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07/20/2010 - Birmingham, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Prairie View A&M quarterback K.J. Black remembers - rather painfully, perhaps - some of the blitzes that came his way during Southwestern Athletic Conference play last season.
"It kind of woke me up," said the field general of the reigning SWAC champions, and the 2010 SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
It's not just Black. Everybody has to be on his toes in the SWAC, because everyone is watching each other.
A lot has been changing in the conference in recent years, starting, of course, with Prairie View winning the SWAC title last year for the first time since 1964. The Panthers' emergence is part of a trend of improvement among the Texas schools, if Texas Southern can raise its play under coach Johnnie Cole the way Prairie View has done under Henry Frazier III.
Yet really what stood out Tuesday at the SWAC Football Kickoff Luncheon and Media Day was how the coaches have been changing around the conference. In decades past, you used to know many of the head coaches would be graduates of their school, or that Eddie Robinson would be collecting black national championships at Grambling State or John Merritt would be winning games at Jackson State.
The trend in the SWAC, and really across college football, is to go younger with the coaches and try to reach for former NFL players and assistant coaches. In the 10-team SWAC, only two head coaches are on the sidelines of their alma maters, Cole and Alabama State's Reggie Barlow. And the 37-year-old Barlow, the former wide receiver and returner with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom he won a Super Bowl ring, could look across the room at former NFL player and assistant coach Stump Mitchell, the first-year head coach at Southern University.
Meanwhile, Alabama A&M's Anthony Jones, who is only his ninth season is the longest-tenured head coach in the SWAC, could look across the room to a former Super Bowl champion teammate, Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Monte Coleman, who, like Jones, played for the Washington Redskins.
Change, according to those in the know around the league, has been good.
"Put it this way," Jones said, "any time you make changes, you're making changes because you're expecting expectations to change. So when that happens, guys who are taking these jobs understand what they're walking into. Of course, their energy level will be different, their expectation level will be different.
"Any time you have guys who have played in the NFL, the best way to say it is they've been to the top. So they know what it's like to have some of the best facilities, they know what it's like to have some of the best equipment, some of the best people around, and so on. They know what it takes to win and be successful at a different level. So when that happens, they come into a situation, as they're coming into here, and they are requesting more resources into their programs."
Prairie View has seen what winning does for a program. Once a national laughingstock with a record 80 straight losses, the Panthers are 9-1 in each of the past two seasons and keep gaining national acclaim in the Football Championship Subdivision. They are the team to beat in the SWAC, not surprisingly anointed the preseason pick in the conference's preseason poll. Frazier, now in his seventh season with the Panthers, points to a win-now society for some of the changes across the conference.
The new coaches, Frazier said, are "bringing in their own philosophies and different things that may transcend what the universities have done in the past. It's one of those things that make for an interesting conference."
"The game's a young man's game for the most part because it's a grind," added Grambling State head coach Rod Broadway.
Naturally, the change in coaches brings a change in coaching styles, including more creativity - not the wing-T or options of yesteryear. The game is faster, with quarterbacks and wide receivers the ones to watch more so than the running backs. Defensively, it's all about being aggressive, as Black will attest from the blitzes he faced after he transferred to Prairie View from Western Kentucky of the Sun Belt Conference.
"In this league, which is really different from a lot of other places," Barlow said, "if you have a hundred-yard rusher, you don't turn the ball over, you control the clock, in this league you lose. In most leagues, that usually means you win."
The 51-year-old Mitchell, who spent 21 seasons in the NFL as a player and assistant coach, doesn't come aboard as a younger head coach, but his background is something that aids in recruiting. Mitchell is all business, and young players can see what that has done for him.
"It gives these players that we're coaching the opportunity to just work hard and just dream. That's the bottom line, they have to dream," Mitchell said. "Most of these coaches that have played in the NFL, you see why they played in the NFL because they're big. Now I'm one of the smaller ones. With my guys, they all feel like, well, 'Man, he played in the NFL? I think Google is wrong.' They Google me 10, 15 times to see if I'm the same guy. It just shows them that discipline is real; it can get you places that the undisciplined guy can't get regardless of how talented he is."
"I think it's a positive," Coleman added about the changes in the conference. "It helps the SWAC out, it shows the good brand of football that the SWAC is."
Prairie View, behind Black, led the SWAC with 10 selections on the preseason first and second teams, which were selected by coaches, sports information directors and selected media across the conference. In fact, the Panthers' eight first-team selections surpassed the number that any other school had on both teams.
Grambling senior defensive end Christian Anthony was named the SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and helped the Tigers to seven overall selections, which tied Texas Southern for the second most.
Alabama A&M was selected to repeat as the Eastern Division champion and to again face Prairie View in the SWAC Championship here at Legion Field on Dec. 11.
SWAC PRESEASON POLL (Coaches, Media, and selected Sports Information Directors)
Eastern Division 1. Alabama A&M (15 first-place votes), 98 points 2. Jackson State (5), 86 3. Alcorn State (2), 69 4. Alabama State, 50 5. Mississippi Valley State, 27
Western Division 1. Prairie View A&M (17), 104 2. Grambling State (2), 79 3. Texas Southern (2), 69 4. Southern, 42 5. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1), 37
PRESEASON SWAC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offensive Player of the Year - K.J. Black, QB, Prairie View A&M Defensive Player of the Year - Christian Anthony, DE, Grambling State
First Team
Offense
OL- Russell Jackson, Alabama A&M; James Dekle, Prairie View A&M; Tim Tusey, Prairie View A&M; Ramon Chinyoung, Southern; Charles Smith, Texas Southern. RB- Frank Warren, Grambling State; Donald Babers, Prairie View A&M. WR- Nick Andrews, Alabama State; William Osbourn, Texas Southern; TE- Ryan Singleton, Alcorn State. QB- K.J. Black, Prairie View A&M
Defense DL- Frank Kearse, Alabama A&M; Christian Anthony, Grambling State; Donovan Robinson, Jackson State; Quinton Spears, Prairie View A&M. LB- Afu Okosun, Alabama A&M; Cliff Exama, Grambling State; Max Sencherey, Prairie View A&M. DB- Anthony Johnson, Jackson State; Kerry Hoskins, Jackson State; Chris Adingupu, Prairie View A&M; Jason House, Southern
Specialists PK- Ari Johnson, Grambling State; P- Pedro Ventura, Prairie View A&M; KR- Kiare Thompson, Grambling State
Second Team
Offense
OL- Anquez Jackson, Alabama A&M; Bruce Beal, Alabama State; Antonio Colston, Jackson State; Terrael Williams, Jackson State; Chris Browne, Southern. RB- Cornelius Walker, Grambling State; Martin Gilbert, Texas Southern. WR- Edward Johnson, Alcorn State; Shaun Stephens, Prairie View A&M. TE- Larry Donnell, Grambling State. QB- Arvell Nelson, Southern
Defense
DL- Kynjee Cotton, Alabama State; Malcolm Taylor, Alcorn State; Reginald Foster, Mississippi Valley State; Rolando Melancon, Texas Southern. LB- Ryan Rich, Jackson State; Rory Malone, Mississippi Valley State; Dejuan Fulgham, Texas Southern. DB- Korey Morrison, Alabama A&M; Donovan Masline, Alabama State; Markkus Davis, Mississippi Valley State; DB- De'Markus Washington, Texas Southern
Specialists
PK- Brady Faggard, Prairie View A&M. P- Josh Duran, Southern. KR- Mareo Howard, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
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Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.
NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.
Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.
Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
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NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6
For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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