Finally!: Timberland’s ‘Rock,’ host of recruits visit SCSU today

The “Rock” is coming to Orangeburg today for a visit. Shrine Bowl All-State running back Rockarius King of Timberland, who rushed for 2,056 yards and 31 touchdowns this season, highlights a group of 15 prospects slated to visit South Carolina State University today. This is the first of two recruiting weekends taking place on the Orangeburg campus as the Bulldogs look to replenish their roster on the heels of last year’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearance.

The 5-7, 170-pound King is among the leading rushers in state history. He emerged for the Wolves as a sophomore, amassing over 2,700 total yards of offense. As a junior, King surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau in his first five games and finished with close to 1,700 rushing yards. King finished his career with 6,343 rushing yards, good for fifth all-time among South Carolina High School League running backs, using his speed (4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and strength (has bench-pressed 350 pounds) to his advantage. For all his success, Timberland head coach Art Craig said King’s work ethic and strong humility are among his greatest traits.

“I’ve had kids before that were high-caliber players that sometimes wouldn’t do the things that it took to be successful,” he said. “They made the least amount of workouts and he was always a leader on that part and that’s what made him unique and that was the thing that I think South Carolina State is going to get out of him. They’re going to get a hard worker. He’s probably going to play with a little chip on his shoulder because some of the bigger schools didn’t give him a chance because he’s five-foot seven. “I think (South Carolina State) is going to get him and he’s going to be a superstar for them.”

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Alonzo Lee era dawns at North Carolina A&T

Lee signed a four-year contract that will pay him $145,000 annually, said he was "ordained to be here, because I walk in faith."

GREENSBORO -- For all the weighty matters that lie ahead for Alonzo Lee -- implementing a new offense and defense, completing his staff, meeting with current players and recruits -- his immediate priority is decidedly mundane. Lee, introduced Friday as the head football coach of N.C. A&T, has a skeleton staff of coaches who have been in limbo throughout the university's prolonged search to replace Lee Fobbs. He plans to provide them with a schedule and offseason calendar as quickly as possible. That's because Lee, who is known among his peers for his organization and attention to detail, has much to accomplish this month, with 19 recruits paying a visit to A&T this weekend and the national signing day looming Feb. 4.

And there is no time to waste regarding the chore that might come to define his coaching tenure -- weeding out a small group of football players perceived by many last season as quitters and replacing them with athletes who fit his mold of tough, relentless Aggies. "There are a lot of things that haven't been done, but I can promise you we'll get them done and before the next season," Lee said. "And come next season we'll have some men who will fight for four quarters."

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Southern finalizes Thursday night football game

Coach Pete Richardson and the SU Jaguars will have lighter out-of- conference schedule in '09 facing Division II Central State (OH), Tennessee State and UL-L. The Jags are currently seeking a D-II or FCS D-I opponent for an Oct. 17 home date.

Jaguars to face Prairie View on Oct. 22

As expected, Thursday night football is coming to Southern. SU Athletic Director Greg LaFleur and coach Pete Richardson confirmed Tuesday that the Jaguars’ home game against Prairie View will happen on a Thursday — at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 in A.W. Mumford Stadium before a national television audience on ESPNU. SU’s move to Thursday night is a result of the television deal between the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the ESPN family of networks.The SWAC had three Thursday night ESPNU games in 2008: Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alcorn State on Sept. 18; Mississippi Valley State at Alabama State on Sept. 25; and Grambling at Texas Southern on Nov. 20.

Southern hosted Florida A&M on Oct. 18 on ESPNU. This, however, will be SU’s first Thursday night home game. “You never like to play on a Thursday night, especially with our fan base,” Richardson said. “But it was our turn to play, and we’ll play. It’ll be a little bit of a different experience, playing on a short week. You just hope you don’t come out with too many injuries the game before that.” Of course, at this point, Richardson doesn’t yet know whom he’ll play the week before the Prairie View game. SWAC teams will play seven conference games next season, leaving schools to fill out their schedules with four nonconfrence opponents (teams within the Football Championship Subdivision will play 11 games in 2009).

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Howard Bison Fall In Overtime To Florida A&M

Boxscore
Photo Gallery: FAMU 79 Howard 74
FAN CAM - FAMU vs. Howard University women's basketball

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Joe Ballard tallied 21 of his game-high 28 in the second half and extra period, but it was freshman David Buchanon's 14 points in overtime that proved to be the difference as Florida A&M University held off Howard, 79-74 in a wild and woolly affair at Gaither Gymnasium. After sophomore guard Kyle Riley sank two free throws to tie the game at 61-all and send it into an extra period, Buchanon took over. Ballard converted two free throws to give FAMU (3-10 overall, 1-1 in the MEAC) a 63-61 lead. Howard (1-13 overall, 0-2 in the MEAC) countered with a slam dunk by Paul Kirkpatrick off a nice feed by Riley to deadlock the score at 63.

Then Buchanon buried a three pointer from straight on to help the Rattlers regain the lead at 66-63 at the 3:38 mark. Kiley sank two free throws to get Howard to within, 66-65. Then Buchanon launched another bomb, this time from the right side to up the margin to 69-65. Brandon Bryant's layup increased the lead to 71-65 and Buchanon was at it again, hitting a three ball from the left side and giving FAMU its biggest lead at 74-65 with 2:15 left in overtime.

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Morgan State's Lee gets A&T job

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- N.C. A&T has a new head football coach. Morgan State defensive coordinator Alonzo Lee accepted the job Thursday, according to several university sources with knowledge of the search process. Athletics director Wheeler Brown said Thursday night he had extended an offer to one of the two remaining candidates -- Lee or interim coach George Ragsdale -- earlier in the day and that the candidate had accepted.

Brown said he would not identify the new coach until "personnel issues" -- presumably Ragsdale's fate -- were resolved. The announcement of Lee's hiring could come as early as today, Brown said. "I'm excited about our new coach and getting back to football," the AD said. "It's been a long process, but it's been worth it. I believe we've come out of this process with the best coach for A&T." Reached at home in Washington (D.C.) earlier in the day, Lee declined to say whether he had been hired.

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After beating Maryland for first time, Bears dominate MEAC foe N.C. A & T

MSU head coach Todd Bozeman and the Bears had first signature win Wednesday against Atlantic Coast Conference power Maryland.

No let down for Morgan State

Baltimore, MD - Rogers Barnes knew it was going to be a good afternoon when he scored Morgan State's first 16points yesterday against North Carolina A&T, topping his previous career high of 13 in the game's opening 13 minutes. Barnes finished with 24 points, Reggie Holmes added 26 and the Bears were never threatened in the 73-62 victory in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matchup. After Wednesday's historic win over Maryland, Morgan State kept its momentum by dominating both ends of the floor.

"I felt like I had to come out aggressive because it was a conference game," Barnes said. "I'm a senior and a captain, so I had to show my team what we had to do. Every [shot] that left my hand felt good. I was just looking for my shot." Morgan State (7-8, 2-0 MEAC) trailed only once, 5-3 in the opening minutes, and a late three-pointer by Holmes and a layup by Rico Myles gave the Bears a 39-29 lead at halftime. The Aggies' defense has also been solid, limiting opponents to 39.5 percent shooting from the field, but it wasn't quick enough on the perimeter to stop Morgan State's hot shooters. The Bears shot 47.2 percent in the game

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Photo Gallery: Bear Shots
Boxscore
Attendance: 1,108 @ Hill Field House, Baltimore, MD

Next: Morgan State (7-8, 2-0 MEAC) will host Norfolk State (3-10, 1-1 MEAC) on Monday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Hill Field House.

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Ed White pitcher signs with Bethune-Cookman

Athleticism comes easy for 18-year-old Spencer Johnson. Maybe it's the simple fact that it's a family affair. His father, Larry, played football for Jacksonville State University in Alabama and his mother, Phyllis, was on the tennis team for Miami University in Ohio. Both of his sisters, Megan, 19 (University of West Florida), and Emily, 20 (Howard University), earned full academic and athletic scholarships for softball. Now it's Spencer's turn. He received a scholarship to pitch for Bethune-Cookman University, becoming Ed White High School's first Division I signee in baseball in 15 years.

"They saw what I was capable of," Johnson said. After the historically black university took note of his 90-mph fastball, it offered him a full academic and athletic scholarship. His parents are proud that all three of their kids have full rides to college. "After seeing our daughters succeed," Larry said, "it's truly been a blessing to see Spence get a shot at it." It was an uphill battle for the senior, however. Standing next to the 6-foot-2, 215-pound man (who benches close to 300 pounds), you wouldn't have a clue that his health was once a challenge. By the time he was 11, Johnson was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, the same illness that affects Jaguars quarterback David Garrard.

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