Complete Game Notes (PDF)
THE GAME
North Carolina Central University “Eagles” vs. Delaware State University “Hornets”
THE KICKOFF
Saturday, November 6, 2010 – Kickoff at 1:00 p.m.
THE SITE
Alumni Stadium (7,000 capacity / Artificial A-Turf) - Dover, Delaware
2010 RECORDS
North Carolina Central (3-5 overall); Delaware State (1-7 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 12:30 p.m.
THE EVENT
North Carolina Central University hits the road for only the third time this season, travelling to Dover, Del., to take on MEAC foe Delaware State University. The Hornets and Eagles have not met on the gridiron since 2004. The Eagles need a victory to keep the hopes of a winning season alive.
THE SERIES
This will be the 19th meeting in the series between the Eagles and the Hornets since the teams first played in 1945. NCCU leads the series against Delaware State, 13-5. The Eagles have won the last four contests by scores of 26-23 on Sept. 11, 2004, 21-14 in 2003, 21-16 in 1996, and 31-26 in 1979 (NCCU’s last season in the MEAC). Delaware State’s last win over NCCU was a 16-13 final on Oct. 14, 1978.
THE LAST MEETING
(NCCU 26, Delaware State 23 - Sept. 11, 2004 in Dover, Del.): North Carolina Central University junior quarterback Adrian Warren found junior transfer receiver Torey Ross for a 19-yard touchdown connection with 11 seconds left in the game to give the visiting Eagles a 26-23 win over NCAA Division I-AA foe Delaware State University at Alumni Stadium in Dover, Del. The Eagles trailed 23-20 when they took control of the pigskin at their own 34-yard line and just 34 seconds on the clock. After an illegal substitution penalty against the Hornets, Warren completed back-to-back passes to sophomore Duke transfer Eric Lyons, moving the ball to DSU’s 25-yard line. On the next play Warren scrambled for a six-yard gain to the 19-yard line to set up the game-winning strike to Ross on a post route, capping a four-play, 66-yard drive in just 23 seconds. Warren finished with 233 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-34 passing. Ross collected eight receptions for 96 yards and a score, while Lyons had four catches for 51 yards. NCCU sophomore Greg Pruitt, Jr. once again led the ground attack with 81 yards on 20 carries. Fellow sophomore running back Cortney Clinton added 27 yards on seven attempts. Delaware State was topped by back-up quarterback Reggie Rothwell with 188 yards and a touchdown on 12-of-20 passing. Starting running back Afumiya McFadden tallied 59 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, but was sidelined with an injury the entire second half. Rodney Roy filled in with 55 yards and a score on 20 attempts. NCCU struck first blood courtesy of a mishandled snap that was scooped up in the end zone by DSU starting quarterback Andre Smith, who was tackled for a safety by Eagle defensive end Scheldon Connor at 9:06 of the first quarter. Less than three minutes later, after an interception by senior safety Luis George, Warren threw a strike to senior receiver Maurice Glenn for a 10-yard touchdown at 6:12. Warren’s pass attempt on the extra-point try was unsuccessful, and the Eagles’ advantage was 8-0. DSU scored for the first time this season when McFadden finished a six-play, 56-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown scamper at 3:01 of the first quarter. The Hornets tried to tie the score by going for two points, but Duke transfer Temo George intercepted the pass two yards deep in the end zone and went the distance to give the Eagles two more points and a 10-6 lead. After a scoreless second quarter, DSU came out of the locker room and trimmed the deficit to 10-9 on a 41-yard field goal by Eric Contos at 7:08 of the third quarter. DSU took the lead a minute later when Eagle quarterback Anthony Johnson was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety and a 11-10 advantage for the Hornets. The roller coaster ride heated up in the fourth quarter, as NCCU rookie kicker Brandon Gilbert finished a seven-play, 54-yard drive with a 21-yard field goal at 11:26, putting the Eagles back on top 13-11. The Hornets then regained the advantage on a 46-yard pass play from Rothwell to Shaheer McBride at the 9:34 mark. The two-point conversion failed, keeping the DSU lead at 17-13. NCCU wasted no time responding as junior Ryan Craig returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a score and a 20-17 lead. DSU answered back with a seven-play, 80-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown run by Roy with 6:12 left to play, giving the Hornets a 23-20 lead that held until the Eagles’ game-winning pass play with 11 ticks left in the contest. DSU’s final play ended abruptly as Connor sacked Rothwell to seal the victory for NCCU. Connor and George each finished with a team-best nine tackles.
LAST WEEK
(NCCU 20, Edward Waters 7) A sellout homecoming crowd of 13,562 packed into O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium to watch the Eagles of North Carolina Central University cruise to a 20-7 victory over Edward Waters College on Saturday, Oct. 30. The Eagles have won all four meetings against Edward Waters out of Jacksonville, Fla., and are now 58-17-2 all-time on homecoming, including five consecutive wins. NCCU (3-5) stormed out of the locker room and set the tone for the afternoon with a season-long 59-yard pass from quarterback Michael Johnson to receiver Geovonie Irvine on the first play from scrimmage. On the next drive, NCCU senior running back Tim Shankle broke a few tackles and made a cutback to open space for a 22-yard touchdown run, capping a three-play, 54-yard drive for the first score of the game at 9:33 of the first quarter. Following an interception by NCCU senior cornerback Rashad Fox, Johnson connected with Irvine again on the Eagles’ second drive of the second quarter, this time for a 47-yard touchdown. Frankie Cardelle’s extra-point kick made the score 13-0 in favor of NCCU with 9:54 on the clock. Three minutes later, NCCU junior cornerback David Ingram’s interception set the Eagles up on the EWC 35-yard line. Johnson completed an 18-yard pass to Irvine, followed by an 8-yard strike to Corey Harris, allowing fullback Justin Manning to power into the end zone from a yard out. Cardelle converted the extra-point kick to give NCCU a 20-0 cushion with 5:03 left before intermission. NCCU amassed 234 yards of total offense in the first half, including 207 yards through the air on 11-of-14 passing by Johnson. Irvine had six catches for a career-high 153 receiving yards and a score in the opening 30 minutes. Edward Waters (0-7) avoided the shutout by pinning the Eagles back to their own 1-yard line courtesy of a 48-yard punt by Jerry Martin. NCCU ran three plays, but were still at the 1-yard line when Cardelle managed a 27-yard punt. The Tigers needed only one play to cover that distance, as quarterback Brandon Turman found Quinntavious Graham for a 28-yard touchdown pass with only 3:11 remaining in the contest. Johnson finished the afternoon with 220 passing yards, completing 12-of-17 passes with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Eagles. The NCCU defense was topped by junior linebacker Stephen Manuel with eight tackles, including a stop for a loss and a crushing hit that made the homecoming fans take notice. Fox added seven tackles and two passes defended, while James Reese, Eliezer Sandifer and Brandon Outlaw each contributed five takedowns. Sophomore safety Marc Lewis had two of the Eagles four interceptions.
(#17 South Carolina State 38, Delaware State 21) South Carolina State scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in a 38-21 victory over Delaware State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Alumni Stadium. The Bulldogs also defeated the Hornets for the third straight year to open up a 25-15 lead in the series. SC State racked up 464 total yards, including 253 on the ground. Delaware State had 325 total yards, including 282 through the air. Quarterback Anthony Glaud connected on 19-of-30 passes for 169 yards. He had one touchdown pass, but was intercepted twice. Linebacker David Erby returned a Glaud interception for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a second quarter lead. Nick Elko came off the bench to complete 7-of-12 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown for the Hornets. Justin Wilson had nine catches for 131 yards, each a career high and tops for a DSU receiver in a game this season.
DELAWARE STATE ... STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Among the statistical leaders in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Delaware State ranks third in scoring offense (21.1) and total offense (320.2), second in passing offense (222.8) and turnover margin (+2), and leads the conference with the fewest penalty yards per game (48.0). Individually, sophomore Justin Wilson tops the MEAC in receiving yards per game (62.4), senior Anthony Glaud is second in passing yards per game (163.9), and senior lineman Andre Caroll is third in tackles (73) and tackles for loss (13.0).
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 2,320 yards during his NCCU career, including 541 yards in the first seven games of 2010. Shankle needs 74 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 3,337 yards during his three-year NCCU career, including 889 yards through the air in six games this season. Johnson needs 102 yards to pass Garvin Stone for seventh on the NCCU career passing list.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Eagles have found a way to share the load this season. Through eight 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.
Al Lavan is in his seventh season as head coach of the Delaware State Hornets. Since coming to Delaware State in 2004, he has spearheaded a resurgence in the program, highlighted the team’s first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship in 16 years and the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007. In seven seasons at DSU, Lavan has posted an overall record of 39-35. In the three years prior to his arrival, the Hornets were 10-24 overall. Delaware State had just one winning season in the eight years before Lavan took the job. He ranks third on the list for most coaching victories at DSU (39). Lavan has a 41-36 career record as a head coach, including a 2-1 mark during an interim stint at Eastern Michigan in 2003. In 2007, Lavan led the Hornets to a school-record 10 wins, their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship since 1991 and first ever appearance in the NCAA playoffs. In addition, the 2007 Hornets were ranked as high as No. 10 in the weekly Sports Network Football Championship Subdivision poll and were No. 15 in the final poll. That season, the Hornets became the second team in the history of the MEAC to post an 8-0 record in league play (10-1 overall regular season). Delaware State was recognized as the 2007 American Sports Wire Division I Black College National Champions and No. 2 in the final Sheridan Broadcast Network poll of Historically Black College & University teams. Prior to accepting the DSU position, Lavan served for two seasons as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan University. In more than 18 years as a NFL assistant, Lavan’s resume’ includes stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a member of George Seifert’s 1990 Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers’ coaching staff. That team included former Delaware State University standout John Taylor, who caught a touchdown pass in the 49ers’ 55-10 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV. In Dallas, Lavan worked under Hall of Fame head coach Tom Landry. He helped Cowboy running backs Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker combine for six 1000-yard seasons. Lavan has also served as position coach for NFL all stars Roger Craig, Priest Holmes, Tom Rathman, Ernest Byner, Robert Newhouse and Bam Morris. Lavan’s collegiate coaching tenure includes stops at Colorado State, Louisville, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Stanford, and Washington. He helped guide Georgia Tech to the 1978 Peach Bowl, and Washington to the 1993 Rose Bowl and 1995 Sun Bowl.
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.
