Florida Sports Wire

Sports Council’s Speaker Series Luncheon to Feature CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – September 29, 2014 – The Jacksonville Sports Council today announced that Bill Hancock, executive director for the College Football Playoff, will be the featured speaker at the group’s upcoming Speaker Series luncheon.

The luncheon, presented by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, will be at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the East Club at EverBank Field.

This is the second luncheon in the Speaker Series. JAXSPORTS held its inaugural luncheon in August, where a sold-out crowd of more than 800 joined to hear ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit speak.

“This is a new and exciting era for college football, and the new playoff structure is one of the most debated and discussed topics this season,” said Carl Cannon, chair, Jacksonville Sports Council. “As we head into the playoffs, we are pleased to have Bill in Jacksonville to share insights and details on the new structure.”

Hancock, ranked fifth on Forbes’ World’s 7 Most Powerful People in Sports list, currently serves as the first executive director of the new College Football Playoff. He was also the first full-time director of the NCAA Final Four and the first executive director of the Bowl Championship Series.

He previously served for 13 years as director of the NCAA’s Division I Men’s basketball Championship, the three-week March Madness event that culminates in the Final Four. Hancock has been inducted into the Halls of Fame of the College Sports Information Directors and the All College Basketball Classic.

In 2012, the Kansas City Sports Commission honored him with its Outstanding People in Sports award. He was also a 2012 winner of the Regents Alumni Award from the University of Oklahoma.

At the JAXSPORTS Speaker Series luncheon, Hancock will address the specifics of the new College Football Playoff.

Tickets for the Speaker Series luncheon are $40 each or $400 for a table of ten, and are only available to members of the Jacksonville Sports Council. To become a member of the Jacksonville Sports Council, visit www.jacksonvillesportscouncil.com.

FSU: Williams Getting ‘Better and Better’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 1 Florida State practiced on Monday at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility, staying inside because of inclement weather throughout the duration of practice.

The Seminoles escaped always tough Carter-Finley Stadium with a come-from-behind 56-41 victory over NC State on Saturday. The Seminoles fought out of a 24-7 hole in the first quarter and literally ran away with the game as senior running back Karlos Williams ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns in the final frame.

Williams finished with 126 yards rushing for his first 100-yard game of the season behind a standout game by the offensive line as FSU tallied a season 531 yards of total offense.

“Karlos is getting better and better,” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “He ran the clock out at the end. That was another thing we did on offense too, we took that last drive and never gave them the ball back. We took the game away. That was extremely critical. He had a couple big runs and had three touchdowns on the night.”

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jameis Winston (four touchdown passes), sophomore Jesus Wilson (109 yards, two scores) and senior wide receiver Rashad Greene (11 catches, 125 yards, 1 touchdown) also stood out for the offense.

On defense, the Seminoles struggled at times to stop NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who finished with 359 yards passing.

FSU missed several tackles on Saturday and the team worked extensively on tackling drills at practiced on Monday.

“Tackling to me is a lot of ‘want to’ being able to step on guys toes and hit them in the mouth and get into position to do that,” Fisher said. “Sometimes I thought we jumped too low on tackles didn’t hit on the rise, we’re physical enough and other times we got ourselves out of position. No excuse, we have to tackle better and we will tackle better and we’ll have a lot of space and drills and work on those things.”

Fisher said redshirt junior safety Tyler Hunter and freshman defensive end Lorenzo Featherston played well for the defense, however.

Hunter had a career-best 10 tackles, while Featherston made five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, including a game-breaking sack for a 17-yard loss where Brissett fumbled and fellow freshman defensive end Jacob Pugh recovered.

Greene, Jackson Capture ACC Player of the Week Nominations
Senior wide receiver Rashad Greene captured ACC Receiver of the Week honors for the third time in the young 2014 season on Monday, while senior right guard Tre’ Jackson collected ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.

Greene and Jackson led FSU to a come-from-behind 56-41 victory at NC State on Saturday.

The Seminoles erased a 24-7 first quarter lead as Greene totaled 11 receptions for 125 yards and the go-ahead touchdown. His four-yard score in the third quarter gave FSU its first lead of the game, 42-38.

Greene is the ACC’s leader in receptions (35), receiving yards (543) and yards per game (135.8). The Albany, Ga., native has 206 career receptions is just seven catches away from becoming Florida State’s all-time leader in receptions. Ron Sellers had 212 catches from 1966-68.

This is the fifth ACC Receiver of the Week award of Greene’s career.

Jackson garnered ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for the first time in his career after having the highest grade by a Seminole this season in the win over the Wolfpack.

Jackson anchored an offensive line that paved the way for the FSU offense to tally a season high 531 yards of total offense. Jackson also opened holes for Karlos Williams, who rushed for a career-best 126 yards to become the first 100-yard rusher for the Seminoles this season.

MEDIA: Another Reason Not to Watch the NFL Network's Coverage

By MIKE BONTS
JAX SPORTS NEWS

Just when I thought I didn't need another reason not to care about the NFL Network's coverage of the league that owns it.

Deion Sanders comes up with another one.

Sanders, an analyst for the NFLN, cited unnamed sources within the San Francisco 49ers team saying that players and head coach Jim Harbaugh are "not on the same page" and that players "want [Harbaugh] out."

How many players said that Deion?

NFL Network analysts and studio hosts tend to have a wolf pack mentality when presenting their opinions. Journalistic reporting is nearly non-existent. Which is odd, since the network has the inside track with a league blessed pipeline into each club.

There are exceptions. Scott Hanson for one. The host of the RedZone on Sundays, does an admirable job in taking viewers from game to game highlights.

I know there is more competition than ever in the sports TV marketplace. ESPN, Fox, CBS, NBC. Those networks have hiccups too. And their anchors and analysts all act silly from time to time. But not like the NFL Network.

They serve up goofballs bent on upstaging each other. Very good former players and coaches. But when the red light comes on they morph into cartoon like characters. Trying to get their views across with a side dish of Soupy Sales.

By the way, the 49ers beat Philadelphia Sunday, handing the Eagles their first loss of the season. And I haven’t been a big Harbaugh fan since the post-game hand shaking incident with former Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz.

But inept reporting in the guise of professional insight doesn’t excuse bad television. Harbaugh fired back Monday afternoon to Deion’s report that some of his players want him out.

"Personally, I think that's a bunch of a crap," Harbaugh said.

That also sums up my feelings about the carnival, side show pitchman antics of some of the current air talent on the NFL Network.

NCAA FCS: JU Defeats Butler on the Road, 35-7

FLORIDA SORTS WIRE

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Jacksonville University football team, led by quarterback Kade Bell’s career-high five touchdown passes, rolled up 611 yards in total offense and used a stout defense to pin a 35-7 loss on Butler in a Pioneer Football League game here Saturday.

Bell, from Fleming Island, Fla., completed 25 of 40 passes for 401 yards and one interception as JU (3-1, 2-0) launched scoring early and didn’t let up to strengthen their lead in the PFL. Butler dropped to 2-2, 0-1.

His day included a 90-yard touchdown pass to running back Ulysses Bryant, the second longest in school history and tied for first for the longest td pass this season in FCS.

Bryant wound up with 96 yards receiving and had his third consecutive 100-yard plus game on the ground with 134 yards rushing. The win broke a two-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.

“We left a lot of points out there, that’s for sure, and some of that’s my doing,’’ JU coach Kerwin Bell said. “I’ve got to call a better game than that. Our defense played a superb game, we kept everything in front of us.’’

The Dolphins came out throwing the ball long early and surged to a 21-0 halftime lead.

JU’s first touchdown came with 8:37 to play in the first quarter when Bell (Fleming Island, Fla.) hit sophomore wide receiver Damien Strange (Williston, Fla.) with a 20-yard touchdown.

Three minutes later, Bell and wide receiver Andrew Robustelli connected on a 44-yard scoring strike and a 14-0 lead at the end of one.

Bell continued his first half parade with a third touchdown pass to wide receiver Andy Jones with 12:44 to go in the first half. That play was for 9 yards and ended a seven-play, 80-yard drive that took only 2:29.

Bell hit Robustelli again in the third quarter before finishing off the Bulldogs with the Bryant pass.

Meanwhile, the JU defense put on a clinic in team defense with junior linebacker DJ Howard (Daytona Beach, Fla.) recording 10 tackles and defensive back Dallas Jackson nine.

“What’s exciting as coaches is we’re can be so much better,’’ Kerwin Bell said. “And, we’re going to get there.’’

The Dolphins are at home Saturday to take on Drake in a PFL game for homecoming.

Game Notes
· The career-high five touchdown passes for Kade Bell also tied him for the third highest single game total by a FCS player this season (check the record book for the JU record).
· It is the second career 400-yard passing game for Kade Bell.
· The 90-yard reception by Ulysses Bryant is the second longest in school history (Andrew Robustelli, 93 yards at Marist, 11/2/13)
· Byant’s reception is tied for the longest reception by an FCS player this season (Dezmin Lewis Central Arkansas, 9/20/14)
· Three straight 100-yard rushing games for Bryant is the longest streak by a JU player since Rudell Small in 2010.
· Wide receiver Andy Jones had a career high eight receptions.
· For Howard, the 10 tacklers are a caree-high.

GOLF: No. 16 Flagler Takes 16-stroke Lead Going into Final Round

ST. AUGUSTINE – The No. 16-ranked (Division II GCAA poll) Flagler College men’s golf team leads a 14-team field with a 1-under par 575 after the first 36 holes of the sixth annual Jay Jennison Memorial on Monday (Sept. 22) at The Palencia Club (par 72; 7,073 yards). The final round will be played tomorrow with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

The Saints tied its best two rounds at the Jay Jennison with that 575, which is what they shot last year when Flagler won the tournament for the first time. Limestone College is a distant second at 15-over 591 and is trailed by Wingate University and Young Harris College which both shot a 17-over 593.

Flagler’s own Zach Horne and Benedict Gebhardt of Wingate are tied atop the 74-man field, each carding a 3-under 141. Gebhardt tied for the low round in the first 18 with a 2-under 70 while Horne was the low man in round two, also with a career-best 2-under 70. David Wallin of Young Harris is one stroke back with a 2-under 142. There is a six-way tie for fourth place at even par (144), including Spencer Schindler of Flagler.

Sebastian Barnoya is tied for 10th place with a 1-over 145. Jordan Ebanks carded a 2-over 146 and is tied for 13th place. Michael Boss rounded out the starting five with a 6-over 150, good for a tie for 24th place.

The Saints had three golfers playing as individuals. Jessel Mohammed shot a 10-over 154 and is tied for 40th place while Victor Lebeck finished with a 12-over 156 and is in a logjam in 50th place. Jack Kegelmeyer is in a tie for 58th place with a 14-over 158.