It's official: Backup QB Quinn Gray signs with Texans

Photo: Former Florida A&M University/NFL Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Quinn Gray signed today with the Houston Texans.

As expected, free agent quarterback Quinn Gray signed a one-year contract with the Texans today. Gray, who played his first five seasons with Jacksonville, signed a one-year deal for the $605,000 minimum and a $40,000 signing bonus.

Gray was 2-2 as a starter last season, including victories over Tampa Bay and Tennessee and losses to New Orleans and the Texans. Gray arrived in Houston on Sunday and he is spending today at Reliant Stadium, meeting with head coach Gary Kubiak and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

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With Brown leading the way, Coppin State finds consistent success

Photo: Coach Derek Brown celebrates the 2008 MEAC Women's Basketball Tournament Championship with his CSU Lady Eagles and fans at the RBC Center.

The low-key coach and his unsung basketball team will huddle one more time today, roll up their sleeves and go to work. When Coppin State meets Maryland at Comcast Center in a women's NCAA tournament game, it will be the Eagles' latest milestone on the road to prominence.

This game marks four postseason tournaments in four years for the Coppin women, three in the NCAA. It marks the end of a golden era for senior guards Rashida Suber and Shalamar Oakley.

As much as anything, it underscores the job coach Derek Brown has done since taking over the team in mid season nine years ago amid a coaching controversy. He has come a long way since working as a jail guard in Camden, N.J., but he's not above mopping the floor before the Eagles practice at 5 a.m. each day.

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ASU FOOTBALL: Things come full circle for QB Engram

Photo: #16, QB Alex Engram

No Alabama State player has been discussed more over the last two years than quarterback Alex Engram. He was hailed as a savior when he first arrived, moved to punter a year later and is now back as a surprise threat to retake the starting QB role.

To say it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride for the senior is an understatement.
"Things haven't been easy for Alex," ASU head coach Reggie Barlow said. "But I'm proud of him and the way he's responded to everything." The way Engram has responded is to keep working no matter what his coaches asked of him. And they've asked plenty.

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Southern can't overcome early deficit

GRAMBLING — Grambling broke out to a 6-0 lead after three innings and held off Southern, 7-4, in Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball action Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers (10-11, 8-4 SWAC West) took two of the three games from the rival Jaguars (7-9, 6-3).

“We lost the game in the first three innings,” Southern coach Roger Cador said. “They had a couple of Texas hoppers and a home run and after that we were playing catch-up.”

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S.C. State Bulldogs: Long's time coming

Photo: #7 - QB Malcolm Long leads a pack of inexperienced signal callers into the Bulldogs Spring training sessions.

For sophomore quarterback Malcolm Long, the time is now.

Since the arrival last fall of the former South Carolina "Mr. Football" winner out of Gaffney, South Carolina State fans have anticipated the day he would take the reins as the starter. The glimpses of potential Long exhibited during spot appearances late in the season only added to the hype.

Now that record-setting quarterback Cleveland McCoy has graduated, the Bulldogs have essentially handed Long the keys to the offense. It's a responsibility Long is anxious to seize hold of and guide in the direction of a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship.

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UMES Hawks Bowling wins third MEAC Title

#2 UMES tops #11 Delaware State for 4-1 for their fourth overall championship.

HAMPTON, Va. - Two games. That is the amount of baker games the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) dropped during the entire Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship as they topped Delaware State University (DSU) 4-1 in the best of seven baker game format in Sunday's final to secure their third straight women's bowling title and fourth overall. The one game came to the nation's 11th ranked team, DSU in the finals, the other to Norfolk State University (NSU) in the semi-finals. They won every other match via shut out.

The Lady Hawks took on the Lady Hornets in the finals. DSU defeated NSU 4-1 in the semi-final round for the right to face UMES earlier in the day. The Hawks topped the Hornets 169-158, 175-181, 183-181, 153-151 and 190-169 to secure the title.

"It was how it was supposed to be," said Head Coach Sharon Brummell. "The two teams in the finals were the two teams ranked in the nation. Everything played out correctly and it was a competitive final."

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Tennessee State's signee Parker Smith is star quality

Photo: TSU signee #30 Parker Smith averaged 30 ppg in his high school career.

Times 2008 Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Chestatee's Parker Smith

GAINESVILLE, GA — There’s not much that Chestatee High basketball player Parker Smith can’t do.

Smith, who finished his career at Chestatee with 2,038 career points—924 points as a senior — led the War Eagles to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. As a senior, he shot 55-percent on two point shots, and 56-percent behind the 3-point line. He is signed to play next season at Tennessee State University.

The 6-3 shooting guard seems to excel at everything, whether it be in the classroom or on the court. The kid has incredible work ethic in all aspects of his life. It’s impressive enough to think that he’s an outstanding basketball player, but he is a straight-A student, too. According to Smith, the opportunity to play at TSU trumped offers from schools like Air Force, Buffalo and Dartmouth, among others.

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