[Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS -- A new college football all-star game aimed at raising the profile of top pro prospects from historically black colleges or universities will begin play in New Orleans after next season.
"This game is something that's been needed for some time," former NFL linebacker Richard Harvey said during a media conference Wednesday to announced the launch of the HBCU All-Star Classic.
Black college players "have not been afforded the proper opportunities and proper exposure," he said.]
HBCUs: ARE THEY OR ARE THEY NOT REPRESENTED?
[HBCUs in I-AA include Alabama A&M, Alabama St., Alcorn St., Ark.-Pine Bluff, Bethune-Cookman, Delaware St., Florida A&M, Hampton, Howard, Jackson St., Mississippi Val., Morgan St., N.C. A&T, Norfolk St., Prairie View, Savannah St., South Carolina St., Southern U., Tennessee St., and Texas Southern.]
+ FACTS ABOUT CURRENT I-AA SCHOOLS ONLY
HBCUs make up 16% of the I-AA schools, 28% of the I-AA fans, and 32% of recent NFL I-AA draftees, yet only 9% of the I-AA All-Star Classic selections. (sources: *TFN, **NCAA.org, ***I-AA.org)
I-AA schools**:
HBCU - 20 (16%)
Others - 103 (84%)
Named to I-AA All-Star Classic*:
HBCU - 8 (9%)
Others - 81 (91%)
I-AA All-Star Classic players from HBCUs*:
Octavious Bond (DB) Grambling State
Deon Deboise (DL) Jackson State
Lenny Williams (DB) Southern
Steve Baggs (DL) Bethune-Cookman
Tor-El Robinson (DB) Bethune-Cookman
Vontrae Long (DB) Howard
Levy Brown (S) Florida A&M
Tramon Douglas (WR) Grambling State
[So we know that HBCUs are not represented in numbers. So is it talent that is the deciding factor? All-Star games usually feature the best of it's division for fans to watch and pro scouts to monitor.]
Attendance**:
HBCU - (1,355,258 at 94 games) 14,418 avg., 28% of total
[28,030 avg. at Classics - (476,508 at 17 games), 11,412 avg. without Classics (878,750 at 77 games)]
Others - (3,528,602 at 488 games) 7,231 avg., 72% of total
[So we know that HBCU games are much better attended than the others.]
Recent Pro draft analysis***:
Rookies on the NFL rosters year-end 2002
HBCU - 9 (23%) - 2 drafted (1%)
Others - 30 (77%) - 17 drafted (99%)
[So HBCU account for 1% of the draftees last year but 23% made up the roster, possibly supporting the theory that the NFL doesn't draft them because it can sign them cheaper as free agents]
Drafted since 2000:
HBCU - 25 (32%)
Others - 54 (68%)
[So HBCU account for 32% of the draftees over the past three years (not including this year in progress)]
On a roster (2 years or less experience):
HBCU - 25 (28%)
Others - 64 (72%)
[So HBCU account for 32% of the draftees over the past three years (not including this year in progress) and 28% on the roster, 10 more others are on the roster than were drafted]
Total I-AA NFL Players
HBCU 51 (25%)
Others 150 (75%)
[So HBCU account for 25% of the NFL players (not including this year in progress)]
Conference # of players
GFC 29
A10 28
SWAC 28
SFL 24
BSC 20
SOCON 18
MEAC 15
OVC 14
IVY 11
PFL 4
I 4
PL 3
BS 2
NEC 1
Again, HBCUs make up 16% of the I-AA schools, 28% of the I-AA fans, and 32% of recent NFL I-AA draftees, yet only 9% of the I-AA All-Star Classic selections. Hence, the launch of the HBCU All-Star Classic.
NEW ORLEANS -- A new college football all-star game aimed at raising the profile of top pro prospects from historically black colleges or universities will begin play in New Orleans after next season.
"This game is something that's been needed for some time," former NFL linebacker Richard Harvey said during a media conference Wednesday to announced the launch of the HBCU All-Star Classic.
Black college players "have not been afforded the proper opportunities and proper exposure," he said.]
HBCUs: ARE THEY OR ARE THEY NOT REPRESENTED?
[HBCUs in I-AA include Alabama A&M, Alabama St., Alcorn St., Ark.-Pine Bluff, Bethune-Cookman, Delaware St., Florida A&M, Hampton, Howard, Jackson St., Mississippi Val., Morgan St., N.C. A&T, Norfolk St., Prairie View, Savannah St., South Carolina St., Southern U., Tennessee St., and Texas Southern.]
+ FACTS ABOUT CURRENT I-AA SCHOOLS ONLY
HBCUs make up 16% of the I-AA schools, 28% of the I-AA fans, and 32% of recent NFL I-AA draftees, yet only 9% of the I-AA All-Star Classic selections. (sources: *TFN, **NCAA.org, ***I-AA.org)
I-AA schools**:
HBCU - 20 (16%)
Others - 103 (84%)
Named to I-AA All-Star Classic*:
HBCU - 8 (9%)
Others - 81 (91%)
I-AA All-Star Classic players from HBCUs*:
Octavious Bond (DB) Grambling State
Deon Deboise (DL) Jackson State
Lenny Williams (DB) Southern
Steve Baggs (DL) Bethune-Cookman
Tor-El Robinson (DB) Bethune-Cookman
Vontrae Long (DB) Howard
Levy Brown (S) Florida A&M
Tramon Douglas (WR) Grambling State
[So we know that HBCUs are not represented in numbers. So is it talent that is the deciding factor? All-Star games usually feature the best of it's division for fans to watch and pro scouts to monitor.]
Attendance**:
HBCU - (1,355,258 at 94 games) 14,418 avg., 28% of total
[28,030 avg. at Classics - (476,508 at 17 games), 11,412 avg. without Classics (878,750 at 77 games)]
Others - (3,528,602 at 488 games) 7,231 avg., 72% of total
[So we know that HBCU games are much better attended than the others.]
Recent Pro draft analysis***:
Rookies on the NFL rosters year-end 2002
HBCU - 9 (23%) - 2 drafted (1%)
Others - 30 (77%) - 17 drafted (99%)
[So HBCU account for 1% of the draftees last year but 23% made up the roster, possibly supporting the theory that the NFL doesn't draft them because it can sign them cheaper as free agents]
Drafted since 2000:
HBCU - 25 (32%)
Others - 54 (68%)
[So HBCU account for 32% of the draftees over the past three years (not including this year in progress)]
On a roster (2 years or less experience):
HBCU - 25 (28%)
Others - 64 (72%)
[So HBCU account for 32% of the draftees over the past three years (not including this year in progress) and 28% on the roster, 10 more others are on the roster than were drafted]
Total I-AA NFL Players
HBCU 51 (25%)
Others 150 (75%)
[So HBCU account for 25% of the NFL players (not including this year in progress)]
Conference # of players
GFC 29
A10 28
SWAC 28
SFL 24
BSC 20
SOCON 18
MEAC 15
OVC 14
IVY 11
PFL 4
I 4
PL 3
BS 2
NEC 1
Again, HBCUs make up 16% of the I-AA schools, 28% of the I-AA fans, and 32% of recent NFL I-AA draftees, yet only 9% of the I-AA All-Star Classic selections. Hence, the launch of the HBCU All-Star Classic.
