Complete Game Notes (PDF)     Video Interview with NCCU Coach Henry Frazier III

Official "Cleveland Classic" Website       Pre-Sale Official "Cleveland Classic" T-shirt

THE GAME
Central State University “Marauders” vs. North Carolina Central University “Eagles”
(North Carolina Central University is the designated home team)

THE KICKOFF
Saturday, September 10, 2011 – Kickoff at 12:00 p.m.

THE SITE
Cleveland Browns Stadium (73,200 capacity/Kentucky Bluegrass) - Cleveland, Ohio

2011 RECORDS
Central State (0-1 overall); North Carolina Central (0-1 overall, 0-0 MEAC)

MEDIA COVERAGE
Radio: WEED 1390 AM (Rocky Mount, N.C.); WARR 1520 AM (Warrenton, N.C.); “GameCentral” at NCCUEaglePride.com. Starts at 11:30 a.m. (Chris Hooks, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst)

TV: FOX Sports Ohio. Check local listings. (Time Warner Cable/Durham, N.C. - channel 533; DirecTV/Durham, N.C. - channel 685) Subscription rates may apply.

THE EVENT
North Carolina Central University takes on Central State University in the “Cleveland Classic” presented by McDonald’s inside Cleveland Browns Stadium. Both teams are looking to rebound from season-opening setbacks. This will be the fifth NFL stadium that NCCU has played in since 2000, and the Eagles boast a 3-1 record in those contests. This will be NCCU’s first gridiron expedition to Ohio since the last time the Eagles played Central State in 1996 (Oct. 19).

THE SERIES
This will be the fourth meeting between the Eagles of NCCU and the Marauders of Central State University. NCCU leads the series 2-1, with the Eagles riding a two-game win streak. Central State won 50-30 on Oct. 21, 1995, in Durham, N.C.; NCCU defeated the Marauders 24-6 in Wilberforce, Ohio, on Oct. 19, 1996; and the Eagles beat Central State 53-22 during NCCU’s homecoming on Oct. 31, 2009.

ABOUT CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1856 and located in Wilberforce, Ohio, Central State University is the only public HBCU in the state with an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students. The CSU Marauders compete on the NCAA Division II level as independent members. Central State captured three NAIA Division I football national championships in the 1990s (1990, 1992, 1995).

NCCU EAGLES IN NFL VENUES
Since 2000, NCCU has played in four NFL venues. The Eagles won their first three contest before suffering an overtime loss last season in the Georgia Dome. (see next page)
Recent Trips to NFL Stadiums:
Georgia Dome – Atlanta Falcons (Oct. 16, 2010 vs. Georgia State – L, 17-20 OT)
Giants Stadium – New York Giants (Sept. 15, 2007 vs. Elizabeth City State – W, 18-10)
Ericsson Stadium – Carolina Panthers (Nov. 4, 2001 vs. Johnson C. Smith – W, 34-3)
Veterans Stadium – Philadelphia Eagles (Sept. 30, 2000 vs. Morris Brown – W, 19-16)

LAST SEASON
North Carolina Central: NCCU finished its fourth season of Division I-FCS competition with a 3-8 overall record. NCCU stormed out of the gates with a dominating 59-0 season-opening win over Johnson C. Smith. The Eagles also tasted sweet victory against long-time rival North Carolina A&T and celebrated a homecoming win versus Edward Waters. But the Eagles also had their share of troubles. They lost a heart-breaker to Winston-Salem State, fell victim to the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in Appalachian State and suffered an overtime setback at Georgia State. After opening the campaign with a 2-4 record, NCCU head coach Mose Rison was replaced by assistant head coach Darryl Bullock, who led the Eagles the rest of the season. Unfortunately for the maroon and gray faithful, the results were about the same. NCCU went 1-4 during that stretch, including its first-ever loss against Savannah State.

Central State: The Marauders finished the 2010 season with their second consecutive 1-10 record.

THE COACHES
North Carolina Central: Henry Frazier III (Bowie State, 1993) is in his first season as head coach at NCCU. Prior to his arrival in Durham, N.C., Frazier spent seven seasons (2004-10) at the helm of the Prairie View A&M University Panthers football team. He took over a program that experienced the nation’s longest losing streak, dropping 80 straight contests from 1989-98, and transformed the Panthers into SWAC champions in 2009. Among his many coaching honors is the 2009 Eddie Robinson National FCS Coach of the Year award. Frazier also served as head coach at his alma mater, Bowie State University (1999-2003).

Central State: E.J. Junior (born in Salisbury, N.C.) is in his third season as the head coach at Central State University. He currently has a 2-21 overall record after posting back-to-back 1-10 campaigns in his first two seasons. He is a former American professional football player who was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft. A 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker from the University of Alabama, Junior played in 13 NFL seasons from 1981-1993 for the Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Seattle Seahawks. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection for the Cardinals in 1984 and 1985. Since leaving the NFL, Junior has been the executive director of youth programs in Miami under the NBA’s Alonzo Mourning. He also spent time back in the NFL as a coach and in the front office. He was the Seattle Seahawks linebacker coach in 1994 and then was the director of player development programs for the Miami Dolphins from 1996-1998. He has been a minority intern coach for the Minnesota Vikings (2003) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2005) and coached in NFL Europe for the Rhein Fire in Düsseldorf, Germany. On the college setting, he coached the linebackers at the 2005 and 2006 East-West Shrine Game. From April 2006 to March 2009 Junior was the linebackers coach at Southwest Baptist University. He was promoted to Defensive Coordinator in February 2009, but left a month later to take the position of head coach for Central State University.

EAGLES STILL LOOKING FOR FIRST POINTS OF THE SEASON
On Thursday (Sept. 1) at Rutgers, NCCU was held scoreless for the first time in eight years. The last time the Eagles were shut out was on Oct. 25, 2003, at Winston-Salem State in a 47-0 loss.

LAST WEEK
NCCU 0, Rutgers 48: In North Carolina Central University’s first game as a full NCAA Division I program, the Eagles got a dose of Big East football as Rutgers blanked NCCU 48-0 on Thursday night in front of 40,061 fans inside High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. It’s the first time NCCU has been held scoreless since Oct. 25, 2003, when the Eagles suffered a 47-0 setback at Winston-Salem State. The game itself remained scoreless for most of the first quarter. Rutgers was held to a three-and-out on its first possession and NCCU senior corner back David Ingram intercepted a pass to end the second drive. Rutgers finally posted points on the board with 38 second left in the opening quarter when rookie running back Savon Huggins spun into the end zone from a yard out, capping a 12-play, 52-yard drive. Huggins struck pay dirt again on the next drive when he sealed a 9-play, 40-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown scamper at 8:58 of the second quarter, providing the Scarlet Knights with a 14-0 lead. Rutgers made it a three-score game when sophomore quarterback Chas Dodd found Mohamed Sanu for a 13-yard score with 1:30 left in the first half. NCCU threatened to score just before the break when senior quarterback Michael Johnson connected with Jonathan Nicely for a 29-yard gain down the sideline, pushing the Eagles into Rutgers’ territory for the first time at the 29-yard line. The treat ended two plays later when Johnson’s pass sailed over the middle and was intercepted by safety Duron Harmon. Rutgers strolled into the locker room with a 21-0 halftime advantage. The third quarter belonged to the host Scarlet Knights. On third down and 12 yards to go on the Eagles’ own 5-yard line, Johnson lost the ball in the end zone when he was sacked by David Milewski. Scott Vallone pounced on the fumble for a Rutgers touchdown at 9:04 of the third quarter to push the margin to 28-0. Just two plays into NCCU’s ensuing drive, Johnson was intercepted again by Harmon, who raced 37 yards for another defensive score. When Rutgers got the ball back, receiver Brandon Coleman broke away from the Eagles secondary and back-up quarterback Gary Nova tossed a 44-yard strike for a back-breaking score at 6:07 of the third quarter. The Scarlet Knights’ third touchdown in less than three minutes provided a 42-0 cushion. With 3:11 remaining in the third quarter, Rutgers kicker San San Te booted a 36-yard field goal to cap a 24-point quarter. The final score of the night hit the scoreboard with 5:40 left in the contest when Te hit a 22-yard field goal to bring the final tally to 48-0. Rutgers finished with 347 yards of total offense, with 137 on the ground and 210 through the air. NCCU managed 120 total yards, including 112 yards passing.. The Scarlet Knights recorded nine sacks to keep NCCU’s rushing total to just eight yards. NCCU signal caller Johnson completed 10-of-25 passes for 88 yards and was sacked six times. Back-up quarterback Jordan Reid connected of 4-of-5 pass attempts for 24 yards. Redshirt freshman Andre Clarke topped the NCCU ground game with 28 yards on 14 carries. Junior receiver Geovonie Irvine tallied a team-best five receptions for 37 yards, while Nicely ended with four catches for 52-yards. Senior linebacker Brandon Outlaw sparked the Eagles defensive effort with a game-high 14 tackles. Marc Lewis, James Reese and Chris Drew contributed eight stops each for NCCU.

Central State 21, Kentucky State 39: No details available at press time.

LISTEN TO NCCU FOOTBALL VIA THE INTERNET
Every game of the 2011 North Carolina Central University Eagles football season will be broadcasted by the NCCU Sports Network. Play-by-play announcer Chris Hooks and NCCU Athletic Hall of Famer Joe Simmons will call all of the live action, starting with “Eagle Gameday” a half-hour prior to kickoff. To listen to the broadcast via the internet, visit the NCCU Athletics web site at www.NCCUEaglePride.com and click on “GameCentral.”

IRVINE APPROACHING CENTURY MARK IN CAREER RECEPTIONS
NCCU redshirt junior Geovonie Irvine needs four catches to become the 13th Eagle in school history with 100 career receptions. The Durham, N.C. native is currently 15th among NCCU’s all-time receptions leaders with 96 catches. Irvine needs three receptions to pass Julian Martin (1966-69) and Nikki Brannon (1992-95) for the 13th spot on the list.

NCCU PICKED TO FINISH SEVENTH IN THE MEAC
Under the direction of new head coach Henry Frazier III, conference rookie North Carolina Central University has been picked to finish seventh during the 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football season, according to a poll of league head football coaches and sports information directors. The Eagles were selected ahead of four squads with Delaware State picked eighth, North Carolina A&T ninth, Howard 10th and fellow conference newcomer Savannah State at the bottom in 11th. South Carolina State was announced as the MEAC favorite for the fourth straight year, while last season’s co-champions, Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M, are slated to finish second and third, respectively. Rounding out the preseason poll are Hampton in fourth, Norfolk State in fifth and Morgan State in sixth.

GOFORTH MAKES SCHOOL HISTORY AS KICKOFF RETURNER
NCCU return specialist Arthur Goforth made school history on Sept. 18, 2010, at top-ranked 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’ EQUIPMENT RIDES IN STYLE
North Carolina Central University and Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc., partnered to unveil a brand new truck with NCCU style on Aug. 1 in front of McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium. Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc., now “The Official Mover of NCCU Football,” will use the 28-foot truck to transport the Eagles’ gridiron equipment to road games and will be added to Tru-Pak’s fleet of more than 200 trucks. “I can’t think of a finer institution to give this gift to than NCCU,” stated Allyson Siegel, Executive Vice President of Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc. “Producing leaders in the world for years in both the classroom and on the athletic field, NCCU is leading the way for other institutions. I am very excited about the upcoming season and look forward to being part of their success in years to come.” The truck will be used primarily to aid the NCCU football program move its equipment to and from the site of competition, which will enhance the travel experience for the student-athletes and support staff; while also giving the institution visibility not only across North Carolina, but nationwide as the truck will be used as part of the normal fleet during the week and the rest of the year. “I’m so excited about our new partnership with Tru-Pak Moving Systems,” said NCCU Athletics Director Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree. “As our program grows, we are looking to form great corporate sponsorships such as this. Ms. Allyson Siegel has been wonderful in her support of our athletics program, and most importantly, our student-athletes. We will move in style this season.” Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc., has been a family owned and operated full-service moving and storage company for more than 50 years. This company averages 4,500 moves annually. Eagle fans are encouraged to check out their website at www.Tru-Pak.com or call 1-800-659-122 ext. 211.