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TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Last week ended on a really high note. We received an unexpected package at our Florida A&M baseball office one of the morning and got some really great news during a couple of the afternoons.
During our daily morning coaches meeting, where we discuss practice plans for the day and previous practices, we received a delivery. It was two oddly shaped boxes and both boxes were different sizes. We are expecting shorts, gloves and batting practice pull overs but there was no way those things would have come in these boxesC
After guessing what we thought it could be, we opened one of the boxes up and we were both wrong. Neither one of us, coach Jamey Shouppe or myself, were expecting to get our MEAC Championships rings in (We won the tourney last spring). Mike Morrell, our baseball sports information director, and I finished designing them a month or two ago but I was not expecting them until later, way later.
So was shocked to see them so soon and even more excited to see how they turned out.
DERRICK MCCALL INTERIM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State University announced today that Harold Jackson has been relieved of his head coaching duties. Assistant Coach Derrick McCall has been named as the interim head coach.
“Jackson State is a tradition-rich school and our athletics have always been an important aspect of university life. We want to continue that spirit of improvement. In making this decision I considered both the recommendation of our interim director of athletics and responses from alumni and students,” said Carolyn W. Meyers, president of Jackson State University.
“We have worked well with and fully supported Coach Jackson. We honor and love him and wish him success in his future endeavors. Coach McCall has already proven his commitment to Jackson State as demonstrated by his work with our players,” Meyers added.
The 2015 season is the eighth for McCall as a member of the JSU football coaching staff. This season marks his fourth as wide receivers coach, however from 2012-14 he served as the offensive coordinator for the Tigers.
Wheeler Brown, interim director of athletics, said, “This was a difficult decision for me to make knowing how hard Harold Jackson worked here to make this a winning program. He is a man of high character and integrity. Although it has been disappointing how we have started this season, I am confident that we can improve with the talent we have on our roster.”
McCall said he is grateful for the opportunity to serve.
“I want to thank Dr. Carolyn W. Meyers and Mr. Wheeler Brown for giving me the opportunity to lead the JSU football team for the remainder of this season,” said McCall. “I also want to thank Coach Jackson for allowing me to be part of his coaching staff.”
Prior to coming to JSU as a coach, McCall served as associate head coach/offensive coordinator at Shaw University, where he helped lead the Bears to a CIAA Championship and a historic NCAA Division II playoff berth in just two seasons. He also served as interim head coach for the Tuskegee University football program and was part of a SIAC Championship and a Pioneer Bowl Championship.
“I am confident that we can field a very competitive team for the rest of this season,” McCall said.
McCall had a successful collegiate career as a quarterback at Jackson State (1979-82) as he helped lead the Tigers to two SWAC titles and two NCAA Division I-AA playoff berths.
Following a bye week, the Tigers return to action Oct. 17 when they travel to Huntsville to play Alabama A&M.
COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Since he accepted the position as Florida A&M’s athletic director, Milton Overton Jr.'s mantra has been about building champions. First in the classroom, then on the field, then in life.
With the lack of success on the field, the “classroom” issue becomes paramount. But it’s unlikely to be fixed in Overton’s first year or even his next at the helm.
FAMU’s football team, off to its second 0-5 start in the last two years, is under Level Two NCAA sanctions stemming from low multi-year Academic Progress Rate scores. The Rattlers’ basketball and men’s track programs also are under sanctions. But it’s the football program fans are hoping to see return to prominence sooner rather than later.
Later is more likely.
“At best, it’ll be next year or the year after,” Overton said.
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State’s 61-0 rout of Virginia-Lynchburg on Sept. 19 at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore is not recognized by the NCAA after it was determined this past summer that Virginia-Lynchburg did not meet the collegiate body’s accreditation standards and is on the NCAA’s list of noncountable opponents.
That means little to Lee Hull.
Speaking during his weekly conference call arranged Tuesday morning by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Bears coach dismissed the notion that Saturday’s game against league foe Savannah State could be viewed as the school’s true home-opening contest.
“Virginia-Lynchburg was our home opener,” Hull said. “We played the game. Like I said before, there were two teams there, and we played the game, and there was a score. So that was our home opener. This is our home opener in the MEAC, if you want to say that. Personally, we count that game because we played it. So we consider ourselves 3-2 and 2-0 in the league. So we’re going to go out and treat this as another home opener and play the game.”
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The 2015-16 edition of the South Carolina State men's basketball team got things started Monday (Oct. 5) with a three-hour afternoon practice at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. "It was great to get our first official day of practice under our belt. We told the guys from here on out a lot of new information will be introduced daily, and we have to make sure we carry over the schemes from one day to next," said SC State head coach Murray Garvin.
"Today might have been the best first day of practice since I have been here. With the high level of competition at each position, we will have very competitive practices and that's exactly what you want in preparation for the season, said Garvin." "The next month should be very interesting to say the least. "
Garvin, who is entering his third full year at the helm as head coach, led the Bulldogs to their best MEAC finish (7th) last season since 2010. He returns a veteran squad with eight (8) returnees and four starters and welcomes four talented newcomers.
Senior forward Daryll Palmer leads the way as the top returnee for the Bulldogs. Palmer led the Bulldogs in rebounding with 6.7 rebounds and 7.5 points per outing. Sophomore guard Edward Stephens had a stellar freshman season and was among the top rookies in the conference averaging 12.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 1.2 steals.
Also, among the top returnees for Garvin this season are junior guard Greg Mortimer (8.9 ppg), senior forward Gabe McCray (4.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg), sophomore forward Tashombe Riley(5.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and junior guard Jalen White (6.3 ppg, 2.1 apg).
After missing the entire 2014-15 campaign due to injury, the frontcourt should be much improved with the return of junior center Doudou Gueye and redshirt-senior power forward Luka Radvoic.
SC State opens the season on Friday, November 13 on the road against College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. Tip-off is 7 p.m. COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
NORFOLK, Virginia – North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced today. North Carolina Central safetyC.J. Moore was named Defensive Player of the Week.
N.C. Central’s Dorrell McClain earned Rookie of the Week honors while teammate Carl Jones was named Offensive Lineman of the Week. North Carolina A&T State’s Khris Gardinwas named Special Teams Players of the Week.
Cohen (RB, 5-6, 173, Jr., Bunn, N.C.) scored 3 TDs as he rushed for 107 yards on 22 carries in the Aggies 45-31 win over Hampton. Also, he caught two passes for 15 yards to help the Aggies record their first conference victory of the season.
Moore (SS, 6-2, 200, r-Sr., Raleigh, N.C.) amassed a team-high 11 tackles, nine solo, including 2.0 hits for a loss of five yards. Also, he accounted for two interceptions in the Eagles’ two-point loss to Bethune-Cookman.
McClain (RB, 5-10, 190, r-Fr., Cary, N.C.) rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against Bethune-Cookman. Also, he returned three kickoffs for 59 yards to finish the contest with 203 all-purpose yards.
Jones (C, 6-2, 285, r-Jr., Nashville, Tenn.) graded out at 95-percent of his assignments with eight pancake blocks that paved the way for 502 yards of total offense, including 324 yards-rushing, against Bethune-Cookman. The ground yardage was the best rushing output in 11 years for N.C. Central.
Garden (PR, 5-8, 157, So., Morganton, N.C.) returned four punts for 203 yards (50.8 avg) including a 71-yarder for a touchdown. He finished the game with returns of 42, 45, 45, and 71 yards out falling one-punt short of competing for the NCAA’s single-game punt return average.
Other Top Performers Kyle Archie (NSU) notched career highs in total tackles (10) and tackles for loss (3.5) in a 15-12 win over Howard. John Fleck (HOW) averaged 40.1 yards, on seven punts, including a 65-yarder, and nailed a 40-yard field goal against Norfolk State. Sean Fogarty (SSU) received a grade of 90-percent with three pancake blocks as the Tigers amassed 300 total offensive yards against Florida A&M. Greg Hankerson (NSU) completed 24-of-36 passes for 294 yards, with two touchdowns, in a win against Howard. Malik Harris (DSU) collected 12 tackles, nine solo, with four for a loss of six yards, including one breakup and one recovered fumble against Morgan State. Trevin Huff (B-CU) shouldered the Wildcats’ offensive line and graded out at 91-percent of his assignments, with one pancake block, against N.C. Central. Craig Johnson (HOW) recorded eight tackles, six solo, with 5.0 for a loss of 51 yards and 2.0 sacks. Darius Johnson (MSU) posted his first career interception in the Bears’ win over Delaware State. Orlando Johnson (MSU) carried the ball a career-high 21 times en route to a game- and career-high 124 yards and one TD run against Delaware State. Elliott Miller (B-CU) recorded the game-winning field goal block against North Carolina Central to preserve the Wildcats’ road win. Chris Moller (MSU) averaged 40.8 yards per punt, including a career-high 63-yarder, and 53.3 yards per kickoff. He also nailed a pair of field goals of 26 and 23-yards out. Twarn Mixon (HAM) caught five passes for 136 yards with one touchdown and completed one pass for a 19-yard touchdown against North Carolina A&T State. Donnell Pleasant (HOW) rushed for a game-high 87 yards on a career-best 29 carries and his first career touchdown against Norfolk State. Arshon Spaulding (SSU) registered 91 yards on the 15 carries with one touchdown and connected on 8-of-12 passes for 83 yards to snap a 24-game losing skid against Florida A&M. Donald Smith (B-CU) tallied a game-high 13 tackles, four solo, with two breakups against N.C. Central. Marquis Smith (SSU) racked up 10 tackles, five solo, with two for a loss of 14 yards. Damare Whitaker (MSU) collected seven tackles with one for a loss and one sack, including two breakups, against Delaware State. John Wilson (SSU) finished with nine tackles, including three for a loss of six yards, and one breakup against Florida A&M. Ker-Sean Wilson (SSU) finished with 130 yards of kickoff return yardage including an 88-yarder that was returned for a touchdown against Florida A&M. Quentin Williams (B-CU) completed 13-of-18 passes (72-percent) for 248 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for 76 yards on 14 attempts in a 28-26 win over North Carolina Central. Dominique Woods (MSU) graded at 91-percent with three pancake blocks in the Bear’s win over Delaware State. COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (GCAConf.com) -- The 2015-16 Basketball Preview by the Sporting News ranks Talladega as the tenth best team in NAIA Division I this season in their Small College Report.
Talladega College made history last season. The Tornadoes won 32 games in the 2014-15 season, along with the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles; the first time in program history the program had completed the feat. The 32 wins were a school record and contained within them a 20-game win streak, the longest in the nation last season.
In the midst of that win streak, the Tornadoes rose to the top of the NAIA Division I men's basketball rankings, another program first. After taking their second consecutive GCAC tournament crown, Talladega ran through the bracket at the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball championship advancing their way to the Fab Four for the first time in school history. The season ended with a loss to eventual champion Dalton State in the national semi-finals, but Talladega would end the season ranked second overall.
Now, after losing a host of talented players, including All-Americans Brandon Peters and Shondel Stewart, the Tornadoes have their sights on the ultimate prize. Talladega Head Coach Matt Cross believes his program is poised to claim a national championship, the first for a historically black college or university since Texas Southern won the crown in 1977.
"Last year was special", said Coach Cross. "When I came back here (in 2012) for my second stint at Talladega I had a five year plan to win a national championship. We've set that as a goal for this program and we feel like we're right on schedule to be able to compete for a championship again this year."
He continued, "It's been almost forty years since an HBCU won the NAIA championship and we want to be the school to end that drought."
Cross knew that he had a special group last season. He was returning a large group of seniors from a team that advanced to the round of 16 at the 2014 tournament. "We had a great chemistry. That team had been together awhile and there was a pretty special bond that had been created between them. It had started the years before going back to junior college with Brandon and Shondel so they knew how to win because that's what they had done together."
Coach Cross is confident that this year's team will be just as hungry as last year's group.
"A big key for us is going to be how we blend our returnees with a talented group of newcomers", he added. "We have six guys back from a 30-win team who bring back a lot of valuable experience. We're at the point where we can speed up the learning process for these guys."
"Courtney Mack
is set to have a big year." Mack(pictured at right), a senior forward, averaged 9.6 points per game for the Tornadoes last season. He scored 15 or more six times and finished third on the team with two double-doubles. Cross continued, "He plays a hybrid four for us and affects the game in a lot of ways."
"I also think Jamarqus Jones is going to have an important role this season. This will be his third year with us and we've seen a lot of improvement in his game."
Continuity is extremely important in a system like Cross', which relies on pressure defense to create scoring mismatches on the offensive end. Talladega finished last season ranked in the top ten in scoring offense, scoring margin, and field goal percentage while also finishing in the top twenty in both blocks and steals. Though the faces have changed some, the Tornadoes have no plans to change their style of play.
"We're going to create pressure. Our wing players are very good. You can't just replace guys like "Snap" (Peters) and "Delly" (Stewart), but I think this season we've upgraded on the overall ability in our backcourt. We have point guards who can score, can shoot, and are skilled and fundamentally sound."
"Our frontcourt is versatile. We have guys who can control the paint for us, and other players who can stretch the floor as well as make plays off the dribble." "We were able to accomplish a lot in our recruiting. We found kids that want to compete and that want to learn. It can be tough recruiting to a small rural area like Talladega, but we know we have a great school and of course the best thing you can sell to any recruit is winning. We've fortunately been able to do that the last couple of years."
Wins are not easy to come by in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. In each of the last three seasons, the GCAC has had three schools advance to the NAIA tournament. Cross believes this season could see a quartet of teams reaching the postseason.
"One thing that's good about getting recognized by publications like 'The Sporting News' is that it shows that there's respect for our conference", he stated. "I think this is the best conference in the nation. I think we're right there with the best HBCUs at any level. Xavier, Philander Smith, have both been there. I think this is the year we get four teams to the tournament. The future is bright for this conference."
The GCAC features an accomplished group of coaches. Cross counts that group as one of the conference's greatest strengths.
"There's great camaraderie among the coaches in our league", he said. "It starts with Coach Val (Dale Valdery, Southern University at New Orleans) who has been a great friend to me and is just a heck of a coach. Coach (Mike) Newell at Dillard has been a mentor. Dannton (Jackson, Xavier University) has won a lot of games, Thomas Billups (Tougaloo) is a legend, Sam Weaver (Philander Smith) has done a great job and Coach (Frank) Burnell has tough teams at Edward Waters every year. It's the best set of coaches I've been around."
But as much as he respects the other coaches in the GCAC, Matt Cross hasn't let that get in the way of his desire to win.
"We're working towards our goal. Ultimately, the polls don't mean anything. We have to be prepared to build through the regular season, into conference play and then into the postseason. The price of winning is high, but our guys are starting to see their hard work pay off. We just have to take the next step."
Talladega begins their pursuit of a championship later this month.
For more information about Talladega College men's basketball please visit TalladegaTornadoes.com.
For more information about the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference please visit GCAConf.com.
