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TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. on Saturday said FAMU is still "a couple of weeks out" from naming a new head basketball coach.
Overton said more than 150 people applied for the job, more than he expected.
He said the sheer volume of applicants caused athletic department officials to open the application process more than he anticipated.
He added the search is taking long than he thought it would take, and right now the school is in the process of vetting backgrounds.
"We have a lot of people who want this job," Overton said.
"Even though we had some folks who we were kind of keying on, because we had a really good pool, we just extended the time. It's not optimal, but we have to find the right fit here."
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- – Confidence is high around the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Football Program as they prepare for the upcoming 2017 campaign, and that optimism is due in part to the tremendous fan support from Rattler Nation at Bragg Stadium.
Sparking the uptick in fan and alumni support has been the innovative INVESTING IN CHAMPIONS Annual Giving Program, a fundraising initiative which features a six donor levels, assuring patrons both football and basketball season tickets along with stadium parking, and other amenities all in one package.
This year’s campaign drive to raise $600,000 for Athletics to address Bragg Stadium renovations, as well as underwriting scholarships for student-athletes, and funding summer school tuition, has reached the $300,000 halfway point, thanks to the generous gifts of the Rattler faithful through the INVESTING IN CHAMPIONS program. Go to www.FAMUAthletics.com to Invest today.
The Rattler Nation commitment to athletics was a major factor in helping FAMU finish third (3rd) in NCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) in Home Attendance, averaging 19,710 fans for the four home games in 2016, finishing ahead of such national stalwarts as North Dakota State, Jackson (Miss.) State, Delaware, Grambling and North Carolina A&T.
That 19,710 average was tops among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), marking the first time FAMU had surpassed traditional attendance kings, Jackson (Miss.) State and Southern-Baton Rouge out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
An added benefit for donors to the INVESTING IN CHAMPIONS Program will be the opportunity to purchase advance priority seating for the renewal of the FAMU Tampa Classic featuring longtime rivals FAMU and Tennessee State, which will be played in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, September 16, 2017.
FAMU Tampa Classic Tickets go on sale Tuesday, April 18th 2017 for Investing In Champions Members for an exclusive buying opportunity until the public on-sale. Go to www.FAMUAthletics.com to become a champion member or renew your Investing In Champion membership this year.
2017 FLORIDA A&M FOOTBALL SCHEDULE The Jake Gaither Classic Sat, Aug 26 TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY Tallahassee, FL TBA
(Central Time * War Memorial Stadium * SEC-TV)
Thu, Aug 31 University of Arkansas at Little Rock, AR 7:00 PM FAMU Tampa Classic Sat, Sep 16 Tennessee State University at Tampa, FL TBA
Sat, Sep 23 Savannah State University * at Savannah, GA 6:00 PM
Sat, Sep 30 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL * Tallahassee, FL TBA
Sat, Oct 07 Norfolk State University * at Norfolk, VA TBA
2017 Homecoming Game Sat, Oct 14 NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE * Tallahassee, FL TBA
Sat, Oct 21 Hampton University * at Hampton, VA 2:00 PM
Oct 28 Morgan State University * at Baltimore, MD TBA
Sat, Nov 04 HOWARD UNIVERSITY * Tallahassee, FL TBA The Florida Blue Florida Classic Sat, Nov 18 BethuneCookman University * at Orlando, FL TBA
* Conference Games
ATLANTA IS IN THE FUTURE
Rattler Football fans can also look forward to an annual FAMU Atlanta Classic return beginning in 2018. The 2018 FAMU Football Schedule will include three FAMU Classic Games.
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Fans of the Tennessee State football team got their first glimpse of the 2017 Tigers on Saturday with the annual Blue and White Spring Scrimmage at Hale Stadium. Using a specialized scoring system, the offense wearing blue topped the defense in white by a 37-16 final score.
Quarterback Treon Harris engineered scoring drives on two of the first three possessions to lead the offense on the afternoon. The transfer from Florida rushed for a touchdown on the day, while fellow quarterback Michael Hughes also had a touchdown pass for the offense.
A five-play opening drive featured a 25-yard connection from Harris to wide receiver Patrick Smith down the left sideline. Harris, who was 3-for-3 passing on the first possession, capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run.
On the next drive, highlighted by Terrell Bonds’ pass breakup for the defense, the offense was forced to punt. Going 5-for-6 on the offense’s third possession, Harris was able to move the offense down the field for another score. Steven Newbold reeled in a pair of first down catches with tight end Aaron Cauthen adding an 18-yard reception near the red zone. Andrew Knox punched in a two-yard touchdown run to finish off the drive.
Hughes took over at quarterback for the offense for the remainder of the first half. The defense forced two punts on the next two possessions with Justin North securing a tackle for a loss to force a third and long on the first drive.
On the final possession of the half, Hughes orchestrated a six-play drive for a score. Wide receiver Ronnie Killings caught a 20-yard pass to set up first and goal before hauling in a seven-yard touchdown on the next play.
The defense stood up to the test to open the third quarter, forcing a pair of three-and-outs.
Hughes ran for a first down and the offense added another on an eight yard first down catch from DeVon Johnson before three-straight stops forced the third punt of the half.
On the final full possession of the game, which included three-first downs, the offense missed a field goal when the drive stalled.
The Spring Game concludes spring action for the Tigers. TSU opens the fall season on Aug. 31 at Georgia State in Atlanta, Ga. TSU Head Coach Rod Reed
“I thought it went really well. I was pleased to see the offense come out and be able to move the football. We knew we were going to be very vanilla on defense today. There were a lot of things you didn’t see. No pressure, no blitzes or anything like that. I just wanted to see us sitting back in our base defense. Get to their assignments, make the blocks they needed to block, protect who they needed to protect. We broke down in protection a couple of times today but as you can see, Treon (Harris) is really athletic back there, and he’s able to get out of a lot of some situations that some kids just can’t do. That’s a great attribute that he has. I think it’s going to bode well for our program. Defensively, we wanted to see some young guys. We saw the older guys in there probably the first three or four series, and then we watched some young guys. We’re trying to develop a little bit of depth.”
- Thoughts on the scrimmage
“I think the attitude is a lot different. The kids are buying in. Like I said, today, we wanted things to be pretty vanilla. We’ve got a lot of stuff, if you were at the last scrimmage, you saw how dominant that the defense really was. Today, we wanted to sit back and be basic. The main thing is we wanted to come out and showcase a football team for next year. We wanted the fans to be able to come out to see some of the guys they’re going to see next year and to not get anybody injured. I think we accomplished all of that today.”
- On the defense
“He’s very illusive back there. He’s not just a scrambler. He’s got really good pocket awareness. He slides around in the pocket and he’s going to hold it until the very last minute before he gets out of there. You have to like that about your quarterback. He keeps his eyes down field.”
- On the play of quarterback Treon Harris
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M plays its first spring game since 2015 at 2 p.m. today in Bragg Memorial Stadium. The Rattlers didn’t have full spring practice this year – teams can usually hold 15 practices, including a spring scrimmage, and FAMU got 10.
The Rattlers enjoyed their return to the football field, though. Senior defensive lineman Elijah Price said the group truly felt “like a football team” while working out during spring. He added the Rattlers are excited to return to their winning ways after winning three more games in 2016 than they did in 2015.
Head coach Alex Wood said he tried to create competition in spring camp.
“We want competition,” Wood said. “Competition is what makes us better. Iron sharpens iron, you know the cliché. We want the units to be as competitive as possible.”
Here are five questions fans should hope are answered by the end of the Orange and Green game. Which quarterback will show out? CONTINUE READING
SAN DIEGO, California -- A former All-SWAC selection with Alabama State, Roderick Henderson is a small-school stud eager to make the jump to a much bigger stage in the NFL, one he would love to see set in Los Angeles.
“The Chargers are a great organization,” Henderson said in an interview with Chargers Wire’s lead contributor Austin Gayle Monday. “I think I would fit well in Los Angeles. I already played in the stadium they’ll be playing in (StubHub Center), and I’d love to play there,” Henderson opined.
The 6-foot-1, 352-pound monster totaled 35 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries and one sack in his senior season with the Hornets, leading to an invite to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
Having suited up with legendary coach Mike Martz’s National Team at the sixth annual all-star event, Henderson already had an opportunity to impress NFL personnel and draw a significant following at StubHub Center in late January.
Since then, Henderson has worked to refine his craft and continued to drive up his draft stock with a strong performance at his Pro Day in early March. CONTINUE READING
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Last weekend, the University of Pine Bluff Golden Lions held the first scrimmage of their spring football practices. According to UAPB head football coach Monte Coleman, the effort he is seeing from his guys is pleasing. Along with Coleman, former NFL official Walt Anderson had good things to say about the team as well. Anderson was in town with a Big 12 officiating clinic that participated in the scrimmage.
“Guys played hard, smart, and they were aggressive,” Coleman said “We moved around well, and they’re working toward what we want to accomplish this spring. That’s being a smarter football team, and a more aggressive football team. One of the officials, Mr. Walt Anderson, who officiates for the NFL, commented that out of all the years that he’s been coming here, things look more promising just by the effort he has seen. His words were greatly appreciated, and I agree with him.”
The Golden Lions’ offense is steadily progressing under second-year offensive coordinator Ted White. With the guys fully locked in and engaged in his system, things have been moving more fluidly on that side of the ball.
“I’m pleased with the direction of our offense under our offensive coordinator Coach White,” Coleman said. “There’s a transition that we had to go through, and that’s anytime when you have a new coordinator. We’ve been playing hard, and we’re working through the mistakes. I expect us to be more productive this year, and I believe we’ll put up more points.” CONTINUE READING
PLAINVIEW, Texas -- Last summer Kaizha Roberts sat down and wrote down her goals for her upcoming senior year at Plainview High School.
Some had to do with academics, some had to do with athletics. One was to earn a track scholarship at a Division I school.
Roberts accomplished that goal Wednesday when she signed a letter of intent to attend Division I Prairie View A&M University on a full track scholarship. She will compete in the long and triple jumps and the sprints, events for which she has qualified for the UIL state meet the past three years. Roberts went in the long and triple jumps her freshman and sophomore seasons and in the 100-meter dash last year.
Roberts had offers from a number of colleges, including Troy University in Alabama and Ivy League school Cornell University in upstate New York. Not wanting to be that far from home, she decided to remain in Texas.
Roberts went to Prairie View for a campus visit in October for homecoming weekend. She took in a football game and toured the campus and talked with track head coach Angela Williams and assistant coach Phillip Butler, who is the jumps coach as well as the recruiting coordinator.
The Plainview High senior took a liking to the coaches.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. on Saturday said FAMU is still "a couple of weeks out" from naming a new head basketball coach.
