FROM AROUND THE MEAC...

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... and for MEAC it will come with playoff success

Dave Fairbank
Hampton Daily Press
July 28, 2007

VIRGINIA BEACH - Gorgeous morning. Snazzy oceanfront hotel. Perfect setting for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's annual football media day, where hope sprang eternal and everyone was undefeated.

Seemed as good a time as any to belly-flop into the punch bowl and ask about the MEAC's postseason schneid (This is why we don't get invited to parties very often).

Anyway, the MEAC in general and Hampton University in particular field quality teams. They have respected coaches. They play on television. They land players in the NFL.

And when they advance to the Division I-AA - excuse me, Football Championship Subdivision - playoffs, they come up empty.

The MEAC has not won a playoff game since 1999. The league is 0-8 in postseason this decade.

"That's how you're judged as a league, by how you do in the playoffs," said Dennis Thomas, the MEAC's eternally optimistic commissioner. "We need to break through that barrier. I feel like we will, because we've been so close on several occasions. One play here, one play there, and we win the ballgame."

Hampton University has been the league's undisputed Alpha Dog. The Pirates won the past three MEAC titles and lost only two conference games in the past three years. They lost just five games overall - three of them, obviously, on the first playoff weekend.

The Pirates have been close in all three playoff losses, agonizingly close in two. They fell by a touchdown to William and Mary in 2004. Their 38-10 loss to Richmond a year later was due to squandered first-half opportunities, followed by a second-half meltdown.

Last year's loss, though, deserves a jug of Maalox and an hour of couch time all its own. The Pirates led New Hampshire, formerly No. 1-ranked New Hampshire, in the waning minutes before the Wildcats pulled off two fourth-down Houdinis: a fake punt and a 25-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-16.

New Hampshire's only touchdown of the second half was the difference in a 41-38 victory.

"I still haven't gotten over that game," All-America defensive end Kendall Langford said, shaking his head.

"Howard has to feel some of that," Langford said, referring to the Pirates' season opener. "They've got to feel some of that. No disrespect. New Hampshire just happened to be the last game and Howard just happens to be the next game."

The MEAC's current goose-egg is magnified by the fact that the neighboring leagues - the Southern Conference and the Atlantic 10/Colonial Athletic Association - have such gaudy reputations and postseason résumés.

Those two conferences have a combined 51 playoff victories this decade and boast five of the past seven national champions, including two-time defending champ Appalachian State.

Thomas said that the MEAC's recent playoff track record has been a major topic among league coaches and athletic directors.

The league enters the third year of its broadcast arrangement with ESPN. A few of games will be shown on ESPNU and ESPN Classic, along with some other regionally televised games - exposure for fans and recruits that the league cannot buy.

Teams also significantly upgraded their non-conference schedules. Hampton plays Southern Illinois, a 2006 playoff participant, and Princeton. South Carolina State travels to South Carolina and Air Force. Norfolk State plays Rutgers, and Morgan State plays Towson. Delaware State faces Kent State, and Howard plays Eastern Michigan.

"That, I think, will better prepare us for the playoffs," Thomas said.

One task for HU coach Joe Taylor and his players is to guard against trying to win a playoff game before winning the conference championship.

"Probably the best thing that happened to us was not being picked first," Taylor said. Indeed, the Pirates were chosen second behind South Carolina State in the league preseason poll.

"Because it is important to pay attention to your own home, your own house, which is the MEAC," Taylor said. "Believe me, this conference ... has really grown tremendously. Week in and week out, you've got to be prepared; you've got to be ready to play. Otherwise, you don't even worry about a playoff."

Taylor's friend, Indianapolis Colts quarterback coach Jim Caldwell, came to HU for a clinic after the Colts won the Super Bowl.

"You look at them, people kept saying the same thing about them," Taylor said. "That they kept getting to the game and couldn't win it. Well, you just keep banging the rock. Keep banging the rock, and at some point it's going to break. So we're just going to keep banging the rock."

Dave Fairbank can be reached at 247-4637 or by e-mail at [e-mail] «

Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press

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Three-time champ HU wonders after being picked second ...

South Carolina State gets the nod as the MEAC favorite.




BY MARTY O'BRIEN
Hampton Daily Press
July 28, 2007


VIRGINIA BEACH - Hampton University defensive end Kendall Langford raised his eyes in disbelief as he viewed the 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference media guide and said, "One word: 'Misprint.' "

Then he leaned his 6-foot-6, 294-pound frame over the table, eyed the guide a second time and added, "One other word: 'Disrespect.' "

His issue?

South Carolina State was picked to win the MEAC - with HU, the three-time defending champion, second - by the MEAC's coaches and sports information directors.

The Bulldogs' margin was razor-thin - eight first-place votes to seven for the Pirates, and 266-260 points overall - but to Langford it was a Grand Canyon-sized insult.

"When all is said and done, Hampton will beat them," said Langford, voted the preseason Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches and SIDs. "I guess they're saying we lost too many seniors from last year.

"But we have some great recruits, great transfers and I feel the dynasty continues."

There is some logic to the predictions, released Friday during the conference's annual media day.

The Bulldogs (7-4 overall, 6-2 MEAC last season) return 13 starters and three specialists from a team that tied for second in the MEAC and beat Hampton 13-6. Hampton (10-2, 7-1) lost 13 starters and an All-American place-kicker among 28 seniors.

"Hampton's had a great run and it may have another," Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian said. "They may replace their seniors with better athletes, but they are athletes who have not been in their system.

"Experienced players are usually better football players. I'll take a better football player over an athlete anytime. I think there are five or six teams that could win it this year, and we're one of them."

S.C. State coach Buddy Pough added, "All this really means is that Hampton graduated a lot of good guys and people don't know if they'll be as good.

"It's all guess-work really. I think we'll be a title contender, but you don't get a trophy for being preseason favorite."

Some opposing players see the graduation losses and the preseason vote as a sign Hampton can be overtaken. But to borrow a term from presidential candidates, they are cautiously optimistic.

"They lost a lot of big-play people," FAMU linebacker Vernon Wilder said. "They're definitely vulnerable, but you can't overlook them."

S.C. State quarterback Cleveland McCoy added: "I wouldn't say Hampton is vulnerable because they know how to recruit. I feel like we have a great chance to win it, but we have to play with a chip on our shoulders.

"I don't know if being preseason favorite is such a good thing because everybody will be coming for us."

After three years atop the MEAC roost, Hampton coach Joe Taylor is content to let South Carolina State soak up the preseason pressure. He won't cede the title as easily.

"When you lose 15 guys and are picked as close to the top as we are, I think that shows a lot of respect to our program," he said. "Anyway, it's the standings at the end of the season, not the poll at the beginning, that makes the difference."

The predicted order of finish in the MEAC is: 1-South Carolina State, 2-Hampton, 3-Delaware State, 4-Bethune-Cookman, 5-Florida A&M, 6-Morgan State, 7-Norfolk State, 8-Howard, 9-North Carolina A&T.

MEAC NOTES

MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas confirmed Friday that the conference will not split into divisions when Winston-Salem State becomes eligible in 2010 for conference play, nor will it conduct a conference championship game.

Instead, the conference will play a round-robin schedule with two schools rotating off of each team's schedule for two years at a time.

Thomas said that traditional rivals still will play annually under the round-robin system. That means the Hampton-Norfolk State and Bethune-Cookman-Florida A&M rivalries will remain intact.

Thomas said that the MEAC has not set a date to consider North Carolina Central's request for admission into the conference. North Carolina Central moves this year from Division II to Division I. ...

In addition to Langford, the Pirates placed two others on the preseason all-conference first team: offensive guard Dennis Conley and kick returner Kevin Teel. Four Pirates made the second team: offensive guard Ryan Cave, tailback Kevin Beverly, defensive end Marcus Dixon and punter Jahmal Blanchard. ...

Delaware State wide receiver Shaheer McBride was selected the preseason offensive player of the year. «

Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press

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Article published Jul 29, 2007

MEAC foes steal a few from FAMU's backyard

By Heath A. Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - FAMU head football coach Rubin Carter has pretty much put up a "No MEAC Trespassing" sign around the Big Bend area in terms of recruiting, but a couple MEAC schools have still been able to make it to East Gadsden High School to snag several players recently.

Former East Gadsden running back Phillip Kirkland is a sophomore at Bethune-Cookman, while former East Gadsden quarterback Micah Brown and receiver Darius Jackson will be freshmen at Delaware State this fall.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Kirkland is expected to start at the A-back position for the Wildcats this season.

"He's a team player and a hard worker," Russell said about Kirkland. "He's going to be a big part of our offense this year. In the spring, he was the man.

"He took two plays for 80 yards back-to-back. He has great speed, and he is bigger than most A-backs that we've had in the past. I expect him to do big things for us this year."

Brown is expected to compete for the No. 2 job behind senior starter Vashon Winton.

"When I first saw him, he reminded me of Vashon Winton," said Delaware State senior wide receiver Shaheer McBride. "He has the same, height, size and arm. I think he can come in and compete for the No. 2 job."

While Brown is expected to hold a clipboard this year, McBride thinks Jackson could be seeing playing time this year.

"I think he can come help us right away," McBride said. "He has speed, quickness, hands and runs good routes."

SMACKDOWN BEGINS FOR FLORIDA CLASSIC

Bethune-Cookman senior safety Bobbie Williams wasted little time kicking off the official smack for the 2007 Florida Classic against rival Florida A&M.

Williams and senior quarterback Jimmie Russell were the player representatives for Bethune-Cookman at Friday's MEAC Preseason Press Luncheon.

Williams, wearing a sky-blue linen shirt and matching pants, displayed the swagger made famous by his head coach Alvin Wyatt, who actually showed up in a rather conservative but still stylish business suit.

"Hampton and FAMU are done already," Williams said Friday during media interviews. "They're done before we even play them. Those are two big games for us."

FAMU is on the clock for a response.

Seriously, though, the Wildcats, picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll ahead of FAMU, have lost the last two Florida Classics, and Russell said he has already begun to feel the heat to come up with a win this year.

"My mom put it in my mind," Russell said. "About a month ago my mom came to me and said, 'What are you doing still asleep? FAMU ain't asleep right now.'

"I try not to think about that game too much too early. I'll think about it when we play them."

NCA&T'S CAMPBELL OUT

North Carolina A&T quarterback Wayne Campbell may not be able to play this season because of academic issues, according to his teammate, running back Michael Ferguson.

Campbell, the son of former FAMU offensive lineman Wayne Campbell, played in 11 games last season after transferring from Eastern Michigan.

Wayne became the starter for the Aggies after Herbert Miller went down with an injury late in the season. Miller is expected to start for North Carolina A&T this season, while Campbell's future is uncertain.

"He can run and throw," Ferguson said about Miller. "He's a winner and knows how to play the game. He can make plays for us when things break down."


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Article published Jul 15, 2007

FAMU creates Rattler Fund

Townsend hopes to raise money for fifth-year scholarships for former athletes

By Heath A. Smith
TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Maria Andonova spent the past four years helping lead the Florida A&M women's volleyball program to four consecutive MEAC Championships.

Although Andonova's time is up as a student-athlete, she still needs another year in school to get her degree. Like Andonova, many student-athletes require more than four years to earn degrees.

FAMU Athletic Director Nelson Townsend hopes the creation of The Rattler Sports Fund will help pay for student-athletes such as Andonova to continue their education after their eligibility is complete.

"We're asking people to help young people share the experience that they had at FAMU," Townsend said. "Our student-athletes give a lot to the community, to the school, to their families and friends and we need to support them. The greatest area of need is scholarships."

The FAMU athletic department has already mailed out 5,000 packets to potential donors. Included in the packet was information about the fund and a pledge card.

Donors can pledge as little $1 at the Fan level of support or more than $5,000 at the Rattler Legend level. Townsend said he hopes this current fundraising effort will bring a minimum of $400,000-$500,000 annually, which will be used to pay for the cost of fifth-year scholarships and summer school for student-athletes.

Money will also be used to endow scholarships. Currently the annual cost for a full scholarship is $10,000 for an in-state student and $23,000 for an out-of-state student at FAMU.

Sen. Al Lawson, who helped start the Boosters at FAMU, said he was concerned that both organizations would be competing for the same dollars, which could confuse and turn off potential donors.

"If the athletic department goes to Bank of America to seek a donation, what is going to happen when the Boosters go to Bank of America seeking support as well?" Lawson said. "Most successful athletic departments work through their boosters to raise money, not around them."

Townsend said he wanted to reach out to a broader audience than the Boosters currently have. The bigger goal is to help offset the rising cost of athletic scholarships, especially at a time when more and more student-athletes are attending school year-round.

"It would definitely be a big benefit to our programs," said FAMU women's volleyball coach Tony Trifonov, who will have two former players on fifth-year scholarships in the fall semester.

"It gives our student-athletes an opportunity to complete their education, which helps our graduation rates. It is something the student-athletes need."

Future projects for the fund include upgrading facilities and planned long-term giving in the form of life insurance, trusts and donor-pooled income funds.

The Rattler Sports Fund is a separate entity from the Rattler Boosters, which also seeks levels of giving ranging from as low as $50 to more than $5,000.

In addition to the packets that were mailed out, you can also get information on The Rattler Sports Fund on the FAMU athletic department website at www.thefamurattlers.com.

You may also contact Alvin Hollins at [phone] for more information about the fund.

For more information about the Rattler Boosters, you can call the Rattler Booster Office at [phone] or go to www.therattlerboosters.com.


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Article published Jul 3, 2007

FAMU building better tomorrow

By Heath A. Smith
TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER


Florida A&M physical education faculty think they are about to begin a new era once construction is completed on a $42.5 million multipurpose teaching gym.

The building will feature, among other things, a state-of-the-art testing laboratory that will give FAMU an opportunity to perform cutting-edge research.

"This facility is really going to open the door to some good things, in terms of testing human performance, testing and evaluating rehabilitation programs and designing and implementing certain training methods," said Brian Hickey, a professor in FAMU's Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, which will be housed in the gym once it is completed.

"The University of Florida has a phenomenal model for what we would like to do at FAMU. They invented Gatorade for the football team. We'd like to take a model like that to help the FAMU community first and then share that research to the sports community in general."

Hickey, an expert in exercise science, teaches exercise physiology, kinesiology and motor learning at FAMU. He also helps the men's basketball team with strength and conditioning.

Hickey said the building of a human-performance lab will allow the department to expand in the area of studying athletic performance.

"One of the things we don't really do right now is take what we do in the classroom and apply it to real athletes," Hickey said. "What we should be able to do is use our athletes to test out different techniques."

Most major NCAA Division I programs have some type of performance laboratory that is used to study a variety of areas.

The Air Force Academy has a human performance laboratory that focuses on sports vision. Duke University's lab, named after the school's basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski, focuses on closing the gap between athletic potential and sports performance.

"This is going to give us an opportunity to launch a new curriculum that is going to draw students from across the state and the country," Hickey said. "It's going to be a great recruiting tool."

FAMU football coach Rubin Carter said many historically black colleges and universities lack the funds and resources for human performances laboratories, so having one at FAMU will be a major advancement.

"I would be enthusiastic about any methods or tools that would enhance our team's performance on the field," Carter said. "Body mechanics and flexibility are very important."

Rehabilitation can be just as important as training techniques, which is why Carter is also excited to hear that a therapy pool will be installed in the gym.

Therapy pools are warm-water pools with sufficient water depth so that a person standing in chest-deep water will become buoyant, lessening the impact on the skeletal structure.

Beneficial resistive movement can then be performed in the pool using water jets as a resistance medium for the body to exercise in. Certain water-resistent exercise machines can be used in the pool, such as treadmills and exercise bikes.

"The therapy pool will help us out a lot," FAMU head trainer Akina Dina said. "If we have a kid with a problem in the lower extremities, the pool will allow us to do things that we can't do on campus now. Right now we have to send people off-campus for certain types of rehabs."

A therapy pool isn't a magic cure for injuries, but for a school without a working whirlpool, it would be major advancement.

David Wells, assistant athletic trainer at Florida State, said therapy pools first started being used by collegiate athletic trainers around 10 years ago. Wells said Florida State installed one four years ago.

"We actually have three pools - a warm jacuzzi, a cold tub and a rehab pool," Wells said. "Having it on site is a tremendous help. It provides buoyancy, which minimizes comprehensive joint loads. It allows you to start earlier on range of motion, which can minimizes muscle atrophy.

"Water also provides a continuous resistance, which can help with the lower and upper extremities. If you are in water up to your neck, it can help in terms of shoulder rehabilitation."

Less muscle atrophy means less recovery time, and that sounds good to Carter.

"The therapy pool is something that we have been sorely needing," Carter said. "It think it will be a great help in the prevention of and recovery from major injuries. It would elevate our program to a different level."


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Article published Jul 2, 2007

Excitement building for FAMU gym

By Heath A. Smith
TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Charles R. Lewis III loves to build things - and he's had plenty of chances to do just that. During the past 12 years, his job as Florida A&M's director of construction operations has allowed him to work on a variety of projects ranging in cost from $1 million to $125 million.

This summer has seen Lewis get into building mode again as FAMU began construction on a 10,000-seat, multi-purpose teaching gym.

The facility comes with a price tag of more than $42.5 million, which includes $34.7 million for the construction. The other $7.8 million includes planning costs (architecture fees, surveys and inspection fees, etc.) and equipment costs (office furniture, basketball equipment, class room equipment, etc.).

Technically, FAMU broke ground on the project in the fall of 2005, but Phase I of the construction, which includes earth-work, framing of the steel structure and the pouring of concrete, began in April.

The project is scheduled to be completed in February 2009 - and the four-story structure will be the new home of the school's Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, the men's and women's basketball programs and the athletic department training staff.

The facility will also be used for school functions such as convocations and graduations, as well as serve as a venue for concerts and other events. It sits directly across Wahnish Way - near the football practice fields - from the Gaither Athletic Center.

Though the teaching gym stands to create quite a buzz on the FAMU campus, Lewis said he is looking at the new facility as his next big project.

"My personal satisfaction in my job is seeing the enhancement of the university to provide better educational opportunities for the students," Lewis said. "I don't get excited about any project more than the other."

While Lewis said he has no personal bias toward any one project, there are many people at FAMU who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the teaching gym.

Joseph Ramsey, a professor of sports management and former athletic director at FAMU, first brought the idea of the project to then-President Frederick Humphries in 2001.

"I was excited about having a facility that is so long overdue," Ramsey said. "It gives us a better facility for our academic program. We can do a lot more health-related activities with this facility. It is a home run for everybody in athletics and physical education."

In addition to offices for the department's staff, four classrooms (measuring 33 feet by 24 feet) will be located on the west side of the facility on the fourth floor overlooking the main basketball court. A dance studio also will be on the fourth floor.

While the primary purpose of the teaching gym is as an educational facility, there is little question that one of its most anticipated uses will be as the new home of Rattler men's and women's basketball programs.

The Gaither Athletic Center has been the home of men's and women's basketball since 1963. While the 3,365-seat capacity gym has its share of character and history, it lacks some of the amenities of more modern facilities that have been built at other MEAC schools. An air-conditioning system was installed in the gym for the first time last year.

"I think it will give us an obvious boost to our ability to recruit quality student-athletes," assistant men's basketball coach Mike Gillespie Jr. said. "I just think it will make our day-to-day job so much better, with the new offices, practice facilities and other amenities."

A total of six basketball offices, including two head coaches' offices, will be on the east side of the gym on the fourth floor. The offices also will overlook the basketball court.

On the first floor, three practice courts will surround the main basketball court. Also on the first floor will be men's and women's locker rooms for the home and visiting teams, home- and visiting-team coaching-staff locker rooms and a multi-purpose room for postgame interviews and to film the coach's show.

Gillespie Jr. said he hopes the new facility will make an impact on future recruits.

"We haven't lost many recruits that have made official visits, but we have lost a few to schools like UNC-Wilmington and Cleveland State," Gillespie said. "Those are mid-major-level schools."

Gillespie said this facility when completed will certainly rival facilities within the MEAC, including Hampton University's Convocation Center.

"Hampton's Convocation Center gives their program a mid-major feel," Gillespie said. "Their new coach installed flat screens in their facility. We just got air conditioning 12 months ago at Gaither."


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Spartans selected seventh in MEAC poll

The Virginian-Pilot
© July 28, 2007
Last updated: 9:38 PM


VIRGINIA BEACH - Norfolk State was picked to finish seventh in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason poll by league coaches and sports information directors Friday.

South Carolina State, with eight first-place votes, was the narrow favorite to win the conference, followed by three-time defending champion Hampton, which garnered seven first-place votes. Delaware State was third, followed by Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M and Morgan State. Howard and North Carolina A&T rounded out the poll.

Senior linebacker Maguell Davis and junior defensive lineman Dennis Marsh were selected to the All-MEAC first team for Norfolk State, which went 4-7 last season. Davis had 84 tackles, including eight for losses, to lead the Spartans for the second consecutive season. Marsh led all defensive linemen with 51 tackles last season.

Kick returner Rashad Howard, defensive lineman Eric Bullock and defensive back Terrell Whitehead, a Kempsville grad, were named to the second team. As a freshman last season, Whitehead led the Spartans with three interceptions.

The Spartans open practice Aug. 6 and kick off the season at home against Virginia State at
6 p.m. on Sept. 1.


© 2007 HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com

[dj98]

thanks for the run down!!!!!!!!!

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BILLY JOE TO BE ENSHRINED IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

Former FAMU coaching firebrand to join 20 others in prestigious institution Saturday evening






July 20, 2007
thefamurattlers.com

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Former Florida A&M head football Coach William "Billy" Joe will be one of 20 legends due to be enshrined in the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 21 at the culmination organization's annual Enshrinement Festival in South Bend, Ind.


Thousands will gather from all over the country to pay tribute to the storied careers of 20 of the game's greatest stars.


The weekend's celebration will include a celebrity golf tournament, an outdoor concert, a grand parade, a flag football game, a youth clinic, culminating with the Enshrinement Dinner and Show on Saturday night.


Listed below is the official Hall of Fame biography of Coach Billy Joe, who will be enshrined along with a group which includes Florida State coach Bobby Bowden and former FSU Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward, Jr. at 6:00 p.m. Saturday:


Coach William "Billy" Joe

Florida A&M (1994-2004)

Central State University (Ohio) (1981-93)

Cheyney University (Pa.) (1972-78)

Head Coach, 237-108-4, .685


Few coaches can match the unparalleled gridiron success of William "Billy" Joe's storied career.


Having captured seven National Black College Football Championships and two NAIA national titles, he enters the College Football Hall of Fame as one of the most highly decorated black college football coaches in history.


Joe's 237 career victories place him fourth on the Football Championship Subdivision's all-time winningest coaches ranks and position him second only to the legendary Eddie Robinson in the black college football standings.


At Florida A&M, he led the Rattlers to an unprecedented five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) titles, while garnering three of the conference's Coach of the Year accolades.


He also spent ten consecutive seasons in the NAIA playoffs while at Central State. Throughout his 31 years as a head coach, Joe compiled 26 winning seasons and coached five Black College National Players of the Year.


Highly respected among his peers, he served as vice president of the American Football Coaches Association in 1993 and was elected president of the organization in 1995.

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July 30, 2007

Wyatt faces questions with aplomb

By TONY JONES
DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL

THAT'S MY WORD

TAMPA -- Give Alvin Wyatt credit where it's due.

He didn't dodge any questions.

The head coach at Bethune-Cookman University didn't give any rehearsed answers that sound as if they came right out of his playbook.

He never lost patience at some of the inquires that came his way.

What Wyatt did, on the second day of the FSWA Coaches Media Day, was answer each and every difficult question thrown at him -- about J.D. Hall, about Avery Atkins, about the failures of last season.

For that he's to be commended, if for no other reason than he's the only coach except Miami's Randy Shannon who faced the business side of the media in the event -- as friendly a setting as you get between the two professions.

Not only that, his answers were eloquent, straightforward and to the point.

"We did not perform well defensively," Wyatt said. "Frankly, we had some guys that were more worried about their pro prospects than playing football. We didn't have the leadership that we needed, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and that was disappointing."

There's little doubt that last season was one of the most trying in Wyatt's career.

In a year where the Wildcats were expected, at the very least, to challenge Hampton for the MEAC title, B-CU lost three consecutive games to end its season and limp to a 5-6 record.

Two of them, to Howard and Florida A&M, were in embarrassing fashion.

The passing of Hall, a player Wyatt coached to a historic career, made things worse. The death of Avery Atkins, a kid Wyatt knew since he was knee-high, made things downright nightmarish.

"It's tough for me to talk about J.D. and Avery," Wyatt said. "I've known Avery since he was small. He used to come down to the coaches office, he was always on campus. This has just been really tough.

ANOTHER SIDE

We all know Wyatt as the smooth coach, the dude who dresses to the nines even when going to his doorstep to get the morning paper.

We all know Wyatt as the confident coach, the one who believes nobody can out-think him on the field of battle.

And while that side was there Sunday morning, as always, Wyatt opened up slightly and let the world see what he was thinking.

For instance, he never wants to go through another season like 2006. That was made clear within the first 30 seconds of the media session. In order to make sure, Wyatt will run the defense this year, something he hasn't done in the recent past.

Immediately following the loss to FAMU, Wyatt dismissed nine players from the team, saying he needed to rid his squad of the bad seeds.

What he has left is a young team that will be without the services of Eric Weems for the first time in four years.

Conventional wisdom dictates Jimmie Russell will be the man at quarterback, after a junior year in which he platooned the position with Jarod Rucker. But Wyatt has said Russell, a senior, will get competition. How real that is, we don't yet know. But we didn't think it was real last season either, and it came to fruition.

Most of all, says Wyatt, this Bethune-Cookman team will have a different attitude. It will hustle, without keeping one eye on the stat sheet.

"We've put last season behind us," Wyatt said. "Now it's time to move forward."

[e-mail]


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© 2007 News-Journal Corporation. ® www.news-journalonline.com. Do not republish or distribute without permission.

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Rams like look of schedule that has actual home games

WSSU will be playing at either Joel Coliseum or the Annex

By John Dell
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL REPORTER
Monday, July 30, 2007


For returning players at Winston-Salem State, this seasonfs basketball schedule is a little less daunting than last yearfs play-for-pay torture test.

With a full schedule in the MEAC, the Rams will play 14 home games this season. Thatfs a far cry from the five home games they played last season. During last seasonfs first in Division I, the Rams collected nearly $500,000 from high-powered schools with 21 road games covering nearly 35,000 miles.

It all added up to a rather forgetful 5-24 record, the worst in school history.

Coach Bobby Collins, who will start his second season with the Rams, said that having more of a balanced schedule is the biggest plus.

gI think our guys are going to have a different attitude going into games,h he said. gWhile we tried to compete in every one of our games last season, there will be a different feel.h

The Rams will open Nov. 9 in the Iowa State Tournament and play again the next day. They then play at Duquesne on Nov. 12 before playing Wake Forest at Joel Coliseum on Nov. 23. Collins said that there will obviously be a different feeling playing the Deacons because of last weekfs death of Skip Prosser.

gI really think that game takes on a different meaning for me, and it has nothing to do with basketball,h Collins said. gSkip was one of the good guys in this game, so thatfs going to be a tough night for me. But at the same time I think it will be an honor to play Wake Forest in light of whatfs happened.h

After playing the Deacons, the Rams will play their first true home game on Nov. 27 against Fresno State at Joel Coliseum.

For the first time since the Gaines Center was built in 1978, the Rams arenft scheduled to play any home games on campus. All of the home games are scheduled for either Joel Coliseum or the Annex, which Collins said is a good thing.

gI just think it gives our older fan base a chance to go to the games,h Collins said. gIt was pretty tough for them to get to the Gaines Center.h

The Gaines Center, which holds around 3,000, is great for the students because of its proximity on campus. But there is little parking around the Gaines Center, and with nearly 6,000 students at WSSU, the gym has become too small.

But the Rams will lose a decided home-court advantage by not playing in the cozy confines of the Gaines Center.

gIfm not worried about that,h Collins said. gWith most of our games at the Annex, I think my teams over the years have played pretty well in bigger arenas. So we are embracing the move to the Annex and to Joel Coliseum for our home games.h

Even though the Rams arenft eligible for the MEAC Tournament until the 2010-11 season, they are now part of a conference again.

Beside the 14 home games and the cross-town game with Wake Forest, the Rams will also play in Greensboro against N.C. A&T on Jan. 26. The two schools, who share one of the best rivalries in the state, havenft played against each other in basketball since the 1997-98 season when the Aggies won 68-66. The Rams and Aggies will also play on Feb. 23 at the Annex.

Another key game, at least for Collins, will be a trip to Hampton on Feb. 18. It will be a return to the school where he was head coach for four seasons and before that was an assistant for seven seasons.

gHaving 14 home games is definitely rewarding for our seniors, Roy Peake and Darrell Wonge,h Collins said. gTheir friends and family can see them play a lot more so Ifm pleased with the schedule and looking forward to it.h

¡ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at [e-mail]

The schedule: Nov. 9-10 at Iowa State tournament; 12 at Duquesne; 23 at Wake Forest (Joel Coliseum); 27 Fresno State (Joel Coliseum) 6 p.m.; Dec. 1 S.C. State (Annex) 7 p.m.; 8 Georgia State (Annex) 7 p.m.; 17 Alabama A&M (Annex) 7 p.m.; 19 Ferrum (Annex) 7 p.m.; 22 at Kansas State; 29 at South Florida; Jan. 2 Maryland Eastern Shore (Annex) 6 p.m.; 4 Delaware State (Annex) 6 p.m.; 9 Columbia Union (Annex), 7:30 p.m.; 19 Howard (Joel Coliseum) 4 p.m.; 21 Hampton (Annex) 7:30 p.m.; 26 at N.C. A&T; 28 at Norfolk State; Feb. 2 Florida A&M (Annex) 6 p.m.; 4 Bethune-Cookman (Annex) 7:30 p.m.; 9 at Morgan State; 11 at Coppin State; 16 at Howard; 18 at Hampton; 23 N.C. A&T (Annex) 6 p.m.; 25 Norfolk State (Annex) 7:30 p.m.; March 1 at Florida A&M; 3 at Bethune Cookman; 6 at S.C. State..

[aggierattler]

2007 FAMU FOOTBALL GAME PREVIEW • WEEK ONE

THE FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY RATTLERS vs. THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY JAGUARS
Saturday, September 1, 2007 • Legion Field • Birmingham, AL • 3:05 p.m. ET • ESPN Classic • WHBX 96.1 FM/Tallahassee

THE MATCHUP
The Pairing: The Florida A&M University Rattlers of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference will face the Southern University Jaguars of the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the third annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

The Logistics: Game time will be 3:05 p.m. Eastern (2:05 p.m. Central), from historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

Game Day Weather (courtesy The Weather Channel): Partly cloudy with highs in the upper 80s and lows in the upper 60s, with 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms.

On The Air: The game will be televised nationally live on ESPN Classic. Eric Collins (play-by-play), former Howard All-American Jay “Sky” Walker (analyst) and Melissa Knowles (sidelines) will anchor the coverage for ESPN….
•The Rattler Sports Radio Network begins its’ 24th season of coverage, with veterans Keith Miles (Executive Producer/Play-By-Play), Mike Thomas (analyst), Victor Duncan (sidelines) and Jerome Swaine (engineer). WHBX-FM (96.1) in Tallahassee will serve as flagship station for the RSN, which can be heard on seven other affiliate stations in Georgia and Florida….
•The Rubin Carter Show, the 30-minute program featuring highlights and commentary, will air on WCTV/My Net (Comcast Digital Cable 227) at 11:00 p.m. on Sundays, beginning Sept. 2…. It will also air on Channel 6 (Comcast 9) at 12:30 a.m. Sundays and on WSWG/My Net in Albany, Georgia at 12 Midnight on Sundays…
•The Rubin Carter Show will enjoy expanded viewership in 2007, airing on SUN Sports (Comcast Cable 28) on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. and on Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS, Comcast Cable 26) on Fridays at 2:00 p.m.
•Rattler Prime Time, a two-hour replay of the previous day’s game, will air on Sundays from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on WCTV/My Net (Comcast Digital Cable 227), just prior to the first airing of The Rubin Carter Show.

The Series: Florida A&M holds a 31-24-1 lead in the series with Southern University, which began in 1941… FAMU edged the Jaguars, 10-7 in that series inaugural…. Southern won the last meeting in 2001, 17-14 in overtime…

The Last Time They Met: Florida A&M let an early 14-7 lead slip away, as the Jaguars rallied to tie the game, 14-14 in regulation…. FAMU had a couple of scoring opportunities late in the fourth period, but could not convert, forcing overtime… After Southern booted a short field goal to go ahead, 17-14, the Rattlers had a Tony Romo moment, as a high snap on a potential game-tying field goal went awry sealing the game for Southern, which ended a four-losing skid to the Rattlers as the series contract expired after that 2001 contest…

What’s At Stake: For both clubs, it is the season-opening contest and given the history between the two schools, it should be an intense contest, as four of the last six games in the series have been decided by four points or less, with three of the last four games being decided by a last second or overtime field goal….
•For the Rattlers, a win snaps a five-game season-opening losing skid (they’ve not won an opener since 2001), and gives them an ice-breaker before their league and home opener against Delaware State, Sept. 8….
•For the Jaguars, coming off a 5-6 season, a win would be paramount toward reversing their recent trend of back-to-back losing seasons – the first ever stretch under Coach Pete Richardson in 14 years…. Plus a win gives them a nice bump heading into their league opener next week as well…

The Coaching Matchup: Florida A&M’s Rubin Carter (Miami of Florida ’75) has a 13-9 record in two (2) seasons in Tallahassee (6-5, 7-4)… Southern University’s Pete Richardson (Dayton ’68) has fashioned a 114-49 record in 14 seasons in Baton Rouge, including four Black College National titles (1993, 1995, 1997, 2003) and five SWAC titles….. He owns a 156-63-1 career mark over a 19-year collegiate coaching career, which included a five-year stint at Winston-Salem State (1988-92).

Players To Watch: Here are some key performers to watch in Saturday’s opener in Birmingham: FOR FAMU: Senior QB Albert Chester, an All-MEAC pick in 2006 and a preseason first-team choice in 2007, returns after passing for a league-best 1,986 yards and 18 TDs (hit 62.1 percent of his aerials, 164 of 264) with just 5 INTs…. Chester was the club’s third-leading rusher (320 yards, 4 TDs) behind senior FB Anthony Edwards (482 yard, 123 carries, 5 TDs) and sophomore RB Demitric Henry (414 yards, 70 carries, 2 TDs), who had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games as a true freshman in 2006…. The senior receiving trio of Willie Hayward (All-MEAC, 49 rec., 674 yards, 5 TDs), Derek Williams (29 rec., 269 yards, 2 TDs) and Ronald Wright (25 rec., 410 yards 3 TDs) should help fill the void left by Roosevelt Kiser (63 catches, 647 yards, 5 TDs), who graduated as the fourth-leading receiver (191) of all time at FAMU…. Defensively, All-MEAC picks abound for an up-and-coming unit which could be the key to the Rattlers’ success in 2007… All-MEAC senior end Tyrone McGriff, Jr., is a lightning quick pass rusher who has had 8.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss the past two years…. Junior MLB Vernon Wilder, who also picked up all-conference accolades, led the club with 89 tackles (5.5 for loss, 32 solos) in 10 games, while junior safety Jason Beach (70 tackles, 4 INTs, 4.5 tackles for loss) and sophomore Michael Creary (39 tackles, 2 INTs) are all-league performers in the secondary…. Another defender to watch will be senior OLB Dannel Sheppard, who until a late season injury sidelined him for the final two games, was leading the MEAC in tackles for loss, finishing with 14.5 (plus 49 tackles, 2.5 sacks)…. Senior punter/kicker Wesley Taylor has developed into one of the nation’s clutch kickers, having won three overtime bouts with field goals the past two years…. He was 14 of 22 point three-point tries, including 4-for-6 from beyond 40 yards and 9-for-14 from 30 yards or more…. He also led the MEAC in punting (41.3) after leading Division I-AA in 2005 with a 45.9 average, which earned him first-team Associated Press I-AA All-America honors….

•FOR SOUTHERN: Sophomore QB Bryant Lee will take over for the departed J.C. Lewis, who passed for 1,100 yards and 10 TDs a year ago…. Lee passed for 571 yards and a trio of scores, hitting 58.6 of his passes (51 of 87, 4 INTs) in five games in 2006…. Senior WR Gerard Landy (55 rec. 727 yards, 5 TDs) returns to head the Jags’ receiving corps, which also features junior Del Roberts (28 rec. 260 yards, 1 TD) and sophomore Juamorris Stewart (21 catches, 265 yards, 1 TD)…. The loss of RB Kendall Addison (650 yards, 7 TDs on 111 carries) to graduation, opens the door for a plethora of candidates headed by lee (302 yards, 5 TDs on 67 carries) – the Jags’ top returning runner – along with junior Darren Coates (119 yards, 1 TD)….. Defensively, SU returns junior SS Glenn Bell (65 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 INT); RE Vincent Lands (62 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, plus 6 sacks), along with junior secondary aces FS Jarmaul George (5 INTs) and CB Michael Williams (3 INTs)….

NCAA changes divisional labels for 2007:
Beginning with the 2007 season, NCAA Division I-AA will now be known as NCAA Division I FCS - Football Championship Subdivision.... The changes evolved as a sort of merger of the NCAA’s Division One’s football subdivisions.....

MEAC Preseason Picks: The Rattlers placed five players on the 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason All-Star Football first team and nine players total....
Heading the list of first-team picks from FAMU were QB Albert Chester, WR Willie Hayward, OT Justin Delancy, LB Vernon Wilder and PK/P Wesley Taylor, who was tabbed first team as both punter and placekicker.... The second team picks include RB Anthony Edwards, DE Tyrone McGriff, DBs Michael Creary and Jason Creary....

Carter eyes year three of his regime: Head coach Rubin Carter begins his third year as head coach of the Rattlers with eyes on taking the program into the upper level of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and return to the NCAA playoffs..... The University of Miami graduate has piloted the Rattlers to a 13-9 record (6-5, 7-4) the past two seasons, with a pair of 5-3 conference marks in 2005 and 2006, good for fourth place finishes in both campaigns...
In the offseason, he continued his quest to build the Rattler program through high school recruiting, bringing in a bumper crop of 27 prospects, loading up on defensive players, while adding a quarterback and some crucial young stock for the offense and special teams.... Considering that over a dozen of his recruits from 2006 were pressed into starting roles last season, it appears that Carter’s eye for talent is a good one, which bodes well for the Rattlers in the immediate future...

Rattler Coaches Historical• The 3rd Year:
•Jubie Bragg (1908): 0-1-0
•Franz “Jazz” Byrd (1928): 0-4-0
•Eugene Bragg (1932): 4-2-1
•William “Big Bill” Bell (1938): 8-0-0*
•A.S. “Jake” Gaither (1947): 9-1-0*
•Rudy Hubbard (1976): 6-3-2
•Ken Riley (1988): 7-4-0
•William “Billy” Joe (1996): 9-3-0

Chester establishes hold on starting role:
Albert Chester has more than come into his own as the Rattler quarterback, putting his own unique stamp on the position....
After an impressive finishing stretch in 2005, when he led the Rattlers to five wins in their final six games as a sophomore, Chester impressed everyone even more in 2006 by passing for 1,986 yards and 18 TDs, completing 62.1 percent of his passes (164 of 264).... He also rushed for 320 yards and four (4) more TDs.... The mentally-tough youngster has grown into a formidable performer, earning second-team All-MEAC honors last year and preseason first-team All-MEAC notices after leading the league in passing (144.0) and total offense (230.6) a year ago.... Son of former All-America and three-time MVP QB Albert Chester Sr. (1975-78), the younger Chester has rushed for 569 yards and seven (7) TDs in his career, while passing for 2,783 yards and 22 TDs, completing 63.1 percent of his passes....

RAC Boys 2007 poised for big year: Veterans will hold court at the wide receiver slots which bodes well for quarterback Al Chester and his field general competitors... The senior trio of Willie Hayward, the lanky 6-4, 190-pound high jump specialist, along with Derek Williams (5-11, 180) and Ronald Wright (6-0, 202) are the top three returning receivers from a year ago, who will try to make up for the loss of the departed Roosevelt Kiser (63 catches, 647 yards, five TDs).... Sophomore Javares Knight and a pair of true freshmen in Orion Ponder and Jonathan Sanders will figure into the receiver mix along with tight ends Taj Jenkines (6-4, 225, So.) and freshman Terrence Pittman (6-5, 210)....

Delancy, Brazzle, Collins anchor offensive line: Despite the loss of left tackle Dan Parrish to the NFL (Jacksonville camp) and left guard Lenard Black, don’t weep for the 2007 offensive line, as the trio of senior tackle Justin Delancy (6-2, 238), redshirt sophomore guard Anthony Collins (6-3, 355) and junior center Steve Brazzle (6-4, 328) should return to play the role of anchormen for the Rattler front five.... The offensive line will likely see plenty of new faces including five freshmen and three sophomores in the mix for the five starting spots....

Edwards, Henry ground game double act: Senior power back Anthony Edwards and rising sophomore Demitric Henry are the two-headed monster that the Rattlers hope will put the punch back in their running game.... Both players took turns showing flashes in 2006, but together at season’s end they looked like a potentially deadly combination.... Edwards, a 212-pound bruiser, with swivel hips and open field speed, led the club with 482 yards rushing and five (5) TDs on 123 carries.... Henry, 175-pound yearling in 2006, had 414 yards on just 70 carries, rushing for 149 yards in his first-ever collegiate start against Norfolk State, followed three weeks later with a 101-yard effort against North Carolina A&T....

McGriff looking for big senior campaign:
Senior end Tyrone McGriff missed four games last season due to injuries, but finished 2006 with his typical flourish, savaging Bethune-Cookman in the season finale with six tackles, two for loss, one sack and a recovered fumble.... The lightning fast end, who may find a pro future at linebacker or safety, comes into his final collegiate campaign with 155 total tackles (71 solos), 23 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in three seasons.... The versatile youngster has played end, tackle and linebacker during his career.... His father was the late All-America guard Tyrone McGriff, Sr., who played from 1976-79, and was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996....

Defense should be older, better in 2007:
After losing nine starters from the 2005 defense, the outlook for the 2006 edition was anything but a sure thing.... But a funny thing happened on the way to a 7-4 record, the Rattlers found some potential future stars out of the 2006 recruiting class and could be poised to field one of the nation’s more formidable units before long.... The senior quartet of ends Tyrone McGriff and Carlos Rolle, linebacker Dannel Shepard and defensive back Ernest Williams will provide leadership along with junior linebacker Vernon Wilder, the club’s tackle leader from a year ago and junior safety Jason Beach, the team leader in pass interceptions.... Sophomore tackles Demetris Lane and Cameron Houston started as freshmen last season, as did redshirt sophomore linebacker Michael McMillan and true sophomores Michael Creary, Donovan Johnson and Gregory Clark....

Taylor set for all-star epilogue to career: Senior kicker Wesley Taylor, a two-time All-MEAC selection and a 2005 Associated Press Division I-AA All-America, is aiming for a rousing final act to his collegiate career in 2007.... The Tampa-area native will always be known for his gutsy kicks in the 2005 Walt Disney World Florida Classic that led to a 26-23 overtime win....
Taylor has three career walk-off kicks, including two overtime winners last season against Tennessee State (25-22) and Norfolk State (36-33)....
Careerwise, Taylor has connected on 30 of 52 field goals and 54 of 60 for 144 points... Last season, he continued to extend his kicking range on field goals, booting four of six fielders from beyond 40 yards....
He had a 47-yard long last season and a 46-yarder in 2005 - the game-tying boot against Bethune-Cookman in that thriller two years ago....

Rattlers on the Tube: Florida A&M will make at least four appearances on television this season, three of them on the ESPN family of networks....
Sept. 1 vs. Southern and Nov. 17 vs. Bethune-Cookman will air on ESPN Classic... The October 13 South Carolina State game will be broadcast by ESPNU... All three ESPN games are part of the MEAC television package....
•The Tennessee State game on Sept. 29 in Atlanta will air on Turner Sports South as part of the Ohio Valley Conference television package....
•In addition, The Rubin Carter Show, the weekly 30-minute highlight program will get more statewide and regional exposure in 2007, airing on SUN Sports (Fox Florida) on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. and regionally on Comcast/CSS (covering Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, the Carolinas and portions of Louisiana) on Fridays at 2 p.m. Eastern…. Both networks can also be accessed by satellite television subscribers as well….

Coach Billy Joe joins College Hall of Fame: Former Rattler coach William “Billy” Joe was enshrined in the prestigious College Football Hall of Fame, July 21....
The Villanova grad who coached 11 seasons at FAMU (86-46 from 1994 to 2004), finished his 31-year head coaching career with 237 victories - the second-highest total in Black College history behind the late Eddie Robinson (408) of Grambling State.... Joe won six Black College National titles in his career, including the 1998 crown while at FAMU.... He took the Rattlers to seven straight postseason appearances between 1995 and 2001, producing five Black College Players of the Year.... The 1998 club (11-2) scored an all-time FAMU high 594 points, winning 11 straight games, reaching the second round of the NCAA playoffs.... That club featured the nation’s top scoring, passing and total offensive club, powered by quarterback Pat Bonner (4,100 yards, 42 TDs) and a 1,000-yard receiving duo in Jacquay Nunnally and Cainon Lamb....
Joe also served as head coach at Cheyney (Pa.) State (1972-78) and Central State of Ohio (1981-1993).... He becomes the fourth FAMU Football personality to be enshrined in the College Hall of fame, joining coach Jake Gaither (1975), All-America guard Tyrone McGriff (1996) and All-America halfback Willie Galimore (1999)....

America’s “Classic Kings” at it again in 2007: The Rattlers, who have played seven road games a year since the 1970s, annually star in “Classic” games around the country... Last season, FAMU played in Detroit, Atlanta, and Orlando.... This season, FAMU will endulge their Classic “jones” four times this year - Sept. 1 vs. Southern in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Birmingham’s Legion Field; Sept. 29 vs. Tennessee State in the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic (Georgia Dome); Oct. 6 vs. Winston-Salem State in the Coca-Cola Circle City Classic (RCA Dome) and Nov. 17 vs. Bethune-Cookman in the Walt Disney World Florida Classic XXVIII (Florida Citrus Bowl)....

Florida Classic tops at box office:
With a crowd of 71,216 fans barging through the turnstiles in 2006, the Walt Disney World Florida Classic, presented by State Farm scored its’ eighth straight gate of at least 70,000....
Since 2003, the Classic has been the top-attended game in NCAA Division I-AA (FCS), surpassing the Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling in New Orleans...
Since moving to Orlando in 1997, the event has averaged over 68,000 fans per game in 10 years and has drawn 1.3 million plus fans
overall since 1978...

The Seven Years In Rattler History:
A number of interesting happenings have occurred in FAMU Football during years ending in the number seven....
1907: FAMU went 0-1-0 in their second year of varsity football.
1927: Rattlers go 2-3-0.
1937: Rattlers go 6-1-1, win first conference title.
1947: Rattlers go 9-1-0, win conference and win fourth Black College National title, the first under Coach Jake Gaither.... The original Bragg Memorial Stadium (located where the current track field is now behind Gaither Gym) was dedicated...
1957: Rattlers go perfect 9-0-0, win third Black College National title under Gaither. The current Bragg Stadium was completed and ready for play...
1967: Rattlers go 8-2-0.
1977: FAMU’s last defeated team (11-0), winner of Black College National title.
1987: Rattlers go 5-5-1 in second year under Ken Riley.
1997: Rattlers go 9-3-0; win final five games to earn at-large NCAA playoff berth.
2007: Stay Tuned.....

2007 - A Golden Year Already:
Florida A&M will celebrate two golden anniversaries this season - for the 1957 National Championship Team and for venerable Bragg Memorial Stadium.

•The 1957 Rattler Football Team, which will be celebrated during the annual Toast To The Champions FAMU Football Reunion, September 14-15, had a number of notable footballers including John D. Glover, a Miami native who would eventually become the highest-ranking African American in the FBI in the 1980s, as Associate Director....
The Rattlers pounded the opposition343-41, recording four shutouts and allowing more than six points in a game once, in a 27-21 Orange Blossom Classic win over Maryland State (now Maryland-Eastern Shore).... The nucleus of this group would fuel two other national titles in 1959 (10-0) and 1961 (10-0)....

•Bragg Memorial Stadium, in its’ current incarnation, was completed for play in 1957, just in time to serve as home for the first of eight national championship teams....
Forty (40) of the 49 Rattler squads to call Bragg home have turned in winning seasons... The original facility seated 10,700 fans and bleacher seats increased the capacity to 13,200... After renovations were completed in 1981, the venue was expanded to its’ current capacity of 25,500...