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Itta Bena, MS - Mississippi Valley State coach Sean Woods won’t enter the season with the goal of winning 20 games despite the fact that he’s got a team that may be favored to win the SWAC.
It’s easy to see why.
Just look at the schedule: at North Carolina, at Florida, at Wisconsin, at Notre Dame, at South Carolina, at Arkansas, at Northwestern, at Iowa State, at Ole Miss, at DePaul. That doesn’t even include a tournament out in Las Vegas. Woods, the former Kentucky star, won’t play at home until conference play. But wins are actually secondary for Woods and the Delta Devils men’s basketball program.
The priority? Earning paychecks as the sacrificial lambs to the big boys.
`That’s the major necessity for us,” Woods said. ``We’ve got to play buy games to keep the athletic department and my program afloat.” By his count, he’ll earn $778,000 for the 10 guarantee games he’s signed up for this season.
DURHAM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – North Carolina Central University and Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc., have partnered to unveil a brand new truck with NCCU style on Monday, Aug. 1 in front of McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium. Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc., now “The Official Mover of NCCU Football,” will use the 28-foot truck to transport the Eagles’ gridiron equipment to road games and will be added to Tru-Pak’s fleet of more than 200 trucks.
“I can’t think of a finer institution to give this gift to than NCCU,” stated Allyson Siegel, Executive Vice President of Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc. “Producing leaders in the world for years in both the classroom and on the athletic field, NCCU is leading the way for other institutions. I am very excited about the upcoming season and look forward to being part of their success in years to come.”
The truck will be used primarily to aid the NCCU football program move its equipment to and from the site of competition, which will enhance the travel experience for the student-athletes and support staff; while also giving the institution visibility not only across North Carolina, but nationwide as the truck will be used as part of the normal fleet during the week and the rest of the year.
“I’m so excited about our new partnership with Tru-Pak Moving Systems,” said NCCU Athletics Director Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree. “As our program grows, we are looking to form great corporate sponsorships such as this. Ms. Allyson Siegel has been wonderful in her support of our athletics program, and most importantly, our student-athletes. We will move in style this season.”
Washington, DC - Events DC announced today that AT&T has signed a multi-year deal to serve as the title sponsor of the Nation’s Football Classic™, an annual black college football game featuring Howard University against Morehouse College at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The inaugural game, now entitled the AT&T Nation’s Football Classic™, will be held Saturday, September 10 at 3:30 p.m.
“AT&T is a perfect fit for the Nation’s Football Classic™” said Erik A. Moses, managing director of the Events DC Sports and Entertainment Division. “Title sponsor support for this game from AT&T, one of the world’s most recognizable brands, is consistent with the way we believe this new HBCU tradition in the nation’s capital will be embraced by the greater Washington region and the nation for years to come.”
In addition to serving as title sponsor, AT&T will headline the AT&T Kickoff Rally, a spirited event celebrating the start of the weekend’s events with music and appearances by celebrities, city officials and representatives from the participating schools.
“AT&T looks forward to celebrating the inaugural game with students, alumni and supporters as we honor the rich tradition, camaraderie, heritage and excellence of these proud institutions,” said Jennifer Jones, vice president of Diverse Markets, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “The AT&T Nation's Football Classic™ is just one of the ways we continue to show our commitment to all customer segments.”
The official schedule of events surrounding the Classic will take place Thursday, September 8 through Sunday, September 11. In addition to the much anticipated on-field matchup between two historic rivals, events include educational activities, fan experiences and networking opportunities. All events are free to the general public (except for the football game).
Tickets for the inaugural AT&T Nation’s Football Classic™ are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations, Ticketmaster.com, the Howard University box office located at Cramton Auditorium and the Morehouse College Bookstore. Seats are priced $15 to $60.
AT&T NATION'S FOOTBALL CLASSIC™ SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, September 8
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Presidential Symposium: Beyond the Stereotypes – Academics, Athletics, Character and Black Male Achievement – Howard University Cramton Auditorium. Through panel discussions, this event will showcase the positive roles colleges and communities play in improving educational and social opportunities for Black males.
Friday, September 9
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. UNCF Empower Me Tour / HBCU College Showcase and Recruitment Fair – Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. College-bound students and their parents participate in seminars focused on financial education, college readiness, career readiness, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, service and philanthropy. In addition, admission and recruitment information on HBCUs will be available.
Noon – 2:00 p.m. AT&T Kickoff Rally – Downtown D.C. location--Join the fun at the official Kickoff Rally in the heart of the nation’s capital. Reps from participating schools, city officials, music and much more.
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. "The Game Before The Game": Howard vs. Morehouse Student Debate – Howard University Cramton Auditorium. Witness the academic rivalry between Howard and Morehouse as they showcase each school’s tradition of developing great orators.
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. HBCU Alumni Networking Reception - DC Renaissance Hotel. Alumni from all HBCUs gather for networking and fellowship.
Saturday, September 10
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. NFC Fan Festival – RFK Stadium Festival Grounds--Fan Festival featuring games, music and exhibit booths.
3:30 p.m. AT&T Nation’s Football Classic™ – RFK Stadium -- Howard University Bison vs. Morehouse College Maroon Tigers
Sunday, September 11
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Chapel Service – Howard University Rankin Chapel at Cramton Auditorium. Morehouse President Robert Franklin delivers keynote address.
Durham, N.C. - No whistle around his neck. Instead, N.C. Central football coach Henry Frazier III strutted to the field with a bullhorn. "It counts now," Frazier said Wednesday evening before NCCU's first practice.
The coach was savoring the Eagles having officially rejoined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and being eligible to compete for the conference title, eligible to go after an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision crown. The Eagles will get there with trust and effort, Frazier said. That means players both buying what coaches are selling and busting their tails on the field, Frazier said.
"Players play and coaches coach," said Frazier, entering his first season at NCCU after turning a not-so-good Prairie View A&M squad into Southwestern Athletic Conference champions.
Winston Salem, N.C. - Anthony Carrothers Jr. — the starting quarterback at Grambling State last season as a freshman — has transferred to Winston-Salem State. Carrothers, a dual threat, guided Grambling to a 9-2 record in his first season out of Charlotte's Independence High School.
"There's no quarterback controversy," coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said Friday after announcing the Carrothers' transfer. "Kam (Kameron Smith) is still our starter, but he's got to keep his job just like every starter who is coming back."
Smith helped the Rams to an 8-2 record last season but missed spring practice because of surgery for Crohn's disease. Maynor said Smith will start practice next week 100 percent healthy.
Last season, Carrothers (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) passed for 1,443 yards (93 for 170) and seven touchdowns, with eight interceptions. He also rushed for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Carrothers' father, Anthony Sr., played for WSSU in the early 1980s.
Bowie, MD - OgheneMaro Erhie was born in Nigeria and grew up playing soccer in that country, which is not unusual. He now plays football for Bowie State. And there are certainly other natives of Africa who ended up playing college football in this country.
What makes the Erhie story unique is that while he attended and graduated from Laurel High he never played football for the Spartans.
"I was mostly a soccer player. I was not really interested in football," Erhie, a 2006 graduate of Laurel, told Patch on Thursday. Erhie played soccer while at Laurel High and did not play organized football until he was a walk-on at Morgan State in Baltimore.
"I guess I got really big. I liked (watching) football and wanted to play," he said. "I think I made quite an impression at Morgan State. I never dressed but I was on the practice squad in 2007."
He then transferred to Division II Bowie State and last season he made the CIAA All-Rookie team as a 6-foot-6, 340-pound offensive lineman for the Bulldogs.
Itta Bena, MS - Mississippi Valley State coach Sean Woods won’t enter the season with the goal of winning 20 games despite the fact that he’s got a team that may be favored to win the SWAC. 
