Don’t smoke. Monitor your heart health. Thus sayeth FAMU head coach Joe Taylor.
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Joe Taylor Wants to Save Your Life
JC
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East Beats West in HBCU Bowl
JC
The MEAC and CIAA proved to be the better black college football tandem, as the pair representing the East defeated the SIAC and SWAC in the first-annual HBCU Bowl 26-21.
The game’s MVP, FAMU’s LeRoy Vann returned a punt for a touchdown to create the game’s signature play, but the Joe Taylor-led East team put together a balanced passing attack to control the contest.
What is interesting to note about the HBCU Bowl, is that the coverage of the game is clearly in favor of the Division I seniors playing in it. I challenge you to do a news search about the game, and find any feature stories about standout play from seniors representing the SIAC and CIAA.
The coverage has been extensive, but unbalanced, to say the least. I guess that’s what happens when everybody runs with the AP version of the game story.
Nevertheless, an estimated 3500 fans attended the game, and scouts from every NFL team and the Canadian Football League and the Arena League. When it comes to the attended effects of getting pro attention and intriguing fans, mission accomplished on both ends.
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New York Times Profiles FAMU Caoch Joe Taylor
JC
Here’s a piece that I missed in last week’s New York Times, but it’s definitely a good read on how Joe Taylor is working to rebuild the tradition of FAMU football.
In some cases, one hymn at a time.
On the subject of faith, Taylor took the entire squad to church on the first three Sundays of preseason practice in August 2008. He established a chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and even created a gospel choir of football players.
“Two or three sing, and the rest hum,” he said.
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FAMU Athletic Director Bill Hayes Applies for Vacant Winston-Salem AD Position
JC
The rumors started as whispers just a week ago, and it appears the Bill Hayes-back-to-Winston-Salem State rumors are finding some legitimate ground to walk on.
Hayes, in his second year as the athletics director at Florida A&M, has sent in an application and is interested in the WSSU vacancy, according to one source in Winston-Salem and one in Tallahassee, Fla. Hayes was traveling to Winston-Salem yesterday for tonight’s football game between A&M and WSSU and did not respond to a message left on his cell phone.
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What Joe Taylor Doesn't Do
JC
You know what makes Joe Taylor one of the best college football coaches of all-time? It’s what he is not measured by. You can quantify the years of tenure, the championships, the wins, the players sent the NFL, the awards and the stats. But those aren’t the things that make him great.
Joe Taylor is great because builds expectations everywhere he goes, and then exceeds them. Joe Taylor doesn’t get fired. He resigns. Joe Taylor doesn’t leave programs in shambles. He makes them attractive jobs that young coaches want to go after.
And most of all, Joe Taylor doesn’t trim his glorious mustache.
When you measure the legends of great coaches, most people form their arguments and awe around what they accomplished. But its the little things that they don’t do, the lack of bad habits and poor interactions with people, that truly make them great.
And in a year where Taylor’s team is expected to run away with the MEAC football championship, its what he’s not saying about how loaded his team is that should every other coach in the conference very afraid.
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North Carolina A&T Football Recruit Changes, Changes, and Changes His Mind Again
JC
D’Vonte Graham is a standout receiver prospect out of Lincoln High School who initially accepted a scholarship offer to attend North Carolina A&T in the Fall.
Then, he changed his mind and decided to walk on at FAMU.
As of this weekend, he will officially be headed to Greensboro.
So let’s be honest here. What sold the kid on A&T, drove him back to Tallahassee, only to finally decide that Greensboro would be his home for the next four years? Can’t be the coaching – both Joe Taylor and Alonzo Lee are part time coach, full-time preachers.
Can’t be a chance to win now, because the Rattlers are in a far better position to capture the MEAC football championship.
So, the coaches and the ability to win are out. What on Earth could be the determining factor?
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On the Recruiting Trail With FAMU Football Coach Joe Taylor
JC
There are many things that FAMU football head coach Joe Taylor and his legendary mustache can do, but recruiting talent in the state of Florida will always be difficult, even for the man responsible for the Rattler Resurrection last year.
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How the FAMU Rattlers Rolled Over Tennessee State
JC
It wasn’t as if the Florida A&M University’s 28-21 win over the Tennessee State University Tigers in the Atlanta Classic was something new; it was the seventh consecutive victory for the Rattlers over the Tigers. But it was unexpected, even with the Rattlers’ impressive 2-1 record going into Saturday’s contest.The Rattlers and the Tigers had different paths coming into the contest. Tennessee State was riding a four-game winning streak, with three straight wins over Alabama A&M, Southern and Jackson State to open the year. Florida A&M had a close loss on the road against Delaware State in Week 2, but had convincing wins over lackluster competition in Alabama State and Howard University.
But the Rattlers and the Tigers were so evenly matched, that turnovers and athletic versatility at quarterback made the difference in the game. Two first half fumbles, particularly a second-quarter fumble that ultimately lead to a Rattler touchdown and 21-0 deficit, killed the Tigers early.
Curtis Pulley, a FAMU transfer from the University of Kentucky, passed for 100 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns, single-handedly accounting for nearly half of the Rattlers’ total yards and three-fourths of its scoring. If one man can do that kind of damage to a team ranked in the national Top-25 of FCS, imagine what the rest of the MEAC has to look forward to.
For the Tigers, it’s a painful loss but a blip on the regular season radar. They still have a great chance at the Ohio Valley Conference championship, and a birth in the NCAA playoffs.
But make no mistake about it, this win for Taylor and the Rattlers is and will be the biggest victory on the year for Florida A&M, and among the biggest of Joe Taylor’s career. In his first year as head coach of the Rattlers, Taylor has reversed the recent culture of FAMU football,dethroned the best team in black college football, and positioned the Rattlers for a surprising run at the MEAC championship.
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Say It Ain't So, Joe
JC
Interesting story out of the Delaware State football program, as Hornets head coach Al Lavan is all but accusing new Florida A&M head coach Joe Taylor of cheating. The Hornets and Rattlers are scheduled to meet this Saturday in Dover, but Lavan has gone on the record as saying he hasn’t received film of the Rattlers’ season-opening win over Alabama A&M State.“There is a procedure to get the tape,” Lavan said. “They know they haven’t sent it.”
That procedure is for the game tape to be digitally uploaded to a conference-created, web-based retrieval system. Lavan says that attempts to contact the FAMU athletic department and MEAC officials have not yielded a satisfactory answer.
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.
It must be noted, however, that DSU did not play last weekend, and has no current film to offer the Rattlers.
It’s bad enough to assume that Joe Taylor and the Rattlers feel so committed to turning things around, that they may be resorting to underhanded tactics to secure an advantage over the defending conference champions. But if the MEAC doesn’t regulate this scenario, it opens the door for widespread cheating among the coaches.
Dennis Thomas better respond quick, fast and in a hurry before this becomes a real problem for two of the conference’s most notable programs.
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Joe Taylor is Ice Cold
JC
Jason Beach is a defensive back for the Florida A&M Rattlers football team, trying to get an extra year of eligibility after leaving school to help his family with recovery from Hurricane Dennis in 2004.But to listen to Joe Taylor, he’d just as soon not have Beach back.
I’m not too optimistic to be honest with you,” Taylor said following Monday’s practice, which Beach didn’t attend.
“He has gotten what he came here for,” Taylor said. “He has gotten his degree.”
“We watched the film the other day and I don’t know that he could really help us,” Taylor said. “It’s so good to have great film. It lets you know how hungry a guy is.”
I’m not going to be the one that questions a man with a such a grand mustache, but it is interesting that you wouldn’t want to go out for a kid that grauduated with honors, left for extraordinary personal reasons, and just wants to bring closure to a football career. Besides, 136 tackles and five interceptions in 27 games is not bad for a former walk-on quarterback.
