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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Grambling was picked to finish last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division a year ago.
But at SWAC Media Day on Friday, the Tigers were picked first in the West.
The preseason predictions don’t mean a whole lot, but they are the latest example of how far Grambling’s football program has come in one year since coach Broderick Fobbs was hired in the wake of a disastrous 2013 season.
The Tigers went 1-11 that season while enduring two in-season coaching changes and a players boycott of one game. But last season, they and Southern both sported 7-1 conference records going into the Bayou Classic, where the Jaguars prevailed 52-45 to win the West
The preseason vote Friday was about as close as last season’s regular-season finale. Grambling received 93 points and Southern 91.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama A&M coach James Spady sarcastically thanked his athletic director for scheduling an early-season game with Cincinnati. But the Bulldogs aren’t the only school playing up this season. Southern has games at Louisiana Tech and Georgia, Alcorn State travels to Georgia Tech and Grambling goes all the way out west for a game at California, a reprise of its globetrotting ways under Eddie Robinson.
2. FROM WORST TO PREDICTED FIRST
Two years ago, Grambling’s football program was in utter disarray, from the firing of then-coach Doug Williams to players boycotting the interim coach and their dilapidated facilities. Two years later, Grambling was the choice Friday to finish first in the SWAC West by a narrow vote over two-time division champion Southern. Even for a program with as rich a history as Grambling, it’s a remarkable story.
Charlotte, North Carolina (7/14/15) – Former Johnson C. Smith University standout Danielle Williams took gold in the women's 100 meter hurdles while current athlete Tovea Jenkins placed fifth in the 400m run at competition at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea.
Jenkins, a native of St. James, Jamaica, qualified for the finals by posting a time of 53.92 in the preliminary races. She would then run a 53.43 in the semifinals to finish in fifth place. Justine Palframan of South Africa won gold with a 51.27 with Poland's Malgorzata Holub taking silver (51.93) and China's Huizhen Yang claiming bronze (51.98).
Williams, a 2014 JCSU graduate, advanced to the finals after a time of 13.08 in the preliminary race. She would then claim the gold medal for Jamaica with a 12.78 in the finals. Joining Williams on the medal stand were Russia's Nina Morozova (12.83) with the silver medal and Australia's Michelle Jenneke (12.94) with bronze.
Williams will continue her season, competing at the IAAF World Championships on August 22-30 in Beijing, China.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference released its 2015 SWAC Preseason Teams with quarterback John Gibbs Jr. (Alcorn State), and linebacker Kourtney Berry (Alabama State) headlining the annual announcement.
It was released during the 2015 SWAC Football Media Day after ballots were completed by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Fifty-one players were named to this year’s preseason teams as a result of receiving 2014 All SWAC honors. In the event that a player was named to the first team during the post season, and does not return, the second team player for that position was elevated to the first team. Players were ranked in their position based on the number of votes received.
After earning First Team All SWAC and being named conference player of the year at the end of last season, Gibbs was voted on as the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. For the second straight year, Berry was tabbed as SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Gibbs led the Braves to an eastern division title and the team’s first berth to the conference championship game. He completed 169-of-294 passes for a total of 2,482 yards and 21 touchdowns. Gibbs also ran for a career-high 1,006 yards on the ground and another 12 scores last season.
Gibbs, a Houston, Texas native, is joined on the preseason first-team offense with running backs Lenard Tillery (Southern) and Johnta’ Hebert (Praire View), wide receivers Daniel Williams (Jackson State) and Willie Quinn (Southern), tight end Jordan Payne (Alcorn State), along with offensive linemen Marcus Cook (Jackson State), Damian Love (Alabama State), Glen Haisley (Prairie View), Anthony Mosley (Southern) and Jylan Ware (Alabama State).
Berry led the SWAC in total tackles during his first two years grabbing over 100 tackles, including a SWAC-high 128 last season. He is a two-time First Team All-SWAC performer and has been named to several pre-and post-season honors
Others to join Berry include: defensive linemen Anthony Lanier (Alabama A&M), Darien Moody (Alcorn State), Demarcus Berry (Arkansas Pine Bluff), and Devohn Reed (Prairie View), linebackers Damon Watkins (Alcorn State), Willie Duncan Arkansas Pine Bluff), with defensive backs Danny Johnson (Southern), Damond Jackson (Prairie View), Warren Gatewood (Alcorn State) and Kevin Rucker (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) rounding out the voting.
For special teams, kicker Ryan Deising (Jackson State), punter Cory Carter (Texas Southern) and return specialist Johnta’ Hebert (Prairie View) were all tabbed as first team selections.
For the predicted order of finish in both divisions, the defending champion Alcorn State Braves totaled 95 votes including 10 first place votes to become the preseason favorite out of the East Division. Jackson State followed with 83 points, Alabama A&M gathered 66 points, with Alabama State (50) and Mississippi Valley State (31) closing the division’s preseason ranking.
In the West Division, Grambling State totaled 93 points with eight first-place votes. Southern received 91 points followed by Prairie View (72), Texas Southern (40) and Arkansas Pine Bluff (34).
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: John Gibbs Jr. (QB) – Alcorn State Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Kourtney Berry (LB) - Alabama State
2015 Preseason All SWAC Football Team First Team All SWAC Offense
QB – John Gibbs Jr
Alcorn State
RB – Lenard Tillery
Southern
RB – Johnta’ Hebert
Prairie View
OL – Marcus Cook
Jackson State
OL - Damian Love
Alabama State
OL – Glen Haisley
Prairie View
OL - Anthony Mosley
Southern
OL – Jylan Ware
Alabama State
WR – Daniel Williams
Jackson State
WR – Willie Quinn
Southern
TE – Jordan Payne
Alcorn State
First Team All SWAC Defense
DL - Anthony Lanier
Alabama A&M
DL – Darien Moody
Alcorn State
DL – Demarcus Berry
Arkansas Pine Bluff
DL – Devohn Reed
Prairie View
LB – Damon Watkins
Alcorn State
LB – Willie Duncan
Arkansas Pine Bluff
LB – Kourtney Berry
Alabama State
DB – Danny Johnson
Southern
DB – Damond Jackson
Prairie View
DB - Warren Gatewood
Alcorn State
DB- Kevin Rucker
Arkansas Pine Bluff
SPECIAL TEAMS – FIRST TEAM
Kicker Ryan Deising –Jackson State
Punter Cory Carter – Texas Southern
Return Specialist Johnta’ Hebert -Prairie View Second Team All SWAC Offense
QB – Johnathan Williams
Grambling State
QB – La Montiez Ivy
Jackson State
RB – Brian Handley
Arkansas Pine Bluff
RB – Arron Baker
Alcorn State
OL – Sean Brown
Mississippi Valley State
OL- Terrell Lee
Southern
OL – Jordan Johnson
Prairie View
OL – Glenn Jackson
Texas Southern
OL - Courtney Brown
Alabama A&M
WR – DeMario Bell
Alabama State
WR – Willie Young
Arkansas Pine Bluff
TE – Natron Brooks
Mississippi Valley State
Second Team All SWAC Defense
DL – Javonte Williams
Grambling State
DL – Jamison Goins
Grambling State
DL – Amir Bloom
Texas Southern
DL – Gabe Echols
Southern
LB – Daerius Washington
Alabama State
LB – Henry Taylor
Grambling State
LB – Javancy Jones
Jackson State
DB – Anthony Williams Jr.
Alcorn State
DB – Robert Porter
Jackson State
DB – Dionte McDuffy
Southern
DB – Charles Moore
Mississippi Valley State
SPECIAL TEAMS – SECOND TEAM
Kicker – Haiden McCraney – Alcorn State
Punter - Haiden McCraney – Alcorn State
Return Specialist Willie Quinn – Southern 2015 Predicted Order of Finish
EAST
Alcorn State 95
Jackson State 83
Alabama A&M 66
Alabama State 50
Mississippi Valley State 31
West
Grambling State 93
Southern 91
Prairie View 72
Texas Southern 40
Arkansas Pine Bluff 34
CANTON, Ohio -- Former WVSU football standout Talir Satterfield-Rowe and his Team USA teammates will be playing for the gold Saturday night in the championship game of the International Federation of American Football World Championship being held in Canton, Ohio.
Satterfield-Rowe rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown in Wednesday night's win over France. Team USA previously defeated Japan and Mexico to earn a spot in the 7 p.m. Saturday title game which will be telecast live on ESPN 3.
Also representing the Yellow Jackets with Team USA is WVSU assistant coach Isaiah Jackson who is serving as linebackers coach during the event.
Former Boise State and Colorado Head Coach Dan Hawkins leads the team.
"It's been awesome," Jackson said. "I've learned a lot from him, not just football but organizationally."
He says running backs coach Darian Hagan, a two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up, has been very happy with Satterfield-Rowe.
"He's doing a great job," Jackson said. "He's right in there alongside the other running backs."
The other three backs hail from Texas Tech, Mississippi State, and Iowa State.
Most of the squad is composed of players who just graduated from college or have been out a year or two and are looking to sign a free agent deal with an NFL team or elsewhere and continue playing.
"There's a few guys that are a little older," Jackson said. "It's unbelievable the talent here."
This is the second time he has worked with the international game. Jackson spent a couple of weeks in France two years ago coahing the national team's defensive line.
Working with Coach Hawkins and tthe rest of the staff was easier than usual this time around.
"Our whole defensive staff is made up of guys I either coached or coached with," Jackson said, at Sioux Falls.
The Team USA defense has allowed just 24 points in three games.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The intimacy of SWAC Media Day does not allow for distance to smooth out any awkwardness, which is why Jackson State's Harold Jackson and Mississippi Valley State's Rick Comegy spent 35 minutes Friday sitting next to each other on a stage inside a Marriott banquet room.
Their respective schools' tables were also placed caddy-corner to each other, which meant the two could have watched the other talk about the Tigers and Delta Devils all morning long. They were fine, shaking hands and appearing to be at least cordial. But it's still a bit odd since we're only into Year 2 of this weirdness, in which Jackson State fired Comegy, hired Jackson and then watched as the perennially-struggling Valley program brought Comegy to Itta Bena.
It was a heck of a hire: Comegy had a 55-35 record in eight years at Jackson State, winning four West division championships and the entire SWAC in 2007. And while MVSU won only two games in 2014, one of them was against Jackson State. Jackson said he believes JSU fans are not ...
W. FRANKLIN EVANS, Ph.D. Interim President SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Following several hours in closed session on Thursday, South Carolina State University board Chair Charlie Way announced that Dr. W. Franklin Evans is being promoted from acting president to interim president.
The board did not vote in open session but Way announced that “as of today, the board has declared that Dr. Evans is no longer acting president, but is now the interim president of South Carolina State University.”
Way said the board made the decision in closed session.
“The only thing that occurred in executive session was discussion, but the only action that was taken – that took place in the executive session – was that we as the board have nowWW decided to elevate Dr. Evans from acting president to interim president of South Carolina State University,” he said.
Bill Rogers, executive director of the S.C. Press Association, said that under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act, such decisions must be made in open session.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Grambling was picked to finish last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division a year ago.
