Friday, September 5, 2008

FAMU's Marching 100 to perform in halftime show for the Miami Dolphins

PHOTO GALLERY: Marching 100 Practices in preparation for Sunday's Miami Dolphin show

Florida A&M's band, The Marching 100, will take advantage of one of a few invitations they have recently received since their numbers have expanded to a whooping 420 members.

Sunday, the hundred has been invited to perform during the halftime show of the NFL's Miami Dolphins opening game. Michael Scott, FAMU's head drum major, said this invitation and the others the band has received shows at least one thing. "It shows hard work pays off," he said.

OT loss sting Rattlers



Rattlers rally, only to fall to Delaware State late

PHOTO GALLERY: FAMU 28, Delaware State 35 (OT)

DOVER, DE — You might think the FAMU football players would be beating themselves up today. They had rallied to tie defending MEAC champion Delaware State at 28-all and force the game into overtime, only to see the Hornets escape with a 35-28 win. Despite the heart-breaking defeat, head coach Joe Taylor and his players were anything but distraught late Thursday night.

Not all losses are created equal. "It was a gallant effort," Taylor said. "I'm proud of these guys. They gave an outstanding effort. I saw enough tonight to let me know we're going to be OK. Because of tonight we will be better." What Taylor saw was the beginning of a two-quarterback system that he hopes will be the Rattlers' calling card in the weeks to come. Curtis Pulley, a redshirt junior who transferred from the University of Kentucky just three weeks ago, came off the bench to spark FAMU.

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READ RELATED ARTICLE: Vasquez wants kicking perfection
READ RELATED ARTICLE: MEAC teams concerned about Hurricane Hanna
READ RELATED ARTICLE: DSU quick hits
READ RELATED ARTICLE: Hornets pull out win in OT

MEAC teams concerned about Hurricane Hanna

Excerpts:

FAMU coach Joe Taylor inherited a decidedly young team when he took over the football program at the end of December. Linebacker and captain Vernon Wilder is the only senior on FAMU's two-deep depth chart. This is marked contrast to Delaware State, FAMU's opponent Thursday night. Five of the Hornets' front six players on defense are seniors, with junior right end Tyron Hurst the only non-senior. On offense DSU started four seniors and five juniors. Senior quarterback Vashon Winton entered Thursday's game with a 25-8 record and a 20-3 mark in MEAC.

The Hornets also had the services of former FAMU running backs coach Renato Diaz. He came to DSU after working under former FAMU coach Rubin Carter.

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FAMU falls in OT to defending MEAC champs DSU


It's a bird, it's a plane; heck gnaw--it's the DSU Swarming Hornets!

With last year's success and national TV audience, DSU can't take a step back

PHOTO GALLERY: DSU vs. FAMU

DOVER, DE -- There are only so many chances to seize an opportunity. Delaware State has waited an eternity for this one, with a football team that is coming off a season like no other in the school's history. That's why the Hornets have to continue the success from last season, when they reached the playoffs for the first time and finished 10-2.

There is so much riding on it -- fan support, alumni support, administration support, national TV exposure, continued construction on campus. It is all tied to DSU's success in football. That's what made the Hornets' opener Thursday against Florida A&M so important. And their 35-28 overtime win so exhilarating. DSU senior quarterback Vashon Winton knew this. He ran for four touchdowns and threw for another. But the victory wasn't secured until defensive back Jerome Strums intercepted a pass when Florida A&M had the ball.

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Attendance: 6,216 Alumni Stadium, Dover, DE (Capacity: 7,000).

TSU, Southern won't delay Merritt Classic

Saturday's John Merritt Classic between Tennessee State and Southern is still on. For much of the day and night Wednesday the game at LP Field was in limbo because of the trouble Southern has experience din the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav. The storm left the Jaguars' practice field soaked, but they practiced two hours Wednesday. It was Southern's first practice since losing last Saturday at Houston 55-3.

After practice, Southern Coach Pete Richardson worried about his team. "I expressed my concerns … to the administration,'' Richardson said. "My concern is getting my team properly ready to play and also for the families of the players and coaches."
The decision to play finally was made at 9:45 p.m.

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Jefferson will start at QB for WSSU

Winston-Salem State has its starting quarterback. Coach Kermit Blount and offensive coordinator Nick Calcutta decided this morning that redshirt freshman Tienne Jefferson will start Saturday's season-opener at N.C. A&T. Jefferson won the job after an extremely tight race with Jarrett Dunston, a redshirt junior.

Jefferson, a 6-1, 200-pounder from Washington, D.C., spent one year at Fork Union Military Academy before coming to WSSU and was all-conference in football and basketball. He redshirted at WSSU last season but was in uniform for every game and relayed in signals after getting the plays from Calcutta.

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