(4) James Webster vs. (13) Steve Davis

[Bornthrilla]

James Webster

Head Coach, Tennessee State



James Webster enters his fourth season as the 21st head football coach at Tennessee State University. Coach Webster brings with him 30 years of football coaching experience to the Big Blue.

Coach Webster registered his first win as a head coach at the Southern Heritage Classic, as the Tigers defeated Jackson State 20-14 in overtime. His first Ohio Valley Conference win came in a 31-20 victory at Tennessee Tech on October 15, 2005. In 2007, under Webster, the Tigers claimed the inaugural Sgt. York Trophy; the trophy is contested between the four OVC schools in the state of Tennessee.

Prior to coming to the Tigers, he served four seasons on the coaching staff at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina. Webster was the assistant head coach and special team's coordinator at UNC. He had previously coached the team's defensive ends.

Coach Webster has begun a new chapter in the proud history of the TSU Tigers football program. The Tigers earned back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships in 1998 and 1999, and were ranked first in the NCAA Division I-AA at the end of the regular season in 1999. TSU's football team has also won several National Black College Championships, the most recent in 1982.

Webster began his college football career as a player at North Carolina in 1968. He started at linebacker for three consecutive seasons. Webster was a standout defensive player for the UNC Tar Heels, and was named Most Valuable Defensive Player in the 1971 Gator Bowl. The following year, he received the ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award and the Frank Porter Graham Award as one of the top 12 seniors at UNC. He graduated from UNC in 1972, with a bachelor's degree in education.

Webster began his coaching career in 1973 with North Carolina. He worked with the junior varsity program under former head coach Bill Dooley. Webster has also coached linebackers at Dartmouth (1993-95), defensive ends at Wake Forest (1988-93), and defensive backs at Northwestern (1982-84). He also served on the coaching staffs at Florida (1974-75), Kansas (1975-78) and Colorado (1978-81).

Webster has also worked with professional football teams. He won a minority coaching fellowship with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1995, and another with the St. Louis Rams in 1999.

Prior to returning to UNC, Webster spent six seasons on the coaching staff at East Carolina. He served as outside linebacker coach from 1995-1998, and was in charge of the defensive line from 1999-2000. Webster was promoted to assistant head coach of the Pirates in 1998.

In his first season back in Chapel Hill, Webster had an immediate impact on the defense. Carolina led the ACC and was ranked 15th in the nation in total defense in 2001. Under Webster's guidance, defensive end Julius Peppers won both the 2001 Lombardi and Bednarik Awards, becoming the first Tar Heel ever to win a major college football award. Peppers became just the second Carolina player to earn consensus All-America honors. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers as the Number 2 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft.

Coach Webster and his wife, Cornelia, have one son, Kali, and two grandsons, Tajae and Xavier.

[Bornthrilla]

Steven Davis

head coach, Dudley High school

GREENSBORO -- N.C. A&T athletics director Wheeler Brown would prefer that the Aggies' next football coach be someone with an historically black colleges and universities background who can win while filling the roster with players from North Carolina.

That sounds a lot like Dudley coach Steve Davis, who on Thursday said he would be interested in returning to his alma mater to revive the football program.

"I would definitely like to do that," Davis said. "Some people may not believe it, but with the facilities they have, which are some of the best in (the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision), and the talent in this state, A&T has the potential to be one of the best programs in the country."

Davis said no one from N.C. A&T has contacted him about the job. And because his Dudley Panthers are ranked No. 1 in the 3-A poll and are making a run at a second straight state title, Davis said he's not even thinking about a new job -- at least not now.

"After the season, if they were to call, I would definitely listen," Davis said. "I know there will be a lot of good, successful coaches to choose from. I think I've been pretty successful, too, and could be (successful) there."

Davis, who played at A&T and has been Dudley's head coach since 2004, said his strong rapport with many Triad high school coaches could translate into more local athletes attending A&T if he were the head coach.

"I think a lot of kids will tell you that if they can't play (in the Football Bowl Subdivision) their next choice is to go to school close to home," he said. "That's what makes A&T so attractive."

Davis is 51-10 in his five years as the Panthers' head coach, including a state 3-AA title last year. The Panthers are 8-0 this year.

Brown said Thursday his short list of candidates includes seven coaches. He said "about 30 percent" of those on the list are currently head coaches.

Brown declined to comment on whether Davis is on his list.

One coach rumored to be on Brown's radar is Tennessee State's Jim Webster, whose Tigers are 6-1 and ranked 19th in this week's FCS poll from The Sports Network.

Webster is a former assistant coach at North Carolina, Wake Forest and East Carolina.

Webster said Thursday no one representing A&T had contacted him. Asked if he would be interested in the Aggies' job, Webster said, "Right now I'm focused on winning games for Tennessee State."

When told that A&T was looking for a coach who could recruit in North Carolina, Webster said that was his strong suit.

"I've been recruiting there for 20 years," he said. "I know the players and coaches and they know me."

Brown said he will begin contacting athletics directors in December to request permission to talk to coaches.

He said he would like the Aggies' next head coach "to have some (HBCU) experience, but that's not the sole criterion I'll be looking at."

One coach certainly on Brown's list is George Ragsdale, who Brown named interim head coach Monday when Lee Fobbs was dismissed. Ragsdale, an Aggies running back in the 1970s, is on record as saying he wants the job. "I bleed blue and gold," he said.

Brown said Ragsdale has an advantage over other candidates because he has more than a month to prove himself worthy of the job.

"The other candidates may only have a few hours walking through the halls here," Brown said. "Coach is going to be here day in and day out over the next month. That's a lot of time for both of us to get to know each other."

[aggielove]

Typical #13 - #4 upset brewing!!

[Bornthrilla]

I knew this would be an interesting matchup as soon as the seeds were announced. Especially in light of Dudley's current playoff run.

Make no doubt about it: Steve Davis' stock is pretty high right now.

[The Professor]

Davis is hot because Dudley is about to win its 2nd straight title, yet Independence has won 6 of the last seven and Knotts is underqualifed. Hmmmmmmm

[Maxell]

If Knotts makes it out of the first round, it will be Knotts vs Davis in round two. Should be interesting. Thrilla, this is fun.

[Bornthrilla]

Davis is hot because Dudley is about to win its 2nd straight title, yet Independence has won 6 of the last seven and Knotts is underqualifed. Hmmmmmmm

Davis is a 13 seed. He just happens to be taking care of business against James Webster right now.

Knotts earned a 7 seed and he is currently in a dog fight.

[The Professor]

Dec 3, 2008 23:17:05 GMT -5 Bornthrilla said:

Davis is hot because Dudley is about to win its 2nd straight title, yet Independence has won 6 of the last seven and Knotts is underqualifed. Hmmmmmmm

Davis is a 13 seed. He just happens to be taking care of business against James Webster right now.

Knotts earned a 7 seed and he is currently in a dog fight.

I could have won this matchup. The man has a losing record over his 4 years 21-23. And to top it off he can't beat FAMU, and they hand him games

[Bornthrilla]

This one is still too close to call.

[Bornthrilla]

www.tsutigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=19600&ATCLID=204836722

James Webster Steps Down From TSU Football Position

James Webster, Jr., has tendered his resignation as Tennessee State University’s head football coach effective November 19, 2009, the date of the final game of the regular season.


Webster, who was hired in January 2005, will end his tenure as head coach of the Tiger football program with a five-year record of 25-31. Webster made the announcement of his resignation to his team following TSU’s 21-10 win against Eastern Illinois University on Thursday, November 19. A national search for his replacement will begin immediately.


“We want to express our appreciation to Coach Webster for the work he has done while guiding the Tennessee State University football program,” said Athletics Director Teresa Phillips. “He instilled discipline and an ethic of hard work in the student athletes under his charge.” Phillips continued, however, “We feel it is best to move in another direction with the TSU football program.”

Phillips went on to emphasize, “Our football team’s decorum on and off campus as well as in the classroom has been notably positive, and there have been no problems following and complying with the rules of the institution, the Ohio Valley Conference or the NCAA. He promoted discipline among the players and graduation rates for team members have been solid.” Phillips concluded, saying, “We wish Coach Webster much success in his future endeavors.”

[Aggie One]

Lets see first it was Blount yesterday at WSSU which really surprised me and I think is a huge mistake, now Webster
which was no surprise, and was the right call.

Who goes next? Who are you betting on getting the axe?

I say the guy at Howard has got to be next on the chopping block now.

[numberonebrave]

Frazier to Tenn State

[Bornthrilla]

www.news-record.com/content/2009/12/04/article/misfire_costs_dudley_trip_to_another_title_game

Misfire costs Dudley trip to another title game
Friday, December 4, 2009
(Updated Saturday, December 5 - 12:11 am)
By Tom Keller
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO - Steve Davis could only shrug. How else do you cope when your season ends one point and a million questions short?

"A loss is a loss," Davis said after his Dudley Panthers fell 9-8 to Asheville Reynolds on Friday night in the 4-A state semifinals. "Some people might say different, but I don't care if we lost by 50."

They'll be talking for a long time about this one, both for what happened and what might have. The Panthers, bidding to appear in their third straight state title game, had a chance to kick a potential game-winning field goal in the final seconds, but hesitation on the sideline forced them to attempt a last-second pass instead. It fell to the ground, as did several Dudley seniors who couldn't believe they'd let a game slip away they'd once controlled so handily.

The Panthers were the better team in every way the first half, holding Reynolds to 15 yards on 14 plays (minus-5 yards if you count penalties) and scoring on a DeMarcus Bell safety and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Alex Moore to Devarris Martin on fourth-and-12. The Panthers held a 20:16-3:44 edge in time of possession and didn't allow a first down until the final minute before halftime.

But things started to fall apart on the second half's opening play, as David Amerson slipped at the Reynolds 5 returning the kickoff. Three plays later, Brandon Burkes dropped back to punt but "froze up," as Davis said he later told him, crumpling beneath a charging Rocket for a safety.

Dudley's once-impenetrable defense was now cracking as well, allowing Reynolds to convert a fourth-and-one near midfield and three plays later surrendering a 41-yard pass from Caleb Pressley to Cody Owenby on third-and-15. A.J. Marion scored from nine yards out on the next play, Reynolds' second longest run of the night. Austin Pelle's extra point gave the Rockets a one-point lead, as Dudley's attempt to run for the two-point conversion on its earlier touchdown had failed.

That hadn't raised any eyebrows, considering Dudley's primitive kicking game, which in recent weeks had been called on for extra points and which hadn't attempted a field goal all season.

Davis would soon be wondering whether it was time to break that seal, as Dudley faced a fourth-and-goal from the Reynolds 4 early in the fourth. What would have been an extra-point attempt would have given Dudley the lead, but Davis said he never considered it. A pass for David Amerson fell incomplete.

Dudley pushed it to the Reynolds 16 two possessions later, but an offsides penalty and a sack pushed them back and a fourth-down heave to Amerson failed again.

The Panthers forced a three-and-out and took over from their own 41 with 1:53 remaining, and three quick passes from Moore to Amerson followed by a late hit penalty put Dudley back on the Rockets 7. After Reynolds called its final timeout, Moore lobbed a pass near the goal line to wide-open running back Mycah Gaylord, who reached down for the ball while stumbling backward out of bounds.

Moore's pass for Amerson on second down fell incomplete in traffic, and his scramble on third down ended with him flipped in the air and down on the Reynolds 2. Out of timeouts with 43 seconds left, Dudley lined up its offense but jumped offside, moving the ball back to the 7 again. Davis kept the offense out there, but said he heard someone on the sideline call for a field goal after a few seconds. In a chaotic scene of players hurrying on and off the field, the referee finally whistled the Panthers for delay of game, pushing them back to the 12. The offense returned, but Moore's pass to the corner hit the ground before his receiver had even looked for it and an overachieving season ended unfulfilled.

"That's the call we made," Davis said. "Got to live with it."

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or [e-mail]