Albany State Golden Rams football

Last updated

Albany State Golden Rams football
Albany State Golden Rams wordmark.svg
Athletic directorRobert Skinner
Head coach Quinn Gray
1st season, 6–5 (.545)
Stadium Albany State University Coliseum
(capacity: 10,000)
Year built2004
Location Albany, Georgia
NCAA division Division II
Conference SIAC
DivisionEast
Bowl record11 (.500)
Playoff appearances14
Playoff record3–14
Conference titles19
Rivalries Fort Valley State
ColorsRoyal blue and gold [1]
   
Website asugoldenrams.com

The Albany State Golden Rams football team represents Albany State University (ASU) in the sport of American football. The Golden Rams compete in the Division II of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and in the East Division of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). They play their home games at Albany State University Coliseum on the university's Albany, Georgia, campus, and are currently led by coach Quinn Gray Sr.

Contents

In 2003, the Golden Rams played Fayetteville State in the Pioneer Bowl. Albany State won, 52–30.

The Albany State Golden Rams were named the 2010 SBN Black college Football National Champions.

Former Golden Rams players that have played in the NFL include current Indianapolis Colt Grover Stewart, former Golden Rams Head Coaches Mike White and Dan Land, Steve Carter, Kenneth Gant, Arthur Green, Jeff Hunter, Keyon Nash, Clarence Benford III and Chris Sheffield. [2]

Rapper Rick Ross played briefly for the Golden Rams during the mid 1990s.

Rivalries

Fort Valley State University

The rivalry began in the first meeting of the two schools in 1945, when FVSU beat ASU, 27-21. The two schools did not play each other in 1946 and 1947. While the rivalry between the two teams spans more than half a century, Fountain City Classic officials moved the game to Columbus in 1990 to attract more corporate support. [3] FVSU leads the series 44–39–4.

Fort Valley State won their last meeting in 2022, 31-21.

Head coaches

CoachSeasonsYearsGamesWLTPct.
Forrest Kirkpatrick 41945–1948162122.188
Chris Roulhoc 21949–195018693.417
Obie O'Neal 171951–1967146795710.575
Bobby Lee 21968–1969175120.294
Willie Parker 1197010460.400
Hampton Smith 241971–1976, 1982–1999251157904.633
Whitney L. Van Cleve 31977–19793112172.419
Willie Williamson 21980–1981 (first 3 games in 1981)144100.286
John Wright 11981 (last 7 games)7070.000
Mike White 152000–2014163112510.687
Dan Land 22015–2016191180.579
Gabe Giardina 42017–20225437170.685

Championships

SEAC

3: 1955, 1959, 1960

SIAC

16: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2021 [4]

SIAC East Division

2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021

Black college national

2003, 2004, 2010

Postseason

Bowl games

[5]

SeasonBowlOpponentResult
1946Coconut BowlBethune–CookmanL 0–32
1952 Tropical Bowl Bethune–CookmanL 0–54
2003 Pioneer Bowl Fayetteville StateW 52–30

NCAA Division II playoffs

SeasonCoachPlayoffOpponentResult
1993 Hampton Smith First RoundHamptonL 7–33
1994Hampton SmithFirst RoundValdosta StateL 7–14
1995Hampton SmithFirst RoundNorth AlabamaL 28–38
1996Hampton SmithFirst RoundValdosta StateL 28–38
1997Hampton SmithFirst Round
Quarterfinal
Southern Arkansas
Carson-Newman
W 10–6
L 22–23
2004Mike WhiteSecond Round
Quarterfinal
Arkansas Tech
Valdosta State
W 42–24
L 24–38
2005Mike WhiteFirst RoundCentral ArkansasL 20–28
2006Mike WhiteFirst RoundNewberryL 28–34
2007Mike WhiteFirst RoundCatawbaL 35–66
2008Mike WhiteFirst RoundTusculumL 22–34
2009Mike WhiteFirst RoundWest AlabamaL 22–24
2010Mike WhiteSecond Round
Quarterfinal
Wingate
Delta State
W 30–28
L 7–28
2011Mike WhiteFirst RoundNorth GreenvilleL 14–63
2021 Gabe Giardina First RoundWest GeorgiaL 7–23

All-Americans

YearPlayerPosTeamPublicationAward
1978Mike WhiteDT3rd TeamAP Little All-America [6]
1984Steve CarterWRHonorable MentionAP Little All-America
1995Antonio LeroyRB3rd TeamAP Little All-America
2004Rodney MagwoodOL2nd TeamAP Little All-America
2004 Walter Curry DL2nd TeamAP Little All-America
2004Walter CurryDL1st TeamDaktronics [7]
2005Alton PettwayDL2nd TeamAP Little All-America
2006Alton PettwayDL1st TeamAFCA [8]
2006Alton PettwayDL1st TeamAP Little All-America
2006Alton PettwayDL1st TeamDaktronics [9]
2011Jamarkus GaskinsLB1st TeamDaktronics [10] DPOY
2011Jamarkus GaskinsLB1st TeamAP Little All-America
2013Dexter MoodyDBHonorable MentionBeyond Sports Network [11]
2014Jarvis SmallRB3rd TeamBeyond Sports Network [12]

NFL draft picks

DraftPlayerPosTeamRoundPick
1968Frank BrownDEDallas Cowboys8th211
1969Joe WalkerDEBoston Patriots9th214
1970Willie DixonDBBuffalo Bills10th238
1974Art CameronTEBuffalo Bills10th241
1974Eddie WilsonWRAtlanta Falcons11th277
1975Greg WellsOLNew York Jets16th405
1975Lester ShermanRBDenver Broncos17th433
1976Jeremiah CummingsDEBaltimore Colts14th394
1979 Mike White DLCincinnati Bengals4th84
1979Curtis BuncheDLPhiladelphia Eagles7th185
1982 George Thompson WRDallas Cowboys11th295
1989 Jeff Hunter DEPhoenix Cardinals11th291
1990 Kenneth Gant DBDallas Cowboys9th221
2002 Keyon Nash DBOakland Raiders6th189
2017 Grover Stewart DLIndianapolis Colts4th144

Undrafted

Players that went undrafted but spent at least one season on a team's active roster.

Steve Carter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987)
Arthur Green: New Orleans Saints (1972)
Dan Land: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987), Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders (1989-1997)
Chris Sheffield: Pittsburgh Steelers (1986-1987), Detroit Lions (1987)

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References

  1. Albany State University Athletics Abbreviated Style Guide (PDF). January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  2. "Albany State (GA) Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  3. "Fountain City Classic". Fountaincityclassic.com. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  4. "All-Time Conference Champions" (PDF). NCAA.org. National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 18. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  5. http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2022/Bowls.pdf
  6. "AP Little All-America Archive (1934–2017)" (PDF). Static.esuwarriors.com. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  7. "Koenen named second-team Daktronics, Inc., Division II All-American" . Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  8. "Chadron State's Danny Woodhead, Albany State's Alton Pettway Headline 2006 AFCA Division II Coaches'-America Team" (PDF). Ferris-pages.org. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  9. "MSU's Burson named Daktronics, Inc. All-American - Midwestern State University". MSUMustangs.com. December 12, 2006. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  10. "Deonte? Gist named to Daktronics All-America Football Team". December 14, 2011. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  11. "2013 Beyond Sports Network Division II All-America Team Announced".
  12. "2014 Beyond Sports Network Division II All-America and All-Super Region 4 teams".