CIAA Football Previews- Week Two
Defending the Past,
Preserving Our Future
CIAA Football Previews- Week Two
August 31, 2011
Hampton, VA…After an abbreviated schedule last week, the 2011 CIAA Football season kicks into high gear with a full slate of gridiron action.
Game of the Week:
Winston-Salem State Rams (0-0) at Elizabeth City State Vikings (0-1)
Elizabeth City State doesn’t have long to lick their wounds after a disheartening 28-21 overtime loss to 2nd ranked Delta State. The Vikings led 21-7 at halftime behind Creven Powell’s three touchdown passes. After the intermission, ECSU was limited to a paltry 6 yards of offense and held scoreless.
Defensively, the Vikings, led by DeWitt Dixon’s career high 17 tackles, did some good things in the first half, forcing three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) that gave the offense good field position. But as in the case of the offense, it was a tale of two halves as the unit could not respond to Delta State’s halftime adjustments and surrendered 21 points in the second half. ECSU must shake off the loss quickly and get ready for another high-octane offense with Coach Connell Maynor’s Winston-Salem Stae Rams coming to town.
The Rams sport big-play threats all over the field on offense. Perhaps the biggest playmaker is tailback Nic Cooper, an All-CIAA first teamer, who racked up 1,134 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Equally as dangerous for Winston-Salem State, are dual-threat QB Kameron Smith (1,522 yards passing/396 rushing yards/20 TD’s) and receivers Tehvyn Brantley and Dominique Fitzgerald who combined for 73 receptions for over 1,100 yards and 10 TDs. The Rams lost five starters from its conference leading defense, but return preseason All-CIAA picks Alton Keaton at defensive back and defensive end Akeem Ward. Game time is 6:00pm.
Elizabeth City State: http://www.ecsuvikings.com/gametracker/launch/gt_mfootbl.html?event=987949&school=eliz&sport=mfootbl&camefrom=&startschool=&
Bowie State Bulldogs at Assumption Greyhounds
The Bulldogs open the 2011 season on the road, traveling to Worcester, Massachusetts to take on Assumption College of the Northeast-10 Conference. BSU, 6-4 in 2010, returns veteran quarterback Clifton Budd who threw for a school-record 1,538 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Also back is receiver James Proctor who caught 30 balls for 313 yards last year. Defensively, the Bulldogs are led by preseason All-CIAA picks linebacker Delano Johnson and defensive back Kenneth Turner. Game time is 1:00.
Bowie State Live Internet Broadcast: www.herbfm.com or www.live365.com Keyword: HerbFM.com/BSU Football
Assumption Live Stats: http://livestats.prestosports.com/assumption/
Catawba Indians at Saint Augustine’s Falcons (0-1)
The treacherous playing conditions created by the approach of Hurricane Irene last week made it almost impossible to get an accurate gauge of the strengths and weaknesses of the Falcons. On offense the passing game was non-existent, the Falcons fumbled the ball away six times and the running game never got going resulting in a meager four first downs and 87 yards of offense…the entire game. Similarly, the defense had a difficult time finishing tackles in the driving rain and allowed Virginia Union tailback Jerrell Washington to carry the ball 38 times for 150 of his team’s 153 yards of offense. The weather forecast calls for more favorable playing conditions this weekend which should allow Coach Michael Costa to get a more realistic look at his team. Unfortunately, he’ll have to do his evaluating against a traditionally strong team from Catawba (6-4 in ’10). In last season’s game Saint Aug’s got a 20-17 win over the Indians behind Joaquin Green’s 202 passing yards and two touchdowns. Green will need a similar effort and a stronger performance from the defense if the Falcons want to even their record. Kickoff is at 1:30 at Durham County Stadium.
Lincoln (PA) Lions at Cheyney Wolves
The Lions return nine starters from a defensive unit that was third best in the conference last season. Leading the way is Brucelee Sterile, a second team All-CIAA performer last year, who led Lincoln with 90 tackles. The Lions won last year’s matchup with their instate rivals 12-0 and are 10-0-1 all-time against the Wolves. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Livingstone Blue Bears at Chowan Hawks
Two-time All-CIAA receiver Robert Holland (65 receptions/804 yards/ 7 TD’s in 2010) returns to lead the Hawks as they play host to Livingstone. Sharing the offensive load with Holland will be running back Elliot Smalls who accounted for over 800 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns last season. The Hawks must shore up a porous defense that allowed 436 yards and 41.3 point per game last year if they want to better last year’s 3-7 record. For the Blue Bears, 2011 represents an opportunity to use valuable experience gained during a difficult 0-10 campaign in 2010 to build on in 2011. Game time: 6:00pm.
Chowan Live Broadcast: http://www.futuremediaworld.com/chowan.htm
Livingstone Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/livingstone/football/index.htm
Shaw Bears at Stillman Tigers
Shaw begins the 2011 campaign on the road in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in a nonconference matchup with Stillman College. The 25th ranked Bears went 9-3 on their way to their third CIAA Championship in four years last season. With a host of talented starters lost to graduation on offense, the Bears will look to an experience laden defense to lead the way until the offense gels. Leading the way up front will be preseason All-CIAA defensive lineman Charles Deas. Deas, a mammoth 6-6, 305 pound senior, logged 62 tackles and 3.5 sacks last year as one of the anchors of the Bears’ defensive line. If opponents double-team Deas, look for line mate Stanley Porter to improve on his 6 sacks from last season. Roaming the defensive backfield for Shaw will be CDS Preseason All-America cornerback Darnell Evans. Evans, a ball hawking sophomore, enjoyed a phenomenal freshman season on his way to CIAA Rookie of the Year honors in 2010. He led Division II in passes defended with 18, tied for the conference lead in interceptions with six picks and had 41 tackles. After such a stellar freshman season, look for opponents to avoid throwing to Evans’ side of the field. Stillman, a member of the SIAC, is coming off a 3-8 season and picked to finish fourth in the SIAC West Division. Game time is 5:00pm.
Virginia State Trojans at Norfolk State Spartans
After a one-year hiatus, the Virginia Lottery Labor Day Classic returns to NSU’s Dick Price Stadium for another installment in this heated rivalry. The Trojans, coming off an 8-3 season and an appearance in the CIAA Championship game, return 14 starters including quarterback Jarred Battle. Battle, a 6-2 junior, passed for 1,583 yards and 10 touchdowns while guiding the Trojans to the Northern Division title in 2010. In last season’s 51-28 loss to Norfolk State, Battle had some success throwing the ball, passing for 200 yards and a touchdown. With the return of two of their top three receivers from last season, the passing game should be one of the Trojans’ strong points. Look for senior tailback Antwain Lyde (675 rushing yards in ’10) to be the focal point of VSU’s ground game. The Spartans, a member of the Division I FCS Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, are coming off a 6-5 season and are led by Preseason All-MEAC quarterback Chris Walley, who accounted for 2049 yards of total offense and 10 TD’s last season. In last year’s contest, the Trojan defense was exploited by All-MEAC tailback DeAngelo Branche to the tune of 167 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Fortunately for the Trojans Branche has graduated. Look for the Spartans to use multiple running backs to replace Branche’s 1,330 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Defensively, VSU is led by linebacker Jeremy Pruitt who logged 82 tackles in 2010. Virginia States leads this longstanding series that dates back to 1963, 26-21-1, but the Spartans have won the last five meetings. The Trojans’ last win over Norfolk State was a 34-6 victory in 2005. Game time is 6:00 on the campus of NSU.
Live Broadcast done by John Emmett: http://www.mainstreamnetwork.com/listen/player.asp?station=wvst-fm&;
Virginia Union Panthers (1-0) at Benedict Tigers (0-0)
Following their season opening home win over Saint Augustine’s, the Panthers travel to Columbia, South Carolina to take on the Benedict Tigers in the Palmetto Capital City Classic. Virginia Union survived treacherous, hurricane-like conditions on Saturday to slug out a 12-0 win over the Falcons. With swirling, gale-force winds and driving rain wreaking havoc with the passing game, the Panthers played to their strength and went to their ground game to overcome the sloppy conditions. The results were 38 carries and 150 yards from tailback Jerrell Washington. The Panthers’ defense teamed with Mother Nature to limit Saint Augustine’s to four first downs and 87 yards of total offense for the game. Benedict, of the SIAC, is coming off a 5-6 season and is led by running back Renando Rose who was fourth in the conference in rushing last season with 689 yards. Game time is 3:30 at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium in Columbia.
The VUU-Benedict game will be broadcast by Comcast Sports South
West Virginia State Yellow Jackets at Johnson C. Smith Golden
Bulls
The Golden Bulls, 2-8 a season ago, look to establish some early season confidence when they host West Virginia State, a team that went 0-10 last year. JCSU’s defense should be vastly improved with four of last year’s leading tacklers returning. Heading the unit will be linebackers Michael Coats (51 tackles) and Perrin Carr (49 tackles). Offensive players to keep an eye on include sophomore receiver Avius Capers (21 catches for 313 yards in ‘10) and junior tailback Joshua James (280 rushing yards in ‘10). Kickoff: 4:00pm at Irwin Belk Complex in Charlotte.
Johnson C. Smith Live Coverage: http://www.wgnc.net/
Fayetteville State Broncos vs UNC Pembroke Braves
(Courtesy of the FSU Office of Sports Information)
Fayetteville State will open its 2011 campaign as host to the UNC-Pembroke Braves in the Two Rivers Classic- Luther Geralds Stadium. A huge success in the classic’s first two editions, UNC Pembroke prevailed 41-24 in double-overtime in front of 8,321 spectators when the game was last played in Fayetteville, and then knocked off an undermanned Broncos team 39-0 a year ago as 6,429 fans witnessed a 7-0 game at halftime get away from the Broncos in the second half.
To pick up the elusive Two Rivers win this season, the Broncos will have to be wary of a Pembroke rushing attack that has shredded the defense in the first two meetings. Travis Daniels rushed for 214 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore in 2009 while Rashon Kennedy, who graduated in 2010, went for 102 yards in 2009 and then for 115 yards in last season’s matchup.
But Head Coach Kenny Phillips is confident that this year’s Broncos squad; returning 13 total starters this season, is ready to add a win to its series record. Preseason All-American safety and 2010 CIAA leader in interceptions (6), Andre Lyles (Sr., Ahoskie, NC), will lead the FSU corps, along with running backs Marquavis Alston (Fr, Rocky Mount, N.C.), Colon Bailey (So., Manteo, N.C.) and receiver Jamere Pugh (Jr., Henderson, N.C.). Game time: 6:00pm.
Fayetteville State Live Stats: http://www.fsubroncos.com/gametracker/launch/gt_mfootbl.html?event=989635&school=fast&sport=mfootbl&camefrom=&startschool=&;
