BCSP VII-35: BCSP Tidbits

The Alcorn State University athletics department officially announced last week the hiring of John McKenzie as the offensive coordinator with the Braves football coaching staff. He replaces former offensive coordinator Riley Murry who served in this capacity during the past two seasons. Prior to his arrival to campus, McKenzie served as the head coach at Delaware State University from 1996 to 1999.

"He brings to us a wealth of experience from other places as a player and as an assistant coach," said Braves head coach Johnny Thomas. "He has been an offensive coordinator and a head coach at Delaware State . He brings experience to the staff as well as our offensive unit and I also think that he is going to be a tremendous asset to our program."

McKenzie was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Fayetteville State prior to his appointment at Delaware State. He was the offensive coordinator at Alabama State from 1987 to 1991. During the 1991 season, the Hornets went 11-0-1 en route to their first-ever Southwestern Athletic Conference championship while earning a berth to the inaugural Heritage Bowl at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. Also in the same year, Alabama State averaged 430 yards and 41.2 points per game while posting 630 yards of total offense en route to a 36-13 victory over North Carolina A&T in the Heritage Bowl.

During the 1990 season, McKenzie's offense at Alabama State averaged 440 yards and 34.9 points per game. Among the former Hornet players he helped to develop were former Delaware State assistants Reggie Brown and Patrick Johnson. Brown's college success led him to the Houston Oilers of the National Football League, while Johnson is one of the few players in the history of the SWAC to have been named a first-team all-conference selection for four straight years. The Miami, Florida native was also instrumental in the development of former New York Jets halfback Brad Baxter, an Alabama State product who currently holds the SWAC's single-season rushing record of 1,705 yards.

McKenzie's coaching ledger also includes two stops on the Jackson State staff. He was an assistant quarterbacks coach from 1985 to 1986 and then returned to the Tigers staff as the offensive coordinator in 1992. In 1986, he was the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Miami Central High School.

McKenzie was a quarterback during his playing days at Jackson State in which he threw for 5,014 yards and 43 touchdowns. He was a All-SWAC selection during the 1982 and 1983 seasons while leading the Tigers to SWAC championships in 1982 and 1985. McKenzie set eight Jackson State single-season passing records including completions (142), passing yards (2,067) and total offense (2,127). He earned his degree in biology from Jackson State in 1986 while earning credit hours toward a Master's degree in counseling from Alabama State.

McKenzie was rather enthusiastic about his arrival at Alcorn State. "It is a great opportunity, I am glad to be back in the SWAC and the Alcorn State family has afforded me that opportunity. I am just looking forward to it and I hope that we can have some results that we can all be proud of."

The Alcorn State University athletics department officially announced on April 4, the appointment of assistant athletics director for compliance and business affairs Robert H. J. Raines to the post of interim athletics director. He will take over this post in the absence of Marino H. Casem who served in the same capacity on an interim basis.

Raines got his start in the Braves' athletics department as the rules compliance coordinator on January 5, 1998 after spending the previous five years as head football coach at Natchez High School and district football coordinator for the Natchez-Adams School District. He was promoted to the rank of assistant athletics director for compliance and business affairs in November 2000.

As assistant athletics director, Raines was responsible for certifying student-athletes for eligibility, athletics aid and competition. He was also responsible for all business affairs within the department. In addition, Raines was also responsible for maintaining student-athletes educational, scholarship and records so that it could be available to the athletics staff, student-athletes and parents. He ensured that the athletics department operated in compliance within institutional, Southwestern Athletic Conference and NCAA rules and regulations.

The Greenwood, Mississippi native and Amanda Elzy High School product attended Alcorn State University where he was a quarterback on the 1984 nationally ranked SWAC championship team. Raines currently holds the Braves' single-season record for best completion percentage of 65 percent in 1984.

He holds a bachelor of arts degree in health and physical education and recreation with minors in Science and Mathematics. He currently holds a Master's Degree in sports management from Northwestern State University, in Natchitoches, Louisiana.