Central State University is excited to announce the hiring of Tony Carter as the Marauders’ next head football coach. Carter, a former NFL cornerback and experienced coach at the professional and collegiate levels. Bringing a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the HBCU program. 

“I am incredibly excited and honored to join the Central State University Marauders as the head football coach,” Carter said. “This program has a rich history of greatness, and I am committed to bringing that tradition back to life. My goal is to build strong relationships with our proud alumni, passionate fan base, and the entire CSU community. Together, we will develop winners on and off the field. Instilling a culture of discipline, accountability, and excellence.”It’s time to bring a new and improved winning atmosphere to Marauder football, and I can’t wait to get to work!”

“Coach Carter brings a wealth of experience, not only as a former NFL player but also as a coach with experience at the NFL, XFL and collegiate levels,” Brown said. “As both a leader and a person, he embodies the core values that align with our program and university. Throughout this process, it became clear that Coach Carter’s relentless drive, vision for the program and determination will be key factors in establishing a winning culture and a new standard of excellence.”The future of Marauder football is bright under his leadership!”

Over a decade in the game

Carter’s football career spans over a decade. He began as a standout cornerback at Florida State University, where he was a four-year starter, was named Freshman All-American, and earned multiple All-ACC honors. He went on to play in the NFL for eight seasons. Playing for the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, and New Orleans Saints. A highlight of his NFL career was competing in Super Bowl XLVIII as a member of the Denver Broncos.

Following his playing career, Carter transitioned into coaching, serving in roles such as defensive assistant and interim defensive backs coach with the Detroit Lions, cornerbacks coach at Jacksonville University, and defensive coordinator for the XFL’s Orlando Guardians. He has also participated in the prestigious NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and Oakland Raiders. Most recently, Carter served as the cornerbacks coach at Southeastern University. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Tony Carter as the new head football coach,” said HBCU President Dr. Morakinyo A.O. Kuti. “We believe in his vision for the team and are confident that he will inspire our student-athletes to excel both on and off the field. This is an exciting new chapter for Marauder football, and we look forward to the success that lies ahead under his leadership.”

Central State University Marauder Athletics Press Conference

When: Thursday, March 20 | Noon ET

Where: Madison W. Beacom/Gaston F. Lewis Gymnasium at Central State University, 1400 Brush Row Road, Wilberforce, OH 45384

Join live: Stream the press conference at https://maraudersports.com/watch/?Live=395&type=Live.

Marauder fans, alumni, and members of the media are invited to attend and welcome the new leader of the Central State Marauders HBCU football program.

The post Former ACC player, NFL vet takes over HBCU football program appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

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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Wilberforce OH –  Central State University Athletic Department and Director of Athletics Kevicia Brown is excited to announce the hiring of Keon Thorpe as the new Director of Strength and Conditioning.  Thorpe comes to Central State from Division I SWAC HBCU Alabama State University.

During his tenure at Alabama State, Thorpe has been instrumental in developing the football, track and field, cross country, and tennis programs. During this time, Thorpe has won two indoor and two outdoor HBCU conference championships in track and field and three championships with the men’s and women’s tennis programs at ASU. Thorpe is an instrumental part of the Sports Performance Department and the speed development for all sports at the SWAC school.

After spending time at Central Michigan University as an intern under the Director of Strength and Conditioning Coach Joel Welsh, he had the opportunity to assist their men’s wrestling, women’s volleyball, football, and sports science programs.

Before spending time at Central Michigan, Thorpe spent some time at Valparaiso University as an intern under Associate Director Sports Performance Coach Alex Curtis. While he was at Valparaiso, he assisted with football, tennis, and sports science programs. 

Before Valparaiso, Thorpe was the Head Football Strength and Conditioning Coach at Huguenot High School for two seasons. He made an immediate impact in his first season, knowing that the football program had never experienced a strength and conditioning program at the highest level of training.

He spent two years at Proehlific Park as the performance coach under Director Rodney Beasley, working with all sports, and one season as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Cobras (National Arena League) under Head Strength Coach Blaze Thompson where he was part of the 2018 Carolina Cobras Championship team. 

Interning at High Point University is where Thorpe first started his strength and conditioning career, working with all Olympic Sports under Head Strength Coach Andrew Crossley.

Thorpe earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science & sports studies at Greensboro College.  Thorpe also earned his Master’s of applied exercise Science with a concentration in strength and conditioning. Thorpe is CSCCa-SCCC certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.  Currently, Thorpe is working on his PhD student in the Health and Human Performance program at Concordia University Chicago.

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Albany, GA – Albany State University Athletics proudly announces that the Golden Rams football team will participate in the Inaugural Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic. The game will take place on September 21, 2024, in Rochester, New York, marking this a significant milestone for both teams and the HBCU community. Kickoff is slated for 1 pm at the Rochester Community Sports Complex.

The Golden Rams are set to take on Central State University in a highly anticipated game, showcasing talent and tradition. This inaugural event honors the legacy of Frederick Douglass and celebrates the rich history and culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

“This is an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes and the entire Albany State community,” said Dr. Kristene Kelly, Director of Athletics. “Participating in such an event not only showcases our football team but also reinforces our commitment to excellence and tradition in HBCU athletics. It’s a perfect example of #CreatingLegacies.”

There are several events happening during the Classic, such as the Battle of the Bands 5^th Quarter, which will showcase our very own Marching Rams Show Band. Tickets for the Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic are currently available for $25. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets early to ensure they don’t miss out on this historic event.

About the Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic

Join us on Saturday, September 21, 2024, for the first annual Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic — Weekend of Hope in ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

This event celebrates the legacy of Frederick Douglass and the rich history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The inaugural Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic represents a pioneering mission to nurture community engagement and bolster public safety in Rochester.

Get ready for a thrilling game between two HBCU Football rivals, Battle of the Bands, delicious food, live music, and so much more.

Come out and support this historic Rochester, New York event while enjoying the African American HBCU EXPERIENCE! Teams will be announced on Friday, July 26, 2024.

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At the Commencement Ceremony on May 11, the Central State University Foundation made a groundbreaking announcement that thrilled the assembly of HBCU graduates and their families, leading to roaring applause at William Patrick McPherson Memorial Stadium. In an extraordinary act of generosity, the foundation declared a donation of $175,000 to eliminate all outstanding Institutional debt for this year’s traditional graduating class.

“The support from the Foundation will benefit many graduates who strived for an education, but continually faced economic hardship,” Interim Central State University President Dr. Alex Johnson said. “This burden is now lifted, in part, due to the generosity of individuals who have assembled to support Central State University and its students.” 

The unprecedented gift ensures that each graduate will leave Central State University without owing any balance to the Institution. The initiative targets debt held directly by Central State University, thus allowing graduates to commence their post-collegiate journey with a cleaner financial slate. The relief does not extend to federal student aid debts.  

Dr. Derek Anderson, president of the CSU Foundation Board of Trustees, expressed his pride in the board’s decision.   

“We believe in the immense potential of our graduates and are thrilled to provide them with this foundation as they embark on their next chapters,” he said.

Although unable to attend the ceremony, his sentiments were warmly conveyed by Judge Michael Nelson, who presented the award on behalf of the foundation.  

Nelson, addressing the graduates, highlighted the significance of this gift: “Today marks not just the culmination of your hard work and dedication, but also the beginning of a promising new phase. The foundation is honored to play a part in ensuring you step into this phase unencumbered by Institutional debt.”  

Central State President-elect Dr. Morakinyo Kuti said students will use their career opportunities to improve their lives.  

“The Foundation’s generosity allows the latest Centralians to grow their wealth by reducing debt from their investment portfolios,” he said. 

The Central State University Foundation’s contribution underscores its commitment to supporting HBCU students not only academically but also financially. By alleviating the burden of debt, the foundation aims to empower graduates to pursue further education, career advancement, and personal growth without the immediate financial pressures that come with Institutional debt. 

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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

Langston-N/A

The post HBCU Homecoming 2023 Attendance Tracker appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

Central State (3-7 Overall in 2022)

The Marauders will enter this season after a 3-7 campaign last year. They averaged 26.0 points and 349 offensive yards per contest in 2022. Defensively, the Marauders conceded an average of 33.8 points per game.

It’s the first game of the season for Central State. Last season, Central State’s offensive play selection split was 59% pass, 41% run.

Central State went 3-7 in 2022. This is their first neutral site game this year, but they went 0-0 in 2022. This is Central St.’s only game against an FCS HBCU opponent.

Mississippi Valley State (2-9 Overall in 2022)

The Delta Devils will come into this season after securing a 2-9 record in 2022. They averaged 14.5 points and 270 offensive yards per contest in 2022. The Delta Devils’ defense allowed an average of 30.4 points per game.

It’s the first game of the season for Mississippi Valley State. Players in all three phases, offense, defense, and special teams will be looking to start the season off well in this one.

Last season, Mississippi Valley State’s offensive play selection split was 41% pass, 59% run.

Mississippi Valley State enters the Chicago Football Classic after putting up a 2-9 campaign in 2022. This is their first neutral site game this year, but they went 0-0 in 2022. This is Mississippi Valley State’s only game against a SIAC opponent this season.

Gameday AI content is produced using Artificial Intelligence technology powered by Boost Sport before being approved and published by HBCU Gameday.

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PUEBLO, Colorado – Amarianna Lofton will represent Central State University at this week’s NCAA Div. II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships this week.

Lofton, a freshman high jumper from Orlando, Florida, qualified for nationals with a mark of 1.73 meters (5′ 8″) during a meet at Slippery Rock University earlier in May. Her mark of 1.73m also set a new NCAA Div. II school record at CSU.

Amarianna Lofton has won five times in the event during the outdoor season for the Marauders, which included the SIAC Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the second female student-athlete to qualify for the NCAA Div. II Outdoor Championships and will be the first Lady Marauder to compete on the NCAA Div. II national stage. Former CSU hurdler Donesha Cartwright qualified for nationals in 2020 but was unable to compete as the event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lofton is scheduled to jump on Friday at 4:45 pm (MT)/6:45 pm (EST).

This year’s NCAA Div. II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will be held at the Thunderbowl in Pueblo, Colorado. Colorado State University – Pueblo is serving as this year’s institutional host.

For live coverage of this year’s national championships, visit – https://gothunderwolves.com/sports/2023/3/29/2023-ncaa-diviison-ii-outdoor-track-and-field-championships.aspx

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In an interview with People, the iconic singer says her family inspired her return to school to study business at the HBCU.

“I’m a businesswoman now and I desire to continue to sharpen my sword and better my craft. I want to break generational curses,” says the singer. ” When it comes to my family, my girls, my children, I want to show them that no matter what she’s been through, you can always get back and go after it again, and that’s what I am doing.”

In 2010 the American Idol winner received her GED after dropping out of high school. Now as a wife, mom of three and now a student of Central State University, Fantasia wants her journey to be a testament to what can happen when you don’t give up.

“I want to be the example, I want to use my platform, my social media, to show people – men, women, Black, white, young, old – that if you have a dream, it doesn’t have to have a timeline. It doesn’t have to look a certain way and, in fact, looks better when it has a bunch of bruises and scars because that means you fought for it.”

Last year in November, Fantasia was inducted as an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. I don’t know but I think the yard just became a little heavier over at Central State. During her announcement, the singer gave a special shoutout the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho who connected her with the University’s enrollment staff.

Closing out her announcement, Fantasia teased a special appearance to Central State’s upcoming homecoming in October. If this tease because a reality I might have to snag some Maraude apparel and make my way; just in case she needs background vocals.

The post Fantasia is enrolling at HBCU Central State University appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

SAVANNAH, Ga. –  West Division top-seed Tuskegee used a dominant first half to blow past fifth-seed Central State 73-50 in the quarterfinals of the 2023 TIAA SIAC Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Cricket. The Golden Tigerettes extended their overall win streak to 15 games in the rout and are two wins away from a league title.

The game was put out of reach in the second quarter as Tuskegee (24-3) shot 55 percent from the field, scored 19 consecutive points, and held Central State (11-14) to just one field goal during the period — none coming in the final 8:30 before the half. A nine-point advantage at the end of the first quarter ballooned to 45-17 at the break.

Tuskegee’s lead hit 30 points late in the first half and again at the start of the third quarter when JuToreyia Willis (game-high 27 points, eight rebounds) scored for a 47-17 lead. CSU would finally get another bucket 70 seconds into the period and drew as close as 20 points late in the contest but never put any threat to the Golden Tigerettes dominance. 

Naomi Shorts scored 12 points and Kailyn Nash had 10 points, nine rebounds, and eight blocks to lead Central State. Sumaiyah Abdur-Rahim (12 points, six assists) and Ashiala Jackson (10 points, nine rebounds, six steals) had big efforts for Tuskegee, which plays the winner of Savannah State-Edward Waters on Friday at 11 a.m. 

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SAVANNAH, GA (February 27, 2023) — The 2023 TIAA SIAC Basketball Tournament presented by Cricket Wireless brought a few upsets to the second opening round on Monday featuring a pair of men’s and women’s matchups at Savannah State University. Check out the recaps from the third day of SIAC Hoops action inside of Tiger Arena.

Game 6 (Men)
#4E (Albany State), 70 v. Kentucky State, 83
Box Score

Kentucky State opened the second round of the 2023 TIAA SIAC Basketball Championship defeating Albany State 83-70 in a midday contest inside the Tiger Arena. Kentucky State’s guard Kong led all scorers with 21 points to help the Breds survive another day with a win over Albany State in the second opening round of matchups. Kong shot 100% from the field(8-of-8), three-point line(2-of-2), and at the free-throw line(3-of-3).

The Golden Rams went 3-of-4 from the field to take a 12-10 lead at 14:49 in the first half. A layup by Shamon Mosley led to an 11-2 run by Kentucky State at 9:15 in the first half. The Thorobreds held a 37-31 lead over the Golden Rams going into halftime shooting a perfect 100% from the free-throw line. Kentucky State was dominant in the paint scoring 20 points holding the lead for a full 14:00 minutes in the first half. 

In the second half, Albany State went on a nine-point run with 11:30 remaining in the contest. The Golden Rams shot 42.9 percent (15-of-35) from the field, including 50 percent (5-of-10) from beyond the arc. The Golden Rams were led by Malik Parker with 19 points and three rebounds. SIAC Freshman of the Year Terin Wofford added 10 points and three boards.

Up Next: Kentucky State will head to the quarterfinals, where they will play #1W Tuskegee on Wednesday, March 1 at 5 p.m.

Game 7 (Men)
#4W (Lane), 73 v. #5E (Clark Atlanta), 61
Box Score

The Dragons jumped on Clark Atlanta early when Justin Sylver drilled a pull up jumper just eight seconds into the game. Lane would lead from tip-off to final whistle as the margin grew to as many as 20 points en route to a 73-61 win over the Panthers.
 
Kelvin Allen led all scorers with 19 points while pulling in six rebounds. Sylver finished with 14 points and six boards while Maximillion Bell chipped in 11 points. Jesse Payne had 10 points to go along with four steals and three assists.

Clark Atlanta’s  Justin Longstreet and  Gwarren Douglas each added 13 points shooting over 60 percent from the free-throw line.
 
Up Next: Lane moves on to the quarterfinals where they will take on Morehouse College on Wednesday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Game 8 (Women)
#4E (Allen), 68 v. #5W (Central State), 79
Box Score

#5W Central State toppled the #4E Allen 79-68 in the women’s basketball second round of the 2023 TIAA SIAC Basketball Tournament presented by Cricket at Savannah State on Monday.
 
Central State had four players score in double figures led by SIAC First-Team All-Conference honoree, Kailyn Nash, with a double-double 16 points and 10 rebounds. Dashanti Miller added 14 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while Naomi Shorts finished with 15 points, four assists, and three rebounds. Laurene Tere contributed 13 points, six board, and two assists in the win.

Allen’s Keyshuna Fair, Destinee Jamison-Whitfield, and Ananda Mayhew scored 18, 12, and 11 points, respectively. Talayah Boxley grabbed nine rebounds for the Yellow Jackets.
 
Up Next: Central State punched their ticket to the quarterfinals and will advance to face #1W Tuskegee on Wednesday, March 1 at 12:00 p.m.

Game 9 (Women)
#4W (Lane), 53 v. #5E (Albany State), 50
Box Score

Brailyn Tate posted a double-double (14 points and 14 rebounds) and Kayla Simmons, SIAC All-Conference honoree, scored 18 points to lead the Dragons to a second-round victory over Albany State. The duo dominated in the paint as Lane outscored the Golden Rams 32-20 in that category. Simmons had a game-high 18 points while Tate scored 14 points and pulled in 14 rebounds.

The Dragons battled back in a close fourth quarter holding the Golden Rams at 11 points. In the final quarter, the Lane College Dragons shot 87.5 percent (7-of-8) from the free-throw line to push past Albany State in a 53-50 win.

During the close matchup, Milana Holmes of Albany State outscored all players with 23 points while adding nine rebounds. Ka’Shay Hankerson and Kayla Milner each added eight points. Despite the Golden Rams success in converting 25 of 26 of Lane’s turnovers into points, they came up short as Lane’s final three free-throws sealed their win.

Up Next: The Dragons advance to the quarterfinals where they will face Clark Atlanta on Wednesday, March 1, at 2:30 p.m.

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How It Happened
The Thorobreds went a 14-2 run led by six points from Kong alongside four points from Jacobs, and both Andrews and Brooks earned two points as 15:02 remained in the first half. 
 
Central State earned their first lead of 21-20 on a mid-range jumper at 8:49 in the first half. 
 
Jacobs tied the game 23-23 on a three-pointer at 6:04 in the first half. Central State took back the lead 25-24 for a moment on a jumper as Jacobs would tie the game and give the Thorobreds a 26-25 lead on a pair of made free throws with 4:37 remaining in the first half. 
 
The Marauders gained back a 27-26 lead on a layup before Kong responded with a dunk at 4:00 in the first half giving his team a 28-27 lead. 
 
Kentucky State went on a brief 6-0 run to end the first half with a three-point 34-31 lead. 
 
Central State came to within two (43-41) on a dunk, and Kong responded with a layup that gave the Thorobreds a 45-41 lead with 14:16 remaining in the second half. 
 
A free throw brought Central State to within three (63-60) at the five-minute mark in the second half. 
 
The Thorobreds were able to hold the Marauders off and win the game 75-71. 
 
Up Next
Kentucky State men’s basketball will travel to Miles College on Monday, Jan. 16, for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
 

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Tuskegee came away with a 49-34 win over SIAC rival Central State at the Cramton Bowl on Saturday. The two teams combined for a total of 1,252 yards of total offense on 154 plays for an average of 8.12 yards per play.

Here are some stats from an offensive display of offense that we don’t often see in HBCU football. 

Tuskegee

Tuskegee did its damage on the ground, rushing 50 times for 434 yards and averaging a staggering 8.7 yards per rush. It scored all seven of its touchdowns on the ground.

Taurean Taylor rushed for 232 yards and four touchdowns, including a 93-yarder to clinch the game in the fourth quarter. He averaged 11 yards per rush.

Donte Edwards also had a big day on the ground, rushing for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 17 attempts. 

Quarterback Bryson Williams added 60 yards on the ground to go with his 106 yards passing. 

Central State

Central State put up a staggering 712 yards on the day, the majority of them through the air.

CSU quarterbacks Brandon Kyles and Kendall Boney combined to complete 31 of their 50 attempts for 501 yards. They threw four touchdown passes, two of them to Brandon Brock. 

Brock had a huge day as well, catching 11 passes for 162 yards to go along with his two scores.

Micah Lowe caught eight passes for 185 yards, including an 86-yard catch.

Twon Hines caught five passes for 112 yards and a score. 

Tuskegee continues to roll as it improved to 5-2 overall, 4-0 in the SIAC.

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“Do you know how long it’s been since Central State won a classic?” fans questioned in the stands.

“Do you know how long it’s been since we were 1-0?” players quizzed each other?

The 41-21 win over Winston-Salem State in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic was a long-time coming for Central State, which hadn’t started the season 1-0 since 2014. With a new head coach and a team full of new players and on national television (NFL Network) to boot, it certainly felt like the start of something good.

“Proud of our kids, and they’ve they’ve come a long way,” head coach Kevin Porter said in the post-game press conference. “Our program has been down and for those kids to be able to come out – We’ve got over 60 new guys on our football team –  really says a lot about the work that they put in.”

Central State hoping wins equal bigger returns

Central State is an institution with a proud past both academically and athletically.

The Wilberforce, OH HBCU was originally a part of Wilberforce University before it split off in the 1940s and became its own independent institution. The school has won national championships in several sports at the small college level, but it is perhaps best known for its powerhouse football program of the 1980s and 90s, which produced two NAIA titles. The football program was shut down in the late 1990s, and has languished at the Division II level with little to show for it in the past few decades.

A year ago it appeared that a new day was dawning. Central State had brought in Bobby Rome, a millennial head coach who played his college football at North Carolina and there was talk of a new day for CSU. It started the season with a classic in its own backyard — the “Classic For Columbus” – but it lost that game and just over a month later, Rome was gone as well. The team won just one game all season, and it was filed away as another season of “the new normal” in Wilberforce.

Dr. Jack Thomas just passed the two-year mark in his tenure as president at Central State. He beamed with pride on the sidelines as the victory was secured in the fourth quarter. Extremely personable, he stopped and took photos with just about everyone on the sideline, including Director of Athletics Tara Owens. The two of them collaborated to bring in Porter, a former NFL defensive back who led Fort Valley State to back-to-back SIAC East titles in 2016 and 2017. 

“We have a new team here, a new culture,” Dr. Thomas told HBCU Gameday on the sidelines. “Coach Porter has done a good job in going out and recruiting. We recruited him. We wanted to make sure that we had a great coach with experience and he went out and recruited some of the best and brightest student-athletes. And this is our first time getting to see them display their talents here at the Football Hall of Fame here in Canton, Ohio.

And we got a win here. So it’s this exciting, our first game and first win.”

A productive weekend for CSU

Recruiting was as much a priority as winning over the weekend, according to Dr. Thomas. 

“We did have our admissions director and folks here this weekend, and they participated in the recruitment fair. And we have lots of students from all over the state that came and participated and hopefully, we’ll get some of those students,” he said. “We made scholarship announcements right there on the spot to those high-achieving students. And we want more students coming to our university.”

In theory, having a winning football program helps with that.

Central State will have to replace Owens, who is headed to take over as AD at Maryland-Eastern Shore. But Sunday’s win has everyone feeling optimistic about what the future holds.

“Smashmouth football”

Malik Johnson has been with Central State since 2019. The Atlanta native couldn’t contain his excitement when talking about what Porter has brought to the program.

“I knew that “Down south” football –  I knew it was going to come up here. And this is what they brought us – smash mouth football,” Johnson said after the game. “He brought a lot of guys that can play. They just brought a lot of great talent, got everybody together and we’re gelling. We’re still stacking days.”

Porter has been around the game long enough to know that one win doesn’t make a season – but for a school like Central State looking to find something to spark a new wave of football success, it can go a long way. 

“I’m happy for our program. I’m happy for our fans. I mean, it’s one game, but it is a big game,” Porter said. “I was just informed that we hadn’t won a classic game in a while. So for us to be able to come out here on this stage, have our kids perform well and win the football game is huge for us, huge for our university.”

The post Central State hoping football can move the university forward appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

Brandon Kyles threw three touchdowns for CSU, overriding his three interceptions, to help give new head coach Kevin Porter a victory in his first game with the program. 

“It feels great. Happy for our kids. Happy for our program. Happy for Central State University,” Porter said. “It’s been a long road for a lot of us. It was great to be able to come out here on a national stage and get it done.” 

Central State jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, taking advantage of miscues by the WSSU special teams and an errant pass returned for a touchdown that helped put the CIAA squad in an early hole.

WSSU would respond with a pick-six of its own as Justin Fleming returned his second interception of the day 25 yards for a score just before the end of the first quarter. WSSU evened the score late in the second quarter on a 23 yard pass from Richard Latimer to R.J. Mobley. 

CSU would respond with a short touchdown run just before the half to make it 21-14 heading into intermission. The game remained close throughout the third quarter as the two teams traded scores, but things fell apart for WSSU after cutting the lead to 27-21 with 3:06 to go in the third. 

An Aaron Kennebrew run with two seconds left the third quarter gave CSU some breathing room heading into the fourth quarter and a 21-yard pass from Kyles to Micah Lowe sealed the game with 12:31 remaining in the game.

A crowd of 13,989 filed into Tom Benson Stadium to watch the two Division II squads.

“I’m happy for our program. I’m happy for our fans,” Porter said. “It’s one game – but it’s a big game.”

Central State will look to improve to 2-0 next week when it takes on another CIAA foe in Lincoln University. WSSU will have to recover quickly as it prepares to take on a North Carolina Central squad that looked very good against NC A&T on Saturday.

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Head Coach Robert Massey has said that both Graves and Richard Lattimer will play against the Marauders. Whoever proves to be the most effective of the two is expected to be the starter. Graves expects to follow Lattimer onto the field against the Marauders and suggests he’s ready to step in when his name is called no matter the need.

“I’ve always been a team player. Any need, whether it’s being a leader on the sidelines or whether it’s punting, I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” he says “Having that mindset of staying ready so you don’t have to get ready.”

It’s an attitude Graves hopes his teammates have adopted as well, and he thinks they have.

“We have a team full of dogs that are ready to eat,” Graves says. “We have the mentality of next play, next man up. So, whenever you’re ready, you stay ready. Whenever your number is called, you be able to perform.”

The stage Graves will ultimately walk upon is Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The NFL Network will broadcast the game.

“It’s a lot of hype behind this game. There’s a lot of different things that can distract you from the ultimate goal and the purpose of playing,” Graves says. “It’s going to be a great opportunity. I’m excited.”

The Rams are aiming to overcome a 3-5 season in 2021 which ended better than it started. From a 0-4 slide, which included a 73-7 loss to Chowan, Winston-Salem State rallied to win the next three. With a chance to finish the season at .500, Shaw handed the Rams a 38-14 beating.

Graves played in six games last season, throwing for 122 yards in limited action. When he comes in, he’ll be facing a Central State team that went 1-9 last year and has a new coaching staff hoping to change the direction for a program that won an NAIA championship in 1992, beating Gardner-Webb on its home field.

There’s not much to work with in scouting Central State because a new coaching will employ different tactics than those used by the previous staff. In the end, Graves says, that doesn’t really matter.

“Good football, you have to be able to run the ball,” he says. “We’ll definitely establish the run game first, be able to ground and pound. We haven’t had a chance to watch too much film, being that their head coach was somewhere else prior to being at Central State.

“So we’ve really been focusing on ourselves, trying to execute as well as well can on offense and then being able to just put it all together on Sunday,” he says.

The post Graves waits for his turn to lead Winston-Salem State offense appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

The annual showcase, which features a four-day schedule of events over Labor Day weekend, culminates Sunday, Sept. 4, when the Central State University Marauders meet Smith’s alma mater, the Winston-Salem State University Rams, in the 2022 Classic at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Classic Weekend is filled with exhilarating fun, tailgating, music and other entertainment to showcase the Black College Football Hall of Fame, which was founded in 2009 by two legendary NFL quarterbacks and African American pioneers, James Harris and Doug Williams, to preserve and share the history and stories of the greatest HBCU football players, coaches and contributors. The Black College Football Hall of Fame is housed inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Smith and Qerim will air live from the “First Take” set at Tom Benson Stadium from 10 a.m. to noon ET.

Williams, the Black College Football Hall of Fame’s co-founder and a member of Washington’s Super Bowl championship team in 1987, will join the show as a special guest alongside Smith and Qerim. The show also will feature performances by both schools’ bands, the Central State Invincible Marching Marauders and the Winston-Salem State Red Sea of Sound.

“This appearance by ‘First Take’ has been a long time in the making,” Smith said. “As a graduate from an HBCU – Winston-Salem State University – there are no limits to the level of appreciation I have for Black colleges throughout this nation. And there’s nothing that highlights the allure of Black colleges more than football.

“From the marching bands to the games themselves, Black college football illuminates the Black college experience in ways that nothing else does. ‘First Take’ is honored to play a role in bringing that message to its national television audience. We can’t wait to get there! See ya in Canton!” he said.

“The Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Black College Football Hall of Fame are honored to host the “First Take” team in conjunction with this year’s Classic,” said Adrian Allison, Chief Relationship Officer at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “Stephen A. Smith brings a fun, spirited energy to the show every day, but there will be a special level of excitement throughout this broadcast with his alma mater in Canton. We encourage fans of the show and fans of college football to be part of this great atmosphere.

Doors open to fans at 8:30 a.m. ET. Spectators who want to be part of the show should park at Lot A — located at 1776 Clarendon Ave. NW, Canton, 44708 — and enter the stadium through the Symphony Gate.

Security Best Practices will be in effect, thus all guests will be cleared via a walk-through magnetometer. The Clear Bag Policy also will be in effect. (Clear bag no larger than a one-gallon storage bag, purses no larger than a clutch purse, no duffle bags, no backpacks, etc.) For a comprehensive list of what items are allowed and what are prohibited, click here.

“First Take’s” trip to Canton adds to its road trip that began today in Dallas. ESPN soon will announce more on-site shows featuring special guests, live audiences and fan interaction.

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AT CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY (1992-1995)

• Two-time NAIA Division I All-American
• Recorded 42 sacks in 32 games
• Led Central State to an NAIA national championship
• Names Defensive Player of the Year by The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C. as a senior

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1998-2002, 2004)

• First-team All-Pro (2000)
• Second-team All-Pro (2002)
• 3× Pro Bowl (2000—2002)

Hugh Douglas was drafted by the Jets in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He was named the leagues Defensive Rookie of the Year that season. He was later traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars as well. Douglas logged 352 tackles and 80 sacks across his NFL career and went down as one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Eagles history. His 80 sacks is currently 4th most in Philadelphia Eagles history.

“When we traded for Hugh, we knew we were getting a player who would immediately make our football team better,” said Jeffrey Lurie, Philadelphia Eagles Chairman and CEO.

“He was a tremendous leader on a defense that helped guide us to many deep postseason runs.”

Hugh Douglas is currently working as a on-air host for Sports Radio 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, GA.

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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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CSU head coach Ray Lewis was ecstatic not just about the win, but what the tournament means for HBCUs going forward.

Powerful Image

“It’s incredible for HBCUs. I was sitting up there at one point I saw a young black athlete sitting with his dad watching men’s volleyball,” he said. “And to see him to be able to sit there and watch and feel encouraged and know other people that look like you play this game and they’re champions and they do it at a high level it means a lot. I’m excited to see what it’s gonna do for HBCUs.”

It was a closely contested battle with CSU taking a 2-1 lead after three sets. EWU fought back to win the fourth set 25-14 and hung tough in the fifth. The Marauders would take control in the fifth, winning 15-11 and avoided having to play another game in the double-elimination tournament.

The Marauders made it through the double-elimination tournament unscathed and Lewis said that was a testament to the fight his team has shown all season.

“It was a phenomenal season I mean we went through a lot of adversity,” he said. “[We had] injuries, you know people being here, people not being here, so it’s just awesome to be at the end of it and to know that they stuck true to our game plan and that they were bought in all year. To finish it out with the championship, these guys deserve the world.”

Season of Pride

While CSU will get to celebrate bringing back the first ever SIAC volleyball championship trophy to Wilberforce, Ohio, SIAC commissioner Gregory Moore said everyone involved in the tournament has something to be proud of.

“There are no losers in this tournament,” he said. “Nobody is a loser, they’re all making history and they’re all hopefully laying a foundation for future generations of kids to come in and get better and better and better and at some point have these programs compete for championships.”

He noted how proud he was of the conference for leading the way on this endeavor.

“We are an example for young people and nothing is more powerful than an image,” he said. “We cannot overstate the importance of young people watching other young people that look like them playing the sport of men’s volleyball.”

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Only the SWAC men and women on Monday (Jan. 10) were able to get in a full slate of games without a postponement or cancellation.

The MEAC has had the most cancellations or postponements with 17 of the last 19 men’s games not hitting the court. MEAC women’s programs have almost been hit as hard as 13 cancellations or postponements have occurred since just before the new year. 

That means it’s hard to get a bead on the top prospects or teams in the young season.  

HBCU Basketball – SWAC

Southern posted the best non-conference mark in the SWAC at 5-7. Sean Woods’ Jaguars (4-0 SWAC) have won their first four SWAC games to jump to the early lead in conference play. NC A&T transfer forward Tyrone Lyons (13.7 ppg.), 6-4 Murray State transfer Brion Whitley (12.5 ppg.)and 6-1 senior guard Jayden Saddler (11.6 ppg.) are leading the Jaguars. 

Southern plays at Grambling State Saturday (5:30 p.m.).

Alcorn State (4-12, 3-0) won just one of 13 non-conference games but head coach Landon Bussie has the Braves off to a 3-0 start in league action behind the play of Prairie View transfer Lenell Henry (13.0 ppg.). Alcorn has a key date with preseason favorite Texas Southern (5-8, 3-1) Saturday at 3 p.m.

The Braves then host Prairie View (1-11, 1-3) on Monday. 

HBCU Basketball – MEAC

On the Div. I level — men’s teams in the MEAC or SWAC — only the 10-4 MEAC defending champion Norfolk State Spartans under Robert Jones entered the new year and conference play with an above .500 record.

The Spartans have been led by 6-1 senior guard Joe Bryant’s 14.2 points per game. Six-nine redshirt senior forward Kris Bankston (11.2 ppg.) and 6-2 junior guard Christian Ings (10.5 ppg.) are other double-figure scorers. Bryant tallied a game-high 29 points as the Spartans knocked off Delaware State Wednesday, 80-51 for in their first conference tilt.

They hope to add to that record Saturday (4 p.m.) at  Howard (6-6), who had the second-best non-conference slate. It will be the first conference game for Howard and an early indicator of just how good the Bison are.

Head coach Kenny Blakeney’s squad has six players scoring in double-digits led by 6-10 sophomore forward Steve Settles’ 13.1 points per game and senior sharpshooter Kyle Foster’s 14.6 ppg. off the bench. Foster has made 42 of 82 3-pointers to lead the conference at .512 shooting from behind the arc. His 3.5 3s per game is also tops in the conference. 

Norfolk State plays at Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday (4 p.m.).

MLK Special on FOX

After the Norfolk State game, the Bison are set to host Notre Dame Monday (Jan. 17) at 2:30 p.m. in a special game on FOX Sports honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the day of his national holiday. The coverage will include special messages from prominent figures sharing stories of Dr. King and what his legacy means to them. 

The matchup marks the first time in its history that Notre Dame will visit and play at an HBCU campus.

Brey / Blakeney connection

The coaches, Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey and Howard’s Blakeney, have a lot in common. Both began their hoop careers playing under late legendary head coach Morgan Wooten at local DeMatha High School, one of the top prep programs in the nation. Brey also became an assistant on the bench with Wooten before he launched his college coaching career.

Blakeney played under Mike Kryzyzewski collegiately at Duke. Both Brey and Blakeney also worked as assistants under Coach K. Blakeney was also on Brey’s staff at Delaware before he became head coach at Notre Dame.

Two of Howard’s best players – Settles and freshman point guard Elijah Hawkins (12.6 ppg., league-best 7.0 assists per game) are DeMatha products. 

Howard alumnus to call the game

The game was originally scheduled for MLK Day in 2021 but was cancelled as the teams battled COVID-19 issues.

Howard alum Gus Johnson, now a play-by-play announcer for FOX College Hoops, will call the game with NBA vet and College Hall of Famer Jim Jackson providing analysis.

Host Mike Hill and analysts Steve Lavin and Donny Marshall will provide pregame, halftime and postgame coverage on-site from Howard’s Burr Gymnasium. FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF begins at 2:00 p.m. on FOX.

HBCU Basketball – CIAA

A traditional MLK weekend game in the CIAA will pit Virginia Union and Virginia State Saturday in Ettrick, Va. (4 p.m.). Jay Butler’s  VUU squad (10-3) is undefeated in league play at 3-0. Lonnie Blow’s Trojans of VSU are 5-7 overall, 2-3 in the CIAA.

VUU has a date Monday at Saint Augustine’s and Wednesday at Bowie State. 

Fayetteville State (8-5, 3-0 S) and Lincoln (10-4, 4-0 N) are the early CIAA division leaders. FSU is at J. C. Smith Monday (4 p.m.) and at Livingstone Wednesday (7:30 p.m.). Lincoln is at BSU Saturday (4 p.m.) and hosts Elizabeth City State Wednesday (8:30 p.m.). 

HBCU Basketball – SIAC

Benedict (11-3, 7-0 N) and Miles (9-3, 4-1 S) are the leaders in the SIAC North and South respectively. Benedict is on the road at Morehouse Saturday (2 p.m.) and at Albany State Monday (7 p.m.). Miles hosts Central State Saturday (3 p.m.) and Kentucky State Monday (7:30 p.m.).  

HOOPS GAMES THIS WEEK

SAT., JAN. 15

CIAA

Fayetteville State @ JC Smith 4

Lincoln @ Bowie State 4

Virginia Union @ Virginia State 4

W-Salem State @ St. Augustine’s TBA
Elizabeth City State @ Shaw 5

Livingstone @ Claflin 7:30

MEAC

NC Central @ SC State 4

Norfolk State @ Howard 4

Coppin State @ Morgan State 4

SIAC

Allen @ Albany State TBA

Savannah State @ Ft. Valley State TBA

Benedict @ Morehouse 2

Central State @ Miles 3

LeMoyne-Owen @ Kentucky State 4

Spring Hill @ Lane 5

Clark Atlanta @ Edward Waters 6

SWAC

Texas Southern @ Alcorn State 3

Florida A&M @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5:30

Bethune-Cookman @ Miss. Valley St. 4

Alabama A&M @ Alabama State 4:30

Prairie View A&M @ Jackson State 5:30

Southern @ Grambling State 5:30

BIG SOUTH

Presbyterian @ Hampton 5:30

NC A&T @ High Point 7

OVC

Morehead State @ Tennessee State 4

OTHERS
Central Oklahoma @ Lincoln (MO)` 3

W. Va. State @ Alderson Broaddus 4

Langston @ Mid-America Christian 4 

MON., JAN. 17

CIAA

Virginia Union @ St. Augustine’s 4

MEAC

Notre Dame @ Howard 2:30

Norfolk State @ Md.-E. Shore 4

SIAC

Benedict @ Albany State 7

Allen @ Morehouse TBA

Central State @ LeMoyne Owen 7

Clark Atlanta @ Savannah State 7:30

Kentucky State @ Miles 7:30

Tuskegee @ Lane 8:30

SWAC

Prairie View A&M @ Alcorn State TBA

Texas Southern @ Jackson State 7:30

B-Cookman @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7:30

Florida A&M @ Miss. Valley State 7:30

OVC

Tennessee Tech @ Tennessee State 2

TUES., JAN. 18

Spring Hill @ Fort Valley State 8:30

WED., JAN. 19

CIAA

JC Smith @ St. Augustine’s 

Claflin @ Winston-Salem State 7:30

Shaw @ Virginia State 7:30

Fayetteville State @ Livingstone 7:30

Virginia Union @ Bowie State 7:30

Elizabeth City State @ Lincoln 8:30

SIAC

Albany State @ Allen 4

BIG SOUTH

Hampton @ Radford 6:30

NC A&T @ UNC-Asheville 6:30

OTHERS

W. Va.State @ Glenville State 7:30

The post HBCU Basketball Rundown: Jan. 15 – 19, 2022 appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

Central State Athletic Director Tara A. Owens emphasized the best interests of the student-athletes throughout the hiring process.

“During our national search, we received an influx of interest from qualified candidates. Throughout the process, Coach Porter stood out as the person with the right mindset and characteristics best suited to lead Marauder football into a new era. Coach Porter comes to CSU with a championship pedigree and a wide array of experiences as a coach and player on all levels of the game.” Owens said. “Under Coach Porter’s guidance, we believe our student-athletes will flourish on the field and in the classroom. As Coach Porter prepares to lead our football program, we look forward to establishing a sustainable culture of positivity and success.”

Porter, a veteran coach as well as a former collegiate and professional football player, comes to CSU with nearly two decades of coaching experience which include head coaching stints at Fort Valley State University, Avila University and Point University.

Porter will make his CSU coaching debut in September against Winston Salem State University at the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic in Canton, Ohio.

“It is an honor to be selected to lead the football program at Central State University. CSU has tremendous history and tradition. With the opportunity to work alongside the dynamic and innovative leadership of President Jack Thomas and Director of Athletics Tara A. Owens, I believe we can build CSU into a perennial championship contender,” Porter says. “As the University continues to experience a period of growth and unprecedented success, we are going to build a football program that represents Central State University with pride and integrity. I look forward to leading our student-athletes as we move forward into a new era of Marauder football.”

In his previous position as head coach at FVSU, Porter led the Wildcats to the 2016 SIAC Championship and returned to the title game in 2017. Porter’s four-year tenure at FVSU is considered to be one of the most successful eras in Wildcat football history. During his time coaching at FVSU, Porter earned SIAC Coach of the Year honors once and developed 19 All-SIAC student-athletes.

Porter began his coaching career in the Arena Football League in 2000.  Porter served as head coach with the Pensacola Barracudas in 2000, the Macon Knights from 2001 to 2003 and the Kansas City Brigade from 2006 to 2008.

In 2009, Porter served as defensive coordinator for Mid America Nazarene University, where his unit ranked as one of the best in the Heart of America Conference. In 2010, Porter took over as the head football coach and athletic director at Avila University. The next season, he served in the same roles at Point University. Before his assignment at FVSU, Porter was the assistant head coach & secondary coach at The University of West Georgia.

As a player, Porter was a three-year letterman, two-year starter and All-State performer as a defensive back for the Warner Robins High School Demons in Warner Robins, Georgia.

Porter went on to play collegiately at Auburn University. During his time as a Tiger, Porter was four-year starter. He earned All-American honors and was selected to the All-Southeastern Conference Team twice. In 1984, Porter was named Defensive MVP in the Liberty Bowl and earned a spot on Auburn’s Team of the Century. 

A third-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1988 NFL Draft, Porter made an immediate impact during his first season, appearing in 15 games and making seven starts. At the conclusion of the season, Porter was selected to the NFL All-Rookie Team as a safety. He spent six years in the National Football League, ending his career with the New York Jets.

Porter earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Avila University and holds a master’s degree from Concordia University-Irvine in athletic administration.

Porter and his wife, Annjela, have two sons, Jacob and Kellen.

Porter becomes the sixth head coach since CSU reinstated the program in 2005 under NCAA Div. II governance. CSU football previously competed as an NAIA program, with a brief dual affiliation with NCAA Div. II in the 1970s and early 1980s. The Marauders were NCAA Div. II national runner-ups in 1983 and won NAIA national titles in 1990, 1992 and 1995. From 1997 up until the resurgence of the program in 2005, CSU did not field a football team.

“As I say to all our coaches, we want to win, and we want to win National Championships. Coach Porter is a proven winner, and we are pleased to welcome him to Central State University,” CSU President Jack Thomas said. “We are dedicated to building a winning football program while providing a quality collegiate experience for our student-athletes. I look forward to working with Coach Porter as we strive to win championships while continuing to build a team of phenomenal student-athletes. Our University is on the rise, and we believe Coach Porter is an innovative and strategic leader who can take Marauder football to new heights.”

Central State University will hold an on-campus press conference in January to publicly introduce and welcome Coach Porter to the CSU community.

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“We are thrilled to host Winston-Salem State University in the third Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic,” Adrian Allison, Chief Relationship Officer at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said in a release. “Fans of the Classic can expect Coach Massey to bring an energetic team ready to kick off its season in the shadow of the shrine of football. Additionally, the school’s ‘Red Sea of Sound’ band will continue the tradition of having fans experience one of the best halftimes in sports.”

Central State was confirmed as the opponent on Friday as it announced a new head coach as well. Kevin Porter, former head coach at Fort Valley State, was announced as the school’s new head coach on Dec. 24. 

Both programs have competed for national championships in the past. WSSU made it to the 2012 NCAA Division II title game. Central State won the NAIA titles in 1990, 1992 and 1995. However, both programs have fallen on hard times. WSSU was 3-6 in 2021, its worst record since a 1-9 season in 2009. Central State had an identical record, getting rid of head coach Bobby Rome halfway through the season. 

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A source told Lut Williams of HBCU Gameday that head football coach Bobby Rome II resigned on Tuesday. The school confirmed his resignation and has named wide receivers and running backs coach George Ragsdale as interim head coach for the rest of the season.

CSU Athletics Communications Director Nick Novy responded to a phone inquiry by HBCU Gameday Wednesday with the official word. There was no reason given for Rome’s resignation.

Novy later released a statement from the school that read:

“Bobby Rome, II has resigned as head football coach of Central State University. With this change, running backs coach George Ragsdale will serve as interim head football coach for the remainder of the 2021 season. Central State University is committed to our values of providing our student-athletes with a quality collegiate experience and we remain focused on being successful on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.“

Third interim post for Ragsdale

This will be the third time Ragsdale, 70, has been pegged as an interim head coach. The former standout collegiate and pro running back served as interim head coach for four games at his alma mater, North Carolina A&T, in 2008 after the Aggies dismissed Lee Fobbs. He was also interim head coach for five weeks at Grambling State University in 2013 in the midst of turmoil after Doug Williams was fired.

Rome was hired by Athletics Director Tara A. Owens in February 2020 but did not lead the Marauders on the field until this fall. CSU and the rest of the SIAC cancelled all of the 2020 fall and 2021 spring seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A struggle from the start

Rome had posted a 1-5 record this season, 0-3 in SIAC play. CSU lost its season opener on August 28 to Kentucky State. The game was dubbed “The Columbus Classic” and played at spacious Ohio Stadium, the 102,000-seat home of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

CSU beat a winless Lincoln (Pa.) 19-7 before back-to-back blowout road losses to Shaw 52-0 and Miles, 55-4.

Rome’s team dropped its homecoming contest on Oct. 2 to Allen University 46-34. Allen is a former NAIA school that restarted football in 2018 and became a provisional NCAA Div. II member in 2020. Allen will be an official member of the SIAC next season.

Last Saturday, the Marauders lost at Fort Valley State, 35-14.

Rome replaced six-year head coach Cedric Pearl at Cental State. Prior to CSU, Rome served two years as the athletics director and head football coach at Virginia University-Lynchburg. He is a Norfolk, Virginia native who played collegiately at North Carolina.  

A veteran coach with a wealth of playing and coaching experience, Ragsdale had a Hall of Fame career as a running back at North Carolina A&T. He is also in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame. His pro career included stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, brief stops with the Washington Football Team and the USFL’s Oklahoma Outlaws. He has also been an assistant at five other HBCU football programs.

Central State is hosting Tuskegee Saturday at 1 p.m.

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Wright connected with six different receivers and rushed for 65 yards on 19 attempts (3.4 avg.) for one touchdown to help AU (3-2) total 616 yards on offense.

Freshman wide receiver Jamal Jones finished with a season and game high 172 receiving yards with 13 receptions and two touchdowns. Wright connected with Jones in the 4th quarter to cap AU’s scoring en rout to the win. 

Freshman running back Beau Herrington added 12 receptions for 120 yards. Julius Pearson scored one touchdown and hauled in two receptions for 59 yards. Joshua Vaughn had four receptions for 48 yards and one touchdown.

Dahlil Wilkins collected eight tackles (6 solo) and Kerry Thompson added two sacks. RayShawn Meiser tacked on an interception for the Yellow Jackets. 

AU led 40 – 28 at the half before CSU (1-3, 0-2 SIAC) closed the gap, 40-34, after Dalane Brown scored on a 28-yard reception from Tyriq Henderson.

Henderson helped the Marauders gain 459 yards of total offense while completing 25-of-40 pass attempts for 320 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for a score to give the Marauders their first lead of the game 12-8 in the first quarter with 8:12 remaining. 

Brown scored two touchdowns and finished with three receptions for 47 yards. Demonte Dunlap rushed for a game high 120 yards on 16 rush attempts (7.5 avg.) and scored on 45-yard run to give CSU a 26-22 lead in the first quarter.

Said Sidibe hauled in nine receptions for 107 yards and one touchdown and Derell Williams racked up 103 yards from four catches.

Jamal Holloway led CSU on defense with six tackles, three pass break-ups, two sacks and a forced fumble. Bryan Sarente and Justice Merritt each finished with nine tackles. 

Next, Allen Univeristy will travel to Atlanta, Ga. to face Clark Atlanta University. The game is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.

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Raleigh, NC — The Shaw Bears put on a show for their home crowd in their first home game in almost two years as they shut out the Central State Marauders 52-0 Saturday afternoon at the George Williams Athletic Complex.

Shaw improves to 1-2 on the season while Central State drops to 1-2 overall.

The Bears couldn’t have asked for a better start with the defense forcing a quick three and out. On the first play from scrimmage, Sidney Gibbs spined outside and took the handoff 58 yards for a touchdown putting Shaw ahead 7-0 with 12:29 left in the 1^st quarter.  Shaw forced another CSU punt on their second possession.  Facing a third and long situation, Christian Peters found Ah’Shaan Belcher who carried a few defenders with him down to the Marauders 32-yard line.  Three players later the Peters—Belcher connection cashed in from 14 yards out. Devin Versteegen added the PAT to make the score 14-0 in favor of the Bears with 3:53 remaining in the opening quarter.  

After a decent return set up CSU in good field position, Da’Shawn Wallace ended the threat with an interception at the Shaw 16-yard line keeping the score at 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. Shaw pushed their score to 21-0 with an Andre Brandon Jr. one-yard score with 5:27 left in the half.  Peters found the endzone again just before the half connecting with Jon Barnes from four yards out pushing the SU lead to 28-0 at the break.

Jermaine Russel opened the second half with a big kick return up to midfield. The Bears needed little time finding the endzone as Peters scored from 20 yards out on third down with 11:21 left in the third quarter. The Shaw special teams got in on the action with a Jatoine Fields blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown by Jon Barnes putting Shaw ahead 42-0.

Jaleel Scroggins gave the ball back to the Bears with an interception and return to the 10-yard line. Shaw was kept out of the endzone, but Versteegen added his first career field goal from 23 yards out making the score 45-0 in favor of Shaw. Jatoine Fields got in on the scoring action with a one-yard score that featured nothing but runs by Fields padding the Shaw lead to 52-0 producing the final tally.

Peters finished the day 13-17 through the air for three total touchdowns. Gibbs led the rushing attack with 150 yards on 14 carries and one score. The SU offense outgained Central State 487-203 while the defense pitched their first shutout since shutting out Winston Salem State 21-0 on November 2, 2019.

Shaw returns to action Saturday, September 25 when they open CIAA action against Lincoln (PA). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.

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Unfortunately, CIAA member Lincoln was the team who the Marauders took their frustration out on, riding a stifling defensive effort to a 19-7 win at Coatesville Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon. 

“That Kentucky State game was a tough loss for us,” said UNLV transfer defensive lineman Jamal Holloway, who led the Central State defense with 13 total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. “We wanted to come out today and make an impact – get in the backfield, get some sacks and get some tackles for losses.”

“We really challenged those guys to step it up and they did today,” added Bobby Rome II, who picked up his first win as CSU head coach. “Jamal and his teammates are great football players, so we put it on them and they played outstanding.”

Playing not too far away from his hometown of Camden, NJ, Holloway made an early impact, sacking Lincoln starting QB Isaiah Wilson V and forcing a fumble that linebacker Khaled Wahezi fell on at the LU 16. First-year running back Damonte’ Dunlap scooted around left end three players later for the second Central State touchdown of the first quarter.

Looking for a spark, Lions head coach Josh Dean turned to true first-year QB Andrew Banks and the Georgia native provided it with a second quarter scoring drive, capped by Banks plowing through Central’s tough defensive line for a 3-yard touchdown run that cut the Marauder lead to 13-7. 

Banks completed 16 of 22 passes for 157 yards for the afternoon.

The score remained 13-7 until early in the 4th quarter, when Lincoln (0-2) was poised to take the lead after an exciting interception and return by first-year DB Rontay Dunbar. Central State’s defense once again was equal to the task, with a fourth-down stand near midfield turning momentum back in the Marauders’ favor.

After a 49-yard pass play from Siaosi Amaya to Dalaine Brown II got CSU in Lincoln’s red zone, Amaya provided some insurance with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Said Sidibe to cap the scoring. Amaya completed 10 of 24 passes for 123 yards, a touchdown and also ran for a touchdown before leaving the game with an injury.

For Josh Dean, the disappointment was evident, but he sees reason for hope.

“Of the 39 points we’ve given up in two games this year, 20 to 25 of those have been off of turnovers,” he explained. “Our defense has played well each week, we just have to find a way to score some points. We’re getting closer to where we want to be.”

-Special to HBCU Gameday
By Chris Stevens

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The Marauders were a national and HBCU power during the 1980s and 1990s, winning multiple HBCU and NAIA titles under head coaches Billy Joe and Rick Comegy.

That was way before any of new head coach Bobby Rome’s players were even thought of. But he wants his players to know and understand the tradition. 

“Our current student-athletes have to know the national championships were won here at Central State,” he said. “But we have to meet them half way and I think your administration has done that. With all the upgrades to the facilities, they are showing that we’ve won national championships and that’s the expectation.”

The Bobby Rome Era Begins

But more than that, Rome wants the program to add to that history, starting this fall. In truth, it does feel like a new era in Wilberforce Ohio. Rome was hired in Feb. 2020 after overseeing Virginia-University of Lynchburg, a non-scholarship program that routinely took on NCAA Division II and FCS opponents.

“We just line up and hit folks in the mouth, and we line up and do it again. I feel like – joining the SIAC – we’re going to try to bring that same enthusiasm,” Rome said. “We’re not here for the song and dance, we’re here to compete get guys across that stage and get their degrees.” 

CSU has also undergone extensive facility upgrades to McPherson Memorial Stadium. The biggest of which is the installation of a new field thanks to a $1 million gift from Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Lanier via the Honey Bear project. There are also newly refurbished locker rooms and meeting rooms.

Rome’s players have yet to take the field against another team under him, but they say they can already feel the change.

“We feel like Coach Rhome has changed the trajectory of Central State in general,” tight end Robert Abrams said during media day. “Not only in athletics, like he made us go harder in the classroom. Even in workouts when we were working on our own, he made us bond together.”

Senior linebacker Kailen Abrams has been around the program his entire career, and he went even deeper. He said that Rome and his staff have dismantled some of the problems that have plagued the program in the past. 

“The new coaches and Coach Rhome alone has dismantled certain attitudes. Dismantled personalities. Content behavior on the field. Being content. Being mediocre. Just destroyed it,” he said. “We’re moving from ground zero. Now we’ve got the new field and resources. It’s been a lot of changes in good way. I’m excited for our platform.”

Home of Ohio State scene of new start

The Rome-era will have a big platform to launch off with. CSU is set to meet SIAC West rival Kentucky State in the Classic For Columbus. The climax of the weekend will be Saturday’s game which will take place at “The Shoe,” home field of The Ohio State University.

The 34-year-old coach was asked how he would prepare his team for playing in the spotlight of such a huge, storied field.

“I let them understand first and foremost that they’re playing under a big time tradition here at Central State as well,” he said. “We’re going to take our tradition here at Central State, and we’re going to bring it to Ohio State – to the Shoe – and try to put on a show.”

The Norfolk, VA native played his college ball at the University of North Carolina, so he knows that most kids want to play at the FBS/Power Five level, and this is as close as they will get in college. 

“A lot of our guys are from the state of Ohio. So they’ve grown up with aspirations, wanting to play at Ohio State,” he said. “But now they are wearing a Maurader uniform, and they are proud to be Mauraders. I think its a big step in the right direction to go out there and basically give the folks in Columbus an HBCU experience and we’re excited about that platform and that opportunity. 

Winning the Classic for Columbus is the immediate goal for Ohio’s HBCU football program. But Rome sees the potential for so much more, especially with the recent upgrades.

“Ohio is a great state for football, and they play great football here,” he said. “We’re going to do what we can to get as many midwest kids as possible, then we’re going to drive down south and see what happens.”

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The more than 30-year involvement of Dr. Walker in the Olympic movement and his rise to lead the American contingent is a shining example of the contributions HBCU track & field athletes, coaches and officials have continually made in the Olympic Games.

HBCU track and field athletes did kick up some sparks at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 but they didn’t have performances like Michael Johnson, Donovan Bailey, Carl Lewis or Marie Jose Perec.

Hemmings makes a splash in Atlanta

Jamaica’s Deon Hemmings (McCatty) may have been unknown to many but not to her competitors in the 400 meter hurdles. The 1993 Central State graduate took home the gold medal in Atlanta and set a new Olympic record of 52.82 in the final. Hemmings ran 52.99 in her semifinal heat to break the old Olympic record of 53.17. World record holder Kim Batten won the silver medal. Hemmings also ran anchor for Jamaica’s 4×400 meter relay team that finished fourth.

Hemmings was the last of a package of five Jamaicans that came to Central State and Coach Josh Culbreath. The other athletes told Culbreath that at least because of her academic prowess Hemmings could help them hit the books.

Hemmings, then 27, went on to win seven National Amateur Intercollegiate Association (NAIA) individual national titles and was a member of 1991 and 1993 NAIA national championship teams while at Central State. She finished fourth at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona in the 400 hurdles and was third behind Batten at the 1995 world championships. She finished Central State with a 3.0 GPA in business administration went on to graduate school at the University of Texas where she trained.

Stir it up

Norfolk State product Chandra Stirrup, running for her native Bahamas, may have been the busiest black college athlete at the Atlanta Games running in three events. The 24-year-old former CIAA and NCAA Div. II sprint champion finished fourth in the 100 meter dash, just .04 of a second out of a medal. In the 200 meter finals, she finished sixth. She later ran a leg on the Bahamas 4×100 meter relay team that set a new national record time of 42.14.

Miles ahead

At 29, Jearl Miles was approaching her prime. She left the Atlanta Games with a relay gold medal and an excellent fifth-place finish in the 400 meters. She won the gold medal anchoring the U. S. 4×400 meter relay team to a time of 3:30.91, the best time in the world that year. Miles was given the honor of running anchor after being the loan American to make the 400 finals. She finished fifth with a personal best time of 49.55.

Perec won the gold with a new Olympic record time of 48.25. The Frenchwoman also won the 200 meters gold medal becoming only the second woman to pull off the Olympic double. Michael Johnson became the first man to capture gold medals in the 200 and 400 meters, setting a new Olympic record in the 400 and a new world record in the 200.

Norfolk State’s Tim Montgomery went home with a silver medal from Atlanta. He earned a spot on the US 4×100 meter relay team by virtue of his fourth-place finish at the Olympic Trials in the 100 meters. He ran the third leg of the opening and second-round heats but was replaced in the finals. The U. S. team finished second to Canada.

Canada’s Donovan Bailey won the 100 meters in a world record time of 9.84 seconds. Lewis won his fourth Olympic long jump gold medal.

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Organizers say that the Classic For Columbus (CFC) will be a weeklong celebration of educational, existential, cultural and entertainment events that complement a rivalry football game showcasing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). They expect $300,000 to be raised in scholarship money for the participating universities, something that likely would not have happened had the August 28th game been on either campus.

The game was originally slated to take place at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus. But COVID-19 restrictions limited the 20,000 seat field. Enter “The Horshoe,” home to The Ohio State University’s football program. The stadium has a capacity of over 100,000.

But its clear that the scholarship dollar numbers are most important.

“The scholarship dollars generated from the entire week are so beneficial to so many people, and that’s why we embraced it,” OSU athletic director Gene Smith told the Columbus Dispatch. “We’re going to do everything we can to host Central State and Kentucky State as best we can in The Shoe and make sure those student-athletes, first and foremost, have a quality experience in the game.”

OSU has been a part of the planning for the Classic For Columbus for a while. The Ohio State University graduate school of sports marketing drafted a plan to make the classic the most diverse classic in the country. 

“We’re going to do it by attracting 15 percent non-African Americans,” organizers said at the press conference on Thursday. “The days of seeing only African-Americans at an African-American coffer event are done.”

Shannon G. Harding is the Columbus City Council President. As a Morehouse alumnus, he’s looking forward to the game having success.

“If you’ve never experienced an HBCU football game and its festivities, we encourage you to come out and enjoy this experience,” he said in a message during the press conference. “And if you have, then we welcome you back.”

This classic was birthed in the early 1990s and was there through 1996. It was then rebranded as the Ohio Classic and spent time in Cleveland and Cincinnati. It has been on a 16-year hiatus. 

New Central State President Dr. Jack Thomas is an Alabama native, and he said he knows a thing or two about classics. And he’s hoping that this classic can turn into a consistent one.

“As you look across the country and you look at the enrollment of HBCUs, you’ll see that it’s growing. You’ll see that many athletes aren’t going to those major institutions, they’re coming to HBCUs. They are coming because of things like this. I know it is growing because of things like this in terms of classics.”

Certainly, the “Classic for Columbus” is not “The Bayou Classic” or “The Magic City Classic,” but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a purpose. Both universities will have the opportunity to get their brands out in front of thousands of prospective students and parents, as well as garner six-figures in scholarship monies for them. The classic will also shine a light on both institutions in terms of media coverage. That’s something that any HBCU, much less two Division II HBCUs, has to take advantage of.

Tickets range from $15 to $45 dollars. 

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The game, which will be played as a non-conference contest in Ohio Stadium, features a CSU-KSU rivalry dating back to 1947 with CSU leading the all-time series, 36-23-1.

Due to the global pandemic, Central State did not participate in athletic competition during the 2019-2020 season. CSU Director of Athletics Tara A. Owens expressed gratitude and excitement about Central State’s return to the field in August.

“We have been anxiously waiting for the day when we can safely return to competition,” Owens says. “With a new staff led by head coach Bobby Rome and a roster full of re-energized and motivated student-athletes, we can’t wait to represent and showcase Central State University at the Classic for Columbus.”

Rome II, who was named the Central State’s head coach in February of 2020, will make his CSU coaching debut on August 28.

“It is an exciting time for Central State football. We have spent the time away from the field recruiting and developing talented and versatile players who possess championship mentalities and unmatched passion for the game of football,” Rome says. “The Classic for Columbus is a great opportunity for us to return to action in a world-class venue. Central State is a program and a university that’s on the rise and we look forward to kicking off our season on August 28^th in Ohio Stadium.”

Senior linebacker Kailen Abrams, a two-time Don Hansen All-America selection, echoed his new coach’s excitement for the upcoming season.

“We are all ready to be back out on that field again,” Abrams says. “It has been difficult being away from the game. We have all made sacrifices and persevered to get to this point and I am thankful for the opportunity to finally be able to compete and play alongside my teammates.”

In addition to the football game, there will be over 20 other CFC associated events and activities held throughout the week beginning on Wednesday, August 25. Event organizers are hoping to draw an audience from a 350-mile radius to the City of Columbus at the home of Ohio State.

Tickets for the Classic for Columbus available online at – https://am.ticketmaster.com/buckeyes/ism/MjFDQ0ZC?#/

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Parson’s basketball resume dates back to her groundbreaking days as a player at West Virginia University. She was the first female athlete in the history of West Virginia State University. From 1979-1983 she scored 2,128 points becoming WVU’s all-time career scoring leader.

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“We are excited to welcome Coach Cathy Parson to Central State University. Coach Parson is an experienced and well-known coach with a proven track record of success at all levels in the game of basketball,” says CSU Director of Athletics Tara A. Owens. “I look forward to seeing Coach Parson develop our student-athletes into champions on the floor, in the classroom, and in the community.”  

Parson’s longest tenure in coaching came during her time at Howard University from 2000-2008. She won two MEAC regular-season titles during her stay in D.C. and coached future WNBA player Andrea Gardner.

“I am elated to have the opportunity to coach at Central State University. As someone with a deep passion for teaching the game of basketball, I can’t wait to begin working with our student-athletes” Parson said. “With the vision and leadership of our President Dr. Jack Thomas and Director of Athletics Tara A. Owens, it is an honor and privilege to be selected as this program’s next head coach. We have the ability to reach new heights and I come into this new role with the goal of achieving excellence. With the leadership of Director Owens, I believe CSU is a prime opportunity to build a spectacular basketball program.” 

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In addition to Howard, Parson has also coached collegiately at Stratford University (2018-19), Frostburg State University (2013-14), University of Richmond (1999-00), Providence College (1985-88) and Christopher Newport University (1988-98). In 1998, Parson was the interim head coach for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.

“Our initial focus will be assessing where we are as a team and becoming fundamentally sound. My players can expect for me to be invested in getting to know who they are on and off the court. They can also expect a coaching style that will prepare them for every situation in the game,” Parson says. “We will be mentally tough and play the game with unmatched energy and tenacity on both ends of the floor. My vision is to create an environment of discipline, enthusiasm, and unity. Everything we earn, we will achieve together.” 

In 1996, Parson became the first woman to be inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame. 

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WILBERFORCE, Ohio – The Central State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has selected Antonio O. Davis to serve as CSU’s next head men’s basketball coach. Davis takes over a CSU program that was 17-13 last season with a 11-8 ledger in SIAC play.  

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“We welcome Antonio Davis to Central State University. Coach Davis comes to CSU with an extensive coaching background while consistently displaying integrity and a tireless dedication to the development his student-athletes,” says CSU Director of Athletics Tara A. Owens. “With his unmatched enthusiasm for the game of basketball, we are confident that Coach Davis will instill a winning culture both on and off the court while creating a quality collegiate experience for our students.” 

Known as a disciplinarian, master tactician, and motivator who believes in a family atmosphere, Davis has developed programs of well-rounded student-athletes and champions throughout his coaching career. Davis comes to Central State with 17 years of head coaching experience and 29 years of overall coaching at the collegiate level.  

“It is an exciting time for Marauder basketball. I express my sincere gratitude to President Dr. Jack Thomas, Director of Athletics Tara A. Owens, and the CSU community for the opportunity to lead the men’s basketball program,” says Davis. “We will have a drive to be the best in everything we do. I am eager to instill a culture of discipline as well as a winning mindset as we embark on this new era of Marauder basketball.”  

Davis spent the previous three seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at Elizabeth City State University. At ECSU, he developed four all-conference selections while routinely advancing in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA) tournament each season. 

Prior to coaching at ECSU, Davis served as an assistant at Shaw University from 2013 to 2017, helping the Bears to three CIAA Southern Division Championships, two NCAA tournament appearances, and a CIAA Tournament Championship. 

Davis also has experience at the NCAA Division I level serving as an interim head coach, associate head coach and assistant coach, with successful stints at North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University. 

Davis has also been a head coach at Morristown College (1987-88), Livingstone College (1988-91), Kentucky State University (1993-98), and Saint Augustine’s University (2001-07). 

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As one of the youngest head coaches in the nation, Davis took over a last place team at Morristown and guided them to a second place finish in the conference in his only season with the program before moving on to coach at his alma mater — Livingstone College. 

At Livingstone, Davis turned a one-win Blue Bears team into a 15-win team before accepting a coaching position at Kentucky State University. 

At KSU, Davis rejuvenated a last place program into a perennial power in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Under Davis, KSU earned consecutive 20-win seasons, earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance, set a regular season-record with 26 wins, won three straight division titles, won a tournament championship and was nationally ranked. Serving dual roles at KSU, Davis was also the first coach in SIAC history to win both a basketball and volleyball conference championship in the same calendar year. 

In six seasons at SAU, he built a consistently competitive team which climbed to as high as No. 20 in the national ranking in 2005. His teams also thrived in the classroom as the Lady Falcons earned four straight CIAA Highest GPA Award for women’s basketball while continuously contending for CIAA Championships. 

“Throughout my career, I have been one to seek out and embrace challenges. I look forward to this new opportunity to build a program into a perennial championship contender. I feel my infectious coaching style will translate seamlessly at CSU and inspire championship habits and results,” Davis said. “My players can expect a high level of passion and enthusiasm from me every day.” 

In addition to developing multiple All-Conference selections and All-Americans, Davis has instilled an impressive track record of academic success among his players. In seventeen years as a head coach, the graduation rate among his student-athletes is 100% with 70% going on to various graduate programs.  

“Our men are going to be the hardest workers in the nation. Our goal is to be the best versions of ourselves on the court, in the classroom, and in the community,” Davis says. “I believe in doing things the right way and being detail oriented. I want our young men to do great things during their time at CSU. More importantly, I want to see my players succeed in life after they graduate.” 

Before becoming head coach at the age of 26, Davis was a standout collegiate player at Livingstone in the 1980s. Davis led the nation in scoring with 35 points per game in the 1987-88 season. He earned All-CIAA, All-District 26 and All-America honors while finishing his career as Livingstone’s career scoring leader with 1,800 points. Considered to be one of the greatest shooters in college basketball history, he is the only known player to post 50/50/90 career shooting percentages. He shot over 56 percent from the field, 53 percent from three-point range and 94 percent from the free throw line. No other player in NCAA history has averaged 50/50/90 in a single season. For his accomplishments as a player, Davis was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in March of 2020. 

Davis earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Livingstone College and a Master of Science Degree in History from North Carolina A&T. Davis is originally from Sunbury, North Carolina and is married to Nichelle B. Davis. 

He will officially begin his duties as CSU’s head men’s basketball coach on November 1. 



 

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WILBERFORCE, Ohio – The Central State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has selected Ray Lewis to serve as the head men’s and women’s volleyball coach. Lewis will officially begin his duties as head coach on November 1.


“I am thankful for the opportunity to lead a new era of Central State University volleyball,” said Lewis. “It is exciting to be able to coach an up and coming women’s program while building a men’s program from the ground up. With the talent pool available in Ohio as well as a growing interest in the sport, we have a great opportunity to establish CSU’s reputation as a volleyball powerhouse.”  

CSU Director of Athletics Tara A. Owens emphasized the importance of the student-athlete experience as part of the selection process. 

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“We are pleased to welcome Ray Lewis to Central State University. Throughout his coaching career, Coach Lewis has demonstrated his abilities to develop and lead programs to success on and off the court,” said Owens. “We believe Coach Lewis will take our women’s volleyball program to new heights while building our men’s program into a perennial contender. Under his guidance, our student-athletes will flourish on the court and in the classroom.”  

Lewis comes to CSU with a national championship pedigree. In his second season as head coach of Benedictine University at Mesa (Ariz.), Lewis guided the Redhawks to the 2019 NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. The team finished 26-4 on the season and featured four NAIA All-Americans and the NAIA Tournament MVP. The Redhawks went a perfect 10-0 in the Golden State Athletic Conference and Lewis was named NAIA and GSAC Coach of the Year. 

In his first season as head coach at Benedictine-Mesa, Lewis led the Redhawks to the school’s first ever NAIA National Tournament berth, and his team took that opportunity to finish as NAIA Runners with a 21-9 record a final national ranking of No. 2 in the final NAIA poll. 

As an assistant in 2017, Lewis helped the Redhawks place first in conference, ranking as high as No. 9 nationally, while earning the honor to host the school’s first-ever conference tournament. 

Under Lewis’ tutelage, his players at Benedictine-Mesa have earned six NAIA All-American honors, two GSAC Player of the Year honors, two GSAC Defensive Player of the Year selections, two GSAC Setter of the Year selections, a GSAC Newcomer of the Year and six different All-Conference honorees. 

Lewis also coached the boys’ volleyball team at Mesa High School and earned the honor of East Valley Region Coach of the Year during his first season in 2017. He also assisted with the Arizona Sizzle men’s professional team in the newly established National Volleyball Association (NVA). 

Lewis had a successful stint in his home state of Nevada at he high school level, serving as head coach for both the boy’s and girls’ volleyball teams at Legacy High School for four seasons. His boy’s program won a state title in 2014 and finished runners up in 2015. He was named SNVCA State Coach of the Year in 2014 for his state title winning team. He also led the girl’s program to three straight playoff appearances for the first time in school history. 

He has also achieved success at the club level, leading his teams to three consecutive top 20 finishes at the Boy’s Junior National Championships. During that span, he sent over 75 percent of his senior club athletes to play collegiate volleyball. 

Lewis had a successful playing career at Lakeland College in Wisconsin, helping his team to a runner up finish at the NCVF National Championships. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Benedictine University of Mesa. He is currently Level II certified by the USA Volleyball Coaches Accreditation Program. 

In concordance with the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s decision to suspend all fall sports for the 2020 season, the Lady Marauder volleyball program did not participate in competition in the fall. CSU was 10-22 in 2019 with a 9-9 ledger in SIAC play.  

CSU’s decision to move forward with the addition of men’s volleyball was also made in September of 2019 thanks to the guidance and financial support of First Point Volleyball Foundation and USA Volleyball. CSU received a $150,000 gift from First Point Volleyball Foundation and USA Volleyball to help solidify the startup costs of the men’s program. 

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Click here to help Central State student-athletes in the fight against hunger

WILBERFORCE, Ohio – Central State has joined the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in the fight against hunger by starting a Virtual Food Drive. Led by the CSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the22 Virtual Food Drive will continue throughout the duration of the summer.

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Supporters can help student-athletes reach the fundraising goal by donating to Marauder Athletics Virtual Food Drive page and sharing with family and friends.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank works to ensure that everyone has the nutritious food they need every day. They do this by distributing food to nearly 1,000 local food pantries, hot meal programs, shelters, mobile pantries, programs for the elderly, and other nonprofit agencies. The Food Bank also prepares nutritious meals in their on-site kitchen and assists eligible low income Northeast Ohioans with signing up for the SNAP program. In total, the Food Bank serve more than 300,000 people each year.

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Throughout Northeast Ohio, one in six people are food insecure — meaning they may not know where their next meal will come from. Your support will help alleviate this uncertainty. Every dollar raised will help provide four meals for those in need.

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“They did their research before hitting me up and knew a lot about me, they knew my game and stuff like that,” Hunter told The Standard. “I liked that. I finally talked to Coach (Randy) Rahe and we chopped it up. He said they could really use me. I felt their want, and I loved that.”

The 6’5 guard had an impressive freshman campaign in Ohio, averaging 20.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Hunter shot 51% from the field and 38.5% from the 3-point line for CSU.

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The Phoenix, AZ native played his high school ball at Cincinatti’s Princeton High, where he played with Darius Bazley of the Oklahoma Thunder. Despite a solid high school career and a year of prep school after graduation, he still wasn’t able to earn any DI offers.

In came Central State and Hunter immediately made its decision look good. He scored 35 points on 13-for-21 shooting against Wright State – one of Division I schools in Ohio that didn’t think he was good enough to offer him a scholarship. Bryant, Drake, Robert Morris and St. Bonaventure did, though, after his impressive freshman campaign.

Half a year later, he’s headed to where he felt he always belonged. He points to the fact that NBA All-Star Damian Lillard played his college ball there.

“I want to grow as a player and I feel like they can help me do that,” he said. “They have proof of players who have done it and I feel like I can be one of the next ones to do the same thing.”

Central State, meanwhile, will have to hope it can find another diamond in the rough. Traditionally, it’s rare that a player transfers up a division in college basketball, but with the transfer portal and the constant need to inject new blood into programs, this may become more of the norm.

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“Adversity is going to come. I didn’t know when it was going to strike. I didn’t know it was going to strike in this magnitude,” Rome said during an appearance on HBCU Gameday Conversations.

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He sees this as an opportunity to evaluate how his players will handle the mandatory absence from campus.

“It’s going to tell me a lot about who [they] are. It’s going to tell me a lot about how serious, how much [they] value an education here at Central State and how much [they] value the opportunity to be a football player here at Central State,” Rome said.

Keyword Competition

Rome believes in the integrity of his roster and encourages that fact through competition. One of the first thing he told his current crop of players was that he was going out to recruit their replacements. It’s something that has served him well in his young coaching career.

At just 33 years old, he’s the youngest head coach in the SIAC and one of the youngest in all of college football. But it’s not his first rodeo. He turned an 0-44 University of Virginia-Lynchburg team into a scary homecoming proposition. His team surprised Fort Valley State and came up just five points shy of knocking off Mississippi Valley State. Something about the valleys maybe.

“We didn’t see ourselves as underdogs, we wanted to go out there and shock the world everyday,” said Rome.

While the world has seen nothing like the Coronavirus since maybe the Spanish Flu, Rome had a front row seat to the Swine Flu pandemic over a decade ago.

As a football player at the University of North Carolina in 2009, Rome contracted the swine flu. He lost 30 pounds and was quarantined for a week. He discovered he was officially suffering from the pandemic of that day when seeing his name scroll across his television.

Rome recalls that whole experience as “simply crazy” but it also gave him context for the Coronavirus. He’s advised all of his players to follow each and every health recommendation so they can hopefully return intact in the fall. Because then he’ll be ready to mold the Marauders of the present back into the Marauders of days gone by.

“I hope that guys are coming in with the mentality that we haven’t won many games at Central State in the past. So there’s going to be competition at every single position.”

If college football stays on schedule in 2020 CSU will have an opportunity to shake things up early on. The Marauders have a big game opening weekend versus Howard University at the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic.

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Tyler Singleton led the CAU effort with 25 points followed by 21 points from Romaine Thomas. Darweshi Hunter and Harris Brown played all 50 minutes of the Double OT game for Central State. Hunter led all scorers with 26 points.

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Romaine Thomas was the hero for the Panthers, scoring a layup with 12 seconds remaining to force the first overtime. Then in the first OT, Thomas hit a pair of free throws to keep the Panthers in the game.

Clark Atlanta took the lead for good in the second overtime on a three pointer from Justin Longstreet with 1:52 remaining.

CAU will take on no. 1 seed Miles on Friday afternoon at 3:15.

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With the win, CSU improves their record to 17-12 overall. FVSU finishes the season with a 7-22 record.

CSU freshman Darweshi Hunter scored 17 points including back-to-back threes to close the first half as CSU went into the locker room leading 38-37.

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FVSU jumped up 51-50 at the 14:41 mark of the second half before a Harris Brown three-pointer sparked a 10-0 CSU run. FVSU responded with a 9-2 run and fought back to tie the game, 68-68, with 3:35 to play.

Back-to-back baskets by Jovon Jones and a three-point play by Alexi Dotson reenergized the Marauders as CSU took control with a 10-2 run. The Marauders knocked down nine of 10 free throws attempts in the final two minutes to seal the victory.

CSU limited its turnovers down the stretch, giving the ball away just once in the final 10 minutes of play.

Brown led CSU with 22 points, five assists, and five rebounds. Hunter finished with 21 points and eight rebounds. With senior point guard Tom Johnson unavailable to play, freshman guard Alex Dotson stepped up with 11 points, five assists, and four rebounds.

K’Viontae Williams led FVSU with a game-high 27 points and 13 rebounds.

CSU will play Thursday at 3:15 pm against Clark Atlanta. All SIAC Tournament games are played at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

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WILBERFORCE, Ohio – The Central State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has selected Bobby Rome II as the school’s next head football coach.

CSU Athletic Director Tara A. Owens emphasized the best interests of the student-athletes throughout the hiring process.

“During our national search, we received an influx of interest from qualified candidates. After great analysis and thought, we believe Bobby Rome is the right person to lead and develop our student-athletes,” Owens said. “Coach Rome has an intense passion for the sport and an unmatched drive to succeed. Under his guidance, we believe our student-athletes will flourish on the field and in the classroom.”

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Rome, a former collegiate and professional football player, comes to CSU with six years of head coaching experience.

“I am honored to be selected to lead the football program at Central State University. CSU has tremendous history and provides a great opportunity for student-athletes to develop and achieve their aspirations,” Rome says. “Our staff is going to do everything we can to prepare our students to become successful individuals on and off the field. Our goal is to produce young men that the CSU community can be proud of.”

Rome spent the last two seasons serving as head coach at the University of Virginia — Lynchburg. Taking over a non-scholarship based football program on a 44-game losing streak, Rome’s VUL team immediately showed improvement in 2018 as Rome won his VUL coaching debut over Louisburg College. VUL went on to beat Brevard College and upset Fort Valley State University. At the conclusion of the season, Rome was named 2018 Small College Sport Report National Coach of the Year. 

In 2019, Rome’s Dragons opened the season with a 48-0 win over Middle Georgia State University. Rome’s scheduling of seven NCAA Div. I programs during the 2019 season created monumental revenue for VUL. Competing against schools possessing greater monetary resources and scholarship allocation, Rome’s team remained competitive. VUL nearly upset Mississippi Valley State University during the Devils’ homecoming, falling just short, 31-26 and put up over 500 yards of offense in a competitive game against the Bears of Morgan State University.

In addition to his coaching duties, Rome also served as VUL’s athletic director and was a member of the executive board. During his time at VUL, he also participated as a coach at the Tropical Bowl, National Bowl, FBS Bowl and Globe Bowl. 

Prior to taking the job at VUL, Rome worked at his alma mater as the head coach of the University of North Carolina’s club football team. A program that had not competed since 2012, the Tar Heels club team won in Rome’s coaching debut and went on to a 4-4 record. 

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WILBERFORCE, Ohio — The Central State Marauders built an early lead and hung on late for a 70-69 win over Benedict on Saturday.


With the win, CSU improves to 5-3 overall with a 2-1 mark in SIAC play. BC falls to 4-6 on the season with a 1-2 conference record.

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Trailing 22-14, CSU went on a 10-2 run to tie the game up, 24-24. Three-pointers by Harris Brown, Quinton Glaspie, and Darweshi Hunter helped CSU jump out to 39-29 lead and a 41-33 edge at halftime.

Benedict managed to close the gap to one by the 13:26 mark and evened up the score 52-52 after two Tajh Green free throws with 9:58. After trading baskets, BC took a 63-61 lead on a Romello Jones three-pointer with 3:13 to play. Brown answered for CSU on the other end with a three ball of his own.


Back-to-back successful trips to the free throw line put BC back up by two with 2:11 to go. Hunter knocked down a fade away three pointer from the top of the key on CSU’s next possession to give his team a 68-67 lead with 1:49 left.


After a defensive stop, CSU’s Tom Johnson split a pair of free throws. BC;s Brandon Favors drove the lane to even the score once more, 69-69, with 35 seconds remaining. Johnson drew another foul on a drive to the basket and split again from the line to give CSU the one-point cushion. With eight seconds left, CSU held BC once more by forcing an off balanced shot as time expired.

Hunter led all players with 18 points along with eight rebounds. Brown scored 17 points off the bench. Glaspie added 10 points and seven rebounds. Johnson finished with a game-high 11 assists.


Mapp led the BC offense with 16 points.

CSU capitalized on 14 BC turnovers, outscoring BC 17-7 in points off of giveaways. Led by Brown, the CSU bench outscored the BC reserves, 32-24.



The Marauders will return home to host Paine on Monday.

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Central State University released the following statement to HBCU Gameday when we inquired about the status of Pearl.

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“We are moving forward with a change in the leadership of our football program. We appreciate Coach Pearl for his investment in the lives of our student-athletes. Over the next few weeks, CSU will begin an aggressive national search for our next head football coach. Detailed information regarding our coaching search and the application process will be released in the near future.”

Pearl came to Central State in 2014 after serving in various capacities at Alabama A&M for 13 seasons.

During his six years at Central State, Pearl finished with a 19-41 overall record.

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WILBERFORCE, Ohio — The Central State Marauders fought through the rain, wind, and mud to upset the Miles Golden Bears, 15-13, on Saturday.

A late field goal by freshman kicker Joshua Nunes sealed the dramatic victory for the Marauders, who improve to 3-5 overall with a 2-2 record in SIAC play. Miles, the defending SIAC champions, fall to 6-2 on the year with a 3-1 mark in conference play.

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THE BASICS

Score: Miles — 13; Central State – 15  
Records: Miles (6-2; 3-1); Central State (3-5; 2-2)
Venue: McPherson Memorial Stadium — Wilberforce, Ohio
Conditions: 45 Degrees, Heavy Rain, Wind Gusts — 25 mph

HOW IT HAPPENED

2^nd Quarter

With rain, wind and a slick playing surface hindering both offenses, field position proved to be crucial throughout Saturday’s contest.

Miles took advantage of good field early in the second quarter. Beginning their drive on CSU’s 43-yard line, a 24-yard run by Donte Edwards set up a misdirection run for a score by quarterback Daniel Smith to give MC the lead (MC 6-0).

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MC held CSU to just 32 yards of total offense to maintain their 6-0 lead at halftime.

3^rd Quarter

MC took a two-score lead when defensive back Jairius Shade stepped in front of a Derell Williams pass and return it 27 yards for the Golden Bear touchdown at the 10:16 mark of the third quarter (MC 13-10).

Williams made up for his mistake on CSU’s next possession by scrambling to the open field and running 63-yards to the end zone to bring CSU back within seven (MC 13-6).

4^th Quarter

After forcing a three-and-out, CSU took over on its own 36-yard line. With completed passes at a premium, Williams found a streaking Dalane Brown II down the middle of the field. Brown II fought his way through tacklers for the final five yards to break the plane for the score. After a failed two-point conversion attempt, CSU trailed by one point with 7:09 to play.

Facing a fourth down with two yards to go from their own 48-yard line, MC opted to go for it with 2:33 left on the clock. CSU linebacker broke through the line to stop Edwards in the backfield to give his team the ball with excellent field position and a chance to take the lead.

After three straight plays of minimal success, CSU lined up in a punt formation. A direct snap to Darius Thomas proved successful as the senior ran 12 yards for the first down to extend the drive.

Passes to Brown II and Saffold allowed CSU to get down to MC’s 10-yard line. A sack by Jaylun Thomas on third down knocked CSU back to the 17-yard line. With 27 seconds left, freshman kicker Joshua Nunes found stable ground on the field and knocked the ball through the uprights as the CSU sideline erupted in excitement (CSU 15-13).

CSU’s defense held MC for the final 21 seconds of the game as the players began celebrating in the mud as time expired.

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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Saturday marked Central State’s first win over Miles since the 2013 season. CSU is 2-5 in the all-time series against MC.

Kailen Abrams led the CSU defense with 12 tackles, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

In extremely damp and slick conditions, Miles fumbled the ball nine times, losing possession four times. CSU put the ball on the ground four times, losing two fumbles.

CSU was without leading tackler and starting long snapper Javion Williams as well as quarterback Frank Cocio.

Senior Darius Thomas recorded his second rush of his carrier. Both carries have been on fake punts and have led to first downs for the offense.

Saturday marked one of the final times CSU will host a game on natural grass. The school has announced plans to upgrade the stadium with field turf and a new track surface for next season.

Miles entered Saturday leading the SIAC with 410 yards of offense per game. CSU held MC to 224 yards total and their lowest point total of the season.

QUOTES

“When Josh (Nunes) hit it clean, I was confident it would make it. It was a good snap by Robert Munday. Derell (Williams) put it down and Nunes had an outstanding kick.” — Head Coach Cedric Pearl

“With some key players out, every guy on the field stepped up today and made plays for us to come out on top. Our defense played outstanding. I commend Derell Williams for doing whatever we ask him to do. He stepped into the role of quarterback today and made a big play with his feet and another with his arm in a throw to Dalane Brown. He is an incredible athlete.” — Head Coach Cedric Pearl

“On our fake punt, we had originally planned to lineup in an offensive formation. After a timeout, we felt like we could catch the off guard. We direct snapped it to DT (Darius Thomas) and he did exactly what he did the last time we called his number. His run allowed us to eventually hit the field goal to win the game.” — Head Coach Cedric Pearl

“Today is an outstanding victory. It really means a lot to beat a program that has had the success like Miles College. They have three championships over the last eight seasons so to beat a program with that type of resume is outstanding for this program and our student-athletes.” — Head Coach Cedric Pearl

“Today was a great win. The defense, offense and special teams came together to allow us to come out on top.” — Junior linebacker Kailen Abrams

“Playing a game in today’s type of conditions is exciting for me. It is kind of like a throwback game and a defensive battle out there. I always have a lot of fun playing in the mud and making plays.” — Junior linebacker Kailen Abrams

“I thank our guys upfront for opening up the offensive line and allowing me to penetrate the backfield to make the play on the late fourth-down stop. I will remember that play for a long time.” — Junior linebacker Kailen Abrams

“This win means a lot for us as seniors. We have never beaten them and the games really have not been that competitive so to get the win today means the world. Coach Pearl prepared us all week for the conditions today. We focused on ball handling and security throughout the week and it paid off today.” — Senior center Darius Thomas

“That was the biggest kick of my football career up to this point. It feels great to deliver for my teammates. Our defense stopped them and the offense was able to get us great field position and the line did a great job of blocking to allow us to get the kick off.” — Freshman kicker Joshua Nunes

“Every week, we try to simulate those moments. As a kicker, it is all repetition and being consistent. When I kicked it and watched it in the air, I knew it was going in.” — Freshman kicker Joshua Nunes

Up Next

The Marauders will continue conference play on Saturday when they travel to face Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee.

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BELIEVING IN CSU!!!

During today's @go_marauders Hall of Fame Luncheon, CSU Believer @MagicJohnson announced that he will donate $1 million to @CentralState87.

To join Magic and become a CSU Believer, visit – https://t.co/yp3Jww9q7h @TheSIAC @whiotv @HBCUDigest @ABC22FOX45 pic.twitter.com/FTdyjNWMr3

— Central State Athletics (@GO_MARAUDERS) October 12, 2018

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Johnson was on hand Friday, along with radio mogul Tom Joyner, as the university welcomed new members into the Marauder Athletic Hall of Fame. He spoke to the crowd about supporting the school and gave tips on how he became so successful in sports and business.  Johnson then dropped an all-time assist as far as CSU fans are concerned, pledging $1 million to the school.

“To have them both here as we celebrate our homecoming, our Hall of Fame, a luncheon,” she said. “it’s just a phenomenal day for all of us. We’re so pleased to have people of their stature who are so committed to our students, to the uplift of our communities,” Central State President Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond said.

Johnson is no stranger to Central State University.  He made a donation to the school in 2015 when he was on hand to cut the ribbon for the then brand new Student Center. In May of 2017, Johnson became an honorary chairman of Central State University’s capital campaign. Magic is proving to be a great teammate for CSU who is having a homecoming to remember this week.

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“Central State University is delighted to welcome Ms. Tara A. Owens to Central State University,” says Jackson-Hammond. “Ms. Owens has an impeccable record of engagement and service in intercollegiate athletics and will provide strong administrative support to all of our sports. We look forward to our student-athletes continuing to flourish academically and athletically under her direction.”
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Prior to accepting the position at CSU, Owens spent eight years serving as the athletic director at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC). As the athletic director, Owens was responsible for managing all aspects of BCCC’s athletic program which included business operations, staff development, compliance recruiting strategy, scholarship allocation, scheduling, marketing, and fundraising.

Beginning in the 2013 season, Owens also served as BCCC’s head women’s basketball coach. Last season, Owens was named the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year as she compiled an overall record of 22-8 and an 11-1 record in the conference to win the 2017-18 regular-season conference championship. In five seasons at BCCC, Owens compiled an overall record of 104-46.

Before coming to BCCC, Owens spent two seasons (2007-09) as the head women’s basketball coach at Norfolk State University (NSU) in Norfolk, Va.

Prior to NSU, Owens served as the head coach at Elizabeth City State University for three seasons, compiling a 58-31 record and leading the Lady Vikings to the finals of the CIAA Tournament on two occasions (2005, 2007).

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In 2006-07, Owens led ECSU to a 21-10 record, one of two 20-win seasons during her three-year tenure. After falling to North Carolina Central in the CIAA Tournament championship game, the Lady Vikings earned an at-large berth to the NCAA South Atlantic Regional.

Owens began her coaching career at NCAA Division II program Cheyney (Pa.) University. She served as an assistant coach for two seasons prior to taking over as head coach from 1998-2004. At Cheyney, Owens also held the title of senior woman administrator and project administrator/activity director for the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP).

“I am very appreciative and thankful of the opportunity that President Cynthia Jackson-Hammond and the search committee have afforded me. Under the previous direction of Jahan Culbreath, CSU’s athletic teams have taken great strides and I look forward to the opportunities in front of us,” says Owens. “Our focus continues to be graduating student-athletes with a quality education while working to improve their experience at CSU and maintaining competitive programs, both regionally and nationally.”

A 1993 graduate of Virginia State University (VSU), Owens played for the Trojans from 1988-1991. She received her bachelor’s degree from VSU in physical education/health and completed her master’s degree in administration and supervision at Cheyney University in 1998.

Owens holds memberships in the National Association of Female Executives, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Black Coaches Association.

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Indianapolis, Ind.-Kentucky State University football extended its win streak to 10-games over rival Central State University 34-22 in the 34th annual Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Thorobreds (2-2, 1-0) opened their conference schedule with a win for the second time in three years, the previous being in 2015 against CSU. The Marauders (0-4, 0-3) continue to struggle as they’ve lost their first three games against SIAC opponents.
KSU struck first and never trailed throughout the contest. Junior kicker Turner Warren connected on two first-quarter field goals from 29 yards and 26 yards to put KSU up 6-0.

ICYMI: @KyStateU won the #circlecityclassic AGAIN!!! Oops…and we did it with class and Thorobred style. #KSUForward pic.twitter.com/DeN5S2LnpD

— M. C. Brown II (@DrMCB2) September 24, 2017

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As the Thorobreds’ defense kept the Marauders docked, the offense capitalized on mistakes, beginning with a second-half touchdown from junior quarterback Paul Campbell to sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Powell for a six-yard score. The 13-0 advantage didn’t last long as CSU answered with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, pulling back within six.

KSU responded to the special teams score with a 13 play, 62-yard drive, ending with fake field goal touchdown. As Warren lined up for a 28-yard field goal attempt, he broke to his left after the snap, as junior wide receiver Cort Groathouse flipped the ball to Warren. The Louisville, Kentucky native eluded a tackler for his first career rushing touchdown putting KSU up 20-7.

CSU connected for a 32-yard field goal try, bringing the score within 10, going into the locker at halftime, 20-10.

Shout out to the men and women of the @centralstate87 Invincible Marching Marauders for WINNING the @CircCityClassic Battle of the Bands pic.twitter.com/xcRSnzZux4

— Central State Athletics (@GO_MARAUDERS) September 24, 2017

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Sophomore running back Brett Sylve, the reigning SIAC Newcomer of the week, started off the third quarter with a four-yard touchdown run following a seven play, 65-yard drive, putting back KSU on top 27-10.

The Marauders fought to bring the game back within reach with a score following the Sylve touchdown, at 27-16, but it was an error by CSU in the fourth quarter, sealing the deal for the Thorobreds.

As CSU searched for a spark, KSU brought pressure causing a bad snap into the Marauders’ end zone at the 6:31 mark of the final frame. Senior defensive lineman Donovan Cecil fell on the ball for his first career touchdown. KSU allowed another CSU touchdown in the closing minutes of the quarter, finishing off the Marauders with the victory formation in the last two minutes.

Kentucky State visits Morehouse next Saturday with a 4 pm kickoff.  Central State is on the road to Columbia to face Benedict in a 6 pm kickoff.

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Demetrius Colbert is a well-entrenched millennial and may not (probably not, who am I kidding) have seen either of those commercials. It doesn’t matter much because Colbert, a transfer linebacker at Central State University, wants to be just like his Dad.

William Colbert was an offensive lineman at Central State during the 1990s when the Marauders were the personification of their mascot. Robbing teams of their dignity, like a then Division III Lane College back in 1989 who stopped the game in the fourth quarter trailing 101-0.

“He told me how they use to beat people up, by like 100 points and how they use to win their games,” Colbert told us at the SIAC Media Day.

Back in Wilberforce

The son is now following in his father’s footsteps but it wasn’t a direct path.  The three-star linebacker played high school ball in Cincinnati before beginning his college career at Ohio University and then transferring to Central State.  Colbert participated in spring ball for the Marauders and will take the field for the first time in Wilberforce this fall.

“Transferred to us this year and has done an outstanding job, with his leadership and work habits in the offseason.  He had a fantastic spring at middle linebacker and we’re looking for great things out of him this fall,” said Coach Cedric Pearl.

No matter the distance or direction of the path, both father and son are hoping the destination is the same.  A championship season at Central State University.

“He really wants that tradition back, coming back to Central. Hopefully, we can bring that back this year and years on.”

I wouldn’t be so fast to predict a 100-point game this year but Central State could very well win a championship in the SIAC, predictions be damned.  No one predicted Fort Valley State versus Kentucky State last year and that turned the whole conference upside down last season.

Central State opens the season on September 2nd at home versus Elizabeth City State.

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