Monday, November 30, 2009

"They are a decent team."

That's Florida A&M's view of JSU's volleyball team- regular season and OVC tournament champs. Here is tallahassee.com's article on the upcoming NCAA tournament bracket involving FSU, A&M and JSU.

NCAA brackets were being announced, Florida A&M volleyball coach Tony Trifonov stood amazed. He was a little taken aback by the fact the University of Florida was in a bracket without the Rattlers.




"Wow," he said, staring at the television inside The Moon where the team watches the announcements. "We're not going to Florida."

No. And actually FAMU isn't going anywhere farther than across town for their ninth consecutive appearance in the tournament. FSU will also will stay home. Both teams, along with Alabama A&M and Jacksonville State will play at Tully Gym for the first-round matches beginning Saturday.

The Seminoles are the top seed here and No. 3 overall in the tournament, following their remarkable ACC championship season. FSU (28-2) is making its first tournament appearance since 2002.

"I think getting the opportunity to host the opening rounds is going to give us a little bit of comfort initially," said FSU coach Chris Poole. "We don't have to go out on the road first so it's going to give our players a chance to get the butterflies out and go out play."

FAMU (17-9) faces Jacksonville State (26-7) in the first match at 2 p.m. FSU and Alabama A&M (18-10) meet at 5 p.m. with both winners moving on to play Sunday at a time to be determined. The winner will advance to Minneapolis for that regional.

Within a few hours after finding out their opponent, FAMU was on the practice court. It has lost both of its previous games against the Gamecocks, but this will be the two teams' first matchup in the NCAA Tournament.

"They're a decent team," Trifonov said. "They've had some success in recent years but they've not been ranked in the Top 25. We are a little bit surprised that we didn't get one of the top teams in the country, which has been the case in the last three or four years."

Since hosting a first round in 2004, FAMU has opened postseason play against the Gators four times in the past nine years.

As many trips as they've made to the tournament, FAMU's only first-round win came in 2003 over Winthrop. FAMU, however, likes its chances going early against a Division I-AA team such as Jacksonville State.

"You've got to put your mind to it," said middle hitter Chelsea Pennick." We just have to step up to the plate.

"We have not gotten past the first round the past couple years that I've been here. Now that we've got the opportunity, we've got to get mentally prepared. We can't get big a head about anything."

Indeed, overconfidence is a concern, especially with the comfort of playing with the advantage of being at home.

"We need to focus because we want this," said senior outside hitter Maria Gomez. "We want this really bad. The only thing we could do is keep practicing hard and when we get out there just play our game.

"We're going to go for it. We are actually going to try to do our best."
In your voice|Read reactions to this story

Scouting Report on The UTC Game.

Chattanooga Travels to Jacksonville State on Tuesday
Courtesy: GoMocs.com
Release: 11/30/2009







Game Notes - Jacksonville State




Courtesy: GoMocs.com
http://www.gomocs.com
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- A grueling collection of games culminates in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team travelling to Jacksonville State (2-3) on Tuesday, Dec. 1, for an 8 p.m. (ET) tipoff in the Mathews Coliseum. Chattanooga (3-3) is playing its fifth game in 10 days.

The Mocs are coming off a 74-70 win over Longwood wrapping up the South Padre Island Invitational. The first three games were losses at Richmond (75-49), at Missouri (99-56) and in South Padre Island to Texas-Pan American (61-50).

Sophomore Ricky Taylor scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half comeback over the Lancers including nine of the final 11 points of the game for the Mocs. Two of Chattanooga's three wins are over a 2009 NCAA Tournament team in East Tennessee State and a 17-win team from last season in Longwood.

Jacksonville State is 2-3, 2-1 in the Mathews Coliseum. Most recently, the Gamecocks lost by three points, 67-64, JSU's two wins are over West Alabama (93-64) and an impressive 22-point win over Georgia Southern (89-67).

Junior forward Ridge McKeither leads the Mocs with averages of 12.8 and 7.5 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Josh Odem adds 10.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest.

WHO: Keegan Bell. The Alabama native returns to his home state for the first time in a Mocs uniform. Bell is coming off an 11-assist performance in the Chattanooga win over Longwood.

WHAT: Chattanooga (3-3) at Jacksonville State (2-3). The first of at least two games, possibly three, against OVC schools this season.

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 1, 8 p.m. (EST) in the Mathews Coliseum (5,500)

WHERE: The game will be broadcast on the Mocs Sports Network with Jim Reynolds calling the play-by-play. It can be listened to locally on ESPN 105.1 FM and worldwide on GoMocs.com.

HOW: This is the final game in a five-game, 10-day road trip which began with the odyssey that was the South Padre Island Invitational. It began with a 75-49 loss on Sunday at Richmond and followed Tuesday with a 99-56 loss at Missouri. After arriving on South Padre Island, the Mocs lost 61-50 to Texas-Pan American before righting the ship with a 74-70 win over Longwood. All-in-all, the Chattanooga basketball program will have travelled more than 4,000 miles over the 10-day period following the game with Jacksonville State.

SERIES: This will be the 19th meeting between the schools with Chattanooga holding a 14-4 lead. The Mocs are 4-3 at Jacksonville and have won the last six games in series and 14 of the last 15.

QUOTABLE: "We need to keep learning and keep getting better. We've played a couple of good games and a couple of bad ones. We need to become more consistent in our effort and our execution which is typical of young teams. Jacksonville State beat Georgia Southern by 22, lost to Georgia by three and plays very well at home." - Head Coach John Shulman

PROBABLE STARTERS: F - Ricky Taylor, So. (9.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg); F - Ridge McKeither, Jr. (12.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg); C - Jeremy Saffore, Jr. (7.2ppg, 4.3 rpg); G - Keegan Bell, So. (8.5 ppg, 5.7 apg); G - Josh Odem, Fr. (10.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg).

GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ChattanoogaMocs, or on Twitter, www.twitter.com/GoMocs.

Chattanooga Grinds Out 74-70 Win over Longwood

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Josh Cain Named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American Football Team

From ovcsports.com

Jacksonville State senior defensive back Josh Cain and Tennessee Tech junior offensive lineman Taylor Askew have been named to the prestigious ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Football Team as selected by CoSIDA. Cain was a first-team selection while Askew was a second-team pick.

Overall the OVC has had 182 student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors since 1970, including 12 during the 2008-09 school year. Cain and Askew are the second and third OVC student-athletes to earn the honor this season (following volleyball student-athlete Molly Davis who earned the honor on Monday).

There have been 28 football players named Academic All-Americas, including 14 first-team selections. Cain and Askew are the first OVC football student-athletes to earn the award since the 2005 season.

Cain ranked second on the JSU team with 67 tackles this season. Cain, who was also named to the AFC Good Works Team, is very active in numerous organizations. His off-the-field contributions include working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as a team huddle leader, a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program, a counselor for the Kanakuk Sports Kamps and he also has spent last summer with a medical missionary team in Tanzania, Africa.

The Wetumpka, Ala., native also has excelled in the classroom, earning his degree in Computer Science this past summer with a 3.89 grade point average. He has also rolled up numerous academic honors, including being named to the President's List, Dean's List and the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll. He has also been awarded the Ohio Valley Conference Academic Medal of Honor, while being a representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and a member of the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society.

Askew, a junior from Knoxville, owns a 4.0 grade point average while majoring in political science, and has been a starter for the Golden Eagles in every game the last two seasons. He is part of an offensive line that ranks among national FCS leaders in fewest sacks allowed, and helped the Golden Eagles bring home the 2009 Sgt. York Trophy by going 3-0 against the league's in-state schools. This season Tech finished second in the OVC standings and were 6-5 overall, the program's first winning season since 2004.

Askew has been named to the TTU Athletic Director's Honor Roll all six of his semesters. The winner of the OVC Academic Medal of Honor for posting the highest GPA in the league among all conference football players each of the past two years, Askew was also named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll the last two seasons. A 2006 graduate of The Webb School in Knoxville, Askew helped his high school team to the TSSAA state playoffs and a runnerup finish in 2005. A verstile prep athlete, he also lettered in track & field, wrestling and lacrosse, and was was captain of both the football and lacrosse teams.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was named the University Division Football Academic All-America of the Year. Overall there were 24 players named to the Academic All-America first-team and 25 players named to the second-team. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Football University Division first-team has three Scholar-Athletes with perfect 4.0 G.P.A.'s. There are six graduate students, 14 seniors and four juniors on the first team. The 24 members of the first team have an average G.P.A. of 3.79.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

ESPN The Magazine - winner of the 2006 and 2003 National Magazine Award for General Excellence - is a provocative and innovative sports publication. Full of insight, analysis, impact and wit, the oversized biweekly with a circulation of 1.9 million looks ahead to give fans a unique perspective on the world of sports.

For more information about the Academic All-America Teams program, please visit http://www.cosida.com.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

September 4, 2010 Oxford, Mississippi

We can't wait. Here is a look at the key losses from this year's team and key returning players:

QB: Key loss: The best QB in the country at any level, Ryan Perrilloux.

Key Returning Players: M. Ivory has shown he can do it all year. He had a good showing against Tech. Brooks Robinson is also ready and is a superb athlete.



RB: Key loss: None.

Key Returning Players: Calving Middleton. He is a classis hard hitting Gamecock Runner. Jamal Young, the talented scatback gives JSU another dimension. Drec Lindley, Richard Freelon, Brandon George and Donald Prince (hopefully) will be in the mix as well.

FB: Key loss: None.

Key Returning Players: Alphonso Freeney and Jahron Brown. Brown may be the most highly recruited player to play FB for the Cocks. He showed some flashes this year. Freeney is a workhorse and very good receiver.

TE: Key Loss: None.

Key Returning Players: Freeman is a bruiser and Justin Howard had a great 2009.

Offensive Line: Key Loss: Reggie Wade, Center. Wade is a great player and will be missed. Josh Carroll (a great Gamecock)

Key Returning Players: All of the starters on the offensive line are back except Reggie Wade. Curt Porter could be a dominant left tackle. Colt Kennedy and Ricky Clemons will be coming off redshirts. Juggernaut Lashus and Devon Hayes should provide depth.

Wide Receiver: Key losses: Greg Smith, Jeff Wilkerson. Two great receivers. Wilkerson quietly became one of the top receivers in JSU history.

Key Returning Players: This is a spot loaded with playmakers: James Shaw, La Ray Williams and Alan Bonner are all back. John Houston Whiddon will return from a medical redshirt. Jeff Cameron will be back from a redshirty year. Also, Whiddon's younger brother, Rayce should be ready to contribute. I don't think it will happen, but I'd love to see T.J. Heath and A.J. Davis get some work next year on the offensive side of the ball.

Defensive Line: Key losses: Brandt Thomas (one of the best in Gamecock history); Santez Mays (a great Gamecock).

Key Returning Players: Kevin Dix (NFL talent); Torrey Davis (NFL talent); Texas Garrott, Monte Lewis (could be the best to play the position at JSU); Jamison Wadley (playmaker); Michael Ellis, Demitrio Tyson. If everybody does what they need to do academically, this will be an absolute strength for the Gamecocks in 2009.

Linebackers: Key losses: The tackling machine, Alexander Henderson. One of the greatest to play the position at JSU.

Key Returning Players: Certified Bonecrusher, Morrell Jones, Andrew Ridgeway (started about 48 games already), Eric Russell. JSU developed some depth this year with Chris Finley, Nick Johnson and Jason Horton. These guys will need to play bigger roles in 2010.


Corners: Key losses: None.
Key Returning Players: I'll take Booker, AJ Davis and TJ Heath as my corners any day of the week. JSU needs some young guys to step up and provide depth.


Safety: Key losses: Josh Cain (2nd leading tackler), Cleezy Clark (pre-season All American) Michael Owens. It will be tough to replace these guys.

Key Returning Players: Keginald Harris. Keg showed he could play when Clark went out with an injury. It looks like we will really be searching to find a second safety.

BEST TEAM IN THE OVC

And the basketball team blows out Georgia Southern. Its a Great Day to be a Gamecock. Memo to Coach Hood at EKU: Next time don't run your mouth before the game.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Looking ahead to the EKU game

This week’s game against Eastern Kentucky is our last game of the season. It’s the last game as a Gamecock for some wonderful seniors and great team leaders. Here are a few thoughts on the upcoming game.

It’s been well documented this week that Eastern Kentucky needs a win this weekend in order to have a winning season for the 32nd consecutive season. Look for EKU to try for a fast start.

Last year, Ryan Perrilloux uncharacteristically had 5 interceptions against EKU. This year, EKU sophomore Jeremy Caldwell leads their team with 7 interceptions on the season. JSU must take care of the ball this year to stay on top. Perrilloux only has 2 interceptions this year and is the top passer in FCS football.

Eastern Kentucky has had a very up and down year. They played a great game in beating Eastern Illinois. They had a very down game last week against Western Carolina, scoring only 7 points.

EKU has an unbelievable 10 blocked kicks this season. EKU Junior DT Andrew Soucy leads the team with 5 blocks.

For what it is worth, Eastern Kentucky was picked in the preseason to win the OVC.

Redshirt Freshman QB TJ Pryor hasn’t thrown a touchdown in the last 4 games.

Watch for Garnett Phelps at WR. With 653 receiving yards, he is second in the OVC. He has 53 receptions on the season.

Cody Watts was the starting QB for their first 3 games. He now plays WR and has 34 receptions for the year.

Watch for JSU to stop the run, force them into passing situations, and put a lot of pressure on their QB with Dix, Davis, and Garrott chasing him.

See you at the game. Let’s support this Gamecock team and the seniors in the last game of 2009!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Tackling Machine - Alexander Henderson



Next weekend will be Alexander Henderson's last game in a Gamecock uniform. Hopefully, it won't be his last football game. There is no doubt the Mobile native has the skill, desire and passion to take his talent to the next level. If an NFL team wants a winner, he will get the chance.

Henderson took a non-traditional route to JSU. His only scholarship offers were to very small schools, but JSU coach Matt Wannebo encouraged him to walk-on with the promise of a scholarship if he showed he could play. Obviously, a good call by Wannebo and needless to say Zander is now on scholarship. He really burst on the scene last year leading the team with over 100 tackles despite missing the Tech game. He had two 20+ tackle games and earned all OVC honors.

Henderson picked up where he left off last year and already has over 100 tackles. After yet another big day against Tennessee Tech, Henderson sat down with Gamecockillustrated.com to reflect on his career, JSU and his plans for the future.

Q: What's your best memory playing at JSU?

A: Even with all of the [success we have had], I would have to say it was my first play against Furman my redshirt freshman year. It was a great feeling because I had worked so hard to get to that spot. I had been told that I couldn't play D1 football. That was my best moment because it really solidified me as one of the players out there.

Q: To what do you attribute your success in leading the team in tackles two years in a row?

A: Just a great defense. Playing with great D-lineman, Brandt Thomas, Jamison Wadley, Santez Mays all those guys. They work hard for me. I have a "want" to get to the ball, but those guys really do a lot for me by stopping the offensive linemen from getting back there to the second level. I give them a lot of respect for that and credit a lot of my success to that.

Q: The Gamecock defense was good last year, but it was dominant this year. What has been the difference?

A: We have become close so as a D spending time together. We are kind of competitive on who does what. We don't want to let each other down because we have a certain bond. We don't want to let each other down because we are so close. I credit our closeness as to why we have been so successful.

Q: Lets talk about some of your teammates. Tell me about the Certified Bonecrusher, Morrell Jones?

A: Morrell Jones is going to be a great player some day. He has [already] been playing great. I think he could be one of the next leading tacklers. He's fast. If you haven't noticed yet, he's fast, he's good.

Q: How about Andrew Ridgeway, it seems like he's been at JSU for about 12 years?

A: We are very close. He is my friend. I feel like he is leaving with me, but he has another year. Andrew is very smart [on the field]. He has a "want to" to get to that ball. He plays with an edge that gravitates to the whole D. We love Ridge being out there. He is a good player.

Q: What about Kevin Dix?

A: I'm at a loss for words. I didn't know he was going to be this good. When he gets close to getting to the quarterback, he has a motor like I've never seen before.

Q: Does he have an opportunity to play in the NFL?

A: I really do. I think he has a very good chance. I don't see why a team would not look at him because he is a great player.

Q: What about young Eric Russell, who has really come on this year?

A: Out of all of the linebackers, . . . he has the best athletic talent out of all of us. He is an amazing athlete. He can jump, run fast, makes tackles. He is a good inside linebacker, don't get me wrong, but when we find that right spot for him that he can learn he is going to flourish and be really good.

Q: Coach Crowe said you were the best player on the team for either team after the FSU game- what did that mean to you?

A: It really meant a lot to me. He recognized that I had the ability to play with those guys and that Coach was showing me a lot of love that I didn't know was there for me as a [former] walk on behind the scenes guy.

Q: What was your emotions coming out of that game?

A: I was hurt but I was also happy because my teammates played their heart out. Everybody played hard. I wish we could have gotten the win, that's why I was so hurt but I was so happy to be out their with my teammates.

Q: What's it like watching FSU and Tech on TV after being on the field with them earlier in the year?

A: We watched the Georgia Tech game on the bus last week. It was kind of surreal being that we were just in the stadium playing those guys. I felt like we were close to playing on the same level with them.

Q: How do you feel about getting an opportunity to avenge your loss to EKU last year?

A: This is my last chance to get back at EKU so we are going to give them everything we have. This is the last game of the year so we are going to have to come with it and send the seniors off in a great manner.

Q: Is the NFL in your future?

A: I hope. I pray on it all the time.

Q: Do you think you have a chance to get drafted or more likely a free agent?

A: I leave it up to [the decision makers]. Either way, I will give any team that takes a chance on me everything I have.

Q: Are you on schedule to graduate/what will you do after graduation?

A: I'm scheduled to graduate this fall. I major in sociology. Right after the season I will go work with a trainer [in the hopes of improving draft status].

Q: What is your forty time?

A: Last time I was timed it was like a 4.6.

Q: What is your dream NFL team to play for?

A: The New Orleans Saints. I know its far fetched, but that's been my team for the longest time. I am from Mobile and that's the closest team.

Q: If the NFL doesn't work, what are your plans?

A: To get my masters degree in business. Hopefully, try to do something in the business world and do something entreprenurial. I would love to do something related to football, just to be around it. I have been around football my whole life since I was 3.

It Was a Good Twenty Minutes

JSU Hoops fan and Gamecockillustrated.com Special Commentator, Chris Yow, provides this outstanding account of the JSU versus UAB game last night:



For 20 minutes last night, the Jacksonville State men's basketball team stood toe-to-toe with the possibly the state's best basketball team. But after the second 20 minutes, the UAB Blazers had doubled up the Gamecocks and took home an 87-62 win in front of a great crowd of 4,218 fans.

After falling behind 14-4 early, mostly due to the early work of Blazers' forward Elijah Millsap, Jax State head coach James Green called time out and rallied his team at the bench.

Green must have said something that lit a fire under the Gamecocks, as the team slowly chipped away at the big lead and overtook the Blazers 25-24 with 8:30 remaining in the first half with a Nick Murphy three-point basket.

The lead would swap hands numerous times before the two teams would go to the locker rooms knotted up at 37.

UAB played very tough on the inside throughout the night, but Jax State was not an easy opponent to say the least. The Gamecocks were physical and made the Blazers work for inside opportunities.

The second half was all about UAB and their ability to score at will, however.

UAB shot a deadly 62.1% from the field in the second half to Jax State's dreadful 25.8%. Those numbers led to 50 second half points by the Blazers and just 25 for the Gamecocks.

Five Blazers scored in double figures. Millsap led all scorers with 18 points, he completed a double-double with 11 rebounds. Blazers' talented point guard Aaron Johnson added 17 points, including going eight-for-eight from the charity stripe.

Jax State put four players in double figures. The most valuable player for the Gamecocks seemed to be Birmingham native Stephen Hall. Hall led the Gamecocks in scoring, along with Trenton Marshall. Both players dropped 14 points on the Blazers defense, but Hall also grabbed 15 boards in the game to lead that statistical category.

Jeremy Bynum added 12 points, making two long balls, including the go-ahead shot in the first half.

Jay-R Stowbridge rounds out the Gamecocks in double figures with 11 points and five assists.

Sean Thurston was held without a rebound the entire night. The junior was not able to be a huge factor after getting into quick foul trouble, but he did add four points and a couple blocked shots on the night.

Saturday is when the men take the court again at Pete Matthews Colisseum. The Gamecocks will play host to Georgia Southern with a 4 p.m. tip-off following the Jax State football win over Eastern Kentucky. After the basketball game, check out the women's volleyball team as they claim the OVC tournament crown with first serve at 7:30 p.m. at the Pete.

Monday, November 16, 2009

JSU by the numbers against TTU

1- punt by JSU for the game
2- QB hits by Jamison Wadley
2- TD's for Greg Smith in the game
3- Passing TD's by Ryan Perrilloux
4- TD's per half for JSU
5- JSU rushing TD's for the game
6- (-6) punt return yards for TTU
7- Tackles for Loss for JSU defense
8- rushing attempts for Ryan Perrilloux for 103 yards
9- Tackles by Josh Cain
10- rushes each for Jamal Young and Drec Lindley for a combined 167 yards
11- there is no 11 exept for RP
12- tackles by The Tackle Machine, Alexander Henderson

UAB Basketball Preview

A little mini-preview on UAB is below. So far this year, they have beaten Green Bay by 12, lost to Kent by 7 on Kent's home court and defeated the mighty Samford Bulldogs by 3.


UAB

Roster

Schedule

Head Coach: Mike Davis, 4th season at UAB - 60-39

2008-2009: 22-12, 11-5 Conference USA, NIT – 1st Round

Outlook: will press and trap for the whole game, complete opposite of Samford, coached by Mike Davis – the last time KSU fans saw Davis was in the 2002 Elite 8 when he was the coach at Indiana, three lettermen returning while losing seven lettermen, lose approximately 90% of scoring and rebounding from a year ago, lose three double digit, 1,000 point career scorers from a year in Robert Vaden, Paul Delaney III and Lawrence Kinnard, have established a nice tradion by going to the 2004 Sweet 16, six postseasons in the last seven years, including three NCAA appearances in the last six years

Sunday, November 15, 2009

JSU Basketball Gets It Going

An excellent win to start the season yesterday before a modest but enthusiastic crowd.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Cocks were playing a D-2 Opponent, West Alabama. They are tough and took mighty Troy to overtime as well as giving La. Lafayette a tough game.

The game was tight until midway into the second half when JSU totally took over the game. The Cocks were led by Stephen Hall with 19 point.

The Gamecocks have a lot of players that can shoot the basketball and are very quick. Juco Transfer Dominique Shellman and Nebraska Transfer Jay-R Stowbridge were both effective pushing and distributing the ball.

JUCO Superstar Trenton Marshall had 17. Not only is he the most talented player on the court you can tell that he is a real leader of the team- constantly encouraging his teammates to get in the right position to make the plays.

It was also a special night for the Senegal Sensation, Amadou "Do" Mbodji. He became the Gamecocks all time leading shot blocker.

Finally- two little things that reaffirm that the hiring of James Green was one of the best hires in twenty years at JSU:

1- After the game, the players were getting ready to do some sort of celebration at half court. Coach Green barely whispered no- and that was the end of it. He is an old school disciplinarian that is going to lead the players to success on and off the court.

2- The players went around the stands shaking hands with the fans and thanking them for their support. Wow. This is the type of little thing that is going to bring basketball back at JSU.

We have a mega game at home Tuesday night against UAB. Get out there and support the Gamecocks!

Friday, November 13, 2009

"Put Me in the Game on 4th and Inches"

The hilight video from the SEMO game is up on Youtube. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaSuHU358Ck

If it doesn't work, just go to youtube and type in Jacksonville State Semo hilights.

2 Newcomers to Watch In Basketball

Tomorrow will be a great day to be a Gamecock. Football early in the day and if you bring your ticket, free admission to the basketball game. I long for the days in the late 80s when JSU averaged about 3,000 a game for basketball and it got really loud. Coach Green is the man that can bring us back to that.

There are 2 new players on the team this year that Gamecock fans should be excited to see. The first is Trenton Marshall, a 6-5 player from Perrilloux's hometown. He averaged over 25 ppg in JUCO and it has been reported that he chose JSU over basketball powers like Ole Miss, Memphis and LSU. Some say he has the potential to play at the next level.

Another exciting newcomer is guard, Jay-R Stowbridge. Jay-R is a former starter at Nebraska, is known for his 3 point shooting ability and defensive intensity.

JSU has some good players returning as well and it should be exciting. The only downside was Geddes Robinson and Brendan Crawford transferring out of the program. Does anyone know why these guys left?

45 Minutes From Atlanta

Here is a great article about a shooting guard that is coming to JSU next year. The article talks about how JSU is only 45 minutes from Atlanta. It reminds me of a story from the 80s'- JSU signed a player from Michigan, he arrived on campus and immediately wanted to know where the beach was.

KCKCC star signs scholarship with Division I program
Posted by on November 12, 2009 - 12:01pm
Tagged in College Basketball Derick Denny KCKCC Sports
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Flanked by (from left) coaches Mike Sylvara, Jon Oler and Bill Sloan (right), Kansas City Kansas Community College scoring leader Derick Denny signed a letter of intent Wednesday to attend Jacksonville State, a Division I member in Jacksonville, Ala. Also on hand were teammates (standing from left) Andre Metoyer, Chad Bailey, Scott Fruehling, Dennis Tinnon and Kevin Lysaught. (KCKCC Photo by Alan Hoskins)

By ALAN HOSKINS, Kansan Contributor

Deadly shooting guard Derick Denny is headed for Jacksonville State University ater he finishes what could be a record-setting scoring career at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

A 6-4 sophomore from Green Bay, Wis., Denny signed a letter of intent awarding him a full scholarship in front of family, friends and teammates Wednesday, Nov. 11.

With 15 three-point goals in 29 attempts (.517) in the Blue Devils’ first three games this season, Denny is on pace to set KCKCC records for three-point goals in a season (161) and career (190) and shooting percentage from three-point (.465).

His 108 three-point goals last season are third on the all-time list and No. 8 on the career list and his three-point percentage of .450 as a frosh is second all-time.

He’s also No. 2 on the list for shooting percentage for a single game, hitting 7 of 8 three-point shots against Haskell for 87.5 percent. Denny followed up the 7 of 8 performance with a career high 29 points in a 75-67 win over North Arkansas which included 7 of 14 three-pointers.

The Blue Devil scoring leader at 19.7 this season, Denny also led last year at 13.3 and finished the 2008-09 season with 55 three-point goals in his final 11 games despite double and triple-teaming by the talent-loaded Kansas Jayhawk Conference.

“He’s the best shooter I’ve coached,” said Blue Devil mentor Jon Oler. “I’ve had some good shooters but he’s far and away the best at getting off his shot. He really moves hard off screens and has the ability to cut to get open. Even the other night when North Ark knew he would be shooting threes, he got off 14 shots.”

Despite getting mounting inquiries from other Division I colleges, Denny decided to sign early in order to concentrate on the upcoming season.

“It was a security thing. They’re going to take care of me and my family with room, board and tuition and I really felt comfortable there,” said Denny, who has a 2-year-old son, Greg, with longtime significant other, Dahlia Munoz, who is also attending KCKCC. “Also, it’s in a good location close to Atlanta.”

A Division I university located in Jacksonville, Ala., about 45 minutes from Atlanta, Jacksonville State is coached by Jerry Green, who is in his second season as head coach after taking Mississippi State to the NCAA Division I tournament in 2008. “They run a lot of picks and screens to set up good shots like we do here,” said Denny.

“Ever since he was in eighth grade, he’s wanted to play Division I basketball and may have had a chance out of high school had he not got hurt,” said his father, Matthew Denny.

A torn ACL cost Denny most of his junior year at Seymour High School in Green Bay and he reinjured it before his senior year and missed half of that season.

A Native American, Denny is a member of the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin. His sister, Mariea Denny, was a student at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence when Denny was seeking a place to play basketball.

Learning of KCKCC, he was given a look by the Blue Devil coaching staff which immediately offered him a scholarship.

Denny’s signing at KCKCC proved a double bonus for the Blue Devil men’s program.

Dennis Tinnon, a 6-7 forward who played against Denny in high school at Green Bay East, joined his former rival this fall and leads the Blue Devils in rebounds (10.0) and is second in scoring (19.3).

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Keys to the Tennessee Tech game

Before we get to the keys of the game, we want to make sure you know about the chance to see JSU football and basketball on Saturday. JSU has a great promotion...Go to the football game, then bring your football ticket stub and get a free general admission ticket to the men's basketball game. A great opportunity to see Coach Green's team in the season opener!

1- Pressure their Quarterback. TN Tech is averaging almost 200 yds per game passing. Sweeney has a passing efficiency score of 125+. Bring the pressure and don't let him get comfortable. They are averaging less than 100 yds per game rushing, so I don't think they'll be able to run for much against us.

2- Staying with the passing game, our corners should be watching for the sophomore WR Tim Benford. He hasn't found the end zone much this year, but has been their most consistent receiver.

3- TN Tech has a respectable defense and has 10 interceptions on the season. Protect the ball. They'll be looking to make an interception and take the momentum away early in the game. A good strong running game with some timely passes ensure success.

4- Kicking game and special teams...see last week's keys. Same here.

5- Home crowd. We have two chances left to see Greg Smith, James Wilkerson, Ryan Perrilloux, Josh Cain, Carnell Clark, Michael Owens, Santez Mays, Alexander Henderson, Josh Carroll, Reggie Wade, and Brandt Thomas. These seniors have endured, played hard, and made us proud to be Gamecocks. Let's give them and the team support these next two weeks. Come out and make some noise.

Go Cocks!

Notes from TN Tech

Here are a few notes from the Tn Tech football website...

Want an early indication that the Golden Eagles will win the game? Check the score at halftime. Tech is 5-1 this season when leading at the half. The Golden Eagles are 4-0 this year when scoring at least 21 points. (I don't expect JSU to be behind at halftime, and I don't expect Tech to score 21. Speaking of halftime, I'm looking forward to seeing the Southerners in Paul Snow Stadium again.)

So far this season Lee Sweeney has established new Tech career records for most passes attempted, most passes completed, most touchdown passes, most touchdowns responsible for, most passing yards and most yards of total offense. (Although UGA sacked him 6 times, he hasn't been sacked much before that game. He gets rid of the ball early.)

Junior Charlie Seivers was named to the preseason all-OVC team. (He is a combination LB/DE on defense)

Tim Benford broke one school record and tied another in his freshman season. He set the record for most receptions in a season (68), and tied the mark with 10 TD receptions [also held by Larry Shipp (2007) and Derek Lee (2002)]. His 782 receiving yards ranked as the seventh highest season in school history.

Sophomore receiver Tim Benford was named co-Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for 122 of Tech’s 265 yards of total offense against Tennessee State (Oct. 31). Benford had five catches, including the game-winner with a 28-yard TD against double coverage with three minutes remaining. It was Benford’s third career 100-yard receiving game, and second of this season. (Looking forward to seeing him match up with our DB's)

NO PASSING ZONE - The Golden Eagles rank 28th nationally and second in the Ohio Valley Conference in passing defense, allowing 170.1 yards per game through the air. (not many yards allowed passing. I know Wilkerson left last week's game early. Any word on how he is doing? It would be great to have all of our weapons available)

After getting six interceptions all of last season, the Golden Eagles have 14 interceptions in the first nine games this year. Tech ranks second in the OVC and 11th nationally in interceptions per game.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Herald Citizen Weighs in on JSU v. T. Tech

JSU aims to play spoiler
Thomas Corhern
Herald-Citizen Assistant Sports Editor
Tuesday, Nov 10, 2009
Jacksonville State quarterback Ryan Perrilloux is tackled by Tennessee Tech defensive back Maurice Smith during last year’s game against the Gamecocks. Contributed Photo/Michael Vigeant
COOKEVILLE — One team in Saturday's tilt between Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech is looking for a championship. The other is looking to play spoiler. Guess which one the Golden Eagles fall under.

Tech (5-4, 4-2 Ohio Valley Conference) enters the contest just one game back in the standings behind Eastern Illinois. At 5-1 and with a tiebreaker against the Golden Eagles, Tech would have to win out and the Panthers would have to lose against UT Martin and Tennessee State to give the Golden Eagles sole possession of their first OVC title since 1975.

But a tie is certainly not out of the question and the Golden Eagles are going to do their best to make sure they can claim their share. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are trying to make a statement after being held out of championship contention, penalized for missing the NCAA's minimum score for the third straight year on their Annual Progress Report. With a 6-3 overall record, 4-1 in the OVC, the Gamecocks would be tied for first place in the league.

Either way, JSU is not going to be an easy win by any stretch of the imagination. Early on this season, the Gamecocks were steamrolling their competition, until JSU ran afoul of Eastern Illinois, who defeated the Gamecocks 28-20. Since then, the games haven't been as big of blowouts, but the Gamecocks are still coming up with big wins.

"I don't really think these guys have really lost a step," said Tech coach Watson Brown. "They're still winning. Their offense is still moving the ball and leading just about every category. Their defense isn't allowing a lot of points. Honestly, they have the best offense in the league and they have the best defense in the league."

Of course, it gets a lot easier when your defense is allowing an average of 11 points per game. In their league games, only Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay have managed to score in double digits.

"Nobody is scoring on these guys," Brown said. "If you take away the returned kicks that Austin Peay and Eastern Illinois had, they're really just allowing seven points. If we're going to win, we have to find ways to put points on the board. We need at least 20, but they're going to make us work for every point we get."

A tough task indeed as the Gamecocks' defense has not allowed a touchdown in its last nine quarters -- 154 minutes and 35 seconds, as a matter of fact. The Panthers were the last team to find the end zone back on Oct. 24.

Offensively, former LSU quarterback-turned-Gamecock Ryan Perrilloux is the cornerstone of the team, and he has been a one-man wrecking crew in the league.

"He's the best offensive player in this conference," Brown said. "It all starts with him. He's made big plays all season and the challenge is going to be on us to find ways to stop him."

Gamecocks coach Jack Crowe has a lot of respect for the up-and-coming Tech program and knows Saturday's game is going to mean a lot to the Golden Eagles.

"We are challenged coming into this week's game against Tech," Crowe said during his weekly press conference on Monday. "This is a team that is playing for at least a tie for the championship. They've been a very efficient football team. As you look at them statistically, you don't see a strength and weakness category. They are right there in everything in a median area. They are really playing good football. ... They are where they need to be, when they are supposed to be there on offense and defense, and they are making the plays. They are a very sound team, which is a sign of good coaching."

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Austin Peay Hilights

Follow the link below for some great hilights of JSU's victory over Austin Peay. If there are two more athletic corners in FCS than T.J. and A.J. I'd love to know who they are. These videos are great. I wish they would use Pacino's speech from Any Given Sunday as the background one time- it may be the best speech in sports movie history.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh0lLdb1K9k

Gadsden Times Previews JSU v. Tenn. Tech

Here is an excerpt. For the rest of the article go to www.gadsdentimes.com

JSU hosts Tennessee Tech

By Jimmy Smothers
TimesSports Editor Emeritus



JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville State will play the first of two home games that wrap up its season when the Gamecocks host Tennessee Tech Saturday.


The final game of the season will be the following week against Eastern Kentucky. Both games are set to kick off at noon.

The Gamecocks (6-3, 4-1) are on a two-game winning streak and are looking to close out the remainder of the season by doubling it. But rather than going into Saturday’s game on a high note, head coach Jack Crowe said at his Monday press conference there wasn’t a “whole lot of satisfaction” at the end of last week’s game, despite a 28-3 win over Southeast Missouri.

“We really have to step back a little bit and look at it in its entirety,” Crowe said. “We just didn’t finish the game very well.”

The Herald Citizen on Tennessee Tech

Tennessee Tech is coming off a shellacking at Georgia. Here is what their hometown paper had to say.


TTU FOOTBALL: Tech optimistic after UGA loss
Thomas Corhern
Herald-Citizen Assistant Sports Editor
Monday, Nov 09, 2009
click to view gallery
ATHENS, Ga. -- After Saturday's 38-0 loss to Georgia, the Tennessee Tech football team is ready to be back on its own turf as it prepares for a crucial Ohio Valley Conference matchup this Saturday at Jacksonville State.

And while the Golden Eagles were shut out, there's no hard feelings between the two programs.

"I wish the best for Mark (Richt) and his team the rest of the way," said Golden Eagles coach Watson Brown. "I know that this is good for college football. The fans and everybody sometimes wonder why you do these things, but the dollars we get out of this is huge. The memories the kids get out of these games will be with them for the rest of their lives. They'll all say I played at Georgia, at Auburn, at Arkansas or wherever else we're headed.

"The dollars are important to us and I think it helps the Georgias of the world where they don't have an open date and they have a game and they get to play a lot of people and get a little fresher. He's got some very important games that he's got to get ready for too. Both of us leave this game and we gain something from it because we've both still got a lot left on the table."

The game also gave Brown the opportunity to put a few players in who haven't had a lot of playing time, including Georgia native and Tech backup quarterback Tre Lamb.

Lamb threw for 37 yards on 3-for-6 passing in the contest as he took over the Tech offense in the second half.

Brown was asked during the postgame interview whether Lamb would be the Golden Eagles' quarterback of the future.

"There's three of them, and there may be a fourth," Brown said. "They'll all fight it out in the spring. Lee Sweeney's been our guy for three years, so it will be a totally different offensive bunch. We'll get back to things that I really like to do -- run the option, throw the ball, spread it out. There's three quarterbacks on our campus now that will fight it out and I'll probably bring in a fourth one. We've got all but nine guys back on this team, and, really, all but 17 back for two more years. We're a young bunch and we're going to need a quarterback to come through for us in the future."

Current QB starter Sweeney saw a lot of pressure from the Georgia defense on Saturday as he was sacked four times, and Brown was honest -- it could have been a lot worse.

"It could have been 10," Brown said. "It would have been 20 if I had called passes. They were killing us. We could not hold them out. It could have been a lot worse. That's why I tried to stay very conservative and played as many quarterbacks as I did. I had two young ones that I needed to get some reps with, partly because it was katy-bar the door back there."

When asked about the positives from Saturday's loss, Brown answered bluntly.

"Not much," the veteran coach said. "We played hard, but I don't know if I can take anything out of it, really. We were classy. We didn't drop our heads. We didn't start fussing at one another. We hung in there and we played as hard as we could play. That's a winning bunch.

"I told our kids we've played nine games and we've played two seasons. One season of playing (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams and one season of everything else. We're 5-2 in that other season and we're going home still in the conference race. We're going home in second place in the OVC with a chance to win or tie the championship. There's a lot to get out of this and hopefully we'll take it home, get our heads up and get some competitiveness about us when we play a really tough Jacksonville State team on Saturday."

A major positive, though, was even against an FBS power such as Georgia, Tech was able to hold on to the ball. The Golden Eagles improved their turnover ratio to plus-5 with an interception on Bulldog quarterback Logan Gray, while not giving the ball up themselves.

"We did a lot of things," Brown said. "We didn't have any penalties, we didn't have any turnovers. We just got whipped, dominated."

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Monday, November 9, 2009

Coach Crowe's Press Conference Quotes - 11-9

Courtesy of JSUGamecocksports.com

QUOTING JSU HEAD COACH JACK CROWE

On The Southeast Missouri Game
“We were glad to win. There wasn’t a whole lot of satisfaction in the win by the end of the game to be honest with you. So, we really had to step back from it a little bit and look at it in its entirety. We didn’t finish the game very well. Give credit to Southeast Missouri. To be down 21-0 as quickly as they were, I didn’t think their intensity or pace of play dropped off one bit. Us on the other hand, there were just times of real inconsistency. I thought we arrived ready to play. We returned kicks, blocked kicks, covered kicks and made plays on offense and defense. Whatever I said at halftime didn’t have much affect on them, because we didn’t sustain it very well.”

On this week’s game against Tennessee Tech
“We are challenged coming into this week’s game against Tennessee Tech, which has been a very efficient football team. As you look at them statistically, you don’t see a strength and weakness category. They are right there in everything in a median area. They are doing a good job of protecting the ball. They are really playing good football. Usually, when you do that you have an experienced quarterback. Lee Sweeney is a three-year starter who transferred from Louisville. He is a big, strapping, run the game type of player. He has the most productive wide receiver to throw two in Tim Benford. Those two are probably where it starts, but you have got a couple guys with good hands in Henry Sailes, who has been in and out of the line up, and the running back Dontey Gay. Those two guys have made a lot of open field plays for them and at the same time, they have had consistency in the running game and in the passing game. We need to take them out of their rhythm somehow on offense. Defensively, they are very multiple and they do a great job with the schemes and the players are playing more in the system now. They are where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be there on offense and defense, and they are making the plays. They are a very sound team, which is a sign of good coaching.

On his own team
“We feel enormously challenged by this team. We feel challenged by ourselves in the way we finished the game last week. This is a very talented football team that still has a high level of motivation. I think they were very disappointed in not finishing the game at a high level. There is nothing lackadaisical about this football team. There are very talented players on this team, that when it doesn’t get done right, they get very frustrated because they expect a lot out of themselves. I expect there own expectations to bring them back and I would expect that it is going to result in us playing the best they have played all year here at the end. The pieces are there. It is not an attitude problem, nor is there a work problem. If anything, it is inconsistent focus by our first and second year players. James Wilkerson came out the game after the opening kick and we didn’t put him back in and Brandt Thomas was out. Everytime we lose one of those core players, the thing has a little less continuity to it. I expect everybody to there by game day. We will have some that will be limited. If there is somebody that is not going to be there it will be disclosed to us on the practice field. Jim Skidmore does a great job, so my expectations are that he will have them all ready to play.”

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Volleyball Regular Season OVC Champs

The Volleyball team has had a dominant regular season and won the OVC title. Sorry we haven't been able to provide more coverage of this awesome team. Here is a story from the JSU website on the win against Austin Peay which clinched the title.

JACKSONVILLE – Despite dropping the first two sets on Friday night, the Jacksonville State volleyball team rallied to win the final three and claim a 3-2 (21-25, 11-25, 28-26, 25-16, 15-13) win over Austin Peay and clinch the 2009 Ohio Valley Conference regular season title.

The Gamecocks (22-5, 15-0 OVC) were able to overcome an 0-2 deficit for the second-straight match and extend their winning streak to 16 matches. Despite being picked to finish sixth in the OVC’s preseason poll, JSU finished off the season sweep of the Lady Govs (19-8, 12-3 OVC) to secure its fourth OVC Trophy in the past five seasons and the right to host the conference tournament in two weeks.

“Obviously we were being judged in the preseason on what we did last year, bue we had high expectations for ourselves going into the year,” JSU head coach Rick Nold said. “We knew we made some big improvements. You don’t know if it’s going to turn into a championship, but we knew we at least had a team that could compete for that. We’ve played confident all year so far, but we’re making sure we keep making steps to give ourselves a chance to win the conference tournament.”

Sophomore Lauren Harkins led a JSU defensive effort that made a turnaround after dropping a lopsided second set. The Louisville, Ky., native had 21 digs in the match, 16 of which came over the final three sets. She increased her career total to 1,000 digs, making her just the eighth player in school history to reach that mark.

Harkins also moved her season total to 518, just eight digs shy of Kisha West’s single season record that was set in 2005. Senior Brittney Whitten, who is second on the school’s career digs list, recorded a double-double with 17 kills and a match-high 26 digs. The Boonville, Ind., native amassed 13 kills and 18 digs over the final three sets.

Two other JSU players, freshman Alyx Schulte and sophomore Allie Schleisman, contributed to the defensive effort with 12 digs apiece. The Gamecocks’ front row defense was also a big turning point. They knocked down just three blocks but got a hand on a lot of APSU attacks at the nets, helping the back row set up the offense with solid passes.

“I thought the biggest difference for us was in blocking, although it doesn’t show up in the blocking numbers,” Nold said. “It just made defense a little easier for our back row people. It took away a bigger part of the court, and when we do that I think our back row defense is a s good as anybody’s.”

Whitten was one of five JSU players with 10 or more kills on the offensive end, with freshman Jen Meyer adding 16 on a .483 attack percentage. The Maineville, Ohio, native was a bright spot on a team that hit just .208 through the first two sets in the match. Junior Caitlin Vorbeck added 15 kills in the win, while Schulte and junior Kara Slater each pitched in 10 kills.

Austin Peay, who hit .382 over the first two sets before hitting less than .200 in each of the last three, were led by Stephanie Champine’s 18 kills and 15 digs. Paige Economos led the Lady Govs’ defense with 23 digs, while Kirstin Distler notched a double-double with 12 digs and 10 kills.

“They came out playing very well, but we weren’t ready to play out of the gate,” Nold added. “When that happens, a team is going to beat up on you and that’s what they did in those first two games. We’ve shown all year that we are very resilient. We’ve gotten in some tough situations and battled back, and once again we pulled through tonight.”

The tournament, which will consist of the league’s top six teams, will be in Jacksonville for the third time in the past four seasons. It will span three days, and full details will be released next week.

The Gamecocks will wrap up their regular season home schedule on Saturday, when they take on Tennessee State at 2 p.m. at Pete Mathews Coliseum. It will be Senior Day for the Gamecocks, and the team’s two seniors, Whitten and Paige Beasley, will be honored prior to the match. Admission is free for all fans.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Keys to the SEMO game

1 - Avoid blocked punts. This really needs no explanation. SEMO has blocked 2 punts and a field goal this year. We have allowed 2 blocked punts. Tatum is a good punter. Last week, we saw Perrilloux and Ivory punt and put the opposing team deep in a hole.

2 - Put pressure on their quarterback. He has thrown quite a few interceptions this year. If Mays, Dix, Davis and Thomas can put some pressure on him early, we may get a couple of turnovers.

3 - Get the running game going. SEMO has been soft on defending the run this season. This would be a great game to get a 100 yard rusher. We have some good running backs. Jamal Young has been the starter of late, and you can't really argue that. Middleton provides power, and has had some good runs this year. I'd still like to see more of Drec Lindley as he comes back from the broken hand. And Jahron Brown should be the power back of the future. Brandon George is another talented running back that could see more playing time.

4 - This is a game that we should win, given SEMO's record this season. They don't have a win against an FCS team. JSU cannot go into this game unprepared. We know this team has worked hard all season. Let's play hard this game and execute.

5 - Clog up the middle. Defend the run well. Make them throw the ball on 3rd down. They have been predominantly a running team. Our defense should be able to stop the run as they did against Peay. Look for Henderson to have a lot of tackles this weekend.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Getting ready for SEMO

We captured a few game notes from the SEMO website...(and added a few comments in parentheses)

Southeast registered a combined seven sacks -- including a season-high of four at Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 31) -- over its last two games.

Southeast’s -14 (20-6) margin of defeat at Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 31) was its largest in a OVC game this season. The Redhawks had not lost a conference game by more than 12 points prior to their meeting with the Colonels. (They are keeping it close, but haven't had a win in the OVC yet)

Southeast's defense has forced a turnover in six-straight games. They have 9 interceptions and 8 fumble recoveries on the season. (They are hoping to add to this total this week. Their defense has improved over this season and will probably look at turnovers as a path to an upset.)

Junior LB Justin Woodlief had a career-high 16 tackles (10 solo, 6 assisted) against Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 31). Woodlief leads the OVC and ranks 29th in the nation with 77 tackles. He has posted 10 or more tackles in five of eight games this season. Woodlief is a transfer from San Jose State University and became a starter this season on Sept. 19th.

Southeast has 3 blocked kicks (2 punts, 1 field goal) on the year. (We’ve got to be ready for them to try this weekend.)

The Redhawks boast the OVC’s top red zone defense through eight games this season. Opponents have scored on 22-of-34 (64.7 percent) chances in the red zone. The Redhawks defense also forced four turnovers -- two inside their 5-yardline -- in the red zone.

Sophomore QB Matt Scheible has thrown an interception in seven-straight starts. Seven of Scheible’s league-high 13 picks have come in the Redhawks last three games alone. (you know he isn’t looking forward to facing our defensive backfield.)

Southeast has allowed the most third-down conversions in the OVC this season.

Southeast Missouri has three of the OVC’s top six tacklers in conference games only this season. LB Justin Woodlief is second with 65 tackles, while LB Philip Klaproth (54) and FS Bryan Blanfort (53) are fifth and sixth, respectively. (is this a good stat? Could mean that your defense is on the field for many more plays than anyone else. I noticed in time of possession, their opponents have an advantage by over 9 minutes per game. This in spite of beating their first opponent, Quincy, 72-3.)

The Redhawks are currently one of eight NCAA Football Championship Subdivison schools without a win over a FCS opponent. (Let’s keep it that way for at least one more week.)

PK Doug Spada has a 53 yard field goal this season. He is also their All-American punter.

Excellent OVC Basketball Preview

CBS Sports.com has a very good OVC Basketball Preview. The Gamecocks are picked 5th behind Morehead, EIU and Murray.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Southeast Missourian Previews the JSU-SEMO Game

Two ranked opponents highlight remaining schedule
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian
The Redhawks football team will close the season at Houck Stadium

Southeast Missouri State will try to take advantage of three straight season-ending home games in an attempt to salvage something from this tough year.

But making the task difficult for the reeling Redhawks is the fact two of their final three opponents are ranked nationally.

The rugged closing stretch begins Saturday against No. 15 Jacksonville State (5-3, 3-1 Ohio Valley Conference), which is ineligible for the OVC title and Division I-AA playoffs because of NCAA Academic Progress Rate shortcomings.

Southeast gets something of a minor break when Murray State (2-6, 1-4) visits the following week.

Then No. 3 Southern Illinois (7-1), which is tied for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference, comes to town for the season finale Nov. 21.

"It's good to be back home," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said during his weekly news conference Monday. "All [three are] tough games. They should all be very exciting games."

Southeast (1-7, 0-6) suffered its seventh straight loss Saturday, 20-6 at Eastern Kentucky.

As has been the theme in every OVC game, the Redhawks hung tough and had plenty of chances before coming up short.

Saturday's contest marked Southeast's largest OVC margin of defeat this year, but the score was misleading because two-time defending OVC champion Eastern Kentucky scored its final touchdown with 4 seconds left.

"We played hard. We had our opportunities," Samuel said. "Any time you lose close games ... there's something about the mentality of a close game. It's tough."

While Samuel doesn't like to single out any phase of a team, Southeast's offense has struggled much of the conference season and particularly in recent weeks.

The Redhawks have scored just five offensive touchdowns in the last four games. Southeast is averaging 13.3 points during that stretch, which has negated some strong defensive performances.

The Redhawks gained just 245 yards on offense and scored their only touchdown with 4 minutes, 5 seconds to play after they trailed 13-0 against Eastern Kentucky.

"The defense is playing good. The defense could play better," Samuel said. "I've never tried to isolate an area. You'd like to score more points. But you could give up less points."

Southeast will be hard-pressed to score points and keep from giving up points Saturday against a loaded Jacksonville State squad that leads the OVC in the four major team statistical categories.

The Gamecocks are first in scoring offense (34 points per game), scoring defense (16.4), total offense (421.5 yards per game) and total defense (278.2).

Jacksonville State is led by senior quarterback Ryan Perrilloux, the heralded former LSU transfer who leads all of Division I in passing efficiency during his second season with the Gamecocks.

Two of the Gamecocks' losses were to Division I-A squads, 37-17 at Georgia Tech and 19-9 at Florida State in a game Jacksonville State led until less than one minute remained.

"They're a great football team," Samuel said. "But everybody's beatable."

Spada update

Samuel said senior kicker/punter Doug Spada's availability for Saturday is not yet known.

Spada missed the Eastern Kentucky game after punting but not kicking the previous contest at Tennessee Tech. He is hobbled by a sprained right ankle suffered in a mishap on some steps the week leading up to Tennessee Tech.

Redshirt freshman Curtis Huge handled the kicking and punting at Eastern Kentucky after he kicked at Tennessee Tech.

Samuel said he had been hopeful Spada, an All-American punter, would be available at Eastern Kentucky but "his ankle blew up on him. The swelling was going away, but it was just too sore."

Monday, November 2, 2009

A few observations

Couldn't go to the game, but watched it on the computer. It was very frustrating how they would try to change camera angles 3 or 4 times during each play. That made it very hard to follow.

One more road game, then two home games!

The defense was again very strong. Held APSU to less than 3 yards per carry on the ground. Peay quarterback Ryan completed 3 passes to his own team, and had 2 interceptions. TJ Heath added to his season total and now has 6 picks. AJ Davis got in on the action and eluded would-be tacklers for 55 yards en route to a touchdown.

Josh Cain led the defense with 14 tackles for the game.

Perrilloux picks up another OVC player of the week award - his 5th. He now has 17 passing td's for the season and another 5 rushing td's.

Calvin Middleton took a short pass and turned it into a 34 yard play for a touchdown.

Who's that punting? Both Perrilloux and Marques Ivory got in on the action by punting. Both were effective in putting Peay's back to the end zone with deep punts. Ivory's measured 47 yards.

Jamal Young and Calvin Middleton continue to get the most carries in the running game. While JSU continues to approach 200 yards rushing in a game, it is spread out among many athletes.

We had another blocked punt, and this time it was returned for a touchdown. That made the game much closer than it should have been. While Peay sent nearly everyone on this play, we have to come up with an answer, as giving away 7 points could cost another game somewhere down the road.

One more thing to work on - the Gamecocks had 11 penalties for 126 yards.

SEMO is next...Let's go Cocks!