Alabama A&M football: Back where he started

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Jared Bing started his career at Alabama A&M as an offensive lineman. It appears he will end it the same way.  Injuries and a lack of depth along A&M's offensive line has forced Bing, who has played tight end the last three years, to start over.

Bing, a 6-foot-3, 288-pound redshirt senior, spent two days at right tackle after Winston Hunt went down with an injury early in preseason practice. A week ago, he was moved to left guard after starter Bryant Ross went down and has been there ever since.

Should Ross, who has been out a week due to dehydration that has created some problems with his kidneys, not return, Bing could find himself in the starting lineup when A&M opens the season against Tuskegee on Sept. 1 at Legion Field in Birmingham.

"I was a little reluctant at first, but being a senior, I had to take myself out of it and understand what was best for the team," Bing said Monday afternoon before practice. "We have plenty of good tight ends that can get the job done. I'm just trying to fit in where I can to help us win the SWAC championship."

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Norfolk State rebuilds in paradise

NORFOLK, Virginia   -  Ever notice no basketball program ever takes a summer basketball trip to Siberia? It’s always Italy, France, Brazil, Bahamas. Sometimes Canada. Lather, rinse, repeat. And who can blame them? If you’re going to mess around and win a few games (or lose a few, that’s certainly been going around), why not do it somewhere nice where the kids can get some culture?

It’s every bit as awesome as it sounds, according to a blog written by Norfolk State forward Rob Johnson. He began penning his thoughts and experiences for the NSU faithful during the team’s recently concluded team-building trip to
Tierra Del Fuego Kamchatka Sudan the Bahamas.

As we walk from the lobby to the bus that will eventually take us to the airport, Coach (Robert) Jones sings to himself, ‘Back to life, back to reality.’ Although it wasn’t as vocally fine-tuned as the version sung by En Vogue, the point still got across to the team. We were getting ready to go back to ‘reality,’ or whatever life we had before our trip to the Bahamas.

Before waking up, seeing Cable Beach from our hotel balcony, before eating 5-star meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and before the boat trips and deep sea snorkeling adventures.

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Alabama State Hornets have spirited practice

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - With a spirited practice under its belt, the Alabama State football team ended on a high to end Tuesday's afternoon practice.

It's not surprising how not having to do post-practice conditioning runs after a tough practice in full pads can bring joy to a team, which happens on every level of football. But it's how the Hornets avoid gassers that was clearly the highlight of the day.

It's simple – one of the linemen had to catch a punt, a task much easier said than done when the punter is Alabama State's Bobby Wenzig, one of the best in the country, and on the receiving end is a lineman who rarely ever touches the football.

The linemen were allowed several ‘practice' attempts by head coach Reggie Barlow. However, for OL Damian Love, one attempt was all he needed, as his running, diving catch of a Wenzig punt near midfield allowed the Hornets to get a break from conditioning drills and sent the team into a euphoric state.

"When you're in camp everyday, and you're doing things ...

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Prairie View A&M coach says Panthers have had no contact with Mike Dyer

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas - Prairie View A&M coach Heishma Northern says he has not spoken with former Auburn and Arkansas State running back.

"I have not contacted Mike Dyer," Northern said. "None of my assistant coaches have, to my knowledge."

The Twitter account supposedly run by former Auburn and Arkansas State running back Mike Dyer, @Mike_Dyer5, tweeted late Monday that the running back was transferring to the SWAC school.

"Headed to the SWAC to play for Prairie View A&M this season!" the account tweeted, accompanied by a picture of a pair of Prairie View A&M shoes.

There are two Twitter accounts claiming to be Mike Dyer. One, @Michael5Dyer, has not tweeted since Sept. 9. The other, @Mike_Dyer5 has been active recently. Both are followed by current Auburn players.

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Former Auburn and Arkansas State running back Mike Dyer will play at Prairie View A&M

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas - Former Auburn running back Mike Dyer, who was kicked off the Arkansas State football team in late July, has found a new place to play.  Dyer tweeted late Monday that he will play football this season at Prairie View A&M, a SWAC school in Texas.

"Headed to the SWAC to play for Prairie View A&M this season!" Dyer tweeted, accompanied by a picture of a pair of Prairie View A&M shoes.

By transferring to Prairie View A&M, a Football Championship Subdivision school, Dyer would be able to play right away this season, and he tweeted that he hopes to keep the familiar No. 5 on his jersey.

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Audio Of Michael Dyer Traffic Stop Released: 'You're Being A Total Dumbass' 

Michael Dyer's Sunday dismissal from Arkansas State was said to stem from a "violation of team rules," like scores of dismissals before it. But the specifics of that violation are coming out, namely with the release of audio from a traffic stop that is said to be at the core of Dyer moving on from the Red Wolves.

The Arkansas Times cites a paywalled Jonesboro Sun report in saying that Dyer was stopped with a gun and a substance believed to be marijuana in March, for which he was given a fine. The Sun also quotes the officer involved as saying "Carrying a pistol around? Uncool ... You've got a career ahead of you but you're being a total dumbass right now."

If you would like to hear that, Rivals' Arkansas State site has audio of the stop. (MP3 here.) It sounds like a talented athlete throwing a second chance away, and the heartbreaking part is that Dyer seems to realize it.



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NSU cornerback hopes 'statement' play is first of many

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  The last time many Norfolk State fans saw Dionte Sullivan, he was being carted off the field at Dick Price Stadium, one of the scarier moments of the 2011 season.

The next time they see him, the cornerback expects it to be more like Monday, when he made the first big play of a preseason scrimmage, an interception that was the day's only turnover.

"This is my chance to make a statement," Sullivan said. "That's what I've been trying to do since I got here - figure out how to make a statement, earn my place on the defense. I want to be the guy, like anyone should. The nickel spot is a good building block, especially the way last season ended."

Monday, after three consecutive three-and-outs for the offense, Sullivan, in perfect one-on-one coverage with DeAndre Sangster, came down with a jump ball. He also knocked another pass to the ground.

"It wasn't a bad throw," head coach Pete Adrian said. "Sully really made a play, he went up and got it. It's good to see that."

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The Official Baltimore Battle of the Bands 2012

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --  On Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, nine college bands from the East Coast will showcase their talents on the campus of Morgan State University.

Gates open at 3PM and Showtime is at 5PM.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, reserved seating is only $18.

Invited marching bands are: Bowie State University, Elizabeth City State University, Hampton University, Howard University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, and North Carolina A&T State University.

Order tickets at: highsteppingnationals.com.