BNN: BULLDOG NATION NEWS

By SCSU Sports Information 10/29/2006 4:46:00 PM


ORANGEBURG, SC – An unlucky bounce did in the Lady Bulldogs (3-14, 0-3 USC), Sunday as the team took a 3-2 loss to the Delaware State Lady Hornets. The Lady Bulldogs battled their hearts out, Sunday bouncing back from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game and send it into overtime, but fell victim to some sheer bad luck. After battling the Hornets to a 2-2 tie at the end of regulation, an unlikely DSU shot bounced off the arm of SCSU senior goalkeeper Ciji Sims and rolled into the goal for the game-winning score of the contest.

The loss should not overshadow some quality play by a Lady Bulldogs squad that played a tremendous game both on offense and on defense. The Lady Bulldog offense had a solid day outshooting Delaware State 24-16 wit a pair of corner kicks. The tandem of sophomore Star Tazwell and freshman midfielder Janine Francois continues to play well for the Lady Bulldogs with each scoring a goal in the contest. Tazwell also added an assist in the contest. Sophomore defender Tereza Govrik added a pair of assists as well. The SCSU defense also played well standing up to 16 Delaware State shots and 10 corner kicks. Sims totaled six saves in the contest.

It was Tazwell that got the scoring started in the contest taking a rebound from a Govrik shot and sending it past the DSU goalkeeper at the 10:39 mark to put the Lady Bulldogs on top, 1-0. However, Delaware State would answer twenty minutes later scoring their first goal of the contest at the 37:46 mark and sending the game into halftime tied at 1-1.

The second half looked bleak for the Lady Bulldogs with Delaware State scoring a go-ahead goal at the 74:29 mark. However, Delaware State’s physical play would cost them as the free kick from a DSU foul resulted in three SCSU shots on goal, one of which was taken in by Francois for the game-tying scoring 82:06 into the match. The Lady Bulldogs would have their chances in the final minutes but some unlucky bounces kept the team from sealing the win in regulation.

The Lady Bulldogs did keep the pressure up in the overtime period managing a shot early on, but a Delaware State save kept the game alive. It was not long afterwards when a Lady Hornet shot bounced off the right arm of Sims and went into the goal for the game-winning score of the contest.
With the loss, the Lady Bulldogs remain winless in conference play and tied for seventh place heading into the United Soccer Conference Championship tournament in Washington, D.C. next weekend.

SCSU coach leads squad into Saturday Homecoming

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Tuesday, October 31, 2006

With postseason hopes now a faded dream, the South Carolina State football team has adopted a new rallying cry for its final three games.

"Be men and finish strong," Bulldog head football Oliver "Buddy" Pough declared Monday at his weekly press conference. "That's what men do. I think our guys are the same guys who fought as hard as they could to get themselves back into it. Those kind of people, just because things have gone badly for me at some point, don't just pack it in. They fight and try to do all they can to improve and get better. So that's what we do now is be men and finish strong."

During Pough's tenure, the month of November has been a winning one for SCSU. The Bulldogs (4-4, 3-2) are 11-3 in the month and enter Saturday's home finale against Howard University (3-5, 2-3) looking to extend a 11-game winning streak in November.

"We've got a ways to go in order to get (a Homecoming win)," he said. "Howard's starting to play a lot better recently. They've won two in a row and it's going to be important that we have a great preparation together for them because they are going to strain us some."

Thinking about last Saturday's 10-9 defeat to Delaware State in Dover was still a painful subject for Pough. The familiar occurrences seen in past heartbreaking losses to Wofford and Coastal Carolina -- an unsuccessful PAT, missed assignments and failed coaching decisions -- once again appeared at inopportune times.

"The trend has been somewhat familiar and we seem to not be able to execute the ordinary phases of the game," Pough said. "You get a high snap here. We get a pushed kick there. Heck, I don't know where it ends. When we get good enough to be worthy of going farther, then I think we will. The tough part about this one is that we made some mistakes that are reflective of some of the difficulties we've had in the past and we ended up missing an extra point. But we had five other decisions. We had three fourth-down plays that we didn't execute."

Pough defended the decision to go for the first down on fourth-and-2 at the Delaware State 10 with less than six minutes left in the third quarter. Instead of going for the possible go-ahead field goal, Pough called for a running play on which redshirt freshman Will Ford was ruled to have stepped out of bounds short of the first down.

A couple of days later, Pough remained steadfast behind his decision. He cited windy conditions and the missed PAT earlier in the game as influencing his choice not to kick the field goal and pointed to missed blocking assignments up front and a questionable spot on Ford's run for the failed conversion.

"The fact that we were only up by two made me want to try to get a touchdown," Pough said. "Because you've got the wind, you're struggling to get up by two scores and if we can get up by nine, another touchdown and a PAT, then in the back of my mind, that was what we needed to kind of get ourselves a chance to really flow.

What might have been

"We get up by nine, there's no telling what happens in the game. We may end up blowing them out. That's what you're really thinking about because at that point, you get to play a little freer and you don't have to play as close to the vest. We ended up playing the game as close to the vest as we've played a game all year because we wanted to not take any chances and we wanted to give our defense a chance to see if they can win it at that point too because we were ahead at that time. The whole game was played in a way where you probably just don't really feel comfortable in doing anything wild because of the conditions and because it was so close."

The heavy cross winds also explained why Pough, who's handled the playcalling responsibilities the last three games, limited quarterback Cleveland McCoy to throwing just nine passes. Although the offense has only scored three second-half points the last two games with McCoy under center and he's thrown more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (5), Pough insists the team "plays better around Cleveland McCoy" and it's his call that he remains the starter.

"The things that we can do with (McCoy) are so positive that I don't know if we make a change," Pough said. "I think what we've got to do is we've just got to continue to do those things that he does well. I thought we went into (Delaware State) with a great throw package and I thought the throw package was hindered not because of him but because of the conditions. The conditions were not such that it was for us to be able to throw the football and doing the things we try to do.

"I'm going to have to yield to the fact that this guy is still our guy. I think he's going to do a lot better in these games to come.''

Pough added the team's second-half offensive struggles are less related to one person and more a product of trying to assimilate younger receivers like Terrance Smith and Tre Young into the lineup.

"Everything that goes on with him is not that guy's fault," he said. "We just got to understand that when you play that position, people just kind of saddle you with most of the blame because you're in that position. But lots of times, things happen that just have nothing to do with him."

While SCSU has won the last three meetings against Howard, it has only averaged 23 points in those victories. Pough was also concerned with how well the Bison have matched up physically with his offense.

"They are a good defensive football team and they'll continue to be that way," Pough said. "It's going to be a challenge to deal with their defensive effectiveness. We hadn't scored a lot of points on them in any games that we've played against them since I've been here. It's always been a little bit tough against them defensively against our offense. We can expect that kind of game on Saturday. We've just got to get prepared and ready and hopefully, we'll play really good against them."

Back to the future?

With placekicker Michael Gaston graduating, SCSU is once again left searching for a placekicker.

The answer may be in the return of South Florence graduate Stephen Grantham. On Monday, Pough said the team is in the process of working to bring back the former North/South All-Star who left school in August after he was ruled academically ineligible.

Last season as a freshman, Grantham was 45-51 in PATs and 9-15 in field goals, including a career-best 47-yarder against Delaware State.

Pough also hopes to sign a long snapper and see further improvement from punter Aaron Haire. The Orangeburg-Wilkinson graduate made his third appearance of the season last Saturday and averaged 26 yards on five punt attempts.

Overall, Pough is still optimistic about the team's future and reaching preseason goals of a conference championship and Division I-AA playoffs.

"We haven't been a great football at any point," he said. "But we've been one of the top football teams in our league every year and I think that's what you look for, the consistency. And then, if you continue to be a good football team, then you're going to hit on being a great one."

Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by email at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by office phone at 533-5547

This letter was sent to me as a response to the recent article in the T&D where coach Pough said that the recent loss was his fault.


"We just didnt get it done. I take the blame for the loss. I coached poorly and second-guessed myself in my decision-making. I feel so sorry for our players because they gave a good effort."

your dern right its your fault.....you sit Woods, you try to "run off" TJ Stanley when we may have won some early games had he been playing, and you continue to play McCoy though he cannot be counted on to complete a 6 yard out play without throwing it on the ground. Is this why you got a "million dollar extention"?

Why do you have an OC? You continue to call the plays when it shows that in the clutch you crumble. SCSU clearly has the most talent in this conference. But we have a QB that cannot pass. Other teams know it and they stack the box. Cleve cannot beat them. That he was the player of the week last week was a joke. SCSU won because Hampton's starting RB was hurt. Look at Cleve's stats. Cleve McCoy must have naked pictures of Pough, because that's the only reason why he is still playing when you have Hemby, or better yet Bryan Hardy on the team, who are clearly better passers. Buddy wont sit McCoy because he "tries so hard"...what is your agenda Pough? What is most important to you. Playing certain players and running others off? Or is it winning games? If its winning games, John Woods would be traveling with the team since we all know he is not hurt. Everyone knows it.

I still love SCSU....and believe it or not, I still support Buddy Pough and the staff. I am furious because I know Buddy is capable of better than this. Not one team we lost to this year is more talented than us......not one....every team we lost to has out coached us.

For SCSU to step to the next level Pough must step his coaching up. He has done a great job of stepping SCSU's talent up. But now Buddy must look in the mirror. Let your OC call the plays. We are tired of SCSU losing and Buddy taking the blame for "bonehead calls".....SCSU should be in the playoffs this year, but now at best, we will go 7-4, assuming that this doesn't get said again.

"We just didnt get it done. I take the blame for the loss. I coached poorly and second-guessed myself in my decision-making. I feel so sorry for our players because they gave a good effort.


Thank goodness Phillip Morris is eligible next year. He is a game breaking WR, which we need. Or maybe we have one, as Tre Young, McCloud, and Terrence Smith are all capable....but Cleve cannot throw...his passing has not developed much if at all over the years. And he will be back next year. Please have John Pry work with him ALL OFF SEASON!!! Most importantly, play the best man. If its Hemby, play him. If its Hardy, play him. If its McCoy, God help us.

Please continue you great recruiting Buddy. You, Blackwell, harmon, and your whole staff are great recruiters. but make sure to get a QB, maybe 2. We need that kid from Gaffney, but the O-W kid fits the mold as well. maybe even a transfer who has 2+ years of eligibility. McCoy and Hemby leave soon, and you always want 4 scholarship QB's on the roster. You are playing Air Force and USC next year. Please step it up a notch. And please recruit 3 or 4 "real" WR's, not not the converted RB's that you like to recruit. We didn't get Roddell Carter or keith Graham last year. We gotta get some nice ones this year. You have done well at LB, OL, DL, and many other positions, but our lack of a deep threat is why teams can stack the box on us. Please rectify that.

I will still be there this week, as I have been to every home game and Coastal. Many many recruits will be there. Please coach a good game. Pough, you are a good coach. I have followed you since Fairfield Central...you are better than this...


"We just didn't get it done. I take the blame for the loss. I coached poorly and second-guessed myself in my decision-making. I feel so sorry for our players because they gave a good effort.



Don't let this happen again. Learn from this please. SCSU returns a loaded team next year, including the redshirts like Chester. What happened to "Pig" the transfer from Florida? Anyway Pough, don't try to run anyone off, play the best player. You have a stacked team next year. Woods and Jamison will be the best RB duo in the conference (if Woods doesn't transfer...WOODS....PLEASE DON"T TRANSFER!) and Ford will be burning up the field for several more years. YOu have great OL and DL, and I know you will have a great class this recruiting season.

You should have a camp over the summer like Wofford does for their offense....Invite teams to play in our great new stadium this summer. Send you assistants to other schools to learn new ways of doing things. Do the things needed to step the program up to the next level, like the App States of the world. Do that and we will do our part, by giving the money to get you a fieldhouse, and finish Phase 2 of the stadium. We are raising money right now to get a new fieldhouse, complete with new coaches offices, and even an indoor facility for the tennis and volleyball teams. SCSU has a bright future, but Pough, you cannot let this happen again:

"We just didnt get it done. I take the blame for the loss. I coached poorly and second-guessed myself in my decision-making. I feel so sorry for our players because they gave a good effort.


Please, don't let this happen again. Lose because the other team was better. Don't lose because the other coach was better.

By Special to The T&D
Sunday, October 29, 2006

DOVER, Del. – “Our motto was ‘win or go home.’ Our playoff hopes are all but gone.”

South Carolina State University head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough took the blame Saturday for a loss to Delaware State that all but ended the Bulldogs’ hopes of a Division 1-AA playoff berth by way of a MEAC title.

The match-up to stay in the MEAC Championship race lived up to the pre-game hype of two teams battling down to the wire. In front of 2,512 chilled fans, with winds at 29 mph (gusting at 29 mph), the Delaware State University Hornets held on for 10-9 win over the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University. The win kept DSU in a tie with two-time defending champion Hampton with a 5-1 conference slate and 6-2 overall, while SCSU dropped to 3-2 and 4-4 overall.

“It was a tough game and an even tougher loss,” Pough said. “We just didn’t get it done. I take the blame for the loss. I coached poorly and second-guessed myself in my decision-making. I feel so sorry for our players because they gave a good effort.

“But I must take my hat off to Delaware State. They hung in there and made the key plays down the stretch.”

The Hornets took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in seven plays, with Vashon Winton connecting with Shaheer McBride from 20 yards out for a 7-0 lead with 11:47 left in the first quarter.

Penalties played a major factor in the contest as both teams combined for 245 yards in penalties (DSU 10-122 yds – SCSU 11-123). Infractions kept drives alive on the Bulldogs first two possessions, leading to scores. On the Bulldogs first drive, a roughing the kicker penalty kept the drive alive setting up a 36-yard field goal by Michael Gaston with 7:05 left in the first.

On their next possession a personal foul gave the Bulldogs a first-and-10 at the DSU 24 and two plays later, Cleveland McCoy connected with Spencer Miller from 28 yards out, giving them a 9-7 lead they held until the fourth quarter.

The Hornets’ junior kicker Josh Brite put the winning kick through the uprights from 30 yards out with 10:59 left in the game. Defense was the name of the game down the stretch when DSU’s Russell Reeves stopped the Bulldog’s Cleveland McCoy on a fourth-and-one, giving the Hornets the ball with 1:35 left in the game. Reeves led all tacklers with a season high 16 (seven solo, nine assisted).

“I give the credit to them on the decision to go for first down instead of going for a field goal on a fourth-and-two with just under six minutes left in the third quarter,” Pough said. “We should have gone for the field goal, but I thought we could make it. We decided if we got the look we wanted from their defense, we would go, and if not, call time out. We got the look we wanted but Delaware did a good job in stopping us.” SCSU was paced by DeShawn Baker who led all rushers with 161 yards on 28 carries and Vashon Winton led the Hornets completing 12 of 22 passes for 139 yards. As a team the Hornets held the Bulldogs to 46 yards in the air, but they still managed to out gain DSU in total offense 262 to 248 yards.

“We need games like this and the (Bethune game) in order to keep us grounded,” Hornet head coach Al Lavan said. “The two fourth downs stop were solidification of what we’ve been working for and it’s not over.”

Pough said the Bulldogs will now focus on getting better and winning its remaining games, including homecoming next week.

“We are done as far as the playoffs,” he said. “We now have to just work hard and get better and get ready for homecoming and Howard. I just hope we can finish strong by playing three good ball games, starting with Howard.”

By Thomas Grant, Jr. T&D Senior Sports Writer
Saturday, October 28, 2006

DOVER, Del. – Just call it another “Championship Saturday” for South Carolina State.

Having gained considerable control of its own destiny with last week’s 13-6 victory over Hampton, the Bulldogs find themselves four victories away from claiming the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and an automatic Division I-AA playoff berth. Thus, every game for the rest of the season will be just as important as the previous one.

Such is the case tonight at Alumni Stadium where SCSU (4-3, 3-1) meets the only other team in the MEAC race with one loss in Delaware State (5-2, 4-1). The Bulldogs can gain not only another all-valuable tiebreaker advantage with a victory, but also claim first-place in the conference with three games remaining.

SCSU has won the last three meetings against the Hornets, including last year’s 24-3 win in Orangeburg for homecoming. Nevertheless, SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough knows his team cannot avoid a letdown.

“We’ve got to prepare in a way that we can have a chance against Delaware,” Pough said earlier this week. “This team last year came in and played us off our feet here for homecoming (a game won by SCSU 24-3). They are 5-2 and are having a tremendous year. They’ve got a lot of confidence. Coach Lavan has done a tremendous job of improving that team from last year.

“They match up really good with us. What I meant to say is that they really match up really bad for us because they seem to do exactly what hurts us the most and that is they do a nice job of taking away the run and they don’t turn the football over. As a matter of fact, they may have a better turnover margin than we do (Delaware State leads the MEAC with a +10 turnover margin, followed by SCSU at +4). So, it’s going to be a tough football game for us this weekend.”

Like SCSU, Delaware State is riding a three-game winning streak. It enters the contest with the MEAC’s leading rusher in senior Emmanuel Marc and a team which has excelled on offense, defense and special teams.

“The team that I saw on tape against Hampton is an outstanding football team,” Delaware State head football coach Al Lavan said. “They really, really played well in all areas of the game. They ran the ball well. They passed it. They did all of the things that you want a football team to do and really defended well, with a great deal of, not only scheme-wise, but a great deal of speed and an ability to hit people and put them on the ground. In the three years I’ve been in this league, that’s kind of typical of what Buddy Pough brings to the game and we expect the same thing this Saturday. Just a hard, tough football game.”

Lavan is especially concerned about the “three-headed monster” in running backs DeShawn Baker and Will Ford and quarterback Cleveland McCoy. The trio has used their feet to propel the MEAC’s top rushing offense, while McCoy is coming off one of his best games of the season which earned him conference Player of the Week honors.

Kickoff for tonight’s game is 7 p.m. It will be made available for viewing on the internet at www.iseesports.tv/dsu by clicking on the link under broadcast events.

n Haire to take over

punting duties

For weeks following an inauspicious debut against Wofford, redshirt punter Aaron Haire worked to get an opportunity at redemption.

With SCSU holding a 13-6 lead against Hampton at the start of the fourth quarter and forced to punt from out of its own end zone, the Orangeburg-Wilkinson graduate finally got his chance.

Making his first punt attempt in a game since the season-opener, Haire delivered a key 42-yard punt that backed the Pirates to their own 44-yard-line. SCSU’s defense forced Hampton to punt, then closed out the game with an interception by Marshall McFadden with 1:27 left to preserve the seven-point victory.

On Monday, SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough announced Haire is once again his full-time punter, starting this Saturday at Delaware State. Haire replaces place-kicker Michael Gaston, who performed double-duty the past three weeks.

“Anytime you deal with a guy like Aaron who’s smart as you know what ... you know this guy is going to work hard and he’s going to eventually find a way to get himself back into the mix,” Pough said. “There was no give up in him and he’s now the punter again. I’m so excited for him that I don’t know what to do. I’m just looking forward to having him do our punting for the next four years and having that thing behind us, and getting him to the point where he gets enough experience to relax and let it flow, because now he pretty much understands now that he’s got to do certain things to make his punting come around and as he gets better and better at it, I think we’re going to benefit from his ability.”

With junior college transfer Chris Dupree recovering from a knee injury, Haire opened the season as the starting punter. In his first collegiate game, however, he had four kicks which averaged 22 yards, including two which netted just one and 11 yards.

Haire also had a critical fumble after taking a hard hit while picking up a first down on a fake punt attempt.

After three games with Dupree and looking to decrease the number of kicks being blocked, Pough turned the responsibilities over to Gaston. In the last three games, Gaston has averaged 31.2 yard per punt – opening the door for Haire to regain the coaching staff’s confidence.

“We didn’t give him a shot,” Pough said. “We keep going around each week where we give him a play, give him some time in practice and it wasn’t quite working out where he could see where he was beginning to round into form. Once he got to that point, we told him late in the week that we were going to give him a shot to play some (against Hampton). And he did and it worked out. I’m excited for him and I’m excited for us.”

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com.

Federal grand jury indicts former manager of Savannah State University's bookstore with bank fraud


Megan Matteucci | Wednesday, October 25, 2006 at 12:30 am
Charles Jackson, employed by Follett Higher Education Group, charged in connection with a scheme to embezzle funds.

A former Savannah State University bookstore manager is charged with embezzling more than $200,000 from the campus store.

Charles Jackson III was charged in a four-count indictment with Bank Fraud and Making a False Statement to a Federally Insured Financial Institution, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of Georgia.

The indictment was handed down Sept. 15, but was sealed until Tuesday, said Joseph Newman of the U.S. Attorney's office.

The suspect's age was not available Tuesday.

U.S. Secret Service agents arrested Jackson last month in Atlanta. The Secret Service referred comments to the U.S. Attorney's office.

The arrest follows more than a yearlong investigation into a fraud scheme to embezzle money from the campus bookstore, law enforcement officials said.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police financial crimes detectives began investigating Jackson after complaints that more than $1 million was missing from the bookstore, police said.

The Secret Service joined the investigation after detectives learned some of the money came from federal grants.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, on Oct. 30, 2003, Feb. 5, 2004 and Aug. 31, 2004, Jackson presented three checks to be deposited into the bookstore's Bank of America account.

"However, rather than depositing all of the funds, Mr. Jackson pocketed $200,000 to which he was not entitled," the statement read.

SSU contracts management of the bookstore to Follett Higher Education Group, according to university spokesman Loretta Heyward.

Jackson was working for Follett as a store manager when the alleged fraud occurred, she said.

Cliff Ewert, a spokesman for Follett, said he could not comment on "any legal matters or any employee publicly." However, he said the store now has a new manager.

The bookstore is a $1.6 million annual operation, according to Follett.

Last month, U.S. Magistrate Judge E. Clayton Scofield III released Jackson on bond, Newman said. Jackson will be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Savannah Monday.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

It's unclear if the investigation is closed or if any additional arrests are pending.

MEAC AND ESPNU ADD GAME TO TV LINEUP
By
Oct 25, 2006




VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) along with ESPNU announce the addition of the Howard versus South Carolina State to its televised football package.



The Bison will head to Orangeburg, S.C. to take on the Bulldogs for South Carolina State’s homecoming on November 4, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. The game will be tape-delayed and air on ESPNU at 10 p.m. (ET). Howard will make their second appearance on ESPNU in as many years, while South Carolina State makes its second televised appearance this season.



Four MEAC games have appeared on ESPNU this season, with four more match-ups to come in the following weeks. North Carolina A&T will face Bethune-Cookman on the road tomorrow in a Thursday night battle, live at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Wednesday, October 25, 2006

DOVER, Del. -- Delaware State head football coach Al Lavan is not looking ahead to Saturday night's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference battle with South Carolina State at Alumni Stadium.

Instead, the former NFL player and position coach was more concerned about how his team practiced Tuesday rather than focusing his attention on the Hornets' biggest game in over a decade.

"We've got to take care of today and Saturday will be all right," Lavan said. "That's just how I think about it."

For Lavan, it's all about being methodical in his preparation in the days leading to a game. By covering every aspect of an opponent and ensuring his team shows daily improvement in the "three areas" -- offense, defense and special teams -- Lavan's goal is to have the Hornets fully prepared to achieve victory when game day arrives.

It's an approach which in three seasons has successfully revived a program which had just one winning season since 1996 prior to last year's 7-4 overall mark and third place finish in the MEAC. Currently standing at 5-2 overall, 4-1 in the conference, and riding a three-game winning streak, the Hornets are in position to contend for its first MEAC championship since 1991.

Standing in the way, however, is an SCSU football team which will arrive in Dover riding a wave of momentum in the form of a three-game winning streak and a 13-6 victory this past Saturday over two-time defending MEAC champion and 11th-ranked Hampton University.

"The team that I saw on tape against Hampton is an outstanding football team," Lavan said. "They really, really played well in all areas of the game. They ran the ball well. They passed it. They did all of the things that you want a football team to do and really defended well, with a great deal of not only scheme-wise, but a great deal of speed and an ability to hit people and put them on the ground. In the three years I've been in this league, that's kind of typical of what (SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough) brings to the game and we expect the same thing this Saturday. Just a hard, tough football game."

The Bulldogs (4-3, 3-1) have also defeated the Hornets three straight times, including last year's 24-3 homecoming victory in Orangeburg. The game was a scoreless defensive battle at halftime as both starting quarterbacks Cleveland McCoy of SCSU and Vashon Winton of Delaware State were sacked four times.

In the second half, McCoy connected with DeShawn Baker for a 65-yard pass play which set up an eight-yard touchdown run Jo Jo McFadden to put the Bulldogs up 7-0.

After a 47-yard field goal by Stephen Grantham, SCSU turned the game completely in its favor when Marshall McFadden forced the football free from Winton on a sack and Terrance Bennett made the recovery and touchdown return of 59 yards. The Bulldogs went on to hold Delaware State to 73 rushing yards and capitalized on the Hornets' 10 penalties for 103 yards.

"In that game, except for 4-5 plays, we were at least in the ballgame and gave ourselves an opportunity to win," Lavan said. "They hit our quarterback down there and knocked the ball out and swooped it up and scored, which is the thing that good football teams do.

"I think the value of last year if there is any is the fact that we're going to meet the same type of football team. It's not a better one and it'll certainly urge us to be prepared and our players know that Buddy is going to bring a team in here that's well-coached and will play 60 minutes of football, and we've got to not only match that, but we have to exceed their ability to play the game if we're to have a chance."

Saturday's contest features the MEAC's top three rushers. After, in Lavan's words last season, not being able to "run the football out of a toilet" against SCSU, the Hornets hope to fare better with the MEAC's leading rusher senior Emmanuel Marc. The 5-10, 205-pound senior out of Hudson Valley Junior College has already quadrupled his rushing yardage from last season, leading the MEAC with 749 yards and seven touchdowns and averaging 107 yards per game.

SCSU counters with its "Thunder and Lightning" backfield of senior DeShawn Baker and redshirt freshman William Ford. Although the defense has had its best showings this season the past two weeks in wins over North Carolina A&T and Morgan State, Lavan knows stopping the MEAC's top rushing offense will be a challenge.

"I'm trying to find out whether or not Buddy can leave them home and not bring them," he said. "But it's a monster and it's one where we ... there is truth in the fact that we have to play our best football game. He's got a big, strong quarterback (Cleveland McCoy) that runs like a tailback and a tailback that runs like a tailback. That, and the fact that he's got a couple of receivers ... this might be the best overall receiving corps that we would have played against in my estimation. So, Buddy's got some weapons. It's a matter of being able to contain those weapons and putting ourselves in position to win."

The Hornets' play on special teams was a big weapon in last Saturday's 29-7 win over Morgan State. Delaware State blocked two punts which resulted in a touchdown and safety and new place-kicker Josh Brite had field goals of 48 and 49 yards.

Another one of Delaware State's biggest weapons is junior wide receiver Shaheer McBride. The 6-3, 200-pound junior leads the MEAC in receiving yards (636 yards, 40 catches, eight TDs) and Lavan believes having an effective passing game is vital against SCSU.

"We're going to do the basic things we have to do in order to function in our offense," he said. "I think the thing we'll need to do a lot better and more consistently is to pass the football. The run and the pass has to be so finely-tuned except to consistently get big plays.

"We haven't passed the ball with much consistency in the last couple of ballgames. We've made some big plays and so forth, but we're going to have to, as they say in golf, bring our "A" game, in order to give ourselves a chance to be in position to be in the football game. We have to play our best football game to win this football game."

SCSU/Delaware State

game available on-line

Fans who want to watch Saturday's MEAC showdown between South Carolina State and Delaware State, but are unable to go to Dover, Del. will still have an opportunity.

Delaware State University is making live streaming video of the game available for broadcast (www.iseesports.tv/dsu) by clicking on the link under broadcast events. The Web site will also carry an audio stream of the contest, which can be heard locally on WQKI 93.9 FM or ESPN 93.1 FM in Columbia.

WEEK EIGHT NOTEBOOK
Team of the Week: South Carolina State

Because of the dominating presence of Hampton in the MEAC, South Carolina State posted an under the radar 18-4 record that did not include a postseason berth over the last two seasons. The Bulldogs shared the conference crown with the Pirates in 2004, but were kept out of the playoffs because of a 52-36 home loss in 2004 and a close, 14-10, defeat at the Pirates last year. After starting 1-3 with a few very shaky defensive efforts this season, the Bulldogs were probably happy the game with the Pirates even meant anything this year. South Carolina State won games against Norfolk State and Florida A & M to get back in the hunt in the MEAC, and the surging Bulldogs made their case as the league’s top team by getting over the hump and beating the Pirates, 13-6, on Saturday to pull in a tie in the loss column with Hampton and Delaware State for the conference lead. A defense that was maligned early in the season stood strong for the third week in a row, as the Bulldogs held Hampton to 50 rushing yards with star Pirate running back Alonzo Coleman hampered by injuries and limited the Pirates to just 201 yards of total offense. Hampton had an early 3-0 lead, but the Bulldogs broke through early against the tough Pirate defense with a 17-yard touchdown run by Cleveland McCoy and field goal by Michael Gaston to make it 10-3 at the end of the first quarter. The Pirates got back within 10-6 before the half, but the Bulldogs added another field goal in the third quarter and the defense and running game held on from there. South Carolina State held a Hampton offense that came into the game averaging 37 points and 360 yards per contest to just 67 total yards in the second half, and got huge games from McCoy (114 rushing yards) and DeShawn Baker (91) in a 268-yard rushing effort. South Carolina State still has four conference games left and a showdown for first place at Delaware State next week, so the Bulldogs can't rest on their laurels yet. But they do control their own destiny in the MEAC race, and that’s more than they can say after the last two meetings with Hampton.

In Need Of a Change of Approach

by Craig R. Turner
bluedeathvally.com (this is an excerpt from his article)

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR FUNDRAISING.....WILL OUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GOOD IDEA?



Option One - Initiate a payroll deduction system based upon the model used by the United Way allowing for folks to contribute year round on a 12 month basis at a minimum of $25 per month to the A&T athletic Department - specifically to the football program.

Rationale - This is a minimal amount of money for anyone no matter their age or career status. Impossible for you to get say 4,000 black folk to give up $25 per month you say? Most Aggies spend in upwards to that much inside of a week just in fast food, movies, and other forms of entertainment. I saw more outfits, hairdos, food, and all types of libations being enjoyed by most the 22,000 plus in attendance this weekend that would dwarf that $25 figure ten fold.

Twenty five dollars per month over a year equals out to $300 per year. With even a modest marketing campaign, I believe we can easily convince 4,000 Aggies to sign up for such a deduction if we can show how beneficial it would be to the university football program given the current state of affairs and that it would specifically be directed toward sustaining scholarships and recruiting.

Just remember we have led the MEAC in basketball attendance for four straight years with a team that has won a total of 12 games in that span with that many folks on average in attendance despite being at or new the bottom of the conference.

With 4,000 participants at a paltry $25 per month would give the Athletic Department $1.2 million in additional revenue on a yearly basis. This gets A&T away from the outdated mind set of writing a single check or passing the hat for whatever you can get. The building fund mentality has got end in 2007.

A payroll deduction is the most painless method imaginable to raise funds since most people view it like FICA. You don't miss it if you never see it. In this era of electronic bank transfers, one would simply need to feel out the appropriate form with their employer, or they could use a secure internet website and create the deduction either from payroll or by credit card.

The numbers of people willing to do that could easily go over that 4,000 mark. That number is based upon your hardcore fan base that will show up at Aggie Stadium even if we were the worst of the worst say like at the Morgan State game in the rain and cold three weeks ago.

The A&T fan base is still extremely strong even at 0-7. This move also would help keep us out of the “prostitution games” that a lot of 1-AAs are being forced to play against Division One powerhouses for their 12th game. You know the routine. Get on a plane and go 2,000 across country out and play Texas or Oklahoma, get beat by 100-0, take your $250,000 and go home.
We could then look for the real classics or those Vegas match up that actually pay you before you get on the plane and you don’t have wait three years or end up litigating a settlement.

It couldn't be easier, either way. We need to finally enter the 21St century and find ways to make it easier for people to donate money to the cause not harder and it does not take a bunch of paid accountants, or "directors" or "administrative personnel" added to the payroll to get it done like some organizations do.

Accounting and payroll software is awfully cheap these days.

Option 2 - Aggie Club Membership should set a target of increasing membership to 1,000 members by July 1, 2007 dues should go to mandatory $250 per year which would include a parking permit, monthly meeting with the coaches and AD, and a discounted rate on season tickets of 15% percent if purchased by August 1 and all the other privileges that go with membership currently.

Rationale - There are 600 members now giving an average of $250 per person based on the $150,000 check presented this past Saturday at homecoming. Now keep in mind there are maybe a 100 members you give the minimum of $100. If you can up their giving level along with adding another 400 new members through a strong membership drive, your estimated new revenue increase would roughly equal additional $115,000 for a projected Aggie Club giving total of $265,000 to the general athletic fund by the end of 2008.

Now there would be considerable resistance to the idea of doing away with the $100 membership rule because the argument would be you shouldn’t turn away any dollars no matter the amount.

That may have been true 20 years ago but in the real economic world of rising costs and increased competition I believe, as a member of the Aggie Club, it time for us to stop looking at how change would affect me as an individual and look how the group as whole can continue to be the major stakeholder and contributing body in the future to Aggie athletics.

Our budget hasn’t moved much if any since 1999 and not much will be moved unless we make up our minds to do something new, innovative, and more inclusive of the support of our alumni, fans and the Greensboro community.

of marketing like most schools?

College of Charleston sells out basketball season tickets
Associated Press
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Bobby Cremins is already making an impact as College of Charleston's new coach.

The school said Tuesday it had sold out of its 2,000 season tickets for the first time since the 1998-99 season, the last time the Cougars reached the NCAA tournament.

Cremins was hired in July to succeed Tom Herrion, who had an 80-38 record but was let go after four seasons.

The school then hired Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall, a former College of Charleston assistant under John Kresse. But the day after Marshall was introduced, he chose to return to his old job.

That opened the door for Cremins to return to college coaching. He opens the season Nov. 11 at Georgia State, which is not too far from Georgia Tech, where Cremins coached for 19 seasons until stepping down in 2000.

He is excited about the fans' response. "This is a tribute to our terrific fans and the success of our basketball program," Cremins said.

John Kresse Arena seats about 3,500 people. The school has plans for a new 5,000-seat arena, expected to open for the 2008-09 season.

Thats right folks. You can actually watch the game broadcast on the internet by clicking the link above.

We at SCSU News wonder how long it will be before SCSU figures out how to get this for the Bulldog Fans!

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Through six games, Cleveland McCoy was still seeking the game that reminded people he was a preseason All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selection.

With the Bulldogs in need of such a performance in a key MEAC showdown against Hampton, the South Carolina State junior quarterback came through with an effort that earned him Monday conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.

McCoy was one of two SCSU players recognized by the conference. Offensive lineman James Lee was named Offensive Lineman of the Week after paving the way for an SCSU offense that compiled 349 total yards and 268 rushing yards, the most allowed by Hampton this season. The University of Georgia transfer also recorded eight pancake blocks and graded out 85 percent on all assignments.

Coming off his worst game of the season against Florida A&M, McCoy put together a solid effort despite dealing with arm cramps to his non-throwing side and a gash on his throwing arm. After Hampton scored on its opening drive, McCoy led his team on an eight-play, 64-yard drive, capped off by his 17-yard run for the game’s only touchdown and a 7-3 lead.

He also led SCSU on scoring drives that resulted in two field goals for SCSU place-kicker Michael Gaston. The 114 rushing yards were the most by McCoy this season and his first 100-yard rushing game this year. He also completed 8-of-14 passes for 81 yards.

“He might play as hard as anybody I’ve ever seen in my life,” SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said. “It’s hard to get down on a guy who gives his all every minute he’s on the field. You know with a guy like that, eventually things are going to kind of clean up for him or work out for him because the same effort that he gives on the field he gives off the field in terms of preparation. At some point, those people who deserve to play well do and I think he does.”

This is the third Offensive Player of the Week honor in McCoy’s career and the straight week an SCSU player has been recognized by the MEAC. Redshirt freshman running back William Ford earned his second Rookie of the Week award last week and Clyde Reed was named Offensive Lineman of the Week two weeks ago.

Rounding out the list of Monday’s MEAC honorees were Howard University linebacker Danual Pearce (Defensive Player of the Week), Florida A&M running back Demetric Henry (Rookie of the Week) and place-kicker Wesley Taylor (Special Teams Player of the Week).

Pough looking to next must-win game rather than back at Hampton

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Tuesday, October 24, 2006

''Win or go home'' remains the primary rallying cry for the South Carolina State football team.

In keeping with the theme, Bulldog head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough spent Monday talking less about last weekend's 13-6 victory over Hampton and more about this Saturday's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference road contest against Delaware State.

As satisfying it was to the Bulldogs (4-3, 3-1) in beating the previously 11th-ranked and two-time defending conference champions, Pough sees the game against the Hornets as ''Championship Game #5'' with four regular-season games remaining.

"You've got to get over it now and move on," he said. "The best thing about our situation is that it gives you a real sense of having to get over the previous game because that one means nothing now to us. It's all about the next game."

In the vastly improved Hornets (5-2, 4-1) under second-year head coach Al Lavan, Pough sees an opponent with as much size up front and speed in the linebacking corps as Hampton. The Hornets rank second only to the Bulldogs in rushing offense (181.6 yards per game) thanks to having the conference's leading rusher senior Emmanuel Marc (749 yards, seven TDs). Quarterback Vashon Winton (79-130 passing, 959 yards, nine TDs, two INTs; 167 rushing yards) is just as much a double threat running and passing as SCSU's Cleveland McCoy and he has a main target in the MEAC's receiving yardage leader in junior Shaheer McBride (40 catches, 636 yards, eight TDs).

SCSU played host to Delaware State last season for Homecoming and needed a second-half surge after a scoreless first half to pull off a 24-3 victory. Playing in Dover at night where temperatures are expected in the high 50s and a constant wind is a concern, Pough expects an even more inspired effort by a Hornets' team that is locked in a three-way tie in the loss column with SCSU and Hampton.

"We've got to prepare in a way that we can have a chance against Delaware," Pough said. "This team last year came in and played us off our feet here for Homecoming. They are 5-2 and are having a tremendous year. They've got a lot of confidence. Coach Lavan has done a tremendous job of improving that team from last year.

"They match up really good with us. What I meant to say is that they really match up really bad for us because they seem to do exactly what hurts us the most and that is they do a nice job of taking away the run and they don't turn the football over. As a matter of fact, they may have a better turnover margin than we do (Delaware State leads the MEAC with a plus-10 turnover margin, followed by SCSU at plus-4). So, it's going to be a tough football game for us this weekend."

During the Bulldogs' three-game winning streak, the running game has stood prominent sparked by the ''Thunder and Lightning'' duo of senior DeShawn Baker and redshirt freshman Will Ford. Against Hampton, it was a ''six-legged monster'' with quarterback and this week's MEAC Player of the Week Cleveland McCoy who had 114 of the team's 268 rushing yards.

Defensively, SCSU looks to continue its revival from early-season struggles. Sparked by senior defensive lineman Eric Turner, BANDIT Marshall McFadden and linebackers Patrick Reed and David Erby, the Bulldogs have held their last three opponents to 49 yards per game. Since inserting free safety Thomas Stanley and defensive backs Terrance Allen and Bailey Brinson into the starting lineup, the secondary has collected four interceptions in the last three games.

A win by SCSU would make it the only MEAC team to control its own destiny. The Bulldogs would also have history working for them should they defeat Delaware State with 11 consecutive victories in the month of November since Pough's arrival in 2002.

"We've got to win this one in October first," he cautioned.

James Lee (LG, 6-6, 300, Sr. – Belle Glade, Fla.)

Paved the way for a dominating Bulldog ground attack against Hampton. He graded out at 85% on all assignments, while recording eight pancake blocks. S.C. State compiled 349 yards of total offense, including 268 yards rushing.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Cleveland McCoy of South Carolina State University and Howard University linebacker Danual Pearce were named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) offensive and defensive Players of the week, the league announced on Monday.





McCoy (QB, 6-2, 215, r-Jr. – Hollywood, S.C.)
was the difference maker in the Bulldogs upset victory over Hampton. He led the Bulldogs rushing attack that put up 295 yards on the Hampton defense, finishing with 114 yards on 17 carries. After Hampton scored on its opening drive, McCoy led his team on an 8-play, 64 yard drive, capped off by his 17-yard run for the game’s only touchdown and a 7-3 lead. The 114 rushing yards were the most by McCoy this season and his first 100-yard rushing game this year. He also completed 8-of-14 passes for 81 yards.

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Monday, October 23, 2006

For at least a week, Oliver “Buddy” Pough does not have to worry about answering the following question:

“Can he win the big one?”

It’s a question that has hovered over him since he returned to his alma mater in 2002 as head coach. Despite having a winning record during his first four seasons, comparable to his mentor and former Bulldog coaching legend Willie Jeffries, the losses in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games against Hampton and Bethune-Cookman and the non-conference setbacks to Coastal Carolina and Wofford had some Bulldog fans questioning whether Pough could take the program to the next level.

The 1-3 start after an off-season in which Pough revamped his coaching staff and offensive and defensive schemes only emboldened those same fans to try to stick Pough with the same label as Texas head coach Mack Brown prior to winning last year’s national championship – a good head coach who can’t win the big game.

While there’s still plenty of regular-season remaining, it’s hard to imagine the Bulldogs picking up a victory as big as Saturday’s 13-6 win over Hampton.

It was an effort made possible by the many changes which were designed by Pough to help SCSU match up better with the Pirates.

A more strenuous summer strength and conditioning program orchestrated by Thomas Stallworth helped the Bulldogs win the war in the trenches on both sides of the football. The utilization of a pro-set offense has produced the top rushing attack in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with DeShawn Baker and William Ford.

Perhaps the biggest in-season change which has paid off for Pough was the reshuffling of the secondary, which better responded to new defensive coordinator Thomas Evangelista. After the debacles against Bethune-Cookman and Coastal Carolina, the Bulldogs used the bye week to do some soul searching.

This also applied to the coaches, which prompted Pough to correct a mistake.

Having relegated redshirt defensive backs senior T.J. Stanley and sophomore Terrance Allen to reserve duty, Pough came to a realization the answer to his secondary woes were right in front of him.

“(Stanley’s) a guy that’s a fourth-year guy who hadn’t played much,” he said. “We tried to run him off. (Allen) and T.J. Stanley, I told them (Saturday) before the game ’I don’t know if I would have been the same person that they are knowing how hard we tried to run those guys off because we thought we had all these hotshots and young guys to play, and they were going to be so much better than the guys that we had.

“These guys come on and eventually they say ’Hey, we can put you in the right places and make you play better if you just give us a little opportunity. Those guys got in there and it’s been night and day since that open week when they got a chance to really get in there and get some work and get everything done for us.”

As it turned out, Allen and Stanley where two of the Bulldogs’ three-leading tacklers on Saturday. Where their value as leaders have paid off is statistically where the Bulldogs have collected four interceptions during their three-game winning streak. More important, it allowed sophomore Marshall McFadden to move back to his natural freelancing position of BANDIT where he’s able to make game-changing plays as he did with the late interception against Hampton.

Pough and the SCSU secondary were not the only ones who gained some vindication Saturday. Like his head coach, doubt was cast in some circles in regards to quarterback Cleveland McCoy’s ability to win a big game. Those questions grew even louder during the Bulldogs’ slow start and last week’s 3-14 passing performance against Florida A&M.

Entering Saturday’s game against Hampton, McCoy had one single-minded purpose – do everything in his power to lead SCSU to victory.

“I had that mentality all week,” McCoy said. “I was like ’Man, I would have to play hard today.’ You know how you can feel it during the week, I felt like there was one play where I could make a difference.”

It’s exactly what Hampton head football coach Joe Taylor thought as well, even predicting during Tuesday’s teleconference that McCoy was “the difference-maker” for SCSU. McCoy wasted little time proving Taylor prophetic with a 15-yard run on third down where he somehow stayed upright and spun away from Pirate defensive end Alden Blizzard’s grasp by the collar.

Minutes later, McCoy faked the option toss and sprinted 17 yards for what proved to be the game’s only touchdown. On the next series, it was his 32-yard run which set up the first of two Mike Gaston field goals which provided the cushion the defense needed to preserve to get the win.

He also had a nifty 14-yard completion to Tre Young on the first drive of the second half in which McCoy scrambled away from three Hampton defenders and had the presence of mind to avoid crossing the line of scrimmage. The pass set up Gaston’s second field goal of the game and was only score of the second half.

Even more noticeable than the poise and decision-making displayed by McCoy was his tenacity. He twice left the game in the first half with cramps in his non-throwing arm and a gash on his right arm, only to return to lead SCSU.

In other words, McCoy played like a true Bulldog.

“All the bad things that happen, all the mistakes he makes, it’s hard to get mad at the guy because the guy gives you everything’s he’s got on every snap,” Pough said.

While insisting he had nothing to prove Saturday, McCoy did not shy away from the challenge to lead his team.

“I try to stay away from that because nobody knows the inside part of me,” he said. “I wasn’t really focused on that because I know the guys look up to me.

“I’ve got this mentor and he told me ’When you’re not out there, it just feels like a totally different game because the guys really depend on me’ and I knew that and I had to take that responsibility.”

The next four weeks will determine if the Bulldogs can ’run the table’ and win the MEAC title. After Saturday’s performance, it should be the only question Pough, McCoy and company should have to answer.

-- T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com.

click the link above!

S.C. State 13, Hampton 6


BY JOHN DEVLIN
Special to The Post and Courier


ORANGEBURG - South Carolina State's penchant for coming up small in big games came to an end Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

Buddy Pough's Bulldogs, who got off to a dreadful 1-3 start, put themselves in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference driver's seat with a 13-6 win over the undefeated and nationally ranked Hampton Pirates before a crowd of more than 9,000.

S.C. State (4-3 overall, 3-1 in MEAC play) can secure its first NCAA Division I-AA playoff berth since 1982 by winning its final four games, beginning with next week's tough road test at Delaware State.

"This is such a big win because Hampton is what they are," said Pough. "When we had our off week after we lost to Coastal Carolina, we did a lot of soul searching and moved some people around on defense.

"And I raised my intensity level, too. We had our backs to the wall and I had to convey the urgency of the situation. Even now, we have to understand that one loss still means the end of our season. We have to continue to win, or go home."

The Bulldogs did, however, send a message while ending Hampton's 17-game MEAC and 24-game regular-season winning streaks. The Pirates fell to 7-1 overall, 4-1 in the MEAC.

"I felt like we got equal contributions on both sides of the ball, but I'll be honest, the defense just played magnificently," said Pough. "We felt like we could deny Hampton the run, and that's just what we did."

The vaunted Pirates offense came into the game averaging 180.1 yards on the ground, 372.7 yards overall, and 37.1 points a game. Saturday's yield was 50 yards rushing on 22 attempts, 201 total offensive yards and two field goals.

The S.C. State defensive leader was senior tackle Eric Turner, who had two solo tackles, three assists, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

"Hampton had beaten us for three straight years, so I have respect for them, but I also felt that we had the ability to play like we did today," said the 260-pound senior from Athens, Ga.

"It's just an unbelievable feeling we have as a team right now. Our goal from the beginning of the season was to win the championship and make the playoffs, and we've given ourselves that chance."

The Bulldogs scored the only touchdown of the game on their first possession, marching 64 yards in eight plays after Hampton's Andrew Paterini opened the scoring with a 38-yard field goal at 11:50 of the first quarter.

Quarterback Cleveland McCoy did the bulk of the work, scoring on a 17-yard option run around the left side, and picking up a key first down with a 15-yard jaunt to the Hampton 42 on third-and-13 play.

Mike Gaston kicked the PAT for what proved to be the winning point, and later added field goals of 30 and 32 yards.

First Quarter

Hamp-FG Paterini 38, 11:50.

SCSU-McCoy 17 run (Gaston kick), 8:35.

SCSU-FG Gaston 30, :58.

Second Quarter

Hamp-FG Paterini 41, 4:52.

Third Quarter

SCSU-FG Gaston 32, 8:20.

A-9,090.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Hampton, Beverly 11-29, Shepherd 7-10, Teel 1-10, Coleman 1-2, O.Jones 2-(minus 1). S. Carolina St., McCoy 17-114, Baker 21-91, Ford 9-60, Hemby 2-5, Team 2-(minus 2).

PASSING-Hampton, Shepherd 16-25-1-151, O.Jones 0-1-0-0. S. Carolina St., McCoy 8-14-0-81.

RECEIVING-Hampton, McDaniel 5-85, Gilchrist 4-14, Beverly 3-18, O.Jones 1-17, Alston 1-6, Payton 1-6, Lomax 1-5. S. Carolina St., Dubose 6-59, R.Young 1-14, McCloud 1-8.

Gwendolyn D. Wilson, interim chairwoman of S.C. State University’s audiology department, recently was elected vice president for professional practices in audiology for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Wilson is the first executive officer of the association elected from South Carolina, and she is the first African-American elected to the position in the association’s 75-year-plus history.

She will serve a two-year term.

S.C. State Shocker



By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer
Sunday, October 22, 2006

The thoughts of defensive lineman Xavier Littleberry was in line with his South Carolina State teammates as they led 11th-ranked Hampton by seven points late in Saturday's showdown at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

"Hold 'em" was the only thing on the mind of Littleberry, his teammates and the 9,090 fans in attendance as the Pirates took over on downs at their own 20 with 3:26 remaining following a missed field goal by SCSU's Mike Gaston. As Hampton marched to the SCSU 49-yard line, memories of victories getting snatched away by the likes of Hampton and Coastal Carolina made for nervous times on the Bulldog sidelines.

With Hampton facing a fourth-and-nine with 1:27 remaining, SCSU defense eased those fears as sophomore BANDIT Marshall McFadden came away with what he called the "biggest pick" of his entire football career. Staying in front of the intended receiver, "The Natural" made a leaping grab of Hampton quarterback Princeton Shepherd's pass for the two-handed interception at the SCSU 35.

McFadden's pick allowed SCSU to run off the clock and set up a wild celebration in the closing seconds of the 13-6 victory. It was the third straight win for SCSU and just the second in 13 meetings over the defending black college football co-national champion and two-time MEAC champions.

The win also ended the 17-game conference and 24-game regular-season winning streaks of Hampton (7-1, 5-1), who were held to its lowest point total in three years. More importantly, the Bulldogs put themselves after a 1-3 start into a three-way tie for first place in the loss column with Hampton and next week's opponent Delaware State.

"Y'all said we were dead," said a jubilant SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough. "Our defense just continue to try to fight and every week we've gotten a little bit better. I think we're getting to be pretty good."

In giving Pough his biggest victory in five seasons as head coach and defeating its highest-ranked foe since a 17-6 win over then 10th-ranked Furman in 1997, SCSU (4-3, 3-1) limited the Pirates to 11 first-downs and four of 12 on third-down conversions. For the second straight home game, the Bulldogs' defensive line won the battle in the trenches in limiting a Hampton running attack which only had for one play preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Alonzo Coleman, who suffered from a hip pointer, to just 65 yards.

"You've got to have it in your heart," McFadden said. "Our defense came together. We had it in our heart. And today, we either 'win or go home' and we weren't trying to go home. That's why we came out there and played our heart out on offense and defense."

"Their defensive line just beat our offensive line up," Hampton head football coach Joe Taylor said. "They just won in the trenches."

The same was true for the SCSU offensive line which paved the way for 349 total yards, 268 coming on the ground. While the 'Thunder and Lightning' backfield of senior DeShawn Baker and freshman Will Ford combined for 151 yards, it was quarterback Cleveland McCoy who led the team in rushing with 114 yards and the game's lone touchdown run in the first quarter.

Despite cramps in his non-throwing arm which forced him to miss a series in the start of the second quarter, McCoy also threw for 81 yards on 8-14 passing, living up to Taylor's pre-game prediction that he would be the difference-maker in the game.

"I hate to be a prophet, but I guess I was," said Taylor, who dropped to 11-4-1 in his career against SCSU. "He's definitely the difference-maker. We just had no answers for him. Even when he thought we had him, he still ran hard. He's just an outstanding football player."

SCSU nearly gained possession of the football deep in Hampton territory to start the game. Chris Dupree's opening kickoff bounced off Hampton's Antonio Brown and a pileup ensued at the 31-yard line.

Hampton's Jason Tomlin recovered the football and proceeded to drive downfield for a 38-yard field goal by Andrew Paterini to take a 3-0 lead with 11:50 remaining in the first quarter. The kick was set up by a one-handed catch and run by wide receiver Marquay McDaniel on a 32-yard pass by Shepherd.

As Taylor feared, McCoy made an immediate impact in guiding the Bulldogs to 10 unanswered points. On SCSU's first drive, McCoy converted a third-and-13 by staying upright after breaking free from a 'necktie' tackle and picking up 15 yards. He then converted another third-down play with a 15-yard completion to Dustin Dubose and two plays later, ran a 17-yard keeper into the endzone to give SCSU a 7-3 advantage.

After a Hampton punt, SCSU advanced the football to the 49-yard line on a 10-yard reception and 20-yard run by Ford. Calling his own number again, McCoy ran another keeper for 32 yards to help set up Gaston's 30-yard field goal with 58 seconds left in the first quarter.

Following the scoring drive, McCoy was treated on the sidelines for his arm cramps. He was replaced for one series by Russell Hemby at the start of the second quarter.

With its running game hampered by the absence of Coleman, Hampton put together its longest scoring drive of the game. Starting from the SCSU 20, the Pirates went 57 yards on 13 plays and got a pair of key first-down completions by Shepherd to McDaniel, who had five catches for 85 yards, to set up Paterini's 41-yard field goal with 4:52 remaining in the second quarter.

Shepherd, a Columbia native, accounted for 161 of his team's 201 total yards on 16-25 passing for 151 yards and 10 rushing yards. However, the nation's second-leading touchdown passer failed to complete a touchdown for only the eighth time as a starter and was sacked twice.

SCSU had an opportunity to add to its lead before halftime, but Dupree's 40-yard attempt sailed wide right with 11 seconds remaining.

The Bulldogs would not fail to capitalize to start the second half. From its own 13, SCSU came out with 'Thunder' as Baker pounded away for 42 of his 91 yards during a 6 1/2 minute, 12-play, 51-yard drive which produced the only second-half score on a 32-yard field goal by Gaston with 8:40 remaining in the third quarter.

SCSU had to settle on the kick after a 38-yard touchdown reception by Dubose, who had a career-high six catches for 59 yards, was called back on a holding penalty.

With SCSU holding the football a total of 20 minutes and 56 seconds in the second half, Hampton saw its offensive opportunities limited to just four first-downs and 67 total yards in the final two quarters. The Pirates would advance into SCSU territory twice in the second half, with the drives ending with a punt and the game-clinching interception by McFadden.

"They just had more intensity than us the whole game," said linebacker and Florence native Justin Durant, one of three Hampton starters who returned to the Palmetto State on Saturday. "I wouldn't say we necessarily got beat up. But, they had more energy. They played with more intensity. We didn't step up to the challenge."

Amid the joyous atmosphere in the SCSU locker room, which aired over the new scoreboard, the team's 'win or go home' resolve remained as strong as

ever as they enter the final four games.

"We've got to continue to do what we do," McFadden said. "Just come to practice and work hard...and just play great offense and defense. We're ready to move forward."

Bulldog notes

SCSU improved to 11-0 in games aired nationally on cable television under head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough and 6-0 on the ESPN family. Saturday's game was aired on tape delay on ESPNU. "They need the Delaware game next week," Pough said...Saturday's game drew a 'Who's Who of statewide politics. Both South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and state treasurer Grady Patterson were in attendance and each, along with U.S House of Representative member Jim Clyburn, State Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom and Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller, taped special messages which aired on the new SCSU scoreboard during the game...SCSU has yet to allow an offensive touchdown in two home games and have outscored its two Virginia opponents 60-16....The last time Hampton scored six or less points in a game was 2003 against Villanova. It did extend its streak of consecutive games without a shutout to 254...SCSU improved to 33-4 under Pough in games where it either led or was tied at halftime.

GREAT JOB PLAYERS...POUGH......AND STAFF!!!!!

Saturday, October 21, 2006

T&D Staff Report

T&D Staff Report

South Carolina State University inducted 10 former athletes into its Hall of Fame in a ceremony held Friday at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. Inductees were:

Jackie Robinson (basketball 1990-93) – Among the league’s leading scorers and rebounders while at S.C. State, he averaged 16.8 points and 7.8 boards for his career.

Wanda Wiggins (basketball 1991-94) – Starred at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School before going on to an illustrious basketball career at South Carolina State where she was named MEAC Player of the Year in 1994.

Keshia Campbell (basketball 1987-91) – Campbell led the Bulldogs in rebounding and scoring as a senior when she was named MEAC Player of the Year. Six years later, Campbell was named head women’s basketball coach of the Lady Bulldogs and served seven seasons.

Chartric Darby (football 1994-97) – A 1998 graduate of SCSU who twice earned All-MEAC honors and set the career record for sacks at SCSU, Darby, a North native, earned a championship with Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.

Ricky Anderson (football 1974-78) – An All-American running back during his tenure at S.C. State.

William Judson (football 1977-81) – A standout player for the Bulldogs, Judson went on to compete in two Super Bowls at DB with Miami.

Willie J. Heggins – The only enshrinee in baseball, Heggins played for the Bulldogs from 1959 to 1962.

Charles Lumpkin – headlined the Bulldog swim team from 1969 to 1973.

Stephen Martin – Part of South Carolina State’s track team from 1981 to 1983.

BY ANDREW MILLER
The Post and Courier


The last two weeks, less has been more for the South Carolina State Bulldogs.

In an effort to jump-start the Bulldogs' struggling offense, S.C. State coach Buddy Pough decided to simplify the team's offensive scheme during a recent open date.

The Bulldogs stumbled to a 1-3 mark after their first four games, but have rebounded with two straight victories over Norfolk State (47-10) and Florida A&M (28-21).

"It's been like night and day with the offense," Pough said. "We probably tried to put too much in, too early and that hurt us. We just trimmed some things out of the playbook and got back to basics. I think that's helped our execution. I'm really proud of the way our guys have hung in there through the adversity we had early in the season. We've got a lot of character on this team."

The Bulldogs will need every bit of their offense when they take on Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference power Hampton this afternoon beginning beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Oliver Dawson Stadium.

Getting back to basics means getting the ball into the hands of running backs DeShawn Baker and William Ford. Baker and Ford are among the MEAC leaders in rushing this season. Baker is averaging 99.5 yards a game, while Ford has 477 yards and six TDs in six games.

"I think we've got the best running back tandem in the conference," Pough said. "DeShawn just seems to get better and better as the game goes and William has a lot of DeShawn's ability, but with a little more speed."

Historically, the Bulldogs have had very little success against Hampton. The Bulldogs are just 1-13 against the 11th-ranked Pirates all-time. S.C. State's only victory came in 2002 when the Bulldogs beat the Pirates, 47-41, in overtime during Pough's first season as head coach.

A year ago, Hampton linebacker Rudolph Foye sacked Bulldogs quarterback Cleveland McCoy on a fourth-and-2 play at the Pirates' 26 to preserve a 14-10 victory.

"We've been close, but we haven't gotten over the hump in a while," Pough said. "I don't think we're intimidated by them. I think our players believe they can beat them. We had plenty of chances to win last year's game, but couldn't make a play when we needed it in the fourth quarter."

Two of the Pirates best players hail from South Carolina. Quarterback Princeton Shepherd went to Spring Valley High School, while linebacker Justin Durant went to Wilson High School.

Shepherd has completed 90 of 131 passes for 1,132 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Durant is the two-time defensive player of the year in the MEAC. Durant has 55 tackles in six games with nine tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.

"Princeton is a big, strong kid that can really throw the football," Pough said. "You just can't block Justin Durant. He seems like he's in on every tackle."


Reach Andrew Miller at 937-5599 or at apmiller@postandcourier.com.

Separating contenders, pretenders



BY KEN BURGER
The Post and Courier


We have finally reached that pivotal point in the college football season when reality begins to replace preseason expectation.

Is your favorite team a contender or a pretender? Through the first half of the season, it can be difficult to tell.

Non-conference games. Cupcake opponents. They all serve to boost the confidence of your team and inflate the win-loss record.

But has your team really been tested?

How will it stand up under pressure?

Have injuries taken an early toll?

Has your offense jelled?

Does your defense show weaknesses?

These are the things that keep coaches awake at night and fans wringing their hands in the stands.

Each season is a puzzle that must be solved. Each team is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. There are so many moving parts. So many possibilities.

Can Tommy Bowden and the Tigers continue to win and reclaim Clemson's reputation as the team to beat in the ACC?

Can Steve Spurrier craft this USC club into a group of Gamecocks that can create havoc in the SEC East Division?

Today's games will answer those questions and many others as we move into the meat of the college football schedule.

Bon appetit!

The picks

GEORGIA TECH at CLEMSON: If ESPN is on campus for "GameDay," it must be huge. And if the Tigers are serious about contending for a conference title, they absolutely must win this game. CLEMSON by 5.


SOUTH CAROLINA at VANDERBILT: Remember when Vandy was an automatic W? Not anymore. The Gamecocks could have their hands full in Nashville today. USC by 6.


WESTERN CAROLINA at THE CITADEL: The Bulldogs need to play a complete game of football to beat the Catamounts. Carpe diem. CITADEL by 14.


VMI at CHARLESTON SOUTHERN: The Bucs are undefeated and on a roll, but the schedule goes uphill from here. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt. CSU by 9.


HAMPTON at S.C. STATE: I still love the Bulldogs! S.C. STATE by 3.


BOSTON COLLEGE at FLORIDA STATE: Clemson fans will be watching this one closely. FSU by 1.


ALABAMA at TENNESSEE: The Vols are back. TENNESSEE by 13.


MISSISSIPPI STATE at GEORGIA: The Dawgs' season collapsed when they lost to Vandy last week. This is just a matter of pride. GEORGIA by 11.


IOWA at MICHIGAN: I wish they were all this easy. MICHIGAN by 17.


TEXAS at NEBRASKA: Tempting, but... TEXAS by 10.

Reach Ken Burger at kburger@postandcourier.com or 937-5598

'I want to win the war on terror'



By LEE HENDREN, T&D Staff Writer
Saturday, October 21, 2006

Democratic Sen. John Kerry says the man who beat him in the 2004 presidential election, Republican President George W. Bush, has blundered badly while in office.

"Every mistake in the book that could be made, this administration has made," the senator from Massachusetts said Friday at South Carolina State University.

As a result, Iraq is embroiled in a "civil war," North Korea has enlarged its nuclear weapon capability and America has seen the return of a "segregated school system," Kerry said.

"Ask any American when we were safer. We were safer under Clinton. This president (Bush) has made America less secure," Kerry declared.

Kerry was the keynote speaker at a get-out-the-vote rally sponsored by the university's Young Democrats Club.

Present at the event was the Rev. David Alston, who served with Kerry on a swiftboat during the Vietnam War.

"He can tell you that we actually were in Vietnam," Kerry said wryly, referring to opponents' attacks during the last presidential election.

"We thought the truth was out there, and we relied on Americans and their good judgment to see it. But when you're putting millions of dollars behind lies, it has impact," he said, calling it a "lesson learned."

Standing on the edge of the stage in the Barbara A. Vaughan Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Building, Kerry opened his presentation with a television talk-show style monologue:

* "South Carolina State was founded in 1896, which means it's actually older than Strom Thurmond," he quipped.

* "It's a very exciting day for the Republican Party: No Republican congressman was indicted today."

* "It's been about seven months, and Dick Cheney hasn't shot anybody."

* "The president was on ABC-TV doing an interview with (George) Stephanopolous. He compared Iraq to Vietnam. How the hell does he know?"

* "You guys are great. (In the 2004 campaign) you worked your hearts out and gave money you didn't have. You knocked on doors and you worked unbelievably hard, and I can't thank you enough for that. You did everything except move to Ohio."

Then he turned serious.

"We've got a little less than two weeks, and there's an amazing seriousness that has set into America. You're here today but not enough people have tuned in to what's going on.

"This administration says there's no civil war in Iraq. That's a lie. Every expert will tell you there's a civil war. You can see it on television yourself every day," Kerry said.

"They say that the Johns Hopkins study (of deaths resulting from the war) is phony. That's a lie," Kerry continued.

"Our troops are the best trained and most capable," Kerry said. Yet the American military has been in Iraq for longer than it took them to win World War II, Kerry said.

Islam is a peaceful religion, Kerry said, but violent radical Islamists pose "an enormous challenge to our nation" and "for us to meet this challenge, you have to get it right."

America is not going to win the hearts and minds of the Arab street "if you have Guantanamos and Abu Ghraibs and if you're arguing in America over whether or not you ought to be torturing" prisoners, Kerry said.

"You tell me, what are our troops supposed to do? Find every improvised explosive device there is, the hard way?" he asked. "They deserve civilian leadership that is as good and as honest as they are."

Kerry expanded on his comments in a later interview with The T&D.

"Even today, our own military people, on the front pages of the newspapers, are saying this is the worst they've seen and we've got to change course," he said.

"I guarantee you: After this election, there's going to be a shift in what's happening in Iraq. There has to be.

"Our troops are locked in a civil war, and we didn't send them there to be in a civil war. I think Congress has got to start looking at holding this administration accountable.

"I want to win the war on terror. I want to fight it smarter, and the way you fight it smarter is by not being bogged down in Iraq. Afghanistan is the center of the war on terror, and that's where we ought to be putting the focus."

When a Charleston television reporter asked Kerry if he would be a candidate for president in 2008, he replied, "I'm going to make a decision after the '06 elections, when I've had a chance to sit down with my family and see how we do in '06."

One person who hopes he will run is Orlando White, a Denmark resident and Orangeburg businessman.

"I hope he's successful this time around," White said.

Kerry already was successful in convincing one audience member to take part in the Nov. 7 balloting.

Before, "I wasn't sure if I was, but I know now, I'm going to go and vote," said Philip Burt of Sumter, a freshman at S.C. State.

Aaron Haire of Orangeburg, a sophomore biology major at S.C. State, said Kerry "hit on everything the general community really is concerned about, what people are thinking but have not necessarily brought forward and said."

"I'm glad he hit on the point about education (being) the key to success and the key to your future" and the problem of inequalities in education funding, said Haire, who is the son of City Councilman Bernard Haire.

Ulysses S. Jarvis Jr. of Orangeburg said, "It gives the college students a different view, I think, to meet political leaders in person rather than on television."

"I think it's nice that he came to Orangeburg," Jarvis continued. "Orangeburg is one of the Democratic strongholds in South Carolina. He would be very remiss if he comes to South Carolina and doesn't come to Orangeburg."

During his speech, Kerry acknowledged his friend, state Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, who played a key role in arranging Kerry's appearance. He also acknowledged U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn's chief of staff in the audience. Clyburn was in Florida, stumping for fellow Democrats, Kerry said.

Kerry acknowledged platform guest Cheryl Footman, an Orangeburg resident and the party's candidate for S.C. secretary of state. "We know from Florida and Ohio that secretaries of state matter," he said.

As a Democratic stronghold in a state with early primaries by both parties, "Orangeburg is center stage" for presidential aspirants, said Govan, who added that it's still much too early for him to endorse Kerry or anyone else for president in 2008.

Kerry's visit follows one by Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, who later decided not to run for president, and it comes a week before another likely hopeful, Sen. Christopher Dodd, is scheduled to visit Orangeburg.

Like many prominent Democrats who visit Orangeburg, Kerry found a friendly and enthusiastic audience. Despite a tight schedule, he lingered to pose for snapshots with admirers and even squeezed in a handful of individual private conversations.

Just before his mini-motorcade pulled away, a smiling Kerry signaled his satisfaction about his visit here by giving Govan a hearty thumbs-up.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

SCSU faces critical test
against Hampton


Saturday, October 21, 2006

Thomas Grant, Jr.
T&D Senior Sports Writer

By THOMAS GRANT JR.

T&D Senior Sports Writer

Long before a national cable television audience views it on tape delay, followers of Division I-AA will have their eyes fixated today on Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

The recently-refurbished home of the South Carolina State University football team is the site of one of the most important and anticipated matchups in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this season. At 1:30 p.m., the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1) will play host to undefeated, 11th-ranked and two-time defending conference champion Hampton University (7-0, 5-0).

It’s a contest pitting two teams who were picked to finish first and second, respectively, in the preseason conference poll.

For SCSU, the contest is essentially an “elimination game” in that a loss means the end to their MEAC title hopes. Since starting out 1-3, the Bulldogs have run off two consecutive victories – over Norfolk State and Florida A&M – and, with a victory today over the Pirates, will gain a valuable tiebreaker advantage which could prove vital down the stretch.

Thus, SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough has adopted a team motto which best describes the scenario his team will face each week for the rest of the season: “Win or go home.”

“It is (a big game), but then the plot just thickens after that point if we win,” Pough said earlier this week. “The thing that we’ve got to do is we’ve just got to continue to win and as long as we do, then we’re fine. Any point thereafter, if we should lose, then it’s just the opposite.”

SCSU will rely on its “Thunder and Lighting” backfield, which has amassed 590 yards the past two games. Senior DeShawn Baker (100 carries, 597 yards, six TDs) is on pace to become the first Bulldog since Michael Hicks to rush for 1,000 yards in three seasons, while freshman and reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week Will Ford (51 carries, 477 yards, six TDs) is averaging a Division I-AA-leading 9.4 yards per carry.

Enabling the ground game’s success is a physical, athletic offensive line anchored in the middle by sophomore Raymond “Duck” Harrison and right guard and Sheridan Sports first-team All-American Clyde Reed.

The Bulldogs are also hoping for a consistent game from quarterback Cleveland McCoy. Despite the Hollywood native coming off his worst game of the season (3-14 passing for 65 yards, one INT), Hampton head coach Joe Taylor believes he can be a difference-maker today.

“He throws the ball well and I think he’s the third-leading receiver,” he said during Tuesday’s teleconference. “They have a lot of plays in there for him.”

Defensively, the Bulldogs have rebounded from an early-season stretch where teams were able to exploit their young secondary for points and yardage. With the defensive line allowing just 96 yards the past two games, the secondary has collected three interceptions during that same span.

Pough gives credit for the improved play to everything from the leadership provided by redshirt senior T.J. Stanley to a secondary with young defensive backs like Markee Hamlin, Terrance Allen and Bailey Brinson.

Beating Hampton is easier said than done, especially for SCSU. The Bulldogs are lifetime 1-11 against the Pirates (the lone win coming in 2002 by a 47-41 score in double overtime in Orangeburg) and 3-11-1 against Taylor, dating back to his head coaching days at Virginia Union.

In addition, the Pirates own a 24-game, regular-season winning streak and have won 17 consecutive MEAC games dating back to the 2004 season.

Hampton is led by a pair of South Carolina natives on both sides of the football in quarterback Princeton Shephard of Spring Valley High School, who has thrown 15 TDs this season and earned MEAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after throwing a career-high four touchdowns against Norfolk State, and inside linebacker Justin Durant of Wilson High School, a two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award as the nation’s best defensive player.

Shepherd and Durant are two of six Palmetto State players on the Pirates’ roster. Conversely, SCSU has two players from Hampton in freshman defensive lineman Markus Jones and defensive back Robert “B.J.” Revis.

Hampton also has its own 1-2 punch in the backfield with preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Alonzo Coleman and junior transfer and team rushing leader Kevin Beverly. Coleman has been hobbled by a hip pointer, aggravated last week against Norfolk State.

In addition, the Pirates are very dangerous on special teams. The all-time Division I-AA leader in punt returns is wide receiver Marquay McDaniel, who scored two touchdowns in last year’s 14-10 loss to Hampton by SCSU. Freshman Kevin Teel leads the nation in kick returns and Hampton has blocked 26 kicks since 2003.

If there’s one advantage SCSU hopes to work to its advantage, it is its unblemished record in nationally televised games on cable under Pough. Since his arrival in 2002, the Bulldogs are a perfect 10-0 on national cable television and are 4-0 in games aired by the ESPN family.

This is SCSU’s lone scheduled ESPNU appearance this season. Today is also billed as the Hall of Fame Game as the 10 people who were inducted Friday night into the SCSU Athletics Hall of Fame will be presented before the fans at halftime.

After drawing 15,304 fans two weeks ago for the home opener, Pough is counting on another strong showing of fan support for an even more critical game.

“With all the things we have going on here this weekend, being our Hall of Fame weekend, playing Hampton here, our band, Hampton’s band, I’m thinking our people will come out and support us and enjoy all of the festivities surrounding the game,” he said.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant can be reached by email at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by office phone at 533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

'Thunder and Lightning'



By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Friday, October 20, 2006

Today's forecast calls for mostly sunny skies above the city of Orangeburg.

Over at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, South Carolina State football fans are counting on seeing plenty of "Thunder and Lightning" for the 1:30 p.m. showdown with 11th-ranked and undefeated Hampton University.

In Deshawn Baker and William Ford, SCSU have the main components of the top-rushing offense in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Running behind an offensive line playing in top form, the Bulldog duo has combined for 1,074 yards and 12 touchdowns and rank 2-3, respectively, in the conference individual rushing standings.

Entering his fourth season, Baker has rushed for 597 yards and six TDs and is on pace to join Michael Hicks as the only SCSU running backs to rush for 1,000 yards in three seasons. In just his first season, Ford is third in the conference in rushing with 477 yards and six touchdowns and his 9.4 yards per carry is the highest among the top 100 statistical Division I-AA running backs.

The two have helped SCSU's ground game amass 590 yards in victories over Norfolk State and Florida A&M. There was especially high frequency of 'Thunder and Lightning' in Tallahassee where Baker and Ford accounted for 285 of the Bulldogs' 315 rushing yards in the 28-21 victory over Florida A&M.

Sharing the backfield with a shifty running back is nothing new for Baker, who played alongside Coty Martin for two seasons. In fact, Pough said Baker is more than happy splitting time with his "Little Brother," serving as a mentor off the field in helping him acclimate to SCSU life.

On the field, the Bulldog duo are a study in contrasting styles which work perfectly together.

Baker is the seasoned veteran, a 6-1, 225-pound senior out of Charlotte, N.C., whose spent the better part of his four seasons at SCSU literally running roughshod over defenders. With over 2,600 yards and 30 touchdowns in his career, the preseason All-MEAC tailback is known around the conference as one of its most physical, bruising running backs.

"Baker’s a rock'em, sock'em guy," SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough said. "The biggest thing you have to worry about with DeShawn Baker is that he sometimes just wants to look for somebody to run over and sometimes even at the expense of running around and running into the end zone.

"I said 'If you just kind of just keep going that way, you can go into the end zone.' Well he says 'Yeah, but I wouldn't have gotten a chance to knock that guy out that I was trying to hit.' That's his style."

Toughness is a word also synonymous with Baker. Last season, he played through a surgically-repaired meniscus to become the first Bulldog running back in nine years to rush for over 1,000 yards.

Entering last week's game, Baker's status was questionable as he was hobbled by a painful ankle injury. Rather than limit his carries, the Bulldogs pounded away with Baker, rushing him 24 times for 153 yards and one touchdown.

"I was really proud of him more than anything because he was hurt going into that game," Pough said. "He got hurt Thursday night and his ankle was not quite 100 percent and I didn’t know if he would be worth two cents. He went out there and played his fanny off under those circumstances and not only that, he blocked good and did everything else. He had a fantastic football game under some tough circumstances."

Standing in stark contrast to Baker is the flashier, more elusive Ford. Coming out of Traveler's Rest High School, the 5-11, 185-pound redshirt freshman was ranked among the Top 25 recruits by Rivals.com after rushing for 1,849 yards and 24 TDs and winning the 100 meters in Class 3-A during his season year.

Selecting SCSU over Georgia Southern, Ford has more than made Pough a thankful head coach as he's left many a defender grasping for air during one of his spectacular scampers.

"When he gets into the secondary, if you don't tackle him real fast, he's gone," Pough said. "You'll probably tackle Baker. You probably wished you hadn't, but you'll get a chance to tackle him. Whereas Will, you won't get your hands on him."

Bulldog fans got a glimpse of Ford's game-breaking ability in Week Two against Winston Salem-State. In just his second collegiate game, Ford rushed over 170 yards on just 11 carries and scored twice.

Ford was just as effective with limited snaps against FAMU, rushing for 132 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns in earning MEAC Rookie of the Week honors for the second time. Like Baker, Ford played through a physical ailment (sore knee) to help the Bulldogs stay in the race for the conference title.

"Will is a slashing lightning bolt," Pough said. "He is about as fast as any running back I’ve seen here in the time I've been around here."

In addition to his rushing, Ford is an effective kick returner. Against Coastal Carolina, he accounted for the Bulldogs' lone second-half score with a 90-yard kickoff return TD.

For the season, Ford has nearly half the carries (51) as Baker (100) and 10 less than quarterback Cleveland McCoy. With Ford well on pace to shatter Nate Rivers' 19-year single-season school record for yards per carry (8.5), Pough is very much considering increasing his number of carries.

SCSU fans will be just happy to see plenty of 'Thunder and Lightning' -- especially in the Pirates' end zone.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com.

By SCSU Sports Information 10/20/2006 6:24:00 PM


DAYTONA BEACH, FL – The Lady Bulldogs will be looking to move on up this weekend as they face the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats and Florida A&M Lady Rattlers. Both matches are of great importance to the team as they both count towards the 2006 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings.

Coming off of last weekend’s 1-5 performance in the MEAC Round-Up, the Lady Bulldogs has the team in ninth place in the MEAC standings and will need to move up to at least eighth place to participate in the 2006 MEAC Championship tournament.

Though Sunday’s match at Florida A&M will be the Lady Bulldogs’ first meeting with the Lady Rattlers, the team did battle Bethune-Cookman to a five-game loss in Orangeburg earlier this season.

Leading the way for the Lady Bulldogs will be junior Monique Walker, who leads the team with 261 kills this season and is ranked fourth in the MEAC with a .274 hitting percentage.

The Lady Bulldogs will take on Bethune-Cookman on Friday at 5:00 p.m. before facing FAMU on Saturday in a 1:00 p.m. match.

10/19/2006 9:40:00 PM


10-19-06

Former Swansea Standout Among SCSU Hall of Fame Inductees

ORANGEBURG, SC – Jackie Robinson, who starred at Swansea High School before going on to earn All-America honors at South Carolina State, will be among ten (10) former athletes inducted into the SCSU Athletic Hall of Fame Friday in a 7 p.m. ceremony at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
Tickets for the event are $60 for adults, $40 age 15 and under, and $500 for a table of ten. Call 803-536-8579, 803-536-7190 and 803-533-3783 for more information.
Joining Robinson in the 2006 Class of inductees are Rickey Anderson (football), Keshia Campbell (basketball), Chartric Darby (football), Willie J. Heggins (baseball), William Judson (football), Charles Lumpkin (swimming), Stephen Martin (track), Wanda Wiggins (basketball) and John Williams, Jr. (track).
Robinson was one of the dominant players in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference during his four-year (1990-93) Bulldog career. Among the league’s leading scorers and rebounders while at SC State, he averaged 16.8 points and 7.8 boards for his career.
He was a three-time All-MEAC selection and was named league Player of the Year for the 1992-93 season, when he averaged 20.2 points and 7.5 rebounds. The 6-8 Robinson also earned Extra Point Club of Atlanta All-America honors twice and was a Street& Smith preseason All-America pick as a senior.
Following his Bulldog career, he played professionally in the Continental Basketball League (CBA) and the United States Basketball League (USBL). After his playing days, Robinson worked with youth in Swansea, where he stared an AAU basketball team.
Today, he is employed with the Department of Juvenile Justice.

ORANGEBURG – Elsie Brown, Ed.D., has been hired as the assistant director of Felton Laboratory School.

“Dr. Brown brings a wealth of experience that will benefit both student and faculty development,” said Dr. Vanessa Lancaster, director of Felton Laboratory School.

She will assist the director in promoting the educational development of each student by the use of leadership, supervisory and administrative skills; observe and evaluate teacher performance; work with administrators to coordinate and supervise student teachers; and organize and administer in-service teacher training.

“My goal is to provide guidance and support in order to promote the best quality education for the students at Felton Laboratory School,” said Brown.

Prior to joining SC State, Brown has served as an assistant principal with Richland County School District One. She has also served as a teacher with Calhoun County Public Schools and the Orangeburg Consolidated School Districts.

Brown received a bachelor’s degree in Biology, a master’s degree in Biology Education, Educational Specialist degree and Doctor of Education in educational administration, all from SC State. She also earned an MBA from Claflin University.

She has served as a member of the S.C. Air National Guard for the past 18 years, where she serves as the education and training manager. While serving in the military, she received associate degrees in education and training, healthcare management and personnel administration from the Community College of the Air Force.

Brown, a Calhoun Falls, S.C., native, is the daughter of Everlena Edmunds and the late Robert Edmunds. She is married to Melvin, ’78, ’84, and has one daughter, Khadija, a senior at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School.

Felton Laboratory School, originally known as Felton Training School, was established in 1920 as part SC State’s Department of Education. In 1924, a four-room building was donated by the joint cooperation of the General Education Board and the Rosenwald Fund for teacher education purposes in connection with normal course of study. In 1964, with the expansion of the Teacher Education program, a new building was constructed and Felton Training School was renamed Felton Laboratory School. Today, Felton Laboratory School strives to give the best quality education for students in Kindergarten through Eighth grade.

ORANGEBURG –The South Carolina State University Career Center will sponsor its annual Graduate and Professional Schools Day on Wednesday, October 25, 2006, in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Representatives from nearly 40 graduate and professional degree programs are slated to attend to provide guidance and information on admissions and financial aid to prospective students seeking advanced degrees.

First-time participants in the annual expo of graduate and professional schools include the Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, Ill.; DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tenn.; Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine, San Antonio, Texas; and D’Youville College, Buffalo, N.Y.

Other colleges, universities and professional programs scheduled to attend include:

Albany State University – Albany, Ga
East Tennessee State University – Johnson City, Tenn.
The Norman A. Wiggins School of Law, Campbell University – Buies Creek, N.C.
Charleston School of Law – Charleston, S.C.
Charleston Southern University – Charleston, S.C.
The Graduate School of the College of Charleston – Charleston, S.C.
Claflin University – Orangeburg, S.C.
Clemson University – Clemson, S.C.
Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine – Blacksburg, Va.
Georgia Southern University – Statesboro, Ga.
Howard University – Washington, D.C.
Indiana State University – Terre Haute, Ind.
Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa
John Marshall Law School – Atlanta, Ga.
Medical College of Georgia – Augusta, Ga.
The Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing – Charleston, S.C.
N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine – Raleigh, N.C.
The Ralph R. Papitto School of Law, Roger Williams University – Bristol, R.I.
Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic – Spartanburg, S.C.
SC State University School of Graduate Studies – Orangeburg, S.C.
Southern Wesleyan University – Cayce, S.C.
Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine – Tuskegee, Ala.
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy – Athens, Ga.
University of Phoenix – Phoenix, Ariz.
University of South Carolina School of Law – Columbia, S.C.
University of South Carolina School of Library & Information Sciences – Columbia, S.C.
University of Louisville Psychology Department – Louisville, Ky.
Strayer University – Columbia, S.C.
Troy University – Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
Webster University – Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
Webster University – Columbia, S.C.
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine – Lewisburg, W.Va.
Widener University School of Law – Wilmington, Del. / Harrisburg, Penn.
Winston-Salem State University – Winston-Salem, N.C.
Winthrop University – Rock Hill, S.C.
For additional information, please contact Joseph B. Thomas Jr. at (803) 536-8577, or Rudine Williams at (803) 536-8581.

Orangeburg – The Friends of the Miller F. Whittaker Library at South Carolina State University will host a book signing for The South Carolina Encyclopedia on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the atrium of the Fine Arts Center. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Dr. Walter Edgar, the encyclopedia’s editor, will be on hand to sign copies and discuss the compilation of essays describing the people, places and things that define South Carolina.

Copies of The South Carolina Encyclopedia will be available for purchase at the event at a reduced cost of $60 for members of The Friends of the Miller F. Whittaker Library, and those who join the organization at the day of the signing. Non-members can purchase the encyclopedia for $75. For additional information, contact Dr. William C. Hine at (803) 536-8673 or Mary Smalls at (803) 536-7045.

The South Carolina Encyclopedia is a comprehensive single-volume reference for just about anything anyone would want to know about the Palmetto State's rich cultures and storied heritage, from prehistory to the present day. The encyclopedia is an authoritative, entertaining compilation of essays by 598 contributors on a broad array of topics ranging from war and politics to arts and recreation, from agriculture and industry to popular culture and ethnicity. Among the nearly 2,000 entries are subjects related to SC State, including the institution itself, fifth President M. Maceo Nance, the Orangeburg Massacre and alumnus Benjamin E. Mays. The encyclopedia was published in September 2006. Additional information can be found online at http://www.scencyclopedia.com.

Dr. Walter Edgar is the Claude Henry Neuffer Professor of Southern Studies, George Washington Distinguished Professor of History and director of the Institute for Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina. He has written numerous books about South Carolina and the American South, including South Carolina: A History, the first new history of the state in more than 60 years, and Partisans & Redcoats: The Southern Conflict that Turned the Tide of the American Revolution. Edgar hosts two weekly radio shows heard statewide on S.C. ETV Radio: “Walter Edgar’s Journal,” a look at contemporary issues in historical context, and “Southern Read,” a reading of works by some of the best contemporary Southern writers.

By CHARLENE SLAUGHTER ,T&D Sports Editor
Friday, October 20, 2006

Buddy Pough seemed excited Thursday as he talked about South Carolina State’s facing Hampton Saturday in what he called a “win or go home” atmosphere.

Pough told Orangeburg Touchdown Club members the Bulldogs are playing a tournament style of play now “because any game we lose from that point on, it’s go home.”

“We’ve won two in a row,” he said. “Maybe we ought to try to keep this thing going or we’re done.”

His words reinforced the importance of Saturday’s game.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 28-21 win over Florida A&M University this past weekend. It was their second straight victory.

“We started with a blocked kick, got going from that point and led 14-0 at the half,” he said. “The reason it was not more was because of bone-head things I did. We were up 21-0 in the second half and ended up holding on for dear life.

League-leading Hampton owns an 11-1 edge in the series against the Bulldogs and has beaten them the past four years.

“What makes it worse, this may be the best team I’ve seen in five years,” Pough said. “They are really good on offense, just great players on the defensive front. They look kind of like we do on offense – spread out. It will be a big task to get them slowed down.”

Pough praised the play of freshman running back Will Ford and senior DeShawn Baker.

“I bet I’d go see Will Ford and DeShawn Baker play. Ford is as fast as anybody I’ve seen in a long time. Baker has been a mentor for him, getting him to learn the nuances of the game. It’s going to be fun just to see those guys play.”

Pough said the Bulldogs will have to play their best game to beat a solid Hampton team. Win or lose, he’s proud of the team’s turnaround.

“Practice has been good this week,” he said. “It’s been fun watching our guys come back from where we were.

If any of you guys saw Bethune-Cookman, nobody thought we would be where we are now. It would be something special if we can pull it off.”

2006 South Carolina Shrine Bowl roster
The South Carolina squad for the 2006 Shrine Bowl, to be played Dec. 16 at Gibbs Stadium on the campus of Wofford College. Note: Pending final approval from the South Carolina High School League, one more player will be added to this roster. First Last School Ht. Wt. Pos.
Nick Adams Colleton County 6-2 190 WR/DB
Mark Barnes Richland Northeast 6-3 190 DB
Brandon Berry Blackville-Hilda 5-8 145 K/P
Laverne Bethea Marlboro County 6-1 340 OL
James Busby Bamberg-Ehrhardt 6-1 280 DL
Mason Cloy Spring Valley 6-4 265 OL
Marquis Coleman Chester 6-1 180 DB
Scotty Cooper Lake City 6-0 200 LB
Malcom Elder Georgetown 5-8 170 RB
Jae Fitzgerald Crestwood 5-11 205 RB
Cameron Ford T.L. Hanna 6-3 220 WR/DB
Tim Franklin Gilbert 6-4 314 OL
Derrick Frasier Orangeburg-Wilkerson 5-10 210 LB
Josh Gaddist Summerville 5-11 186 DB
Sanchez Gartman Newberry 5-10 181 RB
Gary Gray Richland Northeast 5-11 170 DB
Junior Hemingway Conway 6-2 205 WR
Stanley Hunter Byrnes 6-0 200 LB
Benji Inabinet Irmo 6-4 275 OL
Jarvis Jenkins Daniel 6-5 265 DL
Delvin Johnson Woodruff 6-4 265 TE/DL
Larry Johnson Darlington 6-3 290 OL
Dayton Jones Lake View 5-10 160 RB
Markish Jones Broome 6-1 180 WR
Shawn Jones Dutch Fork 6-3 297 DL
Nick Kinney Stratford 6-0 162 K/P
Willy Korn Byrnes 6-2 205 QB
Andrew Lanier Dorman 6-5 230 TE
Matt Lentz Greenville 6-3 205 QB
Brian Maddox T.L. Hanna 6-2 225 RB
Cliff Matthews Cheraw 6-5 230 TE/DE
Kelin Morris Gaffney 6-1 183 DB
Wilson Norris Pickens 6-5 315 OL/DL
Kyle Nunn Sumter 6-6 265 OL
Chris Owens Greer 6-2 235 LB
Taikwon Paige Aiken 5-10 165 WR/DB
Vernard Parnell Marlboro County 6-2 245 DL
Corey Pope Sliver Bluff 6-1 305 OL
Brian Quick Ridge View 6-5 185 WR
Devalle Robinson Manning 6-0 190 DB
Jared Tavernier Belton-Honea Path 5-11 263 OL
Charles White Blythewood 6-0 210 LB
Tray Williams Riverside 6-0 180 WR
Head coach: Jewell McLaurin (Lake View). Assistants: Joe Montgomery (Rock Hill); Sam Baird (Newberry); Greg Crolley (Lakewood); Wayne Farmer (Allendale-Fairfax); Barry Harley (Gilbert); James Waring (Cross); Steve Woodard (Greer).

click the link above

Click the link above.....Hampton's athletics website puts up a report every week on its upcoming game. So do most schools...But then again, SCSU isn't most schools.

GET YOUR WEBSITE FIXED!

By Thomas Grant, Jr., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Thursday, October 19, 2006

HAMPTON – Over the past two seasons, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in football has belonged to Hampton University.

In the process of collecting back-to-back conference championships, the unbeaten Pirates have posted a 24-3 record in MEAC play since 2003 and won 17 consecutive conference games. Under head coach Joe Taylor, Hampton has also established itself as a dominant regular-season team with 24 consecutive victories and a regular presence in the college polls in both the Sports Network (11th this week) and the Sheridan Black College Football polls, where they’ve ranked number-one for most of the past two seasons.

Nevertheless, Taylor and the Pirates (7-0, 5-0) certainly expect a strong challenge this Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium against a revived South Carolina State (3-3, 2-1).

“(SCSU head football coach Oliver #Buddy” Pough) has done a great job,“ Taylor said at Tuesday’s weekly teleconference. ”I thought going up to (Delaware) State on their new turf and new construction that things were pretty hostile up there. But, I guess we can multiply that about 10 times going down there to Orangeburg because they’re doing a lot of great things. They’ve got the new field and new construction.

“They’re a much improved football team than they were early on. They lost some people from last year on defense and of course, it looks like they’ve gelled together. They’ve got good personnel. There’s no question about it.”

Taylor has actually enjoyed good fortune against SCSU. He’s 11-3-1 in his career, including two victories while at Virginia Union, and is 4-1 in Orangeburg as Pirates’ head coach. This includes a 52-36 victory in 2004 in which Hampton scored four touchdowns off five Bulldog turnovers and got a school-record 98-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Princeton Shepherd to current Houston Texans’ wide receiver Jerome Mathis.

A graduate of Spring Valley High School, Shepherd is 28-5 as a starter and has thrown three touchdowns or more in each of his last two games.In last week’s 42-13 win over in-state rival Norfolk State, Shepherd threw a career-high four touchdowns and was 12-19 passing for 209 yards to earn MEAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Shepherd’s play was vital considering Hampton got just limited action from preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year senior Alonzo Coleman. A candidate for the Payton Award given to the best offensive player in Division I-AA and fifth leading rusher in the MEAC, Coleman has been hobbled by a hip pointer which was aggravated early against Norfolk State.

If he’s not 100 percent, junior transfer and team-leading rusher Kevin Beverly (472 yards, six TDs) has proven more than capable of carrying the load running behind a seasoned offensive line led by right guard and Charleston native Akeem Lamar.

However, Taylor is concerned about SCSU’s defensive line which he called the best he’s seen this year. He’s also impressed with SCSU’s senior-freshman running back tandem of Deshawn Baker and Will Ford.

“They’re really quick ... and then they’re strong,” Taylor said. “They’ve got good leverage. There’s not a lot difference between both of them. I watched them against (Florida A&M). Both of them had 4-5 runs of over 20-30 yards. And then they’ve got a good line in front of them. Not just (Clyde) Reed, but that center (Raymond ”Duck“ Harrison) is probably one of the better guys that we’ve seen too. So they’ve got guys up front providing some road for them. But again, they’re strong. They run forward. They get their shoulders square and if you don’t tackle them, they’re just going to keep running.”

Under new offensive coordinator Chris Beatty, the Pirates are averaging 37.1 points per game and have 29 scoring drives of four minutes or less. More importantly, Shepherd (90-131 passing, 1,132 yards, 15 TDs; 177.5 passing efficiency) has thrived under Beatty’s tutelage.

It does not hurt Hampton has explosive weapons at wideout like senior Onrea Jones, who has caught a pass in 18 consecutive games, and Marquay McDaniel (36 catches, 488 yards, 11 TDs), whose two second-quarter touchdown passes from former backup QB now defensive back Antwan Smith rallied Hampton past SCSU 14-10 in last year’s matchup at Armstrong Stadium.

In addition, McDaniel is the all-time punt return yardage leader in Division I-AA history with 1,843 yards and is eight punt returns shy of surpassing Levander Segars of Montana for first all-time in that category. As a team, Hampton is fifth nationally in kickoff returns and freshman Kevin Teel leads all of Division I-AA with a kick return average of 34.83 yards.

Defensively, the Pirates’ heart and soul is two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and senior inside linebacker Justin Durant. A graduate of Wilson High School in Florence, where SCSU kick returner Dominique Henry also played under head coach Darryl Page, the 6-2, 230-pound senior leads the team in tackles (55) and is a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award given to the top defensive player in Division I-AA.

It’s no coincidence the Pirates, since the 47-41 double-overtime loss to SCSU in 2002, have won the last three meetings since against SCSU with Durant in the lineup. Although Durant is dealing with a sore back, he’s proven to be a major pain for the Bulldogs.

“Justin’s been a thorn on our side,” Pough said at Monday’s press conference. “The best thing about him is that this is it. If we get through this one right here, I don’t have to worry about him again unless they find some way to do some kind of specialized fifth-year deal with him.

“Justin is a great player. I can’t deny the fact that he’s beaten us up. But he’s beaten up everybody else in this league as well.”

Hampton’s secondary also presents a challenge for the Bulldogs. Senior defensive back Travarous Bain has four interceptions and nine passes defended on the season, while fellow cornerback Calvin Bannister has recorded interceptions in two straight games and has six of the Pirates’ 26 blocked kicks since 2003.

Taylor believes the key of the game will be how well Hampton slows down SCSU quarterback Cleveland McCoy.

“Their quarterback, I think, is the difference-maker,” he said. “He throws the ball well and I think he’s the third leading rusher. They have a lot of plays in there for him.”

At the beginning of the season, this game looked like the game of the year in the MEAC. Then, two weeks ago, it appeared that it might not be all that meaningful. Now, the tide has turned again, as a resurgent South Carolina State team looks like Hampton’s top competition in the MEAC after a slow start. The Bulldogs started the season with a 1-3 record that included ugly losses to Bethune-Cookman and Coastal Carolina, but have turned it around with wins in the last two weeks against Norfolk State and Florida A & M. They dominated the Spartans in every area, and came up with a 315-yard effort on the ground for a 28-21 win at Florida A & M that was not as close as the final score indicates. South Carolina State has amassed an incredible 590 rushing yards in the last two weeks, and is starting to play better on defense after holding Florida A & M to just 90 rushing yards. So can I go back to my preseason MEAC prediction and pick the Bulldogs to knock off Hampton at home? Right now, nope. The Bulldogs are playing better, but they still got a 3-for-14 effort and just 65 yards from Cleveland McCoy and the passing game last week. Hampton is much stronger against the pass than the run, but the Pirates are giving up less than 3.5 yards per carry on the ground and aren’t going to get beat by a team that can only produce in one area of the offense. Hampton’s offense has grown up to compliment the defense, and an attack that features more passing is thriving because quarterback Princeton Shepherd (1,132 yards, 15 TD/1 INT) is playing at a high level to go along with Alonzo Coleman and Kevin Beverly in the backfield. South Carolina State’s defense is better, but it still has poor numbers this season and will have its hands full with a balanced attack. Hampton’s defense shouldn’t have as many problems against the one-dimensional Bulldogs, and the Pirates will take the MEAC game of the year for the third season in a row. Prediction: Hampton 31, South Carolina State 17

Art exhibition accompanies ballet based on artist’s work
Green to attend Thursday performance of ballet

ORANGEBURG –SC State's I.P Stanback Museum & Planetarium and the Department of Visual and Performing Arts will present an exhibition of artist Jonathan Green’s work as a prelude to a ballet production based on his paintings.

The exhibition, Off the Stage & Onto the Wall: The Evolution of a Ballet, will be held in the gallery in the Fine Arts Building on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 19-20.

The exhibition accompanies the Columbia City Ballet production of Off the Wall & Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green, which will be performed in the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 19-20, at 7:30 p.m.

Jonathan Green will be at the Oct. 19 performance and exhibition. In addition, Delores Nevils, the author of the children’s book, Amadeus, the Leghorn Rooster, illustrated by Green, will be available to autograph books. Green and Nevils are currently working on another children’s book.

This exhibition traces the evolution of the ballet, Off the Wall & Onto the Stage, created by William Starrett of the Columbia City Ballet. The ballet draws its themes from 22 works of art by Jonathan Green, the celebrated Gullah artist from Beaufort, S.C. The exhibition, Off the Stage & Onto the Wall, (a play on the title of the ballet) also explores the unique merger of the visual arts with dance and music.

Jonathan Green is an internationally acclaimed artist whose work has been featured in major traveling exhibitions, solo presentations and group shows. His paintings have appeared in such acclaimed publications as American Visions Magazine – the official magazine of the African American Museums Association – and several children’s books, including Father and Son, Noah and Amadeus, The Leghorn Rooster. He has been honored with awards and commissions from art-sponsoring institutions, human service organizations, and national, state and local humanities councils.

Today, the Gullah culture of South Carolina’s Lowcountry is recognized as a significant cultural heritage. From highly praised Seagrass baskets and gospel music to storytelling and boat building, the Lowcountry possesses some of the most recognizable cultural assets in South Carolina. The vibrant colors of the landscape, and the clothing of its inhabitants, make this region quite distinct. Out of Garden’s Corner, near historic Beaufort, come the rich colors, warm waters, communal identity and shared traditions depicted in paintings by Jonathan Green. He paints the world of his childhood and an ode to a people imbued with a profound respect for the dignity and value of others. His vibrant canvases, beloved for their sense of jubilation and rediscovery, evoke the meaning of community in Gullah society and display a reverence for the rich visual, oral and spiritual traditions of its culture.

The exhibit, Off the Stage & Onto the Wall, is supported, in part, by a contribution from corporate I.P. Stanback Museum member Joseph Rich of Sunshine Recycling LLC of Orangeburg. And, the exhibition is on loan from the McKissick Museum of the University of South Carolina.

We have been over this before. Still no change. Even Savannah State University has more selection in their bookstore online. Follett was supposed to enhance our bookstore, but we can't see how.

Please email the manager and ask him what the deal is.

Your South Carolina State University Bookstore Store Manager is Bryce Hutcherson
Phone: (803) 536-7095
Fax: (803) 531-4671
Email: 0035mgr@fheg.follett.com
Address: 300 College Street
Orangeburg, SC 29117-0001
US

Fitzgerald Sensing Clemson Offer
By Phil Kornblut
Crestwood RB Jae Fitzgerald (5-11 195) is one of the state's leading rushers with 1502 yards and 16 touchdowns in 8 games. He's a strong candidate for a spot on the Shrine Bowl team. And he feels he's a strong possibility for an offer from Clemson based on what he's hearing from recruiters Dabo Swinney and Burton Burns. "I'm the back they're looking at right now," Fitzgerald said Monday. "I believe that scholarship offer is coming in the next weeks. I feel like if I go over 2000 yards this year they will offer me, and I have intentions of doing that." Fitzgerald added that he's a strong lean to Clemson and will be on hand for the Georgia Tech game Saturday night. He's been to two other Clemson games this season and he's been to USC three times but doesn't feel the Gamecocks are that interested because of their commitment from Brian Maddox. Fitzgerald said Middle Tennessee State also appears close to offering. He's also hearing from SC State, Penn State and Virginia Tech.

The SCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter
of
South Carolina State University
Invites You To Attend

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY vs HOWARD UNIVERSITY
SCSU HOMECOMING 2006

BUS TRIP TO ORANGEBURG, SC
When: November 2-5, 2006
Time: 11:30pm departure from
Epiphany Episcopal Church's Parish Hall Parking Lot
3125 Ritchie Rd, Forestville, MD and return November 5, 2006

Cost: $135.00 per person (covers bus fare and gratuity only)

POC: Al Pendergrass @202-582-1027 or Ned Felder @703-323-9484

CALL NOW!!

With the eventual construction of the new Transportation Center, Russell Street can stand some other improvements to compliment the potential growth along that corridor. Now I know that the price tag for what I am about to post may not go over well but, it is the CONCEPT that I present - cost to be factored by the powers that be. Also, would SC State be on the leading edge of doing something like this amongst HBCU's ?!!!

Idea: A NEW ALUMNI CENTER
see what some of the big boys are doing:
http://www.alumni.ncsu.edu/parkcenter/

Make sure to click on the images link. There is also a link comparing them with other institutions of their size.

Just something to think about and for the Alumni Association to consider how to build momentum towards.

By sports information 10/16/2006 9:21:00 PM





MEAC ANNOUNCES WEEKLY FOOTBALL HONORS; SCSU’s FORD EARNS ROOKIE ACCOLADES

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Hampton University quarterback Princeton Shepherd and Morgan State linebacker Jerrell Guyton were named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) offensive and defensive Players of the Week, the league announced Monday morning.

South Carolina State running back William Ford earned Rookie of the Week honors for the second time this season, while the Bears’ punter Jonathan Skeete and Delaware State guard Jeremy Breath picked up special teams and offensive lineman of the week honors.

Ford (RB, 5-11, 185, Fr. - Travelers Rest, S.C.) had his second 100-yard rushing performance of the year, rolling up 132 yards in just 14 attempts and two touchdowns, averaging 9.4 yards per carry. Ford had scoring runs of 59 and 24 yards in the Bulldogs win at FAMU.

The SC State running back was also named Rookie of the Week for his performance in the Bulldogs’ 35-6 triumph at Winston-Salem State when he galloped for 170 yards and two scores.

By SCSU Sports Information 10/16/2006 10:40:00 PM


ORANGEBURG, SC – The drought is over for the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs (3-10), who took a dominating 12-0 win over the USC-Salkahatchie Indians, Monday evening at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium. The Lady Bulldogs, who had suffered eight straight shutout losses, ended their scoreless streak by setting a new team record for goals scored in a game.

The Lady Bulldogs dominated all aspects of the game not allowing a single USC-Salkahatchie shot in the match, but racking up 41 shots of their own, setting another team record. Six SCSU players scored goals in the match in which it seemed that the team scored at will. Sophomore forward Star Tazwell led the way for the Lady Bulldogs with three goals and an assist in the game. Sophomore midfielder Tandia Taylor added a pair of goals of her own as well.

The team will open United Soccer Conference play, Friday when they head up to Washington, D.C. to take on the Howard Lady Bison.

'This is our opportunity'

SCSU knows its victory vs. Hampton or end to high hopes

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Win or go home.

It's a scenario that resonates with the South Carolina State football team. With virtually no room for error in the remaining five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games, the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1) understand their next loss all but guarantees another post-season of asking "what might have been.''

While Saturday's home showdown with undefeated MEAC front-runner and nationally ranked Hampton (7-0, 5-0) is easily SCSU's biggest game of the season, head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough understands a victory still does not guarantee a conference championship.

"It is (a big game), but then the plot just thickens after that point if we win," Pough said during Monday's weekly press conference. "The thing that we've got to do is we just got to continue to win and as long as we do, then we're fine. Any point thereafter, if we should lose, then it's just the opposite."

Beating Hampton has been a tall, often futile, challenge over the years for the Bulldogs. SCSU is only 1-11 lifetime against the Pirates, although the lone win came at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium during Pough's first season in 2002 -- a 47-41 double-overtime victory.

Pirates' head coach Joe Taylor has more than earned his "Bulldog killer" moniker, going 11-2-1 in his 24 seasons of coaching, including two wins at Virginia Union. This season, he brings to Orangeburg a Hampton team ranked first in the Sheridan Black College polls, 11th in the Sports Network rankings and winners of 24 consecutive regular-season games and 16 straight conference games -- the last loss coming at the hands of Delaware State 28-23 on Oct. 2, 2004.

"Hampton is the best team in our league right now," Pough said. "They are the champion until dethroned. It's like any other thing. You've got to beat the champion before you can ever make a move, and this is our opportunity."

Last year's 14-10 loss at Hampton -- a game SCSU led 10-0 before allowing two second-quarter touchdowns -- prompted Pough to revamp his coaching staff and offensive and defensive schemes in hopes of getting his team to the next level. Saturday's contest could serve as a referendum on those changes, although Pough believes it's too soon to make that judgment.

"I don't know if you can just say in one year is what you use to define whether or not your changes are effective or not or if you made the right moves," he said. "The one thing I can tell you though is I think we'll be better off in the long run. Our system, especially our offensive system, is just now starting to show itself to be of some value, to be a system where we can adapt to a whole lot of different kind of situations so that we can do things without having to go through any major stress.

"Our defensive system I think is just as effective and I think as we get a little more experience in our secondary and those guys smooth out some, then you'll get the sensation of how much improved we'll be there. I think it's just a matter of time before we get to the point where we can say that this thing was for a reason and now we can see why."

SCSU's running game has seemingly responded to the adjustments with its "Thunder and Lightning" backfield of senior DeShawn Baker and freshman Will Ford. The duo is ranked 2-3, respectively, in rushing yards in the MEAC, Baker is on pace to join Michael Hicks as the only SCSU players to rush for 1,000 yards three straight seasons and Ford, who received his second MEAC Rookie of the Week honor on Monday, is averaging a Division I-AA-leading 9.4 yards per carry.

The passing offense is still going through growing pains. Quarterback Cleveland McCoy had his worst game of the season, completing only 3-14 passes for 65 yards and one interception against FAMU.

Pough plans to work closely with McCoy this week with making better decisions ''when things don't go as planned.'' At the same time, Pough believes the Bulldogs will need more than a big performance from McCoy to defeat Hampton.

"We're not asking Cleve McCoy to win a football game for us right now," he said. "What we're asking Cleve to do is operate our offense and let our offensive structure win and if that should be the case, then he'll be okay with just playing a good football game. But we've got other talent around him.''

Despite giving up two late touchdowns against FAMU, SCSU's secondary has shown significant improvement since the debacles against Bethune-Cookman and Coastal Carolina. The additions of redshirt senior T.J. Stanley, redshirt sophomores Bailey Brinson and Terrance Allen and redshirt freshman Markee Hamlin have helped provide leadership and consistency to a secondary that now has to contend with the MEAC's leading passing-receiver touchdown combination in quarterback and former Spring Valley High Schools standout Princeton Shephard (1,132 yards, 15 TDs) and Marquay McDaniel (36 catches, 488 yards, 11 TDs).

SCSU is also very much mindful of Hampton's running game, led by MEAC preseason Offensive Player of the Year running back Alonzo Coleman. The senior saw limited action in Saturday's win over Norfolk State after sustaining a hip bruise on the first series.

His replacement, Kevin Beverly, rushed for 73 yards and one TD, and is ranked fifth in the MEAC in rushing with 472 yards and six TDs.

Hampton's regular-season and conference streaks are not the only things on the line. SCSU is 10-0 under Pough in nationally cable televised games and ESPNU is taping Saturday's contest to air at 10 p.m.

It's a streak the Bulldogs hope to maintain while putting an end to the Pirates' winning ways.

"The one thing that I do have some confidence from last year is the fact that we can play with this team," he said. "Playing at home and starting to play better ourselves will give us the confidence in the fact that we can maybe break the streak."

INJURY UPDATE -- SCSU is expected to once again not play defensive lineman Xavier Littleberry (broken hand), wide receiver Terrance Smith (Achilles' tendon) and defensive back David Broome.

In Littleberry's place, the Bulldogs have activated redshirt status freshman defensive lineman Markus James. A graduate of Fort Union Military Academy, the 6-2, 225-pound James and defensive back B.J. Revis, who attended Freeman High School, are natives of Hampton, Va.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547.

Malcolm Long is a star one is noticing; Thursday’s showdown with Brynes could be a coming out party
By SETH EMERSON
semerson@thestate.com
Malcolm Long will look at the opposite sideline Thursday night and see what he wants, and, many think, he deserves. Actually, he will see four of what he wants.

The Gaffney senior quarterback has the height, stats and raves befitting a college football prospect. Last year he led the Indians to a state championship, and this year, the Indians are unbeaten and the consensus No. 2 team in the state.

And yet, when Gaffney takes on top-ranked Byrnes on Thursday night on national television, the unofficial scorecard will read: four Division I college commitments for Byrnes and none for Gaffney.

That is OK, Long insists.

“We’ve been playing together as a team this year,” he said. “We really don’t have any all-stars, I would say, on the team. We’re just playing together and looking out for each other.”

No one doubts Long is a great high school player. But the college looks have yet to follow.

Height is often an issue for quarterbacks, but not Long. He stands 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds.

He also has the stats. This year he is completing 60 percent of his passes for 1,688 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. Half of his 12 passes resulted in touchdowns in a 49-7 win at Hillcrest on Friday night.

And what’s more, he has the poise, which he showed last year in leading Gaffney to a comeback win against Summerville in the Class 4A Division I championship game.

“He’s probably at his best when the game’s on the line, like in the state championship game,” Gaffney coach Phil Strickland said. “He doesn’t panic. He reads coverages well. And he does not throw the ball into coverages very often.”

So why is South Carolina State the only college to have offered Long? Strickland is mystified.

“I can’t understand it, because he can throw it 60 yards on a dime,” Strickland said. “He’s on a lot of people’s charts and people say they’re watching him. A lot of people have talked about offering him. But nobody’s pulled the trigger except one. I’ve had some people say they probably are, but they haven’t yet.”

T.L. Hanna (now 7-1) is the only team to shut down Long this year. That team’s coach, Scott Parker, (a Gaffney graduate) thinks Long is one of at least four Gaffney players worthy of a major college look.

“They just haven’t gotten the publicity yet,” Parker said.

They might get it Thursday night.

Fox Sports Net will broadcast the showdown with Byrnes, which has become a minor league factory for Clemson. Willy Korn, one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the country is committed to the Tigers, along with defensive standouts Stanley Hunter and Chad Diehl. (Receiver Xavier Dye, another Clemson commitment, is ineligible and his status for the game is uncertain.)

Strickland said Clemson is still “entertaining” the thought of offering Long, with the idea of red-shirting him. East Carolina and Marshall have also expressed interest.

Long is used to being overshadowed by other big names, or stories.

He took over as Gaffney’s quarterback midway through his sophomore year when Nick Melton was moved to receiver. That started a long controversy: first, Melton’s family moved to Dorman’s district; then the S.C. High School League ruled him ineligible, and finally, Melton received a court injunction that allowed him to play.

Meanwhile Long quietly guided the Indians to the state title. His crowning moment was the 33-32 win against Summerville, when he threw the winning touchdown in the final minute.

But the most high-profile game of his career so far comes Thursday. It might seem the ideal way to get the respect of college scouts, but Long said he doesn’t look at it that way.

“It’s not all about that. I just go out and have fun and play ball, really,” Long said. “If I just keep playing the way I’m playing I believe I’ll get more offers.”

Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676

By T&D Staff
Sunday, October 15, 2006

U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) is scheduled to visit and speak to the South Carolina State University Young Democrats Club Friday, October 20, as part of a “Get out the Vote” rally.

The 2004 and potential 2008 presidential candidate will speak and bring his message of “Keeping America’s Promise” at 10:45 a.m. in the Dr. Barbara A. Vaughan Recital Hall at the Fine Arts Building.

The event, which is open to the public, is being sponsored by the SCSU Young Democrats Club.

The visit to SCSU is a part of a Kerry campaign across the nation in preparation for the general election Nov. 7.

“Senator Kerry will be making his second trip to South Carolina this cycle to help raise money and rally support for the state party, the congressional candidates and Tommy Moore,” said Amy Brundage, Kerry spokeswoman, Saturday. “On Friday, Kerry will headline a rally to fire up Democratic activists, supporters and students to get out the vote and bring South Carolina Democrats to victory on November 7.”

According a John Kerry Web site, the senator plans to visit more than 20 states through the election to “ensure that Democratic candidates take back the House and the Senate from George Bush and the rubber stamp Republican Congress.”

Orangeburg County Democratic Party chairwoman Betty Henderson said the arrival of someone of the caliber of Kerry to Orangeburg reveals the importance of this election year.

“The stakes are very high and when the stakes are high you call in the top gun,” Henderson said. “It is going to do a lot of good and it is a great event to have someone that powerful keeping the American promise coming to Orangeburg to speak to us and to help us to rally to get the vote out on November 7.”

Event coordinator Howette Davis Cooper could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Henderson said she foresees the event as giving encouragement to Orangeburg Democrats. Kerry received about 66 percent of the vote in Orangeburg County in 2004 though he lost South Carolina to George W. Bush.

“It is wonderful,” she said. “I think it will energize our voters.” She added that the party hopes for a great turnout for elected officials and constituents to come out and join him on that day.

Henderson also said Kerry’s visit highlights the importance of Orangeburg County for Democrats.

“It is very important to have a huge number of registered voters in Orangeburg, and it is important what people in Orangeburg County do,” she said.

Kerry entered politics when he was elected lieutenant governor of Massachusetts in 1982.

Two years later, he was elected to the United States Senate and is serving his fourth term.

Kerry has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for about 19 years. Kerry has also served as chairman of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. He also serves on the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee.

By BRADFORD D. GILLENS, T&D Sports Correspondent
Sunday, October 15, 2006

TALLAHASSEE – The South Carolina State University Bulldogs came into Saturday’s matchup with Florida A&M determined to show fans, supporters, opponents and naysayers that they were still a legitimate contender in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Behind a season-high 315 yards on the ground, 285 of which were accounted for by DeShawn Baker and William Ford, the Bulldogs defeated the feisty Ratters 28-21 before a crowd of 10,124 on hand at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Leading the Bulldogs’ rushing attack were the duo of Baker and Ford. Baker bullied his way through the FAMU secondary for a season-high 153 yards on 24 carries and a TD, while Ford basically outran every Rattler defender en route to a 14 carry, 132 yard outing, capped with two touchdowns.

“We’ve got two really good running backs and they compliment each other well,” head coach Buddy Pough said. “Baker is like Will Ford’s big brother; he’s mentored him through his first year of college and it’s great to see those guys play well together and compliment each other the way they do.”

McCoy led the Bulldogs in passing going 3-14 for 65 yards, but struggled again to get in an offensive rhythm.ˇ

“Cleve is in an offensive system that is almost totally different from the system we had before,” Pough said. “So I think once he gets some of the nuances together of that particular system, I think he’s going to be even better than before.”

For Pough’s team the win could not have come at a more opportune time. The Bulldogs increased their winning streak to two games heading into a MEAC showdown with championship implications with Hampton University, the two-time defending conference champions.

“This win gives us an opportunity to be in charge of our own destiny,” Pough said. “We knew coming in that the loser of this game was pretty much be eliminated from the conference race, so we knew we had to win the football game in order to have a chance to make a play for it.”

SCSU would draw first blood in the contest behind the exceptional play of the special teams unit. Freshman DB Phillip Adams blocked a Wesley Taylor punt at the FAMU 10 yard line. Reserve wideout Travance Jackson recovered the blocked punt at the FAMU four-yard line and ran into the end zone for the Bulldog touchdown. Mike Gaston’s PAT gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 12:19 remaining in the first quarter.ˇ

On FAMU’s next possession, the Rattlers attempted to test the young secondary of the Bulldogs, throwing a barrage of passes on their first offensive series. The Bulldog secondary responded by picking off the Rattlers near the Bulldogs goal line. Freshman safety Markee Hamlin jumped on a fade route and intercepted QB Albert Chester’s pass at the SCSU 16 yard line.The Bulldogs made the Rattlers pay getting back on the board with a 10-play, 84-yard drive, culminated by an 11-yard TD run by Baker. Mike Gaston’s PAT put the Bulldogs up 14-0 with 2:18 remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter the Bulldogs provided the Rattlers with a heavy dose of “thunder and lightning.” Behind the running of Baker and Ford, the Bulldogs would implement a hurry up offense, driving the ball 64 yards to the FAMU six yard line. However on second and goal from the six, QB Cleveland McCoy was pressured and threw an errant pass that landed right into the hands of Rattler safety Jason Beach in the end zone. The Rattlers would insert reserve QB Leon Camel to engineer the final drive of the first half, but after sophomore LB Tony White sacked Camel at the SCSU 35, FAMU was forced to try a field goal. PK Wesley Taylor’s 52-yard attempt sailed wide left, ending the Rattlers drive and the first half.

In the third quarter the Bulldogs came out of the locker room looking reminiscent of the team that finished 1-2 in the month of September. Just when it looked like the Bulldogs were reverting to their old ways, racking up two holding penalties and becoming stagnant on offense, the Bulldogs got an offensive spark from the freshman phenom. On third and three from the SCSU 41 yard line, Ford raced 59 yards up the middle untouched for another Bulldog touchdown. Gaston’s PAT gave the Bulldogs a commanding 21-0 advantage with 8:34 remaining in the third quarter.

The Rattlers would respond, going 56 yards in four plays culminating with an 18-yard TD reception from Albert Chester to Willie Hayward. Wesley Taylor’s PAT cut the Bulldog lead to 21-7 with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter.

On the very next possession, the Bulldogs would erase all chances of a Rattler comeback.ˇ After an excessive celebration penalty was assessed to the Rattlers, the Bulldogs received the ball at midfield. It would only take four plays – all of them running plays – to send the FAMU fans running for the exits. Ford took the handoff, broke two tackles, and scooted 24 yards into the end zone for another Bulldog score, his second of the day. Gaston tacked on the PAT, pushing the Bulldog lead to 28-7 with 13:29 remaining in the final stanza.

The Rattler fans were leaving, but the football team was not ready to throw in the towel just yet.ˇ The Rattlers scored two touchdowns in six minutes, highlighted by a 28-yard TD pass from Chester to Hayward pulled the Rattlers to 28-21 with 1:34 remaining.

The Bulldogs would fair catch the kickoff and run out the clock after a four-yard Baker run gave the Bulldogs the first down it needed to kill the clock.

The defense of the Bulldogs played well, particularly against the run. The Bulldogs held FAMU to only 90 yards rushing, making the Rattlers their second team in as many weeks to be held to less than 100 yards rushing. Leading the defense was freshman David Erby with seven total tackles, followed by Terrance Allen with six tackles.

Florida A&M was led by Chester with 212 yards of total offense (193 passing) and three scores. His main target, Hayward finished the day with six catches for 99 yards and two scores.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 3-3 on the season, head coach Buddy Pough extends his winning streak over the Rattlers four consecutive games and, more importantly, move into a three-way tie for second place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings at 2-1.

The Rattlers fall to 3-3 on the season and 1-2 in league play, after winning their last 3 games...

By ANDREW MILLER
The Post and Courier


As it turned out, a week off was exactly what the South Carolina State Bulldogs needed to get back on their feet.

After three straight losses, S.C. State coach Buddy Pough felt his players needed to get back to basics, and a fortuitous open date proved to be just what the Bulldogs needed to end their losing streak.

In its first home game of the season last Saturday, S.C. State whipped a vastly improved Norfolk State team, 47-10, and the Bulldogs hope they can build on that momentum tonight against Florida A&M.

During last week's open date, Pough said the Bulldogs were going to simplify their offense going into the game with Norfolk State.

The adjustments Pough and the coaching staff made appear to have worked. The Bulldogs had their best offensive performance of the season, rolling up 475 yards of total offense against the Spartans.

Running back DeShawn Baker ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns, and William Ford added two TD runs in the victory.

Junior quarterback Cleveland McCoy, a former Baptist Hill star, had a big day as well, completing 6 of 13 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Gerald McCloud caught a career-high four receptions for 103 yards and a TD.

A year ago, the Bulldogs trounced Florida A&M, beating the Rattlers 49-3.

The Bulldogs amassed 588 yards of total offense, and the 46-point win for the Bulldogs was the largest margin of victory in the series between the two schools.

After losing their first two games of the season, the Rattlers have reeled off three straight victories over Howard (31-23), Winston-Salem State (25-21) and Tennessee State (25-22).

The Rattlers feature one of the top passers in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in quarterback Albert Chester. Chester is second in the conference in passing, completing 65 of 108 passes for 732 yards and four TDs.

Roosevelt Kiser leads the league in receiving. Kiser has 37 receptions for 349 yards and 2 TDs.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will depend on Baker and Ford to control the ball on the ground. Baker is third in the MEAC in rushing with 444 yards and 5 TDs, while Ford is fifth with 345 yards and 4 TDs. Ford has an eye-popping 9.3 yards per attempt average this season.

"William has proven to be a real game-breaker for us this season," Pough said.

McCoy is sixth in the league in total offense with 739 yards. He has 549 passing yards and has rushed for 148 yards.

Reach Andrew Miller at 937-5599 or at apmiller@postandcourier.com.

Myrtle Beach and Coastal Carolina did...but then again, Myrtle Beach and Coastal don't just talk about working together...they actually do.....Orangburg and SCSU are still too busy "healing scars" from the Orangeburg Massacre......meanwhile, the school and Orangeburg suffer for it


The Grand Plan

Introducing the new Grand Strand Arena, scheduled for completion in 2007. This multifunctional facility will become the new home for Coastal Carolina University’s men’s and women’s basketball programs, live concerts, family shows and more, including an anticipated indoor football league franchise and minor league hockey team. The new Grand Strand Arena will offer businesses and individuals various season ticket packages, including luxury suites, premium seating options and sponsorship and advertising opportunities.

The Facility
Luxury suites, club seats, founders’ seats and general admission seats will surround an interchangeable floor that transforms from ice to court to field to stage. The Arena will accommodate conferences, trade shows, commencements, church meetings, family reunions and special productions. it will also house a public ice skating facility.

Economic Impact
Residents and visitors will reap the benefits: 400 new jobs, a venue for entertainment, and a state-of-the-art attraction for sports’ enthusiasts. In 2003, Myrtle Beach was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportstown, "for having South Carolina’s best community sports programs." The Arena will make the region a sports tourism destination.

The Community Wins
The Horry County School Board will be entitled to hold several days of graduation ceremonies inside the arena at no charge to the county. Additionally, the $48 million arena will be gifted to Coastal Carolina University after their lease expires.

Investors have taken the necessary steps in making their vision a reality for the Myrtle Beach area. Listed below are some of the project approvals received to date.



Horry County Council approved:

Fee in lieu of tax,

Multi-county business park designation, and

Special source revenue bond for up to $5 million.

City of Conway passed a resolution to establish a tourism infrastructure district.

Horry County received a commitment letter for repayment of the source revenue bond.



The following have officially approved the proposed arena project:

Horry County School Board,

Coastal Carolina University’s board of trustees,

South Carolina Commission on Higher Education,

South Carolina Joint Bond Revenue Committee,

Coastal Carolina University Budget and Control Board,

Coastal Educational Foundation (approved land lease agreement), and

Coastal Carolina University (approved relocation of University Drive).

Bluedeathvalley.com: First of all, thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. We know how busy you are and we really appreciate you freeing up your schedule to do this interview. Now that you’ve had a chance to get settled in to the position, how would you characterize your first couple of years here as athletic director?

Dee Todd: “I love A&T, I love the students, I love the opportunity to be here. I have a vision for A&T and I really feel that the alumni has been great and, for the most part, very supportive. I think that the thing that I have been challenged with is to really tell the truth and inform people about what’s going on with Aggie athletics. Obviously, I have a great background, and being able to spend 17 years in all the major meetings involving the expansion and everything with in the ACC, it teaches you a lot. Not only do you see how one athletic department is run, but you see eight different departments ... which expanded to nine and then to 11 and I left before they picked up the 12th school . But you see what works, what doesn’t work and you’re involved in all the conversations. So there’s nothing here that’s come up that I haven’t had at least some idea of how to operate it. Maybe not to the extent of how it is here ... but I think for the most part its been a challenging experience because I feel my vision for A&T may be shared by those of us in this department, but the university might not share the same vision. And that’s to be successful on the athletic field.”

Well then, how do you go about infusing your vision to other people within this university?

Dee Todd: “I think you have to really stand your ground. You have to be sure of yourself and you have to educate and constantly talk and not change who you are and what you’re about. That’s the only way I know how to operate. I think if you start becoming what people want you to become, then you lose sight of your vision. I’ve seen it before because I’ve been places that are much, much larger than A&T. However, I started off at a school not as big as A&T, and so I didn’t forget my roots. And personally, I never wanted to be an athletic director. I’m prepared to be an athletic director, but I think it’s the hardest job in college athletics because there are so many people who can affect your success or failure whom you have no control over. So this was never a goal of mind. It just kind of came to me when (former Chancellor James) Renick (approached) me and said I think you’re the person and, you know, I gave him a pretty hard time. I didn’t just jump in it; we talked for at least two months.”

So Renick aggressively recruited you for the position. It wasn’t the other way around.

Dee Todd: “Oh no. From the time this job became available I received phone calls telling me that I should apply and I told every single person that called that I wasn’t interested. And one morning he called me at my home. He told me who he was and said that he was a little disappointed that my application wasn’t in for the job. And I told him I wasn’t interested. So he said ‘well, can we talk’ and I said sure. And then he asked could I come over and visit with him and I said I would. During that whole time I talked to him as if I was an advisor or a consultant to what he needed, and because I wasn’t looking for the job I basically laid out what I thought this university needed. I thought it needed to have someone who had total control of the program and that they needed to leave folks alone and let them do what they’re capable of doing. I thought all of those things would be a turnoff and he kept coming back and saying ‘I think you’re the one.’ And I said ‘that’s nice, but I have a job’. So yes, he actively pursued me. I never made one call.”


It had to be quite a shock for you then when Renick announced last year that he would le leaving the school.

Dee Todd: “I know a lot of athletic directors - I’ve been in this business a long time- and the one thing people always fear is that when the person that hires you leaves. So when I heard he was leaving that was not a good day for me. And I got a lot of phone calls from people who had experienced that who said ‘hey, its going to be tough.’ Because you go in and the person that hires you is the person that you feels believes in you and knows what your goals are, and somebody else might not see that. And the next thing you know you’re in a position where you can’t move. So yeah, that was a concern.

Well, what do you feel is the most challenging issue currently facing this athletic department and what are your plans to resolve it?

Dee Todd: “The most challenging issue is money. If we put our budget on a doggy bone and threw it our there, he probably would walk away (laughs). At best, we are probably operating on a Division II budget. Our budget hasn’t changed in about six years. However, what has changed is the things that have to come out of our budget. Like for instance, the state mandated that all of our coaches have to come off of state salaries, but we still have a position and a half that is still on the state. Anytime there’s a mandated raise from the state in coach’s salaries that has to come out of our budget. Also, you always have to provide equitable opportunities for the under-represented population, as in gender equity. We want to be competitive and we’re working very hard and we have very good coaches, but we have schools that are outspending us right now. And outspending beats outworking. Years ago A&T was considered the big bad A&T, and consequently the term “Aggie Pride Worldwide” was established because we were the biggest and the baddest. But we never moved and people looked at our model and said ‘hey, what do we need to do to be like them and better?’ And they started putting the resources in place to improve their programs. People started stepping it up and we stayed the same. Now we’re pretty low comparatively across the board for MEAC schools ... and kids talk. If you’re going out recruiting the same kid and they found that with school “A” you travel this way and school “B” you travel that way, well then, the kids are going to look at this. You know, we’re talking about 17 and 18 year olds having to make a decision. And they see. They’re visual people; they see. We can bring them here- we have the finest facilities, no question about it- but it costs money to maintain those facilities, it cost money to paint the fields, it cost money to paint the tailgating (areas). Everything you do to put on a program costs money. So, my biggest challenge is to educate this population that we needs dollars, and that we can’t cut anything else. We can not cut anything else. How do I plan to change it? Tell the story. Do what I can to go out and if I need to help close the deal, tell me. I’m willing to do whatever I need to do. I can come up with the biggest plan but if you don’t have the funds.... I mean, we are bare bones. We really are.”

How do you view the fan and alumni support that A&T is currently receiving for it athletic programs?

Dee Todd: I think the fan support that you mainly see is with the Aggie Club. The Aggie Club made a pledge a few years ago to give over a million dollars and that’s wonderful, but you know what? We need that every year. So I challenge the Aggie Club for each one to reach one. If each member brings in one new member who matches what they’re giving, then we’ve already doubled what we’re going to get. The Victory Club was designed during the Capital Campaign but some things have changed with that. They’re supposed to go out and get the big corporate sponsors and fill up the scoreboard, but as you can see we still have three panels that are vacant. Those panels start off at a minimum of $40,000 a year, so if we fill up all those panels we should be getting about $300,000 a year. But again, that doesn’t even scratch the surface of what we’re trying to do. The rotating panels (on the bottom of the scoreboard) are less than that, but I think that we have to look at (attracting) every possible in-kind (donation) that we can. Let’s have specials all up and down the street. I think when you come up Market Street or any of these surrounding streets near A&T, you should know that you’re on A&T’s campus. There should be something on the marquee board that says ‘welcome to Aggieland’ or ‘good luck Aggies’ or whatever- we should have this whole community, particularly around campus, on board with us. Somebody needs to be out there making that happen. We need to teach people that we’re in this together and, like the saying that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, we need not just one component but a lot of components to all jump in and say we’re willing to help the Aggies.

Do you currently have the infrastructure in place to aggressively pursue those corporate dollars?

Dee Todd: “We have someone who’s in development- Phillip McAlpin (Associate Athletic Director for Development/Marketing). That’s one person and Keith McCluney (Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing), he gets a lot of the things going. But other than them that’s all we have out there.”

Do you plan on adding any more people to your staff who can focus on corporate development?

Dee Todd: “Well, of course, that would require dollars. You’d have to pay them and right now people are doing multiple jobs. You know, I probably do more than the average athletic director. (Normally) you have a staff that can do those things while the athletic director needs to be going out there, meeting and greeting and making contacts. But I can’t do that because I have to physically work (laughs). I have to do a lot of other stuff.”

With the 15 NCAA sports that A&T currently fund, ideally what should our overall athletic budget be in order for us to be seriously competitive?

Dee Todd: “I would say at least about $7.1 million.”

And, in a nutshell, what is our total athletic budget now?

Dee Todd: “Under six”

And where does that rank us among other MEAC schools?

Dee Todd: “With football playing schools, we’re near the bottom. With schools that do not play football, we’re still near the bottom.”

How much does the future success of A&T athletics depend on the mindset of the next chancellor who comes in here? How much of a role will he or she play in the ultimate success of your vision?

Dee Todd: “I think probably a vital role. Hopefully they will understand that we (the athletic department) are a important part of this university. We’re one component of this university, but we’re also the most visible component. What happens within athletics exposes the whole university and I think someone has to understand that. What we do here is like us walking outside in our underwear; we’re exposed. No matter what you do. The same kind of issues may be going on in the biology department but nobody’s watching. We need someone to understand that athletics are your attraction to bring people to the school. You know, people want to come to school to be out there on Saturdays and support a winning program; that’s part of college life. We’re a very important component of this university, we just need people to understand that.”

Lee Fobbs was your first major coaching hire. Why do you feel he was the right man for the job?

Dee Todd: “Well, I didn’t know Coach Fobbs, despite what some people might think (laughs). I never knew him. First of all, I was always taught that every good athletic director always has a short list of candidates. So whenever there’s a position that opens, you should always have a list of people that you can go to right away so you don’t lose a whole lot of time looking for a coach. When I first decided that I might have to make a change in football - (Wheeler) Brown and I were probably the only two who really knew that- we went to various sources. We went to the black coaches association and got a list from them. We had people call and recommend. Hornsby Howell, who used to be a coach here, had sent us three names, back about this time last year. We went and pulled their bios and Coach Fobbs happened to have been one of those names. I had pretty much established in my mind the type of person that I would be looking for, and that was the type who had kind of the same experiences I had as an administrator, but they had as a coach. Not necessarily a person who had run a program before but a person who had been in high-profile programs where they were an assistant. Because you can’t help but be around these programs and learn a lot. I wanted someone who had experience on both sides of the football. I wanted someone who had some HBCU background - either they played there or they worked there before. I really wasn’t looking for any recycles from HBCUs, regardless of their experience. I was looking for someone who could come in and knew - by being at a higher level- how to get back there. Because its hard to go somewhere you’ve never been or take somebody somewhere you’ve never been. That’s like me as an athletic director- I’ve been to the highest level as an administrator so I know what’s going on out there but I also see how we’ve got to get there. It’s a little bit challenging, but I was looking for those same ingredients in a football coach. We were trying to narrow down our list and we were talking to Doug Williams and he said to me ‘if I could hire a coach I would hire a guy named Lee Fobbs.’ Well, I was calling him Forbes at that time so I said ‘wait a minute, how do spell that?’ and he spelled it and said ‘yeah, from Texas A&M’, and I said ‘wait, I think I have his stuff’! And that’s kind of how we started. Doug said ‘I want to help you find the right person’ and I said well look, I have a list of names here - tell me what you think about these people. We talked for about an hour and a half and came up with five names, and I said ‘Ok, let’s rank these names and you tell me in order of priority who you think would work best in our program.’ And each time Coach Fobbs kept coming to the top. Then I started making phone calls just to see if people would be interested if the position became available, and that’s how I found Coach Fobbs.”

Speaking of Coach Fobbs, I know when he arrived here one of the first things he stated was that he felt the recruiting budget needed to be higher. In lieu of all the financial obstacles this athletic department is facing, will you be able to increase the recruiting budget for him this off-season?

Dee Todd: “Well, he’s absolutely right. The problem we have is that the budget is what it is and its got to support 15 programs. Within the budget you can move some things around, but quite frankly we’re doing everything we can to try to get some more money in there. Whether we get donations and put we it directly there (towards recruiting)- I mean, I know that’s where we need help right away and his budget is not sufficient.

What about the total number of scholarships for the football program? Will Fobbs be able to have the maximum amount for the 1-AA level next year.

*Note: Todd defers this question to her assistant Wheeler Brown, who is the Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations

Wheeler Brown: “He probably will have access to the NCAA maximum, but I think what will determine that will be actual amount of dollars spent and the in-state, out-of-state ratio; that sort of thing. But to answer your question he’ll probably get to as close to 63 as you can get when its all said and done.”

Is there any specific rule we have in regards to the ratio of in-state and out-of-state scholarships?

Wheeler Brown: “There used to be a formula that the university went by but I guess we kind of tossed that out the window a little bit right now in order for him to be able to get what he needs to get. We’re pretty much asking him to go out and find what he needs to find and when he identifies it we’re going to need to somehow make it happen.

Finally Ms. Todd, you touched on it earlier, but what is your overall vision for this athletic department in the upcoming years?

Dee Todd: “I would like to say in 10 years we’re winning everything, but that’s not realistic. “You have to, what I call, ‘tier’ your sports, and when I say ‘tier’ I mean you have to put them in a level according to expectations and the more money you put into those programs, the greater the expectations. Obviously, football and mens basketball are high expectations. We want to get them to where they are competitive in the MEAC ... and of course you have to have women’s basketball and treat it the same as men’s basketball. But then we go down the line to sports that we may sponsor but are not be sponsored be the MEAC. Well, we may not have to same expectations of that program; we just want to sustain it and you go out and do the best you can but we’re not expecting championships. Ideally, we would like to be in the top three in at least football, men and women’s basketball, volleyball and I think we should be able to do it in track. I think even in women’s tennis in the next three or four years we should be there. But again, those are programs that, in my mind, I know I can’t give them everything they need to be successful. I know that. So therefore I can’t expect more from them than what they’re getting. Of course, being competitive you want to win regardless, but we’ve got to put in to our football program. We’ve got to get that back right. Because when that’s right all the other programs seem to take care of themselves. But with football we just didn’t get down; we’ve been down. Coach Fobbs inherited two 3-8 season; you don’t just turn that around. When you look at the big schools ... you look at Mack Brown, when he was Carolina he went two years at 1-10. And we’re talking about schools who had everything they need to work with. Football is tough. When you get a new coach who’s trying to build his program and do it the right way, that’s tough. Losing is painful. We don’t like it, but we also know that we have to see the big picture and the big picture is that we’re going to be OK. The best thing I can ask people to do is be there, supports us, don’t be locker room coaches and second guess the man. Everybody has an opinion but unless you’ve been out there and you know what your dealing with on a day-in and day-out basis, its kind of unfair. But that’s fans. Fans are going to do that. I’m not here to coach football so I would never second guess him. I’m here to administer this program and if I see him taking a wrong turn I’m going to of course tug him and say we might want to take this direction. But I hope the fans would just be there because it means a lot to these young guys to look in the stands and see people still there hanging on for them. That means a lot. I think what we saw last Saturday (A&T’s 32-0 loss to Morgan State) was frustration. You know, the weather’s bad, you’re losing and you tend to retaliate and do things after the whistle ... which doesn’t make sense. We’ve got to take that aggression and we’ve got to put it in front of the whistles. We’ve got young kids but they’re not going to be young next year. We’ve just have to stick with them and we’ve got to take every opportunity to walk by them and say, ‘Son, keep your head up. Keep working hard because its going to be alright.’ I hate to see them leave with their heads down. But its hard; I’ve been through this before. I was coaching at Northwestern when Dennis Green was there and Northwestern had the record for the longest losing streak in 1-A football at 33 games. It was painful and I was just the track coach (laughs). So I’ve been through it before but I don’t think we’re going to be there. I think we just have do the right thing and put 60 minutes of hard-playing football together. And I think people should take all there hits on us now because its not going to be that way forever.”

SCSU Soccer Team Travels to Francis Marion; Hopes to Snap Losing Streak

FLORENCE, S.C. – The Francis Marion University women’s soccer team will play host to South Carolina State University, Friday at 4 p.m. on the FMU Soccer Field. Admission is free.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Francis Marion is 5-5-3, with three of the losses being one-goal decisions. S.C. State is 2-9 and the Lady Bulldogs have suffered seven consecutive shutout losses.

Freshman Kirby Stenard leads the Patriots with 14 points (6 goals, 2 assists). Junior goalkeeper Jacque Sutphin owns a 1.25 goals against average and has posted four shutouts. She has made 73 saves in the 13 matches. FMU has lost its last two matches at Clemson University and Longwood University after the Patriots compiled an eight-match unbeaten streak.

The Lady Bulldogs are paced by junior Lauren Emrich with three goals.

Following Friday’s match, Francis Marion will play two road matches – at High Point University on Sunday and at Howard University on Oct. 22 – before concluding the season with three home contests.

FMU, in its second year of transitioning from NCAA Division II to Division I, owns an all-time home record of 78-16-5.

By SCSU Sports Information 10/12/2006 6:05:00 PM




ORANGEBURG, SC – For the first time in school history, South Carolina State University will host the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Volleyball Round-Up, the three-day event will feature all the teams in the MEAC with teams from the MEAC South Division (Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T, and South Carolina State) taking on teams from the MEAC North Division (Coppin State, Delaware State, Hampton, Howard, Maryland-Eastern Shore, and Morgan State).

The event will have a huge impact on all the teams involved as all the matches count towards each team’s standing in the MEAC. The bottom three teams in the standings will not qualify for the 2006 MEAC Championship Tournament held in Hampton, Virginia this season.

Matches in the Round-Up are set to start at 9 a.m. each day and will run continuously until 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, but ending at 3 p.m. on Sunday. In its previous two seasons, the Round-Up was played in Princess Anne, Maryland and hosted by the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore. This is the first time since its inception that another school has played host to the event.

There will be a number of key match-ups at the Round-Up with three teams heading into the event with perfect records in MEAC play. Those teams include five-time MEAC champions Florida A&M (7-6, 2-0 MEAC), Morgan State (11-6, 2-0 MEAC), and host South Carolina State (11-9, 1-0 MEAC). Hampton and Bethune-Cookman have yet to face MEAC play yet this season, although the Lady Bulldogs have a pair of wins over Hampton in non-conference match-ups and fell to Bethune-Cookman at home in a non-conference match as well. Morgan State and Florida A&M are set for a 3 p.m. match on Saturday while South Carolina State will meet the Lady Bears in an 11 a.m. match on Sunday.

JSU-Southern Game Information


JACKSON, Miss. – Jackson State University football fans are asked to wear white tops for Saturday’s SWAC football contest versus Southern University, in the Tigers’ first “White Out” at Memorial Stadium.

”We want a sea of white on our side,” said JSU athletic director Robert Braddy.

Some 25,000 Southern Jaguar fans are expected to attend Saturday’s game. Braddy says the “White Out” will demonstrate JSU unity.

”This is our house and we’re going to make sure they know that,” he said.

Fans are encouraged to wear white JSU T-shirts or other paraphernalia to completely white-out the home side of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 6 p.m. Jackson State leads the SWAC Eastern Division and enters the game with a 4-1 overall record (3-0 in the SWAC).

Tickets are still available at all Ticketmaster outlets and at the JSU ticket office. General admission tickets are $22 in advance and $25 on game day. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. Fans should claim seats early, as seating will be first come, first serve.

http://www.jsutigers.com/sports/football/141

By St. Clair Murraine
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
A lot was being made of the way South Carolina State easily handled FAMU a year ago, even some implications that the Bulldogs could do it again Saturday. That's when coach Oliver Pough made a statement during his weekly teleconference that got everyone's attention.

"The Florida A&M name in my mind just sends some reverberation through my spine," Pough said. "They scare you sometimes. You've got to be careful and understand when you go down there it's going to be a knock-down, drag-out, because they're going to have you basically against the wall."

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Pough wasn't playing possum with his words. He knows the history of the series between the Rattlers and Bulldogs, which FAMU leads 32-15-3.

Saturday's meeting, though, is one that could define the season for both teams in their chase for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship.

On paper, the Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1) seem to be the favorite. They own the leading rushing offense in the MEAC while FAMU has the league's worst defense against the run.

But South Carolina State is coming off three losses in its last four games, giving Pough reason to be cautiously optimistic. He said he's been warning his players that they'll be going against a much different FAMU team from the one they dismantled 49-3 last season in Orangeburg.

FAMU (3-2, 1-1) played that game without seven of its starters who were benched for academic issues. Word of the players' ineligibility didn't come until less than 24 hours before kickoff.

At the same time, the Bulldogs were facing a FAMU team that Rubin Carter had been coaching for less than six months.

"They've gotten a much better feel for coach Carter's defense, so we don't want to get caught in the thought of 'Well, they've been pretty bad or weak against a particular portion (of the offense)' and then we go in there and they're really good," Pough said. "We're going hoping that we can run the football some, but we're going to stick to our approach to mix it up so that we can create some things to keep them off balance."

If there's any one area of the Rattlers' game that the Bulldogs might be looking to exploit, it's FAMU's defense against the run. The Rattlers are ranked last in the league in defending a run attack

The Bulldogs' efficiency in running the ball is ranked No. 1 in the league primarily because of the effectiveness of running back DeShawn Baker. He's averaging 5.8 yards per carry and 88.8 per game.

But Pough seemed willing to throw away the stats.

"Once you get on the field, it's a different situation," Pough said, singling out defensive end Tyrone McGriff as the one player he's most concerned about.

"That's a guy that you've got to always have some kind of idea where he is," Pough said, "because he is an active guy that rushes the passer and create all sorts of problems."

Carter is just as leery about South Carolina State on both sides of the ball.

"They go out, they execute, they play with a high degree of energy," he said. "We always know it's a challenge to play against that type of opponent."

Contact St. Clair Murraine at (850) 599-2317 or scmurraine@tallahassee.com.

Just when they looked dead, South Carolina State came off a bye and throttled an upstart Norfolk State team to show it can still be a factor in the MEAC race. The Bulldog defense struggled in ugly losses to Bethune-Cookman and Coastal Carolina earlier in the season, but held the Spartans to just 119 yards of total offense, including a miniscule six rushing yards. The offense was equally dominant, as the Bulldogs racked up 475 total yards with DeShawn Baker rushing for 128 on his own to lead a 275-yard ground effort. Cleveland McCoy’s accuracy was still lacking (6-of-14, 133 yards), but he made plays with his feet and tossed two touchdown passes. The Bulldogs host their annual showdown with Hampton next week, and can build even more momentum going into that contest with another strong performance here. But that won’t be easy against the Rattlers, who have won three in a row after starting the season with an 0-2 mark. Florida A & M was not particularly dominating in wins over Howard, Winston-Salem State and Tennessee State, but the win over an improving Tiger team looks like a solid accomplishment. Wide receiver Roosevelt Kiser already has 37 receptions in five games, and the Rattlers will need production from him and quarterback Albert Chester (732 yards, 4 TD) because the Bulldogs should do a good job against the run. Florida A & M had a bye to get ready for this game, and will need to hope its rush defense that gives up more than six yards per carry to come out with new life. South Carolina State has been a competitor for the last couple of seasons, and last week’s dominating performance shows it still can be this year. An improving Bulldog defense and solid running game leads to another victory and keeps the momentum going for next week’s game with Hampton. Prediction: South Carolina State 28, Florida A & M 17

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Special to The T&D

The father of South Carolina State assistant head football coach David Blanchard died Monday (Oct. 9) in Thomson, Ga., following a short illness. The funeral for Herman Blanchard, 58, will be held Thursday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m.at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Thomson. Shawn Funeral Home of Thomson is in charge of arrangements.

David Blanchard is the longest-tenured coach on the S.C.State football staff. He is in his 12th season as a Bulldog assistant, his fifth as defensive line coach and the second as assistant head coach to Coach Buddy Pough. The SCSU graduate and All-MEAC center was at SC State’s Tuesday practice but is not expected to return to practice until after Thursday.

Members of the Bulldog coaching staff, support staff and some players plan to attend Thursday’s service in Thomson, according to Pough.

“Our hearts and prayers are with Coach Blanchard and his family,” said Pough. “Most of our coaches, some members of our support staff and some of the players will be going to the funeral to provide support for him and his family. We are taking a bus load.”

Former South Carolina State head track coach Donald Webster died Thursday, Oct. 5, in Orangeburg after an extended illness. Funeral services for Webster, 62, will be Thursday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m. at Williams Chapel AME Church, 1198 Glover Street, Orangeburg. Arrangements are being handled by Glover’s Funeral Home of Orangeburg.Webster served as head coach for both the S.C. State men and women’s track teams from 1996 to 1998.

The Kennett Square, Pa., native also served as head track coach for five years (1990-95) at Coppin State in Baltimore, Md., where his team won the 1991 MEAC Cross Country Championship.

Webster’s widow, Mrs. Una Campbell-Webster, is employed at S.C. State in the Information Technology Center.

By ISHMAEL TATE
itate@thestate.com

George Bishop Jr.As police searched for clues Wednesday in the shooting death of an S.C. State student, friends and family mourned the violent end of a promising life.

Orangeburg police are treating the death of George Bishop Jr., 22, as a homicide, Capt. Michael Adams said.

He declined to say why investigators think the death is suspicious. Adams said investigators do not have any suspects yet.

Bishop’s roommate, also an S.C. State student, called police about 1 p.m. Tuesday after finding the body. Bishop had been shot once in the chest, Adams said.

Late Wednesday afternoon, crime scene detectives were at Bishop’s Palmetto Place apartment doing follow-up work, Adams said.

He declined to say where in the apartment Bishop’s body was found. A motive, if there is one, is not yet clear.

“We have not found any signs of forced entry or anything missing from the apartment,” Adams said.

The Palmetto Place Apartments, which are a couple of miles from the S.C. State campus, are home to a number of students, Adams said.

The Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office was awaiting results of an autopsy performed Wednesday morning, Deputy Coroner Sean Fogle said.

Funeral arrangements will be handled by Hines Funeral Homein Hartsville, where Bishop’s parents, George Sr. and Wanda Bishop, live.

In a letter to university faculty, staff and students, S.C. State president Andrew Hugine Jr. offered the family his condolences.

Bishop was a senior physical education major, the statement said.

“We are deeply saddened and regret the loss of one of our students” Hugine wrote. “The university extends condolences to the Bishop family and will continue to keep them in our prayers.”

Bishop is a 2002 graduate of Hartsville High School, where he was a star varsity basketball player and good student, said Rainey Knight, Darlington County School District superintendent.

“He was very active in school,” she said. “He was a well-rounded kid.”

In 2001, during his junior year, Bishop was named Mr. Hartsville High School.

Knight said Bishop’s mother and two aunts work for the school district. His mother teaches computer-related classes at Darlington High School.

Reach Tate at (803) 771-8549.

By THOMAS BROWN, T&D Staff Writer
Thursday, October 12, 2006

It was quiet in the Health and Physical Education Department at South Carolina State University Wednesday. There was no horseplay among the athletes. There was little talking in the hallway. Everybody seemed reflective.

“It was a shock, a terrible shock,” Patrick Shelton said of the death of his classmate, George Stanley Bishop Jr. of Hartsville.

Bishop was found by his roommate Tuesday in his off-campus apartment, dead of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Capt. Mike Adams said the death looked suspicious and police are treating it as a homicide. There have been no new developments in the case, he said.

“We are diligently working on this case to find out exactly what happened,” Adams said.

The staff, faculty and students at SCSU only know that they have lost a student, a friend, a colleague.

“We are deeply saddened and regret the loss of one of our students,” SCSU President Andrew Hugine Jr. said. “The university family extends condolences to the Bishop family and will continue to keep them in our prayers.”

Bishop was senior physical education major at SCSU. The faculty and his fellow students remember him fondly. They had only good things to say about the 22-year-old.

“He was a great guy,” Shelton said of his classmate. “I’ll remember his personality. He was a quiet person, but when he wanted to make a point in class, he would have his say.

“He’d say whatever was on his mind. It didn’t matter whether the other students or even the teacher disagreed with him, he would say what was on his mind.”

Shelton, a fellow physical education major, has had several classes with Bishop. The two had one class together this semester.

“I haven’t been to that class since this happened,” Shelton said. “It meets tomorrow. I know it’s going to be strange in there. He wasn’t a guy who missed any classes.”

Dr. Patricia Frye, chairperson of the Physical Education Department, said Bishop was a “super kid.”

“He was a good student and he was involved in his major field,” she said. “He was always willing to help out and he did it with a smile. I don’t know anybody who had any bad things to say about him.”

“This has been devastating. All the faculty members who had him in class were floored when they heard what happened to him,” Frye said.

Bishop also enjoyed a good reputation with students outside his major.

“We had a math course together our freshman year,” Mary Ann Johnson said. “He wasn’t great in math, but he studied hard and made good grades. He helped me out on a project I was working on one time.

“He would do anything to help somebody. I can’t believe that somebody would hurt him. He wasn’t a real talkative person, but what he said, he meant. I’m still finding it hard to believe this really happened.”

For Jesse Holmes, a junior at SCSU, Bishop was a helping hand he could depend on.

“I met him because I was having some problems with one of my health education classes,” Holmes said. “I’m not a physical education major and needed some extra help remembering some of the terms in the class.”

Holmes said Bishop lent him notes from another health class and allowed him to keep them for the semester.

“Those notes got me through the class,” Holmes said. “We were friends ever since.”

At Palmetto Place Apartments, quiet shock still lingered in the atmosphere. Property Manager Emily Jameson, like people at the university, can’t believe Bishop was killed.

“I’ve been here over a year and just have never had any problems here,” Jameson said. “I remember him as a such a nice, polite young man. When you have somebody like that and somebody comes along and takes his life, it makes you wonder what happened.

“Did he walk in on somebody trying to break in? Just what happened? You really have to wonder. I’m kind of protective of the students. I treat them just as I would want my children to be treated.”

One of Bishop’s neighbors remembers his willingness to help people. She remembers an early morning incident when he helped her with a crisis.

“We were both coming out at about 8 a.m. one morning about a month ago,” Sheila Edwards said. “I got in my car first and was backing out of the parking space when I realized I had a flat tire. He came over and offered to change the tire for me. I told him I’d call a service station because I didn’t want to make him late for class.

“He said it was OK because he was doing all right in his classes. And he changed the tire for me. You just don’t run into many young men like that anymore. He was so nice. It’s too bad.”

Frye echoed the final comment that most people made who knew or encountered Bishop during his time in Orangeburg.

“It’s always very sad when bad things happen to good people,” she said. “We will miss him. We’re going to miss him.”

-- T&D Staff Writer Thomas Brown can be reached at tbrown@timesanddemocrat.com and 803-533-5532. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

By SCSU Sports Information 10/10/2006

ORANGEBURG, SC – The South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs (11-9, 1-0 MEAC) came out on top after a hard fought battle with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (5-16), Tuesday evening. The teams fought hard with three of the five games coming down to just two points. Only the first game of the match was decided by more than four points.

Coastal Carolina came out strong in the match taking a 30-22 win in the first match and dominating the game at times. However, the Lady Bulldogs fought back taking come-from-behind wins in both the second and third games of the match by scores of 30-28 and 30-26 respectively. The team was not out of the woods yet, as the Chanticleers managed to score a come-from-behind win of their own to take a 30-28 win in the fourth game and forcing a fifth game of the match. The Lady Bulldogs battled back to take the fifth game of the match despite falling behind 13-14 at one point and scoring the 16-14 win in the final game of the match.

It was the Lady Bulldogs’ strong defensive effort that keyed the win with the team collecting 61 digs in the match, four shy of a team season-high. Coupled with a season high 10.0 blocks for the match, the team had its best defensive outing of the season.

A number of Lady Bulldog players had some top performances in the match with senior hitter Vicky Jeter leading the way to victory with 16 kills in the match. Jeter also added 12 digs and two blocks. Junior blocker Monique Walker added 14 kills, nine digs and tying a season-high with six blocks. Senior setter Charlene Pama added 47 assists and seven digs to go along with four blocks in the match.

With the win, the Lady Bulldogs have notched six wins in their last nine matches and are putting forth some of their best efforts of the season heading into this weekend’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Volleyball Round-Up.

By sports information 10/10/2006 9:00:00 PM


Former Bulldog Track Coach Succumbs

ORANGEBURG, SC – Former South Carolina State head track coach Donald Webster died Thursday, Oct. 5, in Orangeburg after an extended illness. Funeral services for Webster, 62, will be Thursday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m. at Williams Chapel AME Church, 1198 Glover Street, Orangeburg. Arrangements are being handled by Glover’s Funeral Home of Orangeburg. Webster served as head coach for both the SC State men and women’s track teams from 1996 to 1998.
The Kennett Square, Pennsylvania native, also served as head track coach for five years (1990-95) at Coppin State in Baltimore, Maryland where his team won the 1991 MEAC Cross Country Championship.
Webster’s coaching career also included a two-year stint (1999-01) as head track coach at Bowie State. And, he was also an assistant at Morgan State before going to Coppin State in 1990.
Webster’s widow, Mrs. Una Campbell-Webster, is employed at S.C. State in the Information Technology Center.

By sports information 10/10/2006 8:58:00 PM
10-10-06


Father of SCSU Assistant Head Coach Succumbs; Former Bulldog Track Coach Passes

ORANGEBURG, SC – The father of South Carolina State assistant head football coach David Blanchard died Monday (Oct. 9) in Thomson, Georgia following a short illness. The funeral for Herman Blanchard, 58, will be held Thursday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m. at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Thomson. Shawn Funeral Home of Thomson is in charge of arrangements.
David Blanchard is the longest-tenured coach on the S.C. State football staff. He is in his 12th season as a Bulldog assistant, his fifth as defensive line coach and the second as assistant head coach to Coach Buddy Pough. The SCSU graduate and All-MEAC center was at SC State’s Tuesday practice but is not expected to return to practice until after Thursday.
Members of the Bulldog coaching staff, support staff and some players plan to attend Thursday’s service in Thomson, according to Pough.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Coach Blanchard and his family,” said Pough. “Most of our coaches, some members of our support staff and some of the players will be going to the funeral to provide support for him and his family. We are taking a bus load.”

By Heath A. Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
There seemed to be a general consensus among the players at Florida A&M's football press conference Tuesday that last week's bye came at just the right time.

“I think the bye week really helped us because we had a lot of players who were banged up that were able to get healthy,” said redshirt junior safety Jason Beach. “Our cornerback Michael Creary was nursing a sore shoulder, and he was able to get that back to 100 percent.”

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The offensive line, which has been one of the best units on the team this season, should be at full strength Saturday now that sophomore center Stephen Brazzle has had time to let his sore shoulder rest.

“We kind of faltered a little because of Brazzle's injury, but we have players that can step in and make contributions,” said junior right tackle Richard Koonce. "We're starting to hit our stride going into the sixth game of the season.

“This game last year is where we really started to gel as an O-line, so hopefully the same thing will happen this year."

Soft cast, tough guy
Junior defensive end Tyrone McGriff was wearing a soft cast on his right hand during Tuesday's practice.

FAMU head football coach Rubin Carter said the cast was put on his hand to protect strained ligaments in his thumb, but that he expected the Florida High graduate to play Saturday against South Carolina State.

Working with first team
Senior cornerback Dorian Gibson has been getting some work with the first-team defense since working his way back from a sprained knee just before the start of the season.

When asked whether he would be starting Saturday, however, Gibson said he didn't know yet. Gibson, out of Miami, had earned a starting job before his injury.

Attacking the Bulldogs
South Carolina State's defense had a strong showing in holding Norfolk State to just 10 points Saturday in Orangeburg, S.C.

FAMU senior wide receiver Roosevelt Kiser thinks the Bulldogs' defense still could be snake bit Saturday at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

“Looking at them on film, I don't think their defense is the strong point of their team,” Kiser said. “The offense is. Their defense is not strong enough that we can't score on them or anything like that.”

Contact reporter Heath A. Smith at (850) 599-2166 or hasmith@tallahassee.com

By Heath A. Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
The Florida A&M Rattlers' first two practices this week in preparation for Saturday's football game against the South Carolina State Bulldogs didn't seem out of the ordinary.

Make no mistake about it, however, the Rattlers (3-2, 1-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) understand the importance of this contest.

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“This is the biggest game we've had in Bragg (Memorial Stadium) in a long time,” said junior middle linebacker Vernon Wilder. “This game can keep us near the top of the MEAC so we just have to go out and play Rattler football.”

“Rattler Football” used to be synonymous with MEAC championships and NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances. The FAMU football program hasn't accomplished either since 2001.

A win Saturday won't guarantee the Rattlers a MEAC championship or a playoff birth, but to the team it would be a significant step toward re-establishing the program as a force in black-college and Division I-AA football.

"This is a huge game for us," said junior defensive end Tyrone McGriff. "If we have any aspiration of winning the conference title and going to the playoffs we have to win this game."

The defense is also looking to re-establish itself against the run Saturday after giving up an average of 251.6 rushing yards in their first five games this season.

The Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1) feature the MEAC's top rushing offense, lead by the duo of running backs DeShawn Baker and William Ford as well as quarterback Cleveland McCoy. The trio has combined for 934 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns this season.

"The have a really talented quarterback," said redshirt sophomore safety Jason Beach. "They're pretty much an offensive-minded team, so it's really gonna be a challenge for us as a defense.

"This is probably going to be our biggest challenge since the University of Miami game, so we're gonna have to continue to practice hard and on Saturday we're gonna be ready.

Contact reporter Heath A. Smith at (850) 599-2166 or hasmith@tallahassee.com.

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Following last year's 49-3 trouncing of Florida A&M, South Carolina State head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough called it one of his team's better games.

Entering Saturday's rematch at Bragg Stadium, Rubin Carter's reflection on the 46-point debacle during his first season as Rattlers' head coach inspires an expected opposite description.

"That was the worst game we played not just in the conference, but the entire year for us," Carter said at Tuesday's weekly teleconference of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference coaches.

The stay in Orangeburg already started badly for the Rattlers as seven players were told the night before to sit out the game for various reasons. FAMU did take a 3-0 lead, only to fall prey to a historic offensive onslaught not presented by the Bulldogs since the rivalry started in 1930.

SCSU ran off 49 unanswered points en route to amassing 558 total yards, its second-highest total of the 2005 season. The margin of victory was also the largest in the series against FAMU, returning the favor to a program responsible for two of the most lopsided losses in SCSU history.

The Bulldogs also managed to rewrite the Rattlers' record books as well. With only 102 total yards of offense, FAMU broke a school record first set in 1965 against Tennessee State and equaled in 1971 against North Carolina A&T. Another record shattered from that contest against the Aggies was fewest first-downs (four), this despite FAMU utilizing three quarterbacks who combined for a paltry 39 passing yards.

FAMU enters this year's game emboldened by a three-game winning streak which has it in contention for the MEAC title. With an extra week once again to prepare for the Bulldogs, Carter has used the time to shore up a defense which allowed 567 rushing yards to the University of Miami and Tennessee, has given up an average of 230.6 yards per game on the ground to its three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents and ranks at the bottom nationally in run defense.

"The bye came at the right time," Carter said. "We really needed it in order to heal and evaluate ourselves and see where we are as a football team. Looking at South Carolina State, we've had two extra weeks to prepare for the game. We probably need another week because they're a very good football team. Coach Pough has done a great job of assembling talented players. They go out, they execute, they play with a high degree of energy and effort and we always know it's a challenge to play against that type of opponent."

Facing the MEAC's top-rushing team, even if one of its key players, freshman Will Ford, sits the game out with a knee injury, made stopping the run an even higher emphasis for FAMU during team practices.

"One of the things we were able to do with the time off was evaluate ourselves and see where we are, especially defensively," he said. "With the defense, we have a lot of new players on our defense -- you know, eight new players -- and they're still learning how to play together and they need to continue to do that ... We've had some problems there early.

The Rattlers are ranked second in the MEAC in pass defense, allowing an average of 144.2 yards per game, and sophomore defensive back Jason Beach has two interceptions on the season. Offensively, quarterback Albert Chester leads the conference in total yards (65-108, 732 yards, four TDs, three INTs; 138 rushing yards, one TD) and is expected to share time with backup Leon Camel.

Along with All-MEAC wideout and all-purpose yardage leader Roosevelt Kiser (37 catches, 349 yards, two TDs), Chester's success can be attributed to an offensive line which has allowed just three sacks all season. Carter credited offensive line coach Kevin Thompson with instilling in his players the importance of protecting the quarterback.

The Rattlers' unit will be tested against a Bulldog defensive line which recorded five sacks against Norfolk State. FAMU will also try to win the time of possession battle, where it leads the league in holding the football for 35 minutes a game. Freshman running back Anthony Edwards has rushed for 320 yards and five touchdowns this season.

FAMU's special teams could also play a factor. Kiser has averaged 23.7 yards per kick and punter Wesley Taylor is once again ranked in the Top 10 nationally with an average of 42.77 yards per game. He was arguably the lone bright spot for the Rattlers in last year's loss to SCSU as he averaged 52.1 yards on nine attempts.

SCSU has won the last three meetings in the series, which FAMU leads 30-13-2. It's such history and football tradition established during FAMU's century of football which still exudes an aura for Pough, although Carter said they're still in the working stages of resurrecting the program's past glory.

"We haven't had a whole lot of that (winning tradition) here lately," Carter said. "We're looking to try to rebuild a program and understand what it takes in order to be a championship football team and things that you have to be able to do, and I think our players understand that. Certainly, there's a rich history here at Florida A&M. But now, everybody has pretty much in the league has caught up. There's a lot of parity in our conference, and so what you have to understand is that you've got to go out and compete. Bring your 'A' game each and every week in this conference and this is one of those weeks."

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com.

This is an old article from his senior year in high school 2002-2003


Jeremy Tiers - Special to GopherHole.com
GopherIllustrated.com

Talk about it in The Varsity Underground - Members Only
Remember the song? I know you do. Sing it with me…"You wanna go where people know, people are all the same, you wanna go where everybody knows your name. "

No this isn’t a story about Cheers, it’s one about a point guard from South High School in Minneapolis. Around here people know who Jessie Burton is. "He just has a personality that attracts everyone," says South Coach Joe Hyser. "Everybody knows Jessie and everyone from teachers to students…they all like him."

Outside of Minnesota however, it’s a different story. Many people continue to believe that the land of 10,000 lakes is hockey crazy. And they are. So, what about the hoopers? Slowly but surely Burton’s local peers, such as Kris Humphries, Lawrence McKenzie and Kammron Taylor, have become visible on the national scene. Meanwhile Jessie is still flying below the radar screen.

Not for long though according to Burton. "You here about all of these other guys…well I want to show people who Jessie Burton is."

The rising senior averaged nearly 16 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals per game this past winter, running the show at South, and boy did he look good doing it. "He’s the most powerful person in our program," said Coach Joe Hyser. "He’s a giver first. He has insights that are amazing, and he would be the perfect recruiter because his peers want to play with him. They just know that Jessie will get them the basketball….I just give him the keys to the team and let him run the show."

"When my teammates score that makes me happier than when I score," said Burton. "I won’t shy away from competition and when I need to make a big play, I’m always going to get the job done. When the stage is set, I’ll be ready to perform."

The latest knockout punch was delivered this past weekend at the Nike Memorial Day Classic. Burton and Pulley White were matched up with the NY Gauchos, a team that features sophomore phenom Sebastian Telfair. Burton saw the stage and as per usual stepped up to the challenge. In fact, he reportedly more than held his own against Telfair, and was the difference in his team’s 71-70 victory.

Burton recorded a double double against the Gauchos, with over 20 points and 10 assists. He also played tremendous defense on Telfair, constantly making him change direction and more than once using his quick hands to steal the basketball.

So let’s review for a moment. Powerful person. Giver. Peers want to play with him. Happier when his teammates score. Always ready to perform. Sounds like the makings of big-time recruit. Doesn’t it?

Despite all of these qualities there are still obstacles to overcome. Jessie is 5-10 and weighs 145 pounds, which in today’s world of the Division I point guard is considered small. Don’t think for a second though that Jessie will be deterred. "It motivates me a lot when people say I’m too small and need to go JUCO first," said Burton at a recent shoot-around.

At the present time, Burton has yet to receive a Division I scholarship offer. Oregon, UCONN, DePaul, UNC-Wilmington, Furman, and Boston College have all expressed interest in Jessie, who maintains roughly a 3.0 GPA in the classroom. Still, each school is playing a wait-and-see game right now.

That’s just fine with Jessie. He will continue to produce, and eventually somebody will realize they’ve found a gem in the city of Minneapolis.

"I’m just going to work that much harder every day in the gym," said Burton. "People will know who I am."

Coaches are you listening?

It sounds like the word is spreading already.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Nov. 10 - at the University of South Carolina 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 17 - at the University of South Florida 7 p.m.

Nov. 21 - at the University of Georgia 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 25 - at Jacksonville University 6 p.m.

Nov. 28 - at University of Dayton 7 p.m.

Dec. 2 - NORTH CAROLINA A&T 6 p.m.

Dec. 11 – at VMI 7 p.m.

Dec. 13 - COASTAL CAROLINA 7 p.m.

Dec. 16 - at Old Dominion 7 p.m.

Dec. 21 - NORTH CAROLINA–ASHEVILLE 7 p.m.

Dec. 31 - at Rutgers University 7 p.m.

Jan. 3 - DELAWARE STATE 6 p.m.

Jan. 6 – HOWARD University 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 8 – MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13 – at Florida A&M 4 p.m.

Jan. 15 – at Bethune-Cookman 8 p.m.

Jan. 20 – at Morgan State 4 p.m.

Jan. 22 – at Coppin State 8 p.m.

Jan. 27 – HAMPTON 6 p.m.

Jan. 29 – NORFOLK STATE 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 3 – at Howard 4 p.m.

Feb. 5 – at Maryland-Eastern Shore 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 – FLORIDA A&M 6 p.m.

Feb. 12 – BETHUNE-COOKMAN 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 – MORGAN STATE 6 p.m.

Feb. 19 – COPPIN STATE 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 24 – at Hampton 6 p.m.

Feb. 26 – at Norfolk State 7:30 p.m.

March 2 – WINSTON-SALEM STATE 7 p.m.

March 5-10 – MEAC Tournament (in Raleigh, NC)

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Tuesday, October 10, 2006

The Midwest continues to serve as a valuable recruiting base for new South Carolina State men’s basketball coach Jamal Brown.

On Sunday, Minneapolis, Minn. native Jessie Burton, a 6-foot point guard out of North Dakota State College of Science, confirmed his intentions to play basketball for the Bulldogs starting next season.

A former All-Conference player at the Nike Camp, where was ranked 18th out of the point guards in 2002-03 while attending South High School, Burton arrived at North Dakota State College of Science after one year at Notre Dame Prep in 2004. He averaged 13 points and seven assists per game in leading the Wildcats to a 28-7 record, the Mon-Dak Conference championship and a fourth straight Region XIII title, where he was MVP of the tournament.

North Dakota State College of Science also earned the District XII title and posted a 3-1 mark in finishing a school-best seventh at the 2005 National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division I tournament played in Hutchinson, Kan.

“Jessie’s one of the best point guards we’ve had in our program and this is my seventh year,” Wildcats head coach Craig Irwin said. “He makes good decisions, has good leadership skills and he’s not a big dribble leader. He leads by example. He’s one of those guys that when he does speak up, people listen.”

This season, Burton averaged 10.4 points, four assists and 2.3 rebounds in 21 games and led the North Dakota State College of Science in steals (36) before tearing his right ACL. Despite the injury, Burton said he was recruited by the likes of UC-Santa Barbara, Bowling Green, Weber State, IUIPUI before deciding on SCSU.

Burton made his decision after attending Saturday’s SCSU football game at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. He indicated stadium additions such as the artificial grass and electronic video replay scoreboard and renovation plans for the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center left a strong impression.

“I bring South Carolina State a lot of leadership – a floor general,” he said. “My main strength is passing. I can really find the open player.”

Irwin added Burton is good at avoiding turnovers, is an adept on-the-ball defender and can hit the big shot when necessary.

Burton expects to be at full strength to start the 2007-08 season, when he’ll be joined by Wright State transfer swingman Everett Spencer. The 6-5, 185-pound junior from Columbus, Ohio, played two seasons for the Raiders and previously averaged 26.5 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists a game as a All-American for New Creations Christian.

Both players will have two years of eligibility. Brown also recruited out of Columbus, Ohio, three-point specialist Marcus McCants of Olney Central Junior College in Illinois, who will play this season.

Other newcomers for the Bulldogs include freshman forward Dale Carn, swingman Jason Flagler and guard Thomas Bookman of Eau Claire High School. Not returning this season are guard William Adams, forward Taurean Hutchinson, forward Chris Lee and center Joe Fincher.

SCSU will play its lone preseason exhibition Nov. 6 against Claflin University as part of a doubleheader that opens with the Lady Bulldogs facing Voorhees College.

The date of SCSU’s season-opener at the University of South Carolina, originally scheduled for Nov. 11, has been moved up a day to Nov. 10.

-- T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheT&D.com.

Pough keyed up about Bulldog win, looks to 'tournament-style' games

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Snapping a two-game losing streak with a dominating home performance did plenty of good for South Carolina State's overall morale.

But the 47-10 victory over Norfolk State did little to help cure head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's insomnia.

"I didn't go to sleep Saturday night," he said at Monday's press conference. "I was telling the guys I haven't been sleeping because we've been playing bad and then after having played better, I was so keyed up until I still couldn't sleep because we played so good. It's the strangest thing."

The SCSU players were particularly in high spirits during Sunday's practice, according to Pough. There was a sense of relief and rejuvenation among the Bulldogs after experiencing weeks of self-doubt and criticism for their disappointing play.

Against the Spartans, SCSU put together a complete effort with 475 total yards of offense and a defense that allowed just six yards, got two interceptions and sacked the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's leading passer Casey Hansen five times.

"We needed to play with a pretty intense frame of mind and I thought we went out and got that done," he said. "I was proud of the fact that our guys played a lot better after having played so poorly in the past. Hopefully, that's the team you'll see for the remainder of the season."

With a new lease on life, SCSU (2-3, 1-1) now finds itself entering what Pough called "tournament-style play" where another loss means the end of its conference championship hopes. The Bulldogs view Saturday night's contest at Florida A&M (3-2, 1-1) as essentially an ''elimination game'' as the winner will remain the only team chasing front-runner Hampton with control of its own destiny.

While Pough is 3-0 against the Rattlers during his tenure, he's very mindful going back to his childhood of the history and tradition of FAMU football. With FAMU riding a three-game winning streak and having two weeks of preparation time, SCSU has no intention of looking past the Rattlers for the Oct. 21 showdown against Hampton at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

"South Carolina State hasn't been playing football that good for that long to look past a Florida A&M," he said. "Florida A&M stands out as one of the most prominent, maybe even dominant, in historically black college circles and one of the highest-thought-of black college athletic programs in the country. If you look past a Florida A&M, somebody ain't got good sense."

Pough is also wary about avoiding a repeat of what happened earlier this season the last time the Bulldogs faced a Florida team after coming off a one-sided victory. SCSU defeated Winston-Salem State 35-6 only to get routed by Bethune-Cookman 45-21 a week later.

Another concern is the health of freshman running back Will Ford, who's listed as doubtful with a knee injury suffered during Saturday's win. The Traveler's Rest native has combined with senior DeShawn Baker to form the MEAC's best rushing offense in averaging 210.6 yards per game.

As for wide receiver Terrance Smith (ankle), defensive lineman Xavier Littleberry (broken hand) and defensive back David Broome, who all sat out the Norfolk State game, Pough said their status is "to be determined." Despite Littleberry and Broome's absence, the Bulldogs had their best defensive showing of the season and Pough said starting redshirt senior weak safety Thomas Stanley made a complete difference for the secondary.

"He was a steadying influence," he said. "He made guys know exactly what they had to do and what their assignments were. He was not only doing his job, but he was reminding people of theirs and making sure everybody was lined up correctly. You add to it the fact that we played good upfront and our defensive line got off the football and got after (Hansen).

"We had not played that style of play in the past. We've been more of a laid-back, kind of read-style defensive team and I thought we got off the football and that made a big difference for us. Hopefully, we'll continue to build on that and things that came along with that ... to become a better football team."

Pough was also encouraged by the play of wide receiver Gerald McCloud, who had a touchdown and a career best 82 receiving yards, and praised the blocking of wideout Kelley King. Redshirt freshman wideout Oliver "Trey" Young had his first career touchdown reception on a 67-yard pass from Russell Hemby, and Pough sees him and Smith as key future components.

"Both of those guys are good, but faster, bigger, stronger, more athletic than the guys that we have now," he said. "They're just green. They're freshmen. They've been here a year. They sat out for a year and they're in their fifth, sixth college football game right now and wide receiver play in college football is about as much different from high school as you can ever believe."

This is SCSU's first visit to Bragg Stadium since 2002, Pough's first season. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

STICKING WITH GASTON -- Saturday will be another busy one for Michael Gaston as he will again handle the punting and place-kicking duties. While Gaston only averaged about 28.2 yards per punt against Norfolk State, Pough said he does the best job right now of punting the football away in a quick fashion.

"It's more important for us not to get them blocked," he said. "You've got to take the bitter with the sweet sometimes when you're trying to accomplish something. The first thing we were looking to do was reduce our operation time and get the football off. From there, hopefully Mike will get better this week. But until I get a better sense of the fact that I'm going to at least get the ball gone, then it will be Mike Gaston."

Chris Dupree will continue to share the kickoff duties with Gaston, with Aaron Haire playing a backup role.

REED EARNS MEAC HONORS -- For the second time in his career, SCSU senior offensive tackle Clyde Reed was named the MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week on Monday.

The 6-6, 310-pound Georgetown native and preseason Sheridan All-American anchored an SCSU offensive line that paved the way for 475 total yards, 275 coming on the ground. Reed also graded out a 80 percent on assignments by his coaches, compiling two knockdown blocks and four domination blocks.

Also recognized from Saturday's game was Norfolk State kick returner Emery Sammons. The senior Spartan accounted for his team's lone score with a 76-yard punt return, the first of his career. It was also Norfolk State's second straight game with a punt return TD.

Other MEAC honorees were quarterback Vashon Winton (Offensive Player) and linebacker Josh Pope (Rookie), both of Delaware State, and defensive lineman Temi Omodtade of Morgan State.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant can be reached by email at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by office phone at 533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.


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Orangeburg, S.C. – SC State University will participate in this year’s “2006 Fueling the Future” College Care Package Program sponsored by Jet Magazine. The program gives away up to 10,000 care packages to students at up to 10 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and SC State has been chosen as one of them.

“We’ve created this program as a vehicle to promote healthy lifestyles and to promoted additional support for those individuals pursuing higher education,” said Tesa Anewishki, marketing director for Jet Magazine. “Our program is the only one across the country that not only gives away care packages like ‘Mom and Dad’, but also delivers it with the same meaning and message of love.” Included in the care packages are free product samples and other relevant consumer information.

Jet Magazine will begin the tour this fall, stopping at SC State on Friday, November 3, 2006. This year, the tour will also include a fashion show.

For more information, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at (803) 536-7057.

Three Richland Northeast teammates, defensive end Derrick Steele (6-2, 230), wide receiver Cortez Miller (6-3, 190) and linebacker Chris Farris (5-9, 180), made unofficial visits to South Carolina State on Saturday. The Bulldogs are interested in Miller while Norfolk State is interested in all three.

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Sunday, October 08, 2006

It did not take long for the South Carolina State football team to ingratiate themselves with playing inside newly-refurbished Oliver C. Dawson Stadium again.

Any concerns about the Bulldogs needing time to adapt to the newly-installed artificial grass and looking sharp after a two-week layoff became a quick afterthought in the wake of the 47-10 victory over Norfolk State.

“I’m excited about the grass and the fact that we got a win on it today,” SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said.

Playing its most balanced game of the season in its first regular-season game inside the stadium in 10 months, SCSU amassed 475 total yards of offense, 275 coming on the ground, courtesy of running backs DeShawn Baker and Will Ford and quarterback Cleveland McCoy. The Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1) also displayed a killer instinct not seen in the previous four games in not settling for just holding a 14-0 advantage.

“Leading 14-0, that was big, but we’ve been there before,” said McCoy, reflecting back to the 45-21 loss to Bethune-Cookman three weeks ago. “There were two games this year we were up and we lost. We didn’t want to get too complacent.”

The Bulldogs were very much fired up, holding Norfolk State (3-2, 1-2) to six rushing yards and pressuring quarterback Casey Hansen, who entered the contest the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s leading passer, into two interceptions and sacking him five times.

“We thought that we’d have to make them not be able to run the football first, and they are mostly a running team,” Pough said. “They ran the football last year for (237 yards) last year, and they had two guys over 100 yards. So what we wanted to do was get them to the point where we knew they had to throw the football. Then it becomes a lot easier once you take some of the unpredictability out of an attack to defend the pass.“

While working on basic fundamentals, such as tackling, during team drills helped re-sharpen a Bulldogs’ team which gave up close to 950 yards in back-to-back losses to Bethune-Cookman and Coastal Carolina, defensive lineman Delorean Shaw indicated the new playing surface and playing in a vibrant atmosphere of 15,304 fans excited by the additions to the stadium such as the new video replay scoreboard made a difference.

“It’s a big momentum change,” Shaw said. “First of all, I feel like that field makes you run faster. But just to have the crowd around you and just adrenaline, everybody was flying around like chickens with their head cut off.”

The defensive line especially set a tone in shutting down the run and keeping incessant pressure on Hansen. University of Florida transfer and SCSU defensive tackle Michael Hill was particularly causing havoc with two sacks along with Shaw, Calvin Epps and Eric Turner, who each had three sacks.

“That was an awesome game by Mike today,” Shaw said. “He sat out most of the first half, and when he got in during the second half, he did what we was supposed to do. The defensive end was forcing the guard to pick up on, and it freed up the rest of the players.”

SCSU’s much-maligned secondary also had its best game of the season, thanks in part to the “Lamar connection.” The Bulldogs recorded a season-best two interceptions, one each by Lamar High School graduates BANDIT Marshall McFadden and cornerback Laquinn Ellerbe (the younger brother of former Bulldog cornerback Dewitt Ellerbe). Fellow former Silver Fox Markee Hamlin led the team in tackles with seven and a breakup of a potential touchdown pass.

“Those guys are starting to play, and we’ve got Dez Benjamin who we’re also playing at corner as we’re trying to develop depth at corner,” Pough said. “We’ve got some pretty good players from over there and as they get more fit, because Markee went through that appendectomy, as he gets to be a lot stronger and more experienced, I think you’ll see a really good player there.”

“Pressure breaks pipes, so as long as the defensive line kept pressure, we knew that our secondary would step up and make big plays which they did,“ Shaw said.”

The Bulldogs were also motivated by a sense of urgency to win all of their remaining games. With Bethune-Cookman’s 33-31 loss on Saturday to Delaware State, SCSU finds itself now in a three-way tie for second place with the Hornets and Morgan State. All three are chasing undefeated Hampton, whom the Bulldogs will play in two weeks at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

Before that potential “make or break” game, SCSU has an equally critical game in Tallahassee against Florida A&M.

“Coach Pough was telling us our destiny is in our own hands,” Shaw said. “Those two weeks that we had, we just weren’t competing enough as far as the first week. But this past week preparing for Norfolk, everybody stepped their competition up, and Coach Pough had expectations like ’Look, you could either go out there and get it done or we’ll be back at home.’ We don’t want to be home.

We just want to win.“

-- T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by phone at 533-5547 or by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com

There has been a growing movement by SCSU fans, alumni, and supporters referencing SCSU as THE South Carolina State University. We at SCSU NEWS love the idea. We hope you do as well. People need to understand that SCSU is a prominent entity in SC just as USC and Clemson are.

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Saturday, October 07, 2006

An air of newness flowed through Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Saturday and it did not just pertain to the new playing surface and video highlight scoreboard.

For the first time in nearly a month, there were smiles galore and packs on the back in the South Carolina State locker room following the 47-10 trouncing of Norfolk State. In snapping a two-game losing streak and getting back into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title race, the sense of gloom and frustration cast over the program during its worst start in the Oliver "Buddy" Pough era were nonexistent.

For at least a week, the players and coaching staff were back to their upbeat selves and optimistic about finishing the season strong.

"The best feeling I had all year," Pough said. "We won a conference game. We played a lot better. I thought we played unbelievably well on defense and I want to congratulate our coaches and our players for not giving up when it looked like all was done. It's an experience we had that we're not use to and it's one that we struggle to deal with. Not only do we struggle to deal with

it, but our fans, our administration, our coaching staff. Everybody's struggled with the situation with the hand that we dealt ourselves and I just want to say how proud of how our guys came out and played today because I think we took most of what Norfolk wanted to do away from them today and offensively, I thought we played better."

Before 15,305 fans whose enthusiasm only added to the refurbished settings, the Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1) once again proved the old adage about winning curing most ills. Having two weeks to prepare and right itself proved beneficial as SCSU displayed the killer instinct, consistency and execution which appeared AWOL for most of the season.

For the second straight year, the Bulldogs' running game ran rampant on a Spartans' team which came into the contest off to its best start in a decade. Running back Deshawn Baker rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown and freshman William Ford had 58 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs amassed 275 of its 475 yards on the ground.

Quarterback Cleveland McCoy had his best game of the season by competing 6-14 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wideout and Clemson University transfer Gerald McCloud had one of the touchdowns in finishing with a career-best 103 yards on four carries.

When McCoy left the game in the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Russell Hemby completed his lone pass for a 67-yard touchdown to Oliver "Trey" Young.

With the offense clicking, a revamped and regrouped SCSU defense virtually shut down the Spartans' running game. A year after rushing for 237 yards against SCSU, Norfolk State (3-2, 1-2) was held to a season-low six yards, with quarterback Casey Hanson accounting for -27 yards. The MEAC's leading passer was harassed by a fierce pass rush led by redshirt junior defensive tackle and University of Florida transfer Michael Hill, who accounted for two of the team's five sacks, and was intercepted twice in finishing 11-29 for 113 yards.

"Our defensive line as a whole...came to play and I challenged our defensive line," Pough said. "I challenged both lines, actually, and we had some rock 'em, sock 'em, knockdown kind of days during the open week and that's really what sort of was the result of what you saw happened during the open week. It was not a lot of days for the weary. You had to be tough to hang in there on those days."

The Bulldogs provided plenty of early highlights for the new scoreboard in jumping out to a 14-0 lead. With the defense holding the Spartans to -1 rushing yards in the first quarter, the offense produced two touchdowns on its first two series. SCSU pounded away on the ground with Baker and McCoy combining for 53 rushing yards on the eight-play, 52-yard drive capped by a two-yard touchdown run by Ford with 8:10 remaining in the first quarter.

About 97 seconds later, the Bulldogs hit the Spartans quickly as McCoy fired a long pass to McCloud who scampered virtually untouched for a career-best 42-yard touchdown reception.

SCSU was in position for another quick score as Hanson was intercepted on the Spartans' next possession by Marshall McFadden. The sophomore BANDIT out of Lamar High School returned the football to the Norfolk State 30, where a personal foul penalty for a late hit moved the football to the Norfolk State 14-yard-line.

The Bulldogs could not capitalize as Gaston's 33-yard field goal attempt - which was also his first try of the season - sailed wide left. Norfolk State took over from its own 20 and thanks to unnecessary roughness penalty and a 26-yard reception by Emery Sammons, got a 29-yard field goal by Antonio Gomez to cut the lead to 14-3 in the second quarter.

SCSU marched back downfield on its next series and answered back with a 21-yard field goal by Michael Gaston with 9:37 remaining. The big plays on the scoring drive were a 31-yard catch by McCloud and a 21-yard run by McCoy.

Although the clouds held back the rainfall, SCSU wasted little time letting loose its "Thunder and Lightning" to start the second half. Following the effective blocking upfront, Baker bruised his way into the Spartan secondary for runs of 32 and 13 yards. Two plays later, Ford took the delay draw and in lighting-quick fashion burst free for a 36-yard touchdown one-minute and four seconds into the second half.

"That was the whole game right there," Adrian said. "We said at halftime that we've got to kick off and hold them and try to score because if we scored, it becomes a ballgame. Of course, we let them score right off the bat and it was over."

Gaston's PAT caromed off the left goalpost, leaving the score 23-3. He made amends minutes later with a 29-yard field goal to push SCSU's lead to 26-3.

The quick scores continued in the third quarter. After a short punt gave the Bulldogs the football at the Norfolk State 38, they needed just two plays to make it 33-3. Taking advantage of a blitzing Spartan defense, McCoy lobbed a pass to a wide open Baker who jogged untouched into the endzone for the touchdown.

With 59 seconds left in the third quarter, Norfolk State put its explosive kick return game on display. Taking the line drive punt by Gaston, Norfolk State's Sammons reversed his field and sprinted down the visiting sidelines 66 yards to give the Spartans a punt return TD for the second straight week and second since 2000

Undeterred, SCSU continued to pound away with Baker and Ford for another touchdown. After Ford fought his way for a five-yard run to convert a fourth down, a subsequent face mask set up a 21-yard reception by Chris Burgess. The senior wideout stepped out of bounds at the two-yard line, setting up Baker's second touchdown on a sweep with 13:04 remaining in the fourth quarter to put SCSU up 40-10.

The "Lamar connection" would come through again as SCSU redshirt freshman Laquinn Ellerbe picked off an errant Hanson throw at the 33-yard line. as redshirt freshman Marquis Ellerbe. On second down, Hemby fired a strike in stride to "Trey" Young who took it 67 yards to close out the scoring.

"They jumped out on us real quick," Adrian said. "A lot of people were saying a lot of things about us because we were 3-1. We've still got a ways to go. We know it. I knew this would be really tough in here with them having two weeks to go and they had not played well till today and we know that. But they have a lot of talent on that side of the football and it's a good chance Buddy might run the table. You don't know. If they play like that, they will."

SCSU looks to continue its newfound momentum on the road against Florida A&M. It's the first visit to Tallahassee for the Bulldogs since 2002 - Pough's

first season as head coach - they have won the last three meetings in the series.

"Right now, we are more concerned about what's going on at South Carolina State than anything else. If we do what we're suppose to, then we're still in it."

BULLDOG NOTES: During Saturday's festivities, messages of congratulations Gov. Mark Sanford, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, SCSU Board of Trustees' Chairman Maurice Washington and State Treasurer Grady Patterson were aired on the new scoreboard. The 448,875 Daktronics device was brought in through the efforts of Athletics Director Charlene Johnson and was purchased through sponsorship obtained by new athletics marketing director Valerie Dinkins...As promised, instant relays were aired as well as trivia questions and announcements...Defensive lineman Xavier Littleberry (broken hand) and cornerback David Broome (undisclosed) did not play Saturday...Michael Gaston had made its first 15 PAT attempts before missing on Saturday. He also saw double-duty as the Bulldogs' punter, kicking four times for 28.6 yards...Lamar graduate Markee Hamlin led the team with seven tackles and had a pass deflection in the second half to break up a potential long pass.

Big day



By LEE HENDREN, T&D Staff Writer
Saturday, October 07, 2006

The Orangeburg County Fair and South Carolina State University football will converge to make for a day of big fun in Orangeburg.

Saturday is typically a big day at the fair. Not only is it the last full day of this year's event, but it's the only opportunity for many working people to spend a full day at the fair.

Gates open at noon. A fireworks display at 10 p.m. will conclude the day's activities. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children 6-12 and free for children under 6 and senior citizens.

S.C. State expects Saturday to be its second-busiest day of the year, with a multitude of activities going on.

Fall open house registration begins at 8 a.m. in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

It's also Youth Day. Registration opens at 8 a.m. in Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. Elementary, middle and high school students and their parents and guardians are invited to visit the campus and take part in special events.

One special Youth Day event is a "Bulldog Idol" event patterned after the "American Idol" television show. It will begin at 10 a.m.

It's also ROTC Day, with units from around the state taking part in drills and a parade.

At 2 p.m., the S.C. State Bulldogs will take on the Spartans of Norfolk State University. It's the first game to be played on the newly installed artificial turf at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

Adding to fans' pleasure will be the new and improved scoreboard with video capability, allowing for instant replays and interactivity.

"It's going to be entertaining. The fans are going to love it!" said Valerie Dinkins, athletics marketing director.

Sunday's activities at S.C. State will include the Band Battlefest South, featuring bands from 10 historically black colleges and universities.

Music will range from hip hop and jazz to gospel and oldies. The audience can also expect dance and other routines. General admission is $15.

Meanwhile, at 5 p.m. Sunday in S.C. State's Fine Arts Building, the Southern Circuit Film Festival presents "State of Fear," a film about Peru's "war on terror" from 1980 to 2000.

The screening is free, and viewers will have the opportunity to speak with the filmmaker.

Noon Saturday is the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 7 general election. The Voter Registration and Election office in the Orangeburg County Administrative Centre, 1437 Amelia St., will be open from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Registered voters who have moved must give notice by Saturday. Otherwise, they will have to vote absentee or cast their ballot at their former polling place on Election Day.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

Orangeburg –SC State recently hired Dr. Valerie S. Fields as the assistant vice president of student affairs.

Fields holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Louisiana Tech University, a master’s degree and Educational Specialist degree in administration and supervision from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Southern University and A&M College.

“Dr. Fields brings a great deal of expertise in student development and student affairs administration to her role here at SC State,” said Dr. Kevin A. Rolle, vice president of student affairs. “I am confident that Dr. Fields’ abilities and experience will be indispensable assets,” he added.

Prior to joining SC State, Fields served as executive director of Louisiana Campus Compact, a coalition of 26 Louisiana universities and colleges. In that position, she provided leadership and assistance to member institutions in integrating service learning into the college curriculum.

Fields has also worked as director of student development and as assistant dean for student life and leadership at the University of Louisiana at Monroe; a reading instructor at Louisiana Tech University, a mathematics consultant in the East Carroll Parish School System and in various positions at northeast Louisiana area schools.

As assistant vice president of student affairs, Fields will assist Rolle in oversight of SC State’s Division of Student Affairs.

“This is an exciting opportunity,” said Fields. “SC State’s students are very active within their local community, and I definitely look forward to seeing a strengthened bond in that “Town & Gown” relationship.”

As an advocate of community service in Louisiana, Fields has worked with the American Heart Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., served on the Big Brother Big Sister Advisory Board, the Minority Business Council Board of Directors and the Volunteers of America Advisory Board and chaired the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar.

Orangeburg –On this Friday, October 6, SC State President Andrew Hugine Jr. will lead the University community in an initiative focused on eliminating health disparities affecting minorities.

“Currently, 40% of African Americans in the state are hypertensive, 61% of the state’s population is obese and SC ranks ninth in the nation for diabetes,” said the president.

With those troubling statistics in mind, Dr. Hugine decided to create the President’s Health Initiative to raise awareness and to empower the University community to make healthy choices. The program will incorporate the health status of undergraduate students, faculty and staff of SC State into initiatives that transform University policy as it relates to wellness, research and community outreach.

The official launch of Dr. Hugine’s President’s Health Initiative (PHI) will be held on Friday, Oct. 6, 2006, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the SC State Student Center Plaza. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. Launch activities will be broadcast live on SC State’s WSSB 90.3 FM.

The PHI launch features several health-focused activities, including DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension) diet food sampling; DASH Diet Cookbook; Tai Chi Chuan stress reduction and health maintenance demonstrations; chair aerobics exercises; blood pressure screening; clinical research unit tours; Walk Your Health club registrations; and a health trivia contest.

The PHI launch activities will be preceded by a Health Disparities Lecture Series featuring keynote speaker Dr. Derrick C. Tabor, national program director of Project EXPORT at the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities in Bethesda, Md. The lecture will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the 1890 Research and Extension Auditorium. This event is also free and the public is invited to attend.

Throughout the year, faculty, staff and undergraduate students will participate in a number of PHI initiatives, including a walking club; DASH eating plan; fitness boot camps; Bulldog Trail; Health Disparities Lecture Series; walks with President Hugine; health-focused listening sessions; national, state and regional summits on health disparities; and PHI Research Fellows

PHI is sponsored by the EXPORT Center on Metabolic Syndrome and Minority Health – a collaborative partnership between SC State and the Medical University of South Carolina created to promote healthy lifestyle changes. The goal of Project EXPORT is to eliminate health disparities, particularly hypertension, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and obesity (H3O) in communities statewide by building sustainable collaborative partnerships. Visit the EXPORT Center online at http://export.musc.edu.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. –SC State has much to offer prospective students, who will have an opportunity to gain a first-hand look as the University hosts its annual Fall Open House on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006. The open house will be held in conjunction with Youth & ROTC Day at the SC State/Norfolk State football game.

Some of those offerings include:

Being ranked 1st in the Nation by Washington Monthly on social mobility, and being ranked 9th among 200 universities across the country;
Offering the only undergraduate nuclear engineering degree program in the State of South Carolina;
Maintaining the highest graduation rate among athletes in NCAA Division I; and
Having commissioned nearly 2,000 officers in the U.S. Army through its ROTC program, SC State has produced the highest number of minority military officers in the country.
Activities surrounding the open house and the Youth & ROTC Day are held each fall to provide elementary, middle and high school students with an opportunity to visit the SC State campus and experience all the University has to offer while enjoying a football game. The theme for this year’s open house is “U + SCSU = Opportunity 4 Success”.

Open registration will be held at the following times and locations (with activities beginning after the initial registration period):

Fall Open House Registration 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center
ROTC Registration 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium
Youth Day Registration 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. Oliver C. Dawson Stadium (Entrance Gate 4)
Fall Open House Activities 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. SHM Memorial Center
ROTC Activities 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. MLK Auditorium
Youth Day Activities featuring the Bulldog Idol Competition 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. SHM Memorial Center

Also, students who have not applied for admission to the University will be allowed to complete an admissions application on-site. Students who have already applied and have been accepted will receive assistance from the Department of Financial Aid and begin the process of applying for federal financial aid programs and scholarships.

Parents, guidance counselors and teachers are urged to bring students to take advantage of the open house to learn about even more of what SC State has to offer. For additional information on Fall Open House, please contact Sylvia Robinson, admissions coordinator, at (803) 536-7185 or toll free at (800) 260-5956. For additional information on Youth Day contact Lillian Adderson at (803) 536-8946; and for information on ROTC Day contact Captain Juan Cobbs at (803) 536-8955.

And, don’t forget to come watch as the SC State Bulldogs take on the Spartans of Norfolk State University! The game begins at 2 p.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. To purchase advance tickets, call the SC State University Ticket Office toll free at (800) 298-9157.

Norfolk State (3-1, 1-1) at South Carolina State (1-3, 0-1), 2:00

Most people would have expected these records to be reversed at this point of the season, but Norfolk State is a play or two away from an undefeated mark and South Carolina State has struggled on defense. The Spartans are clearly on the right path with Pete Adrian at the helm, and have made vast improvement on defense this year. They are slightly above average in most defensive statistics, and the improved unit has combined with an offense that has been efficient rushing and passing. The same can’t be said at South Carolina State, where the loss of key players last year has chipped away at the defense. The Bulldogs are giving up more than six yards per play and 28 ppg, and quarterback Cleveland McCoy (2 TD/6 INT) has not been good enough to help the offense put up enough points to overcome the defensive struggles. But I can see a bounce back game for McCoy and the Bulldogs here. They are coming off a bye and playing at home, and the defense is still doing a good job of forcing turnovers. The Bulldogs make key plays and come up with a much-needed win at home. Prediction: South Carolina State 28, Norfolk State 24

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – It’s all about the excitement for SC State University’s Marching Band 101 Director Eddie Ellis as he helps prepare for the 2006 HBCU Band Battlefest South. This Sunday, the walls of the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium will expand as 10 bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities sound off in the first ever Band Battlefest held at SC State.

“The word is out. Everybody’s excited about it.” Ellis said alumni, students and others are gearing up for what he expects will be a good turnout. “You’ll see anything from Hip Hop, jazz, oldies and gospel,” he said.

He said the audience can also expect dance and other routines.

Coming back to the forefront to lead the way for the event will be SC State’s retired band director Ronald Sargeant and Virginia State University retired band director Harold Haughton.

Also at the 5 p.m. start of the program, 32 members from each participating band will comprise the HBCU All-Star Band and perform the “Star Spangled Banner.”

While this is the 3rd time for the Band Battlefest, with the other two held at Norfolk State University, N.C., this is the first time it will be held at SC State.

Ellis said he was instrumental in making that happen as he recommended SC State as the host campus to the board of the HBCU National Band Director’s Consortium, who is sponsoring the event.

With that recommendation, the consortium also formed Battlefest North, which will be held on Nov. 4 at Norfolk State University in Virginia.

Ellis explained this is a good way to raise funds for bands, get the public involved and upcoming students interested in becoming members. “It’s a great recruitment tool,” he said.

There is a $15 general admission charge for students and $12 for groups of 30 or more. Ellis said all proceeds will be split among the participating bands for operating expenses. He noted for the 275-member student and staff of Marching 101, expenses can reach well into the thousands when factoring in trips, hotels and meals. He noted this is a great way to help offset some of those costs.

Ellis said while the bulk of those attending will be from the South Carolina and North Carolina areas, he expects people from various areas to come out to cheer on their favorites, which will include bands from Albany State University, Benedict College, Clark Atlanta University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Shaw University and Virginia State University.

“The enthusiasm is there to see bands,” he said.

For more information, contact Eddie Ellis, director of Bands at 803-536-8570.

Event to promote awareness about the lives of blind and visually impaired citizens

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – South Carolina State University will kick off its 3rd annual White Cane Day Celebration Thursday, October 12, 2006 at the campus’ Kirkland W. Green Student Center Garnet and Blue Room.

The theme for this year’s event is “Improving the Quality of Life for the Blind and Visually Impaired through Prevention, Treatment and Training.”

Focused on promoting awareness about the lives of the blind and visually impaired and the need for quality services to enhance their lives, the conference is sponsored by the Orientation & Mobility Program of SC State and other agencies serving the needs of the blind and visually impaired.

The groups’ reference to the white cane shows how every day millions of Americans with visual imparities use it to travel to school or work, which has become one of the most important and reliable tools for them.

As part of the program celebrating the visually impaired and their increased mobility of citizens in all aspects of American life, Dr. Aljoeson Walker, assistant professor of neurology and ophthalmology at the Medical University of Charleston, will be the keynote speaker. Dr. Walker is also the director of headache and pseudotumor cerebri clinics at MUSC.

The following is the schedule and registration fee for the event:
Registration fee $20 (includes program and luncheon)
Registration 8:30 am-9:30 am
Program/Luncheon 9:30 am-2:30 pm
Keynote Speaker Dr. Aljoeson Walker

For additional information about SC State’s 3rd Annual White Cane Day Celebration, contact Shirley Madison, director of Blind Rehabilitation Program at (803) 622-1791 or 533-3956.

Malcolm Long Q&A: Waits For More Offers

By Derek Phillips
SCPrepNation.com Staff Writer
Posted Sep 27, 2006

South Carolina is loaded with talent this year at the quarterback position. Gaffney High School has had a great run of signal callers over the years and senior Malcolm Long is no different. Winning the AAAA Big 16 state championship last year Long and his teammates appear headed back to Columbia. Inside the latest when it comes to Gaffney's star under center.

Gaffney quarterback Malcolm Long helped engineer one of the greatest comebacks in South Carolina high school football history last year in the Big 16 state championship leading Gaffney from behind past Summerville. At 6'2 225 lbs. Long has good size and a more than ample arm. The talented signal caller sat down with SCPrepNation.com's Derek Phillips to see what the latest is concerning his recruitment.

Gaffney QB Malcolm Long
DP: What schools are you hearing from the most right now?
ML: South Carolina, South Carolina State, Clemson, and North Carolina.

DP: Do you have any offers yet? If so, from who?
ML: Yes. South Carolina State.

DP: What schools are you most interested in or would like to hear from? Do you have a leader?

ML: I would like to go to South Carolina or Clemson.

DP: What are your thoughts on your play so far this season for Gaffney?

ML: I think I've had some good games but I'm not satisfied yet.

DP: Do you have any idea as to what you'd like to major in when you get to college?

ML: Business Management.

DP: Do you have a timeframe as to when you may decide to commit?

ML: Later on this season.

DP: Tell us what you feel are your strengths and weaknesses on the football field?

ML: I feel my strengths on the field are my strong arm and reading defenses. My weakness is my speed.

DP: Is that the area you want to work on the most?

ML: Yeah my speed.

SCPrepNation.com will continue to follow Malcolm Long's season with Gaffney as well as update you on the latest regarding his recruitment.

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Like the extra time needed to refurbish Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, South Carolina State spent its ‘bye’ week trying to build themselves back into a championship-caliber team.

Whether the Bulldogs (1-3, 0-1) completely rectified the problems that have them off to their worst start since Willie Jeffries’ final season in 2001 is something head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough will reserve judgment on until the conclusion of Saturday’s “official” home opener against a revitalized Norfolk State (3-1, 1-1).

“You don’t know how it’s going to play out until after the fact,” said Pough during Tuesday’s weekly Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teleconference. “In other words, next week, it would be good if I can say that this thing was really timely. But now, if for some reason we come out and play like we’ve played, then of course, then I think it’s the opposite. But I’m thinking that we’ve had an opportunity to really go back and collect ourselves a little bit and clean up some of the problems that we’ve had. We have to see what’s in the pudding.”

SCSU’s struggles defensively, especially with a young secondary which has been exposed often by opposing offenses, have been well-documented. Despite shifting several players prior to the Coastal Carolina game, the Bulldogs were still burned for 439 total yards in the 33-14 setback. This came a week after giving up 513 yards in a 45-21 shellacking at the hands of Bethune-Cookman.

Facing a Spartan team off to its best start in 10 years under second-year head coach Pete Adrian, and led by the MEAC’s leading passer in quarterback Casey Hansen (45-81 passing, 848 yards, six TDs, four INTs), Pough said a stronger emphasis was placed the past 10 days on getting back to the basics and stressing defensive fundamentals.

As a team, SCSU is ranked last in the conference in passing defense, allowing an average of 209.5 yards per game. The Bulldogs are also ranked last in pass defense efficiency, a category which just three years ago it finished ranked first in all Division I-AA.

Another bugaboo for the Bulldogs has been their inability to adapt offensively to second-half defensive adjustments on offense. In the three losses, SCSU has managed only one offensive touchdown and have been outscored 52-14 in the second half.

And while much of the focus on the offense’s second-half difficulties have centered on junior quarterback Cleveland McCoy (41-79 passing, 461 yards, two TDs, six INTs), Pough insists it should not be viewed from a singular standpoint.

“Although we’ve struggled some, I think it’s not necessarily been Cleve as much as us as a whole,” he said. “He knows that he’s a big part of what we do and he’s got to do a good job of being positive and leading us back into prominence here. I don’t think you can just say that all of our problems are Cleve McCoy-related. I think they might be more Buddy Pough than Cleve McCoy.”

Getting the offense to play a complete game will be important against a Norfolk State defense much improved from last year’s group, which gave up 329 rushing yards in SCSU’s 35-21 win at Dick Price Stadium.

ˇ“This is most definitely not the same defense,” Pough said. “Not only are they structurally somewhat different, but personnel-wise, they’ve gotten a good bit of improvement. It will be a tough task for us to rush for anything close to those kind of totals. I don’t know if we can just stick it up like we did last year. I think we will probably have to really try to fix it up some so that it will give us a chance to maybe continue to rush the ball some. But I don’t think we can get those kind of totals again.”

Given SCSU leads the conference in rushing offense (averaging 194 yards per game), Adrian expects the Bulldogs to once again try to dominate on the ground.

“You always have to stop the run first,” he said Tuesday. “You can’t stop the run, you’re in trouble and of course, we have to try to do that and that’s very difficult against them with the offensive line that they have back.

“They’ve got 2-3 excellent backs and McCoy’s a good runner and they’ve got 2-3 big tight ends that they have. We know it’s going to be a battle and a very physical ballgame. Like I said, we’re going to have to be as physical as we can possibly be and hopefully, it’s enough to stay in the game.”

n Excited about

‘new’ stadium

While workers began putting in place the new $427,000 state-of-the-art electronic scoreboard, SCSU players and the Marching 101 Band have already had an opportunity to practice on the newly-installed synthetic grass.

Pough said the Bulldogs actually worked out on the new surface, estimated to cost $552,000 and promises to be more durable than the old natural grass surface, the week of the Coastal Carolina game. In addition to synthetic grass and a new scoreboard, other aesthetic improvements were made along the sidelines to give the 22,000-plus seat facility the look and feel of a Division I-A stadium.

“I think it’s going to be one of those kind of deals where teams that come in here are going to have to get use to it,” Pough said. “The best thing about it is you’ve got a good-looking field all the time which is good for recruiting. We could use it to practice on all the time. Our band practices on it. It’s a situation where you’ve always got a great-looking practice field to practice on. I think that’s always a positive.”

-- T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com.

It's been 13 years since the plans were revealed for OC Dawson Stadium's renovations. In addition to the endzone bleachers and field house, what are some other features you would like to see in the stadium to enhance fan interest and attendance and recruiting?
We would like to see:

1) The field house should not only contain coaches offices, weight room, etc. I would like to see a restaurant (bar & grill style) complete with a cyber cafe, with big screen televisions. This would give a different tailgate experience and mingling opportunity for season ticket holders.
2) The field house should have a grand entrance complete with the SCSU athletic hall of fame and a Bulldog Statue and fountain on the outside.
3)CHAIRBACKS AND CUPHOLDERS FOR SEATS WITHIN THE 35 YARD LINES ON BOTH SIDES; I suggest a fundraising campaign where someone could purchase a "lifetime" seat. This seat would have the donor's name on it and a portion of the procedes could go to scholarships.
4)Bleacher chair backs on the home sides outside of the 35
5)Improved restroom facilities and concessions on the visitors side
6)Skybox suites with restrooms, televisions and wetbar

MEAC Preview
( Collegehoops.net)

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference had a very solid and balanced conference season. Even though they were next-to-last in the conference RPI, six teams finished between 10-8 and 12-6 and Delaware State won the league at 16-2. Only four teams were below .500 in the conference. However, there was only two teams that were above .500 overall, but they had 3 teams in the top 15 in non-conference RPI. The conference tournament demonstrated that balance, as #6 seed Hampton pulled off several upsets, including beating #1 Delaware State in the title game, to reach the NCAA Tournament. However, the Pirates were blown out in the opening round game of the NCAA Tournament. Is this the year the MEAC finally gets a team into the NCAA Tournament and not the play-in game?

Favorite: Delaware State, like last year, should be the class of the league. Prior to losing in the conference tournament title game, the Hornets won 18 of their final 20 games and also had an RPI over 100 spots better than the next best team. DSU owned the league's best scoring defense, but also the worst scoring offense in the MEAC. However, they take care of the ball and are efficient shooting it. Wing Jahsha Bluntt is the returning conference player of the year, and has the ability to carry the Hornets on the offensive end of the floor. Point guard Darrin Shine is an excellent distributor, while Joe Dickens is a solid scorer from the perimeter. Aaron Fleetwood returns down low. JC transfer Roy Bright, a former Cincinnati recruit, should have an immediate impact in the frontcourt.

Contenders: The stiffest competition for Delaware State in the conference could come from Norfolk State. They had a decent regular season, and also played well in the MEAC Tournament, reaching the semi-finals. Guard Tony Murphy is one of the best players in the conference and is a big-time scorer. Al'Davon Thomas also contributes on the perimeter. The balance on the inside comes from 6-9 Calvin Brown, who could be ready for a breakout season. Tynell Dunkley and Jakeel Gray help out up front. Another team that will give the Hornets a run for their money is Coppin State. The Eagles finished in second place last season, a distant six games behind Delaware State. They will hope to close that gap this year. Tywain McKee leads the way. He is an excellent guard who can take over a game on the offensive end. His backcourt partner, Darryl Roberts, is another solid all-around player. They form one of the top guard duos in the league. Antwan Harrison and Talmadge Bell also return as contributors on the perimeter. If Coppin State is going to make a run at the league, though, they will need someone in the frontcourt to step up. A darkhorse title contender is North Carolina A&T. They only won 6 games overall and went 0-11 in the non-conference portion of the season, but the Aggies have a lot of scoring ability. All-conference forward Jason Wills is the league's leading returning scorer and could post even better numbers this season. Also up front are Demetrius Guions and Greg Roberts. They both averaged at least 9 points per game and are versatile, athletic forwards. In the backcourt, scorer Sean Booker returns from suspension. He put up 16.1 points per game two seasons ago and could return to form now that he is eligible. Austin Ewing, another double-figure scorer, also returns on the perimeter. Several quality bench performers also return. While the Aggies are going to be very good on the offensive end, their lack of size and defense could hurt them. They will be a team to watch.

Sleepers: Howard looked terrible for much of last season, but they won their all five of their conference games in the last seven contests of the regular season and managed to stay out of the cellar. They should be much improved this season. They return an excellent duo in wings Darryl Hudson and Will Gant. Both are all-conference-type players for the Bison. Eugene Myatt and Skip Mitchell are also solid players in the backcourt. Up front, Jason Trotter provides decent scoring and rebounding. Moreover, they bring in a very good recruiting class. Hampton, the returning conference tournament champion, has enough talent to make another run. While the Pirates lose four starters, returning point guard Rashad West provides stability and leadership in the backcourt. Junior Pehoua and Adrian Woodard need to improve their numbers from a season ago. Perennial contender South Carolina State returns several key contributors from last season's third-place finisher, but loses all-conference big man Thurman Zimmerman. However, wing Brian Mason will pick up the slack. He is poised for a huge season. Derrick Davis and Travis Jones also return in the backcourt. Julius Carter will need to improve his production down low after the loss of Zimmerman. Robert Baker and Chris Williams are two more contributors. Florida A&M loses one of the best players in the MEAC in Tony Tate, but the conference's highest-scoring team could make a run. They have one of the best duos in the league in guard Brian Greene and forward Rome Sanders. Greene is a very good shooter who is also a solid rebounder for his size, while Sanders is a top-notch inside scorer. Joe Ballard is a good playmaker at the point. 6-10 Akini Adkins adds size in the frontcourt, while Allen Jenkins could be a big-time player on the wing.

Rounding Out the Pack: Last season, Bethune-Cookman owned the league's best offense but will now have to move on without first-team All-MEAC players Antonio Webb and Michael Williams. The Wildcats are an uptempo team that likes to force turnovers and get points in transition. The lone returning starter, forward Sam Barber, will need to step up and have a big year in order for the Eagles to equal last season's .500 record. Big man Ronald Mitchell is expected to contribute right away, while guard Walter Murray is the lead player in the backcourt. Maryland-Eastern Shore finished in a tie for tenth place last season, and things don't look much better this year with the loss of double-double machine Tim Parham and All-Freshman performer Troy Jackson. However, two other all-freshman players return in guards Ed Tyson and Jesse Brooks, who could improve their numbers this season. Antonio McMillion is the lone returning double-figure scorer and he is expected to anchor the frontcourt. Morgan State looks to finish in the cellar once again. They don't have many bright spots outside of all-conference guard Joseph McLean. He is going to have to carry the offense most nights. Big man Timothy Berkler and guard Christopher Warfield are also solid performers. Watch this team to see how new coach Todd Bozeman does after being out of basketball for eight years due to an NCAA ban.

Prediction: This season looks to be a lot like last year was within the conference. Delaware State has the clear-cut best team in the MEAC, on paper. Jahsha Bluntt and Roy Bright are going to form a top-notch forward combo that will keep them competitive every night out, while three other starters also return. The Eagles could run away with the league once again. After them, though, it is wide-open. Spots two through eight will be up for grabs once the conference season gets underway. North Carolina A&T could make a serious run if all the scorers mesh on offense, though.

Player of the Year: Jahsha Bluntt, SF, Delaware State

All-Conference Team:
G- Tywain McKee, Coppin State
G- Tony Murphy, Norfolk State
G- Brian Mason, South Carolina State
F- Jahshaa Bluntt, Delaware State
F- Jason Wills, North Carolina A&T

Second Team:
G- Joseph McLean, Morgan State
G- Darryl Hudson, Howard
G- Brian Greene, Florida A&M
F- Rome Sanders, Florida A&M
F- Sam Barber, Bethune-Cookman

SCSU Position Description

Open Date: September 28, 2006 Employment Status: Full-Time, Permanent Employee Position Number: 016162
Closing Date: UNTIL FILLED Salary Range: Commensurate with experience Class Code: UC63
Department: Student Affairs


Description of Duties:
The Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management (AVPE)/Director of Admissions (DA) reports directly to the Vice President for Student Affairs. This position has planning, budgeting, and operational lines of responsibility for enrollment/admissions management and services delivered by Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, and the Registrars Office. The AVPEM/DA also works cooperatively with the other core enrollment-related offices, including the Office of Student Accounting and University Cashiering Services, School of Graduate Studies, Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing, and extended areas across the university. With the assistance of the Enrollment/Admissions Management Committee and the Graduate Management Enrollment Committee, the AVPEM/DA is responsible for a comprehensive enrollment management/admissions plan and annual report to the Vice President for Student Affairs and the South Carolina State University Board of Trustees.


Qualifications:
A Bachelor's degree in a related field required. At least five years experience in management in an educational environment. Outstanding organizational, planning, interpersonal, and assessment skills. A Master's degree preferred.


Application Requirements:
State of South Carolina Employment Application , current resume and three letters of reference.


Send Applications to:
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
POST OFFICE BOX 7597
2153 RUSSELL STREET
ORANGEBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA 29117


This is a permanent, full-time position. Only applications received in the Office of Human Resource Management by 5:00 pm on the closing date will be considered.

SCSU is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer F/M/H/V.

New Student Government Officers will also be installed

ORANGEBURG –Continuing a long-standing tradition, SC State University will crown its newest campus queen, Kirsten Hill, and install its latest slate of student leaders at an upcoming ceremony.

“A Stairway to Paradise – The Coronation of Miss South Carolina State University 2006-2007,” will be held on Friday, October 6, 2006, at 7 p.m. in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Kirsten Hilla senior psychology major, is a native of Chester, S.C. She is a member of the Pi Gamma Mu and Psi Chi National honor Societies, the Alpha Xi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Student Government Association and Student Orientation Leaders.

Prior to her election as Miss South Carolina State University, Hill served as Miss Omega Psi Phi. Upon graduation from SC State, she intends to pursue a master’s degree and a doctorate in counseling psychology.

Also at the event, the 2006-2007 Student Government Association (SGA) executive officers will be sworn in to their respective positions. The executive officers are: Deven D. Anderson, president; Jeremy Rogers, vice president; Jason Lee, business manager; Brittany Covert, corresponding Secretary; and Robbie Walker, recording secretary.

SGA President Deven D. Anderson is a senior professional English major from Andrews, S.C. He has served as editor of the student newspaper, The Collegian, and is a member of the Student Orientation Leaders, NAACP, Young Democrats, Pre-Alumni Council and the Beta Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

SGA Vice President Jeremy Rogers is a junior psychology major. The Dillon, S.C., native is also a member of the Student Union Board, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and the Beta Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

SGA Business Manager Jason Lee is a senior elementary education major from North Charleston, S.C.

SGA Corresponding Secretary Brittany Covert is a senior biology major and chemistry minor from Lane, S.C. Covert is an active member of the Health Professions Society, E.E. Just Science Club, MANNRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences, Student Orientation Leaders, Honors Program, Beta Kappa Chi and Golden key Club honor societies and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

SGA Recording Secretary Robbie Walker is a junior electrical engineering major. The Sumter, S.C., native is a member of the Student Orientation leaders, NAACP, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Pre-Alumni Council and the Health Professions Society.

SCSU has a lot more height this year...go LADY BULLDOGS!!!!

1 Brittany Baity Guard 5-7 JR Riverdale, GA
3 LaKeisha Scott Guard/Forward 5-11 FR Hanahan, SC
4 Navodda Wilson Forward 5-11 JR Miami, FL
10 Jessica Gerald Guard 5-9 SO Mullins, SC
12 Ashley Dublin Guard 5-7 SO Bowie, MD
13 Amamda Burnett Guard 5-7 FR Brooklyn, NY
22 Sophillia Hipps Guard 5-8 FR Spencer, NC
23 Laquita Ball Guard 5-7 SR Fort Pierce, Florida
25 Brittany Gillispie Guard 5-10 FR Concord, NC
32 Kristin Johnson Guard/Forward 5-10 SO Stone Mountain, GA
34 Jenell Moore Center 6-2 SO Raleigh, NC
41 Anna Autman Forward 6-1 JR Brookhaven, MS
42 Rasheeda Jones Forward 6-1 SO Statesboro, GA
43 Jamila Farah Center 6-4 FR Stuttgart, Germany
44 Niccole Brown Center 6-2 SR Toledo, OH
54 Shaylita Leach Center 6-3 FR Charlotte, NC

1 Travis Jones G 6-2 185 SR Orlando, FL
2 Brian Mason G/F 6-3 190 SR Dominica, West Indies
3 Derrick Davis G 6-0 180 JR Washington, DC
4 Robert Baker G 6-0 180 JR Rowland, NC
5 Thomas Bookman G 6-1 FR Columbia, SC
10 William Sago G 6-0 160 JR Los Angeles, CA
12 Benjamin Washington, Jr. G 5-9 165 SR Pensacola, FL
15 Jason Flagler G/F 6-4 FR Stafford, VA
20 Marcus McCants G 6-1 200 JR Marion, OH
25 Julius Carter F/C 6-8 245 SO North Charleston, SC
32 Chris Miller-Williams F 6-6 190 SO Stone Mountain, GA
33 Dale Carn Forward 6-10 180 FR Jacksonville, FL
40 Darris Jackson F 6-6 230 JR Clover, SC
52 Gerald Carter F/C 6-9 235 FR Beaufort, SC

Orangeburg, S.C. –The Counselor Education Program and the Department of Human Services of SC State University have joined forces to host the 56th A. I. Mose Annual Counseling Conference. The event, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Friday, October 6, 2006 in the Fine Arts Building Auditorium, will provide an opportunity for professional development for counselors, teachers, psychologists, social workers and other helping professionals.

Dr. Philip Scriven, conference chairperson and associate professor of counselor education, said each year the event works to help those in the counseling field work more effectively with parents to “have strategies that they can use” with their children. He anticipates about 200 in attendance, with this year’s theme being “Helping Professionals: Building Productive Partnerships with Parents.”

The general session speaker will be Dr. Lyndon P. Abrams, assistant professor for the department of counseling, special education and child development at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Lyndon currently teaches counseling courses and supervises clinical training and has worked as a counselor for college students and a clinical counselor with emotionally and behaviorally disordered adolescents.

His research interest include racial identity development and socially desirability responding. In the spring of 2006, Lyndon was the recipient of the Award for Excellence in Teaching for College of Education at UNC Charlotte.

Following the general session speaker, will be six workshops and Sundiate Malik Whitaker, J.D. research associate of the Center of Excellence for Education and Education and Equity of African Students housed at Benedict College, will address the group during the luncheon.

Whitaker is also the president of the Concerned Black Men of Greater Columbia, Inc. whose mission is to mentor and develop the leadership potential of African Americans.

The following is the schedule for the event:

Registration and Coffee 8:00 a.m - 8:30 a.m.
General Session 8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Workshops 9:55 a.m. - 11:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Luncheon 12:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

For additional information about the 56th A. I. Mose Annual Counseling Conference, contact Dr. Philip Scriven of counselor education at (803) 536-7798.

State of Fear is second installment in “Films at the Museum” at SC State

Orangeburg –The I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium at SC State will present Pamela Yates’s documentary, State of Fear, as the second installment in its Films at the Museum film festival.

The screening of State of Fear will be held in the recital hall in the Fine Arts Building on SC State’s campus on Sunday, October 8, 2006, at 5 p.m. At a reception following the screening of her documentary, the director will engage the audience in a discussion about the film and her work as a filmmaker.

“We are quite excited about bringing this opportunity to our campus and the community,” said Dr. Leonard McIntyre, dean of the College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences. “Besides the wonderful entertainment aspect of the film festival, the learning experience gained through participating in the discussion afterward gives this project tremendous ‘added value’.”

State of Fear tells a cautionary tale of what happens when fighting terrorism impairs democracy. “When I went there in 2002," says Yates, “I realized all of these astounding parallels between Peru and what the rest of the world was about to begin. It is really about the war between terror and counter-terror.” State of Fear makes every image count as it contrasts the unsettling testimony and confession of victims and perpetrators with the unparalleled beauty of the Peruvian landscape.

The South American nation’s blood-soaked 20-year “war on terror” from 1980 to 2000 burst out of an explosive atmosphere of hopelessness, corruption and ideology gone wrong. The radical militant group, Shining Path, and the oppressive President Alberto Fujimori created a “state of fear” leading to the violent deaths of 70,000 Peruvians. State of Fear explores issues of traditional military responses to rebel attacks, the governmental use of fear to justify authoritarian measures, and the manipulation of the media to influence public opinion. Although the film tells the story of one particular country, the issues and events it depicts concern any democratic nation in today’s terror-conscious climate.

Pamela Yates has devoted her life to human rights and social-issue storytelling through documentary films. Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine director Michael Moore, a mentor and former coworker of Yates, taught the filmmaker to “go for the hard part first; the people who really, really don’t want to talk to us”. While working on State of Fear, Yates visited Peruvian prisons and listened to hours of stories from Shining Path. She learned to uncover the real-life human truths hidden beyond the surface of the story. In creating State of Fear, Yates pieced together these human truths to tell the story of a nation lost in the chaos of terror and tyranny. Peru’s Channel 7 aired State of Fear weekly, after the war, to remind the country of its history.

As a filmmaker, Yates’ goal is to push people to notice and question the trends of global, criminal, or human rights injustices. In this endeavor, she has earned both Academy and Emmy awards, as well as considerable respect in her field. However, Yates still faces challenges. “It is always a balance between the pessimism and the optimism,” she concludes, “because if I were a sunny and optimistic American, I would never be seeking out these kinds of films that have uncovered these realities. Yet, if I don’t stay somewhat optimistic, I’ll never believe that there is a possibility for change.”

Created by the S.C. Arts Commission in 1975, Southern Circuit takes independent filmmakers on a journey into communities across the South. Chosen by a panel of experts for the quality of their work, the filmmakers screen their recent films for local audiences. Produced without studio backing and struggling to secure a distributor, many of these films would never be seen on a screen in this area of the country without the film festival tour.

“We are very proud that SC State is taking an important lead in bringing cultural programs to the University and the community,” said Ellen Zisholtz, director of the museum and planetarium.

The final film in the fall season of Southern Circuit/Films at the Museum is Manhattan, Kansas by Tara Wray on Sunday, November 5, at 5 p.m. This film will also be held in the Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Building. The next four films in the festival’s spring season will be held at the newly renovated I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium, the presenter of the film festival.

The screening is free and moviegoers will have the opportunity to speak with the filmmakers. Space is limited; reservations are encouraged. To make reservations, or to receive additional information, contact the museum at (803) 928-6851.

Orangeburg, SC – South Carolina State will induct ten (10) new members into its Athletic Hall of Fame Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center on the campus. The inductees will also be presented at halftime of the Hampton – SC State football game the following day (Oct. 21).

Making up the 2006 class of inductees are: Ricky Anderson (football 1974-78), Keisha Campbell (women’s basketball 1987-90), Chartric Darby (football 1994-97), Willie J. Heggins (baseball 1959-62), William Judson (football 1977-81), Charles Lumpkin (swimming 1969-73), Stephen Martin (track 1981-83), Jackie Robinson (basketball 1990-93), John Williams, Jr. (track 1958-62) and Wanda Wiggins (women’s basketball 1991-94).

Tickets for the event are $60 each for adults and $40 for children 15 years old and under. Tickets are available at the SC State Ticket Office (803) 536-8579, Alumni Relations (803) 536-8946 and the Department of Athletics at (803) 536-7242.