By Chris Gasiewski, Delaware State News
DOVER — Kareem Jones rested on a bucket against the building that houses the Delaware State football team’s locker room Saturday night.
It was only minutes after DSU had dismissed No. 23 Coastal Carolina 23-18 at Alumni Stadium and the senior running back was becoming reacquainted with his father, Willie, as star wide receiver Shaheer McBride walked by.
“You’ve got a one-two punch going there,” Willie Jones said. “You’ll be great this year if you guys can keep playing like that.”
The elder Jones wasn’t kidding. His son transferred from Syracuse University late this summer and fit perfectly into DSU’s offensive scheme. Joining McBride, the preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and quarterback Vashon Winton, Jones looked like the final piece to the Hornets’ attack.
Saturday night, Jones powered through Coastal to rush for 171 yards and a score on 24 carries. He also returned a kick 74 yards.
“Soon enough you have players that fit,” coach Al Lavan said with a raspy voice. “Vashon managed the game well. McBride did what he does. Then Kareem comes in and I didn’t expect that kind of endurance.”
Lavan was emphatically pleased with Jones, who quickly won the starting job in training camp despite missing spring practice. But did he prove himself?
“Prove myself? Nah,” Jones said. “I made a lot of mistakes. There were a couple of protection mishaps. But I’m going to go out there and make progress each week.”
Photo: RB Kareem Jones on 74 yard return
DOVER — Kareem Jones rested on a bucket against the building that houses the Delaware State football team’s locker room Saturday night.
It was only minutes after DSU had dismissed No. 23 Coastal Carolina 23-18 at Alumni Stadium and the senior running back was becoming reacquainted with his father, Willie, as star wide receiver Shaheer McBride walked by.
“You’ve got a one-two punch going there,” Willie Jones said. “You’ll be great this year if you guys can keep playing like that.”
The elder Jones wasn’t kidding. His son transferred from Syracuse University late this summer and fit perfectly into DSU’s offensive scheme. Joining McBride, the preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and quarterback Vashon Winton, Jones looked like the final piece to the Hornets’ attack.
Saturday night, Jones powered through Coastal to rush for 171 yards and a score on 24 carries. He also returned a kick 74 yards.
“Soon enough you have players that fit,” coach Al Lavan said with a raspy voice. “Vashon managed the game well. McBride did what he does. Then Kareem comes in and I didn’t expect that kind of endurance.”
Lavan was emphatically pleased with Jones, who quickly won the starting job in training camp despite missing spring practice. But did he prove himself?
“Prove myself? Nah,” Jones said. “I made a lot of mistakes. There were a couple of protection mishaps. But I’m going to go out there and make progress each week.”
Photo: RB Kareem Jones on 74 yard returnSo is McBride, if that’s possible. Saturday night, the Chester, Pa., native broke Albert Horsey’s school all-time receiving yards record after catching four passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. McBride has 2,501 career receiving yards.
He also had two touchdown receptions in the second half that proved to be the difference.
“That kid is a phenomenal athlete, a phenomenal football player,” Lavan said. “He’s the ultimate competitor. You see him out at practice diving everywhere without pads on.”
A confident DSU heads to Florida A&M Saturday for its MEAC opener and the beginning of a three-game road stretch.
Saturday night’s win was the Hornets’ first against a ranked opponent in the four-year Lavan era, since DSU beat conference rival Hampton in the final game of the 2004 season. It has DSU believing it will find its name in the Top 25 when the Sports Network announces this week’s rankings today.
“We should be ranked,” Jones said. “We have a lot of talent down there. We showed our talent to the nation.”
Showing that talent on a consistent basis is what DSU needs to compete for the MEAC title and its first playoff appearance in program history.
“There’s still more to come,” McBride said. “Hopefully we can build off of this win.”
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