UMES Hawks Basketball Releases 2010-11 Schedule

PRINCESS ANNE, MD - Head coach Frankie Allen and his men's basketball staff at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore announced their 2010-11 schedule Tuesday afternoon as they look forward to a tough but successful campaign.

"We have presented ourselves with a great challenge in this year's schedule," said Allen. "Our non-conference contests more than prepare us for the rough and rigorous Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference season."

The Hawks open their season at home for the second consecutive year, this time hosting Conference USA's Tulane Green Wave on Friday, Nov. 12. They then travel to New York to take on Columbia on Nov. 15 before continuing on to American in Washington, D.C. on the 17th. The team returns home on Nov. 20 as they face Kean University. Northern Illinois travels to Princess Anne to matchup with the Hawks on the 24th.

UMES won't see much of the William P. Hytche Arena from the end of November until the beginning of January as they play road games in the next nine of 10 matchups. However, the Hawks do stay within the area for the next three contests as they travel to Navy in Annapolis, Md. on Nov. 27 and then open MEAC play Dec. 4 against Delaware State for the fourth straight year. UMES meets up with Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. for the first time in two years on Dec. 9.

Complete Schedule in PDF Format

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This could be the year for ECSU

Elizabeth City State’s football team has come so tantalizingly close. In 2006, a last-second, 51-yard field goal sank the Vikings in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship game. In 2008, ECSU was thumped by a very talented Shaw team in the league title game. Last year, a coin flip cost the Vikings a third trip in four years to the CIAA finale.

After all of that, ECSU coach Waverly Tillar thinks this might finally be the year.

“I think we went out this year from a recruiting standpoint and got the pieces we need,” Tillar said. “When I say ‘the pieces,’ I mean the quality depth. Last year, our Achilles heel was midseason, we got banged up and we didn’t have quality guys to come in a keep it going. We have it going on this year. I feel the games we’ll win will be in the trenches.”

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Coach Willie Jeffries Scheduled for Nov. 6 On-Campus Salute at South Carolina State

DALLAS, Texas – South Carolina State and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor Coach Willie Jeffries with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute Nov. 6 as the Bulldogs host Howard University in Orangeburg. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m.

“Coach Jeffries is truly admired by so many,” said South Carolina State director of athletics Charlene Johnson, “Not just for his achievements as head football coach at S.C. State but also for his humanitarian contributions to this community, this state and society. He has mentored many young men and used football and his great personal skills to bring about better community relations in Orangeburg, the Palmetto State and beyond. We are proud of the latest honor bestowed upon him.”

On July 17, the NFF inducted Coach Jeffries into the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2010 divisional enshrinement class in South Bend, Ind. The first African-American to be hired as a head coach at a Division-I school (Wichita State), Willie Jeffries also coached at South Carolina State and Howard. He finished his career as the winningest coach in South Carolina State and MEAC history. He compiled an overall 179-132-6 record during his career, which started in 1973 and ended 2001.

"This is an honor for me, my former players, South Carolina State and all the schools I've coached." Jeffries told The State newspaper at the time of the announcement of his induction. "This is about the top one a coach can receive.”

Throughout the season, each College Football Hall of Fame inductee returns to his school for the special on-field event, where a commemorative plaque is presented to the university for permanent display. Beginning with the NFF’s inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1951, the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute has served as the first of numerous highlights in the hall of fame experience, giving each inductee one more chance to take the field.

“Coach Jeffries is a pioneer in every sense of the word. He opened doors for future generations, and he mentored countless young players who have gone on to be great leaders later in life,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “It is fitting that his contributions are forever preserved in the College Football Hall of Fame, and we look forward to celebrating with the Bulldog faithful in Orangeburg on Nov. 6.”

A three-time Black National Championship winner, Jeffries is credited with inventing the “Freeze Option” offense and is the only person in history to coach against College Football Hall of Famers Paul “Bear” Bryant and Eddie Robinson. Jeffries won the MEAC conference title seven times, six with SCSU and one with Howard. He has also coached College Football Hall of Famers Harry Carson and Donnie Shell.

Named coach of the year on eight different occasions, he was given the lifetime achievement award by the Black Coaches Association in 2002. An inductee of the MEAC Hall of Fame, SCSU Athletic Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, Jeffries was awarded the Order of the Palmetto in 1998, South Carolina’s top civilian honor, and received the Order of the Silver Crescent in 2001, the state’s highest accolade for outstanding community service. Jeffries, earlier this year, was named head coach emeritus at South Carolina State and serves as a liaison between the university, its alumni and other constituents. He currently resides in Elloree, S.C.

Jeffries becomes the third individual inducted into the Hall of Fame from South Carolina State, along with his players Carson who was inducted in 2002 and Shell, a 1998 inductee. He joins Coach Doug Porter (2008) as the only inductees from Howard, and Coach Marcelino Huerta (2002) and Jim Bausch (1954) as the only inductees from Wichita State. For a complete list of players and coaches in the hall, please visit www.collegefootball.org/

Courtesy of The National Football Foundation

Taylor extends challenge to Rattlers offense, defense

As challenges go at the start of each season from football coaches, the one that Joe Taylor laid down for Florida A&M might seem a bit ambitious. But the Rattlers aren't backing down from what their coach is calling his 40-30 club.

What Taylor wants are improvements in some key statistical areas that he believes will put FAMU in position to finish this season with a winning record.

His expectation from the defense is 40 turnovers and 30 sacks for the season. He would like his offense to keep the ball for 40 minutes and get 30 first downs per game. The challenge of a 40-yard punt average and a 30-yard return average on kickoffs per game is also included.

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Grambling updates on QB race and Anthony

GSU quarterback competition comes into focus

GRAMBLING, LA — After starting training camp with six candidates for its starting quarterback job, Grambling has narrowed the field to two. It may remain at two for the next few weeks, even as the Tigers start playing games. GSU opens its season on Sept. 4 against Louisiana Tech at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.

"We're not in a big rush to do that (name a starter)," Grambling head coach Rod Broadway said. "We'll let it play out, and it looks like it's Danny Reyes and Anthony Carruthers."

GSU"s Christian Anthony Isn't Expect Back

Grambling head coach Rod Broadway does not expect defensive end Christian Anthony will play at all in 2010. Anthony recently spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit at Northern Louisiana Medical Center after experiencing chest pains. Teammates said Anthony had a heart attack.

"I don't think so, personally," Broadway said. "I need to visit with him again, but I don't think so."

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FVSU Wildcats dealing with issues of early start

When Fort Valley State head football coach Donald Pittman got the chance earlier this month to get ahead of things as far as classes and registration for his players, he was ecstatic. “It’s huge,” he said. “You can focus on the season.”

But he also knew that there odds were long that the Wildcats would have absolutely everybody in uniform for the season opener Saturday at Miles, mostly because of assorted paperwork and transcript issues regarding transfers and players regaining eligibility. And he was right.

The Wildcats did get some key players back on the practice field recently, like wideout...

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Spencer, Bullard Take Over Basketball Reins at Saint Augustine's

Saint Augustine's has hired two former recruiters to take the helm of its men's and women's basketball programs after the sudden departures of the former head coaches less than two months ago. University president Dianne Boardley Suber announced that Ken Spencer will take over as men's coach and Rachel Sloan Bullard will be the new women's coach.

Both coaches are following tough acts and both have limited time to prepare for the new season.

Spencer replaces CIAA Coach of the Year Lonnie Blow Jr., who led the Falcons to the CIAA championship this past season. Blow resigned July 8 to become an assistant men's basketball coach at Old Dominion, an NCAA Division I school in Norfolk, Virginia.

Bullard will take the reins from ...

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