Complete Game Notes (PDF)

THE GAME
Old Dominion University “Monarchs” vs. North Carolina Central University “Eagles”

THE KICKOFF
Saturday, November 20, 2010 – Kickoff at 2:00 p.m.

THE SITE
O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium (10,000 capacity / Mondoturf) - Durham, N.C.

2010 RECORDS
Old Dominion (7-3 overall); North Carolina Central (3-7 overall)

MEDIA COVERAGE
Audio: NCCU Sports Network - flagship station WRJD 1410 AM (Durham), WHNC 890 AM (Henderson), WELS 1010 AM (Kinston), WYRN 1480 AM (Louisburg), WCBQ 1340 AM (Oxford), WEED 1390 AM (Rocky Mount), WXKL 1290 AM (Sanford); WARR 1520 AM (Warrenton); NCCUEaglePride.com. Starts at 1:30 p.m.

Video: NCCUEaglePride.com features GameCentral by Stretch Internet ($8.95). Starts at 1:45 p.m.

THE EVENT
North Carolina Central University wraps up the 2010 football season by hosting the Monarchs of Old Dominion University. Thirteen seniors will be recognized prior to the contest as they take the field at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium for the last time as an Eagle. A win for NCCU would equal the final record in each of the past two seasons (4-7).

THE SERIES
This will be the second football meeting between North Carolina Central University and Old Dominion University. The Monarchs defeated NCCU 42-28 in the first meeting on Nov. 7, 2009, in Norfolk, Va.

THE LAST MEETING
(Old Dominion 42, NCCU 28 - Nov. 7, 2009) North Carolina Central University overcame a 28-point second-half deficit to tie the game early in the fourth quarter, but Old Dominion University answered the challenge and held on for a 42-28 homecoming victory in front of a capacity crowd of 19,782 inside S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, Va. ODU quarterback Thomas DeMarco exploded for 393 yards of total offense, as the red-shirt sophomore rushed for 224 yards with four touchdowns and threw for 169 yards and another score to lead the Monarchs. NCCU red-shirt sophomore quarterback Michael Johnson, who engineered the Eagles’ comeback, completed 26-of-42 pass attempts for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore receiver Geovonie Irvine had a game-high six catches for 87 yards, while also throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Will Scott, who recorded five receptions for 57 yards and two scores. NCCU junior linebacker Calvin Hillie tallied a game-high 12 tackles (eight solo), while also intercepting a pass to set up the game-tying touchdown run by Tim Shankle at 10:41 of the fourth quarter. NCCU was looking like a typical homecoming victim late in the third quarter when the visiting Eagles trailed ODU 28-0. However, NCCU scored 28 unanswered points in less than eight minutes to tie the score at 28-28 early in the fourth quarter. With 8:20 left in the contest, NCCU junior tight end Earthan Ward took a hard hit while extended for a pass, and had to be taken off of the field on a medical cart. Reports after the game indicated that Ward was okay at a nearby hospital, but the Eagles seemed shaken by the injury to their teammate as ODU scored two late touchdowns to seal the victory.

LAST WEEK
(Savannah State 28, NCCU 21) A sluggish start and four turnovers turned out to be more than North Carolina Central University could overcome, as Savannah State University held off the Eagles for its first win of the season, 28-21, inside Memorial Stadium in Savannah, Ga. Savannah State snaps the longest losing streak in the NCAA Division I-FCS at 11 games, and earns its first win in the six-game series with NCCU (4-1-1). SSU improves to 1-9, while the Eagles fall to 3-7. NCCU amassed a season-high 401 yards of total offense, while holding the Tigers to only 273 total yards; but the visiting Eagles lost three fumbles, threw an interception, converted only three of six chances in the red zone, and committed 12 penalties for 118 yards. After scoring only nine points in their last three games, the SSU Tigers reeled off a season-high 28 unanswered points for a 28-7 second quarter cushion. Savannah State recovered a fumble and a muffed punt, and utilized a host of gadget plays, including a double reverse pass and the famous Boise State “Statue of Liberty” play, during the run. Junior quarterback Michael Johnson came off the NCCU bench to engineer a 10-play, 69-yard scoring drive just before intermission to narrow the halftime deficit to 28-14. Late in the third quarter, Johnson moved the Eagles 99 yards in 11 plays, capped by an 18-yard fade pass to Corey Harris to trim the gap to just one score at 28-21. In the fourth quarter, NCCU had several opportunities to tie the game, but came up empty each time. The Eagles lost a fumble at the SSU 14-yard line, then mishandled a punt that was recovered by the Tigers. NCCU seemed to catch a break with less than six minutes remaining when the SSU punter bobbled the snap to provide the Eagles with a first down at the Tigers’ 11-yard line. However, NCCU’s first two rushes went backwards and passes on third and fourth downs fell incomplete. The Eagles got the ball back with 2:09 left to play, but NCCU failed to convert on 4th down and three yards to go at the SSU 24-yard line. Johnson finished with 196 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-28 passing for the Eagles. In his first start under center, NCCU red-shirt freshman Jordan Reid completed 3-of-4 passes for 68 yards with an interception. NCCU sophomore receiver Geovonie Irvine had nine catches for 138 yards, while senior running back Tony McCord collected 146 all-purpose yards, including 67 yards on 10 carries, 68 yards on five receptions and 11 yards on a kickoff return. After missing last week with an injury, senior running back Tim Shankle managed 20 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, while the Eagles’ other score came courtesy of a 5-yard reception by fullback Justin Manning. The NCCU defense was paced by defensive back Malik Cromartie, linebacker Calvin Hillie and defensive end Xavier Proctor, all with seven tackles each. Savannah State was led by rookie running back Sheldon Barnes with 120 rushing yards and a second-quarter touchdown run, which later proved to be the game-winner. Another Tigers rookie, quarterback Antonio Bostick, threw for 78 yards and two scores on 8-0f-14 passing, while junior signal caller A.J. Defilippis completed all six of his pass attempts for 43 yards and a touchdown. A resilient Savannah State defense was sparked by linebacker Michael Kuku with a game-high 10 takedowns.

(Old Dominion 45, VMI 28) Old Dominion sent its 11 seniors out in style on Saturday at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium as the Monarchs defeated VMI, 45-28, in front of its 10th consecutive sellout crowd. The Monarchs won their fourth-straight and end the 2010 home slate with a 4-3 mark and up their overall record to 7-3 on the year. Mario Crawford led the Monarchs with a pair of touchdowns and surpassed the 1,000 yard career rushing mark in the win. With 59 yards on 13 carries, Crawford became the second Monarch to reach the milestone. On the other side of the ball, T.J. Cowart (Va. Beach, Va.) made a season-high 13 stops and collectively the Monarch defense registered four fumble recoveries, having forced three. Quarterback Thomas DeMarco led the Monarchs completing 20 of his 35 attempts in the air for 270 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also added a team-high 67 rushing yards.

SALUTE TO NCCU SENIORS
Thirteen NCCU senior football student-athletes will be recognized prior to Saturday’s game as they will be playing in their final college football contest. The seniors are: Tim Shankle, Tony McCord, Calvin Hillie, Donald Laster, Keon Williams, Ja’Quez Canty, Rashad Fox, Justin Campbell, Anthony Sharp, Teryl White, Kenneth Campbell, Mario Brice, and Eric Stanley.

WHITE REPEATS ALL-DISTRICT ACADEMIC HONORS
For the second consecutive year, North Carolina Central University defensive lineman Teryl White has been voted to the CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District Football Team, as chosen by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A native of Macon, Ga., White was honored on the 2010 First Team of the University Division (Division I programs) in District 3 (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia), and will now be placed on the national ballot for Academic All-America® consideration. White has achieved a 3.36 overall grade point average as a business management and administration major at NCCU. He ranks second on the squad with 7.0 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks, to go along with 25 total takedowns and a forced fumble. An active participant in community service activities, White also serves as president of NCCU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Last year, White was voted to the 2009 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District First Team and was selected to the 2009 Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star Team. He was also the recipient of the LeRoy T. Walker Medallion of Honor as the 2009-10 NCCU Male Student-Athlete of the Year.

SHANKLE SEVENTH EAGLE TO RUSH FOR 2,000 YARDS
NCCU senior running back Tim Shankle ran for 86 yards and a touchdown against rival North Carolina A&T (Sept. 25) to become the seventh Eagle in school history to rush for 2,000 career yards. The Gainesville, Fla., native has amassed 2,340 yards during his NCCU career, including 561 yards in eight games during 2010. Shankle needs 54 yards to pass James Smith for fourth on the NCCU career rushing list.

JOHNSON REACHES CAREER MILESTONE OF 3,000 PASSING YARDS
NCCU red-shirt junior quarterback Michael Johnson threw for 134 yards versus Hampton (Oct. 9) to become the 10th Eagle in school history to throw for 3,000 career yards. The Durham, N.C., native has amassed 3,627 yards during his three-year NCCU career, including 1,179 yards through the air in eight games this season. Johnson ranks seventh on the NCCU career passing yards list and is eighth in career touchdown passes with 30.

SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Eagles have found a way to share the load this season. Through nine games, 13 different student-athletes have carried the ball, 16 have caught passes, four have thrown passes, and 14 have posted points on the scoreboard.

SHANKLE FIRST EAGLE TO RUSH FOR 100 YARDS SINCE 2007
On Oct. 9 against Hampton, NCCU senior running back Tim Shankle led the way with 107 rushing yards on 26 carries, marking the first time an Eagle has reached the 100-yard rushing milestone since Shankle ran for 127 yards at Western Kentucky on Oct. 27, 2007. Shankle’s only other 100-yard effort came on Sept. 15, 2007, against Elizabeth City State inside Giants Stadium, when he posted 116 yards on 24 carries. The last Eagle not named Shankle to rush for 100 or more yards in a game was Greg Pruitt, Jr., who accounted for 117 ground yards in the 2006 CIAA Championship Game versus Elizabeth City State (Nov. 11, 2006).

GOFORTH MAKES SCHOOL HISTORY AS KICKOFF RETURNER
NCCU sophomore return specialist Arthur Goforth made school history on Sept. 18 at Appalachian State by becoming the first Eagle to post two kickoff returns of 92 yards or more during a career. Amazingly, Goforth accomplished the feat in back-to-back weeks. On Sept. 11 versus Winston-Salem State, the Columbia, S.C., native returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to equal the third-longest return in the NCCU record books. On Sept. 18 at Appalachian State, he raced 92 yards for a score to make Eagle history.

EAGLES MAKE BIG PLAYS IN ALL THREE PHASES
In the first three games of the 2010 season, the Eagles posted four of the biggest plays in NCCU gridiron history. Against Johnson C. Smith on Sept. 2, junior linebacker Roger Stewart intercepted a pass and raced 83 yards for a touchdown, matching the ninth-longest interception return in school history. On Sept. 11 versus Winston-Salem State, sophomore Arthur Goforth returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to equal the third-longest kickoff return in the NCCU record books, followed by senior running back Tony McCord’s 93-yard touchdown scamper to set a new school record for the longest run from scrimmage. Goforth struck again in week three at Appalachian State with a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

THE COACHES
Darryl Bullock was elevated from assistant head coach to interim head coach at NCCU on Oct. 18. He began as offensive line coach at NCCU prior to the 2007 gridiron season. Following the 2007 campaign, he was promoted to the rank of assistant head coach, while also retaining his duties with the offensive line. Bullock, who has been coaching football since 1989, joined the Eagles after serving as offensive line/tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee State University for two seasons (2005-06). In that time, Bullock’s offensive frontline paved the way for a sophomore running back to gain 1,233 ground yards. During the previous four seasons, Bullock served as defensive line coach at Elon University (2004), East Tennessee State University (2003) and Gardner-Webb University (2001-02). In his last season at Gardner-Webb, he coached three All-Big South Conference linemen. As offensive line coach at the University of New Hampshire (located in Durham, N.H.), five of Bullock’s student-athletes claimed all-conference honors in just two seasons (1999-2000). He spent the spring of 1999 as defensive coordinator and assistant general manager of the Dayton Skyhawks of the Indoor Football League, prior to a three-year stint as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator/offensive line and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator at Morgan State University (1996-98). Bullock served as head football coach at Immokalee (Fla.) High School during the 1995 campaign, guiding his squad to the 4A playoffs with some help from an All-American and future N.F.L. standout named Edgerrin James. Prior to his high school head coaching debut, Bullock was a defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator at Morehead State University (1994). He has also held graduate assistant coaching positions at Penn State University (1992-93) and the University of Michigan (1990-91), where he earned a master’s degree in kinesiology in 1992. Bullock received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 1990 from Pennsylvania State University, where he played defensive tackle. As a player for Penn State, he was a part of two consecutive trips to national championship games, including a loss to Oklahoma followed by a victory over the University of Miami in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl to win the national title. Bullock has also worked summer N.F.L. internships with the Dallas Cowboys (2009), Cleveland Browns (2001), Miami Dolphins (2000) and New England Patriots (1998). He and his wife, Elaine, are the proud parents of a son, Luther.

Bobby Wilder is in his second season as head coach at Old Dominion, currently boasting an overall record of 16-5. On June 21, 2005, the Old Dominion Board of Visitors voted to bring football back to the campus of Old Dominion. In the Monarchs’ first season back in 2009, Wilder guided his squad to an impressive 9-2 record. Prior to his arrival at ODU, Wilder served on the Maine staff for the past 17 years and was promoted to assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2000 before moving to associate head coach in 2001. As coordinator, Wilder has orchestrated a balanced attack. The Black Bears averaged 29.1 points per game in 2004. Wilder was named the Assistant Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston in 2004, which is presented annually to the top assistant coach in New England. A 1987 graduate of Maine with a degree in physical education, Wilder captained the Black Bears to the Yankee Conference Championship his senior year. An All-New England quarterback in 1985, he left Maine as the school’s all-time leading passer with 4,493 yards.

LISTEN TO NCCU FOOTBALL ON WRJD 1410 AM OR VIA THE INTERNET
Every game of the 2010 North Carolina Central University Eagles football season will be broadcasted by the NCCU Sports Network, including the flagship station WRJD 1410 AM in Durham, N.C. Play-by-play announcer Chris Hooks will call all of the live action, starting with “Eagle Gameday” a half-hour prior to kickoff. Fans may also listen to the broadcast via the internet by visiting the NCCU Athletics web site at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.

LAST SEASON (NCCU)
In 2009, NCCU’s high level of competition and determination did not translate into victories during the first half of the season. The Eagles were ahead at Hampton with less than two minutes remaining, held a second-half lead at nationally-ranked Liberty, dropped two contests in overtime, and took an advantage into the second quarter against three-time national champion Appalachian State. Battered but not defeated, NCCU responded by winning four of the final five games of the season to finish the campaign with a 4-7 record. Even in the lone setback during the season-ending run, the Eagles amazingly rallied from a 28-0 second-half deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter.

PHIL STEELE’S PREVIEW MAGAZINE HONORS SIX EAGLES
Phil Steele’s College Football Preview magazine selected six North Carolina Central University student-athletes to its 2010 Preseason NCAA Division I-FCS All-Independent First Team. NCCU’s honorees were senior linebackers Calvin Hillie and Donald Laster, senior defensive lineman Teryl White, junior defensive back David Ingram, junior wide receiver Geovonie Irvine and junior tight end Earthan Ward.
• Hillie (6-1, 235, Concord, N.C.) topped the Eagles with 70 tackles in 2009, including 6.0 hits for a loss with a sack, three interceptions, six pass break-ups, three quarterback hurries, a recovered fumble and a forced fumble.
• Laster (6-0, 238, Shaker Heights, Ohio) placed second on the squad with 63 takedowns last season, including 10.0 tackles for a loss with a team-high 5.5 sacks and an astounding 13 quarterback hurries, while adding an interception, two pass deflections, a recovered fumble and a forced fumble.
• White (6-5, 290, Macon, Ga.) enters his final season after collecting 114 tackles, including 22.0 tackles for a loss, in the past two years.
• Ingram (5-8, 173, Waldorf, Md.) amassed three interceptions and 15 pass break-ups for a total of 18 passes defended a year ago, while also contributing 39 tackles (31 solo) with 2.0 hits for a loss and a forced fumble.
• Irvine (5-7, 150, Durham, N.C.) is the Eagles’ top returning receiver after collecting 38 receptions for 582 yards and three touchdowns in his college debut.
• Ward (6-4, 218, Edenton, N.C.) was responsible for 19 receptions for 248 yards (13.1 yards per catch) and two touchdowns last season.
Phil Steele’s College Football Preview magazine features a complete NCAA Division I-FCS preview (in the SEC/ACC/Big East regional magazine) with one full page on every FCS team, totaling 176 pages of FCS coverage.

LASTER NAMED INDEPENDENT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lindy’s Sports has announced NCCU senior linebacker Donald Laster as the NCAA Division I-FCS Independent Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in its 2010 college football preview magazine. Laster, a 6-0, 238-pound native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, earned the preseason honor after posting solid all-round statistics during his junior campaign in 2009. Laster was the team’s second-leading defender with 63 total tackles, including 10.0 hits for a loss with a team-high 5.5 sacks. The linebacker also topped the squad with a remarkable total of 13 quarterback hurries, nine more than the next best Eagle. He added an interception, two pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a starter in all 11 games. In his best outing last season, Laster amassed a game-high 12 tackles with a takedown behind the line of scrimmage and a pass deflection against nationally-ranked Liberty University on Sept. 12. The linebacker ended the season by spending nearly the entire afternoon in the offensive backfield of Savannah State University, recording 11 stops, including 2.5 tackles for a loss with 1.5 sacks, along with five quarterback hurries. As a sophomore linebacker in 2008, Laster also led the Eagles with 6.0 sacks and six quarterback hurries, while adding 40 total tackles with 9.5 hits for a loss. Laster played on the defensive line in his first year at NCCU, collecting 48 tackles in 2007.

TWO COMMUNITY TICKET OUTLETS EASES ACCESS TO BUY TICKETS
The NCCU Department of Athletics and the NCCU Ticket Office have established two community ticket outlets - Eagleland and MS Designs Embroidery, both in Durham, N.C. “We are striving to make it as easy as possible for our fans to access tickets to our athletic events,” said Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree, NCCU Director of Athletics. “By extending our ticket offerings into the community where our fans frequently do business, we are able to provide them with improved customer service.” Eagleland, which sells a wide range of NCCU paraphernalia, is located at 2501 Fayetteville Street. MS Designs Embroidery is located at 803-A Ramseur Street. The NCCU Ticket Office is located in the lower level of the W.G. Pearson Cafeteria on Lawson Street. Tickets are also available for purchase via the internet at www.NCCUEaglePride.com. For more ticket information, contact the NCCU Ticket Office at (919) 530-5170, Eagleland at (919) 956-5393 or MS Designs Embroidery at (919) 680-3917, or visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com for a complete list of ticket options and pricing.

NCCU SPORTS NETWORK EXPANDS TO EIGHT RADIO STATIONS
Coming into the 2010 season, the NCCU Sports Network added six more radio affiliates to its current flagship station Rejoice 1410 AM, giving Eagle fans one of the largest HBCU football radio networks in the country. The seven affiliates give the NCCU Sports Network a presence in the Durham area all the way east to Kinston, N.C., where WELS 1010 AM carries NCCU football for the second straight season. There are two stations in the Granville/Vance County area, WCBQ 1340 AM (Oxford, N.C.) and WHNC 890 AM (Henderson, N.C.). WYRN 1480 AM is located in Louisburg, N.C., while WXKL 1290 AM is in Sanford, N.C. The newest affiliates to the network are WEED 1390 AM in Rocky Mount, N.C., and WARR 1520 AM in Warrenton, N.C., as they join the network for the first time this season. The new stations allow the NCCU Sports Network to reach around 35,000 listeners throughout the central and eastern part of the state of North Carolina. All this is due to the partnership between the network and Chief Engineer Jay Bell, owner and operator of BMG, whose mission is to distribute, promote, and market college football and basketball games featuring Historically Black Colleges and Universities, while also using this opportunity to teach, train, and educate students at HBCU’s by using the latest technologies in broadcast communications.

HALL OF FAME RUNNING BACK JOINS NCCU SPORTS NETWORK
The NCCU Sports Network announces the addition of NCCU Hall of Fame running back Joe Simmons to the broadcast team. Simmons joins play-by-play voice of the network, Chris Hooks, and versatile color analyst, Sedrick Dickens, in the booth for his first season of work with the network. Many Eagle fans remember Joe Simmons both as a player and a coach at NCCU. Simmons is one of the greatest running backs in school history and held the school’s rushing mark until 2006, the year he was inducted into the Alex M. Rivera Hall of Fame. The Mount Airy, N.C., native racked up an impressive 2,840 yards and scored 29 touchdowns during his career. His final season was one of his best as he became the first Eagle to rush for more than 1,200 yards in a season with a school record 1,699 yards. Simmons also coached at NCCU from 1996 to 2003 under Larry Little, Rudy Abrams, and Rod Broadway. He was in charge of running backs, quarterbacks, and linebackers respectively during his tenure as assistant coach. “It’s good to be coming back and working with the people I am so familiar with,” stated Simmons. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my alma mater in an area that I am passionate about. It will be great to have a connection with the institution again and I hope to add to the continued success of an already well-established group that is the NCCU Sports Network.”