A Birthday Win for Coach Woodie: Wildcats Rally Past Grambling 24-21 in Thrilling Comeback

November 3, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

A Birthday Win for Coach Woodie: Wildcats Rally Past Grambling 24-21 in Thrilling Comeback

If you’ve ever spent time around Coach Raymond Woodie or listened to one of his interviews, you know he’s usually all business — calm, collected, and focused on the task at hand. But after Bethune-Cookman’s thrilling comeback victory over Grambling, Woodie’s usually stoic demeanor gave way to something rare: a big ear-to-ear, cheeseburger smile. This win was a great reminder of the team’s resilience and loyalty to their leader.

Coach Woodie stated in his postgame interview that all he wanted for his birthday was a win. The players seemed determined to grant that wish, and rallied from two 14-point deficits to defeat Grambling 24-21. For a team that’s endured a tough season, this win felt like a gift they had given to one another and their coach.

A Shaky Start and Early Deficit

The game didn’t begin in the Wildcats’ favor. Grambling struck first with a long, 8-play, 89-yard drive that ended in a 22-yard touchdown run by Keilon Elder, putting BCU in an early hole. The situation quickly worsened in the second quarter as Grambling’s Javon Robinson returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 14-0. To make matters even more challenging, starting quarterback Luke Sprague went down with a leg injury, thrusting backup Cam Ransom into the spotlight.

Ransom and his teammates rallied together and showed they weren’t about to let Coach Woodie’s birthday wish slip away.

Ransom and the Wildcats Find Their Rhythm

Ransom orchestrated a 7-play, 66-yard drive late in the second quarter connecting with senior Thomas Nance on a 14-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-7 just before halftime.

After halftime, Grambling managed one more score on a 9-yard run by Deljay Bailey, stretching the lead back to 21-7; but that would be the last time Grambling would see the end zone. From that point on, BCU’s defense locked down.

The Comeback Begins

Midway through the third quarter, Cade Hechter’s 40-yard field goal brought the Wildcats back within striking distance at 21-10. Then, just minutes later, Ransom struck again. This time on a 58-yard touchdown pass down the seam to senior Darnell Dees. The Wildcats closed the gap to 21-17, and the energy on the sideline went through the roof. It was the most juice we have seen from BCU’s sidelines all season.

Sealing the Win in Style

As the third quarter wound down, Dennis Palmer delivered the final blow. Palmer broke free on a 42-yard run, the first of his collegiate career. His touchdown put BCU ahead for the first time, 24-21, and that’s where the score would stay.

Ransom finished the day 18 of 20 for 199 yards and two touchdowns. The Wildcats were led defensively by Adrian Hall Jr who had 8 total tackles including 1 for a loss. Orin Patu joined in with 6 tackles, a sack, and 2 tackles for loss. Joshua Thornhill and Caleb Blake each had interceptions, Thornhills killed off the game with 40 seconds remaining in the contest.

Team Stats Recap:

• Total Yards: Grambling 328, BCU 315

• Passing Yards: Grambling 206, BCU 235

• Rushing Yards: Grambling 122, BCU 80

• 3rd Down Conversions: BCU 5-13, Grambling 2-12

• Time of Possession: BCU 30:39, Grambling 29:21

A Birthday to Remember

The Wildcats may not be headed to the postseason play, but they’ve shown they still have plenty of heart and fight. And on this night, they gave Coach Woodie a birthday he — and the fans — won’t soon forget.

Bethune Rises Over Valley 20-10: Wildcats Secure First Win of the Season

October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Bethune Rises Over Valley 20-10: Wildcats Secure First Win of the Season

I know we’re a little late with the game summary, but you can blame that on us walking on Cloud 9 for the past few days. After six weeks of heartbreak, frustration, and doubt, Bethune-Cookman found a way to give us that winning feeling again. The Wildcats traveled to Itta Bena and came away with a 20-10 victory over Mississippi Valley State, notching their first win of the 2024 season.

The victory couldn’t have come at a more crucial time being that we are now in homecoming week. This was a win that provided more than just a tally in the win column—it was a much-needed morale boost for a team, fan base, and coaching staff desperate for something to celebrate.

Ground Game Dominates

The Wildcats came into the game with an offensive game plan focused on attacking Valley’s defense on the ground. BCU ended the day with 255 yards rushing, led by true freshman Dennis Palmer, who powered through for 126 yards on 27 carries. Palmer, the true freshman, earned SWAC Newcomer of the Week honors for his efforts.

BCU started slow offensively and failed to score on its first four offensive possessions. Mixed into those possessions were two Cam Ransom turnovers (an interception and a fumble), leading to some early frustration and an early deficit.

Captain Luke to the Rescue

Trailing Valley 3-0 and the offense struggling to sustain drives, Head Coach Raymond Woodie turned to his offensive captain, Luke Sprague, to turn the tide midway through the second quarter. Sprague, despite being voted as the team’s offensive captain, had only seen limited action in mop-up duty versus USF so far this season. Nevertheless, the 6’5”, senior quarterback gave the Wildcats the shot in the arm they needed when he entered the game. The energy shifted across the entire team once “Captain Luke,” “Luke Skywalker,” “Uncle Luke,” or just plain Luke took the helm.

Sprague rewarded the confidence of his teammates and coaches by leading BCU on:

a 6 play, 20 yard touchdown drive on his 1st possession;
a 5 play, 54 yard touchdown drive capped by an acrobatic Sprague to Lorenzo Jenkins 34 yard TD reception on his 2nd possession;
a field goal drive on his 3rd possession; and
a 16-play, 88-yard field goal drive to ice the game on his 5th possession.

That’s 4 scoring drives on 5 Sprague led possessions. Talk about getting it done! Salute to you, Captain Luke.

Game Changing plays

Props are due for several other game-changing moments as well. Valley had the ball 1st and goal from the BCU 2-yard line, trailing 17-10 to begin the 4th quarter. But the Wildcat defense stepped up, stopping the Delta Devils on three straight inside runs before Raymond Woodie III deflected a 4th-down pass. That huge defensive stand was followed by the 16-play, 88-yard drive that took 8:50 off the clock—all on running plays.

Punters Are Football Players Too

The run on that drive that took us all by surprise came from redshirt senior punter Anthony Frédérique. On 4th and 6 from their own 22-yard line, with 12:32 remaining the contest, BCU lined up to punt the ball back to Valley—or so we thought. Instead, the rugby-style punter faked the punt and ran 18 yards off the right side to the BCU 40 yardline for a first down. BCU finished the drive with Cade Hechter’s 22-yard field goal, sealing the final score at 20-10.

BCU will look to build on their newfound good vibes as they travel back home for a homecoming matchup against SWAC Eastern Division leader, Jackson State.

BCU Falls to Alabama A&M by “fawty-fo” – Tough Day on The Hill for the Wildcats

October 14, 2024October 14, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

BCU Falls to Alabama A&M by “fawty-fo”!

Bethune-Cookman football lost again this past Saturday, and this time it wasn’t even close. Alabama A&M decided they’d use their homecoming to throw themselves a little offensive party against our Wildcats. The final score? 56-12.

BCU’s defense gave up 701 yards of total offense on the afternoon. You read that right—701 yards. The 56 points were also the most points an Alabama A&M team has ever scored against a BCU squad. These are the kind of numbers that makes you wonder if the players and coaches snuck out a few days early to enjoy AAMU’s homecoming festivities on “The Hill”. Or could there have been other reasons that factored into the good guys not having their best performance on Saturday.

Hurricane Milton

It would be naive to think Hurricane Milton, which ravaged parts of Florida including parts of the Daytona Beach Area, didn’t play a role in Saturday’s performance. The team left Daytona early in the week as a result of the looming storm. And considering that the campus still has not reopened yet as damage assessments are still underway, you basically have a team of nomads at this point. So as much as we all love sports and tend to oversimplify what we see on the field of play, this coaching staff is leading a group of 18-23 year olds who are not just wandering around looking for a win, they are also searching for a sense of normalcy at the moment.

I think you have to consider the human condition when analyzing Saturday’s game but that’s me being rational. However, judging from reactions on social media, many Cookman fans are not willing to consider the effects of the hurricane on this team’s performance over the weekend. They acknowledge the storm may have knocked the team a little off course, but many fans also point to a pattern of troubling signs that are weeks… heck, years in the making now.

Did you know that the Wildcats have managed to win just one conference road game since joining the SWAC. One. Uno. That’s it. And if recent performances are any indication, that number may not change when BCU visits Itta Bena to take on winless Mississippi Valley State this weekend. Valley happens to be the only other winless team in the conference right now and they are the lone team BCU has defeated on the road since joining the league. Lose this week against Valley and Bethune quickly goes from a football program that’s struggling at the moment to a program that’s sinking in the storm.

Back to Saturday’s game; Alabama A&M is not some untouchable powerhouse. They are a decent SWAC program with a great offense for certain. But on the other side of the ball, AAMU had been giving up points like Halloween candy all season, yielding 40 points per game heading into Saturday’s matchup. Despite this, Bethune only managed to score one offensive touchdown and were held to just 181 total yards of offense. One hundred and eighty-one. That’s a stat line that’s hard to accept when facing larger FBS squads, but it’s almost unfathomable when playing against a struggling defense in your league.

Gaining just 181 yards on offense while surrendering 701 yards on defense is a good recipe for getting beat by “fawty”…well 44 actually but you get the point.

As loud as those numbers are, Cookman fans are speaking louder than the final score or stat lines. Fans are tired. They’re frustrated. They’re even becoming apathetic. The once-vibrant BCU football community that rallied around the maroon and gold; and homecoming; and the Florida Classic is starting to make other weekend plans. I mean, when even homecoming and the Classic are met with a shrug, you know that apathy is setting in. There’s a collective “why bother?” spreading through the Wildcat faithful.

So, what can change now? What needs to change to keep this ship from completely capsizing?

At the top of the list of what needs to change is this team needs to find an identity. Right now, they’re a bunch of guys wearing the same uniform, but there’s no cohesion, no fire, no sense of unified purpose. The frustration that I hear expressed over and over and over again from former Wildcat players, from fans, and even from outside observers is that this just does not look or feel like Bethune-Cookman football.

And it is not just about wins and losses; but a culture of overcoming and making something out of nothing that Bethun-Cookman has always prided itself on. That’s missing right now. Call me gullible but I still think Coach Raymond Woodie can instill that identity into this squad. It’s just taking far longer than any of us anticipated.

The offense is broken and currently ranked second to last in the conference in total yards (248.3) and points per game (17.7). The defense has taken a giant step backwards from last year’s squad and they too are hanging out in embarrassment territory. The defense is last in total defense (516.8 ypg) and second to last in scoring defense (43 ppg). These things are huge problems but how do they fix it over the last half of the season? Is it time to go younger and play more freshmen and sophomores and prepare for next year? Or do they stay the course and just do what they have been doing but just try to be a little better in the execution?

Whether it’s a shift in coaching philosophy, or simply playing with some heart, something’s got to give. Because at this rate, the Wildcats aren’t just losing games—they’re losing their community and their identity. And once that’s gone, it’s a much harder rebuild than just fixing the football team.

*Statistic*	*BCU*	*AAM*
*First Downs*
Total	10	30
Rushing	4	13
Passing	6	14
Penalty	0	3
*Rushing*
Total (Net)	74	331
Attempts	25	50
Avg. Per Rush	3.0	6.6
Rushing TDs	1	7
Yds. Gained	110	344
Yds. Lost	36	13
*Passing*
Total (Net)	107	370
Comp.-Att.-Int.	12-27-0	18–29–1
Avg. / Att.	4.0	12.8
Avg. / Comp.	8.9	20.6
TDs	0	1
*Total Offense*
Yards	181	701
Plays	52	79
Avg. / Play	3.5	8.9
Fumbles – Lost	1-1	3-0
Penalties – Yds.	9–69	4-27
*Punting*
Punts – Yds.	7–279	2-46
Avg. / Punt	39.9	23
Inside 20	3	0
50+ Yds.	0	0
Touchbacks	0	0
Fair Catch	6	0
*Kickoffs*
Total – Yds.	3-176	9–299
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	58.7	33.2
Touchbacks	1	0
*Returns*
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	0	0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	6–46-0	2-25-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	7.7	12.5
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	1–91–1	0-0-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	1-0-0
*Miscellaneous*
Misc. Yards	0	80
Poss. Time	23:12	36:48
3rd. Down Conv.	5 of 14	8 of 12
4th. Down Conversions	0 of 2	1 of 1
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	1-2	6–7
Sacks: Total – Yds.	2-1	3–29
PAT: Total – Made	0-2	8–8
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	0-0	0-1

What the Heck: From 24 Points Up to Crushing Defeat–BCU vs. Clark Atlanta Recap

September 24, 2024 / J Bell / 1 Comment

What the Heck: From 24 Points Up to Crushing Defeat–BCU vs. Clark Atlanta Recap

Embarrassed. Pissed. Frustrated. Devastated. Apoplectic.

After three days of processing, grieving, giving and receiving emotional support hugs; I think I am finally ready to talk about this past Saturday’s loss to Clark Atlanta so here goes. I am….

Embarrassed. Pissed. Frustrated. Devastated. Apoplectic. And I ain’t the only one.

Bethune-Cookman fans have spent the past few days asking “what the heck (WTH)”. Well, I have asked what the heck. Many Wildcat fans have substituted heck with more colorful language when contemplating BCU’s unthinkable collapse this weekend.

This isn’t the first time Wildcat fans have been stunned by a huge upset loss. In 2009, Coach Alvin “Shine” Wyatt’s squad fell 9-20 to Division II Shaw University. But we knew Coach Wyatt committed to a youth movement at that time and was prepping for the future and providing valuable snaps to future BCU legends like Ryan Davis, Ryan Lewis, and Reggie Sandilands who were all young players at the time.

The 2016 loss to Savannah State was a WTH moment too but even then, SSU was a FCS program and Terry Sims’ squad was missing 16 starters due to injury when they lost that game.

Saturday’s loss just felt different. BCU blew a 24-point lead to Division II Clark Atlanta and lost 37-38 in a game that can only be described as embarrassing and borderline unforgivable. The Wildcats came into this matchup hoping for a confidence-boosting victory but left with their heads hanging low, and now staring down four straight losses as SWAC play looms.

To give credit where it’s due, Clark Atlanta Head Coach Teddy Keaton and his staff deserve all the praise for their team’s preparation and resilience. Keaton’s men orchestrated an amazing come from behind upset, and played Bethune-Cookman off the field in the second half. His players, many of whom hail from the State of Florida, and who according to Coach Keaton were grossly overlooked in the recruiting process, proved they belonged on the same field as their FCS counterparts.

Clark Atlanta’s quarterback David Wright III and wide receiver Armone Harris grew up together and were teammates at Tampa Bay Tech. Wide Receiver Jamal Jones played on the same high school team as BCU quarterback Cam Ransom. By night’s end, Wright finished the game 30/49 for 374 yards passing and 4 touchdowns, Harris hauled in 6 catches for 94 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Jones finished with a game high 10 receptions for 127 yards. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but hats off to Coach Keaton and his players for a remarkable effort.

As for the Wildcats, this loss is hard to sugarcoat. Surrendering a 24-point lead to a lower-tier Division II opponent is an issue unto itself. That would be enough to make your head spin but it borders on the absurd when you consider the Wildcats:

surrendered 3 scoring drives of 98 yards or more in the contest; including a 99 yard scoring drive that ended with a 55 yard Leonardo Cabrera field goal as time expired;
the offense had minus 6 yards rushing in the second half and managed to score just three points after halftime;
the 12 penalties for 117 yards including a few unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that extended drives. Yes, one of those unsportsmanlike penalties set the Panthers up for the game winner;
the two loss fumbles.

As I said earlier…WTH? What kind of strange hoodoo is plaguing our favorite team?

Fans have overrun social media with questions about the team’s mental toughness, concerns about coaching, discipline, and execution. After four straight losses, including this devastating one, how can you blame them? These are fair questions at this point. Yes, it was an embarrassing loss. Yes, Clark Atlanta made the better coaching adjustments over the course of the games. Yes, the Wildcats were outplayed for the last two and a half quarters.

But having said all of that, it is far too early in the season and too soon in Raymond Woodie Jr,’s head coaching career to dismiss this team and/or coaching staff.

Coach Woodie and his staff have a lot to figure out this week. Whether it’s scheming better on defense, getting more consistency from their offense, eliminating self-inflicted mistakes, or simply instilling some belief in this battered team. What’s clear is that something has to change. That’s for dang sure. I won’t begin to pretend that I have any answers; what I do know is something has to change and change quickly.

The road doesn’t get any easier from here, but the Wildcats still have a chance to make something of their season. Alabama State roll into town this Saturday. If BCU finds a way to win this contest, they exit Saturday sitting atop the SWAC East Standings and everything is just fine. However, if they lose to the Hornets; they will have to relive the Clark loss all over again. And the Mercer loss. And the 8 losses from last year. And the 9 from the season before. You get the point. Losing begets losing and in many ways, that’s the greatest hurdle for this team right now.

They just don’t know how to win.

Since Woodie’s arrival, BCU often find themselves in a position to win games. But as coach expressed again on Saturday, “they just have to find a way to finish.”

It’s almost as if the guys can taste victory so they just start pressing a little too hard. A dropped pass here. A fumble there. Sprinkle in a few blown coverages and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and BAM; you’re staring 0-4 in the face.

On a positive note, all of these things are correctable and within your control.

Another positive to take away from Saturday’s contest is BCU’s offense easily had their best game of the season racking up season highs in total yards (477), passing yards (382), and points (37). Most of this production occurred in the first half where BCU scored on all five of its possessions. The offensive production gives you something to build on and feel good about moving forward.

SWAC play begins this week and presents an opportunity for redemption, but only if Bethune-Cookman can find answers quickly. Let’s pray that they do because I want to leave Daytona Stadium with that “Old BC Spirit” and not the WTH spirit if you know what I mean.

Mercer, Mercer Me…Things Ain’t What They Use to Be. Wildcats Blasted 31-2 by the Bears.

September 9, 2024September 10, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Mercer, Mercer Me…Things Ain’t What They Use to Be. Wildcats Blasted 31-2 by the Bears.

Remember the good old days when Bethune-Cookman was a perennial Top 25 program and frequent visitor to the FCS playoffs? The days when the Wildcats would roll into your trap and take over your trap. Well these ain’t them days. At least not at this early juncture of the season they are not.

Saturday’s contest against the Mercer Bears, who won a FCS playoff game last season and are currently ranked 24th in FCS Coaches’ Poll, was the first genuine opportunity of the Raymond Woodie era to see how close the BCU football program was to returning to those former days of glory. The test results were emphatic—BCU still has a ways to go to close the gap on the top teams at this level.

Heck, if you’re just looking at the 31-2 scoreline, it would suggest BCU failed the first early season test miserably. But football is a situational game and a play or two here or there changes the entire complexion of the contest. After watching that game live on Saturday, and re-watching it online two additional times on Sunday, my conclusion is this: there is no need to hit the panic button, but there are reasons to be concerned.

So how did we get here? How did this Cookman team, who had elevated expectations coming into the season, end up on the wrong side of a completely lopsided scoreline?

Well for starters, Mercer is a really good football program. Like really, really good. Much respect to the coaching staff and players from the Middle Georgia school. Bethune won’t be the only team on the wrong side of the win/loss column against Mercer.

The Bears demonstrated what good football programs do.

They make the critical plays when they are there to be made.

They weather adversity.

They make the right adjustments.

They win the situational game.

The Wildcats did none of these things quite so well on Saturday.

Mercer quarterback, DJ Smith connected with slot receiver Bryden Smith on a wheel route for a 50-yard touchdown at the 6:06 mark of the second quarter to open the game’s scoring.

Smith’s, bubble screen to Parker Wroble ended as a 14-yard TD with 1:25 left in the second quarter. And 23 seconds later, Mercer turned a BCU interception into a 21-0 lead when Smith tossed his third TD pass of the half to wideout Kelin Parsons.

If you are keeping up at home, the score went from 0-0 to 21-0 in 4:41 of game time. YIKES. And that still only reveals a part of the story.

Too Aggressive, Too Soon

Trailing 14-0 with 1:20 left in the half, BCU took over at its own 29 yardline. The Wildcats were still very much in the contest and playing well at this point. Conventional wisdom say you play the percentages, take a knee, and get to halftime trailing by only 2 scores. This is specifically true since BCU was set to receive the ball to begin the 3^rd quarter. However, the Wildcats threw caution to the wind and came out aggressive. Mercer made BCU pay for the decision by intercepting a Cam Ransom pass and returning it BCU’s 15 yardline.

The Bears scored on the next play pushing the lead to 21 and killed off the game at that point.

42-point swing

As wild as it sounds, BCU could have just as easily taken a 21-point lead into halftime instead of trailing by as many.

On its opening possession of the game, the Wildcats drove the ball to the Mercer 6-yard line before fumbling it away on 2^nd and goal. It was an 100% avoidable error by the BCU offense. The ball was not stripped, it was simply bad ballhandling by QB Cam Ransom.

Let’s assume BCU scores a TD on that drive. That’s 7 points you left on the field.

On the next possession, Ransom found Lorenzo Jenkins on a deep post and 5 yards behind the nearest defender. Unfortunately for BCU, Jenkins dropped what would have been a certain 87-yard TD reception.

To add to the missed opportunities, on BCU’s first possession of the second quarter, Ransom found Corey Turner streaking down the middle of the field and delivered a perfect pass into the hands of Turner. Actually, he delivered a perfect pass through the hands of Turner who was about 7 yards behind the nearest defender when he dropped a surefire touchdown. When that ball hit the turf, so too did the air from the team and the 8,484 Wildcat fans in attendance.

There are not very many teams who are good enough to overcome squandering three gimmie touchdowns. Mercer went on to score on their next three possessions of the first half.

Speaking of Mercer’s first half touchdowns, on each of those scores, you can clearly see blown coverages by BCU’s safeties who were way out of position and their eyes locked in the backfield.

The bad news is the six plays I just described saw a 42-point swing in the game. Instead of nursing a 3-score lead, the Wildcats entered halftime chasing a 21-point deficit.

The good news is that each of those six plays are easily correctable. All six were unforced errors by BCU. But that’s the difference between being a playoff team and a team still finding its way at this level. The Mercer type teams make those plays and punish other teams’ mistakes, while teams who are in a bad run of form like Bethune-Cookman come up just short.

Some things are easily correctable, others not so much!

I don’t know the analytics on this but I will go on record as saying that teams with a 42-point swing in their favor win more than 90% of those games. Wildcat fans can take some solace in that fact knowing that they were a half dozen plays away in this contest. What’s worrisome for BCU fans is a) they are not making those plays; and b) the overall lack of production of the offense.

Cookman ran the ball 26 times for 29 yards in the contest. That’s a dreadful 1.1 yard per rushing attempt. DREADFUL! I don’t know how you fix that but offensive coordinator, Joe Gerbino, is going to have to figure it out real soon if BCU is to have their first winning season in 4 years.

And just to stress the point, it’s not like the running stats were low because the passing game was clicking. The Wildcats only completed 48% of their pass attempts and only managed 127 yards through the air. They were 0 for 12 on 3^rd down conversions and only eclipsed the 100 yards of total offense mark on the 2^nd to last play of the game. BCU ended the night without an offensive score and they are still looking for their first offensive touchdown of the season. The lone Wildcats score of the night came on an Orin Patu sack which ended in a safety.

So I’ll say it again, DREADFUL! I don’t know how you fix that but offensive coordinator, Joe Gerbino, is going to have to figure it out real soon if BCU is to have their first winning season in 4 years.

It is still early in the season. All of BCU’s season goals are still in front of them so the panic button is safely locked away. The Mercer test was a bit too much to overcome but there is plenty of time to improve that grade. If BCU can make the plays when they are there to be made, correct the alignment and eye discipline miscues on defense, and get some production from its offense, they will be fine. If not, then just play the Marvin Gaye tunes because things just ain’t what they use to be.

2024 Bethune-Cookman Football Preview: A New Era Dawns

August 29, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

It’s game week Wildcat fans and we are more excited than “a single woman sitting in the front row at an Usher concert”. To say that there is a sense of renewed optimism in Daytona Beach headed into the 2024 season is an understatement. Bethune-Cookman enjoyed a successful offseason bringing in a highly rated recruiting class to go along with key returners from last year’s squad. This, along with several other intriguing storylines, has fans believing the Wildcats can turn things around this season.

A Quick Look Back: The 2023 Season

The 2023 season was one of rebuilding and recalibrating for Bethune-Cookman. Despite flashes of promise, the Wildcats struggled to find consistency, particularly on offense. The team averaged just 18.5 points per game, ranking near the bottom of the SWAC in most offensive categories. Defensively, the unit showed promise but often found itself on the field too long due to the offense’s inability to sustain drives.

Nonetheless, the silver lining came in the form of BCU’s competitiveness and emergence of young talent. One possession losses against Alabama State and Jackson State on the road; and Preseason 2nd Team All -SWAC honors for guys like Dearis Thomas attest to these facts.

A Strong 2024 Recruiting Class

Coach Raymond Woodie and his staff had a heck of an offseason and did an amazing job of upgrading the talent on this roster. The Wildcats secured a top-tier 2024 recruiting class, featuring several players who are expected to contribute right away. One late addition to the squad is that of transfer quarterback Micah Bowens from Oklahoma/Charlotte, who brings a dual-threat skillset with him, and has fans excited about the potential for a more dynamic offense. Other notable additions include the likes of Raymond Woodie III, Orin Patu, Dallaz Corbitt, and Trey Mejia-Paster, all of whom add playmaking ability to a defense that showed flashes of potential last year.

Top 5 Storylines for the 2024 Season

1. Quarterback Play: Who Will Take the Helm?

Bethune-Cookman enters the 2024 season with a crowded quarterback room. Luke Sprague, Walt Simmons, Tylik Bethea, and Cam Ransom all return from last year’s squad. Simmons, however, has switched positions to wide receiver, adding versatility to the offense. The big addition to the QB room is Bowens, a transfer who brings experience from Power 5 programs. The battle for the starting job will be one of the most closely watched through the first four games as BCU tune up for SWAC play. We expect that the job is Luke Sprague’s unless someone else can wrestle it away. Sprague is a capable starter who returns for year two in this offense. Sprague’s 2023 season was derailed and ultimately ended prematurely after sustaining a shoulder injury in the Miami game and then re-aggravating the injury in the Southern game. Whoever wins the job will need to improve upon last year’s offensive struggles but there certainly are options at the QB position this time around.

2. More Offensive Woes 🫣 or New Offensive Whoas 🙌?

The Wildcats’ offense was their Achilles’ heel in 2023. Ranking near the bottom of the SWAC in total yards and points per game, improvement is critical if Bethune-Cookman is to compete this year. The good news is that the offensive line returns four starters, providing stability up front. Additionally, the running back room has been bolstered by transfers Courtney Reese (UNLV) and Cross Patton (Nevada); as well as the return of JoJo Bazil from an early season injury which caused him to miss the bulk of the 2023 campaign. If the line can gel and the running game can take off, it could open up opportunities for the rest of the offense. The bad news is last year’s struggles are still fresh in mind so the offense will need to prove early that it can consistently move the ball and score points to eliminate doubt from creeping in.

3. Newcomers on Offense and Defense: Immediate Impact?

In addition to some of the names mentioned earlier, guys like Surafel Seyfu and Cameron Vaughn will look to strengthen the offensive line. Caleb Blake (Missouri State) and Andrew Volmer (Louisiana Monroe) were starters at the Group of Five level before transferring to BCU and both will look to help fortify the defensive secondary.

Wide receiver is perhaps the position group that is most in need of an emerging star. Quite a few guys showed flashes in Fall Camp, including a couple of true freshmen. However, we still don’t have a good handle on who will emerge as the top pass catcher or playmaker among the receivers.

4. 7 Wins in 3 Years: Could This Year’s Team Match That Total?

BCU has won just seven games over the last three seasons. (Ouch!) However, there’s a growing belief that this year’s squad could perhaps match that win total in one season alone. The combination of returning talent, impact transfers, and a full offseason under the leadership of Coach Woodie gives the Wildcats a realistic shot at a winning season. If the team can stay healthy and the newcomers contribute as expected, the Wildcats could be in for a significant turnaround.

5. New Excitement: A Buzz Around the Program

There’s a renewed excitement around Bethune-Cookman football heading into 2024. From the energy of the new recruits to the potential of a retooled offense, fans have reason to be optimistic. Head coach Raymond Woodie Jr. has emphasized a culture of competition and accountability, and it’s clear that this year’s team has bought in. The Wildcats will have opportunities early in the season to prove they’re a different team from last year. After the season opener against South Florida, BCU hosts Mercer in Daytona Stadium. Mercer not only made the FCS playoffs a season ago; they also won a playoff game. If Cookman can find a way to beat Mercer and prove to themselves that they can win games against quality opponents, the boost in confidence could translate into the type of season that fans have been longing for since joining the SWAC. Two weeks after the Mercer contest, BCU face DII Clark Atlanta before entering conference play against Alabama State. It is not realistic to believe BCU could enter SWAC play at 2-2 on the season.

Conclusion

Simply put, the 2024 Wildcats have the potential to exceed expectations and make a statement in the league. While challenges remain, the pieces are in place for a successful campaign. In a few short days, we will get our first glimpse into what this year’s version of Bethune-Cookman football has in store.

Bethune-Cookman Football: Projected Starters for the 2024 Season

August 16, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

The 2024 season is fast approaching, and the excitement is palpable among Wildcats fans as we anticipate the resurgence of our beloved football program. While we’re still waiting for the official roster and two-deep depth chart from the university, the HailWildcats.com squad has been hard at work analyzing returning players from last season, Spring football highlights, and Fall camp reports to give you our best projection of who might emerge as the starting 11 on both sides of the ball.

Let’s be extremely clear about this, this list is purely speculative and not an official depth chart. What it is is a glimpse into some of the guys that we expect to make a strong impact on the 2024 season of Wildcat football based on the potential and progression we have observed.

The great news is that we only have a few more short weeks before we all get to see how these talented players, as well as others not named on this list, will step up and make their mark on the field of play.

Offense:

Quarterback (QB): Luke Sprague
Running Back (RB): Courtney Reese/ JoJo Brazil
Wide Receiver (WR-X): Jalen Brown
Wide Receiver (WR-Z): Lorenzo Jenkins
Wide Receiver (WR-Y): Omari Stewart
Left Tackle (LT): Cam Vaughn
Left Guard (LG): Surafel Seyfu
Center (C): David Poutasi
Right Guard (RG): Christopher McAlpin
Right Tackle (RT): Trevaris Hammond
Tight End (TE): Thomas Nance

Defense:

Defensive End (DE): Dallaz Corbitt
Defensive Tackle (NT): Adrian Hall
Defensive Tackle (DT): Dario Melendez
Edge: Orin Patu
Linebacker (LB): Dearis Thomas/ Kevin Washington
Linebacker (LB): Trey Paster
Cornerback (CB): Andrew Volmer
Strong Safety (SS): Joshua Thornhill / Shawn Russ
Free Safety (FS): Raymond Woodie III
Cornerback (CB): Johnnie Harris
Nickle (STAR): Stephen Sparrow

Specialists:

Punter: Max Tulen
Kicker: Anthony Frédérique
Long Snapper: Clayton Thomas
Kick Returner: Darnell Deas
Punt Returner: Ray Woodie

Stay tuned for updates and let’s get ready to cheer on the Wildcats! 🏈 #AllHail

Bethune-Cookman Recruiting Roundup

February 3, 2024February 3, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

National Signing Day 2024 is right around the corner, and you would be hard-pressed to find another HBCU program that’s riding a higher wave in recruiting than the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats are at this moment.

It’s quite amazing when you consider that at this time last year, BCU was the only Division One program in the country who entered National Signing Day without a head coach in place. One full rotation around the sun and Head Coach Raymond Woodie is absolutely crushing it with his first recruiting class.

Coach Woodie has addressed every checkbox on a recruiter’s wish list – from injecting speed into the squad to locking up players with significant size, college playing experience, and winning high school pedigrees. The Wildcats have successfully landed talented players from the transfer portal, JUCO, and high school ranks, some of whom boast impressive star ratings for those who appreciate such metrics. On top of this, Coach Woodie and staff have done an amazing job of recruiting their current roster and have had very few key players from last year’s squad jump in the portal.

Ahead of National Signing Day, let’s take a closer look at the promising 2024 recruiting class. The list below is unofficial and based on information gathered from various official and unofficial sources.

The Wildcats are expected to land 28 new arrivals on Signing Day – 14 Transfer/JUCO players and 14 high schoolers. 14 of the new additions also hold star ratings from national recruiting services – 4-four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 7-three stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️, and 3-two stars ⭐️⭐️.

The positional breakdown is as follows: thirteen (13) defensive players (6 defensive backs, 5 defensive linemen/edge, 2 linebackers); and fifteen (15) offensive players (8 offensive linemen, 1 quarterback, 3 running backs, 3 wide receivers).

Bethune-Cookman 2024 Signing Class
Transfer Portal (10)	Position	School	Rating
Raymond Woodie III	DB	California	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shawn Russ	DB	Arizona State	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Terrance Alexander	DB	Jacksonville State
Dallaz Corbitt	DL	UCF	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thomas Nance	DL	USF	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Orin Patu	Edge	Arizona	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trey Paster	LB	Colorado State	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lorenzo Jenkins	WR	Pittsburg	⭐️⭐️
Maleek Huggins	WR	Gardner-Webb
Courtney Reese	RB	UNLV	⭐️⭐️⭐️
JUCO (4)
Surafel Seyfu	OL	Contra Costa CC
Isaiah Maumaianga	OL	Ellsworth	⭐️⭐️
Dario Melendez	DL	Myrtle Beach	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kevin Washington	LB	Fresno City College	⭐️⭐️
High School (14)
Nahseem Deas	QB	Lincoln (Queens, NY)
Jaylen Booker	OL	Trinity Christian
Melvin Puckett	OL	Monarch
Truth Moody	OL	Spruce Creek
William Roberts III	OL	St. Thomas Aquinas	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vernon Clarke	OL	Norland
Tremayne Carson	OL	Northwestern
Kenny Jackson	WR	Mission Oaks, CA	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Juan Rodriguez	RB	Norland
Alvin Johnson	RB	Venice
Cornelious Bass	Edge	Edgewater
Gabriel Cash	DB	Norland
Jayden Cummings	DB	Hillsborough
Matthew McKenzie	DB	Benjamin School	⭐️⭐️⭐️

Immediate Impact Signees

Here is our best guess at the guys who will have the greatest opportunity to see the field next year.

Defensive Backs

The Wildcats graduate three of their starting defensive backs from a season ago leaving a huge hole on the backend of their defense. The most glaring loss is that of 3-time All-SWAC First Team cornerback, Omari Hill-Robinson. We expect Ray Woodie III, Shawn Russ, and Terrance Alexander to compete for playing time immediately in the secondary. Woodie, as I am sure you know, is the son of the head coach bearing the same name. The 6’0”, 200-pound safety transfers to BCU from Cal-Berkley. Woodie was a 4-star recruit out of high school and originally signed with Florida State and has made starts for both the Seminoles and Cal Bears. Woodie has proven to be both an active run defender and viable in pass defense in his 44 collegiate games played.

Shawn Russ transfers in from Arizona State after one year with the Sun Devils. While he doesn’t have as many collegiate snaps as Ray Woodie, his upside is tremendous. Russ is another 4-star addition to BCU’s defense and was one of the top defensive players in the State of Florida as a prep player at Dunbar High School. He checks all of the boxes athletically and can be a big playmaker much like the aforementioned Omari Hill-Robinson.

Joshua Thornhill, Nick Rawls II, Johnny Harris III, and Steven Sparrow return to bolster the BCU secondary, and all have started in multiple contests for BCU. Add Anthony Alonzo into the mix as a returning player who showed promise last season.

Matthew McKenzie from The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens is 6’3”, 200 pounds and can play corner and safety. His size and athleticism will allow him to compete physically from day one. Rather he finds his way onto the field as a freshman is yet to be seen but the lack of physicality won’t be an issue in that decision.

Linebackers

Dearis Thomas was the leading tackler on the squad last year and was flanked by Shelton Quarles Jr. at the other linebacker position in Robert Wimberly’s 4-2-5 scheme. Both Thomas and Quarles return this season and will be joined at the position by new arrivals Trey Paster from Colorado State and Kevin Washington Jr. from Fresno City College. Paster and Washington add much needed size to the linebacker core for Bethune; yet both have shown on film they are athletic enough to make plays in space. Both Paster and Washington play violently, and we mean that in the best football way possible.

Defensive Line

The defensive line was objectively BCU’s best positional group on either side of the ball in 2023; yet it is highly possible that that unit may be even better in the 2024 campaign. Amarie Jones, Adrian Hall, Ejike Brown, Ebenezer Dibula, Jeffson Lafontant, Payton Doucet, and Jeremy Graves all return along the defensive front. Four-star Edge defenders Orin Patu (Arizona) and Dallaz Corbitt (UCF); along with three-star defensive lineman Dario Melendez will look to elevate and already stout defensive front. Melendez is a “twitchy” interior lineman who possess the skillsets you look for in a 3 technique. Patu and Corbitt are explosive Edge players with the requisite athleticism to run down backs and quarterbacks.

Running Back/Receivers

Explosive plays were scarce to nonexistent for Bethune last season, and as a result, the Wildcats ranked near the bottom of the SWAC in most significant offensive categories. The good news is BCU return 4 starting offensive linemen as well as their top 4 signal callers.

Maleek Huggins transfers in from Gardner-Webb and immediately provides BCU with a big play option. Huggins is a legitimate 4.4 guy and can stretch the field vertically or take a dump off, make a guy miss, and flip the field for you. Courtney Reese is a similar type option at the running back position. Reese, a three-star transfer from UNLV, demonstrated his big play ability when he rushed for 142 yards on 11 carries against Notre Dame in 2022. One of Reese carries was a 74-yard burst that setup the Running Rebels first score against the Fighting Irish.

Kenny Jackson is another incoming freshman who was highly recruited and possess the physical qualities necessary to compete for snaps immediately. Jackson is a 6-foot, 190 pound three-star athlete who holds offers from San Jose State and Fresno State. When you put his game film on, you can’t help but think of Deebo Samuels. No, we are not saying Jackson will be a NFL Pro Bowler, however, his size and playing style are very reminiscent of the 49er’s superstar.

Offensive Line/Quarterback

As mentioned earlier, Bethune returns 4 starters along the offensive line and its top 4 quarterbacks from a season ago. This year’s signing class seems to focus on building depth at the offensive line position and securing their quarterback for the future in Nahseem Deas.

Deas picked up All-State honors in the State of New York and chose BCU over several MAC schools including Bowling Green and Toledo.

Isaiah Maumaianga and Surafel Seyfu join the Wildcats from the JUCO ranks and have the best chance of making an immediate impact in the trenches.

Did we miss someone? Are you eyeing another potential immediate impact guy? Are you still unsure about this signing class? We would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact us via our socials. You are also welcome to join us on @HailWildcat Spaces this upcoming Monday night, February 5^th at 7:30pm to discuss this year’s signing class in more detail.

Hail Wildcats!

Sorted by Position
Name	Position	School	Rating
Raymond Woodie III	DB	California	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shawn Russ	DB	Arizona State	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Terrance Alexander	DB	Jacksonville State
Gabriel Cash	DB	Norland
Jayden Cummings	DB	Hillsborough
Matthew McKenzie	DB	Benjamin School	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dallaz Corbitt	DL	UCF	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thomas Nance	DL	USF	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dario Melendez	DL	Myrtle Beach	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Orin Patu	Edge	Arizona	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cornelious Bass	Edge	Edgewater
Trey Paster	LB	Colorado State	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kevin Washington	LB	Fresno City College	⭐️⭐️
Surafel Seyfu	OL	Contra Costa CC
Isaiah Maumaianga	OL	Ellsworth	⭐️⭐️
Jaylen Booker	OL	Trinity Christian
Melvin Puckett	OL	Monarch
Truth Moody	OL	Spruce Creek
William Roberts III	OL	St. Thomas Aquinas	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vernon Clarke	OL	Norland
Tremayne Carson	OL	Northwestern
Nahseem Deas	QB	Lincoln (Queens, NY)
Courtney Reese	RB	UNLV	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Juan Rodriguez	RB	Norland
Alvin Johnson	RB	Venice
Lorenzo Jenkins	WR	Pittsburg	⭐️⭐️
Maleek Huggins	WR	Gardner-Webb
Kenny Jackson	WR	Mission Oaks, CA	⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sorted by Star Rating
Name	Position	School	Rating
Raymond Woodie III	DB	California	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shawn Russ	DB	Arizona State	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dallaz Corbitt	DL	UCF	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Orin Patu	Edge	Arizona	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Matthew McKenzie	DB	Benjamin School	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thomas Nance	DL	USF	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dario Melendez	DL	Myrtle Beach	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trey Paster	LB	Colorado State	⭐️⭐️⭐️
William Roberts III	OL	St. Thomas Aquinas	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Courtney Reese	RB	UNLV	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kenny Jackson	WR	Mission Oaks, CA	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kevin Washington	LB	Fresno City College	⭐️⭐️
Isaiah Maumaianga	OL	Ellsworth	⭐️⭐️
Lorenzo Jenkins	WR	Pittsburg	⭐️⭐️
Terrance Alexander	DB	Jacksonville State
Gabriel Cash	DB	Norland
Jayden Cummings	DB	Hillsborough
Cornelious Bass	Edge	Edgewater
Surafel Seyfu	OL	Contra Costa CC
Jaylen Booker	OL	Trinity Christian
Melvin Puckett	OL	Monarch
Truth Moody	OL	Spruce Creek
Vernon Clarke	OL	Norland
Tremayne Carson	OL	Northwestern
Nahseem Deas	QB	Lincoln (Queens, NY)
Juan Rodriguez	RB	Norland
Alvin Johnson	RB	Venice
Maleek Huggins	WR	Gardner-Webb

Raymond Woodie, Bethune-Cookman Thumps Savannah State for Coach’s First Career Win

September 10, 2023 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Raymond Woodie was all smiles after collecting his first career win on Saturday night against Savannah State.

The normally stoic Woodie couldn’t quite hide the huge grin on his face in the postgame presser after Bethune’s commanding 31-6 triumph over SSU. Yet, staying true to his humble nature, he deflected the limelight onto his squad when asked to describe the emotions of his first collegiate victory as a head coach.

“It feels good, especially to get the first win at home (but) I am happy for the players. It is all about the players” he remarked.

While the night ended in warm fuzzies for Woodie and the maroon and gold faithful, it certainly did not begin that way. The Wildcats got off to a sluggish start managing to register no points and only 2 first downs through the first quarter and a half of the contest. With the score still locked at 0-0, Woodie made the decision to pull starting quarterback Walter Simmons and replace him with Luke Spraugue. The Wildcats looked like a completely different team after that tactical change.

Sprauge, who led the National JUCO Association in yards and completions last season, directed the BCU offense on 5 scoring drives on the team’s next 6 possessions. BCU opened the game’s scoring on a 12 play, 80 yard drive which ended in a 13 yard Jouvensly Bazil touchdown run.

Savannah State scored a pair of field goals on the last possession of the first half and the first possession of the second half to cut the lead to 7-6. Those two field goals would be the Tiger’s only and last points of the contest as Bethune would score 24 unanswered from that point forward.

Bazil scored his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon on a 22 yard scamper to push the lead to 14-6 early in the third quarter. Sprague found Dacarri Allen-Johnson in the back of the south end zone at the 1:44 mark in the third to stretch the lead to 21-6. And after a 45 yard Cade Hechter field goal in the final frame, Sprague connected with Allen-Johnson for the game’s final score, this time in the back of the north end zone.

For those keeping score at home, that’s 2 passing touchdowns for Sprague, 2 rushing touchdowns for Bazil, and 2 receiving touchdowns for Allen-Johnson. Sprague’s final stat line was 23 for 29 for 223 yards.

Linebacker Dearis Thomas led the way defensively with 9 total tackles and 1 sack.

Woodie and the Wildcats won’t have very long to celebrate this win as they travel south on I-95 to take on the University of Miami this Thursday night.

Team Stats


1st Downs	15	25
3rd down efficiency	1-12	5-10
4th down efficiency	1-2	0-0
Total Yards	273	387
Passing	193	262
Comp-Att	17-31	25-35
Yards per pass	6.2	7.5
Interceptions thrown	0	1
Rushing	80	125
Rushing Attempts	27	29
Yards per rush	3.0	4.3
Penalties	9-95	3-20
Turnovers	1	2
Fumbles lost	1	1
Interceptions thrown	0	1
Possession	29:13	30:47

Bethune-Cookman’s New Additions: Coach Raymond Woodie is Revamping the Roster

June 27, 2023 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Summer is officially upon us and the weather is not the only thing heating up in Daytona Beach. Bethune-Cookman University’s new head football coach, Raymond Woodie, has been working feverishly to restore his alma mater’s winning ways. With a focus on revamping the roster, Woodie is assembling an impressive group of talented players that have fans buzzing with excitement.

BCU held the dubious distinction of being the only Division One Football program who did not have a head coach when National Signing Day 2023 rolled around. As a result, only twelve players signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Wildcats back in February. However, Coach Woodie’s reputation as a top-notch recruiter has attracted the attention of talented athletes from across the country who are eager to be a part of his vision for the program. Since National Signing Day, more than 30 players have been brought in to help overhaul Bethune-Cookman’s roster.

Woodie’s first wave of additions include a mix of FBS/FCS transfers, JUCO standouts, and highly-rated high school recruits, all of whom bring unique skills and experiences to the team. Let’s take a closer look at each group.

FBS/FCS transfers: Woodie wasted no time in bolstering the roster with Division I talent, specifically talent from around “The Sunshine State”. 10 of BCU’s 14 Division One transfers are either from or played college football in the state of Florida. Former University of Florida running back, Iverson Clement, headlines this group. Clement is a former 4⭐️ recruit who made a stop at Temple University before announcing his commitment to BCU.

Cam Ransom helped lead Florida powerhouse Seffner Armwood to the state championship finals before signing with Georgia Southern. Ransom and Delaware State transfer Tylik Bethea will look to take charge of an inexperienced quarterback room and add stability and depth to the position.

In one of the coolest stories in the country, Aaron Overton Jr. transfers in from Nevada and will join his older brothers Kahlil and Cameron on Bethune’s roster.

Tink Boyd transfers in from Va Tech and is one of 8 new wide receivers.

Division One Transfers:

3⭐️ Kareem Wilson, DL, 6’4”, 260, Florida Atlantic

3⭐️ Caleb Lynum, WR, 6’2”, 215, WR, FIU

4⭐️ Iverson Clement, RB, 5’11”,185, RB Florida

3⭐️ Cameron Ransom, QB, 6’3”, 215, GA Southern

3⭐️ Jahmari Sylvester,OL, 3* 6’5”, 325, FIU

3⭐️ Deonte Washington, DL, 6’3”, 290, Texas State

3⭐️ Dashon Ross, LB, 6’1”, 235, UMass

3⭐️ Jaylin Terzado, WR, 6’0”, 175, Western Carolina

2⭐️ Baba Conate, LB, 6’2”, 230, FIU

Aaron Overton, DL, 6’3”, 285, Nevada

Tink Boyd, WR, 5’11”,185, Virginia Tech

Tylik Bethea, QB, 6’6”, 215, Delaware State

Kiwon Harris, DB, 6’1”, 210, WKU

Hallston Fergilus, OL, 6’4”, 310, Delaware State

JUCO standouts: In addition to the FBS/FCS transfers, Woodie has also targeted standout players from the junior college ranks from as far away as California and Australia. JUCO standouts often bring a level of maturity, experience, and proverbial ‘chip on the shoulder’ that can be invaluable to a team. With their experience and skill set, they will provide depth and competition at key positions, pushing the entire team to elevate their game.

JUCO Signees:

Johnny Harris III, DB, 6’3”, 180, Garden City CC

Chris McAlpin, OL, 6’3”, 300, Chabot JUCO

Miguel Sahagun, OL, 6’5”, 285, OL, College of San Mateo

Ebenezer Dibula, DL, 6’3”, 285, Minn St. JUCO (Prior Bethune-Cookman player)

Jalen Brown, WR, 6’6” 220, Louisburg CC

Cade Hechter, P/K, Pro Kick Australia

Highly touted high school signees, including a few 3 star recruits, will look to contribute early and help with the rebuild. Several of the high school signees chose the hBCU route over larger FBS programs. Donteye Drew held offers from schools like Appalachian State, Ja’Vieane Stephens held offers from UCF, Kyon Calhoun held offers from USF amongst others.

High School Signees:

3⭐️ Ja’Vieane Stevens, LB, 6’0” 205, Dunbar

3⭐️ Anthony Alonzo, Athlete, 5’11”, 185, Oakland Technical, CA

3⭐️ Kyon Calhoun, WR, 6’5”, 200, Cocoa HS

Donteye Drew, DL, 6’1”, 275, Tampa Bay Tech

Sir Bo Reed, WR, 6’4, 205, Booker T Washington (Pensacola)

Eric Triplett, WR, 5’7”, 150, Largo

Jermaris Speights, DB, 5’10”, 160, Lincoln, (Tallahassee)

Brandon Armenteros, WR. 6’3”, 200, West Broward HS

Jayson Edwards, OL, 6’7”, 330, Spruce Creek

Payton Doucet, LB, 6’3”, 200, Ridge Point, (Missouri City, TX)

The impact of this talent infusion may not be felt immediately as it often takes time for players to adjust to the college game and develop chemistry with their teammates. What is already being felt is a new energy and enthusiasm around the team as the Wildcats look to reestablish their winning tradition.

Count us among those who are excited to see what the team will achieve under Woodie’s guidance.