Coaches adjusting at NCCU

Photo: NCCU Head Football Coach Mose Rison

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

With the kind of success N.C. Central had on offense last season, except for replacing some graduated seniors the Eagles aren't going to look very different when they have the ball.

After all offensive coordinator Mose Rison, who helped lead the team to an 11-1 record and the SBN Black National championship when he was a top assistant to Rod Broadway, retained his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks duties when he took over as head coach.

But when Broadway took the coveted job at Grambling, he took a large chunk of his former staff with him. One of the biggest moves was the departure of veteran defensive coordinator Cliff Yoshida, who was replaced by a new defensive guru just over half his age.

The Eagles' new defensive coordinator is John Morgan, the 35-year-old former Fort Valley State coach who took over his new duties in the spring.

Morgan has made a few small changes -- mostly in terminology -- but otherwise is likely to have eight of the 11 starters the Eagles put on the field in post-season play last fall.

Still Morgan, who went 21-11 in his three seasons as head coach at Fort Valley State, wants as much intra-squad competition as possible.

"I've told them I don't look at 11 starters, I look at a starting 22," Morgan said on a cloudy early Sunday morning that made the Eagles' annual preseason media-photo day bearable.

"I think we've got a chance to be very good defensively. I do have some concerns about the defensive line, but it isn't about talent. We've got two weeks to go before we open at Albany State, but I think we'll be ready."

Rison and his offensive guys could tell you that. In all the formal and informal scrimmages the Eagles have held since Morgan took over last spring, the offense has yet to put the ball in the end zone.

"I've been very pleased with the defense so far," Rison said. "We'd like to see the offense score some touchdowns, but right now I think this says more about our defense than our offense."

NCCU may have a few holes to plug on defense, but they certainly won't be lacking for leadership. Among the top returnees are senior All-American cornerback Craig Amos, who returned two interceptions for touchdowns; senior nose guard/tackle Courtney Coard; and the senior Ray brothers Derrick and Eric from Raleigh at linebacker.

"We're going to be a pretty tight group," Amos said. "There shouldn't be any drop-off from last year."

Added Coard, "We've got a lot of experience from last year, and the new starters are looking good. That's going to carry us through."

Amos said the Eagles' defense only gets better by going against NCCU's offense every day in practice.

"We're always going against one of the top offenses in the country, and that helps us improve," Amos said.

Coard said the competition against the offensive guys is always intense.

"They help us improve all the time," Coard said. "With the move up to Division I [Championship Subdivision] this season, we need to be going against an offense like that every day."

Eric Ray said the defense is going to be very good, and there's time to make that happen.

"We've got a lot of freshmen who just need to learn the defense better," Ray said. "We have some new language, but it's pretty much the same kind of scheme. It's not difficult to learn at all.

"And I'm not a bit worried about the offense. They're going to be a powerhouse again this year."

Rison, who will return the now-seasoned sophomore Stadford Brown at quarterback, has to find six new starters on offense.

He said his biggest concerns on that side of the ball are putting together chemistry on the Eagles' huge offensive line and finding some new receivers to go along with returning starter Wayne Blackwell.

The coach said senior punt returner Brandon Alston, the little 5-5 speedster out of Hillside High, may have been the most impressive offensive player in fall camp.

"Yes, he is our answer to Muggsy Bogues," Rison said with a laugh. "But he's going to be a very big part of our offense this season."

The Eagles will hold a public scrimmage on Saturday at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

They will visit Albany State, a team they shocked 20-0 in last season's opener in Durham, on Aug. 25 at 6 p.m.

NCCU's home opener is in the Labor Day Classic against Fayetteville State on Sept. 2.