Photo: BCU Head Football Coach Alvin B. Wyatt, Sr.By BRENT WORONOFF, Staff Writer, Daytona News-Journal
DAYTONA BEACH -- Jack "Cy" McClairen had not arrived at Bethune-Cookman's campus yet when the Wildcats hosted its first Gateway Classic in Jacksonville in 1948.
The former B-CU player and coach does have vivid memories of the second Classic in 1952, however. He was a senior on the Wildcats team that lost in the final minutes to Morris Brown, 12-6.
"We thought we had them, but they made a spectacular catch to beat us," McClairen recalled. "It was a super game."
Last year's Gateway Classic was just as exciting and devastating for the 'Cats, who fell to Southern 30-29. That may not be the way B-CU would like to end an historic series, but the Gateway Classic's future now is as murkier than the Mississippi River.
"It's been such a tradition for us," B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson said. "But now we don't know what will occur in the future."
The 53rd annual Gateway Classic was supposed to be contested today at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (formerly Alltel Stadium) between B-CU and Jacksonville University.
Thompson said the city of Jacksonville informed B-CU in April that it could no longer provide the school free use of the stadium. B-CU could not afford to pay a fee of between $90,000 and $120,000 to lease the facility, Thompson said, so today's season opener was moved to Daytona Beach.
B-CU will play JU at 4 p.m. at Municipal Stadium here.
"Bethune's known for quite a while that they needed to work to be self-sufficient," said Michael Bouda, the manager of the Jacksonville Economic and Development Commission's Sports and Entertainment Board. "They've known for three years that (the Classic) wasn't going to be funded this year."
Not only were the Wildcats disappointed to not be playing in Jacksonville this year, but so were the JU Dolphins, who had never played in the Jaguars' facility before.
"There was a lot of excitement about this game," said JU athletics director Alan Verlander. "And then we hired Kerwin Bell (as the team's new head coach) and there was even greater interest. But the bottom line is with all the stuff going on in Tallahassee with tax reform, it's hard to justify the city spending six figures for a football game when they're talking about cutting police officers."
Bouda said the Classic hasn't attracted enough people in recent years to justify the city footing the bill. Last year's game with Southern drew a record crowd of 23,241, according to paid attendance figures released by B-CU. But the actual attendance count in the 73,000-seat facility was only about 17,000, Bouda said.
The former B-CU player and coach does have vivid memories of the second Classic in 1952, however. He was a senior on the Wildcats team that lost in the final minutes to Morris Brown, 12-6.
"We thought we had them, but they made a spectacular catch to beat us," McClairen recalled. "It was a super game."
Last year's Gateway Classic was just as exciting and devastating for the 'Cats, who fell to Southern 30-29. That may not be the way B-CU would like to end an historic series, but the Gateway Classic's future now is as murkier than the Mississippi River.
"It's been such a tradition for us," B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson said. "But now we don't know what will occur in the future."
The 53rd annual Gateway Classic was supposed to be contested today at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (formerly Alltel Stadium) between B-CU and Jacksonville University.
Thompson said the city of Jacksonville informed B-CU in April that it could no longer provide the school free use of the stadium. B-CU could not afford to pay a fee of between $90,000 and $120,000 to lease the facility, Thompson said, so today's season opener was moved to Daytona Beach.
B-CU will play JU at 4 p.m. at Municipal Stadium here.
"Bethune's known for quite a while that they needed to work to be self-sufficient," said Michael Bouda, the manager of the Jacksonville Economic and Development Commission's Sports and Entertainment Board. "They've known for three years that (the Classic) wasn't going to be funded this year."
Not only were the Wildcats disappointed to not be playing in Jacksonville this year, but so were the JU Dolphins, who had never played in the Jaguars' facility before.
"There was a lot of excitement about this game," said JU athletics director Alan Verlander. "And then we hired Kerwin Bell (as the team's new head coach) and there was even greater interest. But the bottom line is with all the stuff going on in Tallahassee with tax reform, it's hard to justify the city spending six figures for a football game when they're talking about cutting police officers."
Bouda said the Classic hasn't attracted enough people in recent years to justify the city footing the bill. Last year's game with Southern drew a record crowd of 23,241, according to paid attendance figures released by B-CU. But the actual attendance count in the 73,000-seat facility was only about 17,000, Bouda said.
Thompson said even if the school could schedule strong opponents like Southern every year it would not be able to pay stadium fees. Corporate sponsorships, would help, he said, but the school would still require assistance from the city.
Thompson said the school's administration will meet with Jacksonville city officials in the "foreseeable future" to discuss possible solutions.
"Just because they're going to play in Daytona now does not preclude them from going back to Jacksonville in the future," Bouda said. "But I think you have to build the game with a strong opponent every year. To come back this year with JU in a game that they don't anticipate a very big crowd is a step back."
OF NOTE:
B-CU receiver Paul Neufville was awarded a medical redshirt by the NCAA on Friday and will be eligible to play this season. A fifth-year senior last year, Neufville played in three games before a knee injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.
Jacksonville at B-CU
WHERE: Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium
KICKOFF: 4 p.m.
RADIO: 1380-AM
2006 RECORDS: Jacksonville 4-6, Bethune-Cookman 5-6
SERIES: First meeting
PLAYMAKERS: Jacksonville, QB Chris Horton, Sr., third-year starter is third in school record book in passing with 2,910 yards and 23 TDs; FS Robson Noel, Jr., played cornerback last year. B-CU, QB Jimmie Russell, Sr., is eighth in school history in career passing TDs (20) and also eighth in career rushing TDs (16); FS Bobbie Williams, Sr., has intercepted three passes in a game twice.
STORYLINE: Jacksonville coach Kerwin Bell, a former star quarterback at the University of Florida, is making his college coaching debut. B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt said the Wildcats are going into this game blind. "We don't know anything about them. We'll just have to play it by ear and adjust after the first quarter," he said. The Wildcats have a new play-caller in assistant C. Ray Gregory, and are expected to focus on the triple-option.
DID YOU KNOW: B-CU defensive back Stephen Berthelot has a brother who will be on the opposite sideline today -- Jacksonville DB Byron Berthelot.
Jacksonville at B-CU
WHERE: Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium
KICKOFF: 4 p.m.
RADIO: 1380-AM
2006 RECORDS: Jacksonville 4-6, Bethune-Cookman 5-6
SERIES: First meeting
PLAYMAKERS: Jacksonville, QB Chris Horton, Sr., third-year starter is third in school record book in passing with 2,910 yards and 23 TDs; FS Robson Noel, Jr., played cornerback last year. B-CU, QB Jimmie Russell, Sr., is eighth in school history in career passing TDs (20) and also eighth in career rushing TDs (16); FS Bobbie Williams, Sr., has intercepted three passes in a game twice.
STORYLINE: Jacksonville coach Kerwin Bell, a former star quarterback at the University of Florida, is making his college coaching debut. B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt said the Wildcats are going into this game blind. "We don't know anything about them. We'll just have to play it by ear and adjust after the first quarter," he said. The Wildcats have a new play-caller in assistant C. Ray Gregory, and are expected to focus on the triple-option.
DID YOU KNOW: B-CU defensive back Stephen Berthelot has a brother who will be on the opposite sideline today -- Jacksonville DB Byron Berthelot.
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