Tuesday Morning Quarterback: Just Shut-Up and Play!

This wasn't a great weekend for out-of-conference games by our HBCUs. I'm not going to talk about it -- on to week three games.



My football cap off to the MEAC commissioner's office for implementation of "instant replay" for ESPNU televised football games. Getting the calls right is more important than the 1-2 minute delay in action. If you had an opportunity to watch the FAMU vs. Hampton or South Carolina State vs. Bethune-Cookman games, you know exacting what I am talking about. Did I mention that most of the televised games are on the ESPN3 website, and can be viewed at your leisure.

ESPN3 did not cut away to commercial breaks during the half-time shows for SCSU and B-CU Marching Bands. Here's the LINK to the replay page on the ESPN3 site. Really good stuff!



Howard's Jay Walker is doing a great job as an ESPNU commentator on the HBCU games...

It appears Langston University Lions are the real deal after knocking off both Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Tuskegee on their home fields on consecutive Saturdays. LU is a NAIA Division I member of the Central States Football League, located in Langston, Oklahoma, and has a first year interim head coach in Mickey Joseph. Coach Mickey played his college ball at the University of Nebraska as a quarterback and was the offensive line coach for the Lions, prior to being elevated.

Who has the best marching band this season? FAMU? Southern? Jackson State? Bethune-Cookman? Tennessee State? North Carolina Central? Grambling? No doubt, Florida A&M is at the top of the list, but that freshman class of musicians (the crabs) at Jackson State is simply outstanding. By the end of the season--expect to see the Sonic Boom and the Human Jukebox battle the FAMU Marching 100 for marching band supremacy. The dark horse in this 22 band race is North Carolina Central University Marching Sound Machine, with its exceptional musicality, originality, blend and balance of woodwinds and brass, and so forth. Eagle pride --amplified!

Check out Morehouse Band... the Maroon Tigers took Howard University to school in the Nations Football Classic...



Albany State has a sweet out-of-conference schedule: Wingate, a Division II playoff team was blown out by the Golden Rams by 21 points last week. Undefeated Valdosta State will be making a visit to the Rams this Saturday with more than bragging rights at stake for both programs. Time for ASU to just shut-up and play championship football and K-O the Blazers.

Dang! That South Carolina State defense played a whale of a game at B-CU. Now, if Buddy can get that offense tuned-up, the Bulldogs have the potential of going the distance.



Now, to last week football scoreboard...

CIAA
Carson Newman 56, Fayetteville State 7
New Haven 50, Saint Augustine's 14
Bowie State 31, Benedict 14
Virginia State 17, West Virginia State 14
Elizabeth City State 49, Livingstone 7
Winston Salem State 67, Virginia Union 16
UNC-Pembroke 49, Chowan 38
Delaware State 31, Shaw 27



SIAC
Brevard 38, Johnson C. Smith 35
Langston 33, Tuskegee 19
Kentucky State 43, Lincoln (Pa.) 27
Clark Atlanta 21, Lane 3
Miles 13, Concordia-Selma 6
Howard 30, Morehouse 27
Samford 48, Stillman 6
Delta State 27, Fort Valley State 7
Albany State 49, Wingate 28

SWAC
Murray State 39, Mississippi Valley 0
Eastern Michigan 14, Alabama State 7
Louisiana-Monroe 35, Grambling State 7
Prairie View A&M 37, Texas Southern 34
Southern 21, Alabama A&M 6
Jackson State 35, Tennessee State 29
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 27, Alcorn State 20

MEAC
North Carolina Central 42, Central State (Ohio)
Hampton 23, Florida A&M 17
West Virginia 55, Norfolk State 12
Delaware State 31, Shaw 27
Southeastern Louisiana 63, Savannah State 6
Bowling Green 58, Morgan State 13
South Carolina State 26, Bethune-Cookman 18
Appalachian State 58, North Carolina A&T 6
Howard 30, Morehouse 27

Other HBCUs
Edward Waters 29, Virginia University-Lynchburg 21
Arkansas-Monticello 41, Texas College 0
Slippery Rock 30, Cheyney 0
Washburn 66, Lincoln -Missouri 26



North Carolina A&T State University Blue & Gold Marching Machine Band

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FAMU's Taylor looking to make some changes

Tallahassee, FL - Coach Joe Taylor saw enough on the film of FAMU loss in its first conference game that he might "try something different" with the offense, while this week's practice will focus on the basics.

At the same time, the Rattlers will have to finish the season without linebacker Alvis Graham, who suffered a knee injury in the 23-17 loss to Hampton University on Thursday night. Graham was hurt in the first quarter of the game that snapped a seven-game win streak for the Rattlers.

Javen Harris, a transfer from Central Florida who was recently cleared to join the team, would practice in Graham's spot as FAMU prepares to face South Florida on Saturday, Taylor said. They'll be going into the game with a 1-1 record, the same mark they had at this point last season before finishing strong enough to win a share of the MEAC title.

The loss to Hampton also was the first setback in five starts for redshirt sophomore ...

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S.C. State defense redeems itself with victory over B-CU

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Safety Dominique Ellis was willing to take the heat.

As a senior leader in the S.C. State secondary, Ellis took full responsibility for last week's 21-6 loss to Central Michigan. In the contest, the 23rd-ranked Bulldogs gave up two critical long touchdown passes in the first half.

"The defense - we lost that game for us," he said. "I'll say it. Everybody will say it's on everybody. But we gave up two deep balls. If you think about it. If we change those two plays, we're in the game in the fourth."

Facing a 24th-ranked Bethune-Cookman team which put up 63 points and 500 total yards of offense a week earlier, Ellis and the defense were determined to redeem themselves. With two of the Bulldogs' four interceptions, including a game-clinching 55-yard tourchdown pick in the 26-18 victory, Ellis seemingly more than made amends.

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B-CU Wildcats shake off loss, focus on performing well in next games

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- After South Carolina State's 26-18 win over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, tears welled up in Bulldogs coach Buddy Pough's eyes as he stood with his team in front of Municipal Stadium's visiting bleachers listening to the band play the school's alma mater.

On the other side of the field, some B-CU players were ready to walk away when senior linebacker Ryan Lewis reminded them that they too must stand in front of their fans for the Wildcats band to play the alma mater.

"It's showing respect to our school, our alumni and our founder," Lewis said. "Win, lose or draw, we finish the game with the school alma mater. That's how we finish games. I let the guys know we still had to do that, regardless."

Lewis knew his teammates weren't trying to show any disrespect. They just weren't sure exactly what to do in such a situation. Since Brian Jenkins became head coach before last season, losing has been that rare.

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XU Jacksons, Fakler have times of their lives at Loyola meet

Catherine Fakler

METAIRIE, La. — Zahri Jackson was in record form again. Catherine Fakler and Kwame Jackson weren't far behind.

All three Xavier University of Louisiana freshmen produced memorable performances Saturday in the Four Points by Sheraton Loyola Wolfpack Invitational at Lafreniere Park.

Zahri Jackson broke her second XU women's record in as many meets. She ran 5,000 meters in 19 minutes, 15.18 seconds to break the previous mark by nearly 11 seconds. She placed third out of 71 runners and was the first collegiate finisher.

Fakler was fifth overall and third among collegians in a career-best 19:48.50. Her time is the fifth fastest in XU history. Like her teammate, Fakler recorded her second top-10 finish in as many meets.

Ebony Harding set the previous XU mark of 19:26 in 2009 as a senior. Before Saturday, Harding was the only XU female to run a 5K in less than 20 minutes, and Harding recorded the eight fastest times.

Kwame, left, and Zahri Jackson

Kwame Jackson, Zahri's older brother, also recorded his second top-10 in as many meets. He produced a personal best in the men's race. running the 5K in 16:12.13 to finish fourth out of 56 and No. 2 among collegians. His 5K is the fastest by an XU male since Farris Gransberry set the record of 15:46.80 in 2000.

Both Xavier teams produced upper-division finishes for the second straight meet. The Gold Nuggets scored 63 points to finish second out of eight college teams, and the Gold Rush scored 64 points to place third out of seven.

Xavier's good times were not limited to the Jacksons and Fakler. Sophomore Donyé Coleman ran her fastest collegiate 5K and placed 18th in 20:45.78. Anna D'Souza was 21st in 21:00.99, her fastest since the 2008 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference meet her freshman year. In the men's race Ray Walston was seventh with a career-best 16:27.76, about 45 seconds faster than his time in this race a year ago.

City rival Loyola won both team titles. Former Canadian collegiate runner Sarah Skotty (17:35.17) was the fastest female finisher for the second straight year, and former LSU runner Patrick Gavin led the men in 14:56.39. Mississippi College's Tino Gonzales was the fastest male collegian and third overall in 16:09.02.

The next meet for both XU teams will be the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational at Lafayette, La., on Friday evening.

Results:  Men    Women

Xavier Women's Cross Country Best 5,000-Meter times
No. Time Name Class Location Date

1. 19:15.18 Zahri Jackson Freshman Loyola Wolfpack Invitational, Metairie, La. Sept. 10, 2011

2. 19:26 Ebony Harding Senior Gulf Coast Stampede, Pensacola, Fla. Oct. 3, 2009

3. 19:41.33 Ebony Harding Senior Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships, Clinton, Miss. Nov. 7, 2009

4. 19:47.14 Ebony Harding Senior Southern Miss Invitational, Hattiesburg, Miss. Sept. 4, 2009

5. 19:48.50 Catherine Fakler Freshman Loyola Wolfpack Invitational, Metairie, La. Sept. 10, 2011

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Florida A&M vs. Hampton Fumble - It's still loose!

Next up for ODU: The Hampton Pirates

Before reviewing Old Dominion’s 40-17 victory over Georgia State at the nearly empty Georgia Dome – honestly, was anybody there? – it’s time to look ahead.

ODU hosts Hampton University this coming Saturday and the Pirates are off to a 2-0 start. The Pirates have a pair of victories over some A&M schools: Alabama A&M and Florida A&M.

ODU coach Bobby Wilder says the difference in Hampton from a year ago comes at the quarterback spot where David Legree is off to a hot and fast start.

“Legree has an NFL arm and that concerns us,” Wilder said. The Monarchs host Hampton at 6 p.m. at Foreman Field on Saturday, Sept. 17.

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VSU Trojans come from behind to defeat West Virginia St., 17-14

Petersburg, VA - The Trojans of Virginia State University (1-1), scored 14 points in the third quarter to take a come from behind lead and win the game 17-14, against the (0-2) Yellow Jackets of West Virginia State University. Junior wide receiver, Corey Young caught a 28 yard TD pass to put VSU ahead.

VSU’s offense woke up late but rallied in the second half to gain some yardage and several first downs to seal a 17-14 victory on the road against WVSU. The Trojans accumulated 277 of total offense (211 passing, 66 rushing) and had 14 first downs. Senior running back, Antwain Lyde rushed for a team high 80 yards and averaged 4 yards a carry. Lyde also caught 4 passes for 53 yards out of the Trojan backfield. Junior quarterback, Jarred Battle passed for 211 yards, completing 19 of 32 pass attempts.



Five Trojans caught passes from Battle. Junior wide receiver, Alan Anderson’s led with 6 catches for 61 yards. Corey Young caught Battle’s longest pass of the game, a 28 yard touchdown score with 45 seconds left in the third quarter. That touchdown was the first for VSU’s offense this season and was key this game, as it was the last points ...

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