NCCU Eagles' tough 'D' has its work cut out today

ON THE AIR: NCCU vs. Presbyterian College, 2 p.m., Internet TV: http://www.jarvistv.com/nccu/index.asp

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

N.C. Central has been making plenty of history on the football field over the last couple of seasons, and the Eagles will be making some more today no matter whether they win or lose.

Mose Rison's 4-1 Eagles will carry the state's longest active college football winning streak into the game today at 2 p.m., when they host 1-3 Presbyterian at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. It will be the schools' first meeting in football.

The game is historic because it marks the first time that NCCU, which is in its first season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA), will face a fellow FCS team at home.

In fact the Eagles and the Blue Hose are the only two teams in their first season in the FCS, thus the easy idea of beginning a home-and-home series.

"They're going to find out where they are and we're going to find out where we are," said Rison, a career veteran of the college assistant-coaching ranks who is in his first season at the Eagles' helm.

Presbyterian coach Bobby Bentley also is in his first season at the helm after a long career as a successful high school coach in South Carolina.

"It's been an experience so far," said Bentley, whose team's losses have come to established FCS teams in Furman, Samford and Western Carolina. "I think we're hanging in there. Our guys are playing hard. And in the Samford and Western Carolina games we've been in the game into the fourth quarter."

This could be the best team NCCU has played this season, as the first four games were against Division II teams and Saturday's win at N.C. A&T stretched the FCS-level Aggies' losing streak to 20 games.

And it should be a major contrast in styles. While the Eagles have won with defense, the Blue Hose -- who before this season were members of the Division II South Atlantic Conference -- have rolled up the offensive yardage.

The Eagles are averaging 215 yards total offense and allowing 263, while Presbyterian is producing 462.2 yards per game and allowing 418.2.

"This is a very, very good football team we're playing," Rison said. "They have an extremely talented quarterback [junior Grayson Mullins] and they love to throw the football. And they have played a very tough schedule."

Mullins has completed 66 of 123 passes for 960 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. With a more conservative-type attack NCCU's Stadford Brown has completed 58 of 115 for 604 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

Presbyterian's sophomore running back S.J. Worrell has 215 rushing yards on 42 carries, and has caught 16 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles have had a solid 1-2 junior punch at the wideout spots, as Wayne Blackwell has 16 catches for 201 yards and three touchdowns while Will Scott has 11 catches for 203 yards and three TDs.

And each team has a big-play defensive back. NCCU senior cornerback Craig Amos has three interceptions, five breakups, three fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks. Presbyterian's junior strong safety Anthony McKnight has four tackles-for-losses, an interception and four deflected passes.

NOTES -- NCCU schedule for this season includes five Division II opponents, four FCS members and one team (Western Kentucky) that is transitioning from the FCS to the Football Bowl Subdivision. Presbyterian's 11-game slate has eight FCS opponents (all on the road), two Division II teams and NAIA member Pikeville College. The only common opponent is Division II North Greenville, which will play at Presbyterian next weekend and then be the Eagles' homecoming opponent on Oct. 13.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Can the Eagles slow down Presbyterian's offense?

The Blue Hose start with the aerial show off the arm of junior QB Grayson Mullins, and the team averages 342.5 yards through the air. NCCU has 10 interceptions and has allowed one passing touchdown in five games, so when the visitors have the ball it's going to be strength on strength and should be fun to watch. The Eagles are going to need a couple of interceptions, and a sack or two wouldn't hurt.

Will the NCCU offense continue to get better?

NCCU isn't flashy with the ball, but can some up with the occasional big play. And QB Stadford Brown, with a more limited array of weapons than last season, has shown plenty of patience. Freshman RB Tim Shankle is starting to show flashes of brilliance along with freshman WR Deshawn Spears. And freshman Taylor Gray's kicks are improving.

Will the Eagles be able to focus?

Football fans around the area who rarely pay attention to NCCU are still talking about the fight that happened after the close victory over N.C. A&T. But the folks from Presbyterian don't care. It's not a rivalry now, but these are the only teams in their first season in Division I (Football Championship Subdivision). This is NCCU's biggest challenge to date.

THE PICK

N.C. Central 27, Presbyterian 21