Newspapers / North Carolina Central University … / Sept. 28, 1984, edition 1 / Page 11
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Sports Friday, Septem ‘No-nonsense’ Coach Latt’ puts Central football program high among CIAA elite Rv A A AHoitifi i tllffh School few haH hearH nf anv rtth^r mnfArAnr^A in tViA ic \Wi^n u/a art ir page II Friday, September 28, 1984 By Mark A.A. Adams In the heart of N.C. Central University two significant con- structions are taking shape—one of brick and mor tar, the other of flesh and blood. The first is the new $10 million physcial education complex that will play a major role in boosting the Triangle’s chances of hosting the 1986 U.S. Sports Festival. The second is a vigorous football program that has steadily improved under the guidance of sixth-year coach Hank Lattimore. Lattimore’s program has achieved dominance in a con ference that boasts 12 teams—more teams than in high school few had heard of him, but under Lattimore’s direction he has become the best quarterback in the history of the conference. .. Lattimore, however, demures when the limelight is turned on him: “I’m just the head coach, but I have fine staff and any success we’ve had is a result of the hard work, the effort and the sacrifice the other coaches put in.’’ He also attributes his suc cess to the support of the com munity. “I don’t think there’s another school that has the support we have,’’ he said. “When we go away it seems like half of the Durham com munity follows us.’’ Senior Floyd Nixon, who doubles at guard and tackle, echoes his coach: “Coach Lat timore has put together one of the best coaching staffs there any other conference in the country. Now after five years of quality play, the Eagles can now claim to be charter members of the CIAA elite. Both the team’s offensive and defensive squads having been ranked among the nation’s top 20 of Division II schools, and several of its players have been drafted by the National Foot ball League. Former Central defensive back and co-captain Nate Henry credits much of the team’s recent success to Lat timore’s coaching policies as well as his ability to recruit such stars as Gerald Fraylon. “He is the reason we win. He gives the average and unheralded players a chance, and they appreciate it,” Henry said. Fraylon is an excellent ex ample. Coming straight out of is. When we go into a game we’re prepared. For them, we work and play hard.” As a result, he says, the team gets a lot of school and community support. “At many of our away games we have more fans than the home team.” Lattimore’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed by the NCCU Administration. Call ing him “an intense, knowledgeable and no- nonsense fellow who has established a consistently win ning program,” Dr. Tyrone Baines, vice-chancellor for univeristy relations, said he was glad to renew Lattimore’s contract for another three years last spring. Coach Henry C. Lattimore Go Eagles Go! Cheer for the best little team in the Triangle By Anthony Chiles The air is taking on an occasional nip and the leaves are beginning to turn, but there is something missing from the autumnal ambience this year. Usually, if one listens closely, one will here the gentle, insistent twitter of true-blue and better- red-than-dead ACC fans boasting about the expliots of their powerful Triangle gridiron machines. , ' So far this season there hasn’t been much to brag about. * In Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels were were blown but of the water in their season opener by Napoleon’s Navy. Last Saturday they wentaipi north to Boston for a Cross country squad falls FT; ' to Fayetteyille State, 29-26 The N.C. Central University cross country team lost to Fayetteville State, 29-26, in a meet held on campus Sept. 25. Darryl Stewart of Fayetteville State placed first with a time of 30:58. Travis Cotton and James Walker turned in the best Eagle performances with times of 31:16 and 31:17, respectively. Other NCCU finishers were Ricky Horton in 33:41, Melvin Mims in 33:58, and Randy Williams in 33:59 I \ tea party and found themselves dumped in the bay by Doug Flutie and his for tunate receiving corps. Over in Raleigh, the Wolfpack faithful have fallen into an embarrassed silence. Not only has the team lost, lost even to lowly Furman, but their press conferences have been plagued with discomforting questions about an All-American indicted on charges of rape and burglary. Down the street at Duke, the Blue Devils are playing hurt and struggling to play .500 ball. So, by default, the Eagles—also playing .500 ball—are one of the best college teams in the Triangle. Of course, you would never know from the pundits at the Herald and Sun that the Eagles are, however unspectacularly, on top of the foot ball heap so far this season. But it is not this minor injustice in the press that should give us pause. That the Eagles don’t get the respect they deserve in the papers and on the eleven o’clock news is no surprise. The apathy in our OAvn ranks is something else again. Some are obviously upset that the mighty Eagles aren’t flying high, unbloodied, unbowed and unbeaten. They grouse and grumble and boo, but ai least they care enough to be angry. Worse than these boo-birds are the mud hens who would rather squat in front of the tube and watch the Tar Heels secondary “get beat deep” again and again than come out to O’Kelly to cheer the Eagles off^tlie ground. The important thing to keep in mind, fellow that its “our” football team, and no matter what happens, those guys in maroon and gray body armor represent this university. And besides, they are just about the best team in the Triangle, aren’t they?
North Carolina Central University Student Newspaper
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Sept. 28, 1984, edition 1
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