area.

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These brothers from Miami are now kicking at two different Mississippi SWAC schools

JACKSON, Mississippi -- During the season, players from opposing teams don’t usually communicate. It’s an unwritten rule — let your play do the talking on the field.

But that doesn’t work for brothers Christian and Nicholas Jacquemin, who aren’t about to break their routine of talking every day just because the former kicks field goals for Jackson State and the latter for Mississippi Valley State.

That would make the car ride home for Christmas break pretty awkward.

“We’re really close,” said Nicholas, who goes by Nico. “We talk just about every day. We talk about how our competitions for starting spots is going, how we’re kicking and we joke around. Normal brother stuff.”

The duo had never competed in anything until they got to Mississippi.

The two brothers from Miami grew up playing on the same soccer teams, and both kicked for the same high school.



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NCAT Love Don't Live Here Anymore (Mix)

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY BGMM MEDIA

FAMU looks to set tone with season opener against Texas Southern

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- For the first time since 2011, Florida A&M gets to open a football season within the confines of Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Also – for the first time since head coach Alex Wood took over prior to the 2015 season – the Rattlers aren’t opening the year with a money game against an FBS opponent.



FAMU opens its season with SWAC foe Texas Southern at noon on Saturday. The SWAC and the MEAC are similar in that they’re both populated with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In fact, they’re so similar, the champions of the two conferences meet in the annual Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

So Saturday’s game, dubbed the Jake Gaither Classic and set to be broadcast live on ESNPU, is a chance for FAMU to set the tone in Wood’s third year at the helm.

“We’re excited about, one, opening at home,” Wood said. “And two, a chance to display what our team’s going to be about, at least initially for 2017 on ESPN.

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5 Most Important Games for GSU

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Head coach Broderick Fobbs won’t tell you Grambling State is trying to defend its Southwestern Athletic Conference football championship from 2016. It’s a new season with a new team, and this year’s group hasn’t won anything yet, is what the fourth-year Tigers coach would say.

So instead of the word “defend,” let’s just stick with repeat. The much-anticipated 2017 season for the G-Men faithful kicks off in 11 days and GSU hits the road to capture back-to-back SWAC and HBCU titles Saturday, Sept. 2 versus Tulane at Yulman Stadium at 7 p.m.

As the season draws near, here’s my list of the top five most important regular season games for Grambling State as it pursues the program’s 26th SWAC and 16th HBCU national championship:

5. Clark Atlanta (Chicago Classic), Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m. at Soldier Field

The first of four neutral site contests on the 2017 schedule takes the Tigers to historic Soldier Field, home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears, to close out the first month of the season to play Division II HBCU foe Clark Atlanta in the 20th annual Chicago Classic.

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UMES Hires Former Assistant Brian Hollamon to Lead Hawks Baseball Program

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday (August 21), appointed alumnus, one-time Hawks assistant and long-time Parkside High School coach Brian Hollamon to be its head baseball coach following the termination of former coach Charlie Goens.

“We feel strongly that this is a move that will take our team in the right direction to both compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and to have a strong and reliable recruiting footprint on Delmarva and throughout the region,” Davidson said. “Brian is someone who puts his all into everything that he does and he has always shown a genuine desire to see this program be successful.”

Hollamon was a graduate assistant with the Hawks from 1996-99 when he earned a Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling from the university.

“I am very excited for the opportunity,” Hollamon said of his return to the Maroon and Gray. “When I coached here, I enjoyed my time and I’m looking forward to getting back to what we were building. From the moment I had to tell the players in 1999 that I wouldn’t be returning, I have had a desire to one day come back.

“I’m glad to not only be back at the university, but also excited to be with some quality players who make up the current roster.”

Over the last 14 seasons at Parkside, where he was also a guidance counselor, Hollamon has built a perennial power in the Bayside Conference, while consistently producing players who go on to play baseball at all levels including Division I.

Former Ram Hunter Parsons will be a junior on the University of Maryland pitching staff next season, while left handed pitcher Grant Burleson and fellow lefty Sean Fisher will be freshmen at College Park. Matt Smith, a 2016 graduate of Parkside will be entering his sophomore season at Towson University.

He has coached a number of players who went on to be Hawks including Zach Townsend, Dylan Bell, Cody Cauffman and Jamar Cadejuste.

Brian Hollamon coached for the Hawks as an assistant from 1996 to 1999
Hollamon coached the Hawks as an
assistant from 1996 to 1999
“Our team at Parkside High School was always first and foremost about the kids: Watching them grow, watching them develop and watching them move on and do bigger and better things,” Hollamon said. “Now the opportunity for me is to continue that growth and watch these young men develop and go on to whatever they want to do after the graduate from college. Our goal is going to be to not only give them an opportunity to play baseball, but also get their education and be successful human beings.”

Hollamon led the Rams to 14 straight winning seasons from 2003-2017. Parkside won three Bayside South Titles, one Bayside crown, two Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association 2A East Region Sectional Championships, four Maryland 2A East Regional Championships, and most notably made two MPSSAA 2A State Finalist Appearances (2009, 2014).

“My time away from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore has changed me as a coach,” Hollamon said. “I had the experience of 18 years at the high school level. That makes you learn and grow and understand what players need and what they want including what they want from the college level. I had the experience of knowing and developing those kids and getting them ready for college and now that is what I’ll be looking for from the high school coaches who I will have relationships with in recruiting.”

He was named Bayside South Coach of the Year three times (2006, 2008, 2011) and District 8 coach of the Year twice (2009, 2014). In 2015, he coached in the prestigious Brooks Robinson High School All-Star Game and that same year he was recognized by the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches as the Amateur Coach of the Year for his work in high school and American Legion Baseball.

“I think the quality of baseball on the Eastern Shore is pretty solid,” Hollamon said. “Obviously we don’t have the number of players in a small area you would find in a more highly populated area, but within just the state of Maryland you have some really good baseball players and you can put a good product on the field, not to mention Virginia, Delaware and the players that are available throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region that may want to come to Maryland Eastern Shore and play baseball.”

The graduate of Sussex Central High School in Georgetown, Delaware, played four years of baseball at Division III Salisbury University where he was team captain from 1992-1995 and earned a bachelor’s in Marketing and Management. He was named team MVP and earned All-Conference honors at shortstop.

Following his stint with the Hawks, Hollamon moved on to become the head coach at Mardela High School from 1999-2003.

Hollamon also coached with American Legion Post 64 in Salisbury as an assistant before taking over the team in 2015, and played 22 seasons for the Semi-Pro Perdue Chicks of the Eastern Shore Baseball League.

Hollamon lives in Delmar, Delaware with his wife Jodi and daughters Josie and Jordyn.

Goens spent one season with The Shore where the team went 12-40 and lost its first two games as the host team in the MEAC Baseball Tournament, played at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

“We thank Charlie for his work with the program, but it became clear to us during the season that we needed someone at the helm that is invested in this institution, in baseball in the region, in our student athletes and in the Eastern Shore community at large,” Davidson said. “We feel that Brian gives us exactly that along with the stability to lead the program into the future.”

Goens came to the Hawks from Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia. He replaced John O’Neil who won 32 games in two years as acting head coach from 2014-2016.

O’Neil stayed on as an associate head coach for the 2016-17 season, but will not return to the program.

Hollamon will put his own coaching staff in place in the coming weeks.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama A&M tackles tough schedule with new No. 1

NORMAL, Alabama -- By the time Alabama A&M gets to its first conference game of the season, the Bulldogs will be battle-tested or worn out. Maybe both.

Alabama A&M starts the season on the road against three NCAA FBS opponents - UAB, Vanderbilt and South Alabama - before kicking off its SWAC schedule against Texas Southern on Sept. 23.

The Bulldogs were picked to drop to fourth in the SWAC's Eastern Division in the league's preseason poll after placing second last season.

But another preseason selection list would seem to indicate Alabama A&M has more talent than a next-to-last-place team. Four Bulldogs were first-team choices on the All-SWAC preseason squad - running back Jordan Bentley, linebacker Kenneth Davis, defensive back Tere Calloway and place-kicker Nick Carden. The other four SWAC East teams had five preseason first-team selections combined.

The all-star selections are the core of a team that returns seven starters on offense, including the entire interior line, and eight on defense.

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Luke Johnson breaks down the SWAC's 2017 football outlook

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- FOUR KEY GAMES

Grambling at Tulane, Sept. 2: This has no bearing on the SWAC race, but it should be a barometer of how good Grambling is. Can the Tigers pull off an upset against a rebuilding FBS team on the road?

Southern at Alcorn State, Sept. 23: This is the
SWAC's biggest early season matchup, as two teams that figure to contend meet up in Week 4. Southern snapped a long losing streak to Alcorn State in Lorman last year. Can the Jaguars top the Braves again?

Jackson State at Prairie View, Sept. 30: Two of the league’s dark-horse candidates meet in Texas, and the contrasting styles should be interesting, with Jackson State’s tough defense matching up against a potent Prairie View offense.

Southern vs. Grambling, Nov. 25 in New Orleans: The Bayou Classic is always appointment viewing, but will it carry the same weight as last year’s game between rivals unbeaten in SWAC play? That’s likely up to Southern, since Grambling looks like the heavy favorite to win the league.

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Judge rules FAMU doesn't have to pay fired basketball coach Clemon Johnson

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- A Leon County circuit judge has sided with Florida A&M University in a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by former men's basketball coach Clemon Johnson, who was fired in April 2014 after three years in the job.

Judge James Shelfer this month issued a brief order granting summary judgment to the university. Johnson, a former Florida A&M and NBA basketball player, argued, in part, that he had a four-year guaranteed contract and that the university breached it by firing him a year early for “convenience.”

FAMU argued in court documents that it followed university regulations in deciding not to reappoint Johnson.

Johnson was fired in April of 2014 in the third year of a four-year contract after leading the Rattlers to a 14-18 record in his final season. He was let go a week after Kellen Winslow was introduced as the school's athletic director.

Winslow resigned Dec. 15, 2014.

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