Sept. 20, 2006

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The third game of the 2006 season for the Rams, WSSU will take to the road and travel the 622 miles (approximately 9 hours and 32 minutes of drive time) to the city of Tallahassee, the capital of the State of Florida, to face the Rattlers of Florida A&M University.  The contest will not only mark the first meeting between the two Historically Black Colleges, but also marks the first-ever game between the Rams and any team from the "Sunshine State."  WSSU has never played a game versus a team from Florida and has never played a game in the State of Florida.

 

Kickoff...6:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time.    

 

Venue...Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, FL (25,000 capacity).

 

Television Coverage...There is no national television coverage for this contest versus the Rattlers of Florida A&M University.  However, the game will air live on the Internet via Jericho Broadcasting.  FAMU grad Roy Eavins is the CEO of Jericho and the Executive Producer of the broadcast, which will be anchored by Melvin Beal (play-by-play) and former three-time Rattler MVP quarterback Albert Chester (analyst).       

 

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 Maurice "Big Mo" Stanfield 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 Rattlers will air a radio broadcast on the Rattler Sports Radio Network with the following affiliates carrying the game:  WHBX-FM (96.1), Tallahassee; WMBM-AM, Miami; WIRA-AM, Fort Pierce; WHGH-AM, Thomasville, Ga.; WSWN Sugar 900 AM, Belle Glade; WDMT-AM, Gainesville; WTMN-AM, Ocala; WRNE-AM, Pensacola; WSDO-AM, Orlando.

 

Live Statistical Broadcast Online...There will not be a live statistical broadcast of this contest between the Rams and Rattlers.

 

Weather Forecast...Saturday's contest is set to be played in good weather as the forecast calls for a high temperature of 89 degrees and a low of 68 degrees with possible isolated thunderstorms and a 30% chance of precipitation.

 

Setting The Scene...The matchup between the Rams and Rattlers will mark the fourth game of the season for both teams.  The Rams are coming off of an off-week in which they had no game (9/16/06) but are riding a one-game losing streak after being defeated by South Carolina State University on September 9, 2006 by the score of 35-6.  The Rattlers are riding a one-game win streak as they defeated the Bison of Howard in Washington, DC by the score of 21-23 last Saturday afternoon to earn their first win of the season.  

 

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 Rattlers posted a 6-5 overall record in 2005 and turned in a 5-5 record in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).  The 5-5 conference mark earned them a regular-season fourth-place finish in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. 

 

Rankings...Neither the Rams nor the Rattlers are currently receiving any votes in any of the major, national, college football polls.

 

The Last Meeting...This is the first meeting between the two teams.

 

The Series...Winston-Salem State and Florida A&M University have never met.  This Saturday's contest will mark the inaugural game between the two Historically Black Colleges.  WSSU will face the Rattlers every year starting in 2007-08 when the Rams become the 12th member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

 

A Win This Week Would...

            ...give the Rams their second win of the 2006 season and move Winston-Salem State to 2-2 overall.

            ...snap the Rams one-game losing streak

            ...give WSSU head coach Kermit Blount his 79th win at WSSU pulling him within two wins of Thomas "Tank" Conrad (81 wins) for second place on the WSSU all-time win list (behind Bill Hayes with an all-time best 89 wins).

            ...earn the Rams their second win over an NCAA Division I-AA opponent this season (a 39-28 win at South Carolina State that came during the 2000 season being the most recent non-2006 win over a Division I-AA team).

            ...earn the Rams their second win as an NCAA Division I-AA program.

            ...drop Florida A&M University to 1-3 for the first time in five seasons.

            ...pull current WSSU head coach Kermit Blount's overall record versus Florida A&M University to 1-0.         

            ...earn WSSU their second win over a Division I opponent during the tenure of Director of Athletics, Dr. Chico Caldwell.

            ...mark WSSU's second road win over a Divisuion I-AA team.

 

A Loss This Week Would...

            ...move Winston-Salem State University to 1-3 on the season.

            ...push the Rattlers' win streak to two consecutive games.

            ...give WSSU head coach Kermit Blount his 60th loss, putting him only 19 losses shy of the WSSU all-time loss record held by Thomas "Tank" Conrad (79 total).

            ...keep the Rams with only one win versus a Division I opponent (North Carolina A&T) since a 39-28 win at South Carolina State that came during the 2000 season.

            ...move Florida A&M to 2-2 on the season.

            ...earn Florida A&M University head coach Rubin Carter his eighth career head coaching victory.

            ...drop WSSU head coach Kermit Blount's record versus Florida A&M University to 0-1

            ...Give the Rattlers a 1-0 lead in the all-time series between the two team.  This Saturday's contest marks the first meeting between the two teams.

 

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" Understanding The Injury Chart (con't)...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.

 

Lost To Injury...The Rams have lost four players to injury already this season.  Most recently WSSU lost starting defensive lineman Quentin Jones to a knee injury that he sustained in the game versus South Carolina State University.  After undergoing surgery on the injured knee, Jones was given a rehabilitation time of nine to 12 months.  Prior to Jones' injury WSSU lost starting wide receiver Michael Scarbrough, Jr. (redshirt sophomore) to a left tibia fracture.  Scarbrough broke his left leg in practice and is out for at least another eight weeks.  Brandon Dow, WSSU's projected starting free safety was been lost for six weeks after breaking his right wrist while making a tackle in practice.  The injury required surgery and he is slated to return this weekend (September 23, 2006) versus Florida A&M.  WSSU has also lost Brandon McLellan and Lonnie Teasley to knee injuries as both are recovering from mid-summer surgeries.  McLellan is recovering from patella tendon reconstruction on his left knee while Teasley is recovering from ACL reconstruction on his right knee.  His return this season is doubtful.

It's Doubtful... The Rams have placed linebacker Samuel Wright (6'2"/220/Jr.) on the doubtful list as he suffered a mild separation (subluxation) of his left shoulder during the fourth quarter of the Rams' 41-14 victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday, September 2, 2006. 

No Questions...WSSU has no one placed on the questionable list.

 

They will probably give it a go...Both Orville Pass, III and Lorenzo Barr are on the Rams' probable list which indicates they have at least a 75% chance of playing this weekend.  Pass, III, a 5'10", wide receiver is nursing a left hamstring injury and Barr, a 6'1" wide receiver is nursing a left ankle sprain.  Both players are likely to play this weekend, but will be game time decisions.  Neither player practiced on Monday or Tuesday.  Head Athletic Trainer Darrell Turner said that both may practice on Wedensday.

 

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.

 

12th MEAC Member (cont'd)... The addition of Winston Salem marks the first expansion for the MEAC since 1997, when Norfolk State University became the 11th member of the league.

 

Going To Have A New Home...The Winston-Salem State University Rams will have a new home in 2007.  On Wednesday, August 30, 2006, the Rams broke ground on a new 12,000 square-foot fieldhouse that will house all of the WSSU Athletic Department offices, a rehabilitation and sports medicine center, a new weightroom, and a press deck with a high-definition video board.

 

Its About The Rush...The Rams are 1-2 in 2006 when they do not have a player record at least 100 yards rushing in a contest.  Last season the Rams posted a 6-4 record when a running back had at least 100 yards rushing.  WSSU's game versus Catawba was the first time in 13 games that the Rams did not have a 100-yard rusher.  Tionti Powell was the Rams' leading rusher with 59 yards on 13 carries.  In the contest versus North Carolina A&T the Rams nearly recorded their first 100-yard rusher as Tionti Powell tallied 95 yards on 13 carries for an average of 7.1 yards per carry.  Brandon McRae earned 82 yards on 12 carries.  The Rams have yet to record a 100-yard rusher this season. 

 

To The House...The last time that the Rams' defense scored was also the last time that the Rams intercepted a pass and took it for a touchdown.  De'Ron Middleton's 74-yard interception return for a touchdown against Saint Augustine's College on October 29, 2005 was the last time that the Rams' defense recorded a touchdown.

 

Its Been Awhile...The last time that the Rams defeated a team that was ranked in the AFCA Coaches' Poll was during the 2003 season when WSSU defeated then-#19 Fort Valley State University in Macon, GA by the score of 27-21.  Since that time, the Rams have fallen to three ranked opponents.

 

Only Two...The Rams will play only two non-Division I teams this season as they face off against only Catawba College (lost on August 26 by the score of 21-7) and Saint Augustine's College (November 4).  The Rams will face nine Division I-AA programs this season, including three teams that are currently ranked in the Division I-AA AFCA Coaches' Poll (Hampton, S.C. State and Coastal Carolina).  WSSU faces four conferences this season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (seven times), the Big South (once), the South Atlantic Conference (once), and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (once).  The Rams also face one independent team in the Tigers of South Carolina State University.

 

Scoring Plenty...The Rams have scored 54 points in three games and are averaging 18 points per game.  In order for the Rams to earn the win this weekend, they must stop the Rattlers prolific passing offense, an offense that returns all but two starters from 2005. 

 

Stop The Madness...The Rams have committed 25 penalties this season, resulting in 210 yards for their opposition.  Two weekends ago versus North Carolina A&T, the Rams gave the Aggies three consecutive third-down conversions due to penalties on the same drive resulting in North Carolina A&T's first touchdown of the game.

 

More Second-Half Production...The Rams have scored 34 of their 54 total points in the first half of games.  WSSU must get more second-half production if they plan on continuing their win streak this weekend.  The Rams have scored only 20 points in the second half of games this season.  They have one touchdown in the third quarters of play and two in the fourth quarters.

 

Outside of North Carolina...This Saturday's game will be the Rams' first battle outside of the State of North Carolina.  The trip to Florida will be the first of two road contests in the "Sunshine State" for the Rams, with the second being an October 15, 2006 contest at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, FL.  The Rams, under Blount, have never faced a team from the State of Florida and WSSU has never played a game in the State of Florida.

 

Big Stadium...This weekend's contest will see the Rams play in the largest stadium of the season thus far.  The Rattlers play in Bragg Memorial Stadium that seats 25,000 people.  The Rams' home stadium (Bowman Gray) seats only 18,000 at full capacity.

 

Six Pack Of Sacks...Through three games of the season, the Rams are currently sporting a "six pack of sacks".  William Hayes leads WSSU with two-and-a-half sacks and he is joined by Demetrius Rivers, Detron Hart and Michael Moore who each have one sack each.

 

Three Return Home...As the Rams make the trip to Florida, three WSSU players will make the trip home.  WSSU has three players in the 60-man travel party, making the trip back to their home state of Florida.  Placekicker Marvin Umanzor (sophomore), defensive back David Irizarry (sophomore), and defensive lineman Detron Hart (sophomore) are all from Miami, FL.  All three transferred to WSSU this season after one year at NAIA-member Allen University.

 

Extending Success...Winston-Salem State University Director of Athletics, Dr. Chico Caldwell announced on September 6, 2006 that the WSSU Department of Athletics has extended the contract of Head Football Coach Kermit Blount for three more years, taking him through the 2010 season.  Blount's current contract took him through the 2007 season and with the extension, will ensure that he remains the head football coach at Winston-Salem State University for the next four seasons.

 

Kicking It Up A Notch...Senior punter Chad Oakley continues to prove that he is one of the most valuable players on the Rams' roster.  Through three games, Oakley has kicked 14 punts for 611 yards for an average of 43.6 yards per kick.  He has recorded four touch backs, one fair catch, and has pinned two opponents inside their own 20-yard line.  He has not had a punt blocked since the 2004 season.

 

75-25 Breakdown...Despite a promise to try to pass the ball more, Head Coach Kermit Blount's Rams have run the ball 75% of the time thus far in the 2006 season.  The Rams have 157 total plays on offense, with 117 of them being rushing attempts.  WSSU has thrown only 40 passes on the season, 18 of which have been caught for positive yardage. 

 

The State Of Florida Facts...

The "Sunshine State" is one of the hotbeds of football talent.  The three major "Football Factories" are the University of Florida, Florida State University , and the University of Miami.  The three teams combined currently have 61 total players on opening-day rosters of National Football League teams.

 

A Bigger Show Than The Rattlers?...The FAMU band is one of the nation's finest, and many fans come to watch the band more than they come to watch the Rattlers.  The band marched in both of President Bill Clinton's inaugurations and has 60-person percussion section with membership in the band around 300. The band also puts in some serious practice time, starting in the preseason in August when it has four-a-day practice sessions.  Julian White, the team's band director, said his band even has a walk through on game day.  "We may have more intensity than the football team in terms of time put into it," said White, who was the drum major for the band from 1959 through 1962.  The band was first organized in 1892 and it started with just 16 instruments. 

 

Rattlers All Time...Florida A&M has an all-time record of 523-258-23 in 100 years. In the past 60 seasons, Florida A&M has had just eight losing records.

 

Experience In Florida...

Winston-Salem State University junior quarterback Monte Purvis is no stranger to the State of Florida.  Purvis has posted an all-time record of 4-0 in the "Sunshine State."  Purvis led two different teams to Pop Warner National Championships as he quarterbacked the Winston-Salem Greyhounds (1996) and the Winston-Salem Falcons (1998) to national titles tht he earned in the State of Florida at the Walt Disney World "Wide World of Sports" Complex.

 

Audibles

"As we continue along in this transition to Division I, one of the things that we value the most is stability, and extending Coach Blount's contract for the next three years will help us to do that.  He is a proven winner and we have now ensured that he will be our head football coach through the 2010 season.  This provides us with the stability and direction that will be necessary to build successful teams as we transition to the NCAA Division I level"

WSSU Director of Athletics, Dr. Chico Caldwell.

 

Quotables

"I think Winston is a very good football team and they get some good players up there," said Carter, a former NFL player who spent 12 seasons playing for the Denver Broncos. "They have talent at the skill positions and are a good football team. They've already beaten a MEAC team in A&T so when you look at them, they can move the ball on the ground but can also mix it up pretty well."

Florida A&M head football coach, Ruben Carter on the Rams

 

"We are not close to where we want to be," Carter said. "It takes a little time and I think we have established the discipline and the code of contact that I want to see.  We are getting better as far as our speed," he said. "It's youth and speed. They are energetic and enthusiastic but don't always make the right decisions."

Florida A&M head football coach, Ruben Carter on his own team

 

"He had to have the surgery on some cartilage and that just takes a long time to heal. So he's out for the year."

WSSU Head Athletic Trainer, Darrell Turner on Quentin Jones' season-ending knee injury

 

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