2 0 2 0 B C S P N F L R E P O R T For the Week of September 8 - 14, 2020 27 black college products on opening day NFL rosters

BLACK COLLEGE PLAYERS ON Overall numbers down by three; BLACK COLLEGE PLAYERS 2020 OPENING DAY NFL ROSTERS No HBCU player with a decade of experience; IN THE NFL BY SCHOOL Javon Hargrave, in new homes ™ COLLEGE / NAME NFL TEAM CONFERENCE (AFC - 13) LUT WILLIAMS TEAM / NO. / NAME POS YRS. COLLEGE NORTH CAROLINA A&T (4) BALTIMORE (2) BCSP Editor Tarik Cohen Chicago 38 Terrell Bonds DB 1 Tennessee State Two longtime NFL veterans from the HBCU ranks are not Darryl Johnson Jr. Buffalo 41 Anthony Levine Sr. DB 9 Tennessee State on NFL opening day rosters as the league kicks off the 2020 Tony McRae Detroit BUFFALO (1) season this Thursday night when the champion Brandon Parker Las Vegas Photo 92 Darryl Johnson Jr. DE 2 North Carolina A&T Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (4) NOT FINISHED YET?: CINCINNATI (0) Defensive back Domi- CLEVELAND (3) Alex Brown Kansas City Howard product and nique Rodgers-Cromartie 7 Jamie Gillan P 2 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Antonio Hamilton Kansas City 14-year veteran safety out of Tennessee State and Antoine Bethea hoping 12 KhaDarel Hodge WR 3 Prairie View A&M Javon Hargrave Philadelphia HERE WE 41 Montreal Meander (PS) LB 1 Grambling State safety Antoine Bethea from for another opportunity as Darius Leonard Indianapolis DENVER (0) Howard, the two longest GO, AGAIN 2020 NFL season begins. TENNESSEE STATE (4) HOUSTON (1) tenured players in the league Terrell Bonds Baltimore 71 Tytus Howard OT 2 Alabama State with HBCU roots, are said to HBCU NUMBERS DOWN IN NFL; JACKSON STATE FIRES Anthony Levine Sr. Baltimore INDIANAPOLIS (2) be awaiting calls to continue NEW VET LEADERS: (L.) Anthony 53 Darius Leonard LB 3 South Carolina State FOOTBALL COACH; HBCU LEGENDS BROCK, GAINES PASS their careers. Levine Sr. (Tenn. State, Baltimore) Chris Rowland Atlanta 68 Grover Stewart DT 4 Albany State and (r.) Terron Armstead (UAPB, Lachavious Simmons Chicago JACKSONVILLE (1) With DRC and Bethea New Orleans) are now the most ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF (2) 99 Rodney Gunter (RR) DT 6 Delaware State currently out of the league, senior HBCU products on opening KANSAS CITY (2) Terron Armstead New Orleans Baltimore defensive back and day NFL rosters. UNDER THE BANNER 30 Alex Brown (IR) DB 2 South Carolina State special teams ace Anthony Jamie Gillan Cleveland 20 Antonio Hamilton DB 5 South Carolina State Levine Sr., entering his ninth NFL season out of Tennessee State, GRAMBLING STATE (2) WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS LAS VEGAS (1) Montreal Meander Cleveland 75 Brandon Parker OT 3 North Carolina A&T takes over as the most senior HBCU product. Behind Levine Trent Scott Carolina (0) is Arkansas-Pine Bluff product Terron Armstead, an all-pro HBCU LEGEND SMOKEY GAINES PASSES: (2) MIAMI (0) offensive tackle for the , now entering his PRAIRIE VIEW A&M David "Smokey" Gaines, a Detroit native and NEW ENGLAND (0) eighth NFL season. Quinton Bell Tampa Bay colorful former LeMoyne-Owen NEW YORK JETS (0) DRC, taken 16th overall in the first round of the 2008 NFL KhaDarel Hodge Cleveland basketball star who later returned to PITTSBURGH (0) Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, spent last season with Washington ALABAMA A&M (1) his alma mater as head coach, passed TENNESSEE (0) before being placed on injured reserve after tearing ligaments in Anthony Lanier II LA Chargers NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE (NFC - 14) Saturday. Gaines was 80. ALABAMA STATE (1) ARIZONA (1) his ankle. In his 12 years in the league, the two-time Pro Bowler Gaines averaged over 30 points per 66 Joshua Miles OT 2 Morgan State has played for Arizona (3 years), Philadelphia, (2), Denver (1), Tytus Howard Houston game playing for legendary head coach ATLANTA (1) the NY Giants (4), Oakland (1) and Washington (1). ALBANY STATE (1) Jerry Johnson at LeMoyne-Owen and 14 Chris Rowland (PS) WR/KR R Tennessee State Bethea, a three-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XLI Grover Stewart Indianapolis CAROLINA (2) left as the program's all-time leading champion with Indianapolis, was chosen by the Colts in the sixth DELAWARE STATE (1) 36 Trenton Cannon RB 3 Virginia State round of the 2006 NFL Draft. His NFL spans 14 seasons with Rodney Gunter Jacksonville Gaines scorer and with his number retired. ?? Trent Scott OT 3 Grambling State three other teams – eight as the starting safety for Indy before MORGAN STATE (1) After his collegiate career he was CHICAGO (2) spending three years with San Francisco, two with Arizona and Joshua Miles Arizona drafted in the sixth round of the NBA Draft by his home- 29 Tarik Cohen RB 4 North Carolina A&T 73 Lachavious Simmons (PS) OT R Tennessee State last season with the . NORFOLK STATE (1) town Detroit Pistons. He chose instead to spend four years DALLAS (0) This year marks the first time since the BCSP began pub- Bobby Price Detroit playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and also had a short DETROIT (2) lishing in 1994 that NFL play will begin with no HBCU product NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL (1) stint with the ABA's Kentucky Colonels. 34 Tony McRae DB 4 North Carolina A&T in the league with at least a decade of playing experience. Ryan Smith Tampa Bay After a short stint as a high school coach in Detroit, 47 Bobby Price (PS) S R Norfolk State Also on the sidelines is a veteran former Delaware State GREEN BAY (0) SOUTHERN (1) Gaines became an assistant to head coach Dick Vitale at (0) standout Rodney Gunter who would have been entering his Danny Johnson Washington Detroit Mercy from 1973-77 and took over as head coach MINNESOTA (0) sixth season. He was signed by Jacksonville after five years in VIRGINIA STATE (1) there when Vitale left to become head coach of the Pistons. NEW ORLEANS (2) Arizona but was recently diagnosed with a heart ailment that may Trenton Cannon Carolina He led Detroit Mercy to a 47-10 record in two years before 72 Terron Armstead OT 8 Arkansas-Pine Bluff end his playing career. He is on the Jags' Reserve/Retired list. 57 Anthony Lanier (IR) DE 3 Alabama A&M leaving to become head coach at San Diego State. He led The only HBCU player taken in this year's draft, Tennes- NEW YORK GIANTS (0) see State offensive tackle Lachavious Simmons plucked by the Aztecs from 1979 to 1987 compiling a record of 112-117 PHILADELPHIA (1) Chicago in the seventh and last round, was named this week to SCHOOLS WITH including a trip to the NCAA Tournament. He was the first 93 Javon Hargrave DT 5 South Carolina State the Bears' practice squad. Simmons's TSU teammate, undrafted MOST PLAYERS IN NFL African American to lead a Div. I program in California San Francisco (0) SEATTLE (0) rookie Chris Rowland, a wide receiver who led HBCU players and was the WAC Coach of the Year in 1985. North Carolina A&T TAMPA BAY (2) in receptions and receiving yardage, earned a spot on Atlanta's South Carolina State, Among the basketball players he coached at SDSU 57 Quinton Bell LB 1 Prairie View A&M practice squad. Undrafted rookie safety Bobby Price out of Tennessee State 4 were future Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and future 29 Ryan Smith DB 5 North Carolina Central Norfolk State made the practice squad for the as NBA star Michael Cage. WASHINGTON (1) did Grambling linebacker Montreal Meander with Cleveland. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 41 Danny Johnson DB 3 Southern He eventually returned to his alma mater in 2005 as the Among players on new teams is Javon Hargrave out of Grambling State, successor to Johnson and as athletics director until 2008. South Carolina State who was signed by Philadelphia after Prairie View A&M 2 Johnson led LOC for 46 years and is now 102 years old. playing four years in Pittsburgh. Former Virginia State run- Gaines gave current North Carolina A&T head coach Wil TOTAL 27 (-3) BY TEAM ning back Trenton Cannon was released by the NY Jets and Jones his first college assistant's position at LOC. picked up by the , as was former Gramblng BY POSITION AFC 13 (-6) Cleveland 3 and LA Chargers' offensive lineman Trent Scott. Tony McRae NFC 14 (+3) Baltimore, Indianapolis DB (CB or S, -1) 7 HALL OF FAMER LOU BROCK PASSES: from North Carolina A&T left Cincinnati after three seasons Kansas City, Carolina, to sign with Detroit. South Carolina State product Antonio DL (3DT & 2DE, -1) 6 Southern University product Lou Brock, who went BY HBCU Chicago, Detroit, Hamilton is now in Kansas City, his third NFL team. OL (6T or 0G, +1) 6 on to become Major League Base- CONFERENCE New Orleans, Tampa Bay 2 Defensive backs (7) continue to be the position most manned REC (0TE or 2WR, -2) 2 ball's premier leadoff man and base MEAC 12 (-2) by HBCU products with defensive (6) and offensive line (6) LB (+1) 3 stealer and was later selected to the SWAC 9 (-3) BY YEARS OF next. The MEAC (12) leads the SWAC (9) with the most play- NFL EXPERIENCE RB (FB or 2RB, -4) 2 Hall of Fame died Sunday. He was INDYS 4 (+2) ers in the league. Tennessee State, SC State and NC A&T lead QB (NC) 0 81. CIAA 1 (NC) Anthony Levine Jr. 9 the HBCUs with each having four players in the league. Punter (NC) 1 Brock was a star athlete in SIAC 1 (NC) Terron Armstead 8 Cleveland leads all NFL teams with three HBCU products his hometown of Colliston, Louisi- on its roster. ana who attended Southern where he Brock earned a baseball scholarship that led to amateur free agent contact with the Chicago Cubs in 1960. He debuted in the Major League in 1961 and was in BCSP Notes the starting lineup the next season. He was traded to the Alcorn headed West in SWAC realignment Southwestern Athletic Conference play. St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 and was a spearhead of the BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has "In consultation with President Hudson and after a thorough review Cards offense that won the National League pennant that announced divisional realignment with the additions of Florida A&M and evaluation of all aspects of our football program, I have decided that a season. and Bethune-Cookman beginning with the 2021-22 academic year. change in leadership is in the best interest of our program and university," With Brock, Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson and In effect, the realignment moves Alcorn State, formerly an East Robinson said in a statement. Offensive Coordinator fellow outfielder Curt Flood as anchors, the Cards were Division member for sports that use divisional standings, to the West T.C. Taylor and Offensive Line World Series champions in 1964 and 1967 and lost to the Division and brings the two new members – Florida A&M and Bethune- Cookman – into the East. Coach Otis Riddley have been Detroit Tigers in seven games in 1968. Opposing teams The SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors along with the named interim coaches until a were warned to keep Brock off base, especially in the low- leagues' Athletic Directors and Senior Woman Administrators voted replacement can be hired. scoring years of 1967-68 when a single run often could unanimously in favor of the realignment taking into consideration shortest Along with the rest of win a game. distance of travel among league membership, student-athlete welfare, the SWAC programs, Jackson But the speedy left fielder with the popup slide was missed class time, and overall competitive equity. State is not scheduled to play a consistent base-stealing champion and run producer. football in 2020 because of the The SWAC East division will include Alabama A&M, Alabama Taylor Riddley Brock stole 938 bases in his career, including 118 in 1974 State, Bethune-Cookman, Florida, A&M, Jackson State, and COVID-19 pandemic but is — both of those were big league records until they were Mississippi Valley State. to begin play in the spring of 2021. The schedule calls for a six-game broken by Rickey Henderson. The SWAC West division will be comprised of Alcorn State, conference schedule with play to begin on the last Saturday of February A lifetime .293 hitter, he led the league in steals eight Grambling State, Prairie View A&M, Southern, Texas Southern, and (2/27) and culminate with the league championship game on May 1. times, scored 100 or more runs seven times and amassed the Univ. of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 3,023 hits. The new realignment of divisions will not impact traditional HBCU grad becomes new sports editor conference rivalries. The league is currently in the process of finalizing Brock was even better in postseason play, batting at Jackson, Mississippi dailies adjustments to future scheduling and championship formats. Additional .391 with four homers, 16 RBIs and 14 steals in 21 World North Carolina A&T grad Josh Capers had been named the new information regarding schedules and championships will be announced at sports editor at the Jackson (Ms.) Clarion-Ledger Series games. He had a record-tying 13 hits in the 1968 a later date. World Series, and in Game 4 homered, tripled and dou- and Hattiesburg (Ms.) American. Capers has been a part of the USA Today bled as the Cardinals trounced Detroit and 31-game win- East Division West Division Network working for Gannett since 2007. ner Denny McLain 10-1. Alabama A&M Alcorn State Alabama State Grambling State He previously worked at the Citizen Times in Brock never played in another World Series after Bethune-Cookman Prairie View A&M Asheville, North Carolina as a copy editor, writer 1968, but remained a star for much of the last 11 years of Florida A&M Southern and designer. He finished NC A&T in 2007. his career. Jackson State Texas Southern Mississippi Valley State University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff "I'm thrilled to be named the new sports Brock closed out his career in 1979 by batting .304, editor of the Clarion Ledger," Capers said in a Capers making his sixth All-Star Game appearance and winning Jackson State parts ways with Hendrick story in the newspaper announcing his hiring. "It's the Comeback Player of the Year award. The team retired Jackson State Athletics Director Ashley Robinson announced last a great opportunity and a great place for sports. A lot of people share a his uniform number, 20, and he was inducted into the Hall week that the school has terminated the contract of Head Football Coach passion for sports like I do. It'll be great to lead a team to share stories in a of Fame in 1985 in his first year of eligibility. John Hendrick after a season and a half under his leadership. community that cares so much about sports." He was so synonymous with base stealing that in Hendrick became Jackson State's interim head coach near the end "I know being an African-American in this industry, I'm a minority, 1978 he became the first major leaguer to have an award of the 2018 season when head coach Tony Hughes was dismissed. He for sure," Capers said. "I'm a minority in the country, but I'm a minority in named for him while still active — the Lou Brock Award, finished 2-1 that season and was later named the permanent head coach. this position. I hope to bring to the community a familiar face of being a Black face, someone that represents the community that looks like a lot of for the National League's leader in steals. JSU finished 4-8 in 2019 in Hendrick's first full year on the job giving him a 6-9 overall record during his tenure. His teams finished 5-5 in people in the community."

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