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December 2008
HBCU players earn All-America status
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ten players from HBCU programs were named to the Associated Press Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) All-America team.
Tennessee State offensive lineman Cornelius Lewis, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound senior who began his collegiate career at Florida State, and Prairie View linebacker Zach East, a 6-2, 230-pound senior who transferred from Hampton, were named to the first team.
MEAC champion South Carolina State had two players on the team — offensive lineman Raymond Harrison (second team) and Will Ford (third team). Two other MEAC players - FAMU’s LeRoy Vann (second team All-Purpose) and Morgan State’s Jarrell Guyton (third team linebacker) - also made the team.
In addition to East, four other players from the SWAC were honored - Jackson State DB Dominique Johnson on the second team and third-teamers Thomas Harris of Alabama A&M, Abner Brown of Mississippi Valley and William Osbourne of Texas Southern.
Anyone surprised that Grambling, this year’s Black College national champion, didn’t have any players on the team. And once the Division II list is released, I’ll get it posted.
For the entire list of the FCS All-American team and any other Black College football news and notes, visit the AJC’s HBCU football page by clicking here.
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NCAA places Alabama State on probation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The NCAA hit the Alabama State football program hard and heavy on Wednesday.
The program was placed on five years’ probation and forced to forfeit wins in the 2000 and 2001 seasons after being found guilty of 17 rules violations that allegedly occurred in the football program from 1999-2003. (See complete story here)
The two biggest hits - the removal of the 2001 SWAC championship and the postseason ban for 2009, including the SWAC title game.
“I hate that for our seniors,” Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said about next season’s ban. “A lot of them were taken aback by it.”
So, what are your thoughts on the situation? Should next year’s class be penalized for something that occurred long before its arrival?
Let me know what you think. And for the latest news and notes on Black College football, click here and visit the AJC’s HBCU football page.
Grambling No. 1 in Black College poll
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just in case you missed it, the new Sheridan Network Broadcasting Black College football poll was released earlier this week and the No. 1 team was …. not Tuskegee.
For the first time this season, the Golden Tigers (10-1) didn’t sit atop the poll, thanks to their 17-13 loss to Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic. The top spot went to Grambling, the SWAC Western Division champion and the winner of last weekend’s Bayou Classic over Southern.
The Tigers (10-2), who will play Jackson State in the SWAC championship game Dec. 13, were ranked third last week, but jumped over No. 2 South Carolina State with their win over Southern. S.C. State (10-3), which lost to Appalachian State in the first round of the FCS playoffs, remained No. 2 followed by Tuskegee, Prairie View (9-1) and Florida A&M (9-3).
The second five was headed by CIAA champion Shaw (8-3) followed by Jackson State (7-4), Bethune-Cookman (8-3), Tennessee State (8-4) and Southern (6-5).
So, what are you thoughts on the new poll? Do you agree with the rankings? Do you think one team should be ranked ahead of another?
Let me know what you think.
MEAC awards: As expected, South Carolina State had a heavy presence among MEAC postseason honorees, capturing three of the five top awards. Find out which Bulldogs were honored by clicking here for the recap story.
Continue the lively debate: There were many passionate responses to the earlier blog on the discussion of possibly merging black and white colleges (read the blog here). Commenting on that blog has been closed, but feel free to continue the discussion here.
All-time Black College football team: The debate continues on who should be listed on the all-time squad. Click here, read the blog and join the conversation.
And for the latest news and notes on Black College football, click here and visit the AJC’s HBCU football page.
Any athletic benefit from merging black, white colleges?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A state lawmaker in Georgia wants the State University System to consider merging a pair of historically black universities with nearby white-majority schools to save money. (See story)
The schools under consideration for merger would be Savannah State University and white-majority Armstrong State in Savannah and Albany State University and white-majority Darton College in Albany. The only other historically black college in the State University System - Fort Valley - isn’t under consideration and schools such as Morehouse and Clark Atlanta are private institutions and not under the State University System umbrella.
To say that this is a sensitive subject would be an understatement. My colleague Laura Diamond has a blog focusing on the academic and historical side of this subject and you can read some of the passionate responses on her blog by clicking here.
From an athletic standpoint, would there be any benefit to merging the schools? Neither Armstrong nor Darton field football teams, so the impact on the gridiron would be minimal at best.
And what about other HBCUs? Has there ever been any discussion about merging with nearby white-majority institutions for cost-cutting or athletic-enhancing reasons? How would a discussion merging Tennessee State and Middle Tennessee play out? What about Jackson State and Millsaps? Delaware State and Delaware?
Personally, as a former Savannah State Tiger, I believe the institution has its place in history and should remain untouched. Unfortunately, it’s not my decision to make.
So, what are you thoughts on the subject? Would there be any potential athletic gain from merging historically black and white-majority schools that are close in proximity to each other?
Editor’s Note: To continue this conversation, join Leo Willingham’s most recent blog by clicking here. Also, for more news and notes on Black College football, click here and visit the AJC’s HBCU football page.
Grambling has eyes on bigger prize
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For Grambling coach Rod Broadway, the Bayou Classic is big, but the SWAC championship is even bigger.
The Tigers accomplished the first half of that feat Saturday with a 29-14 victory over rival Southern at the Louisiana Superdome. The win clinched the SWAC Western Division title for Grambling and a spot in the conference championship game Dec. 13 against Jackson State.
“I know it’s big for our fans,” Broadway told the New Orleans Times Picayune after the game. “You don’t get a ring for this one. You get a ring if you win the next one.”
S.C. State goes down fighting: South Carolina State was one-and-done in the FCS playoffs, falling 37-21 at Appalachian State, but the Bulldogs didn’t go down without a fight.
South Carolina State led the three-time defending national champion 14-10 in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs couldn’t overcome the 433 passing yards by App State QB Armanti Edwards in the victory.
“The one thing I think you can see from having seen us in here today is that we belong,” S.C. State coach Buddy Pough told the Orangeburg (S.C.) Times and Democrat. “Now that we’ve done that, the next thing for us is to get in and actually get something done.”
In case you missed it …. Tuskegee had its 26-game winning streak ended Thursday in a 17-13 loss to rival Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic in Montogmery.
The Golden Tigers hadn’t lost since October 2006 and was within a game of completing back-to-back unbeaten seasons. The win salvaged an otherwise down year for the Hornets (3-8), who won for the first time in the last four years of the longstanding Thanksgiving Day matchup.
Tuskegee, the champion of the SIAC and the top-ranked team in the Sheridan Broadcast Network black college poll, defeated Alabama A&M of the SWAC earlier this season, but lost Thursday to a team near the bottom of its division in the SWAC. Was the loss an indicator that Tuskegee of Division II can’t compete with the big boys of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) or was it a case of a rival stepping up to defeat another rival, regardless of classification?
Let me know what you think.
Editor’s Note: For the latest news and notes on Black College football, click here and visit the AJC’s HBCU football page.
