Southern facing difficult task of slowing down Martez Carter. 'They call him Mr. Excitement for a reason'

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- If anyone is familiar with what Grambling running back Martez Carter can do when the lights shine brightest, it is the heavyweights of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Southern received a glimpse of his wide-ranging skill set in last season’s Bayou Classic, when Carter burned the Jaguars for 279 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns on just 16 touches in the Tigers' 52-30 win.

The next week, in the SWAC championship game, Carter torched Alcorn State for 348 all-purpose yards on 24 touches. He wrapped up his season with 201 all-purpose yards in Grambling’s Celebration Bowl win against North Carolina Central — his fourth straight game with at least 200 all-purpose yards to close the season.



“He’s explosive, man,” Southern defensive coordinator Trei Oliver said. “He has great vision. You can see the cutbacks. He has speed to hold you off when he gets out in the open field. He’s just an explosive player.”

Added Southern coach Dawson Odums: “He’s an exciting football player. He has big-play capabilities, and he got loose on us a year ago.”

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How to build a contender: Grambling, Southern offer different methods to roster construction

NEW ORLEANS -- Southern and Grambling will meet Saturday on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf with a postseason berth on the line, marking the third time in the past four seasons the Bayou Classic will decide the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Western Division title.

The two programs have achieved a desirable level of consistency under coaches Dawson Odums and Broderick Fobbs. Not counting their matchups against each other, the two programs have combined to go 55-5 against SWAC competition since Fobbs took over at Grambling in 2014.

“In (2016), they didn’t lose a conference game; we lost one,” said Odums, Southern's coach. “You look at this year, they haven’t lost a game, we lost one. You figure that during that stretch, if you were to take the conference teams and rank them top to bottom, we would probably be No. 2.”

But the two programs have taken different routes on their ascent to the SWAC peak, and it is evidenced by their rosters this season.

Two of Grambling’s most important players started their college careers elsewhere.

Quarterback Devante Kincade, the SWAC's reigning offensive player of the year, came to Grambling after two years at Ole Miss. He currently leads the SWAC in yards passing (2,238) and touchdowns (18) and has thrown only three interceptions in 278 attempts.



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Morris Scott earns first win as head coach as Southern men beat UT-Martin 69-66

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Morris Scott will have at least one thing to be thankful for as he carves up the turkey on Thursday.

It maybe took a little longer than he would’ve liked, but Scott officially has his first win as head coach of the Southern men’s basketball program.

After going 0-5 during a 12-day road trip to start the season, the Jaguars finally earned their first win of the season, and first since Scott took over the program in the spring, with a 69-66 win against UT-Martin in Wednesday night’s home opener.

“Turkey is going to taste a little better tomorrow,” Scott said. “I was concerned about that. I was like, ‘Man, we’re struggling right now. We’ve got a couple injuries,’

“But those guys came out a competed like they had something to prove tonight.”

While putting the first win under his belt was certainly a relief for Scott, he was more proud of the way it happened than any personal milestones.

Southern stifled any potential late pushes from the Skyhawks with a gritty defensive performance for the final eight minutes of the game.

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Howard Bison sweeps Florida A&M for three-peat

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Coach Shaun Kupferberg and the Howard University Women's Volleyball team captured its third straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Title after sweeping the Florida A&M (FAMU) Rattlers (25-22, 25-19, 29-27) at the William P. Hytche Athletc Center. The victory also secured HU's 10th championship in program history.

Additionally, Howard became the first team to three-peat since FAMU won nine consecutive title (2001-09).

"Everyone is different," said Kupferberg, MEAC Tournament Outstanding Coach. "Everyone has different feelings attached to it. This one was a struggle, this one was probably the hardest. We had a long year, we had a lot of injuries, a lot of new players … it was chaos trying to put it all together."

MEAC Player of the Year Khaila Donaldson was named the tournament's Outstanding Performer after flirting with a double-double (nine kills and nine digs).

"It's amazing because this is my last one," Donaldson said. "I'm a senior and this is my last one, and we have a new team who's never been here before, so there's a lot of emotions, a lot of tears – happy tears, thank God – it's just overwhelming."

Fellow classmate Jessica Young led the Bison with a match-best 17 kills while producing a .424 hitting percentage. Young was also named to the All-Tournament Team.

Howard (16-15) was trailing near the midway point of the first set until the Bison chipped away, using a 9-4 spurt to take an 18-17 lead after an ace from senior Carlise Cardoza. FAMU tied the set again on the next point, but Howard maintained control before ultimately winning the frame 25-22.

The second set was tight early until Howard responded with a 5-1 push to go up 11-7 after Young and junior Olubunmi Okunade paired on a block. From that point on, the Rattlers could not get closer than within two; thus, HU took a commanding 2-0 lead after two sets.

FAMU led throughout the third, but again, the Bison slowly chipped away at that lead. Nicole Abreu's kill gave FAMU breathing room at 21-18, but Howard answered with a 5-2 spurt to tie the set at 23-23 on a Jurnee Tipton kill.

There were four more ties, the last at 27-27, before a Young kill and an Abreu error clinched the title.

Sophomore Kira Porter joined Donaldson and Young on the All-Tournament Team after posting nine kills and five total blocks (three solo) against Florida A&M.

The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship bracket will be announced the Sunday, Nov. 26 before the first round of competition, which begins Thursday, Nov. 30.

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

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HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Howard Bison Mike London Among Finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  After guiding the Howard University Football team to its first winning season in five years, Coach Mike London was named a finalist for the 31st STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award. The announcement came Monday morning.

London was among the 18 finalists selected for this year's award.

"I am extremely humbled and honored to be considered for this prestigious award," London stated. "We all stand on the shoulders of others that have helped us along the way. I am thankful to so many in my life and those who made this consideration a reality."



Mike London, Howard University --  London's first season at Howard began with the program's first FBS win as the Bison beat UNLV as 45-point underdogs. While tying for second place, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference squad posted its first winning record since 2012 and the second in the last 16 years. Record: 7-4.  COURTESY: North Carolina A&T State University Sports Information.

London's first season at HU began with the program's first FBS win as the Bison beat UNLV, which according to ESPN, deemed the biggest upset in college football history. Furthermore, Howard finished second in the conference with a 6-2 mark while posting its first winning season since 2012.

Named for the legendary coach of Grambling State, past winners of the Robinson Award include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore and two-time winners Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl.

This year's list includes at least one coach from all 13 FCS conferences. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the recipient.



Also this season, STATS will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), the Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year) and the Doris Robinson FCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.

For more STATS FCS Coverage: http://www.fcs.football/fcsfront.asp

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

S.C. STATE FOOTBALL: Frustration put into perspective

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Bulldog fans are frustrated, confused and, in some cases, really upset.

The South Carolina State football program -- with 16 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and four Sheridan Broadcasting Network National Black Champion titles in its history -- just experienced a disappointing 3-7 season.

This has never been the norm in Orangeburg.

All five road games resulted in losses this year. And it didn't help matters that the season finale was a 34-10 loss this past Saturday at Savannah State, a program that plans to move down to the NCAA Division II ranks soon and started a freshman quarterback from the same high school as S.C. State's starting quarterback.

Now the Bulldogs program is examing what it will look like going forward, with head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough talking daily with first-year athletic director Stacy Danley, looking at what changes might need to be made on his staff. And with Pough being in the final year of his contract, after 16 seasons at the helm, an announcement is expected from Danley and the administration by the end of next week on Pough's future with the Bulldogs.

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Ousted UAPB coach Coleman says he wishes athletes well

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- “There’s a lot of the fan base, and a lot of folks that stop contributing because they wanted me out,” former UAPB head football coach Monte Coleman said. “I’m out now, so I hope the fans that backed off will step up to the plate. It’s not about the coach, it’s about the young men. We as coaches did the best we could in choosing them. The young men definitely deserve it.”

Since learning Monday morning that his contract as head football coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff wouldn’t be renewed after it expires in December, Monte Coleman said that it “has been a tough process.”

“It was an enjoyable 10 years as head coach,” Coleman said. “I’ve made a lot of friends, and hopefully I’ve been able to have a positive effect on a lot of men. It’s a sad deal, but life goes on, and I’m just expecting the lord to open another door.”

In all, Coleman was a coach on the UAPB football staff for nearly 15 years. Over that time, he has coached a lot of young men, but in a brief interview he named a couple of special guys off the top of his head who he sees as staples in his coaching career.

“I had a lot of players come through,” Coleman said. “Johnny Randle was with me early on, Patrick Okeye, who is a police officer in Dallas, Pat Sanders is a financial advisor, Horton, Jared Dorn, Aaron Eugene, Willie Young, and even my son. Tashad Cherity would be the latest. There’s a whole host of guys that played for me and played well, but all of the guys I named weren’t always starters, but they were always leaders. And I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of guys that I unintentionally left off.”

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