As a senior here at WSSU, Erin Carr has been a die-hard Ram’s fan. However, when asked about this past season, she simply stated what many consider is obvious: “We haven’t been doing that well lately.”
The Rams experienced turbulence both on and off the field this season. The team faced some of Division II’s toughest competition, in addition to its traditional CIAA opponents, making the team’s football schedule the 12th most difficult in the nation.
Additionally, the athletics department is transitioning from Division II to Division I — a five and a half year process that Chris Zona, WSSU’s director of sports information, said will only be completed six years from now in June 2010.
Personnel changes have also rocked the program, as well as news that linebacker Tony Robinson is transferring to Carson-Newman. In an article published in the Winston-Salem Journal, Robinson, who led the Rams in tackles in all three of his seasons, blamed “a ton of negativity” on his decision to transfer.
“Obviously we’re disappointed with the season,” Coach Gregory Richardson, the team’s defensive coordinator, said. “Everyone had high expectations but in reality I do understand in some respects why the season turned out the way it did.”
Who’s to Blame for the 6-4 Season?
Although no one has been blamed for the poor showing this past season, the contracts of three WSSU football coaches have not been renewed. The other two are assistant coaches James Braswell and Lamont Turner.
Richardson attributed some of the difficulty of this season to a lack of adequate replacements for five defensive starters that were lost between last season and this season. He also emphasizes that it takes time to win championships. “It took time to get to the championship years we had in 2000 and 2001. During those years, we had fourth- and fifth-year players who knew how to do what the coaches wanted. We are not at that point yet, in my opinion.”
Richardson said he believes the disappointing defensive performance during the season led to the non-renewal of his contract.
Braswell did not offer his take on what happened. Instead, he said: “I was informed that the program needed to go in a different direction and that I will not be retained and the new people coming in will bring their own people.”
He said he has accepted the decision and plans to move on with his life. However, given the opportunity to continue teaching at WSSU, both Richardson and Braswell said they would jump at the chance. “”I would love to stay here at WSSU as a teacher in the area of human performance and sports science,” Brasswell said. “The kids are my life.”
Richardson echoed his sentiment. “Football for me is only a part of the teaching process. As long as there are young men and ladies who want to learn, I will teach.”
Another surprising twist in the 2004-2005-football season came on the heels of the last game of the season. In the November 2nd edition of the Winston-Salem Journal, Robinson announced his departure. In the article, he cited a lack of discipline by the coaches, and he questioned some of his teammates’ work habits.
Richardson described Robinson as a committed player. “There is a level of excellence that I expect players to try to attain,” Richardson said. “One player that I can say for sure who tried to attain that excellence was Tony Robinson. In terms of his commitment to the team, I have no question of it.”
Not everyone was as impressed with Robinson, however. Teammate Sander Moore, a junior business management major, said Robinson worked hard for the football team but “his talent isn’t there.”
Moore described Robinson as unpopular among his teammates, causing “nobody to respond to him on the football field. Him leaving is the best thing that could have happened to our defense,” Moore said. A Step in a New Direction Although the season was disappointing, it marked the start of the transition from Division II to Division I, and that’s a good thing, according to Zona.
“The next step in this process will be the exploratory year, which Zona said “will start next season, 2005-2006 academic year.”
During this period WSSU will have the chance to explore Division I by scheduling Division I opponents, and Division I opponents will not be penalized for scheduling the Rams.
The exploratory year also allows the university the flexibility to back out of the division change, if officials conclude that it is not a good move. “You have to option to say we don’t really want to do this,” Zona said, but added, “That’s not something that is going to happen. The decision was made with a 2 ½ year evaluation by the board of trustees. The general student population, the state legislature and the alumni were in favor of it so it wasn’t just made on the spur of the moment.”
Other steps in the process include upgrades in facilities, upgrades in equipment, new athletic staff positions and more and larger athletic scholarships.
In light of the division change, Zona says students can expect several things for the seasons to come. The school will take on more sporting activities, with possibilities such as track and field, baseball and women’s golf.
Students can also expect to see tougher competition in the other existing sports at WSSU.
Additionally, students can expect some of the same tough scheduling experienced this season, Zona said, although he added that the tough scheduling has nothing to do with the division change. “Coach Blount is a firm believer that in order to be the best you have to beat the best,” Zona said.
Fans Remain Hopeful
Anthonye Smith, a sophomore business administration major, said he has not given up on the Rams. “We have a lot of improving to do,” he said. Nevertheless, he his hoping that all of the changes and upheaval will “bring in better recruits and give us a better chance of winning games.”