Tuesday, April 2, 2013

TSU Spring Practice: Defense Returns All 11 Starters

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -  One of the strengths for the 2012 Tennessee State football team was the stellar defense. It should be more of the same for the upcoming season as the Tigers return all 11 starters in 2013.
 
The Tigers led the OVC in total defense last year giving up the fewest yards in the league and were second in the conference giving up 22 points per game. TSU was also the final FCS team to give up more than 20 points in a game.

Defensive back
Steven Godbolt III led the country with 0.60 interceptions per game. As a sophomore, the Florida native picked off six passes, was named to the All-OVC first team defense and was a third-team All-American selection by the Associated Press.

Linebacker
Nick Thrasher finished third in the conference with 105 total tackles, the 11th most in a single season in school history.


The daily start time for spring practice has been moved up to 3:45 p.m., with the Saturday scrimmages slated for 9 a.m. The Tigers complete spring practice schedule is as follows:

Wed., April 3

Fri., April 5

Sat., April 6

Mon., April 8


Wed., April 10

Fri., April 12

Sat., April 13

Mon., April 15


Wed., April 17

Sat., April 20 (Spring Game - 3 p.m.)


Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers, Twitter @TSU_Tigers and YouTube

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

2013 Kentucky State University Football Spring Preview

JOSH DEAN
INTERIM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY
(Photo Courtesy: KSU Athletics)
FRANKFORT, Kentucky  –  There may still be snow flurries in the weather forecast but spring is in the air on the campus of Kentucky State University.

As the Kentucky State University football team takes the field at Alumni Stadium for practice once again, the sound of whistles and the pop of shoulder pads mark the start of spring.

 Part of the official kick-off of KSU spring football is the annual “Green and Gold” game.

This year's spring football game will be played on Friday, April 12th, at Alumni Stadium. The stadium will be open to fans at 4 p.m. with kick-off is set for 5 p.m.

The game will consist of the offensive unit versus the defensive unit. Points will be awarded to the offense for converting first downs, big run plays, scoring plays, etc. The defense will be given points for making stops, turnovers, big hits, etc.

KSU will have many familiar faces on both sides of the ball this upcoming season. There are a total of 16 returning starters from last year's team, eight on both the offensive and defensive side.

This spring the KSU coaching staff will be implementing brand new offensive and defensive schemes for the upcoming season.

The offense will look to open up the field and create opportunities for big plays. With that said, the running game will still be the strength of the offense. This is in part, due to the fact that Kentucky State is returning all five of its starting offensive lineman from last season's team.

On the defensive side of the ball, the coaching staff will implement a more aggressive game plan with an emphasis on takeaways. With so many returning starters the coaching staff is confident in the player's ability to adapt to changes in the overall defensive scheme.

According to Interim Head Coach Josh Dean there will be an open competition at several key positions this spring including quarterback.

The two frontrunners for the starting quarterback position are Adam Robinson (6'2 215), a junior college transfer from Laney College in Oakland, CA and Bobby Brewer (6'3 210), who started his collegiate career at KSU, transferred to Campbellsville, and is now back with the Thorobreds.

Interim Head Coach Josh Dean talked about his plans for the football program at KSU. “We want to change the culture here at Kentucky State. It's our plan, as a team, to bring a sense of pride back to the program. That can only happen if everyone is fully invested in what we are trying to accomplish.”

Part of Coach Dean's plan to get fans and alumni more invested in the football program is to open up practices and team walk-through's to the public.

“We want people to feel like they are a part of this program. Part of our plan is to bridge the gap between the alumni and the current Thorobreds. I feel that by connecting with our extensive history, we can build a sense of pride in what we are playing for.”

Players to Watch

OffenseJacquise Lockett (Running Back)
Junior/6-1/225/Fulton City, KY

Justin Williams (Running Back/Wide Receiver)
Junior /5-10/182/Pompano Beach, FL

Zach LaGrange (Offensive Lineman)
Senior /6-1/322/Goshen, KY

Troy Churchill, Jr. (Wide Receiver)
Senior /6-1/187/Louisville, KY

Defense

Edward Dunaway (Defensive Back)
Senior/5-10/200/Columbus, OH

Eric Rawls (Defensive Back)
Sophomore/6-2/180/ Pompano Beach, FL

Terry Horton (Linebacker)
Junior /5-11/240/Haines City, FL

Deshon Floyd (Defensive End)
Junior/5-11/200/Frankfort, KY

Jeremy Lewis (Defensive Back)
Junior/5-9/171/Chicago, IL

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Five questions as Alabama State starts spring football Tuesday

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  1. Who'll emerge as the starting quarterback? Alabama State will take to the field without former dual-threat standout Greg Jenkins under center when it begins spring football practice Tuesday. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder from Dade City, Fla. accounted for nearly 2,200 yards of offense last season, throwing for nearly 1,700 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 500-plus and eight scores to lead the Hornets to a 7-4 records.

It would seem as if sophomore Daniel Duhart, last year's backup, would have an early beat on the gig. He was named SWAC Newcomer of the Week when he led ASU from down 14 in the second quarter at Prairie View A&M (Texas) after Jenkins went out with an injury, completing 21 of 35 attempts for 192 yards in a 35-21 Week 9 win.

Last year's third-string quarterback Demetric Price transferred to Division II Miles. Duhart will have healthy competition from a pair of mid-year transfers in juniors Arsenio Favor (Southern Miss.) and Samuel Gibson (Arkansas State). Incoming freshman Quinterris Toppings, who passed for 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns while being picked off seven times at Blount High School last season, could also factor into the equation.

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Monday, April 1, 2013

XU's Svoboda repeats as player of the week; West wins her 1st


NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Viktor Svoboda is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's tennis for March 25-31, and XU's Olivia West won the women's tennis award.

Svoboda is the first Gold Rush tennis player to win the conference award in consecutive weeks since Terry Richardson in 2009. The junior from Kamenice, Czech Republic, and graduate of Vitezna Plan High School was 3-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles during Xavier's spring-break trip to Florida. His singles victory clinched Xavier's dual victory against Webber International. His victory against Embry-Riddle's Miguel Lopez Gomez extended his singles win streak to eight.
 
Viktor Svoboda

Viktor Svoboda


Olivia West

Olivia West
It's the third time this season that Svoboda won the GCAC award, which matches the conference's season record set by Richardson in 2009 and tied by Zach Taylor in 2011 and 2012.

West, a sophomore from Humble, Texas, and a graduate of Atascocita High School, won the GCAC award for the first time. She had her best week of the season, going 2-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles in Florida. West's three-set victory against Melanie Snowberger at No. 6 singles clinched Xavier's 6-3 victory against NAIA No. 14 Northwood. The Gold Nuggets also defeated No. 7 Embry-Riddle.

West entered the week with season records of 2-5 in singles and 1-4 in doubles. Against Embry-Riddle, West helped Xavier earn its second-ever road victory against a top-10 team and first since 2005 — and Xavier became the first NAIA women's opponent since 2009 to win at Embry-Riddle.

Both XU teams will play at 3 p.m. Friday at William Carey and 2 p.m. Saturday against Auburn Montgomery at the new XU Tennis Center. All the XU opponets are ranked among the top six in the NAIA. Both Xavier teams are ranked eighth, and new coaches polls will be announced Tuesday.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 



Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
Outdoor Track and Field Championships

April 13 at Tad Gormley Stadium, New Orleans
Field Events: 8:45 a.m. Track Events: 9:30 a.m.
Meet Information
XU All-American Devinn Rolland

VSU rallies in seventh inning to stun Chowan

ETTRICK, Virginia  –  Virginia State University reliever Maso Cotton thought he was softening the blow of a lop-sided defeat on Saturday. In actuality, the right-handed pitcher was weaving the fabric of the most improbable win of his college career.

With his team trailing by four runs and sputtering on offense against a red-hot Chowan team, Cotton took the mound in the fifth inning and kept the visiting Hawks at bay for the remainder of the game.

His solid showing appeared to be little more than a consolation prize until the Trojans assembled a six-run rally in the seventh and final frame to tie the contest at 10-10.

Cotton continued to befuddle the once-sizzling visitors until VSU mustered a game-winning run in the 11th to prevail 11-10 in a thrilling CIAA game at Whaley Colbert Field in Ettrick.

“I definitely came in thinking ...

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Florida A&M's miscues draw Holmes' attention

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Coach Earl Holmes had a one-track mind during the huddle after Saturday’s first spring scrimmage for the FAMU football team.

He wasted little time letting the Rattlers know that he wasn’t pleased with them the six times that whistles were blown for penalties. FAMU committed 98 penalties last season, averaging 76.9 yards in penalties per game and the Rattlers were the third-most penalized team in the league.

“We’ve got a long way to go, fellas,” he said after asking a few of the players who committed mistakes to stand up.

Afterward he was quick to point out that he still expects every player to be as aggressive as he could be, whether on offense or defense.

“I will never tell a guy don’t be aggressive,” Holmes ...




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Alabama A&M QB Brandon Wells talks about his performance in the Bulldogs' spring football game

NORMAL, Alabama---Calera native Brandon Wells was a bright spot for the Bulldogs' offense, connecting on 5 of 6 attempts for 113 yards and a touchdown after a rough start in the annual Maroon and White spring football game Saturday

Watch the 6-foot-3, 170-pounder talk about his play in this short clip.



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