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LORMAN, Mississippi — Blocking is a funny thing, really. It’s a player throwing his body into somebody else to protect the ball carrier. If the play goes well, the blocker doesn’t get much credit. If it goes poorly, the blocker receives the blame.
And when a blocker tries to protect in a way he shouldn’t, it sets everybody back.
Timothy Gardner was sent a ways back by doing just that. He was sent back then forward then back again, and now he finds himself at an FCS school trying to make it to the NFL anyway.
Gardner came from nothing in Indianapolis and found a way out through a football scholarship to Ohio State, only to be arrested by Columbus, Ohio, police before the fall of his freshman year and be dismissed from the program. He found himself at a prep school in New York, then Indiana for two years and enters this fall in his second year at his fourth stCONTop, Alcorn State.
CARBONDALE, Illinois — It wasn't a good experience by any means, but Mississippi Valley State's one benefit from last weekend's 72-7 loss at No. 2 North Dakota State was its first game.
The Delta Devils were able to play everyone at the Fargodome, and came away mostly unscathed on the injury front, according to coach Rick Comegy (pronounced Com-a-gee). That, in itself, will be a huge benefit when they come down to Saluki Stadium to play SIU Saturday night in what will be the Salukis' long-awaited season opener.
"I think we needed that game. We needed that speed. We needed to see that strength," Comegy said. "We needed to see some of those things that you don't see in practice. I think as we weave through these games, and work our way down to Southern Illinois, then Grambling (State), and Charleston Southern, that first four is a tough schedule, but, still, I think we'll get better as we go each week."
Mississippi Valley State, a program coming off back-to-back 1-10 seasons that has to play five of its first six games on the road, managed only three first downs against the Bison. One of them came off a penalty.
The Delta Devils, who averaged less than a yard a carry last season, gained 39 yards on the ground but lost 70 (North Dakota State had five sacks for minus-35 yards). They passed for 89 yards, 85 of them by backup Christopher Fowler, after Comegy pulled starter Jeff Even early after he was pressured heavily by the Bison's front four. CONTINUE READING
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- FIU will play its home opener this weekend after all.
It just won’t be in Miami.
The Panthers will play host to Alcorn State as scheduled only the game has been moved to historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, due to concerns with Hurricane Irma — a Category 5 storm with South Florida in its sights.
FIU reportedly worked with officials at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the city of Birmingham to move the game from Miami.
In 2014, UAB dropped football in what turned out to be a temporary move.
The Blazers played their first game since 2014 last weekend at Legion Field.
Depending on the damage from the storm, FIU has tentative plans to stay in Alabama through next week.
Like many in the Sunshine State, the Panthers are basically evacuating. CONTINUE READING
LAKE FOREST, Illinois – The name Darren Sproles is sure to follow Tarik Cohen all throughout his NFL career.
It’s a natural comparison, with the two running backs standing at just 5-foot-6. Sproles is the present-day benchmark for undersized running backs, while Cohen was made a fourth-round pick of the Bears this past April. At some point, the Sproles comparison will get old, right?
“I don’t get sick of it,” Cohen said Monday at Halas Hall. “Darren Sproles is a great player. (He has) been in the league very long, a prominent player and he’s really opened the door for backs such as me, of our size and stature.”
Of course, there’s context to the Sproles comparison inside of Halas Hall. Bears general manager Ryan Pace served as director of player personnel in New Orleans when his front office brought in Sproles to make an impact with the Saints.
During three seasons in New Orleans from 2011 through 2013, Sproles combined for 232 receptions, 1,981 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns … as a running back. He also worked in as the No. 2 option in the backfield, averaging 5.7 yards per carry in those three seasons.
Cohen hopes to be a difference-maker in a similar regard. The MEAC’s all-time leading rusher and a North Carolina A&T product, he takes great pride in that path to the NFL, but there’s a lofty standard now the he has entered the league.
HUNTSVILLE, Texas --The Sam Houston State Bearkats had little time to revel in its season-opening win over No. 7 Richmond, as preparation as quickly turned to its nationally-televised game on Thursday at Prairie View.
Kickoff is officially set for 6:32 p.m. CT in Prairie View and will be aired live on ESPNU. Eric Clemons will have the call of the broadcast, while Jay Walker will have analysis.
Fans can also listen along on KSAM 101.7 with Kooter Roberson on the call, E.P. Garth on analysis and Brian Adams on the sideline. Live stats will also be available and fans can get live updates by following @BearkatsFB on Twitter.
The game will pit two of the most potent offenses in the FCS with the Kats leading the nation in scoring in 2016 and Prairie View ranking first in 2015. Prairie View was initially supposed to open up its season against SWAC rival Texas Southern, but has since moved to Thanksgiving Weekend at BBVA Compass Stadium.
FOR THE FANSDue to the devastation to the Houston and surrounding areas, officials at Prairie View are instituting a #HoustonStrong theme to Thursday’s game. Complimentary tickets to the game will be offered to first responders, Texas teachers and all elementary, middle school and high school students with a valid. ID. General admission tickets to the game will be $15. For more information on the game’s #HoustonStrong initiative, click HERE.
FOR THOSE STILL IN HUNTSVILLE
For fans unable to attend the game at Prairie View, Bearkat Athletics will host a watch party at Potato Shack in Huntsville. All fans are encouraged to attend and enjoy the game with family and friends. Door prizes will be given out to qualified winners.
THE SERIESEven with the school’s campuses being just 70 miles apart, Thursday will mark only the second time Sam Houston has ever faced Prairie View on the gridiron, and the first time as a Division I team. The only other meeting came in 1985 when the Bearkats could not overcome four turnovers in a 14-9 loss in Huntsville. It was one of just three losses on the year for the Kats, who would claim a share of the Gulf Star Conference championship that season.
BEARKAT BYTES- Sam Houston is one of just two teams in the FCS, along with North Dakota State and New Hampshire, to reach the FCS playoffs each of the last six seasons. In that time the Kats have posted an impressive 14-6 mark, trailing only the Bison in playoff wins during that span. Sam Houston has reached at least the quarterfinals in four of those six seasons, including back-to-back trips to the FCS championship game in both 2011 and 2012.
- The Bearkats reached the double-digit plateau for the third straight season and fifth of the last six seasons in 2016. In its 101-year history, Sam Houston has won at least 10 games eight times (1956, 2001, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016).
- The Kats are 17-10 all-time in the FCS playoffs and own the country’s third-best winning percentage (.629) in the playoffs. Last season Sam Houston made its sixth straight appearance in the FCS playoffs and 10th overall.
- With its win over Richmond on Friday the Bearkats secured the first season-opening victory over a ranked opponent in school history. It made Sam Houston 3-1 against current CAA schools and was the 16th victory all-time against a team ranked in the national top-10.
- Points have not been a problem under head coach K.C. Keeler for the Bearkats. In 45 games since he took over in 2014, the Kats have scored 30 or more points on 36 occasions, going 33-3 in those games. In all, Sam Houston has scored no less than 34 points in each of its last 26 victories.
WITH A BEARKAT WIN ...- K.C. Keeler would win his 210th career game. He is currently in a tie with Wofford’s Mike Ayers for 17th in all-time wins among FCS head coaches. Next on the all-time list is former SHSU head coach Ron Randleman, who sits 16th with 218 career wins.
- Sam Houston would win its 200th game since joining the Division I ranks and the Southland Conference for the 1986 season.
- Sam Houston would win its 70th game since the beginning of the 2011 season. They would join North Dakota State as the only two teams in the FCS with 70 victories since the beginning of the 2011 campaign.
- Sam Houston would win its eighth consecutive game against a SWAC opponent. The Kats are currently 16-7 all-time against SWAC opponents and are making just their fourth trip to a SWAC stadium. Their last loss to a SWAC team came against Texas Southern in 1996, while the only road loss came in 1993 to Steve McNair’s Alcorn State squad.
KATS SEEKING BACK-TO-BACK SOUTHLAND CROWNSLast season Sam Houston ran the table on its way to winning the outright Southland Conference title with a perfect 9-0 mark. The Kats will be looking to win back-to-back league crowns in 2017 for the first time since 2011 and 2012, but have never won consecutive outright titles. The last team to win two straight outright SLC crowns was McNeese in 2006 and 2007.
STAYING AT THE TOPThe 2016 season was the first time in school history the Bearkats not only started the year ranked in the top 5 of the national polls, but also stayed there throughout the year. Sam Houston opened up the season as the No. 2 team in the STATS FCS poll and eventually rose to No. 1 midway through the year before finishing ranked No. 5 in the final poll. Since K.C. Keeler took over the program, the Bearkats have been inside the top 25 polls each time a poll has been released, while the last poll without the Kats in the top 10 was on Nov. 9, 2015.
BRISCOE, PRICE TAKE SLC WEEKLY HONORS AFTER OPENERThe Kats claimed plenty of honors last season, but will have to find more room on the trophy case if Week 1 is any indication. Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe and safety Josh Price were named the league’s offensive and defensive players of the week on Monday. Briscoe earned his after throwing for 411 yards and accounting for five scores, while Price made his Bearkat debut with a pair of red zone interceptions.
DON’T BLINKThat as the mantra for the Bearkat offense in 2016, and it fit, considering how quickly the Kats would strike once getting the ball. Sam Houston scored 89 offensive touchdowns a year ago, with 54 of those drives taking up less than 2 minutes on the game clock.
That carried over into its 2017 opener against Richmond with 4 of their 5 touchdown drives taking up less than 2 minutes, while the other touchdown drive took just 2:14.
THRICE AS NICEWith an offense as prolific as the Kats’ was in 2016, it’s no surprise that the ball was spread around. Sam Houston boasted a pair of receivers - Yedidiah Louis (1,152) and Nathan Stewart (1,004) - who surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in 2016. Davion Davis finished just 40 yards of the mark, keeping the Kats just short of joining the 2013 and 2014 Fordham squads as the only teams in FCS history to sport three 1,000-yard receivers on the same roster in the same year. Eastern Washington managed to pull off the feat in 2016, so should the Kats do it in 2017, they would now be the fourth FCS team in history to do so.
LEAD FROM THE FRONTThe 2016 season did not end the way the Bearkats thought it would in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs, but going into the game against eventual national champion James Madison, the Kats had been absolutely dominant. Sam Houston did not trail in a game until its 10th game of the season at Northwestern State less than 5 minutes into the first quarter. Prior to its loss at JMU, Sam Houston had only surrendered a lead at any point on three occasions and its 21-21 tie early in the third quarter of its second-round win over Chattanooga was the first time Sam Houston had not held the lead in the second half at any point in the year.
In fact, prior to JMU, Sam had only been tied for 65 minutes and 42 seconds of the 720 total minutes played, including 56 minutes and 36 seconds of that span being a 0-0 tie. That is another trend that carried over to its win over Richmond as Sam Houston never trailed and did not hold the lead against Richmond for 6:35 of the game.
LOUIS PURSUING RECEIVING RECORDSIn the Kats’ playoff win vs Chattanooga in 2016 wide receiver Yedidiah Louis moved past Matt Dominguez for the all-time Sam Houston mark in career receptions and stretched that out to 224 with 6 snags against Richmond. Against the Spiders he became just the third player in Southland Conference history to reach 3,000 yards receiving for a career and now he needs 242 more yards to pass Dominguez for both the SHSU and SLC record for career receiving yards. He also needs just six more catches to pass Southeastern Louisiana’s Simmie Yarborough’s career Southland mark of 229 career receptions.
PROTECTION A KEY FOR THE KATSSam Houston touted one of the top offensive lines in 2016 and returns two key pieces to it for 2017 in preseason all-SLC tackle Mitchell Watanabe and senior guard Tyler Tezeno, who was chosen as a preseason third team all-American by STATS FCS. Sam Houston allowed just 17 sacks in 13 games last year, but only 8 in 11 regular-season games. The new-look line was outstanding in the 2017 opener against Richmond, paving the way for 272 yards on the ground, while the only Spider sack of the game was recorded on an unforced fumble by Briscoe on the game’s opening drive.
PRICE IS RIGHTThe Sam Houston coaching staff quickly knew they had something special in safety Josh Price when he joined the team prior to the 2016 season. Price played two years at Southern Nazarene to open his collegiate career, but sat out the last two seasons, including the 2016 season due to NCAA transfer regulations. With one year of eligibility remaining, he looks poised to make the most of his final collegiate season. Price had 8 stops and picked off a pair of passes against Richmond, both ending Richmond drives in the red zone, including a game-clinching pick with 2:03 to play with the Spiders driving inside the SHSU 10-yard line. That effort won him SLC Defensive Player of the Week honors, while his 2 interceptions made him the first Bearkat with multiple picks in a game since Mikell Everette had 2 against Central Arkansas in 2015 - a span of 19 games.
HONSHTEIN GIVES KATS ADDED DIMENSIONKicker Tre Honshtein was a weapon on kickoffs as a junior in 2016 and made nine field goals as a true freshman in 2015, filling in for an injured Luc Swimberghe. This year he stepped in as the Kats’ primary leg and converted on 2 early field goals against Richmond. It may not sound like much, but it was the first game for the Kats with multiple field goals in a game since 2015 after they only made 5 of 8 tries a year ago. He owns a career-long 51-yard field goal from his freshman year, a kick that is still the longest made field goal by a Bearkat since 2005.
SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY BEARKATS ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- After almost 10 seasons as head coach of the Johnson C. Smith University track and field and cross country programs, Lennox Graham has announced his resignation. “I wish the track and field programs, the athletic department and Johnson C. Smith University nothing but great success in the future,” said Graham. “I also want to thank God for my future opportunities to coach a sport that I love.” Since his appointment in 2007, Graham has transformed the JCSU track and field program, having an immediate impact at the CIAA, NCAA and international levels. He was named the USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Coach of the Year for the 2012-13 season and also earned nine CIAA Coach of the Year designations. He also garnered two Atlantic Region Coach of the Year honors. Graham has coached numerous athletes to medalist finishes, All-CIAA, All-Region, and All-American designations. Under his guidance JCSU athletes have participated in NACAC, Junior Pan-American Championships, Penn Relays, NCAA Championships, World University Games, and the IAAF World Championships. No stranger in international coaching, in the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, Graham coached siblings Danielle and Shermaine Williams to the 100m hurdles final – a first for female siblings in the history of the World Championships. Danielle Williams won the event in 12.58 seconds while Shermaine placed seventh by running a 12.91. He also coached Danielle to the 2015 World University Games Championship in the 100m hurdles and again in the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London. In 2016, Graham served as a coach with the Jamaican contingent in the Rio Olympic Games. All told, he has coached three JCSU athletes that have qualified for the Olympics in Leford Green (Jamaica, 2012), Shermaine Williams (Jamaica, 2012 and 2016), and current standout Kendra Clarke (Canada, 2016). In 2011, Graham guided the JCSU women’s team to its first CIAA Outdoor Championship. The Golden Bulls also won CIAA titles in 2013, 2014 and 2016. In 2017, JCSU’s women’s team also captured the first CIAA Indoor Championship in school history. Collectively, Graham has coached 27 NCAA Division II Champions (Indoor and Outdoor), had five athletes set NCAA Division II records (60m hurdles, 200m, 400m hurdles, 4x100m), and has coached JCSU athletes to 213 All-America designations. Prior to JCSU, Graham served as the head coach at Kingston College (High School) in his native Jamaica. Also a successful high school coach, he guided his team to six Jamaican National High School Championships over his tenure. In addition, he has coached many individual and relay champions at the Jamaican High School, Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA), Central American and Caribbean (CAC), North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships, the Pan American Junior Championships levels. Not only have Graham’s teams consistently won on the track, his teams have captured numerous USTFCCCA All-Academic Awards, with JCSU’s women’s team having the top GPA nationally in 2011 and the men’s team achieving the honor in 2013. A standout sprinter and hurdler, Graham graduated from Alabama State University in 1984 with a degree in computer information systems. While a student-athlete for the Hornets, he earned the Most Academic (1985-87), Most Outstanding Hurdler (1984-85), and the Most Valuable Runner (1986-87) awards. He also won the George Hubert Lockhart Award for overall excellence in sports at ASU in 1987. In 2006 he earned an MBA from the University of New Orleans. He currently holds an IAAF Level 5 Elite coaching certification specializing in sprints and hurdles. “We wish Coach Graham tremendous success in his new opportunity,” said JCSU Athletics Director Stephen Joyner, Sr. “We know that he will continue to flourish and will continue to develop top-notch collegiate and international talent.” A search for a new head coach will begin immediately. K.C. Culler, Sports Information Director University Communications and Marketing Johnson C. Smith University
