Sept. 9, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

THE GAME: North Carolina Central University "Eagles" at Morgan State University "Bears"

THE KICKOFF: Saturday, September 13, 2008 - Kickoff at 4:00 p.m.

THE SITE: Hughes Stadium-Baltimore, Maryland (Capacity: 10,000/Surface: Synthetic Grass)

2008 RECORDS: North Carolina Central (0-2 overall); Morgan State (0-1 overall, 0-0 MEAC)

THE EVENT: NCCU's first trip to Morgan State University for a football game since the teams last played on Oct. 16, 1982.

THE SERIES: This will be the 35th gridiron meeting between NCCU and Morgan State since the teams first played on Nov. 15, 1930. The MSU Bears hold a 20-12-2 advantage in the series. The Bears won the first five contests, then rolled off another five-game win streak from 1964-68, outscoring the Eagles 125-7 during that stretch, including four straight shutouts. NCCU has posted two three-game win streaks, first from 1957-59 and also from 1972-74. MSU has won three of the past four meetings, but the Eagles captured a 27-7 victory in the last meeting on Oct. 16, 1982 in Baltimore, Md.

LAST WEEK FOR NCCU: (James Madison 56, NCCU 7 - September 6 in Harrisonburg, Va.) James Madison University amassed 449 yards of total offense, including 276 rushing yards, en route to a 56-7 victory over North Carolina Central University in front of 15,518 fans inside Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va. James Madison, which dropped from a preseason ranking of No. 2 to No. 8 in the Sports Network Division I-FCS poll following last week's loss at Duke University, entered the contest against NCCU with a strong desire to prove that the Dukes belong back near the top of the rankings. JMU (1-1) made an impressive statement. The Dukes scored eight touchdowns and punted only once, tallying 23 first downs along the way. JMU's balanced offensive attack was led by senior quarterback Rodney Landers, who completed 13-of-17 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 31 yards and a score. Senior running back Eugene Hollowman collected a game-high 88 yards rushing with a touchdown, while Griff Yancey came off the bench to contribute 71 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. NCCU (0-2) managed 203 yards of total offense, including 122 through the air and 81 on the ground. NCCU senior quarterback Stadford Brown completed 16-of-33 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. Sophomore running back Tony McCord topped the Eagles' ground game with 42 yards on 10 carries. Senior receiver Wayne Blackwell caught six passes for 59 yards, including an over-the-shoulder reception in the corner of the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter for the Eagles' lone score. The NCCU defense was topped by linebacker Calvin Hillie with nine tackles, while safety Kurtis Campbell added five stops and a blocked field goal.

LAST WEEK FOR MORGAN STATE: (Towson 21, Morgan State 16 - September 6 in Baltimore, Md.) Morgan State held a 16-7 halftime lead against Towson and looked as though they would collect their first win versus the Tigers since 2003. However, their plans were spoiled by failed red-zone opportunities, costly penalties and a quarterback named Sean Schaefer. Schaefer threw two of his three touchdowns in the third quarter to help Towson pull away from their cross-town rivals 21-16 in the Tigers home opener. Schaefer was sacked three times and had a Bear breathing down his neck for most of the night; yet he was still able to maintain his poise and connect on 18-of-25 passes for 243 yards, setting a new school record for career passing yards (8,931 yards). Towson's (1-1) defense pitched a shutout in the second half, despite the standout play of Bear running back Devan James. The junior had a career-night against the Tigers by finishing with 33 carries for 178 yards. The Bears had a number of scoring opportunities throughout the course of the contest, but it was a fourth quarter play that stands out the most. Morgan State had a chance to take the lead on a fourth and goal from the 1-yard line. The ball was handed off to James who took flight over the right side of the pile for the apparent go-ahead score. But he was marked just inches shy of the end zone. The Bears finished the night by scoring in the red-zone 2-of-6 times. MSU (0-1) was ranked as the 5th most penalized team in 2007, and tonight they were not too far from last year's average. The Bears assisted Towson by being penalized nine times for 85 yards, many times helping to keep Towson's drives alive.

THE COACHES: Mose Rison enters his second season as head coach at NCCU after finishing the 2007 campaign with a 6-4 record. Rison was announced as the school's 19th head football coach on Feb. 6, 2007, assuming the role of head coach for the first time in his 25-year coaching career. Rison served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the Eagles historic 11-1 campaign in 2006. He continues calling plays as the offensive coordinator and working with the quarterbacks. With Rison directing NCCU's offense, the 2006 Eagles scored 371 points (30.9 per game), the most in school history. Under Rison's tutelage, freshman quarterback Stadford Brown was named as the "SBN Sports Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year," the 2006 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year and CIAA Rookie of the Year. A 1978 graduate of Central Michigan University, Rison spent the 2005 season as the Quarterbacks Coach/Passing Coordinator at Davidson College, where the Wildcats averaged more than 200 yards passing per game running a West Coast offensive system. He has also held positions at Livingstone College (Offensive Coordinator, 2004), the University of Arizona (Wide Receivers/Passing Coordinator, 2003), Stanford University (Wide Receivers, 1995-2000), Rutgers University (Wide Receivers/Tight Ends, 1991-94), the U.S. Naval Academy (Wide Receivers, 1988-90), and Central Michigan University (Wide Receivers, 1981-87). During his tenure at Stanford, Rison coached in three bowl games, including the 2000 Rose Bowl. Rison, the cousin of five-time NFL All-Pro receiver Andre Rison, spent two seasons (2001-02) in the National Football League coaching ranks as the wide receivers coach with the New York Jets, helping to develop Laveranues Coles and Santana Moss. He has also held NFL summer internships with the Baltimore Ravens (2000), Chicago Bears (1999), New York Jets (1993) and Detroit Lions (1988). A standout running back for Central Michigan from 1974-77, Rison helped the Chippewas to a 13-1 record and a Division II national title as a freshman. He rushed for 1,283 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a senior to earn all-conference and team MVP honors. Rison and his wife, Marilynn, have two children, Dominique (22) and Tara (19). Dominique lives in Charlotte, N.C. and attends Johnson & Wales University. Tara is a sophomore at North Carolina Central University majoring in business.

On February 8, 2002, Donald Hill-Eley became the 18th head football coach in Morgan State history. Hill, age 39, begins his seventh season as Morgan State's head coach with a veteran offensive unit and a deep and one of the top defensive units in the nation. In his first season, the Bears fell one game shy of winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship as they recorded their first winning season since 1979. Hill followed that season by placing another notch in his belt as the Bears completed the season with a 6-5 overall record. It marked the Bears' second straight winning season and its first back-to-back winning seasons since 1970-71. During Hill's tenure as offensive coordinator, the Bears never had a problem with putting up big numbers. The Bears offense finished the 2002 season ranked third in the MEAC in total offense with 381.2 yards per game, scoring offense (30.3 ypg), second in rushing offense (211.2 ypg). In 2003, second in rushing offense (198.7 ypg), ranked third in rushing defense (119.1 ypg), ranked fourth in total offense (359 ypg), and fourth in scoring offense (28.9 ppg). In 2004, the Bears ranked first in the MEAC in total offense as they racked up 458.1 yards per game. The Bears were also second in passing offense (240.3 ypg) and second in scoring (36.6 ppg). Despite an uncharacteristic season in 2005, the Bears still finished with the top passing offense in the conference by throwing for 2,023 yards. Hill's efforts in 2006 took the Bears to a 5-6 finish that included spectacular finishes, heartbreaking losses, and the emergence of one of the top defenses in the conference. The Bears completed the season tied for fourth place and the defense improved to a first place conference standing against the run - limiting teams to 117 yards per contest. The defense also ranked third in sacks and fifth in scoring defense. Offensively, the Bears ranked second in time of possession and fifth in rushing offense. In 2007, the Bears were predicted to finish sixth in the MEAC polls and finished the season ranked fifth despite a couple of wire-to-wire battles. During the 5-6 season, Morgan State recorded impressive wins over Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M, and suffered overtime losses South Carolina State and nationally ranked Hampton, including a controversial defeat against nationally ranked Delaware State in Dover. Morgan State completed the 2007 season as one of the top defenses in the nation. The Bears allowed 20.5 points per game (ranked third in the MEAC) and ranked among the national leaders in total defense (second in FCS - 264.8 ypg), rush defense (first in MEAC - 130.9 ypg) and pass defense (first in FCS - 139.1 ypg). The Bears were also very productive on offense as they averaged 23.7 points per game and averaged 348.4 yards per contest and converted 79.1 percent (third in MEAC) of their red-zone opportunities. Hill grew up in Suffolk, Virginia, one of the fastest growing cities in Virginia, where he excelled as an athlete at John Yeates High School. After high school he resumed his athletic career at Virginia Union University, where his father had been an All-American linebacker. Hill played four years of football for the Panthers and graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology/criminal justice in the spring of 1991. He embarked upon his coaching career the following fall as a Panther assistant coach. In 1992, he left his alma mater and joined Hampton University. He worked as a Graduate Assistant for the Pirates football team before moving to the Canadian Football League's (CFL) Baltimore Stallions in 1994. As wide receiver coach. His team captured the Grey Cup Championship in 1995 and in the same year he also attained his Master's degree in Counseling from Hampton. Hill's next stop was with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. He worked as a Guest Coach from 1996 to 1997. The Argos won two Grey Cup Championships during his two years. Following his stint in the CFL, Hill returned to Hampton where he served from 1997 to 2000 as the Offensive Coordinator and Pro Scout liaison. During his tenure, Hill was instrumental in the Pirates winning the mythical Black College National Championship, two MEAC titles and 1999 Heritage Bowl. Having made a positive contribution at Hampton and eager for a new challenge, Hill accepted an offer to become Offensive Coordinator at Morgan State University in 2001. He quickly established himself at MSU, and catapulted the Bears into being an offensive power within the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). GILBERT INCREASES SCHOOL SCORING RECORD NCCU senior place-kicker Brandon Gilbert converted on an extra-point kick against James Madison on Saturday, Sept. 6 to increase his school scoring record to 237 career points.

GILBERT CONTINUES EXTRA POINT STREAK: NCCU senior place-kicker Brandon Gilbert has made 86 consecutive extra-point kicks, dating back to Sept. 5, 2005 versus North Carolina A&T when a celebration penalty forced a lengthy try. In fact, Gilbert has not missed an extra-point kick against a Division II opponent during his collegiate career. He is 124-of-126 in PAT kicks, with both misses coming against Division I-AA teams (at Delaware State on Sept. 11, 2004, vs. North Carolina A&T on Sept. 5, 2005).

BROWN'S STATUS IN THE NCCU RECORD BOOKS: NCCU senior quarterback Stadford Brown has already solidified himself as one of the top Eagle signal callers in school history. In only his third season at NCCU, Brown currently ranks fourth in career passing yards (4,694), fourth in pass completions (358), tied for fourth in touchdown passes (42), and fourth in total offense (4,700).

TOUCHDOWN PASSING STREAK FOR NCCU'S BROWN: NCCU senior quarterback Stadford Brown has thrown a touchdown pass in 13 consecutive games, dating back to the final contest of the 2006 season. In fact, the three-year Eagle has completed at least one touchdown pass in all but one game during his Eagle career (22 of 23), with the 2006 CIAA Championship Game versus Elizabeth City State University on Nov. 11 being the lone standout.

GRAY BLASTS SCHOOL'S EIGHTH-LONGEST PUNT : NCCU sophomore punter Taylor Gray booted a 71-yard punt in the second quarter against Fayetteville State on Aug. 31, tying for the eighth-longest punt in school history.

HOMECOMING (OF SORTS) FOR ELEVEN EAGLES: Eleven NCCU Eagles from the state of Maryland and Washington, D.C. will be returning close to home on Saturday (Sept. 13) when NCCU visits Morgan State. Four Eagles (Stadford Brown, Jerron Joe, Robert Stewart, Rashad Fox) hail from Washington, D.C., while seven others are from Maryland (Rickey Edwards, Baltimore; Rakeem Vick, Fort Washington; Jeff Toliver, Gaithersburg; David Ingram, Waldorf; William Tisdale, Landover; Xavier Proctor, Ellicott City; Danez Jones, Pikesville).

EAGLES ON THE ROAD AGAIN: NCCU will play its second of six consecutive road games on Saturday (Sept. 6). NCCU's seven total road games this season will take the Eagles to five different states, including Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, South Carolina and California. The Cal Poly trip will be NCCU's first journey to California in 20 years, when the Eagles played Cal State Sacramento in the second round of the NCAA playoffs on Nov. 27, 1988. In contrast, just three seasons ago in 2005, NCCU played 12 football games and never left North Carolina.

MORGAN STATE BOASTS STINGY DEFENSE: Last season, Morgan State ranked second in the NCAA Division I-FCS in total defense, allowing an average of only 264.8 yards of total offense per game, and topped the FCS in pass defense, surrendering an average of just 139.1 yards through the air per contest. The Bears continued their tough defensive efforts on Saturday (Sept. 6), holding Towson to 275 total yards, including only 32 rushing yards on 22 carries.

FOUR EAGLES EARN PRESEASON HONORS: Four NCCU seniors - quarterback Stadford Brown, wide receiver Wayne Blackwell, place-kicker Brandon Gilbert and offensive lineman Jovan Olafioye - earned a spot on the 2008 Preseason All-Independent First Team by Phil Steele's 2008 College Football Preview magazine. Brown was also a repeat selection as the 2008 Preseason Independent Offensive Player of the Year.

LISTEN TO NCCU FOOTBALL VIA THE INTERNET: Every game of the 2008 North Carolina Central University Eagles football season will be covered by WRJD 1410 AM. Fans may also listen to the broadcast via the internet by visiting the NCCU Athletics web site at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.