GREENSBORO, North Carolina – North Carolina A&T head coach Rod Broadway, who is never one to shy away from the reality of a situation, understood how he sounded Saturday evening complaining about dropped interceptions after his No. 12/16 Aggies improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 44-3 drubbing of Delaware State at Aggie Stadium as a part of the Greatest Homecoming On Earth.
But for Broadway, his coaching staff and his players, what he said on Saturday made perfect sense.
“We’re chasing excellence,” said Broadway, leaning back in his chair with an arm draped over the chair to the right of him and the other arm draped over the chair to the left of him. “It’s not just about winning, it’s just not about how bad you beat people, it’s about chasing excellence and being as good as we can be. That’s what I’m trying to get these guys to understand. Great teams do the little things. When the ball is thrown to you, catch it. When the guy is front of you, tackle him … do the little things.”
Broadway also mentioned the five potential interceptions the Aggies dropped, including two that probably would have been touchdowns. One of those potential pick-6’slipped through the hands of redshirt freshman Mac McCain, who had he of ran it back, would have tied the NCAA FCS single-season record for interception returns for touchdowns (4).
Nevertheless, while the Aggies continue to perfect themselves to excellence, doing so while undefeated is not a bad position to be in. Plus, Broadway’s football team gave homecoming Aggies plenty to be proud of as they continue to enjoy the week’s festivities. The defense sacked Delaware State quarterbacks eight times, leading to the Aggies holding the Hornets (0-5, 0-3 MEAC) to minus-38 yards rushing.
Sophomore wide receiver Elijah Bell had a career day with a career-best nine receptions for a career-high 178 yards receiving. Redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard also had a career day and made history in the process. Raynard completed 20 of 26 passes for a career-best 324 yards and three touchdowns. In the process, he became the first player in program history to have two 300-yard passing games in the same season following his 321-yard day at Gardner-Webb on Sept. 2.
“I have some great talent around me, so it’s really no pressure on me,” said Raynard. “The guys upfront protect me, and the guys I throw to and hand it off to, are all capable of making big plays. It’s really no pressure.”
Raynard’s high school teammate and redshirt junior running back Marquell Cartwright also had another stellar performance with 96 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 19 carries. It was Cartwright who first put the Aggies on the board with a 2-yard touchdown run set up by a short pass to Bell that turned into a 51-yard catch and run. The Aggie defense then made its presence felt as a fumble sack by Jermaine Williams led to a DSU safety and a 9-0 Aggies lead with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. The Aggies took advantage of the free kick that ensued as All-American returner Khris Gardin returned the kick 78 yards to the DSU 2-yard line.
Mr. Cartwright once again did the honors by running in from 2-yards out for a 16-0 Aggies lead going into the second quarter.
DSU did respond as Bycen Alleyne returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards to the Aggies 39. It led to a 47-yard field goal from Wisdom Nzidee to put the Hornets on the board.
It didn’t help much. The last nine minutes of the first half included Raynard going 4-for-4 on a 4-play drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Gardin. It also included a 44-yard catch and run from graduate running back Jamari Smith. The drive ended with a 16-yard completion to Bell and 10-yard TD toss to fifth-year senior Xavier Griffin as the Aggies went into the locker room leading 30-3.
Just to give the sellout crowd something else to cheer about after the Blue & Gold Marching Machine completed its halftime performance, Raynard connected with Bell for a 61-yard TD bomb to put the Hornets away. With a little more than half the season gone, a top-15 national ranking and a 6-0 start in their possession, the Aggies are looking to rededicate themselves to chasing excellence and greatness. Sound crazy? It sounds just right to the guys doing the chasing.
“We can’t make the mistakes we made today and expect to be a great football team,” said Broadway. “We had a dominant performance, and I am proud of my guys and my coaching staff. But once we get a team in a position we had them in the first half, let’s end it. Let’s get that killer mentality. I hate to sound like I’m complaining, but it could have been a much better performance.”
N.C. A&T returns tMEo the road next week when they travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to face the Florida A&M Rattlers at Bragg Stadium, starting at 3 p.m.
GAME STATS
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Top-8 finishes for Fifea, Andrieu at Battle on Bayou
LAFAYETTE, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana's Catalin Fifea defeated Louisiana-Lafayette's Arthur Libaud 8-5 Friday to finish fifth in the flight one singles bracket of the Battle on the Bayou men's tennis tournament.Also placing in the top eight was XULA's Pierre Andrieu, who was eighth in flight two singles after defeating the Ragin' Cajuns' Silvio Cocito-Monoc 8-4.
The tournament was scheduled for two days but condensed into one due to the expected landfall of Hurricane Nate this weekend on the coasts of Mississippi and south Louisiana.
The Gold Rush finished 4-6 in singles and 2-2 in doubles.
Andrieu also won 8-2 against Prairie View's A&M's Cesar Rayna, and Andrieu teamed with Chris Anders for a 7-6 doubles victory against Tiger Cheung and Ernesto de Diego of city rival Loyola.
Gabriel Niculescu beat UL Lafayette's Jamie Fraser 8-4 in singles consolation, then Niculescu teamed with Fifea for a 6-4 doubles consolation victory against Alcorn State's Nikita Kostikov and Nischay Rawal.
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Nuggets sweep Carey after climbing out of 1st-set hole
NEW ORLEANS — Juliana Tomasoni and Vivica Price-Spraggins keyed a Xavier University of Louisiana rally late in the first set Thursday to help the Gold Nuggets emerge with a 31-29, 25-9, 25-21 volleyball victory against William Carey.The Gold Nuggets (12-2) won for the 11th time in 12 matches and completed a two-match regular-season sweep of the Lady Crusaders (11-9).
XULA, led by Tomasoni's four kills and Price-Spraggins's two blocks and a kill, rallied from a 24-19 deficit in the opening set. The Gold Nuggets never trailed in the set after Tomasoni's kill tied it at 25, and Price-Spraggins combined with Lauryn Taylor on a block for the 30th point and with Kayla Black on a block for the clincher.
"We weren't going to quit," Price-Spraggins said. "We weren't going to let balls hit the floor."
"We kept fighting," XULA coach Pat Kendrick said. "We had opportunities to make plays late in the set, and we were ready to do it."
A 19-3 run sparked XULA in the second set, and the Gold Nuggets ended the match after a third set that included four Tomasoni kills, three Taylor kills and three Price-Spraggins blocks.
Three Gold Nuggets finished with double-doubles. Tomasoni had 13 kills and 14 digs — she also hit .323 — Black had 11 kills and 12 digs, and Tiffany Phillips had 14 assists and 11 digs.
Price-Spraggins produced a career-high seven blocks — the most in a match by a XULA player in four years and most by a XULA freshman in five years — and Anna Dalla Vecchia had 17 digs to reach double figures for the 10th consecutive match. Eva Le Guillou had 21 assists and two aces.
Caroline Golden had nine kills and 10 digs for William Carey, and Emma Cotney had 12 digs.
XULA outhit William Carey .215 to .087 and had advantages of 43-35 in kills, 4-1 in aces, 61-57 in digs and 11-4 in blocks. It was the first time this season that the Gold Nuggets reached double figures in blocks.
XULA, 7-0 at home this season, will conclude a three-match home stand when Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponent Philander Smith visits at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center. The Gold Nuggets are 5-0 in the GCAC and hold a two-match lead in the loss column.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Saturday, October 7, 2017
Big-Play Defense, Late TD Run Carries Norfolk State Spartans to 2-0 MEAC Start
Bishop's first TD of the year came after the Spartans (2-3, 2-0 MEAC) recorded their season-high fifth takeaway of the game. NSU linebacker Kyle Archie forced FAMU (2-4, 1-2) receiver Marcus Williams to fumble on a 6-yard reception. Spartan lineman De'Shaan Dixon pounced on the loose ball at the Rattlers' 40 with 4:24 left in the fourth quarter.
The Spartans picked up three first downs on their next drive. Quarterback Juwan Carter had the last one, a 17-yard scramble down to the FAMU 2. Two plays later, Bishop plunged in for the go-ahead score.
FAMU got the ball back and made one first down before NSU forced the Rattlers to turn the ball over on downs, giving NSU its first-ever home win over the Rattlers in eight all-time meetings at Dick Price Stadium.
The Rattlers held a sizeable edge in total offense (485-243), but the Spartans' big-play defense was the story. NSU came into the week ranked tied for fifth in the nation in turnover margin and figures to improve in that area after a game in which the Spartans had one interception and four fumble recoveries, scoring off two of them.
FAMU took a 7-0 lead on a 9-yard TD pass from Ryan Stanley to Brandon Norwood in the first quarter, but NSU tied the game in the second when Archie returned a fumble 38 yards for a score. Archie's touchdown was set up by defensive end Nigel Chavis' second forced fumble off the half, which came at the tail end of a tackle in the backfield.
The Spartans took a 14-7 lead on a highlight-reel worthy 24-yard TD pass from Carter to George Wahee, who out-positioned and out-leaped a FAMU defender in the end zone with 3:34 left in the second quarter. But the Rattlers had the answer, knotting the score at 14-all on an 18-yard pass from Stanley to Williams with 38 seconds left in the first half.
FAMU pulled ahead 21-14 on Tevin Spells' 3-yard TD run at the 9:45 mark of the third quarter, but the Spartans got within 21-20 on a 45-yard scoring strike from Carter to Taylor less than three minutes later. The point-after missed, keeping FAMU in the lead.
The Rattlers looked poised to add to their lead in the fourth, putting together a 76-yard drive that put the Spartans' backs up against the end zone. But the NSU defense came up big again, as safety Nhyre' Quinerly forced FAMU running back Devin Bowers to fumble inside the Spartan 10-yard line. Cornerback J.T. Wahee picked it up and raced 96 yards for the go-ahead score, the Spartans' second defensive touchdown of the game and fourth of the year. Carter then found Chuma Awanna for a two-point conversion pass to give NSU a 28-21 lead with 9:43 to play.
The Rattlers took advantage of three penalties against NSU to set up the tying score. Stanley threw his third touchdown of the day, a 25-yarder to Chad Hunter, to deadlock the game at 28 with 7:19 to play.
The Spartans went three-and-out and punted on their next possession, giving the ball back to FAMU with just over six minutes to play. But on the seventh play of their next march, Archie was in the right place at the right time to force FAMU into its fourth fumble of the game. NSU capitalized from there to win the teams' first meeting since 2014.
Carter passed for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor made six receptions for 70 yards and George Wahee had four for 48, and both caught their first scoring passes of the season. Bowers rushed for 141 yards for the Rattlers, and Stanley threw for 235 yards.
The Spartan defense had a bevy of standouts. Linebacker Anthony Smith had a career-high 18 tackles. Chavis had a career-best 12, including a sack and the two forced fumbles. Archie made 10 stops, recovered a fumble and forced another, while Quinerly had eight tackles, an interception and a forced fumble of his own.
As a team, NSU forced five turnovers for the first time since a 27-24 win at Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 9, 2013.
The Spartans are home again next week when they host Hampton (3-2, 2-0) for the Battle of the Bay at 2 p.m. The teams are two of the four remaining unbeatens in the MEAC.
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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
'He has earned the respect': How Baton Rouge native Chazz Wilson ended up at Alabama A&M
NORMAL, Alabama — For as long as he can remember, Alabama A&M center Chazz Wilson was a Southern fan. Every Saturday, Wilson and his mother, Valerie Lee, and a handful of other family members would go cheer for the Jaguars.
“I went to every Southern game growing up,” said Wilson, whose mother graduated from SU, along with two of his aunts and two cousins. “We had a lot of fun.”
Wilson lived 15 minutes from campus. He hoped to sign with the Jaguars.
Southern, Grambling, Jackson State and Alabama A&M all recruited Wilson, who played his senior year at John Curtis High School after transferring from McKinley.
But Southern never offered Wilson a scholarship.
“I was a little disappointed,” said Wilson, a 6-foot-1, 274-pound fifth-year senior. “I guess I wasn’t what they needed at the time.”
In the end, Wilson signed with Alabama A&M, saying he felt like the Bulldogs truly wanted him.
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“I went to every Southern game growing up,” said Wilson, whose mother graduated from SU, along with two of his aunts and two cousins. “We had a lot of fun.”
Wilson lived 15 minutes from campus. He hoped to sign with the Jaguars.
Southern, Grambling, Jackson State and Alabama A&M all recruited Wilson, who played his senior year at John Curtis High School after transferring from McKinley.
But Southern never offered Wilson a scholarship.
“I was a little disappointed,” said Wilson, a 6-foot-1, 274-pound fifth-year senior. “I guess I wasn’t what they needed at the time.”
In the end, Wilson signed with Alabama A&M, saying he felt like the Bulldogs truly wanted him.
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Southern's defense leads the way in 35-14 homecoming win against Alabama A&M
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern defense that had spent the better part of the last four games getting pushed around took its turn as the aggressor in Saturday’s 35-14 win against Alabama A&M.
On a homecoming greatly affected by Hurricane Nate — kickoff was moved up five hours, and the sky grew dark and rain came down in force at A.W. Mumford Stadium — Southern (3-3, 1-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) allowed just 251 yards from scrimmage, including a season-low 52 yards on the ground.
The Jaguars had given up at least 160 yards rushing in each of their first five games.
Southern also kept Alabama A&M in check through the air.
A harassing Jaguars defense never let quarterback Aqueel Glass find a rhythm, and the true freshman looked his age Saturday.
Glass completed just 3 of 18 pass attempts for 44 yards. He split time in the first half with Damion May but was pulled for good after throwing an ill-advised interception in the third quarter that led to a Southern touchdown.
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Late Rally Surge Lift S.C. State Bullogs Over Morgan State Bears in MEAC Action
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Redshirt senior All-American linebacker Darius Leonard put on stellar performance in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPNU, recording a season-high 18 tackles (14 solo) along with two interceptions for 51-yards to lead South Carolina State to a ,35-14, victory over Morgan State Friday (Oct. 6th) at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium/Willie Jeffries Field.
South Carolina State improves to 2-3 overall, 1-2 in the MEAC, while Morgan State remains winless at 0-4 overall, 0-2 in the league.
South Carolina State got on the board early on with a 44-yard scamper by senior running back Trey Samuel at the 10:41 mark in the first quarter.
Morgan State evened the score 7-7 on a 1-yard punch by senior running back Eric Harrell with 2:01 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Luke Uransel scored the only points in the second quarter kicking a 22-yard field goal to give the Bears a 10-7 lead heading into intermission.
Morgan State opened the second-half with tough defensive stands forcing back-to-back safeties in the third quarter to move ahead a score 14-7 at the 9:01 mark.
The Bulldogs offense came to life late in the third on a 28-yard touchdown toss from redshirt sophomore quarterback Dewann Ford to redshirt sophomore Quan Caldwell with 4:41 remaining.
Samuel carried the load in the fourth quarter leading the Bulldog charge with a 15-yard and an 89-yard touchdown runs late in the contest. Leonard sealed the deal on his second interception of 12-yards for a touchdown to life SC State to a 35-14 victory and first conference win of the season.
Samuel finished with 19 carries for 169-yards and three touchdowns, while Ford threw for 9-of-22 for 123-yards and a score. Sophomore Demontrez Burrough spearheaded the receiving corps with four catches for 66-yards, while Caldwell added four for 51-yards.
Leonard had help on the defense with redshirt senior linebacker Dayshawn Taylor finishing with eight tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one interception. Senior defensive back Devondre Powell added five tackles, one forced fumble in the win.
South Carolina State return to action on Saturday (Oct. 14) on the road versus Bethune-Cookman in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in Daytona Beach, Fla. Kickoff is 4 p.m.
For information on South Carolina State Athletics visit www.scsuathletics.com or call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060.
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SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Friday, October 6, 2017
VSU Trojan Men's Basketball Predicted to Finish First in CIAA Preseason Rankings
ETTRICK, Virginia -- The Virginia State University men's basketball team was picked as the top team in the CIAA as the league announced its preseason predictions and All-CIAA teams ahead of Thursday's CIAA Basketball Media Day. The Trojans finished the 2016-17 season with a 22-8 overall and 13-3 conference record.Alongside being predicted to finish in the number one spot by the league's coaches, the Trojans had two players, senior Richard Granberry (Chester, PA) and junior Walter Williams (Richmond, Va.), to earn preseason honors.
Granberry finished last season averaging 14.8 points per game and shot 60% from the free throw line and 58% from the field. During the 16-17 campaign, he secured 121 total rebounds, ranking him 3rd in the conference. Granberry led the team in points (415), field goals (167-of-288), free throws (81-of-135), rebounds (213), and blocked shots (20).
Junior Walter Williams finished last season averaging 8.3 points per game alongside shooting 40.9% from the field, 31.2 % from the 3-point line, and 75.8% from the free throw line.
VSU will start the 2107-18 campaign on Nov. 4, as they travel to take on Norfolk State University for a Division 1 exhibition matchup. Tip-off for the VSU v. NSU game is slated for 6pm at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall on the campus of NSU.
For the most up-to-date information on VSU men's basketball please visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.
CIAA Men's Predicted Order of Finish
1. Virginia State
2. Bowie State
3. Virginia Union
4. Winston-Salem State
5. Shaw
6. Fayetteville State
7. Johnson C. Smith
8. Livingstone
9. St. Augustine's
10. Chowan
11. Lincoln
12. Elizabeth City State
CIAA Southern Division Preseason Order of Finish
1. Winston-Salem State
2. Shaw
3. Fayetteville State
4. Johnson C. Smith
5. St. Augustine's
6. Livingstone
CIAA Norther Division Preseason Order of Finis
2. Bowie State
3. Virginia Union
4. Chowan
5. Lincoln
6. Elizabeth City State
VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
Fresh off first win, Norfolk State hopes to halt home 0-7 record vs. Florida A&M
NORFOLK, Virginia -- To win its second straight game, Norfolk State must beat a team it never has defeated in Norfolk.The Spartans play Florida A&M (2-3 overall, 1-1 MEAC) at 2 p.m. Saturday at home, where NSU is 0-7 all-time against the Rattlers.
Norfolk State (1-3, 1-0) is coming off a bye week that followed its first win of the season, a 17-7 victory over Delaware State in a MEAC opener.
“I think we got the opportunity to see versus Delaware State what we have the opportunity to be,” coach Latrell Scott said.
Also for the first time, one quarterback played every snap of a game: freshman Juwan “Pootie” Carter. The Richmond native threw for 292 yards on 28-of-46 passing, with two TD strikes to Chuma Awanna.
Carter split time with freshman Tripp Harrington in the first three games.
“We thought coming out of, probably, James Madison (that) Pootie was gonna be the guy we went with,” Scott said. “I understand as a head coach that when you’re playing the quarterback position, when you don’t know what series is your last series it’s kind of tough to be as productive as you can be.”
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Savannah State still waiting to see hard work pay off with win
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| SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY TIGERS ATHLETICS |
SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The Savannah State football team just isn’t playing well enough to win, head coach Erik Raeburn said earlier this week.
The Tigers are doing what they need to do to be competitive. An incomplete pass in the end zone in the final seconds left them with a six-point loss against Florida A&M. They fell to Bethune-Cookman 24-12 after trailing 17-12 early in the fourth quarter.
But if the Tigers want to beat visiting Hampton University in their homecoming game at 2 p.m. Saturday at T.A. Wright Stadium, they have to cut out the self-inflicted wounds.
“We want to win, obviously,” Raeburn said. “The guys work hard, you want to see it pay off. Unfortunately, we’re just making too many mistakes. When an opponent makes a really good play, you can recover from that and still win. What can’t happen is the freebies where we make a mental error and cut loose a running back for a 70-yard touchdown, where we make a mental error, and we don’t block and we get hit for an 8-yard loss. Those are the things you can’t overcome.”
It’s true the Tigers are young with 10 freshmen either starting or seeing playing time, but four games into the season, and Raeburn said that can no longer be used as an excuse.
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Southern homecoming parade moved to Nov. 4, other events rescheduled
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Due to the potential effects of Tropical Storm Nate, Southern University officials have postponed the homecoming parade to Nov. 4. All entries unable to attend the rescheduled date will be issued a refund for the entry fee. In addition to this change, the university has also postponed Sunday's Southwestern Athletic Conference soccer match against Alcorn State and home SWAC volleyball contest against Grambling State. The rescheduled date has not been determined at this time.
Tailgating lots will be open at 6 a.m. Saturday. Homecoming tickets will be available for purchase at the A.W. Mumford Stadium ticket booth. The SU System Foundation's dedication ceremony has been moved to 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
All inquires and concerns regarding the parade can be forwarded to the SUBR Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management via email at studentaffairs@subr.edu. SUBR will operate an Emergency Operations Center in 218 J. B. Moore Hall. In cases of emergency, call 225-771-4500.
The Southern University New Orleans Police Department and Housing management will institute a curfew beginning Saturday morning at 10 a.m. for students living in SUNO campus housing. Access to SUNO housing will be limited to current residents only.
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2017 Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic: Preview
Saturday's Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic will be carried live on Aspire TV.Series history with Morehouse
* 82 years ago, Morehouse and Tuskegee played for the first time at A. J. McClung Memorial
Stadium in Columbus, Georgia. The series began in 1902 and TU owns at 71-27-7
Outscoring the Maroon Tigers
* Tuskegee has won 19 of the last 23 meetings against Morehouse outscoring them 166-36
in the last four meetings
Last Meeting - 2016
Kevin Lacey tossed four touchdown passes and threw for 300 yards as TU's second half
surge led them past Morehouse 28-19. Osband Thompson finish with 10 tackles in the win
Chattahoochee River Golden Tigers
*Three players (Dashae Hubbard, Cordarius White, and Daymeonta White) all
hail from the city of Columbus, Georgia
Golden Tigers return to the sideline as coaches again in 2017
* Three former Golden Tigers continue to give back to their alma mater, returning to the
sidelines is: Kelvin Powell, Ramone Nickerson and Andre Brunson.
Slater vs. The House
* Tuskegee head coach Willie Slater, who is in his 12th season enters Saturday's game with
a 10-1 advantage when coaching against Morehouse
Reflecting Back - 2014
* The last time Tuskegee posted a 3-2 record after their first five games was 2014. That
same year The Golden Tigers claimed the SIAC Championship
October fest
* In the last five seasons, Tuskegee has posted a record of 20-2 in the month of October.
Their last defeat came in 2015 against UNC-Pembroke
Homecoming Change
* Tuskegee University and the Tuskegee University Athletic Department announce that
the university's 2017 homecoming game has been rescheduled from November 4 to the
Golden Tigers' matchup with the Central State Marauders on October 28. The change in
the date for homecoming will not affect the 1 p.m. scheduled kickoff time on October 28
Tuskegee leads SIAC, ranked second in NCAA Football attendance
*For the third consecutive year, and the seventh time in school history, Tuskegee University
football finished second in attendance in NCAA Division II according to the numbers
released by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Golden Tigers
finished first among schools in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Running back by committee
* Four running backs (Eric Bight, Marquez Burdette, Justice Owens), have all scored
touchdowns this season.
Road Warriors
* Out of 10 games this season, seven will be played on the road. Tuskegee is featured
in three annual classics leaving only three hame games in 2017
Tuskegee Digital Network
Frank Lee and Ken Woodard will provided commentary for the 2017 football season. Lee
returns to booth after providing play-by-play duties for the Golden Tigers for over 25
years. Woodard will provide color analysis for the network. The former TU great played
linebacker with Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is
also known
To find the listing in your area, go to http://aspire.tv/find-channel/ and put your zip code into the space provided.
In the Atlanta area, the game can be seen on:
158 AT&T U-verse TV
1158 AT&T U-verse TV - HD
188 Comcast Atlanta
381 DIRECTV - HD
TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Donald Hill-Eley Named Interim Head Football Coach for Alabama State University Hornets
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| DONALD HILL-ELEY INTERIM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY |
"I am extremely impressed with the wealth of experience Coach Eley has brought to our athletics program as Associate Head Coach," Dr. Ross said. "His knowledge of Hornets football will be of great benefit as we continue to support our student athletes and the University's football program."
Eley joined the program in 2015 after a one-year stint as the wide receivers coach at Norfolk State and has served in the role of Associate Head Coach during that time. The longtime Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) coach spent 13 seasons at Morgan State (2001-13). After his first season as offensive coordinator, Eley spent the final 12 as head coach and was named 2002 MEAC Coach of the Year. His 59 wins rank third all-time in Bears' history.
"We would like to thank Brian Jenkins for his time at Alabama State," Interim Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jennifer Lynne Williams said. "It was a tough three years in terms of wins and losses for coach; but I am comfortable that he will have success in his future endeavors and will end up on a sideline soon."
He spent four seasons at Hampton (1997-2000) as offensive coordinator and pro liaison, helping the Pirates win an HBCU National Championship, two MEAC titles and the 1999 Heritage Bowl.
Eley spent four seasons in professional football in the Canadian Football League, first with the Baltimore Stallions (1994-95) as receivers coach before two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts as a guest coach (1996-97). Hill was on the staff of three straight Grey Cup championship teams (1995-97) during his time in the CFL.
"I would like to thank Dr. Ross and Alabama State University for entrusting me with the football program during these tough times," Eley said. "I look forward to the opportunity of leading these young men at this point n their lives."
Eley will assume his duties immediately.
Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University athletics, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateFB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.
ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Alabama State fires head football coach Brian Jenkins
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State fired football coach Brian Jenkins, five games into the season and four days after its new president took over leadership. Alabama State University President Quinton Ross announced that Donald Hill-Eley will serve as interim head coach after Jenkins was fired Friday afternoon.
Disappointment and frustration surrounded the team after its dismal performance against Alcorn State on Thursday night. The 24-10 defeat was in front of many empty seats and on national television, a rare occurrence for the Hornets.
Fans booed the team during the game, and a few joined in negative chants after Alcorn led 24-0 at halftime.
“We would like to thank Brian Jenkins for his time at Alabama State,” Interim Athletic Director Jennifer Lynne Williams said in a news release. “It was a tough three years in terms of wins and losses for coach, but I am comfortable that he will have success in his future endeavors and will end up on a sideline soon.”
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Why State Fair Classic between Prairie View A&M, Grambling State won't be short on offense
DALLAS, Texas -- Points are going to be plentiful when Prairie View A&M and Grambling State meet in the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.
The matchup, which starts at 4 p.m., features two of the Southwestern Athletic Conference's best offenses.
Prairie View A&M is second in scoring with 29 points per game and second in total offense, averaging 415.2 yards per game. Grambling is right behind the Panthers in both categories with 28.4 points per game and 339 yards of total offense.
Grambling's offense is led by Dallas native DeVante Kincade, the reigning SWAC offensive player of the week, who passed for 278 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-20 win against Clark Atlanta last week in Chicago.
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Win, or fade: starting with homecoming tilt against Alabama A&M, only SWAC games remain for Southern
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern has entered the high-stakes arena of Southwestern Athletic Conference football, where one loss can signal the end of your postseason aspirations.
All of Southern’s six remaining games are against SWAC teams, starting with a homecoming matchup against Alabama A&M (2-3, 2-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The margin for error is minimal for Southern (2-3, 0-1) and other SWAC schools at this stage of the season. Its most experienced players are intimately aware of that fact.
“The good thing about it is we’ve got enough seniors on this football team who have been through the fire,” Southern coach Dawson Odums said. “They understand what it’s all about.”
This is senior quarterback Austin Howard’s fourth time entering this dance, and he has seen all the ways it can unfold.
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Alcorn State holds off ASU rally
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alcorn State once again showed why it was picked to win the SWAC East, beating Alabama State 24-10 at ASU Stadium on Thursday.
The Hornets (0-5, 0-2 SWAC) only had 10 yards of total offense in the first half.
Hornets running back Ezra Gray finished with 12 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown of 59 yards.
Here were Alabama State's top performers on Thursday:
1. Ezra Gray, So., RB: Finished with 12 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown (59). Also caught two passes for 30 yards.
2. Trevor Vincent, Sr., P: Punted eight times for an average of 39.6 yards, including a career-best 68-yard punt.
3. Dennis Roberts IV, Jr., DB: Led the ASU defense with seven tackles with two for loss.
Alcorn State (4-2, 2-0) led 24-0 at halftime, gaining 330 yards of total offense in the first half. The Braves won their fourth straight meeting with the Hornets.
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Grambling State cleaning up growing penalty problem
GRAMBLING, Louisiana – Head coach Broderick Fobbs and Grambling State have experienced just about everything a team could over the last couple of seasons.
In a new experience for players and coaches this past Saturday playing at historic Soldier Field in Chicago, the Tigers ventured further out into uncharted territory.
Grambling amassed 17 penalties for 181 yards in its 31-20 victory over Clark Atlanta, drawing attention to a problem that’s been metastasizing through five games this season.
“I’ve never been in that situation before,” Fobbs said. “That’s not our character. We’ve never been that type of team. I’m not going to sit up here and blame the officiating, but there were some things that were questionable. At the end of the day, you have to play the game and you have to do things the right way. We just didn’t.
“We didn’t play well. I didn’t think that we came ready to play, I didn’t think we played with any passion, I didn’t think we played hard the entire game. It’s one of those situations where it just wasn’t our day.”
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In a new experience for players and coaches this past Saturday playing at historic Soldier Field in Chicago, the Tigers ventured further out into uncharted territory.
Grambling amassed 17 penalties for 181 yards in its 31-20 victory over Clark Atlanta, drawing attention to a problem that’s been metastasizing through five games this season.
“I’ve never been in that situation before,” Fobbs said. “That’s not our character. We’ve never been that type of team. I’m not going to sit up here and blame the officiating, but there were some things that were questionable. At the end of the day, you have to play the game and you have to do things the right way. We just didn’t.
“We didn’t play well. I didn’t think that we came ready to play, I didn’t think we played with any passion, I didn’t think we played hard the entire game. It’s one of those situations where it just wasn’t our day.”
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HBCU Football Judgment Day Schedule - Week 6
FRIDAY, October 6, 2017
MEAC
Morgan State at South Carolina State, 7:30 PM, TV:ESPNU
SATURDAY, October 7, 2017
MEAC
North Carolina Central at Howard , 1 PM
Delaware State at North Carolina A&T, 1 PM
Florida A&M at Norfolk State, 2 PM
Hampton at Savannah State 2 PM
OVC
Tennessee State at ,Eastern Kentucky, 6:00 PM
SWAC
Alcorn State 24, Alabama State 10
Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M at State Fair Classic, Dallas, TX, 5 PM
Alabama A&M at Southern, 7 PM
Mississippi Valley State at Arkansas Pine Bluff, 7 PM
Texas Southern at Kennesaw State, 7 PM
OTHER CONF.
Cheyney at Lock Haven, 1 PM
University of God's Chosen at Edward Waters, 3 PM
Texas Wesleyan at Texas College, 8 PM
SIAC
Miles at Central State (OH), 1 PM
West Virginia State at Kentucky State, 1:30 PM
Lincoln (MO) at Albany State, 2 PM, Live Video
Langston at Lane, 2 PM
Tuskegee vs. Morehouse, Columbus, GA, 2 PM, TV: ASPIRE
Fort Valley State at Clark Atlanta, 4 PM
CIAA
Livingstone at Saint Augustine's, 1 PM
Shaw at Fayetteville State, 1 PM
Virginia State at Elizabeth City State, 1 PM
Johnson C. Smith at Winston-Salem State, 1:30 PM
Chowan at Bowie State, 4 PM
Virginia Union at Lincoln (PA), 5PM
All Game Times in Eastern Time Zone
Thursday, October 5, 2017
from THE EDITOR: FAMU On Track to Have Winning Season
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- By all account and in spite of the recent negative coverage by the Tallahassee Democrat, FAMU is on its way to its first winning season since Joe Taylor was head coach in 2011. At the beginning of this season I counted six games that the Rattlers should win. They are games against Texas Southern, Savannah State, Norfolk State, Hampton, Morgan State, and Howard. Just one upset along the way and FAMU could have a 7-4 season! So far, FAMU is on schedule having defeated Texas Southern at home and Savannah State away. Given Howard’s upsurge, the Bethune Cookman game at the end of the season may be the game that determines whether FAMU has a winning season. That is, if FAMU wins the games they are predicted to win and that streak should continue on Saturday.Norfolk State had its first win of the season against Delaware State University last week at home, outscoring the Hornets 17-14. Like FAMU, they ended last year’s season 4-7. I should point out that their head coach, Latrell Scott, was one of the coaches considered for the position now held by Alex Wood. The Spartans are eager to win on Saturday and start a streak that’s not in the loosing column. They lost the first game of the season at home in a close game to Division II Virginia State. That was followed by a close loss at home to FCS William & Mary. Playing their third game away the Spartans were manhandled by FCS James Madison, 75-14. The Spartans are likely viewing FAMU as a game they could win.
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McCullum Rounds Out Florida A&M Men's Basketball Staff
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| Robert McCullum Head Men's Basketball Coach FAMU Rattlers |
“It’s a long time coming, but yet we ended up with a group of guys well suited to revitalize the basketball program. Each guy brings different experiences. Combined, I am very confident about their abilities to help elevate the program.
Briggs is no stranger to collegiate coaching, having coached for more than 18 years. Prior to FAMU, Briggs served for two seasons as an assistant coach for McLennan Community College, helping the Highlanders achieve two conference championships, one national tournament bid, and two top ten finishes in the rankings (No.9 in 2016; No.7 in 2017).
In his time before MCC, Briggs served as an assistant coach at Trinity Valley Community College, helping lead the Cardinals to a conference championship, an appearance in the NJCAA Sweet 16, and a No. 4 ranking at the end of the 2015 season.
Briggs also worked as an assistant coach at the University of Detroit – Mercy from 2007-2012. During his time at UDM, he was instrumental in helping the recovery of program – building the program to the point of securing berths in the NCAA and NIT tournaments.
McCullum values the breadth of Briggs’ experience. “Briggs is clearly the veteran of the staff. Over 20 years experience, with nine of those years as head coach outside Detroit. He took his team to three appearances in the JuCo national tournament. He attained one Final Four appearance in 2001 and his teams also enjoyed a stretch of being ranked No.1 in the country. A native of Detroit, with Midwest ties, he played at Baylor and has vast recruiting experience and is well respected. He is already making his presence felt landing quality recruits for the program, “ McCullum said.
Stephens has been coaching and training high school, college, and professional basketball players for 20 years. He has coached for USA Basketball and has trained more than 30 NBA players and over 40 professional international players. Some of these players include Jalen Rose, Amar’e Stoudemire, Rodney Hood, Thaddeus Young, Moe Harkless, Cameron Payne, Skal Labissiere, and Jonathan Isaac. Stephens comes to FAMU from IMG Academy where over the last two years he was the Associate Head Coach of the Varsity National Team. Last season they achieved a record of 28-2 and participated in the Dick’s National Championship.
“Stephens spent the last three seasons as a lead instructor at IMG Academy. There he thrived in the development of athletes. He assisted college and NBA players who trained to improve. He was involved in training and development. He has HBCU ties working at Clark-Atlanta and Lemoyne-Owen Memphis. He is a Cleveland native with ties to the south and the ability to teach on the floor and complements Briggs in recruiting and coaching,” McCullum said.
Patrick Benson is enterin his first season as the Director of Operations for the Rattlers. He spent the previous four years as a student manager for the University of Oregon Men’s Basketball team, for two of which he was the Head Manager. While with the University of Oregon, the Ducks went to the NCAA Tournament four times, reaching one Elite Eight and the Final Four this past season. He spent this past summer working for the Hoop Group as a Head Runner for their elite level summer basketball camp in Reading, PA. Patrick was born and raised in Portland, OR.
McCullum feels that Benson is a vital part of the organization. “I watched Patrick grow and develop from head manager to student-assistant in three years. He has an unbelievable work ethic. He will be the youngest on our staff, but a good addition to our chemistry,” McCullum said.
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
Williams Named Interim Director of Athletics at ASU
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| Jennifer Lynne Williams |
"Alabama State University is fortunate to have someone of Mrs. Williams's caliber to take this interim position," said Ross. "I am fully confident in her ability to lead our athletics department at this critical juncture."
Williams, in her second year at Alabama State, has more than a decade of experience in athletics administration. As the Deputy Director of Athletics, she managed the day-to-day operations of Hornet athletics and led the division's external and community relations initiatives. She currently serves on the Executive Board of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD).
"I would like to thank Dr. Ross and the Alabama State University leadership for entrusting me with leading our athletic department," Williams said. "I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to serve as the Interim Director of Athletics and lead such a wonderful, accomplished group of student-athletes, coaches and staff that have carried on the long, storied history of Alabama State athletics.
"I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best administrators around the country, and I will draw from those experiences in leading Alabama State and keeping the Hornets on top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference."
Williams came to Alabama State after spending four years as the Associate Athletic Director of
Development and Executive Director of the Aggie Foundation at North Carolina A&T. Williams oversaw the giving initiatives for athletics and raised more than $4 million in donor revenue while doubling the number of donors for athletics.
"This is a great time in the University's history," Williams said. "New President, new vision, new day ... we're so excited about celebrating our sesquicentennial and the dynamic leadership that Dr. Ross will bring to ASU. We are moving 150 Forward; and I can truly say that it is a great time to be a Hornet!'"
Prior to her time at North Carolina A&T, Williams spent three years at DePaul University (2009-12) as the Assistant Director of Development. She also worked at Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly the National Association of Collegiate Women in Athletic Administration), volunteered at North Carolina Wilmington (2008-09) and worked at North Carolina Central (2005-07), where she got her start in athletics development.
Williams will assume her new duties immediately.
Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University athletics, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateSports (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.
ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
N.C. A&T Taylor Earns National and MEAC Weekly Honor
GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The latest round of player of the week accolades going to North Carolina A&T football players was released on Monday with three different Aggies earning recognition after a 21-7 win over South Carolina State last Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Safety/linebacker Jeremy Taylor (5-11, 190, R-SR, Kinston, NC) was recognized twice on Monday. He earned defensive player of the week from the MEAC and defensive player of the week honorable mention from STATS FCS. Quarterback Lamar Raynard (6-4, 200, R-JR, High Point, NC) picked another offensive player of the week nod from the MEAC, his third of the season. Kicker Noel Ruiz (6-0, 165, FR, Wilson, NC) rounded out conference awards for N.C. A&T by being named rookie of the week.
N.C. A&T made minor improvements in the two national Football Championship Subdivision polls, moving from No. 13 to No. 12 in the NCAA FCS Coaches Poll, and they went from No. 17 to No. 16 in the STATS FCS Media Poll. The Aggies (5-0, 2-0 MEAC) are one of nine undefeated teams in FCS play.
“We’re extremely happy to be 5-0,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “We’re showing signs that we are developing into a good football team. With the success we have had over the last few years, our guys know how to win. The Lesson we’re teaching now is how to handle winning. A part of handling winning is putting the past behind you and focusing in on what’s ahead of you.”
Taylor has played a major part in all the winning. Taylor led the Aggies in tackles last season and holds the team lead in tackles this season. He did major damage to SCSU’s offense last Saturday. He played a part in forcing all three of the Bulldogs’ turnovers with two forced fumbles and an interception. Taylor earned co-defensive player of the week honors three weeks ago after posting 10 tackles, forcing and recovering and fumble and interception one pass. He was named national defensive player of the week by STATS FCS last season after spearheading the Aggies upset of Kent State.
Raynard continues to march toward one of the best seasons by an Aggies quarterback in school history. For the second time this season, he had a passing performance that ranked among the top-10 performances of all time in school history. Against the Bulldogs, he threw for 298 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 18-for-31 passing. It was the ninth-best passing performance in school history, one step behind his 321-yard performance against Gardner-Webb on Sept. 2 which ranks as the eighth-best. Raynard threw a career-long 71-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Griffin versus SCSU. It was his 14th touchdown pass of the season.
Nationally, Raynard is second in yards per attempt (10.4) and passing TD’s. He is sixth in points responsible for (92), ninth in passing per completion (15.22), 11th in completion percentage (.683), 12th in passing yards (1,309) and 15th in total offense (283.2).
Ruiz found his rhythm as the Aggies kicker last Saturday. After missing the first two field goals of his career, Ruiz bounced back and went 3-for-3 at SCSU. His three crucial kicks were from 36, 41 and 27 yards. His 36-yarder were the first points of the game as the Aggies took a 3-0 lead in the second quarter. He later booted a 41-yarder toward in the of the first half to give the Aggies a 12-0 halftime lead. His final field goal gave the Aggies a two-touchdown lead with only four minutes remaining in the game. The Aggies have now claimed the rookie of the week award three straight weeks after Mac McCain won the honor twice over the previous two weeks.
This week the Aggies host the Greatest Homecoming On Earth as Delaware State will come to town for a 1 p.m., kickoff at Aggie Stadium.
Follow Aggie Athletics on Facebook and Instagram (ncatathletics) and on Twitter (@ncataggies).
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
NCCU What NC Central’s Levelle Moton has learned about his new team so far
DURHAM, North Carolina -- Defending MEAC regular season and tournament champion N.C. Central kicked off the 2017-18 season Monday at McDougald-Mclendon Arena.
Head coach LeVelle Moton put his new team through the paces. The Eagles start the season Nov. 10 at University of Illinois-Chicago.
Last season N.C. Central went 25-9 overall and 13-3 in the MEAC, advancing to the NCAA tournament for the second time under Moton. It’s too soon to tell if this team can duplicate that success, but here are some early observations from Day One.
NEW FACES
Personnel turnover is nothing new for Moton, who builds his roster year-to-year with transfers, rarely signing more than one or two true freshmen. Moton lost seven seniors from last season’s team, including all five starters. Senior forward Pablo Rivas is the only returning player who averaged double-digit minutes (18.4) last season.
Moton’s style has been an eye opener for his new players.
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