4C
SPORTS/^lie Cftarlotte $o«t
Thursday, December 4, 2003
For the Week of Dec. 9 through Dec. 15, 2003
SWAC
TAKES
CENTER
STAGE
All Pro Photo
COE: Interim Alabama State
coach Charles Coe III will
try to give the Hornets their
second SWAC title Saturday
In BIrhmIngham.
▼ TITLE GAME, ALL-STARS, HALL OF
FAMERS, COACHING CHANGES IN SWAC
SWAC
CHAMPIONSHIP YARDSTICK
TEAMS
SOUTHERN
ALABAMA STATE
41.7 (1st)
POINTS
35.4 (3rd)
15.5 (1st)
POINTS ALLOWED
25.6 (4th)
161.6 (4th)
RUSHING YARDS
197.2 (1st)
110.9 (3rd)
RUSHING YARDS ALLOWED
116.9 (4th)
274.6 (2nd)
PASSING YARDS
195,1 (5th)
183.5 (5th)
PASSING YARDS ALLOWED
228.9 (8th)
436.2 (2nd)
TOTAL YARDS
392.2 (4th)
294,4 (2nd)
TOTAL YARDS ALLOWED
345.8 (6th)
OFFENSIVE LEADERS
PASSING
QB Quincy Richard - 12g, 239-
361, 66,2%, 3,270 yds., 31 TDs,
14 ints.
RUSHING
RB Kennenth Peoples - 12g,
207 car., 984 yds., 4.8 ypc., 82.0
ypg., 6 TDs
RECEIVING
WR Chris Davis - 11g, 51 rec.,
855 yds., 16.8 ypc., 77.7 ypg., 7
TDs
SCORING
PK Monte Ackley -12g, 8FGs,
58 PATs, 82 pts.,6.8 ppg.
PASSING
QB Tavarius Jackson - 12g,
147-285, 51.6%, 2,175 yds., 18
TDs, 11 ints.
RUSHING
RB Keldrick Williams - 12g,
188 car., 1.095 yds., 5.8 ypc.,
91.2 ypg., 7 TDs
RECEIVING
WR Chad Lucas - 12g, 42 rec.,
716 yds., 17.0 ypc., 59.7 ypg., 5
TDs
SCORING
PK Anthony Johnson - 12g, 12
FGs, 53 PATs, 75 pts., 7.4 ppg.
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
TACKLES
LB Tarus Morgan -11 g, 77 total,
(32 solos)
INTERCEPTIONS
DB Erin Damond - 10g, 4 for 74
yds., 1 TD
SACKS
DE Kelvin Mack, 11g, 6 for 49
yards in losses
TACKLES
LB Ronald Dillon - 12g, 99 total
(47 solos)
INTERCEPTIONS
DB Antoine Hill -12g, 4for44
yds., 0 TDs
SACKS
LB Ronald Dillon • 12g, 7.5 for
46 yards in losses
UNDER THE BANNER
WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS
SWAC Photo
TWO FOR THE ROAD: Arkansas-Pine Bluff head football
coach Lee Hardman (I.) and Texas Southern head coach
Bill Thomas (r.), shown here at the SWAC preseason foot
ball press conference, resigned last week after their teams
posted losihg records this year. Hardman had been at
UAPB for six seasons while Thomas bows out after teh
years atTSU.
TWO COACHES OUT: Texas
Southern head football coach Bill Thomas and
Arkansas-Pine Bluff head football coach Lee Hardman
both announced their resignations last week bringing to
three the number of SWAC West Division coaches leaving
their posts following the 2003 season. Earlier, C. L.
Whittington was released after only one year at Prairie
View A&M. TSU Associate Athletic Director Ricky
Holden will assume the administrative duties for Thomas
until the position is filled. Thomas recorded four winning
seasons in his 10-year coaching career at TSU where he
compiled a 49-58 overall record. He has a career record as
a head coach of 84-82-3. Prior to his tenure, the University
had not had a winning season since 1977. career record of
84-82-3. ”I would like to thank Coach Thomas for his out
standing commitment and accomplishments," Athletic
Director Alois Blackwell said. "We are looking forward to
using his foundation to build a strong program." Blackwell
said a nationwide search for a new head coach will begin
immediately. Hardman will assume a "yet to be deter
mined" administrative position at UAPB. The Golden
Lions finished 4-7 this year, giving Hardman a 28-33 over
all record in six years at UAPB.
©AZEEZ Communications, Inc. VOL. X, NO. 18
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 3, 2003
ALABAMA STATE HORNETS (8-4)
CHAMPION
East Division, Central Southwestern Athletic Conference
LEGION FIELD (Birmingham, AL) • MBC TELEVISION
VS.
SOUTHERN JAGUARS (11-1)
CHAMPION
West Division, Southwestern Athletic Conference
TEAM RECORD
2003 RESULTS
TEAM RECORD
2003 RESULTS
2003 Overall:
8-4
ALABAMA STATE 8-4
2003 Overall:
11-1
SOUTHERN
11-1
2003 SWAC East:
5-2
38
Florida A&M 22
2003 SWAC West:
6-1
29
...Miss. Valley St..
0
BCSP Rank:
5th
26
.Bethune-Cookman ..31
BCSP Rank:
1st
62,
Prairie View...
7
All-Time vs. Southern:
8-17
49
Alcorn State 28
All-Time vs. ASU:
18-7
35
N. C.A&T
...16
A* * X
Last Time vs. Southern
10-35, '03
24
„.,Ark.-Pine Bluff 22
Last Time vs. AlSU:
35-10, '03
35.
...Alabama State.
...10
w..‘ 71
Titie Game Record:
0-1
10
Southern 35
SWAC Title Game;
1-0
53
...Ark.- Pine Bluff..
7
B?.. '
SWAC Champioriships:
1 ('91)
27
Jackson Slate 20
SWAC Championships:
18 ('99)
55.
....Alabama A&M .
...25
59
Prairie View 7
30.
....Jackson State ..
...20
COE'S RECORD
17
....Alabama A&M 20
RICHARDSON'S RECORD
34,
Alcorn State,,,.
...36
Head Coach
Alma Mater: Kansas State (71)
34
...Grambling Stale .,..37
Head Coach
Alma Mater; Dayton ('68)
65
Allen
0
Record vs. Southern; 0-1
55
..Miss, Valley State ..31
Record vs. ASU; 7-2
34.
Lincoln
7
CHARLES
Record at ASU: 8-4 (1st year)
38
...Texas Southern ,...26
PETE
At SU: 95-34 (11th year), ,736
24
..Texas Southern
...17
COE
Career Record: Same
48
Tuskegee 28
RICHARDSON
Career; 137-48-1 (16th year), .736
44.
..Grambling State
...41
SWAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME V
Rematch could detennine 2003 BCF national chamaion
LUT WILLtAMS
BCSP Editor
Think the BCS is a mess? Try
the BCNC {Black College National
Championship) if BCSP No. 5
Alabama State (8-4) beats top-
ranked Southern (ll-l) at the
SWAC Championship Game
Saturday at Birmingham's Legion
Field.
The ASU Hornets sit behind
Southern. Grambling State (9-3).
North Carolina A&T (10-3) and
Bethune-Cookman (9-3) in the
rankings and have lost to all the
teams ahead of them except A&T.
But barring their 35-10 loss to
Southern on Sept. 27, the Hornets
have played the others close, losing
31-26 in a controversial ending to
B-CC and 37-34 to Grambling
when the G-Men scored twice in the
last nine minutes to overcome an
11-point deficit.
Their other loss was a close 20-
17 decision to No. 7 Alabama
A&M at the Magic City Classic.
A win over the top-ranked
Jaguars in their rematch Saturday
would give Charles Coe Ill's
squad at least an argument for being
No, 1. They could say the teams
ahead of them lost their final game
(A&T and B-CC in the I-AA play
offs, Grambling to Southern at the
Bayou Classic) while they knocked
off the No. I ranked team in their
finale.
While the national champi
onship is an interesting subplot, the
main thing to be determined
Saturday is the new king of the
SWAC.
Southern knocked Grambling
from its three-year perch atop the
conference with a 44-41 win at the
Nov. 29 Bayou Classic that gave
Pete Richardson's troops their first
SWAC West Division title since 1999
and got them back to the title game
for the first time since then.
It seems like ages ago that
Southern took the inaugural SWAC
Championship Game 31-30 over
Jackson State back in '99, capping
their own three-year run with the
crown. Since then, they've played
second fiddle to Grambling's return
to dominance orchestrated by head
coach Doug Williams.
But the Bayou Classic win has
put the Jags back in the limelight in
their own version of "Return to
Dominance,", the theme on the cover
of their 2003 Media Guide,
Dominate is exactly what the
Jaguars have done, leading the con
ference in both scoring (41.7 ppg.)
and scoring defense (15.5 ppg.)
while coming within a last-second,
two-point loss to Alcorn State of a
perfect season. The average margin
of victory in their 11 wins was 28.8
points.
Those wins included the 35-10
victory over Alabama State earlier
this season. In that game. Southern
scored touchdowns on four of their
first five possessions to put the game
away by halftime with a 28-3 lead.
The theme of dominance was
furthered illustrated last week when
Southern quarterback Quincy
Richard and defensive backs Lenny
RICHARD WILLIAMS
Williams and Jamaul George were
named SWAC offensive, defensive
and freshman players of the year
(See story below).
But the Alabama State story
may be even more compelling. Coe,
an experienced Div. 1 assistant but
never a head coach, took over as
interim coach at Alabama Stale in
August only three weeks before the
start of the season after the school
had an ugly, publicly drawn-out split
with former head coach L. C. Cole.
With just three weeks to pre
pare, and impressions that the pro
gram was in disarray - the Hornets
were picked in the preseason by
SWAC coaches to finish last in the
East Division - Coe guided the
Hornets to a surprise 38-22 win over
highly-regarded Florida A&M in
the season-opener in Detroit.
They followed that with the
outstanding performance against
MEAC-favorile Bethune-Cookman
in Mobile. A week later they
returned home to knock off Alcorn
State 49-28.
Even in their loss to Southern,
Alabama State had its chances, com
ing away with one field goal in three
BCSP Notes
SWAC Grid Stars
Southern University's quarterback Quincy
Richard along with Jaguar defensive backs Lenny
Williams and Jarmaul George swept three of the
four top post season individual honors in voting on
the 2003 All-SWAC football team. The All-SWAC
team is selected by the conference’s football coach
es and sports information directors.
Richard was named Offensive Player of the
Year, Lenny Williams was selected the Defensive
Player of the Year and George was tabbed Freshman
of the Year. Alabama State running back Keldrick
Williams was named Newcomer of the Year.
Richard, a 6-3, 210. senior from Opelousas,
LA, led the Southern Jaguars to an 11-1 regular sea
son, the SWAC West division title and a berth in the
SWAC Championship football game. He led the
conference (4th in nation) in passing efficiency
passing (162.9%) for 3.270 yds (239-361-14) with
31 TDs and was named MVP of the Bayou Classic
with a 552-yard, 5-TD passing performance.
Lenny Williams, who was named pre-season
defensive player of the year at the beginning of the
season, is a 6-0,190, senior from Lake Charles, LA.'
He led the Jaguars in tackles (66) and spearheaded a
defense that allowed opponents just 15.5 points per
game. Southern ranked second in the SWAC in Total
Defense (294.4 ypg).
Jamual George, a 6-0 180 freshman defensive
back from New Orleans, LA, started eleven games
as a true freshman, was sidelined prior to the Bayou
Classic with a broken leg. On the season he had 50
tackles (4th on team) with three interceptions.
Williams, a 5-8. 205-pound sophomore from
Montgomery. Al., finished the regular season with I,
095 yds (91.2 ypg) second in SWAC rushing by just
2 yards.
Overall. Southern had eleven players picked
(four on 2nd team), followed by Alabama A&M
(4/3) and Alabama State (3/4) with seven.
Grambling State picked up six selections (3/3),
Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Texas Southern had four
players named (1/3). Mississippi Valley State and
Jackson State garnered three picks, followed by
Prairie View with one playe’r picked (1st team).
2003 ALL-SWAC FOOTBALL TEAM
(as picked by the SWAC football coaches and sports
information directors)
FIRST TEAM
offense
OL- Kevin Harris, Alabama State (6-4. 308, Sr., Anniston, AL)
OL- Robert Louis, Alabama A&M (6-3, 266, Jr., Tampa, FL)
OL- Mtniya Smith, Southern' (6-7, 340. Jr, New Orleans, LA)
OL- Arnold Sims, Southern (6-6. 255, Jr, Houston, TX)
OL- Zephaniah Smalley, Alcorn State (6-2, 260, Sr, Dallas, TiC)
TE- Jacob Wilson, Alabama A&M (6-1, 230, Sr, Mobile, AL)
QB- Quincy Richard, Southern (6-3, 210, Sr, Opelousas, LA)
RB- Jeremiah Bonds, Alabama A&M (5-9, 180, Sr, Huntsville, AL)
RB- Kenneth Peoples. Southern (6-0, 210, Jr, Winston-Salem, NC)
WR- Tramon Douglas, Grambling (6-0, 205, Sr. Baton Rouge, LA)
WR- Alfred Ard, Southern (6-0,180, Jr, Kentwood, LA)
P - Eric Hernandez, Prairie View A&M (6-0,180, Fr, Pleasanton, TX)
DEFENSE
DL- Michael Howleit, Alcorn State (6-2, 250, Jr, Chicago, IL)
DL- Timothy Parham, Alabama State (6-3, 255, Jr, Atlanta, GA)
DL- Lieutenant Dukes, Alabama A&M (6-3, 209, So., B'ham, AL)
DL- Maurice Troutman, Ark.-Pine Bluff (6’3, 265, Jr, Long Beach, CA)
LB- Ronald Dillon, Alabama State (5-11,185, Jr, LB, Memphis, TN)
LB- Omega Logan, Alcorn State (5-9, 225, Sr, DeSoto, TX)
LB- Jarrette Prout, Miss. Valley St, (6-0,220; Jr„ Boothville, LA
DB- Tyrone Parsons, Alcom State (5-9,180, Sr, Memphis, TN)
DB- Lenny Williams, Southern (6-0,190, Sr, Lake Charles, LA)
DB- Octavius Bond, Grambling State, (6-1,207, Sr, Chicago, IL)
DB- Jarmaul George, Southern (6-0,180, Fr, New Orleans, LA)
PK- Brian Morgan, Grambling State, (6-0, 185, Jr, Groves, TX)
KR- Corey Alexander, Texas Southern (5-9 185 So., Houston, TX)
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
OFFENSIVE - Quincy Richard - Sr, QB, Southern
DEFENSIVE - Lenny Williams - Sr, DB. Southern
NEWCOMER - Keldrick Williams - So.. RB, Alabama State
FRESHMAN - Jarmaul George - Fr, DB, Southern
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE ,
OL- Travis Martin, Sr, Miss. Valley State; Jonathan Banks, Jr, Grambling
State; Darryl Rodgers, Jr.,-Grambling State; Brandon Jones, So., Southern;
Everett Rosette, Sr, Alabama State TE- Brian Jones, Jr, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
QB- Donald Carrie, Jr, Alcom State RB- Keldrick Williams, So., Alabama
State; David Kennebrew, Fr, Jackson State WR- Chris Davis, Sr, Southern;
Tim Manning, Sr, Jackson State P- Shane Phillips, So., Alcom State
DEFENSE
DL- Joiiaihan St. Cyr, Sr, Southern; Sydney Gordon, Jr, Texas Southern; Kerry
Frazier, So., Alabama State; Brian Williams, Sr, Alcorn State; Lennard Patton,
Jr, Grambling State; Robert Watson, Jr, Texas Southern; LB- Lionel Macklin,
Sr, Alabama A&M; Tarus Morgan, Jr, Southern; Damondric Goins, Jr, Texas
Southern DB- O'Keefe Hertderson, Sr, Miss.Valley State; Martel Holt, Sr,
.Alabama A&M; Antoine Hill, Sr, Alabama State; Terrell Hammonds, Jr,
Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Anthony Dillon, So., Jackson State PK- Rashad Cylar, Sr,
Alabama A&M; KR- Cedric Bowen, Jr, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Eight to go into SWAC HOF
Eight former Southwestern Athletic Conference
athletes or administrators have been selected to be
inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame on Friday,
December 12, 2003 in the Downtown Birmingham
Sheraton’s main Ballroom.
Marino Casern, a 1992 SWAC Hall of Fame
inductee, will be the keynote speaker at the 2003
SWAC Hall of Fame luncheon.
The SWAC Hall of Fame Luncheon, which begins
at 11:30am. is held in conjunction with activities sur
rounding the Southwestern Athletic Conference
Football Championship week-end. The 2003 All-
SWAC football team will be honored following the
luncheon.
Listed below are the inductees with a short synop
sis of their careers.
- Charlie “Choo-Choo" Brackins - Prairie View A&M
- ‘Choo-Choo’ led the Panther football team to forty wins an/ only four losses
between 1951-54. He quarterbacked them to four SWAC championships and
two National championships. During this time he was also selected as an All-
American quarterback. Brackins was later drafted by the Green Bay Packers.
DILLON WILLIAMS
forays inside the Southern 5-yard
line.
Along the way, the Hornets also
lost Coe for two games to open heart
surgery.
So any impression that this
game is a sure Southern win is mis
guided.
‘ The emergence of Richard
(3,270 yards, 31 TDs) . a fifth-year
senior who led a contingent of seven
Jaguars to all-SWAC honors, was the
key to re-establishing Southern as an
offensive juggernaut. Three
receivers, first-teamer Chris Ard (51
rec.), second-teamer Chris Davis
(46 rec.) and Lionel Joseph (46 rec.)
were among the top ten iu receptions
in the SWAC and junior running
back Kenneth Peoples was third in
the conference in rushing (82 ypg.).
Coe developed a steady defense
to go along with the high-scoring
offense that Cole had been know Tor
at ASU. While Williams (1.095
yards), a Tennessee transfer, and QB
Tavarius Jackson (2.175 yards, 18
TDs), an Arkansas transfer, lead the
offense, linebacker Ronald Dillon
leads the defense with 99 tackles
including 7.5 sacks.
BCSP TOP TEN
1. SOUTHERN (11-1) - SWAC West Champion.
NEXT: Dec. 13 vs. #5 Alabama State in SWAC
Championship Game.
2. GRAMBLING ST. (9-3) - Season over. Tied for
first in SWAC West.
3. N. C. A&T (10-3) - Season over. MEAC champ.
First round I-AA playoff loser,
4. BETHUNE-COOKMAN (9-3) - Season over. Tied
for second in MEAC. First round I-AA playoff loser,
5. ALABAMA STATE (8-4) - SWAC East Champion.
NEXT: SWAC Championship Game, Dec. 13 vs.
Southern in Birmingham.
6. ALBANY STATE (9-2) - SIAC champs. NEXT:
Pioneer Bowl on Dec. 20 vs. CIAA champ,
Fayettevitle State.
7. ALABAMA A&M (8-4) - Season over. Third in
SWAC East.
8. HAMPTON (7-4) - Season over. Tied for second
in MEAC
9. S. C. STATE (8-4) - Season over. Tied for second
in MEAC
10. ALCORN STATE (7-5) - Season over. Tied for
first in SWAC East,
(TIE) TENNESSEE STATE (6-5) - Season over.
- Paul Covington - Jackson State
- A member of the Jackson State Sports Hall of Fame, ne
served as a basketball coach before moving to the adminis
trative side ot athletics. He was the Tigers’ assistant athletic
director for many years.
- Grant Alan Dungae, III - Alcorn State
- He had a career that spanned over forty years at Alcom
State from 1957-89. During this entire time he as head coach
of the women's and men’s track and cross country teams and
football assistant coach and scout. He served as Chair and
Professor of Health and Physical Education from 1964-89.
- Alice Jackson - Grambling State
- As a member of the Grambling State Women’s Track team,
she was a finalist in the SWAC Championships 200m. 400m,
4x100m relay and 4x400m relay teams. Jackson competed in
the Pan American Games as a member of the USA team and
won a gold medal in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay.
- Charles "Chuck” Prophet - Mississippi Valley State
• “Chuck" Prophet was a member of the Mississippi Valley
State athletic program for 30 years. He spent ten years of his
three-decade tenure in the role of Director of Athletics and
served in a dual role as sports information director for a full
twenty years. Prophet was a co-founder of the SWAC Football
Press Tour and served as it’s sole director for nineteen years.
- Dr. Dennis Thomas - Alcorn State
- A native of Heidelburg, Mississippi, Dennis entered Alcom
State at the age of 16 and embarked on a collegiate career
that is still in the SWAC record books. In 1974, Thomas made
major history as the first and only offensive lineman named as
SWAC Offensive Player of the Year. He finished his career as
a three-year letterman, a two-time Pittsburgh Courier 1st
Team All-American, Black Mutual Sports Network All-
American and Outstanding College Athletics of America
(1974). Thomas is currently the commissioner of the Mid
Eastern Athletic Conference.
- Davis Weathersby - Mississippi Valley State
- Weathersby was the head football coach and athletic direc
tor at Mississippi Valley state for seven years. He was known
for his development of outstanding individual football players.
- Sidney Williams - Southern
- Williams played for Southern from 1960 to 1964. In his
senior year he was selected as an All-American, He played
five seasons In the NFL with the Cleveland Browns.
Washington Redskins. Baltimore Colts and the Pittsburgh
Steelers.