Campbell among 6 to enter FAMU Hall

Tallahassee, FL - William Campbell still has a very vivid memory of the stoic look on Costa "Pop" Kittles' face when he gathered the Florida A&M baseball team in the middle innings of the final game of a 1972 doubleheader against the University of Miami. FAMU was down 5-0 and Kittles had seen enough.

"Pop called us in and told us we were better than we were showing," Campbell recalled Thursday night during a telephone interview from his Las Vegas home. "We began chipping away, chipping away."

The Rattlers ended up with an 8-5 victory, giving them a doubleheader sweep after taking the first game 5-2 from the Hurricanes who were ranked No. 1 at the time. That was the biggest win in the three seasons (1972-76) that Campbell played for FAMU.

READ MORE

JSU Tigers' Smith trying to overcome injury

Jackson, MS - Jabril Smith yanks back his left sock. There's no need to point at the 4-inch long, 1-inch wide stomach-churning scar he exposes.

Streaking along the outside of his left leg, just below his ankle and just above his foot, the discolored mark only serves as an ugly reminder, a stain he wishes to forget but can't quite remove.

"I haven't looked at it in a while," the current Jackson State and former Callaway High kicker says. "It only bothers me every once in a while."

It pains him more mentally, maybe, than physically these days. After all, that broken leg kept him from, possibly, winning Jackson State a championship...

READ MORE

TSU builds offense around workhorse running backs

Houston, TX - Charles Coe had no time to waste when Texas Southern interim football coach Kevin Ramsey hired him as offensive coordinator in early May.

Coe had to devise an offensive plan without the benefit of being able to implement it during spring practice. He and Ramsey had to put their heads together to fill out the remainder of the offensive coaching staff. On top of that, he had roughly three months to get it all done.

Fortunately for Coe, his other marching orders were simple. "From day one, (Ramsey) instructed me that we want to run the football," said Coe, who has more than 30 years of coaching experience at the high school, college and professional levels. "We've got some horses, and we want to run them."

But the Tigers don't have just any horses; they probably have the best running back stable in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. TSU features the SWAC's No. 1 returning rusher in senior Marcus Wright (1,212 yards, eight TDS in 2010). And his backup, Martin Gilbert, finished among the SWAC's top 10 in rushing yards with 482.

READ MORE

Benedict hopes to rally around Michael Adams

Columbia, S.C. - The Benedict Tigers keep upgrading their talent base but, as head coach Stanley Conner knows all too well, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference isn't getting softer.

"The NFL lockout ended and right away Fort Valley State had four players sign free agent contracts," Conner said. And Fort Valley State was picked to finish behind Albany State in the SIAC East in an official poll of league coaches. Benedict was picked last in the five-team division.

Benedict won its last three games last season to finish 5-6.

"I think our program is headed in the right direction," said Conner, entering his fifth season at the Columbia school. "We just have to get current on some things we're doing and keep up with our upgrades in order to compete. But I think we turned a corner late last season."

New hope is built around junior quarterback Michael Adams, who takes over in a spread offense for departed Pat Riley as the starter. Adams threw for 526 yards (three TDs, three interceptions) and ran for 455 yards (five TDs) in a backup role last year.

READ MORE

Tennessee State president pushes on-campus football games

Dr. Portia Holmes Shields

Nashville, TN - Tennessee State interim President Portia Holmes Shields said she hopes the Tigers’ football team will play three games at Hale Stadium on campus in 2012. Holmes Shields said the Tigers would keep the John Merritt Classic and homecoming at LP Field if the plan is approved.

TSU has played all of its home games at LP Field since 1999, moving there instead of repairing the 10,000-seat Hale Stadium, known as “The Hole.” Part of the agreement to build the Titans stadium was contingent on TSU getting to play there.

“There still is a lot of work and a lot of planning that has to take place to make it happen,” TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said. “Our new president has shown a lot leadership by just putting the matter on the table for the university and for our community.”

Holmes Shields could not be reached for comment Saturday. In April, TSU’s students voted to add $25 to their fees per semester to fund renovations to Hale Stadium. TSU’s current enrollment is 8,824.

READ MORE

Death at North Carolina A&T shifts culture

A&T Athletics Director Earl Hilton

GREENSBORO, N.C. — A year removed from a student death on its track, N.C. A&T is updating its athletics policies and boosting its oversight of coaches and efforts to keep athletes safe, even as it prepares for possible litigation after the death of Jospin “Andre” Milandu.  If a lawsuit against the school or its former employees is filed, it could cost the state up to $10 million — just one potential cost of Milandu’s death on Aug. 19, 2010.

“Well-meaning, good-intentioned people in the past have made decisions based on other things than health and safety of the athletes,” said Earl Hilton, athletics director at A&T. “That’s not a shift in perspective that I think is helpful.”

Meanwhile, the family struggles with the emotional cost of losing a son. “In the past, they thought they would be better a year later,” said the family’s attorney, Frank Johns. “They are struggling with this loss.” Johns spoke on behalf of family members, who did not want to comment.

Hilton said he is reviewing athletics department procedures with other high-level A&T staff members to avoid preventable deaths. He’s putting more staff and money toward athlete safety.

READ MORE

Taylor pleased with FAMU Rattlers after first scrimmage

Tallahassee, FL - There were no new concerns about who the Florida A&M starting quarterback will be this season following Saturday's 76-play scrimmage. But former North Florida Christian player Austin Trainor agreed he and the rest of the offense have to tidy up a few things.

"We were moving the ball up and down the field pretty well but we had some mistakes out there; stuff we should have had cleaned up," said Trainor, who has only been intercepted once in the two weeks since preseason camp began. "After having a whole week of walk-through and a full week of contact, I feel we should have some of that a little bit more cleaned up."

In part, the flaws that were obvious weren't all because the offense wasn't executing. The first team defense had a lot to do with the disruptions. Of the three touchdowns scored, none were by the first team offense and one came on an interception that ...

READ MORE