FLORIDA A&M vs. ALABAMA STATE

Time: 6 p.m., Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL

FAMU offense vs. ASU defense

For the first time in his career, FAMU quarterback Eddie Battle is the undisputed starter heading into the season opener with the Hornets. Battle was named the starter after impressing new head coach Joe Taylor in the spring. He's shown over the summer why Taylor tapped him to be the starter: He is a leader capable of guiding an offense down the field. It's highly unlikely new Kentucky transfer Curtis Pulley will see any time today. There's little doubt who the star of the offense will be, however, and that will be sophomore running back Philip Sylvester.

The 2007 MEAC Rookie of the Year, Sylvester joins Demitric Henry and fullbacks Mykel Benson and Kalum Harris as veterans of the backfield to give FAMU a potentially scary running attack. With Willie Hayward gone, Jarvis Funderburk, Adrian Smith, Javares Knight and tight end Taj Jenkines need to provide FAMU with a formidable receiving corps for the Rattlers to succeed through the air this season.

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Jacksonville cornerback guarantees a victory over SSU

Teams meet at 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium

It's Savannah State's football season opener. It's Robby Wells' first game as the Tigers' head coach. And if that's not enough intrigue then try this: Jacksonville (Fla.) University cornerback Robson Noel has guaranteed a JU victory against SSU at 7 p.m. today at Memorial Stadium.

Noel, a senior from Pompano Beach, Fla., last week told the Florida Times-Union, "We want to get off to a fast start this year. We've got a couple of big games ahead of us. We're focused in on Savannah State right now, and we're looking forward to Appalachian State (Sept. 6), but we're keeping that in the background. "We're thinking about this first game, and we're going to come out with a win ... and I guarantee it." Thanks to the Internet, word of Noel's guarantee spread quickly at SSU.

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Coleman era begins with UAM’s stout offense

Arkansas-Monticello at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
WHEN 6 p.m. Central today WHERE Golden Lion Stadium, Pine Bluff 2007 RECORDS Arkansas-Pine Bluff 4-7, 4-5 Southwestern Athletic Conference; Arkansas-Monticello 4-7, 3-5 Gulf South Conference COACHES Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Monte Coleman (first season ); Arkansas-Monticello: Gwaine Mathews (fourth season, 6-27 ) SERIES Arkansas-Monticello leads 12-4 RADIO KUAP-FM, 89. 7, in Pine Bluff; KHBMFM, 93. 7, in Monticello INTERNET http://www.uamsports.com/

Let the Monte Coleman era begin. After struggling to a 4-7 finish last season the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions fired coach Mo Forte, and hired defensive coordinator Monte Coleman to right the ship of what has been one of the more prestigious programs in Arkansas state history. Coleman’s tenure officially starts tonight when the Golden Lions open the 2008 season against the University of Arkansas at Monticello at 6 p.m.

“Feels like Christmas,” Coleman said of his head coaching debut. “Can’t wait for the next morning.” Coleman hopes to give a present to all Golden Lion fans by beating the Boll Weevils. And while UAM is a Division-II opponent, Coleman acknowledged that a victory won’t come easy for his squad.

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SU Holloway, others have chance to star

Southern University junior defensive end Don Holloway is so much like the rest of his teammates. He looks the part. He’s spent his time as the understudy. And his number is being called. This season, how so many guys like Holloway, defensive tackle Frank Harry, wide receiver Corderious Gregory and safety Anthony Wells fare, will determine if Southern is to make a run for its first Southwestern Athletic Conference title since 2003.

There are enough established players, like quarterback Bryant Lee and defensive end Vince Lands, who helped SU emerge from two consecutive losing seasons to an 8-3 mark last season. But as SU opens its season at the University of Houston at 6 p.m. today at Robertson Stadium, there is the next line of players who will need to elevate their games to make their mark.

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Grambling, Nevada have similarities

RENO, Nev. — Something will have to give when Nevada has the ball Saturday night in its season opener against Grambling State. Grambling, defending champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division, has many unanswered questions on offense but returns seven key players to a defense that ranked 12th in the nation in the Football Championship Subdivision last season.

Nevada returns eight players to one of the Western Athletic Conference’s best offenses a year ago, but is suffering from inexperience in the defensive secondary.
“They sound a lot like us,” Wolf Pack defensive coordinator Nigel Burton said in comparing the Tigers offense to Nevada’s defense. “Inexperienced. Talented, but inexperienced. ... I don’t know who has the advantage,” he said.

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New Rattler' coach Taylor's goal: Return to glory

New Rattlers coach brings Gaither-esque run attack

As he made his rounds throughout Florida and other parts of the country during the offseason to promote his mission as Florida A&M's new football coach, Joe Taylor heard countless stories about Jake Gaither. Some went back more than half a century, but they all had the same theme — Gaither had a positive impact on his players' lives. There was plenty said about the numerous national championships won under Gaither during his 25 years of coaching at FAMU, too.
















Taylor was touched and encouraged. But months earlier, Taylor had reason to be worried whether Gaither's legacy would be remembered generations from now. He discovered that only a handful of his players knew anything about Gaither or had ever heard of the legendary coach's accomplishments.

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A&T: Will Fobbs' third year be the charm?

GREENSBORO, N.C. — When you're in charge of an operation that has lost 27 consecutive football games, there are few easy questions. And so it wasn't stunning to N.C. A&T coach Lee Fobbs when a fan, given a microphone in what was termed a news conference, recently asked why the Aggie populace should believe the upbeat rhetoric of August 2008.




















The matter-of-fact tone of Fobbs' response spoke more to diplomacy, practicality and recent history than it did to the current state of affairs. There really are some reasons to anticipate the end of the fourth longest losing streak in Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) history. And maybe a little more.

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History lesson could help UCF avoid an upset by SCSU

Two words have given inspiration to every overmatched, undersized team in college football. Two words have come to symbolize hope and confidence and a belief that even the littlest team can beat up the biggest bully. And two words will make UCF players and coaches wary when they open the season Saturday with an unknown opponent.
Two words: Appalachian State.

"They have given all of us the thought that we can do it, too" says South Carolina State Coach Buddy Pough, whose Division I-AA Bulldogs will kick off the college football season Saturday at UCF. What Pough is referring to, of course, is I-AA Appalachian State's 34-32 upset of then-No. 5 Michigan in last year's season-opener. Not only was it the biggest upset in college football history, it may have been the biggest upset in sports history.

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Just shut up and play, S.C. State! Victory is yours for the taking...

South Carolina State University Marching 101 Band

U.Houston not expecting romp vs. Southern U.

The University of Houston never punted while romping in its first two games against Southwestern Athletic Conference schools. The next SWAC team up is Southern, which plays UH in the third Cougar Football Classic at 6 p.m. Saturday in Robertson Stadium. Will this game between two teams from different levels of Division I football be another mismatch?

It’s nothing to lose. It’s everything to gain,” senior defensive end Vince Lands said. “We want to show what Southern football is all about.”

“Those are proud guys and they are going to come in here and give us all they want,” first-year Houston coach Kevin Sumlin said. UH beat Grambling 42-22 in 2006 and winless Texas Southern 59-6 last season. Although Grambling was the defending SWAC champ that season, the Tigers went 3-8 and, combined, those teams were 3-19 in the seasons they played Houston. In comparison, UH went 18-9, won the 2006 Conference USA title and went to two bowl games.

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Towns reaches A&M milestone

Assistant begins 30th season on Bulldogs' staff

Brawnski Towns never envisioned himself as a college football coach. He had other plans for his life. Towns signed to play football at Alabama A&M in 1965 under legendary coach Louis Crews and majored in mechanical drafting and technology design. "I was going to work at Boeing or some other company and make a lot of money," Towns said, laughing. Towns never made it to Boeing. He never made a lot of money, either. He did, however, become a football coach.

"I never wanted to coach," said Towns, A&M's defensive coordinator. "Coach Crews asked me to help him and the rest is history." Towns will make history in his own right Saturday night when A&M hosts Tennessee State in the season opener for both teams. The game will mark Towns' 30th year as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs. Kickoff is 6 at Louis Crews Stadium.

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ASU freshman moves to corner

When redshirt freshman John Andrews first stepped foot on the Alabama State campus, he was ready to flourish as a quarterback. However, certain limitations kept him from staying as a Hornet signal-caller, and now one year later, he is on his third position -- cornerback. Head coach Reggie Barlow made the decision earlier this week to move Andrews.

"John is blessed with athletic ability," said Barlow. "Maybe we can get something out of him at another position. He just wasn't ready to contribute as a receiver." The presence of Keon Humphries and Robert Childers helped contribute to the decision. However, Andrews could be called upon on offense in a pinch this week as neither Humphries or Childers could be ready for action.

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FAMU volleyball makes switch at setter

FAMU Coach Tony Trifonov will be working against formidable odds to win the MEAC crown and a NCAA berth with a team composed of only five returning players and three walk-ons.

Defensive star Egoavil tries to give Trifonov 100th MEAC win in a row

All the great expectations that volleyball coach Tony Trifonov had for the coming season took a spike when two of his overseas recruits couldn't gain admission to FAMU. Instead of sulking, Trifonov has done a little shuffling with his undermanned team. With any luck, he might still have a team good enough to get him to the 100-win plateau in the MEAC.

"Whatever happens, happens," said Trifonov, who needs one more MEAC victory to extend his consecutive win streak in the league and reach the milestone. "I'm not worried too much about the streak."

One of the more pressing matters Trifonov has to address is molding 5-foot-5 Susan Egoavil into a setter. She was moved from libero on the back row to the front-court position after Zaira Monzo decided not to struggle with homesickness and left FAMU. Egoavil has proven defensive skills that earned her a spot on the 2007 All-MEAC preseason first team. But she now has to find ways to be effective despite her lack of height.

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FAMU Rattlers ready for new season

FAMU Football team looks to silence critics

The Rattler football team is entering into the season with a sense of optimism. After a summer of long workouts the team is confident it can compete in the MEAC. Head coach Joseph Taylor said about 75 athletes stayed in Tallahassee for the summer. "They took classes," Taylor said. "They were up on the track at 5:45 a.m. working on speed and later in the evening, they were lifting." Taylor said this season the team must play smarter.

Rattlers DB/KR Qier Hall #1 will be returning from an injury shorten 2007 season.

"It's all about hard work. We expect to be successful," Taylor said. "On offense, we have to make sure we protect the football. On defense, we have to be accountable and pay attention." Even though Tropical Storm Fay caused delays and closed some schools, Taylor said the weather had minimum effects on the team. The team watched a film and took a written test during the bad weather. "It was a good chance to get our legs back," Taylor said.

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JSU self-reports secondary NCAA rules violation

Jackson State’s football program has committed what school officials consider a secondary violation of NCAA rules, the university announced today in a press release. The release said the school has self-reported the violation to the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

According to JSU, freshman quarterback Domonick Britt practiced beyond the allowed number of days while awaiting word on whether he had been ruled academically eligible by the NCAA. The NCAA allows players to practice for 14 days after reporting for athletic competition without being cleared academically. After 14 days the institution cannot provide athletically related financial aid and the player cannot practice until being cleared. Britt, the star of the 2008 recruiting class, reported when camp opened Aug. 2 and was still practicing Monday without being cleared.

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JSU is set to open the season Sunday in Orlando, playing Hampton University in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Kickoff is 1 p.m. CDT and the game will be televised by ESPN2

Nevada, Grambling bands to perform together after game

They've brought their version of "Ball of Confusion" to three Super Bowls and two presidential inaugurations, and this week members of Grambling State University's world-famous Tiger Marching Band will be shaking things up in Reno. Nevadans have two chances to catch the Tigers: Friday at a free performance at the Peppermill Casino Resort and Saturday when Grambling State's football team plays the Wolf Pack in Mackay Stadium.

It's an athletic and musical matchup that has been two years in the making, said Rory Hickok, Nevada associate athletic director. "We started the negotiations in 2007, so this has been in the works for quite a while now," he said. "This is truly a historic occasion to get a band of this renown in Northern Nevada. They have played at presidential inaugurations and Super Bowl halftimes, so this is an opportunity to see one of the world's most famous bands."

Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band

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MVSU Totten retools attack

After 3-8 season, coach changes offense to better suit quarterbacks' abilities

Following an off-season of change in Willie Totten's Mississippi Valley State program, the Delta Devils seem set on a quarterback who can lead their offense. For now. That honor belongs to junior Ryan Burciaga. But if last year - when the team started three different QBs because of injuries and ineptitude - is any precursor, who knows how that'll wind up.

For the former quarterback Totten, whose Delta Devils open with Texas College on Aug. 30, the uncertainty at that position is troubling. Especially when the talented Paul Roberts, anointed as the starter as a freshman last season, is now the third-stringer. "It's a challenge for him," Totten said. "Either way you want to stay third string or you push up to challenge as the starter." MVSU ranked dead-last in the SWAC in total offense last year.

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'Bama State Hornets struggle with the heat

Hornets head football coach Reggie Barlow.

After two days of rain and clouds, the sun finally beamed down on the Hornets on Wednesday. The effects of the heat had some positive and negative aspects on the Hornets. "Florida is the 'Sunshine State' and it's warm down there," said ASU head coach Reggie Barlow. "I don't want our guys to feel sorry for themselves. We have to push through the fatigue."

Barlow saw some things that he felt were less than impeccable. "Practice was ok," Barlow said. "Some guys were out there feeling sorry for themselves." Junior quarterback Reid Herchenbach took 60 percent of the snaps with the first-team offense.

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Scott gets chance as FAMU placekicker

Trevor Scott practiced every day with a soccer ball at his old high school field in Jacksonville, hoping for an opportunity. Every roll of the ball carried his hope that he'd one day be kicking for a college soccer or football team. FAMU associate head football coach George Small just happened to be making a recruiting trip on one of those days that Scott was toiling in late spring. Finding a kicker was high on his list.

Kicker Trevor Scotts

His eyes caught Scott on the practice field. Bingo. Scott turned out to be just the player that head coach Joe Taylor worried about finding to shore up his special-teams unit. Scott came to FAMU at the start of preseason practice and immediately began to separate himself as a field-goal kicker and PAT specialist. Taylor rewarded him with the job earlier this week, when he also named Will Platt for the kickoff and punting duties.

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QB Souverain key to 'Cats fortunes

During the past two years, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference seems to have figured out Bethune-Cookman's "Wyattbone" offense. And for the first time since Alvin Wyatt took over as coach, B-CU recorded back-to-back losing seasons, finishing 5-6 each year. However, things are looking up for the Wildcats. Eighteen players return who started at least 17 games. Wyatt has said that some new wrinkles in his offense, emphasizing the skills of new quarterback McKinson Souverain, could be the key for the Wildcats.

"You better get you a trigger man, a quarterback, and we've got that in McKinson Souverain this year," Wyatt told The Associated Press. "With this kid, if he stays healthy, our team will have a lot of success. This kid is everything for our football team." But offense isn't the only key to a potential resurgence. Defensively, end Dexter Jackson was a first-team preseason all-MEAC selection and defensive back Antwane Cox was chosen to the second team.

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GSU has Jack of all trades

Jeffery Jack, #4 provides blocking for Zaire Wilborn, #26 on interception return last season.

GRAMBLING, LA — Grambling State head football coach Rod Broadway is clear about the strength of his 2008 Tigers football team. "Defense should be the strong suit of our football team, especially early," Broadway said. One reason for the expected strong defense is the return of defensive back Jeffrey Jack. Last season, Jack was the team's second-leading tackler with 77 tackles. He also had an interception and a fumble recovery. And he should be even better this season.

"Last year, I was pretty banged up for most of the season," Jack said. "Over the summer, I got healthy, lost a lot of weight, almost 30 pounds. I'm faster and I'm stronger. Basically, I feel like I'm a freshman in college. I'm ready to use all my knowledge and all my skills and play to the best of my ability." His fall camp performance has already been noticed by Broadway.

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