BROADWAY GOES TO GRAMBLING: Grambling State University last week named successful North Carolina Central head football coach Rod Broadway to take the reins of the most storied and successful black college football program in the nation.

Broadway was announced as the ninth head football coach in school history by Troy Mathieu, GSU Director of Athletics. "We are elated that Rod Broadway has agreed to take the leadership reins of the Grambling State University football program," said Mathieu. "He's a proven winner as a head coach and has had the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the most respected coaches on the (NCAA) Division I level over the past two decades. We're looking forward to him having a very successful tenure as the head coach of Grambling State University."

Broadway was recently selected as the 2006 Sheridan Broadcasting Network Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, a fitting honor for the two-time defending CIAA champion as he moves into the perch the legendary coach Robinson occupied for 48 seasons. His NCCU team was voted as the 2006 Sheridan Black College national champion and shared the top spot in the final BCSP ranking with Hampton.

A native of Oakboro , N.C. , the 28-year veteran of the coaching ranks wasted no time in putting his stamp on the NCCU program by posting three consecutive winning seasons of eight or more games after a 4-6 record in his inaugural campaign. This past season, Broadway made history as he led the Eagles to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region, a No. 1 ranking in the SBN Poll and back-to-back CIAA titles for the first time since the 1953-54 seasons. In addition, the Eagles also fielded the CIAA's top-ranked offense (345.1 ypg) along with the 15th ranked defense in NCAA Division II (250.7 ypg). Broadway's 2006 team also featured four players who earned SBN All-American honors including the SBN's Offensive Player of the Year in freshman quarterback Stadford Brown, 12 All-CIAA selections, 10 Daktronics All-Southeast Region honorees and two Associated Press Little All-Americans.

"My decision to accept the head coaching job at Grambling State University has nothing to do with North Carolina Central University," Broadway said. "It is a personal decision that has everything to do with me starting my life again. I lost my wife (Dianne Bynum Broadway) a few years ago, and it has been very difficult for me personally. I am surrounded by constant reminders of her loss, passing by the restaurant we used to visit and staying in the house we once shared. I need a change for me."

He closes out his four-year career at NCCU with a decorated resume that includes multiple honors by the Pigskin Club of Washington D.C., Inc., a 33-11 overall record, back-to-back CIAA titles, two consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, a 16-game regular season winning streak and a 29-4 record over the past three seasons. In addition, Broadway also collected the school's first-ever victory over a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponent with a victory over Southern University in 2006.

Prior to his tenure at NCCU, Broadway honed his skills on the NCAA football's highest level as the defensive line coach of the University of North Carolina (2001-02), University of Florida (1995-00), Duke (1981-94) and East Carolina (1979-80). A 1977 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Broadway played on the defensive line from 1974-77 and helped lead Carolina to the 1974 Sun Bowl and the 1977 Liberty Bowl.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to coach at Grambling State University because it's considered the pinnacle of black college football," said Broadway. "I've had a good stay at (N. C.) Central and met some unbelievable people here that have supported me over the years. It's going to be hard to say goodbye but it's time to move on to the next chapter of my coaching career."

© 2007 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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