Texas Southern head coach Johnnie Cole has been at the school for only eight months, but he’s already stoked the flames in the classic rivalry with Prairie View A&M.

Cole, in his first season, threw down the gauntlet Wednesday afternoon in the Touchdown Club of Houston’s luncheon that serves as the prelude to the battle between the two historically black colleges Saturday at Reliant Stadium. While speaking in front of Panther head coach Henry Frazier III and alumni and supporters from both schools, Cole likened the game to the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight in the Thrilla in Manila back in 1975.

“Coach Frazier said that (his team) will hit anything that moves,” Cole said. “Frazier said the same thing, but you can’t hit what you can’t see. You guys play pretty solid and get around, but you ain’t played nothing like what we’re going to put on you this Saturday.”

Cole also guaranteed victory for his Tigers in the game earlier this week. But Frazier took the taunting in stride, which is because the Panthers have beaten the Tigers three of the last four years, including a 34-14 win last year.

“That’s all fine and good,” Frazier said. “I understand in front of people, you got to say what you got to say. But talking hasn’t won a football game yet. We’re ready to play. We’re injury-free and have all of our horses.”

Prairie View should be strong again this season with 45 lettermen returning from a team that went 7-3 and one game short of qualifying for the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game in 2007. That resulted with Frazier being named the HBCU Coach of the Year.

This season, the Panthers’ offense will feature an overall balanced attack. Running back Donald Babers, as well as wide receivers Joe Townsend, Anthony Weeden, and Shaun Stephens adding to the team speed. The defense will be led by linebacker Nick East, who was named the 2008 SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

“They’re ready to play a football game. They’ve been hitting each other for three and a half weeks,” Frazier said, “and it’s time to take that on someone else.”

TSU will try to erase a dismal 0-11 season with the addition of former North Shore and Oklahoma State quarterback Bobby Reid, who thrown for over 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns in his collegiate career, and has big-play capability. But only 23 players from the Tigers’ spring roster made it to the fall roster, meaning there will be a lot of new faces on the TSU sideline this year.

Also in attendance at the luncheon was former Oiler/Tennessee Titans great Steve McNair, who also played for Alcorn State, a fellow SWAC school.

Subscribe to this comment's feed