Monday, January 5, 2015

ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT IS BACK FOR 2015!

We've been away and under the weather for the past month, but we are BACK!  Welcome to ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT and 2015!

Stay tuned for the latest news and updates on everything in the HBCU sports world.  Follow us on Twitter (@AddsHBCUSports) and on Facebook (Add'sHBCUSportsReport).

Monday, December 8, 2014

Alcorn State Tops Final ADDS HBCU SPORTS REPORT HBCU FCS Football Top Ten Poll and Named National Champions

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Alcorn State, which finished 10-3 and won the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship, finishes in the top spot of the final 2014 ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT HBCU FCS Top 10 poll and is named the 2014 HBCU FCS National Champion.

The high flying Braves led the SWAC in offense and defense in going 7-2 in the conference this year.  They finished off the 2014 season by defeating Southern 38-24 in last week's SWAC Championship game.

Southern, finished second in the poll after ripping off seven straight wins before losing in the title game.  The Jaguars are followed by the four MEAC teams that tied for first - North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State, Bethune-Cookman and Morgan State.

Here is the entire final 2014 ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT HBCU FCS Top Ten poll:


1) Alcorn State (10-3, 7-2 SWAC)
2) Southern (9-4, 8-1 SWAC)
3) North Carolina A&T (9-3, 6-2 MEAC)
4) South Carolina State (8-4, 6-2 MEAC)
5) Bethune-Cookman (9-3, 6-2 MEAC)
6) Morgan State (7-5, 6-2 MEAC)
7) Grambling(7-5, 7-2 SWAC)
8) Alabama State (7-5, 5-4 SWAC)
9) Prairie View A&M (5-5, 5-4 SWAC)
10) Tennessee State (6-6, 4-4 OVC)

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Gibbs, Cyrus, Howard Lead All-SWAC Football Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference released its 2014 all-conference teams Friday and saw the big winners spread across the league with two co-players of the year.  First year Grambling State University head coach Broderick Fobbs was named Coach of the Year.

Malcolm Cyrus of Alabama State University and John Gibbs, Jr. from Alcorn State University shared co-offensive player of the year honors. Texas Southern’s Darian Claibourne, and Mississippi Valley State’s Quantavius Peterson shared newcomer of the year.  Prairie View A&M University’s Jerome Howard earned the defensive player of the year award, and western division champion Southern University’s quarterback Austin Howard was named freshman of the year.

Cyrus led the SWAC and finished third in the nation with 1,662 yards rushing, scoring 12 touchdowns.  The senior also caught 28 passes for another 380 yards and a score.  After clocking an additional 34 yards in kick returns, Cyrus finished with over 2,000 all-purpose yards, fourth best in the nation.

Gibbs led the Braves to an eastern division title and the team’s first berth to the conference championship game.  He completed 169-of-294 passes for a total of 2,237 yards, 18 touchdowns and has been intercepted only six times.  His dominance in the air was only matched by his ability to leave the pocket as he grabbed a career-high 874 yards this season and another 11 touchdowns.  He ranks third in the league in passing efficiency.

Howard led all defensive players averaging 11.8 tackles per game.  He finished fifth national in total tackles with 118, second in the league.  The linebacker is also ranked top 10 in the SWAC for tackles for loss and sacks. College Football Performance Award weekly honors this season.
He earned 10-plus tackles in eight of the team’s 10 games.  The preseason All-SWAC first teamer has also earned

Claiborne stepped up in the Tigers front seven and immediately began to make an impact.  He led with a team-high 77 tackles.  He had five tackles for loss and also grabbed an interception this season.  Peterson, who has earned SWAC newcomer of the week honors, finished the year with 874 passing yards and six touchdowns.  The quarterback also rushed 297 yards and five touchdowns.
Howard led the Jaguars to their second consecutive SWAC Championship appearance as a true freshman.  He has thrown for over 2,100 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.  Howard passed for over 200 yards in five games and closed out the regular season with four rushing touchdowns.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Malcolm Cyrus (Alabama State)
John Gibbs, Jr. (Alcorn State)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jerome Howard (Prairie View A&M)

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Darian Claibourne (Texas Southern)
Quantavius Peterson (Mississippi Valley State)

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Austin Howard (Southern)
 
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB John Gibbs, Jr. Alcorn State
RB Malcolm Cyrus Alabama State
RB Johntá Hebert  Prairie View A&M
OL DeWayne Houston Southern
OL Zach Brown Southern
OL Isaac Sampson Alcorn State
OL Tre Glover Prairie View A&M
OL Damina Love Alabama State
WR Julian Stafford Mississippi Valley State
WR Willie Quinn Southern
TE Jordan Payne Alcorn State

DEFENSE
DL Arthur Miley Southern
DL  Deion Roberson Alcorn State
DL Demarcus Berry Arkansas-Pine Bluff
DL  Darien Moody Alcorn State
LB Jerome Howard Prairie View A&M
LB  Kourtney Berry Alabama State
LB Danny Brownell Prairie View A&M
DB Devon Francois Alcorn State
DB Najee Bright Alabama State
DB Warren Gatewood Alcorn State
DB
 Kevin Rucker Arkansas-Pine Bluff

SPECIAL TEAMS
K Chris Barrick Prairie View A&M
P Corey Carter Texas Southern
RS Johntá Hebert Prairie View A&M


SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Johnathan Williams Grambling
QB La Montiez Ivy Jackson State
RB Lenard Tillery Southern
RB Anthony Williams III Alcorn State
OL Demechery Hickingbottom Alabama  State
OL Detonio Dade Alcorn State
OL Dillon Bonnet Prairie View A&M
OL Jonathan Smith Jackson  State
OL Marcus Cook Jackson State
WR Daniel Williams Jackson State
WR Willie Young Arkansas-Pine Bluff
TE Natron Brooks Mississippi Valley State


DEFENSE
 DL Anthony Lanier Alabama A&M
 DL  Edward Mosley Alabama State
 DL  Devohn Reed Prairie View A&M
 DL Gabe Echols Southern
 LB Damon Watkins Alcorn State
 LB  Willie Duncan Arkansas-Pine Bluff
 LB  Ariane McCree Jackson State
 DB  Danny Johnson Southern
 DB  Avery Boykin Mississippi Valley State
 DB Damond Jackson Prairie View A&M
 DB Tray Walker Texas Southern


SPECIAL TEAMS
K Ryan Deising Jackson State
K Haiden McCraney Alcorn State
P Haiden McCraney Alcorn State
RS Willie Quinn Southern





Alcorn State and Southern Square Off in the SWAC Championship Game

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Today in Houston, Alcorn State and Southern will be the final matchup of the HBCU football season as they square off in the SWAC Championship Game.

Both teams are 9-3 overall and are ranked in the Top 5 among SWAC offenses and defenses. But Alcorn State sports the conference's top overall offense and defense.
 They are led by SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year quarterback John Gibbs Jr. (above). Gibbs threw for 2236 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 874 yards and 11 TDs, while averaging 259 yards of offense in every game this season, putting him in the SWAC's top seven in each category. 

"He's been the leader of our offense since he got to Alcorn," Alcorn State head coach Jay Hopson told the Houston Chronicle. "He does a great job as our team leader and team captain."

The Braves also sport the nation's 20th best defense, spurred by defensive ends Jamil Cooks and Darien Moody and linebacker Corey Williams, a threesome that combined for 21 of Alcorn State's 39 sacks, good for second in the SWAC.

But third in sacks (38) is Southern, a team that has won seven straight games, going without a loss since Sept. 27. But that was a lopsided 56-16 loss to Alcorn State.

But Southern head coach Dawson Odums, whose team won the SWAC title last year in overtime, told the Jackson Clarion Ledger that the Jaguars they played then will be a different group of Jags that will show up in Houston, especially as a number of players who didn't play in that Sept. 27 game because of eligibility reasons have been back since then.

"I think after that game … I said if we can stay healthy and dodge the bullets early and find ways to win, I think we'll be a different team going down the stretch," Odums said. "We didn't have that leadership in the locker room, and we played a lot of true freshmen and that's helped us down the stretch."

Junior linebacker Demetrius Carter leads the Southern defense with 94 tackles and three sacks this season while defensive end Arthur Miley added 53 tackles and seven sacks for a defense that was extremely strong against the rush, but was in the SWAC's lower tier in pass defense.

On offense, Howard Austin (above) threw for 2,182 yards and 17 touchdowns while Lenard Tillery rushed for 1,141 and nine touchdowns.  They also feature one of the nation's top wide recievers in Willie Quinn, who hauled in 56 passes for 833 yards and five touchdowns.  Reggie Travis added 30 receptions for 514 yards and five TDs.

Kickoff at NRG Stadium in Houston is 3 p.m. central time.  The game will be televised live on ESPNU.


Saturday, November 29, 2014

Morgan State Starts Playoff Drive Against Richmond; Virginia State Visits Bloomsburg in D-2 Second Round; Southern and Grambling Play for a SWAC Title Appearance

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.
(photo by Kenneth Lam/Baltimore Sun)

It's a huge football Saturday in New Orleans and Richmond, Va., as the post season looms for three teams.

In Richmond, co-MEAC champion Morgan State visits Richmond in the first round of the NCAA FCS Football National Playoffs. It's the first time the Bears have appeared in the playoffs after last week winning a share of their first MEAC title since 1979.

"I still think I'm dreaming and that somebody is going to wake me up and say that this has all been a cruel joke," said first-year Morgan State head coach Lee Hull to the Baltimore Sun. "But it's great. It's a great feeling."

Richmond (8-4) comes from the Colonial Athletic Association where they limped into the postseason by losing two of their last three after storming through most of the regular season.  They defeated William & Mary 34-20 last week, earning an at-large bid to the NCAA field.

"I think anytime you can finish your regular season with a win is big," said Richmond head coach Danny Rocco. "We have had kind of tough games the past two weeks and would have been just heartbreaking for this team to finish the season with a three-game losing streak. So we bounced back and did the things we had to do and positioned ourselves really well."

They are led by the two-headed quarterbacking duo of Michael Strauss (2,202 yards and 16 touchdowns) and Michael Rocco, who threw for 1,424 yards and four touchdowns after replacing an injured Strauss.

The Bears are led by running back Herb Walker Jr. who has rushed for 1,288 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. They also have a stiff defense that is among the nation's leaders in sacks this year.

The Trojans of Virginia State have a tall order this week as they visit 10-1 Bloomsburg. VSU is seeded third in their region while Bloomsburg is second.  

Virginia State head coach Latrell Scott told the Richmond Times Dispatch that Bloomsburg is “a good football team, a well-coached team. Tough, physical team on both sides of the ball. They’ve been in the top 10 the majority of the year, so it’s a tough task for us.”

Down South, one of the biggest HBCU football classics and probably most well known, the Bayou Classic, pits their traditional rivals, Grambling and Southern.  But this year's Classic is special as the winner claims the SWAC Western Division Championship and heads to the SWAC Championship Game next week against Alcorn State.

After turmoil over the last couple of years, Grambling turned it around this season, winning seven straight games after losing their first three.  The Tigers would have won the division title outright had they defeated Alabama State last week, but Tigers fell 37-23, setting up this epic Bayou Classic matchup.

Now both teams are 7-1 in the SWAC and looking to keep their seasons going.

The Grambling offense starts and ends with quarterback Jonathan Williams.  He has thrown for 1,719 yards and 13 touchdowns and has led the Tigers in rushing with 373 yards and seven TDs.
 

Southern relies on a strong rushing offense led by true freshman quarterback Austin Howard (1,924 yards, 14 touchdowns) and running back Lenard Tillery (973 yards, seven touchdowns) and a tough defense that is fifth in the SWAC.

It all sets up for a big game for a nationally-televised audience to see who heads to Houston next week.

"Anytime you win this football game and you have a chance to further on playing, I think it's good. It helps the off-season program. It helps you for the next season," Grambling head coach Broaderic Fobbs said to WAFB9 TV.

"[It's] business as usual," said Southern head coach Dawson Odums to WAFB9 TV. "We don't get too tight. Our guys are going to be relaxed. We're going to have fun. This is what it's supposed to be."


Monday, November 24, 2014

Weekend HBCU Division II Women's Basketball Scores

Weekend HBCU Division II Women's Basketball Scores

Nov. 22

CIAA

Virginia Union 71, Washington Adventist 34
Belmont Abbey 72, Winston-Salem State 63
Clark Atlanta 54, Elizabeth City State 53
Livingstone 71, Kentucky State 48
Clayton State 87, Shaw 71

SIAC

Claflin 77, Northwood (Fla) 55
Florida Tech 83, Fort Valley State 71
Lindenwood 83, Lane 65
Virginia State 74, Miles 64
North Georgia 82, Tuskegee 52

Nov. 23

SIAC

Arkansas Tech 84, Paine 55
West Florida 57, Spring Hill 53
West Alabama 66, Stillman 53

Virginia State Named ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT 2014 HBCU Division II Football Naitonal Champions

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.
Virginia State, which is headed to the second round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs this weekend, tops the final 2014 ADDS HBCU SPORTS REPORT HBCU Division II football poll and is named our 2014 HBCU Division II national champions.

The Trojans from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, finished the regular season 9-1 and undefeated at 7-0 in the CIAA, defeated third-ranked Winston-Salem State in the CIAA championship game and last weekend won their first round playoff game against LIU-Post 28-17.

Tuskegee, whose comeback bid in their first round Division II playoff game fell short last weekend when they lost to West Georgia 20-17, won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference crown and finishes second in the Division II poll.  Their loss Saturday was the first for the Golden Tigers in more than two months.

Here is the entire ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT HBCU Division II Football Top Ten Poll:

 DIVISION II

1) Virginia State (10-2)
2) Tuskegee (9-3)
3) Winston-Salem State (9-2)
4) Albany State (7-3)
5) Virginia Union (7-3)
6) Miles (6-4)
7) Morehouse (6-4)
8) Fayetteville State (5-5)
9) Fort Valley State (6-4)
10) Stillman (5-5)

Honorable mentions: Livingstone (5-5), Bowie State (5-5),