The Southwestern Athletic Conference has a rich football tradition that has produced legends at both the collegiate and professional level. The Conference is going to highlight and pay homage to these iconic figures through the course of several installments at their website, swac.org.
The first installment features football luminaries from Alabama State University.
From swac.org:
Alabama State Hornets Football
Reggie Barlow (1992-95)
- Second at school in career receptions – 176 (held mark until 2011)
- School’s all-time leader in receiving yards – 2,536
- Scored 17 touchdowns during career
- Fourth-highest receiving mark in a single season with 58 receptions (1994)
Brad Baxter (1985-88)
- School’s all-time leading rusher with 3,732 yards (773 carries)
- Scored 30 career rushing touchdowns
- Holds single-season record with 1,705 yards on 302 carries (1986)
- Scored 13 touchdowns in a single season in 1986
Ricky Jones (1988-91)
- Second all-time at school in total offense with 6,823 yards
- Passed for 5,456 yards for his career, second all-time
- Second all-time in passing touchdowns with 49
- Sixth and eighth in total offense in single-season (1990 – 2,606; 1991 – 2,453)
Darnell Kennedy (1997-2001)
- School’s all-time passing leader – 11,753 yards
- Holds school career mark with 12,888 yards of total offense
- Holds 4 of the top 5 passing marks in single season history for Alabama State
- Threw for 102 career touchdowns (33 each in 2000 and 2001)
Eddie Robinson, Jr. (1988-91)
- Former American football linebacker in the National Football League
- Was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft
- Played in Super Bowl XXXIV in which started for the Titans versus the St. Louis Rams.
- Also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills
*Note: This is not a comprehensive listing, student-athletes names listed above were submitted by respective SWAC member institution
Coaching Legend Spotlight
Houston Markham Jr. (1987-97)
Markham, the winningest head coach in Hornets’ football history, left behind a legacy unmatched at Alabama State. He coached at the institution from 1987 until 1997, leaving the school with 68 victories which still stands as the highest total among any coach in school history.
His best season at the helm of the Hornets came in 1991 when the team finished 11-0-1, winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship.
The only blemish on the record for the Hornets that season came against Texas Southern when the two teams tied at 14-all, as the Hornets raced to the HBCU National Championship with a 36-13 victory over North Carolina A&T in the Alamo Heritage Bowl.
Markham, who finished with a career record of 68-47-4 (.588), also had four players drafted in the National Football League (NFL) draft during his tenure.
Because of his accomplishments as a head coach, the building that houses the Hornets football program bears his name.
About #CFB150 Anniversary
College Football 150th Anniversary is a non-profit corporation formed to plan and administer a national celebration of 150 seasons of collegiate football in 2019.
The commemoration will showcase the rich history and traditions of the sport and its contribution to American society and culture, while also promoting the opportunity it continues to provide to thousands of student-athletes across all levels of the sport.
The CFB150 staff reports to a Board of Directors made up of representatives from stakeholder groups throughout college football. The corporation has office space at the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame headquarters in Irving, Texas.
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.
