Thursday, January 1, 2009

A Fire Karl Hobbs Site: Coppin State 57, George Washington 53

What happens when a middle-of-the-pack Atlantic 11 team goes on a three-game losing streak thousands of miles from home, capped off by a 26-point loss to Hawaii and a narrow decision against a previously 1-10 MEAC squad whose only W came against Wilmington College? Well, among other things, the coach of that middle-of-the-pack team will be honored with possibly the first "FireThisCoach.com" Web site in Atlantic 11 poll history.

And so, meet Fire Karl Hobbs!, which was launched amid yesterday's Coppin State disaster, in a frenzy of pre-New-Year's cheer. Six posts in eight hours on Dec. 30! Pace yourself, guys.

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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Best of Oliver "Buddy" Pough - 2008

Excerpt:

About hiring new assistant coaches: “I get a lot of feedback from people, from our fans saying that we’re tired of us training coaches for other schools. I take it as a compliment that we hire people here who are taken by other coaches. I think that means more than anything that we hired the right people. At the same time, I need to get more out of them when I get them here.”

Following the 54-0 loss to Clemson: “We’ve put Clemson pretty much to bed this year. We said goodbye and let’s move on.”

Reflecting on the victory over Florida A&M: This FAMU game was one where I was really concerned, especially after they saw them on tape against Tennessee State, I’ll be honest with you. They scared the fool out of me. They went down the field almost as effortless as you could possibly imagine. The first three drives, the game is 21-0 before Tennessee State got off the bus. So I was afraid that we were going to get beat Saturday, and I guess that’s the reason for our relief of sorts because of the fact that we were able to be successful.”

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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Former Clackamas (Oregon) lineman goes with a winner, SCSU

CLACKAMAS, Oregon – Former Clackamas High School (Oregon) football lineman Sam Timothy has accepted a scholarship to play football at South Carolina State University, a NCAA Division I-AA school in Orangeburg, South Carolina. A 2006 graduate of Clackamas High School, Timothy played linebacker for three Clackamas High teams that had nine-win seasons, advancing to the state semifinals in 2003 and winning a league title in 2004. After high school he was a part of Foothill College (Los Altos Hills, CA) teams that finished with records of 10-1, 10-1 and 8-3, playing linebacker as a gray-shirt, offensive guard as a freshman, and center during the past season.

Timothy also got offers from four other Division 1-AA programs: Grambling State, Southeast Missouri State, Texas Southern and Wagner College in New York. Timothy said he accepted South Carolina’s offer over the other four schools because, “I really appreciated how the coaches treated me, plus their record is outstanding. I wanted to play in a high-level program that has had success….

“South Carolina State has a really good football program. Last year they went undefeated [in conference] and won a conference title. They’ve been getting better every year. I want to be a part of that and help them win a national championship.” Timothy said he’ll play center for the Bulldogs. He reports to the school on Jan. 13. He plans a marketing major. He earned an associates degree in Communications from Foothill College. Timothy, who stands 6-0 and tips the scales at 290, says he plans to coach at the collegiate level someday.

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Cats drub 'em (Tennessee State) inside, out

Photo Gallery: Hoops: UK vs. Tennessee State action

Meeks rules 1st half; Patterson owns 2nd

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- At one point in the first half of the University of Kentucky's 102-58 rout of Tennessee State last night, Jodie Meeks pulled up from about 30 feet and let fly a shot. "I think it was a little bit of a heat check," he said later. The shot misfired, but that was a rarity last night, as Meeks once again lit up like a Christmas tree. The junior guard scored 32 points in Rupp Arena two days after scorching Appalachian State for 46 in Louisville.

But perhaps in the spirit of this season of giving, Meeks shared his scoring spotlight. Teammate and roommate Patrick Patterson led UK (9-3) with a career-high 33 points, controlling the paint the way Meeks did the perimeter. It marked the first time since 1975 -- when Jack Givens scored 31 and Rick Roby 30 in a win against Miami of Ohio -- that two UK players scored 30 points in the same game.

"We were laughing about it in the locker room, how easy it was to get assists tonight," said guard Kevin Galloway, who had four of UK's 30 assists. Meeks and Patterson made everything look easy, each dominating a half. In the first half, Meeks' sizzling shooting staked the Wildcats to a huge lead. For the third straight game, UK hit double-digit points before its opponent scored, jumping ahead 15-0.

Attendance: 21,958 at Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY

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2009 College Hoops Preview: Jackson State University

by Doctor S

Coach: Tevester Anderson (seventh season, 77-85)
2007-08: 14-20 (10-8 SWAC)
Arena: Athletics and Assembly Center, Jackson
Radio: 1300 AM

Last season, Jackson State came within one point of going to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. The Tigers lost to Mississippi Valley State, 59-58, in the SWAC Tournament final. JSU has reloaded for another run at the NCAA. The Tigers have four starters back including preseason SWAC Player of the Year, Grant Maxey. And JSU has a bench full of talented reserves. “We do have depth, and it’s a pretty talented team,” Tigers coach Tevester Anderson told USA Today before the season began. “We’ve got some good young kids, too.”

Maxey, a 6-foot-6-inch junior forward, has averaged 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season. And this has come against some big-name competition that includes defending national champion Kansas, LSU, Arizona State, Illinois, Providence and Texas A&M. “He’s one of the best I’ve ever coached,” Anderson told Blue Ribbon Yearbook. “I expect Grant to get a lot of recognition this year. I expect him to get stronger this season, and with the right opportunity and right timing he could make some money (playing pro ball) one day.”

Other top players for the Tigers include Darrion Griffin (13 ppg) and Murrah High alum Jeremy Caldwell (10.5 ppg).

JSU OUTLOOK
Excellent. The Tigers are 1-10, but that will mean nothing when SWAC play begins. Every SWAC team has a losing record right now. And JSU has been playing its usual band of heavyweights in November and December. Hey, the program needs the money.

“You never know who (in the SWAC) is going to have a knockout punch or hit a home run,” Anderson told USA Today. “But we always feel like we will be in the top three.”
The Tigers should cruise through SWAC play and—barring a major upset in the SWAC tourney like last year’s—go back to the NCAA Tournament.

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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Sanford Seminole (FL) stuns Miami Northwestern for 6A Florida Football State Title

Sanford (FL) Seminole High School spots Miami Northwestern 21 points before fighting back to shock the Bulls for the 6A Football State Championship.



PHOTOS: Seminole stuns Northwestern 28-21

Andre Debose's 40-yard touchdown catch with 33 seconds left lifts Seminole to 1st state title.

Andre Debose labeled it a leap of faith. The Seminole senior went up against Miami Northwestern defensive back Tevin McCaskill with time running out and came down clutching the ball, a touchdown and a championship Saturday night. Debose's tumbling catch on a 40-yard bomb from Aravious "Ray Ray" Armstrong with 33 seconds remaining gave Seminole (13-2) a 28-21 victory over Miami Northwestern (13-2) in a Class 6A state championship thriller seen by an announced paid crowd of 12,764 at the Citrus Bowl.

"I just concentrated and when I grabbed the ball I squeezed it with all my life," Debose said. "It was like God came down with me too." Northwestern scored on the first play of the game and on its first three possessions to go up 21-0 and threatened to roll up another rout a year after it beat Boone 41-0 in the 2007 final. But Seminole, just as it had done after trailing 10-0 at the half against Boone last week, fought back. "We was down last week, we was down this week. We know how to handle adversity," said senior Dyron Dye, who capped a night of big plays with a sack of Northwestern quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on the final play.

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Amazing! My ole high school, Seminole High School (Sanford, Florida) wins the state championship over the legendary Miami Northwestern Bulls and Coach Billy Rolle, a FAMU Hall of Famer. The boys from "Goldsboro" finally put it together to win it all. Look like Seminole developed a good crop of Division I seniors that would be a nice fit at Florida A&M University, under Coach Joe Taylor and his outstanding staff.

Choose Florida A&M University--Andre Debose and Aravious "Ray Ray" Armstrong. I did!

(beepbeep)

Today: Norfolk State (1-7) vs. Middle Tennessee (5-5)

GAME NOTES: Losers of seven in a row, the Norfolk State Spartans give it another shot this evening as they contend against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders as part of the second round of the Basketball Travelers Tip-Off Tournament at JQH Arena in Springfield, Missouri.

Norfolk State won its season opener against Longwood on the road, but since then the team has failed to make it back into the win column. Saturday saw the squad bow to Missouri State in the first round of this event by a score of 75-66. As for the Blue Raiders, they managed to snap a brief two-game slide yesterday with a 65-52 win over UC Irvine, evening the team's overall record at 5-5 in the process. Meeting for the first time on the hardwood, both Middle Tennessee and Norfolk State will be back in action on Monday as they swap partners with UC Irvine and Missouri State again to close out the tournament.

Corey Lyons scored a career-high 32 points, shooting 11-of-23 from the field and 7-of-14 behind the three-point line on Saturday night, but even his efforts were not enough to earn the Spartans a victory. Also having a strong scoring game was Michael Deloach with 24 points, but he needed 9-of-24 shooting from the floor in order to pull it off. Brandon Monroe accounted for a team-best nine rebounds, but he failed to score a single point for a team that turned the ball over 21 times. Even with the offensive burst, Lyons is still averaging just 13.8 ppg while shooting 34.3 percent from the floor. Deloach has become one of the top scorers in the MEAC this year with his 20.8 ppg, and he is pulling down almost five and a half rebounds per game while ranking second in the assists department with 18 over eight games.

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WKU to Host Alabama A&M on Sunday Afternoon

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Following a successful three-game, 19-day road swing, Western Kentucky University returns to the friendly confines of E.A. Diddle Arena on Sunday afternoon for a non-conference match-up with Alabama A&M University at 4:00 PM. It is the first-ever meeting between the programs.

Television coverage will be provided by HSSN and carried locally on WKYU-PBS and regionally/nationally on Fox College Sports and DirecTV Channel 617.

GAME #10:
WKU vs. Alabama A&M
Sunday, December 21, 2008 • 4:00 PM CST
E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326) • Bowling Green, Ky.

►SERIES HISTORY: WKU (6-3) and Alabama A&M (2-4) have never met previously.

►COVERAGE: Television coverage will be provided by Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network in conjunction with Fox College Sports and DirecTV Channel 617. Radio coverage will be provided by the Big Red Radio Network. The broadcast team for both will be Randy Lee and Hal Schmitt providing the call. Live stats and live audio and video via the internet is available at www.WKUsports.com .

►SIZING UP THE BULLDOGS: Alabama A&M returns 10 of 12 letterwinners including all five starters from last year's squad that went 10-20 overall and finished 10th in the Southwest Athletic Conference with a 4-14 mark. Trant Simpson leads the team in scoring (17.0 ppg) and assists (4.5), one of three players averaging in double figures.

►TAKING ON THE SWAC: WKU is 8-0 (1.000) all-time against the 10 current members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Toppers last met a SWAC school 11 years ago when WKU downed Mississippi Valley State 75-66 at Diddle Arena on Dec. 18, 1997.

WKU vs. Alabama A&M Game Notes -- 12/21/08

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DSU can't keep up with Notre Dame's Harangody

Photo Gallery: Delaware State 58, Notre Dame 88

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Luke Harangody had 20 points and eight rebounds and Ryan Ayers added 18 points, leading No. 12 Notre Dame to an 88-50 victory over Delaware State on Saturday night. Notre Dame dominated inside, outscoring the Hornets in the paint 32-10 with a 41-24 rebounding advantage. Delaware State tried to slow Notre Dame's high-scoring offense with its slow, deliberate offense, but had minimal success because the Hornets couldn't slow Harangody.

Harangody was 7-of-8 from the floor for 16 points in the first half to lead the Irish to a 39-21 halftime lead. The Irish used a 12-0 run to extend the lead to 29, then continued to pull away for most of the rest of the game. Kyle McAlarney added 14 points for the Irish (8-2). Kris Douse and Marcus Neal led Delaware State (2-13) with 11 points each.

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Saturday, December 20, 2008

Monique Holland named Alabama State University Athletic Director

Alabama State University Hornets director of athletics, Monique Holland

New ASU AD strives to lead Hornets in positive direction

Alabama State's appoint­ment of Monique Holland as its athletic director sends a mes­sage. School officials appointed their leading expert on NCAA compliance to the program's top position to emphasize that the school is serious about playing by the rules, Holland said Fri­day. ASU President William Harris voiced his full endorse­ment of the new AD in a state­ment that announced her hir­ing. "Monique Holland is the right person at the right time to lead ASU's athletic department forward . . ." he said.

Holland, an ASU alum and former athlete, was promoted from the associate athletic di­rector for NCAA rules educa­tion and compliance, a position she's held since last June. She came from Georgia State with the mission to clean up a program that was wrecked by an NCAA infractions case that had dragged on for years. The hundreds of violations the school self-reported resulted in self-imposed sanctions that included firing coaches and limiting scholarships. Earlier this month, the school received notice that the NCAA had com­pleted its investigation and mandated five more years of probation and a ban on postsea­son championship play next year for the football team.

Photo Gallery: Monique Holland named ASU Athletic Director

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Delaware State Preview vs. #12 Ranked Notre Dame

Final exams are over and the Notre Dame student body has gone home for the holidays, but the Irish basketball team still has a couple of tests before it can head home for Christmas. Notre Dame (7-2) entertains Delaware State (2-12) at 7 p.m. tonight at the Joyce Center. Tonight’s game against the Hornets will be followed by a home date on Monday evening with Savannah State before the Irish players leave campus for break.

Notre Dame is currently ranked 12th in the Associated Press Poll and 14th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll, but have a great chance to move up in both with a strong showing on Saturday. Delaware State, of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, has played an extremely difficult non-conference schedule and has suffered losses at Ohio State, Kentucky and Maryland along with Big East defeats to West Virginia, Connecticut and Rutgers. Notre Dame head coach Brey said that he respects what Delaware State is doing with its non-conference schedule and believes that it will help them down the road.

“I understand what they’re trying to do here in the non-conference,” said Brey. “That’s a grueling thing to do, they’ve done a pretty good job of that and the one thing they’ve got is really tough kids. I know that from talking to people in their league, they’ve got tough kids and probably going through this toughens them up.” The Hornets opened the season with a victory over Division II Wilmington and won its MEAC opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Dec. 4, but have lost every other game. Delaware State is 0-9 on the road this season.

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FAMU Marching 100 Requests Your Help!

In this season of giving, here is an opportunity for you to put your signature on assisting the Florida A&M University Marching 100 Band in participating in the Presidential Inauguration Parade of our 44th President, Barack Obama. The FAMU Marching 100 is the NUMBER ONE marching band in the United States and this event will afford the Washington, D.C. metro area citizens and the world community to see what Florida has enjoyed with the Incomparable Marching 100 for the past 55 years.

Here is how YOU can help and become an important and valued supporter of the FAMU Marching 100 Band program... and see the HUNDRED on Pennsylvania Avenue on January 20, 2009.

FAMU 2008 The Road To Washington and Beyond Campaign

CBS Evening News - 2008 FAMU Marching 100

FAMU 2008 "ESPN College Gameday" Performance



DONATE HERE: http://www.famu.edu/GiveToThe100

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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

WSSU gives Blount extension through 2015

Blount will get a raise of about $20,000 a year; A&T had talked to him about vacancy

Football coach Kermit Blount and Winston-Salem State have reached an agreement on a contract extension. The deal was completed shortly after the season ended Nov. 22 but still needs the approval of the school's board of trustees, which is expected soon. "I'm happy that this is taken care of because it means a lot to me to have that security," Blount said. "But at the same time, I've learned you just have to do your job, and things will take care of themselves, so this wasn't something that was keeping me awake at night."

Blount has a 90-77-3 record in 16 seasons at WSSU, his alma mater, and holds the school record for career victories. The Rams, however, had their worst season under Blount this year, finishing 3-8 despite road wins over Hampton and Florida A&M, future Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents. The extension comes at a time when Winston-Salem State's fiercest rival, N.C. A&T, is seeking a head coach. Athletics Director Chico Caldwell of WSSU and Blount both said that A&T expressed interest in Blount.

"I did talk to them, but they weren't any kind of serious talks," said Blount, pointing out that he did not have a formal interview.

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Correction: This writer did little research for this article...Winston Salem's three victories were again Howard, Hampton and Delaware State. FAMU embarrassed WSSU on a ESPNU nationally televised Thursday night game, 23-0 in Tallahassee, Florida on October 9, 2008. The Rams road wins were at DSU (27-26) and Hampton (35-30).

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Sunday, December 14, 2008

SWAC PAYBACK: Grambling avenges '07 title game loss with thrashing of Jackson State

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Performing with a steely sense of urgency, Grambling State grabbed control of the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game Saturday at Legion Field — and never let go. Big plays in every phase of the contest fueled Grambling’s sweeping dominance. The ruthless defense showed the way early with a takeaway on Jackson State’s opening drive — the first of five turnovers for the rattled Mississippi Tigers. Grambling turned the miscue into points, following its season-long script to a 41-9 win and the 22nd SWAC championship in school history.

“Coming into the season, everyone underestimated us,” said David Stuckman, who provided a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter. “But the coaches stressed the little things. Little things win championships.” Grambling (11-2) improved to 5-1 in SWAC championship games. The Tigers also won the title game in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005. The win avenged a 42-31 loss to Jackson State in 2007. “Winning the championship is big for us,” said Carroll product Desmond Lenard. “We worked all year just to play this game. Words can’t explain the way I feel right now.”

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Attendance: 25,873 --Birmingham, AL Legion Field

MVSU basketball falls to 0-11; SWAC schedule bailout needed

It took a while to chip off the rust from an 11-day layoff, but the Houston Cougars got things in gear and rolled to a 34-point win over Mississippi Valley State Saturday night at Hofheinz Pavilion, 92-58. The Delta Devils, who have yet to play a home game this season, ran out of gas in the second half to fall to 0-11. The Cougars stepped on the gas in the final 20 minutes, putting 59 points on the board to win their sixth straight game (now 6-1 on the season). lvin Lewis led the way with 23 points, but the star was big Marcus Cousin, who overpowered MVSU's relative runts inside for 18 points and nine rebounds.

You have to feel for the Delta Devils. Like many SWAC teams, they've been farmed out as a rent-a-win crew, playing teams like Arizona State, Washington State, Oklahoma, Arizona, James Madison, Creighton and Kentucky. Coach Sean Woods (MVSU), who was a late hire and didn't get to do much recruiting, deserves better. So do his players, who worked hard, but simply didn't have the horses to run with the Cougars.

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LeRoy Vann, FAMU and Zach East, PVAMU named to Walter Camp All-American Team

Florida A&M University junior return specialist LeRoy Vann was named Friday to the 2008 Walter Camp Foundation NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America Team. The all-star team is selected annually by the head football coaches and sports information directors of the FCS member schools.

The 5-9, 185-pound speedster from Tampa, Florida's Blake High School, shattered numerous school, conference and NCAA records for total returns, return yardage, while tying NCAA marks for combined TD kick returns with six. Vann tied Bashir Levingston of Eastern Washington (1998) and Corey Smith of Montana State (2003) with six (6) combined TD returns in NCAA FCS for a season. He also finished the 2008 campaign as the NCAA FCS all-time single-season leader in combined kick return yardage with 1,583 yards, surpassing the old mark of 1,469 set by Samford's David Primus in 1989. Vann also ended the season with 66 combined returns, surpassing the former mark of 64 by Connecticut's Joe Markus in 1981.

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Prairie View A&M University Panthers side linebacker Zack East was also named to the Camp All-American Team. The 6-2/230 defensive standout lead the Panthers to their best record in three decades (9-1) with 69 tackles in 10 games, with two quarterback hurries, three sacks, 14.5 tackles for losses, 1 interception and one funble recovery. East has lead Prairie View nationally ranked defense for the past two years.

In all, players from 13 different conferences and 20 institutions were represented on the 2008 Walter Camp FCS All-America team. The Southern Conference had the most players (6) followed by the Big Sky Conference (5) and Colonial Athletic Association (4). Five schools had multiple players selected, led by Appalachian State with three. Elon, James Madison, Northern Arizona, and Montana each placed two players on the 2008 Walter Camp All-America team.

2008 Walter Camp Football Championship Subdivision
All-America Team

OFFENSE
WR Ramses Barden* Cal Poly Sr. 6-6 227 Altadena, CA
WR Terrell Hudgins* Elon Jr. 6-3 235 Rocky Mount, NC
TE Scott Sicko New Hampshire Jr. 6-3 230 Stillwater, NY
OL Colin Dow Montana Sr. 6-5 300 Billings, MT
OL Nick Hennessey Colgate Sr. 6-6 300 Danvers, MA
OL Joel Bell Furman Sr. 6-8 308 Spartanburg, SC
OL Jonathan Bieschke Appalachian State Sr. 6-5 275 Port St. Lucie, FL
C Scott Lemn James Madison Sr. 6-3 285 Virginia Beach, VA
QB Armanti Edwards Appalachian State Jr. 6-0 184 Greenwood, SC
RB Herb Donaldson Western Illinois Sr. 5-11 225 St. Louis, MO
RB Rashad Jennings Liberty Sr. 6-1 230 Forest, VA
PK Andrew Wilcox Elon Sr. 6-2 231 Richmond, VA

DEFENSE
DL Greg Peach Eastern Washington Sr. 6-2 250 Vancouver, WA
DL Jovan Belcher Maine Sr. 6-2 228 West Babylon, NY
DL Larry Hart Central Arkansas Jr. 6-1 242 Madison, MS
DL Greg Miller Villanova Sr. 6-3 250 Willow Grove, PA
DL John Faletoese UC Davis Sr. 6-3 292 Carmichael, CA
LB Nathan Williams Murray State Sr. 6-1 225 Murray, KY
LB Zach East Prairie View A&M Sr. 6-2 230 Houston, TX
LB Bobby Abare Yale Sr. 6-2 220 Acton-Boxboro, MA
DB Mark LeGree Appalachian State Soph. 6-0 200 Columbus, GA
DB Marcus Haywood James Madison Sr. 6-0 190 Williamsburg, VA
DB Colt Anderson Montana Sr. 5-11 195 Butte, MT
DB K.J. Gerard Northern Arizona Sr. 6-1 187 Fountain Valley, CA
P Robbie Dehaze Northern Arizona Sr. 6-3 193 Sherwood, OR
KR LeRoy Vann Florida A&M Jr. 5-9 182 Tampa, FL

* - 2007 Walter Camp FCS All-America selection

- http://www.waltercamp.org/

Saturday, December 13, 2008

FAMU's successful volleyball program faces uncertain future

Getting FAMU’s volleyball team into the NCAA tournament was one of coach Tony Trifonov’s goals, but not the way he did it with a short-handed roster. Trifonov had hoped to achieve even more along the way to reaching the national tournament a week ago. He had big plans before he found out that some of the players he was banking on wouldn’t be admitted.“We were thinking that we were going to have a top-25 team and be in a position to host a regional again like we did in 2004,” he said. “The MEAC shouldn’t have been a contention for us.

“Of course we were going to play the games, but we would have been heavy, heavy favorites. At it turned out, that wasn’t the case.” Five days after FAMU was eliminated from the NCAA tournament, Trifonov is facing a future of uncertainty. He isn’t sure if Barry transfer Samara Ferraz will regain one more year of eligibility for the time she sat out to have a son. If she doesn’t there is no telling whether he’ll find a replacement who would have the same immediate impact as Ferraz did when she joined the team this season.

Trifonov’s program is one that doesn’t generate revenue and it’s caught in the current budget crunch at FAMU. As a result, he can’t get the kind of money it would take to recruit and reload the Rattlers for next season.

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President says Jones is still Alcorn's coach

Alcorn State football coach Ernest T. Jones was fired on Thursday. Or he wasn’t. Or no one knows. One day after Jones’ attorney said he received a letter from the university informing him of the coach’s dismissal, Alcorn State President George Ross said this morning that Jones has not been fired. “Coach Jones is not fired. There are lawsuits filed, so I’m limited in what I can say. But Coach Jones has not been fired,” Ross said. “Ernest Jones is the head coach at Alcorn State University.”

Jones, on a recruiting trip, said that was welcome news, although he hadn’t heard from his attorneys or Alcorn officials today. “I’m on the road recruiting. All I hear is what I know from the newspapers, the TV and what you guys tell me,” Jones said. “I’m going to do my job until somebody tells me to park the truck and turn my keys in.” On Thursday, Jones’ attorney, Wayne Ferrell, told The Associated Press the firing was detailed in a letter from the university. Jones learned of his apparent dismissal from reporters and his attorney early Thursday afternoon. He had no contact about the matter from Alcorn officials, he said.

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Alabama State penalized for NCAA violations

The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has penalized Alabama State University for major and secondary violations in its athletics programs, primarily in football.

The case involves a lack of institutional control and a failure to monitor by the former head coach. The violations included academic fraud (considered by the committee to be among the most serious violations of NCAA rules), recruiting violations, extra benefits, and ineligible participation and financial aid.

“A revolving door of administrators at the institution, including within the department of athletics, was a prime factor in the institution’s inability to establish a viable compliance program, which ultimately resulted in the institution’s failure to exercise institutional control,” the committee stated in its report.

Penalties for the violations, including those self-imposed by the university, include five years of probation; a ban on postseason football in 2009; a reduction in recruiting activities; athletics scholarship reductions; vacation of records; a compliance program review; and a two-year show-cause order for the former head coach.

This show-cause penalty is specifically intended to increase monitoring of the former head coach and enhance his rules education.

During the 1999-00 to 2004-05 academic years, university staff members arranged for fraudulent academic credits for eight football student-athletes when their original letter grades were changed without approval from the appropriate university administrators. Six of these student-athletes avoided ineligibility status due to the grade changes.

During the 1999-00 to 2002-03 academic years, numerous football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball student-athletes were allowed to practice, compete and receive athletics scholarships while ineligible. The committee found the university failed to employ an adequate and consistent procedure for certifying and monitoring the eligibility of student-athletes, which resulted in the violations.

Additionally, seven football student-athletes and six prospective football student-athletes received impermissible inducements and extra benefits in the form of lodging, utilities or meals at no cost from the summer of 2000 to the end of the 2001-02 academic year.

As early as 1998, the committee has warned repeatedly of the elevated risk of violations when prospective student-athletes are on campus before their first full-time enrollment. The committee has stated that institutions have an increased responsibility to be vigilant in tracking these prospective student-athletes to assure compliance with NCAA rules.

During the 1999-00 to 2001-02 academic years, though, two prospective football student-athletes and several ineligible football student-athletes participated in impermissible out-of-season workouts conducted by the former strength and conditioning coach. The former strength coach, along with the football coaching staff, also conducted winter conditioning activities.

Based on the violations in this case, the committee found the university exhibited a lack of institutional control over its football program. The committee noted a general lack of compliance education and monitoring institution-wide.

In particular, the committee stated that the university created an environment that facilitated violations of NCAA rules across several university departments and offices, including housing and residential life, financial aid and as athletics. The committee found that the former head coach failed to monitor his and his staff’s activities for NCAA rules compliance and failed to maintain an atmosphere of compliance among his staff and within the football program. The committee noted that a head coach has “an affirmative obligation to create an environment of compliance where coaches understand their obligation to avoid rules violations and to timely report any violations that occur.”

The penalties, some of which were self-imposed by the institution and adopted by the committee, are as follows:

• Public reprimand and censure.

• Five years of probation (December 10, 2008, to December 9, 2013).

• Two-year show-cause order for the former head coach (December 10, 2008, to December 9, 2010).

• No postseason competition for the 2009 football season.

• Reduction of official paid visits in football during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 academic years from 56 to 46. (Self-imposed by the institution.)

• Withheld all football coaches from engaging in recruiting activities for two weeks in December during December 1-14, 2003. (Self-imposed by the institution.)

• Reduction in football scholarships to 58.74 during the 2004-05 academic year and 54.11 during the 2005-06 academic year from the limit of 63. (Self-imposed by the institution.)

• Limit the total number of student-athletes who can receive partial scholarships, known as “counters,” in the football program during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years. The number was reduced to 80 from the limit of 85. (Self-imposed by the institution.)

• Limit the total number of football student-athletes receiving partial scholarships in the football program for the first time, known as “initial counters,” during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years. This number was reduced to no more than 20 from the limit of 30. (Self-imposed by the institution.)

• Due to competition by ineligible student-athletes, the university forfeited all regular-season football contests in the 2000 and 2001 seasons. The university also forfeited the 2001 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship. (Self-imposed by the institution and adopted as a vacation by the committee.)

• The university shall vacate all football contests won by the university in 2000 and 2001, including the conference championship. The individual records of the ineligible student-athletes should be vacated as well. Further, the record of the former head coach will be reconfigured to reflect the vacated wins and recorded in all publications in which football records for the affected seasons are reported, including media guides, recruiting material, electronic media and institutional and NCAA archives. Any public reference to these vacated contests should be removed from the athletics department stationary, banners displayed in public areas and any other forum in which they may appear.

• The university must initiate a review of its athletics compliance program by a competent, external agency as soon as one can be scheduled.

The members of the Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case are Josephine (Jo) R. Potuto, the Richard H. Larson Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law and chair of the committee at the time the Alabama State case was heard; Eileen Jennings, general counsel at Central Michigan University; Alfred Lechner Jr., attorney; Dennis Thomas, the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and formerly director of athletics at Hampton University; Jack Friedenthal, professor at George Washington University National Law Center; Bonnie Slatton, professor of physical education and sport science, University of Iowa; and Thomas Yeager, commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

ASU's Barlow fires defensive coordinator

Alabama State's Coach Reggie Barlow appears to be clueless in Montgomery! What's next--fire the waterboy?




Alabama State head coach Reggie Barlow is now looking for two coordinators. Sunday morning, Barlow notified defensive coordinator Tony Pierce that his year-to-year contract at the school wouldn't be renewed. Barlow also fired linebackers coach and assistant head coach Brian Williams.

"There is no tension or bad feelings -- this is just the business side of this," said Pierce, who has served as ASU's defensive coordinator since 2003. "He called me in and told me he wanted to go in a different direction. I said, 'God bless you and good luck.' I appreciate everything ASU has done for me and my family. And I appreciate Reggie for allowing me to hang around another two years after he was hired. He wants to go in a different direction now and that's his right as a head coach."

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Sunday, December 7, 2008

UF Gators Volleyball rolls FAMU Rattlers in NCAA first round
















Friday night at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center had the feeling of a battle of the bands, when all of a sudden a good volleyball match broke out. UF defended its home court in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, knocking out Florida A&M 25-20, 25-21, 25-15. The Gators hit a gaudy .451, led by freshman Cassandra Anderson’s 10 kills on 11 swings. The team percentage was the best ever by a Gator squad in an NCAA match. “As a team, I feel like we passed well,” Anderson said. “Connecting with the setters helped a lot to get kills around the block. As a team, we brought it all together.”

FAMU kept things competitive on the court and off, with members of its Marching 100 band drawing cheers from the 1,550 fans in attendance during timeouts. The roars at times rivaled the sound during the game. Both bands stuck around 30 minutes after the match, volleying turns to work the crowd up. The Gators (26-3) got a scare early in the match, trailing 3-0 to start the first set and battling all the way through an 18-all tie. Despite 11 ties and three lead changes, Florida closed the set out by scoring seven of the final nine points.

The Rattlers (14-13) got six kills in the set from Samara Ferraz, who finished with a match-high 15 (.290 hitting).

Photo Gallery
Boxscore
Pre-Game Notes
Post-Game Notes

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Grambling's Tiger Marching Band invited to inaugural parade

The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Friday it has invited the Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band to Perform in the 56th Inaugural Parade. The world famous Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band will join representatives from across the country and the Armed Forces in the historic parade down Pennsylvania Avenue following President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the Capitol.

"I am honored to invite these talented groups and individuals to participate in the Inaugural Parade," Obama is quoted as saying in a news release. "These organizations embody the best of our nation's history, diversity and commitment to service. Vice President-elect (Joe) Biden and I are proud to have them join us in the parade." Organizations wishing to participate in the parade submitted an application to the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee (AFIC), which then assisted the Presidential Inaugural Committee in reviewing all of the groups' applications. All told, 1,382 organizations applied to participate, setting a new standard for interest in marching in the parade.


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FAMU Marching 100 invited to U.S. President's Inauguration Parade

FAMU band must raise $100K to pay for travel expenses

Florida A&M University's Julian White received a phone call Friday evening during band rehearsal that he'll never forget. A man told White, FAMU's director of bands and music chairman, that his 420-member Marching 100 was selected to participate in President-elect Barack Obama's Inaugural Parade on January 20. White asked the man a quick question. "Would you mind repeating that?"

White turned on the cell phone's speaker and put the phone close to a neighboring microphone. Then, the news was repeated to hundreds of band students. "Pandemonium just broke out," White said. Students began pulling out their own cell phones to tell friends and family, White said. "Within 10 to 15 minutes, it was all over the United States," White said. White couldn't help getting euphoric from the news. He went to his office to place a call to FAMU President James Ammons. Ammons said, "This is definitely where we wanted to be. Of all the bands in this country to be selected . . . I think this reinforces that the 'Hundred' is truly America's band."

FAMU Marching 100 - 2008 Florida Classic Pre-Game Show





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Tuesday, December 2, 2008

FAMU Volleyball gets set for NCAA's and UF Gators

TALLAHASSEE, FL - The Florida A&M University Women's Volleyball team will make their eighth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division One Championships this weekend, as they take on the University of Florida in the first round of play on Friday, December 5 at the Stephen O'Connell Center. Match time will be 7:30 p.m. Florida A&M (14-12), recipient of an automatic tournament bid by winning the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship, will make their fourth straight appearance in Gainesville, and it will be the third time in five years that the Lady Rattlers will draw the University of Florida as an opening round opponent (2004, 2005, 2008).

Florida (25-3), ranked 14/12 in national polls, were winners of the Southeastern Conference title for the 18th straight year. They will be hosting opening round NCAA play for the 17th time in the last 18 years in Gainesville. Colorado State will face Florida International in Friday's 5 p.m. bout on Friday, prior to the FAMU-UF clash.
Friday's winners will play at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the winner of that second round match set to advance to regional play at Colorado State University.
























Lady Rattler Jovana Blazeski #4 battles Florida State in FAMU season opener.


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Alcorn State fires assistant football coaches

Alcorn State University head football coach Earnest T. Jones, 2-10 record, first season has retained two lawyers.

LORMAN, MS — Alcorn State University has fired seven of its nine assistant football coaches, and the head coach said the move was made without his knowledge. Alcorn State head coach Ernest T. Jones said he was watching television at his home on Thanksgiving Day when he saw a report on the news that his coaches had been fired. Jones said he was never notified the firings would occur. “I got a message from (Athletic Director Darren) Hamilton that said, ‘Happy Thanksgiving, I’m on vacation and we’ll chat Friday.’ We never chatted Friday,” Jones said.

Jones said he did not plan to fire anyone and has received no explanation from Hamilton or the university. Alcorn State Sports Information Director LaToya Shields confirmed Monday night that assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Earnest Collins Jr., offensive coordinator Dino Dawson, running backs coach Terrance Robinson, special teams coordinator and linebackers coach Zach Shay, secondary coach Jack Phillips, defensive line coach Keith Majors and strength and conditioning coach Lorenzo Guess would not have their contracts renewed. Only offensive line coach Adam Shorter and wide receivers coach Michael Armour were retained by the university, Sheilds said.

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