BCSP Notes . . .

FAMU grants interviews to five for head football vacancy
Florida A&M University announced last week the five finalists recommended by a search committee and began interviews Monday for the head football coaching position vacated with the firing of Billy Joe.

The quintet was chosen by the search committee after paring down a pool of 58 applicants during a two-day process.

FAMU Interim Athletic Director E. Newton Jackson, Ph.D., began interviews on Monday as current Shaw head coach Deondri Clark came in.

Three candidates were to be interviewed between Monday and Wednesday (July 11-13), with the two remaining prospects to be queried on Tuesday and Wednesday (July 19-20) of next week.

Jackson indicated that the administration planned to name a head coach at the end of the second week of interviews.

The five finalists are:

· Alex Wood - Former head coach at James Madison (1995-98), Wood has spent the past six seasons as an NFL assistant coach. Was offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2004.... Served as offensive coordinator at Wake Forest (1993-94); defensive coordinator at Southern (1982-85) and was running backs coach at University of Miami (1989-94)... Also had assistants stints at Washington State, Wyoming, Southern Illinois and Kent State.

· Kent Schoolfield - A 1970 graduate of Florida A&M, Schoolfield is presently the offensive coordinator at North Carolina A&T. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He served as head coach at Fort Valley (Ga.) State (1997-2002); was assistant head coach at James Madison under Alex Wood (1995-97) and offensive coordinator at FAMU (1988-93), under Ken Riley. He also had collegiate assistant stints at Florida State, Pittsburgh, Temple, New Mexico State and North Carolina A&T.

· Rubin Carter - Currently the defensive line coach at Temple (Pa.) University, Carter was an All-America selection at the University of Miami in the 1970s. He had a lengthy professional career with the Denver Broncos (1975-86). Served as defensive line coach at Maryland (1997-98) and San Jose State (1995-96), while working a stint as defensive coordinator at Howard University (1989-93). He also has pro coaching experience including stops with the New York Jets (2001-03), Washington Redskins (1999-2000) and Denver (1987-88).

· Deondri Clark - Currently the head football coach at Shaw (N.C.) University. Led Shaw to a 2004 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) title and a victory in the Division II Pioneer Bowl (against Tuskegee). Was an assistant at Shaw from 2002-03. Served as defensive line coach at Benedict (S.C.) College for one season (2001). Had one-year graduate assistant stints at Michigan State (2000) and Central Michigan (1999). Was defensive coordinator at Quincy Shanks High (1997-98) and defensive line coach at Apopka High (1994-95). Was a standout defensive performer for Florida State, graduating in 1993.

· Linwood S. Ferguson - An East Carolina graduate, Ferguson is currently an assistant coach at Winston-Salem (N.C.) State. He was head coach at Midwestern State University (1999-2001) and has been both an offensive and defensive coordinator collegiately..... He was offensive coordinator at North Carolina Central (2003-04) and North Carolina A&T (2002-03); defensive coordinator at Murray (Ky.) State (1997-99); Southern Illinois at Carbondale (1994-97); North Carolina A&T (1982-83; 1988-94) and Elon (N.C.) College (1979-81).... Also spent 10 seasons as defensive back coach at East Carolina (1984-94).

. . . and is axing four sports
The Florida A&M University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve 2005-06 athletic budget reductions which include the elimination of the school's men's golf, men's tennis, as well as the men's and women's swimming and diving programs. The Board also voted to keep the FAMU Athletic Program at the NCAA Division One level overall and football at the Division I-AA level, which requires a minimum of 14 sports.

Interim Athletic Director Dr. E. Newton Jackson said the sports cuts alone would save approximately $600,000. Overall, FAMU's athletic budget would be reduced by $3.3 million to about $6.7 million. The 2004-2005 budget was set at $8 million, however about $10 million was actually spent.

The actions reduce the budget to a level comparable to the 2002-03 academic year - the year before the 2003 attempt to move FAMU's football program from Division I-AA to I-A.

The budget measures include:

· Elimination of four sports programs (Men's and Women's Swimming, Men's Golf and Men's Tennis), reducing the school's total number of athletic programs from 18 to 14.*

· A one-third reduction in scholarship dollars.

· Reduced travel for the famed "Marching 100" Band. Last year, $400,000 was spent by Athletics to transport the band to seven games. The group will travel only to games to which they are part of the event contract (Atlanta, Orlando).

· Other cost-saving measures announced include a 16-percent cut in expenses that will be applied across the board for the remaining 14 sports.

· Also to be instituted will be a 52 percent reduction in support-staff (OPS) salaries, which could save $250,000.

Hampton gets WNIT spot
Hampton University's Lady Pirates will tipoff the 2005-06 season with their first appearance in the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament.

The Pirates will take on University of Richmond on Nov. 11 in Richmond, Virginia. The winner will then face either Drexel or Boston College in the next round of play.

The tournament opens Nov. 11, with second-round games taking place on Nov. 13 and 14. Semifinals will be held on Nov. 16-17, while the championship game is slated for Sunday, Nov. 20. All games will be played on home campuses. Brackets are available at www.womensnit.com.

© 2005 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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