Complete Game Notes (PDF)
THE GAME
North Carolina Central University “Eagles” vs. Florida A&M University “Rattlers”
THE KICKOFF
Saturday, November 10, 2012 – Kickoff at 3:00 p.m.
THE SITE
Bragg Memorial Stadium (25,500 capacity/Natural Grass) - Tallahassee, Fla.
THE RECORDS
N.C. Central (6-3 overall, 5-1 MEAC); Florida A&M (3-6 overall, 3-3 MEAC)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Radio: WNCU 90.7 FM (Durham, N.C.); “GameCentral” at NCCUEaglePride.com (audio internet stream). Starts at 2:30 p.m. (Chris Hooks, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst)
QUICK HITS
• With a win, NCCU equals the best season-to-season turnaround in school history with five more wins than last year. (1979-1980 / 1967-1968 / 1942-1945)
• FAMU celebrates homecoming; final home game for retiring coach Joe Taylor.
• NCCU’s first football trip to Tallahassee, Fla., in 73 years (Nov. 11, 1939).
• NCCU senior Arthur Goforth needs 98 yards to become the third Eagle to reach 4,000 career all-purpose yards. (Robert Clark, 1983-86; Anthony Cooley, 1988-91)
THE SERIES
This will be the eighth meeting in the series between the NCCU Eagles and the FAMU Rattlers since the teams first played in 1939. FAMU leads the series against NCCU, 5-1-1. The Eagles lone win in the series was a 9-3 victory on Sept. 15, 1973 in Atlanta.
11/12/2011 - FAMU 31, NCCU 10 (Durham, N.C.)
9/15/1973 - NCCU 9, FAMU 3 (Atlanta, Ga.)
12/7/1957 - FAMU 14, NCCU 0 (Miami, Fla. / Orange Blossom Classic)
9/22/1956 - FAMU 25, NCCU 0 (Durham, N.C.)
12/1/1951 - FAMU 67, NCCU 6 (Miami, Fla. / Orange Blossom Classic)
11/9/1940 - NCCU 7, FAMU 7 (Durham, N.C.)
11/11/1939 - FAMU 20, NCCU 7 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
FIRST TRIP TO TALLAHASSEE IN 73 YEARS
On Nov. 10, the Eagles will play in Tallahassee, Fla., against Florida A&M University for the first time in 73 years. NCCU has ventured south three times to match-up with FAMU, but those games were contested in Miami (1957, 1951) and Atlanta (1973).
PUNT RETURN PROWESS
NCCU is the nation’s leader among NCAA Division I-FCS programs with a punt return average of 26.6 yards. The Eagles have returned 13 punts for 346 yards and they are the only NCAA Division I or II team with four punt return touchdowns. The only other NCAA programs with four punt return touchdowns are Division III members Mount Union and Gallaudet.
EAGLES SCORE EIGHT NON-OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
Through nine games, NCCU has scored eight touchdowns on defense and special teams. The Eagles have made trips to the end zone on four punt returns, a kickoff return, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
ABOUT FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University was founded as the State Normal College for Colored Students, and on October 3, 1887, it began classes with 15 students and two instructors. Prominently located on the highest hill in Florida’s capital city of Tallahassee, Florida A&M University remains the only historically black university in the 11 member State University System of Florida. With a student enrollment of more than 13,000, FAMU offers 62 bachelor’s degrees, 39 master’s degrees, and 11 doctoral programs. Notable alumni include Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win a Wimbledon women’s single crown; Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr., a nationally-acclaimed cancer surgeon and the first African-American president of the American Cancer Society; Pam Oliver, FOX Sports reporter; and Robert “Bullet Bob” Hayes, an Olympic gold medalist. The Rattlers compete on the NCAA Division I (FCS) level as members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
THE COACHES
North Carolina Central: Henry Frazier III (Bowie State, 1993) is in his second 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).
Florida A&M: Joe Taylor is the 15th head coach in the storied history of Florida A&M University football. In his inaugural campaign in 2008, Taylor led the Rattlers to a record-setting 9-3 finish – one of the best one-year turnarounds in the country (from 3-8 in 2007) – in the process tying Hall of Fame legend A.S. “Jake” Gaither’s school record for the most wins by a first-year head coach set in 1945. Taylor followed that smashing debut with an 8-3 finish in 2009, followed by another 8-3 mark in 2010. The Washington, D.C. native came to FAMU after 16 seasons at the helm of the Hampton (Va.) University football program, where he was the most successful coach in school history. During his tenure at Hampton, Taylor guided the Pirates to a scintillating 136-49-1 record, highlighted by four Black College Championships (1994, 1997, 2005, 2006), nine conference titles (CIAA: 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994; MEAC: 1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006), a Heritage Bowl Championship (1999), plus 11 trips to the NCAA playoffs (Division II: 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994; FCS/I-AA: 1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006).
THE LAST MEETING
(Nov. 12, 2011 - FAMU 31, NCCU 10) North Carolina Central University’s second half efforts were not enough to combat the first half deficit against Florida A&M University who won 31-10 on Senior Day at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. FAMU amassed 261 total offensive yards in the first half, outscoring the Eagles 28-0 before intermission, including three touchdowns in the second quarter. Junior running back Lavante Page gave FAMU an early lead on the opening drive scoring on a two-yard touchdown run, giving the Rattlers a 7-0 lead at 7:55 of the first quarter. The Eagles’ opening drive was a three-and-out on three plays for a gain of only two yards ending with a punt by redshirt sophomore punter Matthew Cornelius. That trend continued for the Eagles as they only had five first downs in the first half compared to 15 by FAMU. When the Eagles were not giving the Rattlers the ball off of punts, NCCU turned the ball over twice, fumbling and then on an interception, both times resulting in touchdown drives for FAMU. NCCU held the ball for only nine minutes in the first half compared to 21 possession minutes obtained by FAMU. NCCU ended the first half with 110 offensive yards, including 105 passing yards and only five ground yards. After the NCCU defense held the Rattlers scoreless in the third quarter, the Eagles got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard field goal by freshman Oleg Parent. NCCU’s only touchdown came on its longest drive of the day (7 plays, 46 yards) resulting in a three-yard touchdown run by redshirt senior quarterback Michael Johnson. FAMU ended the game’s scoring on a 42-yard field goal by redshirt senior Trevor Scott, making the final score 31-10. Offensively, Johnson finished his last home game, completing 16 of 31 passes for 185 yards. Senior wide receiver Corey Harris had four catches for 41 yards. Senior linebacker Brandon Outlaw led the Eagles’ defense with 11 tackles, a forced fumble, and a sack. Rookie linebacker Prince Williams added 10 tackles, an assisted sack, and a fumble recovery. FAMU quarterback Damien Fleming ended the day completing 15 passes on 24 attempts for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Kevin Elliott had five catches for 82 yards and a score, while junior running back Eddie Rocker had 128 yards on 17 carries. FAMU’s senior safety Anthony Shutt had a team-high eight tackles, a tackle for a loss, an interception, and a QB hurry.
LAST WEEK
(NCCU 23, Delaware State 20 - 2OT) North Carolina Central University took advantage of clutch special teams plays to pull out a 23-20 double-overtime victory over Delaware State University, thrilling a sellout homecoming crowd of 12,742 fans inside O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, N.C. The win pushed the Eagles into second place in the MEAC standings and clinched the program’s first winning season since 2007. NCCU senior running back and return specialist Arthur Goforth started the special teams highlights with a dazzling 92-yard punt return for a touchdown, the longest in school history, to give the Eagles a 17-10 lead in the third quarter. Delaware State took advantage of an NCCU fumble by driving 42 yards on eight plays to tie the score at 17-17 with one tick on the clock in the third stanza. As the contest slipped into overtime, DSU kicker Mitchell Ward, who missed a 21-yard field goal with 3:11 left in regulation, converted a 25-yard field goal on the first possession of the first overtime to provide the Hornets with their first lead of the day. When NCCU got the ball, the Hornets’ fifth sack of the contest pushed the Eagles back to the 29-yard line, forcing sophomore kicker Oleg Parent to try a 46-yard field goal to extend the game. With the homecoming crowd on its feet, Parent nailed the career-long three-pointer to force a second overtime. Parent came through again for NCCU when he connected on his third field goal of the afternoon from 26 yards out to put the Eagles ahead by three points after the opening possession of the second overtime. On DSU’s possession, NCCU senior defensive end Xavier Proctor sacked Hornets’ quarterback Nick Elko, moving the ball back to the 17-yard line. Needing a field goal to send the contest into a third overtime session, Ward’s 34-yard kick was blocked by redshirt senior defensive back Malik Cromartie, the fifth blocked kick of his NCCU career, igniting a swarming celebration on the home field. Cromartie, who also blocked a field goal in last year’s 14-7 win at Delaware State, topped the NCCU defense with 12 tackles (9 solo) and four pass break-ups. Junior linebacker Tazmon Foster contributed 10 stops, including a sack, while Proctor recorded nine takedowns with two hits for a loss, including that critical sack in overtime. Goforth, who ranks second in the conference in all-purpose yards, added to his total with 225 all-purpose yards on Saturday. The electrifying senior amassed a team-best 61 rushing yards, 15 receiving yards, 57 kickoff return yards and 92 yards on the recording-breaking punt return. Goforth now has six career special teams touchdowns with three kickoff return scores and three punt return visits to the end zone. NCCU redshirt junior quarterback Jordan Reid completed 18-of-27 passes for 126 yards, including a 3-yard lob to a leaping Jonathan Nicely for a second-quarter touchdown. Redshirt senior receiver Decona Roberts led the Eagles with five receptions for 65 yards, while senior tight end Detwan Robinson, redshirt senior Geovonie Irvine and Goforth each had three catches.
(NC A&T 16, FAMU 3) North Carolina A&T snapped their nine-game losing streak to Florida A&M as the Aggies defeated the Rattlers 16-3 in a defensive battle at Aggie Stadium. FAMU tallied 259 yards of total offense with 189 through the air, while holding the Aggies to 202 total yards.
NCCU SECOND IN MEAC IN TACKLES FOR A LOSS, AMONG BEST IN NATION
Through nine games, the NCCU defense ranks 10th in the NCAA Division I-FCS and second in the MEAC in tackles for loss with an average of 7.78 per contest. The Eagles have allowed 121.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and 21st among the statistical leaders of the nation (FCS). NCCU senior lineman Stephen Young tops the Eagles, ranks third in the league and is eighth in the nation (FCS) with 13.0 tackles for a loss, an average of 1.63 per game.
NCCU BOASTS TOP-RANKED SCORING OFFENSE IN CONFERENCE
NCCU boasts the top-ranked scoring offense in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and ranks 30th among NCAA Division I-FCS teams. The Eagles average 30.1 points per game.
NCCU’S ALL-PURPOSE DUO
Two of the seven Eagles to ever reach the 3,000-yard milestone in career all-purpose yards are currently on the NCCU squad. NCCU senior Arthur Goforth (5-8, 171) boasts 3,902 all-purpose yards and redshirt senior Geovonie Irvine (5-7, 161) has 3,229 all-purpose yards. The other Eagles to have accomplished that feat are Robert Clark (1983-86), Anthony Cooley (1988-91), Joe Simmons (1990-93), Monte Southerland (1993-96), and Greg Pruitt, Jr. (2004-06).
IRVINE RANKS SECOND AMONG NCCU RECEIVERS
Senior receiver Geovonie Irvine ranks as NCCU’s fourth all-time leading receiver with 160 career catches for 2,234 yards and 16 trips to the end zone. Robert Clark (1983-86) is NCCU’s career leader in receptions with 210 for 4,231 yards and 38 touchdowns.
IRVINE IS SIXTH EAGLE WITH 2,000 RECEIVING YARDS
After tallying 53 receiving yards at Elon, senior Geovonie Irvine became just the sixth Eagle in NCCU history to record 2,000 receiving yards. The redshirt senior now has 2,234 career receiving yards to rank fourth on the school’s all-time list. Irvine needs 76 receiving yards to pass Robert Green (1983-86; 2,309 yards) into the third spot.
ARTHUR GOING FORTH IN KICKOFF RETURN YARDAGE
NCCU senior running back and return specialist Arthur Goforth (Sr., 5-8, 171, Columbia, S.C.) has moved past Montez Patterson (1998-2001 / 1,658 kickoff return yards) into second place on the Eagles’ career kickoff return yards list with 2,118 yards. Goforth boasts two of the longest kickoff returns in NCCU history, ranking third with a 97-yard score against Winston-Salem State on Sept. 11, 2010, and eighth with a 92-yard trip to the end zone at Appalachian State on Sept. 18, 2010. During his career as an Eagle, he has amassed 3,902 all-purpose yards (877 rushing, 335 receiving, 572 punt return, 2,118 kickoff return).
EAGLES ACHIEVE RECORD-SCORING QUARTERS
The 2012 Eagles have either tied or broken an NCCU record for scoring in a quarter twice this season. Against Savannah State, NCCU scored 28 points after intermission to tie the school record for points scored in the third quarter. In the team’s next outing (after a bye week), the Eagles set a new NCCU standard by scoring a school record 30 points in the second quarter. The NCCU record for points scored in any quarter is 39, posted in the first quarter against Virginia Union on Nov. 16, 1968.
ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL
North Carolina Central University is in its second season of full NCAA Division I (FCS) athletic competition as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles won back-to-back football conference championships and a Black College National Championship in their final two years in the Division II ranks (2005 and 2006) before starting the transition to Division I in 2007. During its storied gridiron tradition, NCCU has produced 129 all-conference selections, 63 all-Americans, 40 NFL draft picks, 10 conference championships and two Black College National Championships.
NCCU RECEIVER NICELY PULLS DOUBLE-DUTY
NCCU senior receiver Jonathan Nicely (R-Sr., 6-4, 197, Augusta, Ga.) is also a forward on the NCCU men’s basketball team. Nicely, who was also a two-sport standout at Evans High School (Ga.), came off the Eagles bench in 17 games during the 2011-12 season, averaging 1.9 minutes of action. As a sophomore in 2010-11, he appeared in 27 contests, averaging 6.8 minutes per game.
NCCU PICKED TO FINISH NINTH IN THE MEAC
NCCU was picked to finish ninth in the 11-team Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, according to a poll of league head football coaches and sports information directors. In its first season back in the MEAC, NCCU placed 10th during the 2011 campaign with a 1-7 conference record and an overall mark of 2-9.
NCCU’S IRVINE, PROCTOR EARN PRESEASON HONORS
NCCU seniors Geovonie Irvine and Xavier Proctor were selected to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference Football Team. Irvine, a 5-7, 161-pound native of Durham, N.C., was named to the All-MEAC First Team as a return specialist. Last season Irvine garnered All-MEAC Second Team recognition in the postseason after returning 18 kickoffs for 400 yards (22.2 avg.), including an 81-yard touchdown scamper, and six punts for 54 yards (9.0 avg.). Proctor, a 6-6, 272-pound native of Ellicott City, Md., earned All-MEAC Second Team honors as a defensive lineman. In 2011, he tallied 37 tackles with 7.5 hits for a loss and 3.5 sacks, along with two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
PRESEASON INJURIES HURT NCCU
NCCU’s offense took a hit in the preseason with two season-ending injuries. The Eagles’ leading rusher Idreis Augustus and veteran redshirt senior receiver Andrew Johnson are out of action for 2012 after suffering knee injuries.
LISTEN TO NCCU FOOTBALL ON WNCU 90.7 FM
Thanks to a new partnership between WNCU 90.7 FM and the North Carolina Central University Department of Athletics, the 50,000-watt Durham radio station will air the broadcast of NCCU football games during the 2012 season. The 90.7 FM signal encompasses a coverage area of more than 100 miles, reaching listeners in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill and beyond. WNCU, a non-commercial public radio station, last carried NCCU football games during the regular season in 1997. “I am excited about this revitalized collaboration with NCCU Athletics and the football program,” said Lackisha Freeman, WNCU General Manager. “Additionally, I am glad to have the football games back on our airwaves and hope this will demonstrate the true meaning of ‘Eagle Pride, Amplified.’ I am optimistic that this partnership will be rewarding for all parties involved, most importantly, our student-athletes.” According to Freeman, WNCU plans to have a presence at all NCCU home football games, giving fans the opportunity to listen to its programming and meet the station’s on-air personalities and staff. “I am truly excited about our new partnership with WNCU,” said Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree, NCCU Director of Athletics. “The opportunity for NCCU Athletics to be a part of the WNCU family of loyal followers will enhance our constituent-base and that of WNCU. General Manager Lackisha Freeman has been tremendous in this collaborative effort and we look forward to the marketing potential this partnership will bring to the Department of Athletics and WNCU.” Chris Hooks, entering his fifth gridiron season as the play-by-play voice of the NCCU Sports Network, will continue to announce the live action. The broadcasts will begin with a pre-game show 30 minutes prior to the scheduled kickoff time. For more details about WNCU 90.7 FM, visit www.WNCU.org.
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, 2011, in front of McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium. Tru-Pak Moving Systems, Inc., “The Official Mover of NCCU Football,” uses the 28-foot truck to transport the Eagles’ gridiron equipment to road games and is part of 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 is used primarily to aid the NCCU football program move its equipment to and from the site of competition, which enhances 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 is 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.
