Southern, Grambling State already in a Bayou Classic mode

State Farm presents…

2011 BAYOU CLASSIC

November 25-27, 2011

New Orleans, LA

Baton Rouge, LA - Southern fans have already penciled in the Nov. 26 football game on the Jaguars’ schedule as an automatic victory. The problem is that Grambling State fans have done the same thing.

It’s not because they view each other as a slouch. Rather, it reflects the deep level of passion and pride behind the State Farm Bayou Classic, now in its 38th year. There are certainly no shortage of story lines for this year’s game. Second-year Southern coach Stump Mitchell’s team is seeking to rebound from a 2-9 season that included a 38-17 loss to Grambling.

Grambling interim athletic director Aaron James is no stranger to the New Orleans area, having played in high school at Cohen, then collegiately with the Tigers, and in the NBA with the New Orleans Jazz.

“This is a great rivalry and a family affair,” James said. “It’s the Black College Super Bowl. The reason why we are out here this early is that, since Hurricane Katrina, the attendance has dropped, and we want to build it back up to where it use to be. We’ve got to get the 65,000-75,000 people back in the Superdome.”

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Albany State Rams looking for big things from passing game

ALBANY, GA — Uyl Joyner knows exactly what his bread and butter is going to be this year.

After all, Albany State certainly feasted on it last season. Star quarterback and reigning SIAC MVP Stanley Jennings is back for his senior season, and Joyner — the Rams’ new offensive coordinator — is ready to hit the ground running.

Joyner and the rest of the ASU coaching staff spoke to alumni, fans and media at Friday’s 12th annual Quarterback Club Kickoff Football Reception at Eula Lovett Hall, and excitement floated around the room every time Jennings’ name was brought up.

“We are looking for big things out of the quarterback play this year,” said Joyner, who will also remain the quarterbacks coach — a position he has held for the past two seasons. “That’s the one solid area we do have on offense. Stanley is ready to go, and I am ready to run with him.”

Jennings, a 2010 Harlon Hill Trophy nominee and...

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Rimmer signs with Alcorn State Braves

ASU Braves Coach Luther Riley

Lorman, MS - Former Piney Woods School point guard Xavian Rimmer, who earned second-team All-State honors this past season from The Clarion-Ledger, has signed to play basketball at Alcorn.

“Alcorn is really coming along with a great new coach in Coach (Luther) Riley,” said Rimmer. “It’s a great program that I would like to be a part of. I think we’re going to make things happen there.”

The 6-foot-2 Rimmer averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds, leading the Tornadoes to the Class 2A state title. He signed with Tennessee-Chattanooga, but after not qualifying academically because of his ACT score, he was released from his national letter-of-intent and was able to go elsewhere. He has since met the NCAA’s eligibility requirements and is expected to be eligible at Alcorn this fall.

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Former PVAMU Lady Panther Signs Pro Basketball Contract

Latara Darrett 

Prairie View, TX - Former Prairie View A&M women's basketball standout Latara Darrett has inked a professional contract overseas with the Italian team CUS Cagliari Pallacanestro.

Darrett was Prairie View A&M's leading scorer in the 2009-10 campaign with 15.7 points while pulling down 6.6 rebounds per outing. She was a five-time Southwestern Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Week and a two-time SWAC Player of the Week.

A native of Chino, Calif., the 5-10 guard scored 23 or more points on four occasions with a high of 29 versus Mississippi Valley State on Jan. 25, 2010.

"Latara is an incredible athlete and it was only (a matter of) time when this opportunity would come,” said head coach Toyelle Wilson. “Her passion was always to play professionally. She will do very well in one of the top premier leagues in Italy."



By Prairie View A&M University Sports Information

Bernstine’s call comes from Texas Southern University

Marshalltown, Iowa - Miko Bernstine describes himself as always being a pretty spiritual guy. Texas Southern University provided the answer to his prayers with an opportunity to play NCAA Division I baseball. The do-everything Marshalltown Community College outfielder Bernstine signed with the Southwestern Athletic Conference school on Friday.

The Des Moines native Bernstine was set to play baseball at Ashford before the opportunity to move from the MCC Tigers to the TSU Tigers arose. "No D-I offers were coming my way. I was getting a lot of offers from NAIA, D-II, stuff like that," Bernstine said before playing in a game Friday in the Carolina-Virginia Collegiate League.



"I just kept praying on it that I would get an offer from a Division I school," he added. Bernstine lead Marshalltown in most offensive categories as he hit .390 with 49 runs scored, 62 hits, five home runs, 42 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.

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49ers lose rookie (from FAMU) for season with torn Achilles

Curtis Holcomb
(Photo courtesy FAMU Athletics)

Santa Clara, CA - The hits keep coming for the 49ers.
Seventh-round draft pick Curtis Holcomb is likely out for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon during a conditioning test on Thursday. His agent said that Holcomb, who played at Florida A&M, will have surgery to repair the tendon.

Holcomb was the last of the team's draft picks. He had been training in the Tampa area before flying to California early this week and signing his contract Thursday morning. Another seventh-round pick, fullback Bruce Miller, was placed on the physically unable to perform list with a shoulder injury, although he is expected to be activated in a matter of days.

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49ers Training Camp 2011: Curtis Holcomb Ruptures Achilles, Likely Done For Season

9ers 7th round draft pick Curtis Holcomb ruptured his achilles tendon in practice today, and is likely to miss the rest of the season, per Matt Barrows twitter account. Holcomb will have surgery on Thursday and will face a long recovery from what is one of the more painful and difficult injuries in sports.

Holcomb, at 5'10, 190 lbs was selected with the Niners last pick in this year's Draft, out of Florida A&M, and was looking to secure himself a roster spot. He doesn't lack confidence, and on a recent 49ers conference call, he had this to say about his best skill as a cornerback:

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New B-CU hoops coach ready to run with opportunity

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- If there is one thing Gravelle Craig hated when he was a basketball player, it was slowing the ball down.

Playing one year under Richmond University coach Dick Tarrant's walk-the-ball-up-the-court system seemed like an eternity for the 5-foot-8 point guard. So after his freshman season in 1989, Craig transferred to Cleveland State where coach Kevin Mackey's breakneck running, pressing style was famously dubbed the "Run 'N Stun."

Apparently patience was not Craig's strength as a player. A lot has changed since then. He spent the past seven seasons at Bethune-Cookman as an assistant coach under Clifford Reed. It was only in the past year that he thought it might be time to being looking at NCAA Division II or III head coach openings.

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