SWAC Football: Mass exodus from Grambling State continues

This spring season has been one to forget in Grambling, Louisiana. The Tigers were winless (0-4) this spring, including allowing 48.5 points their last two games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Southern, respectively.

Between those two games, Grambling paused team activities due to COVID-19. Wrapped between the poor on the field play and issues with COVID has been the confluence of players, coaches and administrators leaving the program.

This exodus started at the beginning of the season when offensive coordinator Mark Orlando resigned after the Prairie View A&M game, just two games. When Orlando left, head coach Broderick Fobbs promoted former Grambling quarterback Kendrick Nord to offensive coordinator.

Nord “removed himself” from the program after just one game. According to Fobbs, Nord did not like how Fobbs was reshuffling the staff to evaluate his coaches and decided to leave. Nord would not be the last personnel member to leave the program this spring.

Fobbs fired offensive line coach Reggie Nelson after Grambling was dominated 49-7 in the Bayou Classic. As of May 1, Athletic Director and Vice President of Student Affairs David Ponton is stepping down to take another role in the university.

Director of football operations and recruiting coordinator Michael Armstrong resigned to go to the University of Saint Thomas in the same capacity.

Players have headed to the portal

Not only has the program seen coaches and administrators leave, but players have also headed to the transfer portal. At the same time, Kendrick Nord decided to leave the program, starting quarterback Geremy Hickbottom’s name in the transfer portal.

Hickbottom has several offers from the FCS and FBS level. Tuskegee and Bethune-Cookman showed interest rather quickly after he entered the portal.

Hickbottom won’t be the last player who goes into the portal in Grambling. Running back Justin Richard announced via Twitter that he’d entered the portal as well:

It begs the question, “What is going on at Grambling?”