NCCU 2011 Preseason Football Practice: Day One

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Virginia Union University Panther Profile - Week 1

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Savannah State Tigers open Camp

Savannah, GA - The renovated T.A Wright Stadium is not even complete yet, but that didn't stop the Savannah State football team from hitting the field at their new home. Wednesday afternoon, Head Coach Steve Davenport and the Tigers opened up pre-season camp with a two hour practice on the new field turf at T.A Wright stadium.

"It feels good to get to work," said Davenport. "We're all about competition here...no job is taken yet." The Tigers are coming off a 1-10 season in 2010.

"There's a lot of excitement in the air all around campus," said Senior Running Back Justin Babb. "New" is the word around camp. In 2011 the Tigers have a new head coach, new conference in the MEAC, and a new stadium.



A total of ninety-four players have checked into camp under Tigers Coach Steve Davenport.

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PHOTO GALLERY: TED WRIGHT FOOTBALL STADIUM RENOVATIONS
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North Carolina A&T Aggies Sign Interchangeable Parts

GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina A&T head men's basketball coach Jerry Eaves didn't attempt to replace 6-foot-9 first-team All-MEAC superstar Thomas Coleman because it is hard to replace 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Instead, Eaves decided to replace the Aggies style of play.

On Friday, Eaves released the rest of his 2011 recruiting class with all four players being either 6-6 or 6-7. The class includes Anthony Estes (6-7, 195, Washington, D.C.), Waylan Siverand (6-7, 220, Houston, Texas), Simon Barres (6-6, 212, Paris, France) and Jordan Herrera (6-6, 210, Silver Spring, Md.). Earlier this year, the Aggies announced the signing of Jean Louisme (6-4, 205, Fort Myers, Fla.) to bring the Aggies recruiting class total to five.

"There are going to be times this season when every guy on the floor is going to be 6-6," said Eaves. "This is going to help us match up with athletic teams in our league like Hampton. There are going to be points in the game where everyone on the floor for us can handle the ball, and everyone on the floor for us can guard three or four positions."

Estes attended Brisbane Academy in Charlotte. As a senior, he averaged 18.0 points and 12.0 rebounds. Estes also played at Our Savior in New York. He is an inside/outside player who can post and shoot the 15-footer.

"He wants to bang," said Eaves. "He is probably the most aggressive young man I have ever recruited. He can really put the ball on the floor and attack."

Siverand is gifted athletically and academically. He attended Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H. In the classroom, Siverand graduated with a 3.6 grade point average. As a postgraduate for Kimball Union, he started all 26 games and averaged 12.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He graduated from Hightower High School in Houston in 2009. Siverand gets off the floor quickly, runs extremely well and has tremendous length.

"He is a super smart young man," said Eaves. "By far, he is the best athlete I have ever recruited. With this young man, our pressure defense is back. He is long, athletic and can jump out of the gym. He just has to learn how to play on this level."

Barres played in various places in Europe before finishing his prep career at Evelyn Mack Academy in Charlotte. There, he averaged 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.

"He is mature young man and player with a nice body and nice range," said Eaves. "He has a European-style game to him where he can step out and hit the three, the medium-range jump shot and he can put the ball on the floor."

Jordan Herrera attended Cloud Community College for one season after attending Hesston Junior College. At Cloud, he averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds. As a prep standout, he attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.

"On defense, he anticipates well," said Eaves. "He wants to steal the ball to get dunks and layups. He is 6-6, but he is long and active."

By Courtesy: NC A&T Sports Information

Georgia lines up 2015 football game with Southern Jaguars

Athens, GA - Georgia’s scheduling philosophy in football under athletic director Greg McGarity includes playing one Football Championship Subdivision opponent a year.

The Bulldogs have lined up another, Southern University, on Sept. 5, 2015 in Athens.

The schools have a memorandum of understanding to play that season, according to senior associate athletic director Claude Felton. The Southwestern Athletic Conference school is located in Baton Rouge, La.

Georgia would pay Southern $650,000 as the guarantee. There is no signed contract yet.

Georgia has lined up one FCS (formerly I-AA) game each of the next six seasons: Coastal Carolina (2011), Georgia Southern (2012, 2016), Appalachian State (2013), Charleston Southern (2014).

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Note: Coach Stump Mitchell may be a better "athletic director" than a football coach. In one quick swoop, Mitchell may have raised the bar for HBCUs from $500,000 to $650,000 for a "money game" with a strong BCS program. Are you reading this SCSU and FAMU, who have future games scheduled with Arizona, Miami, South Florida and Ohio State, respectively. South Carolina State played at Georgia Tech in 2010, and earned a minimum of $225,000 for their blowout. This does not include the unnamed sum earned from shared ticket sales.

FAMU will play at South Florida on September 17, 2011, and will receive a "guarantee" of $400,000, a relatively low figure in today's college football economy. SCSU will earn $500,000 playing at Indiana on September 17.

FAMU continues to avoid playing at Florida State, but the across-campus Seminoles are paying Sun Belt Conference Louisiana-Monroe $1.3 million to play in Tallahassee on September 3, 2011. If you are going to schedule a blowout, at least get paid well for the opportunity.

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Pittsburgh Steelers releases S.C. State Harrison

Orangeburg, S.C. - Lake City native Josh Harrison was among five players released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday.

Harrison, a standout at South Carolina State, was signed as a free agent by the team last week and has been with the Steelers in training camp.

Harrison was a two-year starter at left tackle at S.C. State and was a two time all-MEAC selection. Conference coaches voted Harrison MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, and he also was selected to play in the HBCU Classic in Atlanta.

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FAMU’S Angel Signs Stellar Inaugural Class for 2011-12

Tallahassee, FL - Florida A&M Head Men’s Track and Field Coach Wayne Angel announced the signing of ten student-athletes to grant-aid today for the 2011-2012 season.

Coach W. Wayne Angel

“I am very pleased and excited about the potential and possibilities of these student athletes,” said second year coach Angel. "They are tough, talented and have a no-nonsense approach to work, which will be necessary in helping FAMU in re-establishing its presence in the MEAC.

“We have added depth and talent to our sprint and hurdles groups, our 4x100 and 4x400 relays will bring a lot of excitement to the hill and hopefully ignite a fire in the hearts and minds of our students and alumni to come out and support us,” Angel said.

Here are the 2011-12 signees:

Elias Chesire- Distance- (Eldoret, Kenya) distance star with times of 3:52, 8:17, 14:28 and 29.40 respectively in the 1500, 3k, 5k and 10k. Chesire and FAMU distance ace Shuaib Winters will look to be a formidable tandem in the MEAC.

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