Complete Game Notes (
PDF)
THE GAMEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
North Carolina Central Univ. "Eagles" at North Carolina A&T State Univ. "Aggies"
THE KICKOFFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Saturday, November 23, 2013 – Kickoff at 1:00 p.m.
THE SITEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Aggie Stadium (21,500 capacity/natural grass) - Greensboro, N.C.
THE RECORDSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
N.C. Central (5-6 overall, 3-4 MEAC); N.C. A&T (6-4 overall, 3-4 MEAC)
MEDIA COVERAGEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Audio: NCCU Sports Network mobile app (iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android, Kindle Fire HD); "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (audio internet stream). Broadcast starts at 12:30 p.m. (Chris Hooks, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst).
QUICK HITSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
•  Saturday marks the final game of the 2013 season, and the 85th meeting between the Eagles of NCCU and the Aggies of NC A&T.
•  The Aggies lead the series 48-31-5, dating back to the first meeting in 1924. Six of the last eight meetings have been decided by six points or less, along with four overtime games in the past 16 meetings.
•  The Eagles have scored a special teams touchdown in five consecutive games.
•  NCCU is the only team in the nation (all levels of NCAA) with four kickoff return touchdowns, and, now that teams refuse to kick deep, the Eagles have dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the FCS rankings in kickoff returns (26.52-yard avg.).
•  NCCU's 12 kick return touchdowns (both punt and kickoff) in the past two seasons (7 PR, 5 KOR) are more than any other team in NCAA Division I-FCS and are more than the amount by the Eagles in the prior nine seasons combined (11 from 2003-11).
•  In the past 22 games, NCCU has scored 19 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including nine this season.
•  NCCU senior linebacker Tazmon Foster (Henderson, N.C.) is the leading tackler in the nation (FCS) with 131 takedowns (11.9 per game), just one tackle ahead of Stephon Robertson of James Madison. Foster needs 12 tackles to break NCCU's single-season record of 142.
•  NCCU sophomore Adrian Wilkins (Forest City, N.C.) tops the MEAC in both kickoff returns (31.2 yards per return), punt returns (14.1 yards per return) and all-purpose yards (130.1 yards per game), and has scored touchdowns on three kickoff returns (100, 96, 91 yards), two punt returns (89, 73 yards) and two receptions. He is the only Eagle in the NCCU record books with a kickoff return touchdown, a punt return touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same season. Wilkins is the only student-athlete in the NCAA Division I-FCS with five special teams return touchdowns.
•  NCCU senior quarterback Jordan Reid (High Point, N.C.) is on the verge of breaking the NCCU career pass completion percentage record of 55.1 percent. Reid has completed 328-of-580 passes for a career completion percentage of 56.6.
•  NC A&T boasts the No. 2 rushing defense in the nation (FCS), allowing only 88.0 ground yards per game.
•  Former NCCU head football coach Rod Broadway is in his third season as the head coach of the Aggies. Broadway led the Eagles to back-to-back CIAA championships in 2005 and 2006.
THE SERIESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
This will be the 85th meeting between the Eagles and Aggies, dating back to 1924 when NC A&T tied NCCU, 13-13, in Durham, N.C. The Aggies lead the series 48-31-5. NC A&T has won 17 of the last 22 meetings, but NCCU has won four of the last seven contests, including a 27-16 victory on Sept. 25, 2010 in Durham, a 28-27 win on Oct. 4, 2008 in Charlotte, a 27-22 victory on Sept. 22, 2007 in Greensboro, and a 23-22 win on Sept. 5, 2005 in Raleigh. In the last match-up on Nov. 17, 2012, A&T outlasted the Eagles 22-16 in overtime.
THE LAST MEETINGÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
(Nov. 17, 2012 - NC A&T 22, NCCU 16 - Overtime) North Carolina A&T's all-time leading rusher Mike Mayhew closed out his college career with a 5-yard touchdown dash in overtime to defeat rival North Carolina Central University, 22-16, inside a sold out O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, N.C. Mayhew amassed 116 of the Aggies' 162 ground yards, while NCCU's failure to consistently execute the snap from center resulted in a team total of negative-51 rushing yards for the Eagles, which proved to be a deciding factor in the outcome of the game. On at least four occasions, NCCU's snap from center got past the intended target. The first sailed over punter Matthew Cornelius's head and resulted in a safety for A&T's first points. The last one came on a third-and-1 play in overtime, with the Eagles needing a touchdown to even the score, which resulted in a 38-yard loss and sent most of the 11,184 fans scrambling for the exits. NCCU's special teams play continued to be special. In the closing seconds of the second quarter, Malik Cromartie blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt, the sixth blocked kick of his college career, and the loose pigskin was scooped up by Delson McAdams, who raced 71 yards for a touchdown. A missed extra-point kick made the score 9-6 in favor of A&T at halftime. NCCU kicker Oleg Parent blasted a 41-yard field goal to even the score at 9-9 with 9:13 remaining in the third quarter. Later in the third stanza, A&T blocked a punt to give the Aggies first-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Ricky Lewis's second touchdown run from two yards out put the Aggies back on top 16-9 with 2:09 remaining in the quarter. A few minutes later, A&T was in position to try a 38-yard field goal, but it was blocked again, this time by sophomore Sayyid Muhammad, who returned the bouncing ball 67 yards to the Aggie 5-yard line. The NCCU offense could not take advantage of the prime red-zone field position, as quarterback Jordan Reid's third down toss to the end zone fell into the hands of A&T defensive back Ayodeji Olatoye. In spite of NCCU's snapping challenges and four turnovers, the Eagles managed to tie the score at 16-16 when Reid connected with receiver Lamar Scruggs with 10:09 left in the fourth quarter. With less than a minute remaining in regulation, A&T faced fourth-and-1 at the NCCU 28-yard line. Rather than line up for a 45-yard field goal attempt, the Aggies tried to run Mayhew for a first down, but senior linebacker Elroy Powell and a host of Eagle defenders stopped him short of the first down marker. With 21 seconds still on the game clock, Reid completed a 17-yard pass to Geovonie Irvine, followed by a 20-yard connection with Decona Roberts to set up Parent for a potential game-winning field goal from 52 yards away with five seconds remaining. Instead of the longest field goal in NCCU history, the line-drive boot fell short and the game went into overtime for the fourth time in the past 16 meetings between the Eagles and Aggies. In the overtime session, A&T took just two plays, a 20-yard swing pass from Lewis Kindle to Marquis Gorham and Mayhew's 5-yard run, to score the game-winner. A&T achieved 344 yards of total offense, including 168 yards on 15-of-32 passing by Kindle. NCCU finished with 122 total yards, topped by Reid's 142 yards through the air on 18-for-24 passing. Irvine caught eight passes for 55 yards to wrap up his NCCU career as the second-leading receiver in school history with 171 catches.
LAST WEEKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
(NCCU 24, Norfolk State 13)Â North Carolina Central University used a dominant run game and a special teams touchdown for the fifth straight week to defeat Norfolk State University 24-13, sending 18 NCCU seniors out in style during their last home game inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. NCCU (5-6, 3-4 MEAC) amassed 163 yards on the ground with touchdown runs by senior quarterback Jordan Reid and junior running back Andre Clarke, who led the way with 93 rushing yards. Reid also completed 8-of 16 passes for 103 yards with two interceptions. The play of the game took place near the start of the fourth quarter with Norfolk State lining up for a field goal that would make it a one-possession game. Instead, NCCU junior Sayyid Muhammad blocked the field goal and teammate C.J. Moore scooped up the loose ball and raced 70 yards for a touchdown, giving the Eagles an 11-point cushion. It was the second blocked kick of the contest for Muhammad, who blocked a punt in the third quarter. Moore enjoyed a huge afternoon for NCCU. In addition to his game-clinching touchdown, the junior out of Raleigh, N.C., finished with a game-high 12 tackles and three passes defended, including an interception in the end zone to prevent a Spartan score at the end of the first half. Norfolk State (3-8, 3-4 MEAC) out-gained the Eagles 396 total yards to 266, but the Spartans scored only once on three trips into the red zone and missed three field goals and an extra-point kick.
(NC A&T 41, Savannah State 14)Â Tarik Cohen rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, all in the first half, as North Carolina A&T eased to victory over Savannah State, 41-14, at Aggie Stadium. In the process of having another stellar performance, Cohen became the first Aggie freshman to put together an 1,000 yard rushing. Cohen had 129 yards rushing in the first four games of his collegiate career. But over the past six games he has rushed for 894 yards, and the Aggies still have one more game to play. The A&T defense held the Tigers to just 19 yards rushing. A&T's six sacks contributed to Savannah State's bad day on the ground.
THE COACHESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
North Carolina Central: Dwayne Foster (Delaware State, 1993) joined NCCU in 2011 as assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and offensive line coach, before being elevated to interim head coach prior to the 2013 season. Previously, he served as running backs coach at Prairie View A&M University (2005-10), tight ends and running backs coach at Catholic University (2004), and offensive line coach at Bowie State University (2003). Foster made his name on the high school level in Washington, D.C., as the head coach of Archbishop Carroll High School from 1997-2003. At Archbishop, Foster received coach of the year honors by the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Committee in 1998. Foster played college football at Delaware State University from 1989-93 and helped the Hornets capture two MEAC Championships during his freshmen and junior seasons before graduating in 1993. Foster is a member of the Black Coaches and American Football Coaches Associations, was part of the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program in 2010 with the Buffalo Bills and in 2012 with the Cincinnati Bengals, and participated in the NCAA Men's Football Coaching Academy in Indianapolis, Ind., in June 2006.
North Carolina A&T: In his third season as the head coach of the Aggies football program, Rod Broadway (North Carolina, 1977) is no stranger to NCCU. He was head coach at NCCU from 2003-06, guiding the Eagles to 33 victories with the best winning percentage in school history (.750), back-to-back CIAA championships in 2005 and 2006, and a 2006 Black College Football National Championship with an 11-0 regular-season record. Following NCCU, Broadway spent four seasons as the head coach at Grambling, where the Tigers posted a 35-12 record.
WILKINS TOPS MEAC IN ALL-PURPOSE YARDS; KNACK FOR BIG PLAYSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
NCCU sophomore receiver and return specialist Adrian Wilkins (Forest City, N.C.) leads the MEAC with an average of 130.1 all-purpose yards per game. He is the only student-athlete in the NCAA Division I-FCS with five special teams returns for touchdowns (3 kickoff, 2 punt). Wilkins also leads the league in kickoff returns (31.2 yards per return) and punt returns (14.1 yards per return). Wilkins has a knack for making big plays. He owns the second-longest kickoff return (100 yards at Charlotte, Sept. 14, 2013) and punt return (89 yards at Howard, Oct. 5, 2013) in school history. As a receiver, Wilkins has caught 33 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns. He is the only Eagle in the NCCU record books with a kickoff return touchdown, a punt return touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same season.
NCCU'S FOSTER NATIONAL LEADER IN TACKLESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
NCCU senior linebacker Tazmon Foster leads the NCAA Division I-FCS with an average of 11.9 tackles per game (131 total tackles), just one tackle ahead of Stephon Robertson of James Madison. Foster needs 12 tackles to break NCCU's single-season record of 142. A 5-10, 215-pound native of Henderson, N.C., Foster amassed a career-high 18 tackles (12 solo), including 2.0 hits for a loss with a solo sack, along with a forced fumble against No. 13 Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 2. In just 19 games with the Eagles, the linebacker has totaled 211 tackles and has two touchdowns to his credit with fumble and interception returns to the end zone.
MUHAMMAD NAMED MEAC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
NCCU junior Sayyid Muhammad has been selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance during the Eagles' 24-13 win over Norfolk State on Saturday, the league office announced Monday, Nov. 18. A native of Charlotte, N.C., Muhammad blocked a punt in the third quarter, and then blocked a field goal that was scooped up by a teammate and returned 70 yards for a touchdown to provide the Eagles with a two-score lead in the fourth quarter. It marked the fifth week in a row that NCCU scored a touchdown on special teams. Muhammad, a 6-0, 190-pound defensive back, also blocked a punt at Howard on Oct. 5 that was returned for a touchdown. He now has four blocked kicks during his NCCU career. Along with his three blocked kicks this season, Muhammad has recorded 27 tackles (18 solo), including 3.0 hits for a loss, two pass break-ups and a fumble recovery. The Olympic High School graduate amassed a career-high 10 tackles versus Charlotte in his return to his hometown on Sept. 14.
EAGLES TURNING DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS INTO POINTSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Since the start of the 2012 season, the Eagles have demonstrated a knack for finding the end zone when the offense is off the field. In the past 22 games, NCCU has scored 19 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including nine this season and 10 in 2012. In that time, the Eagles have made trips to the end zone on seven punt returns, five kickoff returns, three blocked field goal returns, three interceptions and a fumble recovery. NCCU's 12 kick return touchdowns (both punt and kickoff) in the past two seasons (7 PR, 5 KOR) are more than the amount by the Eagles in the previous nine seasons combined (11 from 2003-11) and are more than any other team in the NCAA Division I-FCS.
FIVE CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH SPECIAL TEAMS TOUCHDOWNÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
NCCU has scored a special teams touchdown in five consecutive games.
Oct. 19 vs. Morgan State - Adrian Wilkins 91-yard kickoff return
Oct. 26 at Savannah State - Adrian Wilkins 73-yard punt return
Nov. 2 vs. Bethune-Cookman - Thomas Dixon 100-yard kickoff return
Nov. 9 at Hampton - Adrian Wilkins 96-yard kickoff return
Nov. 16 vs. Norfolk State - C.J. Moore 70-yard blocked field goal return
ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
North Carolina Central University is in its third season of full NCAA Division I (FCS) athletic competition as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles have won 10 conference championships as members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1953, 1954, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1980, 2005, 2006) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (1972, 1973), and have made three appearances in the NCAA playoffs (1988, 2005, 2006). 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 131 all-conference selections, 64 all-Americans, 40 NFL draft picks, 10 conference championships and two Black College National Championships. The first Eagle selected in the NFL Draft was Matt Boone, who was taken by the Giants with the eighth pick in the 18th round in 1956. The latest Eagle announced during the NFL Draft was Greg Peterson, who was chosen by the Buccaneers in the fifth round in 2007. NCCU's highest draft pick was Doug Wilkerson, who was selected in the first round with the 14th overall pick of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Oilers. The Eagles have also had three second-round NFL draft picks, including Robert Massey in 1989 by the Saints, Charles Smith in 1975 by the Broncos and Chuck Hinton in 1962 by the Browns. Two Eagles have represented NCCU on the National Football League's grandest stage - the Super Bowl. The first NCCU Eagle to make a Super Bowl appearance was Richard Sligh, who was a reserve tackle with the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 14, 1968. Sligh, who holds the distinction as the tallest player in NFL history (7'0"), played at NCCU from 1962-64 and was later drafted by the Raiders in the 10th round of the 1967 NFL draft. On Jan. 24, 1982, former NCCU Eagle Louis Breeden was a starting cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI against the San Francisco 49ers. Earlier in the season (Nov. 8, 1981), Breeden intercepted a pass thrown by San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts and returned it a team-record 102 yards for a touchdown. The following year, he was selected as a First-Team All-Pro. A two-time all-conference pick during his NCCU career from 1973-76, Breeden was chosen by the Bengals in the seventh round of the 1977 NFL draft. He completed his 10-year NFL career with 33 interceptions for 558 return yards and two touchdowns. HBCU football pioneer John Brown, who represented NCCU (then North Carolina College) on the gridiron in the 1940s, was one of the first to play professional football out of a historically black college or university. Brown shares the honor with Ezzret Anderson of Kentucky State and Elmore Harris of Morgan State, who all began their professional football careers in 1947. Brown and Anderson were teammates on the Los Angeles Dons, while Harris was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. According to NCCU records, Brown was the first of the three to sign a professional football contract. He played center and linebacker with the Dons from 1947-49, before moving to the Canadian Football League.
