Baltimore proving to be Bears’ den - Morgan State eyes Mid Eastern Athletic Conference

BALTIMORE - Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley doesn’t have to continually remind his players of their goal of winning a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title any more — they do it for him. “Before you had to sell them on the fact that they didn’t want to be part of a losing tradition and they just wanted to be competitive,” Hill-Eley said. “I hear them talking about championships, but I see them doing extra laps, I see them putting in extra time in the weight room.”

MSU Bears returns eight starters from a defense that ranked second overall in the Football Championship Subdivision (1-AA)(photo by Mark's Digital Photography).

The Bears, coming off of consecutive 5-6 seasons, have their sights set on a MEAC title and automatic berth in the 16-team Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Morgan State’s six losses last season, were by an average of 6.5 points, with none by more than eight.

Offensively, the Bears must replace Chad Simpson, the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year last season. The leading candidate to fill the void left by Simpson, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent, is redshirt sophomore Devan James, who rushed 418 yards and two touchdowns on 85 carries last season.

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