Rams Ready For Work; Face North Carolina A&T; In Battle of I-40
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Rams have put in the effort, and now they are ready to punch the clock as they prepare to face their rival North Carolina A&T on Saturday evening at Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, N.C. in the “Battle of I-40” at 6:00 p.m. as WSSU looks for their third consecutive win over N.C. A&T.
And So It Begins Again…The Rams will again open their season facing their closest, and most bitter, rival as Winston-Salem State University renews the rivalry with the Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University for the third consecutive year. The contest will mark the season-opener for the Rams while the Aggies are coming off of their first win in nearly three years as they defeated the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University last Saturday by the score of 44-12 at Aggie Stadium as N.C. A&T snapped one of the nation’s longest losing streaks. The victory for the Aggies marked their first win since defeating Morgan State 40-33 on Oct. 8, 2005 at FedEx Field in Washington, D.C.
Game Details…The contest is the third annual “Battle of I-40 Classic” as the Rams and Aggies take to the field for the third consecutive season. The two teams will kickoff from Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, N.C. at 6:00 p.m.
The Event…The season opener for the Rams and the second contest of the season for the Aggies as the two fiercest of rivals, separated by little more than 30 miles of Interstate 40 (I-40) are set to square off for Piedmont Triad bragging rights. The Aggies are looking to avenge back-to-back losses at the hands of the Rams while WSSU looks to win a third straight game over North Carolina A&T for only the second time in series history.
The Series…The series between the two teams dates back to 1944 when the Aggies won the inaugural meeting in Greensboro, N.C. by the score of 38-0. The series-opening victory for the Aggies marked the first of 21 consecutive wins over WSSU that lasted until the 1977 season. North Carolina A&T leads the all-time series 35-11 yet WSSU has won the last two meetings between the two storied programs. WSSU has not lost to the Aggies since making the jump to the NCAA Division I level. This meeting will be the 47th meeting between the two teams with the Aggies handly holding a 24-victory margin in the all-time series.
Series Reloaded…The 2006 meeting between the two teams marked the first time in seven seasons that the two programs had met (dating back to a 1999 meeting which the Aggies won in Winston-Salem, N.C. by the score of 20-7). Since that fateful 2006 meeting, the Rams have posted a 2-0 mark against the Aggies and have not lost since making the transition from the CIAA to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. With the Rams recent acceptance into the MEAC, the two teams will meet every season as a part of conference play.
Streak Snapped…The Rams’ 2006 victory by the score of 41-14 at Aggie Stadium broke an eight-game losing skid at the hands of North Carolina A&T. Until 2006’s victory, WSSU head coach Kermit Blount had posted an 0-7 record versus the Aggies. Since 2006, Blount has led the Rams to back-to-back wins over North Carolina A&T and has improved his overall coaching mark versus the Aggies to 2-7.
Television Coverage…There is no local, regional, or national television coverage for the Rams’ contest versus the Aggies. The game is slated to air on RAM TV on campus at WSSU in a tape-delay format pending the resolution of logistical television/filming issues. For additional information, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations.
Radio Coverage…This Saturday’s contest will be available to listeners in the greater Winston-Salem and Piedmont Triad area live on WSNC 90.5 FM with Alan Chavous calling all of the play-by-play action and Kim Spears providing analysis. Sharrod Patterson will serve as the sideline reporter for the broadcast. In addition to the live radio broadcast, the game will be availablie worldwide on the Internet at WSSU.edu by clicking on the “Listen to WSNC” link.
Aggie Radio…Aggie fans can listen to the game on North Carolina A&T’s Athletic Website at NCATAggies.com. Mel Swann, Spencer Gwynn and Billy “The Handsome One” Covington will call all the action for the Aggies.
Live Statistical Broadcast…A live statistical broadcast of the game, utilizing CSTV’s Gametracker statistical software will be available on the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at WSSURams.com. Fans may access the live stats by visiting the WSSU football schedule page and clicking on the Gametracker link.
Weather Forecast…Saturday’s contest is slated to be played in good weather as the forecast calls for high temperatures of 76° wth a low of 66° and a 40 percent chance of precipitation under partly cloudy skies. Humidity is slated to be 75 percent with winds out of the Northeast at eight miles per hour with a UV index of nine (very high). Sunrise will take place at 6:52 a.m. EST and will set at 7:49 p.m. EST.
Setting The Scene…The matchup between the Rams and Aggies may very well be the biggest game of the season for both teams. It is safe to say that there is no love loss between the two schools and a deep rivalry between the two campuses, which are located in adjacent cities only 30 miles apart, extends across all of the two institutions’ intercollegiate sports. The two universities have a history of intercollegiate competition dating back to when both were members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).
The Coaches…The Rams are coached by 16th-year man Kermit Blount. Blount has posted an impressive 87-69-3 mark at WSSU and has led the Rams to a pair of conference (CIAA) titles (in 1999 and 2000). He has posted a 2-7 overall mark versus North Carolina A&T since taking over as head coach in 1993 but has never lost to Lee Fobbs, the Aggies’ head coach.
The Aggies are led by Lee Fobbs, Jr. who is in his third season at the head of the Aggies’ program. Fobbs has posted a 1-22 record as the head man at North Carolina A&T and is looking for his first win over the Rams as well as looking for his first win over WSSU head coach Kermit Blount.
First Action…The Rams will be playing their first game of the season when they take to the field versus the Aggies.
Solid Numbers…The Aggies are heading into the gamewith the Rams on unfamiliar ground as they are riding a one-game win streak for the first time in nearly three seasons. The Aggies posted a 44-12 victory over Division II member Johnson C. Smith last Saturday at Aggie Stadium as they snapped a losing streak that dated back to the 2005 season.
The Aggies enter into Saturday’s contest with the Rams sporting very impressive numbers as they are ranked third in the nation in rushing offense, 13th in the nation in total offense, 12th in the nation in scoring defense, 11th in the nation in punt returns and seventh in the nation in kick returns.
National Rankings…Neither the Rams nor the Aggies are ranked in either of the two major, national polls. In fact, no Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams are ranked in either of the two national polls.
Next Up…Next up for the Rams are the Tigers of Savannah State University. The Tigers, much improved from the 2006 and 2007 iterations of the team will make their first trip to Bowman Gray Stadium since the 1997 season, a season in which the Tigers fell to the Rams in Winston-Salem, N.C. by the score o 27-24. Winston-Salem State University holds the 2-0 series lead as they have never lost to the Tigers.
First Of Four…The Rams’ contest versus Savannah State on Sept. 13 will mark the home-opener for WSSU and will be the first of four consecutive contests that the Rams will play at home. Following the Rams’ contest at North Carolina A&T, WSSU will not leave the friendly confines of Bowman Gray Stadium until an Oct. 9 matchup with Florida A&M University which will air live in Hi-Definition on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m.
Open For Business…When the Rams take on Savannah State on Sept. 13 they will play their first contest while utilizing their new state-of-the-art 12,000 Bowman Gray Athletic Fieldhouse. The facility, which cost $5.1 million, houses all of the WSSU Athletic Department’s Administrators, the entire WSSU football staff and a core component of the WSSU Sports Medicine and Speed, Strength and Conditioning staffs.
In, But Not Completely…Though the Rams are considered a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, they are unable to compete for a championship until the 2009 season (per NCAA mandates). The Rams will again play a full slate of MEAC games but will be ineligible for a conference title, ineligible for postseason awards and will not be listed in the MEAC statistics at season’s end.
Year Three Begins…In a drive to support rapid growth and attain higher visibility, the Board of Trustees at Winston-Salem State University approved a plan to seek reclassification of the school’s athletic programs to compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level on Dec. 1, 2004. The Rams started the process with an exploratory year in 2005-06 and became official members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 2006-07. The Rams enter into the third year of Division I-FCS football play in the fall of 2008 and will complete the reclassification process after the 2009-10 academic year.
Movin’ On Up…The Rams, a long-time member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) at the Division II level made the jump to the nation’s highest level of intercollegiate competition at the Division I level following great success during their 61 years of Division II membership. WSSU captured eight CIAA football titles and made four NCAA playoff appearances, the most recent of which came during the 1990 season.
Success At The Next Level…The change to the Division I level has had no affect on the Rams’ success as WSSU posted a 6-4 record during their exploratory year (2005-06), posted a 4-7 record in their first full Division I year (2006-07) and completed their second year as a Division I member with a 6-5 record (2007-08).
First Division I Winning Season…With their convincing 35-10 win over the Eagles of North Carolina Central on Nov. 10, 2007, the Rams earned their first winning season at the Division I level. WSSU recorded six wins during the 2007 season, the most wins for the Rams since making the jump from NCAA Division II to Division I.
Three To Go…Winston-Salem State University head football coach, Kermit Blount, needs only three wins to become the winningest coach in WSSU football history. Blount, who enters into his 16th season as the Rams’ head coach, has posted an all-time mark of 87-69-3. Blount needs only three wins to move into first place atop the WSSU all-time win chart with 90 wins, one victory ahead of legendary WSSU head coach, and current Director of Athletics at Florida A&M University, Bill Hayes.
Only Four Losing Seasons…Kermit Blount has recorded only four losing seasons during his 15 years at the head of the WSSU football program. Blount has posted 11 winning seasons and has posted three seasons with win totals of at least eight games. Blount’s losing seasons came in 1996 (4-7), 2002 (4-6), 2004 (4-6), and 2006 (4-7). Over that span of 15 seasons, Blount has led the Rams to a pair of conference football titles (1999 and 2000).
The Team…The Rams return 41 letterwinners to the team in 2008 as the Rams welcome back the services of 27 scholarship upperclassmen. The Rams’ return 12 scholarship seniors and 15 scholarship juniors. WSSU’s roster will also be home to 36 freshmen and 24 sophomores as underclassmen make up almost two-thirds of the preseason roster.
Despite the loss of the Rams’ top two rushers and the top passer from last season, WSSU returns the services of the top five receivers from 2007, the top punt returner, the top kick returner and top punter from last year, and an offensive line unit that returns virtually unchanged from a season in which the Rams tallied 232 points (21.1 points per game).
The Rams return 15 total players who made at least three starts last season with nine offensive starters and six defensive starters returning. While the offensive line is nearly identical to last year’s season finale, the Rams welcome back 97.3 percent of their receiving offense and 35.3 percent of the scoring. WSSU will benefit from a receiving corps that returns all the roster members from a unit that accounted for the 12 receiving plays of 20 yards or more.
The Schedule…The 2008 season will be the 68th in Winston-Salem State University history. Through 67 years of play, WSSU owns a 335-258-24 (.543) record.
The Rams will take on five teams that posted winning records last season, including a Norfolk State University team that earned a program-best eight wins and a Delaware State University program that posted 10 wins, earned their first-ever MEAC championship, and made an NCAA playoff appearance.
The Rams open the season at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, N.C. on Labor Day weekend for the annual “Battle of I-40” as the pair of rivals meet for the 47th time in history. WSSU will then return home for four consecutive home contests before playing a Thursday evening game in Tallahassee, Fla. against Florida A&M which will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
WSSU plays host to Bethune-Cookman on Oct. 25 at 2:00 p.m. for Homecoming before heading out on the road for games at Hampton, at Delaware State, and at North Carolina Central.
The Rams close the season with a home contest versus Norfolk State University as WSSU finishes the season at home for the first time since 2005.
The Staff…The 2008 season marks the third-consecutive year that the Rams’ coaching staff has remained intact. WSSU is one of only three programs in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to keep its entire coaching staff intact for the past two seasons.
The only change to the WSSU coaching staff over the past three seasons has been the addition of Offensive Coordinator, Nicholas Calcutta. Calcutta joined the Rams’ staff in the summer of 2007 following a 2006 season in which WSSU Head Coach, Kermit Blount pulled double-duty as head coach and offensive coordinator.
The Offensive Losses…The 2008 season will pose challenges for the Rams and perhaps the biggest hurdle is replacing quarterback Monte Purvis and running back Jed Bines, fifth-year seniors who accounted for 25 of the team’s 32 touchdowns in 2007. Bines ended his career with 3,600 rushing yards (third in program history) and 35 rushing touchdowns (tied for fourth in program history). Purvis, a three-year starter, passed for 2,821 yards and 18 touchdowns, ran for 1,181 yards and 13 touchdowns and ended up with 4,002 total yards in his career (fifth in program history).
The Quarterback Returnees…Replacing Purvis at quarterback will likely come down to a four-man race with Tienne Jefferson, a 6-1, 210-pound redshirt freshman from Washington, D.C., looking to be the frontrunner to start behind center. Jarrett Dunston, a transfer from Temple, and Brain Wynn, a 6-6, 200-pound sophomore will also compete for the starting job. The wild card in the quarterback race may very well be true freshman Branden Williams, a 6-1, 190-pound quarterback from
Seale, Ala. Williams, who possesses a strong arm and may be as mobile as Purvis, passed for more than 3,000 yards and ran for more than 2,000 yards in high school en route to scoring a combined 45 career touchdowns.
The Running Back Returnees…Returning in the backfield are a pair of talented upperclassmen in Brandon McRae and Roderick Fluellen. McRae, a 5-10, 225-pound redshirt junior led the team in rushing two seasons ago and looked to reach for a 1000-yard season in 2007 before breaking his wrist in the Rams’ win over Morgan State in mid-September. Fluellen returns to the lineup on the heels of a 2007 season in which he rushed for 520 yards and scored three touchdowns. He brings with him his 4.4 yards per carry average and again will be looked to for his power running game. Nic Cooper, a 6-0, 230-pound power back from Clinton, N.C. will throw his hat into the ring in his bid to become a backfield mainstay in 2008 after spending the 2007 season as a redshirt freshman.
The Offensive Line Returnees…The Rams’ offensive line will once again be led by the ever-present combination of right tackle Joseph Blanks and center Michael Helton. Blanks returns to the lineup with his start streak of 31 consecutive contests intact, a streak that is second only to Helton’s 32-straight games started. The pair of offensive line staples will look to protect whatever young WSSU quarterback lines up behind center. Joining Helton and Blanks are experienced offensive linemen in Nazir Levine (left guard), Bennie Barbour (right guard) and Thurman McDonald (left tackle). Levine and Barbour combined to start 15 games for the Rams in 2007 as both players head into fall training camp firmly encamped at the top of the WSSU depth chart.
The Defensive Losses…The WSSU defense was the hardest hit by graduation as the Rams lose the services of 10 starters. The Rams took their biggest hits on the defensive line and at linebacker as WSSU does not return any starters on the line, and only two linebackers who have at least three career starts return their services. Nathaniel Biggs and Ernest Blakley are the biggest losses from the WSSU secondary as Biggs and his eight career interceptions, and Blakely and his five career picks will no longer patrol the defensive backfield. The most glaring holes to fill will be those vacated by the loss of the Rams’ top two tacklers from 2007 in linebacker Thadeus Griffin and defensive end William Hayes. Griffin, a player who led the Rams in tackles for the past three seasons exhausted his eligibility, while Hayes capped his WSSU career with his fourth round selection by the Tennessee Titans in the 2008 NFL Draft.
The Linebacking Returnees…Chedrick Marshall and Juan Corders will likely start at linebacker for the Rams in 2008 as both players recorded multiple starts last season. Marshall made significant progress in 2007 as he finished the year with 55 total tackles, good enough to rank fourth on the team. Corders, who fought a foot injury for the latter part of the 2007 season, returns to the lineup completely healthy and will look to return to the form that made him a rookie of the year candidate as a true freshman in 2006.
The Defensive Backfield Returnees…The Rams return four players into the defensive secondary who each started at least three games last season as defensive backs David Irizarry, Marvin Bohannon, Alex Chandler and DeRon Middleton all return to the lineup. Irizarry and Bohannon, a pair of speedy coverage players, combined for 72 total tackles last season, and ranked eighth and 13th on the roster in tackles, respectively.
The Defensive Line Returnees…The defensive line returns only two letterwinners in Quentin Jones and Kevin Dorsey, Jr. Jones will inherit the starting duties at left defensive end in 2008 as he tries to fill the shoes vacated by William Hayes. Dorsey, Jr. will move into the starting right defensive end position as he replaces Michael Merritt. Dorsey appeared in eight games for the Rams in 2008 after making the switch from the offensive line to the defensive line in fall training camp.
Experience Where It Counts…The Rams’ top returnees in passing, rushing, receiving, scoring, tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, kickoff returns and punt returns are all upperclassmen. Four top returnees are seniors with a pair of juniors and a pair of redshirt juniors rounding out WSSU’s top returnees.
We’re Back…In 2008 the Rams return more than 50 percent of the season total from 2007 in five statistical categories. WSSU returns 97.3 percent of their receiving yards, 78 percent of their pass break ups, 92.3 percent of their punt return yards, 100 percent of their kick return yards, and 100 percent of their punting yardage.
Need To Fill Voids…For all that WSSU returns, the Rams fail to return any of their field goals in 2008 and do not return a single passing yard. The departure of kicker Matt Mitchell and quarterback Monte Purvis mark the departure of two players that accounted for all of WSSU’s passing yardage (1,003 yards) and field goals (two).
Average Per Drive…The Rams averaged an impressive 4.97 plays per drive during the 2007 season. WSSU turned in a season-high average of 6.23 plays per drive in their win over North Carolina Central and turned in an average of 5.69 plays per drive at Howard. The Rams recorded four games with an average of five plays per drive or greater during the 2007 season.
More Than Three Minutes…For the season the Rams averaged more than three minutes per scoring drive. The Rams tallied 31 offensive touchdowns which used 93:15 of play clock for an average of 3:00.1 per scoring drive. The Rams recorded 10 scoring drives of four minutes or longer, including a season-high 12-play, 97-yard touchdown-scoring drive versus Hampton that took 7:05 off the clock.
Two Hundred-Yarders…The Rams’ Roderick Fluellen recorded the first two 100-yard rushing performances of his career in 2007. WSSU tallied nine 100-yard rushing performances last season with Fluellen recording a pair, former quarterback Monte Purvis recording three 100-yard games and former running back Jed Bines tallying four 100-yard rushing games.
First-Ever…Michael Scarbrough recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career in 2007 when he tallied 107 yards on six catches in the Rams’ 24-21 overtime loss to Howard in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 29. Scarbrough’s 100-yard performance was the only 100-yard receiving game for the Rams in 2008.
Eight And A District…The Rams’ 2008 roster is comprised of players from eight states and the District of Columbia. WSSU’s roster boasts players from Alabama (1), Florida (3), Georgia (3), Maryland (2), North Carolina (60), Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (11), Virginia (7) and Washington, D.C. (8).
Superlatives…The Rams have a trio of players that check in at a team-high 6-5 as Bennie Barbour, Thurman McDonald and Eric Wiggins are the tallest players on the team. Herman Blount and Marcus Harris are the shortest players on the team as they check in at 5-7. Corey Land is the heaviest player on the Rams’ roster at 350 pounds and Reginald Johnson and Javon Rembert check in as the lightest Rams at 170 pounds.
Over 80 Percent Success…The Rams scored on 25 of their 31 trips into their opponent’s red zone last season for a success rate of nearly 81 percent. WSSU’s 31 red zone possessions netted 23 touchdowns and a pair of field goals. Even more impressive than the nearly 81 percent red zone success rate is the fact that WSSU did not turn the ball over in the red zone in 2007.
Looking For Number Two…The Rams attempt to earn their second consecutive season-opening win in 2008. WSSU looks to record their second straight season-opening victory for the first time since wins that opened the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
Competitive Schedule…The Rams’ 11 opponents in 2008 turned in an average winning percentage of 45.8 percent last season. The outliers in that average are Savannah State who finished the 2007 season 1-9 and North Carolina A&T who posted an 0-11 record. Removing those two teams’ records would see the winning percentage of the Rams’ 2008 opponents jump to 54.5 percent.
Injury Update…Players who are listed as OUT for Saturday’s game are: Thurman McDonald, a 6-5, 330-pound sophomore offensive lineman with a left knee injury and Greg Wilson, a 5-10, 185-pound sophomore defensive back with a left knee injury. Players that are QUESTIONABLE for Saturday’s game are Correi Plummer, a 6-0, 260 pound sophomore defensive lineman and John Thompson, a 6-0, 240-pound freshman running back with a right rib injury.
Understanding The Injury Chart…The Rams use the National Football League’s injury chart model which separates injuries into four categories: (1) which indicates that a player will not play in the upcoming game and will not be dressed for the contest. (2) “Doutbful” which indicates that a player will have only a 25 percent chance of playing. (3) “Questionable” which indicates that a player will have a 50 percent chance of playing, and (4) “Probable” which indicates that a player has a 75 percent chance of playing.
Injury Information…Winston-Salem State University’s Department of Athletics abides by HIPAA, a federal privacy act with regard to the release of injury information. WSSU athletes are required to sign a waiver before injury information is released to the media. If the athlete chooses to withhold that information, WSSU officials will be restricted to informing media members of their playing status (playing, probable, doubtful or out).
Student Athlete Contact…Home and cellular telephone numbers for student-athletes will not be provided and players have been instructed not to accept calls from media members without prior notice from the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations. Please do not attempt to make contact with WSSU student-athletes or coaches without scheduling the interview through the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations.
WSSU Football Practices…The WSSU football team practices on the dual-level practice field adjacent to the C.E. Gaines Center (cross over Wallace Street). In 2008, depending on completion, the Rams will practice at the new, state-of-the-art WSSU football practice facility adjacent to Bowman Gray Stadium and the WSSU Athletic Fieldhouse. Practices are open to the media and are the opportune time for lengthy print or television interviews. Practice times vary according to academic schedules, so please contact the Office of Athletic Media Relations and Assistant Director of Athletics, Chris Zona for the specifics.
Weekly Football Press Conference…The Winston-Salem State University football team will hold a weekly press conference/media day every Wednesday during the season at 11:00 a.m. in the Media and Hospitality Lounge of the WSSU Athletic Fieldhouse, located on the upper level of the WSSU Athletic Fieldhouse. The weekly press conference is open to any member of the working media. The first press conference of the season will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 3 with the remainder of the weekly press conferences to be held every Wednesday prior to a Saturday game. The remaining press conferences will occur on Sept. 10, 17, and 24 and Oct. 1, 22, and 29 and Nov. 5, 12 and 19. The only exception to the 2008 weekly press conference schedule will be the week of the Rams’ Oct. 9 contest at Florida A&M. Due to time constraints imposed by travel, the Rams will not hold a weekly press conference the week of Oct. 5-11. At all weekly press conferences head coach Kermit Blount and select players will be on hand to give general comments and field questions. Requests for the attendance of specific players must be made no later than Monday at 11:00 a.m. prior to the upcoming press conference. Following the press conference, a complimentary lunch will be served to all members of the working media.
Mid-Week Interviews…All interviews with Winston-Salem State University football student-athletes and coaches should be arranged through Chris Zona in the Office of Athletic Media Relations. Please make interview arrangements at least 24 hours in advance. Most interviews will be arranged to start prior to practice or, with time permitting, will be scheduled to take place on the Rams’ weekly media day (Wednesday). Players will not do interviews on game day, except for postgame interviews. Telephone interviews may also be arranged through the Office of Athletic Media Relations. For additional information on WSSU’s weekly schedule, please refer to page two of the weekly media notes issued by the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations.
Official Web Site…Parents, fans, and alumni from around the world can tune into Winston-Salem State University football on the official Internet site of Winston-Salem State University athletics, WSSURAMS.com. In addition to having all the up-to-date information on WSSU athletics, all games broadcast on WSNC 90.5 FM radio will air live on the Rams’ website as well.
The original story was published here: http://wssurams.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090308aaa.html
Leave a Reply