Post by Aggie One on Jan 10, 2006 11:09:45 GMT -5
GSU working to solidify non-conference football slate
By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — Grambling State's final regular-season date before the Bayou Classic bye week has become a painful thing to behold.
Most prospective opponents have entered their conference schedule by late November, leading to lightly attended matchups for Grambling against independents like Savannah State, the now-defunct Morris Brown and fledgling Concordia College.
Crowds for this date over the past five seasons have averaged a paltry 5,600.
That led Grambling to enter talks with traditional black college power North Carolina A&T about a possible neutral-site classic game.
The contest could be played in Phoenix, either at Bank One Park (located downtown, it's home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and this month's Insight Bowl) or at Sun Devil Stadium (site of the 1996 Super Bowl, as well as a trio of college national championship games).
As good as that sounds, the concept actually took on a deeper luster when A&T, which won a conference title three years ago but struggled to a 3-8 record in 2005, hired former Grambling great Lee Fobbs as its new coach this month.
A Monroe native, Fobbs was an All-American under GSU legend Eddie Robinson, then a finalist both to replace Robinson in 1997 and again when eventual successor Doug Williams left for an NFL job in 2004.
Current GSU coach Melvin Spears was given the position a year ago, and led Grambling to an undefeated Southwestern Athletic Conference record on the way to the league championship.
North Carolina A&T has another Grambling connection in women's basketball coach Patricia Bibbs, who led the Lady Tigers to six SWAC regular-season championships and four tournament titles — as well as the league's first undefeated season — before leaving in 1997.
"It would be a major Grambling affair," said Spears. "It would give us a chance to congratulate Coach Fobbs on getting the job. He's a testament to Grambling, and so is Pat Bibbs."
Nov. 11 is actually one of two dates that the Tigers are still looking to fill. GSU also typically takes on an out-of-conference foe in Week 3, after the Alcorn and A&M contests.
The school is in scheduling talks to play either Minnesota at the Metrodome or Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on that Sept. 16 date. If contracts are signed, 2006 would mark the third consecutive season that Grambling has played two or more games in NFL venues.
GSU offensive coordinator Sammy White also had a well-respected 11-year career with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, a Metrodome tenant. White was the NFL's offensive rookie of the year in 1976 and was selected All-Pro three times.
"One of the things that we say when we recruit kids into Grambling is that we will play in the finest stadiums, and these NFL venues fit into that," said Spears.
Last season, this date was filled by Washington State, another Division I-A foe, in a game held at the Seattle Seahawks' Qwest Field. Grambling has also played in Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati Bengals), Reliant Stadium (Houston Texans) and, of course, the Superdome (New Orleans Saints) since 2003.
Grambling's 2006 home slate would begin with Alcorn State (Sept. 2), followed by a long road trip before a return to Robinson Stadium to face two consecutive conference foes — Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Oct. 14) and Jackson State (Oct. 21) — then a finale with Alabama State (Nov. 4).
The Tigers are scheduled to travel next year to Alabama A&M in Huntsville (Sept. 9), Mississippi Valley State at Itta Bena (Oct. 7) and Texas Southern in Houston (Oct. 28).
Regular neutral site games include Prairie View at Dallas (Sept. 30) and then Southern, in either New Orleans or Houston (Nov. 25) — depending on the availability of the Superdome.
www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005512230328
By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — Grambling State's final regular-season date before the Bayou Classic bye week has become a painful thing to behold.
Most prospective opponents have entered their conference schedule by late November, leading to lightly attended matchups for Grambling against independents like Savannah State, the now-defunct Morris Brown and fledgling Concordia College.
Crowds for this date over the past five seasons have averaged a paltry 5,600.
That led Grambling to enter talks with traditional black college power North Carolina A&T about a possible neutral-site classic game.
The contest could be played in Phoenix, either at Bank One Park (located downtown, it's home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and this month's Insight Bowl) or at Sun Devil Stadium (site of the 1996 Super Bowl, as well as a trio of college national championship games).
As good as that sounds, the concept actually took on a deeper luster when A&T, which won a conference title three years ago but struggled to a 3-8 record in 2005, hired former Grambling great Lee Fobbs as its new coach this month.
A Monroe native, Fobbs was an All-American under GSU legend Eddie Robinson, then a finalist both to replace Robinson in 1997 and again when eventual successor Doug Williams left for an NFL job in 2004.
Current GSU coach Melvin Spears was given the position a year ago, and led Grambling to an undefeated Southwestern Athletic Conference record on the way to the league championship.
North Carolina A&T has another Grambling connection in women's basketball coach Patricia Bibbs, who led the Lady Tigers to six SWAC regular-season championships and four tournament titles — as well as the league's first undefeated season — before leaving in 1997.
"It would be a major Grambling affair," said Spears. "It would give us a chance to congratulate Coach Fobbs on getting the job. He's a testament to Grambling, and so is Pat Bibbs."
Nov. 11 is actually one of two dates that the Tigers are still looking to fill. GSU also typically takes on an out-of-conference foe in Week 3, after the Alcorn and A&M contests.
The school is in scheduling talks to play either Minnesota at the Metrodome or Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on that Sept. 16 date. If contracts are signed, 2006 would mark the third consecutive season that Grambling has played two or more games in NFL venues.
GSU offensive coordinator Sammy White also had a well-respected 11-year career with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, a Metrodome tenant. White was the NFL's offensive rookie of the year in 1976 and was selected All-Pro three times.
"One of the things that we say when we recruit kids into Grambling is that we will play in the finest stadiums, and these NFL venues fit into that," said Spears.
Last season, this date was filled by Washington State, another Division I-A foe, in a game held at the Seattle Seahawks' Qwest Field. Grambling has also played in Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati Bengals), Reliant Stadium (Houston Texans) and, of course, the Superdome (New Orleans Saints) since 2003.
Grambling's 2006 home slate would begin with Alcorn State (Sept. 2), followed by a long road trip before a return to Robinson Stadium to face two consecutive conference foes — Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Oct. 14) and Jackson State (Oct. 21) — then a finale with Alabama State (Nov. 4).
The Tigers are scheduled to travel next year to Alabama A&M in Huntsville (Sept. 9), Mississippi Valley State at Itta Bena (Oct. 7) and Texas Southern in Houston (Oct. 28).
Regular neutral site games include Prairie View at Dallas (Sept. 30) and then Southern, in either New Orleans or Houston (Nov. 25) — depending on the availability of the Superdome.
www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005512230328
