Grambling hopes the second Doug Williams era is as good as the first

GRAMBLING, La. — If Doug Williams’ second time around as head coach at Grambling State is as successful as his first stint, the Tigers should be in good shape.

As the successor to Eddie Robinson, the Tigers’ All-America quarterback and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player helped his alma mater dominate the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with three league titles during that period.



After serving as a front office executive in the NFL with Tampa Bay, Williams is back at Grambling.

“There’s nothing like Grambling and I’m thrilled about being back home,” he said. “I enjoyed being in the NFL and working with some great people, but this is family. Hopefully, I can keep the family happy by winning.” If the Tigers fulfill preseason predictions of winning a Western Division title in the SWAC, they’ll have to do so without the team’s top two rushers of the past four years.

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WILD MOGUL$ was hanging with the world famous Grambling State Marching Band for a weekend in Louisiana while they recorded an original song for a PitBull Energy Drink commercial in which Grambling State Marching Band starred in.

Howard University Football starts on the Road to Redemption

Howard Bison 2011 Football Team
 (Click on photo enlarge)
(Photo Courtesy Howard University Athletics)

Washington, D.C. - The Howard University football began its two-a-day practices on Wednesday and according to Coach Gary Harrell, there were mixed reviews. “The offense got the upper hand early in the practice,” noted Harrell, who is in his first season as a head coach.

“Then the defense began to assert itself and from there, they dominated. Part of the offense’s slide could be attributed to the loss of starting center Terrell Hawkins, who injured his leg. Harrell says that it is only a minor injury and he should be back soon.

Another factor could be the installation of a new offense under Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Ted White. White is a former All American at Howard who owns most of the school passing and offensive records.

When talking specifically about the offense, Harrell was quick to point out that he is very pleased with the rapid progress of freshman quarterback Greg McGhee, who is projected as the starter.

“Greg McGhee is really picking up the scheme much quicker than we anticipated,” said Harrell, of the talented 6-3, 200-pound freshman from Pittsburgh, PA. “He is improving with each snap. Evan Pittman is also coming along very nicely.” Pittman is a 6-3, 195-pound freshman from Baltimore, MD.

The running back position may be the most competitive unit on the team. Red-shirt junior Jarren Brown, who showed well in the spring, is slated to start, but he is getting get stiff competition from red-shirt junior Charles Brice, senior Terrance Leffall, sophomore Andra Williams and freshmen Aquanius Freeman. Brice led the team in rushing last season with 462 yards and 6 TDs in 8 games. Leffall rushed for 84 yards last season in two games before being injured and missing the rest of the season. Williams missed all of last season due to personal reasons, but he was the team-leading rusher with 419 yards as a freshman in 2009. And Freeman created a lot of buzz during practice with his speed and explosiveness.

All-MEAC wide receiver Willie Carter looks in mid-season form but there is concern by Coach Harrell of the unit as a whole.

“I have not been pleased with the wide receivers,” says Harrell, the school’s all-time leading receiver with 184 receptions during his career. “We have a lot of young players there and there have been too many dropped balls. I know that they are young, but they are going to grow up fast if we are to improve in that area.”

Traditionally, the defense is ahead of the offense this early in the process, but Harrell feels that they may even be a bit ahead of schedule. The task of revamping a defense that allowed over 30 points per game last season has been handed to defensive coordinator Rayford Petty, a former head coach at Howard who is generally regarded as one of the best at the FCS level.

“The defense is jelling well under Coach Petty’s system,” says Harrell. “They look very solid in all areas and appear to be very comfortable in what they want to do.”

The defensive secondary, which was very young last season, has looked especially sharp early on under the coaching of secondary coaches Ron Bolton and Billy Jenkins and volunteer coach Vontae Long. Sophomore safeties Cam Long and Julian David came up with spectacular plays on several occasions and both appear prime for fine seasons.

“Coach Bolton, Billy Jenkins and Vontae Long are doing a good job of coaching those young guys up,” said Harrell.

Bolton, a former NFL performer, who is in his second tenure at Howard, is credited with the development of two former Bison standouts and current pros, Antoine “Deuce” Bethea of the Indianapolis Colts and Ronald Bartell, Jr., who is the starting cornerback for the St. Louis Rams. Jenkins is a former NFL performer, who was an All MEAC selection with the Bison. Long is also former Howard All MEAC selection, who was the conference Rookie of the Year as a freshman

Harrell added that he has been pleasantly surprised at the improvement of the kicking game, an area that has long been an Achilles Heel at Howard.

The Bison will continue two-a-day practices through August 20, just in time for classes which start on August 22. The season opener is September 3 against Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, MI at 7 pm.

By: Howard University Sports Information

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Norfolk State 2011 preview

Norfolk, VA - Head coach Pete Adrian begins his 7th season leading the green and gold. He has 14 starters returning from a team that was 6 and 5 overall and 4 and 4 last season in the MEAC. The biggest concern for the Spartans is depth along the offensive line.

Starting quarterback Chris Walley returns for his senior season. Last year Wally threw for 10 touchdowns and was picked off eight times.

Norfolk State 2011 preview : wavy.com

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New Coordinator Brings Winning Attitude to Hornets

Dover, DE - Delaware State University's new offensive coordinator is hoping the keys to success he learned with the NFL champion San Francisco 49ers in the early 1980s will pay dividends for the Hornets this season.

"The success of the 49ers was the result of a winning attitude in all areas," said DSU offensive coordinator Arrington Jones, III, who was selected by San Francisco in the fifth round of the 1981 NFL draft. Jones spent most of the '81 season with the 49ers, which defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI.

"Everything about the San Francisco organization was geared toward winning; from camp, to practice, to our walk, talk, speech, dress and attitude," said Jones, who also played professionally for the United States Football League's Washington Federals from 1983 to '86.  Jones was tapped by new DSU head coach Kermit Blount to direct the Hornet offense. He served three years as Blount's offensive coordinator when the two men were at Winston-Salem State University.

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Transfers making impression at FAMU

Tallahassee, FL - From a distance, it was clear linebacker Kevin Nelson hasn't been in the Florida A&M system longer than the two days the team has been practicing. But Nelson demonstrated an eye for the ball Wednesday afternoon. It moved right, he headed in that direction. Left or up the middle, he was right there too.

"Be patient," FAMU defensive coordinator Earl Holmes pleaded. Nelson obliged.



On the opposite side of the field where the offense worked out, slot receiver Al-Terek McBurse was also trying to make plays. McBurse and Nelson are the latest transfers from Division I programs — Nelson from Miami and McBurse from Purdue. They don't have to sit out a year because they've transferred down a classification.

Both worked out with the second team, but FAMU coach Joe Taylor said they can expect plenty of playing time. They will fill voids that were created with linebacker Willie Ferrell and receiver T.J. Lawrence being academically ineligible to play this season.

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IT'S OFFICIAL -- NCCU Now Active NCAA Division I Member

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – At 12:31 p.m. on Thursday (Aug. 11), North Carolina Central University received a letter from the NCAA confirming the university’s active membership in Division I athletics.

The five-year reclassification process moving from Division II athletics competition to Division I (Football Championship Subdivision) is now over, and NCCU is eligible to participate in post-season championships starting this fall.

"Gaining full membership to NCAA Division I has been our goal for several years now and I am excited and delighted to see it come to pass," said NCCU Chancellor Charlie Nelms. "I appreciate what a tremendous effort this was for Athletic Director Ingrid Wicker-McCree and her entire team, and I thank and congratulate them for the superb job they did. The Eagles have arrived!"

In Thursday’s letter to Nelms, Stephen Mallonee, the NCAA’s Managing Director of Academic and Membership Affairs/Division I Governance Liaison, wrote, “It is my pleasure to inform you that the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved the recommendation from the NCAA Division I Administration Cabinet to elect North Carolina Central University to Division I active membership effective September 1 (or the beginning of the 2011-12 academic year if earlier than September 1).”

“I am thrilled about the NCAA’s final decision,” said NCCU Athletics Director Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree. “We worked diligently towards meeting all of the requirements set forth by the NCAA and with the continued support from Dr. Nelms and our Board of Trustees, we accomplished a magnificent task. We will strive to continue meeting all NCAA Division I and MEAC requirements. Our continued goals are to graduate our student-athletes, win championships and maintain institutional control.”

The journey to NCAA Division I ranks officially began on Nov. 16, 2005, when the NCCU Board of Trustees voted unanimously approving the university to move forward with making an application to the NCAA to reclassify its athletics program to Division I.

The Eagles captured eight conference team titles in their final two seasons as a Division II member in the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) before competing as an independent without conference affiliation starting in the fall of 2007.

On Sept. 10, 2009, the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) announced that NCCU will become its 13th member institution effective July 1, 2010. The Eagles spent the 2010-11 campaign as provisional members of the MEAC, meaning they were not eligible to compete for a conference championship or earn conference accolades.

On Friday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m., the NCCU volleyball team will host the first athletic competition as an active Division I member when the Eagles host Campbell inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

Ironically, it was the volleyball team that opened NCCU’s Division I era back on Aug. 24, 2007. Although just one year removed from Division II status and playing as a reclassifying program without a conference to call home, the Eagles captured wins over MEAC foe Norfolk State and ACC opposition North Carolina State on that historic Friday.

By Kyle Serba, Associate A.D. for Media Relations, NCCU
VISIT: NCCUEAGLEPRIDE
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S.C. State coaches displeased with progress of offense

Coach Oliver 'Buddy" Pough

Orangeburg, S.C. - At two and a half hours, Thursday's practice in full gear was the longest of the preseason thus far for the South Carolina State football team. It was also the most vexing for the coaching staff, who could not contain their displeasure, particularly with the offense.

Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kevin Magouirk was especially critical of his group's execution during drills.

"We're too soft," he said. "We've got to toughen up. We've got to get to the same level of our defense and maybe we'll stand a chance in a game." Head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough acknowledges the offense is particularly impeded by ...

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