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Williams helps Grambling remain on prowl
By RICHARD DEAN
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
Williams
Eddie Robinson will never be forgotten in Southwestern Athletic Conference circles.
And he shouldn't.
College football's all-time winningest coach left a legacy in the SWAC and at Grambling State, where he coached for 55 years until retiring with 408 wins after the 1997 season.
But as the years pass and his successor, Doug Williams, continues to win conference championships, there is less talk about Robinson's achievements.
In other words, Williams is making a name for himself now as a coach instead of as a former NFL quarterback who was Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXII as a member of the Washington Redskins.
Grambling State has won the last two SWAC championship games, and Williams says the Tigers are still No. 1 until someone knocks them off.
"The heavyweight champion is still the heavyweight champion until he is knocked out," said Williams, who has guided the Tigers to a 20-3 record over the past two seasons.
Not too many people are disagreeing with Williams, 32-13 in four seasons at Grambling State.
In a vote of league coaches, Grambling State was favored to win the West Division, just ahead of Southern University, while Jackson State was the East Division choice.
"Grambling State is the team you have to knock off, but it's getting tight," Prairie View A&M coach Larry Dorsey said.
Grambling State must replace seven offensive and six defensive starters. But Williams said this is not a rebuilding year -- the Tigers are just reloading.
"We have a good nucleus to build around," said Williams, who quarterbacked the Tigers to three SWAC championships in the 1970s. "We have some talented veteran players to provide leadership.
"We just have quite a few new faces taking over at important skill positions, and some of those guys will play a big role in how our season turns out."
Jackson State probably has the best chance of dethroning Grambling State.
Jackson State has the preseason offensive player of the year in quarterback Robert Kent and defensive player of the year in linebacker Elgin Andrews.
Kent has passed for 6,150 yards in two seasons, while Andrews had 112 tackles last year as Jackson State went 7-4, 5-2 in the SWAC.
"We're going to try to represent the East," said Jackson State coach Robert Hughes.
"We want to do the same thing we did to get in the inaugural championship game (at Birmingham, Ala.) in 1999."
Southern University returns 2000 Division I-AA All-America wide receiver Michael Hayes, and the Jaguars should make a serious run at Grambling State. Hayes, who caught 80 passes for 1,328 yards in 2000, missed all but one game in 2001 after tearing an ACL.
The Jaguars also will have the services of running back Victor Ike, a transfer from Texas.
Williams isn't the only former SWAC legend now coaching in the conference.
Former Mississippi Valley State quarterback Willie Totten returns to his alma mater and inherits an 0-11 team.
Totten, who teamed with Jerry Rice at Valley, brought in 15 junior college players to try to give the program an immediate upgrade.
Not surprisingly, Totten, who along with Rice still holds 50 NCAA Division I-AA records, said the Delta Devils will air the ball out.
"We're going back to the days of the Satellite Express," Totten said in reference to his nickname during his playing days at Valley.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/special/fb/cfb02/1548338
By RICHARD DEAN
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
Williams
Eddie Robinson will never be forgotten in Southwestern Athletic Conference circles.
And he shouldn't.
College football's all-time winningest coach left a legacy in the SWAC and at Grambling State, where he coached for 55 years until retiring with 408 wins after the 1997 season.
But as the years pass and his successor, Doug Williams, continues to win conference championships, there is less talk about Robinson's achievements.
In other words, Williams is making a name for himself now as a coach instead of as a former NFL quarterback who was Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXII as a member of the Washington Redskins.
Grambling State has won the last two SWAC championship games, and Williams says the Tigers are still No. 1 until someone knocks them off.
"The heavyweight champion is still the heavyweight champion until he is knocked out," said Williams, who has guided the Tigers to a 20-3 record over the past two seasons.
Not too many people are disagreeing with Williams, 32-13 in four seasons at Grambling State.
In a vote of league coaches, Grambling State was favored to win the West Division, just ahead of Southern University, while Jackson State was the East Division choice.
"Grambling State is the team you have to knock off, but it's getting tight," Prairie View A&M coach Larry Dorsey said.
Grambling State must replace seven offensive and six defensive starters. But Williams said this is not a rebuilding year -- the Tigers are just reloading.
"We have a good nucleus to build around," said Williams, who quarterbacked the Tigers to three SWAC championships in the 1970s. "We have some talented veteran players to provide leadership.
"We just have quite a few new faces taking over at important skill positions, and some of those guys will play a big role in how our season turns out."
Jackson State probably has the best chance of dethroning Grambling State.
Jackson State has the preseason offensive player of the year in quarterback Robert Kent and defensive player of the year in linebacker Elgin Andrews.
Kent has passed for 6,150 yards in two seasons, while Andrews had 112 tackles last year as Jackson State went 7-4, 5-2 in the SWAC.
"We're going to try to represent the East," said Jackson State coach Robert Hughes.
"We want to do the same thing we did to get in the inaugural championship game (at Birmingham, Ala.) in 1999."
Southern University returns 2000 Division I-AA All-America wide receiver Michael Hayes, and the Jaguars should make a serious run at Grambling State. Hayes, who caught 80 passes for 1,328 yards in 2000, missed all but one game in 2001 after tearing an ACL.
The Jaguars also will have the services of running back Victor Ike, a transfer from Texas.
Williams isn't the only former SWAC legend now coaching in the conference.
Former Mississippi Valley State quarterback Willie Totten returns to his alma mater and inherits an 0-11 team.
Totten, who teamed with Jerry Rice at Valley, brought in 15 junior college players to try to give the program an immediate upgrade.
Not surprisingly, Totten, who along with Rice still holds 50 NCAA Division I-AA records, said the Delta Devils will air the ball out.
"We're going back to the days of the Satellite Express," Totten said in reference to his nickname during his playing days at Valley.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/special/fb/cfb02/1548338