Saturday, December 9, 2017
Looking for immediate help, JSU set to host 'Juco Weekend' for recruits
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Tony Hughes wants to build a developmental program. A program based on recruiting good high school players who project as eventual starters at the FCS level.
His first two classes have been a step towards rebuilding the roster from the ground up. Jackson State has 41 freshmen and sophomores that will be sophomores and juniors next year.
But circumstances being what they are — JSU currently has just 10 rising seniors with major playing experience coming back — the Tigers are going to need to land some immediate help this recruiting cycle.
That's why this weekend, Hughes and his staff are hoping to land a few high-profile junior college transfers by hosting as many as a dozen prospects on campus for a "juco recruiting weekend."
"If we started tomorrow we would have 10 seniors and 16 juniors," Hughes said. "That gives us roughly 25 players in our junior and senior class, and that means we'd be playing in excess of 50 freshmen and sophomores. We need some older kids to balance our team and our program."
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Official Statement On Prairie View A&M Football
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- After three seasons as head coach, Willie Simmons has left the Prairie View A&M University football program.
"We want to thank Coach Simmons and his family for their contributions to Prairie View A&M University," said Vice President/Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson. "He led Panther football through an exciting period with the opening of our new football stadium and helped Prairie View A&M to again become a contender in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. We wish him success in his future endeavors."
Assistant head coach Bubba McDowell has been named Interim Head Coach. He and quarterbacks coach K.J. Black will lead the program during this transition.
Dr. Corey Bradford, Senior Vice President of Fiscal Affairs, will chair the committee and the national search for the next football coach at Prairie View A&M University.
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS COMMUNICATION
TWITTER STATEMENT FROM WILLIE SIMMONS (Dec. 9, 2017)
TWITTER STATEMENT FROM WILLIE SIMMONS (Dec. 9, 2017)
Ram Ramblings: Buck Joyner's funeral will be Friday in Winston-Salem
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Ed “Buck” Joyner’s funeral will be held Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the United Metropolitan Baptist Church in Winston-Salem.
Joyner, a former CIAA head coach at St. Paul’s and Livingstone, died on Dec. 6 at the age of 68.
Joyner, a Winston-Salem native, was a Parkland High School graduate who spent more than 45 years coaching basketball. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Johnson C. Smith with his brother, Steve, who is the longtime coach of the Golden Bulls.
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Joyner, a former CIAA head coach at St. Paul’s and Livingstone, died on Dec. 6 at the age of 68.
Joyner, a Winston-Salem native, was a Parkland High School graduate who spent more than 45 years coaching basketball. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Johnson C. Smith with his brother, Steve, who is the longtime coach of the Golden Bulls.
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Hampton University Introduces Prunty as New Football Coach
HAMPTON, Virginia — Robert Prunty was introduced as the 21st head coach of the Hampton Pirates at a news conference Dec. 8 at Hampton University’s Student Center Theater.
“I am up for the challenge,” Prunty said.
Eugene Marshall Jr., Director of Athletics at Hampton University, welcomed Prunty, a Hamptonian with more than 30 years of football experience as a player and coach and a four-time conference recruiter-of-the-year honoree with two different Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs.
“Coach Prunty’s record speaks for itself,” Marshall said. “He’s from Virginia. He played for Hampton. It was very refreshing to hear him say ‘I want to come back to Hampton.’”
Prunty served last season as East Carolina University’s associate head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Prior to that, he served four years as the University of Cincinnati’s associate head coach and defensive ends coach and three years as co-defensive coordinator. Before impacting the Bearcat program, Prunty spent three seasons under Tommy Tuberville at Texas Tech, 2010-2012, directing the Red Raiders’ defensive ends.
“You have no idea how great it is to be back at Hampton,” Prunty said. “This is not my team. It belongs to the university, the alumni, the fans and I want to make that clear.”
Prunty is up to the challenge of taking a winning Pirate team into the bigger spotlight of the Big South Conference, which Hampton University joins next July.
“We will be fundamental and disciplined,” he said. “I didn’t come to Hampton to lose!”
Prunty has been part of five bowl appearances, a conference co-championship and has been recognized by Scout.com as the Big 12 Conference Recruiter-of-the-Year in 2010-11 and 2011-12 before earning similar honors as the American Athletic Conference’s (AAC) top recruiter in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
His player evaluation and relationship cultivation skills produced Texas Tech’s second-highest rated class in school history in 2012 and his efforts were saluted by both Scout.com and Fox Sports. Prunty plans on putting that skill to work on tapping the Hampton Roads rich high school talent pool for the Pirates.
“The 757 area: it will be our bloodline,” Prunty said. “Every coach on my team will be looking for 757 talent.”
Prunty is a Chatham, Va., native and a 1983 Hargrave Military Academy graduate. Prunty split his collegiate career between Hampton University and Alabama A&M, where he graduated in 1988.
For more information on Hampton University football, contact the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5757, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
“I am up for the challenge,” Prunty said.
Eugene Marshall Jr., Director of Athletics at Hampton University, welcomed Prunty, a Hamptonian with more than 30 years of football experience as a player and coach and a four-time conference recruiter-of-the-year honoree with two different Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs.
“Coach Prunty’s record speaks for itself,” Marshall said. “He’s from Virginia. He played for Hampton. It was very refreshing to hear him say ‘I want to come back to Hampton.’”
Prunty served last season as East Carolina University’s associate head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Prior to that, he served four years as the University of Cincinnati’s associate head coach and defensive ends coach and three years as co-defensive coordinator. Before impacting the Bearcat program, Prunty spent three seasons under Tommy Tuberville at Texas Tech, 2010-2012, directing the Red Raiders’ defensive ends.
“You have no idea how great it is to be back at Hampton,” Prunty said. “This is not my team. It belongs to the university, the alumni, the fans and I want to make that clear.”
Prunty is up to the challenge of taking a winning Pirate team into the bigger spotlight of the Big South Conference, which Hampton University joins next July.
“We will be fundamental and disciplined,” he said. “I didn’t come to Hampton to lose!”
Prunty has been part of five bowl appearances, a conference co-championship and has been recognized by Scout.com as the Big 12 Conference Recruiter-of-the-Year in 2010-11 and 2011-12 before earning similar honors as the American Athletic Conference’s (AAC) top recruiter in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
His player evaluation and relationship cultivation skills produced Texas Tech’s second-highest rated class in school history in 2012 and his efforts were saluted by both Scout.com and Fox Sports. Prunty plans on putting that skill to work on tapping the Hampton Roads rich high school talent pool for the Pirates.
“The 757 area: it will be our bloodline,” Prunty said. “Every coach on my team will be looking for 757 talent.”
Prunty is a Chatham, Va., native and a 1983 Hargrave Military Academy graduate. Prunty split his collegiate career between Hampton University and Alabama A&M, where he graduated in 1988.
For more information on Hampton University football, contact the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5757, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Savannah State moves to Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
SSU competed in the SIAC from 1968 until 2000 when the university was approved for Division I membership as an independent. Savannah State was accepted into the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) as a provisional member in 2010 and attained full membership a year later.
“With the input of the athletics transition taskforce and the athletics department, it was determined that the SIAC was the best fit for SSU and its students,” said Dozier. “I look forward to renewing old SIAC rivalries and establishing new ones that will engage SSU Tiger fans.”
SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore stated: “Welcoming Savannah State University to the SIAC not only adds a 15th outstanding institution, but also restores important historic and geographic rivalries, which I’m certain SIAC alumni, students and fans will enjoy.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Savannah State University back to the SIAC,” stated Council of Presidents Chairman and Miles College President George T. French Jr. “The historical ties shared by Savannah State and the SIAC, coupled with a shared commitment to academic and athletic excellence, makes them a perfect fit for our great conference.”
Savannah State will become the 15th member of the SIAC, joining other Georgia colleges and universities including Albany State, Clark Atlanta, Fort Valley State, Morehouse and Paine, in conjunction with its other member institutions: Benedict, Central State, Claflin, Kentucky State, Lane, LeMoyne-Owen, Miles, Spring Hill, and Tuskegee.
Earlier this year, SSU announced its intent to leave MEAC at the end of the 2018-19 academic school year and to return to NCAA Division II Athletics. Following the announcement, an athletics transition taskforce was established to explore Division II conference options.
The SIAC, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., was established in 1913 and is the largest HBCU Conference in the United States. In addition to football, the SIAC sponsors baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's golf, women's golf, softball, women's track & field, men's track & field, men's tennis, women's tennis and women's volleyball.
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Established in 1890, Savannah State University is the oldest public historically black college or university in Georgia and the oldest institution of higher learning in the city of Savannah. The university's 4,900 students select majors from 30 undergraduate and six graduate programs in three colleges ‐ Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Business Administration and Sciences and Technology ‐ and the School of Teacher Education.
SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Cheyney University finally fumbles its football program
THORNBURY, Pennsylvania -- It’s been the subject of speculation and rumor for years, but it’s now official: Cheyney University is dropping football due to worsening financial constraints.Head coach Chris Roulhac confirmed that Wednesday evening after meeting with Cheyney President Aaron Walton, the coaching staff and players.
“We were invited to a meeting with the president on Wednesday and told that due to budgetary restraints, the football program was being discontinued,” said Roulhac, who returned for his second stint as head coach at CU in 2015. “It’s been a very sad last 24 hours, but there is really nothing we can do about it. You hear rumors, but we always held out hope that the program could be saved.”
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference sent out a release Thursday about the move. Calls to the Walton’s office and Cheyney’s interim Athletic Director Sue Kilian were not returned. Nothing about the move was mentioned on the school’s main website or athletic website as of Thursday evening.
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PSAC STATEMENT ON CHEYNEY FOOTBALL
LOCK HAVEN, Pennsylvania --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is aware of Cheyney University’s announcement of dropping football from its sports sponsorship menu.
We have been in contact with Cheyney University President Aaron Walton as he and his staff deliberated potential actions. The communications between the Conference and President Walton have been objective and forthright on both sides.
These are very difficult times financially for many institutions of higher education in the country and the Commonwealth. Cheyney’s decision is a result of that.
The Conference Office will work with its member institutions to find potential opponents in the 10 now open dates in mandated league schedules.
SWAC issues go beyond figuring out football future
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Last week’s SWAC championship game was supposed to be the conference’s last one.
Back in June, the conference announced plans to “suspended” its title game to place more emphasis on the Celebration Bowl between SWAC and MEAC champions in Atlanta to kick off the bowl season.
“We are pleased with the commitment demonstrated by both conference commissioners, their council of presidents and chancellors,” said John Grant, the bowl game’s executive director, back in June. “This is great news for HBCU football fans, and reflects a greater understanding of the opportunity that the bowl game presents.”
The SWAC looked to eliminate divisions as part of eliminating the conference title game, but both may stay in intact for the 2018 season.
“I got an email yesterday that they’re going back to the divisions,” Alabama State coach Donald Hill-Eley said Thursday. “We’ll be prepared either way because the bottom line is we have to take it one game at a time.”
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Back in June, the conference announced plans to “suspended” its title game to place more emphasis on the Celebration Bowl between SWAC and MEAC champions in Atlanta to kick off the bowl season.
“We are pleased with the commitment demonstrated by both conference commissioners, their council of presidents and chancellors,” said John Grant, the bowl game’s executive director, back in June. “This is great news for HBCU football fans, and reflects a greater understanding of the opportunity that the bowl game presents.”
The SWAC looked to eliminate divisions as part of eliminating the conference title game, but both may stay in intact for the 2018 season.
“I got an email yesterday that they’re going back to the divisions,” Alabama State coach Donald Hill-Eley said Thursday. “We’ll be prepared either way because the bottom line is we have to take it one game at a time.”
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