Friday, August 31, 2007
Bulldogs bringing proud past to opener
By Irv Moss
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/30/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT
Air Force Academy - South Carolina State is making its first trip to the Rocky Mountains to play football, but Air Force coach Troy Calhoun is adamant that his team's season-opening opponent Saturday doesn't suffer from a lack of identity.
Calhoun reeled off three names from South Carolina State he claimed would stand up against anybody.
"When you have Hall of Famers such as linebacker Harry Carson, defensive end Deacon Jones and running back Marion Motley, those are guys who are among the best who ever played the game," Calhoun said.
While Carson, Jones and Motley are well known because of their places in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, another South Carolina State alum, Barney Chavous, is well known
College Football in this area because of his stellar career with the Broncos.
Chavous, now the football coach at Josey High School in Augusta, Ga., was a Broncos defensive end from 1973-85. He contends that when playing in Colorado as a visiting team, the elevation factor is a consideration.
Chavous said once he got acclimated, he was fine.
"I remember a game against Houston in 1985," he said. "Houston had the superior team, but they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter."
South Carolina State coach Oliver Pough is bringing his team to Colorado a day early. The Bulldogs plan to arrive today.
Calhoun doesn't believe Falcon Stadium's elevation (6,621 feet) will be a factor Saturday, but Pough said everyone he has talked to brings up the altitude.
"I think it's psychological as much as physical," Pough said. "We're trying to treat it as just another game."
Pough has other things to worry about. With the Falcons in new offensive and defensive systems, his game plan is preparing for the unknown.
"We're going to have to adjust as we go," said Pough, an assistant at South Carolina under Lou Holtz before he took over at South Carolina State five years ago. "We're returning good personnel through and through. Our quarterback, Cleveland McCoy, is a fifth-year senior and has started for three years."
Said McCoy: "We're a pretty experienced offense. We can adjust to whatever they're doing. There aren't any wrinkles we can't iron out."
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/30/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT
Air Force Academy - South Carolina State is making its first trip to the Rocky Mountains to play football, but Air Force coach Troy Calhoun is adamant that his team's season-opening opponent Saturday doesn't suffer from a lack of identity.
Calhoun reeled off three names from South Carolina State he claimed would stand up against anybody.
"When you have Hall of Famers such as linebacker Harry Carson, defensive end Deacon Jones and running back Marion Motley, those are guys who are among the best who ever played the game," Calhoun said.
While Carson, Jones and Motley are well known because of their places in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, another South Carolina State alum, Barney Chavous, is well known
College Football in this area because of his stellar career with the Broncos.
Chavous, now the football coach at Josey High School in Augusta, Ga., was a Broncos defensive end from 1973-85. He contends that when playing in Colorado as a visiting team, the elevation factor is a consideration.
Chavous said once he got acclimated, he was fine.
"I remember a game against Houston in 1985," he said. "Houston had the superior team, but they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter."
South Carolina State coach Oliver Pough is bringing his team to Colorado a day early. The Bulldogs plan to arrive today.
Calhoun doesn't believe Falcon Stadium's elevation (6,621 feet) will be a factor Saturday, but Pough said everyone he has talked to brings up the altitude.
"I think it's psychological as much as physical," Pough said. "We're trying to treat it as just another game."
Pough has other things to worry about. With the Falcons in new offensive and defensive systems, his game plan is preparing for the unknown.
"We're going to have to adjust as we go," said Pough, an assistant at South Carolina under Lou Holtz before he took over at South Carolina State five years ago. "We're returning good personnel through and through. Our quarterback, Cleveland McCoy, is a fifth-year senior and has started for three years."
Said McCoy: "We're a pretty experienced offense. We can adjust to whatever they're doing. There aren't any wrinkles we can't iron out."
Clyburn Announces $800,000 in Grants for SC Colleges
(Columbia) - Congressman James E. Clyburn announced Friday that Claflin University, South Carolina State University, and Trident Technical College will receive a total of $797,034 in Upward Bound Math and Science grants from the U.S. Department of Education.
Clyburn said the funds will support programs designed to strengthen the math and science skills of high school students in hopes they will pursue careers in those fields.
"Upward Bound has a successful record of providing quality programs that enhance the skills of our young people to succeed in life," Clyburn said.
Claflin University in Orangeburg is set to receive a $297,034 grant for its program, while South Carolina State University, also in Orangeburg, and Trident Technical College of Charleston will each receive $250,000 grants.
Clyburn said program services include: summer programs with intensive math and science training; year-round counseling and advisement; exposure to university faculty members who research mathematics and the sciences; computer training; and participant-conducted scientific research under the guidance of faculty members or graduate students, who serve as mentors.
Clyburn said the funds will support programs designed to strengthen the math and science skills of high school students in hopes they will pursue careers in those fields.
"Upward Bound has a successful record of providing quality programs that enhance the skills of our young people to succeed in life," Clyburn said.
Claflin University in Orangeburg is set to receive a $297,034 grant for its program, while South Carolina State University, also in Orangeburg, and Trident Technical College of Charleston will each receive $250,000 grants.
Clyburn said program services include: summer programs with intensive math and science training; year-round counseling and advisement; exposure to university faculty members who research mathematics and the sciences; computer training; and participant-conducted scientific research under the guidance of faculty members or graduate students, who serve as mentors.
Message to SCSU AD Charlene Johnson: Benedict has figured out the mystery of how to stop people from tailgating at SCSU games but not go in the game!
Read and learn!
Revitalization efforts center on new stadium at Benedict
By JAMES T. HAMMOND - jhammond@thestate.com
Benedict’s new Charlie W. Johnson Stadium on Two Notch Road isn’t just for football.
It’s the linchpin in a long-term plan to revitalize a community.
“The professionals who have their offices around the stadium tell me they see this as very, very positive because it is bringing people, activities and action to the area,” Jabari Simama, Benedict’s vice president for Community Development, said. “Part of economic development is creating safe and secure communities and neighborhoods. All this activity there is good.”
In recent years, a revitalization fire has been ignited under this once-blighted part of the city. Benedict College has been a primary mover and shaker.
Consider:
• Benedict College’s announcement that a developer will build a $5 million hotel on Two Notch Road. The school also announced a desire to develop academic course work related to the hospitality industry and has a business incubator across from the stadium.
• The Shoppes at Read Street —a $12 million to $15 million development that will include medical offices, a sit-down family restaurant and retail space
• The recent completion of the city’s $10.5 million streetscaping of Two Notch Road
• A city-approved redevelopment plan that aims to transform more than 1,000 blighted acres in the city between Five Points and Forest Acres, including the area around Benedict
Simama said he is working to find a development partner for The Shoppes at Read Street. He expects development to take between one and two years to accomplish.
As the $13 million stadium develops a business in concerts and other types of non-football events, it will create jobs with the vendors and businesses that spring up around the stadium.
This weekend’s Palmetto Capitol City Classic, the first classic to be held in the new stadium, sets out to create new Tiger football fans and fill the 11,000-seat stadium.
Benedict athletic director Willie Washington said the aim is to create a festival environment that will attract a variety of people. Some of them, he said, may become regular Benedict football fans after attending the festival.
Willie Jeffries, executive director of the classic, said he hopes to see 15,000 to 20,000 people on the grounds.
Past classics have been held at USC’s Williams-Brice Stadium against rival teams like S.C. State University. Some of those games drew an average of 40,000 people.
Last year, attendance at Benedict games in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium averaged 5,600-6,000, Washington said. Construction delays caused the college to forgo holding its opening game in the new stadium.
This year, the stadium is ready for the opening game, complete with a state-of-the-art artificial playing surface like those used by some NFL teams. Last-minute preparations will mean parking and tailgating spots for thousands of people, officials said.
A perennial problem for the classic’s planners has been the number of people who join in the tailgating and partying on the perimeter of the event without going to the game or contributing to the cost of the event.
This year, the entire Benedict stadium property will be fenced. Anyone wishing to get inside will have to pay a $10 admission fee.
Game tickets can be purchased for $10 to $20, Jeffries said.
Washington said the college is doing everything it can to ensure game-day events don’t disrupt the surrounding neighborhoods. The college even has committed to gathering any trash from the neighborhoods that is generated because of the classic.
Today, pre-game events include a blood drive on campus, a jazz concert and a golf tournament.
Reach Hammond at (803) 771-8474.
THE PALMETTO CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC
Parking
Benedict College is erecting fenc-ing around the stadium site and charging $10 per car or per walk-on person to get into the venue.
The $10 tickets can be bought at the Benedict College Welcome Cen-ter at Taylor and Waverly streets or at the Business Development Center across Two Notch Road from the stadium.
Game-day tickets are marked with the approach for different classes of tickets. Entrances will be from Edgewood, Two Notch and Pinehurst streets.
Revitalization efforts center on new stadium at Benedict
By JAMES T. HAMMOND - jhammond@thestate.com
Benedict’s new Charlie W. Johnson Stadium on Two Notch Road isn’t just for football.
It’s the linchpin in a long-term plan to revitalize a community.
“The professionals who have their offices around the stadium tell me they see this as very, very positive because it is bringing people, activities and action to the area,” Jabari Simama, Benedict’s vice president for Community Development, said. “Part of economic development is creating safe and secure communities and neighborhoods. All this activity there is good.”
In recent years, a revitalization fire has been ignited under this once-blighted part of the city. Benedict College has been a primary mover and shaker.
Consider:
• Benedict College’s announcement that a developer will build a $5 million hotel on Two Notch Road. The school also announced a desire to develop academic course work related to the hospitality industry and has a business incubator across from the stadium.
• The Shoppes at Read Street —a $12 million to $15 million development that will include medical offices, a sit-down family restaurant and retail space
• The recent completion of the city’s $10.5 million streetscaping of Two Notch Road
• A city-approved redevelopment plan that aims to transform more than 1,000 blighted acres in the city between Five Points and Forest Acres, including the area around Benedict
Simama said he is working to find a development partner for The Shoppes at Read Street. He expects development to take between one and two years to accomplish.
As the $13 million stadium develops a business in concerts and other types of non-football events, it will create jobs with the vendors and businesses that spring up around the stadium.
This weekend’s Palmetto Capitol City Classic, the first classic to be held in the new stadium, sets out to create new Tiger football fans and fill the 11,000-seat stadium.
Benedict athletic director Willie Washington said the aim is to create a festival environment that will attract a variety of people. Some of them, he said, may become regular Benedict football fans after attending the festival.
Willie Jeffries, executive director of the classic, said he hopes to see 15,000 to 20,000 people on the grounds.
Past classics have been held at USC’s Williams-Brice Stadium against rival teams like S.C. State University. Some of those games drew an average of 40,000 people.
Last year, attendance at Benedict games in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium averaged 5,600-6,000, Washington said. Construction delays caused the college to forgo holding its opening game in the new stadium.
This year, the stadium is ready for the opening game, complete with a state-of-the-art artificial playing surface like those used by some NFL teams. Last-minute preparations will mean parking and tailgating spots for thousands of people, officials said.
A perennial problem for the classic’s planners has been the number of people who join in the tailgating and partying on the perimeter of the event without going to the game or contributing to the cost of the event.
This year, the entire Benedict stadium property will be fenced. Anyone wishing to get inside will have to pay a $10 admission fee.
Game tickets can be purchased for $10 to $20, Jeffries said.
Washington said the college is doing everything it can to ensure game-day events don’t disrupt the surrounding neighborhoods. The college even has committed to gathering any trash from the neighborhoods that is generated because of the classic.
Today, pre-game events include a blood drive on campus, a jazz concert and a golf tournament.
Reach Hammond at (803) 771-8474.
THE PALMETTO CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC
Parking
Benedict College is erecting fenc-ing around the stadium site and charging $10 per car or per walk-on person to get into the venue.
The $10 tickets can be bought at the Benedict College Welcome Cen-ter at Taylor and Waverly streets or at the Business Development Center across Two Notch Road from the stadium.
Game-day tickets are marked with the approach for different classes of tickets. Entrances will be from Edgewood, Two Notch and Pinehurst streets.
Time to win #12.....GO BULLDOGS!!!!
MEAC Championships By School
Bethune-Cookman.............................3
Delaware State ..................................5
Florida A&M .......................................7
Hampton* ..........................................5
Howard ..............................................1
Morgan State .....................................3
Norfolk State ......................................0
North Carolina A&T ............................6
South Carolina State ..........................11
Bethune-Cookman.............................3
Delaware State ..................................5
Florida A&M .......................................7
Hampton* ..........................................5
Howard ..............................................1
Morgan State .....................................3
Norfolk State ......................................0
North Carolina A&T ............................6
South Carolina State ..........................11
Ayers fires up Touchdown Club
By TRAVIS BOLAND
T&D Sports Writer | Friday, August 31, 2007
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The Orangeburg Touchdown Club got a jolt from one of its favorite speakers Thursday afternoon as Wofford head football coach Mike Ayers fired up everyone who attended the meeting.
Steven Mungo, head of the Mungo Company and Wofford graduate, introduced his former physical education teacher before Ayers spoke.
"Whenever you hear Coach Ayers speak at a Terrier Club rally you don’t know whether to write a check or throw a block on a Furman fan," Mungo said. "He has passion for the game of football."
Ayers shared that passion in his speech about his time spent at Wofford and the upcoming season.
"I know I’m ready for football because I head-butted my wife when I came home from practice the other night," Ayers joked.
Ayers has been with the Terriers since 1988 when he led Wofford to a .500 record after going 1-10 the year before.
"All the success we’ve had is a credit to the coaches and players that have come before," Ayers said. "We had some good teams, but the team we have this year could be the best ever. We have the potential to be very good."
Ayers is regarded as one of the most loved speakers that the Touchdown Club brings in, and its because of his intensity and the stories that he shares about his team.
One of the stories he shared Thursday was about a pregame speech he gave to his team.
"Sitting in the locker room, I told our guys that the team we were getting ready to face would hit them in the mouth and not be sorry about it. Then they would get back up and hit them again. I told them the game would be 160 plays and whether you played five or 50 you had to give it your all if the team was going to win."
He talked about taking the hand of Anthony Jones, a player that was leading the nation in sacks, and asking him whether or not he would give his all.
"I looked him in the eye and told him if were down seven in the fourth quarter would he hold on, he looked in my eyes and said ‘yes coach’," Ayers said. "I said ‘we’re down 21 points in the fourth quarter are you holding on, again he answered yes. It’s two minutes left in the game and we’re down seven, will you hold on? With tears in his eyes he answered yes. I had tears in my eyes and told the team that if they needed any other motivation then they were in the wrong sport, and I told them to go kick some tail, which they did."
Ayers and the Terriers open the season Saturday at home against Georgetown.
Willie Jeffries shared the Bulldog report as Oliver "Buddy" Pough left early Thursday morning for the airport with the rest of the South Carolina State Bulldogs.
Jeffries shared some positives and negatives about the Bulldogs chances against the Falcons Saturday, and the pluses outweighed the negatives.
"Some advantages for the Bulldogs is the fact Air Force only returns four starters on offense and five seniors on defense," Jeffries said. "They scraped the wishbone and have gone to a spread offense which is what SCSU practices against every day. On the negative side, the atmosphere will affect some of the players and the Falcons return their starting quarterback who can run and throw equally well."
Coca-Cola Bottling presented its first High School Player of the Week award to Woodland quarterback Robert Smith. Smith, a freshman, completed 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns in the first start of his varsity career.
Next week the Orangeburg Touchdown Club welcomes Coastal Carolina head coach David Bennett.
T&D Sports Writer | Friday, August 31, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
The Orangeburg Touchdown Club got a jolt from one of its favorite speakers Thursday afternoon as Wofford head football coach Mike Ayers fired up everyone who attended the meeting.
Steven Mungo, head of the Mungo Company and Wofford graduate, introduced his former physical education teacher before Ayers spoke.
"Whenever you hear Coach Ayers speak at a Terrier Club rally you don’t know whether to write a check or throw a block on a Furman fan," Mungo said. "He has passion for the game of football."
Ayers shared that passion in his speech about his time spent at Wofford and the upcoming season.
"I know I’m ready for football because I head-butted my wife when I came home from practice the other night," Ayers joked.
Ayers has been with the Terriers since 1988 when he led Wofford to a .500 record after going 1-10 the year before.
"All the success we’ve had is a credit to the coaches and players that have come before," Ayers said. "We had some good teams, but the team we have this year could be the best ever. We have the potential to be very good."
Ayers is regarded as one of the most loved speakers that the Touchdown Club brings in, and its because of his intensity and the stories that he shares about his team.
One of the stories he shared Thursday was about a pregame speech he gave to his team.
"Sitting in the locker room, I told our guys that the team we were getting ready to face would hit them in the mouth and not be sorry about it. Then they would get back up and hit them again. I told them the game would be 160 plays and whether you played five or 50 you had to give it your all if the team was going to win."
He talked about taking the hand of Anthony Jones, a player that was leading the nation in sacks, and asking him whether or not he would give his all.
"I looked him in the eye and told him if were down seven in the fourth quarter would he hold on, he looked in my eyes and said ‘yes coach’," Ayers said. "I said ‘we’re down 21 points in the fourth quarter are you holding on, again he answered yes. It’s two minutes left in the game and we’re down seven, will you hold on? With tears in his eyes he answered yes. I had tears in my eyes and told the team that if they needed any other motivation then they were in the wrong sport, and I told them to go kick some tail, which they did."
Ayers and the Terriers open the season Saturday at home against Georgetown.
Willie Jeffries shared the Bulldog report as Oliver "Buddy" Pough left early Thursday morning for the airport with the rest of the South Carolina State Bulldogs.
Jeffries shared some positives and negatives about the Bulldogs chances against the Falcons Saturday, and the pluses outweighed the negatives.
"Some advantages for the Bulldogs is the fact Air Force only returns four starters on offense and five seniors on defense," Jeffries said. "They scraped the wishbone and have gone to a spread offense which is what SCSU practices against every day. On the negative side, the atmosphere will affect some of the players and the Falcons return their starting quarterback who can run and throw equally well."
Coca-Cola Bottling presented its first High School Player of the Week award to Woodland quarterback Robert Smith. Smith, a freshman, completed 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns in the first start of his varsity career.
Next week the Orangeburg Touchdown Club welcomes Coastal Carolina head coach David Bennett.
Silver Foxes presence felt in S.C. State secondary
Thursday, Aug 30, 2007 - 11:57 PM
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By Lou Bezjak
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ORANGEBURG — Dusten Dubose thought his days of going against the Lamar defense were over.
Instead, the former Darlington High standout and S.C. State receiver has to go against some of them every day in practice as three former Lamar players — Marshall McFadden, LaQuinn Ellerbe and Markee Hamlin — are starters at safety in the Bulldogs secondary.
Desmond Benjamin also is vying for playing time at cornerback.
“I got the better hand as far as my part, but they got the better hand on the scoreboard,” said Dubose, whose Falcons went 0-2 against the Silver Foxes. “They are smart, athletic players and bring a lot to the table.
“They mean a whole lot to the secondary because they know each other and can communicate better.”
Dubose said he takes a little ribbing from the former Lamar players but the former high school rivals have become good friends since arriving at S.C. State. The former Falcon shares an off-campus house with McFadden, Ellerbe and Hamlin.
“We’re a lot closer now, and they are a good bunch of guys,” Dubose said.
The small Class A school has produced five players on the
Bulldog roster, most of any other school. The lone offensive player from Lamar is receiver Tron Jackson.
“That’s big that we got people from Lamar that I played with in the past to help,” McFadden said. “People from the big schools get a guy here or there, but we got five guys from one small school.”
All five players were recruited by Gerald Harrison, the former Darlington coach whose area is the Pee Dee.
And there is a good chance Harrison will have more on the way. Lamar is a football factory that continues to churn out college prospects.
“We got more on the way,” Ellerbe said.
It will be hard for future Silver Foxes to match what McFadden has done in his short time at S.C. State. The junior has played in every game since arriving in Orangeburg and was third on the team in tackles with 63 as a freshman. Last year, McFadden was moved from linebacker to safety, where he was reunited in the secondary with Ellerbe and Hamlin.
McFadden’s tackles were down (43) but he picked off two passes at his new position.
“He has been special from the moment he has walked on the campus,” S.C. State coach Buddy Pough said of McFadden.
“He is special and you know he is a guy who can get it done.”
Dubose thinks going up against McFadden every day in practice is definitely a challenge.
“He is so strong and physical. You can’t let me him get his hands on you,” he said.
McFadden, who played linebacker and defensive end in high school, said the adjustment was hard but was eased somewhat because he has a couple of familiar faces with him in the secondary.
“These are guys I can trust and I know what they can do,” McFadden said. “That helps me out and will benefit me.”
Ellerbe, the Silver Foxes quarterback during two of three straight Class A title runs from 2002-04, was the first player of the group to commit to S.C. State.
Ellerbe said he wanted to go and play at South Carolina but ended up with the Bulldogs. Ellerbe’s brother, Dewitt, played at S.C. State and signed a free agent deal with the N.Y. Giants in 2004 before being released.
Ellerbe redshirted his first year and played just six games the following year. Last year, he cracked the starting lineup for the first four games and led the team in interceptions with three.
“It is a great surrounding to be around,” Ellerbe said. “S.C. State was the best college for me.
“After I signed, these guys came to the games and saw the program and liked it.”
Hamlin, a redshirt sophomore, is the youngest of the group but had a big impact in his first season last year. He had 41 tackles and picked off two passes.
Hamlin, whose brother starts at safety for Clemson, was named the team’s MVP in the secondary.
“We all have one year under us playing in the secondary and it feels good to have a chance to be playing at the same place,” Hamlin said.
Article Tools
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By Lou Bezjak
ORANGEBURG — Dusten Dubose thought his days of going against the Lamar defense were over.
Instead, the former Darlington High standout and S.C. State receiver has to go against some of them every day in practice as three former Lamar players — Marshall McFadden, LaQuinn Ellerbe and Markee Hamlin — are starters at safety in the Bulldogs secondary.
Desmond Benjamin also is vying for playing time at cornerback.
“I got the better hand as far as my part, but they got the better hand on the scoreboard,” said Dubose, whose Falcons went 0-2 against the Silver Foxes. “They are smart, athletic players and bring a lot to the table.
“They mean a whole lot to the secondary because they know each other and can communicate better.”
Dubose said he takes a little ribbing from the former Lamar players but the former high school rivals have become good friends since arriving at S.C. State. The former Falcon shares an off-campus house with McFadden, Ellerbe and Hamlin.
“We’re a lot closer now, and they are a good bunch of guys,” Dubose said.
The small Class A school has produced five players on the
Bulldog roster, most of any other school. The lone offensive player from Lamar is receiver Tron Jackson.
“That’s big that we got people from Lamar that I played with in the past to help,” McFadden said. “People from the big schools get a guy here or there, but we got five guys from one small school.”
All five players were recruited by Gerald Harrison, the former Darlington coach whose area is the Pee Dee.
And there is a good chance Harrison will have more on the way. Lamar is a football factory that continues to churn out college prospects.
“We got more on the way,” Ellerbe said.
It will be hard for future Silver Foxes to match what McFadden has done in his short time at S.C. State. The junior has played in every game since arriving in Orangeburg and was third on the team in tackles with 63 as a freshman. Last year, McFadden was moved from linebacker to safety, where he was reunited in the secondary with Ellerbe and Hamlin.
McFadden’s tackles were down (43) but he picked off two passes at his new position.
“He has been special from the moment he has walked on the campus,” S.C. State coach Buddy Pough said of McFadden.
“He is special and you know he is a guy who can get it done.”
Dubose thinks going up against McFadden every day in practice is definitely a challenge.
“He is so strong and physical. You can’t let me him get his hands on you,” he said.
McFadden, who played linebacker and defensive end in high school, said the adjustment was hard but was eased somewhat because he has a couple of familiar faces with him in the secondary.
“These are guys I can trust and I know what they can do,” McFadden said. “That helps me out and will benefit me.”
Ellerbe, the Silver Foxes quarterback during two of three straight Class A title runs from 2002-04, was the first player of the group to commit to S.C. State.
Ellerbe said he wanted to go and play at South Carolina but ended up with the Bulldogs. Ellerbe’s brother, Dewitt, played at S.C. State and signed a free agent deal with the N.Y. Giants in 2004 before being released.
Ellerbe redshirted his first year and played just six games the following year. Last year, he cracked the starting lineup for the first four games and led the team in interceptions with three.
“It is a great surrounding to be around,” Ellerbe said. “S.C. State was the best college for me.
“After I signed, these guys came to the games and saw the program and liked it.”
Hamlin, a redshirt sophomore, is the youngest of the group but had a big impact in his first season last year. He had 41 tackles and picked off two passes.
Hamlin, whose brother starts at safety for Clemson, was named the team’s MVP in the secondary.
“We all have one year under us playing in the secondary and it feels good to have a chance to be playing at the same place,” Hamlin said.
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CLick the link to coverage by Thomas Grant of the T&D who is with the Bulldogs in Colorado!
Bulldogs hit the ground in Colorado
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Friday, August 31, 2007
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COLORARDO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Last time quarterback Cleveland McCoy practiced in long sleeves was during spring practice.
On Thursday, he and his South Carolina State teammates were greeted in Colorado Springs by temperatures more cooler and comfortable than the ones they left behind in Orangeburg. With The Rocky Mountains serving as the background, the Bulldogs held a light two-hour workout at Air Academy High School located on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy. Much of the workout on the thick grass was spent on special teams. At times, the Bulldog players found themselves having to avoid automatic sprinklers which kept popping out of the ground at random.
Overall, the Bulldogs seemed to be effected little by the altitude and the lower temperatures. In fact, McCoy came away even more optimistic about the Bulldogs ability to perform in the altitude.
"I wasn’t expecting it to be this cool," he said. "The main thing, it seems like an even swap. We came from Orangeburg where it was hot. We got a little tired. We come up here, it’s cool, the air is a little thin, but it’s not as bad as Orangeburg."
Thursday’s practice capped a long and somewhat frenetic day for the Bulldogs. The team arrived at Eagle Aviation at around 11:20 a.m. Before boarding the plane, SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough talked about the historic matchup for SCSU in facing a Football Bowl Subdivision team for the first time.
"We are going out there to compete," Pough said. "If we go out and win, that’s great. But, more importantly what we have to do is go up and play the best that we can and if we do let the chips fall where they may."
The flight took just under three hours, much to the relief of SCSU offensive lineman Jake Johnson who was making his first trip on a plane.
"It went alright," said Johnson, who chewed gum for most of the trip. "It went a lot better than I thought. After we got into the air I was good."
The trip to the practice field took longer than expected due to a traffic accident on Woodman Road which leads to Air Force Academy. With no lights on the soccer field where practice was scheduled to be held, SCSU spent the final 15 minutes of the workout in near darkness.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to work out again today, this time at Falcon Stadium, site of Saturday’s contest with Air Force Academy. Prior to the practice, the Bulldogs will receive a tour of the Academy and also visit some of Colorado’s famous sites such as the Garden of the Gods and the US Olympic Facility.
-- T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant can be contacted via e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Check out his blog, Following the Bulldogs, at www.thetandd.com. --
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Friday, August 31, 2007
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COLORARDO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Last time quarterback Cleveland McCoy practiced in long sleeves was during spring practice.
On Thursday, he and his South Carolina State teammates were greeted in Colorado Springs by temperatures more cooler and comfortable than the ones they left behind in Orangeburg. With The Rocky Mountains serving as the background, the Bulldogs held a light two-hour workout at Air Academy High School located on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy. Much of the workout on the thick grass was spent on special teams. At times, the Bulldog players found themselves having to avoid automatic sprinklers which kept popping out of the ground at random.
Overall, the Bulldogs seemed to be effected little by the altitude and the lower temperatures. In fact, McCoy came away even more optimistic about the Bulldogs ability to perform in the altitude.
"I wasn’t expecting it to be this cool," he said. "The main thing, it seems like an even swap. We came from Orangeburg where it was hot. We got a little tired. We come up here, it’s cool, the air is a little thin, but it’s not as bad as Orangeburg."
Thursday’s practice capped a long and somewhat frenetic day for the Bulldogs. The team arrived at Eagle Aviation at around 11:20 a.m. Before boarding the plane, SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough talked about the historic matchup for SCSU in facing a Football Bowl Subdivision team for the first time.
"We are going out there to compete," Pough said. "If we go out and win, that’s great. But, more importantly what we have to do is go up and play the best that we can and if we do let the chips fall where they may."
The flight took just under three hours, much to the relief of SCSU offensive lineman Jake Johnson who was making his first trip on a plane.
"It went alright," said Johnson, who chewed gum for most of the trip. "It went a lot better than I thought. After we got into the air I was good."
The trip to the practice field took longer than expected due to a traffic accident on Woodman Road which leads to Air Force Academy. With no lights on the soccer field where practice was scheduled to be held, SCSU spent the final 15 minutes of the workout in near darkness.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to work out again today, this time at Falcon Stadium, site of Saturday’s contest with Air Force Academy. Prior to the practice, the Bulldogs will receive a tour of the Academy and also visit some of Colorado’s famous sites such as the Garden of the Gods and the US Olympic Facility.
-- T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant can be contacted via e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Check out his blog, Following the Bulldogs, at www.thetandd.com. --
Thursday, August 30, 2007
SCState vs Air Force Game notes.....good job SCSU!
Click the link above!
Why does SCSU take so long to fill senior leadership positions
All of these positions, as well as many other lower level positions, have yet to be filled? What efforts is SCSU making to fill them? BNN will investigate!
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 1890 RESEARCH AND EXTENSION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JAMES E. CLYBURN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD OF MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD CIVIL & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD INDUSTRIAL & ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR TRANSPORTATION (2 POSITIONS)
ALUMNI DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL AND PLANNED GIVING)
ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (MBA PROGRAM DIRECTOR)
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 1890 RESEARCH AND EXTENSION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JAMES E. CLYBURN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD OF MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD CIVIL & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD INDUSTRIAL & ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR TRANSPORTATION (2 POSITIONS)
ALUMNI DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL AND PLANNED GIVING)
ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (MBA PROGRAM DIRECTOR)
Schedule brutal at S.C. State
By Charles Bennett (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Bulldogs to face two big-conference foes in first three weeks
ORANGEBURG — South Carolina State began shopping around for games against Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) opponents a couple years ago, and as either good luck or bad luck would have it, the Bulldogs wound up landing two for 2007.
Thus the schedule finds South Carolina State opening at Air Force on Saturday, and after a MEAC game at Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 8, the Bulldogs play at South Carolina on Sept. 15 — a murderer's row if ever there was one.
"Back then, it didn't seem like such a big deal," said South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough, "but now that you're actually here, it gets to be a little bit bigger challenge."
The reason the Bulldogs went shopping for those road games at Air Force and South Carolina is for the money the games will put in their operating budget.
Air Force will pay South Carolina State $225,000 for making the trip to Colorado, while South Carolina will fork over $230,000 for the Bulldogs to make the short drive up I-26 to Columbia.
"Of course, financially, it does help us," said S.C. State athletic director Charlene Johnson. "We're in a position where we have to be creative in how we raise dollars. Those two schools are giving us a chance to not only increase revenue but increase exposure for the football program and the university."
The biggest question remaining is whether the grueling early schedule will take its toll on the Bulldogs over the long haul of the upcoming season.
"We've certainly got as much as we can handle in those first three games," Pough said. "It's a challenge, but we're excited about it. The guys just want to play right now. I'm just hoping it will somehow be good for us in the long run."
Meanwhile, Johnson continues shopping for payday games for future schedules. South Carolina is locked in again in 2011 and Johnson says she has had conversations with Clemson, Georgia Tech and Central Florida.
However, Johnson says the Bulldogs are looking for one per year, not two.
The Post and Courier
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Bulldogs to face two big-conference foes in first three weeks
ORANGEBURG — South Carolina State began shopping around for games against Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) opponents a couple years ago, and as either good luck or bad luck would have it, the Bulldogs wound up landing two for 2007.
Thus the schedule finds South Carolina State opening at Air Force on Saturday, and after a MEAC game at Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 8, the Bulldogs play at South Carolina on Sept. 15 — a murderer's row if ever there was one.
"Back then, it didn't seem like such a big deal," said South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough, "but now that you're actually here, it gets to be a little bit bigger challenge."
The reason the Bulldogs went shopping for those road games at Air Force and South Carolina is for the money the games will put in their operating budget.
Air Force will pay South Carolina State $225,000 for making the trip to Colorado, while South Carolina will fork over $230,000 for the Bulldogs to make the short drive up I-26 to Columbia.
"Of course, financially, it does help us," said S.C. State athletic director Charlene Johnson. "We're in a position where we have to be creative in how we raise dollars. Those two schools are giving us a chance to not only increase revenue but increase exposure for the football program and the university."
The biggest question remaining is whether the grueling early schedule will take its toll on the Bulldogs over the long haul of the upcoming season.
"We've certainly got as much as we can handle in those first three games," Pough said. "It's a challenge, but we're excited about it. The guys just want to play right now. I'm just hoping it will somehow be good for us in the long run."
Meanwhile, Johnson continues shopping for payday games for future schedules. South Carolina is locked in again in 2011 and Johnson says she has had conversations with Clemson, Georgia Tech and Central Florida.
However, Johnson says the Bulldogs are looking for one per year, not two.
SCSU/leaving 20070828 21:26:07
| Thursday, August 30, 2007
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Quarterback Cleveland McCoy is treating it like a business trip.
Tight end Spencer Miller views it as a 'Homecoming' visit.
As for offensive lineman Jake Johnson, he only wants to make it through without 'getting nauseous and fainting'.
All three will join their South Carolina State teammates today on a 12:30 p.m. flight from Eagle Aviation Airport in Columbia to Colorado Springs, Colo. for Saturday's against Air Force Academy.
It's the first-ever visit out west for the Bulldogs and the first of two games against Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) foes. For redshirt freshman Johnson, this also marks the first time he's ever boarded an aircraft.
"I was talking to my mom who said just chew a lot of gum because my ears are going to be popping and be relaxed," he said.
Needless to say, Johnson's trepidations have brought on some friendly ribbing from veteran Bulldogs.
"It's going to be an experience for him," McCoy said. "He's going to have to go in there and man-up and take that flight."
McCoy remembers having similar jitters during his first flight with SCSU two years ago. He insists his nerves were much calmer than a certain former teammate and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
"I was kind of timid, but Deshawn Baker made it a little worse for us," he said. "He was shaking, crying and everything. So, he kind of made me uncomfortable. But, we made it and we made two more trips after that, so I've gotten use to it."
All humor aside, McCoy has adopted SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's no-nonsense approach to Saturday's game. As the flag-carrier for the MEAC, both McCoy and Johnson said it's important the Bulldogs show that they can compete against a larger school.
"This is a business trip," McCoy said. "We're not going up there to have fun and get lackadaisical. We're up there to play football."
"We're all about business," Johnson said. "Coach said we're going down there to handle business and that's what we're going to do."
The close to three-hour trip is nothing new for Miller, who spent a season at the University of Wyoming before transferring to SCSU.
"It's almost like 'Homecoming' for me for the simple fact I have family out there that stay in Denver," he said. "I'm just going in, going to have a good time and come Saturday, play my hardest."
Much of the talk during camp has concerned adapting to the altitude of Colorado Springs, which lies a mile above sea level. To a man, the Bulldog players believe withstanding the hotter than usual 'Dog Days' of training camp will benefit them.
"It's a little different," Miller said. "It's going to test us to see if we've got enough gas in our tank. But I feel we'll ready. We've been working hard at camp and we'll give it all we've got."
"The main thing is we worked hard this summer," McCoy said. "It's hard to get a look as far as altitude, but the heat this summer was outrageous. We practiced in three-digit degree weather and on the turf is 10 degrees hotter. So if we're not prepared, I don't know what to tell you."
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Quarterback Cleveland McCoy is treating it like a business trip.
Tight end Spencer Miller views it as a 'Homecoming' visit.
As for offensive lineman Jake Johnson, he only wants to make it through without 'getting nauseous and fainting'.
All three will join their South Carolina State teammates today on a 12:30 p.m. flight from Eagle Aviation Airport in Columbia to Colorado Springs, Colo. for Saturday's against Air Force Academy.
It's the first-ever visit out west for the Bulldogs and the first of two games against Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) foes. For redshirt freshman Johnson, this also marks the first time he's ever boarded an aircraft.
"I was talking to my mom who said just chew a lot of gum because my ears are going to be popping and be relaxed," he said.
Needless to say, Johnson's trepidations have brought on some friendly ribbing from veteran Bulldogs.
"It's going to be an experience for him," McCoy said. "He's going to have to go in there and man-up and take that flight."
McCoy remembers having similar jitters during his first flight with SCSU two years ago. He insists his nerves were much calmer than a certain former teammate and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
"I was kind of timid, but Deshawn Baker made it a little worse for us," he said. "He was shaking, crying and everything. So, he kind of made me uncomfortable. But, we made it and we made two more trips after that, so I've gotten use to it."
All humor aside, McCoy has adopted SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's no-nonsense approach to Saturday's game. As the flag-carrier for the MEAC, both McCoy and Johnson said it's important the Bulldogs show that they can compete against a larger school.
"This is a business trip," McCoy said. "We're not going up there to have fun and get lackadaisical. We're up there to play football."
"We're all about business," Johnson said. "Coach said we're going down there to handle business and that's what we're going to do."
The close to three-hour trip is nothing new for Miller, who spent a season at the University of Wyoming before transferring to SCSU.
"It's almost like 'Homecoming' for me for the simple fact I have family out there that stay in Denver," he said. "I'm just going in, going to have a good time and come Saturday, play my hardest."
Much of the talk during camp has concerned adapting to the altitude of Colorado Springs, which lies a mile above sea level. To a man, the Bulldog players believe withstanding the hotter than usual 'Dog Days' of training camp will benefit them.
"It's a little different," Miller said. "It's going to test us to see if we've got enough gas in our tank. But I feel we'll ready. We've been working hard at camp and we'll give it all we've got."
"The main thing is we worked hard this summer," McCoy said. "It's hard to get a look as far as altitude, but the heat this summer was outrageous. We practiced in three-digit degree weather and on the turf is 10 degrees hotter. So if we're not prepared, I don't know what to tell you."
Dr. Rolle...what the heck are you talking about?!
All quotes (in italics), are from the article about SCSU housing in the 8/30/07 edition of the T&D. Bosshogg comments are in BOLD.
Dr. Rolle
"We have a housing lottery and give students the opportunity to move on campus," he said. "We tell students in the spring, 'You are on a waiting list.' There is a waiting list deadline. We tried to service everybody who wanted to live on campus. I take full responsibility. We try to house new students first, sent all information in a timely manner. We didn't deny anyone from going to school, just didn't have housing. ... We should have cut off the waiting list, and we didn't."
Bosshogg
Why was the list not cut off?
Dr. Rolle
"We projected at least 200 more students. We met and exceeded that," Rolle said. "We had 2,350 students in infrastructures (on campus), 50 spaces at the Travel In Lodge on 601. This year we had an abundance of students who wanted to move back on campus, especially in Hugine Suites. A lot wanted to live there and University Village. We opened Earl Hall, added 70 beds to University Village. We had a waiting list and continued to accept students once the waiting list was filled. We thought we did the best we could do. We never thought our students would want to move back on campus. We are in contact with USC, Clemson and especially Coastal Carolina who had a boost in enrollment and prepared an enrollment list. They have a list of places in the city, where students can rent out and stay. We had 200 rooms vacant last fall. Now not one room is vacant."
Bosshogg
How could you project ONLY 200 more students? Did the big rush of freshmen applications not clue you in? Don't MOST freshmen opt to live on campus? If you have WAY more freshmen coming, combined with REALLY NICE ON CAMPUS HOUSING, don't you think the numbers of people who want to live in them might be more than 200? You never thought your students would want to move back on campus? Did you really think that? How could you honestly think that. We really thought you just got caught off guard...but now, we wonder if you are competent to do the job!
Dr. Rolle
Rolle said the only predictor of how many students are going to attend the university is the number that apply for financial aid. He added that for the last couple of fall semesters, there have been vacancies in the school's dorms.
Bosshogg
Dr. Rolle......the past couple of fall semesters did not occur after SCSU got nationwide media attention for a debate.....did you really not think this fall would be different? We knew there would be a spike in applications.....didn't you communicate with the admissions department on this?
Dr. Rolle
"I don't know the best way to guarantee, say if we accept 2,300 students, that they are going to show up to fill our dormitories," he said.
Bosshogg.
We know there are no guarantees, but SCSU isn't a big campus.....pick up a phone, or walk over to admissions, and get an estimate on how many people are coming back on campus. Then get the metrics on the percentage of students who usually stay on campus. Then bump that up by a percentage because students move off campus because of the dorms, but when you build new apartments, more people will opt to stay on campus. Common sense. Now, walk over to housing with that info. Tell them, we have X number of students who LIKELY will wanna stay on campus. Do we have housing for that number? If yes, go back to your office and do something else. If no, then you need to notify all the students that there may be a premium on housing and that it is imperative that they respond with their room fees to ensure they have a room. It really ain't that hard. You get paid six figures to be able to avoid this kind of problem. If its too hard for you, then maybe we need a new VP. Its not rocket science. The BOT members asked all the right questions. And you couldn't answer them. This need not EVER happen again....or you don't need to be in that position.
Dr. Rolle
Rolle said the same scenario is not likely for the spring semester as enrollment then is always down. He said his staff is in the process of coming up with solutions should they be faced with the problem again. When asked if the complication drove students away, Rolle said, "I hope not."
Bosshogg
You HOPE not? Dude are you serious? Would you think twice about sending your kid to a school that took the media hit we took? Its not even about what the truth is. its about the story the media tells....they have a forum to get their message out. And SCSU's reputation was hurt because of that. Meanwhile, you are sitting back hoping. Instead of hoping, why not get YOUR message out there that its under control, and parents can rest assured that it wont happen again. You keep hoping Dr. Rolle. You seem intently focused on other campus issues that are not near as important as this one, but when it comes to this, you are HOPING.....keep hope alive Dr. Rolle. We HOPE you figure out how to do an effective job in your position. If not, then we HOPE SCSU can find someone who can.
Dr. Rolle
"We have a housing lottery and give students the opportunity to move on campus," he said. "We tell students in the spring, 'You are on a waiting list.' There is a waiting list deadline. We tried to service everybody who wanted to live on campus. I take full responsibility. We try to house new students first, sent all information in a timely manner. We didn't deny anyone from going to school, just didn't have housing. ... We should have cut off the waiting list, and we didn't."
Bosshogg
Why was the list not cut off?
Dr. Rolle
"We projected at least 200 more students. We met and exceeded that," Rolle said. "We had 2,350 students in infrastructures (on campus), 50 spaces at the Travel In Lodge on 601. This year we had an abundance of students who wanted to move back on campus, especially in Hugine Suites. A lot wanted to live there and University Village. We opened Earl Hall, added 70 beds to University Village. We had a waiting list and continued to accept students once the waiting list was filled. We thought we did the best we could do. We never thought our students would want to move back on campus. We are in contact with USC, Clemson and especially Coastal Carolina who had a boost in enrollment and prepared an enrollment list. They have a list of places in the city, where students can rent out and stay. We had 200 rooms vacant last fall. Now not one room is vacant."
Bosshogg
How could you project ONLY 200 more students? Did the big rush of freshmen applications not clue you in? Don't MOST freshmen opt to live on campus? If you have WAY more freshmen coming, combined with REALLY NICE ON CAMPUS HOUSING, don't you think the numbers of people who want to live in them might be more than 200? You never thought your students would want to move back on campus? Did you really think that? How could you honestly think that. We really thought you just got caught off guard...but now, we wonder if you are competent to do the job!
Dr. Rolle
Rolle said the only predictor of how many students are going to attend the university is the number that apply for financial aid. He added that for the last couple of fall semesters, there have been vacancies in the school's dorms.
Bosshogg
Dr. Rolle......the past couple of fall semesters did not occur after SCSU got nationwide media attention for a debate.....did you really not think this fall would be different? We knew there would be a spike in applications.....didn't you communicate with the admissions department on this?
Dr. Rolle
"I don't know the best way to guarantee, say if we accept 2,300 students, that they are going to show up to fill our dormitories," he said.
Bosshogg.
We know there are no guarantees, but SCSU isn't a big campus.....pick up a phone, or walk over to admissions, and get an estimate on how many people are coming back on campus. Then get the metrics on the percentage of students who usually stay on campus. Then bump that up by a percentage because students move off campus because of the dorms, but when you build new apartments, more people will opt to stay on campus. Common sense. Now, walk over to housing with that info. Tell them, we have X number of students who LIKELY will wanna stay on campus. Do we have housing for that number? If yes, go back to your office and do something else. If no, then you need to notify all the students that there may be a premium on housing and that it is imperative that they respond with their room fees to ensure they have a room. It really ain't that hard. You get paid six figures to be able to avoid this kind of problem. If its too hard for you, then maybe we need a new VP. Its not rocket science. The BOT members asked all the right questions. And you couldn't answer them. This need not EVER happen again....or you don't need to be in that position.
Dr. Rolle
Rolle said the same scenario is not likely for the spring semester as enrollment then is always down. He said his staff is in the process of coming up with solutions should they be faced with the problem again. When asked if the complication drove students away, Rolle said, "I hope not."
Bosshogg
You HOPE not? Dude are you serious? Would you think twice about sending your kid to a school that took the media hit we took? Its not even about what the truth is. its about the story the media tells....they have a forum to get their message out. And SCSU's reputation was hurt because of that. Meanwhile, you are sitting back hoping. Instead of hoping, why not get YOUR message out there that its under control, and parents can rest assured that it wont happen again. You keep hoping Dr. Rolle. You seem intently focused on other campus issues that are not near as important as this one, but when it comes to this, you are HOPING.....keep hope alive Dr. Rolle. We HOPE you figure out how to do an effective job in your position. If not, then we HOPE SCSU can find someone who can.
Hugine links SC State housing crunch to 'clientele that we serve'
By CHARLENE SLAUGHTER, T&D Special Assignments | Thursday, August 30, 2007
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Dr. Kevin Rolle, vice president of Student Services at South Carolina State University, was dressed in suit and tie as usual at Wednesday's meeting of the board of trustees. But as he stood to address questions concerning housing issues there, Rolle had his running shoes on.
Clad in a pair of sneakers, he told an anxious board what happened to cause chaos over a lack of housing on campus last week.
"We have a housing lottery and give students the opportunity to move on campus," he said. "We tell students in the spring, 'You are on a waiting list.' There is a waiting list deadline. We tried to service everybody who wanted to live on campus. I take full responsibility. We try to house new students first, sent all information in a timely manner. We didn't deny anyone from going to school, just didn't have housing. ... We should have cut off the waiting list, and we didn't."
The university released enrollment numbers Wednesday which show that it admitted its largest freshman class in school history. South Carolina State received a record number of 7,523 freshmen applications for fall 2007. As of Aug. 29, university officials reported 1,205 students in the freshman class, the largest ever, and a 37 percent increase over last year's entering class of 881. The enrollment number is preliminary and is expected to increase once final enrollment figures are available.
The large class, coupled with more students overall wanting to live on campus this year, led to some students arriving on campus last week without a place to stay. Some who had traveled from out of town had to return home.
"We projected at least 200 more students. We met and exceeded that," Rolle said. "We had 2,350 students in infrastructures (on campus), 50 spaces at the Travel In Lodge on 601. This year we had an abundance of students who wanted to move back on campus, especially in Hugine Suites. A lot wanted to live there and University Village. We opened Earl Hall, added 70 beds to University Village. We had a waiting list and continued to accept students once the waiting list was filled. We thought we did the best we could do. We never thought our students would want to move back on campus. We are in contact with USC, Clemson and especially Coastal Carolina who had a boost in enrollment and prepared an enrollment list. They have a list of places in the city, where students can rent out and stay. We had 200 rooms vacant last fall. Now not one room is vacant."
But, board members wanted answers to why the housing problem was not discovered early on and handled differently.
"If on day one we had an abundance of people, was it ever considered to put them in hotels?" Trustee Dr. Shirley Martin asked. "How didn't we know and prepare better? We didn't have a preferred leasing list, but how can we not have known this?"
Rolle said the only predictor of how many students are going to attend the university is the number that apply for financial aid. He added that for the last couple of fall semesters, there have been vacancies in the school's dorms. S.C. State closed five dorms last year and opened two new facilities, netting 350 beds. Now, in addition to Earl Hall, a feasibility study is in progress on Bradham and Manning Halls to see what the cost would be to convert them into livable spaces. The board voted in June not to tear down those dorms for restoration.
"Did anyone report we might have a problem here?" Board Chairman Maurice Washington asked. "That we may need to bring facilities off line back on line because there was going to be an overflow? Was there some indication that there was a potential problem?"
President Dr. Andrew Hugine said potential housing problems were "why the request went forth with state officials to get Earl Hall."
"In April, May, June, we were tracking the numbers," Washington said. "We knew the available bed units early in the process. In June we were able to announce there would be no tuition increase, University Village coming in line. I'm trying to pinpoint where the communication process failed us."
Rolle repeated that the only predictor of students who are going to matriculate is when the student arrives.
"I don't know the best way to guarantee, say if we accept 2,300 students, that they are going to show up to fill our dormitories," he said.
"At what point was the problem raised, and why did it take us that long to react?" Washington asked.
"We are tracking numbers," Hugine intervened. "... keep in mind who our customers are. A lot are first generation, have difficulty with various proceedings necessary to enroll. I have no problem with that; that's who we are. It presents a challenge for this institution. They (other colleges) do not have the clientele that we serve."
Again, Rolle said they should have cut off the waiting list. Washington said his question was not answered.
"Was there an early-warning system that would have alerted you, this board, this administration that there was a problem?" Trustee Martha Smith said. "You had people recruiting; you have housing. There is a correlation between these two things. It's management 101. We have all those kids we have accepted; we don't have housing."
"Accepting a student doesn't mean a student is coming to the university," Hugine said. "Again, we have to consider who we are and who we serve. What may work at institution X does not work here. We house 50 percent of our students. I take responsibility; it rests with me. I think we did the very best we could." Hugine said in the future, they will be better prepared.
Washington commended Rolle and staff members for coming though with what the board charged them to do, which was to bring more quality students to S.C. State.
"He did so very effectively," he said. "I commend them for a job well done. It's very important that we improve on the communication piece. My question was not answered but, then again, it was."
Trustee Martin suggested some sort of damage control and said, "a personal touch may have made a difference." She suggested writing a letter to parents and students affected.
Rolle said the same scenario is not likely for the spring semester as enrollment then is always down. He said his staff is in the process of coming up with solutions should they be faced with the problem again. When asked if the complication drove students away, Rolle said, "I hope not."
"It's been a tough time for us," he said while thanking his staff. "We have to do a better job of planning. We took a hit from the media, but on the other hand raised the bar. We say we're going to house 2,000 students; we have to cut it off. That's what we didn't do this time."
Hugine said there is not an issue with classes in relation to increased enrollment. He said there are enough professors -- some visiting, some adjunct -- to handle the increased enrollment.
T&D Special Assignments Writer Charlene Slaughter can be reached by e-mail at cslaughter@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5529. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
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Dr. Kevin Rolle, vice president of Student Services at South Carolina State University, was dressed in suit and tie as usual at Wednesday's meeting of the board of trustees. But as he stood to address questions concerning housing issues there, Rolle had his running shoes on.
Clad in a pair of sneakers, he told an anxious board what happened to cause chaos over a lack of housing on campus last week.
"We have a housing lottery and give students the opportunity to move on campus," he said. "We tell students in the spring, 'You are on a waiting list.' There is a waiting list deadline. We tried to service everybody who wanted to live on campus. I take full responsibility. We try to house new students first, sent all information in a timely manner. We didn't deny anyone from going to school, just didn't have housing. ... We should have cut off the waiting list, and we didn't."
The university released enrollment numbers Wednesday which show that it admitted its largest freshman class in school history. South Carolina State received a record number of 7,523 freshmen applications for fall 2007. As of Aug. 29, university officials reported 1,205 students in the freshman class, the largest ever, and a 37 percent increase over last year's entering class of 881. The enrollment number is preliminary and is expected to increase once final enrollment figures are available.
The large class, coupled with more students overall wanting to live on campus this year, led to some students arriving on campus last week without a place to stay. Some who had traveled from out of town had to return home.
"We projected at least 200 more students. We met and exceeded that," Rolle said. "We had 2,350 students in infrastructures (on campus), 50 spaces at the Travel In Lodge on 601. This year we had an abundance of students who wanted to move back on campus, especially in Hugine Suites. A lot wanted to live there and University Village. We opened Earl Hall, added 70 beds to University Village. We had a waiting list and continued to accept students once the waiting list was filled. We thought we did the best we could do. We never thought our students would want to move back on campus. We are in contact with USC, Clemson and especially Coastal Carolina who had a boost in enrollment and prepared an enrollment list. They have a list of places in the city, where students can rent out and stay. We had 200 rooms vacant last fall. Now not one room is vacant."
But, board members wanted answers to why the housing problem was not discovered early on and handled differently.
"If on day one we had an abundance of people, was it ever considered to put them in hotels?" Trustee Dr. Shirley Martin asked. "How didn't we know and prepare better? We didn't have a preferred leasing list, but how can we not have known this?"
Rolle said the only predictor of how many students are going to attend the university is the number that apply for financial aid. He added that for the last couple of fall semesters, there have been vacancies in the school's dorms. S.C. State closed five dorms last year and opened two new facilities, netting 350 beds. Now, in addition to Earl Hall, a feasibility study is in progress on Bradham and Manning Halls to see what the cost would be to convert them into livable spaces. The board voted in June not to tear down those dorms for restoration.
"Did anyone report we might have a problem here?" Board Chairman Maurice Washington asked. "That we may need to bring facilities off line back on line because there was going to be an overflow? Was there some indication that there was a potential problem?"
President Dr. Andrew Hugine said potential housing problems were "why the request went forth with state officials to get Earl Hall."
"In April, May, June, we were tracking the numbers," Washington said. "We knew the available bed units early in the process. In June we were able to announce there would be no tuition increase, University Village coming in line. I'm trying to pinpoint where the communication process failed us."
Rolle repeated that the only predictor of students who are going to matriculate is when the student arrives.
"I don't know the best way to guarantee, say if we accept 2,300 students, that they are going to show up to fill our dormitories," he said.
"At what point was the problem raised, and why did it take us that long to react?" Washington asked.
"We are tracking numbers," Hugine intervened. "... keep in mind who our customers are. A lot are first generation, have difficulty with various proceedings necessary to enroll. I have no problem with that; that's who we are. It presents a challenge for this institution. They (other colleges) do not have the clientele that we serve."
Again, Rolle said they should have cut off the waiting list. Washington said his question was not answered.
"Was there an early-warning system that would have alerted you, this board, this administration that there was a problem?" Trustee Martha Smith said. "You had people recruiting; you have housing. There is a correlation between these two things. It's management 101. We have all those kids we have accepted; we don't have housing."
"Accepting a student doesn't mean a student is coming to the university," Hugine said. "Again, we have to consider who we are and who we serve. What may work at institution X does not work here. We house 50 percent of our students. I take responsibility; it rests with me. I think we did the very best we could." Hugine said in the future, they will be better prepared.
Washington commended Rolle and staff members for coming though with what the board charged them to do, which was to bring more quality students to S.C. State.
"He did so very effectively," he said. "I commend them for a job well done. It's very important that we improve on the communication piece. My question was not answered but, then again, it was."
Trustee Martin suggested some sort of damage control and said, "a personal touch may have made a difference." She suggested writing a letter to parents and students affected.
Rolle said the same scenario is not likely for the spring semester as enrollment then is always down. He said his staff is in the process of coming up with solutions should they be faced with the problem again. When asked if the complication drove students away, Rolle said, "I hope not."
"It's been a tough time for us," he said while thanking his staff. "We have to do a better job of planning. We took a hit from the media, but on the other hand raised the bar. We say we're going to house 2,000 students; we have to cut it off. That's what we didn't do this time."
Hugine said there is not an issue with classes in relation to increased enrollment. He said there are enough professors -- some visiting, some adjunct -- to handle the increased enrollment.
T&D Special Assignments Writer Charlene Slaughter can be reached by e-mail at cslaughter@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5529. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
SC State Volleyball Falls to USC-Upstate in Three
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
Spartanburg, SC—The South Carolina State women’s volleyball team fell to USC Upstate, 3-0, (18-30, 170-30, 23-30), in non-conference match-up.
USC Upstate opened Game One with a 5-1 run. SC State (0-5) quickly went on a 4-1 run to pull the game within one, 5-6. The Spartans, (2-2), took control of the game with a 9-4 run to jump ahead 15-9. After a timeout called by the Lady Bulldogs, the Spartans, who never trailed in the game, put together a 6-2 run to go ahead 21-11. The Spartans would eventually win Game One 30-18.
Game Two of the match began much like Game One, with the teams exchanging points through a series of runs. The teams were pretty much even until USC Upstate jumped ahead at the 15 point mark off an SC State service error. The Spartans closed Game Two on a 16-3 run, winning by a score of 30-17.
Game Three appeared to belong to SC State as they jumped out to a 6-3 lead and went on a 14-5 run to open the game. USC Upstate put their offense into motion, gaining control of the game with a 6-1 run to tie the game at 15. The Spartans maintained its control going on a 15-7 run to close out the game and the match, winning Game Three 30-23.
Senior Monique Walker led the Lady Bulldogs in kills and digs with eight and 11 respectively. Jarne Gleaton and Laura Waters-Brown each contributed six kills in the loss.
Katie Downey led the Spartans in kills and Megan Healey led the team in digs with nine and 11 respectively.
Spartanburg, SC—The South Carolina State women’s volleyball team fell to USC Upstate, 3-0, (18-30, 170-30, 23-30), in non-conference match-up.
USC Upstate opened Game One with a 5-1 run. SC State (0-5) quickly went on a 4-1 run to pull the game within one, 5-6. The Spartans, (2-2), took control of the game with a 9-4 run to jump ahead 15-9. After a timeout called by the Lady Bulldogs, the Spartans, who never trailed in the game, put together a 6-2 run to go ahead 21-11. The Spartans would eventually win Game One 30-18.
Game Two of the match began much like Game One, with the teams exchanging points through a series of runs. The teams were pretty much even until USC Upstate jumped ahead at the 15 point mark off an SC State service error. The Spartans closed Game Two on a 16-3 run, winning by a score of 30-17.
Game Three appeared to belong to SC State as they jumped out to a 6-3 lead and went on a 14-5 run to open the game. USC Upstate put their offense into motion, gaining control of the game with a 6-1 run to tie the game at 15. The Spartans maintained its control going on a 15-7 run to close out the game and the match, winning Game Three 30-23.
Senior Monique Walker led the Lady Bulldogs in kills and digs with eight and 11 respectively. Jarne Gleaton and Laura Waters-Brown each contributed six kills in the loss.
Katie Downey led the Spartans in kills and Megan Healey led the team in digs with nine and 11 respectively.
SC State welcomes its largest freshman class
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
ORANGEBURG – South Carolina State’s student population is growing by leaps and bounds.
SC State received a record number of 7,523 freshmen applications for fall 2007. As of August 29, university officials are reporting the largest freshman class – 1,205 – in its history, a 37% increase over last year’s entering class of 881. This record enrollment number of 1,205 is preliminary and is expected to increase once final enrollment figures are available.
Included in the numbers is a very encouraging trend. The number of male students increased significantly, representing about half of the incoming class (49 percent), compared to a female-to-male ratio of 60 percent-to-40 percent for all students. The overall enrollment is also up from 4,384 last fall and is projected to exceed 4,500. Over the past few years, SC State has invested heavily in its infrastructure, particularly in its student housing and enhanced its enrollment management functions to better serve its students.
These efforts, along with the positive exposure from hosting the first nationally televised presidential primary debate, are making SC State University the institution of choice for an increasing number of students. The University is also ranked, for the second consecutive year, number one in the nation among national universities in Social Mobility by Washington Monthly magazine.
“Access and opportunity is great, and SC State University is an institution of opportunity. But what’s even greater is that our young people are taking advantage of the opportunities that we make available for them,” said Antonio Boyle, assistant vice president for enrollment management.
ORANGEBURG – South Carolina State’s student population is growing by leaps and bounds.
SC State received a record number of 7,523 freshmen applications for fall 2007. As of August 29, university officials are reporting the largest freshman class – 1,205 – in its history, a 37% increase over last year’s entering class of 881. This record enrollment number of 1,205 is preliminary and is expected to increase once final enrollment figures are available.
Included in the numbers is a very encouraging trend. The number of male students increased significantly, representing about half of the incoming class (49 percent), compared to a female-to-male ratio of 60 percent-to-40 percent for all students. The overall enrollment is also up from 4,384 last fall and is projected to exceed 4,500. Over the past few years, SC State has invested heavily in its infrastructure, particularly in its student housing and enhanced its enrollment management functions to better serve its students.
These efforts, along with the positive exposure from hosting the first nationally televised presidential primary debate, are making SC State University the institution of choice for an increasing number of students. The University is also ranked, for the second consecutive year, number one in the nation among national universities in Social Mobility by Washington Monthly magazine.
“Access and opportunity is great, and SC State University is an institution of opportunity. But what’s even greater is that our young people are taking advantage of the opportunities that we make available for them,” said Antonio Boyle, assistant vice president for enrollment management.
Falcons' new look leaves no room for research
Calhoun won't save surprises for conference foes
By JAKE SCHALLER
GAZETTE
August 28, 2007 - 7:00PM
For South Carolina State coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, preparing for Saturday’s season-opening game at Air Force has been like trying to study for a test without textbooks or notes.
A new coaching staff has changed the Falcons’ offensive and defensive philosophies, so Pough has little tangible data with which to build a game plan.
“We’ve got nothing to go by,” he said. “That makes it a little less attractive for us, because ordinarily we’d have a team that we’d have some film on.”
Air Force’s Mountain West Conference opponents until this year could rely upon hours and hours of footage of former coach Fisher DeBerry’s triple-option attack. Now, they face the same predicament as South Carolina State.
So with Air Force set to face the top three teams in the conference after South Carolina State, will first-year coach Troy Calhoun play conservatively on both sides of the ball Saturday? Will he do just enough to get a victory over a team that plays in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS, formerly was known as Division I-AA) and therefore keep Utah, TCU and BYU, the Falcons’ next three opponents, in the dark about his sets, plays and schemes?
Perhaps. But Calhoun has insisted he won’t try to win Saturday with a “vanilla” playbook.
“Not at all,” he said. “South Carolina State is going to be a bear of a challenge. And I think you’ve got to play every card you’ve got. You’ve got to shoot every bullet you’ve got in your holster, too.”
Asked if he would keep some of his bullets for later games if the first few he fired resulted in an early kill of South Carolina State, Calhoun said: “I just think you’ve got to play it out. I just think you absolutely have got to play it out. I think by nature there are things that you kind of vary a little bit from week to week, anyway. So we’re going to line it up and go. ... We better do everything we can to win the opener. All of our focus is on South Carolina State.”
Air Force last played a team from the lower-tier FCS in 2004, when it beat Eastern Washington 42-20. A year earlier, the Falcons opened their season with a 49-0 romp over Wofford, an FCS program and frequent South Carolina State opponent.
But coaches won’t be referencing those victories this week. If they do want to give a history lesson, they’ll remind players that Colorado lost to Montana State (of the FCS) in Dan Hawkins’ debut last year. And New Mexico of the Mountain West Conference fell in its 2006 opener to Portland State (another FCS team).
In addition, Air Force offensive line coach Clay Hendrix can talk about his days at Furman, an FCS school. The Paladins went toe-to-toe with some Division I-A schools – including beating North Carolina in 1999 – and also faced South Carolina State.
“One of the worst whippings I ever got was by them when I was a freshman, first time we ever played them,” Hendrix said of South Carolina State. “You’ll see those guys trot out there and you’ll think, ‘Why is that guy there” and not at a Division I-A school?
Calhoun said he thinks watching tape of the Bulldogs has removed the possibility that his team will look past Saturday’s game to the following week’s conference opener at Utah.
“As soon as you flip the tape on, it’s got our guys attention – unequivocally,” Calhoun said. “You don’t have to look at that tape too long to realize, ‘Oh my goodness, we better buckle up.’”
By JAKE SCHALLER
GAZETTE
August 28, 2007 - 7:00PM
For South Carolina State coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, preparing for Saturday’s season-opening game at Air Force has been like trying to study for a test without textbooks or notes.
A new coaching staff has changed the Falcons’ offensive and defensive philosophies, so Pough has little tangible data with which to build a game plan.
“We’ve got nothing to go by,” he said. “That makes it a little less attractive for us, because ordinarily we’d have a team that we’d have some film on.”
Air Force’s Mountain West Conference opponents until this year could rely upon hours and hours of footage of former coach Fisher DeBerry’s triple-option attack. Now, they face the same predicament as South Carolina State.
So with Air Force set to face the top three teams in the conference after South Carolina State, will first-year coach Troy Calhoun play conservatively on both sides of the ball Saturday? Will he do just enough to get a victory over a team that plays in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS, formerly was known as Division I-AA) and therefore keep Utah, TCU and BYU, the Falcons’ next three opponents, in the dark about his sets, plays and schemes?
Perhaps. But Calhoun has insisted he won’t try to win Saturday with a “vanilla” playbook.
“Not at all,” he said. “South Carolina State is going to be a bear of a challenge. And I think you’ve got to play every card you’ve got. You’ve got to shoot every bullet you’ve got in your holster, too.”
Asked if he would keep some of his bullets for later games if the first few he fired resulted in an early kill of South Carolina State, Calhoun said: “I just think you’ve got to play it out. I just think you absolutely have got to play it out. I think by nature there are things that you kind of vary a little bit from week to week, anyway. So we’re going to line it up and go. ... We better do everything we can to win the opener. All of our focus is on South Carolina State.”
Air Force last played a team from the lower-tier FCS in 2004, when it beat Eastern Washington 42-20. A year earlier, the Falcons opened their season with a 49-0 romp over Wofford, an FCS program and frequent South Carolina State opponent.
But coaches won’t be referencing those victories this week. If they do want to give a history lesson, they’ll remind players that Colorado lost to Montana State (of the FCS) in Dan Hawkins’ debut last year. And New Mexico of the Mountain West Conference fell in its 2006 opener to Portland State (another FCS team).
In addition, Air Force offensive line coach Clay Hendrix can talk about his days at Furman, an FCS school. The Paladins went toe-to-toe with some Division I-A schools – including beating North Carolina in 1999 – and also faced South Carolina State.
“One of the worst whippings I ever got was by them when I was a freshman, first time we ever played them,” Hendrix said of South Carolina State. “You’ll see those guys trot out there and you’ll think, ‘Why is that guy there” and not at a Division I-A school?
Calhoun said he thinks watching tape of the Bulldogs has removed the possibility that his team will look past Saturday’s game to the following week’s conference opener at Utah.
“As soon as you flip the tape on, it’s got our guys attention – unequivocally,” Calhoun said. “You don’t have to look at that tape too long to realize, ‘Oh my goodness, we better buckle up.’”
Come on home to SCSU Patterson!
Patterson busy making his own name
A.C. Flora’s ‘other’ tackle is happy to shine outside teammate’s limelight
By AKILAH IMANI NELSON - ainelson@thestate.com
There’s not nearly as much buzz about A.C. Flora’s left tackle as there is about the right.
That’s OK by Larry Patterson, the Falcons’ senior left tackle. Playing opposite Division I prospect Kenneth Page, Patterson enjoys all the challenge with a little less scrutiny.
Patterson, who took a year off from football in 2005, has no quarrel with all the attention his friend Page draws.
“It’s great really,” said Patterson. “He gets the scouts in here and then I can get their attention during the game.”
Patterson knows that he is impressive in his own right.
Coach Robin Bacon lauds the senior’s skills as a pass-blocker and his not-quite-finished stature.
“Larry’s 6-foot-5 and still growing and he hasn’t filled out yet,” Bacon said. “He’s lean and can put a lot of weight on and college coaches like that.”
Bacon says Patterson has the interest of several schools, including S.C. State, Middle Tennessee, and Hampton.
It’s not quite the same as the Division I offers Page has fielded thus far, but that does not mean Patterson is playing in Page’s shadow.
As part of the offensive line, Patterson said, he and Page are equals because their performances are of equal importance to the unit’s success.
“We are all on one accord, we all have to do our jobs, and me and (Kenneth) just have the same kind of job,” he said.
That was a big help when Patterson returned to football last season. He said his friendly competition with Page helped him readjust to the rhythm of practice and competition, helped him make up some lost ground. Patterson earned a starting position last season and graded out in the high 80-percent range.
“He’s more experienced than me, so competing against him in drills and things, that did help me improve my game,” Patterson said.
Bacon said Patterson may feed off of Page’s friendship as much as the competition.
“I think the big thing with them is that they’re really good friends. I mean, when we’re watching film and one of them gets a pancake, the other one’s grinning over at him. And when one of them misses a block, the other one’s grinning over at him,” the coach said.
But independent of that, Bacon said, “Larry’s got all the tools to be a great player.”
The key to Patterson becoming a Division I player is in adding to his strength, he said.
“He has got to get in that weight room and hit it hard. He’s strong but he’s got a lot more potential,” Bacon said.
Patterson also is striving to make each game his best game and “to lay out a couple of guys.”
That, he said, will always get the recruiters’ attention.
They don’t even have to know his name, Patterson said. Just so long as they see him play.
Reach Nelson at (803) 771-8419.
A.C. Flora’s ‘other’ tackle is happy to shine outside teammate’s limelight
By AKILAH IMANI NELSON - ainelson@thestate.com
There’s not nearly as much buzz about A.C. Flora’s left tackle as there is about the right.
That’s OK by Larry Patterson, the Falcons’ senior left tackle. Playing opposite Division I prospect Kenneth Page, Patterson enjoys all the challenge with a little less scrutiny.
Patterson, who took a year off from football in 2005, has no quarrel with all the attention his friend Page draws.
“It’s great really,” said Patterson. “He gets the scouts in here and then I can get their attention during the game.”
Patterson knows that he is impressive in his own right.
Coach Robin Bacon lauds the senior’s skills as a pass-blocker and his not-quite-finished stature.
“Larry’s 6-foot-5 and still growing and he hasn’t filled out yet,” Bacon said. “He’s lean and can put a lot of weight on and college coaches like that.”
Bacon says Patterson has the interest of several schools, including S.C. State, Middle Tennessee, and Hampton.
It’s not quite the same as the Division I offers Page has fielded thus far, but that does not mean Patterson is playing in Page’s shadow.
As part of the offensive line, Patterson said, he and Page are equals because their performances are of equal importance to the unit’s success.
“We are all on one accord, we all have to do our jobs, and me and (Kenneth) just have the same kind of job,” he said.
That was a big help when Patterson returned to football last season. He said his friendly competition with Page helped him readjust to the rhythm of practice and competition, helped him make up some lost ground. Patterson earned a starting position last season and graded out in the high 80-percent range.
“He’s more experienced than me, so competing against him in drills and things, that did help me improve my game,” Patterson said.
Bacon said Patterson may feed off of Page’s friendship as much as the competition.
“I think the big thing with them is that they’re really good friends. I mean, when we’re watching film and one of them gets a pancake, the other one’s grinning over at him. And when one of them misses a block, the other one’s grinning over at him,” the coach said.
But independent of that, Bacon said, “Larry’s got all the tools to be a great player.”
The key to Patterson becoming a Division I player is in adding to his strength, he said.
“He has got to get in that weight room and hit it hard. He’s strong but he’s got a lot more potential,” Bacon said.
Patterson also is striving to make each game his best game and “to lay out a couple of guys.”
That, he said, will always get the recruiters’ attention.
They don’t even have to know his name, Patterson said. Just so long as they see him play.
Reach Nelson at (803) 771-8419.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
SCState vs. Air Force game report!
Click the link above to read the complete media report released by the Air Force Academy!
Pough says Bulldogs conditioned well heading into Air Force game
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Having completed a physically grueling training camp, South Carolina State head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough knows what to expect effort-wise from his team in Saturday’s season-opener against Air Force.
How that translates into competing for the first time in school history against a Football Bowl Subdivision foe on the road remains a mystery for Pough and his coaching staff.
"This the best-conditioned team we’ve had since I’ve been here and it appears that we’ve got some talent," said Pough at Monday’s press conference. "Whether or not it’s going to transcend into a team that goes out and plays good, solid cohesive football is what the next portion of this year’s schedule will let us know. And what better situation to find out if our guys can actually fight through a tough setting than what we’re going into Saturday."
Along with travelling out west and facing an opponent which enjoys a vast advantage in resources and scholarship players over other Football Championship Subdivision programs, Pough said the Bulldogs still do not have a solid idea as to what type of Falcons team to expect under new head coach and former Houston Texans assistant coach Troy Calhoun.
"What really makes this a little bit strange is the fact that we just know so little about what they actually are doing," he said. "We don’t have any film. We don’t any way of knowing of how they’re going to attack us or how we need to attack them because of the fact that everything out there is new. Their staff is totally new and we can only go by what he’s (Calhoun) done in some places in the past. I don’t think he’ll try to run the Houston Texans’ offense. I don’t think he’ll try to run the Houston Texans’ defense. So we’ve got to work to really find what has been a part of their staff’s past history to get an idea of what they possibly may be."
Pough does know about senior quarterback Shaun Carney. The four-year starter, who was selected to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award "watch list for the third straight year, ranks third in career total offense at the Academy with 5,824 total yards. He also ranks eighth in rushing with 1,924 yards, third in passing with 3,900 yards, second in touchdown passes with 30 and reminds Pough of former Coastal Carolina quarterback Tyler Thigpen.
"The Carney kid for them is a special player," Pough said. "He has been not only a good passer, but he’s been a real athletic guy. He seems to be a fit for what would be the possibility of what they do with that kind of style guy. You’d think that he’d be a guy that you would have to really pay some special attention to. It’s no telling all the special things you can do with him."
The element of surprise could work in SCSU’s favor especially if Pough believes the Falcons take a light-hearted approach to the game.
"I can’t see them being awfully concerned," he said. "They know that we are a lower level team. There’s a good possibility that they feel like they would be able to take us on pretty easily. They’ve got a good chance probably to have all of our film so that they have a real good idea about what we are actually going to try to do to them. I would not think it would scare them a bunch. We don’t do anything really unusual, anything that’s going to stress them out more than what they would be ordinarily be stressed out by maybe one of the medium-level teams on their schedule. So I would think that they might think they have an easy time with us."
Furthermore, Pough does not see the Falcons becoming discombobulated should the Bulldogs make an early statement.
"You’re talking about an outfit of men who are practicing to not only play football but they jump on bombs for a living," he said. "I don’t know if you’re going to scare those kinds of people. I don’t know if hitting them in the mouth is what you want to do. I think what you want to do is you want to get in there and find a way to hang in this football game in a way where you have an opportunity to win at the end. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and we hope that our guys can hang in there and not give them any big plays for scores. And then at that point, we can possibly be in the game and have a chance at the end."
In order to make that happen, look for SCSU to make the most use out of its roster of available defensive linemen. Because of the group’s lack of significant size, Pough believes by going three-deep will keep them from getting exhausted and get the highest quality of play.
The offense has had to deal with a litany of injuries. Offensive tackle Nygel Pearson is out again for 2-4 weeks with a broken hand, while a similar injury has wide receiver Tron Jackson sidelined. Meanwhile, Terrance Smith and Phillip Smalls remain questionable.
For all the great anticipation for Saturday’s contest, SCSU continues to have a firm eye towards the Sept. 8 game at Bethune-Cookman. Even with a loss, Pough wants to come out of the Air Force matchup with some positive carryover.
"I think going out and competing is the measure that we probably use to determine if the game was a success or not," he said. "If we go out and play well, if we go out and execute what we’ve been working on in camp in a way where we’ve had some success, then I think that gives us some momentum to go into our next week and feel positive about our situation."
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Having completed a physically grueling training camp, South Carolina State head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough knows what to expect effort-wise from his team in Saturday’s season-opener against Air Force.
How that translates into competing for the first time in school history against a Football Bowl Subdivision foe on the road remains a mystery for Pough and his coaching staff.
"This the best-conditioned team we’ve had since I’ve been here and it appears that we’ve got some talent," said Pough at Monday’s press conference. "Whether or not it’s going to transcend into a team that goes out and plays good, solid cohesive football is what the next portion of this year’s schedule will let us know. And what better situation to find out if our guys can actually fight through a tough setting than what we’re going into Saturday."
Along with travelling out west and facing an opponent which enjoys a vast advantage in resources and scholarship players over other Football Championship Subdivision programs, Pough said the Bulldogs still do not have a solid idea as to what type of Falcons team to expect under new head coach and former Houston Texans assistant coach Troy Calhoun.
"What really makes this a little bit strange is the fact that we just know so little about what they actually are doing," he said. "We don’t have any film. We don’t any way of knowing of how they’re going to attack us or how we need to attack them because of the fact that everything out there is new. Their staff is totally new and we can only go by what he’s (Calhoun) done in some places in the past. I don’t think he’ll try to run the Houston Texans’ offense. I don’t think he’ll try to run the Houston Texans’ defense. So we’ve got to work to really find what has been a part of their staff’s past history to get an idea of what they possibly may be."
Pough does know about senior quarterback Shaun Carney. The four-year starter, who was selected to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award "watch list for the third straight year, ranks third in career total offense at the Academy with 5,824 total yards. He also ranks eighth in rushing with 1,924 yards, third in passing with 3,900 yards, second in touchdown passes with 30 and reminds Pough of former Coastal Carolina quarterback Tyler Thigpen.
"The Carney kid for them is a special player," Pough said. "He has been not only a good passer, but he’s been a real athletic guy. He seems to be a fit for what would be the possibility of what they do with that kind of style guy. You’d think that he’d be a guy that you would have to really pay some special attention to. It’s no telling all the special things you can do with him."
The element of surprise could work in SCSU’s favor especially if Pough believes the Falcons take a light-hearted approach to the game.
"I can’t see them being awfully concerned," he said. "They know that we are a lower level team. There’s a good possibility that they feel like they would be able to take us on pretty easily. They’ve got a good chance probably to have all of our film so that they have a real good idea about what we are actually going to try to do to them. I would not think it would scare them a bunch. We don’t do anything really unusual, anything that’s going to stress them out more than what they would be ordinarily be stressed out by maybe one of the medium-level teams on their schedule. So I would think that they might think they have an easy time with us."
Furthermore, Pough does not see the Falcons becoming discombobulated should the Bulldogs make an early statement.
"You’re talking about an outfit of men who are practicing to not only play football but they jump on bombs for a living," he said. "I don’t know if you’re going to scare those kinds of people. I don’t know if hitting them in the mouth is what you want to do. I think what you want to do is you want to get in there and find a way to hang in this football game in a way where you have an opportunity to win at the end. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and we hope that our guys can hang in there and not give them any big plays for scores. And then at that point, we can possibly be in the game and have a chance at the end."
In order to make that happen, look for SCSU to make the most use out of its roster of available defensive linemen. Because of the group’s lack of significant size, Pough believes by going three-deep will keep them from getting exhausted and get the highest quality of play.
The offense has had to deal with a litany of injuries. Offensive tackle Nygel Pearson is out again for 2-4 weeks with a broken hand, while a similar injury has wide receiver Tron Jackson sidelined. Meanwhile, Terrance Smith and Phillip Smalls remain questionable.
For all the great anticipation for Saturday’s contest, SCSU continues to have a firm eye towards the Sept. 8 game at Bethune-Cookman. Even with a loss, Pough wants to come out of the Air Force matchup with some positive carryover.
"I think going out and competing is the measure that we probably use to determine if the game was a success or not," he said. "If we go out and play well, if we go out and execute what we’ve been working on in camp in a way where we’ve had some success, then I think that gives us some momentum to go into our next week and feel positive about our situation."
Is Cleve the 'real' McCoy
By BRIAN LINDER , T&D Sports Editor | Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Cleve McCoy sat in the home stands and surveyed the field at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Wednesday evening.
Across the way, two figures – freshmen quarterbacks Malcolm Long and Dewaine Clark — slipped into the stadium and took a seat on a bench along the visitor’s sideline.
It was the first day of classes at South Carolina State University, but for the duo class has been in session all summer and McCoy’s been the teacher. Next year is their year to battle it out for the starting quarterback position.
But, this year belongs to Cleve and he’s set the bar high for himself and his South Carolina State Bulldogs. Cleve McCoy didn’t need the coaches to vote SCSU as the favorite to win the MEAC this season because, quite frankly, he doesn’t buy into all the preseason hype. And, if head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough never told a soul he thought his star quarterback could play in the NFL, well, that wouldn’t matter either.
In South Carolina State’s 100th year of football, he graces the cover of the school’s media guide which is fitting because Cleve’s sights are set on making history. For a quarterback who was told he’d be better off finding a spot on the defensive side of the ball coming out of Baptist Hill High School, he can’t think of a better way to cap off his SCSU career than with a MEAC title, a trip to the playoffs and a shot at playing in the NFL.
If 2005, when McCoy broke a 20-year-old school-record by completing 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,692 yards and 13 touchdowns, wasn’t his “I told you so” season, McCoy has intends to see that the 2007 season is.
“I feel like I’ve come a long way, especially coming from a 1-A high school,” McCoy said. “We were more of an option based offense, but we did have throwing plays and I felt like I could execute and throw any pass that is known to football. I’ve never had any problem with that. It was just learning the game of football.
“But, I always had that drive (to play quarterback) in my mind and I just wanted to show the coaches I could do it. My main thing, when I got here, was I was just nervous and frigid just because of coach (Buddy) Pough and his reputation.”
That’s where McCoy has progressed the most because, ironically, in a season where so much is on the line, he seems unfazed.
“I don’t want to pressure myself,” he said. “I just want to have fun, go out there and execute because I know I can do it. We do it everyday in practice. That’s the main thing, translating it from practice to the games. If we do that, the season will come into itself.
“In all my games this year, I’m going to be focused and prepared. But, I really want to have fun out there. You get to a point where, if you are having fun, then you play better. I don’t want to go out and stress myself out as far as thinking I have to complete every ball or that I can’t fumble. I’m just going to play, have fun, and hopefully we will come out on the other side with a ‘W’.”
The journey begins Sept. 1 in Colorado against Air Force, but it doesn’t end there. McCoy and the Bulldogs will run the gantlet to start the season, facing Bethune-Cookman and the University of South Carolina in the two contests following the opener.
“Our main goal is to finish the season,” he said. “We don’t have the comfort of playing a (Division II) school. I don’t want to say a simple game, but as far as a game you can use just to prepare … we don’t have that. We have some of the toughest teams in America. We just have to play. That’s our goal, to play and to win these games, especially Bethune-Cookman.”
Despite the tough opening schedule, expectations remain high. Yes, the MEAC coaches picked the Bulldogs as the favorite to win the league. And, around campus, McCoy says the atmosphere has never been like it is heading into this season.
South Carolina State is supposed to win, and if you want to know why, McCoy will also tell you the answer is simple. This is the most gifted Bulldogs team he has been on.
“The fans know, coaches know, the media knows … everybody has picked us to win,” McCoy said. “This is the highest expectations we have had, but we are ready for it. The team is ready.
“There is no reason we shouldn’t do it. We have everything in place, now we just have to go out on Saturdays and execute. We have experience on the line, experience at receiver and experience at quarterback. We have some young guys at running back, but Will Ford is talented … and Jonathon Woods. On the defensive line, we have some young guys, but they are pretty good, and we have some good defensive backs. We have Stephen Grantham kicking field goals, and Aaron Haire punting the ball all over the place. That’s what it takes to win games. It’s a great thing.”
He says the dream season is to win the MEAC, to go to the playoffs and a national championship. From there, he wants to fulfill the dream that was born back when he was in third grade and wanted nothing more than to play football for the Baptist Hill Bobcats. He wants to play in the NFL.
But, for all of the above to happen, he also knows he has to improve on last season when he struggled with a change in the Bulldogs’ offense and saw his numbers taper off to a 51.4 completion percentage with 1,224 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
To play quarterback in the MEAC and move on to the NFL, you most always have to have a great season. But, talk to McCoy, and you’ll know that anything less than great … that’s not even running through his mind. He talks about winning titles, being the league Player of the Year, an All-American. He talks about being remembered.
“I just want to leave with a legacy,” he said. “I want people to say, ‘Cleve was a pretty good quarterback.’ And, I still want to represent South Carolina State on the next level.
“I want (to play in the NFL) bad. That’s 22 years of my life that I’ve just wanted to play football and go to the NFL. And, the funny things is … it’s right there.
“All these years you talk about it, but now is my chance to actually push. And, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to push and do everything in my power to get to the next level.”
Cleve McCoy sat in the home stands and surveyed the field at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Wednesday evening.
Across the way, two figures – freshmen quarterbacks Malcolm Long and Dewaine Clark — slipped into the stadium and took a seat on a bench along the visitor’s sideline.
It was the first day of classes at South Carolina State University, but for the duo class has been in session all summer and McCoy’s been the teacher. Next year is their year to battle it out for the starting quarterback position.
But, this year belongs to Cleve and he’s set the bar high for himself and his South Carolina State Bulldogs. Cleve McCoy didn’t need the coaches to vote SCSU as the favorite to win the MEAC this season because, quite frankly, he doesn’t buy into all the preseason hype. And, if head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough never told a soul he thought his star quarterback could play in the NFL, well, that wouldn’t matter either.
In South Carolina State’s 100th year of football, he graces the cover of the school’s media guide which is fitting because Cleve’s sights are set on making history. For a quarterback who was told he’d be better off finding a spot on the defensive side of the ball coming out of Baptist Hill High School, he can’t think of a better way to cap off his SCSU career than with a MEAC title, a trip to the playoffs and a shot at playing in the NFL.
If 2005, when McCoy broke a 20-year-old school-record by completing 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,692 yards and 13 touchdowns, wasn’t his “I told you so” season, McCoy has intends to see that the 2007 season is.
“I feel like I’ve come a long way, especially coming from a 1-A high school,” McCoy said. “We were more of an option based offense, but we did have throwing plays and I felt like I could execute and throw any pass that is known to football. I’ve never had any problem with that. It was just learning the game of football.
“But, I always had that drive (to play quarterback) in my mind and I just wanted to show the coaches I could do it. My main thing, when I got here, was I was just nervous and frigid just because of coach (Buddy) Pough and his reputation.”
That’s where McCoy has progressed the most because, ironically, in a season where so much is on the line, he seems unfazed.
“I don’t want to pressure myself,” he said. “I just want to have fun, go out there and execute because I know I can do it. We do it everyday in practice. That’s the main thing, translating it from practice to the games. If we do that, the season will come into itself.
“In all my games this year, I’m going to be focused and prepared. But, I really want to have fun out there. You get to a point where, if you are having fun, then you play better. I don’t want to go out and stress myself out as far as thinking I have to complete every ball or that I can’t fumble. I’m just going to play, have fun, and hopefully we will come out on the other side with a ‘W’.”
The journey begins Sept. 1 in Colorado against Air Force, but it doesn’t end there. McCoy and the Bulldogs will run the gantlet to start the season, facing Bethune-Cookman and the University of South Carolina in the two contests following the opener.
“Our main goal is to finish the season,” he said. “We don’t have the comfort of playing a (Division II) school. I don’t want to say a simple game, but as far as a game you can use just to prepare … we don’t have that. We have some of the toughest teams in America. We just have to play. That’s our goal, to play and to win these games, especially Bethune-Cookman.”
Despite the tough opening schedule, expectations remain high. Yes, the MEAC coaches picked the Bulldogs as the favorite to win the league. And, around campus, McCoy says the atmosphere has never been like it is heading into this season.
South Carolina State is supposed to win, and if you want to know why, McCoy will also tell you the answer is simple. This is the most gifted Bulldogs team he has been on.
“The fans know, coaches know, the media knows … everybody has picked us to win,” McCoy said. “This is the highest expectations we have had, but we are ready for it. The team is ready.
“There is no reason we shouldn’t do it. We have everything in place, now we just have to go out on Saturdays and execute. We have experience on the line, experience at receiver and experience at quarterback. We have some young guys at running back, but Will Ford is talented … and Jonathon Woods. On the defensive line, we have some young guys, but they are pretty good, and we have some good defensive backs. We have Stephen Grantham kicking field goals, and Aaron Haire punting the ball all over the place. That’s what it takes to win games. It’s a great thing.”
He says the dream season is to win the MEAC, to go to the playoffs and a national championship. From there, he wants to fulfill the dream that was born back when he was in third grade and wanted nothing more than to play football for the Baptist Hill Bobcats. He wants to play in the NFL.
But, for all of the above to happen, he also knows he has to improve on last season when he struggled with a change in the Bulldogs’ offense and saw his numbers taper off to a 51.4 completion percentage with 1,224 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
To play quarterback in the MEAC and move on to the NFL, you most always have to have a great season. But, talk to McCoy, and you’ll know that anything less than great … that’s not even running through his mind. He talks about winning titles, being the league Player of the Year, an All-American. He talks about being remembered.
“I just want to leave with a legacy,” he said. “I want people to say, ‘Cleve was a pretty good quarterback.’ And, I still want to represent South Carolina State on the next level.
“I want (to play in the NFL) bad. That’s 22 years of my life that I’ve just wanted to play football and go to the NFL. And, the funny things is … it’s right there.
“All these years you talk about it, but now is my chance to actually push. And, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to push and do everything in my power to get to the next level.”
Monday, August 27, 2007
S.C. State looking to enhance its transfer student agreements. Click the link to see a job announcement.
Position Information
Position Number 106342
Position Title:Student Services Program Coordinator I
Class Code CB65
Department Office of Admissions, Recruitment and Scholarships
Pay Band:
Pay Bands Defined 4
Open Date: 08-24-2007
Closing Date 09-07-2007
Description of Duties and Responsibilities:
Thorough knowledge of the institution's rules, regulations and program offerings. Thorough knowledge of recruiting techniques relating to diversity (germane to SCSU) and transfer student recruitment and enrollment. Recruit Diversity students to the University. Prepare, review and update transfer articulation agreements with Junior and Technical Colleges in conjunction with department chairs and accordance with University policies. Prepare preliminary transfer credit evaluation. This position requires limited supervision as a lot of time is spent away from the office. Employee is treated as a professional, exercises considerable independence in performing responsibilities. Is given authority to enforce current University policies related to admission to the University and the acceptance of transfer credits. This position requires a lot of evening and weekend work. It is a very important position. The fate of the institution depends on how well transfer students are recruited and evaluated. Requires some overnight travel.
Minimum Requirements for Entry into Position:
A bachelor's degree. Considerable knowledge of counseling techniques, ability to communicate orally and in writing. Knowledge of computer technology and applicability to admissions work. Extensive knowledge of University Policy and procedures relating to Transfer Students.
Position Number 106342
Position Title:Student Services Program Coordinator I
Class Code CB65
Department Office of Admissions, Recruitment and Scholarships
Pay Band:
Pay Bands Defined 4
Open Date: 08-24-2007
Closing Date 09-07-2007
Description of Duties and Responsibilities:
Thorough knowledge of the institution's rules, regulations and program offerings. Thorough knowledge of recruiting techniques relating to diversity (germane to SCSU) and transfer student recruitment and enrollment. Recruit Diversity students to the University. Prepare, review and update transfer articulation agreements with Junior and Technical Colleges in conjunction with department chairs and accordance with University policies. Prepare preliminary transfer credit evaluation. This position requires limited supervision as a lot of time is spent away from the office. Employee is treated as a professional, exercises considerable independence in performing responsibilities. Is given authority to enforce current University policies related to admission to the University and the acceptance of transfer credits. This position requires a lot of evening and weekend work. It is a very important position. The fate of the institution depends on how well transfer students are recruited and evaluated. Requires some overnight travel.
Minimum Requirements for Entry into Position:
A bachelor's degree. Considerable knowledge of counseling techniques, ability to communicate orally and in writing. Knowledge of computer technology and applicability to admissions work. Extensive knowledge of University Policy and procedures relating to Transfer Students.
Retail entrepreneur Rachelle Jamerson featured in weekly Executive Speaker Series, Aug. 29
Monday, August 27, 2007
ORANGEBURG – The first installment of the eleventh year of SC State’s weekly Executive Speaker Series will feature retail entrepreneur Rachelle Jamerson, owner of Rachelle’s Island Inc.
The lecture will be held on Wednesday, August 29, at 12 p.m. in the fourth floor auditorium of Belcher Hall. For additional information, contact Dr. Ann S. Winstead at (803) 516-4864 or Debbie Morant at (803) 536-7138.
The Executive Speaker Series, sponsored by the College of Business and Applied Professional Sciences, is a component of the Leadership and Professional Development Program, which all business majors are required to complete. The series exposes students to various aspects of the workplace, including viewpoints of leaders who are on the cutting edge of business, industry and government.
Rachelle Jamerson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising from Winthrop University and also attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
While at Winthrop, Jamerson charted her life’s plan by creating a fashion variety show to present a unique collection of designer clothing. The show combined singing, dancing, comedy and drama, all intermingled with fashions she designed, resulting in numerous requests to take the show on the road. She performed at colleges, both in South Carolina and beyond, also performing for public and private organizations. For the college tour, she designed and manufactured a line of college sorority and fraternity sportswear called Signature Paraphernalia.
Following this experience, Jamerson became an assistant buyer for Ivey’s (now Dillard’s Department Store) in Charlotte, N.C. After gaining experience in retail operations, she was offered the position of assistant designer at Gilead Manufacturing. In recognition of her talents, Jamerson was offered a proposal to work with top fashion designers headquartered in New York, such as Russ Togs, Holly Leaders Sportswear, Bill Blass and Mary McFadden.
A dream was realized in 1987 when she opened her first “Total Image Concept” design studio in Charlotte, N.C. – Rachelle’s Island Inc. In 1989, Jamerson moved her design studio to New York. In September 1992, after five years in New York, Jamerson returned home to Orangeburg, S.C., to relocate her business enterprises. Located at 891 Middleton Street, Rachelle’s Island Inc. has grown to include Island Cruises & Tours Inc., a full-service travel agency.
Jamerson has appeared twice in feature stories in The New York Times, and also has been featured in Upscale Magazine, Black Elegance, Black Hair Today, Blackdress, Midlands Woman, The Carib News, Naomi Sims Cosmetic Video, Women on the Move and Orangeburg Inside Out, as well as on BET Screen Scene, MTV Style Report, WIS-TV Live at 5 News and WIS-TV Awareness.
Jamerson employs more than 50 people and overseas daily operation of her business.
ORANGEBURG – The first installment of the eleventh year of SC State’s weekly Executive Speaker Series will feature retail entrepreneur Rachelle Jamerson, owner of Rachelle’s Island Inc.
The lecture will be held on Wednesday, August 29, at 12 p.m. in the fourth floor auditorium of Belcher Hall. For additional information, contact Dr. Ann S. Winstead at (803) 516-4864 or Debbie Morant at (803) 536-7138.
The Executive Speaker Series, sponsored by the College of Business and Applied Professional Sciences, is a component of the Leadership and Professional Development Program, which all business majors are required to complete. The series exposes students to various aspects of the workplace, including viewpoints of leaders who are on the cutting edge of business, industry and government.
Rachelle Jamerson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising from Winthrop University and also attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
While at Winthrop, Jamerson charted her life’s plan by creating a fashion variety show to present a unique collection of designer clothing. The show combined singing, dancing, comedy and drama, all intermingled with fashions she designed, resulting in numerous requests to take the show on the road. She performed at colleges, both in South Carolina and beyond, also performing for public and private organizations. For the college tour, she designed and manufactured a line of college sorority and fraternity sportswear called Signature Paraphernalia.
Following this experience, Jamerson became an assistant buyer for Ivey’s (now Dillard’s Department Store) in Charlotte, N.C. After gaining experience in retail operations, she was offered the position of assistant designer at Gilead Manufacturing. In recognition of her talents, Jamerson was offered a proposal to work with top fashion designers headquartered in New York, such as Russ Togs, Holly Leaders Sportswear, Bill Blass and Mary McFadden.
A dream was realized in 1987 when she opened her first “Total Image Concept” design studio in Charlotte, N.C. – Rachelle’s Island Inc. In 1989, Jamerson moved her design studio to New York. In September 1992, after five years in New York, Jamerson returned home to Orangeburg, S.C., to relocate her business enterprises. Located at 891 Middleton Street, Rachelle’s Island Inc. has grown to include Island Cruises & Tours Inc., a full-service travel agency.
Jamerson has appeared twice in feature stories in The New York Times, and also has been featured in Upscale Magazine, Black Elegance, Black Hair Today, Blackdress, Midlands Woman, The Carib News, Naomi Sims Cosmetic Video, Women on the Move and Orangeburg Inside Out, as well as on BET Screen Scene, MTV Style Report, WIS-TV Live at 5 News and WIS-TV Awareness.
Jamerson employs more than 50 people and overseas daily operation of her business.
Falcons' opening opponent hoping for more than history
South Carolina State is playing first game against Div. I-A foe
BY JAKE SCHALLER
THE GAZETTE
August 26, 2007 - 6:41PM
South Carolina State senior quarterback Cleveland McCoy still keeps in touch with Billy Napier, the former Bulldogs quarterbacks coach who now coaches tight ends at Clemson. When the two spoke this summer, their conversation settled on South Carolina State’s historic season opener.
At noon Saturday at Falcon Stadium, McCoy and the Bulldogs will face Air Force. While the Falcons will be playing their first game under coach Troy Calhoun, the Bulldogs also are entering a new era of sorts. Air Force will be the first Division I-A opponent for South Carolina State, which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), which formerly was known as Division I-AA.
Napier’s message for McCoy: Don’t be intimidated.
“He said the main thing was getting over the fact that you’re playing a Division I-A team,” McCoy said. “After the first series, it just becomes a football game. They play with 11, we play with 11 and hopefully the best 11 wins.”
Napier backed up his message with personal experience. In 1999, when Napier was a freshman at Furman, the Division I-AA Paladins defeated North Carolina 28-3.
So McCoy knows it can be done, and he insists South Carolina State won’t be showing up at Air Force solely for the $225,000 check it will receive for playing.
“We just want to go there with the mentality that we’re going to win the game,” McCoy said.
That is how South Carolina State coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough has tried to prepare, though he said simply playing well would be considered a victory.
“You always think you have a chance to win,” he said. “We’re more concerned about going in and competing. ... If our kids can come in and react favorably to the crowd noise, the altitude, all those thing you add into the mix, it’s a win for us. We’d like to think we can go in and play as hard as we can and just see what happens.”
Since McCoy took over in 2002, South Carolina State has gone 40-17 and won at least seven games each season. Last year, after starting 1-3, the Bulldogs won six of their last seven, outscoring opponents by an average of 29.6-13.1 during that stretch.
Returning from that team are six defensive starters and five offensive starters, including McCoy, who completed 94 of 183 pass attempts last season for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns. McCoy also rushed for 420 yards and five touchdowns.
“Cleve’s an experienced guy for us who’s actually an athletic style of quarterback who can do a little bit of everything,” Pough said.
The Bulldogs lost 2006 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year DeShawn Baker, who rushed for a team-high 1,289 yards, but shouldn’t miss a beat on the ground with Will Ford, last year’s MEAC Rookie of the Year, back. Ford, who has been bothered in the preseason by a hamstring injury, rushed for 752 yards on 112 carries (6.7 yards per rush) and scored 10 touchdowns.
Thursday, the Bulldogs will arrive in Colorado Springs armed with Napier’s message and the knowledge that last year Montana State of the FCS defeated Colorado to ruin Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins’ debut. Portland State of the FCS also downed New Mexico, of the Mountain West Conference, in the Lobos’ opener.
“It’s not a far-fetched thing,” McCoy said of pulling an upset. “We’re going to come up there, and we’re going to compete.”
BY JAKE SCHALLER
THE GAZETTE
August 26, 2007 - 6:41PM
South Carolina State senior quarterback Cleveland McCoy still keeps in touch with Billy Napier, the former Bulldogs quarterbacks coach who now coaches tight ends at Clemson. When the two spoke this summer, their conversation settled on South Carolina State’s historic season opener.
At noon Saturday at Falcon Stadium, McCoy and the Bulldogs will face Air Force. While the Falcons will be playing their first game under coach Troy Calhoun, the Bulldogs also are entering a new era of sorts. Air Force will be the first Division I-A opponent for South Carolina State, which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), which formerly was known as Division I-AA.
Napier’s message for McCoy: Don’t be intimidated.
“He said the main thing was getting over the fact that you’re playing a Division I-A team,” McCoy said. “After the first series, it just becomes a football game. They play with 11, we play with 11 and hopefully the best 11 wins.”
Napier backed up his message with personal experience. In 1999, when Napier was a freshman at Furman, the Division I-AA Paladins defeated North Carolina 28-3.
So McCoy knows it can be done, and he insists South Carolina State won’t be showing up at Air Force solely for the $225,000 check it will receive for playing.
“We just want to go there with the mentality that we’re going to win the game,” McCoy said.
That is how South Carolina State coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough has tried to prepare, though he said simply playing well would be considered a victory.
“You always think you have a chance to win,” he said. “We’re more concerned about going in and competing. ... If our kids can come in and react favorably to the crowd noise, the altitude, all those thing you add into the mix, it’s a win for us. We’d like to think we can go in and play as hard as we can and just see what happens.”
Since McCoy took over in 2002, South Carolina State has gone 40-17 and won at least seven games each season. Last year, after starting 1-3, the Bulldogs won six of their last seven, outscoring opponents by an average of 29.6-13.1 during that stretch.
Returning from that team are six defensive starters and five offensive starters, including McCoy, who completed 94 of 183 pass attempts last season for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns. McCoy also rushed for 420 yards and five touchdowns.
“Cleve’s an experienced guy for us who’s actually an athletic style of quarterback who can do a little bit of everything,” Pough said.
The Bulldogs lost 2006 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year DeShawn Baker, who rushed for a team-high 1,289 yards, but shouldn’t miss a beat on the ground with Will Ford, last year’s MEAC Rookie of the Year, back. Ford, who has been bothered in the preseason by a hamstring injury, rushed for 752 yards on 112 carries (6.7 yards per rush) and scored 10 touchdowns.
Thursday, the Bulldogs will arrive in Colorado Springs armed with Napier’s message and the knowledge that last year Montana State of the FCS defeated Colorado to ruin Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins’ debut. Portland State of the FCS also downed New Mexico, of the Mountain West Conference, in the Lobos’ opener.
“It’s not a far-fetched thing,” McCoy said of pulling an upset. “We’re going to come up there, and we’re going to compete.”
Sunday, August 26, 2007
DOE awards SC State $100,000 for nuclear research
Saturday, August 25, 2007
South Carolina State University will receive a $100,000 grant to improve its ability to conduct nuclear research and development in an effort to discover methods to maximize energy from nuclear fuel.
Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and 35 other schools across the nation will also receive such grants through the U.S. Department of Energy's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint, along with U.S. Gresham Barrett and Joe Wilson, announced the grants Thursday.
"I am extremely proud that the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and South Carolina State University will join a community of universities in furthering the development of safe nuclear energy," said Congressman Joe Wilson. "Our nation as well as our friends and allies throughout the world will benefit immensely from the research the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership is supporting with this grant program. In a time of increased demand for energy resources, we must remain dedicated to investing in our nation's brightest minds to help bridge the gap to 21st Century nuclear power."
Funding may be used upgrade laboratories, improve reactor facilities, purchase new state-of-the-art equipment, provide increased faculty support and graduate fellowships, further enhance nuclear-related curricula and foster international exchange. DOE has distributed more than $15.2 million to universities in fiscal year 2007.
South Carolina is host to four nuclear sites with seven reactors generating more than half the state's electricity and making it the nation's third largest producer of nuclear power.
South Carolina State University will receive a $100,000 grant to improve its ability to conduct nuclear research and development in an effort to discover methods to maximize energy from nuclear fuel.
Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and 35 other schools across the nation will also receive such grants through the U.S. Department of Energy's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint, along with U.S. Gresham Barrett and Joe Wilson, announced the grants Thursday.
"I am extremely proud that the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and South Carolina State University will join a community of universities in furthering the development of safe nuclear energy," said Congressman Joe Wilson. "Our nation as well as our friends and allies throughout the world will benefit immensely from the research the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership is supporting with this grant program. In a time of increased demand for energy resources, we must remain dedicated to investing in our nation's brightest minds to help bridge the gap to 21st Century nuclear power."
Funding may be used upgrade laboratories, improve reactor facilities, purchase new state-of-the-art equipment, provide increased faculty support and graduate fellowships, further enhance nuclear-related curricula and foster international exchange. DOE has distributed more than $15.2 million to universities in fiscal year 2007.
South Carolina is host to four nuclear sites with seven reactors generating more than half the state's electricity and making it the nation's third largest producer of nuclear power.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
SCSU volleyball team opens season in Durham tourney
By SCSU Sports Information | Friday, August 24, 2007
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The South Carolina State volleyball team will open its 2007 season Friday at the two-day (Aug. 24-25) North Carolina Central Invite at Durham, NC.
The Lady Bulldogs begin tournament play at 11 a.m. Friday against North Carolina State, and meet Elon in a second game at 3 p.m. SC State will face host North Carolina Central at 11 a.m on Saturday, Aug. 25 versus host and close out the tournament at 5 p.m. versus Loyola College.
The Lady Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Millicent Sylvan, will travel to Spartanburg, SC on Aug. 28 to take on USC-Upstate, then journey to Hampton, Va. to participate in the Hampton University Tiny Laster Memorial Tournament Aug. 31-Sept. 1.
On September 4, the team will travel to Savannah, Ga. to take on Savannah State, before hosting Winston-Salem State in its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.
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The South Carolina State volleyball team will open its 2007 season Friday at the two-day (Aug. 24-25) North Carolina Central Invite at Durham, NC.
The Lady Bulldogs begin tournament play at 11 a.m. Friday against North Carolina State, and meet Elon in a second game at 3 p.m. SC State will face host North Carolina Central at 11 a.m on Saturday, Aug. 25 versus host and close out the tournament at 5 p.m. versus Loyola College.
The Lady Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Millicent Sylvan, will travel to Spartanburg, SC on Aug. 28 to take on USC-Upstate, then journey to Hampton, Va. to participate in the Hampton University Tiny Laster Memorial Tournament Aug. 31-Sept. 1.
On September 4, the team will travel to Savannah, Ga. to take on Savannah State, before hosting Winston-Salem State in its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.
Bulldogs ready for Air Force after final scrimmage
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Friday, August 24, 2007
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Cutting short the final scrimmage of training camp was not an option Thursday for South Carolina State head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough.
Neither, apparently was profusely perspiring through his gray South Carolina State sweatshirt. Despite another day of brutally hot temperatures, Pough’s upper torso remained virtually sweat-free following the Bulldogs’ two-hour scrimmage at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
While joking the lack of perspiration showed his toughness, Pough was serious about getting his players already battling through injuries and physical limitations caused by the torrid conditions to "tough it out."
"I wanted to push them as hard as we could under the circumstances it was hot enough still that we had to be somewhat concerned about the temperatures," Pough said. "But, I wanted to take them as far as I could take them.
"It was some situational kinds of things that we got done and I was glad that we made it through it mostly in one piece."
The Bulldogs went through various game scenarios during the 100-play scrimmage in preparation for the Sept. 1 season opener against Air Force. The defense dominated for the most part in allowing just one touchdown on a short run by running back Troy "Jo Jo" McFadden and scoring off a fumble recovery by converted defensive back and Orangeburg-Wilkinson graduate Russell Hemby.
Making things even more difficult for quarterbacks Cleveland McCoy and freshman DeWaine Clark, who took turns in running the offense as Malcolm Long rested his sore throwing arm, was the rash of injuries in the wide receiving corps. While newcomer Chase Robinson is out until mid-season with a broken foot, the availability of Terrance Smith and backup Phillip Morris (both with pulled hamstrings) for the Sept. 1 opener against Air Force, who sat out Thursday’s scrimmage, remains up in the air.
"It’s a big concern and we don’t know exactly what we can do to get enough guys healthy at that position to have enough people to make it through a game," said Pough about the wide receivers "But, we do have some problems there and we’ve got to really get in there and work hard to get ourselves ready to go this week,"
Heat cramps also took a toll on wide receiver Oliver "Trey" Young, although he remained in action. Meanwhile, SCSU running back Will Ford was still nursing his left hamstring following a 60-yard run.
Other injuries of note included offensive tackle Nygel Pearson (bruised hand) and defensive lineman Keyon Brooks (elbow).
"We’ve got some injuries that’s kind of slowed us down some," he said. "We played so much better today on defense, too. So, that’s an encouraging sign because the last thing I want is for us to have someone run through our defense like we’re not there."
A major bright spot for SCSU during the scrimmage was place-kicker Stephen Grantham. The Florence native, who sat out last season, connected on all four field goal attempts with his longest coming from 42 yards.
"We think he ought to be good inside 50 yards because of the fact the ball will travel better there than it does here," Pough said. "So hopefully, he’ll go out there and be a heck of a weapon for us."
The quick progress of true freshmen such as offensive lineman Josh Harrison and Johnny Culbreath and redshirt defensive lineman Steve Jacobs, Sterling Blunt and Sam Chester has also been encouraging for Pough. He believes the Bulldogs need to go three-deep at defensive line in order to have enough fresh players to continuously rotate against Air Force.
SCSU will hold a 4:30 p.m. practice today where it will begin game preparation and strategy planning for the Falcons.
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 TheTandD.com.
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Cutting short the final scrimmage of training camp was not an option Thursday for South Carolina State head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough.
Neither, apparently was profusely perspiring through his gray South Carolina State sweatshirt. Despite another day of brutally hot temperatures, Pough’s upper torso remained virtually sweat-free following the Bulldogs’ two-hour scrimmage at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
While joking the lack of perspiration showed his toughness, Pough was serious about getting his players already battling through injuries and physical limitations caused by the torrid conditions to "tough it out."
"I wanted to push them as hard as we could under the circumstances it was hot enough still that we had to be somewhat concerned about the temperatures," Pough said. "But, I wanted to take them as far as I could take them.
"It was some situational kinds of things that we got done and I was glad that we made it through it mostly in one piece."
The Bulldogs went through various game scenarios during the 100-play scrimmage in preparation for the Sept. 1 season opener against Air Force. The defense dominated for the most part in allowing just one touchdown on a short run by running back Troy "Jo Jo" McFadden and scoring off a fumble recovery by converted defensive back and Orangeburg-Wilkinson graduate Russell Hemby.
Making things even more difficult for quarterbacks Cleveland McCoy and freshman DeWaine Clark, who took turns in running the offense as Malcolm Long rested his sore throwing arm, was the rash of injuries in the wide receiving corps. While newcomer Chase Robinson is out until mid-season with a broken foot, the availability of Terrance Smith and backup Phillip Morris (both with pulled hamstrings) for the Sept. 1 opener against Air Force, who sat out Thursday’s scrimmage, remains up in the air.
"It’s a big concern and we don’t know exactly what we can do to get enough guys healthy at that position to have enough people to make it through a game," said Pough about the wide receivers "But, we do have some problems there and we’ve got to really get in there and work hard to get ourselves ready to go this week,"
Heat cramps also took a toll on wide receiver Oliver "Trey" Young, although he remained in action. Meanwhile, SCSU running back Will Ford was still nursing his left hamstring following a 60-yard run.
Other injuries of note included offensive tackle Nygel Pearson (bruised hand) and defensive lineman Keyon Brooks (elbow).
"We’ve got some injuries that’s kind of slowed us down some," he said. "We played so much better today on defense, too. So, that’s an encouraging sign because the last thing I want is for us to have someone run through our defense like we’re not there."
A major bright spot for SCSU during the scrimmage was place-kicker Stephen Grantham. The Florence native, who sat out last season, connected on all four field goal attempts with his longest coming from 42 yards.
"We think he ought to be good inside 50 yards because of the fact the ball will travel better there than it does here," Pough said. "So hopefully, he’ll go out there and be a heck of a weapon for us."
The quick progress of true freshmen such as offensive lineman Josh Harrison and Johnny Culbreath and redshirt defensive lineman Steve Jacobs, Sterling Blunt and Sam Chester has also been encouraging for Pough. He believes the Bulldogs need to go three-deep at defensive line in order to have enough fresh players to continuously rotate against Air Force.
SCSU will hold a 4:30 p.m. practice today where it will begin game preparation and strategy planning for the Falcons.
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 TheTandD.com.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Lets look back at this article....BNN will comment in ITALICS
http://scstate.blogspot.com/2007/03/126-million-reshaping-school-good-job.html
This was a great article that showed 5 projects that SCSU was working on....lets see where they are...
$126 million reshaping school (Good job getting this news out there SCSU!)
$126 million reshaping school
Historically black institution ‘will look very different in 24 months,’ emphasize multiculturalism
By JAMES T. HAMMOND
jhammond@thestate.com
C. ALUKA BERRY/CABERRY@THESTATE.COM
S.C. State senior Jason Russell, left, and graduate Donovan Buckle shoot some pool Thursday in the student activity room at the university’s Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. Student Resident Complex.
More photosORANGEBURG — South Carolina State University leaders recently opened a new student residence, announced the school will host a national presidential debate, and launched a marketing campaign that aims to move the university beyond its historical roots.
With $126 million of new or renovated facilities in progress, the Orangeburg campus “will look very different in 24 months,” said John Smalls, the university’s vice president who oversees facilities.
Some of the improvements are:
• Five substandard residential halls have been closed. With new dormitories in place, three substandard buildings will be torn down, and two others will be renovated for offices.
• Construction of a $25 million computer science and engineering building will begin this year. (YOU SAID IT WOULD START THIS YEAR.....HAS IT STARTED? HAS THE SPACE EVEN BEEN CLEARED FOR IT?)
• A $20 million renovation of the science building will begin. (WHAT IS THE STATUS ON THIS)
• Lowman Hall, one of the most historic buildings on campus, will undergo a $7.5 million renovation. (HAVE RENVATIONS STARTED? ALL WE SEE IS THE TARP OVER THE BUILDING)
• And the first phase of construction will begin on the $26 million Clyburn Transportation Center. (CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN.....GOOD)
Noting that facilities are a top-tier issue for students selecting a college, Smalls said, “We will have an enhanced campus and first-class academic buildings.”
President Andrew Hugine said the university is preparing to put its best face forward to the national media that will converge on his campus for the Democratic presidential debate April 26.
Recently introducing a “new state of mind” campaign, with a new logo, new Web site, and a goal of a “multicultural future,” board chairman Maurice Washington said the new facilities and a sharper focus on marketing the state-assisted institution will “better position the University for recognition, for planned growth, and for new revenues.”
“It was recommended that S.C. State strive to become known as South Carolina’s international and multicultural university — based on its heritage as a black university — but destined to serve students, faculty and businesses from throughout the world,” Washington said.
S.C. State also has reopened the renovated I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium, built in 1980 and the only museum with a planetarium on a historically black campus. The planetarium can project 4,000 stars onto the 40-foot domed ceiling and can simulate the evening sky from any place, date and time. It is available to the public and to school groups.
As S.C. State has begun to address badly needed facilities upgrades, the university recognized a need to target prospective students and donors.
In March 2006, S.C. State mailed questionnaires to more than 300 business leaders statewide and to 2,200 households across South Carolina. The result, Washington said, was a list of recommendations presented to trustees last summer.
Historically black colleges and universities have struggled in recent years against increased competition for academically gifted African-American students who are heavily recruited by such institutions as USC, Clemson University, Duke University and Harvard University.
The historically black institutions have sought, with varying degrees of success, to fight back with different strategies.
“Since our founding in 1896, we have reinvented ourselves again and again to better educate our students and to improve our service to all the people of our state,” Hugine said.
Reach Hammond at (803) 771-8474.
This was a great article that showed 5 projects that SCSU was working on....lets see where they are...
$126 million reshaping school (Good job getting this news out there SCSU!)
$126 million reshaping school
Historically black institution ‘will look very different in 24 months,’ emphasize multiculturalism
By JAMES T. HAMMOND
jhammond@thestate.com
C. ALUKA BERRY/CABERRY@THESTATE.COM
S.C. State senior Jason Russell, left, and graduate Donovan Buckle shoot some pool Thursday in the student activity room at the university’s Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. Student Resident Complex.
More photosORANGEBURG — South Carolina State University leaders recently opened a new student residence, announced the school will host a national presidential debate, and launched a marketing campaign that aims to move the university beyond its historical roots.
With $126 million of new or renovated facilities in progress, the Orangeburg campus “will look very different in 24 months,” said John Smalls, the university’s vice president who oversees facilities.
Some of the improvements are:
• Five substandard residential halls have been closed. With new dormitories in place, three substandard buildings will be torn down, and two others will be renovated for offices.
• Construction of a $25 million computer science and engineering building will begin this year. (YOU SAID IT WOULD START THIS YEAR.....HAS IT STARTED? HAS THE SPACE EVEN BEEN CLEARED FOR IT?)
• A $20 million renovation of the science building will begin. (WHAT IS THE STATUS ON THIS)
• Lowman Hall, one of the most historic buildings on campus, will undergo a $7.5 million renovation. (HAVE RENVATIONS STARTED? ALL WE SEE IS THE TARP OVER THE BUILDING)
• And the first phase of construction will begin on the $26 million Clyburn Transportation Center. (CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN.....GOOD)
Noting that facilities are a top-tier issue for students selecting a college, Smalls said, “We will have an enhanced campus and first-class academic buildings.”
President Andrew Hugine said the university is preparing to put its best face forward to the national media that will converge on his campus for the Democratic presidential debate April 26.
Recently introducing a “new state of mind” campaign, with a new logo, new Web site, and a goal of a “multicultural future,” board chairman Maurice Washington said the new facilities and a sharper focus on marketing the state-assisted institution will “better position the University for recognition, for planned growth, and for new revenues.”
“It was recommended that S.C. State strive to become known as South Carolina’s international and multicultural university — based on its heritage as a black university — but destined to serve students, faculty and businesses from throughout the world,” Washington said.
S.C. State also has reopened the renovated I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium, built in 1980 and the only museum with a planetarium on a historically black campus. The planetarium can project 4,000 stars onto the 40-foot domed ceiling and can simulate the evening sky from any place, date and time. It is available to the public and to school groups.
As S.C. State has begun to address badly needed facilities upgrades, the university recognized a need to target prospective students and donors.
In March 2006, S.C. State mailed questionnaires to more than 300 business leaders statewide and to 2,200 households across South Carolina. The result, Washington said, was a list of recommendations presented to trustees last summer.
Historically black colleges and universities have struggled in recent years against increased competition for academically gifted African-American students who are heavily recruited by such institutions as USC, Clemson University, Duke University and Harvard University.
The historically black institutions have sought, with varying degrees of success, to fight back with different strategies.
“Since our founding in 1896, we have reinvented ourselves again and again to better educate our students and to improve our service to all the people of our state,” Hugine said.
Reach Hammond at (803) 771-8474.
Lets rewind the clock....what is the status of this project?
SCSU OKs World Trade Center agreement
"This originally appeared as a news article in The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg, South Carolina, www.TheT&D.com"
By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff Writer
Friday, January 06, 2006
South Carolina State University trustees approved an agreement with the S.C. World Trade Center Thursday that could eventually lead to the creation of a World Trade Park and Education Research Center near the junction of Interstates 26 and 95,
“The university certainly sees its role as one of contributing to the advancement of citizens and we are all aware of the tremendous challenges we have along the I-95 corridor,” SCSU president Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr said.
“As a state institution, we are geographically aligned with the I-95 corridor and so it would seem to make logical sense that we would be the lead institution” in trying assure appropriate economic development comes to the region, he said.
The university Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee unanimously agreed to enter the one-year nonexclusive preliminary agreement with the S.C. World Trade Center for the development of a World Trade Park and Education Research Center project. The WT-PERC is projected to be a $400 million, 3,000-acre project.
The preliminary agreement stipulates that:
The university will be the lead entity in the partnership with SCWTC to develop the WT-PERC, including assisting with the development of short and long-term activities in support of the WT-PERC.
Both entities will work to develop and plan activities necessary for the development of the WT-PERC, including working with any public or private resources as well as ensuring all efforts are coordinated with other economic development activities along the Interstate 95 corridor.
The agreement would be nonexclusive, allowing both parties to enter into like agreements with other entities. The agreement is effective from Jan. 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006 unless terminated by a 30-day notice, by either party.
SCSU Trustee Martha Smith said “I think this is absolutely the way the school needs to be moving.”
“I think it is a wonderful project. I can support it. There needs to be economic development and that is what I see this as. A step in that direction,” she said.
The signed agreement comes about three years following a vote by the SCSU Board of Trustees to pursue a partnership with the SCWTC.
“It would be a shared expense between the South Carolina World Trade Center, South Carolina State and other unofficially announced entities who are very interested in seeing this project move forward,” SCSU Board of Trustees Chairman Maurice Washington said.
“Right now there is no cost to us. The cost that eventually will come into play would be driven by the infrastructure work ... as we move forward,” he said.
In a letter to SCSU dated Jan. 5, S.C. World Trade Center Executive Director Mark Condon expressed his pleasure at entering the agreement.
“We are committed to changing the way South Carolinians view international trade and strongly believe that international trade education is one of the most important ways to create community in our state,” Condon wrote. “We look forward to many more years of dedicated service to SCSU and our great state and feel confident that we can and will make a difference.”
The SCWTC’s 2005 annual publication and membership directory says the WT-PERC “is an ambitious 10-year collaboration between (SCSU) and the (SCWTC) ... launched through funding from the S.C. Legislature under the auspices of the S.C. Department of Commerce.”
The project has three major components:
A product distribution center for commodities imported and exported through the World Trade Park.
An Education, Training, Research and Business Development Center that would link high schools and post-secondary schools, provide teacher training in global economy issues and business development and serve as an incubator for new and aspiring entrepreneurs, including students and adults.
An outlet mall and retail business center that would house retailers recruited or grown out of cooperative entrepreneurial efforts of the students and participants from the education center. Anticipated businesses include restaurants, office buildings, hotels and golf courses.
SCSU’s role will include conducting research in areas such as supply-chain management, use of technology for distribution and efficiency, as well as testing new products distributed from foreign companies.
In addition, the SCWTC wants SCSU to build, at the WT-PERC site, a Logistics Transportation Center that would be the “intermodal division” of the proposed James E. Clyburn Transportation Research and Conference Center.
SCWTC’s proposed Orangeburg County site for its World Trade Park and Education Research Center is in the same neighborhood proposed for an inland port.
The Charleston-based SCWTC is a non-profit, non-governmental, licensed affiliate of the World Trade Centers Association.
"This originally appeared as a news article in The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg, South Carolina, www.TheT&D.com"
By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff Writer
Friday, January 06, 2006
South Carolina State University trustees approved an agreement with the S.C. World Trade Center Thursday that could eventually lead to the creation of a World Trade Park and Education Research Center near the junction of Interstates 26 and 95,
“The university certainly sees its role as one of contributing to the advancement of citizens and we are all aware of the tremendous challenges we have along the I-95 corridor,” SCSU president Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr said.
“As a state institution, we are geographically aligned with the I-95 corridor and so it would seem to make logical sense that we would be the lead institution” in trying assure appropriate economic development comes to the region, he said.
The university Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee unanimously agreed to enter the one-year nonexclusive preliminary agreement with the S.C. World Trade Center for the development of a World Trade Park and Education Research Center project. The WT-PERC is projected to be a $400 million, 3,000-acre project.
The preliminary agreement stipulates that:
The university will be the lead entity in the partnership with SCWTC to develop the WT-PERC, including assisting with the development of short and long-term activities in support of the WT-PERC.
Both entities will work to develop and plan activities necessary for the development of the WT-PERC, including working with any public or private resources as well as ensuring all efforts are coordinated with other economic development activities along the Interstate 95 corridor.
The agreement would be nonexclusive, allowing both parties to enter into like agreements with other entities. The agreement is effective from Jan. 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006 unless terminated by a 30-day notice, by either party.
SCSU Trustee Martha Smith said “I think this is absolutely the way the school needs to be moving.”
“I think it is a wonderful project. I can support it. There needs to be economic development and that is what I see this as. A step in that direction,” she said.
The signed agreement comes about three years following a vote by the SCSU Board of Trustees to pursue a partnership with the SCWTC.
“It would be a shared expense between the South Carolina World Trade Center, South Carolina State and other unofficially announced entities who are very interested in seeing this project move forward,” SCSU Board of Trustees Chairman Maurice Washington said.
“Right now there is no cost to us. The cost that eventually will come into play would be driven by the infrastructure work ... as we move forward,” he said.
In a letter to SCSU dated Jan. 5, S.C. World Trade Center Executive Director Mark Condon expressed his pleasure at entering the agreement.
“We are committed to changing the way South Carolinians view international trade and strongly believe that international trade education is one of the most important ways to create community in our state,” Condon wrote. “We look forward to many more years of dedicated service to SCSU and our great state and feel confident that we can and will make a difference.”
The SCWTC’s 2005 annual publication and membership directory says the WT-PERC “is an ambitious 10-year collaboration between (SCSU) and the (SCWTC) ... launched through funding from the S.C. Legislature under the auspices of the S.C. Department of Commerce.”
The project has three major components:
A product distribution center for commodities imported and exported through the World Trade Park.
An Education, Training, Research and Business Development Center that would link high schools and post-secondary schools, provide teacher training in global economy issues and business development and serve as an incubator for new and aspiring entrepreneurs, including students and adults.
An outlet mall and retail business center that would house retailers recruited or grown out of cooperative entrepreneurial efforts of the students and participants from the education center. Anticipated businesses include restaurants, office buildings, hotels and golf courses.
SCSU’s role will include conducting research in areas such as supply-chain management, use of technology for distribution and efficiency, as well as testing new products distributed from foreign companies.
In addition, the SCWTC wants SCSU to build, at the WT-PERC site, a Logistics Transportation Center that would be the “intermodal division” of the proposed James E. Clyburn Transportation Research and Conference Center.
SCWTC’s proposed Orangeburg County site for its World Trade Park and Education Research Center is in the same neighborhood proposed for an inland port.
The Charleston-based SCWTC is a non-profit, non-governmental, licensed affiliate of the World Trade Centers Association.
Lets rewind the clock......did SCSU ever show Orangeburg this plan? What were the results?
Orangeburg County moving forward on public space for sports, exercise
By LEE HENDREN, T&D Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Orangeburg County residents soon will have a new place to play sports and exercise.
In a special called session Tuesday, Orangeburg County Council authorized the construction of a community gymnasium on county-owned land on Ellis Avenue, north of the Law Enforcement Complex.
The facility will move the county "forward in its desire to establish a countywide recreation program that will operate on a year-round basis," said the resolution, which was approved, 6-0.
The gym has been in the planning for more than a decade, said John H. Rickenbacker, council chairman.
It has a six-figure price tag. The money will come from the first round of Capital Projects Sales Tax revenues and from bond money that can only be used for recreational facilities, Rickenbacker said.
He said he hopes architectural drawings can be done within 30 days and the project can be put out for bids shortly thereafter.
"Hopefully over the next four or five months we'll be seeing some construction," he said.
The county has successfully sponsored a recreational basketball league and other organized activities that serve thousands of youths, he said.
But they operate in public school gymnasiums which are available only in the summertime, and "I've always wanted to do more for children," Rickenbacker said.
"What we really need is a county gym," he said. And not just for the youths. Rickenbacker wants to offer exercise equipment for county employees and other adults.
One thing the gym won't have is a swimming pool, although Rickenbacker said he's not closing any doors.
Late last year, South Carolina State University, which needs to replace the pool it uses for physical education, sports and ROTC programs, asked city and county officials to consider jointly building a $1.2 million, Olympic-size swimming pool that would be open to the public.
At the time, Rickenbacker said he would reserve judgment on the proposal until the university showed him a detailed plan for what they had in mind. On Tuesday, he reiterated that position.Rickenbacker said the revenues from the local option penny sales tax have helped the county steadily improve and expand its infrastructure: water, wastewater, solid waste, fire services, etc.
But recreation is also a major consideration when it comes to infrastructure and quality of life, he said. It's yet another amenity that can help economic development officials sell Orangeburg County to prospective industrial citizens.
Council concluded its meeting with an executive session to discuss unspecified industrial prospects and contractual matters.
Rickenbacker said beforehand that the council would take no action after the executive session. "We're not coming out to approve anything," he said.
Rickenbacker invited the citizenry to attend the All-America County celebration from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds arena building. It's free and open to all.
T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552.
By LEE HENDREN, T&D Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Orangeburg County residents soon will have a new place to play sports and exercise.
In a special called session Tuesday, Orangeburg County Council authorized the construction of a community gymnasium on county-owned land on Ellis Avenue, north of the Law Enforcement Complex.
The facility will move the county "forward in its desire to establish a countywide recreation program that will operate on a year-round basis," said the resolution, which was approved, 6-0.
The gym has been in the planning for more than a decade, said John H. Rickenbacker, council chairman.
It has a six-figure price tag. The money will come from the first round of Capital Projects Sales Tax revenues and from bond money that can only be used for recreational facilities, Rickenbacker said.
He said he hopes architectural drawings can be done within 30 days and the project can be put out for bids shortly thereafter.
"Hopefully over the next four or five months we'll be seeing some construction," he said.
The county has successfully sponsored a recreational basketball league and other organized activities that serve thousands of youths, he said.
But they operate in public school gymnasiums which are available only in the summertime, and "I've always wanted to do more for children," Rickenbacker said.
"What we really need is a county gym," he said. And not just for the youths. Rickenbacker wants to offer exercise equipment for county employees and other adults.
One thing the gym won't have is a swimming pool, although Rickenbacker said he's not closing any doors.
Late last year, South Carolina State University, which needs to replace the pool it uses for physical education, sports and ROTC programs, asked city and county officials to consider jointly building a $1.2 million, Olympic-size swimming pool that would be open to the public.
At the time, Rickenbacker said he would reserve judgment on the proposal until the university showed him a detailed plan for what they had in mind. On Tuesday, he reiterated that position.Rickenbacker said the revenues from the local option penny sales tax have helped the county steadily improve and expand its infrastructure: water, wastewater, solid waste, fire services, etc.
But recreation is also a major consideration when it comes to infrastructure and quality of life, he said. It's yet another amenity that can help economic development officials sell Orangeburg County to prospective industrial citizens.
Council concluded its meeting with an executive session to discuss unspecified industrial prospects and contractual matters.
Rickenbacker said beforehand that the council would take no action after the executive session. "We're not coming out to approve anything," he said.
Rickenbacker invited the citizenry to attend the All-America County celebration from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds arena building. It's free and open to all.
T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552.
BNN retracts its earlier posted commentary......
One of the BNN authors wrote an article this morning criticising SCSU and its PR department, saying that they should have done more to clean up this problem of kids and dorms. Never in the history of BNN have I (BOSSHOGG #2) ever gone back and deleted an article that another Bosshogg has written. I have today.
I was a former student at SCSU. Anyone who was knows that there are sometimes problems during registration, but that you could usually get that cleared up when you reported to campus because MOST people DIDN'T want to live on campus....so you could always get a room.....That is not the case now. Students who followed the process completely had no problems with their rooms. But that is not reported. Also, many of the students who had no room reported to campus without even paying their tuition, room deposit OR ANYTHING....and then they are mad when they have not room.
For those students and parents who did follow the process and had not room, first, we apologize, and from our campus sources, we assure you that you will be taken care of.
But if you report to campus without having paid, then you might not have a room. If you were to go to College of Charleston and not paid your oom deposit, there would be no room for you.
BUT HERE IS WHATS WORSE...THERE WOULD BE NO STORY ABOUT IT EITHER!!
HOW MANY TIMES HAS SCSU MADE THE TOP STORY ON WIS FOR SOMETHING POSITIVE????!!??!!?! WHY IS IT THAT THEY THRIVE ON PORTRAYING THE WORST ABOUT SCSU?
ASK YOURSELVES THAT.
We at BNN will not censor our authors...but I had to take that article down.....I just had to.
I was a former student at SCSU. Anyone who was knows that there are sometimes problems during registration, but that you could usually get that cleared up when you reported to campus because MOST people DIDN'T want to live on campus....so you could always get a room.....That is not the case now. Students who followed the process completely had no problems with their rooms. But that is not reported. Also, many of the students who had no room reported to campus without even paying their tuition, room deposit OR ANYTHING....and then they are mad when they have not room.
For those students and parents who did follow the process and had not room, first, we apologize, and from our campus sources, we assure you that you will be taken care of.
But if you report to campus without having paid, then you might not have a room. If you were to go to College of Charleston and not paid your oom deposit, there would be no room for you.
BUT HERE IS WHATS WORSE...THERE WOULD BE NO STORY ABOUT IT EITHER!!
HOW MANY TIMES HAS SCSU MADE THE TOP STORY ON WIS FOR SOMETHING POSITIVE????!!??!!?! WHY IS IT THAT THEY THRIVE ON PORTRAYING THE WORST ABOUT SCSU?
ASK YOURSELVES THAT.
We at BNN will not censor our authors...but I had to take that article down.....I just had to.
First impressions last a lifetime
By CHARLENE SLAUGHTER, T&D Special Assignments | Thursday, August 23, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
Two South Carolina State University students came by to see me after seeing my byline on the story about housing issues on campus. I wasn't in, so a young lady called me later that day to ask if I could do anything to help them find housing.
It's not unusual for things like that to happen with reporters. Because we write about issues, the public often connects us to the problem and thinks we have answers we just don't have. So, I told her that I certainly had no power over housing at S.C. State and she would have to continue to deal with officials there.
Ironically, another young lady called me earlier that day to tell me of some vacant houses in town that are usually rented to students, just in case someone wanted to look into it as a place to live. I passed the information along.
I remember what a huge deal going to college was for me. I was scared out of my mind at the thought of being dropped off at this strange place without my mamma to look after me. I'm willing to bet that the freshman feeling is universal. There's a butterfly in every stomach, with uncertainty running rampant.
Then there's the whole college level academics anxiety. Wondering if you're good enough, can you make the grade, will you be disciplined enough, did you learn enough in high school. The whole experience is nerve-wrecking.
Now, imagine all of those feelings magnified by not having a place to live. Sure, we've seen and heard parents going off about their child not having housing at S.C. State this year, and as well we should. When something goes wrong in a child's life, it's a parent's nature to protect them.
And the university should be expected to defend itself as well. The equation is simple. Too many students plus too little housing equals chaos. It may not seem like it, but in the end, there will be resolutions. Parents will calm, administrators will find housing. School will go on.
But I can't help but think about what I heard in that student's voice, calling me with hopes that I had some sort of answers for her. This experience has to have made a negative impression on the students involved, and possibly affected how their first year of college will go. Sure, it won't bother some students at all, but it likely will affect someone in some way. It will make some students stronger. But some may decide not to come back at all.
I wouldn't want to start out that way.
While I certainly don't think the university intended for there to be chaos, or to grapple with housing issues again, I hope officials take this year's opening as a hard lesson. It's magnificent to have growing enrollment, increased popularity and be considered a prestigious university, but no matter what the end result is, first impressions last a lifetime.
T&D Special Assignments Writer Charlene Slaughter can be reached by e-mail at cslaughter@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5529. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
Two South Carolina State University students came by to see me after seeing my byline on the story about housing issues on campus. I wasn't in, so a young lady called me later that day to ask if I could do anything to help them find housing.
It's not unusual for things like that to happen with reporters. Because we write about issues, the public often connects us to the problem and thinks we have answers we just don't have. So, I told her that I certainly had no power over housing at S.C. State and she would have to continue to deal with officials there.
Ironically, another young lady called me earlier that day to tell me of some vacant houses in town that are usually rented to students, just in case someone wanted to look into it as a place to live. I passed the information along.
I remember what a huge deal going to college was for me. I was scared out of my mind at the thought of being dropped off at this strange place without my mamma to look after me. I'm willing to bet that the freshman feeling is universal. There's a butterfly in every stomach, with uncertainty running rampant.
Then there's the whole college level academics anxiety. Wondering if you're good enough, can you make the grade, will you be disciplined enough, did you learn enough in high school. The whole experience is nerve-wrecking.
Now, imagine all of those feelings magnified by not having a place to live. Sure, we've seen and heard parents going off about their child not having housing at S.C. State this year, and as well we should. When something goes wrong in a child's life, it's a parent's nature to protect them.
And the university should be expected to defend itself as well. The equation is simple. Too many students plus too little housing equals chaos. It may not seem like it, but in the end, there will be resolutions. Parents will calm, administrators will find housing. School will go on.
But I can't help but think about what I heard in that student's voice, calling me with hopes that I had some sort of answers for her. This experience has to have made a negative impression on the students involved, and possibly affected how their first year of college will go. Sure, it won't bother some students at all, but it likely will affect someone in some way. It will make some students stronger. But some may decide not to come back at all.
I wouldn't want to start out that way.
While I certainly don't think the university intended for there to be chaos, or to grapple with housing issues again, I hope officials take this year's opening as a hard lesson. It's magnificent to have growing enrollment, increased popularity and be considered a prestigious university, but no matter what the end result is, first impressions last a lifetime.
T&D Special Assignments Writer Charlene Slaughter can be reached by e-mail at cslaughter@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5529. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com
Former Lowcountry stars a big part of South Carolina State's 'O' line
Former Lowcountry stars a big part of South Carolina State's 'O' line
BY JOHN DEVLIN
Special to The Post and Courier
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Mic Smith
The Post and Courier
S.C. State offensive linemen Derrell Pringle (left), a former Stratford star, and Nathaniel Richardson, a former Wando standout, use their 300-plus-pound frames to attack opposing defenders.
ORANGEBURG — The heart and soul of the South Carolina State football team is the offensive line, which has made the Bulldogs one of the most productive running teams in the Football Championship Subdivision ranks.
Since the arrival of Joe Blackwell as offensive line coach in 2004, the Bulldogs have led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in rushing three times, finishing among the national leaders, as well.
S.C. State was 12th in the nation in rushing offense in both 2004 and 2005 before jumping to third last season with a 242.1 yards-per-game average.
Two of the key members of the so-called "Fab Five" on the offensive line are former Lowcountry high school stars Nate Richardson (Wando) and Derrell Pringle (Stratford).
Richardson has started 33 games since coming off a redshirt year in 2003, while Pringle has been a starter in 23 of his 30 college games since being thrust into the starting lineup in the middle of the 2004 season when an injury gave him an opportunity to step in at left guard as a true freshman.
"Both of them are very physical, and very intelligent football players," said Blackwell.
"They both came out of good high school programs, and were ahead of the curve fundamentally. Neither of them makes the same mistake twice."
Ironically, Richardson, who is a year older than Pringle, never played offense at Wando, and thought he was going to be a defensive end at S.C. State.
"But one day in my first camp I went to the defensive meeting and everybody got a (play) book but me," he said. "That's when I first found out that I was going over to the offense. It was hard at first, but now I wouldn't want to play anywhere else. I've really learned to appreciate how important an offensive line is to a team's success."
Richardson had the benefit of sitting out a year, which gave him a chance to learn the right tackle position without worrying about competing for playing time.
"I was a little disappointed at first, but sitting out that year made a tremendous difference for me," he said. "I practiced every day with the team, and learned how to block and got down the technique. After that year, I was ready to go."
Dubbed "Nasty Nate" by teammates, Richardson is not a finesse blocker.
"Nate wants to get out on you fast, and drive you into the ground," said Blackwell. "His strength is blocking in the running game, but he's really improved in pass blocking, too."
Pringle, who moves to right guard this season next to Richardson, is another physical blocker.
"Having those two guys together on the same side will be interesting," said Blackwell. "Derrell probably would have benefited from having a redshirt year, but that injury came when we were fighting for a conference championship and he stepped in and did a very good job."
Unlike Richardson, Pringle came to college as an offensive lineman after a stellar career at Stratford.
"The biggest difference for me in college was the speed of the game, and the size of the players, but I was taught well in high school and my fundamentals were pretty solid," he said.
"I'm looking forward to playing next to Nate because we're similar. We like to get out after people and give out as much punishment as we receive."
No room at the dorm for some at S.C. State
By Tenisha Waldo (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Melissa Haneline
The Post and Courier
Brittany Sherman, 18, stands by the trunk full of bags she took to South Carolina State University in hopes of moving into a dorm room.
Freshman Brittany Sherman reported for the first day of class at South Carolina State University on Wednesday and found out she didn't have anywhere to live on campus, even though she said she paid a housing security deposit weeks ago.
To make matters worse, Sherman said a university staff member told her it wasn't abnormal for students to show up and temporarily be homeless.
"I'm like, 'How is this not out of the ordinary?' I have no place to go," the 18-year-old Stall High School graduate said as she watched TV in her North Charleston home. Her stuff still was packed in the car.
Officials for the state's only public historically black college say they are dealing with a housing shortage prompted by what could be the school's largest freshman class and an increased attraction to on-campus housing.
Kevin Rolle, vice president for student affairs, said he didn't know how many students are without housing but that the college is trying to find ways to accommodate them. The school was negotiating with area hotels late Wednesday, and Rolle said they hoped to find spaces for the students.
Rolle said also this is the first time the Orangeburg school has struggled to provide room and board for all its students.
Several students who formerly stayed off campus wanted to move to campus after the university brought on two new modern apartment-style complexes, Andrew Hugine Suites, a $42 million 755-bed facility, and the University Village Apartments, Rolle said.
The heightened interest, coupled with some residence hall space being off line because of renovations, caused the shortage, he said.
Additionally, Rolle said the school gained recognition and that enrollment boomed after it hosted the nation's first presidential debate among Democrats in April.
"We're hot right now," Rolle said. "Where there's growth, there's pain."
But Sherman and her mom, Sheila Sherman, now have dampened enthusiasm.
Sherman's mom took off from work to help her first child move to college. She said they waited in a long line only to sign up on a long list for callbacks.
Nobody had contacted them as of Wednesday evening. "I cannot believe this college," Sheila Sherman said. "This experience is the worst, most horrible setback."
Last year, the university welcomed 881 freshmen, and initial figures show about 300 more freshman are coming aboard this year. The school has more than 4,600 students.
Rolle said freshmen aren't required to stay on campus and that public schools statewide don't guarantee housing even if a student pays a security deposit.
Furthermore, he said some students, including Sherman, paid after they were supposed to. Students had until July 31 to enroll and pay, but that date was extended to Aug. 10. But Sherman and a friend from Stall High, 19-year-old Arthur Cropp of North Charleston, who also is home because there was nowhere for him to stay, both say they paid on time and have receipts to prove it.
The two had traveled to Orangeburg on Friday, hoping they could move in. They said they waited in line for housing placement with about 100 other would-be students but returned home confused and still without housing.
They both tried again Wednesday, the first day of class, but were unsuccessful. "Classes aren't going to stop just because we can't get housing," Cropp said.
Sherman said she called the university's housing department numerous times but got the runaround. She said she'd keep trying.
As for the idle, jam-packed car in her driveway, she said, "I did all that for, basically, nothing."
Reach Tenisha Waldo at 937-5744 or twaldo@postandcourier.com.
The Post and Courier
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Melissa Haneline
The Post and Courier
Brittany Sherman, 18, stands by the trunk full of bags she took to South Carolina State University in hopes of moving into a dorm room.
Freshman Brittany Sherman reported for the first day of class at South Carolina State University on Wednesday and found out she didn't have anywhere to live on campus, even though she said she paid a housing security deposit weeks ago.
To make matters worse, Sherman said a university staff member told her it wasn't abnormal for students to show up and temporarily be homeless.
"I'm like, 'How is this not out of the ordinary?' I have no place to go," the 18-year-old Stall High School graduate said as she watched TV in her North Charleston home. Her stuff still was packed in the car.
Officials for the state's only public historically black college say they are dealing with a housing shortage prompted by what could be the school's largest freshman class and an increased attraction to on-campus housing.
Kevin Rolle, vice president for student affairs, said he didn't know how many students are without housing but that the college is trying to find ways to accommodate them. The school was negotiating with area hotels late Wednesday, and Rolle said they hoped to find spaces for the students.
Rolle said also this is the first time the Orangeburg school has struggled to provide room and board for all its students.
Several students who formerly stayed off campus wanted to move to campus after the university brought on two new modern apartment-style complexes, Andrew Hugine Suites, a $42 million 755-bed facility, and the University Village Apartments, Rolle said.
The heightened interest, coupled with some residence hall space being off line because of renovations, caused the shortage, he said.
Additionally, Rolle said the school gained recognition and that enrollment boomed after it hosted the nation's first presidential debate among Democrats in April.
"We're hot right now," Rolle said. "Where there's growth, there's pain."
But Sherman and her mom, Sheila Sherman, now have dampened enthusiasm.
Sherman's mom took off from work to help her first child move to college. She said they waited in a long line only to sign up on a long list for callbacks.
Nobody had contacted them as of Wednesday evening. "I cannot believe this college," Sheila Sherman said. "This experience is the worst, most horrible setback."
Last year, the university welcomed 881 freshmen, and initial figures show about 300 more freshman are coming aboard this year. The school has more than 4,600 students.
Rolle said freshmen aren't required to stay on campus and that public schools statewide don't guarantee housing even if a student pays a security deposit.
Furthermore, he said some students, including Sherman, paid after they were supposed to. Students had until July 31 to enroll and pay, but that date was extended to Aug. 10. But Sherman and a friend from Stall High, 19-year-old Arthur Cropp of North Charleston, who also is home because there was nowhere for him to stay, both say they paid on time and have receipts to prove it.
The two had traveled to Orangeburg on Friday, hoping they could move in. They said they waited in line for housing placement with about 100 other would-be students but returned home confused and still without housing.
They both tried again Wednesday, the first day of class, but were unsuccessful. "Classes aren't going to stop just because we can't get housing," Cropp said.
Sherman said she called the university's housing department numerous times but got the runaround. She said she'd keep trying.
As for the idle, jam-packed car in her driveway, she said, "I did all that for, basically, nothing."
Reach Tenisha Waldo at 937-5744 or twaldo@postandcourier.com.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
S.C. State Searching For Student Housing
(Orangeburg)-It was the first day of class at
South Carolina State University Wednesday. While some student scurried to class, others searched for rooms.
Freshman, Jessica Teasdell knows people who are looking.
Teasdell said, "Mostly it's because they didn't do what they were supposed to do."
She says in every case the University isn't to blame.
Teasdell said, "You had a deadline and if you didn't get your stuff in by the deadline you would be waiting in a long line."
Dr. Kevin Rolle is Vice President of Student Affairs. He says there's a housing shortage because more upperclassmen decided to move back on campus.
Dr. Rolle said, "We have new apartment style dorms on campus and all over students want to live in that dormitory."
He says the other reason is that freshmen enrollment is up by 35%. Now, Dr. Rolle says the university is searching for more options.
He added, "We have secured and are still securing off campus sites to help the students."
But what about the students who paid for housing in full?
Dr. Rolle said, "If the students decide they want to volunteer to live off campus, we have a mechanism where if they paid cash money, we’ll refund the money to help them with living."
Ultimately, Rolle says as the university continues to grow, the school will have to be more prepared for the influx of students.
Rolle said, "With growth comes pain and we're committed to get it done."
South Carolina State is able to offer 2300 beds to new and returning students this semester. The university's student population exceeds 4600.
South Carolina State University Wednesday. While some student scurried to class, others searched for rooms.
Freshman, Jessica Teasdell knows people who are looking.
Teasdell said, "Mostly it's because they didn't do what they were supposed to do."
She says in every case the University isn't to blame.
Teasdell said, "You had a deadline and if you didn't get your stuff in by the deadline you would be waiting in a long line."
Dr. Kevin Rolle is Vice President of Student Affairs. He says there's a housing shortage because more upperclassmen decided to move back on campus.
Dr. Rolle said, "We have new apartment style dorms on campus and all over students want to live in that dormitory."
He says the other reason is that freshmen enrollment is up by 35%. Now, Dr. Rolle says the university is searching for more options.
He added, "We have secured and are still securing off campus sites to help the students."
But what about the students who paid for housing in full?
Dr. Rolle said, "If the students decide they want to volunteer to live off campus, we have a mechanism where if they paid cash money, we’ll refund the money to help them with living."
Ultimately, Rolle says as the university continues to grow, the school will have to be more prepared for the influx of students.
Rolle said, "With growth comes pain and we're committed to get it done."
South Carolina State is able to offer 2300 beds to new and returning students this semester. The university's student population exceeds 4600.
SC State a family committed to its own
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
By Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr., President, SC State University
South Carolina State University is an institution and a community with proud roots. We are growing, branching upward and outward and the fruit that we bear has a significant impact upon the intellectual and human capital of this state and nation. As a result, for the second year in a row, SC State has been ranked as America’s Number One “Social Mobility” University by Washington Monthly magazine.
No person, no corporate entity and no community is without its individual challenges. This includes South Carolina State. Our challenge this fall semester has been making sure that we can provide adequate on-campus housing to what may be our largest freshman class, as well as to upperclassmen who wish to take advantage of the amenities provided in our two newest apartment-style complexes – Hugine Suites and University Village Apartments.
This past semester, the University gained increased notoriety due in part to the exposure that SC State received as host to the first U.S. Presidential Primary Debate of the 2008 election cycle. Within the past year, SC State has added two state-of-the-art apartment-style complexes to provide an improved living and learning experience to complement and update our residence life infrastructure. Our commitment to providing educational opportunities to the greatest number of students possible – coupled with award-winning fiscal responsibility – resulted in SC State offering a zero increase in our tuition for the 2007-2008 academic year. Collectively, these factors have contributed to unprecedented success on the part of the University. Young people are eager to continue their education and SC State is fortunately the University of choice for them. So while providing housing is proving to be a challenge for us, it is a great problem to have and one that we welcome.
In reviewing our past enrollment and housing trends, there was no way that we could have anticipated the increased demand for on-campus housing. SC State’s appeal has grown, and our community of scholars, including those who wish to reside on campus, has grown with it. Unexpectedly, many more students than anticipated opted to live on campus this year as compared to prior years. However, having larger numbers of students on our campus will be of tremendous societal benefit as we educate future leaders and will have a positive impact on the Orangeburg area economically.
As with all challenges faced by the University, we will address this one as well. For students who met their financial obligations to the University by the prescribed July 31st deadline, the University will place them in housing as it becomes available or make appropriate living accommodations. For students who settled their obligations after the August 10th grace period, housing and/or accommodations will be made on an “as available” basis.
The University wants to extend its appreciation to all of the students and parents who complied with the deadline and thank students and parents for their understanding and patience as we work through this challenge. South Carolina State University is not just an institution of higher education, but also a community of scholars and, more importantly, a family.
We are committed to providing a quality education and a comfortable living and learning environment to all who seek it. As reflective of the enthusiasm and zest which students have displayed in obtaining housing, this promises to be a very productive and successful academic year. We call upon all persons—community, faculty, staff, alumni, supporters-- to join us in providing a wonderful experience for our students.
Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. is the Ninth President of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C.
By Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr., President, SC State University
South Carolina State University is an institution and a community with proud roots. We are growing, branching upward and outward and the fruit that we bear has a significant impact upon the intellectual and human capital of this state and nation. As a result, for the second year in a row, SC State has been ranked as America’s Number One “Social Mobility” University by Washington Monthly magazine.
No person, no corporate entity and no community is without its individual challenges. This includes South Carolina State. Our challenge this fall semester has been making sure that we can provide adequate on-campus housing to what may be our largest freshman class, as well as to upperclassmen who wish to take advantage of the amenities provided in our two newest apartment-style complexes – Hugine Suites and University Village Apartments.
This past semester, the University gained increased notoriety due in part to the exposure that SC State received as host to the first U.S. Presidential Primary Debate of the 2008 election cycle. Within the past year, SC State has added two state-of-the-art apartment-style complexes to provide an improved living and learning experience to complement and update our residence life infrastructure. Our commitment to providing educational opportunities to the greatest number of students possible – coupled with award-winning fiscal responsibility – resulted in SC State offering a zero increase in our tuition for the 2007-2008 academic year. Collectively, these factors have contributed to unprecedented success on the part of the University. Young people are eager to continue their education and SC State is fortunately the University of choice for them. So while providing housing is proving to be a challenge for us, it is a great problem to have and one that we welcome.
In reviewing our past enrollment and housing trends, there was no way that we could have anticipated the increased demand for on-campus housing. SC State’s appeal has grown, and our community of scholars, including those who wish to reside on campus, has grown with it. Unexpectedly, many more students than anticipated opted to live on campus this year as compared to prior years. However, having larger numbers of students on our campus will be of tremendous societal benefit as we educate future leaders and will have a positive impact on the Orangeburg area economically.
As with all challenges faced by the University, we will address this one as well. For students who met their financial obligations to the University by the prescribed July 31st deadline, the University will place them in housing as it becomes available or make appropriate living accommodations. For students who settled their obligations after the August 10th grace period, housing and/or accommodations will be made on an “as available” basis.
The University wants to extend its appreciation to all of the students and parents who complied with the deadline and thank students and parents for their understanding and patience as we work through this challenge. South Carolina State University is not just an institution of higher education, but also a community of scholars and, more importantly, a family.
We are committed to providing a quality education and a comfortable living and learning environment to all who seek it. As reflective of the enthusiasm and zest which students have displayed in obtaining housing, this promises to be a very productive and successful academic year. We call upon all persons—community, faculty, staff, alumni, supporters-- to join us in providing a wonderful experience for our students.
Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. is the Ninth President of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C.
Former SCSU QB named starter at FSU!
Congrats to Bryan Hardy!
Hardy to start at QB for FSU
By Michael N. Graff
Staff writer
ADVERTISEMENT
Staff photo by Andrew Craft
FSU coach Kenny Phillips said of starting QB Brian Hardy, ‘I think he’s got a lot of qualities you want in a quarterback.’
Fayetteville State will start the season with Brian Hardy at quarterback, coach Kenny Phillips said before Tuesday’s practice.
Hardy, a junior transfer from South Carolina State, won a four-player battle for the starting position in camp, beating out two returning players and another transfer.
He will start Saturday against Wingate in a game that will be played at E.E. Smith High School.
It was hardly a surprise. Hardy had been working out with the first-string players most of the last two weeks. But head coach Kenny Phillips wouldn’t confirm the starter until this week.
“It comes with work,” Phillips said. “That’s how he got the job.”
Hardy earned the starting position ahead of senior Jay Autry, the 2005 CIAA quarterback of the year, redshirt freshman Ben Williams and transfer Travis Stoehr.
Hardy, at 6-foot-2, was the tallest quarterback in camp. And Phillips said he has the ability to be a dual-threat runner and passer.
“I think he’s got a lot of qualities you want in a quarterback,” Phillips said. “He’s got a very good arm, and he’s very athletic. I think he’s going to offer us some things we haven’t had in the past.”
The quarterback position was a problem for Fayetteville State last year. After Autry was nearly infallible two seasons ago, he struggled with interceptions last year, throwing 11 of them.
Four quarterbacks combined for an 86.9 rating in 2006 — the second-worst in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
They threw seven touchdowns against 15 interceptions.
So, while Phillips said he would like to play the full year with Hardy, he will wait and see.
“Last year, we thought it was going to be one quarterback, too,” Phillips said. “You don’t know how this thing’s going to go. That’s a funny-shaped ball. It bounces a lot of different ways.”
Fayetteville State recruited Hardy out of West Craven High School. But he chose to take a scholarship at South Carolina State, where he rarely played.
He said said last week he admits he doesn’t know the system as well as he could. But he said he thought he was picking it up.
“Me coming in, learning the offense, I’m catching on pretty quick,” Hardy said. “I feel like I’m learning it.”
Phillips said Hardy won’t have to know the entire offense. For now, he just has to know the plays in the book for Wingate, which shut Fayetteville State out in last year’s season-opener.
“We’re not going to try to run the entire system against Wingate,” Phillips said.
Staff writer Michael N. Graff can be reached at graffm@fayobserver.com or 486-3591.
Hardy to start at QB for FSU
By Michael N. Graff
Staff writer
ADVERTISEMENT
Staff photo by Andrew Craft
FSU coach Kenny Phillips said of starting QB Brian Hardy, ‘I think he’s got a lot of qualities you want in a quarterback.’
Fayetteville State will start the season with Brian Hardy at quarterback, coach Kenny Phillips said before Tuesday’s practice.
Hardy, a junior transfer from South Carolina State, won a four-player battle for the starting position in camp, beating out two returning players and another transfer.
He will start Saturday against Wingate in a game that will be played at E.E. Smith High School.
It was hardly a surprise. Hardy had been working out with the first-string players most of the last two weeks. But head coach Kenny Phillips wouldn’t confirm the starter until this week.
“It comes with work,” Phillips said. “That’s how he got the job.”
Hardy earned the starting position ahead of senior Jay Autry, the 2005 CIAA quarterback of the year, redshirt freshman Ben Williams and transfer Travis Stoehr.
Hardy, at 6-foot-2, was the tallest quarterback in camp. And Phillips said he has the ability to be a dual-threat runner and passer.
“I think he’s got a lot of qualities you want in a quarterback,” Phillips said. “He’s got a very good arm, and he’s very athletic. I think he’s going to offer us some things we haven’t had in the past.”
The quarterback position was a problem for Fayetteville State last year. After Autry was nearly infallible two seasons ago, he struggled with interceptions last year, throwing 11 of them.
Four quarterbacks combined for an 86.9 rating in 2006 — the second-worst in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
They threw seven touchdowns against 15 interceptions.
So, while Phillips said he would like to play the full year with Hardy, he will wait and see.
“Last year, we thought it was going to be one quarterback, too,” Phillips said. “You don’t know how this thing’s going to go. That’s a funny-shaped ball. It bounces a lot of different ways.”
Fayetteville State recruited Hardy out of West Craven High School. But he chose to take a scholarship at South Carolina State, where he rarely played.
He said said last week he admits he doesn’t know the system as well as he could. But he said he thought he was picking it up.
“Me coming in, learning the offense, I’m catching on pretty quick,” Hardy said. “I feel like I’m learning it.”
Phillips said Hardy won’t have to know the entire offense. For now, he just has to know the plays in the book for Wingate, which shut Fayetteville State out in last year’s season-opener.
“We’re not going to try to run the entire system against Wingate,” Phillips said.
Staff writer Michael N. Graff can be reached at graffm@fayobserver.com or 486-3591.
SC State Tuesday Practice Report
SC State Sports Information
Published August 21, 2007
South Carolina State wound down its pre-classes workouts Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. practice that head coach Buddy Pough called productive.
The Bulldogs concentrated on offensive and defensive situations and also gave some attention to several phases of the kicking game.
“We got going before it out too hot and actually had a very productive session,” said Pough. “Nobody was spectacular but I was happy with our overall performance and execution.”
Pough said that his staff had identified the likely player depth chart that would be used in the SC State opener Sept. 1 against the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs.
“We have pretty much established the depth chart for our Air Force game,” he said. “It’s mostly veterans, however, we have several freshmen, newcomers and transfers that may be on the plane for Colorado.”
Among the first-year players and transfers mentioned were quarterbacks Malcolm Long and DeWain Clark and linebacker Julius Wilkerson, all true freshmen; redshirt freshmen DE Patrick Brooks, DL Jayson Ayers, WR Semaj Moody, OL Josh Harrison, OL Jake Johnson, OL Johnny Culbreath and DL Steven Jacobs; and transfers TE Octavius Darby, DB Rafael Bush, and DE Joe Council.
Classes at SC State begin Wednesday, so the Bulldogs will have the day off. They return to the field Thursday for their third scrimmage of the preseason, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The scrimmage is being moved up from Saturday.
On Friday, Pough’s team will begin its preparation for the Air Force contest with a 3 p.m. workout. Saturday’s schedule, which is normally a scrimmage day, will include two practices – 9:50 a.m. and 6:50 p.m., the last of two-a-days.
Published August 21, 2007
South Carolina State wound down its pre-classes workouts Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. practice that head coach Buddy Pough called productive.
The Bulldogs concentrated on offensive and defensive situations and also gave some attention to several phases of the kicking game.
“We got going before it out too hot and actually had a very productive session,” said Pough. “Nobody was spectacular but I was happy with our overall performance and execution.”
Pough said that his staff had identified the likely player depth chart that would be used in the SC State opener Sept. 1 against the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs.
“We have pretty much established the depth chart for our Air Force game,” he said. “It’s mostly veterans, however, we have several freshmen, newcomers and transfers that may be on the plane for Colorado.”
Among the first-year players and transfers mentioned were quarterbacks Malcolm Long and DeWain Clark and linebacker Julius Wilkerson, all true freshmen; redshirt freshmen DE Patrick Brooks, DL Jayson Ayers, WR Semaj Moody, OL Josh Harrison, OL Jake Johnson, OL Johnny Culbreath and DL Steven Jacobs; and transfers TE Octavius Darby, DB Rafael Bush, and DE Joe Council.
Classes at SC State begin Wednesday, so the Bulldogs will have the day off. They return to the field Thursday for their third scrimmage of the preseason, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The scrimmage is being moved up from Saturday.
On Friday, Pough’s team will begin its preparation for the Air Force contest with a 3 p.m. workout. Saturday’s schedule, which is normally a scrimmage day, will include two practices – 9:50 a.m. and 6:50 p.m., the last of two-a-days.
SCSU's special teams unit adapting to rule changes
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
If not for head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough’s presence on the NCAA football rules committee, one may assume the change made on the kickoff location came with South Carolina State in mind.
No Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) team had better kickoff coverage than the Bulldogs last season. On 52 kickoffs, SCSU’s special teams allowed a total of 702 yards for a miniscule, nation-leading, 13.51 yards per return and no scores allowed.
"We thought we were pretty good at it and the reason why is because we gave a variety of kicks in ways where people couldn’t quite settle into a return and know exactly how to return it," Pough said. "I think we’ll continue to do those kind of things."
Ironically, SCSU’s Sept. 1 season-opening opponent, Air Force, led all Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams in kickoff return coverage in allowing an even lower 13.35 yards per return.
According to special teams/defensive backs coach Mike Adams, a variety of factors went into the Bulldogs’ success covering kickoffs.
"We had a lot of young, aggressive guys that wanted on that team and did a good job of preparing against the teams we faced and knowing exactly where that ball was going to hit and how to work together and stay aggressive," Adams said. "Maybe above all else was we planned ... we have two different ways of kicking the ball down there and covering it and we worked each week of making sure when that ball hit, we had enough guys to surround and enough field guys to kind of fill in the lanes as they developed."
Among the different strategies employed by SCSU involved "skying". This kickoff method involved having the place-kicker "sky" the football high enough into the air that it allowed the coverage team time to run downfield to make the tackle.
Many of the "young, aggressive guys" on special teams were players Adams coached at defensive back like Terrance Allen, LaQuinn Ellerbe, Travance Jackson, Phillip Adams and Dez Benjamin. Linebacker Ryan Potts, running back Travil Jamison and wide receiver Dustin Dubose were also not timid about putting their bodies on the line on kickoff coverage.
This season, SCSU will have a little more ground to cover on kickoffs. Among the new rule changes recommended by the rules committee and approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel is the moving of kickoffs from the 35-yard line to the 30-yard line.
Coaches like Hampton’s Joe Taylor have stated publicly they believe the new rule will result in more kickoff returns for touchdowns. In fact, SCSU and Hampton were the lone Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams to have a player return a kickoff for a score. Will Ford accomplished the honors for the Bulldogs with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Coastal Carolina.
Although the change would appear to most affect SCSU, Pough remains in favor of it.
"I think it’s a fun rule," he said. "I’m an offensive guy so to speak and I enjoy seeing things happen that gives the game a possibility of having more scoring."
Pough added he does not see the rule change making much of a difference for SCSU - save for "skying" the ball
"We didn’t kick the ball off into the endzone when the ball was at the 35-yard-line," Pough said. "So it’s pretty obvious that we won’t kick it off in the end zone when it’s on the 30-yard-line."
The return of place-kicker Stephen Grantham, who recorded four touchbacks and averaged 52.5 yards per kickoff as a freshman in 2005, could prove otherwise. Coupling Grantham’s strong leg with the addition of speedy newcomers like Rafael Bush and linebacker Antwann Gamble to the special teams unit could also help minimize the effect of the rules change for SCSU, according to Adams.
"It’s a tremendous advantage," the coach said of Grantham. "He’s a guy that hopefully as he gets more comfortable with our kickoff system, he can place the ball in a couple of spots that we’re trying to put it each day and he’s done a pretty good job with that so far in camp. We certainly want him to increase his leg strength so we can keep pushing the ball even further back. He’s done a pretty good job of placing the ball in camp and I think we can adjust to him."
Despite practicing in torrid temperatures which have made this year’s training camp the most "physically demanding" he’s ever been involved with, Adams believes the Bulldogs are ready to match last year’s kickoff coverage success.
SCSU players will have the day off today and resume practice Thursday.
OTHER RULE CHANGES
n The clock will start on the snap after a change in possession instead of when the referee signals the ball ready for play.
n The clock will start on kickoffs only when the ball is legally touched in the field of play.
n The play clock will be limited to 15 seconds for televised games following commercial time-outs.
n Charged team time-outs will be limited to 30 seconds plus the 25-second game clock for televised games.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
If not for head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough’s presence on the NCAA football rules committee, one may assume the change made on the kickoff location came with South Carolina State in mind.
No Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) team had better kickoff coverage than the Bulldogs last season. On 52 kickoffs, SCSU’s special teams allowed a total of 702 yards for a miniscule, nation-leading, 13.51 yards per return and no scores allowed.
"We thought we were pretty good at it and the reason why is because we gave a variety of kicks in ways where people couldn’t quite settle into a return and know exactly how to return it," Pough said. "I think we’ll continue to do those kind of things."
Ironically, SCSU’s Sept. 1 season-opening opponent, Air Force, led all Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams in kickoff return coverage in allowing an even lower 13.35 yards per return.
According to special teams/defensive backs coach Mike Adams, a variety of factors went into the Bulldogs’ success covering kickoffs.
"We had a lot of young, aggressive guys that wanted on that team and did a good job of preparing against the teams we faced and knowing exactly where that ball was going to hit and how to work together and stay aggressive," Adams said. "Maybe above all else was we planned ... we have two different ways of kicking the ball down there and covering it and we worked each week of making sure when that ball hit, we had enough guys to surround and enough field guys to kind of fill in the lanes as they developed."
Among the different strategies employed by SCSU involved "skying". This kickoff method involved having the place-kicker "sky" the football high enough into the air that it allowed the coverage team time to run downfield to make the tackle.
Many of the "young, aggressive guys" on special teams were players Adams coached at defensive back like Terrance Allen, LaQuinn Ellerbe, Travance Jackson, Phillip Adams and Dez Benjamin. Linebacker Ryan Potts, running back Travil Jamison and wide receiver Dustin Dubose were also not timid about putting their bodies on the line on kickoff coverage.
This season, SCSU will have a little more ground to cover on kickoffs. Among the new rule changes recommended by the rules committee and approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel is the moving of kickoffs from the 35-yard line to the 30-yard line.
Coaches like Hampton’s Joe Taylor have stated publicly they believe the new rule will result in more kickoff returns for touchdowns. In fact, SCSU and Hampton were the lone Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams to have a player return a kickoff for a score. Will Ford accomplished the honors for the Bulldogs with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Coastal Carolina.
Although the change would appear to most affect SCSU, Pough remains in favor of it.
"I think it’s a fun rule," he said. "I’m an offensive guy so to speak and I enjoy seeing things happen that gives the game a possibility of having more scoring."
Pough added he does not see the rule change making much of a difference for SCSU - save for "skying" the ball
"We didn’t kick the ball off into the endzone when the ball was at the 35-yard-line," Pough said. "So it’s pretty obvious that we won’t kick it off in the end zone when it’s on the 30-yard-line."
The return of place-kicker Stephen Grantham, who recorded four touchbacks and averaged 52.5 yards per kickoff as a freshman in 2005, could prove otherwise. Coupling Grantham’s strong leg with the addition of speedy newcomers like Rafael Bush and linebacker Antwann Gamble to the special teams unit could also help minimize the effect of the rules change for SCSU, according to Adams.
"It’s a tremendous advantage," the coach said of Grantham. "He’s a guy that hopefully as he gets more comfortable with our kickoff system, he can place the ball in a couple of spots that we’re trying to put it each day and he’s done a pretty good job with that so far in camp. We certainly want him to increase his leg strength so we can keep pushing the ball even further back. He’s done a pretty good job of placing the ball in camp and I think we can adjust to him."
Despite practicing in torrid temperatures which have made this year’s training camp the most "physically demanding" he’s ever been involved with, Adams believes the Bulldogs are ready to match last year’s kickoff coverage success.
SCSU players will have the day off today and resume practice Thursday.
OTHER RULE CHANGES
n The clock will start on the snap after a change in possession instead of when the referee signals the ball ready for play.
n The clock will start on kickoffs only when the ball is legally touched in the field of play.
n The play clock will be limited to 15 seconds for televised games following commercial time-outs.
n Charged team time-outs will be limited to 30 seconds plus the 25-second game clock for televised games.
Amid parent concerns, SCSU tries to house largest freshman class
By CHARLENE SLAUGHTER, T&D Special Assignments |Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Davia Goodmon was one of several outraged parents in the vice president of student services’ office at South Carolina State University Friday. She had paid her daughter’s tuition and was set to leave her, but there was no housing.
She picked up her cell phone to call The T&D.
"I’m a concerned parent at South Carolina State College," she said in a voice mail. "My concern today is me and over 100 other parents have paid our kids’ tuition ..."
Goodman became quiet as a voice she later identified as the chief of police there is heard ordering the parents to leave the building.
"If this is a housing issue, it’s going to have to be dealt with tomorrow morning," the man says. "There’s nothing that the vice president can do for you at this time. They are working diligently on it and that’s the best we can do at the present time, so I know it’s frustrating, some people are a little upset, I know you’ve been out here all day, but there’s really nothing the vice president can do at the time so I’m gonna ask everyone to vacate this building.
"If you have hotel arrangements, you need to go ahead and take care of that. If you have other business you need to go ahead and take care of that. A lot of freshmen have their schedules I believe at 8:30 there’s MLK, they should continue to do that ..."
And the message ends.
Goodmon said she was left not knowing what to do or when to bring her child to school. She lives in Greenville, and the university was not providing hotels, so she and her daughter would have to go back home.
"Everyone else has left for the day," she said. "They said for her to go home, to leave. There’s nothing they can do for us today. I have to work tomorrow. I don’t know what to do."
Goodman’s concerns have been echoed by other parents who arrived on campus to leave their children, only to find that there was not enough room to house them. As of Tuesday, Goodman and her daughter were still in Greenville. She said she has been calling and calling, "but the lady handling it has left on vacation." With classes starting today, Goodman said, "I can’t bring her back up there and just leave her. Really, we’ve gotten no answers."
The university finds itself dealing with such parental and student frustrations amid trying to accommodate its largest-ever freshman class.
An increased demand for residence life by upperclassmen and a nearly 35 percent higher freshman enrollment rate this fall semester have caused a housing shortage, the university said in a statement late Tuesday.
Wednesday’s first day of classes are key.
"The actual occupancy rates for residence life will be available on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, after 7 p.m. Unclaimed rooms become available to students on the waiting list on that date," SCSU stated. "The university continues to assist students who have met their financial obligation by the deadline and seek campus housing."
Six traditional residence halls and three apartment-style complexes are available for students to reside in this upcoming semester. The apartment-style complexes include the Andrew Hugine Suites, a $42 million 755-bed facility completed in 2006, and University Village Apartments, which the S.C. State Real Estate Foundation purchased in mid-2007.
Dr. Kevin Rolle, vice president for student services, indicated the university is able to offer a total of 2,300 beds to new and returning students this semester. S.C. State’s total student population exceeds 4,600.
"We are working vigorously to accommodate students who have requested on-campus residence," Rolle said. "We wish to provide educational opportunities to the greatest number of students possible."
No matter what resolutions are made, parents like Angela Nelson blame school officials for taking an exciting moment away from their families. She was among those Friday told to go home, which for them was back to North Carolina. Her son has been assigned a room in one of the oldest dorms on campus, but it won’t be ready until Wednesday, and she said she is still left with questions.
"I’m so upset!" she said. "We are out of North Carolina. We went there on the 17th. You had to have a zero balance and we took care of that. When it was time to get a room, they told us it’s up to you to have transportation; no hotel rooms, you’re on your own. People were there from Texas, Tennessee, all over the place. Some of those kids do not have rooms at all. Parents are taking off from our jobs. I have a business, I cannot do that, but that’s my son. These are freshmen. I am so upset and hurt that they are taking this exciting moment from me. I want to see my son go away; it’s a new venture for him.
"Classes start Wednesday," she said. "They told me Friday where we’re going to be but it won’t be ready until Wednesday. They told me we got a dorm ready, but are these dorms safe, is there adequate wiring? They are listed in Ebony as one of the most prestigious schools in the country. You couldn’t tell that."
Nelson will be working today while her husband takes a day off from his job to bring their son to South Carolina State. Still, they worry if there really is a room, and if it will be ready this time.
"They said this is the biggest freshman class, well they shouldn’t accept so many freshmen," she said. "He’s in one of the cheapest dorms on campus, but are they safe? ... I’m a mother of three. This is my first one going to college and I don’t get to see him go to college. I’m not going. This is ridiculous. Once he gets there, with so many kids, will there be enough books, enough food for everybody? When we get down there, will the rooms be there? The kids are going into a situation where they don’t know where to go, what to do, who to talk to -- it’s complete chaos. But they got my money."
Davia Goodmon was one of several outraged parents in the vice president of student services’ office at South Carolina State University Friday. She had paid her daughter’s tuition and was set to leave her, but there was no housing.
She picked up her cell phone to call The T&D.
"I’m a concerned parent at South Carolina State College," she said in a voice mail. "My concern today is me and over 100 other parents have paid our kids’ tuition ..."
Goodman became quiet as a voice she later identified as the chief of police there is heard ordering the parents to leave the building.
"If this is a housing issue, it’s going to have to be dealt with tomorrow morning," the man says. "There’s nothing that the vice president can do for you at this time. They are working diligently on it and that’s the best we can do at the present time, so I know it’s frustrating, some people are a little upset, I know you’ve been out here all day, but there’s really nothing the vice president can do at the time so I’m gonna ask everyone to vacate this building.
"If you have hotel arrangements, you need to go ahead and take care of that. If you have other business you need to go ahead and take care of that. A lot of freshmen have their schedules I believe at 8:30 there’s MLK, they should continue to do that ..."
And the message ends.
Goodmon said she was left not knowing what to do or when to bring her child to school. She lives in Greenville, and the university was not providing hotels, so she and her daughter would have to go back home.
"Everyone else has left for the day," she said. "They said for her to go home, to leave. There’s nothing they can do for us today. I have to work tomorrow. I don’t know what to do."
Goodman’s concerns have been echoed by other parents who arrived on campus to leave their children, only to find that there was not enough room to house them. As of Tuesday, Goodman and her daughter were still in Greenville. She said she has been calling and calling, "but the lady handling it has left on vacation." With classes starting today, Goodman said, "I can’t bring her back up there and just leave her. Really, we’ve gotten no answers."
The university finds itself dealing with such parental and student frustrations amid trying to accommodate its largest-ever freshman class.
An increased demand for residence life by upperclassmen and a nearly 35 percent higher freshman enrollment rate this fall semester have caused a housing shortage, the university said in a statement late Tuesday.
Wednesday’s first day of classes are key.
"The actual occupancy rates for residence life will be available on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, after 7 p.m. Unclaimed rooms become available to students on the waiting list on that date," SCSU stated. "The university continues to assist students who have met their financial obligation by the deadline and seek campus housing."
Six traditional residence halls and three apartment-style complexes are available for students to reside in this upcoming semester. The apartment-style complexes include the Andrew Hugine Suites, a $42 million 755-bed facility completed in 2006, and University Village Apartments, which the S.C. State Real Estate Foundation purchased in mid-2007.
Dr. Kevin Rolle, vice president for student services, indicated the university is able to offer a total of 2,300 beds to new and returning students this semester. S.C. State’s total student population exceeds 4,600.
"We are working vigorously to accommodate students who have requested on-campus residence," Rolle said. "We wish to provide educational opportunities to the greatest number of students possible."
No matter what resolutions are made, parents like Angela Nelson blame school officials for taking an exciting moment away from their families. She was among those Friday told to go home, which for them was back to North Carolina. Her son has been assigned a room in one of the oldest dorms on campus, but it won’t be ready until Wednesday, and she said she is still left with questions.
"I’m so upset!" she said. "We are out of North Carolina. We went there on the 17th. You had to have a zero balance and we took care of that. When it was time to get a room, they told us it’s up to you to have transportation; no hotel rooms, you’re on your own. People were there from Texas, Tennessee, all over the place. Some of those kids do not have rooms at all. Parents are taking off from our jobs. I have a business, I cannot do that, but that’s my son. These are freshmen. I am so upset and hurt that they are taking this exciting moment from me. I want to see my son go away; it’s a new venture for him.
"Classes start Wednesday," she said. "They told me Friday where we’re going to be but it won’t be ready until Wednesday. They told me we got a dorm ready, but are these dorms safe, is there adequate wiring? They are listed in Ebony as one of the most prestigious schools in the country. You couldn’t tell that."
Nelson will be working today while her husband takes a day off from his job to bring their son to South Carolina State. Still, they worry if there really is a room, and if it will be ready this time.
"They said this is the biggest freshman class, well they shouldn’t accept so many freshmen," she said. "He’s in one of the cheapest dorms on campus, but are they safe? ... I’m a mother of three. This is my first one going to college and I don’t get to see him go to college. I’m not going. This is ridiculous. Once he gets there, with so many kids, will there be enough books, enough food for everybody? When we get down there, will the rooms be there? The kids are going into a situation where they don’t know where to go, what to do, who to talk to -- it’s complete chaos. But they got my money."
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
SC State committed to providing living and learning environment
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
First time freshman enrollment rate up 35%; Increased upperclassmen demand for on-campus apartment-style living
ORANGEBURG – An increased demand for residence life and a nearly 35% higher freshman enrollment rate this fall semester at SC State has caused a housing shortage at the state’s only public Historically Black University.
The University continues to assist students who have met their financial obligation by the deadline and seek campus housing. The actual occupancy rates for residence life will be available on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, after 7 p.m. Unclaimed rooms become available to students on the waiting list on that date, which is also the first day of classes.
Six (6) traditional residence halls and three (3) apartment-style complexes are available for students to reside in this upcoming semester. The apartment-style complexes include the Andrew Hugine Suites, a $42 million 755-bed facility that was completed in 2006, and the University Village Apartments, which the SC State Real Estate Foundation purchased in mid-2007.
Dr. Kevin Rolle, vice president for student services, indicated that the University is able to offer a total of 2,300 beds to new and returning students this semester. SC State’s total student population exceeds 4,600.
“We are working vigorously to accommodate students who have requested on-campus residence,” said Rolle. “We wish to provide educational opportunities to the greatest number of students possible.”
First time freshman enrollment rate up 35%; Increased upperclassmen demand for on-campus apartment-style living
ORANGEBURG – An increased demand for residence life and a nearly 35% higher freshman enrollment rate this fall semester at SC State has caused a housing shortage at the state’s only public Historically Black University.
The University continues to assist students who have met their financial obligation by the deadline and seek campus housing. The actual occupancy rates for residence life will be available on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, after 7 p.m. Unclaimed rooms become available to students on the waiting list on that date, which is also the first day of classes.
Six (6) traditional residence halls and three (3) apartment-style complexes are available for students to reside in this upcoming semester. The apartment-style complexes include the Andrew Hugine Suites, a $42 million 755-bed facility that was completed in 2006, and the University Village Apartments, which the SC State Real Estate Foundation purchased in mid-2007.
Dr. Kevin Rolle, vice president for student services, indicated that the University is able to offer a total of 2,300 beds to new and returning students this semester. SC State’s total student population exceeds 4,600.
“We are working vigorously to accommodate students who have requested on-campus residence,” said Rolle. “We wish to provide educational opportunities to the greatest number of students possible.”
Nominations being accepted for SC State's Army ROTC Hall of Fame
Nominations being accepted for SC State's Army ROTC Hall of Fame
Monday, August 20, 2007
Dear Bulldog:
The South Carolina State University Army ROTC Hall of Fame Electoral Board is scheduled to meet on 8 November 2007 to select nominees for induction into the 2008 ROTC Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was established in March l977 to honor ROTC graduates commissioned through the program and pursued military service as a career and: (1) attained the rank of Colonel or higher; (2) attained the rank of Second Lieutenant or above and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with V-device or a higher award in the nation’s defense through acts of gallantry as determined by Department of Defense documentation; (3) those ROTC graduates who did not pursue the military as a career, but made significant contributions to society or achieved national prominence.
I am asking that you please submit nominations no later than 9 October 2007. Nominations should be accompanied by a biographical sketch which should include date and place of birth, a summation of achievement(s) for which the person is being nominated, civilian and military education, current employment, a “Class A” bust photo of the nominee, and a current address. Biographical sketch should not exceed two pages.
The ROTC Hall of Fame serves as an inspiration and a source of pride for the South Carolina State University community. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. Point of contact for this action is Captain Edwin A. Aycock, at (803) 536-7233 or (803) 533-3604.
GO BULLDOGS!
Respectfully,
/S/
HEYWARD STACKHOUSE
Lieutenant Colonel, Chemical
Professor of Military Science
Monday, August 20, 2007
Dear Bulldog:
The South Carolina State University Army ROTC Hall of Fame Electoral Board is scheduled to meet on 8 November 2007 to select nominees for induction into the 2008 ROTC Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was established in March l977 to honor ROTC graduates commissioned through the program and pursued military service as a career and: (1) attained the rank of Colonel or higher; (2) attained the rank of Second Lieutenant or above and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with V-device or a higher award in the nation’s defense through acts of gallantry as determined by Department of Defense documentation; (3) those ROTC graduates who did not pursue the military as a career, but made significant contributions to society or achieved national prominence.
I am asking that you please submit nominations no later than 9 October 2007. Nominations should be accompanied by a biographical sketch which should include date and place of birth, a summation of achievement(s) for which the person is being nominated, civilian and military education, current employment, a “Class A” bust photo of the nominee, and a current address. Biographical sketch should not exceed two pages.
The ROTC Hall of Fame serves as an inspiration and a source of pride for the South Carolina State University community. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. Point of contact for this action is Captain Edwin A. Aycock, at (803) 536-7233 or (803) 533-3604.
GO BULLDOGS!
Respectfully,
/S/
HEYWARD STACKHOUSE
Lieutenant Colonel, Chemical
Professor of Military Science
Bulldog Fans..did you know the lyrics to our Fight Song? Here they are! BNN suggest they be flashed on our video scoreboard when we score!
"Bulldog Fight Song"
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I'm so glad that I'm from S.C. State,
Tell it to 'ya! Tell it to 'ya!
Bulldogs are a team we know is great,
For our school we'll yell and yell,
Send the other team to . . . you know
Who' s our Alma Mater,
S.C.S.C. STATE!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I'm so glad that I'm from S.C. State,
Tell it to 'ya! Tell it to 'ya!
Bulldogs are a team we know is great,
For our school we'll yell and yell,
Send the other team to . . . you know
Who' s our Alma Mater,
S.C.S.C. STATE!
Mosely, ‘00, named Communications Coordinator for 1890 Research and Extension
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Orangeburg – Elizabeth Mosely, ’00, will direct the communication services office for South Carolina State University 1890 Research and Extension. As the communications coordinator, Mosely will work closely with SC State’s Office of University Relations and Marketing to strategically convey the importance of 1890 programs to federal officials, state legislators and the public.
“We are delighted that Ms. Mosely has returned to join the SC State family,” said Dr. Leola Adams, interim vice president for research and economic development/executive director of 1890 Programs. “Her professional background in media and public relations, new media and radio and television broadcast is essential for communicating the significant value that our programs and research projects provide to South Carolina.”
Mosely, who recently worked as assistant director of public relations for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), served as managing editor for the university’s internal publication, managed communications for events such as Convocation and Commencement, worked with the university president and assisted with the redesign of the university’s portal. Prior to working at UMBC, Mosely held the position of communications assistant for the City of Takoma Park in Maryland. She assisted with the development of the City’s new communications office, oversaw the redesign of its Web site and acted as programmer for the cable station. Mosely also worked as a spokesperson for the New York-based trade association, the Insurance Information Institute, and helped establish its new media studio.
SC State’s 1890 Research and Extension program is a multi-tiered organization committed to improving the economic well-being and quality of life for all South Carolinians. From methodical research projects for the betterment of agriculture to technology and wellness operations in limited-resources areas across the state, 1890 administers an enormous portion of the university’s outreach activities in the following areas: 4-H Youth Development; Adult Leadership and Community Development; Environment and Natural Resources; Small Farm Assistance and Outreach; Family Life; Technology and Data Management; and Nutrition, Food Safety and Wellness. Serving 33 of the state’s 46 counties, 1890 is working to systematically expand its programs to all counties.
Born in Orangeburg and an alumna of South Carolina State University, Mosely earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from SC State in 2000 with a minor in print journalism and radio broadcast. In 2002, she received a Master of Arts in Journalism and Public Affairs with a concentration in Interactive Journalism from American University in Washington, D.C.
And our fans say that giving $125 for season tickets is too much!
Knight's $100 million gift to bankroll Oregon athletics fund
Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon's plan to build a new basketball arena moved a giant step forward Monday when Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and his wife, Penny, pledged $100 million to the university, the largest philanthropic gift in school history.
The money is not targeted specifically for an arena, university officials said. Rather, it will create the Oregon Athletics Legacy Fund, which will help support all athletic programs.
But indirectly, officials said, the donation will boost the university's effort to replace aging McArthur Court with a new arena near the eastern edge of campus.
"This extraordinary gift will set Oregon athletics on a course toward certain self sufficiency and create the flexibility and financial capacity for the university to move forward with the new athletic arena," Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny said. "Now we can roll up our sleeves and get to work on making the arena a reality."
The university last year estimated it would take more than $200 million to pay for the arena once land costs are figured in. Fundraising for the project has been one of the top priorities for Kilkenny since he got the job earlier this year.
Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon's plan to build a new basketball arena moved a giant step forward Monday when Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and his wife, Penny, pledged $100 million to the university, the largest philanthropic gift in school history.
The money is not targeted specifically for an arena, university officials said. Rather, it will create the Oregon Athletics Legacy Fund, which will help support all athletic programs.
But indirectly, officials said, the donation will boost the university's effort to replace aging McArthur Court with a new arena near the eastern edge of campus.
"This extraordinary gift will set Oregon athletics on a course toward certain self sufficiency and create the flexibility and financial capacity for the university to move forward with the new athletic arena," Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny said. "Now we can roll up our sleeves and get to work on making the arena a reality."
The university last year estimated it would take more than $200 million to pay for the arena once land costs are figured in. Fundraising for the project has been one of the top priorities for Kilkenny since he got the job earlier this year.
This is how an AD is supposed to run an athletics department....we know UGA is bigger, but look at the stucture and the planning he used...
Ahead of his time
Georgia AD Evans serves as pioneer for industry, race
Though he's just 37, Georiga AD Damon Evans has turned the Dawgs into a national brand and has helped make Georgia athletes winners on and off the field.
Damon Evans is probably going to get a few less Christmas cards this year.
Evans, 37, is Georgia's athletic director, a man who a year ago decided students needed to be in class. Even students who play sports.
So, he put together a new set of rules: He told every one of Georgia's 500 athletes that if they missed one class or tutoring session, they'd owe him $10; if they missed three, they'd miss 10 percent of their games. This prompted a bunch of coaches to give him funny looks.
Well, Evans' plan worked. In the first three weeks of the policy being enacted, beginning last January, Georgia athletes missed 46 classes -- a 90 percent improvement from the 421 they missed during the first three weeks of the previous semester. Also, more than half of Georgia's athletes finished the spring with a 3.0 GPA, while taking 184 more credits.
For two years, Evans has helped Georgia turn a bigger profit than any other school in the country. In three years as athletic director, Georgia has won six national titles. In the summer, he convinced the SEC that all its schools needed a uniform attendance policy for its sports. Yes, Evans is hardly the most popular guy right now.
"I know what we've done has maybe put some pressure on other athletic directors," Evans said carefully.
"Look, I don't know if all those reports compare apples to apples," he said, trying the diplomatic thing again. "I don't want to make it seem easy."
Too late. Evans was a 28-year old with a bachelor's degree in finance and a couple years at the SEC office when Vince Dooley convinced him to come back to Georgia. Dooley had recruited him when he was an all-state wideout in Gainesville, Ga., coached him a year before becoming the Bulldogs' athletic director, and in 1998, figured Evans could handle the athletic department's internal affairs. And when Evans said he wanted to completely scrap the budget system for a zero-based plan -- where, instead of percentage increases, coaches would argue each year for how much money they needed that year -- Dooley said, go ahead.
"Coach Dooley gave me a lot of leeway," Evans said. And the coaches? "They thought I was crazy," he admitted, breaking into a laugh. "There was a bit of a revolt." It wasn't the first.
With Dooley dragging him to high-level meetings, pushing him to get on the NCAA's management council and giving him nearly free reign to map Georgia's finances, Evans did all sorts of things staid athletic directors usually don't. He designed a strategy for tax-exempting financing of facilities; he pulled together $81 million for expansion and in December 2003, with Dooley's recommendation, he was hired as Georgia's AD. He took over the next July and told football coach Mark Richt he was going to make the Bulldogs a national brand. For Richt and the Dawgs, this means trips to Arizona State, Colorado, Oklahoma State and Oregon.
"Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas -- those are national programs that people know," Evans said. "This school, academically, is on par with very well-known institutions, and this program is historically in the top 10 in the Directors' Cup. There's no reason people shouldn't know us, too."
Athletic directors sure know the Bulldogs now. Evans, of course, isn't perfect. He kind of passed the buck when talk turned to his undistinguished tenure as a Georgia wideout. "It was an era of running backs!" he protested. "If it was third-and-10, we'd run!" he said. Like having Garrison Hearst for a teammate is an excuse.
He's a lousy golfer too, one who'd need to cheat to hit that supposed 20 handicap. Then again, that one might not be so bad. Since Evans has been out on the links with donors, fundraising has shot up and the athletic department closed out its largest-ever capital campaign a year early -- to the tune of seven years and $60 million. Winning at golf puts people in a generous mood, right?
The truth is, Evans knows exactly what he's got going for him and what Georgia has going for it. There's a reason Georgia's made $44 million the last two years, when less than 20 schools at least broke even. Just like there's a reason Evans is driven to be the best athletic director in the country. Evans is black. And much as he'd like that to be an afterthought, it's not. Not yet.
"I think of it all the time. I think of it every day," he said. "I know I've got to set a good example. I've got to go the extra yard, run the extra mile. I want to do everything better than the best, because if they feel comfortable saying, 'Here's a guy who's been successful,' then it could open the door for others."
As peerless as he's proving to be on the administration front, Evans really is peerless in this world. He's the first -- and only -- African-American athletic director in the SEC and one of only a handful in the country. He doesn't have any contemporaries in his age bracket, either. Heck, 20 of Georgia's 21 head coaches are older than him.
"There aren't very many people to talk to," he said. And then, somewhat resignedly, "But someone has to pave the way."
And so Evans is. For former athletes. For African-Americans. For big-dreaming young professionals, for creative thinkers and for administrators who believe transcripts ought to matter as much as stat sheets. So what if it means a few less trips to the mailbox this winter. To Georgia, Evans is Santa Claus.
Click here to see the WIS news report video on the SCState room issue.
Look in the uuper left of the page to see the video link.
Monday, August 20, 2007
A new "STATE" of mind.....1 step forward, 2 steps back
SCSU does a lot of great things....the debates, Buddy Pough and the football team.....coach Carter and basketball recruiting.....coach Judge and tennis...but for every move forward we still have 3 backwards....its all over the news that we can't even get our kids in dorms without massive confusion....
When will we learn......get the right people in the right positions......
Someone needs to pay for this incompetence....SCSU's reputation already has.
When will we learn......get the right people in the right positions......
Someone needs to pay for this incompetence....SCSU's reputation already has.
Women's Volleyball Scrimmage
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
Orangeburg, SC-- The South Carolina State women's volleyball team will hold an intra-squad scrimmage, tomorrow, August 21 at 5 pm.
The Scrimmage will be held in Dukes Gymnasium on campus at 5 pm. The scrimmage is free and open to the public.
Orangeburg, SC-- The South Carolina State women's volleyball team will hold an intra-squad scrimmage, tomorrow, August 21 at 5 pm.
The Scrimmage will be held in Dukes Gymnasium on campus at 5 pm. The scrimmage is free and open to the public.
SC State students looking for a place to live
ORANGEBURG COUNTY, SC (WIS) - Students are going back to school, but several at South Carolina State are without housing.
Dozens of students at the university are not sure where they'll live.
Officials at SC State admit they do not have enough housing for all the new students arriving on campus. Now those students are trying to find a place to stay.
"We don't have any more rooms. We are out!" That's what Margaret Freeman says she's heard. These words made her furious, because she says she paid her son's South Carolina State tuition, but he has no room.
Beverly Bussey and her daughter Brianna are in the same boat, and they're in South Carolina all the way from Westchester, Ohio. "All this money that I paid and no room."
SC State says the cutoff date to pay housing fees was July 31st. But, the university extended a grace period through August 10th.
Bussey says she paid by the second. That's well within that grace period and technically on time, and she has the proof to show it. But as for her daughter, Bussey says, "She doesn't have a room!"
So the question is, why not? Dr. Kevin Rolle says, "For the first time in university history we believe more people want to live on campus."
So, what about all of the parents who paid for it and are without a room? Dr. Rolle says, "After July 31st we had a waiting list and in that waiting list if you paid by August 10th we would honor those folks that got assignments."
Bussey thinks it's about when it was paid, "I'm thinking it's not honored because we're paid in full by August 10th."
WIS News 10's Trey Paul tells Dr. Rolle, "These people are saying that they had a room assignment and they were promised a room and it said if you pay by August 10th - you've got a room. This is your room number. Come to school. And they're coming to school and they're not getting a room."
But Dr. Rolle responds, "Trey, I'd have to see that individually. I don't know that to be true."
Bussey's daughter has since been given a room.
Dr. Rolle says he's hoping by next Monday everyone without a room will have somewhere to live. He says he's prepared to move students off campus but they're working on clearing more space at South Carolina State.
Reported by Trey Paul
Dozens of students at the university are not sure where they'll live.
Officials at SC State admit they do not have enough housing for all the new students arriving on campus. Now those students are trying to find a place to stay.
"We don't have any more rooms. We are out!" That's what Margaret Freeman says she's heard. These words made her furious, because she says she paid her son's South Carolina State tuition, but he has no room.
Beverly Bussey and her daughter Brianna are in the same boat, and they're in South Carolina all the way from Westchester, Ohio. "All this money that I paid and no room."
SC State says the cutoff date to pay housing fees was July 31st. But, the university extended a grace period through August 10th.
Bussey says she paid by the second. That's well within that grace period and technically on time, and she has the proof to show it. But as for her daughter, Bussey says, "She doesn't have a room!"
So the question is, why not? Dr. Kevin Rolle says, "For the first time in university history we believe more people want to live on campus."
So, what about all of the parents who paid for it and are without a room? Dr. Rolle says, "After July 31st we had a waiting list and in that waiting list if you paid by August 10th we would honor those folks that got assignments."
Bussey thinks it's about when it was paid, "I'm thinking it's not honored because we're paid in full by August 10th."
WIS News 10's Trey Paul tells Dr. Rolle, "These people are saying that they had a room assignment and they were promised a room and it said if you pay by August 10th - you've got a room. This is your room number. Come to school. And they're coming to school and they're not getting a room."
But Dr. Rolle responds, "Trey, I'd have to see that individually. I don't know that to be true."
Bussey's daughter has since been given a room.
Dr. Rolle says he's hoping by next Monday everyone without a room will have somewhere to live. He says he's prepared to move students off campus but they're working on clearing more space at South Carolina State.
Reported by Trey Paul
BNN Rumor: Bethune Cookman coach Alvin "Shine" Wyatt is upset that SCSU was picked to win the MEAC!
Sounds like the shiny suit coach is feeling himself after beating us last year.....sounds like more reason to go down to Daytona and stomp them!
This is the new multi-purpose arena that Coastal Carolina is building in PARTNERSHIP with the city of Myrtle Beach. Could O'burg and SCState do this?
This arena will host CCu basketball and volleyball, as well as an ice skating rink that will be the home of a minor league hockey team coming to the area. Clearly, Orangegurn needs a convention center/arena, and we all know that SCSU needs to move beyond SHM for our athletics. The difference is that CCU and Myrtle Beach work together to make mutually beneficial projects happen......SCSU and Orangeburg need to reach out to each other more to look for opportunities like this.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Click here to see Grambling Universities online bookstore..
Look at the selection of things they have as compared to us. Also, you can buy most of that stuff all over the state of Louisiana, not just in their bookstore.....what is the hold up SCSU?
More info on Richard Good
Click the link...we hope this news is true...if so, welcome to the Bulldog Nation Richard!!!
BNN Rumor: Gaffney Tight End
We are hearing that the kid orginally signed witha California JUCO, but has since left when they moved him from his original position of tight end, to left tackle.
If this is true, then it is another example of how the pipeline from Gaffney to Orangeburg is opening up! Here is the original article from when the kid signed with the Juco
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN
Gaffney's tight end Richard Good signed a letter of intent to play at Reedley Junior College in Fresno, Calif. on Monday. Good is joined at the signing by parents Carolyn and Richard Good, Gaffney High Principal Dr. Quincie Moore, Gaffney High football coach Phil Strickland and offensive line coach Charles Patterson.
We are hearing that TE Richard Good from Gaffney has enrolled at SCSU with intentions on playing football. We are working to confirm. Here is video!
Interactive Bulldogs, fans: ‘Meet the Players Day and Fan Fest’ lets supporters get ‘up close and personal’
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Sunday, August 19, 2007
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Saturday was an interactive one for the South Carolina State football team and its supporters.
With The S.T.A.T.E. Club organizing various events for “Meet the Players Day and Fan Fest,” supporters had an opportunity to get “up close and personal” with the players and coaches.
The morning session had youngsters ages 4 to 12 competing in a punt, pass and kick contest as part of the “Fan Fest” taking place simultaneously as the team’s second scrimmage at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Following the well-attended two-hour session, fans flocked over to Dukes Gymnasium for lunch and player autographs.
The afternoon concluded with a special “Football 101” class held at Staley Hall. For 2-1/2 hours, close to 30 fans received an education on Bulldog football and an insight into the inner workings of the operation from SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, coordinators John Hendrick (defense) and Joe Blackwell (offense/offensive line), team equipment manager Sidney Fulton and retired official Rodney Jenkins.
“I just tried to do what I could to give them as much insight as to what we were doing as possible,” Pough said. “I think what you do more than anything else is give the fans an overview of what we’re doing.”
For Class of 1968 graduate Rosa Evans, the “class” was more than informative as she received satisfactory answers to what she saw was a major problem last season for the Bulldogs’ offense.
“I was concerned about the fact we got too many penalties, delay of game,” Evans said. “I was glad to hear them say they were going to work on that and had improved that part because it did bother me last year how long it took for them to get the plays in the game.”
Both Blackwell and Pough stressed the offense in a state of transition from a pass-oriented spread offense to a pro set look with multiple pro sets. With Cleveland McCoy having a firmer grasp of the offense, Pough believes the Bulldogs will be as “good as they’ve been” since he took over in 2002.
Evans also asked Hendrick about cutting down on penalties and what the secondary has done to improve itself from its disastrous early start.
Pough insists he enjoys such interaction with fans even if it means having to address criticism.
“We’ve got a pretty knowledgeable group of fans,” Pough said. “I enjoy talking to them and that’s one of the things they can pretty much say about me is the fact that I’m not so thin-skinned about things that I don’t feel comfortable talking about the things that I do good or some of the things that we do bad. I’m not the kind of person that hides the fact that he messes something up because I do – quite often as a matter of fact. I just hope they give me another chance.”
Satisfied with the answers she received Saturday from Pough, Evans is even more hopeful the Bulldogs can win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title outright. It’s a goal Pough believes he finally has the pieces in place to make possible.
-- 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
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Saturday was an interactive one for the South Carolina State football team and its supporters.
With The S.T.A.T.E. Club organizing various events for “Meet the Players Day and Fan Fest,” supporters had an opportunity to get “up close and personal” with the players and coaches.
The morning session had youngsters ages 4 to 12 competing in a punt, pass and kick contest as part of the “Fan Fest” taking place simultaneously as the team’s second scrimmage at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Following the well-attended two-hour session, fans flocked over to Dukes Gymnasium for lunch and player autographs.
The afternoon concluded with a special “Football 101” class held at Staley Hall. For 2-1/2 hours, close to 30 fans received an education on Bulldog football and an insight into the inner workings of the operation from SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, coordinators John Hendrick (defense) and Joe Blackwell (offense/offensive line), team equipment manager Sidney Fulton and retired official Rodney Jenkins.
“I just tried to do what I could to give them as much insight as to what we were doing as possible,” Pough said. “I think what you do more than anything else is give the fans an overview of what we’re doing.”
For Class of 1968 graduate Rosa Evans, the “class” was more than informative as she received satisfactory answers to what she saw was a major problem last season for the Bulldogs’ offense.
“I was concerned about the fact we got too many penalties, delay of game,” Evans said. “I was glad to hear them say they were going to work on that and had improved that part because it did bother me last year how long it took for them to get the plays in the game.”
Both Blackwell and Pough stressed the offense in a state of transition from a pass-oriented spread offense to a pro set look with multiple pro sets. With Cleveland McCoy having a firmer grasp of the offense, Pough believes the Bulldogs will be as “good as they’ve been” since he took over in 2002.
Evans also asked Hendrick about cutting down on penalties and what the secondary has done to improve itself from its disastrous early start.
Pough insists he enjoys such interaction with fans even if it means having to address criticism.
“We’ve got a pretty knowledgeable group of fans,” Pough said. “I enjoy talking to them and that’s one of the things they can pretty much say about me is the fact that I’m not so thin-skinned about things that I don’t feel comfortable talking about the things that I do good or some of the things that we do bad. I’m not the kind of person that hides the fact that he messes something up because I do – quite often as a matter of fact. I just hope they give me another chance.”
Satisfied with the answers she received Saturday from Pough, Evans is even more hopeful the Bulldogs can win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title outright. It’s a goal Pough believes he finally has the pieces in place to make possible.
-- 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
Bulldogs conduct 'good' scrimmage
By BILL HAMILTON, SCSU Sports Information Director | Sunday, August 19, 2007
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The Bulldogs of South Carolina State conducted their second preseason scrimmage Saturday and head coach Buddy Pough called the workout a good one for his team.
The 120-play scrimmage, which lasted approximately one hour, 45 minutes, was one of several events conducted during S.C. State’s “Meet the Players” Day and Fan Fest.
Pough said the goal in the scrimmage was to get in some good live work, establish the two-deep depth chart and evaluate all of the players.
“I believe we got most of what we planned done,” he said. “Both the first and second unit got about 50 snaps apiece. We wanted to be able to evaluate all our people to see who could help us and get them more evolved. Those that may not be as far along, we wanted to determine what we need to do to get them to a certain point.”
Pough noted that the Bulldog quarterbacks, who had been experiencing some arm soreness before pulling back a little the last two days, threw the ball well.
“We threw the ball more than we had done the last two days,” Pough said. “Our quarterbacks had eased up a bit in their throwing and, with the rest, I saw some improvement. They had a lot better performance.
“I thought Cleve (QB McCoy) looked like he’s ready to have a good year. He was very effective and stood in there in the face of danger and delivered some good passes. Our other two quarterbacks were effective also. Malcolm (Long) really threw the ball well early, and I thought that (DeWain) Clark delivered the ball pretty good later in the workout.”
Pough also noted that the running game looked sharp and that the defensive line, after a slow start, was really aggressive and played well, as did the secondary, which got some strong play from safeties Marshall McFadden and Markee Hamlin, two of five players from three-time state champion Lamar High School.
The Bulldogs will take Sunday off and attend church service at area churches before returning to the field Monday at approximately 9:50 a.m., according to Pough.
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The Bulldogs of South Carolina State conducted their second preseason scrimmage Saturday and head coach Buddy Pough called the workout a good one for his team.
The 120-play scrimmage, which lasted approximately one hour, 45 minutes, was one of several events conducted during S.C. State’s “Meet the Players” Day and Fan Fest.
Pough said the goal in the scrimmage was to get in some good live work, establish the two-deep depth chart and evaluate all of the players.
“I believe we got most of what we planned done,” he said. “Both the first and second unit got about 50 snaps apiece. We wanted to be able to evaluate all our people to see who could help us and get them more evolved. Those that may not be as far along, we wanted to determine what we need to do to get them to a certain point.”
Pough noted that the Bulldog quarterbacks, who had been experiencing some arm soreness before pulling back a little the last two days, threw the ball well.
“We threw the ball more than we had done the last two days,” Pough said. “Our quarterbacks had eased up a bit in their throwing and, with the rest, I saw some improvement. They had a lot better performance.
“I thought Cleve (QB McCoy) looked like he’s ready to have a good year. He was very effective and stood in there in the face of danger and delivered some good passes. Our other two quarterbacks were effective also. Malcolm (Long) really threw the ball well early, and I thought that (DeWain) Clark delivered the ball pretty good later in the workout.”
Pough also noted that the running game looked sharp and that the defensive line, after a slow start, was really aggressive and played well, as did the secondary, which got some strong play from safeties Marshall McFadden and Markee Hamlin, two of five players from three-time state champion Lamar High School.
The Bulldogs will take Sunday off and attend church service at area churches before returning to the field Monday at approximately 9:50 a.m., according to Pough.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
BNN initial synopsis of the new athletics website
We were looking for something to make us say WOW!
We got something that made us say THANK YOU!
There is a lot of good about the website. The new articles are great. They really give insight into the lesser known sports, like women's soccer. We learned about several new SCSU Signees for Women's Golf, Softball, etc.
But there is much to be added. We would like to see athletics sponsor links on the site. As well as pictures of our facilities. We would also like to see an "Ask the AD" section where we can ask her questions. IF SHE AIN'T SCARED.
We would like to see a link to the "TEAMLINE" company that broadcast all SCSU football games over the Internet, so that people can go straight to the game from the site. We have a link to that here on BNN.
There are several misspelled words and names, but we will chalk that up to the fact that they have been ruing..so just clean those up and we'll be okay.
We grade the initial version of this site a B-.....clearly a step up from where we were, but there are a few things to clean up before its potential is maximized.
Again, we like the site, and appreciate SCSU for upgrading it....
We got something that made us say THANK YOU!
There is a lot of good about the website. The new articles are great. They really give insight into the lesser known sports, like women's soccer. We learned about several new SCSU Signees for Women's Golf, Softball, etc.
But there is much to be added. We would like to see athletics sponsor links on the site. As well as pictures of our facilities. We would also like to see an "Ask the AD" section where we can ask her questions. IF SHE AIN'T SCARED.
We would like to see a link to the "TEAMLINE" company that broadcast all SCSU football games over the Internet, so that people can go straight to the game from the site. We have a link to that here on BNN.
There are several misspelled words and names, but we will chalk that up to the fact that they have been ruing..so just clean those up and we'll be okay.
We grade the initial version of this site a B-.....clearly a step up from where we were, but there are a few things to clean up before its potential is maximized.
Again, we like the site, and appreciate SCSU for upgrading it....
Friday, August 17, 2007
Cooper Named Cross-Country/Track & Field Assistant Coach
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
Orangeburg, SC—Donald Cooper has been named assistant cross country/track and field coach at South Carolina State. Cooper’s began his duties at his alma mater July 16.
Cooper returns to SC State after serving the past season as the assistant head cross-country/track and field coach and wellness coordinator at Savannah State. Prior that, he served two seasons as the assistant head cross-country/track & field coach at Fort Valley State University under current SC State head coach Tyree Price.
Cooper’s coaching experience began at Morris Brown in Atlanta in 2000 where he remained until 2002. He has trained professional athletes in the National Football League as well as for the Paralympics Games and the National Youth Sports Program.
Cooper’s non-coaching experience include working at the Center for the Visually Impaired (name city if available) and opening his own business, Donald Cooper O&M Services, which specializes in providing Orientation & Mobility services and independent living skills to the physically challenged.
As a student-athlete, Cooper excelled in two-sports at SC State – track and field and football. On the track, he was an All-Conference performer from 1993-96, a champion in the 400 meter hurdles (1994-96), 110 hurdles (1994 & 1996) and 60 meter hurdles (1996)
He was also an NCAA Qualifier (110 hurdles-1996) and an Olympic Trials Qualifier (110 hurdles-1996). In 1994, Cooper was the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outstanding Outdoor Track Athlete, and was also the first recipient of the Robert “Jet” Johnson Award which is given to the best male and female track athlete at SC State.
On the football field, Cooper was a member of the 1994 Bulldog team which defeated Grambling 31-27 in the Heritage Bowl. And, in 1997, he was named most valuable defensive back at the university. That hat same year, he participated in the Walter Reed All-Star Game and was signed as an un-drafted Free Agent by the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League.
In addition to his collegiate accomplishments, Cooper served as a guide runner in the 2004 Olympic Trails (exhibition race), the 2004 Paralympics Games in Athens, Greece and the 2005 ESPOO International Paralympics Committee Athletics European Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
Cooper received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology in 1997and his master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling/Orientation & Mobility in 1999, both from SC State. He holds several certifications, including USATF Certified Official and USATF Level I and Level II certified coach. He is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Orangeburg, SC—Donald Cooper has been named assistant cross country/track and field coach at South Carolina State. Cooper’s began his duties at his alma mater July 16.
Cooper returns to SC State after serving the past season as the assistant head cross-country/track and field coach and wellness coordinator at Savannah State. Prior that, he served two seasons as the assistant head cross-country/track & field coach at Fort Valley State University under current SC State head coach Tyree Price.
Cooper’s coaching experience began at Morris Brown in Atlanta in 2000 where he remained until 2002. He has trained professional athletes in the National Football League as well as for the Paralympics Games and the National Youth Sports Program.
Cooper’s non-coaching experience include working at the Center for the Visually Impaired (name city if available) and opening his own business, Donald Cooper O&M Services, which specializes in providing Orientation & Mobility services and independent living skills to the physically challenged.
As a student-athlete, Cooper excelled in two-sports at SC State – track and field and football. On the track, he was an All-Conference performer from 1993-96, a champion in the 400 meter hurdles (1994-96), 110 hurdles (1994 & 1996) and 60 meter hurdles (1996)
He was also an NCAA Qualifier (110 hurdles-1996) and an Olympic Trials Qualifier (110 hurdles-1996). In 1994, Cooper was the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outstanding Outdoor Track Athlete, and was also the first recipient of the Robert “Jet” Johnson Award which is given to the best male and female track athlete at SC State.
On the football field, Cooper was a member of the 1994 Bulldog team which defeated Grambling 31-27 in the Heritage Bowl. And, in 1997, he was named most valuable defensive back at the university. That hat same year, he participated in the Walter Reed All-Star Game and was signed as an un-drafted Free Agent by the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League.
In addition to his collegiate accomplishments, Cooper served as a guide runner in the 2004 Olympic Trails (exhibition race), the 2004 Paralympics Games in Athens, Greece and the 2005 ESPOO International Paralympics Committee Athletics European Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
Cooper received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology in 1997and his master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling/Orientation & Mobility in 1999, both from SC State. He holds several certifications, including USATF Certified Official and USATF Level I and Level II certified coach. He is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Lewis Joins SC State Womens Soccer Staff
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
Orangeburg, SC—Joining the women’s soccer staff at South Carolina State University is Danielle D. Lewis. Lewis’ appointment is effective July 16.
Lewis joins the SC State staff after spending one season as a volunteer coach at Iona College. For three seasons (2003-2006), she worked with the Region I Olympic Development Program. Also in 2006, she worked with the Region I Olympic Development Program National Camp.
From 2004-2006, Lewis spent time as a trainer with the Northport Cow Harbor Soccer Club in Northport, NY and from 2003-2005, she was a trainer with the Euro USA Soccer Organization in Royal Oak, MI.
As a player at Stony Brook University, Lewis was named to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2002 and was an America East Second Team All-Conference selection in 2003. She was also a NCAA Leadership Conference Nominee, an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar, and an inductee into the Stony Brook University Society of distinguished Scholar Athletes.
Lewis received a Bachelor of Science in business management (2006) from Stony Brook and will receive her Masters of Arts in Liberal Arts and an Advanced Graduate Coaching Certificate from the university this fall. Lewis also holds the United Soccer Federation License Level E.
Orangeburg, SC—Joining the women’s soccer staff at South Carolina State University is Danielle D. Lewis. Lewis’ appointment is effective July 16.
Lewis joins the SC State staff after spending one season as a volunteer coach at Iona College. For three seasons (2003-2006), she worked with the Region I Olympic Development Program. Also in 2006, she worked with the Region I Olympic Development Program National Camp.
From 2004-2006, Lewis spent time as a trainer with the Northport Cow Harbor Soccer Club in Northport, NY and from 2003-2005, she was a trainer with the Euro USA Soccer Organization in Royal Oak, MI.
As a player at Stony Brook University, Lewis was named to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2002 and was an America East Second Team All-Conference selection in 2003. She was also a NCAA Leadership Conference Nominee, an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar, and an inductee into the Stony Brook University Society of distinguished Scholar Athletes.
Lewis received a Bachelor of Science in business management (2006) from Stony Brook and will receive her Masters of Arts in Liberal Arts and an Advanced Graduate Coaching Certificate from the university this fall. Lewis also holds the United Soccer Federation License Level E.
Women's Soccer Practice Brief
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
Orangeburg, SC--After the first four days of practice, things are going according to script for the 2007 South Carolina State soccer team. The year’s team returns an experienced nucleus, which will be complemented by some talented newcomers.
Coach Amy Olson’s team is expected to begin this season on a positive note and should eclipse last year’s showing when the team finished 3-15 overall and 0-3 in the United Soccer Conference (USC). The first couple of days of practice showed promise for the Lady Bulldogs, according to Coach Amy Olson, beginning her fourth year at the helm
“I’m excited about the team as a whole and the maturity level they are displaying on the field in the first four days,” Olson said. “The team is practicing pretty well and the things we implemented during the Spring are really starting to show.”
Olson noted that the off-season work that the forwards, particularly the outside midfielders, have put in is really starting to show in the young season.
The team, which will play a 17-match schedule during the regular season, opens the 2007 campaign on Sept. 1 when it travels to Spartanburg, SC to take on USC-Upstate.
Orangeburg, SC--After the first four days of practice, things are going according to script for the 2007 South Carolina State soccer team. The year’s team returns an experienced nucleus, which will be complemented by some talented newcomers.
Coach Amy Olson’s team is expected to begin this season on a positive note and should eclipse last year’s showing when the team finished 3-15 overall and 0-3 in the United Soccer Conference (USC). The first couple of days of practice showed promise for the Lady Bulldogs, according to Coach Amy Olson, beginning her fourth year at the helm
“I’m excited about the team as a whole and the maturity level they are displaying on the field in the first four days,” Olson said. “The team is practicing pretty well and the things we implemented during the Spring are really starting to show.”
Olson noted that the off-season work that the forwards, particularly the outside midfielders, have put in is really starting to show in the young season.
The team, which will play a 17-match schedule during the regular season, opens the 2007 campaign on Sept. 1 when it travels to Spartanburg, SC to take on USC-Upstate.
2007 Women's Soccer Outlook
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
Experience: Should Be a Key to Success
2007 Women’s South Carolina State Women’s Soccer Outlook
The 2007 season looks very promising for the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs. With nine of 11 starters returning from a year ago, the team is set with players who “are hungry and determined to succeed,” noted fourth-year head coach Amy Olson.
The Lady Bulldogs’ 3-15 overall finish and 0-3 record in the United Soccer Conference (USC) record does not give a true picture of the team’s competitiveness as six of its fifteen losses were by three goals or less, with two coming in overtime.
The upside for the 2007 season is veteran leadership on and off the field. The Lady Bulldogs will be returning its top three scorers in senior Lauren Emrich, and juniors Janine Francois and Star Tazwell, a trio who combined for 17 of the team’s 22 goals.
Also back for Olson’s team is sophomore goalkeeper Alechia Brothers, who sustained an early, season-ending injury. Brothers started in six games last season before getting hurt will replace the departed Ciji Sims, who took over the starting duties from the former. Losing Sims to graduation is perhaps the only downside of note for the Lady Bulldogs.
This year’s soccer team is set up to be the one to watch, not only in the USC, but across the board. The Lady Bulldogs have the talent to surprise.
Offensively, the Lady Bulldogs will rely on speed on the outside will be the Govrik twins -- Elizabeth and Tereza. Kelsey Mims and newcomer Talitha Wood, a transfer from Binghamton, will split time in the middle. At the forward position, Tazwell and Francois will lead the way. Finding their chemistry as a duo at the end of last season both are expected to put pressure on opponents. Francois was the second leading scorer last season with 6 goals for 12 points and will be the primary threat when the team has a 1-on-1 situation. Tazwell was third in scoring with 4 goals and shared the top spot in assists with Tereza Govrik.
Coming off the bench for the Lady Bulldogs will be junior Tyler Drayton. Drayton will see time primarily at the forward position, but may also back up Brothers at the net.
Defensively the Lady Bulldogs couldn’t be stronger as everyone on that side of the ball returns. Along with Emrich, the other key defenders include junior Tandia Taylor and sophomore Kathrina Ellis. The one newcomer who figures to contribute immediately on defense will be junior college transfer Magaly Cerda. Cerda comes to SC State from North Harris College in Houston, TX.
The 2007 schedule for SC State will no doubt be a competitive one. With the USC losing three of its five inaugural members, the Lady Bulldog conference schedule will increase from three matches to five. The conference schedule consists of games versus Utah Valley State, Longwood University, Howard University, NJIT (spell out) and Delaware State.
The non-conference opponents for SC State will face Alabama State, VMI, USC-Salkehatchie, Wofford, Radford, The Citadel, Appalachian State, Winthrop, Charleston Southern, Francis Marion, Lee’s McRae and USC-Upstate, the team the Lady Bulldogs will face Sept. 1 in the season opener of a 17-match schedule. The first home game for the Lady Bulldogs will be Sept. 7 versus Alabama State
Experience: Should Be a Key to Success
2007 Women’s South Carolina State Women’s Soccer Outlook
The 2007 season looks very promising for the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs. With nine of 11 starters returning from a year ago, the team is set with players who “are hungry and determined to succeed,” noted fourth-year head coach Amy Olson.
The Lady Bulldogs’ 3-15 overall finish and 0-3 record in the United Soccer Conference (USC) record does not give a true picture of the team’s competitiveness as six of its fifteen losses were by three goals or less, with two coming in overtime.
The upside for the 2007 season is veteran leadership on and off the field. The Lady Bulldogs will be returning its top three scorers in senior Lauren Emrich, and juniors Janine Francois and Star Tazwell, a trio who combined for 17 of the team’s 22 goals.
Also back for Olson’s team is sophomore goalkeeper Alechia Brothers, who sustained an early, season-ending injury. Brothers started in six games last season before getting hurt will replace the departed Ciji Sims, who took over the starting duties from the former. Losing Sims to graduation is perhaps the only downside of note for the Lady Bulldogs.
This year’s soccer team is set up to be the one to watch, not only in the USC, but across the board. The Lady Bulldogs have the talent to surprise.
Offensively, the Lady Bulldogs will rely on speed on the outside will be the Govrik twins -- Elizabeth and Tereza. Kelsey Mims and newcomer Talitha Wood, a transfer from Binghamton, will split time in the middle. At the forward position, Tazwell and Francois will lead the way. Finding their chemistry as a duo at the end of last season both are expected to put pressure on opponents. Francois was the second leading scorer last season with 6 goals for 12 points and will be the primary threat when the team has a 1-on-1 situation. Tazwell was third in scoring with 4 goals and shared the top spot in assists with Tereza Govrik.
Coming off the bench for the Lady Bulldogs will be junior Tyler Drayton. Drayton will see time primarily at the forward position, but may also back up Brothers at the net.
Defensively the Lady Bulldogs couldn’t be stronger as everyone on that side of the ball returns. Along with Emrich, the other key defenders include junior Tandia Taylor and sophomore Kathrina Ellis. The one newcomer who figures to contribute immediately on defense will be junior college transfer Magaly Cerda. Cerda comes to SC State from North Harris College in Houston, TX.
The 2007 schedule for SC State will no doubt be a competitive one. With the USC losing three of its five inaugural members, the Lady Bulldog conference schedule will increase from three matches to five. The conference schedule consists of games versus Utah Valley State, Longwood University, Howard University, NJIT (spell out) and Delaware State.
The non-conference opponents for SC State will face Alabama State, VMI, USC-Salkehatchie, Wofford, Radford, The Citadel, Appalachian State, Winthrop, Charleston Southern, Francis Marion, Lee’s McRae and USC-Upstate, the team the Lady Bulldogs will face Sept. 1 in the season opener of a 17-match schedule. The first home game for the Lady Bulldogs will be Sept. 7 versus Alabama State
SC STATE SOFTBALL TEAM INKS THREE FOR 2007-08 SEASON
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
ORANGEBURG, SC—South Carolina State head women’s softball coach Antonio Smalls has signed three players, including twins, to National Letters of Intent (NLI) for the 2007-08 season.
Denitia Carter and twins Sonya Giles and Tonya Giles, all of Mays High School in Atlanta, have all signed NLIs to play for the Lady Bulldogs next season.
Carter, a 5-3 outfielder/catcher, posted a .423 batting average over the summer. The Giles twins had an equally productive summer. Sonya, an outfielder, batted .349 while Tonya, who plays outfield, short-stop and second base, batted .350.
The threesome, who also played together with the Browns Mill team out of Lithonia, GA, bring speed, discipline and effective slap hitting to the Lady Bulldog squad, and gives Smalls’ team some much needed depth.
All three are expected to move into the top five of the line-up and make an immediate impact, according to Smalls.
ORANGEBURG, SC—South Carolina State head women’s softball coach Antonio Smalls has signed three players, including twins, to National Letters of Intent (NLI) for the 2007-08 season.
Denitia Carter and twins Sonya Giles and Tonya Giles, all of Mays High School in Atlanta, have all signed NLIs to play for the Lady Bulldogs next season.
Carter, a 5-3 outfielder/catcher, posted a .423 batting average over the summer. The Giles twins had an equally productive summer. Sonya, an outfielder, batted .349 while Tonya, who plays outfield, short-stop and second base, batted .350.
The threesome, who also played together with the Browns Mill team out of Lithonia, GA, bring speed, discipline and effective slap hitting to the Lady Bulldog squad, and gives Smalls’ team some much needed depth.
All three are expected to move into the top five of the line-up and make an immediate impact, according to Smalls.
SC State Womens Golf Signs Biggers
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID
ORANGEBURG, SC -- South Carolina State women’s golf coach Herman Belton has announced the signing of Florida native Honesty Biggers to a national letter-of-intent.
Biggers, a 5-6, freshman from Orlando, Florida (Dr. Phillips High School) has a wide range of golf knowledge both physically and mentally, according to Belton. Biggers, who enters SC State with a handicap of six (6) received instruction from the #1 golfer in the World, Tiger Woods, during a recent summer workshop.
In coming to SC State, Biggers joins her brother, Robert Biggers, a member of men’s golf team at the Orangeburg institution.
“Biggers is a great sign for us,” says coach Belton. “Her knowledge of the game far exceeds her youth.”
ORANGEBURG, SC -- South Carolina State women’s golf coach Herman Belton has announced the signing of Florida native Honesty Biggers to a national letter-of-intent.
Biggers, a 5-6, freshman from Orlando, Florida (Dr. Phillips High School) has a wide range of golf knowledge both physically and mentally, according to Belton. Biggers, who enters SC State with a handicap of six (6) received instruction from the #1 golfer in the World, Tiger Woods, during a recent summer workshop.
In coming to SC State, Biggers joins her brother, Robert Biggers, a member of men’s golf team at the Orangeburg institution.
“Biggers is a great sign for us,” says coach Belton. “Her knowledge of the game far exceeds her youth.”
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE GO TO WWW.SCSUATHLETICS.COM!!!
Click the link above!!
Congrats to the "Dog House" - THE LARGEST FAN MESSAGE BOARD OF ANY UNIVERSITY IN SC...EXCEPT USC AND CLEMSON OF COURSE
The Dog House, one of the states newest message boards, today became one of the largest. Here are the numbers for the other boards based on members registered at 4:03pm...
SCSU "Dog House" - 526
Winthrop - 524
Coastal Carolina - 521
College of Charleston - 395
Furman - 384
Wofford - 270
Presbyterian - 112
Clemson and USC both have well in the thousands of members, but of course, those schools are much larger....Congratulations "Dog House".....
SCSU "Dog House" - 526
Winthrop - 524
Coastal Carolina - 521
College of Charleston - 395
Furman - 384
Wofford - 270
Presbyterian - 112
Clemson and USC both have well in the thousands of members, but of course, those schools are much larger....Congratulations "Dog House".....
BNN RUMOR: We are hearing that the SCSU athletics site should be up within the next 24hrs....and we hear that it is out of sight!!
We really hope so...we are very critical of SCSU at times but we really want a website that we can be proud of....as soon as we see it we'll let you know....keep your fingers crossed!!!!!!
BNN Rumor: SCSU to face Benedict in football?
We are hearing that SCSU will face Benedict in a home and home football series starting next season (2008)
We are working to confirm...what do you think about that?
We are working to confirm...what do you think about that?
SCState Athletics Website: We are waiting...
The original date for the new site was supposed to be 8/15/07, or last wednesday....
There was a comment posted to this site by someone with knowledge of this subject who said that there was a day or so "buffer" put in, and that we should see something within a few days of the original date.
We accepted that......IT projects have a lot of work associated with them and we understand that sometimes dates cannot be predicted "exactly"
Now its friday....and you are already late......whoever is working this needs to be putting in the overtime this weekend, because BNN does not think that its readers would be wrong to expect a brand spanking new athletics website by Monday morning, 8/20/2007.
So we will be expecting it up by then...or a detailed explanation of why it isnt, and when it will be.
Accountability folks....thats all we are asking for....
There was a comment posted to this site by someone with knowledge of this subject who said that there was a day or so "buffer" put in, and that we should see something within a few days of the original date.
We accepted that......IT projects have a lot of work associated with them and we understand that sometimes dates cannot be predicted "exactly"
Now its friday....and you are already late......whoever is working this needs to be putting in the overtime this weekend, because BNN does not think that its readers would be wrong to expect a brand spanking new athletics website by Monday morning, 8/20/2007.
So we will be expecting it up by then...or a detailed explanation of why it isnt, and when it will be.
Accountability folks....thats all we are asking for....
MEAC schools eye paydays from I-A games
By KRISTIAN POPE, The News Journal
Posted Thursday, August 16, 2007
DOVER -- Four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football teams will play Division I-A opponents this season, games that can bring a I-AA school as much as $150,000.
Delaware State stands to earn close to $100,000 for its Sept. 15 game at Kent State, its second meeting with a I-A opponent. The Hornets beat Akron in 1987.
"That's what you want every Saturday, to play teams who get the most out of you," DSU senior linebacker Russell Reeves said. "No matter who you play for, that's what you want. You don't want teams on your schedule who are weak. This makes you work even harder in the offseason."
South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough sees it differently. The cash is nice, but for Pough, playing two I-A teams -- Air Force and South Carolina -- might help his team make the playoffs for the first time since he was hired in 2001.
Even if the Bulldogs, who finished 7-4 last season and missed the playoffs, lose both games and fail to win the league's automatic bid to the 16-team playoffs, they might be among the at-large teams if they can play well against the I-A teams.
Norfolk State travels to Rutgers on Sept. 15, and Howard travels to face DSU coach Al Lavan's former team, Eastern Michigan, on Sept. 22.
"We're at the point where we need to get into the playoffs," Pough said. "So, we improved our strength of schedule. If we play well at Air Force or [South Carolina], and don't finish 8-3, it still looks real solid and you make yourself more palatable to the [selection] committee."
Not exactly. Portland State played three I-A teams last season, finished 7-4, and failed to make the playoffs. It's likely Pough's team would not have been picked by the selection committee at 7-4, even with a tougher nonconference schedule.
Pough said he still aches from his team's 10-9 loss at Delaware State last season.
"It still hurts real bad. I still have a hard time thinking about that game," he said.
Delaware State also was on the playoff bubble until a season-ending loss at Howard.
DSU played Northwestern (La.) State, St. Francis and Division II Concord out of conference last year, but Lavan and former athletic director Chuck Bell made a concerted effort to upgrade the schedule.
DSU signed to play Coastal Carolina, winners of the Big South Conference, and dumped a game against provisional Division I-AA North Carolina Central for the date at Kent State. Bell said the Kent State game was signed for money considerations, not to boost its playoff chances.
After last season, the NCAA added a permanent 12th game to I-A, and most schools have used the opportunity to schedule games against I-AA teams. It wasn't until that 12th game was added that DSU signed to meet the Golden Flashes, 6-6 in the Mid-American Conference last season.
Pough said his program has wanted to schedule South Carolina for some time. The meeting was a promise SCSU made to him when he was hired. He said the Air Force game was presented "out of the blue," but he jumped at the chance because it was "unique" to a historically black college.
South Carolina State, the preseason favorite to win the MEAC, opens its season at Air Force on Sept. 1. DSU doesn't play Kent State until the third week.
"Right now, we have two games before Kent State, and that's who we're thinking about," Reeves said.
Hornets buzz
MEAC preseason offensive player of the year Shaheer McBride will be DSU's top punt returner this season. McBride served as a backup on punt returns last season. Syracuse transfer Kareem Jones and sophomore receiver Laronne Moore, the Hornets' fastest player, will tandem on kickoff returns. ... The Hornets got a recent boost at defensive back with the signing of Reshard Gresham from Eastern Arizona College. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder from Stone Mountain, Ga., will have two seasons of eligibility at DSU. ... Another Syracuse transfer, safety Reggie McCoy, is expected back this week after a finger injury.
Posted Thursday, August 16, 2007
DOVER -- Four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football teams will play Division I-A opponents this season, games that can bring a I-AA school as much as $150,000.
Delaware State stands to earn close to $100,000 for its Sept. 15 game at Kent State, its second meeting with a I-A opponent. The Hornets beat Akron in 1987.
"That's what you want every Saturday, to play teams who get the most out of you," DSU senior linebacker Russell Reeves said. "No matter who you play for, that's what you want. You don't want teams on your schedule who are weak. This makes you work even harder in the offseason."
South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough sees it differently. The cash is nice, but for Pough, playing two I-A teams -- Air Force and South Carolina -- might help his team make the playoffs for the first time since he was hired in 2001.
Even if the Bulldogs, who finished 7-4 last season and missed the playoffs, lose both games and fail to win the league's automatic bid to the 16-team playoffs, they might be among the at-large teams if they can play well against the I-A teams.
Norfolk State travels to Rutgers on Sept. 15, and Howard travels to face DSU coach Al Lavan's former team, Eastern Michigan, on Sept. 22.
"We're at the point where we need to get into the playoffs," Pough said. "So, we improved our strength of schedule. If we play well at Air Force or [South Carolina], and don't finish 8-3, it still looks real solid and you make yourself more palatable to the [selection] committee."
Not exactly. Portland State played three I-A teams last season, finished 7-4, and failed to make the playoffs. It's likely Pough's team would not have been picked by the selection committee at 7-4, even with a tougher nonconference schedule.
Pough said he still aches from his team's 10-9 loss at Delaware State last season.
"It still hurts real bad. I still have a hard time thinking about that game," he said.
Delaware State also was on the playoff bubble until a season-ending loss at Howard.
DSU played Northwestern (La.) State, St. Francis and Division II Concord out of conference last year, but Lavan and former athletic director Chuck Bell made a concerted effort to upgrade the schedule.
DSU signed to play Coastal Carolina, winners of the Big South Conference, and dumped a game against provisional Division I-AA North Carolina Central for the date at Kent State. Bell said the Kent State game was signed for money considerations, not to boost its playoff chances.
After last season, the NCAA added a permanent 12th game to I-A, and most schools have used the opportunity to schedule games against I-AA teams. It wasn't until that 12th game was added that DSU signed to meet the Golden Flashes, 6-6 in the Mid-American Conference last season.
Pough said his program has wanted to schedule South Carolina for some time. The meeting was a promise SCSU made to him when he was hired. He said the Air Force game was presented "out of the blue," but he jumped at the chance because it was "unique" to a historically black college.
South Carolina State, the preseason favorite to win the MEAC, opens its season at Air Force on Sept. 1. DSU doesn't play Kent State until the third week.
"Right now, we have two games before Kent State, and that's who we're thinking about," Reeves said.
Hornets buzz
MEAC preseason offensive player of the year Shaheer McBride will be DSU's top punt returner this season. McBride served as a backup on punt returns last season. Syracuse transfer Kareem Jones and sophomore receiver Laronne Moore, the Hornets' fastest player, will tandem on kickoff returns. ... The Hornets got a recent boost at defensive back with the signing of Reshard Gresham from Eastern Arizona College. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder from Stone Mountain, Ga., will have two seasons of eligibility at DSU. ... Another Syracuse transfer, safety Reggie McCoy, is expected back this week after a finger injury.
What are SCSU's numbers?
Record number of students to flood colleges
By JAMES T. HAMMOND - jhammond@thestate.com
Capstone House resident mentors, from left, sophomore Terrence Walker and juniors Christina McClelland and David Muehling decorate the study room on the 15th floor.
Colleges in Columbia and across South Carolina are preparing for record numbers of students this fall, a trend driven by the baby boom echo — and generous state-funded scholarships.
The University of South Carolina expects between 3,650 and 3,700 freshmen, which would be the largest class ever to enroll at the Columbia campus.
And while data are preliminary, the university expects this class to have the highest achievement record ever, said USC spokesman Russ McKinney.
Students begin moving into residence halls Saturday at USC, and a week later at Columbia College. Benedict College students begin returning to campus today.
At other campuses:
• Coastal Carolina University is expecting about 1,600 freshmen, up from 1,474 last year — the highest on record, said assistant vice president Anne Monk.
• USC-Upstate expects 825 to 850 freshmen, up from 797 last year and the largest freshman class ever. Spokeswoman Tammy Whaley said total enrollment is expected to rise 3 percent to 5 percent, pushing it to a record.
• The Citadel, South Carolina’s state military college in Charleston, enrolled 710 new cadets, the largest freshman class since 1976.
• The College of Charleston caps enrollment and expects about 1,800 freshmen. But it, too, is experiencing strong demand. Applications jumped 3.9 percent over last year to more than 11,120.
• USC and Clemson University both have reported soaring application rates, with about 30,000 people applying to attend the two institutions.
• Columbia College expects 275 new students, up from last year’s 258, and the largest class since 1979.
Growth at USC’s four public four-year campuses means USC today serves more than 32,000 state resident students, or 43 percent of all South Carolinians at the state’s 13 public four-year college campuses, USC president Andrew Sorensen told his trustees last week.
The pressures of educating the numbers of children produced by baby boomers are not limited to Columbia.
Between 2000 and 2006, college attendance by South Carolina high school graduates increased by 4,473 students. The increase is more than the total student body of Francis Marion University, and roughly equal to the enrollment of South Carolina State University or USC-Upstate.
In that six-year period, total high school graduates grew 17 percent to 37,738. But the number of those high school graduates entering college grew 18 percent from 20,115 in 2000-01, to 24,588 in 2005-2006.
The percentage of 2000-01 high school graduates entering college was 62 percent. That figure grew to 65 percent of the class of 2005-06.
Greg Owings, principal of Spring Valley High School, attributed some of the increased demand for a college education to high schools doing a better job of informing and advising students.
“Our guidance departments and career information programs are doing a wonderful job of telling the kids and parents about the opportunities out there, and the scholarships available,” Owings said. “We have career fairs, scholarship information nights, and many colleges visit us regularly to meet our kids.”
Dennis Pruitt, USC’s vice president for student affairs, agreed, adding that high schools are doing a better job, and doing it under great stress.
“They don’t have enough counselors,” Pruitt said. But he said students are coming to the colleges better informed about their options and better prepared with advantages such as early SAT test-taking schedules.
Like USC, Francis Marion University in Florence is boosting admission eligibility requirements while admitting more students.
“For us, it is attributable to improved admission portfolios and expanded use of the Life and Hope scholarships,” said president Fred Carter.
Carter said preliminary figures indicate Francis Marion will enroll about 2 percent more freshmen than last year, which would yield a record fall freshman enrollment of 825. If all those students show up, it could push the Florence campus to a record total enrollment of 4,165.
Francis Marion appears likely to chalk up a 2.5 percent increase in total enrollment, Carter said.
USC’s Pruitt said the demand for a college degree and evidence the feeder system is doing a better job of preparing students means a college education is within reach of many more people today.
Two-year colleges, in particular, have offered many students a transfer path into four-year institutions where they might not have had access in the past.
The evidence, Pruitt said, is that “if you have the ability, there is a way” to get a college education today.
Reach Hammond at (803) 771-8474.
By JAMES T. HAMMOND - jhammond@thestate.com
Capstone House resident mentors, from left, sophomore Terrence Walker and juniors Christina McClelland and David Muehling decorate the study room on the 15th floor.
Colleges in Columbia and across South Carolina are preparing for record numbers of students this fall, a trend driven by the baby boom echo — and generous state-funded scholarships.
The University of South Carolina expects between 3,650 and 3,700 freshmen, which would be the largest class ever to enroll at the Columbia campus.
And while data are preliminary, the university expects this class to have the highest achievement record ever, said USC spokesman Russ McKinney.
Students begin moving into residence halls Saturday at USC, and a week later at Columbia College. Benedict College students begin returning to campus today.
At other campuses:
• Coastal Carolina University is expecting about 1,600 freshmen, up from 1,474 last year — the highest on record, said assistant vice president Anne Monk.
• USC-Upstate expects 825 to 850 freshmen, up from 797 last year and the largest freshman class ever. Spokeswoman Tammy Whaley said total enrollment is expected to rise 3 percent to 5 percent, pushing it to a record.
• The Citadel, South Carolina’s state military college in Charleston, enrolled 710 new cadets, the largest freshman class since 1976.
• The College of Charleston caps enrollment and expects about 1,800 freshmen. But it, too, is experiencing strong demand. Applications jumped 3.9 percent over last year to more than 11,120.
• USC and Clemson University both have reported soaring application rates, with about 30,000 people applying to attend the two institutions.
• Columbia College expects 275 new students, up from last year’s 258, and the largest class since 1979.
Growth at USC’s four public four-year campuses means USC today serves more than 32,000 state resident students, or 43 percent of all South Carolinians at the state’s 13 public four-year college campuses, USC president Andrew Sorensen told his trustees last week.
The pressures of educating the numbers of children produced by baby boomers are not limited to Columbia.
Between 2000 and 2006, college attendance by South Carolina high school graduates increased by 4,473 students. The increase is more than the total student body of Francis Marion University, and roughly equal to the enrollment of South Carolina State University or USC-Upstate.
In that six-year period, total high school graduates grew 17 percent to 37,738. But the number of those high school graduates entering college grew 18 percent from 20,115 in 2000-01, to 24,588 in 2005-2006.
The percentage of 2000-01 high school graduates entering college was 62 percent. That figure grew to 65 percent of the class of 2005-06.
Greg Owings, principal of Spring Valley High School, attributed some of the increased demand for a college education to high schools doing a better job of informing and advising students.
“Our guidance departments and career information programs are doing a wonderful job of telling the kids and parents about the opportunities out there, and the scholarships available,” Owings said. “We have career fairs, scholarship information nights, and many colleges visit us regularly to meet our kids.”
Dennis Pruitt, USC’s vice president for student affairs, agreed, adding that high schools are doing a better job, and doing it under great stress.
“They don’t have enough counselors,” Pruitt said. But he said students are coming to the colleges better informed about their options and better prepared with advantages such as early SAT test-taking schedules.
Like USC, Francis Marion University in Florence is boosting admission eligibility requirements while admitting more students.
“For us, it is attributable to improved admission portfolios and expanded use of the Life and Hope scholarships,” said president Fred Carter.
Carter said preliminary figures indicate Francis Marion will enroll about 2 percent more freshmen than last year, which would yield a record fall freshman enrollment of 825. If all those students show up, it could push the Florence campus to a record total enrollment of 4,165.
Francis Marion appears likely to chalk up a 2.5 percent increase in total enrollment, Carter said.
USC’s Pruitt said the demand for a college degree and evidence the feeder system is doing a better job of preparing students means a college education is within reach of many more people today.
Two-year colleges, in particular, have offered many students a transfer path into four-year institutions where they might not have had access in the past.
The evidence, Pruitt said, is that “if you have the ability, there is a way” to get a college education today.
Reach Hammond at (803) 771-8474.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
New location for Office of Minority Teacher Recruitment
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Due to construction of the forthcoming James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center, the Office of Minority Teacher Recruitment has been relocated to 2173 Russell Street (in the building to the right of the Office of Human Resource Management).
For additional information, call (803) 536-8818 or (803) 536-8805.
Due to construction of the forthcoming James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center, the Office of Minority Teacher Recruitment has been relocated to 2173 Russell Street (in the building to the right of the Office of Human Resource Management).
For additional information, call (803) 536-8818 or (803) 536-8805.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman one of 40 U.S. educators selected to attend prestigious entertainment conference
Thursday, August 16, 2007
ORANGEBURG – An SC State professor is one of 40 college educators selected from across the nation to attend a three-day intensive entertainment business and diversity conference in Hollywood that focuses on the creative process behind TV and film.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, professor and coordinator of SC State’s Journalism/Broadcasting Program, has been selected to attend “Anatomy of an Idea,” an entertainment business conference sponsored by the Disney - ABC Television Group and The Walt Disney Studios in association with the International Radio & Television Society Foundation (IRTS). The conference was held Aug. 14-16, 2007, at Disney’s Burbank Studio Lot.
Participants include 40 select and diverse college professors from across the country and 20 diversity and fine arts organizational leaders. According to a Disney - ABC Television group representative, “The goal is to have the professors and organizational leaders reach out to underrepresented student and alumni populations and to establish a direct pipeline from this talent pool to the Disney – ABC Television Group.”
Various Walt Disney businesses were involved throughout the conference. Executives, writers and producers presented key topics through lectures and workshops such as TV and film development, production, marketing, current and future distribution platforms and other key creative content.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman joined the SC State faculty in 2005 and serves as professor and coordinator of the Journalism/Broadcasting Program. He also serves as faculty adviser to WSSB-FM, SC State’s public radio station, and its CPB Radio Transmitter Digital Conversion Grant Project.
Dr. Rahman is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his work as a journalism educator, and has also received numerous fellowships from entities such as the Poynter Insitute, Scripps Howard Foundation, American Press Institute and IRTS.
He previously served as professor and chairman of the Department of Communications at Alcorn State University, as well as general manager of WPRL-FM and ASU Cable TV 13. He has also taught at Louisiana State University and Chittagong University, and served as a television producer and director for Bangladesh Television.
Dr. Rahman earned a Ph.D. in communications from Simon Fraser University, master’s degrees in sociology and journalism and mass communications from Dhaka University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Dhaka University. He also completed further study in communication policy and planning at the East-West Communications and Culture Institute in Hawaii.
ORANGEBURG – An SC State professor is one of 40 college educators selected from across the nation to attend a three-day intensive entertainment business and diversity conference in Hollywood that focuses on the creative process behind TV and film.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, professor and coordinator of SC State’s Journalism/Broadcasting Program, has been selected to attend “Anatomy of an Idea,” an entertainment business conference sponsored by the Disney - ABC Television Group and The Walt Disney Studios in association with the International Radio & Television Society Foundation (IRTS). The conference was held Aug. 14-16, 2007, at Disney’s Burbank Studio Lot.
Participants include 40 select and diverse college professors from across the country and 20 diversity and fine arts organizational leaders. According to a Disney - ABC Television group representative, “The goal is to have the professors and organizational leaders reach out to underrepresented student and alumni populations and to establish a direct pipeline from this talent pool to the Disney – ABC Television Group.”
Various Walt Disney businesses were involved throughout the conference. Executives, writers and producers presented key topics through lectures and workshops such as TV and film development, production, marketing, current and future distribution platforms and other key creative content.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman joined the SC State faculty in 2005 and serves as professor and coordinator of the Journalism/Broadcasting Program. He also serves as faculty adviser to WSSB-FM, SC State’s public radio station, and its CPB Radio Transmitter Digital Conversion Grant Project.
Dr. Rahman is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his work as a journalism educator, and has also received numerous fellowships from entities such as the Poynter Insitute, Scripps Howard Foundation, American Press Institute and IRTS.
He previously served as professor and chairman of the Department of Communications at Alcorn State University, as well as general manager of WPRL-FM and ASU Cable TV 13. He has also taught at Louisiana State University and Chittagong University, and served as a television producer and director for Bangladesh Television.
Dr. Rahman earned a Ph.D. in communications from Simon Fraser University, master’s degrees in sociology and journalism and mass communications from Dhaka University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Dhaka University. He also completed further study in communication policy and planning at the East-West Communications and Culture Institute in Hawaii.
BNN Suggestion: All tailgaters at SCSU games should have to be game ticket holders
We all know that there is an issue with large numbers of people who come to SCSU games and tailgate but never go in the game, thereby robbing the athletics department of revenue. BNN feels that it should be mandatory that if you park or tailgate on the campus that you should have to purchase a ticket to the game. Some even suggest that only season ticket holders be allowed to tailgate.
It has been suggested that our AD feels that it would be good to do something like that, but it would be very difficult to control people coming on campus....or something like that....
well, USC, which has a much larger stadium facility, seems to know how to do it....look at what they charge to park at their games:
PAY TO PARK
Gamecock Club members will pay to park for the first time since the club was founded in the mid-1950s. The fees for the season:
• $75-$595 per space, based on proximity to Williams-Brice Stadium
• $875 per RV
• $595 to keep one of 750 spaces in paved lots adjacent to stadium
• $200-$260 for one of 6,200 spaces in State Fair lots
• $420 per space in the ETV lots
Bottom line......we gotta start making the money to do the things we want to do...this is one way.....
Another way is to have apparel sales that benefit athletics, but we seem to not be able to get that together...
or online donations.....
It has been suggested that our AD feels that it would be good to do something like that, but it would be very difficult to control people coming on campus....or something like that....
well, USC, which has a much larger stadium facility, seems to know how to do it....look at what they charge to park at their games:
PAY TO PARK
Gamecock Club members will pay to park for the first time since the club was founded in the mid-1950s. The fees for the season:
• $75-$595 per space, based on proximity to Williams-Brice Stadium
• $875 per RV
• $595 to keep one of 750 spaces in paved lots adjacent to stadium
• $200-$260 for one of 6,200 spaces in State Fair lots
• $420 per space in the ETV lots
Bottom line......we gotta start making the money to do the things we want to do...this is one way.....
Another way is to have apparel sales that benefit athletics, but we seem to not be able to get that together...
or online donations.....
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE "DOG HOUSE" FOR GETTING ITS 500TH MEMBER!!
Click the link above to join
We have tried to tell everyone. There is a whole world of SCSU fans, alumni, friends, etc, who want information on SCSU, whether it be athletics or academics. We want to know whats going on. We want to talk about whats going on with other alumni and friends. That is what BNN and the Dog House are all about. BNN has been around for almost 2 years. The Dog House has been around for about 6 months. BNN is already being read by thousands of people everyday. The Dog House, it its brief existence, has already gotten its 500th member. This should prove to SCSU that there is a viable community of people out there all over the nation who care about SCSU, and could possible even give funds to SCSU. All they want is information. Information that for so long, they could not get without these 2 websites.
It really makes a statement that there are possible more people who are members of the Dog House than there are members of the STATE Club. We cant confirm that because we don't have the updated STATE Club numbers. But we will get them. Between BNN and the Dog House, we have members who are SCSU students, former students, Orangeburg and area residents, as well as SCSU employees. We also have members in almost every state, and even some military members in Europe and even AFGHANISTAN!
SCSU would be wise to acknowledge this movement, and use the momentum to help the school grow. Both of these websites emerged because of a percieved lack of news coming out of our Public Relations department. Too many times, one or both of these sites have had SCSU news out before the school did. We have proven examples of how research done by BNN and Dog House members have even led to articles written on SCSU.edu.
We wont give examples to protect our sources, but please believe that between BNN and the Dog House, you are getting THE MOST UPDATED NEWS ON SCSU!!!!
Of course, when we see a story on scsu.edu that we have not posted, we will copy it and post it, because we know, and can prove, that there are many many SCSU alumni and friends who don't read scsu.edu, and come to the Dog House and BNN as their sole source of news. We credit SCSU when we copy and paste their articles.....
Anyway, we want to congratulate the Dog House (All BNN authors are members) and we are sure that the momentum created by these sites will only grow stronger. What was once just a few SCSU alumni fiending for news has grown into a full staff of people at BNN, and hundreds of contributors in the Dog House!
There is no stopping us now!!!!
We have tried to tell everyone. There is a whole world of SCSU fans, alumni, friends, etc, who want information on SCSU, whether it be athletics or academics. We want to know whats going on. We want to talk about whats going on with other alumni and friends. That is what BNN and the Dog House are all about. BNN has been around for almost 2 years. The Dog House has been around for about 6 months. BNN is already being read by thousands of people everyday. The Dog House, it its brief existence, has already gotten its 500th member. This should prove to SCSU that there is a viable community of people out there all over the nation who care about SCSU, and could possible even give funds to SCSU. All they want is information. Information that for so long, they could not get without these 2 websites.
It really makes a statement that there are possible more people who are members of the Dog House than there are members of the STATE Club. We cant confirm that because we don't have the updated STATE Club numbers. But we will get them. Between BNN and the Dog House, we have members who are SCSU students, former students, Orangeburg and area residents, as well as SCSU employees. We also have members in almost every state, and even some military members in Europe and even AFGHANISTAN!
SCSU would be wise to acknowledge this movement, and use the momentum to help the school grow. Both of these websites emerged because of a percieved lack of news coming out of our Public Relations department. Too many times, one or both of these sites have had SCSU news out before the school did. We have proven examples of how research done by BNN and Dog House members have even led to articles written on SCSU.edu.
We wont give examples to protect our sources, but please believe that between BNN and the Dog House, you are getting THE MOST UPDATED NEWS ON SCSU!!!!
Of course, when we see a story on scsu.edu that we have not posted, we will copy it and post it, because we know, and can prove, that there are many many SCSU alumni and friends who don't read scsu.edu, and come to the Dog House and BNN as their sole source of news. We credit SCSU when we copy and paste their articles.....
Anyway, we want to congratulate the Dog House (All BNN authors are members) and we are sure that the momentum created by these sites will only grow stronger. What was once just a few SCSU alumni fiending for news has grown into a full staff of people at BNN, and hundreds of contributors in the Dog House!
There is no stopping us now!!!!
SCSU picked 8th in MEAC preseason volleyball poll
From the MEAC sports information office:
Florida A&M, the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball champion, was picked as the preseason favorite for the third consecutive year to win the 2007 MEAC women's volleyball title as voted by the leagues’ Head Volleyball Coaches and Sports Information Directors.
The Lady Rattlers, who received 21 of 22 first-place votes, earned 460 total points. Florida A&M heads into the 2007 season vying for its seventh consecutive MEAC title and tenth overall. The Lady Rattlers currently have a 91-match win streak against MEAC opponents and have advanced to seven NCAA postseason appearances.
Morgan State finished second behind the Rattlers in the preseason poll with one first place vote and 408 total points. The Lady Bears were 9-1 in conference play last season and made their 12 appearance in the MEAC title match.
Rounding out the top five in the preseason poll is Maryland Eastern Shore at third (7-3 MEAC, 19-15 overall), followed by Delaware State (5-5 MEAC, 11-23 overall) and North Carolina A&T (7-3 MEAC, 17-14 overall).
The 2007 MEAC volleyball season begins August 24 with five teams competing in tournaments. North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State and Norfolk State will participate in the North Carolina Central Triad Challenge. Howard will compete at the Liberty Invitational. Delaware State will head to Springfield, Missouri to compete in the Missouri State Tournament. Coppin State will travel to Princess Anne, Maryland to take on Maryland Eastern Shore in a non-conference match-up.
Conference play begins on September 15 with Bethune-Cookman hosting Florida A&M and Delaware State traveling to Hampton. Howard and Maryland Eastern Shore will also be in action as well as Norfolk State at South Carolina State.
The 2007 MEAC volleyball season concludes with the MEAC Volleyball Championship, held November 16-17, on the campus of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.
For more information on MEAC Volleyball, log onto www.MEACsports.com
2007 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
As voted by MEAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First Place Votes in Parentheses)
1. Florida A&M (21) 460
2. Morgan State (1) 408
3. Maryland Eastern Shore 334
4. Delaware State 294
5. North Carolina A&T 278
6. Howard 248
7. Bethune-Cookman 230
8. South Carolina State 168
9. Coppin State 112
10. Hampton 80
11. Norfolk State 50
Florida A&M, the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball champion, was picked as the preseason favorite for the third consecutive year to win the 2007 MEAC women's volleyball title as voted by the leagues’ Head Volleyball Coaches and Sports Information Directors.
The Lady Rattlers, who received 21 of 22 first-place votes, earned 460 total points. Florida A&M heads into the 2007 season vying for its seventh consecutive MEAC title and tenth overall. The Lady Rattlers currently have a 91-match win streak against MEAC opponents and have advanced to seven NCAA postseason appearances.
Morgan State finished second behind the Rattlers in the preseason poll with one first place vote and 408 total points. The Lady Bears were 9-1 in conference play last season and made their 12 appearance in the MEAC title match.
Rounding out the top five in the preseason poll is Maryland Eastern Shore at third (7-3 MEAC, 19-15 overall), followed by Delaware State (5-5 MEAC, 11-23 overall) and North Carolina A&T (7-3 MEAC, 17-14 overall).
The 2007 MEAC volleyball season begins August 24 with five teams competing in tournaments. North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State and Norfolk State will participate in the North Carolina Central Triad Challenge. Howard will compete at the Liberty Invitational. Delaware State will head to Springfield, Missouri to compete in the Missouri State Tournament. Coppin State will travel to Princess Anne, Maryland to take on Maryland Eastern Shore in a non-conference match-up.
Conference play begins on September 15 with Bethune-Cookman hosting Florida A&M and Delaware State traveling to Hampton. Howard and Maryland Eastern Shore will also be in action as well as Norfolk State at South Carolina State.
The 2007 MEAC volleyball season concludes with the MEAC Volleyball Championship, held November 16-17, on the campus of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.
For more information on MEAC Volleyball, log onto www.MEACsports.com
2007 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
As voted by MEAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First Place Votes in Parentheses)
1. Florida A&M (21) 460
2. Morgan State (1) 408
3. Maryland Eastern Shore 334
4. Delaware State 294
5. North Carolina A&T 278
6. Howard 248
7. Bethune-Cookman 230
8. South Carolina State 168
9. Coppin State 112
10. Hampton 80
11. Norfolk State 50
Raysor not coming to SCSU
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Thursday, August 16, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
Scratch South Carolina State University as a future destination for former University of South Carolina defensive lineman Matt Raysor.
In a statement sent to The T&D Wednesday, Raysor's mother, Demmie, confirmed her son's plans not to enroll at SCSU. According to Demmie, the decision was based on the fact that SCSU did not offer Raysor's major at USC, African-American studies.
Had the former Bamberg-Ehrhardt standout transferred to SCSU, he would have lost a year's worth of course work and been forced to sit out this season. The family is now considering other colleges and universities which offer Raysor's major or something comparable, with Benedict College reportedly one of the options.
Raysor was granted a release from the Gamecocks' football program two weeks ago after two seasons of limited action. Highly recruited by both head coaches Lou Holtz (then of USC) and Clemson's Tommy Bowden out of high school after a senior season where he tallied 121 tackles, five sacks and three fumble recoveries and earned Shrine Bowl Defensive MVP honors, the 6-3, 313-pound Raysor tallied just two tackles in 12 games.
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.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Thursday, August 16, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
Scratch South Carolina State University as a future destination for former University of South Carolina defensive lineman Matt Raysor.
In a statement sent to The T&D Wednesday, Raysor's mother, Demmie, confirmed her son's plans not to enroll at SCSU. According to Demmie, the decision was based on the fact that SCSU did not offer Raysor's major at USC, African-American studies.
Had the former Bamberg-Ehrhardt standout transferred to SCSU, he would have lost a year's worth of course work and been forced to sit out this season. The family is now considering other colleges and universities which offer Raysor's major or something comparable, with Benedict College reportedly one of the options.
Raysor was granted a release from the Gamecocks' football program two weeks ago after two seasons of limited action. Highly recruited by both head coaches Lou Holtz (then of USC) and Clemson's Tommy Bowden out of high school after a senior season where he tallied 121 tackles, five sacks and three fumble recoveries and earned Shrine Bowl Defensive MVP honors, the 6-3, 313-pound Raysor tallied just two tackles in 12 games.
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.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Spartanburg man plans to earn Willie Jeffries a community leader national award
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Joe Farr III has a passion to get something done — and one day to do it.
His goal: help earn a national award for his hero, former S.C. State football coach Willie Jeffries.
The day: Thursday.
Nominations will be accepted online Thursday in the community leader division of the fifth Hoodie Awards hosted by Steve Harvey. The top four names based on Internet votes advance to online voting Sept. 10. The final winner is scheduled to be named at an awards presentation, emceed by Harvey on Oct. 20 in Las Vegas.
Farr, 31, believes Jeffries at least should be among the final four. Given his background, that is not surprising.
His father, Joe Farr Jr., grew up on the same street in Union as Jeffries. The two were close friends; Jeffries even once dated the younger Farr’s aunt.
“We’re practically family,” he said.
But this is more than friendship, Farr said. He said Jeffries should get recognition for non-football good works in the state.
In 2002, Jeffries’ final season as the Bulldogs’ coach, Farr, then with ESPN, produced a profile on the coach for the sports network’s “Black History Month.” The program also aired as part of ESPN’s “Sports Century” series.
Farr, who has his own production company, Trey Mojo Productions, in Spartanburg, recently listened to Harvey’s radio show on a Charlotte radio station and heard a promotion for the Hoodie Awards.
“When I heard the ‘community leader’ category, I thought, ‘Coach Jeffries deserves that for all he does at S.C. State, within the Orangeburg community and the nearby Columbia community,” he said.
Farr wants South Carolinians to go online and vote for Jeffries. He is not alone.
Willie Washington, athletics director at Benedict College, has jumped on the bandwagon. Jeffries is executive director for the annual Palmetto Capital City Classic, which this year pits Benedict against Livingstone (N.C.) College on Sept. 1.
“Coach (Jeffries) led the way for us to become a (tax-deductible) 501-C-3 event,” Washington said. “With his leadership and vision, we’ve raised close to $1 million for scholarships.”
S.C. State football coach Buddy Pough credits his former coach for helping found the Orangeburg Touchdown Club, which honors local high school players weekly and names a statewide college all-star team each season. Jeffries is working this fall on S.C. State’s season-long 100th anniversary of football.
“I don’t think ‘no’ is in his vocabulary,” Pough said. “Coach is the one everyone wants as a master of ceremonies, and he’s a wealth of historical information. He knows the old, the new and the in-between.”
Those wishing to nominate Jeffries can go to www.SteveHarvey.com on Thursday to fill out a nomination form. If Jeffries makes the final four, the vote will be at the same site a month later.
“He’s going to have to beat out a lot of people,” Farr said. “But I hope getting out the word will be an advantage for Jeff.”
Retrieved from The State newspaper. Reach Senior Writer Bob Gillespie at (803) 771-8304.
HOW TO NOMINATE
On Thursday:
Log on to www.SteveHarvey.com
Fill out the nomination form.
Submit it.
Joe Farr III has a passion to get something done — and one day to do it.
His goal: help earn a national award for his hero, former S.C. State football coach Willie Jeffries.
The day: Thursday.
Nominations will be accepted online Thursday in the community leader division of the fifth Hoodie Awards hosted by Steve Harvey. The top four names based on Internet votes advance to online voting Sept. 10. The final winner is scheduled to be named at an awards presentation, emceed by Harvey on Oct. 20 in Las Vegas.
Farr, 31, believes Jeffries at least should be among the final four. Given his background, that is not surprising.
His father, Joe Farr Jr., grew up on the same street in Union as Jeffries. The two were close friends; Jeffries even once dated the younger Farr’s aunt.
“We’re practically family,” he said.
But this is more than friendship, Farr said. He said Jeffries should get recognition for non-football good works in the state.
In 2002, Jeffries’ final season as the Bulldogs’ coach, Farr, then with ESPN, produced a profile on the coach for the sports network’s “Black History Month.” The program also aired as part of ESPN’s “Sports Century” series.
Farr, who has his own production company, Trey Mojo Productions, in Spartanburg, recently listened to Harvey’s radio show on a Charlotte radio station and heard a promotion for the Hoodie Awards.
“When I heard the ‘community leader’ category, I thought, ‘Coach Jeffries deserves that for all he does at S.C. State, within the Orangeburg community and the nearby Columbia community,” he said.
Farr wants South Carolinians to go online and vote for Jeffries. He is not alone.
Willie Washington, athletics director at Benedict College, has jumped on the bandwagon. Jeffries is executive director for the annual Palmetto Capital City Classic, which this year pits Benedict against Livingstone (N.C.) College on Sept. 1.
“Coach (Jeffries) led the way for us to become a (tax-deductible) 501-C-3 event,” Washington said. “With his leadership and vision, we’ve raised close to $1 million for scholarships.”
S.C. State football coach Buddy Pough credits his former coach for helping found the Orangeburg Touchdown Club, which honors local high school players weekly and names a statewide college all-star team each season. Jeffries is working this fall on S.C. State’s season-long 100th anniversary of football.
“I don’t think ‘no’ is in his vocabulary,” Pough said. “Coach is the one everyone wants as a master of ceremonies, and he’s a wealth of historical information. He knows the old, the new and the in-between.”
Those wishing to nominate Jeffries can go to www.SteveHarvey.com on Thursday to fill out a nomination form. If Jeffries makes the final four, the vote will be at the same site a month later.
“He’s going to have to beat out a lot of people,” Farr said. “But I hope getting out the word will be an advantage for Jeff.”
Retrieved from The State newspaper. Reach Senior Writer Bob Gillespie at (803) 771-8304.
HOW TO NOMINATE
On Thursday:
Log on to www.SteveHarvey.com
Fill out the nomination form.
Submit it.
Teens build their own PCs at SC State 1890 Extension’s TechBridge Summer Camp
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
ORANGEBURG – The 1890 Extension Program at South Carolina State University, in collaboration with Henkels & McCoy Inc., rewarded more than 60 students with brand new computers after participating in a technology-based and academic summer camp. The computers, which were completely built by the students, were given to them to take home during five separate award receptions that were held between July 24 and Aug. 7, 2007.
Rising 7th and 8th grade students from Anderson, Colleton, Marlboro, Orangeburg and Clarendon counties participated in TechBridge, a six-week summer program that introduced and reinforced the importance of academics, especially in the areas of mathematics and reading comprehension, through the use of technology. Based on cutting edge technology and trends of the future, the program’s objectives include: academic enhancement through technology, computer assembly, introduction to computers and setup, Windows XP, introduction to keyboarding, instructional hours in career exploration, employability skills training, citizenship training, and Internet Explorer and safety.
“By combining our knowledge of training programs and sound educational principles with the expectations of private sector employers, we have developed programs to help meet and exceed standards in today’s demand occupations and help youth succeed academically,” said Kal Kunkel, project manager, Henkels and McCoy Inc. “Our partnership with SC State’s 1890 Extension Program has allowed us to continue our empowerment and support of students as they move toward independence and self-sufficiency,” he said.
In keeping with SC State University’s mission of providing economic opportunities, teachers from the local community worked at the various program sites as instructors.
“TechBridge is another example of 1890 Research and Extension's commitment to taking our programs to the people,” said Delbert T. Foster, assistant administrator for Community Education and Public Service Activities. “This is our second year offering the program, and because of our efforts, 120 middle school students from across this state are now ambassadors for technology, who will teach what they learned to their peers and employ the skills gained to achieve and succeed scholastically.” “We must continue to prepare our students to become productive citizens in this dynamic global society in which we live, and bridging the gap in the ‘digital divide’ puts us one step closer to achieving that goal,” he said.
Award receptions for students were held in: Anderson County on Tuesday, July 24, at the West Community Center in Anderson, S.C.; the Hampton Cluster on Thursday, July 26, at Colleton County High School in Walterboro, S.C.; the Williamsburg Cluster on Tuesday, July 31, at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Paxville, S.C.; the Orangeburg Cluster on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at the John W. Matthews Jr. 1890 Extension Center in Orangeburg, S.C.; and the Marlboro Cluster on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at The SKYE in Bennettsville, S.C.
As the cornerstone of the historical land-grant status of South Carolina State University, 1890 Research and Extension assists diverse rural and urban limited-resource audiences by conducting research that seeks to address the problems affecting South Carolinians and offering outreach programs in the following focus areas: 4-H and Youth Development; Adult Leadership and Community Development; Environment and Natural Resources; Small Farm Assistance and Outreach; Family Life; Technology and Data Management; and Nutrition, Food Safety and Wellness.
For more information about TechBridge or the 1890 Extension Program, please contact Demier Z. Richardson at (803) 533-3664.
ORANGEBURG – The 1890 Extension Program at South Carolina State University, in collaboration with Henkels & McCoy Inc., rewarded more than 60 students with brand new computers after participating in a technology-based and academic summer camp. The computers, which were completely built by the students, were given to them to take home during five separate award receptions that were held between July 24 and Aug. 7, 2007.
Rising 7th and 8th grade students from Anderson, Colleton, Marlboro, Orangeburg and Clarendon counties participated in TechBridge, a six-week summer program that introduced and reinforced the importance of academics, especially in the areas of mathematics and reading comprehension, through the use of technology. Based on cutting edge technology and trends of the future, the program’s objectives include: academic enhancement through technology, computer assembly, introduction to computers and setup, Windows XP, introduction to keyboarding, instructional hours in career exploration, employability skills training, citizenship training, and Internet Explorer and safety.
“By combining our knowledge of training programs and sound educational principles with the expectations of private sector employers, we have developed programs to help meet and exceed standards in today’s demand occupations and help youth succeed academically,” said Kal Kunkel, project manager, Henkels and McCoy Inc. “Our partnership with SC State’s 1890 Extension Program has allowed us to continue our empowerment and support of students as they move toward independence and self-sufficiency,” he said.
In keeping with SC State University’s mission of providing economic opportunities, teachers from the local community worked at the various program sites as instructors.
“TechBridge is another example of 1890 Research and Extension's commitment to taking our programs to the people,” said Delbert T. Foster, assistant administrator for Community Education and Public Service Activities. “This is our second year offering the program, and because of our efforts, 120 middle school students from across this state are now ambassadors for technology, who will teach what they learned to their peers and employ the skills gained to achieve and succeed scholastically.” “We must continue to prepare our students to become productive citizens in this dynamic global society in which we live, and bridging the gap in the ‘digital divide’ puts us one step closer to achieving that goal,” he said.
Award receptions for students were held in: Anderson County on Tuesday, July 24, at the West Community Center in Anderson, S.C.; the Hampton Cluster on Thursday, July 26, at Colleton County High School in Walterboro, S.C.; the Williamsburg Cluster on Tuesday, July 31, at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Paxville, S.C.; the Orangeburg Cluster on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at the John W. Matthews Jr. 1890 Extension Center in Orangeburg, S.C.; and the Marlboro Cluster on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at The SKYE in Bennettsville, S.C.
As the cornerstone of the historical land-grant status of South Carolina State University, 1890 Research and Extension assists diverse rural and urban limited-resource audiences by conducting research that seeks to address the problems affecting South Carolinians and offering outreach programs in the following focus areas: 4-H and Youth Development; Adult Leadership and Community Development; Environment and Natural Resources; Small Farm Assistance and Outreach; Family Life; Technology and Data Management; and Nutrition, Food Safety and Wellness.
For more information about TechBridge or the 1890 Extension Program, please contact Demier Z. Richardson at (803) 533-3664.
SCSU Apparel Sales and Logo Licensing: What is the status?
Wanna Discuss This Further? Click the link above to go the the "Dog House"
What is it going to take to get SCSU apparel sold in stores? Is it really that hard to do? SCSU has been around for over a hundred years. BNN has been told by multiple sources that SCSU must get its logo licensed before athletic apparel manufacturers can reproduce it on clothing items. That sounds realistic. BNN insiders have also been told that the licensing process is complete and now negotiations are being held with apparel makers. What is the status of this? What is the timeline in which we can expect to be able to walk into a Foot Locker, or a Finish Line, or any other sporting goods store and purchase a SCSU hat, or a NICE SCSU shirt?! Will we always have to go to Orangeburg to the bookstore? It has been reported to the BNN staff that recently, in a mall in Raleigh, North Carolina, a BNN reader went into Foot Locker, where she saw a A&T hat, a N.C. Central hat, and Winston Salem State hat, all for sale. Is it really that hard for us to do?
BNN is starting to suspect that SCSU really doesn't want this to happen, so that they can have a monopoly on sales revenue at the bookstore. We hope this is not true. If SCSU were to negotiate a good deal with apparel makers such as Under Armor, then they would get a percentage of the sales revenue from SCSU items, which would only increase the revenue coming into the athletics department.
That would take some save negotiations by our AD......we'll see about that....
BNN is going to continue pushing this issue until we get an update from that athletics department. Or, until we see a nice SCSU hat in a store outside of the SCSU bookstore. With SCSU approaching its 100th football season, OC Dawson should be filled with fans donning SCSU apparel.
Won' be the case though....we suspect. Please. SCSU athletics department and sports information and ask about the status of the SCSU logo licensing and apparel sales. See what you find out.
All phone numbers are area code (803)
Charlene M. Johnson
Athletics Director
533-3743 (33343)
cmjohnson@scsu.edu
Brantley Evans
Senior Assoc. Athletics Director
533-3603 (33603)
bevans24@scsu.edu
Octavio Miro
Assoc. Athletics Director
536-8263 (68263)
omiro@scsu.edu
Mechelle English
Dir of Athletics Marketing & Fund Development
536-8578 (68578)
menglish@scsu.edu
Alicia Davis
Business Manager
533-3694 (33694)
adavis@scsu.edu
William "Bill" Hamilton
Sports Information Director
536-8759 (68759)
whamilton@scsu.edu
Romanda Noble
Asst. Sports Info. Director
516-4628 (64628)
rnoble1@scsu.edu
What is it going to take to get SCSU apparel sold in stores? Is it really that hard to do? SCSU has been around for over a hundred years. BNN has been told by multiple sources that SCSU must get its logo licensed before athletic apparel manufacturers can reproduce it on clothing items. That sounds realistic. BNN insiders have also been told that the licensing process is complete and now negotiations are being held with apparel makers. What is the status of this? What is the timeline in which we can expect to be able to walk into a Foot Locker, or a Finish Line, or any other sporting goods store and purchase a SCSU hat, or a NICE SCSU shirt?! Will we always have to go to Orangeburg to the bookstore? It has been reported to the BNN staff that recently, in a mall in Raleigh, North Carolina, a BNN reader went into Foot Locker, where she saw a A&T hat, a N.C. Central hat, and Winston Salem State hat, all for sale. Is it really that hard for us to do?
BNN is starting to suspect that SCSU really doesn't want this to happen, so that they can have a monopoly on sales revenue at the bookstore. We hope this is not true. If SCSU were to negotiate a good deal with apparel makers such as Under Armor, then they would get a percentage of the sales revenue from SCSU items, which would only increase the revenue coming into the athletics department.
That would take some save negotiations by our AD......we'll see about that....
BNN is going to continue pushing this issue until we get an update from that athletics department. Or, until we see a nice SCSU hat in a store outside of the SCSU bookstore. With SCSU approaching its 100th football season, OC Dawson should be filled with fans donning SCSU apparel.
Won' be the case though....we suspect. Please. SCSU athletics department and sports information and ask about the status of the SCSU logo licensing and apparel sales. See what you find out.
All phone numbers are area code (803)
Charlene M. Johnson
Athletics Director
533-3743 (33343)
cmjohnson@scsu.edu
Brantley Evans
Senior Assoc. Athletics Director
533-3603 (33603)
bevans24@scsu.edu
Octavio Miro
Assoc. Athletics Director
536-8263 (68263)
omiro@scsu.edu
Mechelle English
Dir of Athletics Marketing & Fund Development
536-8578 (68578)
menglish@scsu.edu
Alicia Davis
Business Manager
533-3694 (33694)
adavis@scsu.edu
William "Bill" Hamilton
Sports Information Director
536-8759 (68759)
whamilton@scsu.edu
Romanda Noble
Asst. Sports Info. Director
516-4628 (64628)
rnoble1@scsu.edu
SCSU wide receivers poised for a big season
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Wednesday, August 15, 2007
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Try as he may, Terrance Smith cannot contain his pride about being a South Carolina State wide receiver.
An already dynamic unit rich in size, athleticism and toughness with he, Oliver 'Trey' Young and Dustin Dubose returning, the Bulldogs added more size and depth with promising junior college transfer Phillip Morris and speed with Tron Jackson and Chase Robinson. Combine that with a strong-armed quarterback like Cleveland McCoy who's had a year to adjust to a new offense and experienced offensive line and SCSU could possibly lay claim to potentially having one of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's most explosive passing attacks.
"As far as us in the league, I think we're one of the best receiving corps in the conference," Smith said. "It's just a pleasure to play with the guys that I'm playing with right now and have them beside me. Everybody's learning the plays, learning the concept of the plays and it's starting to come together.
"I think we've got one of the best units in the MEAC," Morris said. "Everybody comes out to practice. Everybody competes. That's just makes everybody better. Having Cleve, it just amps things up. He's a great quarterback and the talent he has surrounding him, I think we have a good chance of going far."
SCSU wide receiver coach Tony Elliott is more guarded about making bold proclamations about this year's group.
"This is a very talented group," he said. "We've got some guys that can run, jump and catch the football really well. We're still working mentally to get prepared and get to the level we were at last year. But talent-wise, it's a big jump, especially the addition of Tron Jackson, Chase Robinson and Phillip Morris, guys who were sitting out last year. And then Terrance Smith and Trey Young, they've really stepped their game up starting back from the spring and carrying it through this fall. So I'm very excited about the potential we have at the wide receiver position. We're very talented, but we've got a long way to go."
As a redshirt freshman, the 6-2, 190-pound Smith provided an early glance of his big-play potential during the first half of last year's season-opener against Wofford. He first blazed past a Terrier defender on a play fake from McCoy for a 66-yard touchdown reception, then made a leaping 48-yard catch before halftime.
An ankle injury slowed the former Shrine Bowl participant out of Aiken High School the rest of the way as he finished the season with just 13 receptions. Now a starter, Smith has quickly taken the leadership reins of the receiving corps.
"I'm the motivator," Smith said. "Most of the people in the group look at me as the leader of the unit because I work so hard and I'm always first in line and just get everybody to come with me."
Like Smith, the 6-0, 180-pound Young also showed big-play potential as a redshirt freshman. Playing in all 11 games, the former four-sport athlete at Burke High School only had six catches, but two went for long touchdowns.
While Smith and Young stretched the field, the quiet but gritty Dubose led the team in receptions (18) and was known for making tough catches on inside routes and his downfield blocking. Paired with the speedy Jackson, a former state track champion at Lamar High School, Smith sees them as capable of turning short passes into long runs after catches.
Getting motivated playing behind talented players is nothing new for Morris. A second-team junior college All-American at Georgia Military College, the 6-3, 180-pound graduate of Timmonsville High School was a teammate of USC defensive twins Jasper and Casper Brinkley. Yet those rosters pale in comparison to what SCSU offers in Morris' eyes.
"This is one of the more talented teams I've ever been associated with," said Morris, currently sidelined with a hamstring injury. "We're deep at the running backs, we're deep at quarterback, we're deep at wide receiver. The sky's the limit for this team and our heart and motivation will take us there."
"Phillip Morris is a freakish talent," Elliott said. "He's a 6-4 kid that can run like a deer, jump out the gym and once he catches the football, I don't think there's a person in our conference that can tackle him one on one. Chase Robinson, he's a very explosive kid. He went down with a (foot) injury, so we're going to miss him for the beginning part of the season. But he's a very explosive kid, a very tough kid and he just loves the game and Tron Jackson, everybody knows he's a track guy who can really, really run and he's working very, very hard to learn the technique and the fundamentals to make him a good wide receiver. We gained a lot of speed and we gained a lot of ability after the catch with the new guys."
Making Elliott's job easier is the high level of respect and admiration he's held by the wide receivers.
"Coach Elliott is a hard-working guy," Smith said. "He's not just all about football all the time. He's teaching you to be a man both on and off the football field and that's hard work. It's hard being a man every day and he's a great teacher at that. He's been through a lot and him kind of understanding where I'm coming from, he can just get you on that page to listen to him. He's very motivational. He's an all-effort guy and that's what we preach around here. If we're the best, we're going to practice to be the best, we're going to try to be the best and that's how we've got to believe that we're the best."
"He's not just settling for being the best on the field," Morris said. "He wants you to be the best in the classroom, off the field, wherever you go. He's that type of guy."
More than anything, Elliott expects the wide receivers to display the same toughness and tenacity he personified playing at Clemson and growing up in Charleston.
"We play a position where we run a lot and we get hit and you've got to be tough because with the amount of running that we do and the position that we catch the ball in, you've got to be tough," Elliott said. "I stress that a lot because ... my philosophy is that we're football players that play the receiver position. We're not wide receivers because the perception of wide receivers is that they're pretty boys that don't like to get dirty and I really emphasize on every play, do your job because there's only one football and there's 60 plays so there's a lot of people that deserve to touch the ball. So on every play, you have an assignment and you've got to go out and do it and you've got to be tough in order to get down there and block for your teammates when the ball's not going to you for an opportunity."
An effective passing game can only bode well for a rushing offense which led the MEAC last season. Once that happens, Smith believes it will be a thing of beauty for Bulldog fans to watch.
"Every good running game has to have a good passing game," he said. "It has to be something like a 50/50 situation. With our running backs and with our receiving corps, it's going to be hard to stop our offense. Once everybody buys into the concept that we have right now, it's going to be lovely."
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.
SCSU runs through a workout
By SCSU Sports Information | Wednesday, August 15, 2007
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South Carolina State continued preparing for its historic 2007 football season Tuesday with a single workout – a two-hour session which got underway at 9 a.m. in order to take advantage of cooler weather.
The Bulldogs concentrated on situational kicking and also gave some attention to offensive and defensive schemes. S.C. State wrapped up the session with goalline offense and defense.
“We had a pretty good workout,” said Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough. “It got kind of hot near the end of practice but things went well overall. It also got kind of lively at the end, especially during our goalline plays. They (our goalline plays) always seem to perk the players up because either the offense is going to score or the defense is going to hold, so it creates competitiveness.”
The final few periods of the workout were conducted inside the stadium, where the temperature on the turf, according to Pough, is 5-10 degrees hotter.
“It’s always hotter on that turf,” said Pough, “but what working inside the stadium does for us is, we get quality work done and we get better acclimated to the heat.”
On Wednesday, the Bulldogs will work out twice – 8:30 a.m. and 7:10 p.m.
S.C. State will hold its annual “Meet the Players Day and Fan Fest” on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. with its second scrimmage of the preseason. The scrimmage will be followed by a Meet the Bulldogs session, a children’s fun park, dinner and a Football 101 Class designed to help women get a better understanding of what’s happening on the field.
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South Carolina State continued preparing for its historic 2007 football season Tuesday with a single workout – a two-hour session which got underway at 9 a.m. in order to take advantage of cooler weather.
The Bulldogs concentrated on situational kicking and also gave some attention to offensive and defensive schemes. S.C. State wrapped up the session with goalline offense and defense.
“We had a pretty good workout,” said Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough. “It got kind of hot near the end of practice but things went well overall. It also got kind of lively at the end, especially during our goalline plays. They (our goalline plays) always seem to perk the players up because either the offense is going to score or the defense is going to hold, so it creates competitiveness.”
The final few periods of the workout were conducted inside the stadium, where the temperature on the turf, according to Pough, is 5-10 degrees hotter.
“It’s always hotter on that turf,” said Pough, “but what working inside the stadium does for us is, we get quality work done and we get better acclimated to the heat.”
On Wednesday, the Bulldogs will work out twice – 8:30 a.m. and 7:10 p.m.
S.C. State will hold its annual “Meet the Players Day and Fan Fest” on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. with its second scrimmage of the preseason. The scrimmage will be followed by a Meet the Bulldogs session, a children’s fun park, dinner and a Football 101 Class designed to help women get a better understanding of what’s happening on the field.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Want updates on the 101 in band camp? Wanna know how large the band is gonna be this year? Click here!
Great news on the Marching 101 Band!!
SCSU to host 1-A basketball state championships again!
Road to Upper State headed to Clemson
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, August 14, 2007
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COLUMBIA – Fans of Calhoun County and Hunter-Kinard-Tyler basketball can start preparing themselves for an even longer trip to the Upper State finals.
Football fans in the T&D Region can once again reserve the day after Thanksgiving to attend the Class A championship games at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Those were just some of the items discussed Monday by the S.C. High School League during its annual ‘Media Day'. With Executive Director Jerome Singleton and his fellow commissioners in attendance, the league released the playoff information for its 14 sponsored sports and discussed plans for the 2007-08 school year.
One of the changes involves the location of the boys and girls' basketball Upper State finals set for Feb. 22-23. With the Bi-Lo Center booked for a Bassmasters' event, the eight games will instead take place on the campus of Clemson University at Littlejohn Coliseum.
A location for the Lower State finals has yet to be determined, although Executive Director Jerome Singleton indicated the North Charleston Coliseum, McAllister Arena at The Citadel and the Kresse Arena at the College of Charleston are some of the prospective sites.
All of the Lower State basketball finals were held at neutral sites last year. Meanwhile, league officials said the Upper State finals in Greenville drew a total of 11,000 fans which witnessed two-time defending Class A girls' champion H-K-T dethroned by Indian Land and eventual repeat champion Calhoun County hold off the archrival Trojans.
The state finals will take place a week later Feb. 29-March 1 at the Colonial Center.
For the second straight year, South Carolina State University will serve as host site for both the Class A Division I and II finals. The championship games for Classes 4-A, 3-A and 2-A will again take place over two nights at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Despite ending its partnership with Branchville, H-K-T will remain in the ‘big school' Division I Upper/West bracket with Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Allendale-Fairfax, Calhoun County, Landrum, Ware Shoals, Estill, Indian Land, Lewisville, Chesterfield and North Central.
North is the lone local team in the Division II Upper/West bracket, with Blackville-Hilda, Williston-Elko, Denmark-Olar and Bethune-Bowman competing out of the Lower/East division. Just like last season, a points system will be used to seed the top eight teams in each division.
The Class A divisions may undergo some more changes as soon as today as Class A officials decide where to place newcomer Hardeeville.
Up next for the SCHSL is hearing appeals for the proposed realignment set for Aug. 30. Bethune-Bowman is the only T&D Region school which has indicated it will appeal its planned move from Region 6-A to 5-A.
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
COLUMBIA – Fans of Calhoun County and Hunter-Kinard-Tyler basketball can start preparing themselves for an even longer trip to the Upper State finals.
Football fans in the T&D Region can once again reserve the day after Thanksgiving to attend the Class A championship games at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Those were just some of the items discussed Monday by the S.C. High School League during its annual ‘Media Day'. With Executive Director Jerome Singleton and his fellow commissioners in attendance, the league released the playoff information for its 14 sponsored sports and discussed plans for the 2007-08 school year.
One of the changes involves the location of the boys and girls' basketball Upper State finals set for Feb. 22-23. With the Bi-Lo Center booked for a Bassmasters' event, the eight games will instead take place on the campus of Clemson University at Littlejohn Coliseum.
A location for the Lower State finals has yet to be determined, although Executive Director Jerome Singleton indicated the North Charleston Coliseum, McAllister Arena at The Citadel and the Kresse Arena at the College of Charleston are some of the prospective sites.
All of the Lower State basketball finals were held at neutral sites last year. Meanwhile, league officials said the Upper State finals in Greenville drew a total of 11,000 fans which witnessed two-time defending Class A girls' champion H-K-T dethroned by Indian Land and eventual repeat champion Calhoun County hold off the archrival Trojans.
The state finals will take place a week later Feb. 29-March 1 at the Colonial Center.
For the second straight year, South Carolina State University will serve as host site for both the Class A Division I and II finals. The championship games for Classes 4-A, 3-A and 2-A will again take place over two nights at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Despite ending its partnership with Branchville, H-K-T will remain in the ‘big school' Division I Upper/West bracket with Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Allendale-Fairfax, Calhoun County, Landrum, Ware Shoals, Estill, Indian Land, Lewisville, Chesterfield and North Central.
North is the lone local team in the Division II Upper/West bracket, with Blackville-Hilda, Williston-Elko, Denmark-Olar and Bethune-Bowman competing out of the Lower/East division. Just like last season, a points system will be used to seed the top eight teams in each division.
The Class A divisions may undergo some more changes as soon as today as Class A officials decide where to place newcomer Hardeeville.
Up next for the SCHSL is hearing appeals for the proposed realignment set for Aug. 30. Bethune-Bowman is the only T&D Region school which has indicated it will appeal its planned move from Region 6-A to 5-A.
SCSU to host 1-A basketball state championships again!
Road to Upper State headed to Clemson
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
COLUMBIA – Fans of Calhoun County and Hunter-Kinard-Tyler basketball can start preparing themselves for an even longer trip to the Upper State finals.
Football fans in the T&D Region can once again reserve the day after Thanksgiving to attend the Class A championship games at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Those were just some of the items discussed Monday by the S.C. High School League during its annual ‘Media Day'. With Executive Director Jerome Singleton and his fellow commissioners in attendance, the league released the playoff information for its 14 sponsored sports and discussed plans for the 2007-08 school year.
One of the changes involves the location of the boys and girls' basketball Upper State finals set for Feb. 22-23. With the Bi-Lo Center booked for a Bassmasters' event, the eight games will instead take place on the campus of Clemson University at Littlejohn Coliseum.
A location for the Lower State finals has yet to be determined, although Executive Director Jerome Singleton indicated the North Charleston Coliseum, McAllister Arena at The Citadel and the Kresse Arena at the College of Charleston are some of the prospective sites.
All of the Lower State basketball finals were held at neutral sites last year. Meanwhile, league officials said the Upper State finals in Greenville drew a total of 11,000 fans which witnessed two-time defending Class A girls' champion H-K-T dethroned by Indian Land and eventual repeat champion Calhoun County hold off the archrival Trojans.
The state finals will take place a week later Feb. 29-March 1 at the Colonial Center.
For the second straight year, South Carolina State University will serve as host site for both the Class A Division I and II finals. The championship games for Classes 4-A, 3-A and 2-A will again take place over two nights at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Despite ending its partnership with Branchville, H-K-T will remain in the ‘big school' Division I Upper/West bracket with Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Allendale-Fairfax, Calhoun County, Landrum, Ware Shoals, Estill, Indian Land, Lewisville, Chesterfield and North Central.
North is the lone local team in the Division II Upper/West bracket, with Blackville-Hilda, Williston-Elko, Denmark-Olar and Bethune-Bowman competing out of the Lower/East division. Just like last season, a points system will be used to seed the top eight teams in each division.
The Class A divisions may undergo some more changes as soon as today as Class A officials decide where to place newcomer Hardeeville.
Up next for the SCHSL is hearing appeals for the proposed realignment set for Aug. 30. Bethune-Bowman is the only T&D Region school which has indicated it will appeal its planned move from Region 6-A to 5-A.
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
COLUMBIA – Fans of Calhoun County and Hunter-Kinard-Tyler basketball can start preparing themselves for an even longer trip to the Upper State finals.
Football fans in the T&D Region can once again reserve the day after Thanksgiving to attend the Class A championship games at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Those were just some of the items discussed Monday by the S.C. High School League during its annual ‘Media Day'. With Executive Director Jerome Singleton and his fellow commissioners in attendance, the league released the playoff information for its 14 sponsored sports and discussed plans for the 2007-08 school year.
One of the changes involves the location of the boys and girls' basketball Upper State finals set for Feb. 22-23. With the Bi-Lo Center booked for a Bassmasters' event, the eight games will instead take place on the campus of Clemson University at Littlejohn Coliseum.
A location for the Lower State finals has yet to be determined, although Executive Director Jerome Singleton indicated the North Charleston Coliseum, McAllister Arena at The Citadel and the Kresse Arena at the College of Charleston are some of the prospective sites.
All of the Lower State basketball finals were held at neutral sites last year. Meanwhile, league officials said the Upper State finals in Greenville drew a total of 11,000 fans which witnessed two-time defending Class A girls' champion H-K-T dethroned by Indian Land and eventual repeat champion Calhoun County hold off the archrival Trojans.
The state finals will take place a week later Feb. 29-March 1 at the Colonial Center.
For the second straight year, South Carolina State University will serve as host site for both the Class A Division I and II finals. The championship games for Classes 4-A, 3-A and 2-A will again take place over two nights at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Despite ending its partnership with Branchville, H-K-T will remain in the ‘big school' Division I Upper/West bracket with Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Allendale-Fairfax, Calhoun County, Landrum, Ware Shoals, Estill, Indian Land, Lewisville, Chesterfield and North Central.
North is the lone local team in the Division II Upper/West bracket, with Blackville-Hilda, Williston-Elko, Denmark-Olar and Bethune-Bowman competing out of the Lower/East division. Just like last season, a points system will be used to seed the top eight teams in each division.
The Class A divisions may undergo some more changes as soon as today as Class A officials decide where to place newcomer Hardeeville.
Up next for the SCHSL is hearing appeals for the proposed realignment set for Aug. 30. Bethune-Bowman is the only T&D Region school which has indicated it will appeal its planned move from Region 6-A to 5-A.
SCSU Athletics website update! BNN appreciates this update and the person who sent it.
Here is the text of a message that was left as a comment to the previous article (written today) about the athletics website. we assume that it was left by a member of the SCSU Sports Information Department staff. We can confirm exactly who sent it shortly.
Here is the text:
Good job in keeping up with SC State and the Bulldogs. One note I'd like to pass on concerning the website. ICS has a two-day window (cushio)to have the site up and running. My assistant and a rep from ICS have informed me that the
launch will not be today and will more likely be Thursday or Friday. We apologize for the disappointment but are aware of deadlines and the like. We hope the wait will be worth it. Ms. Noble will be working unti late evening put some finishing touches on the content management component
Here is the text:
Good job in keeping up with SC State and the Bulldogs. One note I'd like to pass on concerning the website. ICS has a two-day window (cushio)to have the site up and running. My assistant and a rep from ICS have informed me that the
launch will not be today and will more likely be Thursday or Friday. We apologize for the disappointment but are aware of deadlines and the like. We hope the wait will be worth it. Ms. Noble will be working unti late evening put some finishing touches on the content management component
Five questions with Willie Jefferies
By EMERY GLOVER, T&D Sports Writer | Tuesday, August 14, 2007
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T&D Sports Writer Emery Glover was able to catch up with former SCSU head football coach and the guest of honor, Willie Jeffries, at the appropriately named Willie Jeffries Jamboree and ask him five questions.
How did you first become interested in coaching?
Growing up in Union, SC, where football was really the king in that town. Our team won 92 straight games without a defeat. Of course, I was on the team that finally lost a game in 1953, but we lived that down. I guess it was just being an athlete all those years. We had a coach that we admired. I tried to emulate him. I always had great head coaches. I think a head coach has such an influence. That’s what caused me to go into coaching.
There were a few times that you were offered positions as an assistant in the NFL. How hard was it for you to turn down those opportunities?
You know, coaching at SCSU and with our team being so successful, it was too difficult to leave. I guess that is the way I’ll put it. It was more difficult for me to leave SCSU than to turn down the opportunity. The main opportunity I had was with the Atlanta Falcons and that’s one I look back on sometimes and say ‘Maybe I should have done it.’ But, with all the camaraderie we had at SCSU with everyone, it was too difficult to leave.
What is your fondest memory as head coach at SCSU?
I say this all the time. It was the year we won our first MEAC championship in 1974. That was the start of a lot of them, but that was my fondest memory.
If you would’ve never been a coach, what profession would you have taken up?
I probably would have been out here building some safe bridges, building roads and doing some water retention. I would have followed the civil engineering degree that I had because I had a job coming up in July after graduating, but I took a coaching job that was offered to me in June. So, now I probably would’ve been out here inspecting some bridges.
How do you feel about the SCSU program and the things that they’re doing?
The program is in great hands and the whole university is moving forward. Even back when Coach (Oliver "Buddy") Pough was on the team when I was coaching, I knew he had something special. He’s a very alert person. He has done a great job recruiting and I think this is going to be a great year for him.
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T&D Sports Writer Emery Glover was able to catch up with former SCSU head football coach and the guest of honor, Willie Jeffries, at the appropriately named Willie Jeffries Jamboree and ask him five questions.
How did you first become interested in coaching?
Growing up in Union, SC, where football was really the king in that town. Our team won 92 straight games without a defeat. Of course, I was on the team that finally lost a game in 1953, but we lived that down. I guess it was just being an athlete all those years. We had a coach that we admired. I tried to emulate him. I always had great head coaches. I think a head coach has such an influence. That’s what caused me to go into coaching.
There were a few times that you were offered positions as an assistant in the NFL. How hard was it for you to turn down those opportunities?
You know, coaching at SCSU and with our team being so successful, it was too difficult to leave. I guess that is the way I’ll put it. It was more difficult for me to leave SCSU than to turn down the opportunity. The main opportunity I had was with the Atlanta Falcons and that’s one I look back on sometimes and say ‘Maybe I should have done it.’ But, with all the camaraderie we had at SCSU with everyone, it was too difficult to leave.
What is your fondest memory as head coach at SCSU?
I say this all the time. It was the year we won our first MEAC championship in 1974. That was the start of a lot of them, but that was my fondest memory.
If you would’ve never been a coach, what profession would you have taken up?
I probably would have been out here building some safe bridges, building roads and doing some water retention. I would have followed the civil engineering degree that I had because I had a job coming up in July after graduating, but I took a coaching job that was offered to me in June. So, now I probably would’ve been out here inspecting some bridges.
How do you feel about the SCSU program and the things that they’re doing?
The program is in great hands and the whole university is moving forward. Even back when Coach (Oliver "Buddy") Pough was on the team when I was coaching, I knew he had something special. He’s a very alert person. He has done a great job recruiting and I think this is going to be a great year for him.
Coming Soon? Stay Tuned!
BY THE NUMBERS
South Carolina State is celebrating its 100th year of football in 2007. A look at the program by the numbers:
0
Division I-A teams the Bulldogs played during the first 99 years
1
Losing seasons since joining MEAC in 1971 (5-6 overall, but 4-2 in MEAC)
2
D-IA teams they play this season (Air Force, USC)
3
Pro football Hall of Famers (Marion Motley, Harry Carson, Deacon Jones)
4
10-win seasons, the last coming in 1994.
11
Games coached by W.C. Lewis, 10 of which were shutouts (6 wins, 4 losses)
18
Undefeated conference seasons since joining MEAC in 1971
26
Victories against Bethune-Cookman, Howard and Morgan State, the most against any single team
30
Losses against Florida A&M, the most against any single team
50
Wins under Willie Jefferies during his first stint as head coach
67
All-American nods (including DeShawn Baker and Clyde Reed in 2006)
72
Victories under Willie Jeffries, during his second stint
99
Points scored against N.C. Institute in 1926 during a 99-0 romp
109
Bulldogs who reached the NFL
168
0
Division I-A teams the Bulldogs played during the first 99 years
1
Losing seasons since joining MEAC in 1971 (5-6 overall, but 4-2 in MEAC)
2
D-IA teams they play this season (Air Force, USC)
3
Pro football Hall of Famers (Marion Motley, Harry Carson, Deacon Jones)
4
10-win seasons, the last coming in 1994.
11
Games coached by W.C. Lewis, 10 of which were shutouts (6 wins, 4 losses)
18
Undefeated conference seasons since joining MEAC in 1971
26
Victories against Bethune-Cookman, Howard and Morgan State, the most against any single team
30
Losses against Florida A&M, the most against any single team
50
Wins under Willie Jefferies during his first stint as head coach
67
All-American nods (including DeShawn Baker and Clyde Reed in 2006)
72
Victories under Willie Jeffries, during his second stint
99
Points scored against N.C. Institute in 1926 during a 99-0 romp
109
Bulldogs who reached the NFL
168
Bulldogs bust into big foes
Quest for MEAC title balanced against dates vs. I-A muscle
By PATRICK OBLEY - pobley@thestate.com
Related Content
First-team MEAC honors
ORANGEBURG — It took 100 years for South Carolina State to play an NCAA Division I-A football team.
It will take two weeks for the Bulldogs to play their second.
The Bulldogs open their 100th season on Sept. 1 at Air Force with an optimism that comes only from a team layered with experience and returning talent. The expectation of the Bulldogs’ Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference brethren is that they are the class of the league.
Thanks to a schedule that has the Bulldogs opening the season with road trips to Bethune-Cookman and— for the first time — USC following the Air Force opener, the Football Championship Subdivision will find out sooner, rather than later if the hype is legit.
Senior quarterback Cleve McCoy said it was important not to judge the Bulldogs’ centennial book merely by reading the opening chapter.
“The main thing is winning our conference,” he said. “When it comes to Air Force and USC, we just want to show those guys we can compete.”
McCoy’s purchased his MEAC-colored glasses in the wake of last year’s devastating 10-9 loss against Delaware State. The defeat in miserable weather conditions came one week after the Bulldogs finally shed their Hampton baggage with a 13-6 victory that put the MEAC in their hands.
“That might have been as good a lesson as we could ever have learned,” said Bulldogs coach Buddy Pough who is beginning his sixth season.
The Bulldogs pulverized their final three opponents following the Delaware State debacle, but the damage had been done. Hampton won the title and earned the automatic playoff berth.
“It taught us just to finish games,” McCoy said of that loss and the 7-4 season. “We completed one of our goals, which was to defeat Hampton, but we lost to Delaware State. I think we want to have fun this season, which means taking it one day, one game at a time.”
If the Bulldogs can do that, their talent and experience should do the rest. Junior defensive end Tony White said this team is better than last year’s group, which led the MEAC in total offense and was third in total defense.
“Sure, I think this is our most challenging season, but this has to be the most talented team,” White said.
Like McCoy, White’s focus is not so much on Air Force and USC as it is the Bethune-Cookman game in between. It is the MEAC season-opener for both teams and the Wildcats are still smarting from the 45-21 smackdown they sustained against the Bulldogs in the Lowcountry Classic.
Wildcat coach Alvin Wyatt fired a shot over Pough’s bow at last month’s MEAC Media Day.
“He said something about how we’re the big, bad wolf and they’re just darling dandelions,” Pough said with a laugh. “I think Alvin has played in the league enough to know the truth.”
That said, Pough acknowledged the Bulldogs might be reaching a crucial tipping point.
“We’re right at the edge of where we should be in order to turn things around here,” Pough said. “I’m real excited about what we’re doing, but I don’t want to put so much pressure of winning the conference on our players that it becomes too much.”
If the Bulldogs can prove the preseason predictions correct, then the team’s centennial celebration could continue past Thanksgiving as they try to do something they haven’t done in 60 years — play for a national championship.
The Bulldogs’ first and only crack at a national title resulted in a 7-6 loss to Shaw in 1947’s National Black College Championship
“I have to admit this is a little bit more special to me than most because I’m an Orangeburg child. I grew up on the campus, so-to-speak,” Pough said. “I’m just hoping we go out and prove ourselves proud.”
Reach Obley at (803) 771-8473.
SCState ranked 25th in Sports Networks FCS College Football Poll
Sports Network's FCS College Football Poll
Team (First-place votes) Record Points Previous Rank
1. Appalachian State Mountaineers (67) 14-1 1,771 1
2. Montana Grizzlies (3) 12-2 1,680 3
3. Massachusetts Minutemen 13-2 1,551 2
4. North Dakota State Bison 10-1 1,548 5
5. Youngstown State Penguins 11-3 1,417 4
6. New Hampshire Wildcats (1) 9-4 1,393 6
7. Illinois State Redbirds 9-4 1,227 8
8. James Madison Dukes 9-3 1,149 9
9. Northern Iowa Panthers 7-4 1,141 17
10. McNeese State Cowboys 7-5 1,059 21
11. Furman Paladins 8-4 1,058 12
12. Southern Illinois Salukis 9-4 935 7
13. Portland State Vikings 7-4 866 19
14. Wofford Terriers 7-4 810 23
15. Cal Poly Mustangs 7-4 719 16
16. Hampton Pirates 10-2 567 11
17. Eastern Illinois Panthers 8-5 546 15
18. Sam Houston State Bearkats 6-5 352 NR
19. Delaware Blue Hens 5-6 340 NR
20. South Dakota State Jackrabbits 7-4 336 22
21. Montana State Bobcats 8-5 332 10
22. Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks 9-3 300 13
23. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 9-3 272 14
24. Yale Bulldogs 8-2 166 25
25. South Carolina State Bulldogs 7-4 133 NR
Others receiving votes: Princeton 130, Towson 111, San Diego 95, Central Arkansas 94, Lafayette 90, Stephen F. Austin 80, Lehigh 77, Georgia Southern 59, Northern Arizona 58, UC Davis 55, Alabama A&M 54, Liberty 45, Delaware State
Team (First-place votes) Record Points Previous Rank
1. Appalachian State Mountaineers (67) 14-1 1,771 1
2. Montana Grizzlies (3) 12-2 1,680 3
3. Massachusetts Minutemen 13-2 1,551 2
4. North Dakota State Bison 10-1 1,548 5
5. Youngstown State Penguins 11-3 1,417 4
6. New Hampshire Wildcats (1) 9-4 1,393 6
7. Illinois State Redbirds 9-4 1,227 8
8. James Madison Dukes 9-3 1,149 9
9. Northern Iowa Panthers 7-4 1,141 17
10. McNeese State Cowboys 7-5 1,059 21
11. Furman Paladins 8-4 1,058 12
12. Southern Illinois Salukis 9-4 935 7
13. Portland State Vikings 7-4 866 19
14. Wofford Terriers 7-4 810 23
15. Cal Poly Mustangs 7-4 719 16
16. Hampton Pirates 10-2 567 11
17. Eastern Illinois Panthers 8-5 546 15
18. Sam Houston State Bearkats 6-5 352 NR
19. Delaware Blue Hens 5-6 340 NR
20. South Dakota State Jackrabbits 7-4 336 22
21. Montana State Bobcats 8-5 332 10
22. Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks 9-3 300 13
23. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 9-3 272 14
24. Yale Bulldogs 8-2 166 25
25. South Carolina State Bulldogs 7-4 133 NR
Others receiving votes: Princeton 130, Towson 111, San Diego 95, Central Arkansas 94, Lafayette 90, Stephen F. Austin 80, Lehigh 77, Georgia Southern 59, Northern Arizona 58, UC Davis 55, Alabama A&M 54, Liberty 45, Delaware State
Raysor's transfer is a no-go!
Former USC defensive lineman Matt Raysor lacks a sufficient number of transferable credits to be accepted into S.C. State. As a result, he's looking at attending Alabama State or Benedict College in Columbia, S.C.
The Day Has Come: SCSU New Athletics Website Scheduled To Debut Tomorrow (8/15/07)
Several BNN readers were told by SCSU sports information, that the new SCSU athletics website would debut tomorrow. If you go to the site, there is even a trailer on the site that says the new site will be up on the 15th. All we have asked for is that either the site go up tomorrow, OR that we get astatus report as to why it wont't go up. Thats all we really want. Accountability. Do what you say you will do, or explain why it didn't happen. Believe me, we understand things happen and schedules slip. If that site wasn't going up tomorrow, then SCSU has had ample time to let us know that. So we expect a sitre up tomorrow. BNN readers want a site up tomorrow.
We have been criticized by some, saying that we are too hard on our AD, and we have "unrealistic expectations". No, we do not. We expect her to do what she says she will do.
We'll see tomorrow.
We have been criticized by some, saying that we are too hard on our AD, and we have "unrealistic expectations". No, we do not. We expect her to do what she says she will do.
We'll see tomorrow.
SC State Monday Practice Report
SC State Sports Information
Published August 13, 2007
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South Carolina State resumed preseason drills Monday with two workouts, both of which were very productive, according to Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough.
SC State held an 8:30 a.m. practice and came back for an evening session at 7 p.m.
In the morning workout, the Bulldogs devoted a good bit of time on situational drills, including short yardage and goal line.
“I thought our guys did a great job in both our workouts,” Pough said. “Our second (evening) session was very lively with a lot of enthusiasm. The players seem to be improving each day. We still have a long way to go, but I like the fact that we are executing much better.
“We really got some great play from the defense,” continued Pough. “They practiced hard and really showed up big today (Monday).”
Safety Marshall McFadden, who has started all 22 games during his career, and defensive lineman James Simmons drew praise from Pough, as did quarterback Cleveland McCoy, who is slated to start for a third straight year.
SC State will conduct only one practice Tuesday, beginning at 9 a.m.
Pough noted some changes in the team’s schedule for Saturday when SC State will conduct its “Meet the Players Day and Fan Fest,” and have a scrimmage.
The team’s second scheduled scrimmage has been moved up to 9 a.m. from 2 p.m., and the “Football 101” class for ladies will be held at 2 p.m. instead of 9:30 a.m. The 12 noon session with the players remains unchanged, according to Pough
Published August 13, 2007
Article Options
South Carolina State resumed preseason drills Monday with two workouts, both of which were very productive, according to Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough.
SC State held an 8:30 a.m. practice and came back for an evening session at 7 p.m.
In the morning workout, the Bulldogs devoted a good bit of time on situational drills, including short yardage and goal line.
“I thought our guys did a great job in both our workouts,” Pough said. “Our second (evening) session was very lively with a lot of enthusiasm. The players seem to be improving each day. We still have a long way to go, but I like the fact that we are executing much better.
“We really got some great play from the defense,” continued Pough. “They practiced hard and really showed up big today (Monday).”
Safety Marshall McFadden, who has started all 22 games during his career, and defensive lineman James Simmons drew praise from Pough, as did quarterback Cleveland McCoy, who is slated to start for a third straight year.
SC State will conduct only one practice Tuesday, beginning at 9 a.m.
Pough noted some changes in the team’s schedule for Saturday when SC State will conduct its “Meet the Players Day and Fan Fest,” and have a scrimmage.
The team’s second scheduled scrimmage has been moved up to 9 a.m. from 2 p.m., and the “Football 101” class for ladies will be held at 2 p.m. instead of 9:30 a.m. The 12 noon session with the players remains unchanged, according to Pough
Sunday, August 12, 2007
McCoy the Alpha Dog
McCoy the Alpha Dog
By Charles Bennett (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Former Baptist Hill standout the star of what coach says is S.C. State's most talented team in years
Mic Smith
The Post and Courier
Quarterback Cleveland McCoy
ORANGEBURG — His picture graces the cover of the South Carolina State media guide in this, the Bulldogs' centennial season, and his coach thinks he'll have a chance at playing in the NFL if he has a good year.
Quarterback Cleveland McCoy knows what's at stake but doesn't dwell on it.
"I think about it, but I try to take it day-by-day," said McCoy, a senior from Hollywood. "If you don't, it's going to go by so fast. I want to enjoy this season."
The former Baptist Hill standout plans to savor every moment of what he hopes will be a banner season, even in these days of practicing in the brutal August heat.
It could be a special season for both McCoy and the Bulldogs. Coach Buddy Pough
believes this team, his sixth at South Carolina State, is his most talented.
"We've got some depth all over this team," Pough said. "In the past, we've had a player or two, but we weren't very deep anywhere. And I think our guys have bought into the off-season stuff so that we're a much better football team. I think it is definitely the most talent we've had."
Even so, for the Bulldogs to have a big year and challenge for a MEAC title, McCoy needs to have a big year. Pough believes he is poised to do just that.
"I think Cleve is at the point where he's ready to blossom and really play well," Pough said. "We look for him to have a big year. I'd like to see him have a shot to play at the next level. Scouts come in here and ask 'What can he play?' I say, 'Heck, he can play quarterback.' So I'm hoping he'll have a great year this year because I really would like to see him have some other opportunities."
McCoy is entering his third season as the Bulldogs' starter, although he also started several games as a red-shirt freshman.
In 29 games at South Carolina State, he has completed 208 of 387 passes (53.7 percent) for 2,981 yards, 23 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He has rushed for 1,096 yards and 12 touchdowns on 282 carries.
Pough says versatility and great football instincts are the attributes that make McCoy a special talent.
"He's a big guy who can run and throw," Pough said. "He's tough. He's the kind of guy you don't worry about when things don't go as planned. He's got great improvisational skills. He's about as good a player athletically at quarterback as you're going to find."
McCoy's best year thus far was his sophomore season when he earned all-conference honors by completing 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,692 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Last year, his numbers dipped, partially because McCoy struggled a bit with the more complex offensive system Pough decided to use.
"We took a chance in re-doing our offense and the method we used for calling plays," Pough said. "I think it set him back some, but I think he understood it was something we had to do to get better. Now we've gotten that done. We don't have those problems now. All that's behind us and I'm looking forward to seeing just what we can do now that he's really comfortable with what we're doing.""
McCoy says he's ready to show what he can do. Most of all, he's ready to win.
"I just want to have a good season," he said. "I want to limit my turnovers and to just be a productive quarterback. That's the key to winning games. This is my last season. I don't want to miss even one practice."
Reach Charles Bennett at cbennett@postandcourier.com.
Heat shortens scrimmage as Pough unveils Bulldogs
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Sunday, August 12, 2007
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Center Raymond “Duck” Harrison insisted Saturday practicing through unforgiving temperatures during the recent heat wave in Orangeburg can only help the South Carolina State football team.
“Playing in heat will make you a little more mentally tough because you’ve got to push through it,” he said. “When we go to Colorado (the Sept. 1 season-opener against Air Force), the altitude they say makes it tougher to breathe. So I feel like if we can breathe in this heat, with the heat index showing 110, 115, it makes it a little easier for us.”
Yet even “Bulldog Tenacity” has its limits for head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough when it comes to the safety of the players. Saturday’s planned first full-fledged scrimmage at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium was cut short after just 50 plays.
“It’ s the hottest I’ve ever seen in my whole life,” he said. “In 32 going on 33 years (of football), the hottest I’ve ever seen it.”
The sight of heavily perspiring assistant coaches and equally drained players resting in the lockerroom was prevalent following the abbreviated scrimmage. With the artificial grass only augmenting the already high temperatures and making the playing conditions even more difficult, Pough had seen enough and ended the scrimmage after close to an hour.
“Logistically, I guess I should have probably moved it back,” he said. “I couldn’t figure out how to after we scheduled it and all the stuff we put into it, but it was just too hot. After I got into it and saw the effect it was having on our kids, under the circumstances, I just thought it was time to stop.”
Quarterbacks Cleveland McCoy and freshmen Malcolm Long and Dewain Clark all took turns against the first- and second-team defenses starting from the 30-yard line. Both Long and Clark were constantly under harassment by the defense and had little or no success leading the offense past midfield.
Meanwhile, McCoy orchestrated the offense’s lone scoring drive which was dominated by running back Jonathan Woods, who’s making his return after redshirting last season. The Texas native started the scoring drive with the best play of the scrimmage. After the defense initially contained his progress to the left, Woods cut back and turned upfield to his right for a 29-yard scamper. Woods then added two more tough runs of six and 12 yards to set up a seven-yard touchdown run by Jo Jo McFadden. The Fairfield Central product burst into the middle and broke away from several tacklers enroute to the endzone.
“Jo Jo McFadden has had a really good preseason,” Pough said. “Woods has done good, so we’re still pretty good in the running back position. Our first group did some things. Defensively, it looks like we’ll be OK. It just shows that the possibilities are there. We just haven’t done enough yet to be sure of what we can possibly do.“
Running back Will Ford was not active as he rested his sore hamstring. Wide receiver Phillip Morris was also out of action with a hamstring injury, while newcomer Chase Robinson will miss 1-2 months while recovering from a broken foot suffered last week, according to receivers coach Tony Elliott.
By shifting around the schedule holding earlier morning practices and later afternoon practices during two-a-days, Pough hopes to make the “Dog Days” more workable for his team.
“We’re going to have to figure how to go at night or something,” Pough said. “I don’t know how that affects us overall when we have to actually go out and play but we’re going to have to move around our schedule some because under these conditions, it’s too big a chance with our kids.”
The mood was very much upbeat hours earlier as the Bulldogs took their team picture and met with the media. To a man and coach, the objective
for the season remains winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
“We’ve got to win our league,” Pough said. “We want to play good, we want to compete against the Air Forces and South Carolinas. What you do is you go in and want to play pretty much respectable and just kind of let the chips fall. If we go in and we play decent and we get beat, then I feel like we’ve done our best. I don’t want to go in and allow that game to be more than it is and then go back and lose the Bethune-Cookman game (Sept. 8). So we’ve been emphasizing the Bethune (Cookman) game.”
“The main thing for this season is just to finish,” McCoy said. “We completed one of our goals last season and that was to beat Hampton and then we lost the following week to Delaware State. The main thing is to finish each game and go out there and play every game hard because you never know what the outcome will be.”
“I expect to be undefeated,” said wide receiver Terrance Smith. “As a matter of fact, that’s every team’s expectations. But if we come short of that goal, I want to be darn near close. Right now, we’re just trying to focus on the little things. Learning the plays, learning the motions. When it comes to us being undefeated, all of that is going to come. We’re trying to be champions and to be a champion, you’ve got to practice to be a champion. You’ve got to walk like a champion. You’ve got to think like a champion. And that’s what we’re trying to buy into that concept right now.”
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.
SC State Saturday Practice Report
South Carolina State’s first scrimmage of the preseason was cut short Saturday as temperatures continued to soar. The Bulldogs had planned to conduct a one hundred (100)-play scrimmage, but headed to the locker room about half-way through the workout which started at 2 p.m.
“We just determined it was too hot,” said head coach Buddy Pough. “It was obvious after awhile that the conditions were taking a toll on our players. “Logistically, we should have considered moving it back a little, and we may have to adjust our schedule even if it pushes us back a bit because we need to protect our players.”
SC State got in fifty-two of the scheduled 100 plays and Pough said he saw some good things from his players.
“In the few plays that we did get in,” said Pough, “I saw some bright spots. I think we are definitely going to be okay at running back. JoJo (McFadden) looked really good and (Jonathan) Woods ran hard.
“I also thought Cleve (McCoy) did a good job at quarterback,” Pough continued. “He didn’t throw the ball great, but overall did well. I think we are also going to be fine up front (on offensive line).”
McCoy directed the only scoring drive of the day, moving the team 70 yards in seven plays, with McFadden getting the score from seven yards out. Woods started the drive with a 29-yard run.
Prior to the scoring drive, the defense had stopped the offense on seven consecutive drives.
“The defense did a good job” said Pough. “They made it hard for the offense to run the ball. The first team defense was especially impressive.”
Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs held their “Media Day.”
SC State will take a break from practice Sunday, with only meetings scheduled. The team will resume its workout schedule Monday with an 8:30 a.m. practice and a 6:50 p.m. workout.
“We just determined it was too hot,” said head coach Buddy Pough. “It was obvious after awhile that the conditions were taking a toll on our players. “Logistically, we should have considered moving it back a little, and we may have to adjust our schedule even if it pushes us back a bit because we need to protect our players.”
SC State got in fifty-two of the scheduled 100 plays and Pough said he saw some good things from his players.
“In the few plays that we did get in,” said Pough, “I saw some bright spots. I think we are definitely going to be okay at running back. JoJo (McFadden) looked really good and (Jonathan) Woods ran hard.
“I also thought Cleve (McCoy) did a good job at quarterback,” Pough continued. “He didn’t throw the ball great, but overall did well. I think we are also going to be fine up front (on offensive line).”
McCoy directed the only scoring drive of the day, moving the team 70 yards in seven plays, with McFadden getting the score from seven yards out. Woods started the drive with a 29-yard run.
Prior to the scoring drive, the defense had stopped the offense on seven consecutive drives.
“The defense did a good job” said Pough. “They made it hard for the offense to run the ball. The first team defense was especially impressive.”
Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs held their “Media Day.”
SC State will take a break from practice Sunday, with only meetings scheduled. The team will resume its workout schedule Monday with an 8:30 a.m. practice and a 6:50 p.m. workout.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
SCSU facing the "Dog Days of Summer" head on
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Saturday, August 11, 2007
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Practicing in record-setting, triple-digit temperatures has had the South Carolina State football team literally experiencing the "Dog Days of Summer."
Yet even in the face of unrelenting heat and the start of two-a-day practices on Friday, the Bulldog players pressed on in their preparation with a 2-1/2-hour morning session and an abbreviated 70-minute evening session.
“It’s hot, but our guys are showing some toughness,” S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough said. “I’m really proud of the fact that our guys continue to fight through it. Now, we’re not as sharp as we need to be and we still depth-wise struggle a little bit. But, by and large, the majority of them are doing OK and I’m happy for the fact that our guys seem really into it.”
Pough credited the summer workouts coordinated by strength and conditioning coach Thomas Stallworth for helping the Bulldogs report to training camp in the best condition he’s seen since his arrival in 2002.
“The summer workouts is what gives us the ability to continue to work under these conditions,” Pough said. “I’ve got to thank our administration for making it possible for us to have the availability of our guys being able to be here over the summer because otherwise, we would be in a world of trouble right now.”
Friday marked the fifth consecutive day of 100 degree-plus temperatures in Orangeburg. Despite the unprecedented torrid weather, it’s no sweat for 6-2, 295-pound defensive tackle Matt Key.
"It’s worth it,” he said. “It’s making us better. It’s making us better and tougher, so that’s not so bad."
Larger linemen like 6-3, 350-pound senior offensive lineman Derrell Pringle also seem to handle the hot conditions as well as the smaller skilled players. He said the summer workouts have helped drastically reduce the number of heat casualties from seasons past.
“It’s hard, but everybody is out here working,” Pringle said. “We’ve been working out here during the summer. Our conditioning coach has us right. It’s hard but we’ll get through it.”
The Bulldogs have not been totally immune from ailments caused by the hot temperatures. Running back and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year Will Ford was still favoring his sore hamstring after a long run late in practice. Wide receiver Phillip Morris was out of action as he stood on the sidelines holding a crutch, and defensive backs Markee Hamlin and Laquinn Ellerbee are also dealing with hamstring problems, while freshman defensive back Devonne Quattlebaum was nursing a pulled groin.
“You get some weakness of the muscle tissue when you’re putting them through these kinds of situations, but they’re doing OK,” Pough said.
In staying proactive in preventing heat injuries, SCSU has a large tented area set up on the practice field sidelines filled with plenty of water bottles and cooling fans. Pough has also increased the length of the break periods in practice while shortening the practice time.
Regardless of the conditions, Pringle believes the hard work the Bulldogs put in will pay off during the regular season.
“You don’t ever want to come out there (in hot temperatures), but it’s going to pay off in the long run,” he said. “We’ve got to do it. To be where we want to get at, we’ve got to come out here and do it. That way, we’ll have the mindset that we’re going to do it. So we come out and work through it.”
SCSU will hold its first scrimmage Saturday at 2 p.m. after conducting media day starting at 9 a.m. The scrimmage will be open to the public. However, all subsequent scrimmages will be closed, according to Pough.
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.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Greenville Tech, SC State and other SC HBCUs sign agreement
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Greenville Technical College and six of the state’s historically black colleges and universities signed an agreement today establishing closer ties and easier transfer opportunities. The agreement provides a stronger Upstate presence for Allen University, Benedict College, Claflin University, Morris College, and Voorhees College while adding to the presence of South Carolina State University, which has been involved with Upstate students for many years through the University Center of Greenville.
This articulation agreement creates a seamless transition between Greenville Tech and the four-year colleges. Prescribed courses taken at Greenville Tech will be accepted by the four-year destinations, so the process is smooth and efficient.
Students can also save money on basic courses at Greenville Tech, where tuition and fees for Fall Semester can be reduced to $781 for Greenville County residents studying full time and qualifying for lottery tuition assistance
Greenville Technical College and six of the state’s historically black colleges and universities signed an agreement today establishing closer ties and easier transfer opportunities. The agreement provides a stronger Upstate presence for Allen University, Benedict College, Claflin University, Morris College, and Voorhees College while adding to the presence of South Carolina State University, which has been involved with Upstate students for many years through the University Center of Greenville.
This articulation agreement creates a seamless transition between Greenville Tech and the four-year colleges. Prescribed courses taken at Greenville Tech will be accepted by the four-year destinations, so the process is smooth and efficient.
Students can also save money on basic courses at Greenville Tech, where tuition and fees for Fall Semester can be reduced to $781 for Greenville County residents studying full time and qualifying for lottery tuition assistance
SC State players battle through heat
By SCSU Sports Information | Friday, August 10, 2007
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ORANGEBURG – Despite one of the hottest days of the preseason, South Carolina State's first workout in full pads was very productive, according to Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough.
"It was very hot out there," said Pough, "but I thought our players did a great job of fighting through the conditions and having a productive practice. I tell you I was real proud of them. I think you can tell that this team has really got a little ‘zip' to it."
Specifically, in their first drill in full pads, although it there was not full-contact, the Bulldogs completed installation of the offense and defense and continued to focus on fundamentals and special teams.
"With the installation essentially completed," Pough said, "We now will work on cleaning up some of the mistakes being made in our execution. It's important that we work through the mistakes and sharpen our execution. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I feel we are getting there."
The Bulldogs begin two-a-day workouts Friday, with the first practice set for 8:30 a.m. and the after drill at 6:50 p.m. The morning workout will be the team's first full- contact drill.
Pough's team will hold its first scrimmage Saturday at 2 p.m. after conducting "Press and Picture" day in the morning. The scrimmage will be open to the public, however, all subsequent scrimmages will be closed, according to Pough.
Also, S.C. State said the starting time for its historic Sept. 15 match with South Carolina in Columbia will be 7 p.m.
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ORANGEBURG – Despite one of the hottest days of the preseason, South Carolina State's first workout in full pads was very productive, according to Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough.
"It was very hot out there," said Pough, "but I thought our players did a great job of fighting through the conditions and having a productive practice. I tell you I was real proud of them. I think you can tell that this team has really got a little ‘zip' to it."
Specifically, in their first drill in full pads, although it there was not full-contact, the Bulldogs completed installation of the offense and defense and continued to focus on fundamentals and special teams.
"With the installation essentially completed," Pough said, "We now will work on cleaning up some of the mistakes being made in our execution. It's important that we work through the mistakes and sharpen our execution. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I feel we are getting there."
The Bulldogs begin two-a-day workouts Friday, with the first practice set for 8:30 a.m. and the after drill at 6:50 p.m. The morning workout will be the team's first full- contact drill.
Pough's team will hold its first scrimmage Saturday at 2 p.m. after conducting "Press and Picture" day in the morning. The scrimmage will be open to the public, however, all subsequent scrimmages will be closed, according to Pough.
Also, S.C. State said the starting time for its historic Sept. 15 match with South Carolina in Columbia will be 7 p.m.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
SCSU Women's Basketball Recruitment Questionaire
Please pass this info on to coaches and prospective players in your area!
SC State acquires more tickets to Bulldog/Gamecock battle
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
ORANGEBURG, SC – The SC State Bulldogs and the USC Gamecocks teamed up to provide fans additional tickets to the first-ever meeting of the two intrastate rivals on Sept. 15 in Columbia. Through the efforts of the ticket offices at both universities, 1700 additional tickets will be available; however, certain restrictions apply and the lottery is no longer necessary as previously announced.
All Bulldog fans that purchased season tickets in 2006, as well as this season, are eligible to buy two (2) tickets for this historical contest. Those 2006 season ticket holders who have not renewed their order for the upcoming season will have until August 20, 2007, to do so in order to become eligible.
An allotment of tickets will also be available for SC State students to purchase, and any remaining tickets will be made available for purchase by the general public. All tickets are $35 each.
The 2007 season is an historic one for SC State, which will celebrate its Centennial (1907-2007) in football and play two Division I-A schools for the first time. In addition to the USC game, Sept. 15, the Bulldogs also meet Air Force in the season opener Sept. 1 at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
For additional ticket information, please call the SC State Ticket Office at 803-536-8579.
ORANGEBURG, SC – The SC State Bulldogs and the USC Gamecocks teamed up to provide fans additional tickets to the first-ever meeting of the two intrastate rivals on Sept. 15 in Columbia. Through the efforts of the ticket offices at both universities, 1700 additional tickets will be available; however, certain restrictions apply and the lottery is no longer necessary as previously announced.
All Bulldog fans that purchased season tickets in 2006, as well as this season, are eligible to buy two (2) tickets for this historical contest. Those 2006 season ticket holders who have not renewed their order for the upcoming season will have until August 20, 2007, to do so in order to become eligible.
An allotment of tickets will also be available for SC State students to purchase, and any remaining tickets will be made available for purchase by the general public. All tickets are $35 each.
The 2007 season is an historic one for SC State, which will celebrate its Centennial (1907-2007) in football and play two Division I-A schools for the first time. In addition to the USC game, Sept. 15, the Bulldogs also meet Air Force in the season opener Sept. 1 at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
For additional ticket information, please call the SC State Ticket Office at 803-536-8579.
S.C. State University Position Announcement: Human Resources Manager
Click the link above to view the official position announcement.
Jeffries Jamboree kicks off tonight
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Thursday, August 09, 2007
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Imitation is often considered the sincerest form of flattery.
In attempting to make the Willie Jeffries Jamboree an event truly fitting for a coaching legend, Orangeburg-Wilkinson head coach Reggie Kennedy looked to emulate the long-running Sertoma Annual High School Football Classic in Charleston.
"We wanted to make this one of the biggest jamborees in the state," Kennedy said. "I really got the idea last year after turning away so many teams."
With 20 teams participating in this year's event and looking to showcase and honor Jeffries' legacy to football in South Carolina, Kennedy decided to adopt a format similar to the Sertoma by scheduling 10 scrimmages over two nights. Tonight and Friday at Bruin Stadium, high school prep football games will get to see five scrimmages involving teams from the T&D Region and various counties in the Midlands and Lowcountry.
The opening night kicks off with a Class A matchup between Hunter-Kinard-Tyler and Timmonsville. H-K-T is coming off a 6-4 season under Jermaine Derricott, one of eight former Jeffries players who are serving as head coaches in the jamboree, while Whirlwinds' head coach Bill Tate enters this season just seven victories shy of becoming the fifth South Carolina high school football coach with 300 or more career victories.
Another former SCSU player coaching tonight is Allendale-Fairfax's Wayne Farmer. Fresh off last year's 10-3 campaign and appearance in the Class A Division I Lower State finals, the Tigers will face Kingstree, previously headed by O-W's Kennedy.
Two other scrimmages tonight will bring together head coaches bound together by friendship and Bulldog pride. More than a decade after working together at O-W, close friends Tommy Brown of Fairfield Central and Daryl Page of Wilson will lead their respective teams against each other.
Following the North/Cross scrimmage, former SCSU players Walter Wilson of Calhoun County and J.W. Montgomery's Lower Richland Diamond-Hornets will face off in the opening night finale.
The spirit of unity and feel of "Homecoming" will carry over into the second night of action. Among the matchups Lake Marion head coach Corey Wright returns to his alma mater to scrimmage against Edisto, lone SCISAA representative Orangeburg Prep faces Bethune-Bowman and the host team Bruins close out the Jamboree against Wade Hampton.
Proceeds from the Willie Jeffries Jamboree will go towards funding a $500 scholarship named after the Bulldog coaching legend. Every player competing for the participating schools are eligible for the scholarship, with the stipulation that they must attend and play football at SCSU.
WILLIE JEFFRIES JAMBOREE SCHEDULE
TONIGHT'S GAMES
6:30 p.m. -- Hunter-Kinard-Tyler vs. Timmonsville
7:05 p.m. -- Allendale-Fairfax vs. Kingstree
7:40 p.m. -- Wilson vs. Fairfield-Central
8:15 p.m. -- North vs. Cross
8:50 p.m. -- Calhoun County vs. Lower Richland
FRIDAY'S GAMES
6:30 p.m. -- Scott's Branch vs. Baptist Hill
7:05 p.m. -- Denmark-Olar vs. East Clarendon
7:40 p.m. -- Lake Marion vs. Edisto
8:15 p.m. -- Orangeburg Prep vs. Bethune-Bowman
8:40 p.m. -- Orangeburg-Wilkinson vs. Wade Hampton
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 TheTandD.com.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Thursday, August 09, 2007
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Imitation is often considered the sincerest form of flattery.
In attempting to make the Willie Jeffries Jamboree an event truly fitting for a coaching legend, Orangeburg-Wilkinson head coach Reggie Kennedy looked to emulate the long-running Sertoma Annual High School Football Classic in Charleston.
"We wanted to make this one of the biggest jamborees in the state," Kennedy said. "I really got the idea last year after turning away so many teams."
With 20 teams participating in this year's event and looking to showcase and honor Jeffries' legacy to football in South Carolina, Kennedy decided to adopt a format similar to the Sertoma by scheduling 10 scrimmages over two nights. Tonight and Friday at Bruin Stadium, high school prep football games will get to see five scrimmages involving teams from the T&D Region and various counties in the Midlands and Lowcountry.
The opening night kicks off with a Class A matchup between Hunter-Kinard-Tyler and Timmonsville. H-K-T is coming off a 6-4 season under Jermaine Derricott, one of eight former Jeffries players who are serving as head coaches in the jamboree, while Whirlwinds' head coach Bill Tate enters this season just seven victories shy of becoming the fifth South Carolina high school football coach with 300 or more career victories.
Another former SCSU player coaching tonight is Allendale-Fairfax's Wayne Farmer. Fresh off last year's 10-3 campaign and appearance in the Class A Division I Lower State finals, the Tigers will face Kingstree, previously headed by O-W's Kennedy.
Two other scrimmages tonight will bring together head coaches bound together by friendship and Bulldog pride. More than a decade after working together at O-W, close friends Tommy Brown of Fairfield Central and Daryl Page of Wilson will lead their respective teams against each other.
Following the North/Cross scrimmage, former SCSU players Walter Wilson of Calhoun County and J.W. Montgomery's Lower Richland Diamond-Hornets will face off in the opening night finale.
The spirit of unity and feel of "Homecoming" will carry over into the second night of action. Among the matchups Lake Marion head coach Corey Wright returns to his alma mater to scrimmage against Edisto, lone SCISAA representative Orangeburg Prep faces Bethune-Bowman and the host team Bruins close out the Jamboree against Wade Hampton.
Proceeds from the Willie Jeffries Jamboree will go towards funding a $500 scholarship named after the Bulldog coaching legend. Every player competing for the participating schools are eligible for the scholarship, with the stipulation that they must attend and play football at SCSU.
WILLIE JEFFRIES JAMBOREE SCHEDULE
TONIGHT'S GAMES
6:30 p.m. -- Hunter-Kinard-Tyler vs. Timmonsville
7:05 p.m. -- Allendale-Fairfax vs. Kingstree
7:40 p.m. -- Wilson vs. Fairfield-Central
8:15 p.m. -- North vs. Cross
8:50 p.m. -- Calhoun County vs. Lower Richland
FRIDAY'S GAMES
6:30 p.m. -- Scott's Branch vs. Baptist Hill
7:05 p.m. -- Denmark-Olar vs. East Clarendon
7:40 p.m. -- Lake Marion vs. Edisto
8:15 p.m. -- Orangeburg Prep vs. Bethune-Bowman
8:40 p.m. -- Orangeburg-Wilkinson vs. Wade Hampton
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 TheTandD.com.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
SCSU Practice Report
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
ORANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State held its first drill in pads Tuesday, working out in shorts, helmets and shoulder pads and a few players struggled a bit amid the soaring temperatures, according to Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough.
“Usually when you put on pads for the first time, it’s somewhat of a transition for the players and it may take a day or two for them to adjust. But, today (Tues.), we only had a few guys to go down. The vast majority of them fought through the extremely hot conditions and performed well.”
During Tuesday’s drill, Pough said that his Bulldogs continued to emphasize fundamentals and learning their schemes on both offense and defense. SC State also devoted some attention to two additional areas of special teams – kickoffs and kickoff returns, according to the Bulldog mentor.
“Getting our offenses and defenses installed appear to be going pretty smoothly,” he said. “We are about two-thirds of the way in getting everything in on both sides of the ball.
He added that like most of the teams around the nation, SC State was putting a lot of emphasis on kickoffs since the yard line for kickoffs has been moved back five yards to the 30, which most likely would affect the number of touchbacks (kicks reaching the end zones).
“I think a lot of teams will be devoting more time to kickoffs,” he said. “Moving the tee back to the 30-yard line could be significant, however, we didn’t get a lot of touchbacks as it was last season, so the new mark may not affect us quite as much”
Pough noted that redshirt sophomore Stephen Grantham, who is back at placekicker after missing all of the 2006 season, would be the Bulldogs primary kickoff guy, with reserve duty coming from former Orangeburg standout Aaron Haire, who is also the number one punter on the SC State depth chart.
SC State will workout in shorts and shoulder pads again on Wednesday, beginning at 3:30 p.m. before going to full gear -- but not full contact – Thursday at the same time. Two-a-day drills begin Friday.
On Saturday, SC State will conduct its annual “Press and Media Day,” beginning at 9 a.m. at O.C. Dawson Stadium
ORANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State held its first drill in pads Tuesday, working out in shorts, helmets and shoulder pads and a few players struggled a bit amid the soaring temperatures, according to Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough.
“Usually when you put on pads for the first time, it’s somewhat of a transition for the players and it may take a day or two for them to adjust. But, today (Tues.), we only had a few guys to go down. The vast majority of them fought through the extremely hot conditions and performed well.”
During Tuesday’s drill, Pough said that his Bulldogs continued to emphasize fundamentals and learning their schemes on both offense and defense. SC State also devoted some attention to two additional areas of special teams – kickoffs and kickoff returns, according to the Bulldog mentor.
“Getting our offenses and defenses installed appear to be going pretty smoothly,” he said. “We are about two-thirds of the way in getting everything in on both sides of the ball.
He added that like most of the teams around the nation, SC State was putting a lot of emphasis on kickoffs since the yard line for kickoffs has been moved back five yards to the 30, which most likely would affect the number of touchbacks (kicks reaching the end zones).
“I think a lot of teams will be devoting more time to kickoffs,” he said. “Moving the tee back to the 30-yard line could be significant, however, we didn’t get a lot of touchbacks as it was last season, so the new mark may not affect us quite as much”
Pough noted that redshirt sophomore Stephen Grantham, who is back at placekicker after missing all of the 2006 season, would be the Bulldogs primary kickoff guy, with reserve duty coming from former Orangeburg standout Aaron Haire, who is also the number one punter on the SC State depth chart.
SC State will workout in shorts and shoulder pads again on Wednesday, beginning at 3:30 p.m. before going to full gear -- but not full contact – Thursday at the same time. Two-a-day drills begin Friday.
On Saturday, SC State will conduct its annual “Press and Media Day,” beginning at 9 a.m. at O.C. Dawson Stadium
South Carolina State Women’s Volleyball Completes First Week of Practice
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Orangeburg, SC--After the first full week of practice, things are looking up for the South Carolina State women’s volleyball team, who finished with a 12-20 overall record and 2-8 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference while missing the conference tournament. The first week of practice showed promise for the Lady Bulldogs who has no where to go but up.
“I see progress in the team, they are really working hard but we still have lots of work do,” says first-year head coach Millicent Sylvan. “There is improved team unity and cohesiveness across the board and if we continue in this direction it will definitely lead to team chemistry on the court which will lead to success throughout the season.”
Sylvan didn’t mention any names, but noted that there were “three or four players who show consistency, dependability, and effort no matter how tired or what state they are in.”
Sylvan also noted that there were some players who are still trying to find their place on the team and that no matter what, she believes that everyone to can contribute to the success.
The team, which will play a 29 match schedule this regular season, opens the 2007 campaign the weekend of August 24-25 at the North Carolina Central Tournament in Durham, NC.
Orangeburg, SC--After the first full week of practice, things are looking up for the South Carolina State women’s volleyball team, who finished with a 12-20 overall record and 2-8 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference while missing the conference tournament. The first week of practice showed promise for the Lady Bulldogs who has no where to go but up.
“I see progress in the team, they are really working hard but we still have lots of work do,” says first-year head coach Millicent Sylvan. “There is improved team unity and cohesiveness across the board and if we continue in this direction it will definitely lead to team chemistry on the court which will lead to success throughout the season.”
Sylvan didn’t mention any names, but noted that there were “three or four players who show consistency, dependability, and effort no matter how tired or what state they are in.”
Sylvan also noted that there were some players who are still trying to find their place on the team and that no matter what, she believes that everyone to can contribute to the success.
The team, which will play a 29 match schedule this regular season, opens the 2007 campaign the weekend of August 24-25 at the North Carolina Central Tournament in Durham, NC.
Ford looking to avoid sophomore slump
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Wednesday, August 08, 2007
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Will Ford is a young man with great faith.
Not only does the South Carolina State running back strongly believe in his abilities and that of his teammates (calling the offensive line "the best in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference"), but last year's conference Rookie of the Year is more than confident he will avoid the dreaded ‘sophomore jinx'.
Ask the Traveler's Rest native what makes him so sure in light of off-season knee surgery and now a left hamstring injury which kept him out of action for Tuesday's practice and he immediately looks upward.
"I'm just a man that believes in the man up high -- the Almighty," he said. "I worked hard this summer and I just feel like if I put my time in, everything should fall in place."
SCSU can only hope Ford's hamstring injury -- which could potentially leave his status for the Sept. 1 season-opener against Air Force in question -- is not an early sign of the 'sophomore jinx'.
"I hope that he's going to have a great year," SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough said. "But right now, we've got a long way to go. Right now, Jonathan Woods is ahead of him. I'm hoping that somehow or another, he gets it going here. But he's probably out for maybe a couple of weeks. He may not even be ready for the first game."
With the graduation of MEAC Offensive Player of the Year DeShawn Baker, Ford was expected to help lead the running back corps. The former Class 3-A champion in the 100 meters was the 'Lightning to Baker's 'Thunder', leading the team with 10 touchdowns and finishing with 752 rushing yards. At one point, Ford was averaging nine yards every time he carried the football.
His swift moves carried over to kick returning, where he averaged 25.9 yards on 20 returns and had a 90-yard touchdown return against Big South champion Coastal Carolina.
Ford accomplished all that while experiencing constant pain in his right knee from a torn meniscus and loose cartilage dating back to high school. Arthroscopic surgery in January solved the problem, but it kept Ford out of action during spring practice.
Despite his latest injury, Ford insists this is the best he's felt physically in some time and is excited about the possibilities once he's fully healthy.
"I feel a lot better than I did during the season because I had the knee injury the whole time," Ford said. "It used to bother me a lot. So, after the surgery, I feel a lot better. I feel a thousand times better.
"They say if I ran the fastest times back then, then I should be leading anything and anybody after the surgery."
For now, Ford finds himself as a supportive observer as Brooks, Travil Jamison, Jo Jo McFadden and even defensive back Jeff Brooks get most of the carries in practice. While not 'Thunder and Lightning', Ford believes his fellow running backs are just as capable of keeping the Bulldogs' backfield in his words 'the best' in both the MEAC and Football Championship Subdivision (formerly called Division I-AA).
"We're about six deep, but all of those guys can go to any school and start," he said. "So, we compete and make each other better. But, we also work hard with each other and help each other out."
SCSU will continue acclimation practices today and Thursday before embarking upon two-a-days in full pads starting Friday.
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.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Wednesday, August 08, 2007
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Will Ford is a young man with great faith.
Not only does the South Carolina State running back strongly believe in his abilities and that of his teammates (calling the offensive line "the best in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference"), but last year's conference Rookie of the Year is more than confident he will avoid the dreaded ‘sophomore jinx'.
Ask the Traveler's Rest native what makes him so sure in light of off-season knee surgery and now a left hamstring injury which kept him out of action for Tuesday's practice and he immediately looks upward.
"I'm just a man that believes in the man up high -- the Almighty," he said. "I worked hard this summer and I just feel like if I put my time in, everything should fall in place."
SCSU can only hope Ford's hamstring injury -- which could potentially leave his status for the Sept. 1 season-opener against Air Force in question -- is not an early sign of the 'sophomore jinx'.
"I hope that he's going to have a great year," SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough said. "But right now, we've got a long way to go. Right now, Jonathan Woods is ahead of him. I'm hoping that somehow or another, he gets it going here. But he's probably out for maybe a couple of weeks. He may not even be ready for the first game."
With the graduation of MEAC Offensive Player of the Year DeShawn Baker, Ford was expected to help lead the running back corps. The former Class 3-A champion in the 100 meters was the 'Lightning to Baker's 'Thunder', leading the team with 10 touchdowns and finishing with 752 rushing yards. At one point, Ford was averaging nine yards every time he carried the football.
His swift moves carried over to kick returning, where he averaged 25.9 yards on 20 returns and had a 90-yard touchdown return against Big South champion Coastal Carolina.
Ford accomplished all that while experiencing constant pain in his right knee from a torn meniscus and loose cartilage dating back to high school. Arthroscopic surgery in January solved the problem, but it kept Ford out of action during spring practice.
Despite his latest injury, Ford insists this is the best he's felt physically in some time and is excited about the possibilities once he's fully healthy.
"I feel a lot better than I did during the season because I had the knee injury the whole time," Ford said. "It used to bother me a lot. So, after the surgery, I feel a lot better. I feel a thousand times better.
"They say if I ran the fastest times back then, then I should be leading anything and anybody after the surgery."
For now, Ford finds himself as a supportive observer as Brooks, Travil Jamison, Jo Jo McFadden and even defensive back Jeff Brooks get most of the carries in practice. While not 'Thunder and Lightning', Ford believes his fellow running backs are just as capable of keeping the Bulldogs' backfield in his words 'the best' in both the MEAC and Football Championship Subdivision (formerly called Division I-AA).
"We're about six deep, but all of those guys can go to any school and start," he said. "So, we compete and make each other better. But, we also work hard with each other and help each other out."
SCSU will continue acclimation practices today and Thursday before embarking upon two-a-days in full pads starting Friday.
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.
The MEAC is in trouble.....GREAT JOB COACH CARTER!!!
Jackson set to join SCSU basketball team
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Wednesday, August 08, 2007
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The Port City's loss is once again the Garden City's gain, specifically the South Carolina State men's basketball team's gain..
On Tuesday, the T&D learned from multiple sources that former College of Charleston center Josh Jackson has enrolled in classes at SCSU and should be eligible to play for the 2008-09 season. The 6-foot-8, 255-pound junior, who was an All-State center at South Aiken High School, left the Cougars' program in May and will have one season of eligibility remaining after sitting out this season.
Jackson played three seasons at the College of Charleston, enjoying his best all-around season as a sophomore when he averaged 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and shot 50.7 percent from the floor in 24 games to earn third-team All-Southern Conference honors.
This past season, Jackson came off the bench and played in all 28 games for the Cougars, averaging nine points and 5.1 rebounds. The College of Charleston finished 22-11 and a victory shy of reaching the NCAA tournament after losing to Davidson in the conference tournament final.
Instead of returning to Charleston to team with Jermaine Johnson, Jackson is expected to form a tandem with another 6-8 Johnson in newly-signed junior college All-American transfer Jason Johnson. Jackson's presence will also provide added size and experience to a frontcourt which is expected to have Julius Carter and Chris Miller-Williams entering their senior season and Jason Flagler, Gerald Carter and Dale Carn as rising juniors.
Jackson is the second College of Charleston product who's made their way to SCSU since new head coach Tim Carter's hiring. In June, Cougars' director of basketball operations Kyle Perry accepted an assistant coaching position with the Bulldogs and one of his first recruiting finds was Class 3-A Player of the Year Carrio Bennett of Berea, who previously visited the College of Charleston.
Bennett and Johnson will join Jesse Burton, shooting guard Wesley Telfare and forward Everett Spencer as the newest Bulldogs next season. SCSU will tip off Nov. 9 at the University of South Carolina.
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Wednesday, August 08, 2007
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The Port City's loss is once again the Garden City's gain, specifically the South Carolina State men's basketball team's gain..
On Tuesday, the T&D learned from multiple sources that former College of Charleston center Josh Jackson has enrolled in classes at SCSU and should be eligible to play for the 2008-09 season. The 6-foot-8, 255-pound junior, who was an All-State center at South Aiken High School, left the Cougars' program in May and will have one season of eligibility remaining after sitting out this season.
Jackson played three seasons at the College of Charleston, enjoying his best all-around season as a sophomore when he averaged 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and shot 50.7 percent from the floor in 24 games to earn third-team All-Southern Conference honors.
This past season, Jackson came off the bench and played in all 28 games for the Cougars, averaging nine points and 5.1 rebounds. The College of Charleston finished 22-11 and a victory shy of reaching the NCAA tournament after losing to Davidson in the conference tournament final.
Instead of returning to Charleston to team with Jermaine Johnson, Jackson is expected to form a tandem with another 6-8 Johnson in newly-signed junior college All-American transfer Jason Johnson. Jackson's presence will also provide added size and experience to a frontcourt which is expected to have Julius Carter and Chris Miller-Williams entering their senior season and Jason Flagler, Gerald Carter and Dale Carn as rising juniors.
Jackson is the second College of Charleston product who's made their way to SCSU since new head coach Tim Carter's hiring. In June, Cougars' director of basketball operations Kyle Perry accepted an assistant coaching position with the Bulldogs and one of his first recruiting finds was Class 3-A Player of the Year Carrio Bennett of Berea, who previously visited the College of Charleston.
Bennett and Johnson will join Jesse Burton, shooting guard Wesley Telfare and forward Everett Spencer as the newest Bulldogs next season. SCSU will tip off Nov. 9 at the University of South Carolina.
Canzater Scholars receive $250,000 in awards
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
SANTEE, S.C. - U.S. Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn, '61, on Saturday awarded each of the 75 Canzater Scholarship recipients $1,000, a laptop computer and a software package at the 17th Annual Rudolph Canzater Memorial Classic golf tournament in Santee. The scholarship awards for this year total a quarter of a million dollars.
"We could not have made this remarkable evening possible without the generous donations by Dell, Lenovo and Microsoft," Clyburn said. "Their generosity will make a tremendous difference as these 75 deserving students begin their college journey in the coming weeks. These companies represent the best in corporate citizenship and philanthropy and deserve great commendation for the efforts on behalf of these sons and daughters of South Carolina."
Clyburn also thanked the presidents of South Carolina State University and the University of South Carolina for supplementing the awards to the students who will be attending their respective institutions.
Dell Vice President Kevin Brown was on hand to award 75 laptop computers, and he encouraged the scholarship recipients to use this opportunity to better their future. "Each of you have demonstrated you are committed to your education. I hope these computers will make that dream more attainable," Brown said.
"I am overwhelmed by the corporate and community support for this annual event," Clyburn said. "It is all about the students, and we are truly making a difference in their lives."
Lenovo donated 30 Think Pads to this year's scholarship recipients, and Microsoft donated software packages worth $1,079 to each of the scholarship winners for the third year in a row.
This year, more than 550 golfers registered for the two-day tournament that raises money for the scholarships. There are more than 100 corporate sponsors for the event.
The Canzater Classic is a tradition that serves as the largest economic engine in Santee annually. Activities associated with the Canzater Classic, including a health fair and a spouses' luncheon, take place over three days. This year special guests, 12-time PGA tour winner Calvin Peete and actress Ruby Dee, lent star power to the festivities.
In addition to the 75 Canzater Scholarship winners, 21 other students will receive $500 scholarships through the proceeds raised at the Canzater Classic to defray their college expenses.
This year's cash and awards bring the total contributions to college-bound students to $650,000 over the history of the Canzater Classic. More than 450 students have received college assistance through this annual event.
SANTEE, S.C. - U.S. Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn, '61, on Saturday awarded each of the 75 Canzater Scholarship recipients $1,000, a laptop computer and a software package at the 17th Annual Rudolph Canzater Memorial Classic golf tournament in Santee. The scholarship awards for this year total a quarter of a million dollars.
"We could not have made this remarkable evening possible without the generous donations by Dell, Lenovo and Microsoft," Clyburn said. "Their generosity will make a tremendous difference as these 75 deserving students begin their college journey in the coming weeks. These companies represent the best in corporate citizenship and philanthropy and deserve great commendation for the efforts on behalf of these sons and daughters of South Carolina."
Clyburn also thanked the presidents of South Carolina State University and the University of South Carolina for supplementing the awards to the students who will be attending their respective institutions.
Dell Vice President Kevin Brown was on hand to award 75 laptop computers, and he encouraged the scholarship recipients to use this opportunity to better their future. "Each of you have demonstrated you are committed to your education. I hope these computers will make that dream more attainable," Brown said.
"I am overwhelmed by the corporate and community support for this annual event," Clyburn said. "It is all about the students, and we are truly making a difference in their lives."
Lenovo donated 30 Think Pads to this year's scholarship recipients, and Microsoft donated software packages worth $1,079 to each of the scholarship winners for the third year in a row.
This year, more than 550 golfers registered for the two-day tournament that raises money for the scholarships. There are more than 100 corporate sponsors for the event.
The Canzater Classic is a tradition that serves as the largest economic engine in Santee annually. Activities associated with the Canzater Classic, including a health fair and a spouses' luncheon, take place over three days. This year special guests, 12-time PGA tour winner Calvin Peete and actress Ruby Dee, lent star power to the festivities.
In addition to the 75 Canzater Scholarship winners, 21 other students will receive $500 scholarships through the proceeds raised at the Canzater Classic to defray their college expenses.
This year's cash and awards bring the total contributions to college-bound students to $650,000 over the history of the Canzater Classic. More than 450 students have received college assistance through this annual event.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Welcome home our latest Bulldog football signee: O-W quarterback Devin Frederick
This is a great pickup.....we needed a QB due to the transfer of Bryan Hardy, and we pickup a home town guy to bat. This will help us in many ways, and it is always good to keep a home town guy at home.....Hopefully, this will translate to increased attendance at games by the local orangburg community!
Hard work ahead for enthusiastic Bulldogs
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Monday, August 06, 2007
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After just one practice Sunday, South Carolina State head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough all but declared his team physically fit to start the 2007 campaign.
Whether the Bulldogs are mentally ready for the 100th regular season in school history is a different matter for Pough entering his sixth season. The two-hour, 20-minute session saw the returning and new players conduct various offensive and defensive fundamental exercises under the watchful eye of their position coaches and Pough.
“We did report in pretty good shape and our guys seemed to have a lot of enthusiasm,” he said. “It’s sad to say though that enthusiasm doesn’t necessarily translate into great play quite yet. We’re a long, long ways away, but today was a big day of individual fundamentals. We broke our special teams down. We tried to work on some parts of it, trying to get those things understood fundamentally and assignment-wise. We brought most of our offenses and defenses down, just trying to get a feel for where we ought to be ... at the start. We seem to be working at it. We just have a lot of work to do.”
Sunday marked the first time since April that the coaching staff had an opportunity to work with the players. During July, the Bulldog players took part in conditioning workouts and non-contact passing drills amongst themselves at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. The high attendance level for the summer workouts was reflected with the players’ showing in the conditioning tests held earlier in the day.
With the team’s overall fitness satisfactory, the goal over the next three weeks, according to Pough, is implementing the offensive and defensive schemes and fine-tuning the players’ fundamentals heading into the Sept. 1 opener against Air Force.
“Anytime you get the chance to work on some of those things, to work on some of the terminology and that kind of stuff, it helps a good bit,” Pough said. “But, it’s not quite the same as having a staff out there overseeing and making sure they’re working the proper techniques and steps and assignments and that kind of stuff. Although I see some of benefits, we still have a long way to go.”
At least nine freshmen signed in February took place in Sunday’s practice, including quarterbacks Malcolm Long and Dewain Clark. Both shared snaps with starter Cleveland McCoy and all had success throwing long passes to redshirt junior wideout Phillip Morris.
Other true freshman at practice were linebacker Julius Wilkerson, tight end Sean Lampkin, defensive backs Devonne Quattlebaum and Donovan Richard, wide receiver Richard Christie, offensive lineman Shenaniah Thompson and Orangeburg-Wilkinson teammates quarterback Devin Frederick, who just signed with SCSU, and tight end Jonathan Saxon.
When asked which newcomers could contribute immediately, Pough indicated it was too early to access the possibilities. However, he was optimistic about some of the players making quick progress.
The newcomer making the most “noise” Sunday was first-year defensive coordinator and former Benedict College head coach John Hendrick.
Picking up where he left off in the spring, Hendrick brought his fiery brand of enthusiasm and motivation to a receptive Bulldog defense.
Afterwards, Hendrick praised how well the defense had retained much of what they learned from the spring.
“I’m kind of a high-strung guy,” he said. “I would love for them to be high-strung players because that kind of tends to lead you to having a frenetic type of defense. I think the big thing today was we added a couple of more things that we didn’t do in the spring.
“I think we might have put in 55-60 percent of the defense (in the spring). Now, we’ve picked up about 75 percent of the defense. We won’t have everything completely in this defense until a year or so down the road. But 75 percent of it will be in for this season and there’s some things we’ll hold back because I don’t think we’ll need everything, and I don’t want to overload our guys with everything I think that’s in my mind about the defense. I’m really happy with how much they’ve retained. I’m thrilled with that, but I think we really need to get to another higher level of intensity.”
Returning players like linebackers LaTavis Henderson and Tony White, BANDIT Marshall McFadden and defensive back Markee Hamlin are the type of leaders Hendrick believes will help the defense further develop its work ethic.
SCSU will continue fall practice today through Thursday at 3:10 p.m.
CORRECTION
In Sunday’s edition of The T&D, it was erroneously reported that S.C. State held its inaugural practice in 1807, when in fact, the University’s inaugural practice was in 1907. We apologize for the error.
Avid golfer Rep. Clyburn charts a different course
By Bob Gillespie - McClatchy Newspapers
No matter how you look at it - historically, emotionally, intellectually - it's hard to figure out. Jim Clyburn admits as much.
Why did Enos Clyburn give his 7-year-old son a wood golf club and rubber golf ball for Christmas, especially since the elder Clyburn, a Presbyterian minister whose second "religion" was baseball, never played golf?
Why did Clyburn, at age 9, work all of nine holes as a caddie - the traditional route to golf for black people in pre-integration times - and then quit, never to return to a job that offered weekly access to what was then an all-white course?
And why would any black youngster growing up in the Jim Crow South, but especially this youngster, embrace a sport that traditionally banned his race from all areas other than manual labor?
U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., can't answer the first question - "I don't know why my dad did that" - and is vague about the second. "[Caddying] didn't fit my person-
ality," he said.
As for the third ... well, you might as well try to explain love. For the 67-year-old Democrat from Columbia, that's what golf is: a passion, an obsession - a love affair.
"It's so individualized, just you against the elements," he said. "I can go to a driving range, be the only person there, and hit the ball, get out my frustrations that way.
"You can be competitive and not have to rely on others. And I really do believe we reap what we sow, so I think a sport where you're obliged to call penalties on yourself ... helps mold you into a much better person."
Fitting, then, that today's 10 a.m. renaming of the city of Columbia's inner-city golf facility as the James E. Clyburn Golf Center will mark the end of a golf-filled weekend for the legislator.
Clyburn has played or will play in seven outings over a two-month span, from the July 9 pro-am at the AT&T Championship Presented by Tiger Woods in Bethesda, Md., to the "Grand Clyburn" in Tunica, Miss., on Friday - a Congressional Black Caucus fundraiser named for him - to a competition Sept. 10 pitting Republicans against Democrats, with The First Tee as beneficiary.
Many politicians shrink from the subject of playing golf. Clyburn's office issues his itinerary.
And that's just "official" golf. Clyburn said he plays as often as possible, at Fort Jackson Golf Club or Woodlands Country Club in Columbia, near his house in Santee-Cooper Resort and all around the country. He sees the game as a legislative asset.
"Golf has helped me build bridges among my colleagues on both sides of the aisle," he said. "I always say if I play a round of golf with a guy, I can tell you a whole lot about him."
Those who have played with Clyburn say golf shows him to be a fierce, often stubborn competitor who hates to lose. Even to family.
A golfing family
Walter A. Clyburn Reed - A.C. to his family - peeks into the big golf bag that belongs to his grandfather, who hits balls on the Woodlands driving range. Jim Clyburn knows what that means. "Two weeks ago, he talked me out of my Taylormade 580 [driver]," he said.
The two are kindred golf spirits, said Jennifer Reed, Clyburn's daughter and A.C.'s mother. "We have the picture of A.C. [in his crib] with a plastic club," she said. "I never had any doubt one day he would have his own clubs."
Jennifer Reed said she was exposed to golf "from birth. I don't remember [my father] not being a golfer." She was his family playing partner until she married Walter Reed. "Then I got kicked to the curb," she said, laughing. "Dad found a new partner."
Lately, A.C., 13, has supplanted his father. Clyburn smiles as he tells about playing with U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman at the Verizon Heritage pro-am with A.C. tagging along.
"We got held up on one hole, and A.C. asked [Lehman] for his driver," Clyburn said. "Tom said to me, 'Does he belong to you?' But when he saw A.C. hit the ball, he said, 'Man, he's got a lot of club-head speed ... that kid has a million-dollar swing.'"
His smile says it all: Lehman might as well have handed Clyburn a million-dollar check.
It wasn't that way when Clyburn was growing up in Sumter in the 1940s and '50s. After his father gave him his first club, "I dug holes in the yard and hit that rubber ball from one to the other," Clyburn wrote in a two-page personal "Golfing History," available from his Columbia office.
He also played on a home-built "course" at a Sumter church with hand-me-down clubs and instruction from a friend, Roosevelt "Jackpot" Lawson, who caddied at Sumter's Sunset Country Club. But when Lawson persuaded Clyburn to try caddying - besides the money, caddies could play Mondays when Sunset was closed - the experiment quickly flopped.
Clyburn implies his first and only golfer had little patience, and less consideration or respect, for the inexperienced caddie.
"The [player's] tone was ... 'condescending' would be a kind term," Clyburn said. "If I had caddied for someone more sensitive to the fact it was my first time, I might've stayed out there."
That didn't lessen Clyburn's fascination with golf. At S.C. State, he hit balls on an ROTC drill field. Later, when he taught school in Charleston, Clyburn played at an all-black course, Little Rock Golf Club. His first set of clubs came from a retired judge and friend.
He played his first 18-hole round in 1965 at Charleston Municipal Golf Course, joined by a white co-worker at the S.C. Employment Security Commission. Later, working for Gov. John West (1971-74), Clyburn found golf could advance civil rights.
One day in December 1971, West took Clyburn to play at Santee-Cooper Resort, which had a whites-only policy. Clyburn remembers the club pro's face - "he froze" - when the group walked in.
"[West] said, 'We've got two foursomes here,' and we went out and played," Clyburn said. "John West was always in his own way challenging those things. It wasn't just about me; it was about the institution of racism."
Fierce competitor
His first year in Congress, Clyburn said, he "didn't play at all."
"I was trying to figure out how to be a good Congressman," he said. But when two members of the Legislative Black Caucus discussed a charity tournament, Clyburn told them, "I know a little bit about golf."
"Alan [Wheat, a representative from Kansas] looked at me in disbelief," he said. "He was convinced he could beat me at golf," Clyburn said with a grin. "I relieved him of a lot of 'cabbage.'"
That's also the word on Clyburn from those who play with him: Golf without a friendly wager is no golf at all.
Ollie Johnson, a longtime playing partner, said the two have had the same wager for 25 years. "But he's improved faster than I have," said Johnson, 71.
The book on Clyburn's game: He hits the ball straight, not as long off the tee as he'd like, with a deft touch around the greens. "I'm the longer driver, but he's more skillful with chips and putts," said S.C. Rep. Bill Clyburn, his cousin and occasional foe. "He's very competitive with himself and everyone."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At a glance
What is the James E. Clyburn Golf Center? | The 11-acre golf center, at 2091 Slighs Ave., in Columbia, was built in 2002 at a cost of $400,000 and serves an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 players each year, 75 percent of them juniors. Clyburn, the U.S. House majority whip and an avid golfer, had the original idea for the center and helped obtain money to build it.
Calvin Peete, a trailblazer for black golfers in the 1980s, tops the lineup for today's 10 a.m. dedication ceremony to rename the City of Columbia Golf Center for U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C.
Golf clinic | Peete, a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour and two-time member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1983 and 1985, will conduct a clinic at 7:30 a.m. for youngsters in The First Tee program based at the golf center.
Others attending | Along with Clyburn and city officials, the U.S. Army Brass Band from Fort Jackson, the C.A. Johnson High Junior ROTC honor guard and the Richland 1 honor choir will appear prior to the hour-long dedication.
No matter how you look at it - historically, emotionally, intellectually - it's hard to figure out. Jim Clyburn admits as much.
Why did Enos Clyburn give his 7-year-old son a wood golf club and rubber golf ball for Christmas, especially since the elder Clyburn, a Presbyterian minister whose second "religion" was baseball, never played golf?
Why did Clyburn, at age 9, work all of nine holes as a caddie - the traditional route to golf for black people in pre-integration times - and then quit, never to return to a job that offered weekly access to what was then an all-white course?
And why would any black youngster growing up in the Jim Crow South, but especially this youngster, embrace a sport that traditionally banned his race from all areas other than manual labor?
U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., can't answer the first question - "I don't know why my dad did that" - and is vague about the second. "[Caddying] didn't fit my person-
ality," he said.
As for the third ... well, you might as well try to explain love. For the 67-year-old Democrat from Columbia, that's what golf is: a passion, an obsession - a love affair.
"It's so individualized, just you against the elements," he said. "I can go to a driving range, be the only person there, and hit the ball, get out my frustrations that way.
"You can be competitive and not have to rely on others. And I really do believe we reap what we sow, so I think a sport where you're obliged to call penalties on yourself ... helps mold you into a much better person."
Fitting, then, that today's 10 a.m. renaming of the city of Columbia's inner-city golf facility as the James E. Clyburn Golf Center will mark the end of a golf-filled weekend for the legislator.
Clyburn has played or will play in seven outings over a two-month span, from the July 9 pro-am at the AT&T Championship Presented by Tiger Woods in Bethesda, Md., to the "Grand Clyburn" in Tunica, Miss., on Friday - a Congressional Black Caucus fundraiser named for him - to a competition Sept. 10 pitting Republicans against Democrats, with The First Tee as beneficiary.
Many politicians shrink from the subject of playing golf. Clyburn's office issues his itinerary.
And that's just "official" golf. Clyburn said he plays as often as possible, at Fort Jackson Golf Club or Woodlands Country Club in Columbia, near his house in Santee-Cooper Resort and all around the country. He sees the game as a legislative asset.
"Golf has helped me build bridges among my colleagues on both sides of the aisle," he said. "I always say if I play a round of golf with a guy, I can tell you a whole lot about him."
Those who have played with Clyburn say golf shows him to be a fierce, often stubborn competitor who hates to lose. Even to family.
A golfing family
Walter A. Clyburn Reed - A.C. to his family - peeks into the big golf bag that belongs to his grandfather, who hits balls on the Woodlands driving range. Jim Clyburn knows what that means. "Two weeks ago, he talked me out of my Taylormade 580 [driver]," he said.
The two are kindred golf spirits, said Jennifer Reed, Clyburn's daughter and A.C.'s mother. "We have the picture of A.C. [in his crib] with a plastic club," she said. "I never had any doubt one day he would have his own clubs."
Jennifer Reed said she was exposed to golf "from birth. I don't remember [my father] not being a golfer." She was his family playing partner until she married Walter Reed. "Then I got kicked to the curb," she said, laughing. "Dad found a new partner."
Lately, A.C., 13, has supplanted his father. Clyburn smiles as he tells about playing with U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman at the Verizon Heritage pro-am with A.C. tagging along.
"We got held up on one hole, and A.C. asked [Lehman] for his driver," Clyburn said. "Tom said to me, 'Does he belong to you?' But when he saw A.C. hit the ball, he said, 'Man, he's got a lot of club-head speed ... that kid has a million-dollar swing.'"
His smile says it all: Lehman might as well have handed Clyburn a million-dollar check.
It wasn't that way when Clyburn was growing up in Sumter in the 1940s and '50s. After his father gave him his first club, "I dug holes in the yard and hit that rubber ball from one to the other," Clyburn wrote in a two-page personal "Golfing History," available from his Columbia office.
He also played on a home-built "course" at a Sumter church with hand-me-down clubs and instruction from a friend, Roosevelt "Jackpot" Lawson, who caddied at Sumter's Sunset Country Club. But when Lawson persuaded Clyburn to try caddying - besides the money, caddies could play Mondays when Sunset was closed - the experiment quickly flopped.
Clyburn implies his first and only golfer had little patience, and less consideration or respect, for the inexperienced caddie.
"The [player's] tone was ... 'condescending' would be a kind term," Clyburn said. "If I had caddied for someone more sensitive to the fact it was my first time, I might've stayed out there."
That didn't lessen Clyburn's fascination with golf. At S.C. State, he hit balls on an ROTC drill field. Later, when he taught school in Charleston, Clyburn played at an all-black course, Little Rock Golf Club. His first set of clubs came from a retired judge and friend.
He played his first 18-hole round in 1965 at Charleston Municipal Golf Course, joined by a white co-worker at the S.C. Employment Security Commission. Later, working for Gov. John West (1971-74), Clyburn found golf could advance civil rights.
One day in December 1971, West took Clyburn to play at Santee-Cooper Resort, which had a whites-only policy. Clyburn remembers the club pro's face - "he froze" - when the group walked in.
"[West] said, 'We've got two foursomes here,' and we went out and played," Clyburn said. "John West was always in his own way challenging those things. It wasn't just about me; it was about the institution of racism."
Fierce competitor
His first year in Congress, Clyburn said, he "didn't play at all."
"I was trying to figure out how to be a good Congressman," he said. But when two members of the Legislative Black Caucus discussed a charity tournament, Clyburn told them, "I know a little bit about golf."
"Alan [Wheat, a representative from Kansas] looked at me in disbelief," he said. "He was convinced he could beat me at golf," Clyburn said with a grin. "I relieved him of a lot of 'cabbage.'"
That's also the word on Clyburn from those who play with him: Golf without a friendly wager is no golf at all.
Ollie Johnson, a longtime playing partner, said the two have had the same wager for 25 years. "But he's improved faster than I have," said Johnson, 71.
The book on Clyburn's game: He hits the ball straight, not as long off the tee as he'd like, with a deft touch around the greens. "I'm the longer driver, but he's more skillful with chips and putts," said S.C. Rep. Bill Clyburn, his cousin and occasional foe. "He's very competitive with himself and everyone."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At a glance
What is the James E. Clyburn Golf Center? | The 11-acre golf center, at 2091 Slighs Ave., in Columbia, was built in 2002 at a cost of $400,000 and serves an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 players each year, 75 percent of them juniors. Clyburn, the U.S. House majority whip and an avid golfer, had the original idea for the center and helped obtain money to build it.
Calvin Peete, a trailblazer for black golfers in the 1980s, tops the lineup for today's 10 a.m. dedication ceremony to rename the City of Columbia Golf Center for U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C.
Golf clinic | Peete, a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour and two-time member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1983 and 1985, will conduct a clinic at 7:30 a.m. for youngsters in The First Tee program based at the golf center.
Others attending | Along with Clyburn and city officials, the U.S. Army Brass Band from Fort Jackson, the C.A. Johnson High Junior ROTC honor guard and the Richland 1 honor choir will appear prior to the hour-long dedication.
SCSU Softball: Whats going on?
We are not going to use this article to bash the softball program. The record over the past few years speaks for itself. But we are tired of it speaking for itself. When will we hear from the coach? All our other programs, even track have had articles lately about the state of the program, or incoming recruits. Why not softball, which is one of, if not the worse performing program at SCSU right now. What does the coach plan to do to turn the program around? What does he attribute the losses to? Injury? Lack of talent? What is the fix?
Sunday, August 05, 2007
From www.gamecockcentral.com
RAYSOR, WALKER DEPART: Gamecock Central confirmed Saturday night that DT Matt Raysor and OLB Dakota Walker have departed the program. Raysor attended the workout and stood in crowd.
He intends to transfer to S.C. State in Orangeburg. The I-AA Bulldogs face the Gamecocks on Sept. 15 at Williams-Brice Stadium. Walker's plans were not immediately known.
Raysor signed with USC in 2004 out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School and was considered one of the top defensive line prospects in the Southeast. He was South Carolina's Defensive MVP in the 2003 Shrine Bowl. But things never clicked for Raysor in Columbia. He played in 10 games as a freshman in 2005 and was credited with one tackle.
He intends to transfer to S.C. State in Orangeburg. The I-AA Bulldogs face the Gamecocks on Sept. 15 at Williams-Brice Stadium. Walker's plans were not immediately known.
Raysor signed with USC in 2004 out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School and was considered one of the top defensive line prospects in the Southeast. He was South Carolina's Defensive MVP in the 2003 Shrine Bowl. But things never clicked for Raysor in Columbia. He played in 10 games as a freshman in 2005 and was credited with one tackle.
SCSU Bulldogs hold first practice today
SCSU Bulldogs hold first practice today
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Sunday, August 05, 2007
In 1807, South Carolina State held its inaugural football practice.
A century later, another group of Bulldog players will take to the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium practice field today for the start of what they and fans hope will be a truly historic season.
Members of the 2007 team, many of whom spent the past month participating in summer workouts and “7-on-7” passing drills, reported Saturday for physicals and orientation. Following morning conditioning tests, the players will return to the practice field in shorts and field at 3:50 p.m. for a non-contact practice in shorts and helmets.
According to SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, who's entering his sixth season at the helm, the first four practices are all about reviewing fundamentals and getting the players acclimated to the hot temperatures prior to wearing full gear Thursday and starting two-a-days the following day.
“It's Football 101 on the first day,” said Pough, who's posted a 40-17 record in five seasons at his alma mater.
Last season, the Bulldogs started 1-3 before winning six of their last seven games. Despite having three players win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's Offensive (DeShawn Baker), Offensive Lineman (Clyde Reed) and Rookie of the Year (Will Ford) honors, SCSU again finished second behind Hampton for the conference championship and a berth in the Division I-AA (now called the Football Championship Subdivision) playoffs.
This season, the Bulldogs edged out Hampton as the sports information directors' preseason choice for the conference championship. A major reason is the return of several starters on offense, led by senior quarterback Cleveland McCoy, Ford, Jonathan Woods and Travil Jamison at running back, wide receivers Trey Young, Terrance Smith and Dustin Dubose and offensive linemen Nate Richardson, Derrell Pringle, James Lee and Raymond Harrison.
Defensively, junior BANDIT Marshall McFadden is back along with a linebacking and secondary corps with David Erby, Tony White, Laquinn Ellerbe, Markee Hamlin, Terrance Allen which showed vast improvement the second half of the season.
As much interest will be focused on the newcomers, most notably Gaffney quarterback Malcolm Long. The former “Mr. S.C. Football” arrives to Orangeburg after a heralded prep career and is competing with fellow freshman Dewain Clark for the number-two spot behind McCoy.
Other new faces of interest include tight end Octavius Darby, defensive linemen Joe Council and Sterling Blunt, wide receivers Phillip Morris, Chase Robinson, Tron Jackson and Terry Barnes, linebacker Julius Wilkerson and defensive back Devonne Quattlebaum.
SCSU opens the regular season Sept. 1 at Air Force.
-- This week’s SCSU preseason schedule
TODAY -- First practice 3:50 p.m. (shorts & helmets)
THURSDAY -- First practice in pads 3:30 p.m.
FRIDAY -- Two-a-day practices begin 8:30 a.m./7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY -- Press and Picture Day -- 9 a.m. (O.C. Dawson Stadium), First Scrimmage 2 p.m.
-- 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.
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Sunday, August 05, 2007
In 1807, South Carolina State held its inaugural football practice.
A century later, another group of Bulldog players will take to the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium practice field today for the start of what they and fans hope will be a truly historic season.
Members of the 2007 team, many of whom spent the past month participating in summer workouts and “7-on-7” passing drills, reported Saturday for physicals and orientation. Following morning conditioning tests, the players will return to the practice field in shorts and field at 3:50 p.m. for a non-contact practice in shorts and helmets.
According to SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, who's entering his sixth season at the helm, the first four practices are all about reviewing fundamentals and getting the players acclimated to the hot temperatures prior to wearing full gear Thursday and starting two-a-days the following day.
“It's Football 101 on the first day,” said Pough, who's posted a 40-17 record in five seasons at his alma mater.
Last season, the Bulldogs started 1-3 before winning six of their last seven games. Despite having three players win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's Offensive (DeShawn Baker), Offensive Lineman (Clyde Reed) and Rookie of the Year (Will Ford) honors, SCSU again finished second behind Hampton for the conference championship and a berth in the Division I-AA (now called the Football Championship Subdivision) playoffs.
This season, the Bulldogs edged out Hampton as the sports information directors' preseason choice for the conference championship. A major reason is the return of several starters on offense, led by senior quarterback Cleveland McCoy, Ford, Jonathan Woods and Travil Jamison at running back, wide receivers Trey Young, Terrance Smith and Dustin Dubose and offensive linemen Nate Richardson, Derrell Pringle, James Lee and Raymond Harrison.
Defensively, junior BANDIT Marshall McFadden is back along with a linebacking and secondary corps with David Erby, Tony White, Laquinn Ellerbe, Markee Hamlin, Terrance Allen which showed vast improvement the second half of the season.
As much interest will be focused on the newcomers, most notably Gaffney quarterback Malcolm Long. The former “Mr. S.C. Football” arrives to Orangeburg after a heralded prep career and is competing with fellow freshman Dewain Clark for the number-two spot behind McCoy.
Other new faces of interest include tight end Octavius Darby, defensive linemen Joe Council and Sterling Blunt, wide receivers Phillip Morris, Chase Robinson, Tron Jackson and Terry Barnes, linebacker Julius Wilkerson and defensive back Devonne Quattlebaum.
SCSU opens the regular season Sept. 1 at Air Force.
-- This week’s SCSU preseason schedule
TODAY -- First practice 3:50 p.m. (shorts & helmets)
THURSDAY -- First practice in pads 3:30 p.m.
FRIDAY -- Two-a-day practices begin 8:30 a.m./7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY -- Press and Picture Day -- 9 a.m. (O.C. Dawson Stadium), First Scrimmage 2 p.m.
-- 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.
Come on home Raysor....come on home...to SCSU
Matt Raysor not returning to USC football team
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Sunday, August 05, 2007
Redshirt junior Matt Raysor is not returning to the University of South Carolina this fall.
The former All-State Bamberg-Ehrhardt lineman’s future plans are apparently less clear than previously reported. In a telephone interview Saturday, Raysor’s mother, Demmie, confirmed USC had granted her son a release from his scholarship after three years.
However, while USC sports information director Steve Fink told The State Raysor intends to transfer to South Carolina State, his mother said Matt has yet to decide on his future college destination. Although excited about the prospect of seeing her son attend school approximately 20 minutes away from Bamberg, she said Benedict College and an unnamed out-of-state school have also expressed interest in Raysor’s services.
A final decision by Raysor is expected by Thursday when he’s expected to complete his summer classes, Demmie Raysor said.
Highly recruited by both head coaches Lou Holtz (then of USC) and Clemson’s Tommy Bowden out of high school after a senior season where he tallied 121 tackles, five sacks and three fumble recoveries and earned Shrine Bowl Defensive MVP honors, the 6-3, 313-pound Raysor tallied just three tackles in limited action (12 games) during his two seasons on the roster.
Last season, Raysor was moved from defensive tackle to offensive guard, where he continued to languish on the bench.
Sources close with SCSU indicate the school is “very interested” in Raysor, but it would depend on his academic standing following summer school – an issue Spurrier brought up two weeks ago in regards to Raysor’s future with the Gamecocks.
Should Raysor choose SCSU, he would become the seventh former Gamecock to play under Oliver “Buddy” Pough since his arrival in 2002. Pough spent five seasons as the USC running backs coach after leading Fairfield-Central to a Class 3-A title in 1996.
-- 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.
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By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Sunday, August 05, 2007
Redshirt junior Matt Raysor is not returning to the University of South Carolina this fall.
The former All-State Bamberg-Ehrhardt lineman’s future plans are apparently less clear than previously reported. In a telephone interview Saturday, Raysor’s mother, Demmie, confirmed USC had granted her son a release from his scholarship after three years.
However, while USC sports information director Steve Fink told The State Raysor intends to transfer to South Carolina State, his mother said Matt has yet to decide on his future college destination. Although excited about the prospect of seeing her son attend school approximately 20 minutes away from Bamberg, she said Benedict College and an unnamed out-of-state school have also expressed interest in Raysor’s services.
A final decision by Raysor is expected by Thursday when he’s expected to complete his summer classes, Demmie Raysor said.
Highly recruited by both head coaches Lou Holtz (then of USC) and Clemson’s Tommy Bowden out of high school after a senior season where he tallied 121 tackles, five sacks and three fumble recoveries and earned Shrine Bowl Defensive MVP honors, the 6-3, 313-pound Raysor tallied just three tackles in limited action (12 games) during his two seasons on the roster.
Last season, Raysor was moved from defensive tackle to offensive guard, where he continued to languish on the bench.
Sources close with SCSU indicate the school is “very interested” in Raysor, but it would depend on his academic standing following summer school – an issue Spurrier brought up two weeks ago in regards to Raysor’s future with the Gamecocks.
Should Raysor choose SCSU, he would become the seventh former Gamecock to play under Oliver “Buddy” Pough since his arrival in 2002. Pough spent five seasons as the USC running backs coach after leading Fairfield-Central to a Class 3-A title in 1996.
-- 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.
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Saturday, August 04, 2007
What steps must SCSU take ti get on this list?
Top Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Federal Science and Engineering Obligations, Fiscal 2005
Institution
Total
1. Hampton University
$44,072,000
2. Howard University
$32,200,000
3. Meharry Medical College
$30,701,000
4. Morehouse School of Medicine
$28,724,000
5. Florida A&M University
$23,229,000
6. Jackson State University
$22,140,000
7. North Carolina A&T University
$21,363,000
8. Tuskegee University
$20,502,000
9. Tennessee State University
$16,865,000
10. Morgan State University
$12,838,000
Institution
Total
1. Hampton University
$44,072,000
2. Howard University
$32,200,000
3. Meharry Medical College
$30,701,000
4. Morehouse School of Medicine
$28,724,000
5. Florida A&M University
$23,229,000
6. Jackson State University
$22,140,000
7. North Carolina A&T University
$21,363,000
8. Tuskegee University
$20,502,000
9. Tennessee State University
$16,865,000
10. Morgan State University
$12,838,000
Sylvan named head Volleyball coach at S.C. State
Friday, August 03, 2007
Millicent Sylvan
Orangeburg, SC-- Millicent Sylvan has been named head coach of the South Carolina State Lady Bulldog volleyball team. Her appointment was effective on July 1.
Sylvan, who brings a wealth of volleyball knowledge to SC State, is no stranger to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), having served the last three seasons as the head coach at North Carolina A&T. While at NC A&T, she compiled an overall record of 49-52 and 23-6 in the conference. In her second season with the Aggies, Sylvan’s team posted a 9-1 conference record, good enough for a second place finish. In that same season she was named the MEAC Coach of the Year. Her accolades at NC A&T expand far and wide as she has coached one first-team All-MEAC performer and four different second-team All-MEAC.
Prior to her appointment at NC A&T, Sylvan spent three seasons at her alma mater, Alcorn State where she posted a 71-42 record, a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Eastern Division Titles and two runner-up finishes in the SWAC.
Sylvan currently holds a 120-94 overall record over a six year span.
Before launching to her coaching career, Sylvan was the director of athletics at Romeville Elementary School in Convent, LA for the 2000-01 school year. Additionally, she founded the Alley Catz AAU Volleyball Club. She also served as the strength and conditioning coach at Loyola University in New Orleans, LA.
As a student-athlete, Sylvan was a two-sport standout at Alcorn State earning letters in volleyball and track. On the court she was a two-time All-SWAC selection and was named the pre-season volleyball SWAC Player of the Year in 2000. On the track, Sylvan was a 2000 USA Track and Field Indoor National Participant and a provisional qualifier in the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles in that same year. She currently owns the school and SWAC record in the heptathlon with 5,071 points.
During her time as an athlete she was a member several student organizations including the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, SWAC Student-Athlete Association and the Alcorn State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. A four-year SWAC scholar athlete, Sylvan was a two-time recipient of the NCAA Leadership Award and a recipient of the Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar Athlete Award in 2000.
She earned both her bachelor’s in education (2000), and a master’s degree in secondary education (2003) from Alcorn State.
She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is involved in the NYSP Extended program.
Judge Perry, '51, to receive Thurgood Marshall Award from American Bar Association
Friday, August 03, 2007
The Honorable Matthew J. Perry, '51 Matthew J. Perry Jr., the first black federal judge in South Carolina, will receive the Thurgood Marshall Award next week from the American Bar Association.
The award recognizes long-term contributions by members of the legal profession to the advancement of civil rights, civil liberties and human rights.
Perry earned his law degree from S.C. State University in 1951 and went on to become the state’s pre-eminent civil rights lawyer.
The award will be presented at the Thurgood Marshall Award Dinner on Aug. 11 at the 2007 ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
In recognizing Perry, the ABA called Perry “one of the most accomplished jurists in South Carolina,” and said he “played a central role in almost every case that integrated South Carolina’s public schools, hospitals, golf courses, restaurants, parks, playgrounds, and beaches.”
In 1976, Perry became the first black lawyer from the deep South to be appointed to a federal bench -- first on the United States Military Court of Appeals and since 1979, on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, where he serves today on senior status.
In 2004, the Matthew J. Perry, Jr. United States Courthouse in Columbia was named in his honor.
The Honorable Matthew J. Perry, '51 Matthew J. Perry Jr., the first black federal judge in South Carolina, will receive the Thurgood Marshall Award next week from the American Bar Association.
The award recognizes long-term contributions by members of the legal profession to the advancement of civil rights, civil liberties and human rights.
Perry earned his law degree from S.C. State University in 1951 and went on to become the state’s pre-eminent civil rights lawyer.
The award will be presented at the Thurgood Marshall Award Dinner on Aug. 11 at the 2007 ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
In recognizing Perry, the ABA called Perry “one of the most accomplished jurists in South Carolina,” and said he “played a central role in almost every case that integrated South Carolina’s public schools, hospitals, golf courses, restaurants, parks, playgrounds, and beaches.”
In 1976, Perry became the first black lawyer from the deep South to be appointed to a federal bench -- first on the United States Military Court of Appeals and since 1979, on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, where he serves today on senior status.
In 2004, the Matthew J. Perry, Jr. United States Courthouse in Columbia was named in his honor.
Friday, August 03, 2007
USC tackle, former shrine bowl participant, to transfer to SCSU
Raysor, Walker leaving Gamecocks
By JOSEPH PERSON - jperson@thestate.com
A pair of South Carolina upperclassmen is leaving the football program on the eve of preseason practice.
Offensive lineman Matt Raysor and linebacker Dakota Walker will not be with the Gamecocks when they begin preseason drills Saturday, multiple sources told The State today.
Raysor, a redshirt junior who began his career as a defensive tackle, intends to transfer to S.C. State in his hometown of Orangeburg, USC sports information director Steve Fink said.
Walker, a junior from Mays Landing, N.J., has not decided where he will transfer
By JOSEPH PERSON - jperson@thestate.com
A pair of South Carolina upperclassmen is leaving the football program on the eve of preseason practice.
Offensive lineman Matt Raysor and linebacker Dakota Walker will not be with the Gamecocks when they begin preseason drills Saturday, multiple sources told The State today.
Raysor, a redshirt junior who began his career as a defensive tackle, intends to transfer to S.C. State in his hometown of Orangeburg, USC sports information director Steve Fink said.
Walker, a junior from Mays Landing, N.J., has not decided where he will transfer
ATTENTION ALL READERS OF BNN, AND MEMBERS OF THE "DOG HOUSE"
These sites were created out of frustration due to the lack of news coming out about SCSU. As you can see, they are wildly successful....but now its your turn..Do you have some info about SCSU that you would like to share? Would you like to ask a questions, or drop some info anonymously? You can send and emails, story tips, questions, or any info to the "DOG HOUSE CREW" at this email address
scsudoghouse@gmail.com
Though BNN and the Dog House are run by different sets of people, we are united in our cause......we look forward to hearing from you! Any contacts will be held in the strictist confidentiality.
scsudoghouse@gmail.com
Though BNN and the Dog House are run by different sets of people, we are united in our cause......we look forward to hearing from you! Any contacts will be held in the strictist confidentiality.
Buddy Pough going after the big boys......great job!
Lewis Favoring ACC Schools
By Phil Kornblut
OL Justin Lewis (6-4 300) of Johnsonville has offers from NC State, Maryland, SC State and Buffalo and has drawn interest from USC and Clemson. He currently favors the Wolfpack and Terps "because they have offered." Lewis camped at his favorites in June. He said USC and Clemson plans to get back in touch with him later. He is planning to take official visits to Maryland, NC State, USC and SC State.
By Phil Kornblut
OL Justin Lewis (6-4 300) of Johnsonville has offers from NC State, Maryland, SC State and Buffalo and has drawn interest from USC and Clemson. He currently favors the Wolfpack and Terps "because they have offered." Lewis camped at his favorites in June. He said USC and Clemson plans to get back in touch with him later. He is planning to take official visits to Maryland, NC State, USC and SC State.
SCSU Position Announcement: Assistant Athletics Strength Coach
Click the link to see the official position announcement.
SCSU Position Announcement: Athletics Trainer
Click the link above to see the official position announcement
SCSU Position Announcement:Women's Bowling Coach
Click the link to see the official position announcement.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
SCState welcomes new students for fall 2007
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Orangeburg, SC. For nearly 111 years, new students have entered the groves and classic halls at South Carolina State University. On Friday, 17, 2007, SCState welcomes the Class of 2011 and begins its New Student Orientation.
“The University president, student affairs professionals, faculty, staff, alumni, and student orientation leaders will greet and welcome aspiring doctors, lawyers, politicians, college presidents, and inventors when new students converge on South Carolina State on Friday, August 17,” according to Terrence Cummings, assistant executive for Student Success and Retention.
According to Cummings, New Student Orientation is designed to introduce new students to the academic community, assist them with college adjustment, and increase their understanding of the purpose and value of higher education. It centers around SCState policies, procedures, campus life and campus services, and academic programs.
Hundreds of students and their parents have already visited the campus during summer orientations that the University Colleges hosted during June and July. In addition, parents participated in “Parents in College 101,” Cummings commented. “Every attempt has been made to ensure that new students, together with their parents as partners, get off to an excellent start as they chart a course from ‘orientation to graduation,’” he said.
New students are reminded to review the orientation checklist on the University’s website and complete fully all of the requirements before arriving for New Student Orientation.
For additional information, new students can visit the University website at www.scsu.edu, email the Student Success and Retention Program at ssrp@scsu.edu , call staff at (803) 536-7142, and/or Terrence Cummings at (803) 533-3721.
Orangeburg, SC. For nearly 111 years, new students have entered the groves and classic halls at South Carolina State University. On Friday, 17, 2007, SCState welcomes the Class of 2011 and begins its New Student Orientation.
“The University president, student affairs professionals, faculty, staff, alumni, and student orientation leaders will greet and welcome aspiring doctors, lawyers, politicians, college presidents, and inventors when new students converge on South Carolina State on Friday, August 17,” according to Terrence Cummings, assistant executive for Student Success and Retention.
According to Cummings, New Student Orientation is designed to introduce new students to the academic community, assist them with college adjustment, and increase their understanding of the purpose and value of higher education. It centers around SCState policies, procedures, campus life and campus services, and academic programs.
Hundreds of students and their parents have already visited the campus during summer orientations that the University Colleges hosted during June and July. In addition, parents participated in “Parents in College 101,” Cummings commented. “Every attempt has been made to ensure that new students, together with their parents as partners, get off to an excellent start as they chart a course from ‘orientation to graduation,’” he said.
New students are reminded to review the orientation checklist on the University’s website and complete fully all of the requirements before arriving for New Student Orientation.
For additional information, new students can visit the University website at www.scsu.edu, email the Student Success and Retention Program at ssrp@scsu.edu , call staff at (803) 536-7142, and/or Terrence Cummings at (803) 533-3721.
TRMC gives SC State $150,000 for nursing scholarships, training
TRMC gives SC State $150,000 for nursing scholarships, training Thursday, August 02, 2007
ORANGEBURG – The Program of Nursing at SC State has received $150,000 from The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties (TRMC) to offer scholarships and training opportunities for student-nurses.
Fifteen nursing students have been named inaugural TRMC Scholars of Distinction, receiving scholarships to continue their education and training. The 2007 scholars include: Harold Alexander, RN, a senior from Winnsboro, S.C.; Shania Broughton, a junior from Huger, S.C.; Candyce Brown, a sophomore from Chesapeake, Va.; Amber Clark, a sophomore from Cottageville, S.C.; Teala Golson, a sophomore from Orangeburg, S.C.; Sedeia Hanesworth, a sophomore from Charleston, S.C.; Stephanie Hickerson-Jones, a senior from Columbia, S.C.; Kelly Lomack, a junior from Sumter, S.C.; Kenyetta Middleton, a sophomore from Walterboro, S.C.; Tonia Polite, a sophomore from Orangeburg, S.C.; Keyonna Porter, a sophomore from North Charleston, S.C.; Carrie Scrivner, a senior from Cordova, S.C.; Celeste Singletary, a sophomore from North Charleston, S.C.; Veronica Stevenson, a senior from Orangeburg, S.C.; and LaShawna Tukes, a senior from Columbia, S.C. Each of the students maintains a 3.50 grade point average and above.
“We have doubled and tripled our enrollment, and we are developing newer and better ways to seek placement for experiences, including this partnership with The Regional Medical Center,” said Dr. Bobbie Perdue, nursing program director.
The TRMC gift is further validation of the achievements of an academic program on an upward rebound, and an indicator that the nursing program is serious about partnering with students and the community to produce sufficient numbers of nurses to eliminate the nurse shortage and reverse the health disparities pattern in the State of South Carolina and across the nation.
Within the past year, the nursing program has achieved many milestones toward reaching that goal. The program has seen the pass rate for graduating seniors administered the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) reach 80 percent, and it has sought and received full approval from the state board of nursing.
“These quality indicators say that we are a quality program,” said Perdue. “And, it alerts constituents – potential students and healthcare providers such as The Regional Medical Center – to our abilities, accomplishments and potential.”
For additional information on the nursing program, please contact Dr. Bobbie Perdue at (803) 536-8605 or via email at bperdue@scsu.edu.
ORANGEBURG – The Program of Nursing at SC State has received $150,000 from The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties (TRMC) to offer scholarships and training opportunities for student-nurses.
Fifteen nursing students have been named inaugural TRMC Scholars of Distinction, receiving scholarships to continue their education and training. The 2007 scholars include: Harold Alexander, RN, a senior from Winnsboro, S.C.; Shania Broughton, a junior from Huger, S.C.; Candyce Brown, a sophomore from Chesapeake, Va.; Amber Clark, a sophomore from Cottageville, S.C.; Teala Golson, a sophomore from Orangeburg, S.C.; Sedeia Hanesworth, a sophomore from Charleston, S.C.; Stephanie Hickerson-Jones, a senior from Columbia, S.C.; Kelly Lomack, a junior from Sumter, S.C.; Kenyetta Middleton, a sophomore from Walterboro, S.C.; Tonia Polite, a sophomore from Orangeburg, S.C.; Keyonna Porter, a sophomore from North Charleston, S.C.; Carrie Scrivner, a senior from Cordova, S.C.; Celeste Singletary, a sophomore from North Charleston, S.C.; Veronica Stevenson, a senior from Orangeburg, S.C.; and LaShawna Tukes, a senior from Columbia, S.C. Each of the students maintains a 3.50 grade point average and above.
“We have doubled and tripled our enrollment, and we are developing newer and better ways to seek placement for experiences, including this partnership with The Regional Medical Center,” said Dr. Bobbie Perdue, nursing program director.
The TRMC gift is further validation of the achievements of an academic program on an upward rebound, and an indicator that the nursing program is serious about partnering with students and the community to produce sufficient numbers of nurses to eliminate the nurse shortage and reverse the health disparities pattern in the State of South Carolina and across the nation.
Within the past year, the nursing program has achieved many milestones toward reaching that goal. The program has seen the pass rate for graduating seniors administered the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) reach 80 percent, and it has sought and received full approval from the state board of nursing.
“These quality indicators say that we are a quality program,” said Perdue. “And, it alerts constituents – potential students and healthcare providers such as The Regional Medical Center – to our abilities, accomplishments and potential.”
For additional information on the nursing program, please contact Dr. Bobbie Perdue at (803) 536-8605 or via email at bperdue@scsu.edu.
SCSU Players to Report Aug. 4; First Practice Set for Aug. 5
Thursday, August 02, 2007
SCSU Players to Report Aug. 4; First Practice Set for Aug. 5
Orangeburg, SC – South Carolina State will begin preparing for an historic 2007 football season Saturday, Aug. 4, when players report to the campus for orientation and physicals.
This season, the Bulldogs will celebrate their Centennial in football and also play two Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Div. I-A) teams for the first time in school history.
SC State, beginning its sixth year under Coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, will conduct its first practice Sunday, Aug. 5 -- in shorts and helmets -- beginning at 3:50 p.m. Single workouts will also be held Monday through Thursday at 3:10 p.m., with Thursday’s practice being the first in full gear.
Two-a-day workouts are set to start Friday, Aug. 10. The morning practice will start at 8:30 and the evening drill at 7:10.
SCSU will hold its annual “Press and Picture Day on Saturday, Aug. 11, beginning at 9 a.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium, then conduct its first scrimmage at 2:00 p.m. The first week of preseason drills will conclude Sunday, Aug. 12, with a practice in shorts and helmets at 3:40 p.m.
The Bulldogs open the 2007 season Sept. 1 when Pough’s team travels to Colorado Springs, Colorado to take on the Air Force Academy in a 2 p.m. (EST) contest at Falcon Stadium. The contest, the first of three consecutive road games for Pough’s team, will mark the first time SC State will have played a major university in football.
Following that contest, the Bulldogs travel to Daytona Beach Sept. 8 to face Bethune-Cookman in their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener, and culminate their three-game road swing Sept. 15 against intrastate rival South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The Gamecocks will be the second Div. I-A school on the 2007 slate.
Pough’s team opens it home schedule Sept. 22 against Winston-Salem State in a 6 p.m. contest, then have an open date Sept. 29 before traveling to Norfolk State Oct. 6 for a 2 p.m. contest.
Bulldog Preseason Schedule*
Saturday Aug. 4 Players report
Orientation, physicals
Sunday Aug. 5 First practice – 3:50 p.m. (shorts & helmets)
Thursday Aug. 9 First practice in pads – 3:30 p.m.
Friday Aug. 10 Two-a-day practices begin – 8:30 a.m./7:10 p.m.
Saturday Aug. 11 Press and Picture Day – 9 a.m. (O.C. Dawson Stadium)
Scrimmage #1 – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday Aug. 18 “Meet the Players Day” – 9:30 a.m. (O.C. Dawson Stadium)
Scrimmage #2 – 2:00 p.m.
Monday Aug. 20 Two-a-day practices end
Wednesday Aug. 22 Classes begin
* In-season practice schedule begins Thursday, Aug. 23 (time varies; consult Sports Information)
SCSU Players to Report Aug. 4; First Practice Set for Aug. 5
Orangeburg, SC – South Carolina State will begin preparing for an historic 2007 football season Saturday, Aug. 4, when players report to the campus for orientation and physicals.
This season, the Bulldogs will celebrate their Centennial in football and also play two Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Div. I-A) teams for the first time in school history.
SC State, beginning its sixth year under Coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, will conduct its first practice Sunday, Aug. 5 -- in shorts and helmets -- beginning at 3:50 p.m. Single workouts will also be held Monday through Thursday at 3:10 p.m., with Thursday’s practice being the first in full gear.
Two-a-day workouts are set to start Friday, Aug. 10. The morning practice will start at 8:30 and the evening drill at 7:10.
SCSU will hold its annual “Press and Picture Day on Saturday, Aug. 11, beginning at 9 a.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium, then conduct its first scrimmage at 2:00 p.m. The first week of preseason drills will conclude Sunday, Aug. 12, with a practice in shorts and helmets at 3:40 p.m.
The Bulldogs open the 2007 season Sept. 1 when Pough’s team travels to Colorado Springs, Colorado to take on the Air Force Academy in a 2 p.m. (EST) contest at Falcon Stadium. The contest, the first of three consecutive road games for Pough’s team, will mark the first time SC State will have played a major university in football.
Following that contest, the Bulldogs travel to Daytona Beach Sept. 8 to face Bethune-Cookman in their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener, and culminate their three-game road swing Sept. 15 against intrastate rival South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The Gamecocks will be the second Div. I-A school on the 2007 slate.
Pough’s team opens it home schedule Sept. 22 against Winston-Salem State in a 6 p.m. contest, then have an open date Sept. 29 before traveling to Norfolk State Oct. 6 for a 2 p.m. contest.
Bulldog Preseason Schedule*
Saturday Aug. 4 Players report
Orientation, physicals
Sunday Aug. 5 First practice – 3:50 p.m. (shorts & helmets)
Thursday Aug. 9 First practice in pads – 3:30 p.m.
Friday Aug. 10 Two-a-day practices begin – 8:30 a.m./7:10 p.m.
Saturday Aug. 11 Press and Picture Day – 9 a.m. (O.C. Dawson Stadium)
Scrimmage #1 – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday Aug. 18 “Meet the Players Day” – 9:30 a.m. (O.C. Dawson Stadium)
Scrimmage #2 – 2:00 p.m.
Monday Aug. 20 Two-a-day practices end
Wednesday Aug. 22 Classes begin
* In-season practice schedule begins Thursday, Aug. 23 (time varies; consult Sports Information)
SCSU hoops nabs Norris
By THOMAS GRANT JR.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Thursday, August 02, 2007
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Having recruited a strong incoming class for 2007, South Carolina State men's basketball coach Tim Carter and his staff are wasting little time targeting freshmen for next season.
With national signing day three months away, the Bulldogs have gone out west to secure a verbal commitment from point guard Darian Norris, this according to his father Walter "Kurt" Norris on Tuesday.
Described by fullctpress.net as a "very solid point" who "knows how to direct traffic and get into the gaps of the defense," the 6-foot, 180-pound rising senior out of Mojave High School in Las Vegas has averaged 19 points and eight assists per game the last two seasons.
Norris led his high school to the Class 4-A state championship game and has spent the summer playing for the AAU Team, Las Vegas Dogcatchers Elite. On Tuesday, Norris scored 37 points in a semifinals' loss in the 17-and-Under Platinum Division of the National Youth Basketball Championships' Las Vegas Summer Classic.
As a youngster, he was part of a 12-and-Under National AAU championship team, and worked with SCSU assistant coach Jermone Riley when he was the basketball director and head coach of the Agassi Stars AAU basketball program in Las Vegas. It was that past interaction with Riley, along with attending a university with a small class atmosphere, which Norris' father said convinced his son to select SCSU over Top 25 programs like Gonzaga, hometown school UNLV, PAC-10 schools like Oregon, Oregon State and Washington State, as well as Utah, Long Beach State and Pepperdine.
Ironically, UNLV is playing host to a tournament Nov. 23-24 which will include SCSU. When Norris arrives for the 2008-09 season, he's expected to either back up or compete with newcomer Jesse Burton for the starting point guard duties.
Burton is one of four new Bulldogs signed for this season along with National Junior College Division III Player of the Year forward Jason Johnson, S.C. High School League Class 3-A Player of the Year guard Carrio Bennett, shooting guard Wesley Telfare and forward Everett Spencer. The Bulldogs open the regular season Nov. 9 at the University of South Carolina.
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.
T&D Senior Sports Writer | Thursday, August 02, 2007
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Having recruited a strong incoming class for 2007, South Carolina State men's basketball coach Tim Carter and his staff are wasting little time targeting freshmen for next season.
With national signing day three months away, the Bulldogs have gone out west to secure a verbal commitment from point guard Darian Norris, this according to his father Walter "Kurt" Norris on Tuesday.
Described by fullctpress.net as a "very solid point" who "knows how to direct traffic and get into the gaps of the defense," the 6-foot, 180-pound rising senior out of Mojave High School in Las Vegas has averaged 19 points and eight assists per game the last two seasons.
Norris led his high school to the Class 4-A state championship game and has spent the summer playing for the AAU Team, Las Vegas Dogcatchers Elite. On Tuesday, Norris scored 37 points in a semifinals' loss in the 17-and-Under Platinum Division of the National Youth Basketball Championships' Las Vegas Summer Classic.
As a youngster, he was part of a 12-and-Under National AAU championship team, and worked with SCSU assistant coach Jermone Riley when he was the basketball director and head coach of the Agassi Stars AAU basketball program in Las Vegas. It was that past interaction with Riley, along with attending a university with a small class atmosphere, which Norris' father said convinced his son to select SCSU over Top 25 programs like Gonzaga, hometown school UNLV, PAC-10 schools like Oregon, Oregon State and Washington State, as well as Utah, Long Beach State and Pepperdine.
Ironically, UNLV is playing host to a tournament Nov. 23-24 which will include SCSU. When Norris arrives for the 2008-09 season, he's expected to either back up or compete with newcomer Jesse Burton for the starting point guard duties.
Burton is one of four new Bulldogs signed for this season along with National Junior College Division III Player of the Year forward Jason Johnson, S.C. High School League Class 3-A Player of the Year guard Carrio Bennett, shooting guard Wesley Telfare and forward Everett Spencer. The Bulldogs open the regular season Nov. 9 at the University of South Carolina.
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.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
14 days and counting! SCSU has denoted on its athletics website that a new website will debut on August 15th....BNN will be watching very closely!
We want it to happen. We really do. We will cheer the loudest if it does happen. Lets hope it does!
Costello takes reins at DSU
South Florida import has high hopes for Hornets
By Chris Gasiewski, Delaware State News
DOVER — Under former athletic director Chuck Bell, Delaware State’s athletic department took major steps in the right direction.
Now it’s up to Richard Costello to continue that progress.
Costello, Bell’s protege at San Jose State, took over the department on July 23 after Bell resigned with a year left on his contract. Bell cited personal reasons for his departure.
Since taking the reins last week, Costello has absorbed information about his staff, the campus and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. This week, he is branching out to the community, which he feels is an integral part of the department’s upward movement.
“Every day is going to be action-packed,” Costello said. “The first thing is to listen to my staff and soak in as much knowledge as I can. Then (I have to) get that message out to the community.”Costello, most recently an associate athletic director at the University of South Florida, is preaching DSU’s commitment to excellence.
It started with Bell, who made strides in bringing a struggling department up to par with some mid-major programs across the country.
He hired several associate athletic directors and helped get full funding for most of DSU’s sports.
Alumni Stadium saw improvements, including the installation of a synthetic turf field. Memorial Hall even underwent small renovations, and a strength and conditioning center is slated to open in September.
That’s what Costello has to build on, and it’s a foundation for bringing DSU to new heights.
“If you look at any college program across the country, there are three areas you have to look at,” Costello said. “One: student-athletes’ scholarships. Two: facilities. Number three would be coaching and staff support.
“There’s always going to be challenges that you have to overcome. And that’s the three areas that we want to grow.”
Costello played a major role in South Florida’s growth four years ago. He operated a $32 million budget and saw the football team join the Big East. The Bulls played in bowl games the past two years.
DSU’s budget is $10 million, and Costello said he plans on bringing some of the same directives he used in Tampa Bay. He wants to make DSU one of the MEAC’s top programs.
“You have to compare yourself to the league,” he said. “That’s certainly a healthy budget as compared to the MEAC. We’ll take what we have and make the best of it.”
At USF, Costello helped start a Varsity Club and an Iron Bull program, both of which gathered donations from the community.
“We’ve got to get to a point where we get that discussion going,” Costello said. “(We need to) get in front of our key people and tell them how to help us.”
Costello said DSU is working on a partnership with Daktronics in which the company would provide scoreboards and sponsorship for Alumni Stadium and Memorial Hall.
“Those kind of partnerships, hopefully, take us to that next level,” he said. “I want to build every day and get better. We need to get the message out to the community and let them know what’s going on here at Delaware State University.”
That may take some time. But Costello is focused on the long run.
“It’s a department that is poised for greatness,” he said. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t achieve our goal of across-the-board success.
“In our primary sports, we are right where we need to be, and in other sports, we need to build. It may take a little longer, but in Chuck’s leadership, he made great strides.”
Staff writer Chris Gasiewski can be reached at 741-8231 or cgasiewski@newszap.com.
By Chris Gasiewski, Delaware State News
DOVER — Under former athletic director Chuck Bell, Delaware State’s athletic department took major steps in the right direction.
Now it’s up to Richard Costello to continue that progress.
Costello, Bell’s protege at San Jose State, took over the department on July 23 after Bell resigned with a year left on his contract. Bell cited personal reasons for his departure.
Since taking the reins last week, Costello has absorbed information about his staff, the campus and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. This week, he is branching out to the community, which he feels is an integral part of the department’s upward movement.
“Every day is going to be action-packed,” Costello said. “The first thing is to listen to my staff and soak in as much knowledge as I can. Then (I have to) get that message out to the community.”Costello, most recently an associate athletic director at the University of South Florida, is preaching DSU’s commitment to excellence.
It started with Bell, who made strides in bringing a struggling department up to par with some mid-major programs across the country.
He hired several associate athletic directors and helped get full funding for most of DSU’s sports.
Alumni Stadium saw improvements, including the installation of a synthetic turf field. Memorial Hall even underwent small renovations, and a strength and conditioning center is slated to open in September.
That’s what Costello has to build on, and it’s a foundation for bringing DSU to new heights.
“If you look at any college program across the country, there are three areas you have to look at,” Costello said. “One: student-athletes’ scholarships. Two: facilities. Number three would be coaching and staff support.
“There’s always going to be challenges that you have to overcome. And that’s the three areas that we want to grow.”
Costello played a major role in South Florida’s growth four years ago. He operated a $32 million budget and saw the football team join the Big East. The Bulls played in bowl games the past two years.
DSU’s budget is $10 million, and Costello said he plans on bringing some of the same directives he used in Tampa Bay. He wants to make DSU one of the MEAC’s top programs.
“You have to compare yourself to the league,” he said. “That’s certainly a healthy budget as compared to the MEAC. We’ll take what we have and make the best of it.”
At USF, Costello helped start a Varsity Club and an Iron Bull program, both of which gathered donations from the community.
“We’ve got to get to a point where we get that discussion going,” Costello said. “(We need to) get in front of our key people and tell them how to help us.”
Costello said DSU is working on a partnership with Daktronics in which the company would provide scoreboards and sponsorship for Alumni Stadium and Memorial Hall.
“Those kind of partnerships, hopefully, take us to that next level,” he said. “I want to build every day and get better. We need to get the message out to the community and let them know what’s going on here at Delaware State University.”
That may take some time. But Costello is focused on the long run.
“It’s a department that is poised for greatness,” he said. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t achieve our goal of across-the-board success.
“In our primary sports, we are right where we need to be, and in other sports, we need to build. It may take a little longer, but in Chuck’s leadership, he made great strides.”
Staff writer Chris Gasiewski can be reached at 741-8231 or cgasiewski@newszap.com.
Jordan Simmons and the tattered overcoat
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Jordan Simmons, '68, kept his old overcoat for years, the old brown one with bullet holes in the back.
It was a reminder of the most frightening experience of his life - in a life filled with them. Simmons, a former sprinter at the all-black Austin High in Summerville and later at SC State, was on the university’s campus during a protest of a segregated Orangeburg bowling alley. Simmons was one of 30 men and women shot after state troopers fired guns into the group, which numbered about 200. The Feb. 8, 1968, incident, in which three young men died, has come to be known the Orangeburg Massacre.
Simmons, at the time a senior at SC State, says he was not protesting. He says he had walked to visit his fiance, a student at nearby Claflin University. On his walk back to the SC State campus, he stopped near the epicenter of the protest because he was curious.
“It was like a party,” he says. “I didn’t see anybody do anything wrong. There was a bonfire down in the street. That’s as close as I can tell. If you want to say they shouldn’t have been burning a fire, then yes, by all means, that would have been wrong.”
Tensions had been high for four days, when protesters gathered near the All Star Bowling Lane, Orangeburg’s only bowling alley and one of its only segregated establishments. After an altercation between blacks and whites, protesters moved closer to the SC. State campus. On the fourth night of the demonstration, protesters threw trash and debris at the state troopers. One officer was hit in the face by a banister rail, which compelled another officer to fire his pistol in the air. Other troopers heard the gunshot and began firing into the crowd.
Simmons says he heard the gunfire and turned to run. He felt what he describes as tugs on his overcoat, which he later learned were buckshot rounds tearing through the fabric. Simmons was shot in the neck, and he fell to the ground and tried to crawl away.
“I just think adrenaline is what really got me going. I initially thought I had gotten nicked, gotten a little glancing shot,” he says.
“It was just mass panic. In retrospect, you look back at these things. You do a lot of what-ifs, and that doesn’t help anything. The whole campus, it was just chaotic. It was chaos that occurred because no one expected to be shot or even shot at. We hadn’t done anything.”
Like most of the wounded, Simmons was treated at the overcrowded SC State infirmary. It was there that he saw Samuel Hammond, a 19-year-old who had been shot in the chest, lying on the floor and bleeding badly. Hammond later died of his wound. Delano Middleton, 17, and Henry Smith, 20, also died.
Simmons, who was in the army during the Vietnam conflict, sayssaid he saw many gruesome acts of violence. He says nothing that occurred in Vietnam was as frightening as the Orangeburg Massacre. He says he had no idea why he had been shot. He also had no idea if the shootings were finished.
“I was flat afraid that those guys were going to do us in,” says Simmons, a 29-year army veteran. “I’ve been in combat; I’ve been in two wars. I’ll be honest with you: I wasn’t as afraid in the jungles of Vietnam as I was of those white guys back there. Because out there (in Vietnam), I could defend myself. In the hospital, I just felt helpless. Even in the hospital, I didn’t know why I was shot. I just remember thinking they were out to kill a bunch of people - a bunch of black people.”
Simmons graduated from SC State three months after the shootings. He continued running, first because the military required it. Until recently, Simmons participated in distance running events, at the Masters level, until 1998.
After graduation, he handed over his tattered overcoat to the FBI, which investigated the Orangeburg Massacre and used the coat as evidence. But there are other reminders: He occasionally suffers from neck pain caused by the shooting.
Still, Simmons says he is not bitter about the incident. He says he has moved past it and believes more is necessary to put it behind the blacks who were affected by the Orangeburg Massacre. Simmons says he would like to meet with the children of the state troopers who fired into the crowd, to tell them all is forgiven - even if it is not forgotten.
“I would suspect most of them probably thought they were doing something that was right. It was not right,” says Simmons, who now lives in Virginia. “What’s interesting about this is that, as a soldiers, I respect (opponents). After the war was over, guys (on both sides) shook hands.
“I know some of them realize they made a mistake, even if the perception was there that they were doing something right at the time. I hold no malice against them, their fathers. They need to know that.”
Retrieved from The State newspaper. Reach Kent Babb at (803) 771-8357.
Jordan Simmons, '68, kept his old overcoat for years, the old brown one with bullet holes in the back.
It was a reminder of the most frightening experience of his life - in a life filled with them. Simmons, a former sprinter at the all-black Austin High in Summerville and later at SC State, was on the university’s campus during a protest of a segregated Orangeburg bowling alley. Simmons was one of 30 men and women shot after state troopers fired guns into the group, which numbered about 200. The Feb. 8, 1968, incident, in which three young men died, has come to be known the Orangeburg Massacre.
Simmons, at the time a senior at SC State, says he was not protesting. He says he had walked to visit his fiance, a student at nearby Claflin University. On his walk back to the SC State campus, he stopped near the epicenter of the protest because he was curious.
“It was like a party,” he says. “I didn’t see anybody do anything wrong. There was a bonfire down in the street. That’s as close as I can tell. If you want to say they shouldn’t have been burning a fire, then yes, by all means, that would have been wrong.”
Tensions had been high for four days, when protesters gathered near the All Star Bowling Lane, Orangeburg’s only bowling alley and one of its only segregated establishments. After an altercation between blacks and whites, protesters moved closer to the SC. State campus. On the fourth night of the demonstration, protesters threw trash and debris at the state troopers. One officer was hit in the face by a banister rail, which compelled another officer to fire his pistol in the air. Other troopers heard the gunshot and began firing into the crowd.
Simmons says he heard the gunfire and turned to run. He felt what he describes as tugs on his overcoat, which he later learned were buckshot rounds tearing through the fabric. Simmons was shot in the neck, and he fell to the ground and tried to crawl away.
“I just think adrenaline is what really got me going. I initially thought I had gotten nicked, gotten a little glancing shot,” he says.
“It was just mass panic. In retrospect, you look back at these things. You do a lot of what-ifs, and that doesn’t help anything. The whole campus, it was just chaotic. It was chaos that occurred because no one expected to be shot or even shot at. We hadn’t done anything.”
Like most of the wounded, Simmons was treated at the overcrowded SC State infirmary. It was there that he saw Samuel Hammond, a 19-year-old who had been shot in the chest, lying on the floor and bleeding badly. Hammond later died of his wound. Delano Middleton, 17, and Henry Smith, 20, also died.
Simmons, who was in the army during the Vietnam conflict, sayssaid he saw many gruesome acts of violence. He says nothing that occurred in Vietnam was as frightening as the Orangeburg Massacre. He says he had no idea why he had been shot. He also had no idea if the shootings were finished.
“I was flat afraid that those guys were going to do us in,” says Simmons, a 29-year army veteran. “I’ve been in combat; I’ve been in two wars. I’ll be honest with you: I wasn’t as afraid in the jungles of Vietnam as I was of those white guys back there. Because out there (in Vietnam), I could defend myself. In the hospital, I just felt helpless. Even in the hospital, I didn’t know why I was shot. I just remember thinking they were out to kill a bunch of people - a bunch of black people.”
Simmons graduated from SC State three months after the shootings. He continued running, first because the military required it. Until recently, Simmons participated in distance running events, at the Masters level, until 1998.
After graduation, he handed over his tattered overcoat to the FBI, which investigated the Orangeburg Massacre and used the coat as evidence. But there are other reminders: He occasionally suffers from neck pain caused by the shooting.
Still, Simmons says he is not bitter about the incident. He says he has moved past it and believes more is necessary to put it behind the blacks who were affected by the Orangeburg Massacre. Simmons says he would like to meet with the children of the state troopers who fired into the crowd, to tell them all is forgiven - even if it is not forgotten.
“I would suspect most of them probably thought they were doing something that was right. It was not right,” says Simmons, who now lives in Virginia. “What’s interesting about this is that, as a soldiers, I respect (opponents). After the war was over, guys (on both sides) shook hands.
“I know some of them realize they made a mistake, even if the perception was there that they were doing something right at the time. I hold no malice against them, their fathers. They need to know that.”
Retrieved from The State newspaper. Reach Kent Babb at (803) 771-8357.
