Questions remain for Alabama State's Hornets

Photo: Coach Reggie Barlow has no clear winner for starting quarterback.

The Alabama State football team went through its final spring practice on Thursday afternoon, and the questions that surrounded the team at the start of spring ball were still in place at the end. The coaching staff still isn't sure about the quarterback situation or if there are enough talented receivers to efficiently run the new spread offense or if the defense can replace a few key components or if a capable kicker can be tracked down.

But while the questions were clearly unanswered, head coach Reggie Barlow believes the answers are now much closer."We have a better idea now, I think, of where we are and what we need to get better," Barlow said.

"The same questions are still there, but I think we know where the answers are a little better now. We've definitely made some progress."

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SCSU targeting Bowie State's Robertson

Photo: Bowie State University Lady Bulldogs Head Coach Doug Robertson

After a month-long search, it appears South Carolina State is close to naming a new women's basketball coach. S.C. State sports information director Bill Hamilton said Thursday an announcement could come "any day now" in regards to the hiring of a replacement for Tonya Mackey, who went 43-72 in four seasons before resigning.

While Hamilton could not divulge details on the search, the T&D has learned S.C. State has apparently targeted Bowie State women's basketball coach Doug Robertson. Bowie State sports information director George Goings confirmed Thursday S.C. State had contacted his school's athletics director Derek Carter seeking permission to interview Robertson. However, he had not heard whether or not Robertson had spoken with the school since he was in San Antonio, Texas for the Final Four.

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UMES passes the hat to Allen

Veteran coach with MEAC experience takes over men's basketball program

PRINCESS ANNE -- Standing under banners that boast of the past success of the men's basketball program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Thursday afternoon, director of athletics Keith Davidson introduced Frankie Allen as the 10th head coach of the program in its 27-year span as a Division I program. The new coach donned a UMES hat when introduced and received a standing ovation.

"Let me just say this, it fits," Allen said after putting on the cap. "Not only does it fit, it feels good." The hiring makes a nice birthday present for Allen, who just turned 59 on Monday and received a call from UMES president Thelma B. Thompson sending her good wishes. Allen will make $110,000 per year during his four-year contract, looking for the program's second Division I winning season and the first since the 1993-94 campaign.

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The Hawks have had one winning season in 27 years of Division I basketball, five coaches in seven years, and 14 consecutive losing seasons. Best decision Thelma Thompson, President, could ever make--hiring a coach with a winning history of making losers competitive. Frankie Allen is the right man for the job, but I'm not so sure about his No.1 assistant coach, Jamal Brown.

Photo: UMES plans to sign Jamal Brown on April 21 as No.1 assistant coach to Coach Frankie Allen.

Brown's career at South Carolina State ended badly (fired) after one season as the head coach due to allegations of an "unprofessional relationship with a female trainer." Brown is married; he did have a star playing career at S.C. State and led the Bulldogs to the 1996 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.

The new Bulldogs Coach Tim Carter nearly cleaned house of Brown's recruits and the leftovers managed a 13-20 and 7-9 MEAC record for 8th place. We believe in second chances, but one does have to question the wisdom of Frankie Allen's decision to hire an unproven coach with no Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, D.C., or New Jersey connections for recruiting. If UMES is going to improve, they must get inner city players to come to the Shore, and we are not speaking of Ocean City.

With Fang Mitchell at Coppin State, Todd Bozeman at Morgan State, Towson State, UMBC and Mount St. Mary's just completing an NCAA run, UMES will have an uphill battle to get 12-15 talented players. Princes Anne is not Nashville, Washington, D.C. or Baltimore County, and Allen will have difficulty in procuring quality players from the available lower 2nd and 3rd tier.

Let's move along; nothing much happening here with the Hawks program.

-beepbeep

UMES bowling struggles at NCAA

Photo: Senior Jessica Worsley was high bowler for the Hawks, who averaged 192.5 (12th best individually at the championship) bowling in all four games; her 226 in the opening game was the team's best individual pinfall of the day.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore bowling team picked a bad day to struggle. Thursday was the qualifying day of the NCAA championship in Omaha, Neb. The eight teams bowl nine games (four team games and five Baker games) to determine seeding for the final two days of the event, and the Hawks, who entered the tournament as the No. 2 team in the country, qualified as the seven seed.

"We struggled, a lot of other teams struggled in the Baker (games)," UMES coach Sharon Brummell said. "Hopefully, (Friday) we'll just be a better Baker team than our opponent." The Hawks bowled team games of 954, 902, 862 and 887 in the morning, then bowled Baker games of 723, 763, 706, 791 and 689 for a pinfall total of 7,277.

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Southern takes victory at Nicholls

THIBODAUX, LA — Four Southern University pitchers held Nicholls State to one run on three hits, defeating the Colonels, 6-1, on Wednesday night at Ray E. Didier Field. The Colonels fell to 6-26 on the season, while Southern improved to 15-11.

Belfred Pryer (1-0) threw five innings of one-hit baseball, walking one batter and striking out two. Pryer faced just 17 batters in picking up his first win. Nicholls State starter Nathan Quebedeaux (0-1) allowed four runs (two earned) on two hits while giving up two walks in two innings.

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FAMU's O-line is young but getting better

Photo: #51 LT Kwame Akkebela (with ball) played Center last season when Steve Brazzle was out with shoulder injury. Akkebela moves back to LT this season.

Brazzle's shoulder fully healed after a season out

It didn't take too long after the Florida A&M football team put on pads earlier this spring for offensive lineman Steve Brazzle to find out if he was completely healed. A right shoulder injury kept him on the sidelines all of last season.

"After I hit somebody the first day, I knew I was back to normal," Brazzle said following Thursday's final practice before Saturday's Orange and Green game. "I'm going as hard as I can every day." Brazzle's absence created a huge gap in the offensive line last year. The line turned into a patchwork unit at a point in the season when FAMU was going through a quarterback shuffle.

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It appears if this lineup remains for the Spring game scheduled for 1:00 p.m, April 12, the Rattlers starting offensive line will average 6.44 in height and 304.6 pounds. That lineup would consist of:

#73 RT Chris Sands, 6-8/315, RS Fr., Tallahassee, FL Leon H.S.
#61 RG Javier Wallace, 6-3/270 RS So., Austin, TX LBJ H.S.
#64 C Steve Brazzle, 6-4/328, Jr., Coatesville H.S., PA
#60 LG Anthony Collins 6-3/355 RS Jr., Miami, FL Pace H.S.
#51 LT Kwame Akkebela 6-4/255 So., Orlando, FL Jones H.S.

Alcorn State Braves to play Arkansas Razorbacks, April 16

Photo: #25 Alcorn State head baseball coach Willie “Rat” McGowan, Sr.

Press Release: University of Arkansas Athletic Media Relations

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas has added a game to its 2008 baseball schedule and will host Alcorn State University Braves at Baum Stadium on Wednesday, April 16, at 6:35 p.m.

Alcorn State is 19-6 on the year which included a 14-game winning streak in March. Since that time, the Braves have lost five of their last eight games including two of three from Jackson State two weeks ago.

The Razorbacks added games to the 2008 schedule after missing three dates due to inclement weather. Arkansas’ first weather outage came on Feb. 26 against Southeast Missouri State followed by rainouts on March 28 against Vanderbilt and April 2 against Mississippi Valley State. Unused tickets to any 2008 regular season game will be honored for admission to the April 16 contest. Tickets may also be purchased on game day at Baum Stadium.

For more information regarding Razorback baseball or University of Arkansas athletics please visit http://www.hogwired.com/ and for Alcorn State athletics, visit http://alcornsports.com/.