Mike Smith named AAMU Bulldogs assistant basketball coach

MIKE SMITH
ASSISTANT MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
AAMU BULLDOGS 

NORMAL, Alabama  -- Matthew "Mike" Smith has joined Alabama A&M as assistant men's basketball coach.

Smith, who was head coach at Lawson State and named Alabama Community College Conference North Division Coach of the Year in 2014, will coach the post players as well as recruiting for the Bulldogs, said A&M men's basketball Head Coach Willie Hayes.

"We needed someone to work with the low post guys and recruiting," said Hayes.

Smith, who played collegiately and graduated from the University of New Orleans, also coached at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State, Kennesaw State, Jacksonville State, Centenary College and Southeastern Louisiana.

"I've known Mike for a while," Hayes said. "He won a championship at Valley and has (played professionally) overseas."

A native of Hattiesburg, Miss., Smith received his master's from William Carey University and was selected to participate in the Black Coaches Association/NCAA Achieving Coaching Excellence Program in 2011.

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Former FAMU coach listed on 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

COACH RUDY HUBBARD

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- If Rudy Hubbard was a little less proactive, he probably never would have had an opportunity to coach at Florida A&M.

Hubbard had applied for the job before the 1974 season, and was never called for an interview. He waited, and then decided to take some initiative to call the Rattlers and ask, "What about me?"

He traveled from Ohio, where he worked as the first black assistant coach on Ohio State's staff under head coach Woody Hayes, and met with a board meant to decide FAMU's next football coach. He asked for a blackboard — there wasn't one in the room — and didn't sit down while giving a presentation.

Hubbard, now 69 years old, said 15 minutes after his presentation was over, and after all other candidates had been interviewed the previous week, he was hired.

"FAMU gave me the opportunity to be a head coach," he said, adding during his presentation, he drew on interview skills he learned from Woody Hayes.

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LaShaunda Jones returns to The Hill to head track, cross country programs

LaShaunda Jones

NORMAL, Alabama -- LaShaunda Jones, Alabama A&M's first Southwestern Athletic Conference track champion, is returning to The Hill to head the Bulldogs' cross country and track and field programs, Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Bryan Hicks announced.

Jones has been an assistant coach with the Alabama State men's and women's track and field teams for the past 11 seasons, including the 2015 SWAC champion women's team.

After graduating from A&M in 2001, she was a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs from 2001-02 and an assistant coach from 2002-05. Jones also has master's degrees from A&M and Alabama State.

"Coach Jones brings a wealth of experience as a coach and student-athlete," Hicks said. "She succeeded in the classroom and on the track at Alabama A&M and as a coach.

"Her enthusiasm and of track and field will only enhance our ability to return the track program to the heights it had once achieved."

Jones, an honor student, was the team captain in 2001 and won the SWAC 60-meter indoor championship. She was also named Huntsville Athlete of the Year.

"I'm grateful to Mr. Hicks and (Alabama A&M President) Dr. (Andrew) Hugine for giving me the opportunity to come back home and build the program," Jones said. "I also thank my family and friends for their support while a student-athlete and during my career."

At Alabama State, Jones was a part of 17 SWAC championships and has coached a SWAC MVP. She has also coached numerous Hornet record holders, SWAC indoor and outdoor individual champions and NCAA regional and national qualifiers, along with nationally ranked athletes and relay teams.

"I'm very excited about the future," Jones said. "I'm excited to see the group of student-athletes we have at Alabama A&M.

"I'm ready to get started."

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Jaguars DE Ryan Davis (B-CU)) looking for more this season

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Many inside the Jaguars’ locker room already consider defensive end Ryan Davis a success story, aware of his rise from undrafted free agent to NFL regular.

Davis isn’t one of them — yet.

Three years after entering the league from Bethune-Cookman with concerns about what position he would play, Davis is working to improve upon a better-than-expected 2014 season, in which he had
6 1/2 sacks.

“I think there is still a lot more to be written, if you ask me,” Davis said. “In no way, shape or form am I complacent with where I’m at or what I was able to do in the past.”

The biggest knock on Davis when he was signed by the Jaguars after the 2012 draft was his tweener size — at 260 pounds, he was deemed too big to play outside linebacker, but there was also a question of whether he was too small to play defensive end.


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In the FCS Huddle: Offensive POY Watch List highly decorated

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Everywhere you look, there is abundant offensive talent across FCS college football.

And it's usually found settling into an opponent's end zone.

The 2015 season won't be easy on defensive coordinators as nine of the 13 FCS conferences return their offensive player of the year and 12 players who were finalists for national player of the year honors last season are back. They were among the 22 players nominated Monday to the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List, including one from each FCS conference.

The returning finalists included 2014 national player of the year John Robertson of Villanova. The 6-foot-1, 222-pound senior quarterback hopes to build on - if it's possible - a season in which he passed for 35 touchdowns against only three interceptions and surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the third straight season while adding another 11 touchdowns.

A concussion kept Robertson on the sideline last December when Villanova was knocked out of the FCS playoff quarterfinals, so he will return this season with some unfinished business on his checklist.  But there are numerous All-American, all-conference, and, well, all-everything to-their-team type of players returning this season. Other 2014 finalists named to the preseason watch list were quarterbacks Jacob Huesman of Chattanooga, Vad Lee of James Madison, Dakota Prukop of Montana State and Alex Ross of Coastal Carolina.  Also returning were running backs Marshaun Coprich of Illinois State, Khairi Dickson of Saint Francis, Chase Edmonds of Fordham, Connor Kacsor of Dayton, Dy'Shawn Mobley of Eastern Kentucky and Herb Walker Jr. of Morgan State, as well as Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

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An uneasy truce as FAMU Board of Trustees mulls concerns about president's leadership style

Elmira Mangum, Ph.D.
President
Florida A&M University

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University is on the upswing in many ways: Audits are clean, accreditation appears on solid footing, the marching band has returned without incident after a hazing scandal, and freshmen attending orientation are proudly wearing orange “Class of 2019” T-shirts.

Most incoming students, though, probably are oblivious to problems inside Lee Hall, an iconic building that houses the offices of President Elmira Mangum and university administrators.

Mangum has been on the job a little over a year, but questionable decision-making and a lack of political finesse have strained her relationship with some faculty, FAMU supporters and, most important, the FAMU Board of Trustees. The 13 trustees are preparing Mangum’s first evaluation and, if things don’t improve to their satisfaction, they have the authority to fire her.

Mangum is expected to receive low marks regarding her leadership style, communication and engagement with stakeholder groups when trustees meet July 21.

Among her perceived missteps
:

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Melendez Selected To USA Baseball 17U National Team Coaching Staff

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State head baseball coach Mervyl Melendez has been selected to the coaching staff of the USA Baseball 17-and-under National Team Development Program.

The USA Baseball 17U National Team Development Program will be held August 16-21 in Orange, Calif. The National Team Development Program offers identified athletes with an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball to better prepare for a future national team experience. A total of 40 players are scheduled to participate.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to mentor and work with many talented young players during this training," Melendez said. "Wearing the red, white and blue uniform will be very exciting for me."

In four seasons as Hornets' head coach, Melendez has led ASU baseball to three consecutive 30-win seasons, a program first. In leading the program to back-to-back SWAC Eastern Division crowns in 2014 and 2015, Melendez' Hornets were crowned Black blackcollegenines.com this past season. His 119 wins are the highest four-year total in ASU baseball history. Milestones continue to be set yearly, as 2014's 37-win total was the most in program history for the second straight year after 32 victories in 2013. It's the first time ASU baseball has posted four straight 20-win seasons.
College National Champions by

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