GSUperTiger
The "Icon" of BCF
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Grambling reclaiming place at the top
ROSCOE NANCE
BCSP Correspondent
In football, Grambling is the one name among black colleges that nearly everyone knows. The G-Men's popularity is akin to that of the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball and the old Boston Celtics of the NBA.
All three became icons in their sports by being consistent winners. Grambling appears poised for a return to its glorious past. With 15 starters returning from last year's 10-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship squad, the G-Men are ranked No. 1 in virtually every preseason black college poll.
But coach Doug Williams isn't ready to proclaim that the good ol' days ? when opponents automatically marked the Grambling game down as a loss ?are back.
"It will never be at that stage," says Williams, beginning his fourth season as Grambling coach since replacing the legendary Eddie Robinson. "When Grambling was the old Grambling, African American athletes couldn't go no place else. The pickings were different."
Because the pickings are different, Williams' expectations are different. But they are not lower.
"Expectations are high as far as being able to compete with the people we have to play," he says. "We're going to be playing against people who are improving. We want to be in position to be competitive. We want to win the conference and the (black) national championship, but the wheels can come off. I can say we're optimistic that we have a good enough team to remain competitive."
Prognosticators are picking the G-Men to be more than competitive. Their predictions are based on cold hard facts. Eight starters return from the defensive unit that was No. 18 overall in Division I-AA last season and No. 3 against the run. Returnees include linebackers Robert Taylor and Terrance Dukes, defensive backs Kalvin Pearson and Calvin Spears and lineman Mark Hall.
Taylor, who Williams called the Southwestern Athletic Conference's top pro prospect last season, led the Tigers with a team-high 100 tackles, the most for one Grambling player since 1996.
The G-Men also return a solid nucleus on offense, led by quarterback Randy Hymes who completed 168 of 363 pass attempts for 2,475 yards and 17 touchdowns. Hymes' top target figures to be Levi Washington, who was No.2 in receptions last season with 48 catches for 609 yards and five touchdowns.
Grambling must find a replacement for No.1 receiver Scotty Anderson, who was the Detroit Lions' fifth-round draft pick. Ellis Spears and Byron Anderson, Scotty Anderson's cousin, are the leading candidates.
The running game is Grambling's biggest concern on offense. Senior Michael Young is the Tigers' top returning ball carrier. He rushed for 239 yards and one touchdown on 88 carries last year. Kendrick Shanklin, a senior transfer from the University of Kentucky also figures prominently in Grambling's plans. Four returning offensive linemen, led by pre-season all-conference center Larry Metevia, should also help.
"You have to feel pretty good with that kind of talent returning," says Williams. "This is a situation we haven't seen since we've been here. We're coming off a championship and we have a great group of returning players. It's a lot different than heading into a season not knowing what you have to work with. We know what we have. Now we just have to get it done."
If the G-Men are able to get it done, black college football as a whole will be the beneficiary.
"It ?s very important to black college football for Grambling to be good," says Florida A&M coach Billy Joe, whose Rattlers play Grambling in Cincinnati on Sept. 15. "It's fitting that Grambling is always in the upper echelon of HBCUs. For Grambling not to be competitive would take just a little bit of a spark out of HBCUs. The fact that Doug has them back adds to the aura of black college football."
Says Hampton athletic director Dennis Thomas: "If you play Grambling in Cincinnati, the casual fan will come to see them. When we played Grambling in New York, we never had a bad crowd. It helps in terms of revenue and name recognition. When you play Grambling your name is out there, and that's good for your institution."
Let me personally take the liberty to state that here in NY, I can not wear any Gram paraphernalia. The constant bombardment of questions like,"Wow -- you went to Grambling?" or "What was it like at tradition-filled Grambling?" is too distracting and overbearing. This is the national perspective of Grambling -- the Icon of BCF!
Grambling reclaiming place at the top
ROSCOE NANCE
BCSP Correspondent
In football, Grambling is the one name among black colleges that nearly everyone knows. The G-Men's popularity is akin to that of the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball and the old Boston Celtics of the NBA.
All three became icons in their sports by being consistent winners. Grambling appears poised for a return to its glorious past. With 15 starters returning from last year's 10-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship squad, the G-Men are ranked No. 1 in virtually every preseason black college poll.
But coach Doug Williams isn't ready to proclaim that the good ol' days ? when opponents automatically marked the Grambling game down as a loss ?are back.
"It will never be at that stage," says Williams, beginning his fourth season as Grambling coach since replacing the legendary Eddie Robinson. "When Grambling was the old Grambling, African American athletes couldn't go no place else. The pickings were different."
Because the pickings are different, Williams' expectations are different. But they are not lower.
"Expectations are high as far as being able to compete with the people we have to play," he says. "We're going to be playing against people who are improving. We want to be in position to be competitive. We want to win the conference and the (black) national championship, but the wheels can come off. I can say we're optimistic that we have a good enough team to remain competitive."
Prognosticators are picking the G-Men to be more than competitive. Their predictions are based on cold hard facts. Eight starters return from the defensive unit that was No. 18 overall in Division I-AA last season and No. 3 against the run. Returnees include linebackers Robert Taylor and Terrance Dukes, defensive backs Kalvin Pearson and Calvin Spears and lineman Mark Hall.
Taylor, who Williams called the Southwestern Athletic Conference's top pro prospect last season, led the Tigers with a team-high 100 tackles, the most for one Grambling player since 1996.
The G-Men also return a solid nucleus on offense, led by quarterback Randy Hymes who completed 168 of 363 pass attempts for 2,475 yards and 17 touchdowns. Hymes' top target figures to be Levi Washington, who was No.2 in receptions last season with 48 catches for 609 yards and five touchdowns.
Grambling must find a replacement for No.1 receiver Scotty Anderson, who was the Detroit Lions' fifth-round draft pick. Ellis Spears and Byron Anderson, Scotty Anderson's cousin, are the leading candidates.
The running game is Grambling's biggest concern on offense. Senior Michael Young is the Tigers' top returning ball carrier. He rushed for 239 yards and one touchdown on 88 carries last year. Kendrick Shanklin, a senior transfer from the University of Kentucky also figures prominently in Grambling's plans. Four returning offensive linemen, led by pre-season all-conference center Larry Metevia, should also help.
"You have to feel pretty good with that kind of talent returning," says Williams. "This is a situation we haven't seen since we've been here. We're coming off a championship and we have a great group of returning players. It's a lot different than heading into a season not knowing what you have to work with. We know what we have. Now we just have to get it done."
If the G-Men are able to get it done, black college football as a whole will be the beneficiary.
"It ?s very important to black college football for Grambling to be good," says Florida A&M coach Billy Joe, whose Rattlers play Grambling in Cincinnati on Sept. 15. "It's fitting that Grambling is always in the upper echelon of HBCUs. For Grambling not to be competitive would take just a little bit of a spark out of HBCUs. The fact that Doug has them back adds to the aura of black college football."
Says Hampton athletic director Dennis Thomas: "If you play Grambling in Cincinnati, the casual fan will come to see them. When we played Grambling in New York, we never had a bad crowd. It helps in terms of revenue and name recognition. When you play Grambling your name is out there, and that's good for your institution."
Let me personally take the liberty to state that here in NY, I can not wear any Gram paraphernalia. The constant bombardment of questions like,"Wow -- you went to Grambling?" or "What was it like at tradition-filled Grambling?" is too distracting and overbearing. This is the national perspective of Grambling -- the Icon of BCF!
