tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74870786276733039062024-02-07T06:51:15.717-06:00GAMECOCKILLUSTRATED.COMUnbought and Unbossed: The only 3 Time Champion of Independent Coverage of Jacksonville State University Athletics on the World Wide WebJSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.comBlogger1383125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-57193195698729347452013-09-23T21:16:00.000-05:002013-09-23T21:16:23.621-05:00We have moved!Gamecock Illustrated is back online but has moved from Blogger to WordPress. All of our articles and comments are still in tact at the new site. Please visit our new site at <a href="http://gamecockillustrated.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">WordPress</a>JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-7738776485670631192012-12-08T13:45:00.000-06:002012-12-08T13:45:58.284-06:00That's All Folks.After several years and lots of fun, Gamecock Illustrated is shutting down. Thanks to all of the players and coaches that were gracious with their time. Go Gamecocks!JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-35993084464216846412012-12-07T06:59:00.003-06:002012-12-07T06:59:53.302-06:00JSU Softball Signs Gillespie <a href="http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2012/12/06/gillespie-signs-with-jacksonville-state/">click here</a>.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-88297258727623377822012-12-05T07:37:00.001-06:002012-12-05T07:37:10.963-06:00Jacksonville State Football 2012 Highlight<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/urYY682G2A0?fs=1" width="459"></iframe><br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-39118505945054010792012-12-03T13:04:00.004-06:002012-12-03T13:04:30.948-06:00Alan Bonner In the Senior Bowl!c<a href="http://www.seniorbowl.com/news.asp">lick</a> here.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-54407373079348128882012-11-30T22:26:00.000-06:002012-11-30T22:26:02.818-06:00Thank You Coach CroweShocking news tonight with the dismissal of Coach Crowe.<br />
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The Gamecocks did not achieve all of their goals under his tenure, but they accomplished much including: 1) three conference championships and the best record in the OVC the year we were not eligible; 2) several playoff appearances; 3) something like 9 straight winning seasons, all accomplished without scheduling out of conference cupcakes; 3) a shock the world win over Ole Miss that brought JSU more publicity than any event in the history of the institution; and 4) 53 seconds away from a monumental upset over Florida State. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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Indeed, even his harshest critics would have to acknowledge that our "program" is light years ahead of where it was before he took over in 2001. For instance, thanks to his refusal to accept the status quo, we are no longer losing assistants to high school jobs because of only paying them $22k per year. There is literally no comparison between the weight training equipment Jacksonville State has now and what they had before he started. There is now academic support for football players, whereas none existed before. On that note, if you want to place the APR failure a few years back at his feet, then surely you will recognize that our football team's graduation rate now exceeds that of the general student body and we are now bringing in numerous players that have ACT scores that place them in the academically elite at JSU. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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And, of course, JSU plays in a stadium that establishes the foundation for JSU to have a successful program for decades. A stadium that routinely draws more fans now than JSU ever has drawn in the history of the program. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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It did not stop there, however. Coach Crowe reached out to successful JSU graduates and made them feel a connection with our program. As a result of his efforts, large contributions were made that led to direct enhancements in JSU's facilities. While the donors wrote the checks, Coach Crowe was proactive in his outreach to these folks refusing to accept the status quo. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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But, there is more. After seeing that some of our young men lacked the life skills necessary to succeed at JSU and beyond, he found a way to bring Jamie Strange to JSU who has been leading the team for several years working on character education. Of course, some of this came at the expense of practice time, but we made the commitment that some things are more important. Just this year, Coach Crowe was leading private fundraising efforts to support Jamie in the good work that he does. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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Of course, so much of the inside story is not known. For instance, a four star defensive lineman from Georgia, Derrick Lott, wanted to transfer to Jax State from Georgia. Amazingly, he was eligible at Georgia (a pretty good school) and had no problem transferring to Chattanooga, but at JSU he was going to lose a ton of credits. Thus, we missed out on a player that would have made a huge difference at our thinnest position this year. Rather than complain publicly, Coach Crowe worked with the administration to change the rules. Thus, in the future when the right player comes along- maybe we will get him. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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There is probably no program at JSU that is more loved than the Southerners. Because of Coach Crowe's efforts, the bond between the football team and the band has never been stronger. Little things like making Ken Bodiford honorary coach at the Spring Game and having the players recognize the band after the game go along way. This connection will pay dividends for years to come. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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To sum it up, Coach Crowe was terminated after having the best record in the league in 2009, JSU hosting a playoff game for the first time ever in 2010, winning the conference in 2011 and going 6-3 in the FCS and undefeated at home in 2012. If our future coaches have to exceed this to be considered successful, the bar has been raised pretty high at JSU. Thank you Coach Crowe.<br />
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<br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-27945841469631055752012-11-30T12:50:00.000-06:002012-11-30T13:33:12.430-06:00More Nick Mullens InformationThis is a big pickup for the Gamecocks. Mullens is a 2 Star Scout player <a href="http://hsalabama.scout.com/a.z?s=383&p=8&c=1&nid=5208480">link here</a> and we understand he was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Birmingham.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-38370653508452998862012-11-30T12:48:00.001-06:002012-11-30T12:48:01.652-06:00Nick Mullens Commits to Jacksonville State<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y3cMxA2eS2Y?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-47672901285853289302012-11-29T07:10:00.001-06:002012-11-29T07:10:15.148-06:00Crowe making plans to do without Blanchard<a href="http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/20967020/article-Crowe+making+plans+to+do+without+Blanchard#.ULdes7BHWPI.blogger">Crowe making plans to do without Blanchard</a>: Jacksonville State football coach Jack Crowe expects to use as many as three quarterbacks in the Gamecocks’ 2013 season opener — whether it’s a yet-to-be-named opponent Aug. 31 or Jacksonville Univ...JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-3375553557077733852012-11-27T15:10:00.001-06:002012-11-27T18:52:14.811-06:00Who Is Losing Who?Now that the season is over, its time to focus on recruiting and next year. With that in mind, here is a preliminary analysis of which OVC teams were losing the most players (and most impact players) from this past season:<br />
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1. <strong>Eastern Kentucky</strong>. Attrition will really hurt the Colonels. They lose seven starters on offense and five on defense. Among their losses is running back <strong>Matt Denham</strong> who has eviscerated the Gamecocks. EKU also loses their starting quarterback, and two tackles (<strong>Adams</strong> & <strong>Ford</strong>) and a wide receiver (<strong>Goard</strong>) that are NFL prospects. On defense, EKU's notable losses include all Conference DL, Robert Knowles, all conference safety, <strong>Brooklyn Fox</strong>, and a linebacker, <strong>Ceniza</strong>, that had about 1,000 tackles against JSU.<br />
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2. <strong>Tennessee Tech.</strong> Tennessee Tech was supposed to contend for the conference title in 2012. Unfortunately, they were devastated by injuries. The good news is that the injuries probably allowed them to build depth for future years. The bad news is that they are probably going to need it. TTU will lose twelve starters in all-- six on each side of the ball. On offense, the most notable loss is all-world transfer <strong>Da' Rick Rogers</strong>, but Tech will also lose quarterback <strong>Tre Lamb</strong> and running back <strong>Adam Urbano</strong>.<br />
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3. <strong>UTM.</strong> UTM had a very good team this year beating FCS Memphis in the opening game of the season. Their surprising loss to Tennessee Tech at the end of the year probably kept them out of the playoffs. UTM will definitely have some rebuilding to do in 2013 as they lose four offensive starters and five defensive starters. Among the losses are three of the very best players in the conference- quarterback <strong>Derrick Carr</strong>, wide receiver <b>Quentin Sims</b> and DL <strong>Montori Hughes</strong>.<br />
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4. <strong>Murray State</strong>. The good news is that Murray only loses three defensive starters. The bad news is that Murray only loses three defensive starters because they could not stop anyone last year. Aside from that, Murray loses five on offense, most notably their all-star quarterback, <strong>Casey Brockman</strong>.<br />
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5. <strong>EIU.</strong> The surprise team in the OVC will lose six offensive starters, but notably return their two best players, quarterback <strong>Jimmy Garroppolo</strong> and wide receiver <strong>Erik Lora</strong>. Among EIU's losses are <strong>Jake Walker</strong>, a 2nd team all conference running back, and <strong>Kevin Kapellas</strong>, an all-OVC center. The Panthers only lose four on defense, but will have to replace their entire starting defensive line.<br />
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6. <strong>Jacksonville State.</strong> The Gamecocks will suffer some significant losses on offense with Ivory, Mobley, Rush, Bonner, Ealey and Trey Smith all out of eligibility. There is exceptional depth on the offensive line and at running back, but finding a replacement quarterback (assuming Blanchard does not return) will be job # 1. On defense, the Gamecocks lose Dimetrio Tyson, Mike Whittier, Brooks Robinson and Nick Johnson. <br />
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6. <strong>Tennesse State</strong>. The Tigers may be the team to beat next year. They only lose 2-3 starters, but the losses do include two first team all conference offensive linemen.<br />
<br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-69364093108834624692012-11-22T11:39:00.001-06:002012-11-22T11:39:16.739-06:00Gamecock Chatter<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nsFMHKsMVyY?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-73542099798042970962012-11-20T13:13:00.003-06:002012-11-20T13:13:56.335-06:00Coop's Big Play<a href="http://t.co/wEqw94Mi">http://t.co/wEqw94Mi</a>JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-40977676652245178182012-11-20T07:25:00.002-06:002012-11-20T07:25:56.327-06:00Alligator Army Breaks Down JSU's First Drive<a href="http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2012/11/19/3664504/florida-gators-football-video-breakdown-part-one-defense-jax-state-2012">click here</a>.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-76727072492842666422012-11-20T07:12:00.001-06:002012-11-20T07:12:33.796-06:00McGuire, West headed to JSU<a href="http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/20887208/article-McGuire-+West+headed+to+JSU#.UKuBv2z0GTI.blogger">McGuire, West headed to JSU</a>: Early signing day came and went smoothly. With it, two defending state champions decided to continue their careers just down Alabama 21.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-8188696911982574202012-11-19T11:36:00.001-06:002012-11-19T11:36:45.340-06:00GANGNAM STYLE PARODY (강남스타일) - Jax State Gamecock Style<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ut5YbyQp3lw?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-56884257055072407362012-11-19T07:15:00.001-06:002012-11-19T07:15:45.573-06:00Florida game a glimpse of Jax State's future<a href="http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/20877716/article-Florida+game+a+glimpse+of+Jax+State-s+future#.UKow-9VSqyI.blogger">Florida game a glimpse of Jax State's future</a>: If Jacksonville State fans paid even the least bit of attention during Saturday’s game, they might have caught a glimpse of the Gamecocks’ future in the Florida team that beat them 23-0.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-60055750393173884622012-11-18T20:42:00.002-06:002012-11-18T20:42:40.191-06:00EIU is OVC's Sole RepresentativeEIU will travel to South Dakota for the first round of the playoffs. UTM lost to Tennessee Tech last weekend which knocked Martin out of the playoffs.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-48830564509410045632012-11-18T08:45:00.000-06:002012-11-18T08:45:58.359-06:00The Florida GameBehind the Florida State and Ole Miss games, this was probably the best performance ever by the Gamecocks against one of the "big boys." A few post-game observations:<br />
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THE SENIORS:</div>
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*Marquez Ivory played a really great game against what may be the best defense in college football.</div>
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*Trey Smith made a lot of really nice catches in one of his best games as a Gamecock.</div>
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*Kevyn Cooper made ESPN with an effort play that is symbolic of his whole career.</div>
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*Dimetrio Tyson was all over the field. I hope there is a place for him in pro football.<br />
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DEFENSE<br />
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*One of the best performances in the last 10 years by a JSU defense. Held a powerhouse SEC team to one offensive touchdown. The Gamecocks must learn to translate that effort to games against OVC opponents.<br />
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*Don't know how many tackles he had, but Sean "Real Papa" Watson was all over the field yesterday. For JSU to do big things next year,Watson must emerge as an impact player. Watson was heavily recruited by SEC teams before a high school knee injury.<br />
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*Pierre Warren gets very little publicity, but makes a ton of plays. Looking forward to watching the rest of his career.<br />
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*It seems that a defense needs to play with a little bit of an edge. I like how Jordan Jackson and Ben Endress don't back down from anyone regardless of circumstances. This is second hand, but Jackson's unsportsman like was apparently in retaliation for a cheap shot on Endress.</div>
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*Nick Johnson made a tackle on the four yard line saving a touchdown. Didn't seem that big of a deal at the time, two penalties later the Gamecocks blocked a field goal.<br />
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*Rob Gray barely missed an interception. Wish he could have gotten it, he grew up a Florida fan.<br />
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*The obvious need area on defense is interior defensive line. The coaching staff needs to find some help for Adam Wright and Caleb Lawrence. One coach told me that they are working on it starting today. <br />
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THE OFFENSE</div>
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*JSU put some good stuff together in the first half. </div>
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*Field position really hurt JSU. It seemed like the Gamecocks were starting every drive around the 8 yard line.</div>
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*Buster Pope's season was an enigma. After a remarkable start to the season, he rarely played. Every time I thought he was done for the season, he would come in for a snap or two. The future is really bright at running back for JSU.<br />
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*The Florida announcers made an interesting comment about Trey Burton running the wildcat. They said it was hard for him to be effective when the other team knew he was not going to throw. To a lesser extent, that holds true for Coty Blanchard. Our plays when he is in the game are fairly predictable. The guy can do anything as he proved last year. That being said, it seemed that Ivory was particularly sharp yesterday which may have led to the coaches' decision to play him more. The million dollar question- is Coty coming back next year?<br />
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*Ealey announced on twitter yesterday that he was done at JSU, but expressed love for his teammates. Hopefully, he doesn't give up on a degree, making the NFL and a college degree aren't mutually exclusive.<br />
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*Hamish M. had a really good day punting the football.<br />
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I love the Gamecocks. The theme starting today needs to be THIS IS NEXT YEAR.</div>
JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-20522850901244722812012-11-16T06:57:00.001-06:002012-11-16T06:57:35.006-06:00Green talks JSU hoops with the Exchange Club<a href="http://jaxnews.com/bookmark/20749483/article-Green+talks+JSU+hoops+with+the+Exchange+Club#.UKY4PA2eeyQ.blogger">Green talks JSU hoops with the Exchange Club</a>: Jacksonville State University men’s basketball coach James Green issued a challenge to the city’s Exchange Club last month: to come out and show their support for the Gamecock basketball team.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-4841169117073132982012-11-16T06:44:00.002-06:002012-11-16T06:44:05.583-06:00Jayce Barber Hilights<a href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1258889/#highlights/17954373">click here</a>.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-28232688794856329952012-11-16T06:29:00.001-06:002012-11-16T06:29:12.713-06:00Highlight for JSU vs. FLA 2012<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XNKlDRjyFus?fs=1" width="459"></iframe><br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-46603667926070153942012-11-15T09:25:00.001-06:002012-11-15T09:25:37.954-06:00Dalton Screws Interview<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8mRMYsH3YU4?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-17597658136254955942012-11-15T07:14:00.001-06:002012-11-15T07:14:11.474-06:00Randall Smith Video (A-Star tweets he has committed to JSU)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3IfiWWQ24sk?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-1222899357072251632012-11-14T11:05:00.003-06:002012-11-14T11:05:38.808-06:00Another Preview of the Jax State v. Florida GameWhy didn't the game with Peay get this kind of interest? <a href="http://www.bnd.com/2012/11/14/2394410/jacksonville-state-6-4-at-7-florida.html">click here</a>.JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487078627673303906.post-85035410195154248512012-11-14T06:40:00.000-06:002012-11-14T06:40:29.880-06:00Bleacher Report Previews the Jax State - Florida Gameclick here.<a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1407799-jacksonville-state-vs-florida-complete-game-preview">http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1407799-jacksonville-state-vs-florida-complete-game-preview</a>JSU Gamecock Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06841005837058798551noreply@blogger.com0