Aug. 23, 2006

Winston-Salem, NC - The Winston-Salem State University Rams will open the 2006 football season on the road in Salisbury, NC on Saturday evening at 7:00 pm as they face the Catawba College Indians in one of the nation's first college football games.  WSSU will look to earn their first win versus the Indians.  The Rams are winless against CC in three previous meetings.

 

Kickoff...7:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time.    

 

Venue...Shuford Stadium in Salisbury, NC (Capacity - 4,500).

 

The Event...First game of the season for both teams (opening weekend nationally).

 

Television Coverage...There is no television coverage for this contest versus the Indians of Catawba College.     

 

Radio Coverage...This weekend's contest will be available to listeners in the greater Winston-Salem, NC area live on WSNC, 90.5 FM with "Big Mo" calling all the play-by-play action and L.A. Batchelor providing the color commentary, as well as live nationally on the internet at www.WSSU.edu by clicking on the link: "Listen to WSNC."  The Indians will air the game on WSAT Radio 1280 on the AM dial and on the internet on the official website of Catawba College athletics a www.GoCatwbaIndians.com with Buddy Poole calling the play-by-play.  Color commentary announcers have yet to be announced.

 

Live Statistical Broadcast Online...There will be no live statistical broadcast of this contest between the Rams of Winston-Salem State University and the Indians of Catawba College.

 

Setting The Scene...The matchup between the Rams and Indians marks the first game of the regular season for both teams.  The Rams are entering into their first year of play at the NCAA Division I-AA level while the Indians are a national football power at the NCAA Division II level.

 

2005 Results...The Rams are coming off of a 2005 season in which they posted a 6-4 record overall (6-1 CIAA) and narrowly missed a CIAA title-game appearance.  The Indians posted a 6-5 record in 2005 as they finished an uncharateristically-low fourth in the South Atlantic Conference.

 

The Last Meeting...The last meeting between the two teams came on August 27, 2005 in Winston-Salem, NC.  In that meeting, the Indians earned a 20-10 victory at Bowman-Gray Stadium.  The game was the first game of the 2005 season for both teams.

 

The Series...Winston-Salem State and Catawba have met three times in history with the Indians holding the advantage in the all-time series by the margin of 3-0-0.  WSSU is winless versus the Indians in three attempts.  The series between the two teams began in 1998 and will conclude with this Saturday's contest as the Rams have left the ranks of Division II for the NCAA Division I-AA level.  The largest Catawba College win versus the Rams was by 10 points (20-10) during the 2005 season.  The longest Catawba College win streak versus the Rams is the current three-game streak from 1998 to present.   WSSU Head Coach Kermit Blount who is in his 14th season at the head of the WSSU football program has never beaten Catawba College in three attempts.

 

Understanding the injury chart...The Rams use the National Football League's injury chart model which separates injuries into four categories: (1) "Out" which indicates that a player will not play in the upcoming game and will not be dressed for the contest. (2) "Doubtful" which indicates that a player will have only a 25% chance of playing. (3) "Questionable" which indicates that a player will have a 50% chance of playing, and (4) "Probable" which indicates that the player has a 75% chance of playing.

 

Michael Scarbrough Who Broke His Leg In Practice On Tuesday Is One Of Four WSSU Players Lost To Injury For The Upcoming Game Versus Catawba College

Lost to injury...The Rams have lost four players to injury already this season.  WSSU has lost starting wide receiver Michael Scarbrough, Jr. (redshirt sophomore) to a left tibia fracture most recently.  Scarbrough broke his left leg on Tuesday afternoon in practice and is out for at least 12 weeks.  Brandon Dow, WSSU's starting free safety heading into the second week of practice is lost for six to eight weeks after breaking his right wrist while making a tackle in practice.  The injury required surgery and it is doubtful that he will return to the lineup this season.  WSSU has also lost Brandon McLellan and Lonnie Teasley to knee injuries as both are recovering from mid-summer surgeries.  McLellan is recovering from ACL reconstruction on his left knee while Teasley is recovering from the same procedure on his right knee.

 

It's Doubtful...WSSU has placed only one player on the doubtful list as Bennie Barbour has a 25% chance of playing in this weekend's game as he is still slow to recover from right knee ACL reconstruction.  He may be upgraded to questionable after seeing an orthopedist on Wednesday afternoon.

 

Nobody Questionable...The Rams have placed no players on the questionable list this week.

 

More Than A Passing Chance...Only John Mobley is on the Rams' probable list which indicates he has at least a 75% chance of playing this season.  Mobley is suffering from a nagging right shoulder injury. 

 

12th MEAC Member...On July 20, 2006, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced that it will expand its membership to 12 members next year, as the league voted to admit Winston-Salem State University into the league beginning in 2007-08.   "We are elated to welcome Winston-Salem into the MEAC family", said Commissioner Dennis Thomas. Obviously we think that WSSU is an outstanding academic institution with an excellent athletics program."  Winston-Salem is currently in the second year of its reclassification from Division II to NCAA Division I status. WSSU will begin a full MEAC schedule in all sports beginning in 2007-08. However they will not be eligible for MEAC Championship play until 2010-11.  The addition of Winston Salem marks the first expansion for the MEAC since 1997, when Norfolk State University became the 11^th member of the league. Hampton University joined in 1995. WSSU

 

Coach, give some general comments about the feeling going into this game.

This Saturday's game is going to be a game of adjustments.  We are different than last year and they are different than last year, and I think that what it really boils down to is that the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win this game.  The team that is up at the half will probably win this game.

 

What will the keys to the game be?

I want us to be consistent both offensively and defensively and more so offensively we want to control the ball and keep our defense off the field and theirs on the field.  If we can control the clock we can control the game.  And we, defensively, need to keep the big play off of us and not give up plays on third and long.

 

Are you going to open it up passing the ball after losing two near-1000 yard rushers?

We are going to stick to our script.  Tionti Powell looks good, had an outstanding spring and is healthy right now and Tionti and Brandon McRae will give us depth at the running back position.  Monte Purvis brings us experience at quarterback and he is healthy (coming off of a foot injury) and I feel comfortable with our offense.  We need to go out and play and just not make mistakes.  If we take care of the ball and run our stuff, the rest will take care of itself.

 

What will Catawba try to do to you?

They will try to take the run away from us.  And it will put Monte in a situation to throw the ball.  I don't think they can take away both.  We need to dictate what they show us defensively.  I think that Monte can do that with his arm and his feet.  We can force their defense to adjust to make it favorable for us.

 

Do you think the boys are looking forward to next week's game versus North Carolina A&T?

We don't even know who we are playing next week.  We are looking towards Catawba. We will not look past Catawba, and if we do, we will have a very long day on Saturday.

 

Catawba will be jacked up for their first night game in 32 years now that they got their new lights at Shuford Stadium.  Any worries?

No.  We will be ready.  Our guys have faced each other for 32 practices, and it is time to go against someone in another color jersey.  We will be ready to go, of that, I am sure.

 

Speaking of special teams.  How do you look?

Having Chad (Oakley) back is huge.  Last year, Matt Hind bailed us out when Chad went down, and this year, I am delighted to have Chad back.  He is an all-around guy.  An excellent punter and kickoff man, and he is a great placekicker.  It is a strength we have.  Point afters, FG's and pinning people deep on punts.  That is a huge edge for us.

 

Improvements this year?  What are they?

Our maturity level.  I don't think that our guys realize how historic this season is, but they are playing and practicing like they realize how mature they have to act to be successful.  Our guys are figuring out what it is all about and we are getting better each and every day.

 

So with Michael Scarbrough down with a broken leg, will it be DeRon Middleton instead?

DeRon Middleton, Tionti Powell, and Orville Pass III will all see time.  We will miss Scarbrough.  He was really coming on.  Had a great camp and to have an injury like that happen to him hurts.  But we, like every football team, have to deal with injuries and do what we can to get production out of other guys.

 

Is the season going to be difficult with the schedule and all?  The MEAC teams?

The MEAC is a little different than the CIAA.  And the competition is greater.  But just like us, they put 11 out there at a time like we do.  I think that maybe the teams are a bit more opportunistic and will make you pay for your mistakes more.  That is what I think is a bit different from the CIAA.

 

There are no slouches on this schedule, right?

When I got here, you could look at your schedule and know who the tough teams were.  We can't do that anymore, and over the last few years, as the CIAA has gotten better, you couldn't do that anymore.  I think, with the long season, it is different now.  Health of our guys will be important and I think that Darrell Turner, our trainer has really helped us step up our rehabilitation of our injuries and has helped in getting our guys back on the field.  That is going to make it easier to transition to the next level, and we are looking forward to it.

 

 - wssurams.com -