A Second Chance for Doug Williams

On March 1st, Doug Williams began his second tenure as head coach at one of the most respected football programs in the nation and I can't say that I'm surprised by the mixed reaction from Gramblinites worldwide. Ironically, the majority of these so-called fans rarely make any major contribution to the university in the first place.

Let's be honest for a second. If you're truly about winning, then why shouldn't you be excited about this move?

Williams coached at Grambling for six seasons and won three SWAC Titles. In 2000, GSU finished 10-2 and captured the first of its three consecutive SWAC Titles. While Williams' 1-5 record in the Bayou Classic is as impressive as a 2.0 in grad school, Grambling is all about winning championships. Aren't we?

If we’re truly about winning championship then where was all the complaining about former coach Rod Broadway's teams?

Many didn't have much to say about Grambling winning one championship in four seasons.
What about the fact that the Tigers haven't had a player selected in the NFL Draft since 2006? Finally, how about the fact that Grambling lost to Prairie View in 2009 for the first time in more than 20 years?

Many were content with how far the football program had fallen because the Tigers won three out of four Bayou Classics. It seems as if this once proud program has been defined by whether or not it defeats Southern, a program that’s a combined 22-23 over the last four seasons. So if Grambling is truly the place where we develop champions, then why should the Grambling fan base have mixed feelings on Doug's return? It's simple, because some still have a bad taste in their mouth from how he departed the first time.

However, my message to you is PLEASE GET OVER IT.

Many of you would have left and never looked back under similar circumstances.
How do I know? The majority of you have already done so. If you hadn't, Northeastern Louisiana would be flooded with Gramblinites from all over the country. When the truth of the matter is, many graduates leave and only return to the university once a year, if that. The majority of graduates aren't returning and giving back to the university that gave so much to them. However, for some odd reason, these same graduates have the audacity to judge someone who left and never stopped giving or getting others to give. Someone please explain your rationale to me! Anyone remember the $1 million that Williams was able to get donated by Hugh Culverhouse Jr.? Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

In a time in which the athletic department has been hit extremely hard with budget cuts, you would think that the Grambling faithful would understand the importance of Doug Williams as the face of its most recognizable athletic program.

"Grambling has been good for me and I hope that I've been good for Grambling," Williams said after resigning in 2004. Maybe it's me, but I don't believe anyone can make an argument that those words still don't ring true in 2011. Some are fearful that his sole purpose in returning is to coach his son and leave once DJ Williams' eligibility is up. Unless many of you know something that the rest of the world doesn't know, his son committed to play for another coach who recruited him.

To all Grambling fans worldwide this is a moment to unite and stand strong. During a time in which there are so many reasons to rejoice, many have found reasons to doubt someone who has done far more good for the university than any of you can say they ever have. Many have pointed to the fact that Williams hasn't coached in seven years and will have to recruit under stricter admission policies than he did in his first stint as the Tigers coach.

My challenge for you is to offer a bigger name in HBCU football than Doug Williams.
Yes, it will take more than a big name to return Grambling back to where it once was as the top program in HBCU football.

However, Williams has won before and hasn't shown any reason to doubt that he won't win again.

Bobby Washington Named New Men's Basketball Coach at Grambling

Grambling State University will name Bobby Washington as its head coach today. The Tigers finished 7-21 this past season, however, GSU upset top seeded Jackson State in the opening round of the SWAC tournament and came within three points of advancing to the conference final. With the interim tag still on, Washington was able to secure one commitment in the fall, 6-6 Kaleb Knight from Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge, LA. Details of Washington's deal have not been released

GSU vs. JSU Preview

Grambling travels east on I-20 to face Jackson State for the fifth time since 2007. GSU defeated Northwestern State 38-17 last week, while Jackson State was defeated by Tennessee State 14-7.

Last week Grambling’s offense was pitiful. Many will say that the weather played a major factor in the four turnovers that were given away by this group. However, eight turnovers in two weeks is unacceptable. Frank Warren was amongst the few bright spots in their victory over NWSU. Warren had 156 yards on 12 carries and ripped off a 80-yard gain in the final quarter to seal the victory. Rodale Pippen led the team with six receptions and had a pair of highlight worthy catches while Jesse Smith Jr. was “Mr. Reliable” with five receptions. Greg Dillon has the potential to be one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in the SWAC. However, in the opening two weeks of the season, his play indicates that he is pressing. If a third consecutive three turnover performances occurs this weak, Broadway and his staff might want to think about playing Danny Reyes. An average of three turnovers each game by your starting quarterback is as they say in Spanish, “No Bueno”. If it continues, GSU fans can forget about a championship, regardless of how weak the SWAC is as a conference.

Jackson State run defense has been non-existent in the opening two games of the season. They have given up more than 200 yards on the ground in both games. In their seven point loss last week, JSU gave up 217 yards on the ground, which also forced them to loose the time of possession battle. A stat that normally is critical in a low scoring game. Marcus Jamison and Terrance Oniuke led the team with eight tackles respectfully.

Jackson State offense hasn’t really been much better. While they racked up 317 total yards last week, nearly 40% of their total yards came on four plays. JSU will start a freshman this week at quarterback in Dedric McDonald. McDonald was 11 of 24 for 163 yards with both a touchdown and a interception. He will have a pair of dangerous receivers in Keenan Tillman and Anthony Mayes. Tillman had the lone touchdown against TSU while Mayes had five receptions for 105 yards.

Grambling’s defense nearly scored more points than both GSU and JSU offense’s combined last week. Christian Anthony played like a grown man as he was directly responsible for 14 points by himself. Anthony had eight tackles, two interceptions a sack and a body slam. While he has received the most attention, TJ McCord was equally impressive, McCord had 15 tackles and a forced a fumble. However, even with the defense racking up all these points, lets not forget how bad they were against the run. NWSU ran the ball down their throat, racking up nearly 200 yards on the ground as Grambling continues to struggle to sustain any type of gap control. Which will be key as the season continues.

Grambling should have an easy time against Jackson State this week, as JSU isn’t a team on the rise, and Grambling is still searching for respect. Look for Dillon to take what the defense gives him and Warren and Cornelius Walker to have outstanding games.

Prediction

Grambling 33
Jackson 10

NWSU vs GSU Preview

Grambling will host their first home game in 2009 when the Northwestern State Demons visit. Both schools will be looking for their first victories of the season, as the Demons lost their opening game 55-7 to Houston while the Tigers lost to South Carolina State 34-31.

Last week marked the most explosive Grambling offense that we’ve seen under offensive coordinator James Spady. The Tigers racked up 426 yards, scored 31 points but had four turnovers. QB Greg Dillon was 17 of 28 for 269 yards and had a pair of touchdowns. However, he was also responsible for three of the four turnovers. Frank Warren and Cornelius Walker ran well in-between the tackles and Dante Cheek was equally impressive catching the ball from his full back position. Dillon completed passes to eleven different receivers, which were led by Van Phillips’ three receptions for 48 yards.

Northwestern State’s defense on the other hand wasn’t as impressive in their week one performance. The Demons gave up over 500 yards in total offense and allowed 41 points in the first half. NWSU allowed 447 yards through the air and their secondary will have to be better if they are to have any chance at winning this game. In addition, the Demons front four failed to put any pressure on the opposing quarterback netting a total of three tackles for loss.

Failure is the most accurate word to describe NWSU offensive opening game performance. The Demons only had 263 total yards last week. John Hundley completed 22 of 34 passes and had the lone touchdown pass in their 48 point loss to Houston. William Griffin had 63 yards on ten carries and Darrius Duffy led the team with six receptions. While Hundley completed 22 passes, he only had 106 total yards as his receivers were unable to pick up a significant amount of yards after the catches.

While most fans will be concerned that South Carolina State scored 34 points last week, 14 of them came off of drives consisting of less than 20 yards. Grambling’s defense allowed nearly 200 yards on the ground and at times had a very difficult time getting any type of pressure from the interior of their front four. However, the most troubling facet within the defense was the amount of missed tackles last week, something that will have to get fixed as the season continues.

GSU lost to NWSU last season and despite what Broadway will say publicly, it’s something that has remained in the back of their minds for quite some time. Grambling’s front seven has to perform better than they did last week and the offense should build on their success from week one. Grambling’s offensive line must give Dillon time to throw, because the Demons defensive backs will have a tough time defending Grambling’s receivers down field. If this happens and the correct plays are called, Grambling should return to their winning ways. That’s IF the correct plays are called.

Prediction
Grambling 34
NWSU 27

MEAC/SWAC Preview

The Grambling State Tigers and South Carolina State Bulldogs will participate in the fifth annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando, FL on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. This will be the opening game for both teams.

When GSU has the ball:

Ten starters return and all eyes will be on the continued progression of QB Greg Dillon. Dillon is the pure definition of a dual threat quarterback as he nearly ran for 700 yards while completing 18 touchdown passes. Frank Warren and Cornelius Walker return as one of the best running back duos in black college football. Kiare Thompson also returns as the Tigers leading receiver and will be joined by a young receiving core. However, two players to watch out for are WR Rodale Pippen and TE Larry Donnell. Donnell is a natural mismatch and Pippen has the makings of becoming a game breaker

South Carolina State’s defense was impressive last year. The Bulldogs ranked 11th in the nation in total defense and return six starters. SCSU lost MLB Marshall McFadden this season to an injury and he will be replaced by Julius Wilkerson. Markee Hamlin and Rafael Bush return as two of the best defensive backs in the MEAC. If Grambling’s offensive line is able to open up lanes for their rushing attack, it may be a long day for the Bulldogs. However, if they aren’t able to establish a running game, it takes GSU away from what it does best; which is control the pace of the game

Advantage: Grambling

When SCSU has the ball:

Will Ford is one of the best running backs in college football. Ford nearly had 1500 yards with 13 touchdowns last season. However, if Ford is thunder, than RB Travil Jamison has to be lightning. Jamison is an explosive back who is a threat each time he has the ball. Jamison led the team in touchdowns last season with 16. Oliver (Tre’) Young returns as South Carolina State’s leading receiver, Young had 48 receptions and will be QB Malcolm Long’s go-to receiver. Long is a quality passer who threw for nearly 2000 yards while completing 57% of his passes.

Grambling led the nation in turnovers forced last season and will be led by Christian Anthony. Anthony had 55 tackles with eight sacks and is primed for even bigger numbers this year. Bruno Foster might be the best kept secret in the SWAC and Nigel Copeland leads a loaded secondary.

It will be strength versus strength as SCSU likes the run the ball and GSU keys on stopping the run. While Ford and Jamison are the best 1-2 punch in HBCU football, the offensive line that will have three new starters have to provide room to run. A feat that is very hard to imagine against Grambling’s defense.

Advantage: Grambling

Whichever team’s offensive line plays the best will win. It’s as simple as that. Both offensive lines will have their problems, I just feel that Grambling's won't have as many.

Prediction: Grambling 27, SCSU 20

Is SCSU Writing Checks They Can't Cash?

The fifth annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge featuring the South Carolina State Bulldogs and Grambling State Tigers has had all the pre-game hype one could ask for. For the past year, many have had a hard time understanding how Grambling captured the Sheridan Black College National Title in 2008. South Carolina State finished the season ranked higher in the USA Today Top 25 National Poll finishing 13th while Grambling was 24th in 2008. That alone was a major engine in building the pre-game hype. However, with the recent uploading of a you tube video the hype may have just gotten a little bigger.

The video for the most part is narrated by Malcolm Long, the Bulldogs starting quarterback, but it features interviews from players, students, faculty and staff. The most controversial comment was made by DB Dominique Ellis, Ellis a transfer from North Carolina State seems to be convinced that the Bulldogs will win. Ellis stated, “We’re ready, Malcolm will throw for about 500 or 600 yards, Will Ford will run for about 300 yards and I predict we will win 56-0.” Those are strong words against any team, particularly a Rod Broadway led Grambling defense. The Tigers allowed a shade under 14 points a game last season, which was third best in the nation. Only two opponents in 2008 scored more than 30 points in a game and one was Nevada, a FBS program. Grambling led all teams in the football championship subdivision in turnovers forced and ranked 7th nationally in total defense.

While the video has been pulled from you tube and another one published omitting the comment from Ellis, the damage has clearly been done. Grambling learned of it on Sunday and word spead on campus like wildfire. When asked what he thought about the video, SWAC Preseason Defensive player of the year Christian Anthony said, “We won’t talk trash, we’re going to do all of our talking on the field.” Usually teams don’t need any bulletin board material for a game this big, however, SCSU fans can only hope for two things. Ellis didn’t awake a sleeping giant or his teammates can back up each and everything he predicted. Whatever the case may be, Sundays game has just gotten a little spicier as Ellis’s prediction will either be money in the bank or his check will be declined. Tune in Sunday at 2 P.M. ET on ESPN2to find out if Eliis's prediction is good as gold.

HAMPTON VS. FAMU PREVIEW

Hampton Offense vs. Florida A&M Defense

While Hampton's offense has had problems sustaining offensive consistency this season, the Pirates have playmakers all over the field. QB Herbert Bynes is one of the premier quarterbacks in the conference. He ranks second in the MEAC in both efficiency and yards per game. The Pirates have tremendous size and speed at the WR position; Jeremy Gilchrist, Justin Brown, Damon McDaniel and Kevin Teel all have big-play ability. McDaniel transferred to Hampton from Florida State, where he was the third-ranked prep receiver in ESPN's Top 150 for 2006. In addition to the Pirates aerial attack, RB LaMarcus Coker is showing NFL ability. Coker, a transfer from the University of Tennessee and 2006 first team Freshman All-American, has made an immediate impact. Thus far he is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Hampton has put up 30 or more points in five games this season and rank second in the MEAC in total offense this year. Florida A&M's defense has struggled keeping opposing offenses out of the end zone. Through ten games, the Rattlers have only prevented a team from scoring 20 or more points twice. While LB Bryan Parker anchors a defense that ranks fourth against the pass, one must recognize the impact that sophomore DBs Qier Hall and Curtis Holcomb have had on the group. Hall and Holcomb lead the conference in interceptions and should get their fair share of opportunities in this matchup.

Florida A&M Offense vs. Hampton Defense

Florida A&M has utilized the two-quarterback system since the second week of the season. Both Eddie Battle and Curtis Pulley have been effective thus far. However, Pulley has been particularly impressive in four of his past five games. Pulley is a dual- threat quarterback that has 14 touchdowns passes against just four interceptions as well as nearly 600 yards on the ground. RB Phillip Sylvester's numbers are down from a year ago but he remains a big-play threat anytime he touches the ball. WR Kevin Elliott leads the team with 50 receptions and seven touchdowns on the season. The Pirates have arguably the most talented defensive units in the conference. However, that talent hasn't played consistently as a unit. LB Wakeem Goode leads the conference with 97 total tackles and Chris Baker has 53 tackles with 13.5 for loss. Baker transferred from Penn State prior to the season and has wreaked havoc on opposing offensive lines. Sam Pope and Jackie Bates could be the next defensive backs from the MEAC to emerge as impact players on Sundays. Pope and Bates both rank in the top 15 in the conference in passes defended.

Prediction:

This will be Joe Taylor's first game against the respected program he built at Hampton. While Hampton has a very fast and opportunistic defense, they have struggled this season against dual-threat quarterbacks. Curtis Pulley has the ability to cause several problems for the Pirates, and Phillip Sylvester is due for a breakout game. Hampton has the firepower to score points against the Rattlers' defense. However, they just haven't shown enough consistency and cohesiveness down the stretch in order to defeat Florida A&M at home.

SWAC Showdown

The Grambling State Tigers travel to Jackson, MS to square off against the Jackson State Tigers on Saturday. Grambling defeated Arkansas Pine-Bluff 30-24, while Jackson beat Southern 32-26.

When GSU has the ball:
Six games into the season the GSU offense has yet to show any form of explosiveness, despite having the weapons to do so. In last weeks six point victory over Pine-Bluff, Brandon Landers threw more interceptions (2), than touchdowns (1). Frank Warren wrapped up his second consecutive conference newcomer of the week award, after he rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Reginal Jackson also had nine receptions for 90 yards.

In Jackson State’s victory over Southern the Tigers allowed 360 total yards, 337 came via the passing game. Statistically, Jackson State has the top defense in the SWAC; however, three of the four SWAC teams that they have faced aren’t averaging over 300 yards a game, so that stat may be a little deceiving. Jackson State is led by Linebacker Marcellus Speaks who has 46 tackles on the season.

Although Grambling has transformed into one of the most boring offenses in the SWAC, its’ been extremely effective. This week’s opponent surrendered 337 yards through the air against a team who receivers aren’t nearly as talented as Grambling’s. If Brandon Landers gets the opportunity to throw the ball 10-15 yards down the field, it might allow fans to pay attention to the game longer than 15 minutes. In all honesty, this match up hinges on what type of Brandon Landers shows up. If the Brandon Landers who competed 68% of his passes against Alabama A&M shows up, Grambling’s offense will win. If the 19 of 40 for 155 yards and three interceptions Landers shows up, in the words of Dollar Bill in the movie The Players Club, “It’s going to be trouble, trouble, trouble.”

Advantage: Push


When JSU has the ball:

In last weeks victory over Southern, Jimmy Oliver was as consistent as Brittany Spears is responsible with her children. Oliver threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had three interceptions. Erik Haw rushed for 135 yards and Christopher Johnson had 160 yards on five receptions. That game also marked the third consecutive game that Jackson State gained over 400 yards in total offense.

Grambling’s weakness on defense was finally exposed last week. The Tigers secondary was lit up for 369 yards through the air. Pine Bluff-had two receivers over 100 yards and another had 81 yards. UAPB may have laid the blue print on how to beat GSU last weekend and Grambling’s secondary can expect even more work this week.

Advantage: Jackson State

For the first time this season Grambling will be facing a conference foe that will have revenge on their minds, which actually has the talent to beat Grambling. Grambling needs to score early and often, because their offense isn’t built to come from behind. For Grambling to win this game, they absolutely must put pressure on the quarterback. Grambling can’t give up 369 yards in the air this week and expect to still win. If Oliver gets time to throw, he will pick Grambling secondary apart. Grambling must get the ball into their playmakers’ hands, and Landers has to be efficient for the Tiger to win. Which they will, it just will be a little closer than many would expect.

Prediction:
Grambling 27
Jackson 24