Love's Reward - North Carolina A&T State University

Spring
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aggie sports
By Brian M. Holloway ’97
2012 N.C. A&T Football Schedule
Aggies Release 2012 Football Schedule
North Carolina A&T State
In Rod Broadway’s first season as
University’s football team won head coach, A&T went 5-6 overall and
four of its first six games in
4-4 in the MEAC. For the first time
2011 before having to play four in the school’s history, the Aggies
consecutive games away from produced a 2,000-yard passer, 1,000-
Aggie Stadium. The Aggies lost yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher.
those four, bringing to a halt the Linebacker D’Vonte Grant was a Jerry
momentum to a season with so Rice finalist for best freshman in the
much promise.
nation, as he led the Aggies in tackles.
After his second straight season
N.C. A&T does not have to travel where he rushed for 1,000 yards,
consecutive weeks in 2012. The senior running back Mike Mayhew
Aggies will play seven home comes into the 2012 season needing
games this upcoming season, 163 yards to become the school’s alltime
leading rusher.
including the home opener Sept.
Broadway
8 against West Virginia State
University at 6 p.m.
Date Opponent Location Time
Sept. 1 Coastal Carolina Conway, S.C. TBA
Sept. 8 West Virginia State Aggie Stadium 6 p.m.
Sept. 15 Virginia University of Lynchburg Aggie Stadium 6 p.m.
Sept. 29 Morgan State Aggie Stadium 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 6 Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, Fla. TBA
Oct. 13 Howard Aggie Stadium 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 20 Delaware State Dover, Del. 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 27 Norfolk State (Homecoming) Aggie Stadium 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 3 Florida A&M Aggie Stadium 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 10 S.C. State Aggie Stadium 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 17 N.C. Central Durham, N.C. 2 p.m.
Grant Named Jerry Rice Award Finalist
The season opens on Labor Day weekend near Myrtle Beach, S.C.,
as the Aggies face Coastal Carolina for the third time in school
history. It will be the Aggies’ second trip to Coastal Carolina in three
years following their 2009 appearance at Brooks Stadium. It also
will be the third meeting in five years between the two schools.
Another rematch will occur Sept. 15, at 6 p.m., when the Aggies
face Virginia University of Lynchburg at Aggie Stadium. The
Dragons lost to A&T 38-7 last season at Aggie Stadium.
Morgan State will be the Aggies’ first MEAC opponent when the
teams face each other on Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m., at Aggie Stadium.
Homecoming 2012 is Oct. 27 against defending MEAC Champion
Norfolk State at 1:30 p.m.
Active redshirt freshman linebacker
D’Vonte Grant was named as one
of the 20 finalists for the inaugural
Jerry Rice Award, which honors
the top freshman of the year in the
Football Championship Subdivision.
“He did an outstanding job for
us this (past) season,” said North
Carolina A&T football head coach
Rod Broadway. “This honor is welldeserved
because he has made
tremendous strides throughout the
season. His attitude and work ethic
are phenomenal. He’s only going to
get better.”
Grant (5’11” and 215 pounds from Charlotte, N.C., led the team with
87 tackles, including 10.5 for a loss. He also had one interception, one
forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one blocked kick, two quarterback
hurries and two pass breakups in 11 games started last season. He is just
the second freshman in school history to lead the team in tackles, and he
broke a school record for tackles by a freshman.
Grant earned a spot on the Jerry Rice Watch List after making 11 tackles
against Appalachian State on Sept. 10, 2011, and he followed up that
performance with 12 tackles against Coastal Carolina two weeks later. He
was one of two MEAC players named to the finalist list.
The winner of the Jerry Rice Award is presented by The Sports Network
and sponsored by Fathead.com. More than 150 sports information and
media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and others serve on the
panel that selects the winner.
A&T’s other three road games are against Bethune-Cookman,
Delaware State and N.C. Central on Oct. 6, Oct. 20 and
Nov. 17, respectively.
Grant
Rice made receiving look effortless during his amazing career in the FCS
(then Division I-AA) at Mississippi Valley State University. He was a twotime
first-team All-American and finished his career with 310 receptions
for 4,851 yards and 50 touchdowns. His 27 TD receptions in 1984 set the
NCAA record for all divisions. He went on to have a historic NFL career
with the San Francisco 49ers.
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