ATLANTA, Ga.- Savannah State claimed their second SIAC Tournament Championship since 2022, following their 67-66 win over Tuskegee on Saturday afternoon inside Forbes Arena on the HBCU campus of Morehouse College.

With the game knotted at 66, Javonte Landy hit the game-winning free throw with two seconds left. After a timeout by Tuskegee, the Golden Tigers attempted to throw a full-court length pass, but it was tipped and picked off by an SSU player, and Savannah State won the game. Landy led the Tigers with 23 points, making 4-of-6 of his shots from beyond the arc as well as 5-of-6 from the free throw line. With just under five minutes remaining in the game, SSU trailed by eight but strung together a 14-3 run that gave them a 66-63 lead with 16 seconds left.

Landy keyed the run with a layup, two jumpers, two free throws, and a 3-pointer, but it was a 3-pointer by Ayjay Plain that put SSU ahead by three with 16 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Tuskegee tied the game at 66 with a 3-pointer, forcing SSU to call a timeout. Landy was fouled and missed the first of his two free throw attempts before hitting the second one.

Savannah State scored the first five points of the HBCU conference tournament contest thanks to two free throws by Qua King and a 3-pointer by Landy, and the Tigers used a 7-0 spurt to build a ten-point advantage with 12:56 left in the first period. Tuskegee was able to tie the game at 25 and take a 27-25 lead with just over three minutes left. A 3-pointer by Landy put the Tigers in front 28-27, but Tuskegee took a 32-28 lead into the half and scored the first two baskets of the second half to increase their lead to 36-28.

With the Golden Tigers ahead 46-39, SSU scored the next eight points to get in front 47-46 with 9:22 left. The teams traded baskets, and Tuskegee went back up by eight before Savannah State put together its late run.

During the tournament, Savannah State faced teams that beat them during the regular season. Spring Hill beat SSU by 16 on December 19, Miles beat the Tigers by 13 on Dec. 7, Central State edged SSU by two on Dec. 2, and Tuskegee used a late run to down Savannah State by 13 on January 4.

But during the tournament, SSU found another gear and turned the tables on the opposition, beating Spring Hill 79-74, Miles 63-61, Central State 53-48, and Tuskegee 67-66. In the championship game, the Tigers shot 52.2 percent from the field in the second half.

King, who finished with 19 points and eight rebounds, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Landy, along with Plain, who ended the game with 16 points, were both named to the all-tournament team. Jaydon Cousin added five points, and Jeremiah Barze chipped in four points for the Tigers. Savannah State ends the tournament riding eight-game HBCU hoops winning streak, improving to 18-11, the most wins since the 2012-13 season when they had 19 victories.

Plain and Austin Lewis will leave SSU with two conference tournament rings from 2022 and 2025. The Tigers have also won SIAC titles in 1970, 1979, 1980, and 1981.

Savannah State will turn its attention to the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Tournament. The selection show will be on Sunday evening at 11:00 pm on NCAA.com

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SIAC coaches and sports information directors voted on the players selected for each team as well as the league’s Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Miles College guard Alvin Miles was named the SIAC Player of the Year while Golden Bears head coach Fred Watson earned Coach of the Year honors. Fort Valley State forward Hassane Diallo earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, Lane guard Elijah Greer Dawson received Newcomer of the Year, Edward Waters forward Myles Hosten notched Freshman of the Year honors while Morehouse guard Cedric Taylor III earned Elite 16 honors.

Miles, a native of Memphis, Tenn., was one of the SIAC’s top 10 scorers this season, averaging 15.9 points per game (10th in the conference). He became the first player in program to earn the league’s top player award since Avery Brown accomplished the feat in 2020. Miles was the only SIAC player this season to score 400 points, grab 100 rebounds and notch 100 assists. He finished with double-figure production in 22 of the Golden Bears’ 26 contests while recording seven games of 20 or more points.

Diallo registered 177 rebounds with 120 coming on the defensive side of the ball in 28 games this season. He also finished second in the league in blocked shots (42) while registering 22 steals and averaging 10.5 points per contest.

Dawson averaged 16.8 points while shooting 44.4% from the field, dishing 3.0 assists and connecting on 76.9% from the free throw line per game in 18 contests this season. Beyond his scoring, Dawson averaged 4.1 rebounds per game while tallying a total of 39 steals and six blocks on defense.

Hosten averaged 8.0 points while shooting 38.8% from the floor and notched 4.8 rebounds in 13 games this season.

Watson registered his third Coach of the Year honors at Miles and the ninth of his career. He led Miles to a SIAC-best 23-3 mark that includes a 19-1 record in conference play and a perfect 12-0 mark at home, the Golden Bears best record inside Knox-Windham Gymnasium in program history.

Player of the Year

Alvin Miles

Defensive Player of the Year

Hassane Diallo

Newcomer of the Year

Elijah Greer Dawson

Freshman of the Year

Coach of the Year

Myles Hosten

The complete listing of the SIAC all-conference selections and individual awards winners can be found below.

All-SIAC First Team

• Shakur Poteat, Albany State
• Alvin Miles, Miles
• Walter Peggs, Jr., Miles
• Cedric Taylor III, Morehouse
• Lavar Miller Jr., Kentucky State

All-SIAC Second Team

• Kevin Sesberry, Tuskegee
• Jalen Williams, Clark Atlanta
• Prince Davies III, Edward Waters
• Kusamae Draper, Tuskegee
• Blaise Wallace, Albany State

All-SIAC Third Team

• Steven Lyles, Spring Hill
• Shemani Fuller, Clark Atlanta
• Corey Trotter, Miles
• Aziel Blackwell, Kentucky State
• Khalil Genwright, LeMoyne-Owen

All-SIAC Freshman Team

• Myles Hosten, Edward Waters
• Rocco Lamuno, Spring Hill
• Abdoul Sacko, LeMoyne-Owen
• Brandon Peters, Morehouse
• Christian Gary, Albany State

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It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the news regarding the passing of Sterling Steward, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Chief Revenue Officer at Baltimore-HBCU Morgan State University, on February 26, 2025. Since joining the Morgan State Athletics Department in December 2022, Sterling played a vital role in advancing our programs, fostering partnerships, and strengthening the department’s financial and operational success. His leadership, vision, and unwavering dedication left an indelible mark on our student-athletes, staff, and the entire Morgan community.

“Sterling was more than a colleague—he was a respected leader, mentor, and friend,” said Dena Freeman-Patton, Vice President and Director for Intercollegiate Athletics. “His passion for athletics and his commitment to elevating Morgan’s programs were evident in all that he did. He worked tirelessly to ensure our student-athletes had the resources and opportunities to excel, and his impact will be felt for years to come. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, especially his three sons and sister, as we mourn this tremendous loss.”

Sterling’s time at Morgan was marked by strategic growth and collaboration, particularly in his work with the Division of Institutional Advancement, where he helped expand opportunities and build lasting relationships to support the University’s athletic programs. His contributions and legacy will continue to inspire us.

Morgan State University Athletics extends its heartfelt sympathies to Sterling’s loved ones, colleagues, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. We will honor his memory in the days ahead and ensure that his work and passion for Morgan Athletics are never forgotten.

Sterling was also the athletics director at Georgia-HBCU Savannah State University from 2011 to 2018. While there, Steward oversaw 15 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I sports. During his tenure at SSU, the Tigers won Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships in men’s basketball, baseball, and women’s basketball, along with individual championships in men’s golf, tennis, and track & field.

Steward spent a year at Mississippi Valley State University in 2011 as the Senior Compliance Consultant for Athletics Administration. He served as the interim Director of Athletics/Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance at Alabama State University from 2009-10. Steward began his professional career at Xavier University in New Orleans as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Administration/Director of Recreational Sports.

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Savannah, Georgia – Savannah State University head men’s HBCU basketball coach Horace Broadnax announced his retirement on Monday, January 6th. Assistant Coach Clevan Thompson will assume the Interim Head Coach role, effective immediately.

“We thank Coach Broadnax for his leadership of the men’s basketball program here at Savannah State,” remarked Director of Athletics, Opio Mashariki. “I have immense respect and gratitude for everything Coach Broadnax has done, we congratulate him on his retirement and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”

Broadnax spent 20 seasons at Savannah State after being named the program’s 11^th head coach in history on April 11, 2005, and spearheaded three HBCU championships during his tenure.

Under Broadnax’s leadership, the Tigers achieved significant success. The 2011-12 season saw the Tigers win their first-ever Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Regular Season Championship with a 14-2 conference record, earning a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Tigers repeated this achievement in 2018, securing their second MEAC Regular Season Championship. Broadnax also led SSU to appearances in the College Insider.com Tournament (CIT) in 2013 and 2016. In 2022, Savannah State claimed the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Men’s Basketball Tournament Title, which earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

“I’m happy about my decision to retire here at Savannah State,” said Coach Broadnax. “The experience here has been very rewarding and I am extremely excited for my future as well as the future of the program.

Interim Head Coach Clevan Thompson, a 2003 graduate of Savannah State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Thompson spent nearly two decades coaching boys’ basketball at nearby Bethesda Academy, leading the Blazers to twelve Final Four appearances, eight State Championship game appearances, and two State Titles. His teams claimed the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) state championship in 2012 and the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Class AAA state title in 2015.

“I’m excited to take the leadership role of this program,” replied Coach Thompson. “Coach Broadnax has left a positive mark on this program and I am up for the challenge in leading the the team and building on his legacy.”

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Atlanta, Georgia- Another significant honor has been bestowed upon Savannah State University’s most prolific athlete and alumnus as Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe has been announced to the All-Century Team of the East-West Shrine Bowl. The organization made its announcement on Tuesday afternoon at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, as part of the 100th celebration of the annual postseason game. Sharpe joins the likes of Walter Payton and Robert Brazile as HBCU representatives on the team.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is celebrating its 100th year in 2025 and is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. The 100-year celebration features an exhibit and panel discussion at the College Football Hall of Fame taking place on Tuesday, as well as the East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame on Jan. 29, 2025, culminating in the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 30, 2025. For more information on the East-West Shrine Bowl, click here.

A proud native of Glennville, Georgia, Sharpe appeared in the 1990 edition of the collegiate all-star classic, becoming the first and to date only Savannah State football player to play in the game.

Sharpe’s Savannah State career spanned four seasons from 1986-1989, where he completely rewrote the Tiger football record books. Sharpe was a three-time First Team All-SIAC selection, finishing his career with 192 catches for 3,744 career yards, and 40 touchdowns. He still owns Savannah State’s single-season receiving records for yardage (1,312), touchdowns (18) and yards per catch (21.5) set in 1989. Additionally in that season, Sharpe was instrumental in leading the Tigers to a program best 8-1 overall mark, following a 7-3 campaign the previous season in 1988. 

In 2013, Sharpe was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame and was inducted into the SIAC Hall of Fame the following year. Sharpe’s #2 jersey was retired by Savannah State University in 2009 in celebration of Shannon Sharpe Day.

Following his HBCU football days on The Marsh, Sharpe embarked on a 14 year in the NFL career, where he was an eight-time Pro Bowler, and won three Super Bowl rings, two with the Denver Broncos and one with the Baltimore Ravens. When he retired in 2003, he held the all-time NFL record for tight ends in receptions, touchdowns, and total receiving yards. Sharpe was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Sharpe has since entered the media world, where he is fastly becoming one of the most sought after personalities in sports broadcasting. He is presently a co-host of ESPN’s highly rated and critically acclaimed morning sports debate show, “First Take” with Molly Qerim and fellow HBCU alumnus Stephen A. Smith. He is also conquering the new media space as the owner and proprietor of Shay Shay Media. His two podcasts, “Nightcap” with former NFL All-Pro Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, and “Club Shay Shay” have received several awards and award nominations for Best Podcast and Best Sports Podcast from several media outlets.

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Savannah, Georgia-Savannah State University Athletics has announced the hiring of Florentino “Tino” Burgos as the new head coach of the Tigers’ HBCU baseball program.

Burgos comes to “ The Marsh” with a wealth of experience as a head coach, with his most recent post coming at Florida Memorial University, where he spent eight seasons, leading the Lions to their most successful era of baseball in program history. “Becoming the head baseball coach at Savannah State University is more than an opportunity, it’s a calling to lead, inspire, and elevate young men both on and off the field,” remarked Coach Burgos. “Together, we will build a culture of excellence, resilience, and pride that represents the very best of Tiger Nation.”

During Burgos’ tenure at the Miami Gardens, Florida-based HBCU, the FMU baseball program developed into one of the best baseball teams among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and grew to be a highly competitive program in The Sun Conference, often referred to be the toughest baseball conference in the NAIA.
In 2023, Burgos won the Black College World Series championship, defeating fellow SIAC school Albany State 5-4 in the title game.

“We are excited to have someone of the caliber of Tino Burgos to lead our baseball program,” remarked SSU Director of Athletics Opio Mashariki. “Our search for a new coach required us to do a deep dive to find someone who will continue the success of the program, and I am confident that we have found that person in Coach Burgos.”
Burgos takes over a Savannah State team that finished 2024 with an impressive 31-17 overall record and represented the SIAC at the 2024 NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.

In addition to the many FMU players selected for the Sun Conferences’ All-Conference Team since 2018, more than 10 FMU players have received the Sun Conferences’ All-Academic Team honors each year, demonstrating the culture of academic excellence that Burgos has established.
In 2019, FMU Baseball achieved a No. 1 ranking in the Black College Nines National HBCU Baseball Poll for the first time in their history and Burgos was named HBCU Coach of the Year by Black College Nines. That year, FMU finished the season tied for third in the Sun Conference and reached the Sun Conference Tournament for the first time in over 15 years.

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“Da’Shun Mitchell had a hell of a game,” Sharpe began. “Twelve catches, 227 yards, and two touchdowns. Why is that important? The 227 yards in a single game set the record by a Savannah State receiver — breaking the record held Shannon Sharpe — of seven catches, 221 yards, and two touchdowns.”

Ochocinco playfully jabbed, “You gotta go get it back.”

Sharpe laughed before turning reflective.

“No, Ocho, I’m glad. Hopefully, I inspired him. When I was there, I didn’t have anybody to look up to. There weren’t many numbers to chase. I just wanted to set the bar. And after 35 years, he broke it. Salute the young bull.”

Sharpe also highlighted Mitchell’s recognition as a first-team All-Conference player, further praising his contributions. “When a Savannah State Tiger does something great—especially as a receiver—I’m proud. That’s what we do.”

Mitchell’s record-breaking performance was a bright spot in Savannah State’s rollercoaster season. Paired with quarterback Jhaydon Sullivan’s school-record 400 passing yards, the Tigers’ offense showed flashes of brilliance, amassing a season-high 509 total yards. Mitchell’s performance included a 77-yard touchdown grab, showcasing the explosive connection between him and Sullivan. The HBCU squad finished 5-5 this season.

“Congratulations, on everything you’ve accomplished. Savannah State — that’s what we do,” Sharpe concluded, his admiration clear. 

The exchange between Sharpe and Ochocinco underscored Sharpe’s enduring connection to his HBCU, celebrating the next generation while honoring the legacy he helped build.

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The Hall of Fame tight end and Savannah State alumnus will interview the Howard University graduate just eight days prior to the presidential election. 

Kamala Harris, a proud graduate of Howard University, has often spoken about how her experiences at the esteemed HBCU shaped her into the leader she is today. Howard’s influence on her career path, from becoming the first Black and South Asian female vice president, to her focus on justice and equity, remains central to her identity.

Shannon Sharpe, an NFL Hall of Famer and media personality, is also an HBCU graduate, having attended Savannah State University. Throughout his career, Sharpe has been a strong advocate for HBCUs and their importance in nurturing talent and leadership. He has also seen his platform grow in recent years, joining ESPN’s First Take and getting massive interviews on his Club Shay Shay podcast.

This interview offers a rare intersection of politics and sports, as two HBCU alumni discuss not only their experiences but broader cultural, educational, and societal topics.

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Taylor, in his third year as a member of the Powerhouse of the South Marching Band told the Tribune, “I am just very honored to be a part of Savannah State’s history. I aim to make the school proud and paint a bright future for not only the band program but for the city of Savannah as well.”

Taylor initially tried out for Drum Major in the spring but wasn’t chosen, he tried out again for the Fall season and was picked for the position. “I didn’t want to give up. Becoming drum major was a goal I set out for myself when I first came to SSU and I wanted to see it through to the end,” Taylor said.

Chris Taylor will be one of three Drum Majors for Savannah State this year, joining Aaron Franklin and head drum major Shai McKenney in leading the 125-member band.

Savannah State director of bands Dr. Gabriel Arnold told the Savannah Tribune that seven others tried out for the position but that Taylor’s marching and communication skills got him the job over the other candidates. “He is an outstanding marcher and gives 1000 percent each time he is on the field…He also has great communication skills and he won over a lot of the members because of that,” said Dr. Gabriel.

Aubrey Simmons, a former Drum Major at North Carolina Central University was Chris Taylor’s band director in high school at the Bradwell Institute in Hinesville, Georgia, and has been an assistant band director for the Powerhouse of the South since 2021, working closely with Taylor as he has transitioned from the corps style of marching band of his high school to the flashier showtime or HBCU style of marching band in college.

“He joined the marching band his sophomore year (of high school) and began to work really hard on becoming a great bandsman. He worked hard to become section leader his senior year and did an amazing job of leading a great group of students… Chris is the first collegiate drum major to come out of one of my band programs. I am hoping that he will not be the last. I do know that he will be great at SSU leading the band this coming year.” Simmons says in the article.

While Chris Taylor isn’t the first white Drum Major of an HBCU band, it is still rare to see a white person in the leading role of an African-American musical institution like an HBCU Band, but with Taylor being local to the region and a fan of the HBCU style of play, his connections to the area and music make him a perfect fit for the role, regardless of race. “I would say Bradwell had a huge impact on my decisions not only because of style but because of Mr Aubrey Simmons. He encouraged SSU as an option and knowing he was also involved with SSU’s band I felt comfortable with the decision…Savannah isn’t too far from home and the tuition compared to other schools seemed a lot more manageable. The band also grabbed my attention and I knew I wanted to be apart of this style and culture in Savannah.”

Taylor will take the field for his first game as a Drum Major against Central State University on Sept. 14 at Theodore A. Wright Stadium in Savannah, Georgia.

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Tropical Storm Debby became a hurricane on Sunday night after churning in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  On Saturday night it began dropping heavy rains in South Florida on the western shores.  It battered Naples and Fort Myers before continuing to crawl up the Florida coastline. 

The massive entity is expected to cause some wind damage, but be especially dangerous because of the excessive amounts of rain it packs.  Whether winds reach and sustain hurricane speeds or not is not the biggest threat.  The significant precipitation draws the concern of meteorologists globally.

The NOAA National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued warnings over the weekend.  “Heavy rainfall will likely result in considerable flooding impacts from the Florida Big Bend region through the size of the storm. Hazardous conditions can occur outside of the southeast Georgia and the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas through Friday. Potentially historic heavy rainfall across southeast Georgia and South Carolina through Friday morning may result in areas of catastrophic flooding. Significant river flooding is also expected.”

Savannah State is in the bullseye for Debby rain damage

Out of all the HBCUs in the country, the one at most risk from damage from Debby is Savannah State University.  Debby is expected to release up to 30 inches of rainfall on Savannah.  This would send rivers flooding into all areas of the city.

One of the major reasons Debby is expected to cause so much rain damage is the slow speed over terrain. Because there are no fronts to push it along, it is meandering across its path.  It is expected to sit over Savannah for possibly more than 24 hours.  Raining at those levels continuously will quickly saturate the soil and overflow the rivers.

Known for its popular Riverfront district, this area will undoubtedly be affected even with marginal rain.  If the rain causes flooding above two feet, it could be catastrophic to the renowned tourist areas which brings money into the city with its reputation for fine dining and live music.

Savannah’s flat topography exaggerates the threat of flooding

The topography of Savannah in being that it is a relatively flat city, is a recipe for flooding in this situation.  The SIAC school has a total enrollment of just under 3,000 students.

Savannah State University Director of Athletics, Opio Marishiki, is monitoring the storm and making arrangements for its aftermath.  “Fortunately for us no student-athletes have arrived for the Fall semester.  We had a campus-wide emergency management meeting today and we will continue to be aware of what threats Debby could bring to campus.  The first priority is to preserve people, assets are secondary at this point.  The excessive rain and flooding is something we cannot control, but we will extend all efforts to make sure that none of our staffers are in harm’s way,” he said.

Other HBCUs could feel dampening effects of Hurricane Debby

While there are several tracking models, several of them have Tallahassee squarely in the cone of probability.  The Big Bend area of Florida is preparing for possibly its second consecutive year with a direct hit.  

The Florida A&M Rattlers have Mondays off in their schedule.  Hurricane Debby is expected to make its way through the city, but no football activities will be taking place.  With FAMU sitting so high above sea level, on-campus flooding has never been an issue.

One of the greatest features of the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium, commonly referred to as the Lawson Center on FAMU’s campus, is its versatility to be used as a shelter and mustering point during natural disasters.  Frequently during hurricanes, the Lawson Center has been ground zero for sheltering students and families. While the Lady Rattlers and Rattlers play games there, it is also a known safe haven for students during storms.

Edward Waters University delays student-athlete return to campus

Edward Waters University, another HBCU, could possibly feel the effects of Hurricane Debby.  Sitting just over an hour from Savannah, the rains could damage the flat plains of Jacksonville.  With EWU being just miles from the Atlantic Ocean, a churning storm washing water ashore could cause issues for the new fully-accredited NCAA Division-II school.

EWU President and CEO, Dr. A. Zachary Faison Jr., says the school is implementing their plan.

“We were actually expecting our student-athletes to arrive on today. We were able to get out ahead of this and sent some communications to them on Friday. They are now preparing to report on Tuesday.  We’ve suspended all campus activities for tomorrow.  All of our staff and faculty will be working remotely as we are preparing accordingly,” Faison said.

HBCU Gameday will report periodically through the storm and after its passing.

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The former HBCU star hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter to help her team. This came just days after the Nigerian women’s basketball team was allegedly denied admittance to the delegation’s boat for the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony. 

During her senior season at Savannah State, Ezinee Kalu led the Lady Tigers to a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Tournament, in 2015. She was also named to the 2015 All-MEAC First Team as well as the MEAC All-Tournament Team. Kalu also earned All-MEAC honors in 2012.

Kalu’s career at Savannah State resulted in her playing in 131 games while averaging 16.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assist and 2.9 steals per game.

After graduating from SSU in 2015 with a degree in history, Kalu has enjoyed a professional career that has taken her across international waters to play in Portugal, Hungary, Germany, and France.

The 32-year-old point guard who stands 5-foot-9 has earned many accolades which include being named the 2016 Guard of the Year in Portugal 1st Division; 2017 Defensive Player of the Year in Budapest 1^st Division; 2019 MVP of Afro-Basket Tournament; 2020 Top 12 Best Player of Africa; 2020 1^st Team All-French Player; 2020 1^st Team All-Imports France League; 2020 Guard of the Year France 1^st Division.

Kalu was also named Captain of the Nigeran National Team in 2016-17 and was the 2018 Co-Captain of the Nigerian Team. She has also been a member of the AfroBasket Tournament championship teams in 2017, 2019, and 2021.

Kalu was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Her mother was born in Greenville, South Carolina and her father is Nigerian.

The win means Nigeria will play France on August 1 and Canada on August 4 as Paris Olympics 2024 continues. Should Kalu and her teammates advance, the quarterfinals will be held on August 7 and the semifinals on August 9. The bronze and gold medal games will be held on August 11.

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ESPN has agreed to a multi-year contract with HBCU football legend, Pro Football Hall of Famer, and three-time Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe. Under this new deal, Sharpe will expand his role on First Take, ESPN’s signature morning debate show featuring Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim.

“Shannon Sharpe has been an incredible addition to the team, enhancing the show’s dynamic with his engaging presence and insightful commentary,” said David Roberts, ESPN’s Head of Event & Studio Production​. “Shannon’s chemistry with Stephen A. Smith has elevated our debates and been another key reason First Take is the premier destination for morning sports discussion.”

First Take recently earned its 22nd consecutive month of year-over-year growth and most-viewed May ever, thanks in part to Sharpe’s contributions.

Sharpe — who originally joined First Take in August 2023 — will also see his role expand across various other ESPN programs to be announced later.

Said Sharpe, “Being a part of this family has been a blessing. Everything about this relationship with ESPN, Stephen A., and First Take, has been tremendous. I look forward to expanding my role and showing more of the world what I have to offer. The show goes on!”

ESPN’s First Take airs weekdays from 10 a.m. — Noon ET on ESPN. Sharpe also hosts his weekly podcast, Club Shay Shay, where he sits down with athletes, celebrities and influencers to break down, analyze and discuss the latest headlines in sports, pop culture and everything in-between.

SHANNON SHARPE HBCU RESUME

Shannon Sharpe was a four-year letter winner at Savannah State University (1986-89). The Glennville, GA native was All-SIAC First Team in 1987, 88 and 89 and was and named the College Player of the Year in Georgia as a Senior. Sharpe owns SSU single season receiving records for yardage, touchdowns and yards per catch, finishing his career with  192 receptions for 3,744 yards and 40 touchdowns.

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Jackson State leads the SWAC with nearly 30k. That’s an impressive number, but it is a significant drop from its 2022 number. Norfolk State got a slight bump as it led the MEAC. North Carolina A&T got another sellout it’s first season in the CAA.

Here are the numbers of attendance at each HBCU homecoming game. All numbers were taken from official box scores from each school’s athletic website.

MEAC

Norfolk State-24,976

South Carolina State-22,269

North Carolina Central-13,626

Howard-7,684

Delaware State-6,300

Morgan State-Canceled

SWAC

Jackson State-30,947

Alabama A&M-26,391

Florida A&M-22,338

Southern-21,492

Alcorn State-21,012

Alabama State-17,995

Prairie View A&M-14,224

Arkansas-Pine Bluff-13,469

Bethune-Cookman-9,458

Mississippi Valley State-8,752

Grambling State-8,657

Texas Southern-6,352

CAA

North Carolina A&T-21,500

Hampton-13,811

CIAA

Winston-Salem State-8,200

Virginia Union-5,250

Shaw-5,022

Livingstone – 4,501

Bowie State-4,395

St. Augustine’s-3,719

Fayetteville State-3,680

Elizabeth City State-3,579

Johnson C. Smith-3,452

Virginia State-3,409

Lincoln (PA)-2,117

Bluefield State-N/A

SIAC

Tuskegee-31,726

Clark Atlanta-19,597

Savannah State-12,723

Fort Valley State-12,113

Morehouse-10,213

Benedict-8,589

Albany State-8,371

Kentucky State-2,898

Edward Waters-2,472

Lane-1,753

Allen-905

Central State-N/A

Miles-N/A

Other

Tennessee State-13,975

West Virginia State-3,954

Lincoln (MO)-3,333

Virginia University-Lynchburg-1,753

Florida Memorial-1,200

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First Take will be heading to the alma mater of Sharpe – Savannah State – and Smith – Winston-Salem State University  – on Nov. 6 and Nov. 7, respectively.  The news was first reported last week. 

Shannon Sharpe spoke at length about the opportunity to return his alma mater and highlight it.

“I’m so excited. If somebody would have told me this when I stepped back on that campus in 1986 I would come back to my alma mater – in this capacity. I would have laughed,” Sharpe said. “If you told myself he’s going to go to the NFL and do yadayadaya – I would have believed everything you were uttering of your mouth. But if you’re telling me that I’m coming back almost 40 years later – in this capacity — and some of the professors a lot of the students and my former teammates were going to come back and be in attendance…man this means so much to me. I’m so very, very excited.”

Sharpe thanked ESPN and Smith for making it possible.

Smith expressed his excitement as well. First Take actually filmed at WSSU back in 2021 but Stephen A and the cast did not come south due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Winston-Salem State University – my alma mater – I expect you to represent,” Smith said with his voice rising. “I know Savannah State is going to represent, Monday November the 6. But November 7th, when we arrive at my alma mater – oh yeah, Winston-Salem State in the house.”

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Jouvensly Bazil starred in the ground game for Bethune-Cookman, rushing for two touchdowns. Through the air, Dacarri Allen-Johnson was the Wildcats’ best option. Allen-Johnson finished with six receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns. The Wildcats found offensive success throughout the day, outpacing the Tigers in total offensive yards 387 to 273.

Savannah State was led by quarterback Jadon Adams. He completed 15-of-29 passes for 184 yards. Adams leaned on receiver Da’Shun Mitchell, who recorded 64 yards on five receptions.

Key Metrics to Victory: Bethune-Cookman

• Play selection – recorded a fairly even pass-run split with 35 passing attempts and 29 rushing attempts
• Possession – controlled the ball for 30:47 (51% of the game)
• Third down success – converted on 50% of third downs (5-10) while Savannah St. converted just 8% (1-12)
• Penalties – recorded three penalties for 20 yards while Savannah St. had nine penalties for 95 yards
• Red zone efficiency – converted on 100% of red zone trips as opposed to Savannah St.’s 67% efficiency

Bethune-Cookman earned its first win of the year. The Wildcats’ next test is a matchup with Miami (FL), which also won its last game, at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14. Savannah State lost for the first time this season this evening. The Tigers will hope for a better result in their next game, a September 16 visit by Clark Atlanta to Savannah.

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Within minutes of opening the podcast both Sharpe and Smith showed love to HBCU communities. 

“Coming from an HBCU obviously is a very, very big deal. That’s something that’s near and dear to my heart,” Smith said. “I’ve been an ambassador for HBCU week since 2019. In that span we’ve generated over 65 million dollars for over 3,000 students.”

Smith was referring to the HBCU Week Foundation, which is an annual event centered around promoting HBCUs to high school students to bring awareness and encourage students to enroll at HBCUs. Stephen A. Smith has been an ambassador since 2019 and hosts his morning show First Take at the event each year. 

Smith also recognized his legendary former coach at Winston-Salem State University, Clarence “Big House” Gaines. 

“When I said “what could I do for all that you’ve done for me?” Smith shared. “He said “Don’t forget HBCUs, you make sure that you help any chance you get,” and that’s what I’ve been doing.” 

Shannon Sharpe also proclaimed his love for HBCUs but admitted that he did not understand the magnitude of what was going on at HBCUs “until much, much later.” 

While speaking about his studies at SSU, Sharpe spoke about a professor of a remedial class that pushed him to new levels, Dr. Joyce Maclemore. 

“I’ll never forget, I had a reading class… After two days, she says Mr. Sharpe, she always called me Mr. Sharpe. She says, “Mr. Sharpe, I don’t want to see you back here next quarter.” 

Telling Sharpe he was too smart and that he had no business being in that class, Dr. Maclemore was pushing Sharpe to get out of a remedial studies class that did not count towards his graduation. This was an explanation of how much Sharpe’s teachers believed in him at his HBCU. 

Sharpe also spoke about the time he caught flack for saying that an HBCU was not his first choice. While an HBCU was not his first choice, he gave much credit to his former coach Bill Davis who convinced Sharpe that Savannah State was the perfect fit for him. 

Sharpe would later say that after attending SSU, when the opportunity arose for him to transfer to a PWI he could not do it. 

Reminiscing on the good days Sharpe and Smith went on to speak about HBCU culture and how much fun they had in their time. Smith even admitted that an advisor had to convince him to graduate on time because he wanted to stay at Winston-Salem State. 

While these HBCU graduates have gone on to do great things in their respective careers, Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, both continue to blaze a trail for the coming generations of HBCU graduates. The next journey, they will embark on together as they prepare to take over First Take, for the foreseeable future. 

Written by Kobe Scales

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Sharpe will join Smith twice a week – Mondays and Tuesdays – to debate sports topics. Sharpe will make his debut on Sept. 4, according to Smith. 

There had been speculation since Sharpe was reported to be leaving ‘Undisputed’ this spring that he might end up at ESPN and possibly opposite Smith. The two have made it clear throughout the summer they were in contact regarding a potential meeting of the HBCU minds on national television. The New York Post reported that Sharpe would join ‘First Take’ twice weekly, but Smith contended that the deal was not officially done at that time. Apparently, it happened very recently.

“I just learned it 60 seconds ago,” Smith said while making the announcement on First Take. “Literally it is official – Shannon Sharpe is coming to ‘First Take.’

Smith made sure to get an early jab in before Sharpe arrives on set.

“In advance, to my brother Shannon Sharpe…First of all thank you for joining the show. Secondly, condolences in advance. You’re not used to getting beat down. He’s the modern day Black Hulk. He’s not used to getting beat down.”

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“The commitment I watched you make as a former pro athlete who’s got his money. Who’s got his legacy…to get up at 4 in the morning,” Cowherd said. “To see a great pro athlete commit to the process of the grind. And that’s what this s**t is – it’s a grind.”

The Pro Football Hall of Famer from Savannah State agreed.    

“It is a grind. I think what made it easier for me, Colin, is that football consumed my life. And so now that I’m in this business, I devote my life to this business,” Sharpe told his new business partner.   

This announcement comes less than a week after a New York Post story stated that Shannon Sharpe would be joining Stephen A. Smith twice per week. Smith says that the deal isn’t done yet. But the report also said Sharpe would be shopping Club Shay Shay independently. Now we know where that will land.

“The thing that really sold me was the partnership,” Sharpe said. “Throughout this process, everybody that was involved with The Volume always said we are a partnership. You grow, we build you.”

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“I have a smile on my face. It’s a beautiful smile on my face. Because we all know it’s something that I want,” Smith said on Thursday afternoon. “It’s something that I’ve declared.”

Stephen A Smith indeed been on record stating he wants Sharpe to join him on the network and his show as far back as June.
 
“It’d be great to have him. Here is the issue – we don’t,” Smith said.

Even while stating that the report isn’t quite accurate, he suggested that it is within reach.

“Shannon Sharpe has yet to sign on the dotted line to be a member of ‘First Take,” Smith declared. “It has not happened yet. I’m still confident it will happen. I think it needs to happen. And I have no doubt I’m going to exhaust anything means I have available to me to make it happen.”

So for now, there is no agreement for the two HBCU graduates (Smith went to Winston-Salem State University, Sharpe to Savannah State University) to join the same team. But it could be around the corner. 

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Reports began circulating last month that Sharpe was involved in talks with ESPN. Shannon Sharpe tweeted that he had some time in between his meetings that he and Smith could talk.

Earlier this week the former Savannah State football star hinted that his return to the big screen was imminent.

“I’ll be bck b4 NFL kicks off. Do miss talking about things that’s happened in the last month tho,” he tweeted. “Appreciate the patience and support.”

The pair have a few things in common. In addition to having both earned their debate stripes opposite of Skip Bayless, both of them have their own Youtube-based shows where they are the stars. Sharpe has “Club Shay Shay” while Smith has his own podcast. Both men are also graduates of HBCUs – Sharpe from Savannah State while Stephen A Smith is a graduate of Winston-Salem State.

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It didn’t take long for Shannon Sharpe to get his Twitter fingers moving. 

“Whatcha addressing on Fri? “Sharpe tweeted at Smith. “I’ve got some free time so feel free  2 FT me b4 my meetings.”

He concluded the tweet with a seemingly endless array of popcorn emojis.

Sharpe, a Savannah State University alumnus, announced earlier this summer that he would be leaving FS1’s ‘Undisputed’ where he debated Skip Bayless for years. Stephen A Smith, a Winston-Salem State alumnus, also boosted his career across from Bayless.  

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On July 5, the Undisputed official Twitter account posted that the show will return on August 28, which will mark 76 days since the show last aired on June 13.

Skip Bayless, the show’s host and man with final say on all decisions for the show, quote tweeted the link adding his own thoughts, “LeBron isn’t the only one in the lab this summer. Can’t wait to unveil Undisputed just in time for football season,” he wrote.

However, Front Office Sports reported on Thursday that working alongside Bayless is a puzzle that the FOX executives are struggling to solve.

“Shannon’s exit moved way faster than they expected. So they had no choice but to go on hiatus,” the article states. It continues on with this quote: “Skip has never done anything like this during all his years at FS1 or ESPN. Not being on the air during all these NBA moves is killing him.”

There are a number of on-air talents in the market who could potentially work with Bayless. A recent layoff at ESPN put the likes of Max Kellerman, Jalen Rose and Keyshawn Johnson on the street and available for work.

The bigger question that looms is how undervalued was Shannon Sharpe at FS1? It’s widely known that Bayless wields all of the power on that show and there was speculation that was one of the factors in Sharpe’s departure.

Shannon Sharpe hasn’t revealed publicly why he sought a buyout from his contract but there’s no denying his absence has left a huge void with the brand.

UNC left a void

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end and current ESPN host Marcus Spears weighed in on the conversation on social media.

“They can’t find NOBODY? UNC left a void,” Spears tweeted.

Sharpe hasn’t revealed much about his future except for one post on social media saying he would return to morning television soon. ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee have both publicly said they would like to work with Sharpe. But it’s hard to gauge the financial landscape at ESPN after the lucrative signing of McAfee followed by the massive layoffs that ensued.

There’s also no guarantee that Sharpe wants to stay in the debate arena or sports broadcasting at all. He’s hosted the popular “Club Shay Shay” podcast on YouTube that features more entertainers than sports figures as guests. So it’s all speculative until Sharpe makes his intentions clear.

But there are a couple of things for certain, whoever signs up for the chair at Undisputed will have to understand their new partner is also the boss. And replacing the charisma and personality of Shannon Sharpe will be one of the hardest things they’ll ever do professionally.

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“l’m enjoying my early morning workouts, late breakfast, and break from wearing a suit every morning… But just for a little while. I’ll be back on 📺 in the morning’s soon,” Sharpe wrote.

The tweet included a collage of four photos showing Sharpe walking around an undisclosed city landscape. It is his second post on social media hinting at what his future holds but his first talking about his future since his last day on the FS1 show “Undisputed.”

Continued love from Stephen A.

The takeaway suggests that Sharpe could potentially remain in the sports debate realm when he resurfaces. Morning television is littered with sports talk shows, notably “First Take” on ESPN. The host of the show that competed against Sharpe has said that he would welcome the former Denver Bronco to his program.

Stephen A. Smith addressed the issue initially on his YouTube show on June 2.

“I don’t know what @ShannonSharpe’s plans are right now…but I know that if he wants to make his way on over to First Take…I am here for it,” Smith said on the show.”

Sharpe last appeared on television the day after the NBA Finals ended. Despite reported tension between Sharpe and host Skip Bayless, the two remained professional and said a heartfelt goodbye to one another on television.

“Skip Bayless. You fought for me. I’m here because of you. You’ve allowed me to share the stage with you. You’ve allowed me to share the platform. I’m gonna cry in the car but I’m not gonna cry now. The opportunity that you gave me to become what I’ve became – I’m forever indebted to you. I’ll never forget what you did for me. You’ve helped me grow more than you’ll ever know.

One more thing – All I ask is when you lay your head on that pillow at night, know that I gave you everything I had. I gave you everything I had,” Sharpe said at the time.

ESPN not a guarantee but the door appears open

On June 14, Smith tweeted a video where he commented how proud he was of how Sharpe handled his exit from FS1. Sharpe retweeted the post with the “thankful hands” emoji. That within itself doesn’t mean the two are guaranteed to work together, but there has been respect and overtures in the air that haven’t been dismissed.

While still at FS1 Sharpe shared a tweet of “seeds he was planting” that included photos of a video shoot that showed Sharpe in an apron in an outdoor environment. That particular post didn’t offer much direct insight into what the future might hold for Sharpe. But Monday’s post however seems to make it clear that television broadcasting are in his immediate plans.

Any potential relationship with “First Take” would create a premium television lineup that featured alums of Winston-Salem State University and Savannah State.

Sharpe also hosts the popular podcast “Club Shay Shay” on YouTube, where he enjoys over 1.2 million subscribers.

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Here’s what the two had to say. 

Shannon Sharpe

“Skip Bayless. You fought for me. I’m here because of you. You’ve allowed me to share the stage with you. You’ve allowed me to share the platform. I’m gonna cry in the car but I’m not gonna cry now. The opportunity that you gave me to become what I’ve became – I’m forever indebted to you. I’ll never forget what you did for me. You’ve helped me grow more than you’ll ever know.

One more thing – All I ask is when you lay your head on that pillow at night, know that I gave you everything I had. I gave you everything I had. 

Skip Bayless

Which is why I want to thank you for all you have given to me. When I first took this job back in June 2016, we had a whole ‘nother format in mind until I heard ‘Shannon Sharpe is available.’ And I said ‘I believe he can do this.’ And did you ever! 

The critics just savaged us when we started. Undisputed will never last. FS1 will never last. Did we ever show them? 

I want to thank you for dedicating yourself to this job. It is a voracious beast of a show, day after day after day. You dedicated yourself to this job just the way you dedicated yourself to professional football as a Hall of Famer. I want to thank you for never taking a sick day. I want to thank you for preparing as hard as you could every single day, every single topic. I want to thank you for competing as hard as you competed with me because the greatest compliment I can give you is you were a worthy adversary. 

“I want to thank you to tell you that I love you for what you have done for me. And Shannon I’m going to miss our ‘diet Dew’ bets. You owe me a lot. I’m going to miss our LeBron battles, even though he’s still the phony GOAT. I’m going to miss our Cowboy arguments – how ‘bout them Cowboys – because you were right about my Dallas Cowboys from Day One.”

“In the end I just want you to know that it was because of you, you made possible a very special time in my career. This is a happy-sad moment for me because I look forward to your next great achievement and it is coming. But tonight, I just want you to know – I will toast you with a diet Mountain Dew.”

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Nick Hunter, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, led Spring Hill (32-21, 25-7 SIAC) to its third-straight conference title in the 11-2 victory over Savannah State (33-12, 25-7 SIAC). Hunter’s performance throughout the tournament earned him the Tournament MVP honor.

Logan Clark, Seth Williams, Jackson Bell and Norris McClure were all named to the All-Tournament Team for their performances on the field throughout the weekend. The SIAC Coach of the Year, Walker Bullington, was named the Coach of the Tournament after leading his team to its third-straight conference title in his first year. 

The Tigers struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning before the Badgers answered with two of their own in the top of the fourth. SHC piled on four more unanswered runs in the top of the sixth to extend its lead to 6-1. Savannah State plated another run in the seventh to make it 6-2. Spring Hill scored five more runs and did not allow any more from the Tigers to win, 11-2, and secure its third-straight conference title. 

Results
Spring Hill 11, Savannah State 2
Records: Spring Hill (32-21, 25-7 SIAC), Savannah State (33-12, 25-7 SIAC)
 
Up Next
With the win in the SIAC Championship game, Spring Hill now automatically qualifies for the NCAA Tournament and awaits seeding. 
 

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Wilks attorney spoke out on his outrage on the snub on twitter.

“We are shocked and disturbed that after the incredible job Coach Wilks did as the interim coach, including bringing the team back into Playoff contention and garnering the support of the players and fans, that he was passed over for the Head Coach position by David Tepper,” Attorney Douglas Wigdor wrote.

“There is a legitimate race problem in the NFL, and we can assure you that we will have more to say in the coming days.”

Steve Wilks played college football at Appalachian State University in the late 80’s before beginning his coaching career at Savannah State University. He served as the head coach of the Tigers for one season in 1999. He then continued to coach at various NFL clubs, moving up between different assistant and coordinator positions. Wilks earned his first NFL head coaching position with Arizona Cardinals in 2018 where he served one year at the helm.

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Dillon Brooks of the Grizzlies was walking off the court and shouting towards Sharpe who was seated courtside. Sharpe seemed to take exception to the exchange and signaled for Brooks to come and say the words to his face. The first player to approach Sharpe was Grizzlies center Steven Adams. Ja Morant was the next player to approach the kerfuffle, followed by his father and former Claflin basketball player Tee Morant.

More shouting ensued as security personnel stepped in between Sharpe and the players. There was never any physical contact between any of the parties. Sharpe was escorted to a room in the back of Crypto arena but was allowed to return to his seat in the third quarter and stayed for the remainder of the game.

Difference of Opinions

Sharpe offered his take on what happened during a brief interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin just after the incident.

“They didn’t want this smoke, Dave,” Sharpe said. “They do all that talking and jockeying and I ain’t about that jockeying. It started with Dillon Brooks. I said he was too small to guard LeBron. He said, ‘F— me.’ I said, ‘F— you’ back, he started to come at me, and I said, ‘You don’t want these problems.’ And then Ja came out of nowhere talking. He definitely didn’t want these problems. Then the dad came and he obviously didn’t want no problems.

“But I wanted anything they had. Don’t let these fools fool you now.”

During the postgame interview after the Grizzlies lost to the Lakers Brooks offered his opinion.

“I ain’t talking about that,” said Brooks, “You can ask him. He’s the blogger or whatever he is. I don’t really care about all that. Next question.”

Lebron James, who scored 23 points for the Lakers in the win, had a different take on the event when asked about it afterward.

“I mean, I ride with Shannon for 365 days, 366 on a leap year, 24/7,” James said after the game. “So, that’s my guy. So I’ll always have his back, and he’s got mine. He can talk with the best of them, for sure.”

Shannon Sharpe and Tee Morant were seen hugging and talking with one another on two separate occasions after halftime. Ja Morant contemplated addressing the issue when asked about it afterward.

“I ain’t going to address that. I’m going to let him live today,” said Morant.

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“This is kind of a preseason game going into the conference. And we need to make sure that we find some sort of semblance of an attack that we can depend on, that we can consistently go out and kind of use as a foundation for the rest of the year that way,” SC State Coach Buddy Pough says. “So you know, Virginia-Lynchburg is exactly what we need at this point.

“Now, whether or not they can be more of a tussle than … we probably need at this point, that’s a possibility,” he says.

VIRGINIA-LYNCHBURG GETS CLOSE

The winless Dragons (0-6) have had their share of blowouts so far this season, but they have competed for at least 30 minutes in some of those losses. VUL stymied Delaware State in the second half in a 35-14 loss. They actually led 6-0 and trailed 14-9 at the end of the first quarter before the Hornets scored twice in the second quarter to put it away. In the previous week, they scored first against Presbyterian before falling 21-13.

Blowout losses to Morgan State and NC Central preceded last week’s game against Savannah State, in which VUL was tied 7-7 at halftime but gave up a pair of third-quarter scores and lost 28-14. Now comes the Bulldogs, and Coach Tim Newman is welcoming the opportunity to pay homage to what he considers the heart of HBCU football.

“We’re just fortunate to go in there and play. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” Newman says. “You know, we’re going to get better from the game.

“South Carolina State is the mecca, the defending national champions of Black college football. To get a chance to go in and play somebody like that, it’s a dream come true for us.”

Being the homecoming opponent, which normally translates into the team your host expects to beat, doesn’t bother Newman at all. His team was the homecoming opponent for Savannah State and will be the same for Southern.

“In order to build our program and get like a program like South Carolina State, we’ve got to go through things like this,” he says.

VUL will have to get through Saturday, and the rest of the season, without starting quarterback C.J. Brooks, who was lost to a torn ACL in the NC Central game. Replacing him is true freshman Fanelle Andrew, who threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the Savannah State loss.

SC STATE HAS CONCERNS ABOUT DRAGONS

Pough doesn’t hide the notion that he expects his team to take the fire out of the Dragons, but he’s a little realistic about the possibility of what would be considered an upset.

“I’ve told you guys that we can win the rest off our games, we can win out,” Pough said during the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference coaches call this week. “But, now, we can lose out to all of the teams that we’ll play. Even Lynchburg was up on Savannah State this past weekend, and (they’ve) shown signs of becoming a much better football program. Everybody that comes on here each week to talk about playing them talk about how much improved they are.”

The game also serves as a prelude to the Bulldogs entering MEAC play where there’s still hope to pull off a conference title and play for a Celebration Bowl trophy for the second straight year. SC State was 1-4 last year before making its championship run.

“You got to take advantage of those deals to give yourself a chance to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he says. “Inside there, you got to make sure that you make them aware that you know we’ve been this way before. So, hopefully it’ll come back to fruition a little bit, but I’m concerned we’re not playing quite as good as I think we ought to be able to play at this point.”

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The 53-year-old Wilks is a Charlotte native who went to West Charlotte High School, returned home from Appalachian State and coached at Johnson C. Smith and Savannah State. His coaching roots are planted in two HBCUs, but in his news conference on Tuesday, he chose not to talk about himself.

“Yes, I’m excited about being here, being from Charlotte, but the focus is not about me,” Wilks says. “The focus is about this organization and making sure that we do everything we can to get back on track.”

No talk about when, as an assistant at JCSU, he used to do the laundry and get the field ready to play. Wilks wouldn’t reflect on his time at Savannah State as a defensive coordinator. He could be excused for not talking about himself because he’s taking over for Matt Rhule, who was fired after a 1-4 start to his third season and a 11-27 mark overall.

Wilks is also taking over the Panthers as they prepare to meet the Los Angeles Rams without knowing who the quarterback will be. Starter Baker Mayfield will be sidelined at least two weeks because of an ankle injury. Sam Darnold, who was expected to be the starter last season and has had a lackluster profile since coming to Charlotte, hasn’t taken a snap this season because of his own injury. That leaves P.J. Walker, who played for Rhule when he coached at Temple, as the likely starter for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

But asked specifically to talk about his HBCU experiences, Steve Wilks chose to pass on addressing it.

“Again, I want to try to keep it very brief because I never want to try to put the spotlight on me,” he says. “I’m very humbled and excited to have this opportunity to do it right here at home. It’s great, but it’s bigger than me.”

Wilks did say since he was announced as Carolina Panthers interim head coach he received around 300 text messages from local friends, and said he hopes this experience provides a spark for those who followed in his footsteps in the Hidden Valley neighborhood where he grew up, as well as the students at West Charlotte who might want to duplicate his path.

“I can’t disregard where I’m from, where I grew up,” he says. “Is it dear to my heart? Yes. Am I an example for many to follow? Yes. So I understand the torch that I may carry, so I hope I am a great example to a lot of individuals that feel like they, too, can make it.”

Steve Wilks was asked about the lack of Black head coaches in the NFL and what the league can do to address it. Wilks himself was a head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. His first team finished 3-13 and he was fired and replaced by Kliff Kingsbury. That firing ultimately led Wilks to join a lawsuit filed by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores which accuses the league of racial discrimination.

Lawyers for Wilks say he was a “bridge coach” who wasn’t given a chance to succeed. He has that chance now with the Carolina Panthers, but he stresses that he’s not sweating the current title as interim or whether he can make it a permanent role.

“I’m not worried about the end result,” he says. “I’m jury worried about winning the day and giving us the opportunity to be successful.”

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Records and scores prior to 1966, when Benedict ended its football program for 28 years, are incomplete, but there is no historical record of a Benedict football team ever starting the season 3-0.

The game was played in front of a national ESPNU television audience.

Noah Zaire Scotland rushed for 122 yards and a TD while Benedict quarterbacks Eric Phoenix (10 of 14) and John Lampley (4 of 6) completed 14 passes to 12 different receivers including one score as the Tigers pulled away.

Defensive end Loobert Denelus had three sacks, one a strip sack of Savannah State quarterback JT Hartage. It gave Benedict the ball after it scored to open the second half on a 35-yard John Diaz field goal. Eight rushing plays, later Scotland busted into the end zone from the 1-yard line. Diaz added the extra point to give Benedict a 10-0 lead.

Savannah State scored on an 11-yard run by Jadon Adams with 12:18 left in the game. Denelus, last week’s SIAC defensive player of the week, blocked the extra point.
 
Benedict added its score through the air on an 11-yard pass from Lampley to Christopher Williams with 9:19 left. It capped off a nine-play, 83-yard drive. The Tigers took advantage of several penalties by Savannah State, and an 18-yard run by Tayven Grice on that drive.

Deondra Duehart added an insurance touchdown for the Tigers with 5:01 left in the game on an 11-yard run.

Benedict (3-0, 1-0 SIAC) hosts Kentucky State next Saturday. Savannah State (1-2, 1-1) is at Morehouse.

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“I got hired to do the official press conference on Tuesday. I had a team meeting on Wednesday and Thursday at practice,” Kelton said at SIAC Media Day. “So, you know, we will go we did manage to get 12 spring practices in, which was great and the guys were fantastic. The transition has been great.”

Savannah State planning on staying in the SIAC title chase

Indeed, transition continued to take place after Kelton took over as much of the returning roster, as well as some incoming recruits, decided to re-route themselves. Offensive tackle Kyle Frazier decided to stick around due to his love of the school and the desire to continue to chase the elusive SIAC crown. 

“We were already doing well and just I love the institution,” Frazier said. “I love the guys I was surrounded by. I believe in my Savannah State Tigers. So just following up that we had had a good season. In my heart of hearts, I felt like I was missing something. We were one step away from that conference championship and I really want to chase that, have a chance to play in that.”

Defensive end McKenly Newbill says he literally right at home at SSU. 

“I enjoy Savannah State wholely. I’m from Savannah, so it’s a hometown thing for me,” Newbill said. “It’s close to home. My family, a lot of people in my family come see me. I got a lot of people in the games, so it’s just an all-around good feeling. The band’s amazing. It just it’s just an enjoyable place to be around.”

Home ties notwithstanding, Newbill says that Kelton’s approach made the transition easier on him. 

“Coach Kelton, he was just a genuine person and in this day and age — man you just can’t fake kick it you know?” Newbill said, giving his coach and teammate a good laugh. “Like you just can’t fake it. So he was real with us and he told us what he wanted to do. He’s just been genuine with us so I just stayed.”

SSU was predicted to finish third in the East behind defending SIAC Champion Albany State and a rising Benedict College squad. This year’s team will look a lot different on the field and on the sidelines, but Kelton seems to feel confident in knowing that everyone that is still around is all in.

“They’ve done a great job with accepting me, accepting the staff and the teaching that we’re doing,” he said. “And then our biggest thing is making sure that they’re all well; having fun enjoying this transition because change is hard and we talk about that openly, and sharing whatever thoughts that we have about stuff and we just do the best that we can.”

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That likely overshadowed the fact that the conference has not named a replacement for longtime Commissioner Greg Moore, who announced in late May that he was stepping down after nearly 14 years leading the conference.

Nonetheless, the day went smoothly. Associate Commissioner for Communications Tyler Williams deftly handled the proceedings. Seven new head men were among the coaches that made their way to the stage in downtown Atlanta to be interviewed by host James Verett after sitting down with the various media outlets in attendance.

That’s new men at the helm of more than half the 13 SIAC programs. Of the current head coaches, Morehouse head coach Richard Freeman, in his 11th season leading the Maroon Tigers, now has the longest tenure at one school.

A brand new crop in the West

In an interesting twist, four of the five West Division programs have new faces at the helm. Two of them have moved from one conference program to another. Three in all are getting their second head coaching assignment in the league. All three come with conference championship credentials.

The shake-up of sideline mentors had little bearing however on who the head coaches and sports information directors voted to win division titles (watch here). Albany State in the East and Miles in the West are picked to repeat.

Here are profiles of the new coaches. Let’s begin with those that have SIAC titles.

Willie Slater: From Tuskegee to Clark Atlanta

Willie Slater, the new coach at Clark Atlanta, spent the last 15 years as the head man at Tuskegee. He also spent the last five years as Tuskegee’s athletics director.

“I enjoy working,” said Slater of his 44-year career as a coach. “I guess I could have retired and all that. But I enjoy working and enjoy working with young men. I’m excited about the opportunity.”

Slater posted a sterling record of 110-29 (.791) with six seasons of double-digit wins and another four nine-win seasons in his first 12 seasons at Tuskegee. He had only one losing campaign in those dozen years. That stretch included seven SIAC titles and nine West Division titles.

But over the last three seasons, his Golden Tigers were just 13-18, never finishing above .500. Maybe, the double duties of coach and AD caught up to him. He’ll only have to focus on coaching the Panthers.

Slater, who said he has been calling plays since the 10th grade, said he won’t be calling plays for the Panthers. “Well, they embarrassed me at Tuskegee. They said I’m old and my play-calling skills are old and all that stuff. So, rather than have any controversy, Coach (Richard) Moncrief is our offensive coordinator.”

CAU finished 2-8 overall and 0-6 in the SIAC last season under head coach Tim Bowens. They open on Sat., Sept. 3 at new conference member Edward Waters.

Reginald Ruffin: Taking on the double duties at Tuskegee

The double-dip of head football coach and AD at Tuskegee has now been taken on by former Miles head coach Reginald Ruffin. He also served in both capacities for the Golden Bears. Ruffin has said he will spend just one year in both jobs before surrendering the coaching duties.

Ruffin had two stints as an assistant at Tuskegee under Rick Comegy ((2002-2003) and Slater (2006-2010) before becoming head coach at Miles in 2011. He spent the last 11 years leading a resurgence for the Golden Bears challenging and often overcoming Slater and Tuskegee in the SIAC’s West Division. He won the last three West titles, six overall, and corralled four conference championships leading Miles.

“For me it’s a blessing,” Ruffin said of returning to Tuskegee. “Because the three winningest top coaches in the history of Tuskegee — Cleve Abbott, Rick Comegy and Willie Slater, — I was fortunate to coach under two of them. That’s a blessing for me that propelled me in my career as a coach because of what I leaned from those guys.”

Tuskegee and Ruffin, coming off a 3-8 record in Slater’s last season, open against Fort Valley State in Montgomery, Alabama on Sun., Sept. 4 at the first annual Red Tails Classic.

Kevin Porter: From Fort Valley State to Central State

New Central State head coach Kevin Porter was last in the league in 2019 completing the last leg of a four-year stint (2016-19) leading Fort Valley State. Porter guided the Wildcats to the SIAC title in his inaugural season, 2016.

The Marauders, who changed coaches from Bobby Rome to interim head coach George Ragsdale during the 2021 season, are coming off a 1-9 campaign. Porter will make his CSU coaching debut on Sunday Sept. 4 against Winston Salem State at the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic in Canton, Ohio. The game will be televised on the NFL Network.

“The opportunity to play on national television at the Hall of Fame game is impetus for the football team and the program to get out there and start on the right foot and do a great job of representing the university,” said Porter during a sit-down interview with this reporter at the SIAC Media Day. “The University obviously has tremendous tradition as far as the football program goes and I want to make sure our kids understand that tradition, where that comes from and what we’re planning.”

The Marauders won three NAIA Division II national championships from 1990-95, and were runner-up in 1983 while competing in NCAA Division II.

The first timers: Sam Shade at Miles

Stepping into the formidable shoes of Ruffin at Miles is Sam Shade, who grew up in Birmingham before playing at Alabama and in the NFL. He has been a state championship high school coach in Alabama and has also coached on the collegiate and NFL levels.

“I grew up ten minutes away from Miles College,” Shade said from the stage at SIAC Media Day Tuesday. “In fact, my father lives eight minutes away. I’ve got two sisters that graduated from Miles and a nephew that actually played at Miles. I actually played coach Ruffin. I’m very familiar with the program and I’m very excited about the opportunity.”

Miles was 6-4 overall, winning the West with a 4-2 record before falling to Albany State in the championship game, 31-0. Shade debuts at Alabama State on Sat., Sept. 3.

Aaron Kelton at Savannah State

Savannah State made a run at the SIAC East title under Shawn Quinn last season finishing 8-2 overall, 5-1 in league play. Quinn left to become linebackers coach at Virginia Tech.

Aaron Kelton, a Boston native, takes over at Savannah State from Howard where he was the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He also served as interim head coach at Howard in 2019.

“The city of Savannah, the university, its rich history, the great climate and to be able to play in a conference like the SIAC is what really attracted me,” said Kelton of his coming to SSU. “We’re at the end of a transition period in the program. We’ve lost guys to graduation and all those different kinds of things. So we’re excited, and a little anxious to see what we can do.”

SSU opens at Southeastern University on Sat., Sept. 3.

Shawn Gibbs at Fort Valley State

Shawn Gibbs comes to Fort Valley State after working the last 19 years as running backs at NC Central, Grambling and NC A&T. He also was assistant head coach and running backs coach under Rod Broadway and Sam Washington at N. C. A&T. But he’s quite familiar with the SIAC.

“Well, I’m a third-generation black college product, so I’m familiar with HBCUs in general,” Gibbs said. So, I’ve known about the SIAC forever. I know it’s tradition-filled. I know it has a lot great coaches, a lot of great players and a lot of history.”

“The thing about coach Broadway is that you have to be accountable. That’s as a coach, an assistant coach and the players. Do your job and do your job well. That’s what coach Broadway preached and that’s what coach Washington preached. That’s my motivation.”

That experience will be critical as he takes over a Wildcats’ program that finished 5-5, 3-3 in the SIAC last season under Maurice Flowers.

Ramon Johnson at Kentucky State?

Apparently taking on some degree of head coach/athletics director’s duties is Kentucky State’s Ramon Johnson. Johnson, who just completed his first year as AD, introduced himself as the interim AD and acting head coach. Interestingly, he brought KSU offensive coordinator Paul Hamilton to join him on stage to talk about the team.

After back-to-back seven-win seasons, Charlies Jackson left Kentucky State to become assistant head coach and defensive backs coach at Air Force. The Thorobreds were 7-4 overall while finishing second in the West at 4-2 in the SIAC.

“What we wanted to do is to provide some consistency for our student athletes and our athletic program,” said Johnson on stage at Wednesday’s SIAC Media Day. “Coach Hamilton has been very instrumental in helping me navigate those waters making sure that we’re able to retain a great number of our student/athletes from last season.”

Johnson was non-committal about whether he will be on the sidelines when the Thorobreds open at Fort Valley State on Sunday, Sept. 11. “Well, at this particular point what I can say is that Kentucky State will continue to move in a positive direction.”

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The video begins with Sharpe warming up with 315 pounds on the bench. That weight consists of six 45-pound plates plus the bar which weighs another 45 pounds. The NFL Hall of Famer pumped that weight effortlessly six times on the video.

The former tight end then upped the ante to 365 pounds, which is two 25-pound plates added to the previous 315. Sharpe pushed that weight four times without hesitation. It must be noted that Sharpe was working without a spotter, so there was the added pressure of not having a safety net if he were to get stuck.

“This was my 1st time benching serious in over a yr. I had stopped benching all together because it was too painful to tuck my legs underneath due to hip pain,” Sharpe wrote on Twitter.

Shannon Sharpe clears 400 pounds

He wasn’t done yet. Sharpe had enough juice to lift 405 pounds, eight 45-pound plates plus the bar, two times to finish off his flat bench showcase. The video ends with Sharpe benching two 120-pound dumbells on the incline press for 12 reps.

Pretty impressive for someone who hasn’t bench-pressed in over a year. Also very impressive for a 54-year-old who is well removed from his NFL playing career. Sharpe says during his playing days he used to bench 470 pounds.

Social media reacted to Sharpe’s dungeon workout, with over 500 replies on Twitter in the first day of the video being posted. The video originated from Sharpe’s TikTok account.

When it comes to having a spotter, or the lack thereof. Shannon Sharpe responded that he actually has the best spotter of all time.

“God is my spotter. I can count on him, but not always a training partner. I go with what I know and have,” he wrote.

Undisputed airs weekdays on FS1 from 9:30 am to 12 pm EST.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah State University announced the addition of a home football game and released season ticket packages for the upcoming 2022 season Friday morning.

Filling the open date, the Tigers will start the 2022 campaign with a non-conference matchup against Southeastern University out of Lakeland, Florida on September 3. The home game is slated for a 6 p.m. kickoff at Theodore A. Wright Stadium. 

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In addition to the adjusted schedule, the Tigers released the 2022 season tickets package. Savannah State’s 120th season of football will include five home games. Season ticket packages, which include homecoming tickets, start at $120.00. 

Following the opening home game on Sept. 3, the Tigers will go on the road for three consecutive Saturdays, facing Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) opponents Edward Waters (Jacksonville, Fla.), Benedict College (Columbia, S.C.) and Morehouse (Atlanta, Ga.).

On Oct. 1, Savannah State University returns home for a SIAC crossover battle with Kentucky State. Kick-off is set for 6 p.m.

The following week, Oct. 8, the Tigers celebrate Homecoming with a 3 p.m. game against Virginia University of Lynchburg. After a trip back to Atlanta to face Clark Atlanta on Oct. 15, Savannah State hosts Albany State at 5 p.m. on Oct. 22 in Theodore A. Wright Stadium.

The Tigers will battle Fort Valley State at the Macon Central City HBCU Football Classic in Macon, Georgia on Oct. 29. They return home for the regular season finale against Lane College on Nov. 5. Kick-off for the final game is set for 5 p.m. 

Season tickets can be purchased exclusively at ssuathletics.com/tickets. Individual game tickets and tailgating packages will go on sale later this summer on the same webpage.

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Flegler joins the Wildcat Family after being the head coach at Ecclesia College (Ark.). He comes to Wiley College with nine years of coaching experience with seven at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level.

“There were four qualities that I was looking for in our next head coach — a Christian, with experience in coaching and Historically Black Colleges and Universities and a connection to Wiley College,” said Bruce Peifer, Associate Vice President of Athletics and Strategic Retention. “After meeting Flegler and talking to him, I believe our program is heading in the right direction.”

Wiley moving to Gulf Coast Conference

Wiley won ten games a year ago in a season marred by the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. The Wildcats played nearly its entire conference schedule in the month of February. They return 10 players.

Wiley will be moving to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference next season. It was previously in the Red River Conference.

“I’m here to mold young men,” Flegler said. “I’m here in front of you all because of that,” he added. “I know the prestige Wiley has. I know the lineage of great coaches that I’m coming behind. Ultimately, I’m here about the student-athlete’s experience. I believe if we take care of that piece, the basketball will take care of itself.”

At Ecclesia, Flegler led the Royals, who compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association to a 14-6 record. He picked up victories over National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics schools Central Christian College, Lyon College, and Williams Baptist University.

Joseph Flegler’s HBCU background

Before Ecclesia, Flegler spent a season as an assistant coach at South Carolina State University. He helped develop two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selections, Themus Fulks and Rahsaan Edwards. He spent six seasons at his alma-mater Savannah State University as an assistant coach. Under his two seasons, the Tigers led the NCAA in 3-pointers made and ranked in the top five in scoring. They defeated the power-five program, Oregon State University, 93-90.

In 2018, the Tigers won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season title. Flegler helped tutor six All-MEAC selections.

His coaching career began at Thomas University. He helped the program defeat four Top 25 opponents and advance to the semifinals of the Sun Conference Tournament. He developed NAIA All-American Justyn Watkins.

As a player, Flegler played at Savannah State University and helped turn the program around. The Bulldogs were 0-28 in the season before Flegler joined them. By his graduation, they had won the most games in their NCAA Division I history.

Before Savannah State, Flegler played at

Southern Maryland Junior College. He averaged 24.7 points per game and was selected to two all-JUCO teams. He played three seasons professionally abroad, including being drafted by the Quebec Kebs.

Wiley College is in Marshall, Texas.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah State football has announced the 2022 campaign ahead of the program’s 120th year of competition.
 
This year’s schedule, the first for new Head Coach Aaron Kelton, features four away games and five home games–with one home game being played in Macon, Georgia. Season tickets for the 2022 season will go on sale in early June.
 
Savannah State was scheduled to open the season on Sept. 3 against Livingstone, but the opponent pulled out of the game. The date remains open with the possibility of a game to be announced at a later date. 
 
“The unexpected cancellation of the opening game delayed our schedule release,” Director of Athletics Opio Mashariki said. “We were hoping to fill this open date prior to releasing the schedule. At this point we want our fans, student-athletes, and alumni to be able to make plans for the current schedule as we work diligently to find a game for Sept. 3.”

 
The Tigers are currently scheduled to open the season on Sept. 10 in Jacksonville, Florida against Edward Waters in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) East Division battle.
 
Savannah State travels to Columbia, S.C. on Sept. 17 for another SIAC East Division game against Benedict College. On Sept. 24, the Tigers face Morehouse College in Atlanta.
 
On Oct. 1, Savannah State will host its first home game of the season against Kentucky State. Kick-off is set for 6 p.m.
 
The next week, Oct. 8, the Tigers will host Virginia University of Lynchburg in the season’s only non-conference game for Homecoming. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m.
Savannah State heads back to Atlanta for an Oct. 15 SIAC game against Clark Atlanta before three home games to end the season.
 
The Tigers host Albany State on Oct. 22 in Theodore A. Wright Stadium in an SIAC showdown. On Oct. 29, SSU will play Fort Valley State at the Macon Central City HBCU Football Classic in Macon, Georgia as the home team.
 
The regular season concludes on Nov. 5 at Theodore A. Wright Stadium against SIAC West Division opponent Lane College.
 
SSU enters their third year of competition in the SIAC–not including the 2020 season which was cancelled due to the pandemic.
 
The Tigers have been extremely successful following their return to the conference. They’ve compiled 10-1 SIAC record and a 15-5 overall mark through the 2019 and 2021 seasons.
 
Savannah State football began on Thanksgiving Day 1902 when Georgia Industrial College won its only game of the year.
 
Through the subsequent 120 years, Savannah State football won titles on the Division II and III levels. The program’s most successful years came as a Division II member of the SIAC from 1981-2000. After 17 years as a NCAA Division I program, Savannah State football moved back to NCAA Division II, rejoining the SIAC ahead of the 2019 season. 

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Lawyers for Flores, the former Dolphins head coach, announced the addition of Wilks and long time NFL assistant Ray Horton. Wilks coached the Cardinals for one season in 2018 and was fired after finishing 3-13 that year. He was replaced by Kliff Klingsbury. Lawyers say that Wilks was discriminated against as a “bridge coach” who was “not given any meaningful chance to succeed.”

“When Coach Flores filed this action, I knew I owed it to myself, and to all Black NFL coaches and aspiring coaches, to stand with him,” said Wilks in a statement released by his lawyers.

“This lawsuit has shed further important light on a problem that we all know exists, but that too few are willing to confront. Black coaches and candidates should have exactly the same ability to become employed, and remain employed, as white coaches and candidates. That is not currently the case, and I look forward to working with Coach Flores and Coach Horton to ensure that the aspiration of racial equality in the NFL becomes a reality.”

Truth emerges in an interview

Horton has been an NFL assistant since 1994. In 2016 he interviewed for the Tennessee Titans’ head-coaching job while serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. The job was given to Mike Mularkey and Horton moved on to Cleveland to serve as its defensive coordinator.

An interesting light was cast on that process in 2020 when Mularkey appeared on the “Steeler’s Realm” podcast. Mularkey said the Titans’ owners told him he was going to get the job even before the interview process was finished, including interviewing two minority candidates.

“Amy Adams Strunk and her family, came in and told me I was going be the head coach in 2016 before they went through the Rooney Rule. And so, I sat there knowing I was the head coach in ’16 as they went through this fake hiring process. Knowing a lot of the coaches they were interviewing, knowing how much they prepared to go through those interviews, knowing that everything they could do and they had no chance of getting that job. Actually, the GM, Jon Robinson, he was in on the interview with me. He had no idea why he was interviewing me — that I had the job already. I regret. I’m sorry I did that. It was not the way to go about it,” Mularkey said.

Wilks continues on in his hometown

The Cardinals acknowledged the decision to fire Wilks was a tough one but deny any discrimination on their end. They released a statement that read in part, “We are confident that the facts reflect that and demonstrate that these allegations are untrue.”

Wilks is currently the pass game coordinator and secondary coach for the Carolina Panthers. Being back in Charlotte is full circle for where he was born and where his coaching career began.

His first stop was at Johnson C. Smith back in 1995.  Not only did he draw up plays but he was tasked with washing clothes and keeping the field in shape. He’s often said mowing the grass at JCSU was one of his fondest memories.

After his short stint in his hometown of Charlotte, Wilks moved on to Savannah State to be its defensive coordinator. He became head coach in 1999, finishing 5-6, in the school’s final season of the SIAC.

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Shawn Quinn, who was fresh off Savannah State’s best season in two decades, left his post on December 1. Four months later, it has named Howard University cornerbacks coach Aaron Kelton as its new head coach. 

Savannah State Director of Athletics Opio Mashariki broke down why it took four months to come to the decision to hire Kelton. He said the plan was not to rush the process.

“We started it sometime around the middle of January. We remember Coach Quinn – when he left – was December. Then you had the holidays. So once we resumed back in school and we started the process, meaning getting the committee together, starting to put the applications up and having applicants to apply for the position and then vetting those applications…”

“So to answer your question is that we didn’t have a timeframe we wanted to get it done as quickly as possible, but we wanted to be thorough as possible as well. So we weren’t going to put a timeframe on it as we saw that we had quite a few applicants. We needed the committee needed to be able to vet those applicants and then come back, interview the ones that they felt like they wanted to interview, whether it was on Zoom. And then finally we brought the applicants onto campus. The four finalists. And then from there, we had discussions. I had discussions with them, each one individually and then the decision was made probably about four or five days later. So like I said, we didn’t want to rush the process. We didn’t want to take too long either.”

One of the four candidates was Russell DeMasi who has served as the interim head coach since Quinn’s departure. The former Georgia Southern player had been an assistant at SSU since 2013, and was instrumental in bringing in SSU’s most recent recruiting class. 

Recruiting is a forté for Kelton, who also oversaw it under head coach Larry Scott at Howard. That experience will likely come in handy as he now has to re-recruit the players that are currently on the roster as well as those who committed to the previous staff. 

“I think I think a major part of what we what we’ve gotten away from in recruiting is not only are you’re committing to a university – you are committing to a coach – but you’re committing to a university to get your education as well,” Kelton said. “And I want to talk to them about that part of it with the things that they loved about Savannah, and football is not going to change. We’re going to still get after it and play good football.”

Kelton said he hopes to keep the family atmosphere, but he will understand if some players don’t want to pull up to the new table. 

“I certainly understand if somebody makes the decision to not come, that’s their every right that they have,” he said. “But I want them to know that I accept them. It would be no different if Coach Demasi was the coach and decided to bring in some other assistants, he would be the only constant face. Well, we’ll have a couple of assistants around who they’ll be familiar with. And so we’re going to make that work and make it mesh. And I’ll talk to him honestly about, you know, what our plans are for them as a student-athlete. You know, I mean, that’s all I can do for them.”

Kelton has previously been a head coach at Williams College from 2009 through 2010 where he went was 31-25. He also served as head coach at Shorter University as the program migrated to NAIA to Division II football and went 0-11 in back-to-back seasons.

Now he’ll take over a Savannah State program that has gone 16-6 since moving down from Divison I football and has a lot of eyes looking to see if he can keep it together.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah State Athletics has hired Aaron Kelton as the 27th head football coach, Director of Athletics Opio Mashariki announced Tuesday morning.

 
Kelton arrived on campus this morning to meet with the team and administration. Kelton and Mr. Mashariki will hold a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
 
“We are very excited to welcome Aaron Kelton to Savannah State, “Mashariki said. “Following our national search, we had a very tough choice to make. We feel confident Aaron Kelton is the right leader for our football program as we continue to create a winning culture.
 
“We would like to thank Russell DeMasi for stepping in to serve the program in the interim.”
 
“I am excited,” Kelton said. “I’ve been excited since I found out. It’s such a great opportunity to work with great kids in a great region of football and to be at a school like Savannah State that is so rich in tradition. I am looking forward to getting to know the kids and getting after it.
 
“I would like to thank Mr. Mashariki and President Ballard-Washington for seeing that I am the guy who can do this job.”
 
Kelton comes to Savannah State from Howard University where he was the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He also served as interim head coach at Howard in 2019.
 
Prior to that, the Boston, Massachusetts native was the co-defensive coordinator at Morgan State, and the head football coach at Shorter University. He also served stints at Williams College, Columbia University, Virginia State University, Concord College, Clarion University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
 
Through his nearly three-decades of coaching experience, Kelton has served as an intern with four NFL teams and coached over 30 all-conference players. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Springfield College and is a master’s degree candidate at Virginia State University.
 
Kelton was one of four finalist for the head football coach position at Savannah State, following a national search that yielded 63 applicants.
 
Kelton will take over a program that had back-to-back winning seasons, including an 8-2 finish in 2021.

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Benedict jumped out to a four-point lead in the first minute-and-a-half, then proceeded to score just 11 points in the final 18:26 of the first half. There appeared to be a proverbial lid on the basket as BC shot just 24.1 percent from the field during that stretch, including an 0-for-6 performance from the 3-point line. SSU, meanwhile, shot a blistering 54.3 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from the 3-point line to take a 46-15 lead into halftime.

“We played both ends of the floor. The guys played tremendous defense,” Savannah State head coach Horace Broadnax said after the game. “Our guys were turning the ball over, speeding them up and held them to six points, eight points for a long time, scoring the ball extremely well. Got up 31 points was unbelievable. Made it one of the hardest coaching jobs in the second half.”

SSU’s shooting fell to 31.3 percent from the field in the second half, but it hit 19 of 25 free-throws and never allowed its lead to fall to single-digits. Benedict outscored SSU 47-30 in the second half but it was never able to mount a serious threat.

Marcus Scott was named the SIAC Tournament following his 18-point, three assists performance. Avery Joyner added 15 points in the winning effort.

Timothy Bing Jr. scored a game-high 20 points for Benedict while Malachi McCoy added 13 points and 15 rebounds for Benedict. BC’s record dropped to 23-7 on the season.

Savannah State will now await the NCAA Division II Selection Show on Sunday night to find out who it will play in the Division II NCAA Tournament. The selection show is slated for 10:30 P.M. EST and can be viewed here. 

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SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah State women’s basketball sank over half of their shots in the second half of a key Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) game against Albany State on Saturday to seal up their 16th win of the season with a 72-54 win.

The No. 24 Lady Tigers improved to 9-1 in conference with the win in front of 975 fans in Tiger Arena. They remain in first place in the SIAC East Division standings.

In an unusually slow opening for Savannah State, the team shot only 33.3 percent from the floor in the first quarter of Saturday’s game. Albany State managed an 18 percent clip from the floor as both teams combined to miss 25 shots to open the game.

But the Lady Tigers held an 14-8 lead after the first period with some help from Azhana Maxwell who came off the bench to score a couple of field goals and Bria Gibbs who sank a couple in the paint.

The second period was worse for the Lady Tigers as they managed to hit only 5-of-16 attempts from the floor. Both teams scored 13 points each in the second. Savannah State held a slim 27-21 lead into the locker room.

The Lady Tigers returned to form in the final two quarters, combining to shoot 53 percent from the floor and 43 percent from beyond the arch in the second half, outscoring Albany State 45-33 for the final 18-point win.

On average, the Lady Tigers outscore their opponents by a margin of 20.8 points a game. They are averaging 80.0 points a game and have scored 1,360 points so far this season. The Lady Tigers have the 12th best scoring offense in the nation and the No. 1 scoring offense in the SIAC.

And they like to pass the ball. Out of 297 teams in NCAA Division II, Savannah State leads them all in assists per game. On Saturday, the team had 15 assists. They are averaging 14.8 assists per game this season.

Gibbs led the entire field with 20 points on Saturday, going 10-for-17 from the field for her 13th game in double figures. Le’Andrea Gillis put up 13 points for the Lady Tigers. Ta’Quasia Lampkin led the field in rebounds with 11 and assists with five. 

Savannah State pauses the SIAC action for two non-conference road games. They face Claflin University on Feb. 2 in Orangeburg, S.C. and then travel to Jacksonville, Fla. to play SIAC provisional team Edward Waters on Feb. 5 before seeing Albany State again on Feb. 7 in Albany, Ga.

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Savannah State has been averaging 22 points in the first quarter of games. On Saturday, they saw a slower start only putting up 10 points. But they held Fort Valley to only three field goals to secure a four-point lead after the first 10 minutes.

Two newcomers opened a huge run for the Lady Tigers early in the second period. Ta’Quasia Lampkin finished a layup at the 9:29 mark, and Shekinah Howard dropped a three-pointer off a turnover a minute later to spark an 18-4 run for Savannah State.

By the midway mark of the second period, the Lady Tigers led 30-10 and held that advantage through the rest of the game. Savannah State added 25 points in both the second and third periods and then 28 in the final for the runaway win.

Lampkin recorded her first double-double of the season with a season-high 22 points and 16 rebounds. Senior Ta’Kyla Austin recorded her fifth double figure game with 16 points. Azhana Maxwell and Bria Gibbs each tacked on 13 points in the win.

Savannah State returns home on Monday to face off with Clark Atlanta in another key SIAC East Division battle. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Tiger Arena. The game will be streamed live on FloSports. Tickets are on sale now at ssuathletics.com/tickets.

The Lady Tigers will then test their moxie against reigning SIAC Champions, the 11-5, 6-1 Benedict Tigers, in Columbia, S.C. on Jan. 22.

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Savannah State was 16-6 in two seasons as the head coach at SSU. That included an 8-2 record during the 2021 season as SSU finished second in the SIAC East behind eventual SIAC Champion Albany State in a game that decided the division title.

Quinn came to SSU as an assistant in 2018 under Eric Raeburn during the program’s last year in the MEAC.

SSU joins Clark Atlanta and Central State as SIAC schools looking for a new head coach. 

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There are just three weeks left in 2021 regular season football for the CIAA and SIAC who both have championship games scheduled for November 13. That pretty much means if teams have any hopes of making to the prospective title games, now’s the time to make a move.

Meanwhile, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has its first full state of intra-conference games this week. Southwestern Athletic Conference teams are either three or four games into their eight-game conference schedule.  

Homecoming season continues as 11 are on tap this Saturday. Nine games will be streamed this week

HBCU Football Rundown – SIAC

The SIAC’s big battle this week is Savannah State at Albany State (2 p.m.) for the East Division lead. The game will be carried live on ESPN+.

Both teams come in with 6-1 overall records. Both SSU (53-7) and ASU (21-3) lost to nationally ranked AFCA No. 2 Valdosta State (6-0) earlier in the season. Albany State received 11 votes in this week’s AFCA NCAA Div. II Top 25 poll which would land the Golden Rams 31st. In conference play, SSU is 4-0 while ASU is 3-0.

Albany State leads the conference in scoring defense giving up just 6.0 points per game. Savannah State is right behind the Golden Rams at 10.9 ppg.

Tough defenses, strong offenses

Shawn Quinn’s SSU squad averages 239.1 rushing yards per game, second only in the league to Kentucky State’s 292 yards per game. SSU junior QB D’Vonn Gibbons (520 yds., 6.4 ypc., 74.3 ypg., 4 TDs) is the top rusher in the Tigers’ option attack. Senior RB D’Angelo Durham has rushed for 380 yards and six TDs.

Albany State head coach Gabe Gardinia also has two rushers in the top ten in the league in freshman RB Marcuis Fulks (481 yds., 4.7 ypc., 68.7 ypg., 9 TDs) and fellow freshman Kamran Ward (399 yds., 1 TD). ASU also has a freshman, Dionte Bonneau, among the conference passing leaders. Bonneau (71-132-5, 53.8%) has thrown for 1,085 yards and 11 TDs in seven games.

 SSU freshman QB Jamurian Hartage has thrown just 45 times and completed 27 (60%) for 491 yards and six TDs with just one pick.

 In other games in the East, Morehouse is at Benedict’s homecoming in Columbia, S.C. (3 p.m.) and Clark Atlanta is at Fort Valley State (2 p.m.).

The outlook in the West is not as clear. Kentucky State and Tuskegee sit atop the division at 2-1. Miles (2-2) and Lane (1-2) are tied for third.

Miles is at Kentucky State (1 p.m.) and Lane is at Tuskegee (2 p.m.) in key West Division match ups.

HBCU Football Rundown – CIAA

North leader Bowie State (6-1, 4-0 CIAA N) can take a big step towards its third straight division title Saturday (1 p.m.) in its game in Richmond, Va. against second-place Virginia Union (4-3, 3-1 N).

A BSU win would give Damon Wilson’s Bulldogs a two-game lead with games left on the road at 1-6 Lincoln on Oct. 30 and at home vs. 2-5 Elizabeth City State on Nov. 6.

VUU could put themselves in the drivers’ seat with a win. The Panthers, whose only loss in conference play is to Shaw, close on the road at ECSU (Oct. 30) and at home to Virginia State (on Nov. 6).

The offenses have it

BSU senior QB Ja’rome Johnson leads the Bulldogs. He has passed for 1,393 yards and 17 touchdowns in seven games with just six interceptions. Calil Wilkins is BSU’s top rusher and is third in the CIAA with 552 yards and three TDs. The Bulldogs average 33.0 points per game

VUU freshman Jada Byers, coming off a 213-yard effort vs. Chowan Saturday, is the CIAA’s top rusher (654 yds., 7 TDs.). Khalid Morris is the Panthers’ trigger-man. Morris went out of last week’s Chowan game and was replaced by graduate transfer E’Mond Caldwell who threw for 149 yards and one TD and ran for another TD in the win. The Panthers score 29.1 points per contest.

There’s an outside but unlikely shot that one of three teams with two conference losses — Chowan, VSU or ECSU — could sneak in in the East if Bowie State was to lose its final three games.

This week, Chowan is at ECSU’s homecoming (1:30 p.m.) and Lincoln is at VSU’s homecoming (2 p.m.).

In the South, Fayetteville State (5-1, 4-0 S) is the leader as it travels to Raleigh Saturday to face Saint Augustine’s (0-5, 0-4 S).

Second-place Shaw (3-3, 2-1 S) has its homecoming (1 p.m.) in Durham vs. J. C. Smith (0-6, 0-4 S). Livingstone (1-5, 1-2 S) is at the Winston-Salem State (2-4, 2-2 S) homecoming (1 p.m.).

HBCU Football Rundown – MEAC

The MEAC is just getting cranked up with conference play as all six teams play in-conference games this week.

Norfolk State (4-2) has won four straight and plays its first conference game Saturday (1 p.m.) for homecoming at Howard (2-4, 1-0).

Conference favorite South Carolina State (2-4, 1-0) is at homecoming for Delaware State (2-4). It is DelState’s first conference game.

North Carolina Central (2-4) also has its first conference game at Morgan State (0-6, 0-2).

HBCU Football Rundown – SWAC

Jackson State (5-1, 3-0 E) will be trying to solidify its hold atop the SWAC East Division playing winless Bethune-Cookman (0-7, 0-4 E) in Jackson (2 p.m.). Head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders will be out on doctors orders to recover from recent foot surgery. Former Howard player and head coach Gary “The Flea” Harrell, the current running backs and assistant coach. will sub for Sanders.

Florida A&M (4-2, 2-1 E), lurking just a game behind JSU, is playing (3 p.m.) at Mississippi Valley State (2-4, 1-2 E).

West Division leader Prairie View A&M (5-1, 4-0 W) has a key date at homecoming (6 p.m.) at Southern (3-3, 2-1 W). Alcorn State (4-2, 3-0), just a half-game behind PV, is on the road at Texas Southern (1-4, 1-2 W). 

HBCU Football Rundown – Independents

The two HBCU programs in the Big South Conference will meet on Saturday (2 p.m.) when North Carolina A&T (3-3, 2-1) travels to Hampton (2-4, 0-2).

Langston (6-0) will try to keep its unblemished record intact when the Lions travel to Phoenix to face Ottawa.

GAMES THIS WEEK

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23

CIAA

Fayetteville State vs. Saint Augustine’s in Raleigh, NC 1 pm ET
Bowie State vs. Virginia Union in Richmond, VA 1 pm ET

HOMECOMINGS
Livingstone vs. Winston-Salem State in Winston-Salem, NC 1 pm ET

J. C. Smith vs. Shaw in Durham, NC 1 pm ET

Chowan vs. Elizabeth City State in Elizabeth City, NC 1:30 pm ET

Lincoln (Pa.) vs. Virginia State in Petersburg, VA 2 pm ET

MEAC

NC Central vs. Morgan State in Baltimore, MD (ESPN+) 1 pm ET

HOMECOMINGS
Norfolk State vs. Howard in Wash., DC (ESPN3 1pm, U – 10:30 pm) 1 pm ET

South Carolina State vs. Delaware State in Dover, DE (ESPN3) 2 pm ET

SIAC

Miles vs. Kentucky State in Frankfort, KY 1 pm ET

Allen vs. Erskine in Due West, SC 1 pm ET

Clark Atlanta vs. Fort Valley State in Fort Valley, GA 2 pm ET

Savannah State vs. Albany State in Albany, GA (ESPN+) 2 pm ET

Lane vs. Tuskegee in Tuskegee, AL (ESPN+) 2 pm ET

HOMECOMINGS

Central State vs. Edward Waters in Jacksonville, FL 2 pm ET

Morehouse vs. Benedict in Columbia, SC 3 pm ET

SWAC
Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Arkansas in Little Rock, AR 11 am

Florida A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, MS 3 pm ET

Alcorn State vs. Texas Southern in Houston, TX 7 pm ET

Bethune-Cookman vs. Jackson State in Jackson, MS (ESPN+) 2 pm ET

HOMECOMINGS

Prairie View A&M vs. Southern in Baton Rouge, LA (ESPN+) 6 pm ET

INDYS

Texas College vs. Arizona Christian 11 am  PT

West Virginia State vs. Concord in Athens, WV 1 pm ET

Lincoln (Mo.) vs. Nebraska Kearney in Kearney, NE 2 pm ET

North Carolina A&T vs. Hampton in Hampton, VA (ESPN+) 2 pm ET

Langston vs. Ottawa in Phoenix, AR 9 pm ET

HOMECOMINGS

Union (Ky.) vs. Florida Memorial in Miami, FL 1:30 pm ET

Tennessee State vs. Eastern Illinios in Charleston, IL (ESPN+)                 2 pm ET

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The changes and developments have infused fresh blood into league play and heightened the week-to-week intrigue in conference races.

The SWAC

In the SWAC, the debate is on.

Which has been more impactful, the breakthrough championship wins in the spring of Alabama A&M in the East Division and Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the West or the addition of new members Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M?

Most would opine that adding perennial Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) contenders B-CU and FAMU constitutes the greatest powershift in the league. That opinion is buttressed by the fact that their placement in the East moved division champ Alcorn State to the West. The Braves had won the last six East Division titles prior to sitting out the spring.

Alcorn State’s absence opened the door for Alabama A&M to win the East title and get its first league championship in 12 years. Head coach Connnel Maynor’s Bulldogs and others in the East will no more have to play second fiddle to the Braves. The gates are now open for a new king of the East and B-CU and FAMU will certainly be among the contenders.

The team making the most noise in the East however is Jackson State. That’s because JSU head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, as most know, plays second fiddle to no one. He has been leading the pack in terms of hype and headlines. With what some say is a haul of 85 percent new players, many from the FBS ranks, Coach Prime and the Tigers have thrust themselves into the championship picture.

Games to watch

Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons and Coach Prime and the Tigers jump right into the East Division fray with a season-opening match up Sunday, Sept. 5 in the Orange Blossom Classic at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.  There hasn’t been a season-opener of this magnitude, carrying this much weight in years.

From 1933 to 1978, the OBC was the must-see game of. the season and was the de facto postseason black college national championship game. This renewal of the classic is a must-see game to kick off the season.

Bethune-Cookman also has an early baptism into the SWAC East. After opening on the road at UTEP (Sept. 4) and Central Florida (Sept. 11), the Wildcats host defending champ Alabama A&M on Thursday, Sept. 16. On Saturday, Sept. 25 they travel to face Alabama State.

FAMU has Grambling for homecoming (Oct. 30), plays on the road at Southern (Nov. 6) and UAPB (Nov. 13). The big SWAC East closeout comes in Orlando at the Florida Classic on Nov. 20 vs. Bethune-Cookman.

A new day in the SWAC West

In addition to its six straight East Division titles, Alcorn State had prevailed over West Division titleholders in four of the last six SWAC Championship games. The move of Fred McNair’s Braves to the West threatens to break-up the near monopoly Grambling State and Southern have wielded in that division.

It’s a monopoly that first-year Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Doc Gamble and his Golden Lions upset in the spring. Eric Dooley’s Panthers of Prairie View A&M were right on UAPB’s heels. All of a sudden, Southern, who has a new coach in Jason Rollins, and Grambling, who was winless (0-4) in the spring, don’t look so formidable.

Alcorn State opens its West Division foray Sept. 23 at reigning champ Arkansas-Pine Bluff. On September 25, Grambling will try to get its first win against Prairie View in four years, after playing its first three games on the road (Tennessee State in Canton, Ohio, at Southern Miss and at Houston).  

Southern has four consecutive SWAC home games late in the season, beginning with Alcorn State on Oct. 30, before its season-ending battle in New Orleans (Bayou Classic) with Grambling.

The new (Big) South

Two-time defending champion North Carolina A&T was the third team to pull out of the MEAC. The Aggies take up residence in the Big South Conference beginning this fall after Hampton left the MEAC and joined the Big South two years ago.

What this portends for the Aggies is a slew of new opponents, new venues and challenging match ups. The Big South has football teams in Pennsylvania (Robert Morris), New Jersey (Monmouth), Alabama (North Alabama) and Georgia (Kennesaw State).

Additionally, the Aggies, after spending four of their last five postseasons in the Celebration Bowl, are again eligible for the FCS playoffs.

The new menu: Some old, some new

Opening with road battles against Furman (Sept. 4) and Duke (Sept. 110) and a home date against old MEAC rival North Carolina Central (Sept. 25), A&T gets its first taste of Big South competition against another new member, Robert Morris, at home of Oct. 2. Dates on the road in Florence, Alabama at North Alabama (Oct. 9), in Kennesaw, Ga. at Kennesaw State (Oct. 16) and at Hampton (Oct. 23) follow.

The most anticipated Big South battle for the Aggies however will take place at GHOE, A&T’s Greatest Homecoming on Earth. That is when they match up with the two-time defending conference champion Hawks of Monmouth.

The MEAC sextet

The biggest schedule change in the MEAC is that each of the six remaining teams has at least six out-of-conference games.

South Carolina State is the odds-on-favorite to prevail in the MEAC now that B-CU, FAMU and NC A&T have departed. If they are to do so, Buddy Pough’s Bulldogs will have to survive a five-week gauntlet of non-conference opponents.

They open at SWAC champion Alabama A&M (Sept. 4), a team that easily handled them (31-7) in the spring. They then journey in-state for an unenviable match-up (Sept. 11) at ACC power Clemson, ranked No. 3 in preseason FBS polls. The Bulldogs next head out west (Sept. 18) to Alamogordo, New Mexico to face another FBS “outfit,” as Pough would say, New Mexico State.  

They get a week off before returning home to face tough former MEAC member Bethune-Cookman (Oct. 2) and then hit the road again to face another former MEAC nemesis, Florida A&M on Oct. 9.

An Oct. 16 homecoming match against Morgan State is the first MEAC game for the Bulldogs. The five-game MEAC schedule is interrupted for a match-up at now Big South member NC A&T on Nov. 13.  

Norfolk State is the second choice in the conference and opens with its six out-of-conference games out the gate. The Spartans, under new head coach Dawson Odums, open MEAC play on the road at Howard on Oct. 23 and finish the regular season at home vs. SC State.

The new look SIAC

Adding the names of Allen University and Edward Waters University to the SIAC ledger this season brings that league’s total to 11 football-playing institutions. Their admittance to the conference will likely mean divisional shifts in the future but for now they are just added to the schedules.

Edward Waters is eligible for conference championships right away while Allen has a few more hurdles to clear.

Savannah State (East) and Miles (West) enter as preseason favorites with Miles getting some love at the back end of a couple of Div. II national Top 25 polls. Both have tough openers.

Miles opens on the road against two SWAC opponents, Alabama State (Sept. 4) and Southern (Sept. 11). Savannah State’s first game (Sept. 4) is at Valdosta State, ranked in the top ten in most Div. II national polls.

Albany State (East) and Tuskegee (West) are ranked just behind Savannah State and Miles in their respective divisions. Tuskegee will face both in-state SWAC schools, Alabama A&M (Sept. 25 in Mobile) and Alabama State (Nov. 25). Albany State plays at Valdosta State on Sept. 18.

The CIAA stands pat

There was no movement in or out of the CIAA though there were some rumors. Turns out they were just that.

Bowie State (North) and Fayetteville State (South) have won their divisions and met in the last two championship games. They are expected to make it three in a row. The BSU Bulldogs under Damon Wilson are two-time defending champions.

BSU’s chief challengers in the North have been and likely will continue to be Chowan, Virginia State and Virginia Union. The Bulldogs will face the three in successive weeks in October on the road at Chowan (Oct. 9), at home to Virginia State (Oct. 16) and at Virginia Union (Oct. 23).

The battle for South Division supremacy usually comes down to Fayetteville State vs. Winston-Salem State on the last weekend of the regular season. This season’s game is at FSU on Nov. 6.   

But conference head coaches and SIDs shockingly picked Shaw and Johnson C. Smith to finish ahead of the WSSU Rams this season. That is sacrosanct in Rams’ country. The Rams’ S. Div. revenge campaign starts with an Oct. 9 date at JC Smith.

Eddie to the rescue

Tennessee State’s hiring of former NFL all-pro running back Eddie George as its new head coach certainly has people buzzing. So does the list of assistant he’s hired.

His coaching staff includes former NFL head coach Hue Jackson (Offensive Coordinator), 15-year NFL veteran Clyde Simmons (Defensive line), nine-year NFL veteran Joe Bowden (Linebackers) and son of former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher, Brandon Fisher (Defensive Coordinator). There was even word that Jeff Fisher is on board as an advisor.

Well, the Tigers and their new coach will be showcased in some early season clashes that could indicate whether these seasoned former pros are making a difference.

The first test for TSU is Sunday, Sept. 5 in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic in Canton, Ohio vs. Grambling State. The game will be broadcast on the NFL Network.

A week later (Sept. 11), George and the Tigers are back in the spotlight (on ESPN3) taking on Coach Prime and the Jackson State Tigers at the Southern Heritage Classic at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. The game usually attracts in excess of 40,000 fans but may sell out the 58,000-seat Liberty Bowl this year with the two pros going at it for the first time.

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Miles College, the two-time defending SIAC Champion, was predicted to win the West Division. Defensive back Mitchell Smiley was named the conference’s Preseason Defensive Player of The Year.

Savannah State was predicted to win the SIAC East. The program went 8-2 in 2019 season, but was unable to represent the conference in the title game due to transitioning back to Division II. It also played during the spring. Running back D’angelo Durham was named Preseason Offensive Player of The Year.

Albany State, the 2019 East Division winner, was picked to finish second in a crowded East Division.

Newly cemented SIAC schools Edward Waters and Allen have both been added to the East, and predicted to finish seventh and eighth respectively. 

Football Preseason Rankings by Division

Eastern Division

1.     Savannah State
2.     Albany State
3.     Fort Valley State
4.     Morehouse
5.     Benedict
6.     Clark Atlanta
7.     Edward Waters*
8.     Allen*

Western Division

1.     Miles
2.     Tuskegee
3.     Kentucky State
4.     Central State
5.     Lane

2021 SIAC Football Preseason Team
First Team

Second Team

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Mitchell Smiley, Miles

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
D’Angelo Durham, Savannah State

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HBCU flavor in Mega Bowl and The Spring League

Both teams in the Mega Bowl have a little HBCU flavor as does the TSL, which bills itself as “an elite professional football development league.” Twenty-one (21) players from the black college ranks suited up this year in the league.

The Linemen will feature two former all-Mid Eastern Athletic Conference performers from Savannah State — defensive end Stefan Banks and linebacker Marquis Smith. Banks, who finished his SSU career in 2018, was a devastating run-stopper for the Tigers. Smith, a premier edge rusher, put up 79 tackles and 9.5 sacks in his final campaign (2016).

Banks, Smith and the Linemen finished 4-1 under head coach Hal Mumme, one of the founders of the ‘Air Raid’ spread offense. Mumme had stints as a head coach at the University of Kentucky and at six other colleges. He spent part of one season (2018) as an offensive coordinator at Jackson State under former head coach Tony Hughes.

More of the same

The well-travelled Kevin Gilbride coaches the Jousters. The former head coach of the San Diego Chargers won two Super Bowl rings in seven seasons as an offensive assistant with the New York Giants. Gilbride also coached on the offensive side for six other NFL teams.

His team includes former Prairie View A&M wide receiver/kick returner Joshua Simmons who finished his career for the Panthers in 2017. Simmons had a 58-yard touchdown reception in the Jousters’ final regular season game, a 27-10 win over the Sea Lions last week. He had four receptions for 61 yards and a TD reception in a 12-10 loss a week earlier to the Blues.

Guard Darius Hicks of Fort Valley State and Darius Royster, a defensive end from North Carolina Central voted the 2019 MEAC defensive player of the year, are also on the Jousters.

At 5-9, 175, Simmons was among the SWAC leaders with 32 receptions for nearly 500 yards in his final year at Prairie View. He played one year in Europe and had a shot playing in Canada before COVID-19 hit. He then returned to the States. Playing in the TSL this season was an eye-opener.

A learning experience

“It was great,” said Simmons, a Houston native. “I got to learn a lot, learn how NFL systems run, learn from the coaches and meet a lot of players that already played in the league.

“Starting off, I had to kinda feel my way around, learn the system, because there were a lot of terms I had never heard before. But the quarterbacks and Coach Gilbride did a good job of helping me figure it out. They didn’t just leave you out to dry. As the week’s went along, I got better.

“It was a great experience to be around other professional coaches, get the experience of pro football and get to play around great talent. It was a great environment to be around.”

Familiar HBCU players in The Spring League

Other well-known HBCU players on TSL rosters included former Prairie View A&M running back Dawonya Tucker with the Sea Lions and former Hampton quarterback Deondre Francois with the Generals. Bethune-Cookman wide receiver Frank Brown (Alphas), offensive lineman Donald Boone (Conquerors) out of Chowan in the CIAA and former Alcorn State running back Deshawn Waller (Blues) are among others that played this season.

Tucker is a 5-6, 175-pound standout running back that played three years at Prairie View, two with Simmons. He put up monster numbers there, running for over 1,100 yards in back-to-back seasons (2018 and 2019), and putting up 15 rushing TDs as a senior in 2019.

Opportunity knocks just in time

The COVID-19 pandemic cut off opportunities for him to workout at a Pro Day or Combine in 2019, just as it did for a host of others. After not being selected in the 2020 NFL draft, Tucker returned to his hometown of Terrell, Texas to coach high school football. Though he worked out from time to time, he didn’t really train hard as he focused on his coaching career. When he got the call to go play for the Sea Lions, he was at practice. He joined the Sea Lions, who finished 1-4, after two games and played in the final three.

“Going out there and getting experience, playing against guys who had been vets in the league and had camp invites, showed me that I can really play at the next level,” said Tucker. “I held my ground and held my own and I did it without strict training. I feel it did increase my chances to play at the next level and increase my confidence as well.”

The blueprint

Tucker played under Sea Lions head coach Larry Kirksey, a longtime vet who spent 17 years as a coach in the NFL and 22 years coaching at the collegiate level. Kirksey also spent one year (1983) as the head coach at Kentucky State. Among the pros he’s tutored are Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.  

“I just fed a lot off of him,” Tucker said of Kirksey. “That was my first time being around a pro-style offense and pro-style play calling. He just laid it out for us and gave us a blueprint of how it was going to be.

“I think I did pretty well, especially not playing since 2019. It let me know that I can hang in there. if I had not jumped into my coaching career and had given it my all, I probably would have killed it when I got out there.”

Spartan accommodations, potentially great exposure

Figuring out how well any of the players fared is difficult as the TSL doesn’t post, or apparently keep, stats. Still, the TSL’s website (thespringleague.com) says 104 players have been signed to the NFL out of The Spring League since 2017, the year the TSL got started.  

The TSL had eight teams this year, four in the North Division and four in the South Division. The four North Division teams played all its games at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis while the South Division played at Rice Stadium. Prior to the Mega Bowl, teams only played opponents in their same division cutting down on travel and expenses. FOX, FS1 and FS2 carried the games live.

Though the players are not paid, they were furnished room and board either in the Houston or Indianapolis area during the season’s five- or six-game schedule. Their primary hope is to put enough good play on tape to showcase their talents and impress professional scouts. Twenty-two (22) of the 32 NFL teams have reportedly attended Spring League games.

Spring League Showcases in the summer and fall provide additional opportunities for players be evaluated

Future looks bright, more opportunities to catch on

Just this month, The Spring League founder Brian Woods — who also started the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) from 2014 to 2015 — announced that he had acquired the remaining trademarks of the United States Football League. He intends with the intent of launching a USFL-branded league in 2022 with Fox Sports remaining as a partner.

That word about the possibility of the USFL opening back up has trickled down to Simmons, Tucker and the other HBCU vets and TSL players. They are hoping to get opportunities to continue their careers. With the Canadian Football League (CFL) and NFL contemplating full and regular seasons in the fall, and perhaps opportunities with the FXFL, the prospects are looking up.

“There’s a lot of opportunities for cats that didn’t get a chance to get some film out there last year, like me,” Tucker said. “That’s why I was so grateful for The Spring League. It was a chance for me to get back out there and play again. I feel it was all snatched away from me with the COVID situation happened.”

FORMER HBCU PLAYERS IN THE SPRING LEAGUE IN 2021

NORTH

ALPHAS

11        BROWN, Frank                        WR        26       Bethune Cookman

57        MCGEE, Shaun                        LB          26       Georgia/Tuskegee

AVIATORS

3           DAVIS, Devante                       WR        25       Grambling State

43        CALLOWAY, Tere                    DB         25       Alabama A&M/Nevada

CONQUERORS

85        DAVID, DuShon                       WR        24       Bowie State

64        FIELDS, Joshua                       OG         24       Elizabeth City State

72        MEYERS, Robert                     OT         28       Tennessee State

LINEMEN

99        BANKS, Stefen                         DE         25       Savannah State

49        SMITH, Marquis                       LB          27       Savannah State

SOUTH

BLUES

31        WALLER, Deshawn                 RB         25       Alcorn State

74        BOONE, Donald                       OL         23       Chowan

77        WHEATLEY, Tyrone (TJ)       OL         24       Michigan/Morgan State

JOUSTERS

37        SIMMONS, Joshua                  WR        25       Prairie View A&M

61        HICKS, Darrius                         OG         23       Fort Valley State

92        ROYSTER, Darius                   DE         25       North Carolina Central

GENERALS

5           FRANCOIS, Deandre              QB         24       Florida State/Hampton

60        BROWN, Sean                         OL         28       Mississippi Valley State

30        HARRIS, Jaylen                       DB         27       Prairie View A&M

SEA LIONS

20        TUCKER, Dawonya                 RB         23       Prairie View A&M

19        WALlACE, Tristan                    WR        22       Prairie View A&M

33       WILKERSON, Matthew           TE        23       Edward Waters

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The Tigers will open the season on September 4, 2021 in Valdosta, Ga. against NCAA Division II perennial powerhouse Valdosta State. This game was originally scheduled for the 2020 season.

Savannah State returns home on September 11 to open a three-game homestand with a non-conference game against Livingstone College. On Sept. 18, they open Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) action against East Division rivals Benedict College in Theodore A. Wright Stadium. The next weekend, September 25, they host Morehouse College in another SIAC East Division bout.

On October 2, the Tigers will travel to Frankfort, Kentucky to face off against Kentucky State University. It will be the first time the Tigers play an SIAC West Division Team since joining the conference last year. On October. 9, they return home to face Erskine College in a non-conference game.

The Tigers close out October with three SIAC East Division games. They face Clark Atlanta at home on October 16 for Homecoming. Then they hit the road to face Albany State and Fort Valley State Oct. 23 and 30, respectively. They close out the season with a home game against Edward Waters on November 6.

Savannah State’s 2020 nine-game season was suspended due to the pandemic. The Tigers were able to get two spring games in. They fell to West Alabama, 28-36, on March 13 and then beat Middle Georgia State 85-0 on March 27–setting a new school record for most points scored in a win.

The Tigers will hope to get their first full season in since the historic 2019 team walked off the field on November 9, 2019 with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-0 SIAC record–the first winning team since 1998. Due to the school’s transition from NCAA Division I to Division II, they were unable to play for the 2019 SIAC Championship. In September of 2020, the school officially completed the transition, making the program eligible for NCAA titles.

Shawn Quinn will enter his third season this fall as the head coach with an 8-4 overall record and 5-0 conference record intact. The football program under Quinn has seen several school records beat or set, and a winning program fielded that resembles the late 1980’s, 1990s teams who were some of the most successful in the program’s 119-year history. 

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