QB Riley runs Benedict on right path

Coach Stan Conner arrived at Benedict in 2007 with the stated goal of leading the mired-in-mediocrity Tigers to a SIAC championship. Conner endured a 7-15 record his first two seasons, but he never stopped scouring the nation’s junior-college ranks for players whose skills fit into his system.

Last year, Benedict finished with an 8-3 record — winning eight of its final nine games to land in a tie for third place with Morehouse behind Albany State and champion Tuskeegee. Now, the Tigers figure to reach title-contender status for the first time since the school revived the sport, initially as a club team, in 1995. “We’re getting to the point where we have the talent in place to make a run,” Conner said. “The schedule is front-loaded again (season-opening games against Morehouse and Tuskegee), but if we get through that OK we should have a shot.”

The program’s rise can be attributed to the arrival of Pat Riley — Conner’s first quarterback recruiting coop.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.