Page 25 - Florida Sentinel 8-21-15 Edition

Local Sports
Buccaneer Fans Optimistic About Jameis Winston And Team
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
When an NFL team is granted the first overall pick in the draft, that means their preceding season was dismal at best. This year, the Tampa Bay Bucca- neers had that honor, and although it was tough for head coach Lovie Smith to experience, the team’s draft pick has caused fans to be very optimistic this season.
Heisman Trophy and National Championship quarterback Jameis Winston exhibited his usual enthusiasm before playing his first game as a profes- sional Saturday, and fans were asked what they thought of his performance and the direction the team is going.
Eddie Adams: “As far as Jameis Winston is concerned, he is a rookie and this was his first game. I’m sure he had to overcome nerves, and his lim-
ited playing time.
“Jameis settled down, and
I think it was a learning experience
for him. I do think he’ll be a great team leader. When he was on the sideline, you always saw him being a great teammate and listening to his coaches. I think he has a great future in the NFL. Overall, I think the team needs at least 6 players on defense who are ferocious. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done on that side of the ball. The pass rush must improve and we need some mobile
linebackers.”
Dexter Bryant: “Jameis proved he is a fighter
Saturday. After the interception, he came back and acted like a sea- soned professional. Overall, I gave the team a C-plus. They still need to improve a lot of things before the season starts.”
Joe Troupe: “I think Jameis did alright for a rookie. He showed everyone what he’s capable of and I think he has better things ahead as the season moves on. He’s going to be a great team leader and he has a lot of po-
tential.
“Overall, it’s preseason,
and there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.
They need to block and tackle better.”
David Denson: “I think he’s everything and
anything a team could want. He has unlimited talent, and performed as expected for a rookie. I think he did quite well. He will get better with time.
“Overall, the defense needs help. Unless that hap- pens, Jameis will find his job a lot tougher. You have to be ready because you can’t account for injuries all the time.
“When it comes down to making cuts, then we’ll see what kind of team we will be putting on the field.” Bill Sims: “Jameis still has to get it together, but he did pretty good. As long as he’s patient, he’ll be fine. This is his first game as a professional, and he will get a lot better. This is not college anymore, and he’ll begin to adapt to the pro game in
time.
“Overall, the team really needs to tighten up on
defense, and do a better job of protecting Jameis on the offensive line. I’m going to keep watching to see if they are going to grow together. If they do, they will be winners for sure and there will be some great years ahead.”
Tyrone Keys: “I think Jameis showed a lot of promise. He finished strong and there are some things he still needs
to work on.
“It’s better when teams
know they have things to work on. Jameis hadn’t been hit since the Oregon game last year, and against
NFL lineman, he’s discovered it’s a lot different. I think he performed great and the touchdown run was very encouraging. There is a lot to build on with Jameis and he displayed command in the huddle.
“Again, this is a preseason game, and a lot of mis- takes the team made are correctable.”
HBCU Schedules And Homecomings Now Online
HBCUConnect.com has once again published a com- plete listing of Homecoming dates and Football classics for the nation’s 105 Histori- cally Black Colleges and Uni- versities (HBCUs).
A tradition that has gone back now for over 100 years, Black College homecomings draw thousands of profes- sional African Americans to their alma-maters to enjoy tailgating, college football,
and reconnecting with old classmates. “Homecomings are actually the largest draw to our HBCU campuses each year, so we thought we would do our part and make it an annual tradition to publish an official list for our mem- bers and website visitors,” says Will Moss, founder and CEO of HBCU Connect, LLC.
HBCU Connect is an on- line based community
formed in 1999 to link grad- uates and students of Histor- ically Black Colleges and Universities. The community now consists of HBCU stu-
RATTLERS VS WILDCATS
dents, alumni, family and friends. The company has ex- tended to not only link grad- uates, but students; offering money for college, graduates
with employers as well as maintaining an active pres- ence in the HBCU commu- nity. For more details, visit www.HBCUconnect.com.
BCU BAND
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A