[ad_1]
Jackson State is now not the Southwestern Athletic Conference front-runner. And Florida A&M has one thing to speak about aside from a locker room rap video.
Coaches and sports activities info administrators picked Florida A&M to win the East Division in voting launched Tuesday at SWAC media day in Birmingham. Jackson State and then-coach Deion Sanders have been the dominant workforce the previous two years.
The favored standing got here a number of days after Florida A&M had banned its gamers from the workforce’s services after a rap video that includes some Rattlers was shot within the locker room with out correct permission.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons, left, runs onto the sector earlier than the Orange Blossom Basic NCAA school soccer sport in opposition to Jackson State, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Florida A&M has banned its gamers from the groups services after a rap video that includes some Rattlers was shot of their locker room with out correct permission being granted. Coach Willie Simmons informed The Related Press on Saturday, July 22, 2023, the workforce facility, weight room and entry to the stadium discipline have been off limits to all of the gamers till he and the administration might kind out who was concerned within the video shoot. Â (AP Photograph/Lynne Sladky, File)
Florida A&M athletic director Tiffani-Daybreak Sykes allowed the workforce to renew all actions beginning Tuesday, coinciding with media day. She won’t touch upon the incident till the university’s investigation is full.
Coach Willie Simmons addressed the incident along with his workforce on Monday.
“They’re resilient. We’ve seen our fair proportion of adversity and this received’t be our final one,” Simmons stated Tuesday. “We speak to our guys on a regular basis about how we reply to the challenges that we face. However for us it’s about rising as a soccer workforce.
“A part of our job as coaches is simply to guide and to show and each second is a chance to show, and that’s what we take a look at this second as,” he added.
The rapper within the video is Actual Boston Richey, who’s from Tallahassee, the place Florida A&M’s campus is positioned. Richey, whose actual identify is Jalen Foster, carried out at Florida A&M’s homecoming sport final season.
Quarterback Jeremy Moussa #8 of the Florida A&M Rattlers passes the ball in opposition to the Jackson State Tigers through the Orange Blossom Basic Sport at Laborious Rock Stadium on September 04, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Tigers defeated the Rattlers 59-3. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Photos)
SWAC Commissioner Charles McLelland stated he talked to Sykes concerning the state of affairs on Sunday and that the varsity has dealt with it “magnificently.”
“Any time you droop soccer actions, it’s a concern with the convention workplace,” McLelland stated. “However we’ve labored with them each step of the way in which.
“We really feel 100% assured that they’ve dealt with it within the method by which it ought to be dealt with and we’re assured that they will have the ability to transfer ahead and that everybody goes to be taught from this instance of what occurred there with the locker room and the video and the content material of the video.”
The Rattlers, who have been 9-2 final season, and quarterback Jeremy Moussa have excessive expectations this season. Moussa was named preseason SWAC offensive participant of the 12 months, whereas Grambling State lineman Sundiata Anderson was picked as preseason defensive participant of the 12 months.
USC’S LINCOLN RILEY GIVES DEION SANDERS ‘CREDIT’ FOR ROSTER OVERHAUL AT COLORADO
Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons stands on the sector through the first half of the Orange Blossom Basic NCAA school soccer sport in opposition to Jackson State, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Florida A&M has banned its gamers from the groups services after a rap video that includes some Rattlers was shot of their locker room with out correct permission being granted. Coach Willie Simmons informed The Related Press on Saturday, July 22, 2023, the workforce facility, weight room and entry to the stadium discipline have been off limits to all of the gamers till he and the administration might kind out who was concerned within the video shoot. (AP Photograph/Lynne Sladky, File)
Southern was picked to repeat as SWAC West Division champion.
The race for the title is presumably extra open with the adjustments at Jackson State.
Sanders left for Colorado, together with star quarterback and son Shedeur Sanders and two-way standout Travis Hunter, amongst others, as a part of an exodus of expertise. Jackson State was nonetheless picked second within the East Division, behind FAMU, which obtained 16 first-place votes whereas the Tigers and three different groups obtained two apiece.
“They didn’t simply fall off the face of the earth as a result of Deion Sanders left,” Alabama A&M coach Connell Maynor stated of Jackson State. “They’ve nonetheless obtained lots of good soccer gamers over there. They’re nonetheless going to be good.”
The 2-time defending champion Tigers went 23-3 the previous two seasons, beating league opponents by a mean of 30 factors final season.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A Florida A&M helmet sports activities the Rattlers brand earlier than an NCAA school soccer sport in opposition to North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. Florida A&M has banned its gamers from the groups services after a rap video that includes some Rattlers was shot of their locker room with out correct permission being granted. Coach Willie Simmons informed The Related Press on Saturday, July 22, 2023, the workforce facility, weight room and entry to the stadium discipline have been off limits to all of the gamers till he and the administration might kind out who was concerned within the video shoot. Â (AP Photograph/Chris Seward, File)
New coach T.C. Taylor, a former Jackson State participant and assistant coach, stated the remaining Tigers have a need “to point out everyone what we’re made from.”
“All people is aware of that we had lots of turnover on our roster,” Taylor stated. “You possibly can lose a quarterback like Shedeur Sanders, an outstanding participant like Travis Hunter. , groups begin to have a look at them and assume that, they’re going to battle this 12 months. However I do know I’ve seen it daily, our soccer workforce, what we convey to the desk this 12 months, how the fellows have approached it every day.”
Florida A&M and Jackson State face off Sunday, Sept. 3 at Laborious Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Jackson State received 59-3 final season.
[ad_2]
Source link
