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Former Gamecock lands at Newberry

July 30, 2011 By

Mark Barnes

Former USC safety and receiver Mark Barnes has enrolled at Newberry College and will report for practice August 9th.  Newberry coach Todd Knight confirmed Saturday night that Barnes had completed all the necessary steps to get into school and join his program.  Barnes, who has been out of school for two years, will be eligible immediately and will have at least two seasons to play for the Red Wolves.  Knight said he will start Barnes out at safety.

Barnes was one of the country’s top rated prospects in 2006.   He announced his commitment to USC following the Shrine Bowl in December of that year.  His freshman season at USC was disrupted by a shoulder injury that required surgery.  He did appear in three game as a receiver and caught three passes, one for a touchdown. 

Barnes transferred to Florida A&M before the 2008 but did not stick with that program.  He returned to Columbia where he was been working the past two years.

Filed Under: college football, Newberry College, Sports

SportsTalk Rewind 7.29.11: Braves Report

July 29, 2011 By

All season long SportsTalk is committed to bringing you comprehensive coverage of the Atlanta Braves.  Our friend, Mike Morgan, of the Braves Radio Network, joins us nightly to discuss what’s happening surrounding the Braves organization.

 AUDIO: Braves Report

Tonight we discuss the recent travails surrounding the Braves, most importantly there lack of pop in the lineup.  Mike throws out some ideas to get things going, henceforth.  Also up for discussion is an in-depth look at the new kid on the block.  Outfielder, Jose Constanza is making his major league debut tonight for the Bravos, making the start in center.

 

Filed Under: Atlanta Braves, MLB, Sports, SportsTalk Rewind

2011 South Carolina Coaches for Charity Dinner (AUDIO)

July 29, 2011 By

Coaches unite for charity...(L-R) Mike Ayers, Art Baker, Fisher Deberry, Kevin Higgins, Dabo Swinney

The 2011 South Carolina Coaches for Charity Dinner hosted by the Fisher DeBerry Foundation was a huge success for the second consecutive year.  Attendance was up by 50% from a year ago, and a wonderful meal was only surpassed by generous bidding on auction items where proceeds went to charity.

Steve Spurrier

In attendance were Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, USC’s Steve Spurrier, Wofford’s Mike Ayers, The Citadel’s Kevin Higgins, SC State’s Buddy Pough, and Furman’s Bruce Fowler.  Former Air Force head coach, and newly inducted NCAA Hall of Fame member Fisher DeBerry was the man in charge.

Joining us live on SportsTalk were a few of the coaches, including Fisher DeBerry, Mike Ayers, and Buddy Pough.

Fisher DeBerry is the all-time winningest coach for The United States Air Force Academy, and was elected into the NCAA College Football Hall of Fame earlier this year.  He holds an overall record of 169-109-1, and was named WAC coach of the year 3 times.  In 1985, he won the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award as NCAA college football’s coach of the year.  DeBerry has also been awarded the State Farm Coach of Distinction award in 2001, and has been inducted into the South Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.  He received an honorary doctorate of humanities from Wofford during its graduation ceremony in 2003.  He and his wife, Lu Ann, started The Fisher DeBerry Foundation, which is a tax exempt, nonprofit organization dedicated to the support and education of single moms and their children, as well as other charitable causes.

AUDIO: Former Air Force head coach Fisher Deberry

Buddy Pough

Mike Ayers is entering his 24th season with Wofford, where he has guided the Terriers from the DII ranks up to the Southern Conference in DI.  His teams have reached the playoffs 4 times in 8 years, including 3 conference titles (2003, 2007, 2010).  Since 2002, Ayers has led the Wofford to a 73-34 overall record, which ranks only second to 3-time National Champion Appalachian State.  Ayers and the Terriers are coming off a 10-3 season, with a share of the SoCon Title and a win in the NCAA FCS Playoffs.

AUDIO: Wofford head coach Mike Ayers

Buddy Pough is entering his 9th season as the head coach for his alma mater, South Carolina State.  Since succeeding head coach emeritus Willie Jeffries as Bulldog head coach in 2002, Pough has built the SC State football program into a perennial power in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).  Last season, SC State was named National Black Champion by the Sheridan Broadcasting Network, the 100 Percent Wrong Club of Atlanta, the Washington (DC) Pigskin Club and the Box-to-Row /BASN. In addition, the Bulldogs finished number seven in all three major FCS polls – The Sports Network, the FCS Coaches Poll and Any Given Saturday.  Pugh is 67-26 overall in eight seasons at the helm, including a dazzling 51-12 record in the MEAC.  His Bulldog teams have also won two outright MEAC titles (2008,09), and shared a third (2004).  He has also been named MEAC coach of the year twice.

AUDIO: SC State head coach Buddy Pough

 

Filed Under: ACC, Clemson Tigers, college football, NCAA, SEC, Southern Conference, Sports, State Colleges, The Citadel, USC Gamecocks, Wofford

South Atlantic Conference pre-season honors announced

July 29, 2011 By

Five Newberry College football players have been named to the 2011 preseason all-South Atlantic Conference team, as released by the conference office Thursday. Defensive lineman Arterio Arnold (Greenville, S.C.) led the way with first team honors.

Four players were named to the preseason all-SAC second team including wide receiver Brandon Bostick (Florence, S.C.), offensive lineman Chase Gamble (Dallas, N.C.), linebacker Apollo Stretch (Columbia, S.C.) and return specialist Max Elliott (Clover, S.C.).

Arnold, a rising junior, has already earned preseason second team All-American honors from Lindy’s sports magazine in June. Arnold was a second team all-SAC selection after leading the conference in tackles for loss per game, with 1.4 stops behind the line of scrimmage per game. He had 72 total tackles in 2010, with 14 tackles for loss, three sacks and nine quarterback hurries. He notched a career-high 13 tackles against Carson-Newman.

Bostick, a rising senior, earns his second career preseason all-SAC honor after earning first team preseason all-SAC laurels in 2010. In 2010, he had 48 receptions for 839 yards and eight touchdowns. He earned SAC and national offensive player of the week honors in the win over Tusculum with 11 receptions for a school-, SAC- and state-record 322 yards and three touchdowns. He ranked fifth in the league with 93.2 receiving yards per game and eighth in the SAC with 5.33 receptions per game. He ranks seventh in Newberry history in receiving yardage with 1,496 yards and his 839 yards last season was the third best season in school history. He ranks eighth in school history with 101 career receptions and his 48 catches last year was the 10th best season in school history.

Gamble, a rising senior, will be a key to the Wolves’ offense this year on the offensive line. He carries the team’s longest stretch of consecutive starts into the 2011 season, starting every game in his sophomore and junior seasons at tackle. He is expected to compete for the starting center job and will challenge for Jacobs Blocking Trophy honors as the season goes on.

Stretch, a rising senior, was a second team all-SAC honoree in 2010 after leading the Wolves with 79 tackles, with his 7.9 tackles per game ranking seventh-most in the conference. He had three games with more than 10 tackles, including a career-high 14 tackles in the season finale against Wingate. He had eight tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and four quarterback hurries.

Elliott, a rising sophomore, earns second team preseason all-SAC honors after a spectacular season returning kicks as a freshman. Elliott’s 809 kickoff return yards marked a Newberry College record by 57 yards, despite playing in only seven games. His average of 27.8 yards per return was third-best in the conference. His 86-yard return for a touchdown to open the Bishops Trophy game against Lenoir-Rhyne was the first recorded opening kickoff returned for a score in College history.

Carson-Newman College, picked to finish second in the South Atlantic Conference preseason football coaches’ poll, leads the way with 11 student-athletes on the 2011 preseason All-Conference Team.

The Eagles also have a league-best six selections on the first-team, including running back Nate Inman, offensive linemen Kevin Day and Lucas Mathis, kicker Carlos Lopez, defensive lineman Zeke Andrews and defensive back Tarvin Jones.

Defending conference champion and preseason-favorite Wingate is second with nine honorees, including three first-team picks in wide receiver Chris Bowden, offensive lineman Mike Arndt and defensive back Robert Fletcher. 2010 SAC Coach of the Year Joe Reich led the Bulldogs to the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs last season, coming within two points of knocking off top-seeded Albany State in the regional semifinals.

Catawba comes in third with eight selections, including four on the first-team. All-American return specialist LJ McCray, who led the nation in kickoff returns a year ago, is on the first-team, as are 2010 SAC Defensive Freshman of the Year Damein Lee, linebacker Lakeem Perry and defensive back Jumal Rolle.

Tusculum, Lenoir-Rhyne and Brevard are tied for fourth with seven preseason selections each.

Led by 2010 SAC Offensive Player of the Year Bo Cordell, Tusculum has five first-team honorees. Cordell finished fourth in the national voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy last season, which recognizes the DII National Player of the Year. The All-American quarterback led the country in total offense, completions per game and points responsible for per game in 2010.

Joining Cordell on the first-team are receivers Deonte’ Gist and Rashaad Carter, tight end Michael Rodriquez and long-snapper Skylar West.

Lenoir-Rhyne has four first-team picks, including 2010 consensus All-American offensive lineman Chandler Rearden. He is joined on the first-team by fellow offensive lineman Kaleb Myrick. L-R’s defensive lineman Brandon Martin and linebacker Demetrius Green are also on the first team. The duo will anchor a unit that finished fourth in the nation last season in rushing defense.

Also with four first-team representatives is Brevard, including 2010 SAC Offensive Freshman of the Year Kelvin Jeter, who helped the Tornados boast the No. 3 rushing attack in Division II last year. Joining Jeter on the first-team are linebacker Prince Simunyu, defensive back Salonik Amos and punter Eric Watts. Watts was also recognized as a preseason All-Conference receiver on the second-team.

Mars Hill has four All-Conference selections, including two-time All American and SAC rushing champion Jonas Randolph. He is joined on the first-team by 2010 All-American linebacker Rudy Cabral, who was the league’s leading tackler last season.

2011 South Atlantic Conference
Preseason All-Conference Football Teams

First Team Offense Second Team Offense
QB – Bo Cordell, Tusculum QB – Cody Haffly, Wingate
WR – Deonte’ Gist, Tusculum WR – Brandon Bostick, Newberry
WR – Rashaad Carter, Tusculum WR – Eric Watts, Brevard
WR – Chris Bowden, Wingate WR – Nick Stutts, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Kelvin Jeter, Brevard RB – Vince Jordan, Wingate
RB – Jonas Randolph, Mars Hill RB – Brandon Baker, Carson-Newman
RB – Nate Inman, Carson-Newman RB – Josh Wright, Catawba
OL – Kevin Day, Carson-Newman OL – Caleb Campbell, Brevard
OL – Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne OL – Tyler Hodgson, Mars Hill
OL – Kaleb Myrick, Lenoir-Rhyne OL – Chase Gamble, Newberry
OL – Mike Arndt, Wingate OL – Dustin Moorehead, Tusculum
OL – Lucas Mathis, Carson-Newman OL – Austin Lowe, Wingate
TE – Michael Rodriquez, Tusculum TE – Matt Cox, Carson-Newman
LS – Skylar West, Tusculum LS – DJ Davis, Catawba
PK – Carlos Lopez, Carson-Newman PK – Thomas Trexler, Catawba

 

First Team Defense Second Team Defense
DL – Zeke Andrews, Carson-Newman DL – Byron Bell, Carson-Newman
DL – Brandon Martin, Lenoir-Rhyne DL -Nelson Bullard, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL – Damein Lee, Catawba DL – Jack Taylor, Wingate
DL – Arterio Arnold, Newberry DL – Terrence Smith, Tusculum
LB – Prince Simunyu, Brevard LB – Ryan Helton, Carson-Newman
LB – Demetrius Green, Lenoir-Rhyne LB – Apollo Stretch, Newberry
LB – Rudy Cabral, Mars Hill LB – Cory Johnson, Catawba
LB – Lakeem Perry, Catawba LB – Jared Seate, Wingate
DB – Jumal Rolle, Catawba DB – Michael Gist, Brevard
DB – Salonik Amos, Brevard DB – Oliver Davis, Carson-Newman
DB – Tarvin Jones, Carson-Newman DB – Jamont Jones, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Robert Fletcher, Wingate DB – Justin Squirewell, Wingate
P – Eric Watts, Brevard P – BJ Richmond, Mars Hill
RS – LJ McCray, Catawba RS – Max Elliott, Newberry
School 1st Team 2nd Team Total
Carson-Newman 6 5 11
Wingate 3 6 9
Catawba 4 4 8
Tusculum 5 2 7
Brevard 4 3 7
Lenoir-Rhyne 4 3 7
Newberry 1 4 5
Mars Hill 2 2 4
Filed Under: college football, South Atlantic Conference, Sports

Big South coaches, media like Liberty

July 29, 2011 By

For the fifth consecutive season, Liberty Universityhas been tabbed as the favorite in the Big South Conference’s annual preseason football poll for the 2011 campaign, as voted by the League’s head coaches and media panel and announced today at the 2011 Big South Conference Football Kickoff Media Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. 

The Flames, which have won or shared the Big South title each of the past four years, is the first team in League history to be chosen as the preseason favorite five-straight seasons.  Liberty enters the 2011 campaign with 38 letterwinners returning, including 17 starters — four of which have been voted preseason All-Americans.  Head coach Danny Rocco’s squad has gone 34-11 overall and 19-2 in the Big South the past four years, and is ranked No. 20 in the preseason Sporting News poll.  Liberty, which carries a Big South-record 12-game home Conference win streak into the 2011 season, received 15 of 18 first-place votes cast and 123 total points to win the Big South football championship this season. 

Big South associate member and 2010 co-champion Stony Brook is picked to finish second to the Flames in 2011.  Chuck Priore’s Seawolves went 5-1 in the League last season for the second consecutive year to clinch a share of the League crown for the second time in as many seasons.  Stony Brook, which returns 21 starters in 2011, collected two first-place votes and 104 total points in the voting.  For the third-straight year, Coastal Carolina is predicted to finish third, as the Chanticleers received one first-place vote and 96 total points.  Last season, David Bennett’s squad tied for the League championship with Liberty and Stony Brook and was the Big South’s automatic bid recipient to the FCS Playoffs. 

Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb tied for the fourth spot in the poll with 59 points each.  Jay Mills’ Buccaneers received a third-place vote as part of its tally, while the Runnin’ Bulldogs were predicted to finish fourth by nine voters in Ron Dickerson Jr.’s first year at the helm.  The VMI Keydets and fourth-year head coach Sparky Woods are again predicted to finish sixth this season, having collected 42 points from the panel.  Presbyterian College, under the direction of third-year head coach Harold Nichols, rounds out the preseason poll in seventh-place.  The Blue Hose enter their final year of transitioning to Division I as official Conference opponents in 2011, but are not eligible for the Big South football championship until 2012. 

All seven Big South teams open the season on Saturday, Sept. 3.  The opening slate includes four home games and three road contests at FBS members, the League’s first of 10 games against FBS schools this season.  In 2010, the Big South defeated two FBS opponents for the first time in League history.  Conference play starts Saturday, Oct. 8 and the regular-season concludes Saturday, Nov. 19, with the Big South champion receiving the League’s automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.

 2011 Preseason Poll (first-place votes)          1          2          3          4          5          6          7    Points

1.  Liberty (15)                                                  105       18         –         –         –         –         –         123

2.  Stony Brook (2)                                             14       60       30         –         –         –         –         104

3.  Coastal Carolina (1)                                        7       30       55          4         –         –         –           96

T-4.  Charleston Southern                                   –         –          5       20       30          4         –           59

T-4.  Gardner-Webb                                             –         –         –       36       18          4          1           59

6.  VMI                                                                   –         –         –       12          6       22          2           42

7.  Presbyterian College                                       –         –         –         –         –          6       15           21

Filed Under: Big South, college football, Sports
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