LORMAN, Miss. – Before the Alcorn State University football program broke the all-time single-game scoring record at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium, coach Marino Casem was on the field himself along with his 1968 National Black Football Championship team celebrating their 50 Year Golden Anniversary.
The 1968 team posted a 9-1 record and earned the titles of Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions and National Black Champions. The team capped off the season by beating Florida A&M 36-9 in the Orange Blossom Classic Bowl.
"It was a great experience for us and for the university to celebrate us and our accomplishments. What we did was really special," said A-Club president and 1968 offensive tackle Alvin Moore. "We were all glad to be able to see Coach Casem and Mrs. Casem, they were truly instrumental in shaping us into who we are today."
Alcorn defeated Louisiana College 78-0 Saturday. It broke the stadium record, and was the second largest margin of victory in school history behind a 101-0 win over Paul Quinn in 1967. Ironically, many of the members of that 1967 team were also on the 1968 championship team that was on-hand Saturday.
"We lost a lot of guys over the years but it was good to get back home and to see teammates that we might not have seen in years," stated team captain Lawrence Watkins. "It was just like old times seeing the guys and we had a lot of camaraderie and stories to tell about our days on the Reservation."
The weekend included an invitation to watch practice Friday where lots of stories were exchanged about their memorable days on campus.
"It was great listening to the stories the 1968 team told of Coach Casem and their time on the football team," said director of athletics
Derek Horne. "We are definitely looking forward to celebrating the 1969 team as a lot of the same guys are on that team as well. We are thrilled they had such a wonderful weekend and experience on campus."
As a part of the weekend celebration the university hosted a pre-game reception followed by a pre-game on-field presentation.
Members of the 1968 team:
Alexander, Willie
Arrington, Marvin
Ashford, Haywood
Ball, Lonnie
Bell, Robert
Beard, Charles
Bingham, Cleo
Brown, Elijah
Byars, Leroy
Cade, Robert
Cain, Leroy
Carter, Fred
Coburn, Walter
Collier, James
Crockett, Harry
Daniels, Jimmie
Douglas, Charles
Estes, Lawrence
Felix, J.E.
Felton, Freddie
Fox, James
Garror, Leon
Guice, Clarence
Hackett, Eddie
Hadley, David
Harris, Percy
Jenkins, Rayford
Johnson, Cleophus
Jones, Arthur
Lacking, Jerry
Leasey, Joseph
Martin, Oscar
McNeil, Eddie
Monroe, Ruben
Moore, Alvin
Mosley, Dock
Owens, Joe
Peake, Willie
Penchion, Robert
Queen, Ronald
Ray, Willie
Rice, Floyd
Simmons, Allend
Sowells, Richard
Tate, William
Thomas, Joe
Tolliver, Clarence
Truitt, Nathaniel
Washington, Dave
Watkins, Lawrence
Weeks, Marvin
Welch, Roy
White, Louis
Williams, Pertis
Willis, George
Wright, Leroy
Young, Willie
Marino Casem, Head Coach
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