North Carolina Central University

FOOTBALL

     DURHAM, NC - North Carolina Central University will hold its first Maroon and Gray Spring Football Game under head coach Mose Rison on Saturday, Mar. 31 at 12 noon. For fans, this will be their first chance to see Rison in action at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium and get a behind-the-scenes look at NCCU's preparations for the 2007 season. The game will be a full-tilt scrimmage and will last approximately 90 minutes.
     NCCU, coming off, arguably, the best season in school history, will enter the first year of its tenure in the NCAA's Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). Among many standouts returning to NCCU are quarterback Stadford Brown, cornerback Craig Amos, linebacker brothers Derrick and Eric Ray, place-kicker Brandon Gilbert, offensive lineman Azubike Alaribe and Gabriel Manns, defensive lineman Courtney Coard and wide receiver Wayne Blackwell.
     Brown, the 2006 SBN Sports Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year, CIAA Offensive Player of the Year and CIAA Rookie of the Year, topped the conference in passing yards per game (214.8), total passing yards (2,577), passing touchdowns (26), and passing efficiency (141.5). Brown's 26 passing touchdowns was a new single-season school record and a new CIAA standard for freshmen. 
    The Eagles open the 2007 season on Aug. 26 at 7:00 p.m. in Albany, Ga. against Albany State University. NCCU's first home game will be the "Labor Day Classic" on Sunday, Sept. 2 versus Fayetteville State University at 4:00 p.m.