Super Bowl: Former Bethune-Cookman player Nick Collins has interception return in Packers win

Nick Collins etched his name into the Green Bay Packers history books on Sunday when he helped his team beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV.

Collins, a former Bethune-Cookman University player from Cross City, Florida (Dixie County High School), intercepted a first-quarter pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. The score put the Packers up 14-0 at the time.

Collins, who also had four solo tackles and a pass deflection, was one of 13 players with Florida ties on the Steelers or Packers. That included Steelers rookie All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey (Florida/Lakeland HS). Pouncey was injured in the AFC championship game and did not play. His absence was noticeable, as the Packers successfully put pressure on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger with a variety of blitz packages.


Videographer: SBSuperBowl; Collins ran for 37 yard touchdown, scoring on the 13th interception return in Super Bowl history.

Super Bowl XLV: Nick Collins, Jarrett Bush, Clay Matthews force turnovers that vault Packers to win

ARLINGTON, Tex. - For all the hype swirling about the star quarterbacks, the Packers' defense made the three most pivotal plays of Super Bowl XLV. Dom Capers' unit intercepted Ben Roethlisberger twice in the first quarter and forced a game-changing fumble in the fourth to help the Pack win its fourth Lombardi Trophy.

"You can't turn the ball over," Steelers wideout Hines Ward said. "You can't do it at this stage of the game for the Super Bowl."

Aaron Rodgers converted the Steelers turnovers into three TDs to help prevent Pittsburgh from winning its seventh title.

The Packers got help from Jets castoff Howard Green, who forced the first mistake of the night. Green, who was released by Gang Green in October for being overweight, forced Roethlisberger into an errant throw in the first quarter with pressure up the middle. Green hit Roethlisberger, whose underthrown pass was intercepted by Nick Collins. The safety weaved through traffic before leaping into the end zone for a 14-0 lead.


Videographer: akaGameBoy; Nick Collins post-game interview.

Super Bowl XLV: Packers' Collins weaves way into spotlight with interception return

ARLINGTON, Texas — Throughout the week, Nick Collins was the forgotten free safety in Super Bowl XLV. While the Pittsburgh Steelers' Troy Polamalu garnered the lion's share of the attention for his flowing locks, friendly demeanor, big-play reputation and newly minted NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, Collins, the Green Bay Packers' six-year veteran, quietly went about his business.

Once the Super Bowl rolled around, however, it was Collins, not Polamalu, who made the biggest defensive play of the game. He gave the Packers a 14-0 lead when he intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, a critical play in their 31-25 victory over the Steelers on Sunday.

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Edward Waters hires Brad Bernard

EWC Head Football Coach Brad Bernard

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Word gets around quick in the coaching profession.

Even before former Bethune-Cookman offensive coordinator Brad Bernard was hired as head football coach at Edward Waters on Monday, his phone started ringing.

"Some people I hadn't talked to in 12 years were calling to congratulate me and sometimes asking for a job," Bernard said. Bernard will be officially introduced today at the NAIA school in Jacksonville. And then he will begin making his own calls to put together a coaching staff. One of the first calls he will make, Bernard said, will be to old boss, former B-CU head coach Alvin Wyatt.

"Everyone in America would like to talk to that man," Bernard said of the Wildcats' all-time winningest coach. "He's a great head coach. Hopefully he can give me some guidance."

Brad Bernard to be named new football coach at Edward Waters

Edward Waters College will announce the hiring of Brad Bernard as its new head football coach at a news conference today. Bernard has been offensive coordinator for Bethune-Cookman and Howard University. He also coached at two local high schools, Raines and Mandarin.

He played at and graduated from Georgia Southern where he helped lead the Eagles to the conference championship three years.  He led Bethune-Cookman to two Division 1-AA playoff appearances and to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship in 2002.

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Fired B-CU coach sues university

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Alvin Wyatt, the winningest football coach in Bethune-Cookman University's history, has sued the school, claiming breach of contract for firing him in November after a 5-6 season. Neither Wyatt nor his attorney could be reached for comment Thursday, but the lawsuit filed in circuit court Wednesday claims the 62-year-old coach was "wrongfully terminated" without cause and without written notice, as required in his contract with BCU.

Alvin Wyatt, Sr., former head football coach, B-CU.
















Wyatt seeks more than $800,000, including five years of his base salary of $90,000, five years of television appearance income at $35,000 per year and five years of "additional guaranteed income" that totaled $40,000 in 2009. The suit also opens the door for a possible age-discrimination action in federal court after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission completes its review of the case. Former Rutgers assistant coach Brian Jenkins, 39, was hired to replace Wyatt in December.

Liz Poston, a university spokeswoman, confirmed that B-CU has been served with the complaint, but declined to comment, saying the university has a policy to not discuss personnel matters publicly. Athletics Director Lynn Thompson also refused comment. Wyatt was fired on Nov. 23, 2009, two days after the Wildcats lost to arch-rival Florida A&M, 42-6. He compiled a record of 90-54 in 13 seasons as B-CU's head coach.

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Bethune-Cookman makes quick, boneheaded decision on Coach Wyatt

Coach Alvin "Shine" Wyatt, Sr., winningest coach in B-CU history, ends 13 year run with a 90-54 football record, two MEAC Championships, and two NCAA FCS Playoff appearances. Wyatt also served for 18 years as the Wildcats women basketball coach finishing with a 260-200 record and two MEAC championships.

B-CU fires coach

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Alvin Wyatt era came to an end Monday when Bethune-Cookman University fired the Wildcats' all-time wins leader, the only head football coach to take B-CU to consecutive playoff appearances and the school's only coach to defeat archrival Florida A&M three straight seasons. Wyatt's 13-year run -- the longest tenure in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference -- ended about 4:30 p.m. Monday.

B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson summoned Wyatt and told him the news in a face-to-face meeting. "It was one of the toughest situations I've ever been in professionally, having to have that conversation with Alvin Wyatt," Thompson said. "It's been a 13-year career that's included some great accomplishments. But after meeting with the administration, looking at the future, it was decided we needed to begin moving in another direction immediately."

B-CU has big shoes to fill after firing Wyatt

Gotta admit, when Alvin Wyatt was first promoted to Bethune-Cookman head coach 13 years ago, I considered it a punt. But staying in-house with that hire seemed to make sense at the time -- go with familiarity, save a little money in the process, and learn to be happy with four or six wins each year until further notice. The first two assumptions might've been correct, but Wyatt proved to be anything but a caretaker or babysitter for a program that, at that time, was in awkward shape (to put it nicely).

Wyatt hit the ground running -- literally. He employed an option-style offense and, when the blocking was decent and the quarterback sharp and athletic, the Wildcats could run an opposing defense into the ground. But a turnaround in a program, while always welcomed, also breeds expectations, and for a variety of reasons (speculation on the message boards runs the gamut) those expectations haven't been met the past four years.

Wyatt Won't Return as B-CU's Coach

DAYTONA BEACH Bethune-Cookman University will not renew head football coach Alvin Wyatt's contract. The school announced its decision Monday, two days after a 42-6 loss to Florida A&M. Bethune-Cookman Athletics Director Lynn W. Thompson says a national search for Wyatt's replacement will begin immediately. The assistant coaching staff will remain intact until the new coach is named. Bethune-Cookman finished this season with a 5-6 record, the third losing season in the past four years. The team went 8-3 in 2008. Wyatt coached 13 seasons at Bethune-Cookman with an overall record of 90-54.

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B-CU Wildcats Sign 32 To National Letters Of Intent

Bethune-Cookman University Head Football Coach Alvin Wyatt, Sr. and his coaching staff announced Wednesday the signing of 32 high school student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to attend B-CU in the fall of 2009 and to play football for the Wildcats. B-CU also announced two transfers who will be joining the football program in 2009.

"I am very excited with the recruiting class," said Coach Alvin Wyatt on Wednesday. "It is the largest class in numbers we've ever had here and it is a great recruiting class. For the first time - we were able to recruit 12 offensive lineman and we added size and strength on both the offensive and defensive lines."

Coach Wyatt added that he was very pleased with the four QB recruits. "We signed four quality quarterbacks and we will have 7 quarterbacks competing at the position in the fall," said Wyatt. "We need them all and there will be a lot of talent at the position. We also helped ourselves signing two of the best high school kickers in the State of Florida."

Listed below are the 32 high school players (in alphabetical order) who signed National Letters of Intent with Bethune-Cookman University on Wednesday and the two Division I college transfers.

1. Michael Adams Quarterback Fr - HS - 6-1/180 Riverdale, Georgia (Riverdale High School)
2. J. J. Adams Defensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-2 - 240 Orange Park, Fla. (Ridgeview High School)
3. Phillip Bailey Linebacker Fr. HS - 6-1 - 210 Daytona Beach, Fla. (Spruce Creek High School)
4. Kenneth Bishop Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-2 - 275
Sunrise. Fla. (Piper High School)
5. Cory Clarke Defensive Back Fr. HS - 5-10 - 170 Miami, Fla. (Miami Central High School)
6. Benjamin De La Cruz Quarterback Fr. HS - 6-1 - 195 Deltona, Fla. (Pine Ridge High School)
7. Darrell Wilson Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-3 - 245 Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast High School)
8. Gabriel Encarnacion Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-3 - 305 Hollywood, Fla. (MacArthur High School)
9. Corey Ferguson Quarterback Fr. HS - 5-10 - 180 Orlando, Fla. (Evans High School)
10. Jarkevis Fields Linebacker Fr. HS - 5-11 - 215 Sanford , Fla. (Seminole High School)
11. Markeil Floyd Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-4 - 235 Tampa, Fla. (Tampa Bay Tech High School)
12. Kevin Grier Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-4 - 295 Spring Hill, Fla. (Brooksville Central High School)
13. Sven Hurd Kicker Fr. HS - 6-0 - 190 Pensacola, Fla. (Pine Forest High School)
14. Pedro Neiva Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-4 - 310 Miami, Fla. (Coral Reef High School)
15. Isidore Jackson Running Back Fr. HS - 5-11 - 180 Crestview, Fla. (Walton High School)
16. Shelby Jackson Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-2 - 270 Rockledge, Fla. (Rockledge High School)
17. Javaris Johnson Wide Receiver Fr. HS - 5-10 - 170 Gretna, Fla. (Florida High HS)
18. Kory Kowalski Kicker Fr. HS - 6-3 - 180 Rockledge, Fla. (Rockledge High School)
19. Nixon LaRoche Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-4 - 315 Miami, Fla. (Archbishop Curly High School)
20. Nesly Marcellon Linebacker Fr. HS - 6-1 - 210 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Stranahan High School)
21. Deonte McDowell Defensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-3 -265 Avondale Estates, Georgia (Avondale High School)
22. Alexander Monroe Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-4 - 305 Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast High School)
23. Shyler Morgan Running Back Fr. HS - 5-10 - 180 Mayo, Fla. (Lafayette City High School)
24. Jacoby Nelson Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-3 - 280 Lauderhill, Fla. (Piper High School)
25. Jacob Palmer Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-5 - 310 Deltona, Fla. (Pine Ridge High School)
26. Greg Ross, Jr. Quarterback Fr. HS - 5-10, 170 Daytona Beach, Fla. (Mainland High School)
27. Marquell Rozier Defensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-7 - 345 St. Pauls, N.C. (Ft. Union Military School)
28. Greg Smith Linebacker Fr. HS - 6-0 - 215 Hollywood, Fla. (Hallandale High School)
29. Barry Stafford Defensive End Fr. HS - 6-0 - 240 Atlanta, Georgia (Chamblee High School)
30. Javaris Sutton Defensive End Fr. HS - 6-1 - 240 Lake Wales, Fla. (Lake Wales High School)
31. Dennell Wesley Offensive Lineman Fr. HS - 6-2 - 280 Hastings, Fla. (Menendez High School)
32. Erik Williams Defensive End Fr. HS - 6-4 -230 Plantation, Fla. (Stranahan High School)

Milestone for BCU Wildcats coach

Alvin Wyatt became the winningest coach in Bethune-Cookman University history Saturday, when his Wildcats beat Hampton University 17-6 at Armstrong Stadium. Wyatt, 84-47 at B-CU, is in his 12th season as head coach, but he's been a coach of some kind at the school for 32 years.

He served as an assistant football coach for 20 years under five head coaches before becoming the head man after the 1996 season. Wyatt guided the Wildcats to the 2002 MEAC football title, and to a second consecutive Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) playoff appearance a year later.

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Bethune-Cookman seeking return to former glory

The team's progress last season and new players are generating excitement

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bethune-Cookman finished 5-6 for the second year in a row last season and lost two All-Americans, yet the feeling of urgency is not the same as a year ago. In fact, coach Alvin Wyatt seems pretty relaxed these days. Part of the reason was the way 2007 ended. The Wildcats won three of their last four games and put an exclamation point on the turnaround with a 34-7 trouncing of archrival Florida A&M in the Florida Classic. A win over FAMU has a way of soothing the alumni, even after two losing seasons.

Coach Alvin Wyatt will have an uphill battle to improve the Wildcats standings with improving programs at DSU, SCSU, NSU, Hampton, Morgan and FAMU.

''One of our problems last year was we were weak in the third and fourth quarter,'' Wyatt said. ``Once we got a full-time strength coach [Britt Patton] we began playing better football. We nearly won our last five games. We just had a mistake here and a mistake there. ''Against Winston-Salem, we were driving to win the game, but we [threw] an interception. Hampton, we had them on the ropes.''

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Season Opener: BCU (0-0) vs. Alabama State University (0-1), Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET, September 6, 2008 @ Daytona Beach, FL Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 10,000) Radio Coverage: WELE 1380am and Game Tracker.

Bethune-Cookman's Wyatt Has True ‘Home’ Edge

Alvin Wyatt clearly enjoys being flashy. Bethune-Cookman’s football coach has maybe the most distinctive sideline wardrobe in the game. Shirts opened to mid-chest, gaudy jewelry dangling from his neck, sunglasses, pointed shoes with a glossy shine. And when he’s away from the football field, he sometimes can be found driving around Daytona Beach in his luxury sedan. It’s simply part of his lore, the way he’s always been, the way he’ll always be.

Yet Wyatt also has a simple side, the one that is the backbone of his football program. For nearly three decades, the Bronson Residential Complex — the Bethune dorm that houses most football players, wedged between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the team’s practice field — has been his year-round home. He eats alongside the students, shares a bathroom with them, rides the same elevators, walks the same hallways.

VIDEO: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1569844333/bclid1126080948/bctid1745137062

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Ready To Roll

BCU head football coach Alvin C. "Shine" Wyatt, Sr., sports back- to- back 5-6 records with the Wildcats.

DAYTONA - Alvin Wyatt clearly enjoys being flashy. Bethune-Cookman's football coach has maybe the most distinctive sideline wardrobe in the game. Shirts opened to mid-chest, gaudy jewelry dangling from his neck, sunglasses, pointed shoes with a glossy shine. And when he's away from the football field, he sometimes can be found driving around Daytona Beach in his luxury sedan. It's simply part of his lore, the way he's always been, the way he'll always be.

Yet Wyatt also has a simple side, the one that is the backbone of his football program. For nearly three decades, the Bronson Residential Complex - the Bethune dorm that houses most football players, wedged between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the team's practice field - has been his year-round home. He eats alongside the students, shares a bathroom with them, rides the same elevators, walks the same hallways. His reason? Officially, it's to save money, since he isn't exactly one of football's higher-paid coaches. Deep down, though, he simply doesn't want to be anywhere else.

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At Bethune, Alvin Wyatt has a true 'home' edge

Alvin Wyatt clearly enjoys being flashy. Bethune-Cookman's football coach has maybe the most distinctive sideline wardrobe in the game. Shirts opened to mid-chest, gaudy jewelry dangling from his neck, sunglasses, pointed shoes with a glossy shine. And when he's away from the football field, he sometimes can be found driving around Daytona Beach in his luxury sedan. It's simply part of his lore, the way he's always been, the way he'll always be.

Yet Wyatt also has a simple side, the one that is the backbone of his football program.

BCU Wildcats head football coach Alvin Wyatt(Mark's Digital Photography).

For nearly three decades, the Bronson Residential Complex - the Bethune dorm that houses most football players, wedged between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the team's practice field - has been his year-round home. He eats alongside the students, shares a bathroom with them, rides the same elevators, walks the same hallways. His reason? Officially, it's to save money, since he isn't exactly one of football's higher-paid coaches.

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B-CU speedsters on Thunderbirds

DAYTONA BEACH -- Lamont Finnie and Louis Brown first met on the streets -- the streets of Bethune-Cookman University.

The two Daytona Beach Thunderbirds speedsters shared a common bond there.

"Me and Louis met back at Bethune, we were racing on the street with each other. We'd race and everything on the strip on foot," said Finnie, whose Thunderbirds play their Arena Football League2 home opener Sunday vs. Wilkes-Barre. "It was 60 yards. Everybody comes out. They say, 'You're fast,' well, then they text you and tell you to come out to race. If somebody calls you out, you go race."

Apparently, foot-racing is an age-old tradition among the football players and students at B-CU.

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This must be a southern thing--running in the streets for no other purpose than someone called you out...

Bethune-Cookman signs 19 to NLI for football

Photo: Bethune Cookman University head football coach Alvin B. Wyatt

DAYTONA BEACH -- In Ronald Gaudin, Bethune-Cookman coach Alvin Wyatt saw his next great quarterback -- an athlete in the mold of Allen Suber or Pa'tell Troutman. Unfortunately, Gaudin didn't see it that way. Oh, he signed a letter-of-intent with B-CU on Wednesday. But the Miami Archbishop Curley product wants to play slotback in the Wildcats' triple-action offense. And who's Wyatt to quibble.

After signing the best group of skill players in his 11 years as head coach, Wyatt says Gaudin can play anywhere he wants."He's probably the best athlete we have on board," Wyatt said. "He has that burst of explosive speed. I wanted him to play quarterback, but he'll be just as dangerous at the slot."

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2008 WILDCATS SIGNEES

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/High School

1. Morocko Blash RB 6-0 215 Fr. Dublin, Ga./West Laurens HS

2. James Brown FS 5-11 190 Fr. Miami, Fla./American HS

3, Kenio Brown OL 6-1 286 Fr. Miami, Fla./American HS

4. Jarvis Caffey DB 5-11 175 Fr. Atlanta, Ga./Grady HS

5. Maurice Francois QB 5-10 170 Fr. Palm Bay, Fla./Bayside HS

6. Ronald Gaudin QB/WR 5-10 175 Fr. Miami, Fla./Archbishop Curley

7. Miles Harris RB 6-2 222 Fr. Gainesville, Fla./Eastside HS

8. D.J. Howard DB 5-11 175 Fr. Port Orange, Fla./Spruce Creek HS

9. Richardo Hunter SAF 6-3 210 Fr. Rockledge, Fla./Rockledge HS

10. Kevin James WR 6-1 180 Fr. Tampa, Fla./Plant HS

11. Courtney Keith QB 5-11 175 Fr. Eustis, Fla./Eustis HS

12. Ryan Lewis ILB 6-1 210 Fr. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Blanche Ely HS

13.Jameel McCloud WR 6-3 180 Fr. Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz HS

14.Trey Mallory DB/SS 6-1 195 Fr. Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast HS

15.Jonathan Moment RB 5-10 220 Fr. Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland

16.Daniel C. Rhodes DB 5-11 185 Fr. Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast HS

17.Eugene Soloman DE 6-4 245 Fr. Savannah, Ga./Jenkins HS

18.Eli Sprenkel DT 6-0 275 Fr. Madison, Fla./Madison County HS

19.Cornelius Wheeler DL 6-1 245 Fr. Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland