JACKSONVILLE — Gavin Hallford’s sore right leg has JSU coach Jack Crowe contemplating going back to the drawing board when it comes to kickoffs.
The Gamecocks used all three kickers to do the job Saturday. They’re reluctant to have punter Zach Walden in the spot because it hurts his effectiveness there, but freshman Al Chamanzad hasn’t been an effective option and opponents have enjoyed good field position.
“I don’t know where we’re going with that,” Crowe said. “We may have to go back to the players. We’re going to look at a possibility we haven’t seen yet. There hasn’t been anybody (else) working it.”
Crowe said he was swayed by Hallford’s insistence he was ready when he sent the kicker to attempt a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter — after he had been relieved of kicking off. The attempt was low, ending a string of seven consecutive makes.
“I’ve got to quit talking to Gavin; if I say ‘Can you jump over the Empire State Building?,’ he’d say he could,” Crowe said. “I don’t think he needed to be kicking that.”
• IVORY WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON: The Gamecocks were reluctant to use backup quarterback Marques Ivory Saturday night, but Crowe said the freshman should be available this week.
Ivory had been experiencing what Crowe called an “elbow issue,” but went into the game with 3:01 left and played in JSU’s final two possessions. Crowe said it’s “highly probable” the cycle of exercise and medication will give the quarterback a chance to be ready this week.
“We need him to be ready to play,” Crowe said.
— Al Muskewitz
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Board to hear about stadium project
The Jacksonville State board of trustees will meet this morning to get an update on the Paul Snow Stadium/dormitory project. Money and manure are expected to be the major topics.
The school is looking to expand the stadium’s seating capacity to accommodate a possible move to the Football Bowl Subdivision. The renovation also is to include space for 400 dorm rooms as the school moves closer to its goal of 10,000 students.
University president Bill Meehan told the faculty senate Monday the project now is likely to cost around $40 million, about an $8 million increase in the initial estimate.
He called the figure “doable.”
Another potential snag is the fact Jacksonville’s city sewage system isn’t likely to be capable of handling the increased waste.
“I don’t think any problem is insurmountable,” board president Jim Bennett said Thursday.
The biggest problem, however, may be funding. A recent study indicated that many favored the idea of expanding the stadium, but a majority of respondents were not in favor of paying for it.
“If you looked at the marketing study, I don’t know who’s going to pay for it; the way they’re going to come up with this money,” faculty senator Paul Beezley said. “The dorm need to be built, there’s no doubt about that … but I feel like we’re being told we can’t have one without the other.
“The marketing study said 57 percent of the people supported it, but practically nobody talked about giving money or expressing an issue in doing it. It appears it’s widely held that this is a vanity project and it’s designed specifically so that when the (NCAA) moratorium is over we can move up. It’s al being driven by moving up.”
University officials continue to maintain the improvement to their athletic facilities will occur whether the school decides to move the football program up or not.
Despite all the mixed signals, Bennett is confident the project will become a reality.
“This project is a go from the outset,” Bennett said. “It’s a work in progress.”
The school is looking to expand the stadium’s seating capacity to accommodate a possible move to the Football Bowl Subdivision. The renovation also is to include space for 400 dorm rooms as the school moves closer to its goal of 10,000 students.
University president Bill Meehan told the faculty senate Monday the project now is likely to cost around $40 million, about an $8 million increase in the initial estimate.
He called the figure “doable.”
Another potential snag is the fact Jacksonville’s city sewage system isn’t likely to be capable of handling the increased waste.
“I don’t think any problem is insurmountable,” board president Jim Bennett said Thursday.
The biggest problem, however, may be funding. A recent study indicated that many favored the idea of expanding the stadium, but a majority of respondents were not in favor of paying for it.
“If you looked at the marketing study, I don’t know who’s going to pay for it; the way they’re going to come up with this money,” faculty senator Paul Beezley said. “The dorm need to be built, there’s no doubt about that … but I feel like we’re being told we can’t have one without the other.
“The marketing study said 57 percent of the people supported it, but practically nobody talked about giving money or expressing an issue in doing it. It appears it’s widely held that this is a vanity project and it’s designed specifically so that when the (NCAA) moratorium is over we can move up. It’s al being driven by moving up.”
University officials continue to maintain the improvement to their athletic facilities will occur whether the school decides to move the football program up or not.
Despite all the mixed signals, Bennett is confident the project will become a reality.
“This project is a go from the outset,” Bennett said. “It’s a work in progress.”
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Polling: It's curiouser and curiouser
What do the coaches know that the media doesn’t? The Gamecocks haven’t cracked either of the two major Football Championship Subdivision polls yet, but there’s something curious if you look at them closely.
Eastern Illinois remains the only Ohio Valley Conference teams in both polls — No. 22 in The Sports Network’s poll of media and publicists and No. 20 in the coaches poll.
But here’s the curiosity: Undefeated Tennessee State is No. 25 in the TSN poll, while Jax State is the next OVC team receiving votes (49 points). In the coaches poll, however, the Gamecocks hold a nine-point edge over TSU (19-10) among “others receiving votes.”
Apparently, going 3-0 against the struggling SWAC doesn’t hold much weight with the coaches.
It doesn’t matter much anyway. The best team in the OVC will be decided on the field, right now it seems in JSU’s first and last conference games of the season.
The Gamecocks open their OVC schedule next week at Eastern Illinois – once again making their conference opener a veritable elimination game for the league title – and wrap it up at home Nov. 15 against TSU.
Eastern Illinois remains the only Ohio Valley Conference teams in both polls — No. 22 in The Sports Network’s poll of media and publicists and No. 20 in the coaches poll.
But here’s the curiosity: Undefeated Tennessee State is No. 25 in the TSN poll, while Jax State is the next OVC team receiving votes (49 points). In the coaches poll, however, the Gamecocks hold a nine-point edge over TSU (19-10) among “others receiving votes.”
Apparently, going 3-0 against the struggling SWAC doesn’t hold much weight with the coaches.
It doesn’t matter much anyway. The best team in the OVC will be decided on the field, right now it seems in JSU’s first and last conference games of the season.
The Gamecocks open their OVC schedule next week at Eastern Illinois – once again making their conference opener a veritable elimination game for the league title – and wrap it up at home Nov. 15 against TSU.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
A running problem
The old saying goes misery loves company. Well, Jacksonville State and Alabama A&M may be able to commiserate after Saturday night's game.
Looks like the Bulldogs are having just as much trouble on the ground as the Gamecocks are ...
Here's the story
Looks like the Bulldogs are having just as much trouble on the ground as the Gamecocks are ...
Here's the story
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Game time decisions
Pregame notes were distributed in the press box at Bobby Dodd Stadium and JSU's injury update took up the bulk of the early notices.
It previously was reported receiver James Wilkerson and running back Tremayne Coger would be out of the game for injuries. Anthony Jones will start in place of Wilkerson, with John Houston Whiddon as the backup. Daniel Jackson, last year's leading rusher, will start in place of Coger, with Drec Lindley as the backup.
Not altogether surprising department, left guard Matt Washington will not start and fullback Ronald Murray is out. Freshman Matt Jones will start in Washington's place, but Washington is listed as the backup. Alphonso Freeney will start in Murray's place. Calvin Middleton is the backup fullback.
Gavin Hallford seemed to be kicking well enough the ball in pregame despite being hampered by a groin injury in camp that limited his ability to scrimmage. Look for Hallford to handle the placements tonight, but punter Zach Walden will do the kickoffs and freshman Al Chamazad might even be called into action.
It previously was reported receiver James Wilkerson and running back Tremayne Coger would be out of the game for injuries. Anthony Jones will start in place of Wilkerson, with John Houston Whiddon as the backup. Daniel Jackson, last year's leading rusher, will start in place of Coger, with Drec Lindley as the backup.
Not altogether surprising department, left guard Matt Washington will not start and fullback Ronald Murray is out. Freshman Matt Jones will start in Washington's place, but Washington is listed as the backup. Alphonso Freeney will start in Murray's place. Calvin Middleton is the backup fullback.
Gavin Hallford seemed to be kicking well enough the ball in pregame despite being hampered by a groin injury in camp that limited his ability to scrimmage. Look for Hallford to handle the placements tonight, but punter Zach Walden will do the kickoffs and freshman Al Chamazad might even be called into action.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
What are they waiting for?
What is the Jacksonville State basketball program waiting for? School to start? New athletics director Oval Jaynes to officially take over (he's already said to have had meetings with some coaches)? Midnight Madness?
It's been months since James Green has been named the program's head coach, and you know the staff has been working, but there's been no formal word on signees, a schedule, a contract.
So much time has passed since the hiring announcement that they've already killed any initial excitement toward the program and with the football opener Thursday night interest now will be cursory at best.
There have been snippets of info, like the four major-college guarantee games the Gamecocks are expected to play (UAB, Iowa State, South Carolina and UMass), but whenever it does come out, this will be the latest their complete schedule has ever been released.
When inquiries about Green's contract has been made, high ranking university officials have said at various times (a) it would be available in the library when completed, (b) was expected to be available the Tuesday after the last board of trustees meeting, (c) is still in draft form. The only new contracts in the library file are those of soccer coach Julie Davis and women's basketball coach Becky Geyer.
As for the signees, there was a mid-summer announcement about the transfer of Nebraska's Jay-R Strowbridge, but he won't be available to play until 2009-2010. The roster on the website does list four new names -- freshman guard John Barnes of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; freshman forward Brandon Crawford of Montgomery; early signee Stephen Hall, a freshman forward from Birmingham; and Geddes Robinson, a redshirt freshman forward from the Bronx.
It's been months since James Green has been named the program's head coach, and you know the staff has been working, but there's been no formal word on signees, a schedule, a contract.
So much time has passed since the hiring announcement that they've already killed any initial excitement toward the program and with the football opener Thursday night interest now will be cursory at best.
There have been snippets of info, like the four major-college guarantee games the Gamecocks are expected to play (UAB, Iowa State, South Carolina and UMass), but whenever it does come out, this will be the latest their complete schedule has ever been released.
When inquiries about Green's contract has been made, high ranking university officials have said at various times (a) it would be available in the library when completed, (b) was expected to be available the Tuesday after the last board of trustees meeting, (c) is still in draft form. The only new contracts in the library file are those of soccer coach Julie Davis and women's basketball coach Becky Geyer.
As for the signees, there was a mid-summer announcement about the transfer of Nebraska's Jay-R Strowbridge, but he won't be available to play until 2009-2010. The roster on the website does list four new names -- freshman guard John Barnes of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; freshman forward Brandon Crawford of Montgomery; early signee Stephen Hall, a freshman forward from Birmingham; and Geddes Robinson, a redshirt freshman forward from the Bronx.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Davis: No disappointments
The JSU women's soccer team just finished an evening's outing against Mexico's Under-20 Women's National Team.
The Gamecocks lost the exhibition 5-1, falling behind 5-0 before scoring with less than 15 minutes to play.
Despite the final score, JSU coach Julie Davis and her players found a number of things to be positive about. For one, the game drew an estimated crowd of 500, and Davis was pleased with the "wonderful" atmosphere.
The Gamecocks played their advanced visitors even for 35 minutes. And, perhaps most important of all, their youthful roster of 10 newcomers and 15 freshmen and sophomores gained valuable experience.
"We had a huge freshman class come in and we got them experience," senior goal keeper Kate Kelly said. "This was a once-in-a-lifetime (experience); they got all their nerves out of this game.
"To play an international match, really, and have freshmen who have never played at this level come in, that's the most important thing, the exposure we got and the experience those freshmen got.
"For those freshmen to get this under their belt, we're going to go into every game saying, 'Well, look what we did against Mexico.'"
There was a negative side to the evening, though. The Gamecocks lost junior defenders Trista Munster and Amber DeLaney to knee and leg injuries and it may not be until later in the week before they discover the extent of the injuries.
"That really hurt us," Davis said. "Now that's going to really test some of our other newcomers who didn't get as much playing time, to train them with some pressure to have to step up because there's a potential possibility those injuries might be extended."
The Gamecocks lost the exhibition 5-1, falling behind 5-0 before scoring with less than 15 minutes to play.
Despite the final score, JSU coach Julie Davis and her players found a number of things to be positive about. For one, the game drew an estimated crowd of 500, and Davis was pleased with the "wonderful" atmosphere.
The Gamecocks played their advanced visitors even for 35 minutes. And, perhaps most important of all, their youthful roster of 10 newcomers and 15 freshmen and sophomores gained valuable experience.
"We had a huge freshman class come in and we got them experience," senior goal keeper Kate Kelly said. "This was a once-in-a-lifetime (experience); they got all their nerves out of this game.
"To play an international match, really, and have freshmen who have never played at this level come in, that's the most important thing, the exposure we got and the experience those freshmen got.
"For those freshmen to get this under their belt, we're going to go into every game saying, 'Well, look what we did against Mexico.'"
There was a negative side to the evening, though. The Gamecocks lost junior defenders Trista Munster and Amber DeLaney to knee and leg injuries and it may not be until later in the week before they discover the extent of the injuries.
"That really hurt us," Davis said. "Now that's going to really test some of our other newcomers who didn't get as much playing time, to train them with some pressure to have to step up because there's a potential possibility those injuries might be extended."
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