TU running back Derrick Washington talks about time in prison

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Derrick Washington vividly remembers the darkest point in his life.

His college football career was on life-support and his reputation was in a far worse condition as he endured a four-month prison stint.

Washington was a standout running back at the University of Missouri who had more than 2,000 yards and 28 touchdowns during three years at the then-Big 12 Conference school. He was an all-conference selection in 2008 and earned team-captain status following his junior season.



Those accomplishments meant absolutely nothing the day he was accused of a sexual offense against a former Missouri tutor in 2010, a felony deviate sexual assault charge he would later be convicted of in 2011. Washington would be released from scholarship and kicked out school just weeks prior to the start of what was supposed to be his final season with the Tigers.

"It was a real stressful situation," said Washington, who finished his career at Tuskegee and will suit up for the Stars team in Saturday's Raycom All-Star Classic at Cramton Bowl. "From being the starting running back to captain of the team to being at home not knowing what's going to happen next to going through the court stuff – it was real stressful."

Washington, who was 21 at the time, was sentenced to five years in prison. He would serve only 120 days as part of a "shock incarceration" program specially designed for first-time offenders.

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MEAC Announces 2013 Hall of Fame Class

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced today the five members of its 2013 Hall of Fame Class. The inductees will be enshrined during a brunch on Friday, March 15, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Hall of Fame class will also be recognized during the 2013 MEAC Basketball Tournament, March 11-16 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Virginia.

"I'd like to applaud the 2013 Hall of Fame class for all of their accomplishments both athletically and professionally," said Dennis E. Thomas, MEAC Commissioner. "They have made significant contributions to their communities, institutions and the conference."

Tickets for the induction brunch are $35 per seat or $300 per table (10 persons). Tickets can be purchased by calling the MEAC office at 757-951-2055.

The MEAC Hall of Fame highlights former student-athletes, coaches, university and/or conference administrators as well as special contributors, who have enriched the legacy of the conference since its inception in 1970. Enshrinees were selected by a 13-person committee made up of administrators and representatives from member institutions.

The inaugural Hall of Fame class was inducted on May 29, 1981, during a 10-year anniversary banquet in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since its establishment, the Hall of Fame has enshrined 118 people, including the class of 2013.

The 2013 MEAC Hall of Fame Inductees are:

Inducted as Student-Athletes:

John H. Alford, South Carolina State - Alford led a South Carolina State football defense that ranked among the best in NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) during his junior and senior seasons. The Bulldogs won three MEAC titles during his tenure (1977, 1978, 1980). As part of the 1980 team that went 10-1 overall and 5-0 in the MEAC, the 1980 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year led his team in tackles and was named an All-MEAC first team honoree and was selected to the Black College All-Star Team.

Alford was also a member of the Bulldog wrestling team. He was drafted in the 12th round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Alford was inducted into the South Carolina State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998 and was named to the university's Centennial (1907-2007) football team in 2007. He is currently a member and Treasurer of the former South Carolina State Athletes Association.

LOUIS BREEDEN

Louis Breeden, North Carolina Central - Breeden was a four-year letterwinner at North Carolina Central. He is tied for fourth among NCCU's career interceptions leaders with 17 and led the team in interceptions for three straight seasons (1974-1976). Breeden holds the NCCU record for career punt return average with 20.2 yards per return. He is also tied for fourth in single season interceptions with seven for NCCU. He received All-MEAC second team honors in 1974 and was an All-MEAC first team selection in 1975 and 1976. The Cincinnati Bengals selected Breeden in the seventh round of the 1977 NFL Draft, where he played 11 seasons. On November 8, 1981, he set a club record with a 102 yard interception return against San Diego. He was named to the All-Pro first team in 1982 and inducted into the NCCU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. He was named one of NCCU's Centennial 100 Sports Legends in 2009. Breeden is a co-founder of the Curtis-Breeden Foundation, which raises over $300,000 for local charities in Cincinnati.



YVETTE LEWIS

Yvette Lewis, Hampton - Lewis, a track and field student-athlete from 2004-2007, earned four All-MEAC first team selections, three All-MEAC second accolades and one All-MEAC Third Team honors during her tenure at Hampton. She was a four-time NCAA All-American in both indoor and outdoor track and field and holds MEAC indoor track and field records in the high jump (1.78m, 2005) and individual points (48, 2006). She also holds MEAC outdoor track and field records in the triple jump (13.34m, 2007) and individual points (58, 2006). She is Ethe Hampton record holder in the indoor 200m dash (23.82), indoor long jump (6.17m), indoor triple jump (13.21m), indoor pentathlon (3,852 points), indoor individual points (48), outdoor 100m hurdles (13.06), outdoor high jump (1.78m), outdoor long jump (6.26m), outdoor triple jump (13.73m), and outdoor individual points (58). Lewis is a two-time NCAA champion, winning the indoor triple jump in 2006 and the outdoor triple jump in 2007. She has represented the USA as a professional track runner since 2007, winning a gold medal in the 2011 Pan-American Games 100m hurdles and ranking eighth in the world.

Inducted As Coaches:

COACH SHARON D. BRUMMELL

Sharon D. Brummell, Maryland Eastern Shore - Brummell coached Maryland Eastern Shore's bowling team for 14 seasons. She became the first African-American and woman to win a woman's bowling national championship in 2008. The title was also the first for a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). In 2011, under Brummell's tutelage, the Lady Hawks repeated the feat to win the team's second NCAA title. During the same season, UMES won the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITC), becoming the first team to win two national championships during the same year. For her efforts, she was named National Coach of the Year in both 2008 and 2011.

Brummell is a five-time MEAC Coach of the Year (2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010). She won five MEAC titles and was named MEAC Outstanding Coach five times. From 2007-2012, she won 82-percent of her matches and amassed nearly 600 wins. She coached several MEAC Players of the Year, All-MEAC first and second team selections, National Tenpins Coaching Association (NTCA) All-Americans, and MEAC Women of the Year during her tenure.

COACH STEVE WILSON

Steve Wilson, Howard University - Wilson coached the Howard football team from 1989-2001. He led his team to an 8-3 overall record and was named MEAC Coach of the Year in his first season with the Bison. During the 1990's he recorded a 70-percent winning percentage and his team was named Black College national champions twice. His 1993 team recorded an 11-0 overall mark and competed in the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) playoffs for the first time in school history. During that same year, Wilson earned MEAC Coach of the Year honors for the second time in his career. Wilson, Howard's winningest football coach, won the Heritage Bowl in 1996. Several of his players earned All-MEAC first and second team honors, All-American accolades and Player of the Year recognition. Wilson's former players, such as Roy Anderson (Indianapolis Colts), Pep Hamilton (Offensive Coordinator at Stanford), Gary Harrell (current Howard Head Football Coach), Jay Walker (ESPN analyst) and Ted White (current Offensive Coordinator/QB's at Howard, played professionally in the National Football League (NFL).

Wilson in a member of the Black College Hall of Fame and was named a MEAC/SWAC Challenge Legend in 2012.

By MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama State hires Ramsey as defensive coordinator

COACH KEVIN RAMSEY

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  Kevin Ramsey has been named Alabama State defensive coordinator, head football Reggie Barlow announced.

Ramsey joins the Hornets from SWAC rival Texas Southern University, where he spent nearly four seasons with the program. He served in the same capacity for the Tigers from 2009-10, and during most of the 2012 season, after a stint as interim head coach in 2011. Ramsey's Tigers led the FCS in total defense in both 2010 (204.9 ypg allowed) and 2011 (245.0 ypg allowed), and in fewest first downs allowed (140 in 2010, 141 in 2011).

His 2010 squad led the nation in six statistical categories: total defense, fewest first downs allowed, sacks (45), tackles for loss (112), lowest third down percentage allowed (22.5) and pass efficiency defense (78.9).

Prior to Texas Southern, Ramsey spent five seasons as defensive coordinator at Carson-Newman (2004-08), where his units ranked in the top 20 in several national categories each season.

Ramsey began his coaching career at Kansas State (1984-85) as a graduate assistant and junior varsity defensive coordinator at Mission High School in Mission, Texas (1986) before coaching at some of the nation's biggest schools - Kansas State (1987-89, outside linebackers), Northwestern (1990-92, defensive line/defensive backs), West Virginia (1993-94, defensive backs), Tennessee (1995-98, defensive backs), Georgia (1999, defensive coordinator) and Michigan State (2000, defensive backs).

Ramsey, who participated in NFL coaching internships with the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, coached three seasons as secondary coach for the Arizona Cardinals (2000-02) before returning to the college ranks at Arizona State in 2003.

Teams that Ramsey has coached have been to a number of bowl games including the Outback Bowl with Georgia in 2000, the Carquest Bowl in 1995 and Sugar Bowl in 1994 with Big East Champion West Virginia and two trips to the Citrus Bowl in 1996 and 1997, the Orange Bowl in 1998 and the Fiesta Bowl National Championship Game with Tennessee in January of 1999.

“Hiring Kevin was huge for our program,” Barlow said. “Here's a guy who has coached on all levels. He has had much success at all stops. He has coordinated an SEC defense, and he was on a staff that has won a national championship. He brings an aggressive brand of football to Hornet Nation, and we're excited to have him.”

Ramsey was a three-time All-Missouri Valley pick at defensive back while playing at Indiana State from 1980-83. He was a second team All-American as a senior and also played baseball for the Sycamores. He graduated from Indiana State with a degree in Physical Education in 1984.


COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Finalist for FAMU Marching 100 band director job turns it down

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Florida A&M University interim President Larry Robinson says the school will start from scratch in its search for a new Marching 100 band director.

Robinson admitted that North Carolina Central University band director Jorim Reid was in Tallahassee Tuesday and that Robinson had expected to name Reid as the new band director during a morning press conference. The event was delayed, then cancelled, leaving a room full of FAMU students and supporters buzzing.

Reid ultimately turned down the job after he was unable to come to agreement with the university on the structure of the music department and the role of the marching band director, Robinson said this afternoon.

The university also issued a press release saying the search would be reopened and FAMU would consider hiring a search firm.

A search committee had interviewed four fiinalists for the job. One of them, Pompano Beach high school band director Richard Beckford was later taken out of the running because he failed to meet certain qualifications, Robinson said.

That leaves two finalists remaining: Penn State assistant band director Gregory Drane and Shelby Chipman, FAMU's associate band director who has been groomed to assume the top position.

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2001: A Space Odyssey/ Carmina Burana by FAMU Marching 100;
Conductor: Dr. Shelby R. Chipman, Associate Professor and Associate Director of Bands, Florida A&M University

FAMU reopens search for director of Marching 100 band

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  FAMU announced this evening that it is reopening the search for a director of its famous marching band, which was suspended indefinitely after the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion.

Florida A&M University had been prepared Tuesday morning to name the new band director but abruptly canceled a press conference when it failed to reach an agreement with the finalist for the job.

Interim President Larry Robinson said Wednesday that there was a last-minute disagreement with finalist Jorim Reid, a FAMU graduate who is the director of bands for North Carolina Central University.

"We thought we were close to a decision on the band director and, turns out, there were some issues we didn't think we could get resolved," he said.

While Robinson did not go into detail about the disagreement, he said it had to do with the way the university was restructuring the music department in the wake of Champion's death in November, 2011.



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Tuskegee's Buford, Washington added to All-Star Classic roster

ATLANTA, Georgia  --  Tuskegee football players William Buford and Derrick Washington were selected to play in the Inaugural Raycom College Football All-Star Classic played Saturday, 2p.m. (CT) at the Crampton Bowl Stadium in Montgomery, AL.

The game, formerly known as the Blue-Gray game, will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network.

Washington, who was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, had a banner year, while leading the Golden Tigers to an 11-1 record and 2012 SIAC Football Championship. The 6-foot 215-pounder from Raymore, MO rushed for 1,679 and 14 touchdowns and was named the 2012 SIAC Player of the Year, in addition to being named to All-Region consensus All-American, among his other accolades.



Buford, a two-sport athlete, was one of the top players on the heralded Golden Tigers defense. As a First Team All-SIAC Defense selection, finished the season with 58 tackles, five interceptions, 10 passes defended, and three interception returns for touchdowns.

The Raycom College Football Classic will be a week long event that features elite college football seniors participating in NFL-formatted practices that are open to the public. Former NFL head coaches Jim Bates and Dan Reeves will also coach the game.

The tandem from Tuskegee will join Lane College cornerback Vernon Kearny competing on the “Stars” squad.

COURTESY SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Lakeland coach takes job at Hampton University

HAMPTON, Virginia  --  Lakeland High School head football coach Glenwood Ferebee has accepted an assistant coaching position at Hampton University in the MEAC after leading the Cavaliers to consecutive Eastern Region Division 5 playoff appearances.

A formal announcement is expected on Monday, but the coach announced the move to his team on Wednesday, and by the afternoon, the news had spread though social networking websites.

As part of Donovan Rose’s coaching staff with the Pirates of HU, Ferebee will serve as quarterback coach. The chance to move on to the next level was attractive to him.

“When I first got the Lakeland job, I really wasn’t thinking about college football, to be honest. Over the last three years though, it really hit me that was something I wanted to start heading towards,” Ferebee said.

“I talked to a couple of coaches that when they come in to recruit kids, tried to sit down and pick their brain a little and spoke with a couple of the guys from Hampton. They liked some of the things we did on film, complimented me and when the job came available I reached out to them.”

Ferebee, 35, grew up in Hampton Roads and was the starting quarterback at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, where he threw passes to Plaxico Burress, who later caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII. Ferebee played college football at Liberty University, transitioning from playing quarterback to wide receiver for the Flames.

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Ram Ramblings: Ziggy having an impressive freshman season

Michel-Ofik Nzege
Courtesy Winston-Salem State University Athletics
 

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  I wondered over to Winston-Salem State practice today at the Gaines Center and was able to catch up with freshman Michel-Ofik Nzege. We talked at length for a feature story that will be in Thursday’s Journal.

Nzege, who is most likely the first Swiss-born player to play for the Rams, has been holding his own this season. He’s made the transition from high school, where he played at Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham last season, look easy.

What I love about Nzege’s game is he plays hard – all the time. There’s never much wasted movement from him when he’s on the court. He can hit the 3-pointer, the mid-range jumper and he also has an uncanny nose for the basket.

One reason he isn’t playing at a Division I school is he fell two credits short of qualifying through the NCAA clearinghouse. Instead of going to junior college he elected to sign with WSSU where he could play right away at the Division II level.

“A lot of big schools came after me but unfortunately ...

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