Congratulations to Mrs. Emma Price of Daytona Beach on winning the Hailwildcats.com BCU vs Norfolk State “Watch Party” Raffle for (2) 2014 Florida Blue Florida Classic Tickets. If you missed the past raffle, you have another opportunity this week, details below! Congrats again Mrs. Emma Price!
Hailwildcats.com will host a WILDCATS “LETS GO” Watch Party on Thursday November 13th, 2014 starting at 7 p.m. EST when our Mighty Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University take on the Pirates of Hampton University on ESPNU. The game will air live on the “BIG SCREEN” of Buffalo Wild Wings at 2479 W. International Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
If you are in the Daytona area, put on your Maroon and Gold and come out and share with the Wildcat Nation in this momentous and joyous occasion and see
“Who will ascend to the top of the mountain?”
We will hold a raffle for (2) Tickets ($54.00 value) to the 2014 Florida Blue Florida Classic which will be held on Saturday November 22, 2014 @ 2pm in the newly remodeled Citrus Bowl. To enter, tickets are One (1) for $5.00 or Three (3) for $10.00, the winner will be announced on Hailwildcats.com on Saturday November 15th, 2014. You may pre purchase raffle tickets below:
(1) Raffle Ticket $5.00
(3) Raffle Tickets $10.00
JOIN US FOR FOOTBALL, FOOD, and FUN!
Buffalo Wild Wings2479 W. International Speedway Blvd.Daytona Beach, Fl 32114
We look forward to seeing you there! Kickoff at 7:30 P.M.
Hailwildcats.com will host a WILDCATS “LETS GO” Watch Party on Thursday November 13th, 2014 starting at 7 p.m. EST when our Mighty Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University take on the Pirates of Hampton University on ESPNU. The game will air live on the “BIG SCREEN” of Buffalo Wild Wings at 2479 W. International Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
If you are in the Daytona area, put on your Maroon and Gold and come out and share with the Wildcat Nation in this momentous and joyous occasion and see
“Who will ascend to the top of the mountain?”
We will hold a raffle for (2) Tickets ($54.00 value) to the 2014 Florida Blue Florida Classic which will be held on Saturday November 22, 2014 @ 2pm in the newly remodeled Citrus Bowl. To enter, tickets are One (1) for $5.00 or Three (3) for $10.00, the winner will be announced on Hailwildcats.com on Saturday November 15th, 2014. You may pre purchase raffle tickets below:
(1) Raffle Ticket $5.00
(3) Raffle Tickets $10.00
JOIN US FOR FOOTBALL, FOOD, and FUN!
Buffalo Wild Wings2479 W. International Speedway Blvd.Daytona Beach, Fl 32114
We look forward to seeing you there! Kickoff at 7:30 P.M.
Hailwildcats.com will host a WILDCATS “LETS GO” Watch Party on Thursday November 6th, 2014 starting at 7 p.m. EST when our Mighty Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University take on the Spartans of Norfolk State University on ESPNU. The game will air live on the “BIG SCREEN” of Buffalo Wild Wings at 2479 W. International Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
If you are in the Daytona area, put on your Maroon and Gold and come out and share with the Wildcat Nation in this momentous and joyous occasion and see
“Who will ascend to the top of the mountain?”
We will hold a raffle for (2) Tickets ($54.00 value) to the 2014 Florida Blue Florida Classic which will be held on Saturday November 22, 2014 @ 2pm in the newly remodeled Citrus Bowl. To enter, tickets are One (1) for $5.00 or Three (3) for $10.00, the winner will be announced on Hailwildcats.com on Saturday November 8th, 2014. You may pre purchase raffle tickets below:
(1) Raffle Ticket $5.00
(3) Raffle Tickets $10.00
JOIN US FOR FOOTBALL, FOOD, and FUN!
Buffalo Wild Wings2479 W. International Speedway Blvd.Daytona Beach, Fl 32114
We look forward to seeing you there! Kickoff at 7:30 P.M.
Norfolk, VA – Fourth-year head coach Brian Jenkins of Bethune-Cookman was selected for his third Coach of the Year honor. Jenkins led the Wildcats to a 7-1 MEAC mark and a 10-2 overall record. The Wildcats defeated Florida A&M, 29-10, to clinch a share of the conference’s regular season title and secure the MEAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division I (FCS) Championships. The Wildcats are currently ranked 12th in both the Sports Network’s FCS and FCS Coaches Poll. He has led Bethune-Cookman to three MEAC titles in four years and fell just one game shy of back-to-back undefeated MEAC finishes.
Howard quarterback Greg McGhee was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Year and Joe Thomas of South Carolina State earned the Defensive Player of the Year honors, as voted on by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors.
North Carolina A&T’s Tarik Cohen earned the Rookie of the Year award and Tristan Bellamy, of S.C. State, was selected as Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Junior Greg McGhee led the MEAC in total offense (272.9 avg./g) and ranked second in passing yards per game (198.2 avg./g). He completed 228 passes on 385 attempts (59%) with 16 touchdowns in 12 games this season. He also finished the season ranked third in the MEAC in rushing with 896 yards (74.7 avg./g), on 157 attempts, and three touchdowns. McGhee ranks 19th in the nation in total offense and 31st in completions per game (19). He earned conference Offensive Player of the Week accolades twice this season. McGhee is the tenth Bison to earn the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year honor and first since Ted White in 1996.
Joe Thomas recorded 116 total tackles, 84 solo, with a conference-best 19 tackles for a loss during the 2013 campaign. Thomas collected 7.5 sacks, sixth in the MEAC, with one interception, five breakups, five hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery to help the Bulldogs finish as the nation’s No. 1 rushing defense (80.5 avg./g) and No. 2 scoring defense (14.0 avg./g). Thomas earned Defensive Player of the Week honors once this season and is currently listed on the Sports Network’s Buck Buchannan Award watch list, which recognizes the nation’s top Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) defensive player. Thomas becomes the 13th Bulldog to earn the conference’s top defensive award, however he is only the second to have been selected in more than 10 years (David Erby 2010).
As a freshman, North Carolina A&T’s Tarik Cohen led the MEAC in rushing, averaging 104.4 yards per game (,) on 195 attempts with eight touchdowns. He earned the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week accolades three times and Rookie of the Week honors twice this season. A native of Bunn, North Carolina, Cohen became the first freshman in North Carolina A&T State history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Cohen’s is currently listed on the Sports Network’s Jerry Rice Award watch list, which recognizes the nation’s top FCS freshman. Cohen is just the second Aggie to be named Rookie of the Year. He joins the school’s all-time rushing leader, Mike Mayhew, who earned the honor in 2009.
Tristan Bellamy aided a dominating Bulldog offense that accounted for 4,101 yards of total offense , including 2,000 yards on the ground. Behind Bellamy’s blocking S.C. State finished second in the MEAC in scoring offense (29.6 ppg), and third in total offense (341.1 avg./g). Bellamy earned the conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Week honor twice this season. Bellamy is the sixth Bulldog to earn Offensive Lineman of the Year accolades.
South Carolina State led all schools with 13 student-athletes recognized on the three MEAC post-season teams. The Bulldogs have five student-athletes earn first-team honors, in addition to two-of-four top awards.
Bethune-Cookman finished close behind with 12 student-athletes to earn post–season honors, in addition to five first-team selections.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) – 2013 Football All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Greg McGhee, Howard
Defensive Player of the Year: Joe Thomas, South Carolina State
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Tristan Bellamy, South Carolina State
Rookie of the Year: Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T
So we caught up with Randy from the CoastalFans.com blog/forum for a Q&A session on this weekend’s 1st round matchup between Bethune-Cookman and Coastal Carolina. A big thank you to Chanticleer super-fan Randy for his time and effort.
Q1) After securing the first playoff win in school history a season ago, how have expectations changed this season for Coastal Carolina? Would Chanticleer fans consider this year a disappointment if CCU did not win a playoff game?
A: Expectations were hopeful after last season, with many fans predicting CCU would finish somewhere in the neighborhood of 9-3 heading into the postseason. I don’t think it would be fair to the hard work & effort our players have put in this year to brand their entire season – a 10-2 effort which has set a ton of all-time program records – as a “disappointment” just because of one loss.
Q2) Head Coach Joe Moglia has hit the ground rolling in Conway leading CCU to back to back Big South titles and playoff appearances in his first two seasons. What has made Coach Moglia so successful so quickly? Is he not long for the office in Conway or do you expect him to stick around with the hopes of building CCU into a FCS powerhouse?
A: Coach Moglia has consistently said that it would take a “dream job”-type scenario to pull him away from Conway. Specifically, he says it would have to be a job where both CCU’s AD & President tell him that he has to take it. Moglia’s not going anywhere for the likes of Toledo, Buffalo or UConn. He will be here for the foreseeable future unless that “dream job” comes along. Personally, I’m more worried about us retaining OC Dave Patenaude if our offense continues to put up the numbers it has been putting up since he came on board.
Q3) Any concerns about the mood/health of the team after losing to SEC power South Carolina 70-10 in your last outing and 2 of the last 3 games overall?
A: There is absolutely no concern about the team’s health after playing South Carolina. We came out of that game with no new injuries to any of our players. As far as the “mood” of the team, I don’t think losing a game to a top-10 FBS team is really cause for much concern. Besides – if I recall correctly, Bethune-Cookman got blown out by ACC powerhouse Florida State by a score of 54-6 & went on to win their next five games by an average margin of 19.4 points.
The loss to CSU, a five point loss on the road against a top-20 FCS school, did indeed sting. But I think it refocused our players on their ultimate goal, which is to still be playing football in January.
Q4) Running back Lorenzo Taliaferro is a Walter Payton Award Finalist, linebacker Quinn Backus is a Buck Buchanan Finalist, Matt Hazel has had a stellar career there, but who are some of the lesser known guys who have made significant contributions this season?
A: Other players to look out for include RB DeAngelo “Hop” Henderson, WR DeMario Bennett and KR Devin Brown. Hop has consistently shown himself to be our future starter at RB, rushing for 536 yds on the season. Bennet, a Senior transfer from South Carolina, has been our #2 receiver all year and is just as dangerous as Hazel. Brown, a RS Freshman, has been explosive on special teams for us this year. Brown set a program record with a 95 yd kickoff return for a touchdown against VMI.
Q5) Prediction on Saturday’s 1st round contest?
A: Bethune-Cookman is certainly no pushover, with one of the top defenses in the FCS. However, CCU has already squared off against several of the top-10 defenses at our level & done very well. We are winning games by an average of 22.6 PPG, and while BCU is only giving up an average of 12 PPG against FCS competition – I don’t think they’ve faced an offense quite like ours this season.
The Wildcats also consistently hurt themselves with penalties, having been flagged a total of 115 times for 944 penalty yards on the season. While the “energetic” coaching style of Brian Jenkins may indeed inspire his players, it unfortunately causes his team to make too many mistakes on which I think the Chanticleers will capitalize.
I do expect this to be a hard-fought game, and I do expect BCU to come out with a chip on their shoulder as they seem to feel they need to avenge their loss to the Chanticleers in last year’s FCS playoffs. The Wildcats obviously have a stellar defense, and it will be interesting to see how they contain RB Lorenzo Taliaferro (who has only lost 11 yards all season) and how they respond to our threats at WR. All that said – I think the Chants take this contest at home, 31-20.
When the 2013 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff pairings were announced last Sunday on ESPNU, of the 24 teams selected, three of them (Bethune-Cookman, South Carolina State, Tennessee State) were from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It was the first time three HBCU’s had been selected for the postseason since 1999 (FAMU, Hampton, Tenn. State). Bethune-Cookman won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s automatic berth, while South Carolina State (MEAC) and Tennessee State (Ohio Valley) were selected as at-large participants.
During the regular season, those teams forge some of the most intense rivalries in FCS football but once the playoffs begin, it’s not uncommon to hear coaches from opposing teams rooting for their HBCU brethren to do well in the tournament.
For head coach Brian Jenkins of Bethune-Cookman, he was extremely excited to see all three schools make the field of 24.
“I think it would speak volumes about the direction of where HBCU football is headed, Jenkins said. We play football just like every other school and because of our establishment I don’t think that should be taken into any type of consideration when you look at the brand of football.”
At the conclusion of the 2012 Florida Blue Florida Classic, coach Brian Jenkins was seen hugging players, celebrating with the Marching Wildcats, and very conspicuously wearing a 2012 MEAC Champions Belt that was large enough and elaborate enough to make Hulk Hogan envy.
Some fifteen (15) or so minutes after first being spotted with his new ornate accessory, coach Jenkins met with members of the media for his normal postgame recap. There it was again; this time prominently displayed on the conference room table almost touching the fiery coach’s left elbow. There was no attempt at modesty. No attempt to conceal it. It was as if coach Jenkins was silently screaming for someone to ask about THE BELT…and so I did.
The third year coach rather foxily revealed that THE BELT was an inside thing between him and his team. “I have been telling (our football team) about the belt. You want to be the one to put on the belt in the end” Jenkins exclaimed.
Shortly after being named as the fifteenth (15) head football coach at Bethune-Cookman, Brian Jenkins had a chance encounter with a Florida A&M football fan. The FAMU fan approached the newly appointed coach and said let me show you something. He reached into his back pocket and unfolded a piece of paper. Listed on the paper were the results of all of the Florida Classics including the previous two (2); both of which FAMU won.
The FAMU fan was undoubtedly sending a clear message to the precocious new coach of what he should expect when facing the mighty Rattlers.
As fate would have it, coach Jenkins bumped into the same Rattler fan nearly a year later. The FAMU fan, feeling emboldened by his Rattlers’ upset victor over the Wildcats in the 2010 Florida Classic, even more vigorously than the year before flagged down coach Jenkins and again pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. It was an up-to-date history of the Florida Classic results. The FAMU fan proudly and boastfully pointed to his team’s upset win in 2010. It was shortly after that encounter that the idea of THE BELT was conceived in Brian Jenkins’ mind. Jenkins decided if his team could win the MEAC crown and win the Florida Classic, he would supply every graduating senior with his very own Championship Belt.
Senior Class awarded Championship Belts
What better way to memorialize the hardwork, sacrifice, and dedication that’s required to become MEAC and Florida Classic champs than to provide the senior class with Championship Belts. And besides, a Heavyweight caliber Championship Belt trumps a folded piece of paper any day.
Coach Jenkins’ statement to the media after the 2012 Florida Blue Florida Classic now makes so much more sense: “…in the end, you want to be the one to put on the belt.”
THE BELT is brilliant in everything that it represents. It is the proverbial gauntlet slap in the face, a one-upper, a ‘step ya game up’ if you will. It is a unique memento, it epitomizes excellence, symbolizes hardwork and sacrifice, and it is meant to draw a line in the sand. If you want THE BELT, come and take it. If you want to keep THE BELT, then be prepared to defend it. So keep your folded piece of paper and I will raise you a Championship Belt.
Interestingly, coach Jenkins stated that the last time he spotted the FAMU fan who flagged him down and showed off his folded piece of paper was shortly after the 2010 season. Coincidence? Maybe but not likely!
A source within the BCU Athletic department could not confirm whether THE BELT is a one year phenomenon or a new tradition for each senior class who wins both a MEAC and Florida Classic championship in the same season. Personally, I hope this becomes a new tradition. A new goal of sorts for each class of seniors. I think coach Jenkins said it best: “in the end, you want to be the one to put on the belt”.
Congratulations to all the guys who earned the right to wear THE BELT!!!
Bethune-Cookman head football coach Brian Jenkins has received a letter of reprimand and has been fined by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for his public comments concerning officiating following the Bethune-Cookman/North Carolina Central football game on Saturday, November 2, Commissioner Dennis Thomas announced today.
Coach Jenkins violated the MEAC’s Bylaw on criticizing officials which states that members of the coaching staffs, student-athletes, or other representatives of participating institutions shall not make public statements critical of officiating in any MEAC contests or events.
“It is unfortunate that Coach Jenkins decided to violate the conference’s policy on criticizing officials,” Thomas said. “I hope that in the future that he will be in compliance with the policy.”
MEAC ROUNDUP: Defending champion Bethune-Cookman (8-1, 5-0) continued their dominant play Saturday, bowling over North Carolina Central (4-5, 2-3), 38-14 in a nationally-televised 12 noon bout at Durham, N.C.
The ‘Cats win kept them one game ahead of South Carolina State (6-3, 4-1) in the standings. SCSU rebounded from last week’s head-to-head loss at Daytona Beach, with a 45-9 romp over Savannah State (1-9, 0-6) at Savannah, Georgia.
Clearly the game of the day had to be Delaware State’s last gasp 22-20 win over visiting Howard at Dover, as Mitchell Ward booted a 26-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Hornets (4-5, 4-2) into sole possession of third place, while Howard (2-4, 3-7) had its’ two-game winning streak snapped, to drop into 10th place.
In other MEAC action, Morgan State (3-6, 3-2) bolted to a big lead, then withstood a Hampton University comeback to sink the Pirates (3-6, 3-2), 30-27 at Baltimore, leaving the two squads tied for fourth place in the standings.
North Carolina A&T (5-3, 2-3) crushed visiting Virginia University at Lynchburg, 59-12 at homecoming in Greensboro, N.C., while another homecoming didn’t go so well, as visiting Florida A&M (3-6, 2-3) scored a fourth quarter touchdown to spoil the day for Norfolk State (2-7, 2-3), 16-6 in Dick Price Stadium at Norfolk, Va.
How Things Stack Up Now
Bethune-Cookman (5-0), South Carolina State (4-1) and Delaware State (4-2) make up the top three in the MEAC standings…. Hampton (3-2) and Morgan State (3-2) are tied for fourth place, just ahead of a four-team, sixth place logjam featuring North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Florida A&M and Norfolk State at 2-3….. Howard (2-6) and Savannah State (0-6) round out the group after the first week of November.
Next Week’s slate features 10 of the 11 schools in action in five conference bouts: Norfolk State at Bethune-Cookman (4:00); Florida A&M at South Carolina State (1:30); North Carolina Central at Hampton (1:00); North Carolina A&T at Morgan State (1:00), and Savannah State at Howard (1:00).
2013 MEAC FOOTBALL STANDINGS
Through November 2
Team …………………… Conference …….. Overall
Bethune-Cookman ……. 5-0 1.000 ….. 8-1 .888
South Carolina State …. 4-1 .800 ….. 6-3 .667
Delaware State ………… 4-2 .667 ….. 4-5 .444
Hampton ………………… 3-2 .600 ….. 3-6 .333
Morgan State …………… 3-2 .600 ….. 3-6 .333
North Carolina A&T …… 2-3 .400 ….. 5-3 .625
North Carolina Central .. 2-3 .400 ….. 4-5 .444
Florida A&M ……………. 2-3 .400 ….. 3-6 .333
Norfolk State ………….. 2-3 .400 ….. 2-7 .222
Howard …………………. 2-4 .333 ….. 3-7 .300
Savannah State ……….. 0-6 .000 ….. 1-9 .100
MEAC WEEK 10 SCORECARD (November 2)
Bethune-Cookman 38, North Carolina Central 14
North Carolina A&T 59, Virginia-Lynchburg 12
Morgan State 30, Hampton 27
Florida A&M 16, Norfolk State 6
Delaware State 22, Howard 20
South Carolina State 45, Savannah State 9
NEXT WEEK’S SCHEDULE (November 7-9)
North Carolina Central at Hampton, 1:00
North Carolina A&T at Morgan State, 1:00
Savannah State at Howard, 1:00
Florida A&M at South Carolina State, 1:30
Norfolk State at Bethune-Cookman, 4:00
Delaware State, bye
GAMES OF NOVEMBER 14-16
Delaware State at Florida A&M
Norfolk State at North Carolina Central
Morgan State at South Carolina State
Savannah State at North Carolina A&T
Hampton at Bethune-Cookman
Howard at Texas Southern
GAMES OF NOVEMBER 21-23
Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M (Orlando)
North Carolina Central at North Carolina A&T
South Carolina State at Norfolk State
Morgan State at Delaware State
Howard at Hampton
Savannah State, bye
(1) Raffle Ticket $5.00
HailWildcats.com 