NC A&T PICKS FOBBS: Lee Fobbs, who has spent the last three years as a running backs coach at Texas A&M, was introduced Friday as the new head football coach at North Carolina A&T. Fobbs, 55, a 1973 Grambling State graduate who played and coached under legendary GSU coach Eddie Robinson, has served as a high school head coach and as an assistant at seven Div. I programs including stints at Alabama, Baylor, Minnesota, LSU and Tulane during his 30-year career. He will be A&T's 16th head coach. Fobbs was introduced by A&T Athletic Director Dee Todd Friday before a packed house of enthusiastic Aggie supporters which included A&T Chancellor James Renick, other administrators, faculty, staff and members of the football team at the Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center on campus. This is Fobbs' first collegiate head coaching job. He replaces Aggie alum George Small who was let go after compiling a 16-19 mark in three seasons, including back-to-back 3-8 campaigns after posting a 10-3 mark and winning the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference title in his first year in 2003. Todd said Fobbs came highly recommended including a glowing nod from former Grambling QB and head coach Doug Williams, now an executive in the front office of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Williams was on hand Saturday as Fobbs was introduced at an A&T basketball game. The new coach, who will also serve as the Aggies' offensive coordinator, reportedly signed a four-year contract at $165,000 per year. Small's annual salary was $110,000.

COMEGY GETS THE NOD, AGAIN?: A Jackson State search committee has recommended that the school hire Tuskegee head coach Rick Comegy as the Tigers' next head football coach, but the matter is far from decided. The ten-year Tuskegee head coach apparently beat out Alcorn State offensive coordinator John McKenzie, a JSU grad, and former Tennessee State and Alabama State head coach L. C. Cole, who is now defensive coordinator at Lane, who were also interviewed by the committee. Comegy and his TU Golden Tigers finished off an 11-1 record Saturday with a 28-26 win over Bowie State in the Pioneer Bowl in Charlotte and the wheels started turning immediately after. "I know the search committee has recommended me, but that's just one avenue," Comegy said to reporter Mark Alexander of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger after the game. "There's a lot of avenues to deal with to make something happen." He said he expected to hear from JSU on Sunday. The committee made its recommendation Wednesday to JSU President Ronald Mason, Jr., but Mason is not bound by the committee's choice. As of press time, it was not clear how Mason would move on the recommendation. Comegy, 52, who has won 90 games, four Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and one black college national title in his ten years at Tuskegee, was sent a contract after being offered the head coaching position at Morgan State in 2001 only to decide to stay at Tuskegee for more money. He then was announced and made an appearance as the new head coach at Norfolk State in December 2002 only to hold a press conference at Tuskegee a month later, on the day he was to report to NSU, announcing he was again staying at Tuskegee. Stay tuned.

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