MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2020

By: Senator(s) Butler, Barnett, Blount, To: Rules Frazier, Hopson, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Norwood, Simmons (12th), Simmons (13th), Witherspoon

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 522

1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE 2 "BRAVES" FOOTBALL TEAM AND COACH FRED 3 MCNAIR FOR WINNING THE 2019 SWAC CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE 4 SECOND-CONSECUTIVE YEAR, WHICH WAS THE 17TH CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL 5 HISTORY. 6 WHEREAS, for the second-consecutive year, the Alcorn State 7 University "Braves" Football Team used a big fourth quarter to win

8 the 2019 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship 9 39-24 over Baton Rouge on December 7, 2019, at 10 Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium; and 11 WHEREAS, the Braves (9-3, 6-1 SWAC) trailed 17-16 heading 12 into the fourth quarter, and were still down 24-22 with 8:43 13 remaining. Alcorn took the lead on a 23-yard field goal by Senior 14 Corey McCullough, and then put the game away with a six-yard

15 rushing touchdown by Senior De'Shawn Waller and a pick-six by 16 Senior Taurence Wilson; and 17 WHEREAS, wide receiver Senior LeCharles Pringle was named the 18 SWAC Championship Offensive MVP. He hauled in a career-high 145 19 yards and a touchdown. The SWAC Championship Defensive MVP went

S. C. R. No. 522 *SS02/R608* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 20/SS02/R608 PAGE 1 (rdd\tb) 20 to defensive back Junior Juwan Taylor. He matched his career-high 21 with 11 tackles and also tallied an interception, forced fumble 22 and tackle for a loss, and quarterback Junior Felix Harper, the 23 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, ended with 226 yards and a 24 touchdown; and 25 WHEREAS, it was the second year in a row where Alcorn trailed

26 by Southern by one point heading into the fourth quarter. Last 27 year, it was down 28-27 when it scored the final 10 points of the 28 game. In both games, the Braves took control in the fourth; and 29 WHEREAS, with this victory, the Braves reached the following 30 landmarks:

31  The Braves won their 17th Conference Championship in 32 school history, their second in the last six years;

33  The Braves won their 17th Conference Championship in 34 school history, their second in a row and fourth in the last six 35 years;

36  Alcorn has now won 10 of the last 11 games against 37 Southern. It includes wins in the 2014, 2018 and 2019 SWAC

38 Championships. Alcorn is 40-27-2 all-time against the Jaguars;

39  The Braves, who are the six-time reigning SWAC East 40 Division champions, posted their first-ever 7-0 season in stadium 41 history. Alcorn is 86-53 all-time at the stadium in 28 seasons. 42 Alcorn is the only institution to ever host a SWAC Championship, 43 and did so for the second year in a row;

S. C. R. No. 522 *SS02/R608* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 20/SS02/R608 PAGE 2 (rdd\tb) 44  Alcorn upped its home winning-streak to 10 games, which 45 is the fifth longest active streak in Football Championship 46 Subdivision. It was the fifth undefeated home season in stadium 47 history, and the first since 2002;

48  With a 56-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, 49 Pringle tied the all-time school record for touchdown catches in a

50 season with 14. It was set by Tim McNair, Sr., in 1994;

51  Alcorn has won 21 straight games when leading at halftime; 52  The Braves have won eight of their last nine games against 53 SWAC West Division opponents. They snapped Southern's four-game 54 winning-streak;

55  Alcorn has outscored the opposition 99-51 in the fourth 56 quarter this year. It came after it outscored the opposition

57 102-42 in the fourth quarter in 2018;

58  With the go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter, 59 McCullough is up to 44 field goals made in his career, which are 60 the most in school history;

61  The Braves entered the game ranked No. 1 in the national 62 HBCU Coaches Poll, by BOXTOROW; and 63 WHEREAS, what does it mean to be back-to-back SWAC Champions?

64 "It's a testament to these young men in how they play the game. 65 They work hard all through camp and through the season to get to 66 this point, and this is where they wanted to be. They got a 67 chance to make history on their own grass," said Coach McNair; and

S. C. R. No. 522 *SS02/R608* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 20/SS02/R608 PAGE 3 (rdd\tb) 68 WHEREAS, the postseason ended in disappointment at the 69 Celebration Bowl on December 21, 2019, where North Carolina A&T 70 defeated Alcorn State 64-44. Alcorn came into the game against 71 North Carolina A&T as underdogs and sported a big chip on their 72 shoulders. They embraced that role, but in the end came up short 73 of pulling off the upset; and

74 WHEREAS, the 2019 Alcorn State University "Braves" Football 75 Team Roster is: Tevarrius Adams, Daylon Burks, Felix Harper, 76 De'Shawn Waller, Niko Duffey, Akeem McNair, Tim McNair, Jr., Nigel 77 Wood, Chris Blair, Thaddeus Peyton, Noah Johnson, Calvontay Key, 78 Lazarious Pinder, Asante Griffin, Keyron Kinsler, Jr., Juan 79 Anthony, Jr., Ernest Dixon, Jyron Russell, Chris Green, Corey 80 McCullough, Allen Bruce, Juwan Taylor, Taurence Wilson, Alec

81 Bailey, Jonathon Bolton, Trey Turner, Alvin Edney, E.J. Thomas, 82 Chris Hart, Augustin Avouwadan, Jaaron Jackson, Makenzie Black, 83 Qwynnterrio Cole, Mikail Webb, Greg Blue, Nichel Herron, Elmer 84 Johnson, Kahleab Hill, Creo Argue, Jr., Mohamed Bakayoko, 85 Jamaskian Chapman, Jaylon Pitts, Daimen Anderson, Kevon Marsh,

86 Jacorian "Kobe" Wren, Javen Morrison, Trevor James, Jordan Richo, 87 Brelion Hollis, Solomon Muhammad, Aurelius Hardy, Darrell

88 Henderson, Jayden Barfield, Wanya Morris, Dylan Taylor, Michael 89 Ajumobi, Kodi Travis, Malik Holbert, Steve Carter, Jerome Boulden, 90 II, Chris Monroe, Kevin Hall, Greg White, Franklin Smith, Joshua 91 Brown, Vance Heidelberg, Jemar Nunley, Braxton Spells, Deonte 92 Brooks, Steffon Savage, Darius Smith, Will Ready, Antonio

S. C. R. No. 522 *SS02/R608* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 20/SS02/R608 PAGE 4 (rdd\tb) 93 Patterson, Columbus Willis, Darius Davis, Mustaffa Ibrahim, Joseph 94 Milburn, Eric Sherrod, Ryan McKenzie, Hakeim Warren, Raidarious 95 Anderson, LeCharles Pringle, Kendrick Brown, Jerimiah Green, 96 Jordan Hart, Kyontez Everett, Brandon Campbell, Demetrius Lewis, 97 Zyrion Thompson, Darron Sims, Colten Menges, Kee Wayne Jones, 98 Quadry Daniels, Tre' Huntley, Trevor Vines, Theron Bonds, Myron

99 Means, and Christopher Epps; Football Coaching Staff: Fred 100 McNair, Head Coach; Cedric Thornton, Assistant Head 101 Coach/Defensive Coordinator; Elliott Wratten, Offensive 102 Coordinator/Offensive Line; Damon Frenchers, Defensive Line; Jason 103 Phillips, Wide Receivers; Darius Hart, Defensive Ends; Lane 104 Powell, Special Teams; Pat White, Quarterbacks; Chris Cash, 105 Safeties; Leroy Frederick, Cornerbacks; Ryan Busz, Running Backs;

106 Chase Alexander, Graduate Assistant; Matthew Brown, Student 107 Assistant; Ronald Williams, Video Coordinator; Lonnie Maddox, Head 108 Strength and Conditioning Coach; and Myles Quimby, Graduate 109 Assistant; and 110 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize these

111 championship athletes who have brought honor to their university, 112 their community and to the State of Mississippi:

113 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 114 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 115 we do hereby commend and congratulate the Alcorn State University 116 "Braves" Football Team and "SWAC Coach of the Year" Fred McNair 117 for winning their second-consecutive 2019 SWAC Championship, which

S. C. R. No. 522 *SS02/R608* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 20/SS02/R608 PAGE 5 (rdd\tb) 118 was the 17th Championship in school history, and extend to the 119 team, coaches, parents and sponsors our best wishes for future 120 success in postseason play. 121 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 122 Coach Fred McNair for the team, forwarded to Alcorn State 123 University President Dr. Felecia M. Nave and the Board of Trustees

124 of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and made available to 125 the Capitol Press Corps.

S. C. R. No. 522 *SS02/R608* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 20/SS02/R608 ST: Commend Alcorn State University "Braves" PAGE 6 (rdd\tb) Football Team and Coach Fred McNair for winning 2019 second-consecutive SWAC Championship.