Sports

ASU’s Porter out for more

• Albany State running back Brian Porter is back with the Rams and playing for his newborn son.

Scott Chancey

ALBANY — Albany State running back Brian Porter walked out of Sanford Hall Gymnasium on Saturday, donning a Superman cape.

It was too early for him to be crazy from the heat after the Rams’ first of two practices. Instead, he used the garment to make a statement

“I just feel like I need to have a Superman type of year,” laughed Porter, whose former teammate, Antonio Fraley, bought him the cape.

Porter, who rushed for 550 yards and six touchdowns last season and was second on the team behind Demetrice Johnson’s 1,214 yards in all-purpose (1,133), is playing for a lot more than wins.

That’s because he became a father six weeks ago.

Brianna Victoria Porter (named after the Rams running back, whose full name is Brian Victor Porter) is just the motivation Porter feels he needs to not only have an impressive season but also make it to the NFL.

“I have to take care of my girl and provide for her,” Porter said.

Porter did not participate in spring practice, wondering if he wanted to play football again or only concentrate on track. Two of his bigger plays last season was a 60-yard touchdown run during a 16-10 win against North Carolina Central and an 84-yard kickoff return during the Rams’ 66-35 playoff loss at Catawba.

Now that he does want to stay on the gridiron, he spent a lot more time in the offseason in the weightroom.

“I have improved my strength,” Porter said. “My speed is still the same, so that’s a huge plus. And we’ve got a strong offensive line, and I feel that can help get our team to the next level.”

After not winning at least a share of the SIAC title last year for the first time since 2002, the Rams begin this season at home at 7 p.m. on Aug. 30 against Shaw.

n BIGGER LEADER: Last season was Kisan Flakes’ first as the Rams’ full-time starting quarterback. After rotating with former Monroe High School star Terrance Ransom in 2006, Flakes rushed for 441 yards and two touchdowns while also passing for 1,461 yards and nine more scores last season.

“He has become more of a vocal leader,” White said. “The first voice you would hear when something went wrong is (offensive coordinator Donald Pittman’s) voice and then shortly after that, you would hear something from Kisan. Times like that are when you know where your leaders are.”

Flakes, who felt in the past he led more by example, looks back to his days at Lovejoy High School for guidance. There, he learned from other prep team leaders by Tashard Choice — a former Georgia Tech star who now is with the Dallas Cowboys — the value of being outspoken.

“It’s important you have the respect of the players,” Flakes said. “You have to be that vocal leader, giving guidance and making sure everybody is going in the right direction.”

n HOLDING THE LINE: The Rams’ offensive line had struggled during the past two seasons, but things seem to be improving.

“They just do a good job blocking,” White said of what he’s seen in the preseason.

Considering the running game will occupy the majority of the Rams’ offense, offensive line coach Keith DeGrate is likely resting better at night. The tentative starting lineup, as of now, is made of Bobby Fitts (tackle), Pedro Bennett (guard), Marcus Pressley (center), Mike Mavromichalis (guard) and either Brandon White/Marcus Roy or Omar Saenz (tackle).

“We have some guys who believe in our system that are working hard and want to be dominant,” DeGrate said.

Mavromichalis, who went to Savannah’s Windsor Forest High School, is a

6-foot-6, 330-pound

freshman who already is impressing White.

The freshman wanted to earn playing time, but he did not think he would be a potential starter this soon.

“I just picked the system up and jelled with the line,” Mavromichalis said.

n HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Albany State recently took sole ownership of Albany Municipal Coliseum, where the Rams have played football since 2004 (they played at Hugh Mills Stadium before that).

The Rams, however, still have to take a bus from Sanford Hall to the football stadium on game days because they don’t have full fieldhouse capacities at the new stadium.

“That’s not right that we play home games and we still have to get on the bus,” White said.