BCU

Ryan Davis passed up on NFL Draft weekend

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Every young man who has ever put on a pair of shoulder pads and buckled up a chin strap has dreamed of having his name called on NFL Draft weekend. Unfortunately for Ryan Davis, that did not happen.

The 2011 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year was looking to become the first Wildcat player drafted since the Green Bay Packers selected Nick Collins in the second round in 2005. Davis recorded 65 tackles, 12 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 8 forced fumbles last season.  Davis has the size (6’3”, 260 pounds), speed (4.79 40-yard dash), and fluidity to play either defensive end or linebacker in the NFL.  His versatility and production at the collegiate level will surely make him a sought after undrafted free agent.

Recent NFL undrafted free agents include players such as Arian Foster, Tony Romo, and Victor Cruz.  Anthony Bass, Eric Weems, and Damien Cook are three of the more recent undrafted football players from BCU to make NFL rosters.

South Carolina State’s Christian Thompson was the only MEAC player taken in this year’s draft.  Thompson was selected in the 4th round (pick number 130) by the Baltimore Ravens.

Packers release former BCU Great Nick Collins

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Nick Collins

Former BCU Standout, Nick Collins, was released from his NFL contract yesterday afternoon.

The Green Bay Packers released the three time Pro Bowl safety citing doubts about whether Collins should continue to play .

“From the beginning of this process, we have taken our time and sought numerous medical opinions while maintaining consistent dialogue with Nick,” Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said in a statement released by the team. “In the end, we were not comfortable clearing him to play again.  As with all of our players, Nick is a member of our family and we thought of him that way as we came to this conclusion.  Nick is a part of our core, and this is a very difficult day for all Packers. Making this kind of decision is never easy, especially when it involves someone like Nick Collins.  He has meant so much to the community, his teammates and the organization.  He is a good man and will always be part of the Packers family.”

Collins hurt his neck Sept.18 in a game against the Carolina Panthers; he underwent cervical fusion surgery and has not decided whether to try to play for another team, according to his agent. 

Nick was an All-Time BCU Great and a second-round draft pick in 2005.   He will forever live in BCU Football and Super Bowl lore after returning an interception for a touchdown in the Packers’ 2011 Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

What to watch for at the Wildcats’ Spring Game

/ J Bell / 1 Comment

The 2012 Spring Game will be played on April 21st at 4:00 p.m. at Municipal Stadium

In less than 72 hours, the maroon and gold faithful will receive their first glimpse at the 2012 version of the Fighting Wildcats.

I must admit that the actual Spring Game means very little in the grand scheme of things.  Coaches only install a fraction of their offensive and defensive systems during Spring drills, the starters receive fewer reps than they normally would during the regular season, and half of this year’s recruiting class have yet to even graduate from high school.   However, the Spring game is the best and only real football-like barometer that we can use to measure our favorite football squads in late April.

So with that disclaimer, here are some of the players and positions that I will be paying keen attention to during Saturday’s glorified scrimmage.

Anthony Jordan (Running Back) —  The 230 pound bruiser from North Atlanta High School led the squad with 9 rushing touchdowns last season.  He has been one of the most raved about players in Spring drills this year.  Jordan, who  has an exceptional work ethic, is trying to prove to the coaching staff that he can be more than just a short yardage back.

Lavon McCoy (Offensive Guard) —   BIG Lavon McCoy; and by BIG I mean almost 400 pounds BIG, was a highly touted prospect with offers from USC, Oregon, and the University of Washington coming out of high school.  He is one of those players that Coach Jenkins has mentioned that we’re very fortunate to have.  Last year, McCoy played exclusively on the defensive side of the ball.  He demonstrated very good foot work and quickness at defensive tackle.  This year he is moving to the offensive side of the ball and is expected to play offensive guard.  His Junior College highlight film shows him playing both defensive tackle and offensive guard.  McCoy looks great as a defensive tackle prospect but even better as an offensive guard.  It will be interesting to see how productive McCoy can be against FCS competition.

Tavarus Dantzler (Linebacker) — Tavarus Dantzler has been penciled in as the next big thing at linebacker for the Wildcats.  He has good size at 6’3″, 230 lbs, but his game is built on speed.  Dantzler can flat out fly.  Defensive Coordinator Yogi Jones has stated that he believes Dantzler can be a very special player and an all conference performer.  Let’s hope that Dantzler rises to the occasion and fulfill his potential.

Defensive Line — Ryan Davis was simply the best defensive player in HBCU football last year.  I am not quite sure that one player will be able to fill the void left by Davis’ departure.  Instead, the Wildcat defensive front may look to maintain last year’s productivity levels by committee.  Harold Love, Anthony Woodard, and Tevin Toney all had very good campaigns last year.  Erik Williams rejoins Coach Earl Lane’s defensive unit after being sidelined with an injury a season ago.  Brandon Bryant and LeBranden Richardson are UCF transfers who will look to have an impact on the defensive line as well.

Jim Pry (Offensive Coordinator) — Okay, so we will not be able to make any legitimate or rational assessments about new offensive coordinator, Jim Pry’s, play calling after Saturday’s contest.  But what I hope to see is Pry’s influence on the passing game; and how the quarterbacks and receivers are understanding the principles of Pry’s passing attack.  Pry is a disciple of the vertical passing game.  His route combinations are not stagnant or predefined.  Instead, receivers have options on each route (think Mike Leach and the Air Coryell offenses).

Quarterback —  Jackie Wilson ended last season with a 66% completion rate and showed tremendous growth as the Wildcats primary signal caller.  But Wilson is not a shoe-in to be the starting quarterback in 2012.  Former Florida Mr. Football, Quentin Williams, is competing with Wilson and Broadrick Waters (La Tech transfer) to be Brian Jenkins’ trigger-man come September.

Bethune Cookman 2012 Signing Class

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Third year head coach Brian Jenkins could hardly hold back his radiant and infectious smile when announcing what could be the best signing class of his brief tenure at Bethune Cookman.  The nearly 100 Wildcat supporters who attended the Signing Day Bash clapped and cheered as coach Jenkins highligted 15 new additions to the Fighting Wildcat football team.  8 of the 15 signees revealed on Wednesday night are already enrolled in classes and are slated to participate in Spring practice.

Stacking the Chips and Building for the Future

Although many pundits believe that it takes a minimum of three years to accurately rate a recruiting class, coach Jenkins has already labled this class a success.  Coach Jenkins stated:

“We were able to address our areas of need, build depth, sign all by 2 or 3 of the players that we targeted, as well as find some immediate (impact) players.  I can already call this class a success.  There is no need to wait for 2 or 3 years.”  He went on to state: “And this is only the first half of our signing class.  We got guys with more girth and guys who are longer on the offensive line.  We got taller in the secondary.  We got more explosive at wide receiver.”

“We’re stacking the chips and building for the future.  And there is still more to come.  I’ve got a few surprises up my sleeve that will be revealed at a later time.”

The 15 signees include 2 defensive linemen; 4 defensive backs, 1 linebacker, 6 offensive linemen, and 2 wide receivers.  Expect 4 or 5 additional signees before the kickoff of Fall practice.

The 2012 BCU Football Signing Class (as of February1, 2012) is as follows:

*=Mid-Year Transfer Already Attending Bethune Cookman

Defensive Line 

*Brandon Bryant (Jr.) – Defensive Line – 6’4” – 290 – Atlanta, Ga. – Central Florida

LeBranden Richardson (So.) – Defensive End – 6’2” – 237 – Miami, Fla. – Central Florida

Defensive Back

*Tyrone Bouie (r-So.) – Defensive Back – 6’0” – 180 – Sanford, Fla. – University of Minnesota

*Derek Carter (r-Jr.) – Defensive Back – 6’0” – 200 – Sunrise, Fla. – Central Michigan

Tevin Gordon (Fr.) – Safety – 6’3” – 175 – DeLand, Fla. – DeLand High School

“Terry Harden, Jr. (Fr.) – Defensive Back – 6’1” – 185 – Hollywood, Fla. – Hollywood Hills High School

Offensive Line

 Trevin Huff (Fr.) – Offensive Line – 6’4” – 270 – Tallahassee, Fla. – Tallahassee Lincoln High School 

*Mike Jones (Fr.) – Offensive Line – 6’7” – 300 – Chatham, Va. – Hargrave Military

Dariusz Bladek (Fr.) – Offensive Line – 6’4” – 300 – Kissimmee, Fla. – Poinciana High School

*Rashard Brown (Jr.) – Offensive Line – 6’1” – 305 – Kissimmee, Fla. – Georgia Military College

Jamel Turner (Jr.) – Tight End – 6’4” – 230 – Chicago, Ill. – Reedly College

Tim Nicholas (Fr.) – Offensive Line – 6’4 – 275 – Hollywood, Fla. – Chaminade-Madonna Prep

Wide Receiver

Ray Martin (Fr.) – Wide Receiver – 5’10” – 180 – Sanford, Fla. – Seminole High School

*Brodrick Waters (Sr.) – Wide Receiver – 5’11” – 195 – Sarasota, Fla. – Louisiana Tech

Linebackers

Isaiah Riddle (Fr.) – Linebacker – 6’1” – 235 – Newnan, Ga. – Atlanta Sports Academy

A Candid Conversation with Coach Brian Jenkins

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Coach Brian Jenkins speaks with reporters after his team's 26-16 victory in the Florida Classic

Bethune-Cookman University head coach Brian Jenkins just concluded his second season at the helm of the Wildcat football program.  The Wildcats followed up a remarkable 10-2 season in Jenkins’ first year with an 8-3 overall record and a 2nd place finish in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.  Through 23 games, Jenkins has won 18, compiling an impressive .783 winning percentage for the Daytona Beach, FL institution.  While wins and losses are important to every coach, Jenkins’ real testament has been in the way his players have performed off the field.  Since his arrival, graduation rates have improved and players have become a mainstay in the community, forging a strong relationship with the Daytona Beach, FL community and surrounding areas.

On Thursday,  HailWildcats.com contributor Bradford Gillens and I had the pleasure of speaking to Coach Jenkins via conference call on everything from his rating of the team’s performance this past season to his prediction of this year’s Liberty Bowl. (Jenkins is a 1993 graduate of U. of Cincinnati and the Bearcats take on Vanderbilt in this year’s game).

Questions and Answers:

 
Assess your team’s performance this season, what grade would you give and why?  How about yourself; assess your own coaching performance.  What grade would you give yourself and why.

“I would give us a B.  We started out OK…then got flat mid-way and got punched in the mouth.  Once we got punched in the mouth we finished strong and I really thought an injustice was done by not selecting us for the playoffs….but you know, sometimes God sends you things for you to learn for the future…(the snub) taught us that you can’t stumble and slip up.”

On his coaching grade…

“I would give myself a B or B-.  I think some things contributed to us going flat.  One of the #1 things I did after the (North Carolina) A&T game was evaluate myself and correct some things I was doing…then I went back and looked at the coaching staff, then we went to the kids. I think I did a decent job of not panicking and letting the floodgates open and as a result we were able to finish the season with six straight wins.”

This season, the offense employed more of a “ground and pound” attack with your stable of runningbacks, which was a stark contrast to the vaunted Speedway offense we saw last year.  Was that a philosophical change due to the departure of Danny Barrett and Mark Orlando and arrival of Rob Spence, or simply a result of you tailoring the offense to the strengths of your personnel?

“It was definitely tailored to the strength of our personnel.  It’s the same offense we ran last year with just a tweak here and there.  Every year I’ve been in this offense we’ve always had a decent running game.  It wasn’t a change in philosophy, it also goes to show people we can do both.  We can run the ball when needed and pass when needed.  So that should definitely help us going into year three.”

What happened with Jamarr Robinson?  He began the season in impressive fashion against Prairie View, but by mid-season was relegated to the #3 QB on the roster?  Why didn’t we see more of him the second half of the season?

“Well Jamarr got a serious injury that takes such a long time to recover from.  Every time we would put him back in the game to try to give him some reps he would re-injure himself.  He suffered from turf toe in both feet and as a result it reduced his role a little bit.  Luckily for us David (Blackwell) and Jackie (Wilson) were able to step up in his absence and play at a high level for us.”

Ryan Davis was selected as the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year following a stellar senior season but was probably over shadowed this preseason by other Wildcats.  What do you attribute to Davis having such a breakout year?

“Definitely his work ethic, attitude, knowing his role, accepting coaching; anything a star player would contain, he had it and did it.  I think he finally figured out his craft at the DE spot and he said “Hey I’m gonna give it everything I got so when I hang this Wildcat hat up, I’ll know I gave it my all.  I know he’ll tell you he would not have been able to play at that level if the other 10 guys on the defense weren’t performing at a high level as well.”

Talk about the play of Ryan Lewis and Reggie Sandilands.   What have they meant to this team since you’ve been here?

“Very solid, experienced players.  Very sound, even though people were not thinking their name were getting called a lot.  Those kids brought a lot to our team and conference, but both of those guys are really, really sound.  Just to show you how good of kids they are, one is graduating in December (Sandilands) and the other is on pace to graduate in May (Lewis).  You can’t say enough about guys like that.”

On how he feels about them…

“Very proud, because it allows me to know that the message me and the coaching staff are preaching is getting through to them.  It also lets me know that they take pride in being a part of the bloodline and vision Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune set forth during the inception of the university.  I told those guys, when your playing days are done, your names will fall amongst the likes of Larry Little because of the type of career had here and the type of men you have become.  When I look at the way they have responded on the field, in the classroom, and in the community it let’s me know that they really believe that there is something special about being a Cookman Man”

There hasn’t been a MEAC team advance past the first round in an FCS Playoff game since 1999.  Whereas you have an upstart program like Old Dominion who in 3 years has produced more playoff victories than every school in the MEAC except FAMU, SCSU and NC A&T.  What are your thoughts on what the conference can do to improve their chances of victory in the postseason?

“The first thing we have to do is get more than one team in.  Anytime you have a conference that’s putting four and five teams in the playoffs every year, they’re gonna have a chance at more victories.  I think the teams with the best records should be selected to the playoffs regardless of conference affiliation.”

On Old Dominion’s rise to power in such a short while:

“A school like ODU has progressed really fast, but again you have to look at their conference. They play in the CAA and that conference historically gets 4-5 teams in the playoffs every year.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t play with them.  A team from our conference (Hampton) took them to the wire in the beginning of the season (45-42 loss)….what we have to do is schedule teams like that through the year and beat those teams in the regular season, if we can do that we’ll see things take a turn for the better for the MEAC.”

On the MEAC’s perception among other conferences

“I don’t think college football respects our conference…if you look at the coaches we have in this conference, they’ve put together really good programs. Why college football doesn’t respect our conference is beyond me, I just don’t understand it.”

On FCS Playoffs being compared to BCS

“You know, I never understood what Boise State was feeling until this season when we were passed up for the playoffs.  This year you got two teams in that were 7-4…and neither of those teams beat teams that were at the top of their conference.  I think some things need to be re-evaluated or looked at.  We (MEAC) definitely need to have more than one team in the playoffs.”

Are you still upset about your team’s playoff snub?  How well do you believe your team would have matched up against this year’s playoff participants?

“I feel we would’ve matched up very strongly. No disrespect to any playoff teams, but we would’ve come away with some victories in the playoffs this season.  We were healthy unlike last year, we had some depth unlike last year, and we would’ve gone into this game with our best team to achieve victory.  I was really looking forward to having an opportunity to prove that we deserved to be in the playoff field.”

What are some of the immediate needs B-CU needs to address in order to get back to their championship form of 2010?

“Defensively we’re losing Ryan Davis, Ryan Lewis, and Reggie Sandilands.  We’re also losing Jean Fanor, who’s just as good as any safety in the conference.  So it’s definitely a task trying to replace those guys.  That’s kind of like all your stallions have run and won all the races they can run for you and you have to let them go free.”

Can you provide a general overview of your offseason calendar?

“Work, work, work, work, and more work.  First in the classroom, second in the community, and third in the weight room.  We do have a calendar because we’re very structured and detailed here…so we’ll evaluate ourselves very strongly going into spring practice.  Take it into spring and correct and recover.  Then we’ll get a chance to get in and evaluate some young talent.”

When does spring football begin?

“We never really have a set date.  Our guys have to earn the right to participate in spring football.   There are certain tests our guys have to go through in order to practice spring football.  I’ve been around coaching for a very long time.  Sometimes I think players lose sight of the fact that football is a privilege, not a right, therefore you need to work to get that gift and not take it lightly.  Our guys will forever be grateful and be humble for the opportunity to play football at the Great Bethune-Cookman University.”

Looks like your alma mater drew Vanderbilt in the Liberty Bowl.  Do you still follow the Bearcats on a weekly basis, and if you do, what is your prediction of the game?

“I follow as much as I can.  I don’t get back to support them as much as I’d like.  A good friend of mine and godfather of my son, Tim Banks, is the co-Defensive Coordinator there and I’m supporting what he’s doing.  The head coach (Butch Jones) has the program going in the right direction.  You don’t hear about the players getting arrested or doing foolish things.  That’s how you know he has them headed on the right path.  Coach Franklin is also doing a great job at Vanderbilt.”

Coach thank you for that long winded answer but you still never made a prediction.  Who are you going with in the game Cincinnati or Vanderbilt?

“(Laughs) I see you caught on to me there.  I thought by giving you a long answer where I talked good about both schools I would get out of having to choose one of them.  I’m going with the Bearcats to win and I know this is gonna come back to get me because I’m gonna see James (Franklin) at the coaches convention and I’m gonna have to buy dinner or something if that does happen.”

You created quite a buzz with those new helmets.  Did you have any idea that the fans would react so favorably to the head gear?  Who designed the helmets?  You now have 75 uniform combinations.  I’ve heard some call BCU the Oregon/Maryland of the HBCU world with all of the uniform combinations.  Who will decide which uniforms will be worn in each game next season?  Can we expect any new alterations to the uniforms and/or head gear next season?

“I told my wife that these helmets might be my tombstone if they don’t go right.  It kept the traditional colors, but brought some freshness and newness to the program…very happy it all worked out.  And I tell you what; it kind of gave us some juice as a team.  We brought out the first (maroon and gold) ones against Morgan St. (49-23) and we had a big win and the second set (black) we wore in the Florida Classic (26-16 over FAMU). 

There is still more (uniform changes) to come”

On the chief designer of the helmets

“I designed the helmets.”

On B-CU the Oregon/Maryland of the HBCU world with all of the uniform combinations…

“I’m starting to hear that and that’s OK with me.  Anything we can take from good programs and use for ourselves we’ll definitely take that.  I don’t think that’s a bad tag to have.”

On who will decide which uniform combinations will be worn in each game next season…

“We have a Leadership committee selected with a group of young men from every class.  They select the uniforms they want to wear.  In order for that selection to take place, they have to perform in the classroom and have no violations during the week.”

How rewarding was it for you to win your first Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Classic this season?

“It was very rewarding.  Anytime you can beat a high caliber team like FAMU it’s very rewarding.  Especially knowing last year you had ‘em on the ropes and had ‘em staggered and they come back and got you.  It was also good for me to go up against a coaching legend such as Joe Taylor and I will always consider it to be a bright spot in my coaching career.”

Coach we’re 13 days away from your two year anniversary as the head coach of Bethune-Cookman.  What stands out as the thing you are most proud of accomplishing in that time period?

“The off the field success, man.  The culture change by our young men, graduation rate of our athletes…and they’re not just getting bachelor’s degrees they’re attaining master’s degrees as well.  Last year I had two graduates from the Master’s program, this year I have eight.  I tell the guys all the time as long as we take care of things off the field, everything on the field will fall into place.”

“I also want to thank you guys for all of the hard work that you do covering Bethune-Cookman University football.  You guys do a first class job with your sites and continue to put the word out about all of the good things we’re doing here, so thank you guys again.”

BCU’s Ryan Davis earns MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Honors

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2011 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year-Ryan Davis

Associated Press– Bethune-Cookman’s Ryan Davis earned the Defensive Player of the Year honor as voted on by the MEAC head football coaches and sports information directors. 

Ryan Davis led the MEAC in sacks (12.0) and tackles for loss (21.5) and ranked in the top 10 nationally in both categories.  He ranked third on the team in tackles with 65 this season including 40 solo and 25 assisted.  He also recorded 17 quarterback hurries, eight forced fumbles, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.  He was named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week once this season and was named the FCS Defensive Player of the Week once by the Sports Network. 

Sophomore running back Isidore Jackson joins Davis as a first team All-MEAC selectee.  Jackson finished the year as the conference’s second leading rusher gaining 866 yards on 146 carries with 7 rushing touchdowns.

The MEAC’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker  Ryan Lewis, was an second team selectee as were fellow linebacker Reggie Sandilands, safety Jean Fanor, offensive lineman Natiel Curry, and offensive lineman Terrance Hackney.

Norfolk State quarterback Chris Walley and North Carolina A&T State running back Mike Mayhew were selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) Co-Offensive Players of the Year.

Greg McGhee of Howard earned the Rookie of the Year award and Norfolk State’s Blake Matthews was selected as the Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Seven-year head coach Pete Adrian of Norfolk State was named the Coach of the Year.  Adrian led the Spartans to its first-ever MEAC football title following a 9-2 overall finish and 7-1 mark in conference play.  The Spartans earned the conference title following a 47-14 victory over Morgan State on Saturday, Nov. 12.  The No. 19th ranked Spartans rose to its highest-ever ranking in the Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 poll and earned the MEAC’s automatic berth with the title. 

Senior Mike Mayhew capped off a tremendous four-year collegiate career with yet another conference top honor after receiving Rookie of the Year honors just three years ago. In 11 games Mayhew led the MEAC in rushing with 231 carries for 1,120 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 18 passes for 93 yards. Mayhew was named to the All-MEAC Preseason First Team and was MEAC Offensive Player of the Week once this season. He ranks 23rd in the nation in rushing and averaged 101.8 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry.

Chris Walley led the MEAC in most of the passing categories this season including total yards (2,309), average per game (209.9), efficiency (148.5) and completions (211).   He also led the conference in total offense averaging 235 yards in 11 games.  The 6-2, senior from Tallahassee, Florida ranks 18th in the nation in pass efficiency and 33rd in total offense.  Walley completed 69.2-percent of his passes (211-305) with 17 passing touchdowns and ranked third on the team in rushing with 89 attempts and 276 total yards with five TDs on the ground. He was selected as the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season.

Greg McGhee led the Bison and was third in the MEAC in total offense averaging 197.5 yards per game.  The rookie connected on 56-percent of his passes (182-321-5) with 1,784 total yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 starts.  He was second on the team in rushing with 388 yards on 116 carries with four rushing touchdowns.  The Pittsburgh, Pa. native was selected as the MEAC Rookie of the Week five times this season.

Blake Matthews aided a powerful Spartan offense that accounted for 4,319 total yards including 1,843 yards on the ground. Behind Matthew’s blocking Norfolk State finished second in the MEAC in total offense and passing offense. He provided protection for four different players to rush for over 200+ yards. He also allowed senior quarterback Chris Walley to throw for 2,309 yards and 17 touchdowns. Matthews was named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week once this season and anchored a line that only gave up 13 sacks on the year.

2011 All-MEAC FOOTBALL HONORS

Player of the Year: Chris Walley, Norfolk State and Mike Mayhew, North Carolina A&T

Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Davis, Bethune-Cookman                                            

Offensive Lineman of the Year: Blake Matthews, Norfolk State

Rookie of the Year: Greg McGhee, Howard                                                                                                   

Coach of the Year: Pete Adrian, Norfolk State

2011 All-MEAC FIRST TEAM

Offense

POS Name CL School Hometown
QB Chris Walley r-Sr. Norfolk State Tallahassee, Fla.
RB Isidore Jackson r-So. Bethune-Cookman Mossy Head, Fla.
RB Mike Mayhew Sr. North Carolina A&T Charlotte, N.C.
TE Lamont Bryant Sr. Morgan State Newport News, Va.
WR Willie Carter Sr. Howard Denmark, S.C.
WR Xavier Boyce r-Jr. Norfolk State Virginia Beach, Va.
OL Kendall Noble r-Sr. Norfolk State Rocky Mount, N.C.
OL Steven Robinson r-Sr. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla.
OL Corey Gwinner r-Sr. Howard Ypsilanti, Mich.
OL Blake Matthews r-Sr. Norfolk State Manassas, Va.
C Shelly Anthony r-So. Florida A&M Atlanta, Ga.
Defense        
DL Ryan Davis Sr. Bethune-Cookman Tampa, Fla.
DL Sackie Kerkulah r-Sr. Howard Willingboro, NJ
DL Josh Turner r-Sr. Norfolk State Chesterfield, Va.
DL Pat Washington r-Sr. South Carolina State Hollywood, S.C.
LB Keith Pough r-Jr. Howard Orangeburg, S.C.
LB Corwin Hammond r-Sr. Norfolk State Louisville, Ky.
LB Donovan Richard r-Sr. South Carolina State Georgetown, S.C.
DB John Ojo Jr. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla.
DB Micah Pellerin Sr. Hampton New Orleans, La.
DB Justin Ferrell Sr. North Carolina A&T Danville, Va.
DB Dominique Ellis r-Sr. South Carolina State Union City, Ga.
P Branden Holdren Jr. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla.
P/K Ryan Estep r-Sr. Norfolk State Chesapeake, Va.
Ret Edmond Baker r-Jr. Florida A&M Miami, Fla

2011 All-MEAC SECOND TEAM

Offense

POS Name CL School Hometown
QB Greg McGhee Fr. Howard Pittsburgh, Pa.
RB Asheton Jordan Jr. South Carolina State Summerville, S.C.
RB Travis Davidson Jr. Morgan State Redford, Mich.
TE Joe Hawkins Jr. Norfolk State Chicago, Ill.
WR Wallace Miles r-Sr. North Carolina A&T Atlanta, Ga.
WR Kevin Elliott r-Sr. Florida A&M Orlando, Fla.
OL Alex Harper r-Sr. North Carolina A&T Baltimore, Md.
OL Terrance Hackney So. Bethune-Cookman Chapel Hill, N.C.
OL Lawrence Brewer Sr. Morgan State Fort Washington, Md.
OL Branden Curry r-Sr. Florida A&M Hollywood, Fla.
C Natiel Curry r-Sr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.
         
Defense        
DL Joey Christine Sr. Norfolk State Stephens City, Va.
DL Corey Berry r-Sr. Howard Orangeburg, S.C.
DL Ian Davidson Sr. Hampton Washington, DC
DL Zackary Stewart Sr. Morgan State Upper Marlboro, Md.
LB Reginald Sandilands Sr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.
LB Delbert Tyler So. Hampton Monroeville, Pa.
LB Ryan Lewis Sr. Bethune-Cookman Pompano Beach, Fla.
DB Jean Fanor r-Sr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.
DB DeVonte Reynolds r-Sr. Norfolk State Warsaw, Va.
DB Christian Thompson Sr. South Carolina State N. Lauderdale, Fla.
DB Lanny Kelly Sr. Howard Richmond, Calif.
P Jordan Stovall Jr. Hampton Elgin, S.C.
P/K Trevor Scott r-Sr. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla.
Ret Geovonie Irvine r-Jr. North Carolina Central Durham, N.C.

Wildcats too much for Tigers

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For the past two months, coach Brian Jenkins has insisted that the quarterback who practices the best during the week will receive the starting nod on gameday.

Remaining true to his word, Jenkins named David Blackwell as the starting quarterback just minutes before Saturday’s contest against Savannah State.  Blackwell responded by ripping off an 80 yard touchdown run on the Wildcats first offensive play from scrimmage.  He later added two more first half touchdown runs (of 37 yards and 59 yards) as well as two 3rd quarter touchdown passes (46 yarder to Isidore Jackson and 16 yarder to Johnathan Moment).  Blackwell accounted for 350 yards of total offense (203 rushing and 147 passing) in a little over 2 quarters of play.

The Wildcats finished the contest with 625 yards of total offense in route to a 59-3 dismantling of the over-matched Tigers.

Defensively, the Wildcats yielded just 202 yards of total offense and allowed no second half first downs.  Defensive tackle, Harold Love III, led the defensive charge with 12 tackles.

 Team Totals 

SSU 

BCU 
FIRST DOWNS 

9 

23 
   Rushing 

4 

17 
   Passing 

3 

6 
   Penalty 

2 

0 
NET YARDS RUSHING 

149 

431 
   Rushing Attempts 

40 

41 
   Average Per Rush 

3.7 

10.5 
   Rushing Touchdowns 

0 

5 
   Yards Gained Rushing 

191 

461 
   Yards Lost Rushing 

42 

30 
NET YARDS PASSING 

53 

194 
   Completions-Attempts-Int 

6-21-1 

11-17-0 
   Average Per Attempt 

2.5 

11.4 
   Average Per Completion 

8.8 

17.6 
   Passing Touchdowns 

0 

3 
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS 

202 

625 
   Total offense plays 

61 

58 
   Average Gain Per Play 

3.3 

10.8 
Fumbles: Number-Lost 

2-0 

2-1 
Penalties: Number-Yards 

5-30 

10-69 
PUNTS-YARDS 

8-302 

2-78 
   Average Yards Per Punt 

37.8 

39.0 
   Net Yards Per Punt 

30.4 

39.0 
   Inside 20 

2 

1 
   50+ Yards 

1 

0 
   Touchbacks 

1 

0 
   Fair catch 

2 

0 
KICKOFFS-YARDS 

2-119 

10-572 
   Average Yards Per Kickoff 

59.5 

57.2 
   Net Yards Per Kickoff 

28.5 

33.6 
   Touchbacks 

0 

0 
Punt returns: Number-Yards-TD 

0-0-0 

5-39-0 
   Average Per Return 

0.0 

7.8 
Kickoff returns: Number-Yds-TD 

10-236-0 

2-62-0 
   Average Per Return 

23.6 

31.0 
Interceptions: Number-Yds-TD 

0-0-0 

1-20-0 
Fumble Returns: Number-Yds-TD 

0-0-0 

0-0-0 
Miscellaneous Yards 

0 

0 
Possession Time 

33:52 

26:00 
   1st Quarter 

10:35 

4:25 
   2nd Quarter 

9:32 

5:28 
   3rd Quarter 

7:49 

7:03 
   4th Quarter 

5:56 

9:04 
Third-Down Conversions 

3 of 16 

5 of 9 
Fourth-Down Conversions 

0 of 2 

0 of 1 
Red-Zone Scores-Chances 

1-3 

5-6 
   Touchdowns 

0-3 

4-6 
   Field goals 

1-3 

1-6 
Sacks By: Number-Yards 

1-10 

4-23 
PAT Kicks 

0-0 

8-8 
Field Goals 

1-1 

1-1

 

 

BCU Thumps Morgan 49-23

/ J Bell / 12 Comments

Last Saturday’s 49-23 Homecoming thumping of Morgan State was a near perfect microcosm of The Fighting Wildcats 2011 football season. 

 Much like the first half of this season, the first 2 quarters of Saturday’s contest were filled with both explosive plays –174 yards of total offense and 2 defensive turnovers– and untimely penalties –6 for 54 yards– for the Wildcats.  BCU looked vulnerable as a result and clung to a 14-10 halftime lead.

 The Wildcats seemed to sure up a few things in the halftime locker room and looked completely dominant and playoff worthy in the second half; outscoring MSU 35-13 in the process.

Isidore Jackson had another solid afternoon rushing for 94 yards (1 TD) on 20 carries and catching 2 passes for 22 yards. Senior fullback Johnathan Moment enjoyed his best statistical game of the season accounting for 106 yards of total offense (78 rushing; 28 receiving) and two touchdowns in the contest. 

Jackie Wilson

Sophomore quarterback Jackie Wilson continues to play well.  Wilson completed 67 percent of his passes (10/15 for 186) and rushed for 74 yards and 3 touchdowns on the afternoon.  “The game is starting to slow down to me,” Wilson said after the contest. 

 Although Wilson’s insertion into the starting lineup has seemed to stabilize the Wildcat offense, Coach Brian Jenkins states that there will continue to be an open competition for the starting quarterback spot.  Jenkins went on to state that David Blackwell almost received the starting nod this week instead of Wilson.

 The Wildcat starting defense held the Morgan State offense to 173 yards of total offense and 10 points through 3 quarters.  Senior linebacker Ryan Lewis led the way with 7 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss.  The Bear offense accumulated 137 yards of offense and 13 points in the final quarter mostly against BCU’s second and third teamers.  Even still, Coach Jenkins was none-too-happy about how his defense finished the contest; and he was particularly upset about yielding a 44-yard touchdown run to Travis Davidson with 58 seconds remaining in the contest.  “No matter the score, I want my guys to execute.”  “We had one guy out of position and a few others who didn’t make the play that was to be made” Jenkins stated.  Davidson finished the afternoon with 133 yards rushing on 17 carries for the Bears.

Bethune hosts upstart Savannah State next Saturday in Daytona Beach at 4:00 p.m.