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NCCU Game Notes: CIAA-SIAC Challenge
August 21, 2006
THE GAME: Albany State University "Golden Rams" vs.
North Carolina Central University "Eagles"
THE KICKOFF: Saturday, August 26, 2006 - Kickoff at 6:00 p.m.
THE SITE: O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium (10,000 capacity) - Durham,
NC
 THE EVENT: The "CIAA-SIAC Challenge" featuring the
defending champions from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic
Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
in a match-up that was named as one of the top five games to
watch in NCAA Division II football this season by Street & Smith's
magazine.
2006 RECORDS: Albany State (0-0 SIAC, 0-0 overall); North Carolina
Central (0-0 CIAA, 0-0 overall)
2006 PRESEASON RANKINGS:
Black College Sports Page: NCCU - #5 Albany State - #7
Street & Smith's College Football Preview: NCCU - #3 Albany
State - NR (not rated)
D2football.com: Albany State - #10 NCCU - #18
Don Hansen's Football Gazette: Albany State - #3 NCCU - #15
THE SERIES: Albany State leads the series 2-0. On September
26, 1998, the Golden Rams defeated Larry Little's NCCU Eagles
31-24 at Albany, Georgia. On November 8, 1997, the Eagles fell
20-0 to the Golden Rams at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham,
N.C.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS - (Sept. 26, 1998 - Albany State 31, NCCU
24 - Albany, GA) - After trailing 28-3 at the start of the
third quarter, NCCU went on a 17-3 run, but eventually came
up short in their comeback attempt against the Golden Rams.
NCCU committed three turnovers and gave up 314 total yards.
NCCU running back Junior Bulla rushed for 44 yards and two
touchdowns and NCCU quarterback Warren Bell completed 9-of-17
passes for 183 yards and one touchdown.
(Nov. 8, 1997 - Albany State 20, NCCU 0 - Durham, NC): The
Albany State amassed 351 yards of total offense (226 rushing
/ 125 passing), while holding the Eagles to just 73 total yards
(55 rushing / 18 passing).
THE COACHES: Twenty-seven year coaching veteran Rod Broadway
enters his fourth season as head football coach at North Carolina
Central University. In just three seasons at the helm of the
NCCU football program, Broadway has resurrected a proud winning
tradition. He has collected more wins in his first three campaigns
than any other coach in school history with an overall record
of 22-10, including 17 victories in the past 20 games. In 2005,
Broadway guided his team to the most wins in school history,
finishing with an overall record of 10-2. It was also the first
time in the school's proud gridiron tradition that the Eagles
posted back-to-back seasons with eight or more victories (8-2
in 2004).
Along the way, NCCU captured the 2005 CIAA Championship, its
first in 25 years, by rallying from a 17-0 halftime deficit
to defeat Bowie State in the title game. The Eagles earned
a No. 2 ranking in the final Southeast Regional poll, the highest
in school history, and a first-round bye in the NCAA Division
II Playoffs, their first postseason appearance since 1988.
The Eagles also made history by becoming the highest scoring
team in the school's record books, tallying 370 points for
an average of 30.8 points per game. Broadway was recognized
as the the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
Coach of the Year by The Pigskin Club of Washington, DC, Inc.
and was voted CIAA Coach of the Week four times in 2005 (Sept.
17, Sept. 24, Oct. 8, Oct. 15). Broadway has served as an assistant
football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill (2001-2002), University of Florida (1995-2001), Duke University
(1981-1994), and East Carolina (1979-80). He has coached on
a national championship team at Florida in 1996 and conference
championships squads at Duke in 1989 and Florida in 1995, 1996
and 2000.
A native of Oakboro, N.C., Broadway graduated from West Stanly
High School and was recruited to play football at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a bachelors
degree in 1977 in recreation administration. During his college
football career as a defensive lineman from 1974-77, Broadway
received the "Outstanding Freshman of the Year Award," earned
All-ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) honors in 1977, and was
selected as the "Most Outstanding Senior" by the
Education Foundation. He helped lead Carolina to the 1974 Sun
Bowl and the 1977 Liberty Bowl. Broadway has coached in nine
bowl games, including six New Year's (Jan. 1 or Jan. 2) games.
At Florida, he coached in the 1995 national championship game
in the Fiesta Bowl vs.
Nebraska (Jan. 2, 1996) and the 1996 national championship
game in the Sugar Bowl vs. Florida State (Jan. 2, 1997). He
also was a member of the 1998 Citrus Bowl champion team that
defeated Penn State and the 1999 Orange Bowl champion team
that beat Syracuse.
In six seasons as head coach of the Albany State University
Golden Rams, Mike White has shaped the football program into
one of the best in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(SIAC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Under White's leadership, the Golden Rams won SIAC championships
in 2003, 2004 and 2005, and made consecutive appearances in
the NCAA Division II Football Championships in 2004 and 2005.
Named the SIAC's 2005 Coach of the Year White led the Golden
Rams to a 8-2 overall record enroute to the SIAC championship.
A former Golden Rams football standout, he has been the defensive
coordinator for 19 years and has distinguished himself as one
of the best defensive masterminds in the game. He has coached
nationally-ranked defensive units and brought much attention
to the Golden Rams "Dirty Blue" defense. Under his
leadership, the Albany State defense has ranked in the top
10 of the NCAA statistics for several years. Last season, the
Golden Rams were ranked 13th in total defense, 17th in pass
efficiency defense and 31st in rushing defense. During his
career as an assistant coach with Albany State, White was instrumental
in leading the Golden Rams to nine Southern Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (SIAC) championships, with five consecutive
championships from 1993-1997; and five consecutive National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 1993-1997. Prior
to joining the Golden Rams coaching staff, White enjoyed a
stellar five-year professional football career. He was drafted
by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round in 1979, and
played with the Seattle Seahawks from 1981 until 1983. An Augusta,
Ga., native, White earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology
and Master's degree in Health and Physical Education from Albany
State in 1990 and 1999, respectively.
THE STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH: North Carolina Central University
- #34 - RB - Greg Pruitt, Jr. (Sr., 5-10, 205) - Fifth leading
rusher in CIAA in 2005, Preseason NCAA Division II All-America
Team (1,172 yards, 10 TDs) #16 - K - Brandon Gilbert (Jr.,
5-7, 165) - Preseason NCAA Division II All-America Team, All-CIAA
First Team and First Team All-Region pick in 2005, led the
conference in field goals (16-21), field goal percentage (76.2),
PAT percentage (97.7), and scoring by a kicker with 90 points,
while also ranking sixth nationally in field goals per game
(1.3) #52 - C- Robert Duncan - All-CIAA First Team and First
Team All-Region selection in 2005, recognized on the 2006 Street & Smith's
Division II All-America Team, Snapped every offensive play
in the final 11 games during the Eagles' record-breaking season
a year ago, while anchoring the No. 1 scoring offense (30.8
avg.) in the conference.
#4 - DB - Derrick Ray (Jr., 6-0, 215) - Led NCCU with 67 tackles
and was third in sacks with 3.5 during the 2005 season. Led
an Eagle defense that was third in scoring defense (19.2 PPG).
#39 -DL - Greg Peterson (Jr., 6-5, 285) - Third, in 2005,
at NCCU with 56 tackles, fourth on the team with 3.0 sacks
and third with 6.0 tackles for loss (TFL's).
THE STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH: Albany State University - #91
- DL - Alton Pettway (Sr., 6-3, 258) - 2005 SIAC Defensive
Player of the Year. Racked up 58 tackles with 24 solos during
the 2005 season.
He recorded 17 tackles for a loss of 62 yards, nine sacks
for 48 yards, 21 quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
#14 - CB - Marcus Jefferson (Sr., 5-10, 170) - Led NCAA Division
II football in passes defended in 2005. Jefferson intercepted
five passes for 59 yards and recorded 58 tackles with 37 solos,
with six for a loss of 17 yards, one fumble recovery for 55
yards and blocked a kick last season.
#66 - OL - Michael Livingston (Sr., 6-2, 250) - Named preaseason
First-Team All-SIAC. Anchors an ASU offensive line that helped
the Golden Rams gain 3,922 yards of total offense.
EAGLES PRESEASON HONORS: Senior running back Greg Pruitt,
Jr., senior center Robert Duncan and junior kicker Brandon
Gilbert - were selected to the 2006 Don Hansen's Football Gazette
Preseason NCAA Division II All-America Team. Six North Carolina
Central University Eagles were voted to the 2006 Preseason
All-CIAA Football Team. Duncan, Pruitt and Gilbert were named
to the All-CIAA Offense Team, while Peterson, Derrick Ray and
junior punt returner Brandon Alston (5-8, 173, Durham, N.C.)
were recognized on the All-CIAA Defense Team.
THE GAME TO WATCH: Street & Smith's College Football 2006
Yearbook lists this Saturday's Albany State at North Carolina
Central contest as one of their five yearly "Games to
Watch."
PRUITT ON THE VERGE OF HISTORY: Pruitt is 566 yards away from
breaking Joe Simmons'school record of 2,840 career rushing
yards set from 1990-93. Pruitt is currently tied for fourth
place all-time with Benjamin Tate (1979-1982) with 2,275 yards.
Pruitt needs 119 yards to pass James Smith (1970-1974, 2,393
yards) into third and 202 yards to pass Jefferson Inman (1969-1972,
2,476) into second place all-time.
Last year, Pruitt led the team in total touchdowns with 10
and in rushing yards with 1,172 (97.7 per game average).
ALBANY STATE LEADS SIAC WITH SEVEN PRESEASON
ALL-SIAC SELECTIONS: Highlighting the team was the 2005 SIAC Defensive Player of
the Year Alton Pettway. A senior defensive lineman, Pettway
racked up 58 tackles with 24 solos during the 2005 season.
He recorded 17 tackles for a loss of 62 yards, nine sacks for
48 yards, 21 quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. Also named
to the SIAC First Team were senior offensive linemen Michael
Livingston and Michael Myles. Livingston and Myles were key
anchors on the ASU offensive line that helped the Golden Rams
gain 3,922 yards of total offense. Marcus Jefferson, who led
NCAA Division II football in passes defended with 16 pass breakups,
was named to the preseason second team. Jefferson intercepted
five passes for 59 yards and recorded 58 tackles with 37 solos,
with six for a loss of 17 yards, one fumble recovery for 55
yards and blocked a kick. Jefferson also served on ASU's special
teams and returned seven kicks for 138 yards, averaging 19.7
yards per return and a long of 37 yards. Also named to the
second team were offensive lineman Chris Chapman, linebacker
Roderick Cummings and defensive back Roderick Whipple. Cummings
led the Golden Rams with 84 tackles (28 solos), while Whipple
added 71 tackles (43 solos) and four interceptions.
ALBANY STATE FOOTBALL PLAYER NAMED TO
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM: Cornerback Marcus Jefferson, who led NCAA Division II
football in passes defended, was named to the second team defense
of the 2006 Don Hansen's Football Gazette Preseason All-America
Team.. He was one of 148 players representing all four geographic
regions to be named to the team. During the 2005 season, Jefferson
intercepted five passes for 59 yards and recorded 58 tackles
with 37 solos, with six for a loss of 17 yards, one fumble
recovery for 55 yards and blocked a kick. He also served on
ASU's special teams and returned seven kicks for 138 yards,
averaging 19.7 yards per return and a long of 37 yards.
TICKETS: For tickets, call the NCCU Ticket Office at (919)
530-5170 or visit http://www.nccu.edu/athletics/tickets.html
.
SPORTS INFORMATION CONTACTS: NCCU: Kyle Serba (919) 530-7054
ASU: Edythe Bradley (229) 430-4673
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