SSU's Davenport signs 20 players

Two days after announcing the hiring of five assistants, first-year Savannah State University football coach Steve Davenport on Wednesday announced the signing of 20 players to national letters of intent.

Davenport, who was hired Jan. 7 after four seasons as the running backs coach at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, signed 13 players from Georgia high schools. None of the signees are from the Coastal Empire.

"I don't have a lot of relationships that were built in Savannah, but I will," said Davenport, a 43-year-old Decatur native. "We're going to extend ourselves to the coaches in the community, and to the community as a whole. But this wasn't an opportunity to do that. I got the job so late I hit the ground running, and ran to where I knew I would be accepted. We'll get to the people of Savannah."



Tigers Ink 20 Football Recruits

SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State head football coach Steve Davenport announced the signing of 20 young men who have decided to continue their educational career at SSU. “We wanted to bring in quality student-athletes and good football players,” said Davenport.

Of the 20 signees, 13 hail from the state of Georgia in the Atlanta metro area. Davenport thinks that linebacker Jordan Mincy, wide receiver Vaughn Cornelia, defensive lineman Evince Dossous, wide receiver Kristopher Drummond and defensive end Brandon Rhodes could come in a possibly get some playing time early.

Full Signee List (Click Here)

Mitchell hoping effort pays off for Southern Jaguars

Less than three months after his first season ended with a 2-9 record, Stump Mitchell said he knew his second recruiting class had to count for quite a lot. This time around, his program couldn’t afford to whiff.

Mitchell, who introduced 17 new recruits to a crowd of faithful fans Wednesday night at the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union, said he wanted the complete package among this year’s signees — players who weren’t just ready for college football, but those who were coming to campus with a lofty grade-point average.

After all, he said, student-athletes aren’t worth much to a football program if they can’t remain students.

SU’s Mitchell re-recruiting former players

Second-year coach Stump Mitchell was, without much doubt, pleased with his second class of recruits at Southern University, which included 17 signees. But there’s another piece to a potential turnaround at SU, which posted a 2-9 record — the worst in school history — in Mitchell’s first season.

It was almost as important, Mitchell said, to re-recruit some players who are already on campus — former SU veterans who were academically ineligible last season.

The Official List of 2011 Southern U. Football Signees

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Delaware State Hornets name Blount football coach

Delaware State University today named Kermit Blount head football coach. Blount spent 17 seasons coaching Winston-Salem State before resigning in November 2009. Blount went 91-87-3 at the North Carolina university, from which he graduated in 1980.

The Virginia native won his 90th career game in 2008 when the Rams beat Delaware State 27-26.

Blount replaces Al Lavan, who after taking over in 2004 wound up as the third-winningest coach in Delaware State history with a record of 41-36 and guided the Hornets to the MEAC championship (10-2 overall, 8-0 MEAC) and its first appearance in the Division I-AA playoffs in 2007.



DSU names new football head coach

The Delaware State Hornets have a new football coach to lead them in the 2011 season. Kermit Blount replaces Al Lavan whose contract was not renewed after this past season.

Blount is a North Carolina native. He comes to the Dover campus after 16 years as the head football coach for Winston-Salem State University. His resume there includes two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championships and a total of three CIAA Championship game appearances. He's also had teams in the Pioneer Bowl on two occasions.

“Coach Blount has proven he knows how to guide student-athletes to championship-level seasons as well as accomplish high standards of academic success,” Dr. Harry Williams, DSU President said. “The Search Committee is to be commended for its diligence in reviewing the candidates, in engaging in earnest deliberations and arriving at its recommendation.”

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NCCU ANNOUNCES 26 RECRUITS IN FOOTBALL SIGNING CLASS

Eight Signees from North Carolina, Including Four from State Champions Hillside High

DURHAM, N.C. – Twenty-six student-athletes signed national letters of intent on Wednesday (Feb. 2) to become part of head football coach Henry Frazier III’s first recruiting class at North Carolina Central University.

The 2011 NCCU recruiting class consists of 23 high school seniors and three transfers. Among the signees are 12 linemen (6 offense, 6 defense), five defensive backs, two linebackers, two wide receivers, a quarterback, running back, fullback, tight end and a return specialist.

“Our goal was to recruit an athlete at every position, just to create some competition,” said Frazier, who took over the Eagles gridiron program on Jan. 3. “That’s what we were able to do.


Videographer: NCCUEagles

by Kyle Serba, Associate A.D. for Media Relations, www.NCCUEaglePride.com

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PVAMU Panthers Sign 20 Student-Athletes To National Letters Of Intent

A total of 20 student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play football for Prairie View A&M University on Wednesday.

“Recruiting has gone well as we’ve met our critical needs,” said first-year head coach Heishma Northern. “I’m happy with our assistant coaches for going out and doing their due diligence as they did a fine job of keeping our class intact after the coaching change.”

Northern also mentioned the difference in recruiting as a head coach for the first time compared to being a coordinator.

“One of the first things that stood out was that I had to make the sales pitch of what myself and the program is going to do for the kids,” he said. “As a coordinator, my biggest thing was bringing players to the table and letting Coach Frazier decide but now I had to make the ultimate decision on whether we’re going to offer a particular kid and decide if the scholarship was going to be a full, partial or walk-on opportunity. I had to make some tough decisions regarding that situation but that comes with the territory of being a head coach.”



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Tennessee State Tigers Ink Twenty-Two Football Players

Coach Rod Reed and his staff have signed twenty-two football players to National Letters of Intent on national signing day, February 2, 2011.

The Tigers inked twelve players on defensive, nine players on offense and one player termed an athlete. The 2011 recruiting class consists of five players from Tennessee, five from the state of Florida, three players from Louisiana, two players each from Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. One player each comes from the states of South Carolina, North Carolina and Indiana.

The position breakdown sees the addition of six defensive linemen, four linebackers and two defensive backs. The offensive additions are as follows, three tight ends, two wide receivers, two running back and one each at offensive line and quarterback. The one player listed as an athlete has played as running back, quarterback, receiver and kick returner.

2011 TSU Football Class

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Taylor calls class best since he has arrived at FAMU

One of the promises Joe Taylor made when he took over as head football coach at Florida A&M was to have his recruiting staff cast a wide net. Call it a promise kept if the class of signees announced Wednesday is an indication.

Taylor reached as far as Hawaii for help to shore up the Rattlers' offensive line, signing offensive guard Pieper Kawika. FAMU beat out nine other schools, including Duke from the ACC and Marshall of Conference USA, for the services of the 6-foot-3, 320-pound two-time all-state lineman from Moanalua High School.

In all, FAMU signed 22 of the 25 prospects it pursued during the recruiting period. Taylor hailed the class, which includes three Division I transfers and one from a junior college, as the best he's recruited since taking over the FAMU program.


Videographer: FAMUSPORTS

2011 FAMU Rattlers Signees

Aiken, Patrick, 5-10/170, CB, Pembroke Pines, Fla./Flanagan H.S.

Bass, Tyler, 6-4/210,QB, r-Jr. Atlanta, Ga./Memphis

Broaddus, James, 6-5/245, DE Choctawhatchee, Fla./Choctawhatchee H.S.

Brinson, Sherrod, 6-1/270 OC Madison, Fla./Madison HS

Carroll, Jeremiah, 6-4/290 OL Dothan, Ala./Northview HS

Carter, Ravonne, 5-11/190 DB Fr. Miami, Fla./New Mexico

Gibson, LaDontae, 6-4/280 OL/DL Madison, Fla./Madison HS

Harrison, Delmus, 5-11/185 RB Tallahassee, Fla./FAMU DRS

Harvey, DeWayne, 6-3/200 Ath Tallahassee, Fla./Florida HS

Hypollite, Ellie 6-4/275 DL Jr. Bartow, Fla./Eerie JC

Liford, Gene 6-9/280 OL Monticello, Fla./Aucilla HS

James, Dane 6-1/180 QB Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Boyd Anderson

McGhee, Rickey 6-2/190 WR Crawfordville, Fla./Rickards HS

Morris, Michael 6-5/230 TE Jacksonville, Fla./Andrew Jackson H.S.

Nettles, Michael 6-5/290 OL Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto

Newton, Brenton 6-3/255 TE/FB Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Boyd Anderson

Pieper, Kawika 6-3/320 OG/C Fr. Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua HS

Powell, Darius 6-0/206 Ath Gainesville, Fla./East Side

Turner, Casey 5-11/190 RB r-Fr. Jacksonville, Fla./Rutgers University/Ed White H.S.

Ward, Kevin 6-4/285 OG Raleigh, N.C./Broughton HS

Williams, Anthony 6-0/175 WR Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Boyd Anderson

FAMU signee ready to shine in classroom

Crista Wright, a math teacher at Gainesville Eastside High School, wasn't sure what to think of Darius Powell the first couple of days he was in her classroom. He appeared a little too shy, although as a sophomore he had already demonstrated that he was a star on the school's football team. That threw Wright for a loop.

"He wasn't that typical, 'Oh, I'm playing football. I'm the star; look at me,' " she said. "He was very driven by his academics. He became a leader in the classroom. He would take other athletes under his wings and encourage them to make sure they were doing their homework."

Florida A&M Rattlers – Meet the Class

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School

Aiken, Patrick CB 5-10 170 Pembroke Pines/Flanagan
Snake Bites: All-Broward County Team selection … Recorded 54 tackles, 12 pass break-ups, two interceptions, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, three forced fumbles, 326 yards in kick returns with two TDs his senior year of play.

Bass, Tyler QB 6-4 210 Atlanta, Ga./Memphis
Snake Bites: In 2009 at Memphis, Bass played in four of the 12 games at quarterback, making three starts as the Tiger signal caller … Averaged 213.2 yards of total offense per game (45.0 rushing, 168.3 passing) … Ranked No. 73 nationally among quarterbacks by Scout.com … Tabbed No. 57 nationally among athletes by Scouts Inc. … Also rushed for 606 yards and 11 TDs on 81 carries.

Florida A&M fans cheer recruits

Right after winning one of the give-away prizes that were handed out during the celebration of Florida A&M catches on National Signing Day, Cicero Hartsfield dashed to find a Sharpie. He had to have coach Joe Taylor's signature on the football that he'd won.

It was a little more than Hartsfield came for when he showed up at The Moon on Wednesday night. He and about 200 other FAMU boosters and fans were there for their first look at the new Rattlers.

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