North Carolina Central University

ATHLETICS

THE GAME: North Carolina Central University “Eagles” at North Carolina A&T State University “Aggies”

THE KICKOFF: Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007 – Kickoff at 6:30 p.m. 

THE SITE: Aggie Stadium – Greensboro, N.C. (21,500 capacity) 

2007 RECORDS:  NCCU (3-1 overall); NC A&T (0-3 overall) 

THE EVENT: Rivalry Renewed... North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T renew one of the oldest rivalries in college football in the 79th meeting between the two in-state historically black universities. A lot has happened since the teams last met in 2005. NCCU has made two playoff appearances and won the 2006 Black College National Championship. The Eagles are 22-4 since they last faced the Aggies. Meanwhile, the Aggies have faltered over the past few seasons. Since last playing the Eagles, the Aggies are 3-21 and have not won in their last 19 ball games. However, none of that matters on Saturday because the rivalry is as heated as any rivalry in the country.

THE SERIES: N.C. A&T leads the series 45-28-5.  This will be the 79th meeting between the Eagles and Aggies, dating back to 1924 when N.C. A&T tied NCCU, 13-13, in Durham, N.C. N.C. A&T has won 14 of the last 16 meetings, but NCCU defeated the Aggies 23-22 in the last match-up on Sept. 5, 2005 in Raleigh. The last time these two rivals played in Greensboro (Sept. 7, 1991), A&T blanked the Eagles 48-0 in front of an announced crowd of 16,597.

THE LAST MEETING: (Sept. 5, 2005 - NCCU 23, NCA&T 22 – Raleigh, NC) The closing seconds of the 12th annual Aggie-Eagle Classic was strangely similar to the end of last year’s contest. This year, however, North Carolina A&T State University missed a 43-yard field goal with eight seconds left and North Carolina Central University celebrated a 23-22 victory over its long-time rival. The 2004 meeting ended with Carlos Davalos booming a 50-yard field goal as time expired to give the Aggies a stunning 16-15 victory. In 2005, the field goal attempt was seven-yards shorter and was left up to freshman kicker Joseph Arroyo with eight seconds on the clock. After back-to-back timeouts by NCCU, Arroyo’s kick sailed wide right and the Eagles stormed the field at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. While the missed field goal is the play that fans will be talking about, the play of the game was a 46-yard touchdown catch-and-run by NCCU senior receiver Torey Ross. The Eagles faced third down and 11 yards to go when quarterback Adrian Warren hit Ross on a 10-yard out, which a determined Ross turned into the game-winning score after eluding four Aggie defenders on his way to the end zone. Ross finished with seven catches for 104 yards to lead a balanced NCCU receiving corps. Warren completed 19-of-38 pass attempts for 269 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown toss went to junior transfer Daunte’ Fields, who took a screen pass 45 yards for a go-ahead score early in the fourth quarter. NCCU junior running back Greg Pruitt, Jr. rushed for 130 yards on 23 carries to earn offensive M.V.P. honors for the Eagles, who amassed 400 yards of total offense. The Eagles defense was topped by sophomore Derrick Ray, NCCU’s defensive M.V.P., with a team-best eight tackles and a quarterback hurry. Linebackers Andre’ Cannon and Tiquan Collins added six tackles each. NC A&T was topped by running back Brandon Sweeney, who ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries, while also catching three passes for 22 yards. Aggie defensive back Theron Thomas recorded a game-high 11 tackles, including a hit for a loss, but it was Wilbert Johnson who claimed defensive M.V.P. honors for A&T with seven tackles and five passes defended, including an interception that set up a touchdown.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: (Sept. 5, 2004 – NC A&T 16, NCCU 15 - Raleigh, NC)  All North Carolina Central University had to do was snap the football, kneel down, and celebrate an upset victory over Division I-AA rival North Carolina A&T State University. However, the Aggies recovered the failed exchange with a little over a minute remaining, marched down the field, and blasted a 50-yard field goal as time expired to shock the devastated Eagles, 16-15, in the 11th annual Aggie-Eagle Classic at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC. NCCU’s defense, which had stifled A&T’s offense all game, held true to form late in the final stanza. With the Eagles holding a 15-13 advantage and the Aggies backed-up in their own territory with under two minutes to play, NCCU senior linebacker Joel Lowe, an A&T graduate who is pursuing a master’s degree at NCCU, sacked Marshall Glenn on fourth down and six to go to give the Eagles the ball and an apparent win. NCCU took over at the A&T 36-yard line with 1:18 left in the game. While attempting to run out the clock, an Aggie defender appeared to jump offsides and disrupt the snap of the ball, which A&T recovered at the 38-yard line. After two incomplete passes, Aggie quarterback Rico Watkins found Brandon Trusty for a 21-yard completion plus a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty, giving A&T a first down at the NCCU 26-yard line. Three plays later, A&T was whistled for holding and the pigskin was moved back to the 34-yard line. After an incomplete pass, A&T sophomore Carlos Davalos boomed the 50-yard, game-winning kick, his first successful field goal during his brief college career. NCCU had more first downs (18 to 11), more total offense (276 to 211), and controlled the ball more than 10 minutes longer than A&T (35:31 to 24:29), but turnovers and costly penalties doomed the Eagles. The Eagles were topped by Pruitt, who was voted as NCCU’s Offensive M.V.P., with 110 yards and a score on 20 carries. NCCU quarterback Adrian Warren completed 10-of-22 for 74 yards and an interception. Junior Torey Ross led Eagle receivers with five catches for 36 yards. A dominant Eagle defense, which held the Aggie ground attack to 55 yards, was led by NCCU Defensive M.V.P. Scheldon Connor with nine tackles, including a sack and a quarterback hurry. Eagle linebacker Bobby Brown also recorded nine takedowns, including a tackle for a loss. DeLeon Raynor and Kurtis Stewart each had interceptions for the Eagles. The Aggies were led by Glenn, who completed 8-of-15 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown to earn Offensive M.V.P. honors for A&T. Perry finished with four receptions for 65 yards and a score. Three Aggies - Chamar Milton, Darrell Hamilton and Lammon Ringgold - amassed a game-high 10 tackles. Lewis finished with seven tackles, including a sack and the team’s first touchdown.

THE MIRACLE COMEBACK: (Sept. 1, 2002 – NCCU 33, NC A&T 30 Overtime – Raleigh, NC) North Carolina Central University snapped a 12-game losing skid to rival North Carolina A&T State University with a dramatic come-from-behind 33-30 overtime victory in the ninth annual Aggie-Eagle Classic at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC. Donnie Pippen’s 2-yard dive into the end zone in the extra session sent the Eagle fans into a frenzy and provided NCCU with its first win over the NCAA Division I-AA Aggies since Sept. 3, 1988. In the first quarter of play it seemed as though A&T was on its way to another route. The Aggies scored 27 unanswered points in the first 11 minutes of the contest, courtesy to four NCCU turnovers (2 fumbles and 2 interceptions). The Eagles, however, answered the call... loudly. NCCU freshman kicker Brian Burke put the Eagles on the board with a 34-yard field goal at 7:47 of the second quarter. Moments later, senior corner back Hassan Smith’s interception set up an 18-yard touchdown connection from Sean Williams to Nathaniel Fitch, cutting the score to 27-10 at the half. After the break, Luis George’s interception and 44-yard return led to Fitch’s second touchdown of the game, this time from Lawrence Fuller, who was taking his first snap from center after starting at tailback. With 2:11 left in the third quarter, Burke capped off a 12-play, 48-yard drive for NCCU with a 25-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 27-20. After the two squads exchanged punts, the Eagles tied the game with 4:50 remaining after a quarterback sneak by Fuller from the 1-yard line and the ensuing point-after kick by Burke. NCCU’s defense stopped A&T in “three-and-out” fashion, giving the Eagles possession at their own 32-yard line and 3:21 left to play in regulation. Nine plays and 53 yards later, NCCU was lined up for the potential game-winning field goal with just four ticks on the game clock. Burke’s 32-yard effort missed its mark wide left and the game went into overtime. In overtime, A&T got as close as the 3-yard line, but had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Pat Simcox to go ahead 30-27. The Eagles started their overtime possession heading in the wrong direction. An incomplete pass and penalty put NCCU back to the 30-yard line and facing second down and 15 yards to go. However, two pass interference penalties against the Aggies put the Eagles on the 2-yard line, setting up Pippen’s game-winning plunge. NCCU’s stifling defense held the Aggies to 179 yards of total offense, including only 77 yards after halftime. George led the way with 8 tackles and an interception, earning NCCU’s Defensive M.V.P. honors. DeLeon Raynor added 6 tackles, a forced fumble and a blocked punt for the Eagles, while Hassan Smith, one of only three NCCU seniors on the roster to have played in the Classic the past four years, contributed 5 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and two pass break-ups. Freshman Andre George, Luis’ younger brother, chipped in 5 tackles in his Eagle debut. NCCU, which had zero yards of total offense in the first quarter, finished the contest with 249 total yards, including 138 through the air. Fuller, NCCU’s Offensive M.V.P. and recipient of the game ball, connected on 6-of-12 pass attempts for 83 yards and a touchdown, while running for a team-best 40 yards and a touchdown. Williams completed 5-of-14 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown for NCCU (1-0), while adding 20 yards on the ground. Senior running back Ernest Rice was the Eagles’ second-leading rusher with 30 yards on 8 carries. Pippen finished with 24 yards on 15 rushes and 31 yards on 2 pass receptions. Fitch caught six passes for 82 yards and two trips to the end zone.

LAST WEEK FOR NCCU: (Sept. 15, 2007 - NCCU 18, Elizabeth City State 10 – East Rutherford, N.J.) North Carolina Central University held a 12-7 lead at intermission before pulling away from Elizabeth City State University in the second half with an 18-10 win at the New York Urban League/Whitney Young Classic at Giants Stadium. The Vikings fell behind 6-0 after ECSU’s Antwain Pless fumbled from the 1-yard line, and allowing Eagles senior corner back Craig Amos to recover and score the Eagles first touchdown of the game with 6:01 left in the opening quarter. In the second quarter, a muffed punt by NCCU’s Brandon Alston was recovered by ECSU’s Jeff Baker, giving the Vikings good field position on the Eagles 17-yard line.  The Eagles defense appeared to hold ECSU to a three and out, but a costly pass interference penalty against the Eagles on third-and-14 gave the Vikings a first-and-goal at NCCU’s 6-yard line.  Two plays later, Jerome Smith rushed six yards to the end zone and gave the Vikings there only lead of the game, 7-6, with 7:35 remaining before intermission. On the ensuing possession with Stadford Brown at the helm, the Eagles answered with a 12-play, 65-yard scoring drive when Brown hooked up with wideout Wayne Blackwell for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:03 on the clock. The extra point was blocked, but the Eagles regained the lead at halftime. The fourth quarter was all Eagles ... well Tim Shankle.  Shankle rushed for 23 of the Eagles’ 50 yards during an eight-play scoring drive, including a two-yard touchdown (NCCU’s first rushing TD of the season), to help the Eagles pull away 18-7 with 10:07 left in the fourth quarter. With 3:50 remaining in the game, NCCU’s defense stopped the Vikings at the 8-yard line and ECSU was forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Daniel Mendez. Shankle, who finished with a game-high 116 ground yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, was named the Whitney Young Classic Offensive Most Valuable Player, while Amos, who scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery, intercepted a pass, collected a team-best six tackles (four solo) and deflected four other passes, was voted as the Whitney Young Classic Defensive Most Valuable Player. NCCU (3-1) outgained ECSU (0-3) 192 total yards to 145, with each team passing for 103 yards.

LAST WEEK FOR NCA&T: (Sept. 15, 2007 – Hampton 59, NCA&T 14 – Greensboro, N.C.) Momentum is one thing. Sustaining it is another. Saturday, the North Carolina A&T football team had its moments where it appeared it was ready to put a real scare into the three-time defending MEAC champion Hampton Pirates. But each time the Aggies pushed, the Pirates pushed back harder until they finally pushed the Aggies into a 59-14 loss at Aggie Stadium. The game was played on ESPNU on a tape delayed basis and aired 10 p.m., Saturday. Hampton jumped out to a 17-0 first half lead, but the Aggies gained some momentum going into the locker room with their most impressive drive of the game. A 21-yard completion to Curtis Walls set up a 10-yard touchdown pass to Trey Green to cut Hampton’s lead to 10 at 17-7. The Aggies momentum out of the locker room was halted by a bizarre start to the second half. The Aggies kicked off to Hampton to start the game. But instead of receiving the second half kickoff, the Aggies kicked off again. The misunderstanding hurt the Aggies badly. Hampton’s Kevin Teel took the opening second-half kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown The Aggies kept themselves in the game, however, by forcing a Pirates turnover and turning it into a six-yard Michael Christen touchdown reception with 11:48 remaining in the third quarter to put the Aggies down 24-14. But the remaining 25 minutes of the game belonged to the Pirates, unfortunately. They answered N.C. A&T’s score with a four-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a Gilchrist touchdown. Kendall Langford then returned a Shelton Morgan interception 22-yards for another score and the Pirates capped off their third quarter scoring with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell to Teel to end any hopes of an Aggies upset. Hampton senior running back Van Morgan ran for a career-high 154 yards and scored twice to lead the Pirates. It was the Pirates fourth straight win over the Aggies as they improved to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in the MEAC. Hampton quarterback T.J. Mitchell had his second straight standout performance as he followed up his 310-yard passing effort against Howard last week with 210 yards passing, three touchdowns and two interceptions on 12-for-22 passing. His favorite target was Jeremy Gilchrist who had six grabs for 112 yards and a touchdown. The Aggies meanwhile, lost their 19th straight game overall and dropped to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the MEAC. Junior running back Michael Ferguson led the Aggies with 98 yards on 21 carries. In his first career start at quarterback, Morgan threw for 86 yards and two touchdowns. (Story courtesy of ncataggies.com)

THE COACHES: Mose Rison enters his second season at NCCU, but assumes the role of head coach for the first time in his 25-year coaching career. Former NCCU Chancellor James H. Ammons announced Rison as the school’s 19th head football coach on Feb. 6, 2007. Rison served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the Eagles historic 11-1 campaign in 2006. He will continue calling plays as the offensive coordinator and working with the quarterbacks. With Rison directing NCCU’s offense, the 2006 Eagles scored 371 points (30.9 per game), the most in school history. Under Rison’s tutelage, freshman quarterback Stadford Brown was named as the “SBN Sports Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year,” the 2006 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year and CIAA Rookie of the Year. A 1978 graduate of Central Michigan University, Rison spent the 2005 season as the Quarterbacks Coach/Passing Coordinator at Davidson College, where the Wildcats averaged more than 200 yards passing per game running a West Coast offensive system. He has also held positions at Livingstone College (Offensive Coordinator, 2004), the University of Arizona (Wide Receivers/Passing Coordinator, 2003), Stanford University (Wide Receivers, 1995-2000), Rutgers University (Wide Receivers/Tight Ends, 1991-94), the U.S. Naval Academy (Wide Receivers, 1988-90), and Central Michigan University (Wide Receivers, 1981-87). During his tenure at Stanford, Rison coached in three bowl games, including the 2000 Rose Bowl. Rison, the cousin of five-time NFL All-Pro receiver Andre Rison, spent two seasons (2001-02) in the National Football League coaching ranks as the wide receivers coach with the New York Jets, helping to develop Laveranues Coles and Santana Moss. He has also held NFL summer internships with the Baltimore Ravens (2000), Chicago Bears (1999), New York Jets (1993) and Detroit Lions (1988). A standout running back for Central Michigan from 1974-77, Rison helped the Chippewas to a 13-1 record and a Division II national title as a freshman. He rushed for 1,283 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a senior to earn all-conference and team MVP honors. Rison and his wife, Marilynn, have two children, Dominique (21) and Tara (18). Dominique lives in Charlotte, N.C. and attends Johnson & Wales University. Tara is a freshman at North Carolina Central University, majoring in business. 

 N.C. A&T head coach Lee Fobbs enters his second season as the Aggies head coach…Fobbs is 0-13 as the Aggies head coach, following a 2006 season in which he had to play a lot of young talent…Fobbs is coming off of a year in which he was selected to be an assistant coach in the Hula Bowl, a game that showcases the top senior college football players in front of NFL scouts and general managers…Fobbs came to N.C. A&T after a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Texas A&M…He played and coached under legendary Grambling coach Eddie Robinson.

THE STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH: 
 North Carolina Central University – 
 #2 - QB - Stadford Brown (So., 6-1, 201) – 47-of-97 passing, 507 yards, 5 touchdowns, 3 interceptions.
 #4 - LB - Derrick Ray (Sr., 6-0, 215) – Has 21 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, 2 forced fumbles, 2 pass break-ups, INT.
 #13 – DE – Xavier Joe (Sr., 6-2, 253) – Has 17 tackles, 5.0 tackles for a loss, team-high 3.5 sacks, 3 QB hurries.
 #32 – CB – Craig Amos (Sr., 5-10, 180) – 20 tackles, 3 INTs, 5 pass break-ups, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 blocked kicks.
 #25 - RB – Tim Shankle (Fr., 5-10, 220) – Leads team with 223 rushing yards (3.9 yards per carry).
 #56 - LB - D.J. Fretwell (Sr., 6-1, 243) – Team-high 34 tackles with 2.5 tackles for a loss.
 #83 - WR - Will Scott (Jr., 6-2, 169) – Has 10 receptions for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
 #87 - WR - Wayne Blackwell (Jr., 6-2, 204) – Leads team with 12 catches for 183 yards and three touchdowns. 

 North Carolina A&T State University – 
 #1 - WR - Curtis Walls (Sr., 5-10, 170) - Team-high 9 receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown.
 #19 - QB - Shelton Morgan (r-Fr., 6-1, 200) - 12-of-35 passing, 141 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.
 #25 - DB - Marques Ruffin (Jr., 6-2, 190) - Second on team with 22 tackles (12 solo), 2.0 tackles for a loss.
 #28 - RB - Michael Ferguson (Jr., 5-11, 185) - Leads team with 343 rushing yards (5.8 yards per carry).
 #46 - MLB - Andre Thornton (So., 6-3, 230) - Team-high 25 total tackles (16 solo), 3.5 hits for a loss.

TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISON:
 Category                 NCCU ... NCAT
 Scoring Offense: 12.8 pts/gm ... 9.3 pts/gm
 Scoring Defense: 6.5 pts/gm ... 36.3 pts/gm
 Total Offense: 219.0 yds/gm ... 244.3 yds/gm
 Total Defense: 225.8 yds/gm ... 366.0 yds/gm
 Rushing Offense: 92.2 yds/gm ... 159.0 yds/gm
 Rushing Defense: 118.5 yds/gm ... 215.7 yds/gm
 Passing Offense: 126.8 yds/gm ... 85.3 yds/gm
 Passing Defense: 107.2 yds/gm ... 150.3 yds/gm

THREE-GAME WIN STREAKS IN NORTH CAROLINA: Only two NCAA Division I football teams in the state of North Carolina are currently riding three-game win streaks – North Carolina Central University and Appalachian State University. Of course, the Mountaineers shocked the world with a historic upset victory over Michigan (34-32) three weeks ago, then defeated Lenoir-Rhyne (48-7) and Northern Arizona (34-21). The Eagles posted back-to-back shutouts in wins over Fayetteville State (17-0) and St. Augustine’s (6-0), then defeated Elizabeth City State (18-10) during the Whitney Young Classic inside Giants Stadium.

NCCU AMONG NATIONAL STATISTICAL LEADERS: NCCU is not officially eligible to be included in NCAA Division I-Football Championship Subdivision statistics until the 2011 football season as part of its reclassification period, but the Eagles would figure in prominently in the FCS statistics. NCCU would currently lead the Division I-FCS in turnovers gained with 13 and rank second in scoring defense with an average of 6.5 points per game allowed. Dayton leads the nation by allowing only 6.3 points per contest. NCCU would also rank fourth in pass efficiency defense (67.99 rating), fifth in pass defense (107.25 yards per game), and seventh in total defense (225.75 yards per game).

AGGIES LOSING SKID:  North Carolina A&T is currently riding a school-record 19-game losing streak that dates back to 2005. It is the longest losing streak in the nation among Division I-FCS teams.

THE FIELD GOAL STREAK: North Carolina A&T’s losing streak has been well publicized, but there is another streak the Aggies are trying to end. The Aggies have not made a field goal in their last 16 games. The last time the Aggies made a field goal was on Oct. 29, 2005 against Bethune-Cookman off the foot of Joseph Arroyo. It occurred in the second quarter, which means the Aggies have gone 66 straight quarters without a field goal. Including the field goal missed on Saturday (Sept. 15 vs. Hampton), the Aggies have now missed their last eight field goal attempts over those 66 quarters.

GAME WITH WEST ALABAMA CANCELLED:  On Sept. 12, the University of West Alabama Department of Athletics announced the cancellation of the Tigers’ football game versus North Carolina Central University at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. on Oct. 6. The cancellation is the result of a breach in the game contract by the Varsity Sports Marketing Group, the game’s promoter. “We want all of the UWA and NCCU fans to know that our great universities really wanted to play this football game and we did everything possible to salvage it, but we were unable to resolve the contract difficulties with the game’s promoter,” said UWA Director of Athletics E.J. Brophy. This cancellation will result in an open date for both teams on Oct. 6. “We are disappointed that our football program and our fans will not have the opportunity to travel to Alabama for this event,” said NCCU Director of Athletics Bill Hayes. “We have developed a wonderful relationship with the administration of UWA and we were looking forward to the match-up on the gridiron. All possible efforts were exhausted by NCCU and UWA before having to come to this decision. This is quite unfortunate.”

EAGLES SCORING IN THE AIR:  Through four games, the NCCU offense has found the end zone six times, all but one through the air. On Sept. 15 versus Elizabeth City State, NCCU rookie running back Tim Shankle scored the team’s first rushing touchdown of the season with a two-yard plunge at 10:07 of the fourth quarter. Sophomore quarterback Stadford Brown has thrown five touchdown passes, with three going to junior receiver Wayne Blackwell and the other two to junior receiver Will Scott. The Eagles’ special teams has accounted for one touchdown this season with senior Craig Amos recovering a fumble in the end zone versus Elizabeth City State on Sept. 15.

NCCU EXTRA-POINT WOES: The Eagles have missed four consecutive extra-point attempts, all while attempting PAT kicks. The first turned out to be a failed rush by the holder after a low snap from center on Sept. 8 against St. Augustine’s. On Sept. 15 versus Elizabeth City State, NCCU missed the first kick, then had the next two blocked. NCCU has also failed on its last three field goal attempts.

NCCU’S AMOS STUFFING THE STATS:  NCCU senior cornerback Craig Amos has been a super stat-stuffer so far this season. The Winston-Salem native is coming off an MVP performance in the Whitney Young Classic when he scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery, intercepted a pass, collected a team-best six tackles (four solo) and deflected four other passes. On Sept. 2 against Fayetteville State, Amos collected four tackles (three solo), two blocked field goals, two fumble recoveries for 40 yards, an interception (he had another interception in the third quarter negated by a roughing the passer penalty), and a pass break-up. Through four games, Amos has 20 tackles (13 solo), three interceptions for 14 yards, five pass break-ups, three fumble recoveries for 40 yards and a touchdown, and two blocked kicks. Amos now has 15 career interceptions and eight career blocked kicks.

SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Sophomore quarterback Stadford Brown is climbing his way in the NCCU record books. Courtesy of an amazing 2006 rookie campaign, Brown currently ranks eighth on the school’s all-time career passing list with 3,084 passing yards and is seventh on the Eagles’ career total offense list with 3,049 total yards (statistics as of Sept. 18). Brown threw for 2,577 yards and 26 touchdowns last season, while starting all 12 games for the 11-1 Black College Football National Champions.

ALSTON INCREASES SCHOOL’S CAREER PUNT RETURN RECORD:  NCCU senior wide receiver and return specialist Brandon Alston continues to improve upon the career punt return record he broke as a junior in 2006. Alston is the school’s all-time leading punt returner with 1,109 career yards (as of Sept. 18).

AMOS PICKING OFF THE OPPOSITION: With his third interception of the season on Saturday (Sept. 15), NCCU senior Craig Amos jumped into seventh place on the school’s all-time career interceptions list with 15 picks. Amos needs one more to equal Tony Lindsey’s 16 interceptions from 1985-88. The NCCU all-time interceptions leader is Melvin Wallace with 22 picks from 1982-85. Amos is also ranked eighth on NCCU’s career passes defended list with 40 (15 interceptions, 25 pass break-ups).

EAGLES IN NFL STADIUMS:  With an 18-10 victory over Elizabeth City State on Sept. 15 inside Giants Stadium, the Eagles remain undefeated inside National Football League stadiums with a 3-0 record. NCCU edged Morris Brown, 19-16, inside Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pa. on Sept. 30, 2000. A year later (Nov. 4, 2001), the Eagles beat J.C. Smith, 34-3, inside the Carolina Panthers’ home, then called Ericsson Stadium, in Charlotte, N.C.

PETERSON RECORDS FIRST N.F.L. TACKLE WITH BUCCANEERS: Former NCCU defensive lineman Greg Peterson, a 2007 fifth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recorded his first N.F.L. tackle against the Saints on Sunday (Sept. 16). Peterson finished the game with two solo tackles as the Bucs defeated New Orleans 31-14.

BACK-TO-BACK BLANKINGS:  On Saturday (Sept. 8), the NCCU defense recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time in 11 years. On Sept. 2, the Eagles posted a 17-0 win over Fayetteville State. On Sept. 8, NCCU notched a 6-0 victory over St. Augustine’s. In the middle of the 1996 campaign, NCCU collected three consecutive shutouts. The 1996 season was also the last time NCCU had two shutouts in the same year. The Eagles finished the 1996 campaign with the No. 1 ranked pass defense in the country (NCAA Division II). 

INJURIES END SEASON FOR TWO NCCU STARTERS: (Sept. 8, 2007) Two NCCU football starters – senior running back Jeff Toliver and senior place-kicker Brandon Gilbert – will miss the remainder of the season due to injury. The duo hope to complete their Eagle gridiron careers during the 2008 campaign after seeking medical red-shirt waivers. Toliver, a 5-9, 207-pound native of Gaithersburg, Md., has a torn ligament in his right foot, an injury he suffered during last week’s 17-0 victory over Fayetteville State. Prior to the start of the season, he was voted by his teammates as one of four team captains. Through the first two games, he was the team’s leading rusher with 92 ground yards. Gilbert, a 5-10, 186-pound native of Graham, N.C., has a torn quadriceps muscle in his left (kicking) leg. He suffered the injury during the team’s pre-season training camp, but continued to play in hopes that the injury would heal and not hinder his performance on the field. After the Sept. 2 contest, however, Gilbert decided he could no longer push ahead. Gilbert is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 234 career points, and also holds the NCCU record for career extra-point kicks made with 126. He is four field goals shy of tying the school record for career field goals.

GILBERT BREAKS SCHOOL SCORING RECORD:  NCCU senior place-kicker Brandon Gilbert scored five points on Sept. 2 versus Fayetteville State to become the school’s all-time career scoring leader. Gilbert currently has 234 points, passing All-American wide receiver Robert Clark, who amassed 232 career points with 38 touchdowns and two extra-point conversions from 1983-86. Gilbert is now four field goals shy of tying the school record for career field goals, currently held by Kevin Houston (1992-95) with 40. Gilbert already holds the school record for career extra-point kicks made with 126, and has made 83 consecutive extra-point kicks. Gilbert will miss the rest of the season with a torn quadriceps muscle in his left (kicking) leg.

INAUGURAL DIVISION ONE SEASON:  The 2007 gridiron campaign marks the inaugural season for North Carolina Central University in the NCAA Division I-Football Championship Subdivision. Playing as an independent for the 2007 season, the Eagles were NCAA Division II members in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association before the transition. NCCU won back-to-back CIAA football championships in 2005 and 2006, and was declared the 2006 Black College Football National Champions with an undefeated regular season and an overall record of 11-1.

INJURY REPORT: (NCCU) RB – Jeff Toliver, foot sprain (Out); K – Brandon Gilbert, thigh (Out). (NCAT) RB - Demerick Chancellor, shoulder (Out); SS - Brandon Jackson, knee (Out); RB - Reginald James, knee (Out); Brandon Long, knee (Questionable); Herbert Miller, knee (Questionable); CB - Simeon Platt, ankle (Questionable); Robert Russell, back (Probable); Tyre Glasper, elbow (Probable).

LISTEN TO NCCU FOOTBALL VIA THE INTERNET:  Every game of the 2007 North Carolina Central University Eagles football season will be covered by WRJD 1410 AM. Donal Ware will handle play-by-play duties, Eric Curry will provide color commentary and Hanif Omar will call the action from the sideline. Fans may also listen to the broadcast via the internet by visiting the NCCU Athletics web site at http://ariel.acc.nccu.edu/athletics/audio.html .

CAN’T MAKE THE GAME... WATCH IT ON THE INTERNET: WRJD 1410 AM, in conjunction with the North Carolina Central University Department of Athletics, JarvisTV and VBrick Systems, will provide an internet video broadcast of NCCU football game on Saturday, Sept. 22, as the Eagles visit long-time rival North Carolina A&T State University. The live broadcast, starting with a pre-game show at 6 p.m. (EST), is available to a world-wide audience free of charge at http://www.jarvistv.com/nccu . 

SPORTS INFORMATION CONTACTS: 
 NCCU: Kyle Serba (919) 530-7054 / kserba@nccu.edu
 NCA&T: Brian Holloway (336) 334-7141 / bmhollow@ncat.edu