ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - Darius Drummond looks toward the skies in frustration. What draws the preseason All-American South Carolina State defensive back and kick returner’s ire is the outside wall of the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium pressbox.
“There’s not even an ‘11’ up there!” said Drummond, in reference to the year missing from those posted on the press box signifying Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships won.
Last season, for the first time in three years, S.C. State did not win or share the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. For the first time since the 2007 campaign, the Bulldogs were on the sideline for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
That feeling was not enjoyable for head coach Buddy Pough and his staff, and neither did it sit well with the Bulldog players. All involved hope to regain the spotlight enjoyed by Norfolk State for 2011.
Pough’s team came within a couple of field goals of a third straight MEAC title and an undefeated league campaign. S.C. State’s conference losses were both by three points, 17-14 at Norfolk State and 27-24 to Florida A&M.
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
FAMU's Backup QB Bass ready when needed
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| PHOTO COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS |
TALLAHASSEE, Florida - If FAMU quarterback Tyler Bass wanted to walk around feeling sorry for himself, he’s earned that right. Consider his college football journey that brought him to the point where he’s playing his final season as a backup for the Rattlers.
After enrolling at Maryland out of Atlanta Stockbridge High in 2008, Bass left the Terrapins before the start of the season to attend the University of Memphis. Two injuries (shoulder and knee) thwarted any chance he had to make a case for the starting job.
Lack of playing time and a coaching change at Memphis prompted his transfer to FAMU last year. He demonstrated his ability in a handful of practices, but when coach Joe Taylor decided he needed a quarterback change, Bass was being hampered by back pain.
Enter then-freshman Damien Fleming, who performed well enough to begin this season at the starting quarterback. “It’s life,” said Bass.
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After enrolling at Maryland out of Atlanta Stockbridge High in 2008, Bass left the Terrapins before the start of the season to attend the University of Memphis. Two injuries (shoulder and knee) thwarted any chance he had to make a case for the starting job.
Lack of playing time and a coaching change at Memphis prompted his transfer to FAMU last year. He demonstrated his ability in a handful of practices, but when coach Joe Taylor decided he needed a quarterback change, Bass was being hampered by back pain.
Enter then-freshman Damien Fleming, who performed well enough to begin this season at the starting quarterback. “It’s life,” said Bass.
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Receivers solid in final FAMU scrimmage
A surprisingly large crowd witnessed the answer at Bragg Stadium on Saturday night in the Rattlers’ final scrimmage. Converted running back Al-Terek McBurse showed he has the hands, and Travis Harvey, a backup to Tyms last season, stepped out of the shadows and impressed.
With redshirt sophomore Lenworth Lennon as the most consistent returning starter in camp, the presence of McBurse and Harvey should give the unit some depth.
“They work hard, but you’ve got a quarterback that throws the ball like our guy does,” said coach Joe Taylor, referring to starter Damien Fleming. “I’m pleased because with you lose two guys like Elliott and Tyms you might have some concerns.”
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Darrius Coleman emerges in ailing SU Jaguars backfield
“He’s not starting. He’s wearing my number. I’m starting,” said Mitchell, pointing to the No. 30 jersey that he wore during his NFL career and adding that he planned to shave so as to avoid age suspicions.
Mitchell was joking, but after the rash of injuries the Jaguars have seen this fall, he’s not far from being their most able-bodied back.
With Sylvester Nzekwe (ankle) and Jerry Joseph (knee surgery) likely to miss the first game, the rushing load will fall to a group of backups, and Coleman is leading the way.
The redshirt junior has been the beneficiary of more playing time since the two starters went down, and the Jaguars will look for him to set the tone against the Lobos.
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Spike Lee hints that troubled HBCU may be wanted for land
ATLANTA, Georgia - Filmmaker Spike Lee says he hopes Morris Brown College is able to survive a looming foreclosure and not dismantled and used for some other purpose.
"Hopefully something can be worked out," the "Do the Right Thing" director told Redding News Review.
"I do know that Morris Brown's campus has a lot of acreage and that's some valuable land," he said, "So something's going to happen."
Lee, who is a graduate of nearby Morehouse College, made the comments during an interview about his new film "Red Hook Summer" on the upcoming edition of the Redding News Review radio show.
He also talked about his new upcoming films, the Michael Jackson-focused "Bad 25" and "Oldboy" with ...
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From the 2001 history files -- MBC Marching Wolverines
"Hopefully something can be worked out," the "Do the Right Thing" director told Redding News Review.
"I do know that Morris Brown's campus has a lot of acreage and that's some valuable land," he said, "So something's going to happen."
Lee, who is a graduate of nearby Morehouse College, made the comments during an interview about his new film "Red Hook Summer" on the upcoming edition of the Redding News Review radio show.
He also talked about his new upcoming films, the Michael Jackson-focused "Bad 25" and "Oldboy" with ...
READ MORE
From the 2001 history files -- MBC Marching Wolverines
HU's Jay Walker stays close to football
FORT WASHINGTON, Maryland - Few athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) -- and particularly at Howard University -- have achieved the level of success that Jay Walker did in the mid-90s, and no other player at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school has come close since.
A native of Los Angeles, Walker transferred from Long Beach State to HU after Long Beach State dropped its program. In only two seasons, Walker received All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference honors both years (in 1992 and '93), and was selected as the Offensive Player of the Year in 1993. Furthermore, he led the Bison to an undefeated season in 1993 -- winning the MEAC and the Black College National Championship.
Walker was taken in the seventh round in the 1994 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, where he played for two years before moving on to the Minnesota Vikings, where he played another two.
"I got four years in the league," said Walker, who graduated from Howard with a political science degree and has been a member of the House of Delegates in Maryland since 2007.
"The NFL provided me with opportunities in life that if it wasn't for the game of football I wouldn't have gotten. I was very thankful. It was just a start of my life. I had a great time playing the game. I graduated with my degree in political science. I did everything I could to prepare myself for life beyond football."
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A native of Los Angeles, Walker transferred from Long Beach State to HU after Long Beach State dropped its program. In only two seasons, Walker received All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference honors both years (in 1992 and '93), and was selected as the Offensive Player of the Year in 1993. Furthermore, he led the Bison to an undefeated season in 1993 -- winning the MEAC and the Black College National Championship.
Walker was taken in the seventh round in the 1994 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, where he played for two years before moving on to the Minnesota Vikings, where he played another two.
"I got four years in the league," said Walker, who graduated from Howard with a political science degree and has been a member of the House of Delegates in Maryland since 2007.
"The NFL provided me with opportunities in life that if it wasn't for the game of football I wouldn't have gotten. I was very thankful. It was just a start of my life. I had a great time playing the game. I graduated with my degree in political science. I did everything I could to prepare myself for life beyond football."
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XU Gold Nuggets bust Union, collect first victory of season
CLEVELAND, Tennessee -- Xavier University of Louisiana got double-doubles from Taylor Reuther (14 kills, 20 digs) and Chinedu Echebelem (12 kills, 14 digs) in a 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 25-16 women's volleyball victory Saturday against Union (Ky.) in the Lee Invitational.
The Gold Nuggets (1-2) tied for third place in the six-team season-opening tournament with Lindsey Wilson and Olivet Nazarene. Indiana Wesleyan (4-0) was the lone unbeaten team.
Reuther, who had 13 double-doubles as a freshman in 2011, also served four aces in the matchup of defending regular-season conference champions. Echebelem produced her second double-double of the season and her fourth in two years.
Moira Kirk hit .417 and had 13 kills, five digs and four blocks for Xavier, and Darian Harris had 20 digs, eight in the second set. CeCe Williams had 12 digs and three kills, and setter Franziska Pirkl had 43 assists, nine digs, three kills and three aces. Harris, Williams and Pirkl are freshmen.
"We had great energy," said XU coach Christabell Hamilton, whose team lost in straight sets Friday to ranked NAIA teams Lindsey Wilson and Lee, "and our ladies looked like they enjoyed themselves on the court."
Williams clinched the first set with a kill. The Nuggets rallied from a 21-17 deficit in set two with a pair of Reuther aces and Kirk's clinching ace. Kirk had six kills and Echebelem four in the final set.
Xavier outhit Union .166 to .138 and led 52-44 in kills, 82-77 in digs and 9-1 in aces. Cat Neumann had 14 kills, and Caity Merritt and Paige Moore had nine apiece for Union (0-3).
Xavier's next match will be its home opener -- 7 p.m. on Sept. 4 against city rival Loyola at The Barn.
Box scoreBy Ed Cassiere, SID
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
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