B-CU's Brian Jenkins Named MEAC Coach of the Year

NORFOLK, Virginia -– For the third time in four years, Bethune-Cookman football head coach Brian Jenkins was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, announced Friday afternoon from the MEAC Office in Norfolk, Va. A total of 12 Wildcats student-athletes were named to the first-second- and third team, respectively.

Jenkins, now in his fourth year at the helm in Daytona Beach, has compiled a 37-10 overall record, the third-winningest coach in the FCS among the 2010 hires. Jenkins led the Wildcats to a 7-1 MEAC mark and a 10-2 overall record, including the school’s first-ever victory over an FBS opponent when the Cats defeated FIU earlier this year in Miami. The Wildcats defeated Florida A&M, 29-10, to clinch a share of the conference’s regular season title and secure the MEAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division I (FCS) Championships. The Wildcats are currently ranked No. 12 in both The Sports Network’s FCS and FCS Coaches Poll.  He has led Bethune-Cookman to three MEAC titles in four years and fell just one game shy of back-to-back undefeated MEAC finishes.

For the Wildcats on the All-MEAC First Team were Andrew Edouard (C), Alex Monroe (OL), Rashard Brown (OL), Jarkevis Fields (LB) and Nick Addison (DB). For Addison and Fields, this is the second time in as many years the duo has earned All-MEAC First Team accolades.

Edouard, Brown and Monroe helped pave the way for an offense that led the MEAC and ranked ninth in the NCAA with 3,003 yards rushing. Brown and Monroe each earned MEAC Player of the Week honors this year, while Edouard came on strong at the center position from the beginning of the year.

Defensively, Jarkevis Fields led the Wildcats with 94 tackles, including six tackles for loss and two interceptions. Addison led the Wildcats’ secondary that ranks as one of the top defensive backfields in the country, as he leads the team with five interceptions and adding 58 tackles. As a unit, the Wildcats defense ranks first in the nation for pass efficiency defense, as well as second nationally in passes intercepted, pass defense and total defense.

Named to the MEAC Second Team for the Cats were running back Isidore Jackson, wide receiver Eddie Poole, defensive lineman Dyron Dye and defensive lineman LeBrandon Richardson.

Jackson is the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,245 yards in his career, while Eddie Poole is the school’s all-time leader in consecutive game with a catch, stretching a span of 47 games – his entire career as a Wildcat. Dyron Dye transferred into the Wildcats from the University of Miami prior to the season, and quickly helped the defensive line with 36 tackles and a team-best six sacks. As for Richardson, he is third on the squad with 54 tackles and a team-best 13.5 tackles for loss.

On the All-MEAC Third Team from Bethune-Cookman is offensive lineman Anthony Kibler, as well as Tevin Toney (DL) and Tim Burke (DB). Kibler has been a mainstay on the B-CU offensive line all season, while Burke and Toney have been consistent sources of defensive pressure on that side of the ball.

Howard’s Greg McGhee (QB) was named MEAC Offensive Player of the Year as he led the MEAC in total offense (272.9 avg./g) and ranked second in passing yards per game (198.2 avg./g). He completed 228 passes on 385 attempts (59%) with 16 touchdowns in 12 games this season. South Carolina State’s Joe Thomas earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honors recording 116 total tackles, 84 solo, with a conference-best 19 tackles for a loss during the 2013 campaign.

North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen was selected MEAC Freshman of the Year, and it was Tristan Bellamy of South Carolina State earned MEAC Offensive Player of the Year.

For more information on the Bethune-Cookman University football team, please log onto BCUathletics.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Wildcats football program.

Fans can keep up-to-date with all B-CU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/BCUathletics, in addition to the official football twitter page at Twitter.com/BCUGridIron. You can also become a fan of the Wildcats on Facebook at Facebook.com/BCUathletics.


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