Turnaround's the Thing For

FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 12 - 18, 2008 S I A C P R O F I L E At Miles Turnaround's the thing for Joe ™ ROSCOE NANCE with a higher profile than Miles BCSP Contributing Writer could energize Joe and fuel his If you want an odd marriage, engine even more. He says several try Billy Joe coaching football at schools with bigger football names Miles College. Or upon further did contact him during his three- examination, perhaps it's not as odd year absence from coaching, but he as it appears. wasn't ready to return to the side- Joe has won more games than lines. FRESH Miles Sports Photo any Black College coach except He says he prefers the chal- JOE: Hall of Fame coach Eddie Robinson and is a member lenge that comes with rejuvenat- START seeking to breathe new life of the National Football Foundation ing a program. Cheyney had won to a struggling program at College Hall of Fame with a 237- one game in five years and owned AT MILES SIAC member, Miles. 108-4 (.685) career record.. the nation's longest losing streak Miles, on the other hand, is synon- when he arrived. The Wolves won CLASSICS, BOWL AND TITLE GAME ymous with losing and is a study in six games his first season. Central SCHEDULES; NEW ADs AT NC A&T, GSU futility. The Bears had just two win- State had one winning record in five ning seasons – 7-4 in 2003 and 2004 seasons before he took over. The Miles Sports Photo – in seven years under Joe's prede- Marauders played for the Division DONNING A DIFFERENT HAT: After successful turnaround stints at Cheyney, cessor, Wade Streeter. II championship in his third sea- Central State and Florida A&M, 67-year old head coach Billy Joe tries his UNDER THE BANNER Their last and only SIAC champion- son. Florida A&M won five games hand at turning Miles into a consistent SIAC contender and winner. ship was in 1977 when the confer- the season before hiring him; the WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS ence had Division II and Division Rattlers won the MEAC crown his Alumni Stadium. Another hurdle is Subdivision playoffs seven times. III titles, and they competed in the second year. increasing scholarships. The Bears "We know you need a certain BROWN GETS A&T AD POST: lower division. "I would have been a little bit currently offer about half of the 36 type personnel to execute it,'' Joe North Carolina A&T State Chancellor Stanley F. The obvious question is why reticent about accepting a job from scholarships allowed for Division II says. "Whether or not it will be a Joe, who has won seven Black an affluent program that has expe- schools. true Gulf Coast this year, we have to Battle announced the hiring of Wheeler Brown as the College National Championships rienced a lot of success,'' Joe says. "The administration, boosters wait and see how players develop. school's new director of intercollegiate athletics at a press and two NAIA titles during stints "I'm more excited about turning a and alums know the shortcoming You have to recruit players whose conference held at the Bryan Fitness at Cheyney, Central State and program around. This would seem we have,'' Joe says. "We know that talent is congruent with it. and Wellness Center Monday after- Florida A&M, would return to like an awesome task, based on in time we will get it done. Rome "I'm excited about the talent we noon. coaching at age 67 to guide the Miles' previous and distant football wasn't built in day. But it didn't take have on campus. We have outstand- Brown had served as the inter- moribund Bears, who were 2-9 last history, a very daunting task. But I forever.'' ing student athletes. The only issue im director of athletics since last season and winless in the SIAC? welcome that. That's what makes me Joe, who turns 68 in October is we don't have a plethora of qual- November. Before taking over the "I got the itch and the excruci- want to coach. and has a five-year contract, knows ity athletes. We have some who can role of interim AD, he served as ating passion to return to coaching,'' "In our society you get your he doesn't have forever. "It's hard to play for anybody, even Division I. the department's associate athletics says Joe, who was out of coaching notoriety and people recognize say how much longer I will coach,'' We just don't have an abundance of for three seasons after an interim your success by the obstacles you he says. "I'll let Good Lord and them.'' director for internal affairs and com- BROWN president at Florida A&M fired him overcome. Without segregation, Dr. Father Time and Mother Nature take Joe has had a penchant for lur- pliance for five years. in a controversial move after the (Martin Luther) King would have care of that. I would have to know ing players transferring from bigger Brown graduated from N.C. A&T in 1979 with a NCAA charged the Rattlers with been just another preacher. Colin I still have the passion to coach and programs throughout his career to degree in health and physical education. Before graduat- 67 rules violations. Joe was cleared Powell would have been just anoth- that my health is still good. Those facilitate rebuilding. It's no differ- ing, he competed for four years as an offensive tackle of any involvement and settled a er soldier without the Gulf War. are things. If that's there, I want ent at Miles. He has brought in for the Aggies football team. He was a part of N.C. wrongful dismissal lawsuit with the Abraham Lincoln would have been to continue indefinitely like Joe offensive linemen Dan Henderson A&T's first MEAC football championship in 1975. The school. just another politician from Illinois Paterno (81) and Bobby Bowden and Richard Koonce from Florida Baltimore native earned first-team All-MEAC honors in "It didn't take much twisting of without the Civil War. You've got to (78). They're still going strong and A&M and quarterback Carlton 1978. Twenty five years later, he was inducted into the arms to get me back into it. It wasn't have a problem, an issue, and when good programs. But I'll be the first Hill from the University of South N.C. A&T Hall of Fame. very difficult for me to say yes. you solve it and overcome it, that's to take this old body home if they Florida. I noticed I still have the passion; when you get kudos. I'm happy to be aren't there.'' But in a conference dominated "It is always an honor to come back and serve your my health is still good. It was a no at Miles.'' Joe has installed the Gulf Coast by Tuskegee and Albany State, he alma mater in any capacity," said Brown. "To be named brainer to come back. Being around Miles has its share of problems Offense, the wide open attack that isn't promising a quick fix. "Wins athletics director is a little more special because I am a student athletes energizes me and for Joe to overcome. He says the he used to win 86 games in 11 sea- and losses are difficult to assess,'' he product of North Carolina A&T athletics. I really want to fuels my engine.'' No.1 priority is improving the facili- sons at Florida A&M as the Rattlers says. "But we do expect to be suc- build our future on the strong traditions of the past." It would seem that a school ties and 8,500-seat Albert J. Sloan reached the Football Championship cessful.'' Brown began his professional career as a teacher and coach at C.L. Harper High School in Atlanta. Five 2 0 0 8 C L A S S I C , B O W L A N D C H A M P I O N S H I P G A M E S C H E D U L E years later he became the head men’s basketball coach at Howard Community College in Columbia, Md. In 10 SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 The Commemorative Classic seasons, he compiled a 191-110 record. Wade Wilson Classic Johnson C. Smith vs. Livingstone in Charlotte, NC 1:00pm ET The foundation for his ascension to director of ath- Cheyney vs. Bowie State in Cheyney, PA 1:00pm ET 7th Annual Lucille M. Brown Community Youth Bowl letics began in 1996 when he accepted a position as an Palmetto Capital City Classic Virginia Union vs. Saint Paul's in Richmond, VA 1:00pm ET Benedict vs. Morehouse in Columbia, SC 4:00pm ET 25th Circle City Classic assistant athletics director and assistant men's basketball Atlanta Labor Day Classic Alabama A&M vs. Tuskegee in Indianapolis, IN 4:00pm ET coach at Wheeling and Jesuit University. He spent five Clark Atlanta vs. Fort Valley State in Atlanta, GA 6:00pm ET State Fair Classic years there before being hired as an associate athletics Virginia Lottery Labor Day Classic Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M in Dallas, TX 6:00pm CT director at Bowie State University in 2001. A year later, Norfolk State vs. Virginia State in Norfolk, Va. 6:00pm ET Labor Day Classic - ESPNU - Delayed-10:30p ET he returned to his alma mater as an associate athletics SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 Texas Southern vs.

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