Bethune-Cookman University

What we learned after the 1st two games

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Stay in the Moment is more than just coach talk.  If you have followed Bethune-Cookman football with any degree of regularity over the past three seasons then surely you have heard Coach Brian Jenkins repeat the phrase ‘stay in the moment’.   This may appear on the surface to be just more sports jargon, but the resiliency of the 2012 Fighting Wildcats suggests they fully believe in the mantra.

The Wildcats registered impressive victories in Week 1 and Week 2 of the season after trailing by 21 and 14 points respectively.  But it is not just overcoming the slow starts that is adding credence to the ‘stay in the moment’ philosophy.  BCU has endured a rash of untimely penalties while in scoring position as well as turnovers setting up great field position for their opponents.  Yet the Wildcats have been able to keep their focus, not panic and persevere; or more plainly stated, ‘STAY IN THE MOMENT’.

The kickoff and punt return units still needs some tweaking. In this past Saturday’s contest against South Carolina State, the Cats used a fumble recovery touchdown on special teams to turn the momentum of game.  Unfortunately for Bethune-Cookman, they are still having trouble producing any kind of spark with other aspects of their special teams units, kickoff returns and punt returns being chief among them.  The Wildcats are averaging just 4.8 yards per punt return (19 yards total through 2 games) and rank last in the conference in kickoff return average at just 12.4 yards per return.  BCU has not registered a kickoff or punt return TD since the 2010 season.

The new defensive regulars are filling in nicely.  We expected solid production from DJ Howard, Harold Love, Jarkevis Fields and other returning defensive starters/regulars.  But one of the off-season question marks was how productive the host of new defensive regulars would be; and how long would it take them to make a positive impact.  As a unit, the defense has held opponents to just 7 total points after the 1st quarter.  First year starting safety Nick Addison is tied for the team lead in tackles (14) and UCF transfer LeBrandon Richardson leads the team in sacks (4).   Linebackers Nesly Marcellon and Dawud Lane and defensive end Markeil Floyd have also been very productive through the first two contests.

This team has an opportunity to be exceptionally good.  We are not yet a quarter of the way through the season and BCU has not come close to playing a complete game on either side of the ball thus far.  Even still the Beach Cats scored convincing victories over two very good football teams in Alabama State and South Carolina State respectively.  Offensively the rushing attack is as good as it has been in the Brian Jenkins era;  both Jackie Wilson and Brock Waters seem capable at the quarterback position; the offensive line is experienced and huge; and Eddie Poole, KJ Stroud, and David Blackwell make up as good of a trio of wide-receivers as you’ll find in the conference.  Defensively the Wildcats have been phenomenal after the first quarter of games allowing just 7 total points in the 2nd quarter and 0 points after halftime.  If the Cats can find a way to get off to better starts and eliminate some of the penalties, this team can not only win a MEAC title but also a few playoff games.  But I suppose that I should not look that far ahead and just “Stay in the Moment”.

Next up for Bethune-Cookman is a Saturday match-up against perennial power the University of Miami .  Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

BCU vs SCSU Preview

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BCU Mascot

BCU Mascot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When Bethune-Cookman squares off against South Carolina State tomorrow night at 6:00, it could very well be a showdown of the two best teams in all of HBCU football.  Both teams enter the contest coming off of impressive victories.  The Bulldogs defeated Georgia State of the formidable CAA conference convincingly on the road.  The Dogs racked up 488 yards of offense on their way to a 33-6 victory over GSU.  Quarterback Richard Cue led SCSU with 300 yards passing and three touchdowns. Wide Receivers Caleb Davis and Lennel Elmore both eclipsed the 100 yard receiving mark in the contest.

The Wildcats started slowly in their Week 1 matchup and fell behind 21-0 against Alabama State.  But the Beach Cats found their form in the 2nd quarter and steamrolled to a 38-28 win in last week’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge.  Senior quarterback Brock Waters replaced Jackie Wilson midway through the second quarter and was responsible for three BCU touchdowns (2 passing and 1 rushing) in the contest.  Waters (100 yds) joined running backs Isidore Jackson (123 yds) and Rodney Scott (103 yds) as 100 yard rushers in last week’s contest.  BCU tallied 551 total yards of offense on the afternoon and will hope to carry that momentum into Oliver C Dawson Stadium where they have experienced a good deal of success recently.  In fact, the Wildcats have won 4 of their last 5 meetings on the Bulldog’s home field; the last of which was 14-0 shutout in 2010. 

The Wildcats and Bulldogs are eerily similar in terms of overall talent, team speed, and size but the similarities do not just stop there.

  • SCSU head coach Buddy Pough has never finished worse than 2nd in the MEAC’s final standings; but neither has BCU coach Brian Jenkins.
  • Bethune returns 9 starters on offense from 2011; and so do the Bulldogs. 
  • SCSU loss 7 starters from last season’s defense; BCU loss 6 starters from their 2011 defense.
  •  Both teams have dual threat quarterbacks (SCSU-Richard Cue; BCU-Brock Waters/Jackie Wilson) and a host of talented wide receivers.  The teams also have very experienced offensive lines and a plethora of new but talented starters on defense.
  • The teams are 8-7 in their last 15 head-to-head matchups with BCU holding the 1 game advantage during that span.
  • Bethune has won 4 of the last 5 games played in Orangeburg, while South Carolina State has won 3 straight in Daytona Beach.

 Advantages:

  • South Carolina State appears to have an advantage in special teams with dangerous return men, Lennel Elmore and Darius Drummond fielding punts and kickoffs.
  • Bethune seems to have a clear advantage in the rushing attack in running backs Isidore Jackson and Rodney Scott.  And if last week’s performance is any indication, Brock Waters is as valuable in the running game as any other player on BCU’s roster.

 3 keys to victory for BCU

1. Know who to block—BCU has a very experienced offensive line.  That experience will be put to the test against SCSU’s heavy blitzing, 3-4 defensive scheme.  BCU enjoyed a great deal of success running the ball right at the Bulldog defense last year. The Wildcats should have success running the ball again this year.  In the passing game, BCU’s offensive line and quarterback(s) must account for all rushers.  If that happens, BCU’s offense could have a huge night.

2. Connect in the passing game when called upon—The Wildcats boasted one of the best rushing attacks in the country in 2011.  They carried that trend into Week 1 where they racked up 367 yards on the ground.  The Cats will need to connect on enough throws in the passing game to keep the Bulldog defense from committing too many players to stop the run.  If/when SCSU commit those extra bodies against the run, the Wildcats will need to take advantage of the single coverage and connect on plays down the field in the passing game.

3. Don’t give up too much on special teams—Coach Jenkins cited Darius Drummond’s two punt returns that ended inside the 20 yard line as the key factors in his team’s 26-18 defeat to SCSU last season.  BCU cannot afford to have history repeat itself again this season if they hope to win.

Our prediction:

BCU wins impressively 34-17.

The game can be viewed live (6:00 P.M.) on WatchESPN or on ESPNU on tape delay beginning at 10:30 P.M.

BCU rushes pass ‘Bama State

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2012 MEAC/SWAC Challenge

Seventeen minutes into Sunday’s matchup against Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman fans were left gazing at the scoreboard and wondering if they would wind up on the wrong end of a one-sided MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

The Hornets opened the contest with a 12 play, 75 yard drive which ended with a 5 yard Greg Jenkins touchdown run.   ASU’s second and third scores were aided by a BCU fumble on a punt return and a missed field goal respectively.  With 13:45 remaining in the 2nd Quarter, ASU was defending a 21-0 lead and looking to run away with the contest. 

As dominant as ASU appeared over the first seventeen minutes, BCU was equally dominant over the final forty-three minutes of the contest.  Like ASU, BCU’s first scoring drive consumed 12 plays, 75 yards and ended with a rushing touchdown (Andronicus Lovette, 2 yards).  Sven Hurd added a 20 yard field goal just before halftime to bring the deficit to 21-10.

The Wildcat offense started to steamroll in the second half scoring touchdowns on their second (24 yd pass from Brock Waters to Jhomo Gordon), third (6 yd run by Waters), and fourth (47 yd pass from Waters to Eddie Poole) possessions after the half.  Both teams tacked on an additional touchdown before the final whistle.

Coach Brian Jenkins was quick to sing the praises of his squad.  “Alabama State is a championship caliber team; don’t let the score fool you”.  “We knew they had a high octane offense but there was no doubt in our mind that we would end up victorious.  You saw a team today that believes in the philosophy that we’re teaching (stay in the moment and play every play).  It’s just a tremendous thing to see the fight that our guys showed today”.

Thank God for the backup quarterback

Coach Jenkins revealed in his postgame interview that quarterback Jackie Wilson was unable to continue in Sunday’s contest because of conditioning/heat related issues.  Louisiana Tech transfer Brodrick Waters (who prefers to go by Brock) relieved Wilson midway through the 2nd quarter.  Waters inherited a 21-7 deficit, but led the Wildcats to 31 unanswered points.  Waters ended the afternoon with 100 yards rushing on 11 attempts (1 rushing td) and 6 of 9 passing for 110 yards with 2 touchdowns.  The second of Water’s TD passes was a beautiful 47 yard hookup on a post route to Eddie Poole on 3rd and 21.   The result of the play pushed BCU to a comfortable 31-21 lead.

Waters, who played with the message ‘RIP’— ‘TD 22’ written on his eye black, combined with Isidore Jackson (123 yards) and Rodney Scott (103, 1 td) to make BCU history as the first trio of rushers to eclipse the 100 yard rushing mark in the same game.  When asked about the significance of his Tebowesque eye black message, Waters explained that he was honoring his former La Tech teammate Tyrone Duplessis.  The 21-year old Duplessis died in his sleep in February of this year.  “He was someone that I looked up to” Waters stated.  “I decided to dedicate this game to him as well as my first touchdown.  They told me that I almost got one (touchdown) called back (for excessive celebration) because I showed some emotion towards him and that probably wasn’t the best thing to do”.

BCU finished the game with 383 yards rushing on 60 attempts for a 6.1 yard average.  Eddie Poole (102 yards, 1 td) eclipsed the 100 yard receiving mark on the afternoon and pushed his consecutive games with a catch streak to 24.  In total, the Wildcat offense racked 551 yards of offense.

Jarkevis Fields led the defensive charge with 10 tackles, 1 sack and 2 tackles for loss.  The Wildcat “D” held ASU running back Isaiah Crowell to 18 yards rushing on 9 attempts.  Crowell (formerly of the University of Georgia) is the 2011 SEC Offensive Freshmen of the Year recipient.

The Wildcats travel to Orangeburg next Saturday for an early season showdown with MEAC powerhouse South Carolina State.  Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 P.M..

Team Stat Comparison

  ALST COOK
1st Downs 22 25
Total Yards 351 551
Passing 253 184
Rushing 98 367
Penalties 3-30 15-111
3rd Down Conversions 8-15 8-16
4th Down Conversions 0-1 1-1
Turnovers 2 1
Possession 25:05 34:55

Passing Leaders

 
Alabama State C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT
Jenkins 19/29 196 6.8 0 1
 
Bethune-Cookman C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT
Waters 6/9 110 12.2 2 0

Rushing Leaders

 
Alabama State CAR YDS AVG TD LG
Jenkins 15 39 2.6 2 17
Crowell 9 18 2.0 1 11
 
Bethune-Cookman CAR YDS AVG TD LG
Jackson 21 123 5.9 0 25
Scott 13 103 7.9 1 38

Receiving Leaders

 
Alabama State REC YDS AVG TD LG
McWilliams 6 89 14.8 1 39
Neely 5 64 12.8 0 34
 
Bethune-Cookman REC YDS AVG TD LG
Poole 3 102 34.0 1 54
Stroud 4 39 9.8 0 15

Qtr Time Scoring Play

1st 11:06 ALST – Jenkins, Greg 5 yd run (Wenzig, Bobby kick), 12-75 3:54 7 – 0
04:28 ALST – Crowell, Isaiah 2 yd run, 2-20 0:43 14 – 0
2nd 13:45 ALST – Jenkins, Greg 3 yd run (Wenzig, Bobby kick), 8-72 2:15 21 – 0
09:18 BCU -LOVETTE,Andronicus 2 yd run , 12-75 4:21 21 -7
00:01 BCU – HURD,Sven 20 yd field goal, 12-77 3:02 21 – 10
3rd 05:53 BCU – GORDON,Jhomo 24 yd pass from WATERS,Brodrick (HURD,Sven kick), 5-70 3:04 21 – 17
04:28 BCU – WATERS,Brodrick 6 yd run (HURD,Sven kick), 4-20 1:19 21 – 24
4th 10:39 BCU – POOLE,Eddie 47 yd pass from WATERS,Brodrick, 11-91 5:36 21 – 31
06:59 BCU – SCOTT,Rodney 38 yd run, 2-39 0:53 21 – 38
03:53 ALST – McWilliams, T.C 39 yd pass from Duhart, Daniel (Wenzig, Bobby kick), 9-79 2:59 28 – 38

BCU volleyball closing the gap

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

So here’s the skinny; Bethune-Cookman has a record setting athlete who can jump out the gym.  At 5’6”, which is roughly 3 inches shorter than the diminutive three time NBA Dunk Champion Nate Robinson, this athlete can touch a basketball rim. 

That’s pretty impressive right?   Would you be more impressed if you knew that this athlete was a she?

Krysta Gardner-Outside Hitter

Meet Krysta Gardner.  Gardner is a 1st team All-MEAC volleyball performer who set a BCU single season record last season with 479 kills.   The senior outside hitter from Ashburn, Virginia needs just 170 kills this season to top the 1,000 kill mark in her career; she needs 230 kills to become BCU’s all-time kills leader. 

But Gardner is not the only standout performer on BCU’s volleyball squad.  Janeen Davis, who is also a senior and outside hitter, registered 450 kills last season and would currently hold the single season record if not for her teammate.  Davis needs 325 kills this year to reach the 1,000 kills mark for her career.

Janeen Davis-Outside Hitter

Gardner and Davis are the cornerstones of Coach Isaac Raphael’s rapidly improving volleyball program.  They were the only teammates named to the MEAC’s All-Tournament squad last season.  Despite their relative lack of height by volleyball standards, Gardner (5’6 ½) and Davis (5’8”) are unquestionably two of the better outside hitters in the conference. 

“We definitely have a disadvantage because of our height but we make up for it with our verticals (leap)” Janeen Davis said. 

Krysta Gardner went on to state: “I don’t really think about my height much because I jump relatively high.   But like they always say, it’s not how tall you are, it’s how big you play”.

…and play big they do.

Coach Raphael was quick to heap praise on the tandem.  “Our strongest area (as a team) is that we have 2 of the best outside hitters in the conference in Jeanne and Krysta.  One was first team All-MEAC last season (Gardner), one was second team All-MEAC (Davis)”.   “Krysta is one of the best outside hitters in the country at her size.  She was 9th in the nation in aces and had nearly 500 kills last season.”

Coach Raphael went on to state: “not only are they great players, they are great individuals.  They are very humble young ladies.   I think they accept their roles as leaders (on this team) humbly and they are ready for the challenge of another great season”.

Ready to Compete

Gardner, Davis and junior defensive specialist, Jennifer Jimenez make up the core group around which Coach Raphael could recruit and address the issues that separated his squad from the top teams in the conference last season.  “We made a concerted effort to add more height.  We have several players over 6 feet tall this year and we’re much further along fundamentally than we were at this point last season”.

“Jennifer Jimenez (who set a school record with 395 digs last season) helps us.  Without her passing, we wouldn’t be where we are”.

“We needed better defense and better ability to block at the net which I think we have this year.  The other thing we need to compete (with the top teams in this conference) is confidence.  We’re starting to believe that we are a good program”.

“We have athletes.  They may need some more training, but they’re workhorses.  With some tweaking here and there, we’ll be right there with the top teams in this conference”.

Coach Raphael expects freshmen Delicia Pierre, Phylecia Armstrong, and Monica Lowe to step in and contribute right away.  Gardner and Davis also welcome the new additions.  “Last year, Jeanne and I hit most of the balls.  With this new team we have a lot more options (offensively) so I’m looking forward to that” Krysta Gardner stated.

Janeen Davis replied: “we have the players, we have the heart; I think we’re going to surprise some people this year.  I expect to win the MEAC”. 

Wildcat fans can catch their first glimpse at the 2012 edition of the BCU volleyball team when they host their annual Maroon and Gold game this Sunday, August 19th at 1:00 in Moore Gymnasium.

Brian Jenkins developing winners on and off the field

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Brian Jenkins

In the two short years that Brian Jenkins has been at the helm of the Bethune-Cookman football team, he has proven two things beyond question:

1. He is an excellent football coach.
2. He is an extremely passionate individual.

The third year head coach’s passion was on clear display at Sunday’s Media Day Event when discussing two specific topics: (a) his commitment to develop his players into responsible, productive men; and (b) how much he hates losing. 

The Wildcats are 18-5 under coach Jenkins’ leadership and they enter the season ranked as high as 14th nationally in one pre-season publication.  However, Coach Jenkins repeatedly and emphatically stated that “our program is about more than winning football games”.

“I love my guys and I will shout it from the mountain top”.  “We have a program that’s dedicated to building men.  It makes you feel good to know that your program is looked upon nationally for not just your football accomplishments, but for building young people also”.

The Wildcat football program received the FCS ADA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Award for being the Most Improved Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) school after improving to an APR score of 935 during the 2010-11 school year.

Several members of the squad have even already graduated and are enrolled in graduate school.   

Coach Jenkins’ fatherly influence extends far beyond the playing field and classrooms of his players; it also reaches into their family lives.

“I’ve got a lot of young father’s on this team.  We often counsel with them and tell them that there is no reason that you should not be there for your child.  You don’t let a team meeting or anything else affect that.  You got a lot of fathers that bring their kids to study hall and team meetings.  We have some ladies that work in our front office who offer babysitting to our guys so they can study and stay on topic”.

True freshmen Ray Martin of Sanford Seminole High School chose BCU over several BCS schools including Ole Miss and West Virginia.  Martin cited the pro-family environment established by Coach Jenkins as one of the primary appeals in his decision to sign with BCU.

“We try to provide a strong family for our team” Coach Jenkins stated.  “Our wives are heavily involved and they try to teach some of our players parenting skills”. 

At least two of BCU’s football players are single fathers who have sole custody of their children.

Coach Jenkins said “I am very proud of my guys for taking on their responsibility of being a (single) father in spite of playing a college sport and for maintaining a high level of both. So in my book I’m a grandfather and I couldn’t be more proud of them”.

“I love this team and my players so much.  They are not all angels.  They make mistakes but they don’t make excuses.  They give me all that I ask of them in every aspect”.

Coach Jenkins’ affinity for his players extends to his former players as well.  When asked about the team’s newest graduate assistant, (former BCU QB) Matt Johnson, Coach Jenkins liken him to “a friend that you bring home and feed once but then you can’t get rid of them”.  He went on to praise Matt Johnson’s accomplishments on and off the field namely being named as BCU’s first Jake Gaither award winner in 2010 for his on the field production as well as being recognized by the University as “Business Student of the Year” for his work in the classroom that same year.  He went on to state that Matt Johnson has “walked in the direction that they are trying to get the (current) players to walk in.  He is living what he has learned (as a BCU football player) and he’s done a tremendous job in life and with our quarterbacks”.

—“I hate to lose and hate is a strong word”— Brian Jenkins

The fatherly passion and care that was evident when speaking about his players quickly gave way to the intense and poignant side of BCU’s head ball coach when asked what would define a successful season for his squad.  “Win a national championship!!! Anything less is unacceptable”.

“Everybody is jumping around saying 8-3–you did good last year.  To hell with that.  Those 3 (losses) bother me a lot more than those 8 (wins).  The numbers look good but a national championship would feel a whole lot better.  I didn’t just take this job as a stepping stone or to build stats. We want to win a national championship and that’s what we work towards every day in every way! I let them (the players) know from day one.  We want to win a national championship.  It’s a dirty, grueling, ugly, hard process and you have to be willing to go through it.  I tell my guys that if you’re not willing (to go through the process of becoming a national champion) then leave, go somewhere else.  This might not be the place for you.  There are no bones, no mistakes, no false statements about it; our goal is to win the national championship”.

When asked if the Wildcats needed to upgrade their schedule to assist in reaching the goal of winning a national championship since the MEAC has gone so long without winning a playoff game the coach responded: “we do need to do a better job of winning in the playoffs but when you upgrade your schedule and then you have the record that you’re supposed to have, then they find a way to overlook you, is that the MEAC’s fault?  Let’s call it what it is.  People want to talk around it.  There are some teams that have been placed in the playoffs whose schedule is not ‘King Kong’. Of course you want to schedule (FCS) playoff teams (during the regular season), but do they want to do that.  (Sometimes we) make a phone call and they say that they will get back to you, but they never call you back.  What do you do in those situations?  I tell my guys to win them all and you won’t have to worry about it”.

The Wildcats will get their chance to win the first one of the 2012 season when they face off against Alabama State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando on Sunday, September 2nd at 12:00.

Rumor Mill–Tyrann Mathieu to Bethune-Cookman???

/ J Bell / 2 Comments

What if Bethune-Cookman landed the biggest HBCU/FCS recruit since Steve “Air” McNair walked off of the campus of Alcorn State?  That would be quite a story and a bit surreal wouldn’t you agree?

Now before you close your web browsers and dismiss this as just more internet hype (and it could very well be just that), consider that at least two Louisiana Television outlets believe that Bethune-Cookman could be the landing spot for 2011 Heisman Finalist and National Defensive Player of the Year, Tyrann Mathieu, affectionately known as ‘The Honey Badger’.  Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU football team earlier this week by Coach Les Miles for violating team policies.

Television affiliates WLOX and WAFB (both of Louisiana) are reporting that Mathieu is likely to transfer to an FCS school so he can play this season.  Among the schools listed as likely landing spots is Bethune-Cookman where former LSU assistant coaches Earl Lane and DJ McCarthy are currently on staff.

In addition to the natural connections with Lane and McCarthy, BCU also offers Mathieu an opportunity to play for an FCS school with a recent history of producing Pro Bowl caliber defensive backs (i.e. Nick Collins formerly of the Green Bay Packers and Rashen Mathis of the Jacksonville Jaguars). 

McNeese State, Nicholls State, Southeastern Louisiana, and Grambling State have also been mentioned as potential landing spots for the junior defensive back.

I am not certain if The Honey Badger himself knows for sure where he’ll be playing football this season at this moment, but I do know that Wildcat fans will be glued to this story until he makes his intentions known.

Stay tuned!!!

5 Questions heading into Bethune-Cookman football camp

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BCU’s 2012 football season officially kicked off on Thursday morning with the opening of Fall camp at the New Smyrna Sports Complex.  The new season brings with it a ton of excitement, high expectations, and the challenges of the unknown.

Here are 5 of our most pressing questions heading into camp.

1. Who will be the Wildcat’s primary signal caller this year?

Coming out of Spring practice, Jackie Wilson was tops on the Wildcats’ depth chart at quarterback.  Wilson completed over 66% of his pass attempts last year and was undefeated as a starter against FCS competition. The 6’0”, 215 pound Junior from Ft Lauderdale is expected to be pushed for the starting nod by Louisiana Tech transfer, Brock Waters (Sr.) and redshirt Freshman and 2010 Florida Mr. Football, Quentin Williams. 

Waters seems to be the best of the three with his legs, Williams with his arm, and Wilson the best dual threat.

2. Which newcomer will have the greatest impact on the squad?

Many HBCU pundits rated Bethune-Cookman’s 2012 signing class as the best in all of black college football.  Several of the 2012 signees will have a chance to step in and contribute right away.  Here are a few of the new faces that we’ll be watching closely. 

–Brandon Bryant, UCF transfer, has tremendous ability and could step in and fill one of the vacated defensive end slots right away.

–Brock Waters, La Tech transfer, is a versatile athlete who can play any of the three offensive skill positions (QB, RB, and WR).  

–Ray Martin is an explosive WR/return specialist from Sanford Seminole high school.  Martin was a bona fide playmaker at the high school level and a threat to “break one” at any time.

3. Will the Wildcats be able to compensate for the loss of six defensive starters from a year ago?

This year’s defensive unit may be more athletic, faster, and deeper than last year’s defensive group. The problem is this year’s defensive unit is far less experienced.

Gone are six starters from a year ago, three of whom are currently on NFL rosters (Ryan Davis-Jaguars, Jean Fanor-Chiefs, and Ryan Lewis-Dolphins). 

Defensive lineman Harold Love III, linebacker Jarkevis Fields, and safety DJ Howard are all 2012 Preseason All-MEAC selectees.  Love, Fields and Howard are proven playmakers at all three levels of the defense (line, linebackers, and secondary).  The trio will need to provide leadership and stability to those around them and help facilitate the growth of players like Brandon Bryant, Tavarus Dantzler, and Nick Addison. 

4. Will the Cats win their first ever FCS playoff game?

Bethune-Cookman is 0’fer in FCS playoff games and the MEAC is 0 for its last 12 in the FCS playoffs.  This year seems as good as any to finally break those dubious streaks.  But before the Wildcats can hope to win a playoff game, they must first navigate an arduous schedule and win the conference’s automatic qualifier.

The Cats first four conference matchups are against powerhouse South Carolina State (09/08), Hampton (09/29), North Carolina A&T (10/06), and Norfolk State (10/20).  BCU fell to SCSU and NCA&T last season, they narrowly escaped Hampton thanks to a replay decision after regulation time expired, and NSU is the defending conference champion.  YIKES!

5. Will the institution and the City of Daytona Beach resolve the issue surrounding the $3 surcharge added to game tickets before the season begins?

The City of Daytona, in hopes to offset the cost of installing the synthetic playing surface at Municipal Stadium, has once again proposed that a $3 surcharge be added to each BCU game ticket.   The school has offered a counter-proposal which the City is said to be reviewing. 

Neither side can afford to have this issue linger very long.  An unused stadium (and consequently unsold hotel rooms and fewer dollars spent at local restaurants, retail outfits, and gas stations) serves no benefit to the City of Daytona Beach. And changing venues this close to the start of the season would be a logistical nightmare for BCU. 

Let’s hope that an amicable solution can be reached in the coming days.

Duron Carter linked to Bethune-Cookman in possible transfer according to reports

/ J Bell / 1 Comment

Former Ohio State and University of Alabama receiver Duron Carter (son of NFL great Chris Carter) has been linked to Bethune-Cookman according to multiple reports.

According to OwlAccess.com, Carter has applied for admission to FAU and is in the process of pursuing an NCAA transfer waiver that would allow him to play this season for the FBS, Florida Atlantic Owls.  If the NCAA denies Carter’s transfer waiver request, Bethune-Cookman, where Carter would be eligible to play right away under NCAA transfer rules, appears to be Carter’s most preferred landing spot. 

Carter is a 6’-5”, 215 pound wide receiver from storied St. Thomas Aquinas High School located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  Rivals.com rated Carter as a 4-Star recruit coming out of high school.  He signed a letter of intent and played one season at Ohio State in 2009 before transferring to a Community College in Kansas in 2010.  Carter signed with defending National Champions Alabama in 2011 but academic transcript issues brought his Crimson Tide career to an abrupt end. 

Whether or not Duron Carter ever plays a down for BCU, his interest in the Wildcats tells just how well and what type of athletes Brian Jenkins and his staff now recruits at Bethune-Cookman.

Stadium issue still unresolved

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DAYTONA BEACH — Although practices start in a month and tickets are already on sale, Bethune-Cookman University’s football team still doesn’t have an agreement with the city to use Municipal Stadium this fall for games.

“We’re having frank discussions,” said Lynn Thompson, Bethune-Cookman’s athletic director. “At this point we’ve had a couple of meetings. We want to put this behind us.”

The city proposed a $3 per ticket surcharge, the same proposal that was rejected last year, and Bethune-Cookman said no again.

“We’re waiting for a response,” Thompson said. “We want a figure and a process that works for everybody.”

The city is going through the college’s counter proposal, which includes some creative ideas such as Bethune-Cookman officials and athletes volunteering at the new Midtown Cultural and Educational Center and putting on free football camps for kids. The city should have a reply soon and then another meeting should be held soon after that, Percy Williamson, the city’s leisure services director, said this week.

Click here for the full story.  http://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/college/2012/06/29/bethune-cookman-university-daytona-beach-at-odds-over-fees-for-municipal-stadium-games.html

God’s Speed Tank Johnson

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Former Bethune-Cookman University Athletic Director Lloyd “Tank” Johnson,” recognized by many as the father of what is today’s Florida Classic, passed away Sunday. He was 77.

A 1958 graduate, Johnson served as athletic director from 1972 to 1991, His visionary leadership oversaw the Wildcats’ ascent to Division I and partnership with Florida A&M’s Hansel Tookes in laying the groundwork for the Florida Classic, which made its debut in Tampa in 1978. The archrivals had met to capacity crowds at Florida State University, Daytona International Speedway and Orlando, the current site, prior to that.

Johnson also served as a defensive coordinator for the Wildcat football team from 1961-78 in addition to coaching track and field in the days where coaches would oversee multiple sports.

He was named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall Of Fame in 1995 and is also included in several addition halls of fame, including the 100-percent Wrong Club of Atlanta.

As a student, Johnson was on the Wildcat football, basketball, track and golf teams in 1952-54. After a two-year stint in the army he returned to B-CC in the fall of 1956 and competed in football, golf and track for the next two school years before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1958.

Johnson also served on the City of Daytona Beach Planning Board.

He is survived by his wife, Gwendolyn, and was preceded in death by his daughter, Crystal Lynn.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.  Please visit www.b-cuathletics.com for updates and continued coverage of the passing of a Wildcat legend.