RATTLERRATTLER FOOTBALLFOOTBALL GAMEGAME PAKPAK THE FLORIDA A&M RATTLERS (0-2) vs. THE COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS (3-0) 2014 SCORECARD: 0-2, 0-0 MEAC 17 @Jackson State 22 2014 BIG SOUTH-MEAC CHALLENGE3 7 @U. of Miami 41 9-20 COASTAL CAROLINA (5:00) Saturday, September 20, 2014 9-27 @Tennessee State (6:00) Bragg Memorial Stadium 10-4 *MORGAN STATE (5:00) 10-11 *SAVANNAH STATE (5:00) Tallahassee, Florida 10-18 *@Howard University (1:00) 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time 10-25 *@N.Carolina A&T (1:00) 11-1 *NORFOLK STATE (3:00)+ 11-8 *S.C. STATE (3:00) 11-15 *@Delaware State (2:00) 11-22 *Bethune-Cookman (TBA)# *-MEAC games; +Homecoming #Florida Blue Florida Classic, Orlando RATTLER FAST FACTS SCHOOL NAME: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University LOCATION: Tallahassee, Florida FOUNDED: 1887 ENROLLMENT: 10,250 (Fall 2013) COLORS: Orange and Green NICKNAME: Rattlers, FAMU (FAM-You) CONFERENCE: Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) AFFILIATION: NCAA Division I FCS STADIUM: Bragg Memorial Stadium (1957) Junior LB Akil Blount (47) leads club in tackles CAPACITY/SURFACE: 25,500 / Natural Grass PRESIDENT: Dr. Elmira Mangum THE MATCHUP: The the afternoon. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Kellen Winslow, Sr. Florida A&M University ATHLETIC PHONE: (850) 599-3868/3878 WEBSITE: www.famuathletics.com Rattlers (0-2) hosts the #5 ON THE AIR: The Rattler MEDIA RELATIONS: (850) 599-3200/3736 (FCS) Coastal Carolina Sports Network will air FAMU University Chanticleers (3- Football for its’ 31st season, HEAD COACH: Earl Holmes 0), at Bragg Memorial Sta- with a new play-by-play voice, ALMA MATER/YEARS AT FAMU: Florida A&M, dium. Kickoff will be 5:00 p.m. Joshua Jackson, a graduate of 1996 (2nd Year) Eastern Time. the FAMU School of Journalism, RECORD AT FAMU: 4-11-0* 1 Year CAREER RECORD: 4-11-0* 1 Year and an on-air sportscaster in (*)-Includes 1-1 record as Acting Head Coach GAME TIME WEATHER: Jacksonville, Florida…. Veteran (2012) Accuweather’s Saturday color analyst Michael Thomas FOOTBALL OFFICE PHONE: (850) 599-3723 forecast for the Tallahassee returns for his 28th year to BEST TIME TO REACH COACH: Thru SID area calls for warm conditions provide incisive, expert com- Office (850) 599-3200/3736 with a high of 88 degrees and mentary to listeners, and a low of 69, with a chance of a Jerome Swaine also returns as showers or thunderstorms in the Network engineer…. The 2 2014 FAMU FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK * FAMU vs. COASTAL CAROLINA Earl Holmes TV Show will air Fleming (Jacksonville) looked Defensively, the Rattlers’ statewide on Fox Sports Florida to be back to the form of his first bend but don’t break style will Mondays at 5:00 p.m., and two seasons, completing 22 of 41 be put to the test this week by locally on Thursdays on WTLH passes for 277 yards and 2 TDs Coastal Carolina, but they will Fox 40 at 11 p.m….. Elton against no interceptions... He is be more than up to the task of Gumbel, former sports direc- also the club’s #2 rusher, scram- keeping FAMU in contention, tor at WCTV Channel 6 in bling for 439 yards on 16 carries, led by junior LB Akil Blount Tallahassee, will host the with a long dash of 18 yards... (son of NFL Hall of Famer Mel weekly highlights show.... Freshman running back Gerald Blount), who holds the team Saturday’s game will also air Hearns (West Palm Beach) had a lead in tackles with 15 (8 on ESPN3 solid collegiate debut against solos), along with secondary Jackson State, rushing for 56 aces Peter Tulloch (11 tack- SERIES HISTORICAL: This yards on 16 carries, while lead- les, one interception for 60 is the first-ever meeting be- ing the club in receiving with yard return), Neil tween the intersectional foes. five receptions for 35 yards and Cunningham (13 tackles, 1.5 the lead TD on a two-yard swing tackles for loss), Devonte THE LAST TIME OUT: pass with 46 seconds left... He “Terry” Johnson (12 tackles, FAMU dropped a last-gasp holds the team rushing lead (66 2.0 for loss), LB Akil Blount (8 41-7 decision at the University yards on 25 carries), and the tackles) and LB William of Miami, on September 6, club receiving lead (5 catches Helms (10 tackles) and LB and were off last Saturday, for 35 yards, 1 TD)... Shaun Ward (6 tackles, 1.0 while Coastal Carolina Appalachian State transfer tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks)..... won 30-3 against South Caro- Tysean Holloway, is the third lina State at Conway, S.C. leading rushers with 32 yards on CHANTICLEERS TO Saturday. 15 carries, all in the Miami game WATCH: Coastal Carolina two weeks ago... comes to Bragg Stadium THE COACHING Behind Hearns in the receiv- averaging 30.2 points and MATCHUP: FAMU’s Earl ing group is freshman Brandon 421.7 yards per game, rushing Holmes (FAMU ’96) is in his Norwood, with four catches for for an even 200 yards per second season as head football 83 yards, including a 41-yard outing, while passing for 221 coach, bringing a 4-12-0 record burst against Miami, yards each time out... RB (which includes a 1-1 record as Montavious Williams (4 for 59 DeAngelo Henderson ranks acting head coach in 2012) into yards) and Dennis Hall, 3 for 41 #9 in FCS in rushing, with 391 the 2014 season…. Coastal’s yards, 1 TD) also had their yards on 57 carries and four Joe Moglia (Fordham, ‘71), is in moments along with Boston TDs, followed by QB Alex Ross, who has rushed for 145 his third season at CCU, with a College Transfer Curtrich yards on 38 carries and one 23-8 record . “Spiffy” Evans (2 for 24 yards).. TD... Ross ranks #20 in FCS in Punter Colby Blanton had a passing, averaging 221.7 RATTLERS TO WATCH: spectacular night against yards per game through the The Rattlers worked hard jackson State, averaging 51.2 air on 60 completions (90 during the bye week last week yards per kick on four (4) at- attempts, 3 INTs) and 2 TDs... to sharpen their edge for the tempts, including a clutch 77- WR Bruce Mapp tops the final 10 games of the season, yard bomb that pinned JSU Chants receiving group with which features two nationally- inside their three-yard line, and 19 catches for 199 yards and ranked foes in a row in #5 through two games, he owns a one TD... Defensively, the Coastal Carolina and #20 nifty 42.3 average on 14 at- Chants led by LBs Quinn Tennesee State... QB Damien tempts Backus (32 tackles, 19 solos, 2.0 for loss, 1.0 sacks) and 2014 FAMU FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK * Saturday, September 20, 2014 3 Brett Johnson (24 tackles, 19 Holmes can be reached on the information on Rattler Sports, solos, 5.0 for loss, 2.0 sacks), weekly MEAC Coaches Teleconfer- contact Vaughn Wilson, director along with DBs Richie Sampson ence at 10:13 a.m. each (850) 599-3200 or Alvin Hollins, (23 tackles, 20 solos, 2.0 for loss) week…Credible media outlets may asst. director (850) 599-3736, or log and Pernell Williams (12 tackles, access the teleconference via on to the official athletic website, 2 INTs). telephone by calling (800) 920- www.FAMUAthletics.com.... For 0677. Dial confirmation code Coastal Sports updates, call TALKIN’ TO THE 7264532 to reach the operator and Associate AD for Media Relations, RATTLERS: Media needing join the conference…. On Tuesdays Mike Cawood (843) 349-2822, or interviews with FAMU coaches or at 12 noon, FAMU will host a log on to www.goccusports.com student-athletes can arrange them Weekly Press Conference at the through the Sports Information Lawson Center ground floor WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU heads to Office by calling (850) 599-3200 conference room, featuring Coach Nashville, Tennessee for homecom- or 599-3736 through Thursday Holmes and selected players… ing festivities at #20 Tennessee afternoons… In addition to Light refreshments will be served. State at LP Field. Kickoff is set for arranged interviews, Coach Earl 6:00 p.m. WHO YA GON’ CALL: For the latest NOTES,NOTES, BRIEFSBRIEFS ‘N‘N SHORTSSHORTS Coastal Carolina MEAC-Big South last November at Conway, – Men of Numbers Football Challenge S.C. The Coastal Carolina Chan- Florida A&M is the last hope ticleers come to Bragg for the Mid-Eastern Athletic 10 Game In 10 Weeks Stadium with numbers Conference in the 2014 ver- Opens Saturday galore through the first sion of the Big South/MEAC After a bye week to reset three games, numbers that Football Challenge… things, the FAMU Rattlers present a formidable chal- The visiting Chanticleers are staring down a stretch of lenge to the FAMU De- have already subdued MEAC 10 straight games to write fense…. strong men North Carolina the story of the 2014 cam- CCU is a fairly balanced A&T (31-30) and South Caro- paign… offensive unit, averaging lina State (30-3), so the fate of The two remaining non- 200 yards on the ground, the league rests with the conference games feature and 221.7 yards per game Orange and Green…. two nationally-ranked mean through the air, along with a Just in case one thinks that hombres, #5 Coastal Caro- robust 30.6 per game scor- Coastal’s run against the Mid- lina and #20 Tennessee ing average… Easterners is just a 2014 State in back-to-back Defensively, the Chants thing, weeks… are rather stingy on pass CCU swept the MEAC’s Then, the Rattlers open defense, allowing 130.7 2013 playoff contingent, conference play Oct.