Saturday, August 30, 2008
Going to the 4th up 24-14
The Lions hit another long TD pass, a 48-yarder, to cut the lead down to 10 points. The Demons have 172 yards rushing, hard earned against a rugged TAMC defense. NSU hasn't gone up top in the passing game, unlike the visitors, and has only 54 yards in the air.
Announced attendance is 9,294. They're having fun in a game that will be settled in the final period.
BTW, the parachutists pregame were a festive addition to the scene, bringing the game ball to midfield. Back to football ...
After a fourth-down gamble was stymied at the TAMC 45, NSU did go deep but a nice breakup denied Dudley Guice a long TD.
Announced attendance is 9,294. They're having fun in a game that will be settled in the final period.
BTW, the parachutists pregame were a festive addition to the scene, bringing the game ball to midfield. Back to football ...
After a fourth-down gamble was stymied at the TAMC 45, NSU did go deep but a nice breakup denied Dudley Guice a long TD.
Pressure leads to points
A hurried pass was a wounded duck and the Purple Swarm defense has now outscored the NSU offense. Gary Riggs made a Gary Riggs like play and 30 yards later, it's 24-7 on his interception return midway through the third quarter.
Defense makes a statement
The Purple Swarm gave up a 65-yard TD pass early in the second quarter. Otherwise not much in the first half -- TAMC had only 75 net yards at halftime.
TD for the Purple Swarm!
Josh Daniels recovers a botched shotgun snap in the end zone. A vicious hit on the kickoff by Isaiah Greenhouse pinned the Lions back at their own 11, then confusion on the TAMC offense saw the ball snapped back and the quarterback looking elsewhere.
A flag made for a momentary pause, but it was for an illegal shift by the Lions, and after Weeks' extra point, the Demons are up 17-7 with 6:15 left in the half.
10 points for NSU in 52 seconds!
A flag made for a momentary pause, but it was for an illegal shift by the Lions, and after Weeks' extra point, the Demons are up 17-7 with 6:15 left in the half.
10 points for NSU in 52 seconds!
Weeks is 8 away from school record
Robert Weeks kicks a short field goal to give NSU the 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter. He now is 8 away from tying Keith Hodnett for the school career record for field goals at 37.
A 13-play scoring drive for the Demons, including a fourth-and-2 conversion at the visitors' 30.
A 13-play scoring drive for the Demons, including a fourth-and-2 conversion at the visitors' 30.
Video board is kickin'
The pregame entrance intro preceding the Demons' entrance through the purple smoke was a big hit with the crowd.
The field level shots are especially compelling. Of course, the fans are also loving the shots of the crowd!
Demons on the move, trying to regain the lead after the Lions hit a 66-yard bomb to tie the game at 7-all. Byron Lawrence finally found some open space for a nice gain. William Griffin has already shown some power and cutting ability.
NSU starting to open some space up front. Lions were tough there in the first quarter.
The field level shots are especially compelling. Of course, the fans are also loving the shots of the crowd!
Demons on the move, trying to regain the lead after the Lions hit a 66-yard bomb to tie the game at 7-all. Byron Lawrence finally found some open space for a nice gain. William Griffin has already shown some power and cutting ability.
NSU starting to open some space up front. Lions were tough there in the first quarter.
Lady Demon volleyball wins
NSU 3, fellow Southland Conference member Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 1 this afternoon in the Austin Peay tournament today. Lady Demons get their first win.
Pregame warmups underway
And the sound system is rockin' the casbah! Demons and Lions on the field, tailgating seems to be bustling and thank goodness the a/c in the press box is seemingly at full strength.
Demons in white pants with purple stripes, and purple jerseys. The numbers are white outlined in orange. Lions are in gold pants with a white stripe bordered by navy piping, and white jerseys with blue numbers and their names on the back of the jerseys.
David West of the NSU News Bureau will again this year be blogging for you during the home games. Hope you enjoy! The Demon Sports Network broadcast is just about to kick off at 5:30.
Demons in white pants with purple stripes, and purple jerseys. The numbers are white outlined in orange. Lions are in gold pants with a white stripe bordered by navy piping, and white jerseys with blue numbers and their names on the back of the jerseys.
David West of the NSU News Bureau will again this year be blogging for you during the home games. Hope you enjoy! The Demon Sports Network broadcast is just about to kick off at 5:30.
D-Bell on the 53-man roster!!
Coach Mike McConathy got a call with great news this afternoon - Demetrius Bell has made the Buffalo Bills' opening day roster at offensive tackle!
The final roster will be announced later today, but Bell defied the odds and is an active NFL player three years after putting on pads for the first time in August 2005. Basketball was Bell's first love, but football made his dreams come true. Now, if he keeps developing as well as he has to date, the sky's the limit.
The final roster will be announced later today, but Bell defied the odds and is an active NFL player three years after putting on pads for the first time in August 2005. Basketball was Bell's first love, but football made his dreams come true. Now, if he keeps developing as well as he has to date, the sky's the limit.
Noon on gameday
More RV's are pulling up and setting up in the Demon Alley tailgating zone, and in nearby locations. There are a couple of spots under trees outside the Demon Diamond softball complex and the outfield fence of Brown-Stroud Field, along with the west side of the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex, that are prime tailgating real estate open first-come, first-served -- and they're filling up.
The Texas A&M-Commerce team managers are unpacking their game gear in the relocated visitors locker room at Turpin Stadium. For the last few years, the visitors locker room has been located at the north end of the field, but it was a small area and has been relocated to the south end, the old visitors locker room.
Sitting calmly overlooking the north end zone is the new video board. In the 5 o'clock hour, that sucker is going to roar to life. As fantastic as it will be to watch the vignettes, features and replays, I bet the biggest change we notice will be with the booming new sound system.
The Texas A&M-Commerce team managers are unpacking their game gear in the relocated visitors locker room at Turpin Stadium. For the last few years, the visitors locker room has been located at the north end of the field, but it was a small area and has been relocated to the south end, the old visitors locker room.
Sitting calmly overlooking the north end zone is the new video board. In the 5 o'clock hour, that sucker is going to roar to life. As fantastic as it will be to watch the vignettes, features and replays, I bet the biggest change we notice will be with the booming new sound system.
NSU-Grambling memories sought
The Demons' next home game is Sept. 13 against Grambling. It's the second football matchup ever between the schools. An historic and dramatic 1974 game between the Demons and Tigers was played at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.
A special e-mail address -- nsugsumemories@live.com -- has been created seeking memories and stories connected to that 1974 game. Submissions will be posted on the www.nsudemons.com website on game week and will be published in the Gameday program on sale at Turpin Stadium.
That e-mail address again - nsugsumemories@live.com - whether you were a fan in the stands, listening on the radio, playing in the game, or just an interested outside observer, any memories you have of that game, that week, and its significance, will make for enlightening and entertaining reading for everyone.
A special e-mail address -- nsugsumemories@live.com -- has been created seeking memories and stories connected to that 1974 game. Submissions will be posted on the www.nsudemons.com website on game week and will be published in the Gameday program on sale at Turpin Stadium.
That e-mail address again - nsugsumemories@live.com - whether you were a fan in the stands, listening on the radio, playing in the game, or just an interested outside observer, any memories you have of that game, that week, and its significance, will make for enlightening and entertaining reading for everyone.
Gameday breakfast
At 7:45 today, there were some RV denizens stirring and some still sleeping, but activities were already evident around Turpin Stadium from a game management perspective.
Flags were going up in and on top of the stadium. In the sports information office, assistant SID Matt Bonnette made everybody happy with a couple dozen donuts as setup of the press box began with the migration of supplies and equipment.
It's gonna be a fun day -- hope you join us, either in person or online!
Flags were going up in and on top of the stadium. In the sports information office, assistant SID Matt Bonnette made everybody happy with a couple dozen donuts as setup of the press box began with the migration of supplies and equipment.
It's gonna be a fun day -- hope you join us, either in person or online!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Terrence McGee touches up his toes
Demon great Terrence McGee was a good sport as he was the focal point of an NFL Network/www.NFL.com video vignette.
Watch and chuckle ... as he gets a pedicure for the first time ever!
http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80a51719
Watch and chuckle ... as he gets a pedicure for the first time ever!
http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80a51719
Notes on the eve of the season opener
Retired head football coach Sam Goodwin stopped by today. He was in town a day after his Henderson State Reddies fell 38-14 to Southland Conference member Central Arkansas.
Coach Goodwin came by the athletic offices at the right time, joining the administrative staff including his longtime assistant coach Donnie Cox, for a pizza and chicken lunch put on by athletic director Greg Burke as a token of appreciation for the work leading into tomorrow's football opener.
Goodwin enjoyed visiting with everyone, especially his former football secretary and now NSU's athletic business manager, Roxanne Freeman ....
.... Football coach Scott Stoker and his assistant coaches were watching closely Thursday evening just after the first "Demon Huddle" radio show of the season ended, taking a look at the Fox Sports Southwest telecast of the Wake Forest-Baylor game in Waco. NSU visits Baylor next Saturday.
The color analyst for the FS Southwest telecast was Demons legend Gary Reasons ...
... We'll be blogging throughout game day with frequency picking up in late afternoon. Of course, there will be live stats, streaming audio (free) and video webcasting on a pay-per-view basis through www.nsudemons.com ...
Coach Goodwin came by the athletic offices at the right time, joining the administrative staff including his longtime assistant coach Donnie Cox, for a pizza and chicken lunch put on by athletic director Greg Burke as a token of appreciation for the work leading into tomorrow's football opener.
Goodwin enjoyed visiting with everyone, especially his former football secretary and now NSU's athletic business manager, Roxanne Freeman ....
.... Football coach Scott Stoker and his assistant coaches were watching closely Thursday evening just after the first "Demon Huddle" radio show of the season ended, taking a look at the Fox Sports Southwest telecast of the Wake Forest-Baylor game in Waco. NSU visits Baylor next Saturday.
The color analyst for the FS Southwest telecast was Demons legend Gary Reasons ...
... We'll be blogging throughout game day with frequency picking up in late afternoon. Of course, there will be live stats, streaming audio (free) and video webcasting on a pay-per-view basis through www.nsudemons.com ...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Updating the NFL Demons
It was a very good Sunday outing for former Demons Terrence McGee and Demetrius Bell, playing for the Buffalo Bills in a 20-7 exhibition win over the Indianapolis Colts.
McGee scooped up a fumble and raced 68 yards for a touchdown and a 17-0 lead in the third quarter. The Bills' starting cornerback has been sharp all preseason.
Bell, the rookie offensive tackle, is one of only four healthy tackles in Buffalo. That number dropped to three early in the second quarter when the starting left tackle suffered an arm injury that fortunately wasn't a fracture as was first feared.
Bell was going to get a lot of snaps anyway, but got to hit the field earlier and play longer, which is golden for a relative football neophyte. In only his third season as an offensive tackle and his fourth year of football overall, the 2007 Demon All-American seems to continually improve.
I've searched and searched for any "official" comments on how well he's doing, to no avail, but note this: after he entered the game, the Bills had a 10-minute offensive series. Even if it came against the Colts' backups, that's not something you see very often in the NFL -- or any level, really -- and it is a sign that the rookie left tackle must be holding his own.
The first round of cuts, from 80 to 75 players, went on around the NFL this week. Next Monday, the hard decisions get made when opening day rosters must be sliced to 53 by Labor Day.
The expectation entering camp was that Bell was, at best, going to be cut and resigned to the Bills' practice squad, which means he gets to work out with the team and can be added to the active roster. Practice squad players get about a third of an active player's salary, which still isn't chicken feed.
But now, with his apparent progress and the Bills' personnel situations at tackle, perhaps D-Bell may make the active roster, at least at the outset of the season, which would be a great reward emotionally as well as financially.
Meanwhile, the other active NSU alum in the NFL is coming off a foot injury with the Baltimore Ravens. Cornerback David Pittman was on the shelf last week but resumed workouts Monday.
Also, there's some speculation that veteran safety Mike Green might get picked up by the New Orleans Saints. Green was let go by Seattle as camp opened last month, and his chances of playing an eighth NFL season are up in the air. However, a smart, tough, veteran safety could be a valuable commodity as the regular season nears or gets underway.
As we hear, we'll keep you posted!
McGee scooped up a fumble and raced 68 yards for a touchdown and a 17-0 lead in the third quarter. The Bills' starting cornerback has been sharp all preseason.
Bell, the rookie offensive tackle, is one of only four healthy tackles in Buffalo. That number dropped to three early in the second quarter when the starting left tackle suffered an arm injury that fortunately wasn't a fracture as was first feared.
Bell was going to get a lot of snaps anyway, but got to hit the field earlier and play longer, which is golden for a relative football neophyte. In only his third season as an offensive tackle and his fourth year of football overall, the 2007 Demon All-American seems to continually improve.
I've searched and searched for any "official" comments on how well he's doing, to no avail, but note this: after he entered the game, the Bills had a 10-minute offensive series. Even if it came against the Colts' backups, that's not something you see very often in the NFL -- or any level, really -- and it is a sign that the rookie left tackle must be holding his own.
The first round of cuts, from 80 to 75 players, went on around the NFL this week. Next Monday, the hard decisions get made when opening day rosters must be sliced to 53 by Labor Day.
The expectation entering camp was that Bell was, at best, going to be cut and resigned to the Bills' practice squad, which means he gets to work out with the team and can be added to the active roster. Practice squad players get about a third of an active player's salary, which still isn't chicken feed.
But now, with his apparent progress and the Bills' personnel situations at tackle, perhaps D-Bell may make the active roster, at least at the outset of the season, which would be a great reward emotionally as well as financially.
Meanwhile, the other active NSU alum in the NFL is coming off a foot injury with the Baltimore Ravens. Cornerback David Pittman was on the shelf last week but resumed workouts Monday.
Also, there's some speculation that veteran safety Mike Green might get picked up by the New Orleans Saints. Green was let go by Seattle as camp opened last month, and his chances of playing an eighth NFL season are up in the air. However, a smart, tough, veteran safety could be a valuable commodity as the regular season nears or gets underway.
As we hear, we'll keep you posted!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Model Student-Athlete
Last evening, NSU held its first-ever "New Student Convocation" for freshmen and transfer students. This concept was developed by NSU's Division of Student Affairs and based on its debut last evening, will become a staple on the academic calendar for years to come. In summary, the event was highly successful and set a great tone for the start of classes today.
From the perspective of NSU Athletics, it was especially noteworthy that one of the two keynote speakers at the convocation was NSU softball player Cary Bruno (the other being Professor of Business and avid NSU sports fan Dr. John Williams). Since being named the recipient of the Southland Conference's 2007-08 Female Steve McCarty Citizenship Award in May, Cary has become well known across campus. That's a good thing. The McCarty award is based on campus and community activism, as well as athletic and academic achievement. Over 1,200 female students who competed in the SLC this past year were eligible for the award so it says much about Cary that she was chosen to receive this honor.
Readers of this blog are most likely season ticket holders, donors, sponsors, and, in general, big NSU sports fans. With that said, I want you to know how well Cary represented the NSU athletic program last evening. To stand up in front of a crowd of 700-800 people and talk is not easy (that's her at the podium in the photo above). I had to introduce Cary and admit to having butteflies. Yet, the message she gave to those students - that being involved in campus and community activities, while taking time, is positive for many, many reasons - was "spot on" and was delivered with both sincerity and passion. With President Randy Webb, members of his cabinet, deans and department heads, other faculty and staff - not to mention the NSU Class of 2012 - in attendance, it made me swell with pride to have one of our student-athletes represent the Athletic Department so well.
Way to go, Cary!
Greg Burke, Athletic Director
From the perspective of NSU Athletics, it was especially noteworthy that one of the two keynote speakers at the convocation was NSU softball player Cary Bruno (the other being Professor of Business and avid NSU sports fan Dr. John Williams). Since being named the recipient of the Southland Conference's 2007-08 Female Steve McCarty Citizenship Award in May, Cary has become well known across campus. That's a good thing. The McCarty award is based on campus and community activism, as well as athletic and academic achievement. Over 1,200 female students who competed in the SLC this past year were eligible for the award so it says much about Cary that she was chosen to receive this honor.
Readers of this blog are most likely season ticket holders, donors, sponsors, and, in general, big NSU sports fans. With that said, I want you to know how well Cary represented the NSU athletic program last evening. To stand up in front of a crowd of 700-800 people and talk is not easy (that's her at the podium in the photo above). I had to introduce Cary and admit to having butteflies. Yet, the message she gave to those students - that being involved in campus and community activities, while taking time, is positive for many, many reasons - was "spot on" and was delivered with both sincerity and passion. With President Randy Webb, members of his cabinet, deans and department heads, other faculty and staff - not to mention the NSU Class of 2012 - in attendance, it made me swell with pride to have one of our student-athletes represent the Athletic Department so well.
Way to go, Cary!
Greg Burke, Athletic Director
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Petey Perot back home
Demon football legend Petey Perot is back home in Ruston, recovering from successful triple bypass heart surgery earlier this month in Houston. Ruston Daily Leader sports editor Buddy Davis provided that happy update Sunda evening after calling Petey, who was in good spirits.
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