Author: J Bell

Welcome the 2018 MEAC Football Season

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Hey y’all; it’s game week and the kickoff of the 2018 MEAC football season is here. (That felt so good I will say it again).

Hey y’all; it’s game week and the kickoff of the 2018 MEAC football season is here. Our beloved Wildcats travel to Nashville to take on the Tigers of Tennessee State this Saturday, September 1st at 7:00pm in the John Merritt Classic. Bethune will look to capture its first MEAC crown since 2015 and finish the season in Atlanta in the Celebration Bowl.

But it’s not just the Wildcats who will fight to position themselves at the top of the MEAC standings come season end. Aggies, Eagles, Bison and Bulldogs will all attempt to claw their way to the catbird seat and represent the conference in Atlanta in December.

Our MEACFANSZone friend, durhamgsoaggie, put together a list of things to watch for this season in the MEAC that will likely have major impacts on 2018 and beyond. Enjoy!

1. A Tale of Two Willies In Tally.

2018 will mark the first time that the two D1 universities in Florida’s capital will both have black head football coaches (and under the age of 45). In fact, the ADs, men’s basketball coaches and head football coaches of both FAMU and FSU are all black males.

Slick Willie (Taggart) and Fast Willie (Simmons) are great young football minds who have the potential to change the game at their prospective levels. In addition to winning, the question is whether they can produce a synergy within the city of Tallahassee that hasn’t been there to lift both sides to dominance? And will FAMU’s recruitment of Kayvon Thibodeaux, one of the nation’s highest rated players, have an effect on this if successful?

2. The evolution of Akevious Williams and the Circle City Debate

Most media outlets have Howard picked as the consensus #2 behind A&T because of the Caylin Newton/Mike London effect. But an argument can be made that the most talented roster in the MEAC from top-to-bottom is down in Daytona. With Larry Brihm now departed to the CFL, will Williams make the leap this year as the unquestioned leader at QB under the tutelage of Allen Suber? Or will he fall back into a timeshare with a player like Jabari Dunham? Given BCU’s home games against A&T & NCCU and a bevy of talented RBs to go with an aggressive defense… the answer to this question could have championship ramifications for the MEAC.

BCU also elected to give up its home game vs. Howard for the Circle City Classic. If BCU wins, this is a moot issue. However… if Howard wins on the neutral site, the questions will linger whether it was a wise move to give up home-field advantage for the $$$ and visibility for Circle City. This game is definitely one to watch.

3. NCCU – The QB Collectors

NCCU started 2017 with former Southern/JUCO transfer Micah Zanders at QB. Due to injury, freshman Chauncey Caldwell took over the reins for the Eagles with sophomore Naill Ramadan mixed in. In the offseason, NCCU signed Zanders’ brother Marvin, a grad transfer QB from Missouri. In addition, freshman Dominique Shoffner redshirted. Crowded QB rooms are nothing new in a D1 football program. But with a squad replacing 8 starters on defense, continuity and efficiency on offense will be key early in the season. Coach Granville Eastman is a defensive guy who will have his defense fully functional by mid-season. RBs are abundant with the return of Isaiah Totten and arrival of hometown star Jamal Elliott. But the QB room in Durham is a carousel to watch early in the season.

4. The Ticking Clock in Norfolk

3 seasons and no progress in Norfolk for Coach Latrell Scott. Solid recruiting classes, a solid returning starter at QB in Juwan Carter, a big win down in Durham vs. NCCU… but no real traction so far. Tragedy struck the Norfolk program in a major way last season. But this is a new season and the natives in the talent-rich Tidewater region are on the warpath. Can Scott’s staff produce the synergy needed to produce a winning season? Can an offensive line emerge to control the clock, keep an opportunistic defense fresh and keep the talented Carter upright to make plays? Or will Scott’s tenure end with a grave in the Tidewater wetlands? One thing is for sure… Virginia State and Reggie Barlow are coming on September 1st. Could Scott be playing against his potential replacement? Time will tell.

5. End of an era in Orangeburg and Savannah.

Rumors have been swirling that 2018 will be the last for SCSU Coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough. 2018 is also the last season for Savannah St as they move back to the SIAC in Division II. SCSU produced another high draft pick with Darius Leonard going in the 2nd round to the Colts. With SCSU losing LB Dashawn Taylor as well… will the massive OL/DLs down in Orangeburg be able to carry the load and give Buddy one last winning season out the door? And can Coach Erik Raeburn continue to build a viable program given concurrent defections due to the pending move down for progress in 2018?

6. New faces, same problems in Delaware & Baltimore

Coaches Rod Milstead and Ernest Jones bring new energy & passion to their programs. But structural and regional issues still remain the same for both programs. Can the coaches recruit successfully enough in the same competitive recruiting regions? And are the staffs they assemble capable enough in the scheme/execution department to make a significant change in the quality of football we’ve seen from both schools? A competitive DSU/MSU combo makes this entire conference take a step up. We need it.

7. Golden Non-Conference Opportunities

Multiple schools have great opportunities for OOC wins, including Morgan St, NCCU, FAMU and BCU. Norfolk St has a major home game against FCS power James Madison. But the headliners are Howard & A&T.

Howard has FBS Ohio & Kent St while ending the season hosting FCS Bryant. A&T kicks off the season with FCS power Jacksonville St, then travels to FBS East Carolina, followed by hosting FCS Gardner Webb. The A&T/Jax St. game may be the biggest MEAC FCS game since the 1999 I-AA Playoffs in terms of competitive standing on the FCS stage. Howard’s win over UNLV and near-miss at Kent in 2017 put them on the map in the Mike London era. Continuing to win more of these games is critical to gaining a broader market audience for the MEAC. But tiebreakers may also come into play for A&T and Howard, since they will not play each other in 2018. So all of these matchups are key in 2018.

Read more: http://meacfanszone.proboards.com/thread/35030/top-2018-meac-football-storylines#ixzz5PUT555Hm  

Thanks durhamgsoaggie for your input.

Who are We???

/ J Bell / 1 Comment

True story folks.

Before my cousin and I headed off to college, our uncles decided to loan us their extra wheels for the summer so we could handle all of our post high school shenanigans. So we alternated between driving one uncle’s white 1971 Chevy Corvette Stingray and another uncle’s almost doo-doo brown 1976 Plymouth Valiant.

Yes the Stingray was as awesome as it sounds. 427 cubic inches of aggressive, opulent, spectacular American Muscle.

Also yes, the Plymouth was a hooptie. We affectionately named the Plymouth “sadadat” based on the sound she made when we drove her.

“Sa-da-dat”, “sa-da-dat”, “sa-da-dat”….. you could hear us coming from 3 blocks away.

It was actually my homeboy Johnny Torrence, currently the proprietor of Torrence Lifestyles, who came up with that name but I digress.

Both vehicles got us to and from beachside parties, girlfriends homes, work…you name it. But getting there in the Plymouth was nothing like arriving in the ‘vette. What the Stingray was in feisty excitement, sadadat was in humdrum pragmatism.

I have spent all summer trying to figure out if the 2018 rendition of @BCUGridiron will be more like the ‘vette or the Plymouth I use to drive. Excitement or humdrum? The truth is I have no idea.

Every time I try to make myself believe the Cats are poised to make a run, I start to hear “sa-da-dat,” “sa-da-dat,” “sa-da-dat” playing in my head.

I wish I could go on a Denny Green tirad and shout “the Wildcats are who we thought they were” but I have no idea who the Wildcats are.

I have even robbed myself of my late summer hobby of spending hours envisioning all of the reasons why our beloved Bethune-Cookman Wildcats will finish the season atop the MEAC and HBCU football standings.

But nope! That has not yet happen this season.

No wishing the Aggies, Rattlers, Bulldogs and Eagles fans bad luck this season for having the audacity of thinking they will somehow win against the Mighty Fighting Wildcats. My posts on MEACFanZone haven’t been filled with passive aggressive jabs about “the little church school”striving hard to prove everyone wrong.

It hasn’t happen. None of it. Instead I am just sort of preparing to ride out the 2018 football season in the passenger seat of the Plymouth…but I have my racing gloves and shades in hand just in case in I need to jump in the ‘vette too.

Terry Sims took over as the head honcho in Daytona Beach in 2015. The Wildcats finished 9-2 that season, 4-6 the next and 7-4 last season under Sims’ direction. For those keeping score at home, Sims’ teams have swapped between good, bad and average like my cousin and I swapped vehicles. BCU’s 20-12 (.600) record in the Sims era averages out to about 7 wins and 4 defeats a season.

Bethune won 7 of its 9 matchups against FCS teams last year. That is good. 8 of those 9 games were 1 possession games entering the final 2 minutes of the contests including against bad 3 win teams like South Carolina State, Savannah State and FAMU. That is not good.

Sure you will take a win any way you can get it but what if the Wildcats don’t convert a Hail Mary against NCCU as time expires this season? What if the Cats don’t block a SCSU field goal as time whines down? What if the FAMU punter doesn’t foolishly attempt a fake punt with his team leading and possessing all of the momentum in the second half? (That last question was fully intended to frustrate Rattler fans btw.)

If BCU plays the same way they have the past two seasons, there is equal chance of the ball bouncing for or against them.

The prayer of the Wildcat faithful is that Coach Sims and company will calibrate things just right, have this team firing on all cylinders and find themselves putting games away early and not allowing contests to hang in the balance.

Of course other teams will have something to say about that but the Road to Atlanta and the Celebration Bowl is more easily navigated this year than in years past.

The two North Carolina schools are the only schools to have represented the MEAC in the Celebration Bowl. However, both schools find themselves in a state of major transition with head coach Rod Broadway retiring at NCA&T and NC Central losing their head coach Jerry Mack to FBS Rice.

BCU’s roster is talented enough to rise to the top of the leaderboard in conference but if they are to do so, they will have to improve on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats finished last season ranked in the middle of the pack on both offense (6th) and defense (5th).

Sims described his defense as bend but don’t break last year. With running starters like Elliot Miller (DB), Trenton Bridges (LB), Devin James (LB) and Todney Evans (DL), the Wildcats should have plenty enough on defensive side of the ball to exert their will and return to the dominant, hard hitting, fast paced unit they are traditionally known as being.

The D will have to lead the way early in the season while Arkevious Williams acclimates to being the new starting QB. Offensive coordinator Allen Suber will also have to look for ways to prepare a bevy of new receivers to make up for the losses of Jawill Davis and Frank Brown.

“Vroom, vroom” or “sa-da-dat?

I am still unsure which one we will see in 2018. What I do know is we are just two weeks away from finding out when the Cats travel to Nashville on September 1st at 7:00pm to take on Tennessee State in the John Merritt Classic.

HailWildcats.com will be there to bring you a fan’s perspective of all the action. You are cordially invited to travel with us to Nashville and all road games as we support our boys in their quest to make it to the Celebration Bowl. Click here for fan bus details: https://hailwildcats.com/ontheprowl/.

Wildcats pull out dramatic 24-21 win on Homecoming!

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Credits: BCU

I don’t intend to scream at you and I don’t mean to be an alarmist but SATURDAY’S 24-21 HOMECOMING WIN AGAINST HAMPTON WAS HUGGGEEEEE! It was bigger than huge. It was HUMUNGOUS…GINORMOUS …GARGANTUAN. Okay you get the point.

The big conference win raised the Wildcats from the doldrums of a losing record pulling them to 4-4 on the season. It allowed the 10,951 fans in attendance to  enjoy the remainder of homecoming weekend savoring the sweet nectar of victory. It kept BCU alive, if only mathematically, in the Celebration Bowl race. Like I said, it was a HUGE WIN but big wins need signature moments and none was as significant for the Wildcats as Hampton’s Adam Brown’s 29 yard field goal sailing wide left as time expired. It occurred on the same side of the field and in almost the exact same spot as the Delwaun Beard’s blocked field goal against South Carolina State earlier this season.

Bad for them; great for us. Exciting finish; but I prefer cupcake U for homecoming next season.

BCU opened the game’s scoring with 12:01 in the 1st. Senior quarterback Larry Brihm led Bethune on  a 5 play, 75 yard drive which culminated with a connection with Frank Brown on a beautiful corner route in the back of the endzone from 15 yards out. The drive was aided 2 plays earlier by a 56 yard pitch and catch from Brihm to freshman wideout Johnathan Thomas.

The Cats forced a 3 and out on Hampton’s first possession. BCU marched 68 yards on 10 plays on their next offensive possession and took a 14-0 lead. The drive was extended on a 16 yard hook up between Arkevious Williams and Steffon Francis on 4th down.  Tupac Isme ended the drive a play later by rushing in from 16 yards out.

Connell Maynor’s team answered with their own 5 play 85 yard drive on the ensuing possession. Delmon Williams found Ronald Bell in the endzone to cut BCU’s lead in half (14-7).

Cookman scored the final points of the half when Uriel Hernandez connected on a 32 yard field goal to push the lead to 17-7 with 8:56 remaining in the 2nd quarter.  The key play of that  drive was a 66 yard screen pass from Brihm to Tupac Isme which advanced the ball to the HU 6 yardline.

The Wildcats racked up nearly 300 yards of offense in the first half outgaining the Pirates 271-172.

It seemed as if Terry SIMS MEN would run away with the homecoming contest but they saw their first half dominance disappear when Hampton scored 14 unanswered points in just over 2 minutes.

The first Hampton score was setup by an Arkevious Williams interception which was returned to the BCU 12 yardline. The second was aided by a muffed kickoff deep in Wildcat territory.

The Wildcat crowd seemed stunned, flabbergasted and in disbelief.  It got so bad that stadium hype man, Rod Z, found himself having trouble keeping the crowd engaged. So what did Rod Z do, he got on the public address system and invoked the name of Jesus. “If you love Jesus stand up on your feet and make some noise” the former BCU drummer exclaimed. What else would you expect from an alumnus of a school built on $1.50 and faith in God.

Apparently calling on Jesus worked. The Wildcats took the lead for good shortly after Rod Z’s hysterics driving 12 plays and 68 yards for the game’s final score.  Arkevious Williams found Jawill Davis in the back of the endzone on 4th and 7 conversion with 3:10 remaining.  Williams scrambled on the busted play before finding Davis waving his hands in the left corner of the endzone for the game winning points.

Aided by multiple BCU penalties on the game’s final drive, Hampton moved the ball the length of the field and set up for a game tying 29 yard field goal but the attempt sailed wide left. BCU secured the 24-21 victory in dramatic, walk off fashion.

The Wildcats return to Municipal Stadium next week to take on Morgan State at 4:00pm.

Bison win come from behind thriller

/ J Bell / 1 Comment

In another first for Howard football, it was the first time that Howard Bison defeated the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at home since 1996. The Bison started off in conference play with a win for the first time since the 2012-2013 season. Howard proved their win over UNLV was not a stroke of luck by winning a hard-fought contest over Bethune-Cookman.

Early on, the game was a back and forth affair with both teams scoring often. The Wildcats started the scoring with a touchdown early in the first quarter after a 20-yard touchdown run by Larry Brihm. Howard answered back with one of the more interesting touchdowns you’ll hear about. Caylin Newton on a goal line carry fumbled the ball into the endzone, but it was recovered by Guy Lemonier Jr for a touchdown. The Wildcats answered back with a methodical 11 play 70-yard touchdown drive punctuated by a 23-yard strike from Brihm to Frank Brown. Howard not to be outdone scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Newton to Anthony Philyaw. Both teams went into halftime optimistic with the score tied at 14 apiece.

The Bison offense finally gave Howard its first lead of the game on a Newton QB sneak for a touchdown. The Bison would go on to miss the extra point, the bison were plagued on by special team’s miscues today; missing two field goals and one two-point conversion. The Wildcats then went on what seemed to be a game clinching run, after they scored 10 unanswered points. Those unanswered points were facilitated by 24-yard touchdown run by Que’shaun Byrd and a field goal by Uriel Hernandez.

Read on here.

Week Two All HAILS…..

/ J Bell / 2 Comments

 

As we prepare to look ahead at Bethune-Cookman’s Week 3 matchup with FBS opponent Florida Atlantic, let’s first reflect back on a few things that deserve an “All Hail” from the Wildcats’ impressive road win over Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana.

ALL HAIL Larry Brihm and the passing offense! Brihm finished the evening 25/39 for 354 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air. Brihm also added a 1 yard rushing score which proved to be the game winner with 6:04 remaining in the 4th. The performance was good enough to earn the senior quarterback MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. Senior wide out Jawill Davis and junior Keavon Mitchell both eclipsed the 100 yard receiving mark. Davis registered 7 receptions for 138 yards and 1 TD while Mitchell recorded 6 grabs for 125 including a 47 yarder on the Wildcats opening drive which set up a Brihm to Anthony Cruz 11 yard hook up for the game’s first score.

 

ALL HAIL the BCU secondary. Trevor Merritt, Diquan Richardson and Elliott Miller reinforced their “no fly zone” moniker by each picking off a pass in Saturday’s contest. The BCU secondary locked down the SLU receivers and permitted a pedestrian 93 passing yards on the evening.

 

Defense….Defense- It wasn’t just the secondary who impressed on the defensive side of the ball. The entire squad deserves an ALL HAIL Salute! The Wildcat D only surrendered one touchdown on the evening. The other SLU TD came on a 92 yard kickoff return (#fixthat). Yogi Jones unit came up with several huge stops including the 3 picks by Merritt, Richardson and Miller and by limiting the Lions to a field goal after turning the ball over on its own 9 yard line. The biggest defensive stand came in the final minutes of the contest when the Wildcat D kept the Lions out of the endzone with 1:27 remaining and preserved a 28-23 win. Familiarize yourself with the name Uriah Gilbert. The 6’3”, 325 pound freshman, hailing from Ocala’s Trinity Catholic High School, helped control Southeastern’s inside rushing attack. Gilbert finished the contest with 7 tackles (including 1 for a loss). Gilbert has a lot of the same qualities as did former Wildcat DT Demarcus Womack. Linebacker Alexander Morales paced BCU with 9 tackles.

 

ALL HAIL the Southeastern Louisiana fan base. Well, almost all of the fan base. There was that one shirtless dude walking around on the visitor’s side showing his drawers and picking fights but he was the outlier. The other SLU fans were amazing. There must have been a dozen SLU fans who congratulated me on the win after the contest. They were extremely complimentary of the guys in maroon and gold and they expressed genuine concerned about the looming arrival of Hurricane Irma in Florida. The Lion fan base wished us well in weathering the storm and in the remaining contests this season. #SouthernHospitality

Speaking of Southern Hospitality. Big ups…check that…ALL HAIL Southern University for allowing Terry Sims and his squad to use their facilities this week because of travel delays associated with Hurricane Irma. Thanks for the HBCU love and hospitality.

 

No ALL HAILS to the three turnovers committed by the offense or the 14 penalties for 132 yards collected by the squad. If the Wildcats can address the turnover and penalty issues adequately, an upset win over next week’s FBS opponent FAU is not out of the question. The contest gets underway at 6:30pm at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton. You can join us in  supporting the Fighting Wildcats by hopping on the HailWildcats.com Fan Bus. Click here for more details.

Wildcats Weather Storm to Beat SELA 28-23

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The Bethune-Cookman football team stepped into Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, Louisiana with their hearts filled with the looming threat of Hurricane Irma bearing down on their loved ones back home in Florida. By night’s end, BCU weathered a different kind of storm overcoming 3 turnovers, a rash of penalties and a 4th quarter deficit to defeat Southeastern Louisiana 28-23.

Larry Brihm’s 1 yard TD plunge with 6:04 remaining in the contest capped an 11 play, 72 yard scoring drive and secured the win for the good guys. Brihm finished the contest with 354 yards passing, 2 touchdowns through the air and 1 rushing TD.

The Wildcats marched 78 yards on their opening drive and scored the game’s first points when WR Anthony Cruz caught an 11 yard TD pass from Brihm.

SELA cut the lead to 7-3 courtesy of a Dillion Burkhard 32 yard field goal but the Wildcats answered with another long first quarter scoring drive; this on covering 88 yards in 9 plays and ending with a 4 yard Michael Jones TD run. Unfortunately for BCU, they wouldn’t score again until trailing 16-14 in the 4th quarter.

Untimely penalties and turnovers almost foiled BCU’s bid to defeat a quality out of conference foe on the road. A quick peek at the box score reveals the Wildcats loss 2 fumbles, threw 1 interception and were flagged 14 times for 132 yards. As good as Brihm performed with his arm, he was also responsible for all three of BCU’s turnovers. These types of miscues can be calamitous but the Brihm and the Wildcats were able to overcome them.

The Beach Cats racked up 482 yards of total offense (354 passing, 128 rushing) while holding SELA to just 291 yards of total offense. Jawill Davis and Keavon Mitchell finished the afternoon with 138 and 125 yards receiving respectively. Michael Jones pitched in with 122 yards of offense (95 on the ground and 27 receiving). Davis also hauled in a 2 yard touchdown reception with 11:00 remaining in the 4th. The TD grab resulted in BCU’s first points of the second half and pushed the Cats back ahead 21-16.

Defensive backs Trevor Merritt, Diquan Ricardson and Elliott Miller all snagged interceptions in the contest. Miller’s was the most spectacular of the bunch. He ran stride for stride with the SELA receiver before laying out and securing the pick with a one hand snatch. #GiveMeThat

The defense held SELA to under 100 yards passing but the biggest defensive sequence of the night came on the final stand in the game’s closing minutes. SELA, trailing 28-23, drove the ball to the BCU 47 yard line late in the 4th. The Wildcat D stopped SELA on downs with under 3 minutes remaining but a bogus defensive pass interference call gave the Lions new life and placed the ball at the BCU 35 yard line. Thankfully that was as far as the Lions would get as the Cats held and forced a turnover on downs, this time a legitimate stand. The offensive unit was able to run out the clock and secure Bethune’s first victory of the season.

Bethune travel to South Florida next week to take on FAU. As always, HailWildcats will be there bringing you the sights and sounds.

Wildcats fall to Miami 41-13

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Mark Walton Jr. and the 18th ranked Miami Hurricanes were too much to handle for the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Saturday afternoon.  Walton rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns and helped “The U” secure a 41-13 win over their FCS foe.

Despite the loss, Bethune exit the game with cause for optimism.

  • Larry Brihm looked poised and in complete control of the offense. In fact, Brihm connected on his first 9 pass attempts and finished the afternoon 22 of 35 for 212 yards.
  • The Wildcat offense showed great versatility under the direction of new offensive coordinator Allen Suber. BCU finished the afternoon with 350 total yards of offense. The one downside with the O were the 5 delay of game penalties called against them.
  • Defensively, the Wildcats matched Miami’s speed.
  • BCU DBs were in great coverage position all game. (Although Miami receivers made some excellent plays on the ball.

Terry Sims squad showed enough on Saturday to make Wildcat fans start to dream of Atlanta. Sure it was in a losing effort and it’s only one game but the early impression is the 2017 Wildcats should have enough to compete for a MEAC crown.

Get in the Books Son

It was a bit of a surprise to see Larry Brihm trot out and start the game on Saturday. Not because Brihm is not capable but because Sims named Akevious Williams as the starting quarterback earlier this week at his weekly press conference. Williams did not play because of an academic issue according to reports. The word is Williams’ issues should be sorted out this week and he is expected to play in the Cats next game.

Deuce-Deuce

Former BCU great, Eddie Poole, twitted today “#22 is the best player on the field (for BCU) any time he is out there.” Diquan Richardson held up his end of the bargain by pacing the Wildcats with 11 tackles (7 solo). He also had a HUGE pop on special teams when he ran 40+ yards at full speed and knocked the UM receiver into next week. Not a bad outing from #22.

Mike Jonessssssss

Bethune-Cookman registered one touchdown against Miami. The touchdown happened midway through the 3rd quarter when  Michael Jones powered the ball pass the goal line on a 1-yard run. Jones finished the day with 43 yards rushing and 51 yards receiving.  It was his first action since 2015 after missing last year with a foot injury.

When your child was born in the 90s

Did you know BCU has a running back named  Tupac (Isme), a receiver named Shakur (Nesmith), and a lineman named Montel Jordan? Coincidence?…..We think not!!

The Wildcats hit the road next week when they take on FCS foe Southeast Louisiana.

Resurge…. 2017 Preview

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Credits: BCU Athletics

Resurge……“a rising again into prominence.”

That’s the way Merriam-Webster defines it. In Daytona Beach, Terry Sims hopes to define it as “the return to the summit of MEAC football” as Bethune-Cookman look to amend last year’s sub .500 record and return to the form that saw the Wildcats capture a share of the conference crown in Sims’ first season in 2015.

The “Resurge” theme is attached to everything BCU football. Players and coaches all wear T-shirts with the simple message. It’s on the BCU Athletics webpage. It’s plastered over @BCUGridiron social media sites. In just a little while, we get to see if it is visible in the most important of places…… on the field of play.

There is good cause for the heightened optimism heading into the season. The Wildcats return 8 starters on offense, 7 starters on defense and all of their return specialist from a season ago.

Quarterbacks

Offensively BCU was sluggish and disheveled for far too many long stretches in 2016. New offensive coordinator and former Wildcat great Allen Suber will look to remedy that by picking up the tempo and adding a few more wrinkles to this year’s offense. He will get a boost at his former position in the form of returning experienced signal callers Arkevious Williams and Larry Brihm. Williams will get the nod as the week one starter but we expect both he and Brihm to share snaps throughout the course of the season. Whether it’s a shared responsibility or someone steps up and claims the position as their own, production at the quarterback position is a must if BCU wishes to RESURGE.

Mike Jones

Running backs

The do-it-all Michael Jones was a Preseason 1st Team All-MEAC selectee in 2016 but missed the entire season with a foot injury. Jones, who can run with power, run with speed and catch the ball out of the backfield, seems to be back at full health. If Jones is fully recovered from his injury, the running game should be much improved. Jamaruz Thompkins, Camron Rigby and Tupac Isme all saw significant minutes due to Jones’ injury last year and each will vie for carries and look to redeem their time in the crowded backfield.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

The receiver position is perhaps the best and deepest position on the field for BCU. Frank Brown and Jawill Davis individually are as good as any receivers in the conference. As a tandem, it would be hard to argue that you will find a better duo in the MEAC. Brown has above average hands and good route running ability while Davis is more of the traditional speed receiver who can take the top off defenses. Add to the mix junior receiver Keavon Mitchell and converted quarterback Anthony Cruz and you have a bevy of dynamic receivers who are electric with the ball in their hands. Ja-Quan Lumas is an outstanding pass catching tight end. Look for Lumas to move around more in Suber’s offense and try to present match up issues for the opposition.

Offensive Line

The immediate impression you get when looking at this year’s offensive line is they are still big but a lot leaner than in years past. I mean don’t get me wrong, there are still some “big-uns” up front with guys like Job Buisserth who checks in at 6’4”, 315. However, you’re likely to see some lineman like Jerry Beauchamp play 40 pounds lighter than Buisserth. There seems to be more of a primacy  on technique, footwork and mobility as opposed to sheer girth and size from the guys up front.

Defensive Line

Defensive ends Kevin Thompson and Todney Evans anchor the defensive lines. Thompson and Evans offer great athleticism and speed coming off the edge. The biggest question mark for Earl Lane’s defensive front will be trying to replace DeMarcus Womack’s behemoth size and production. Dishawn Ray and Malik Slaughter offer the size and experience; let’s just hope they offer similar production.

Linebacker

The linebacker corps must improve from a season ago. It is as simple as that. Trenton Bridges is a really good football player at middle linebacker but there was a noticeable drop off after Bridges in 2016. Alexander Morales had to be moved from safety to outside linebacker to stabilize the position in the middle of last year. Thankfully Morales made his share of plays and we are hoping he can continue his maturation at the position. Marquis Hendrix is another guy who has a chance to solidify his name as a playmaker at linebacker. Hendrix originally signed with Boise State and he has all of the physical attributes needed to excel at the position. Veion Robinson, Atreyu Farrior and Deonte Mayo all saw frequent action at linebacker last year but all need to show improvement in their positioning, finishing of plays and consistency.

A Williams and D Richardson

Secondary

Diquan Richardson, Arthur Williams and Elliott Miller are all returning starters and good players in the secondary. The veterans will look to anchor a defense who finished middle of the pack in the MEAC in both scoring (25.2ppg) and total defense (349.2 ypg).

Outlook

There is a lot riding on this season for Bethune-Cookman. A successful campaign could very well see the Wildcats “Resurge” and reestablish their dominance in the conference. However, another mediocre year could spell trouble for the years ahead.

The pieces are all in place for the Wildcats to compete for another MEAC crown. They return all of their key offensive skill players from last year’s squad including their leading passer, leading rusher and leading receiver. A similar thing can be said about the defense as the top tackler, edge rushers, and cover men all return. The teams picked ahead of BCU all have their own share of serious question marks heading into the year too:

  • NCCU must replace QB Malcom Bell and several other key performers;
  • NCA&T graduated Tarik Cohen;
  • SCSU is still unsettled at the quarterback position;
  • Etc.

When you add all of this up, it says the path to the MEAC crown is more open than the claim to the Iron Throne in King’s Landing. It is not a stretch to argue Bethune-Cookman can bounce back and earn a trip to Atlanta by winning it’s 6th MEAC crown in 8 years. The crazy thing is we can also envision a very real scenario in which BCU finishes around the .500 mark again. The Cats open the year with 4 straight road games including games against FBS opponents Miami (Florida) and Florida Atlantic in the first three weeks. Sandwiched between the FBS games is an out of conference matchup with Southeast Louisiana.

For the sake of all that is maroon and gold, we hope to see the former of the two scenarios.

It all begins at 12:30 P.M. Saturday, September 2nd when BCU take on 18th ranked Miami at Hard rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

 

BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS

LOCATION: Daytona Beach, Florida

STADIUM: Memorial Stadium

COACH: Terry Sims (13-8, two seasons)

2016 RECORDS: 4-6, 4-4 MEAC (Tie/5th)

STARTERS RETURNING: 15 (8 offense/7 defense)

KEY LOSSES: Trevin Huff, OL; DeMarcus Womack, DE

 

SCHEDULE:

Sept. 2, at Miami (Florida)

Sept. 9, at Southeastern Louisiana

Sept. 16, at Florida Atlantic

Sept. 23, at Howard*

Sept. 30, Savannah State*

Oct. 14, South Carolina State*

Oct. 21, at North Carolina A&T*

Oct. 28, Hampton*

Nov. 4, Morgan State*

Nov. 11, at North Carolina Central*

Nov. 18, Florida A&M* (at Camping World Stadium, Orlando)

* – MEAC game