A conference call was held this afternoon in anticipation of the upcoming MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando. Below are some key notes from participants on the call, MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas, SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp, and MEAC/SWAC Challenge Executive Director Nikki Godfrey.
Dennis Thomas – Thanking the whole world… Honored Bob Hayes on Hall of Fame Induction…Congratulating both coaches on conference championships…Remarked on 3-1 advantage over the SWAC in Challenge…
Duer Sharp – When you’re 1-3, you really don’t need any bulletin board material…. Thank Disney and ESPN….Congratulated Dr. Thomas for an excellent job(who knew?)….Excited, new additions in film exchange technology…
Rod Broadway – Said South Carolina State looks well coached…Looking forward to being in the Florida heat…
Buddy Pough – Thanked title sponsors…Last experience was a good one….Excited about the bowl-style atmosphere….Big, tough game….No better setting for a game….
What’s the biggest message to players?
Broadway – Play to win and compete….Improvement from opening to close of game…
Pough – Biggest ingredient is mistakes….Grambling doesn’t turn the football over….Made things happen defensively….Team that makes most mistakes is going to get beat…Always a problem early i the year….
What are thoughts on opening game against ranked opponent?
Broadway – Like playing good teams…Preference is playing SCSU, FAMU…Hopefully prepares for rest of season.
Pough – Good competition is a good indicator of what kind of season you’ll have….
How much does playing in Orlando gives you an advantage?
Pough- Can’t acclimate for the weather…Just go out and do the best job you can….
Broadway – Spend time on fundamentals and execution…Can’t plan for what you can’t control…Got to rotate people…
Comment on top players
Pough – (Will Ford) – Been as good as football player as I’ve coached….Hard nosed, got speed, pretty good hands, total package….
Broadway (Christian Anthony) – One of our better players…Big play guy…Get better fundamentally every snap, learn more on gap control…Opportunity to be a special player….Great speed, can make a lot of plays
For Coach Broadway – Does it help to get away to start season?
Broadway – Looking forward to playing outstanding football team…Rather play SCSU, Hampton, FAMU, that’s my preference….Opportunity to play top black colleges is always what I prefer….Practice has been good and bad….
Playing in the big atmosphere,
Broadway – We’ve gotten off to rocky starts….When you play good teams, it makes you better….It only counts as one game…Looking forward to competing
Pough – Just one game….Have an opportunity to put everything on the line….Chance to see well organized football team….
Commentary on Rivalry
Pough – Which league is stronger? Natural kind of occurrence….Rivalry runs back for years….Good to get back into playing SWAC teams….
Thomas- Lot of people forget that SCSU and Grambling used to play on Thursday Night on ESPN….Both conferences have had impact through the years….
Pough – Losing could definitely hurt you in ways for the rankings….If we can do damage in playoffs, we can do bigger things in terms of securing at-large berths in the future….Five and six teams for many FCS leagues makes it extremely tough on MEAC….
On Greg Dillon
Broadway – Greg is a different player than he was at this time last year…Not even close to being the same kind of player….Expanded his role of leadership…Developed him as a pocket style quarterback….
Anything that worries you about opening on national television, emotions, injury, ?
Broadway – Big concern on preparation…Can’t control weather, injuries….It’s HOT, will be brutal…
Pough – I’m afraid to do things to acclimate players to the atmosphere….Moving guys around to keep them fresh….
Any pressure to continue securing conference champions for future Challenges?
Nikki Godfrey – Had wonderful games in the past, always a concern…This year will be nothing different…Work to provide the best matchups possible…Sometimes we get lucky….We certainly look at a number of different factors…
Thomas – I’ll echo those statements. Thank you….(Classic Thomas)
Sharp – Making sure we provide the best match-up…Make sure that all the teams have an opportunity to participate….Insure competitive nature for the game….
Can’t help but think about the Heritage Bowl….What are your thoughts on turning into post-season contest?
Thomas – Excited about post-season contest….talked about it for three or four years…Would be tremendous…Opportunity for both conferences to showcase…Adds additional television exposure…Revenue generating opporutnity….Been in contact with ESPN and SWAC….Hopeful to have a decision on game in the future.
Sharp….Continue to negotiate…hopeful to get something done….Would be in addition to SWAC championship.
Greatest challenge for respective teams?
Pough- Grambling doesn’t make very many mistakes….Turned it over a little and took away a bunch…Take advantage of your mistakes….Extremely disciplined on defense….Well-coached on both sides of the ball.
Broadway – South Carolina is well-coached…Play hard….Big fan of teams that play hard….
How much better for the challenge is participation of conference champions?
Godfrey – Conference champions that haven’t faced each other in a while makes for an exciting presentation… Design was not to get the champs, just the best teams that we can….Plan to rotate and have each team from conference participate… Exposure from Orlando community to different HBCUs….
Atmosphere at schools?
Broadway – Sort of isolated from campus community…Start to feel it next week….Been a long and hard camp….
Pough – Looking forward to seeing if Grambling can put as many people on their side as we can put on our side.
