Drake and Caleb working a drill for Coach McGee

The Indians, which open the season on Sept. 1st against Presentation College in Aberdeen, SD, continued the teaching mode to its 60+ newcomers while increasing the tempo in several drills and running through some of new plays returing offensive coordinator Joe Claunch has chalked up for this season.

All practices are open to the public.

“We’re working on fundamentals, blocking and tackling and the finer points of running the routes and getting in pass coverage. All the things you’ll do with a young team,” Head coach Jimmy Snyder said.

With much of the teaching mode still being implemented and his team moving closer to working out in full gear, Snyder and his coaching staff can begin the process positioning the players on the depth chart. When asked about what the coaches are liking thus far Snyder said, “Athletes!.. some of the kids are faster and quicker than we had thought but more importantly is the attitude so far, things are positive and optimistic.”

The Indians first home game of the season will be Sept. 8 against Robert Morris College at the historic Haskell stadium, kick-off is scheduled for 12 noon.

Team Notes:
Newcomer Stephen Edmond(Cherokee) from Mannford, Oklahoma recently learned that the fires that raged through northeastern Oklahoma this past weekend ravaged his families home in a total loss. Thankfully, none of the members of Stephens family were harmed or hurt the in the fires but they did however lose all of their belongings to the fires. The Haskell athletic department is accepting donations of clothes and other items to help Stephen and his family through this difficult time. For more information on how one can help please contact the Haskell Athletic department at (785) 749-8459 Monday thru Friday from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM CST.

Football Alumni Note:
On a lighter note, Ryan Alden (Siletz tribe of Oregon), who was last year’s starting quarterback for the Haskell Indians, is finishing up playing his first season of football overseas in Germany. Ryan has a few more games left before play-offs begin and the off-season begins.

His stats on the season this far are:
112-165 Passing, 68% completion rate, 1,293 total yds, 14 tds, 69 rush yds, 2 rush tds

Levi Horn (Northern Cheyenne)

Horn is a Native American and a member of the Northern Cheyenne-Montana tribe. Like a lot of young football players, he dreamed of making it to the NFL and having a professional football career. However, when he was looking for someone of his own race to emulate, it was difficult. In terms of representing his race, Horn has become an icon in the Native American community and an NFL trailblazer.

“There aren’t many Native Americans in the NFL,” Horn said. “It’s a source of pride – both for me and the native country. I go around to reservations and talk to kids. I had somewhat of a troubled background when I was a kid so I can relate to those kids that aren’t on the right path and show them someone can succeed. I’m kind of a worker bee around here, but it counts. “It was important to me to make it to the NFL because I love the game,” Horn said. “I want to be a role model, because when I was kid, I wanted to be in the NFL and noticed that there weren’t any Native Americans in the league and wanted to change that.”

His chances of getting to the NFL didn’t look great early on. He was recruited to play at the University of Oregon, where he redshirted his freshman year as the team tried to convert him to tight end. However, it became clear to him that he wasn’t going to get much in the way of playing opportunities, which led to frustration. Following his freshman season, Horn was one of four Oregon players to transfer out of the school to go to different programs in hopes of getting the playing time he needed to get noticed and succeed.

The University of Montana became his landing spot and going there significantly changed his life both on and off the field. Not only did he become an All-America offensive tackle, he got in touch with his roots and the tribal traditions of the Northern Cheyenne community. He credits that moves as one of the great blessings of his life.

“It was a great fit for me,” Horn said. “From the football side of things, I went there because they have a great tradition. It was close to my home (in Spokane, Wash.) and there is a very large Native American population there. It was great to be there and I was able to be someone that Native kids could look up to on the local college team. That was what really got me started in wanting to work with kids and let them know there are opportunities out there if they’re willing to work hard to reach their goals – whether it’s football or going to college or preparing for life as adults.”

Horn was shocked to see the depth of despair that exists on Native American reservations. The practice of taking land that was home to Native Americans dates back to the 1850s, when conflicts in what would become Oklahoma raged between settlers heading west and the Native Americans who lived on the land. As a compromise solution, Native Americans were forced onto reservations, where many generations have remained for the last 150 years. The problems of crime, alcoholism and poverty have long been issues in the Native American community and it has become systemic.

Horn hopes that his celebrity status can help bring about change among Native Americans and his efforts are part of a new generation hoping to break the stereotypes and ongoing problems that affect his people.

“There are a lot of problems on reservations and there is somewhat of a sense of hopelessness,” Horn said. “Right now, people like me and the younger generation are trying to uplift that. I’m in contact with a lot of people who do a lot of good things on reservations and we’re all just trying to change things for the better. Being a football player gets their attention and shows them that there are opportunities out there. I see a lot of good things happening and hopefully it will remain on the upswing.”

In the process, Horn has become a person that the next generation of Native Americans can look up to and hope to emulate. He wouldn’t have thought that was possible when he was growing up, but he hopes to part of the process of bringing about positive change.

“When I was a kid, I never would have thought that I could be a role model, but Native kids need someone they can look up to because, for the most part, we aren’t represented that much in things like sports or entertainment,” Horn said. “I’m hoping to change that and being someone positive that kids can look up to. If we are going to make a change take place, we need more Native Americans to step up and be part of making a change for the better. If I can help move some kids in the right direction, I’ve done my job and have helped my people and my community.”

Reprinted with the permission of the Vikingupdate.com, written by John Holler who has been writing about the Vikings for more than a decade.

Assistant Coach Rich Brewer assist a player with his pads (Photo courtesy Haskell Athletics)

Players offically checked into the football facilities and begin going through team meetings and orientation with the football staff as well as checking out equipment all in preperations for the fall season. “The first few days are about getting the players situated with all the necessary equipment and learning the expectations of the program,” Snyder said. “We have about 65 new players (including transfers) on this year’s squad so we want to make sure they get accustom to how we do things. We are just going through conditioning with them at this point and after this weekend we’ll start getting into pads and split into our offense and defense.”

All practices are open to the public but times and locations will vary depending on weather and workout scheduled for that day but most activities are taking place at the practice field and the old baseball field south of campus.

Haskell will open its season on the road on September 1st at Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota and the home opener is scheduled on September 8th at Haskell Stadium against Robert Morris College.

Snyder also announced that a pair of players  have been named to the USA College Football NAIA Pre-Season team for this season. Seniors Caleb Chaffin and Jesse Hammer were selected last month to the squad. Chaffin, a wide receiver from Lone Grove, Oklahoma finished the 2011 season ranked 8thin the nation in receptions per game, and 11thin total receptions. Hammer, also a First Team Selection, is from Kansas City, Kansas, and primarily takes the field as an offensive lineman.

On the newcomer side of the ball coach Snyder also talked about Van Gray, a transfer from Southwest Oklahoma State University, who is an 6-5 325 Offensive Lineman that coach expects to have an immediate impact for the Indians. “He is real athletic for such a big guy” Snyder said. “He will definately have an impact us up front,  he is a big body that will help improve our size and physicality on the line”.

Haskell Offensive line player walking through drills (Photo courtesy of Haskell Athletics)

Also, from the newcomers list of players that could have an impact this season is incoming Freshamn Trey Harjo from Holdenville, Oklahoma. “Trey is a real explosive runner,” Snyder said “He is versitle and he can be used in different situations on the offensive side of the ball and could come in here and push for a starting job.”

Snyder said they will announce later on when the first scrimmages will be but any and all are welcome to attend when they are announced.

To to get a complete schedule for the Haskell Indian Nations University upcoming football season, visit the athletics website at http://www.haskellathletics.com/schedule/0/4.php

57 Brad Madison (Nez Perce)

(Columbia, MO) – ESPN has ranked Missouri Tiger’s defensive end Brad Madison as one of the top 10 Defensive Ends for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) this upcoming season. Madison, a member of the Nez Perce tribe, will begin his senior at full strength after undergoing surgery this past spring.

2011 Season
Despite not playing at full strength for most of last season due to the injury in pre-season of last year Madison still finished with 25 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks while adding his 1st career interception . Madison’s breakout year was the 2010 season where he led the team with 7.5 QB sacks, a total which also ranked him 4th overall in the Big 12 and 36th in the NCAA and his 11 tackles for loss also led the team. He was also named to the 2nd-Team All-Big 12 that season.

2012 OUTLOOK
Madison has proven he is a performer as an edge rusher who comes into his last year as a Tiger and looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled junior season Brad Was limited in spring drills as he was recovering from off-season shoulder surgery but When he returns in the fall, he’ll be atop the depth at one end spot, where he’ll look to make an impact in Mizzou’s new league, the SEC. Madison also earned his undergraduate degree in May, meaning he’ll play the 2012 season as a graduate student.

See story @
Ranking the SEC’s defensive ends

Greg Tisho (Eastern Band Cherokee)

(Bryson City, NC) – Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians football player Greg Tisho, from Swain county high school, has been named to the 2012 NCPreps.com’s pre-season all-state team. North Carolina high school football coaches participated in the selection of the pre-season All-State teams.

Tisho, who will be a senior this season and recently transferred to Swain county from cherokee High school, sat a single season recieving record with 1,040 yards for the Braves. He was selected to the All-Smoky Mountain Conference during his junior campaign with a team high 11 receiving touchdowns last season despite playing his last game with the Braves in late October.

An all around athlete, Tisho was also named to the Smoky Mountain conference All-Conference basketball team as a junior with Swain county despite transferring in mid-season.

Here is the complete list of pre-season All-State selections from NCpreps.com: http://ncpreps.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1384845

Members of the initial watch lists cross a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast. Indian Country’s own Tyler Bray (Citizen Band Potawatomi) from the University of Tennessee, is one of two players from the Vol’s squad to make the list.

Tyler Bray, QB for the University of Tennessee Volunteer's

A native of Kingsburg, Calif., Bray has played in 16 games for the Vols in his career, including 12 starts, and already ranks among the school’s career passing leaders in touchdowns (7th, 35), completions (10th, 272), and yards (3,832). He has completed 272 of 471 passing attempts for his career (57.7%), and in 2011, he completed 147-of-247 passes for 1,983 yards, 17 touchdowns, and six interceptions, averaging 283.3 passing yards per game. Bray is 8-4 in his career as a starter and owns the UT records for consecutive games with multiple touchdown passes (10) and most passing yards in the first four games of a season (1,328).

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Oct. 29, and the three finalists will be announced Nov. 19. The winner of the 2012 Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPNU College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 6. The formal presentation of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala in Atlantic City on March 1.

The watch list candidates were chosen by the Maxwell Football Club’s selection committee, which evaluates past performance and future potential. The club will make additions and deletions to the list as the 2012 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club along with collegiate sports information directors, head coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for the awards.

First on the menu is the 10th annual National Native American All-Star football classic that is taking place at Northeastern State University in Tahelquah, Oklahoma at Doc Wadley field with a kick off time of 7:00 PM CST. This game will be streamed live via the VYPE-TV network, you can catch that game at this link; http://www.ndnsports.com/2012-national-native-all-star-football-classic-live/

The second game you’ll want to watch online is the IFAF U19 World Championship game that features Team USA vs Team CANADA. The starting quarterback for Team USA is Sequoyah High School Quarterback Brayden Scott (Cherokee tribe) who recently announced his verbal commitment to sign with the University of Memphis after his upcoming senior year for the Indians. Scott’s last performance propelled Team USA into the championship in which he completed 10 of 17 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns to lead Team USA to a 70-7 win over Austria. You can watch that game  at 8:00 PM CST at this link or both streams via the NDNSPORTS link above! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXjAvGV4fN8&list=PL0AE131AAB87C8680&index=4&feature=plpp_video&safety_mode=true&safe=active

Scott, who has 4,422 passing yards and 1,162 yards rushing in his two seasons at Sequoyah, had been heavily recruited by numerous colleges including Arkansas, Tulsa, Mississippi State, Kansas, Washington State, Oregon State, Purdue, Iowa State, Arizona, and Houston. All of these schools that had offered scholarships to the player who has 18 touchdowns in his two year career at Sequoyah Indian school, which is owned and operated by the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.

Brayden follows in the footsteps at the all Native american high school of recent Seqouyah alumni who currently play Division I football, those Native American players include Nathan Stanley (SE Louisiana), Christian Littlehead(Oklahoma State), and Zack Robinson who just recently signed with the Oregon State Beavers.

About Sequoyah High School
Sequoyah High School is an Indian Boarding School, operated through a grant by the Cherokee Nation and is regionally and state accredited for grades 9-12. Sequoyah High School has an enrollment of over 300 students representing over 30 different tribes. Sequoyah High School also offers a diverse selection of core and elective academic courses complimented with athletic competition in football, basketball (girls & boys), baseball, softball, track, volleyball, golf and cross country that creates an excellent environment for the academic, social, and athletic development of it’s students.

Sheldon Wilson (Photo courtesy Nate Harjo)

Despite splitting carries with two other talented backs, Wilson was able to get 13 carries in for a total of 69 yards and the only rushing touchdown of the game for the Oklahoma All-Sars who also outgained the Texan All-Stars in total yardage as well 338-262.

The Game

The Oklahoma squad jumped out to a first quarter 7-0 lead behind the arm of Quarterback Brent Wilson and added a Daniel Scharz 28yd field goal in the second quarter to go up 10-0 at the half over the Texas All-Stars.

After changing three and outs to the start of the third quarter, the Texas All-Stars were finally able to get on the board with a goal line rushing touchdown by Texas RB Jordan Barnes to trail only 7-10 at that point. Later in the third quarter, the Oklahoma QB, Brent Wilson, was able to connect with Mitchell Foote for a 3 yard touchdown pass with 2:19 left in the  quarter to go up 17-7, seemingling putting the Texas squad in a postion of having to score to stay up with the Oklahomans offense that was rolling at this point. But in true All-Star game fashion, the Texas squad was able to tack on another touchdown with 1 second left in the third quarter to trail only 14-17 to the Oklahomans.

The fourth quarter tightend up a bit more on the defense side but despite the Texas pressure the other Oklahoma Quarterback Garrett Clark was able to connect with Mitchell Foote for a 21 yard touchdown that at the moment seemed to have the game on the line going up 24-14 over Texas but the Texans still had some fight and were able to score a touchdown at the 2:13 mark to only trail again 20-24. Looking to seal the deal the Oklahoma coaches turned to the player who has been able to close out games throghout his career and in true vintage Sheldon Wilson fashion, the state all-times touchdown scoring leader was able to scamper for an exciting 54 yard touchdown that put the game away for the Oklahoma All-Stars 30-20.

With that final touchdown of the game, Wilson was able to close out his high school career by scoring a touchdown in every game he played in his final season.

Wilson now heads back to the campus of Northeasteron Oklahoma A & M to prepare for the fall season with the Norseman. Congratulations to Sheldon on an outstanding career with the Anadarko Warriors and everyone will look forward to him competing at the next level!

Watch cell phone video provided by Punkin Stephenson of the 54 TD run by Sheldon Wilson:

Click to see the games Final Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=6912