Remembering: Grambling's Brandon Landers

Carroll's Landers picks Grambling
· Playing for Super Bowl quarterback Doug Williams played an important part in the decision. December 11, 2003

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
Carroll High quarterback Brandon Landers, the area's top local offensive recruit, confirms that he has verbally committed to play for Doug Williams at Grambling State.

"To be coached by the first black quarterback to win the Super Bowl had something to do with it," Landers said. "He knows the game. I'd like to follow in his footsteps and do some of the things he's done at Grambling State University."

Williams has said that any prep signings this off-season would redshirt in 2004 behind senior Bruce Eugene, the top quarterback in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Coach Jesse Smith has installed a similar spread offense at Carroll High.

"Whatever move he made, I'd support," Smith said of Landers' commitment. "But we do a lot of the same things that Grambling does. He will be in a system where he will throw the football. I believe, with the experience that he has gotten over the years, that this is as fine a program as he could be going to."

Landers also recognized the opportunity to quickly integrate into the SWAC's best passing offense the past two seasons.

"I feel like Grambling would treat me better," Landers said. "The offense they run is basically the same offense that we run."

Landers, who led Carroll to a second straight District 2-3A crown this season, finished his prep career with 2,302 yards on 140-for-245 passes, along with 16 TD passes and five interceptions. He was The News-Star/Glenwood SportsCare player of the week for Week 5 this season - after passing for 300 yards and a score against Ferriday, while also returning an interception for a touchdown.

"In my opinion, he had an outstanding year," said Smith. "He pretty much led the team. He was able to run the football and pass it too. He did everything we expected."

In his last high school game, the multi-talented Landers passed for 204 yards and ran for a score in a third-round playoff loss.. He also had 48 career tackles and three interceptions for Carroll.

Landers says he was recruited by McNeese State, Northwestern State, Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana Tech. Others like Texas A&M were reportedly interested as well.

"But I never really considered anywhere else," Landers said. "I felt like Grambling fit me."

Landers follows in the footsteps of Grambling State legend James "Shack" Harris, who is also a Carroll High alum. Harris was the first black quarterback to be drafted into the NFL, playing for Buffalo, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Cooper's departure could shift QB status

Carroll High quarterback Brandon Landers could immediately move into the No. 2 slot at Grambling State. Coach Doug Williams granted two-year backup quarterback Gary Cooper a release on Monday.

"I'm not a guy who believes in a two-quarterback system," Williams said. "Somebody has to take the bull by the horns. It's unfortunate for Cooper, because he wants to play. But as long as Bruce is healthy, he's our starter."

Cooper had career numbers of 14-for-36 at GSU, with three interceptions and two scores.

Further back in the quarterback rotation are Texas freshmen Brandon Logan from San Antonio and Arnel Rolfe of Dallas. Neither has taken a game-day snap.

"They've got to step it up in the spring," Williams said.


g g g
Landers learns another lesson the hard way
September 12, 2004

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
NORMAL Ala. - The grounds crew at Louis Crews Stadium can thank Grambling State quarterback Brandon Landers for all the work facing them this morning.

I expect there are several freshman-shaped holes out there today.

Perhaps that was expected for Landers, who got his first collegiate start a year early when senior All-American Bruce Eugene was injured last week.

Still, the timing couldn't have been worse, as GSU arrived in Alabama to face one of the Southwestern Athletic Conference's most inventive and aggressive defenses.

Alabama A&M relentlessly harassed Landers. It threw everything at him - linebackers, safeties, the kitchen sink, other appliances. That ensured Landers wouldn't win the game, yet his fiery determination would again win over the coaches.

"We have believed that Brandon Landers could handle the things we do," said interim GSU coach Melvin Spears, who fell to 0-2 with the loss to Alabama A&M. "Brandon and Bruce worked closely together all summer. He has grasped the information at a very fast pace."

There were moments of shimmering promise, followed by thudding despair.

That's a freshman quarterback for you.

For instance, Landers took advantage of a blocked punt by Winnfield junior Donald Alexander on A&M's first possession of the third quarter, firing a brilliant pass to Mangham senior Chad White over the middle for a critical completion at midfield.

But the inevitable sack ended that drive. Landers ran right into the rush on that play, a rookie error.

He kept his head up.

"My athleticism will always help me," Landers said. "As I get more familiar with the offensive scheme, I will only get better."

As soon as Landers got going on Saturday, he would get leveled.

A sack - no surprise, that - by A&M's Cedric Harris killed the first promising drive of Landers' night in Alabama. After starting 0-of-4, Landers had finally completed an underneath pass to junior Henry Tolbert that turned into a 15-yard gain.

GSU didn't score, but Landers kept going. He kept getting hit, but he kept going.

With 6:03 left in the game, Grambling State had used all of its timeouts. This was how this tough night would end, in real time - a slow wait.

Somebody forgot to tell Landers.

With 54 seconds left, he was still flinging it. GSU's first 0-2 start since 1996 - when former coach Eddie Robinson lost his initial three contests on the way to a 3-8 record - would have to wait. Landers hit Tolbert for a 25-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 21-9.

But, too often, even when Landers could get a throw off, a very young receiving group again dropped it. GSU was also without its top target from last year's A&M game, as Moses Harris joined Eugene with a season-ending injury during Week 1.

"It hasn't been roses for them. They've faced some challenges," said third-year Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones, who had never before won against GSU - a streak that included the 2002 SWAC title game. "Grambling has enough guys on that team that are used to winning. One thing I know about winning, once you get that taste in your mouth, you don't roll over for anybody."

So A&M kept coming.

Sacks count against a team's rushing yardage on the official stat sheet, so it's no surprise that the Tigers ended up with a staggering minus-two yards in the first half. Junior Ab Kuaan's first-down yardage was leaking out with each defensive play on his quarterback.

Yet, Landers was always out there under center when the whistle blew, lined up again and ready to go. He prides himself on that.

"I lead by action," said Landers, The News-Star/Glenwood SportsCare Offensive Player of the Year as a senior at Carroll. "I've never been a very vocal person. So, I lead by what I do."

A big, tough unit, GSU's offensive line was simply outnumbered by A&M's zone-blitz scheme. It often had seven hats on eight defenders.

That's why Landers could have been confined to bed rest by a doctor and not spent as much time on his back. Adding insult to injury, Grambling State wore white - meaning those grass stains may never come out.

But Spears takes solace in that flickering passion from his first-year signal-caller. You won't find many players still gunning for the end zone with under a minute left in an already-decided game.

"He's very athletic, very versatile, with an outstanding arm," enthused the ever-upbeat Spears. "When the lights come on, he's a different kind of player. He has a flair as a leader. I think we are in good hands."


g g g
Saving the day has been child's play for Grambling freshmen
September 20, 2004

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
CINCINNATI- Remember when they used to make freshmen carry the older players' shoulder pads back in after practice?

Now, they're carrying the team.

Witness Grambling State's first win of the 2004 season. Quarterback Brandon Landers hands off to Landry Carter, who runs it in from four yards in the third quarter on Saturday against Bethune-Cookman, GSU's first points on the day.

Defensive end Jason Banks also notches two sacks for 14 yards in losses.

Landers tosses a 46-yard scoring strike to Clyde Edwards to get GSU to within two points.

Every one of the playmakers mentioned is a freshman. GSU would beat Bethune-Cookman 24-23 on Saturday in the Ohio Classic.

"I couldn't ask for anything better," said Landers, a Carroll High product named offensive player of the year just last spring by The News-Star. The ... high school ... offensive player of the year.

"To be on the Cincinnati Bengals field, being a young player," Landers marvelled from inside Paul Brown Stadium. "I've waited for this my whole life."

His whole life. Landers was born on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, 1985.

But we've never seen anything like this before: Kid's stuff is now the stuff of legend. Landers has led GSU to 32 fourth-quarter points in three games.

"Leaders," Landers mused, and he couldn't be more right, "are born."

Born in the second Reagan administration.

And not just Brandon Landers, who replaced All-American Bruce Eugene after the senior suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game of 2004.

First-year Georgia running back Danny Ware exploded for three scores against Georgia Southern. Tennessee's Brent Schaeffer became the first true freshman to start an SEC opener since 1945. A youngster named Darius Walker might have turned Notre Dame's season around with 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a second-week win over Michigan.

Landers' first start was somewhat less glamorous. But playing through it made him a better quarterback in Cincinnati.

"They were sending six or seven people at me last week (against Alabama A&M)," said Landers. "So (interim GSU) Coach (Melvin) Spears told me that we were going to the shotgun (against BCC), and that I should be patient and stay with it. He put the ball in my hands."

That Alabama A&M nightmare included just 11 completions on 40 tries. GSU didn't convert a single third-down - putting freshman punter Tim Manuel just one punt away from the school record for attempts in a game.

"Bouncing back from a performance like that," said Eugene, "is all about character."

Alabama A&M was credited with a five sacks, but Landers was hurried and pushed around all night.

"He's taken so many licks," said offensive coordinator Sammy White. "To keep getting up, that says a lot about him."

Landers would flourish Saturday in the shotgun, a scheme that made all the more sense when senior center Lance Wright left the game with an injury.

"What we were trying to do was to take some of the pressure off of Brandon," said Spears. "When you get down a couple of touchdowns, you've got to keep passing. But we wanted to give him a better opportunity. At halftime, we told him: `It's your show. Show us what you've got.' "

But just in case the freshmen get too comfortable, however, note that Landers' first collegiate win came with some veteran help.

Junior Henry Tolbert made a key scoring grab to narrow BCC's lead to two points in the third quarter. And Eugene attended Saturday's game, encouraging the team during warmups and helping out with playcalling upstairs with running backs coach Vyron Brown.

"We're going to keep him around," Spears said of Eugene, laughing. "He'll basically be our cheerleader - and he'll also help us with Brandon."

Saturday's game was Eugene's first since undergoing knee surgery a week ago on Thursday.

"I can help him, because I've been there," said Eugene, who was given wide latitude last season to audible from the line based on what he saw on the field. "That hands-on experience will make a difference."

A Landers scramble for a quick 53 yards seemed to loosen up this offense in the third quarter. The team's biggest second-half adjustment had to do with confidence.

"Those are the intangibles that Brandon brings to the table," said Spears. "He had great poise. In the end, he looked like Bruce Eugene back there - and that's a good comparison."

The move into the booth will also ensure that Eugene can stay for the entirety of the game, without enduring whatever pain comes from standing on the sidelines. Eugene, who moved around on crutches, is applying for another year of eligibility on a medical waiver.

"Everything is progressing very well for Bruce," said Spears, who is also taking a more prominent role in the offense, after concentrating on the defense early in the season. "As he heals, we'd like to give him an opportunity to look at the game from a different perspective. Hopefully, when he gets back, he will have a better understanding - and be a better player."

You could criticize GSU's hard-headed focus on making Landers pass. After all, he had attempted 62 throws in five quarters of play before arriving in Cincinnati. But whether they ran or he threw, there was going to be a learning curve.

"When you lose your trigger guy, it makes you a little stagnated - until you get the new trigger guy in place and working," said Spears. "I knew you would start seeing an outstanding quarterback soon - one who happens to be a freshman - in Brandon Landers."

NICK DERISO, named columnist of the year this summer by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, is sports editor at The News-Star, 411 N. Fourth St., Monroe, 71201. Contact him at (318) 362-0233 or at nderiso@thenewsstar.com.


g g g
Landers' stellar freshman season may not yield sophomore one
December 14, 2004

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING - Another week brings another freshman of the year honor for Carroll High product Brandon Landers. Yet, he still doesn't know whether he will get to start again next season at Grambling State.

Landers, who was honored Saturday night by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, took over when senior GSU quarterback Bruce Eugene went down in the third quarter of the 2004 season opener. Landers was also named freshman of the year by the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

"It never ran across my mind to win both awards," said Landers, who broke the school's single-season passing yards record for a freshman - set by Doug Williams in 1974. "You always set goals for a season - you know, once I got the starting job, I decided I wanted to win. But awards like this are a great feeling. I didn't even think I was going to play."

GSU defender Kenneth Pettway and place-kicker Brian Morgan, both seniors, also received first-team All-Louisiana honors from the LSWA, while sophomore offensive tackle Andre' Bennett was given an honorable mention.

The awards come as GSU awaits word on a medical exemption for Eugene. If the NCAA grants Eugene an extra year of eligibility, coaches have said Landers would be redshirted.

"We talked with the NCAA, and it's still under review," said interim GSU coach Melvin Spears. "If Bruce comes back, Landers will redshirt. He will get an opportunity to watch more, and to learn. But if Bruce doesn't come back, then Landers will be the incumbent in camp."

GSU signed LaMarque High product Larry Kerlegan out of Houston last season - who was ranked No. 11 nationally among dual-threat quarterbacks by Rivals.com - but grades kept him off the roster. Kerlegan is expected to be in camp this spring.

"I talked to Bruce the other day, and he still doesn't know whether he will be back or not. We'll wait and see," said Landers, who posted a 6-4 mark as a starter while completing 132-of-316 passes for 2,283 yards, along with 18 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. "In the meantime, I know we're going to start back up in January. I am going to work on getting stronger, on my technique. Redshirting, if that happens, could make me better - just sitting back and watching and learning. I could get more of the experience I need."


g g g
GSU's quarterbacks battle as friends
Camp competition at Grambling is far from combative
August 17, 2005

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING - There's a sure sign that Bruce Eugene is feeling it again.

Grambling State's former All American quarterback is trash talking once more during the team's stretching exercises before practice.

"This offense," Eugene was saying the other day, "has speed for sale."

GSU coach Melvin Spears has consistently hedged on how that return impacts his depth chart. After all, Brandon Landers rocketed to conference freshman of the year honors once Eugene lost his senior season to a knee injury in the 2004.

"Brandon did a wonderful job for us last year down the stretch," Spears said. "But when you talk about experience, Bruce Eugene knows the system. We will let the best guy play."

Landers has a different answer.

"I know what the situation is," he said. "Bruce is getting his old position back."

Even so, the expected creative tension hasn't followed.

In fact, these two remain friends. As they enter the practice field, one will say to the other: "Be perfect today."

"That way," Landers said, "we know we are pushing each other to do better. At the same time, I am trying to learn from him."

Eugene also says that competition hasn't gotten in the way of their relationship: "The whole thing of `let's be perfect' is that we are trying to make each other better. We get along just fine."

Eugene still wears a knee brace - though Spears says that's simply as a precaution.

"He's the only guy I've ever seen go through an ACL injury and not lose any flexibility," said Spears. "Bruce is better than he was before. First off, his rehab was extensive, but also he's a fast healer."

Questions about the knee haven't trumped Eugene's past performances, which likely pushed Grambling to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Western division in more than one preseason poll so far.

Grambling's career total offense leader with 10,172 yards, he was last seen as a junior in 2003 passing for 3,805 yards and 34 touchdowns. Eugene also ran for 412 yards - second most on the team - and another six touchdowns on the ground.

That makes Eugene, despite the fact that he spent the last season earning his degree, the most productive returning quarterback in Division I-AA.

Yet Landers never stopped working, even as a move to the No. 2 spot became clear.

The Carroll product paid particular attention to his upper-body strength this offseason, focusing on bench pressing on an incline and lifting by shoulder shrug. The result has been a sharper release, and better ball speed.

Spears, wary after an injury-marred 2004, said he won't consider redshirting Landers.

"The nature of the beast is that you never know how the game goes, and how it may fall," said Spears, who lost Eugene in the third quarter of the season opener last year.

Landers isn't interested either.

"A quarterback who redshirted might relax," said Landers, who threw for almost 2,300 yards as a freshman. "It's a mind thing. I'm not thinking about next year. I'm thinking about right now. That will help me stay ready, as always."

The No. 3 quarterback is a celebrated prep prospect, Larry Kerlegan of Houston's LaMarque High.

"You always have to think in terms of two or three years down the road," said Spears. "You've got to be prepared. Bruce Eugene won't be back - one way or another. Those other guys have to be ready to play."

Still, as even Landers admits, it's clear the team belongs to the likeable Eugene right now.

Eugene has always been gregarious, knowledgeable and well regarded, even if he is only just now completely inhabiting the leadership role.

"The kids really rally around Bruce," said GSU offensive line coach Carl Roberts. "He not only knows his own assignment, but also the linemen's assignment. He has that leadership quality."

Eugene earned a lot of credibility when he led Grambling to the 2002 championship, after a season behind Randy Hymes - quarterback on those 2000-01 title teams.

But Eugene gained real authority as a team captain when he wrestled down a more common nemesis: His weight.

"I know within the circle of this team, they believe in me," Eugene said. "That's what I go on."

Spears sent Eugene to the Duke University diet and fitness center over the summer, where he lost 25 pounds in just four weeks on a diet of 1,800 calories a day.

Eugene was just getting started. He's now dropped more than 40 pounds.

"In rehab, and while I'm lifting weights or walking, every time I get ready to eat something I shouldn't be eating, I think about the naysayers," said Eugene, who at one point ballooned up to a startling 308 pounds. "Everybody said I couldn't lose weight. Let them talk. I know in the end I will be standing on top."


g g g
For Grambling State quarterback Brandon Landers ...
Waiting was the hardest part
March 15, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING - Brandon Landers was brought in to be the Next Big Thing at Grambling State.

The Carroll High product expected to apprentice during the 2004 season behind record-smashing quarterback Bruce Eugene, then assume the spotlight.

Something happened on the way to his debut.

Eugene went down with a knee injury, and suddenly Landers - just months after playing Class 4A ball in high school - was under center.

It took time and adjustment for both Landers and the staff, but he eventually claimed conference freshman of the year honors after leading a newly run-oriented GSU to a winning season.

"My freshman year, they wanted give the ball to the veteran backs," Landers said. "Having guys like that, it took some pressure off of me."

Landers then got his belated redshirt, gaining more valuable experience, when Eugene was given a medical exemption before the 2005 campaign.

So, there's little drama in this: Landers is penciled in at starter as GSU's spring sessions get underway today.

The plot thickens, however, when examining how Landers' return could affect the playbook.

"We might put in a few wrinkles here or there to play up to Brandon's strengths," GSU coach Melvin Spears said. "But a year behind Bruce has given Brandon a much better grasp of the offense, both in terms of being able to make all the different adjustments and running the team more efficiently."

Landers, always gritty and confidant, says the days of running the ball to mask immaturity are over. He's ready to fit into a passing system that has established itself as the Southwestern Athletic Conference's most dangerous and entertaining.

"I don't know about any changes (to the scheme); I hope they keep it the same so we can keep rolling," Landers said.

Then, after some thought, he adds: "Playing behind a guy like Bruce, everyone will be expecting a whole lot of things. I'm just going to go out and play the game that I know how to play."

Questions about the offensive focus can be forgiven, even by some of the players, after the way Landers' presence in 2004 so radically altered Grambling's look.

His freshman campaign ended with redemptive win over Southern, but Landers had just 13 passing attempts on the day. (To put that into perspective, Eugene had as many tries by the first GSU possession of the second quarter in the 2005 Bayou Classic.)

Ab "Killer" Kuuan was the tip of the sword in this reworked ground attack, averaging 131 rushing yards a game over the final month of the season. The last time he and Landers shared the field, Kuuan was receiving his Bayou Classic MVP trophy after running for 126 punishing yards against Southern.

"That was my first question: Are we still going to have the same offense? Or are we going to run it?" said senior Henry Tolbert, who just set a new school record for receiving touchdowns in a season.

"The coaches feel like it's on him," Tolbert said. "If Brandon can show this spring that he can run the offense the way Bruce did, everything will be the same."

Spears said he has always known that Landers was physically gifted. He just felt Landers needed more time to adjust to the speed of decision-making in the college game.

He got that chance when Eugene returned for a rare sixth season of eligibility - though the bench wasn't always a comfy spot for a competitor like Landers.

"It was tough; that was my first time ever sitting out an entire season, but I learned a whole lot," said Landers, who earned offensive player of the year honors from The News-Star and Glenwood SportsCare in 2003.

"I paid attention to the game, learning about what was called on the field," he said. "I knew my role. I did what was asked."

In the end, Landers had a front-row seat as Eugene marched through the record books. A capstone came when Eugene smashed a 20-year-old Division I-AA mark for touchdown passes in a season during the SWAC championship win last December.

Landers found that, in the end, he had made a friend.

"We bonded together; we developed a really good friendship," Landers said. "I hope to be a leader and do the same things Bruce did. It was honor playing behind him."

Landers also grew closer to Tolbert, sure to be one of his primary targets in `06, over the past two seasons. That chemistry translates off the field too, where the two are roommates.

"I feel really good about Brandon taking over," Tolbert said. "I don't think I could feel any better about anybody. I was here when he first got here, so I've seen a lot of progress. Sitting behind Bruce was great for him. My expectations are really high coming in."

Look for a strong push for starting time from second-year passer Larry Kerlegan, a celebrated former Texas recruit. Grambling was also still in the market for another quarterback signee as late as last weekend.

But in the end, the stage is set. It's Landers' job to lose.

"Brandon Landers showed a lot of maturity last year in the way he handled things," Spears said. "It allowed him to learn a lot from Bruce Eugene. What we will do this spring is polish that. We're eager to see what he learned from the whole process."


g g g
Landers lays down the law
Grambling QB interned as local marshal this summer
August 7, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — When Grambling State holds its first fall practice this afternoon, quarterback Brandon Landers will be the new sheriff in town.

Well, marshal, actually.

The Carroll product, a criminal justice major, spent the summer interning with Ouachita Parish marshal Wince Highshaw Jr. — a stint that included serving warrants and working court security.

Landers said that real-world experience uniquely prepared him to take over a leadership role as GSU quarterback.

And to continue in that role in his impoverished neighborhood when football is over.

"I'm the first person in my family to go to college," Landers said. "Doing something like this, going to school and working hard, it's a way to show younger people that success is not about drugs. I want to be a role model in the neighborhood."

Landers — friends have already taken to calling him "Officer Landers" — is by far the most experienced returning quarterback at Grambling.

Pushed into duty after an injury to the now-departed Bruce Eugene, a two-time Walter Payton Award finalist, Landers would eventually earn conference freshman of the year honors.

He struggled with the assignment early on, but showed flashes of the talent that only months before helped lead Carroll to a second straight District 2-3A crown.

Landers now stands 309 attempts, 131 completions and 17 touchdowns further along than sophomore Larry Kerlegan, GSU's backup when Eugene returned and Landers redshirted a year later.

In fact, Kerlegan has just one college completion on seven attempts — a touchdown pass late in that blowout win over Concordia, an over-matched NAIA team. Presumptive No. 3 Desmond Brentley is a true freshman out of Pittsburgh's Perry High.

Still, GSU coach Melvin Spears has stressed that this will be a competitive camp for Landers, with Kerlegan and Brentley getting their share of reps.

"Our goal was to bring in enough competition so that we could make certain that Brandon doesn't get complacent," Spears said. "We've got a couple of guys who can do that. We want to be competitive everywhere, at every position."

Later, Spears reiterates one of this off-season's early mantras: "Leadership has no seniority."

A visibly more mature Landers welcomes the challenge.

Time spent in local courtrooms, where he's gotten an up-close examination of how life can turn on a bad decision, along with a year behind Eugene helped reshape this flinty former high school star. Landers is focused, energetic, and a bit humbled.

"Some people from my neighborhood have asked me, how can you be a police officer with where you come from?" Landers said. "I want to show them you can make it out. You don't have to do illegal things to get there."

Landers was already something of a neighborhood hero, finishing his prep career with 2,302 yards and 16 touchdown passes to go with 48 career tackles and three interceptions as a defensive back for Carroll.

His senior season in 2003 included a 300-yard, one-touchdown passing day against Ferriday. He also returned an interception for a touchdown that night, on the way to <I>News-Star</I>/Glenwood SportsCare player of the week honors. Landers' final prep game was a third-round playoff loss, but he passed for 204 yards and ran for a score.

"He was able to run the football and pass it too," said Carroll coach Jesse Smith when Landers committed to Grambling. "He did everything we expected."

That led to offensive player of the year recognition at the All-Northeast banquet — though Landers couldn't attend because he was also a crucial contributor on the Bulldogs' basketball team, which was playing that night.

Recruiters, Landers said, came calling from ULM, Louisiana Tech, McNeese State, Northwestern State and Texas A&M. But he chose to stay close to home, hoping to play one day for former Grambling coach Doug Williams.

Landers figured to have some time to gather himself, since he arrived as Eugene entered what promised to be a heralded senior season. But in short order, Williams left for an executive job in the NFL — turning the reins over to Spears, his former offensive coordinator — and then Eugene blew out his knee in the season opener.

"Brandon did an outstanding job in 2004 when Bruce went down," Spears said. "He has a great feel for the game when the lights come on."

Still, the life lesson was clear: Be prepared.

Landers started contemplating on a longer timeline.

"You gotta think about life after football," he said. "The air might go out of the ball one day."

Landers said Highshaw, a family friend, helped him get the internship — and it's been something that helped Landers frame everything that's important right now, not just football.

"When I got into criminal justice, and found out the type of things that they do, I got really interested," Landers said. "Marshal Highshaw gave me the opportunity to get some hands-on training, and I've learned so much that will help me."

Landers took the summer to get in shape, and not just physically. That's something that will bolster a maturation process his coach thinks is critical for Grambling's success on the field this year.

"He's learned the system; he has the tangibles," Spears said of Landers. "It's just going to be a matter of how quickly he can show that on the field."


g g g
Landers handled it all on and off the field
September 4, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The context surrounding Grambling State quarterback Brandon Landers' numbers on Saturday makes them all the more impressive.

While attempting to mediate an argument, Landers saw his brother murdered and his cousin critically wounded in his hometown of Monroe just two Fridays ago. Yet, he still threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns against Hampton at legendary Legion Field.

"I tried to go on with my everyday life," said Landers, a former Carroll High standout. "I tried to stay close to my team and my coaches, really just to take my mind off of things. Coach kept telling me that everything happens for a reason. I just looked at is as motivation."

Perhaps accordingly, Landers had his struggles, from a one-pass possession stopped on an interception to several attempts that badly overshot receivers.

But in the end, he was efficient enough to put the team in position to win — even if it didn't work out that way — and he did a good job of distributing the ball, hitting four different receivers for touchdown passes.

"He's had some ups and downs the week, certainly," GSU coach Melvin Spears said. "But he worked hard, and he executed for the most part. It's a whole lot for a young man to have on his shoulders. I'm ready proud of him."

The funeral for Frank Landers, 18, of Monroe, is set for Tuesday, Brandon Landers said.

Tallying it up: Hampton got big numbers courtesy of its big stars against Grambling, from NFL prospect Justin Durant — who led the team with eight tackles and 2½ for a loss — to running back Alonzo Coleman.

Coleman, the MEAC's preseason offensive player of the year, amassed 78 yards on 12 carries, despite missing the latter part of the game to injury. Van Morgan took over and added another 83 yards on 14 carries.

Princeton Shepherd left the game as well, but still passed for a team-best 120 yards, along with a touchdown. T.J. Mitchell spelled Shepherd and connected on 6-for-16 attempts for 89 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Marquay McDaniels was stellar, with 113 yards and a score at wideout, 48 yards on punt returns, and 8 yards rushing on three tries.

Shepherd (passing), Coleman (rushing), McDaniels (receiving) and Durant (tackles and sacks) were the team leaders last year, as well.

Sweet home, Alabama: Six Grambling teammates played for linebackers coach Andre Robinson during a previous tenure at Birmingham's Parker High School.

They include: linebackers Brandon Arnold and Josh Bester; center Tavarus Cockrell; wide receivers Reginald Jackson; Xavier Jackson and Henry Tolbert; and defensive lineman Donald Williams.

Senior running back Ab Kuuan is also from nearby Sylacauga, Ala.

They'll be headed right back this week, as Grambling returns for a rematch of last December's SWAC Championship Game against Alabama A&M.

"We've got to come out and take care of A&M," said safety Bryan Langford. "We've got to be ready, even if it goes to overtime, to go the distance."

Tolbert had four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown at Legion Field. Kuuan had 37 yards on 17 carries and a special-teams tackle.

Bester had six tackles, including an assist for a loss; Williams had four, with one for a loss.

Kuuan and Tolbert were pregame team captains, as well.

Gave them five: Hampton and Grambling shared the Sheridan Broadcasting Network's black college national title in 2005. But the Pirates have owned Grambling as of late.

GSU actually has a 57-25 overall record against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, but it has fallen to 2-6 all time against Hampton — including five losses in a row.

But GSU didn't go easy, fighting until the last play of the game as it went to overtime.

"It's what you expected," Landers said. "It was a hard-fought battle to the end. Hopefully, we gave the people what they came out to see, two great teams trying to be victorious."

You have to go all the way back to former GSU coach Eddie Robinson's 1994 team to find a win — and it was a squeaker, too: Grambling won 32-29.

Spears has lost to HU three times, twice as a offensive coordinator in 1998-99 and then this year as head coach. GSU, under Doug Williams, lost by scores of 28-15 and 27-7.

Grambling is now 2-2 on ESPN affiliates since 2003, beating Alabama State and Alabama A&M last year and falling to San Jose State in '03 and Hampton over the weekend.


g g g
Landers back as GSU's starting QB
October 11, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — Three games into Grambling State's two-quarterback experiment, the race is a dead heat.

Larry Kerlegan and Brandon Landers, both redshirt sophomores, have each shown the ability to take charge — and to take a leave of absence.

Kerlegan was the dynamo at Houston, winning a weekly Southwestern Athletic Conference award while Landers posted negligible stats. The roles were reversed at Mississippi Valley State, where the opposing coaches clearly schemed to stop Kerlegan and Kerlegan alone.

The two passers also shared duties, though they had more similar success, in a rout against Prairie View in between.

"I think they are getting there," GSU coach Melvin Spears said. "We're still looking for a little more continuity."

Landers will get the start this week against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, as first reported at www. thenewsstar.com on Tuesday morning. But Spears said that Kerlegan will again spell him at quarterback.

Situations, Spears said, will dictate who plays and when.

"It's a studying process," he said, "and I think Brandon is a little further along. That's why he's getting a few more reps."

Landers, who won SWAC freshman of the year honors while subbing for the injured Bruce Eugene at Grambling in 2004, has played with renewed vigor since Kerlegan hit the field. The competition seems to have emboldened both to work harder.

Still, add in the bye week, and it's been a month since these two began splitting duties and the numbers still don't provide an easy answer as to who should start.

The efficiency ratings are lopsided in Kerlegan's direction, with a 68 percent completion rate compared with 53 percent. But Landers has piled up nearly twice as much passing production. Through this week, he has 882 yards and nine passing touchdowns while Kerlegan has 418 yards and 4 scores.

That means they'll continue to share time, Spears said.

"We're not asking them to win the game, just to manage it and get the ball to our receivers and running backs," Spears said.

Kerlegan got 285 of those passing yards against Houston, while Landers went 0-for-3. Landers then had 213 yards in the air last week at Valley, while Kerlegan had minus-2.

In Dallas against Prairie View, they almost perfectly split 297 total passing yards, as Kerlegan sparked the offense with 172 yards.

Again, no clear frontrunner.

Kerlegan is the team's second-leading rusher with 180 yards, but Landers is the only one of the two with a score on the ground.

And so it goes.

"Larry Kerlegan throws the ball just as well," Spears said, "He just needs to continue to learn the system. Brandon can run too, though he's not as a fast as Kerlegan. They both have things we like. That's why we'll continue to use both."



g g g
AGENT OF CHANGE: Monroe's Landers settles in with new Grambling staff, playbook
August 5, 2007

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — Brandon Landers, now a redshirt junior, has seen it all during his time at Grambling State.

He's been the green freshman, unexpectedly inserted in 2004 when GSU's record-smashing passer Bruce Eugene blew out a knee.

He's been the camp underdog, fighting to get that same job back, when Eugene returned.

Once relied upon, in 2005 Landers was eventually redshirted.

He's been the presumptive No. 1 himself, struggling in 2006 to fight off a flinty backup.

Today, the Monroe native is, simply, the starter.

"I always live by the idea of being ready for anything," said Landers, a criminal justice major and volunteer with the Marshal's Office. "Things will come at you. I am making the necessary adjustments, but I don't think of it as a difficult thing. Football is football."

Landers' career has been the definition of things coming right at you. He is, in fact, the first quarterback to start consecutive seasons at Grambling since '04.

Then coming off All-Northeast offensive player of the year honors at Carroll, Landers was recruited in 2003 by Doug Williams, played in 2004 and '06 under Melvin Spears and will finish his career under new Grambling coach Rod Broadway.

"Brandon has something about him that you can't help but like," Broadway said. "He has shown some leadership skills. The guys have taken to him, and he's a nice guy to be around."

The first transition was largely seamless, since Spears had run Williams' offensive for six seasons before succeeding him as head coach.

Broadway, however, is installing a completely new look — one that will test both Landers' decision making and his ability to manage the playcalling in a variety of offensive situations.

Landers, bolstered by the new coaches' confidence in him, remains steadfastly optimistic as he faces perhaps his most rigorous challenge yet.

"We're excited about being back at it," Landers said. "We're bonding as a team, trying to get better. You can sense the change, and the excitement about the coaching staff. I feel a difference already in the team."

Landers was productive last season, averaging 194.4 yards per game. A highpoint was his 350-yard passing performance at home against Jackson State, which earned Landers Southwestern Athletic Conference player of the week honors. He also passed for 17 scores, which ranked second in the league.

The offense's troubles at closing out games contributed to Grambling's disastrous 3-8 record, but it still would finish with a SWAC-best average of 348.3 yards per game.

New offensive coordinator James Spady loses six starters from that group, but can find some solace in the return of Landers and senior receiver Clyde Edwards, his favorite target.

Both have been meeting three to four times a day, Landers said, as a new playbook has been installed. Gone is the flashy go-for-broke style associated with Spears' tenure.

This offense will certainly take its shots, but it's more in keeping with the pro-style offense that Williams always favored.

"It's different from last year, when we were wide open," Landers said. "This is more of a set-up type offense. We won't be stuck on the approach of just getting the big play."

That puts Landers in a place he's never been, having been asked to pass upwards of 50 times in games against Alabama A&M (his first start) and Jackson State in 2004. Landers never stopped competing, and eventually rose to Southwestern Athletic Conference and Louisiana Sports Writers Association freshman of the year honors.

He finished with a school-record 2,283 passing yards, besting a freshman mark that had stood since Williams's debut in 1974 under Eddie Robinson.

A highlight of that initial campaign came during the season-ending Bayou Classic when, in a style that could become familiar under Broadway, Landers attempted fewer than 20 passes as GSU slowly suffocated Southern.

"We're not asking him to win the game for us," Broadway said. "We want him to learn how to manage a game. Once he understands that, along with his continued growth as a player, he should be in pretty good shape — because if you have a triggerman, on all levels of football, then you have a chance to compete."

Landers, matured in a crucible of change, is taking it all in stride.

"I like the new look," Landers said, though he bristles at any suggestion that this offense might lack the implicit danger of GSU's old attack. "If you sleep on us, we'll hit you big."

BEHIND BRANDON
Senior Larry Kerlegan, an athlete of uncommon playmaking ability, is listed as the backup on Grambling State's fall depth chart.

Over seven games last season, Kerlegan passed for 633 yards and seven scores, while running for another 215 yards to rank second on the team in rushing. That led to a move by the staff to work Kerlegan into the wideout rotation.

"He plays the way you want kids to play, and that's fast," first-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway said. "We're going to use him in a variety of offensive situations."

Sophomore Al Hawkins, the former minor-league baseball player, is the only other quarterback on the roster. He didn't attempt a pass in the Black and Gold game.

"The guys who were backups in the spring will have to step up in the fall and get better," Broadway said. "They'll have to perform well or get out of the way for some of the freshmen we're going to give a chance to play."

Grambling's remaining quarterbacks from the 2006 roster included Desmond Brentley, who has apparently transferred; and Zak Latif, who's now listed at tight end. --Nick Deriso, nderiso@thenewsstar.com.


g g g
Academics could sideline Grambling's senior quarterback
July 26, 2008

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — Monroe product Brandon Landers, a three-year letterman at Grambling State, will likely miss next season over an academic issue.

"I'm trying to see what I can do," the quarterback said. "I didn't get the grade I needed (in a history class), so it's up in the air right now if I will even play."

Landers, a fifth-year senior after redshirting in 2005 at Grambling, most recently posted career highs for completions, yards and touchdowns in the inaugural season under GSU coach Rod Broadway. That helped the Tigers advance to their fifth Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game since 2000, before falling to Jackson State last December.

Landers' absence opens the door to a spirited competition at the position just weeks before the year's much-anticipated opening kick. Grambling was again picked to win the SWAC's Western crown in preseason polling at the league's media day.

Greg Dillon, a 6-0, 200-pound sophomore, is listed as Landers' backup in the 2008 season prospectus. The academic status of Larry Kerlegan, the No. 2 Grambling passer in 2005-07, is also unclear.

GSU signed three prep athletes with quarterbacking experience, including Rayville product Justin Higgins. The 6-2, 185-pounder passed for more than 6,000 yards, rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and scored 60 touchdowns in high school.

El Paso, Texas, product Brendon Crawford (2,207 passing yards and 20 scores as a senior) and South Boston, Va., product Rodale Pippen (who split time at wideout, recording nearly 5,000 yards of total offense last year) were announced in GSU's most recent signing day.

The most intriguing option might be J.P. Tillman, a redshirt freshman transfer from the University of Missouri who has been participating during informal summer 7-on-7 drills at Grambling. The 6-3, 250-pound prospect was a three-sport high school athlete, and ranked No. 22 in the nation among dual-threat quarterbacks by Rivals.com as a senior.

Landers said it was unclear if an appeal could be made on his behalf. He is pursuing a degree in criminal justice.

"They are trying to do all they can do," Landers said. "I hope to know more by Tuesday (when Grambling football players report for fall practice sessions)."

Grambling coaches were unavailable for comment on Friday afternoon. The team opens this season Aug. 30 in Reno at the University of Nevada.

Landers, who was named prep offensive player of the year by The News-Star after his senior season at Carroll High in 2003, ranks third all-time among Grambling passers with 7,024. He needs 1,388 to pass Doug Williams for second place.


g g g
Final narrative for Grambling's Landers hasn't been written
August 1, 2008

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
Brandon Landers' time at Grambling, as impressive as it is statistically, will always be one of lost promise. But his narrative is far from finished.

Landers initially signed as a prep quarterback with Doug Williams, only to see his would-be mentor leave for an NFL job. Then he was pushed too early, and with too little instruction, into the starting position as a true freshman in 2004 when Bruce Eugene went down. Then pushed back into a redshirt, and largely ignored, a season later when Eugene returned. Then pushed around as a redshirt sophomore in 2006, having belatedly retaken the starting position without ever having been properly prepared for it.

He remained erratic, able to gut out terrific wins (Bethune-Cookman in Cincinnati, Bayou Classic XXXI) on the one-hand but still subject to deflating breakdowns (memorable OT losses to Alabama A&M and Hampton, last year's Southwestern Athletic Conference title match).

Landers finally caught a decent break with the hiring of yet another new staff before his junior season. He was on his third head coach, but seemed to finally connect.

That's when the interior of his line fell apart. Landers withstood the kind of blows that would bring down buildings, and occasionally fell into old habits.

Grambling ended up one win shy of a championship. But Landers had become a vastly improved passer, a stronger locker room presence and, most importantly, an emerging leader off the field: He planned a successful offseason mentoring camp, volunteered as a marshal at the courthouse.

"He wants to become an inspiration for kids in this area by becoming a mentor," said Esther Gallow, who has done so much important outreach work in the economically depressed Booker T. community that Landers was raised in. "He's saying, even if I don't go pro, I still want to show young people that they can get out of the neighborhood, get a college education and do something great with their lives."

Sports fans don't like to hear it, but that's the important stuff.

Just like that, though, and just 1,400 yards shy of Doug Williams' No. 2 all-time passing marks at Grambling, Landers came up short on a summer course — and a football career that never reached its full potential is apparently over.

Yet what Landers accomplished, despite so much adversity (both the crushing poverty of his childhood environment and then at GSU), shouldn't be defined in total by the number of Bayou Classics or SWAC titles won or lost.

Landers is one credit away from doing something more notable than winning that last game on the gridiron. He has dreams of becoming a law enforcement officer, and then a community leader of enduring substance — and that's more urgently needed than another shiny item for the program's trophy case.

When he does all of that, and I think he will, football will perhaps finally be put in perspective as just one part of Brandon Landers' still-evolving story.

Recruiting: South side of Monroe has been a Grambling talent pipeline

Grambling's great provider
South side of Monroe has been talent pipeline
February 6, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING - James Harris grew up right around the corner from Sammy White.

Who lived down the way from Lane Howell. Who lived near a street that would eventually produce a flinty talent named Brandon Landers.

Who shares a zip code with Desmond Lenard.

The south side of Monroe sent them all to Grambling State, in an unbroken storyline that continued through last week's National Signing Day.

"I grew up in that neighborhood," said Sammy White, a Richwood product who played and now coaches at GSU as offensive coordinator. "It gives me great joy to see where these guys progress and how they move along."

In 1965, a Carroll High product was quarterback at Grambling. Forty years later, Landers is likely to follow Harris into the role.

White was a star wingback for former GSU coach Eddie Robinson - after winning both football and basketball titles at Richwood in the early 1970s. Lenard, Carroll's wingback last season, committed to Grambling after earning All-Northeast honors as a kick returner.

Derrick Wilhite, a 2006 signee out of Wossman, contributes to a legacy that includes ex-Wildcats assistant Lee Fobbs, a former player under Robinson, and current defensive back Bakari Guice.

"There's no question that the south side of Monroe has added to that Grambling mystique," said GSU coach Melvin Spears. "From the Howells to James Harris to Goldie Sellers and on down to Brandon Landers - our freshman sensation in '04."

Landers shot to conference freshman of the year honors in relief of injured quarterback Bruce Eugene, then redshirted last year when Eugene returned for a final season of eligibility.

"I think this is a good place for finding highly skilled athletes - and that's true at many inner-city schools," said Carroll coach Jesse Smith Sr., who is also a Grambling product.

"There is a lot of talent in this area. I think that through the years, we've proven that."

Carroll's connection to GSU goes deeper than the head coach.

Back in 2001, current Bulldogs assistant Levi Washington Jr. led all receivers in yards as Grambling won the second of three straight SWAC titles. The team uses an offense patterned on GSU's, as well.

So, it's perhaps no surprise that Carroll split end Jesse Smith Jr. joined Lenard in signing with Grambling last week - along with teammates Derrick Johnson and Xavier Lee, both of whom play linebacker.

In the end, though, all three of the southside schools - notably Richwood and, more recently, Wossman - have been an important thread through the tapestry of Grambling's football legacy.

"It's great coming from that tradition," said Landers. "I'd like to have that same impact - not only as a player, but as an individual."

Harris, perhaps the south side's most legendary product, led Grambling to 31-9-1 record between 1965-68, winning a conference title every single year. He was voted the team's most valuable player his final two seasons.

But Landers reminds, Harris' most important contribution came after he left Grambling.

Harris would become the first black athlete to be drafted as a quarterback. His NFL career - which included stops in Buffalo, Los Angeles and San Diego - was capped by an MVP performance in the 1974 Pro Bowl.

Harris later moved into even more rarified air, working in the front offices of Baltimore and currently Jacksonville as one of the NFL's highest ranking black executives.

Smith said Grambling provided a platform in that journey, and for the scores of southside youths who followed him.

"Anytime you've got a kid who goes on and does well, that's an example that you can stir these kids with," said Smith. "It makes them understand that you can dream and it can happen."

Carroll's Lane Howell, a two-way lineman for Robinson, was the first of three brothers to star at Grambling, beginning in 1960. Michael, a cornerback nicknamed "Trackdown," followed two seasons later. Delles, another defensive back, would arrive seven seasons later - but by then the family had moved to California.

Grambling won its first Southwestern Athletic Conference title with Lane up front, establishing a 23-5-2 mark between 1960-62. Michael's 1964 squad went 9-3, winning the Sugar Cup over Bishop before falling in the Orange Blossom Classic.

One of Michael's teammates that season was cornerback Goldie "Spider" Sellers, a Winnsboro native who eventually moved to the south side and played for Richwood.

In 2004, White joined Harris in the SWAC Hall of Fame, recognition for a career that included three conference championships and co-offensive player of the year honors in 1975 at Grambling.

"It was passed down to me," said White, later an NFL rookie of the year at Minnesota. "James Harris and Delles took me to a Grambling basketball game when I was in junior high. I was always around it. There were other places I could have played, but this was the only place I was ever going."

Quarterback Matthew Reed, born in Winnfield, would prove so dominant at Richwood that he once threw nine touchdowns in a single game. Later, he was named Grambling's MVP as a junior, then made All-America as a senior in the early 1970s.

White grew up idolizing Amos Augustine and Charlie "Tank" Smith at Richwood, then played after them at Grambling. Between 1968-71, former Carroll guard Solomon Freelon Jr. protected Harris, Reed and Frank Holmes.

White says many of those greats called a neighborhood known as Bryant's Addition home. He still scouts for talent there, giving another generation the Grambling road map out of one of the area's most impoverished communities.

"The thing about it is, we thought we were pretty good - and these guys could be that too," said White. "It's all about hard work."

Landers, for his part, says he can't account for the staggering impact such a small geographic area has had on Grambling. But, when he's home, he sees the next group working to get there.

"If you ride around, you see little kids out playing in empty lots and at the rec centers - and that's year-round," said Landers. "They're playing everything too, just like we did. Football, basketball, baseball. With small schools, you've got guys going both ways, playing all sports. That makes you better. Who knows? One of those kids could follow me someday."

Recruiting: Grambling State's 2006 signing day class

Here are Grambling State University's announced football signees, with same-day analysis, from National Signing Day in February 2006:

Grambling State's 2006 haul
By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
Breakdown: 27 signees (15 offense, 12 defense)

Local ties: Four of the local prospects listed on the original verbal commitment list were not announced early Wednesday - West Ouachita's Demarious DuBose and Carroll's Jesse Smith Jr., Desmond Lenard and Derrick Johnson.

Sudden impact: Mobile fullback Corey Patterson, like GSU's Ruben Mayes, just makes plays.

One that got away: OG Nigel Bolden (Cedar Hill, Dallas). Selected 2005 All-District 2-5A by TexasHSFootball.com, he would have made this fall's camp battles intriguing.

Instant analysis: Signing running backs and offensive linemen isn't flashy, but it will improve a team that's solid at the skill positions. Ironically, Grambling didn't have a single commitment from an offensive lineman going into the final recruiting weekend - a glaring need. By Wednesday night, five had signed.

BY THE NUMBERS

7-Number of signees who played running back or fullback in high school

13-Louisiana prospects who signed with Grambling

g g g
An in-depth look at the 2006 Grambling signees:

QUARTERBACK
· QB Derrick Wilhite, 6-0, 180, Wossman (Monroe): Was 55-for-102 passing for 733 yards with 12 TDs and just three interceptions in regular season. Rushed 94 times for 900 yards and 10 touchdowns. District 2-3A co-Offensive MVP with LSU signee Richard Murphy from Rayville. Also named to The News-Star/Glenwood SportsCare All-Northeast team.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Wilhite is talented enough to play anywhere, but it likely won't be quarterback. Even with record-smashing senior Bruce Eugene gone, GSU returns former conference freshman of the year Brandon Landers - a Carroll product who took over when Eugene went down in 2004. Houston-LaMarque product Larry Kerlegan, Eugene's backup last season, is also back.

RUNNING BACK
· FB Marcus Frazier, 6-1, 255; BC Rain (Mobile, Ala.): A two-year starter; helped team to a region-winning 7-5 record and a second-round playoff run. Also played defensive end, where he was team's best tackler. Ran 4.55 in the 40-yard dash at a Birmingham combine event. Named the No. 15 prospect from southwestern Alabama by The Mobile Register.

· FB Corey George, 6-2, 225; Bossier (La.): Starter on the 2005 Bossier Press-Tribune All-Bossier team. Rushed for 1,200 yards and 27 touchdowns, averaging seven yards per carry. Dandy Don's No. 60 Louisiana prospect. Brother Brandon signed with GSU last year. Part of a 2004 squad that reportedly became the first in parish history with three players to gain more than 1,000 yards rushing.

· RB Patrick Henry, 5-9, 175, Covington (La.): Listed at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. … One of Dandy Don's Top 100 Louisiana prospects. … Rushed for 1,340 yards on 262 carries for 15 touchdowns in 2004.

· FB Robert Jones, 5-9, 230; Natchitoches Central (La.): Ran for the lone touchdown in the Chiefs' 45-6 loss to eventual Class 5A champion West Monroe on Sept. 30. Jones was used as a tailback in a spread offense that finished 3-7, with two of those wins coming over Southwood and Minden.

· FB Kenneth Matthews, 6-1; 250; Clinton (La.): Two-way starter at both fullback and middle linebacker. All-District 8-2A second team on offense for a second straight season in 2005. Brother of GSU defensive lineman Melvin Matthews. Team went 10-1 before falling to OCS in playoffs.

· FB/RB Cory Patterson, 6-0, 235, Davidson (Mobile, Ala.): First-team Class 6A All-State in 2005 by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Team switched from a shotgun passing offense to the power running game to fit his talents. Starting fullback for the South team in the 2004 Alabama High School Athletic Association's North-South All-Star Football. Named the No. 22 prospect from southwestern Alabama by The Mobile Register.

· RB Ben Rogers, 6-1, 180; Parker (Birmingham, Ala.): Chosen by the city's head football coaches as a Birmingham All-City co-offensive player of the year. Class 5A All-State honorable mention by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Rushed for 1,500 yards and 18 scores in 2005 as team advanced to the second round of the ASHAA playoffs.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: It's easy to see many, if not most, of these prospects moving into other positions. Grambling's scheme values speed in its linebackers and secondary defenders, and running backs easily transition into those roles. That said, George, Patterson and Rogers have the prep credentials to push their way into eventual playing time. Matthews is a punishing blocker in the mold of current starter Ruben Mayes.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
· ATH Terrence Bell, 5-9, 163, Clinton (La.): Multi-position performer who played quarterback, wide receiver and kick returner in 2005. Part of an offense that averaged 300 yards of offense and 30 points per game. Second-team all-District 8-2A in 2005. Runs a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash; also ran track for Clinton, competing in the 100 and in the last leg of the 400 relay.

· WR Jeremy Sylve, 6-3, 190, Bastrop: Played in 11 games including the playoffs and had 30 catches for 698 yards and seven touchdowns. Second-team District 2-4A. An evacuee transfer from Port Sulphur.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Grambling has enough depth, not to mention talent, percolating in its prop program, to offer more scholarships in other positions of need, and that's what the coaches did. Both look to be eligible.

OFFENSIVE LINE
· OL Randle Bennett, 6-6, 337, Valley Forge (Wayne, Pa.): Will likely compete for tackle spot. Runs well, great feet. Recruited by defensive coordinator Luther Palmer, a longtime coach in the area.

· OG Jerome King, 6-5, 230, Davidson (Mobile, Ala.): Has great feet, versatile enough to excel either inside or outside. Could fit in on other side of GSU line. Davidson was 12-1 last year.

· OL George Long, 6-5, 350, James Monroe (Fredricksburg, Va.): Named to Group AA All-State second-team by the Virginia High School Coaches Association. Honorable mention on The Washington Post's Fall 2005 All-Met team. First-team all-district and second-team All-Region A as a junior. Played up front on four straight teams that reached the regional playoffs. Considered Morgan State, as well.

· OL Sam Onyeaka, 6-4, 350, Valley Forge (Wayne, Pa.): Inside player, long armed. Very athletic. Looks to compete for guard position. Team went 6-2 in 2005 under Jim Burner.

· OL Ramon Otey, 6-2, 300, Huffman (Birmingham, Ala.): Part of a line that averaged more than 300 pounds per man, Huffman averaged 370 rushing yards per game - including a staggering 609 in a win over Hewitt.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: With the loss of three regular starters in Jonathan Banks, Charles Wilson and Tommy Dural, this was a point of emphasis - though you wouldn't have known it early on. Not until the final week before National Signing Day did the linemen begin pouring in, and Grambling's final list was impressive. Any of these prospects could work his way into line coach Carl Roberts' rotation this season.

DEFENSIVE LINE
· DE Jody Ancar, 6-1, 220, Port Sulphur/Bastrop: Started two games, before suffering a knee injury; returned in playoffs to spark 4A state title run. Transferred to Bastrop from Port Sulphur following Hurricane Katrina. Bastrop assistant coach DeCarlos Holmes, a former GSU defensive lineman, also coached Ancar in Port Sulphur. Honorable mention on The News-Star/Glenwood SportsCare All-Northeast Team.

· DL Chris Drummer, 6-1, 265, Ouachita (Monroe): All-district first teamer and honorable mention for All-State. Made 105 total tackles, including 11 sacks - best in northeastern Louisiana. Team's defensive most valuable player. Named to The News-Star/Glenwood SportsCare All-Northeast Team. Ouachita Coach John Carr says he has a 30-inch vertical leap.

· DL Taurean Montero, Northwest (Opelousas, La.): The team's rookie of the year, he was honorable mention All-District selection last year. Suffered a torn medial collateral ligament late last season. Is not expected to qualify.

· DE Jon Nixon, 6-2, 240, North Little Rock (Ark.): Named to HawgSports.com's Natural 21 list of top Arkansas prospects. Reportedly received an offer from Purdue, and considered both Vanderbilt and Arkansas, where he went for an official visit. Runs 4.9 in 40-yard dash, according to Rivals.com. Named to The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Top 30 Juniors to Watch statewide in 2004.

· DT Vernon Pittman, 6-4, 370, Irving (Texas): A one-year letterman. Team slipped to 4-6 after a 6-5 season in 2004 that included a trip to the Class 5A Division II bi-district game. Was teammates with talented but troubled all-purpose running back Jamaal Evans, who finished with more than 4,000 yards in high school.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: For the second consecutive year, GSU will lose one of its best players from this unit. In 2004, it was defensive end Kenneth Pettway, who also spelled at outside linebacker. This time, it's end Jason Hatcher. Replacing those kind of playmakers is never easy, though Ancar has shown flashes of that kind of brilliance during an injury-marred season. Drummer was the area's most consistent pass rusher and Nixon is a certifiable steal if he's eligible.

LINEBACKER
· OLB Demario Dixon, 6-2, 220; Southwood (Shreveport): All-district after both the 2004-05 seasons. Lettered for three years. Runs a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash. In a show of athleticism, caught a 2005 two-point conversion to help seal a 29-10 win that ended rival Byrd's 12-game winning streak over Southwood. A regular at GSU's off-season football camps.

· LB Terrance Miley, 5-10, 175, Neville (Monroe): Made 62 tackles and six interceptions. Named to Class 4A All-State team by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. Also played defensive back in high school.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: This unit has a steady center in returning middle linebacker Dimitri Carr, a Farmerville product, but it needs more speed off the edges. Both Dixon and Miley could provide that, as do several of the running back prospects who are expected to get looks for this position.

DEFENSIVE BACK
· DB Mariko Martin, 6-3, 193, Carver (Montgomery, Ala.): Had four passes defended as team advanced to the second round of the post-season. Carver was a semifinalist in the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs for the first time ever in 2004. Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. Also reportedly had interest from Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Sam Houston State and Albany State.

· DB T.J. McCord, 6-1, 180, McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.): An all-region selection. Had 80 tackles and three interceptions as a senior. Also a leader on defense last year with 65 tackles and 12 pass breakups. Named the No. 8 prospect from southwestern Alabama by The Mobile (Ala.) Register. Ran hurdles on high school track team, and played forward on the basketball team.

· SS Michael Oliver, 6-3, 205, Homewood (Ala.): On back-to-back Alabama 5A state championship teams; had 11 tackles in those two title games. Starter on the 5A All-State team. Honorable mention on the 5A All-Metro team. Won state track titles last year in the 110 hurdles and as third runner in the 400 relay. Won the 300 hurdles at the 2004 Class 4A-6A track and field meet, as well.

· DB Donald Roberts, 5-11, 185, Northwest (Opelousas, La.): Will provide needed depth in secondary. Also ran track, including 55-meter hurdles, in high school. Joins prep teammate Taurean Montero in Grambling. Is qualified.

· SS Dante Thompson, 6-4, 218, Colerain (Cincinnati): Honorable mention on The Cincinnati Enquirer's conference all-star list. Great upside; has impressive speed. Rangy, could move into linebacking unit. Colerain was undefeated in Thompson's junior season. A qualifier.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: A pressing need for depth has arisen with the unit struggling through an off-season of graduation, injury or grade problems. McCord looks to be eligible, while Oliver is a legitimate Division I-A prospect who drew interest from Alabama and Auburn. Coaches are high on Thompson and Martin.

SPECIALISTS
While this is no longer a critical area, since rising junior Tim Manuel handled both punting and kicking field goals last year, the team continues to explore the possibility of signing another prospect. The position might also attract a transfer.

Remembering: The 2006 season

Grambling's coaching search follows problem-plagued year
December 23, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — The new coach at Grambling State inherits a talented, but badly underachieving, team.

While he'll have to move forward without several senior leaders, there remains a stable foundation upon which to build. As long as he can figure out how to win the close ones.

He'll also have to rebuild one of the league's worst defenses. And decide what to do with a messy quarterback situation.

Grambling (3-8 overall, 3-6 in the SWAC West) fell six of eight times this year by a touchdown or less. The only definitive losses were to Division I-A foe Houston (by 20) and then to Alabama State (by 19).

"We struggled a lot, just couldn't finish," said senior cornerback Bakari Guice, a Wossman High product. "We'd keep falling short."

In the end, a total of 25 points stood between GSU and a 9-2 record. Instead, Grambling — just a year after posting an undefeated league mark on the way to the Southwestern Athletic Conference title — was out of the divisional race by October's end. That season-turning loss to Texas Southern began a dramatic slide to end the year.

Grambling lost its homecoming, its traditional rivalry game against Southern and then its coach, as Melvin Spears was fired after three years.

Spears, a product of SWAC foe Alcorn State, had also worked for six seasons under former coach Doug Williams as an offensive coordinator — helping Grambling to three other titles in 2000-02.

None of that apparently mattered in the wake of Grambling's first losing record since 1998.

"It was a long year, a tough one," said interim coach Sammy White, a former wingback at Grambling who was hired by Williams to coach receivers before that '98 campaign. "You don't see many like this around here."

In fact, Grambling lost eight times for just the third time in 60 years.

The season was punctuated by this team's struggles to adjust to the absence of record-smashing quarterback Bruce Eugene. Spears was 11-1 with Eugene under center, but 9-13 without him.

The staff mixed and matched the talents of redshirt sophomores Brandon Landers and Larry Kerlegan — with mixed results.

After the season's first two games, both with Landers under center, ended in overtime losses, Kerlegan was inserted against the then-undefeated Houston, an eventual bowl team.

It seemed an almost impossible task, in particular when recalling his last performance against a I-A opponent. Kerlegan attempted just one pass in 2005 against Washington State, and it was picked off.

On this night, however, Kerlegan sparkled — finishing with 248 yards in the air and 88 yards on the ground in a game that was tighter than its 20-point margin suggests.

Even standing at 0-3, Grambling's future seemed a bit brighter because of that performance.

Yet Kerlegan came out sluggish and got benched a week later, beginning a merry-go-round at the position that left both quarterbacks at a disadvantage. Each struggled to find his rhythm, and the coaches seemed unable to settle on a definitive starter.

"It was hard, day-to-day," Kerlegan said. "You never knew who would start. I just kept coming back week after week, hoping to get the chance to compete."

There remains some question, too, as to whether a remade offensive staff — one that by then included Eugene himself in play-call decision making — was doing enough to tailor its attack to the talent currently on the field.

Landers put up big numbers, winning multiple league player of the week honors, but wasn't able to finish off key games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (the eventual Western Division representative in the 2006 title match), Texas Southern, Southern and Alcorn State — each of whom won by an average of only five points.

Kerlegan seemed to be operating on a stripped-down, run-first playbook, and performed like a quarterback worried about getting yanked for his first mistake. More often than not, he was.

All along, however, Kerlegan remained steadfast. His is a talent the new coach likely can count on.

"I'll be back," Kerlegan said. "With all the great legacy here at Grambling, I want to be a part of that."

Fullback Ruben Mayes and running back Ab Kuuan, working with a new position coach, both had disappointing senior years behind a shuffled offensive line.

Kuuan finished as Grambling's leading rusher for the fourth straight year, but saw his production fall to its lowest since he was a freshman under Williams.

Returning junior receiver Clyde Edwards quietly put together another stellar season, finishing first in the conference for catches per game and second in yards. But seniors Henry Tolbert and Tim Abney both missed chunks of time to injury.

Tolbert — a year after leading the SWAC in touchdowns, total yards, receptions and yards-per-catch — would ultimately fall just short of several career marks at Grambling.

"It goes so fast," Tolbert said. "All I expected, and all I wanted, was to set those records. To come up short is unbelievable. But I think my place at Grambling is set."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, infighting among the similarly remade defensive staff trickled down into the locker room. As players questioned the calls, some began to execute with less heart. Others appeared to quit all together.

The new coach will have to radically rebuild most of this unit, from front to back. Linebackers Dimitri Carr and David Hicks are graduating, as are defensive backs Guice, DeMichael Dizer (a Sterlington product) and Greg Fassitt — who suffered from neck and then hamstring problems all year.

There were flashes of intensity from younger defenders like linebacker John Carter, cornerback Kenneth Anio and lineman William Nance.

But in the end, this team — which began with three losses and ended with four — similarly sagged on both sides of the ball.

An emotional mid-season win against Jackson State, then the conference's hottest team, simply came too late.

By the time Grambling hit the field for that home opener, on Oct. 21, it had already played six games in four states — including back-to-back bus trips to Alabama, first for the season-opening MEAC-SWAC Challenge against Hampton at Birmingham and then right back to Huntsville to face eventual SWAC champion Alabama A&M.

When Grambling was held scoreless after halftime in its own homecoming against Alabama State, it marked just the third time GSU had been shut out in the second half in five seasons.

Spears' subsequent four-point loss to Southern was his first since taking over for Williams. But it underscored for a national audience on NBC what plagued this squad all year.

Cameras caught glimpses of staff arguments, laid bare questionable playcalling (GSU actually punted on third down at one point) and illustrated how a team that had averaged eight wins a season over the last 10 managed to reverse that figure in 2006.

Needing a yard to get a first down and extend the game, Grambling was stopped behind the line of scrimmage. Southern ran out the clock to preserve yet another loss for GSU by less than a touchdown.

Grambling chose to move its popular home date against Alcorn State to the end of the slate in order to play Hampton, setting up a deflating final image on the year.

The GSU community would said goodbye to its seniors — many of them are the last to play a full season under Williams — in a meaningless game before an announced crowd of just 2,383. That's roughly half of what a NAIA provisional team drew last year.

One of the few fans there held up a sign, as the team left the field, that read: "Send Spears back to Alcorn."

Grambling greats: Ab Kuuan

Kuuan in it for long run
· GSU runner has become a factor in the Tigers' offensive game plan.
October 22, 2003

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
A running back for the Grambling State Tigers is, at best, seldom used. At worst, he's completely forgotten.

That's understandable for a unit that leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in passing offense.

You can be forgiven, then, for missing the arrival of Ab Kuuan - a 5-11, 195-pound sophomore from Sylacauga, Ala. One of several players vying for this thankless position last spring, Kuuan didn't run for a single yard in the season opener.

But by the next game, against Alcorn State, he was Grambling State's second-leading rusher on the day - just four yards back from Bruce Eugene, the Tigers' always-running quarterback.

Now, with five games left on the year, Kuuan has rocketed to the top of GSU's rushing list - averaging 45 yards a game.

"I kept working hard - knowing that my day would come and all the hard work would pay off," Kuuan says. "Once I got my chance, I showed them what I could do."

Kuuan became the first person besides Eugene to score a rushing touchdown. He now has three scores on the year.

"I like to keep them off balance," Kuuan says. "We spread them out throughout the game - and once we run the ball, it's so easy. It seems that way, anyway."

Last Saturday, Kuuan finished with 14 rushes for 95 yards against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, averaging a stinging 6.8 yards per carry. His longest dash was for 36 yards, as Grambling State won 41-16.

Kuuan was honored for that breakout performance with the SWAC Newcomer of the Week award on Monday.

"He has really matured as a runner," Tigers' coach Doug Williams says. "I think the more we run him, the better he is going to be."

Kuuan has been blessed, in part, by good timing: His coming of age coincided on the schedule with a trio of weaker SWAC opponents. As Grambling State put games away by the third quarter, offensive coordinator Melvin Spears increased the number of running plays.

"He's tough, extremely tough," Spears says. "He cuts back, and they can't tackle him. He keeps his feet moving. I really like him."

Kuuan has gained 241 of his 320 yards on the year in the last three weeks alone.

But his story is not predicated on luck: Kuuan is one of the hardest working guys on the team - as evidenced by his superior play when asked to help with special teams.

"He's run the football well," Williams says. "And watching him go down like that on special teams, running full out. You've got to love that."

Kuuan, who played both running back and linebacker in Sylacauga High School, immediately delivered two crushing blows on special teams.

"When I went down to scout him, I couldn't believe it," Spears says. "He was playing both ways, playing linebacker - and running all over the place. He's been everything we'd hoped."

Williams appreciates Kuuan for his versatility - and for his drive. "He's contributing not only as a runner, but also on the kickoffs," Williams says. "Ab Kuuan has proven to be a very, very tough football player. I tell you what, he's got a fan in his football coach."

Kuuan, for his part, says he's just doing his job: "I love to hit, so it's kind of second nature to me. I've still got that linebacker in me."

He is a serious player - but also a serious person.

GSU's 2003 Media Guide gives the players a chance to talk about some of their pastimes - with questions about favorite actors and books. The computer information systems major said he has none.

"I play sports," Kuuan says, "to express myself." He says he'd like to work at Microsoft after college.

But, in the meantime, Kuuan could very well change the focus of GSU's perennial pass-first offense.

"It will give us more of a balanced attack," Kuuan says. "It's going to keep everybody honest."

His quick maturation means Grambling State can unfurl an important new wrinkle against more complete teams like Jackson State, Alabama State and Southern - each of whom remain on the 2003 schedule.

"I can't do anything but get better," Kuuan says. "There's nowhere to go but up for us. The future holds nothing but good things."

And, yeah, Kuuan says he's prepared to play both ways again in the future, if needed.

"If coach puts me over there, I'll be happy to go over there," he says. "Whatever will help the team."

That commitment, as much as anything, has keyed his rapid rise on this Grambling State offense.

"When you've got a guy with a big heart like that," Spears says, "you can go a long way with him."

g g g

Ab-fabulous
GSU runs away with this one
November 28, 2004

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
NEW ORLEANS - What a rush.

A bruising ground game earned Grambling State a winning season - and redeemed an awful 1-12 run against Southern - at Saturday's 31st Bayou Classic.

Four rushers combined for 292 yards as GSU beat the Jaguars 24-13. The Tigers finished 6-5 on the year, and altered Southern's postseason plans.

At 8-3, the Jaguars now must await the outcome of Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Dec. 4 contest against Alabama State, which will determine if the Jaguars advance to the Southwestern Athletic Conference title game.

"We wanted that winning season," said interim GSU coach Melvin Spears, "and it came down to the Bayou Classic. I thought that was outstanding."

Grambling State used an effective running game to keep the contest just out of reach, as top rusher Ab Kuuan had an average of seven yards per carry.

"I knew if our guys put forth the effort, and stayed focused," said Spears, "we could run the ball on Southern."

And how.

Kuuan finished with 126 yards on 18 carries before a crowd of 68,911 at the Louisiana Superdome - and many more on NBC's national television broadcast. Three rushing touchdowns gave Kuaan back-to-back 10 touchdown seasons and tied his single-game best.

The brilliance of that ground game from Kuuan, along with sophomore fullback Ruben Mayes, meant GSU freshman quarterback Brandon Landers would attempt just 13 passes.

"I've just got to tip my hat to the offensive line," said Kuuan, who was named player of the game. "They knew we were going to come in and run the ball. We had two weeks to prepare and that meant we all had fresh legs coming in. Thinking about this win sends chills down my spine."

But that run-oriented approach led to a low-scoring first half. One season after these two teams combined for 32 first-half points - and 85 at the end - GSU and Southern put up just nine at the break. Only 21 second-half points kept this from becoming the lowest scoring Bayou Classic ever. The record is Southern's 10-3 victory in 1988.

That was just what Spears wanted.

But the Tigers gave up a disputed 48-yard touchdown reception as time expired on the half to push Southern ahead for the first time on Saturday. Spears was still arguing with the officials after the teams had gone to the locker rooms.

Replays seemed to indicate that junior Emile Bryant's knee hit the ground at the GSU 1, but the play stood. The extra-point kick failed, leaving the score at 6-3 at the half.

That was not what Spears wanted - because the Southern touchdown signaled a return to the usual momentum-shifting mood swings so closely associated with this 53-year-old rivalry.

GSU retook the lead on a seven-play, 68-yard drive to open the second half, scoring on a fourth-and-one with a 10-yard rush by Kuuan. Senior Brian Morgan's kick made it 10-6.

But as the third quarter drew to a close, Southern running back Devin Herbert's 2-yard TD run capped an eight-play, 41-yard drive. The Jaguars led again, 13-10.

Kuuan answered with a 1-yard scoring blast at the top of the fourth quarter. Morgan's kick brought the score to 17-13.

GSU then made a critical stop, as senior defender Kenneth Pettway blocked a long field-goal attempt that was then recovered on the Southern 40-yard-line by GSU sophomore Greg Fassitt.

The Tigers' ensuing scoring drive, again without a single pass, ended on a diving run by Kuuan to seal the win.

"I knew I had to come in and stick with the game plan," said Landers - who, after leading the SWAC in picks this season, was unblemished on Saturday. "I used to watch this game on TV. To be on the field for such a great win for this institution is a great feeling."

Landers wasn't alone. The Tigers completed their first game of the season without a turnover.

"We felt like if we didn't turn the ball over," said GSU offensive coordinator Sammy White, "we'd have a great chance to win. Then, we'd just keep running the ball to keep them off balance."

Southern quarterback Thomas Ricks, who was chosen SWAC offensive player of the week five times this season, did his best to spark Southern - passing for 176 yards and a touchdown and leading Jaguar rushers with 93 yards.

But with GSU holding onto the ball for more than 36 minutes, it wasn't enough.

"They had two big backs, and a huge line. They just kept beating on us," said Southern coach Pete Richardson, whose team entered the game at No. 20 in Division I-AA by ESPN/USA Today. "They really beat us up."

Grambling State revealed its all-run motives in its first drive, relying on Kuuan and Mayes to get to the Southern 29-yard line. But GSU had to settle for a field goal try after Landers was sacked on third down, and Morgan missed.

"I don't know if it was a mess-up with the hold or what, but it just didn't come out right," said Morgan, who later connected on another 39-yarder in the second quarter. "I didn't have the greatest game. But today, it didn't matter."

GSU defensive end Jason Hatcher, a Jena product, blocked a 47-yard attempt by Breck Ackley with 20 seconds left in the first quarter, to keep the game scoreless.

On a fourth-and-nine, Kuaan gained 32 yards to the Southern 25 on a fake punt early in the second quarter. Morgan then scored the game's first points.

There were moments when the game looked like it might turn in Southern's favor.

As returner Gabe Wallace moved into GSU territory on a second-quarter punt return, junior Matt Duhe knocked the ball loose. Kuaan recovered at the GSU 39.

But then a delay-of-game penalty pushed the Tigers back to midfield. GSU went for it consecutive fourth downs after an off-side penalty, but came away with no points.

Flags, in fact, fell like rainstorms - with 13 for 79 yards in the first half alone. Both teams - ranked No. 1 and 2 in the conference for penalties - would eventually combine for 121 yards on fouls.

But GSU continued its relentless, slow assault.

"It feels so, so good," said Farmerville sophomore linebacker Dimitri Carr, as players attempted to douse defensive coordinator Luther Palmer with a cooler of ice water. "I can't believe I've got two more!"

photo caption Michael Dunlap/The News-Star GSU running back Ab Kuuan flies into the end zone for one of his three touchdowns Saturday against Southern. The junior was named Player of the Game forhis scores and 126 rushing yards.

g g g

GSU's running game is set
Kuuan returns to Tigers after rigorous work
August 9, 2005

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING - Fans might expect something to change in Grambling State's running game, no matter who wins the starting quarterback spot.

Reigning conference freshman of the year Brandon Landers, the Carroll High product, is sure to be more comfortable in the system after starting all but three quarters last season.

Bruce Eugene, the one-time All-America perennial, is also back after suffering that knee injury in the 2004 season-opener. Should he regain the starting spot, Eugene would rank as the most prolific passer returning in Division I-AA.

So, where does that leave running back Ab Kuuan, last seen hoisting the MVP trophy at the season-ending Bayou Classic? After all, coaches at Grambling presumably turned to the run as a way to mask youth in the passing game during this past injury-plagued campaign.

Kuuan is hopeful.

"I have been anticipating the first day of practice for a long time," said Kuuan, as Grambling convened for its first fall sessions. "Over the break (after summer school), I didn't even go home."

Instead, he continued an already-legendary workout regimen. And his coaches worked on a new-look game plan.

"Ab Kuuan," GSU coach Melvin Spears reminds, "is 228 pounds now - and that's just 2 percent body fat. He's getting better every week."

Which means Spears won't be giving up on the run, even if the team returns this season to its successful downfield-oriented roots from the Doug Williams era.

Kuuan, who led the team in rushing last season, notched three consecutive games of more than 100 yards in the final three contests of 2004 - his only times past the century mark all year. Kuuan also scored six of his 10 rushing touchdowns in that trio of Saturdays, as well.

Meanwhile, Grambling surged to a winning record of 6-5 over that span, after standing at 3-4 on Oct. 23.

The Bayou Classic trophy now sits in a place of honor upstairs in the Stadium Support Facility, situated so that it's visible during Spears' weekly news conferences this fall.

Many credit Kuuan's dominance in the Big Easy for the win.

Which leaves Carl Roberts, Grambling's offensive line coach, prepping for more of those running plays, even while re-installing schemes to protect during the expected revival of aerial pyrotechnics.

"Hopefully, it will be an incentive for us to work that much harder," said Roberts, in his second season at GSU after a long tenure at Jackson State.

Kuuan finished as the Southwestern Athletic Conference's ninth rusher in total yards, and 2005 was the second straight year he led GSU in rushing. His 637 total yards on the ground for the season has only been bested twice in the eight seasons since 1997 at Grambling.

Kuuan is joined in the backfield by change-of-pace backs Keantwon Gray and Landry "Blue" Carter.

"Bruce's return just provides us with another weapon," said Kuuan. "Teams won't be able to key on the run, because they know we can pass as well."

Which means that whoever is named to start under center, opposing teams will be forced to honor the play-action fake - a tip of the hat to Kuuan's recent dominance.

"Our opponents will have to be on their toes at all times," Kuuan said. "They won't know whether we are going to run it or pass it."

The Tigers completed their first full day of the 2005 football training camp on campus. The team worked out in shorts and helmets on Monday afternoon while earlier in the morning, the team attended meetings and lifted weights.

Spears said he was pleased with the team's performance during the first day of actual drills. The team worked on basic fundamentals throughout the course of Monday's workout.

"I thought that they moved around real well with a lot of enthusiasm," he said. "You can tell that we had an outstanding off-season with all of the guys here in camp. Condition-wise, they look great. The main thing is that we brought in some guys who can bring some competition. We saw some guys who were not hustling a whole lot before are now all of a sudden getting it done."

The team will hit the field at 2:30 p.m. today. Grambling State's Media Day is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Robinson Stadium Support Facility.

g g g

A thousand reasons to run the ball
Grambling's Kuuan looks to be key component in '06 offense
August 10, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — Is Grambling on the verge of producing its first 1,000-yard rusher in five years — and just the second since 1993?

Not surprisingly, the ever-talkative tailback Ab Kuuan says yes. (In fact, he wants 1,500.) Turns out, that's a goal shared by the coaching staff and offensive line, as well.

Not just because Kuuan, a gym rat beyond compare, has earned it. But also because it will likely smooth the way for redshirt Brandon Landers as he steps in for departed quarterback Bruce Eugene.

"We look to do that, get Kuuan to 1,000," said versatile senior lineman Jamar Dorsey. "That opens up the passing game for Brandon. We can pound them early, then take them deep late. Last year, we showed we could run the ball and still be Grambling."

He means the Grambling that's led Division I-AA in passing offense three out of the last four years.

Kuuan's best season yet at GSU didn't start that way.

He was hampered by an ankle problem and only saw spot duty over two games beginning with Washington State last year. Robbed of his explosiveness, he ran just one time against that I-A opponent, and a suddenly one-dimensional Grambling was blown out.

But Kuuan would then streak to 891 yards on the year, finishing fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Even missing nearly all of two games, he averaged 74 yards per contest — fifth in the SWAC. His 5-yards-per-carry average and nine rushing touchdowns ranked third among all other rushers in the Top 10.

Kuuan, in fact, has gotten steadily more productive since running 92 times for 423 yards in 2003, though that still was a team-leading mark. He ran for 637 yards in 2004 (leading the team again), and his 10 touchdowns were third among Top 10 SWAC rushers.

Slowly, but surely, Kuuan's presence has meant rewriting a few pages in the playbook.

"We look for our running back to get 1,000 yards this year," confirmed GSU offensive coordinator Sammy White. "He got 800 last year and that was after he didn't get going for several games because of an injury. Imagine him playing in every game."

That's why the dreadlocked Kuuan stands near the middle of the spotlight this preseason, even with the change at quarterback.

Landers isn't being asked to mimic the eye-popping passing heroics of the past few years, as Eugene rewrote school and Division I-AA passing record books. His Alabama-born running back is the reason.

Kuuan may not get as many touches as he did in 2004, when Landers was pushed into duty as a true freshman. But he'll clearly be a big part of this offense.

"I think 1,500 is a very reachable goal," Kuuan said. "The coaches will get us prepared. It's up to us."

Ruben runs again: Fullback Ruben Mayes, a ferocious blocker and rusher, has returned to practice after off-season knee surgery.

He also missed the Washington State game, and parts of several others — including the SWAC Championship Game.

A sign of how eager he was to get back on the field: Mayes got sent out of a drill by GSU coach Melvin Spears because he'd emerged without his knee brace.

Mayes chuckled about it later, acknowledging his over-eagerness.

"I feel good, a lot better," said Mayes. "Better than I thought I would at this point."

Mayes averaged a startling 21-yards-per-carry in limited action over eight games in 2005. He also made a clutch, check-down scoring catch that proved to be an emotional turning point in the Bayou Classic.

g g g

Will GSU return to run in Classic?
2004 game in New Orleans deviated from usual high-scoring shootouts
November 22, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
Forgive the poor soul who came in thinking the 2004 Bayou Classic was going to be a pass-happy scoring bonanza.

After all, that's nearly become the template for this game. Just a season before, Grambling and Southern had combined for a staggering 1,136 yards of total offense, with 961 of it coming in the air.

Not in 2004, the last time the Classic was played in New Orleans.

Grambling, with true freshman Brandon Landers subbing for the injured quarterback Bruce Eugene, instead unleashed a brutal ground attack — chewing up yards, the clock and, finally, Southern. GSU won 24-13, in one of the lowest scoring Classics ever.

How much that resembles this year's Bayou Classic, with Landers again under center and the game making a triumphal return to New Orleans, remains to be seen.

But it certainly worked last time.

Back in 2004, Landers only attempted 13 passes — with his longest, a 19-yarder, going to fellow freshman Clyde Edwards — but beamed with open-hearted joy while running back Ab Kuaan hoisted the MVP trophy.

"Getting a chance to go to the Dome in 2004 and play was a dream come true," Landers says these days. "That was the biggest game of my career."

Southern quarterback Thomas Ricks, chosen SWAC offensive player of the week five times that season, did his best to spark his team — passing for 176 yards and a touchdown and leading all Jaguar rushers with 93 yards.

But GSU held onto the ball for more than 36 minutes while four rushers combined for 292 yards.

Kuuan accounted for 126 of those yards on 18 carries. His three rushing touchdowns gave Kuaan back-to-back 10 touchdown seasons and tied his single-game best.

That, Southern coach Pete Richardson insists, was a long time ago.

Now 0-2 against Spears in the Classic, Richardson has no doubt noted Kuuan, who averaged more than 100 yards rushing for the final month of 2004, is gaining just 53 a night this season.

Grambling enters this year's game looking more like the 2005 edition, leading the conference in passing and scoring just as it did after Eugene returned with a medical redshirt.

"I'm concerned about Brandon Landers," Richardson insists. "They spread the ball around."

But sticking with the familiar downfield approach hasn't led to the same success without Eugene.

Last year, GSU went undefeated in league play, including a 50-35 win over Southern in Houston. Using a quarterbacking tandem of Landers and fellow redshirt sophomore Larry Kerlegan, Grambling has stumbled to 3-6 - with no hope even for a winning season.

That's got some fans hoping this homecoming to New Orleans will mean a return to a run-first look.

It worked, they remind, last time.

"This year, it will be more of a combination, a more balanced attack," Spears said. "Our offense is one that is based on what they give us. Certainly, we'd like to run the ball — but if they put nine men in the box, trying to stop Ab Kuuan, we will have recognize that formation and adjust."

As he did in 2004, Edwards remains Landers' favorite target. He leads Grambling in catches, yards and touchdowns.

"Brandon and I have worked well together from the beginning," Edwards said. "We certainly would like to continue doing that. The Bayou Classic is always a big game. Whether we pass it or run it, we just need the win."

g g g

Measure of a team
Another close game turns into another close loss for Grambling
November 26, 2006

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
NEW ORLEANS — Of course.

Of course, Grambling State jumped out to the lead, then gave it away. Of course, they played sloppy, even ugly, then charged back to the arm-waving precipice of a stirring win — only to fall just short.

Of course.

After all, the Tigers lost their first game this season by one point. And their second game by three. And three more now by 5 points each.

This Grambling squad is the embodiment of a football cliché. Theirs is a life of inches.

They've existed in space between here and . . .

here.

So, of course, they lose 21-17 to Southern in the Bayou Classic, but only after failing to gain a first down on fourth-and-one from the SU 2 in the game's waning minutes.

There were 19 points, all of them an inch away, between this underachieving GSU team and an 8-2 record. Between them and a return trip to the SWAC Championship Game.

"We had our opportunities," said Henry Tolbert, who led all Grambling receivers with 67 yards on four catches. "We just didn't capitalize."

There has been, from the beginning of 2006, an inch or two separating this team from what it would like to be, from what perhaps it should be.

Still, there was nothing to suggest the disquieting prospect of this game's nearly unwatchable first half.

We saw two deposed SWAC powers underscoring why they had but six wins between them, after each has averaged eight a season over the last 10.

Unlike so many recent Bayou Classics, these 1,000-yard passing nights that seem so very far away now, this contest didn't look to be one where the team that scored last would win.

It would be the team that scored at all.

Grambling and Southern split their first-quarter time of possession almost exactly in half, with similar results: Tigers 0, Jaguars 0.

Grambling finally found the end zone in the second period, followed by a chorus of touchdowns from both teams late in the game, but even then there was little music to this game's backbeat of mistakes on both sides — from questionable coaching to untimely penalties and messy execution.

Southern had a tremendous 25-yard third-quarter touchdown by Bryant Lee on a designed quarterback run called back on a holding penalty. Jaguars kicker Breck Ackley, who'd only whiffed three times all year, had a 26-yarder blocked and then missed from 41 yards out.

The deciding points from Southern followed a badly mishandled punt return by Landry Carter that gave the Jaguars the ball inside GSU's red zone.

That score, a 2-yard outside run by running back Kendall Addison, was actually keyed by a fumble from Southern quarterback C.J. Byrd — who briefly replaced an injured Lee. The fumble rolled forward, however, and Byrd recovered for a first and goal.

It was that kind of afternoon.

I don't even want to think about Grambling punting on third down. Or Southern taking three points off the board in a failed attempt to score a touchdown after a GSU penalty.

Somebody had to win. They just had to.

Ultimately, it became clear that it would be Southern, which eventually began getting out of Lee what GSU had hoped to get out of starting the athletic Larry Kerlegan — tough-to-figure scrambles mixed in with a timely pass.

But Kerlegan had been ineffective in the early going, so he was replaced by fellow redshirt sophomore Brandon Landers.

He then joined in what has become a familiar refrain: Southern tied it, then went ahead, then Grambling answered back, then the Jaguars scored again, leaving GSU in the same position it occupied so many other times all year.

That is, with time short — and a very long field.

Landers methodically moved Grambling along, even as the fourth quarter drained away, handing off to senior running back Ab Kuuan at the Southern 25, the 11, the 4, then the 2.

That's where it stood, with less than three minutes remaining. GSU was left with a fourth down, and the Bayou Classic to go.

Get a yard, and there are four more downs to negotiate the remaining yard. Get two yards, and Grambling is ahead by two. Follow that with the extra point, and Southern must score a touchdown to win.

Instead, GSU lost two yards.

GSU coach Melvin Spears called "Power I, Right, 43 Lead," with Kuuan — the MVP of this game in 2004, the last time it was played at the Superdome — going over tackle.

When the senior reached the hole, it had collapsed. Just that quickly, two Southern defenders were on top of him.

Kuuan tried to bounce outside in an effort to free himself, but that's where he met Southern defensive back Jarmaul George.

A senior who, because of injury and ineligibility, had never played in a Bayou Classic before.

Of course.

"You don't know how much that hurts," said senior Grambling offensive lineman Jamar Dorsey. "To come up a yard short?"

He paused, then said: "It hurts."

The resulting tackle, which pushed Kuuan back to the SU 4, sent Southern fans into a frenzy.

See, they'd lost two Bayou Classics in a row, but these Jaguars have a knack for winning the close ones. Going back 15 years, Grambling has fallen to Southern by 3 points in 2003, by 4 in 2000, by 5 in 1996 and by 1 point in 1991.

Of course, they would win another nail-biter.

"You've got to finish that run," said Spears, shaking his head. "You've got to finish it. As a result, we lost."

He knows the words by heart, like a song that once played in heavy rotation.

There have been other details, but the results? They lost.

"It's the story," senior Henry Tolbert repeated, "of our season."

We should have known it would come down to something so mundane as an inch for the 2006 edition of the Grambling State Tigers. To something as obvious as a play here, or a player there.

Of course. It has all year.

NICK DERISO is sports editor at The News-Star, 411 N. Fourth St., Monroe, La., 71201. His weblog is at http://www.thenewsstar.com/news/blogs/blog3/index.html. Contact him at 318-362-0234 or at nderiso@thenewsstar.com.

g g g

Weekend could be quiet time at GSU
Kuuan, teammates not too high on draft lists
April 27, 2007

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
Grambling State's graduated seniors can take solace if they go unselected in the NFL Draft.

Two of the program's most famous football products, Willie Brown and Everson Walls, went undrafted — and both found their way to multiple Pro Bowls. Brown even made the Hall of Fame.

Players like GSU running back Ab Kuuan understand that they might be following the same uphill path.

"I've talked to a few scouts, but it's hard to tell if there is any real interest," said Kuuan. "All I can do is sit back and wait."

If Kuuan and the other Grambling seniors don't hear their names this weekend, it will be the first time that's happened since 2004. Last year, defender Jason Hatcher was a third-round selection by the Dallas Cowboys; Kenneth Pettway was taken on the second day of the 2005 draft by the Houston Texans.

Kuuan and record-breaking receiver Henry Tolbert both received one-star ratings from Scouts.com, but are unranked in their respective draft categories on the site.

Tony McClean of the Black Athlete Sports Network, listed Kuuan and Tolbert as one of black college football's Top 8 pre-season draft prospects, while NFL.com's Gil Brandt also included Tolbert as one of just 14 non-Division I-A players in his pre-season watch list.

But both had off years as Grambling slipped to 3-8 in 2006.

Tolbert had 48 catches and 730 yards (with just four touchdowns) last season, after a career-best 74 receptions, 1,391 yards and 19 scores as a junior.

By the end of a disappointing season, NFL.com had dropped the converted running back to a "camp prospect." Sports Illustrated predicts that he will become an undrafted free agent, but said Tolbert "has the skills necessary to be a fifth receiver at the next level."

Louisiana football analyst Mike Detillier of Raceland has Tolbert ranked as the No. 61 available receiver in the draft.

Through he perhaps lacks an ideal burst, Tolbert had tirelessly worked to improve, nearly doubling his receiving production every successive year — logging 391 yards in 2003 and then 563 in 2004 before his breakout '05 campaign. As a junior, Tolbert set a new school record for receiving touchdowns in a season with 20 — surpassing Eric Gant's 19 scores, a mark which had stood for 13 years.

"He has only been playing the receiver position for three years and he has yet to reach his full potential," according to the Louisiana-based OnTheClockDraft.com. "Tolbert is a versatile player who could project as a running back or receiver at the next level. He has a good deal of upside and should be a second day pick."

Kuuan, meanwhile, led Grambling in rushing for four consecutive seasons, but similarly slipped from 891 yards as a junior to 551 last year.

NFL.com reported Kuuan's time in the 40-yard dash at 4.77 seconds and then 4.71 seconds. A solid performance in the North-South All-Star Classic postseason showcase, where Kuuan ran five times for 26 yards, helped him to recognition as a sleeper pick on several draft sites.

"Kuuan runs hard and strong, however he's more of an inside runner who struggles at times to turn the corner and pick up speed," McClean said. "He has the size to play at the pro level, but must work hard to improve on his blocking."

Pro Football Weekly has Kuuan listed as the No. 46 available running back. Detillier has him at No. 33.

Allen Trieu of Football.com lists Tolbert as the No. 21 small-school draft sleeper, with GSU offensive lineman Andre Bennett at No. 27 and Kuuan at No. 35. Cornerback Greg Fassitt, linebacker David Hicks and fullback Ruben Mayes may also have performed well enough for scouts to warrant some attention.

In fact, Fassitt's 4.36 40-time was ranked as the 11th fastest in the nation by NFLDraftScout.com.

"I'm hoping to get drafted," said Mayes, a former Tennessee transfer who ranked No. 42 among available fullbacks on NFLDraftNews.com. "If not, then I'll get into someone's camp."