B-CU Change of offense, change of outlook

Familiar playbook transforms Johnson into 10-0 QB

Matt Johnson said he simply smiled when he heard the words. It had to be more than that, though – certainly enough to catch the attention of his new offensive coordinator. Out with the triple option. In with the spread offense. Just like that, Johnson perked up.

"Oh yeah," coordinator Brian Orlando said, recalling last spring's introductory meeting with the offense. "He was very excited about that."

Before long, Orlando and Wildcats head coach Brian Jenkins could see why the Fort Lauderdale High product was so jazzed. And with the Wildcats now on the brink of the first unbeaten regular season in school history, all of B-CU is catching on.

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FAMU Rattlers have no doubts about competitiveness

While coaches around the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference think Saturday's Florida Classic is too close to call, there isn't a man associated with the Florida A&M football team that believes it can't end Bethune-Cookman's unbeaten streak.

Coach Joe Taylor especially took exception to his team is being label as potential spoilers. "We are in to win and I don't see it (as) being a spoiler," Taylor said during his weekly press conference. "The bottom line is whoever wins, wins the championship. I'm sure because of their record (10-0) we would probably be considered underdogs but that's for the media."

Freshmen confident going into Classic

Freshman tight end Michael Ethridge always gets a little hyper on the eve of a football game just because of the anxiety to get on the field. But this Friday night he might have be even more difficult for him to sleep.

The following day, Ethridge's Florida A&M team will face off with Bethune-Cookman University in the Florida Classic. It isn't just another game and with all that will be at stake Ethridge knows sleep won't come easy on the day before his first appearance in the Classic.

B-CU football could help Florida Classic produce sellout crowd

There is a bigger reward on the line than “bragging rights” for the 31st annual Florida Classic Saturday. Bethune Cookman, ranked No. 7 among Division I-AA by the Sports Network, needs a win against Florida A&M to get an automatic bid to the Football Championship Series. Should the team lose, and South Carolina State lose Saturday, then Florida A&M would earn the automatic bid to the playoffs.

With so much on the line, a stellar season, an intense rivalry and, of course, solid halftime entertainment, the Florida Classic could be looking at its first sellout crowd since 2006.

So far, over 50,000 tickets have been sold and Florida Citrus Sports executives say the sales are on pace to have 59,418 sold by Saturday, not including the walk-ups. A sellout crowd for this year’s game is 65,438 fans.

Former 'Dawg hopes to end career with title

Former Marianna Bulldogs star running back Philip Sylvester will have a chance Saturday to make a special ending for a special career, when his FAMU Rattlers take on Bethune-Cookman in the annual Florida Classic in Orlando. Sylvester, who starred for the Bulldogs from 2004 to 2006, has carried over his success to the college level, and will have a chance to reach a pair of significant milestones Saturday.

The 5-foot, 10-inch, 185-pound running back is 178 yards away from the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career, and is 148 yards from passing the 3,000-yard mark for his Rattlers career.

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Undefeated Bethune-Cookman, behind QB Matt Johnson, ready to take on Florida A&M

The improvement that Bethune-Cookman quarterback Matt Johnson has made in just one season is remarkable. The Fort Lauderdale native completed 53.8 percent of his passes for 823 yards as a junior in 2009, throwing just one touchdown pass and seven interceptions.

This year, Johnson has completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 1,844 yards, 13 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He also has 670 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He is without question the top quarterback in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a player who can beat teams with his arm or his legs.

"When we came in, we felt like this young man had the qualities if we could hone the skills the right way," first-year Bethune coach Brian Jenkins said.

Ex-Colonial receiver Kevin Elliott out to spoil B-CU's run

Kevin Elliott and the rest of the Florida A&M Rattlers have been rooting for their arch rival recently. With every game the Rattlers have won in their current five-game winning streak, they have been hoping to see Bethune-Cookman University continue its own winning streak en route to this weekend's big showdown in the Florida Classic at the Citrus Bowl.

And so Elliott and the Rattlers have gotten their wish. The stage is set. Undefeated, 10-0 Bethune-Cookman will take on the equally hot Florida A&M Rattlers (7-3) in one of the most important games this series has seen. "We want to make history," said Elliott, a 2006 graduate of Orlando Colonial High.

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

HU fumbles away chances to win in 23-18 loss to Bethune-Cookman

HAMPTON — Going into halftime, Donovan Rose's Hampton University team had a seven-point lead on undefeated Bethune-Cookman, the No. 11 team in the country, a team that hadn't trailed all season and was putting up 44 points a game. "I felt great," Rose said.

Rose's happiness lasted 19 seconds into the second half, until the first of two turnovers-turned-touchdowns in a span of 3:04 swung the momentum and the outcome in the Pirates' 23-18 loss to the Wildcats on Saturday at Armstrong Stadium.

Hampton squanders chances as Bethune-Cookman escapes

HAMPTON — When they pen the epitaph of Hampton University's 2010 football season, it will read something like: Here lies a team whose offense was too often inoffensive and whose special teams were anything but. On a day when the Pirates' gallant defense again played well enough to win, the offense and special teams again cost them a chance at a signature victory and a share of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Instead, the Pirates go back to the training room and the video room for a heaping helping of "What if …" after Saturday's 23-18 loss to league leader Bethune-Cookman.



HU notebook: Hurt Legree gets playing time after Bynes was injured

HAMPTON — David Legree dressed out for Saturday's homecoming game against Bethune-Cookman, but Hampton's starting junior quarterback in no way expected to play. In fact, with junior Herb Bynes leading the Pirates down the field early in the second quarter, Legree's thoughts strayed to the locker room.

"Herb was playing so good, I was two plays from going to take off my equipment," said Legree, who aggravated lingering right leg injuries last week.

PICTURES: Bethune-Cookman 23, Hampton 18 (Photos by Diane Mathews)

Turnovers do in Pirates on homecoming

HAMPTON, VA – Hampton University looked to do something it had not done since 2006: win its Homecoming game. Celebrating Senior Day in front of a crowd of over 12,000 fans, the Pirates fell short yet again against the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University on Saturday. The Wildcats used an explosive second half to come out on top 23-18 at Armstrong Stadium.

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ATTENDANCE:12,244

Wildcats blackout Aggies: Bethune-Cookman 67, N. Carolina A&T 17

B-CU game delayed by power outage

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- The game was billed this week as a "black-out."

Bethune-Cookman marketers had no idea how prophetic that label would be. As the Wildcats were setting up for a 2-point conversion with 3:37 left in the first quarter Thursday night, power went out at Municipal Stadium. Because of a blown transformer and lightning in the area, B-CU's nationally televised game with North Carolina A&T was delayed for one hour and 42 minutes with the Wildcats leading 19-0.

B-CU (8-0, 5-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) went on to defeat N.C. A&T 67-17 as the Wildcats racked up 621 yards of total offense.

NC A&T's primetime game goes awry

The bus left Greensboro early Tuesday morning for the long ride to Daytona Beach, Fla., where N.C. A&T would get its one shot at a nationally televised game this season. This wasn’t what the Aggies (1-8, 1-5 MEAC) had in mind.

Not a 50-point loss. And certainly not a game that started Thursday night and ended in the wee small hours of Friday morning. A&T’s primetime showcase game on ESPNU at undefeated Bethune-Cookman (8-0, 5-0) got off to a rough start. The host Wildcats scored on their first three possessions to take a 19-0 lead. Then the lights went out.



Power outage darkens B-CU spotlight

DAYTONA BEACH -- The spotlight on Bethune-Cookman University's football program went dark Thursday night when a distant piece of power equipment -- a lightning protector about a mile-and-a-half from Municipal Stadium -- sent the game into an hourlong blackout.

B-CU, playing in front of a national TV audience on ESPN's college-dedicated ESPNU channel, was leading 19-0 late in the first quarter when, at 8:16 p.m., the stadium went dark. Moments later, a thunderstorm moved over the stadium.

Mayhew Reaches 1000, Aggies Fall To Wildcats

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., -- Junior running back Mike Mayhew was the bright spot in what otherwise was a very dim night for the North Carolina A&T football team. His historic season continued on Thursday as he rushed for 211 yards on 31 carries. He is the first Aggie to rush for more than 200 yards in a game since Brandon Sweeney rushed for 205 yards on Oct. 8, 2005 against Morgan State at FedEx Field.

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TONIGHT: 7:30 p.m. B-CU and NCA&T ready for close-up with nation on ESPNU

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Followers of college football's second tier (formerly Division I-AA; formally the Football Championship Subdivision) have likely been wondering about what's behind Bethune-Cookman's turnaround this season.

They'll get their best chance yet to take a look for themselves tonight as B-CU, ranked 12th in the national FCS poll, plays North Carolina A&T at Daytona Beach's Municipal Stadium, and the game will be televised live on ESPN's college-dedicated channel, ESPNU.

"It's still football," B-CU coach Brian Jenkins said. "You still have to play on a 100-yard field between the white lines. It hasn't disrupted us at all. We're getting prepared for the game and will be ready to play."

Hines was the missing ingredient

The North Carolina A&T football team earned its first win of the season on Oct. 23 with a 52-32 victory over Howard. The win ends a 10-game losing streak for the Aggies and is their first since defeating Howard 30-19 on Oct. 24, 2009. "More excited for them to see the hard work and all those things pay off because they have been working hard," said head coach Alonzo Lee. "They have been getting out there doing great things."

The star of the game for the Aggies was George Hines, the standout outfielder for the Aggies baseball team. He started for the second consecutive game on Saturday after making his debut in last weeks lost to Delaware State. Hines went 12-16 passing for 235 yards and three touchdowns, crediting the coaching staff for his preparation and knowing where the Bison defense would be.

"Of Course George Hines with that addition...

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Bethune-Cookman 7-0, but not perfect

DURHAM, N.C. -- Bethune-Cookman's perfect run continued Saturday with a 23-10 win over North Carolina Central at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. But it wasn't a thing of beauty, according the first-year Wildcats coach Brian Jenkins.

"A win is a win," Jenkins said. "We'll take it. It was ugly. We didn't play very well offensively. Thank God for our defense. My hat goes off to North Carolina Central. They played a tough physical football game, which I knew they would."

The 14th-ranked Wildcats needed a fourth-quarter scoring surge to put away N.C. Central and improve to 7-0. NCCU (2-5), which joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this season but is not yet eligible for the conference championship, lost its third straight game.

Wildcats LB Lewis keeps coming up big

DURHAM, N.C. -- Bethune-Cookman won its first five football games of 2010 with offense, but for the second week in a row the Wildcats needed their defense to come through on Saturday, and it did. An interception by junior linebacker Ryan Lewis that he returned 67 yards for a touchdown set the tone early for Bethune-Cookman in its 23-10 win over North Carolina Central.

Lewis said he knew the play was coming before the interception because of the way Central's tight end lined up and got off the ball on the snap. "All week I heard about that play (in practice)," Lewis said. "The coaches told me it was going to be there and I just had to make it. I got a couple of blocks from my teammates that helped me. That's the best part about it."


Bethune-Cookman pulls away from NCCU

DURHAM -- It's going to take more than a game to turn around N.C. Central's football season, but interim coach Darryl Bullock saw some promising signs in his team's 23-14 loss to No. 14 Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. "We're showing we belong and we're close, but that just makes me sick," Bullock said. "It is a sick feeling, and I know that's how the team feels. We've got to stay together."

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ATTENDANCE: 7,645

Bethune-Cookman KOs 2-time MEAC champ South Carolina State Bulldogs

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Bethune-Cookman football coach Brian Jenkins said he compared Saturday's game against two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion South Carolina State to a heavyweight boxing match.

If so, it was Cassius Clay versus Sonny Liston in 1964. And just as Clay (before he was known as Muhammad Ali) claimed he "shook up" the world in '64, the Wildcats shook up the MEAC world Saturday by beating the seemingly unbeatable Bulldogs 14-0 on their home field.

"We tabbed this game a heavyweight fight, and we said we're going to take it 15 rounds," Jenkins said. "And if it came down to the last round and we had to go toe-to-toe, we were willing to do that. It just so happened we were able to win 14 of the 15 rounds."

'Cats coach shares moment

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- How big was Bethune-Cookman's 14-0 upset of defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion South Carolina State on Saturday? Count the ways.

· No team has beaten the Bulldogs in conference play since 2007; B-CU's win snapped a 21-game conference win streak and a 13-game home wining streak for South Carolina State.

· It was B-CU's first road shutout in 10 years -- the last at Howard in 2000.

· It left B-CU as one of only two unbeaten teams in the MEAC. The Wildcats and Hampton are both 4-0, and the two teams will meet at Hampton on Nov. 6.



Shut down and out: Bethune-Cookman blanks Bulldogs, 14-0
The atmosphere at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Saturday in the closing seconds was like nothing seen at a South Carolina State football game in three seasons. Fans who were initially expressing their frustration with boos started quietly exiting the stands. On the sidelines, the Bulldog players were throwing their helmets down with confused looks on their faces.

Meanwhile, the opposing sidelines and visitors' section were a sight of uninhibited celebration as the Bethune-Cookman players showered head coach Brian Jenkins with Gatorade and carried him off the field like a conquering hero.

The 23rd-ranked Wildcats had defeated 9th-ranked South Carolina State 14-0 before a stunned 10,077 fans. The loss saw an end to the Bulldogs' Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference record 21-game winning streak and 13-game home-winning streak, both dating back to a 17-16 defeat to Delaware State on Oct. 27, 2007.

Pough sees B-C coach as rising star

The announcement of the 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year is still weeks away. As far as head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough of 10th-ranked South Carolina State is concerned, it's a foregone conclusion who will win this year's honor - Bethune-Cookman's Brian Jenkins.

"He is definitely the Coach of the Year in our league," said Pough during Monday's press conference. "They're the most improved team I've seen in this league and it's a good thing. It's good for the fact that it will help the strength of our league in the fact that he'll go out and beat some people outside of our league. ... So he'll be a force in this league for years to come."



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Attendance: 10,077

Bethune Cookman Wildcats garners national ranking

DAYTONA BEACH -- South Carolina State has been ranked all season in the FCS Top 25. On Monday, the Bulldogs were joined in the poll by Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe Bethune-Cookman. As luck would have it, the two teams will square off Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Orangeburg, S.C.

B-CU (5-0, 3-0 MEAC) entered The Sports Network/Fathead.com poll at No. 23 with 390 points after receiving votes the previous two weeks. It is the first time the Wildcats have been ranked in the FCS Top 25 since the final poll of the 2003 season.

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B-CU rolls on toward S.C. State‎

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Bethune-Cookman linebacker Ryan Lewis was answering a question Saturday after the Wildcats' 47-24 homecoming victory over Delaware State, and while gazing straight ahead he could sense his teammates sitting next to him were serving up disapproving glances.

Lewis, who had five tackles Saturday, including a 13-yard sack to force a fumble that set up the Wildcats' fourth touchdown, was getting precariously close to suggesting this week's showdown with South Carolina State would be something more than "just another football game."

Coach Brian Jenkins' players have proven to be well-coached and well-programmed as they've unexpectedly stormed to a 5-0 record for just ....

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Bethune-Cookman breaks it open early to romp to fifth straight victory

DAYTONA BEACH — Androse Bell rushed for two touchdowns and Matt Johnson accounted for two scores to lead Bethune-Cookman to a 47-24 win over Delaware State on Saturday. The Wildcats (5-0, 3-0 MEAC) are 5-0 for the fifth time in their 85-year history and first since 2002.

Bell opened the scoring with 4:23 left in the first quarter on a 1-yard run. He added a 3-yard run near the end of the first half to put B-CU ahead 27-2. The Hornets (0-3, 0-5) struggled against the Wildcats defense in the first half, scoring only two after returning a blocked extra point in the first quarter.

Hornets Remain Winless; Drop to 0-5

Daytona Beach, Fla. --- Bethune-Cookman racked up 590 yards en route to a 47-24 win over Delaware State before 10,151 homecoming fans at Municipal Stadium this afternoon. The Wildcats improved 5-0 overall and pulled into a tie with Hampton for first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) with a 3-0 mark in league play. The Hornets fell to 0-5 and 0-3.

Delaware State scored 22 points and collected 291 yards in the second half after trailing 34-2 at the break. Quarterback Matt Johnson completed 16-of-21 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 52 yards and a score, to lead the Bethune-Cookman attack. Johnson was tops in the MEAC in passing average and total offense entering the contest.

B-CU is 5-0 after rout on homecoming

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- After Bethune-Cookman and Delaware State players prayed on the field together, B-CU coach Brian Jenkins gave DSU coach Al Lavan a big hug. The postgame proceedings sure were a lot different than the last time Jenkins' Wildcats played at Municipal Stadium. This time he got to walk off the field with a big smile on his face.

Two weeks ago, he suffered from dehydration and was carried away on a stretcher and rushed to the hospital. This time he got to celebrate the victory with his players. "I'm proud of the guys and thankful for the fans and always proud of my administration and our president," a beaming Jenkins said. "Right now, it's great to be a Wildcat."

After disposing of the Hornets 47-24 before a homecoming crowd of 10,151 on Saturday, the Wildcats are 5-0 for the first time since 2002.

Photo Gallery

Attendance: 10,151

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B-CU/Norfolk State rivalry fades with Wyatt gone

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- When former Bethune-Cookman defensive coordinator Pete Adrian became head coach at Norfolk State in 2005, he took three other B-CU assistants with him and a rivalry was born.

Five years later, Brian Jenkins has replaced Alvin Wyatt as B-CU's coach and none of the Wildcats recruited by Adrian or his assistants are still with the team.

"The ties to them are gone," said B-CU quarterback Matt Johnson, a fifth-year senior. "The players who knew them are not here anymore, so it's just another game." As the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for the Wildcats, against a team that manhandled them last year, Saturday's game against the Spartans at Municipal Stadium is not quite just another game.

Pete's Ploys 3.0‎

This week's motivational tactic was by far the most entertaining, but also the most far-fetched.

Norfolk State head coach Pete Adrian said he was listening to Bethune-Cookman head coach Brian Jenkins recently -- I'm not sure if it was a media conference call, radio show or television program since I didn't hear it -- and Adrian decided to have a little fun with one of Jenkins' comments.

All of Jenkins' comments from below are Adrian's accounts, and I can't speak to the veracity of them, but it's not hard to imagine something similar occurring. Bethune has pumelled two rather inferior opponents, Savannah State and Edward Waters College. Jenkins, whose Wildcats beat Savannah State 42-7, allegedly said ...

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Bethune-Cookman vs. Savannah State

Bethune-Cookman vs. Savannah State, 4 p.m.

Consider the first game of the Brian Jenkins coaching era a success. The Wildcats (1-0) romped over NAIA Edward Waters 70-10. Bethune-Cookman tallied 635 total yards, including 239 passing. That's significant because Jenkins hopes to have more of a balanced attack than his predecessor, fired Alvin Wyatt. Wildcats QB Matt Johnson put up 281 yards of total offense, with two passing touchdowns and one rushing. Savannah State (0-2) opened the season with a 48-3 loss at Georgia Southern, then lost last week 41-10 to Fort Valley State.

SSU's offense searching for end zone

Before Savannah State University can think about beating Bethune-Cookman University today, the Tigers' offense must do something it has not done this season: score a touchdown.

SSU (0-2) has been outscored a combined 89-13 by Georgia Southern and Fort Valley State. The Tigers managed a field goal in a 48-3 loss to GSU. SSU mustered a field goal and an interception return for a touchdown in a 41-10 loss to Fort Valley State, an NCAA Division II team, last Saturday.

B-CU not taking Savannah St. lightly

Officially there is no preseason in college football. But the first two weeks are when teams often play above or below their own level. And either way, the goal is to work out the kinks for the conference matchups down the road.

While Savannah State will become a member of Bethune-Cookman's conference next season, today's game against the Tigers is just another exhibition. Not that the Wildcats are taking Savannah State lightly, they are just more worried about themselves than their opponent. B-CU thrashed its opening foe, Edward Waters, 70-10 two weeks ago, yet coach Brian Jenkins found much for his squad to improve on, such as preventing letdowns and cutting down penalties.

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B-CU rolls up 70 points, 396 rush yards in debut

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Brian Jenkins' first game as Bethune-Cookman's head coach could not have played out any better had it been choreographed. Fans squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder in the home-side grandstands at Municipal Stadium to watch Jenkins' debut Saturday and were treated to B-CU rolling up 635 yards in beating undermanned Edward Waters 70-10.

It was the most points the Wildcats have ever scored in a coach's first game. And for the most part Jenkins was satisfied. "It was our first win and hopefully a sign of more to come, but we still have a lot of work to do," he said.

Jenkins chewed out his team late in the game when he felt like his players were losing their poise, and he was unhappy with his team's seven penalties, especially a personal foul and a delay-of-game call. But those are things that probably won't be remembered in the long run.

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ESPNU TV crew films B-CU band -

With their hands waving in the air, hundreds of Bethune-Cookman University Marching Wildcats shake their hips in unison and repeatedly chant "How low can you go?" as they shimmy closer and closer to the ground.

In just two weeks, about 320 band students, including dancers and flag corps, have learned routines and dozens of songs leading up to their first performance Saturday at Municipal Stadium, where the football team plays Edward Waters College.

"We move at a fast pace," said Donovan Wells, director of bands at Bethune-Cookman University. For about 80 freshmen who play instruments, they first had to pass an audition. Once accepted earlier this year, they received 26 songs to learn before practice started Aug. 16. In all, the band members learn about 55 songs they perform throughout the season.

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Expectations split on BCU Jenkins

Bethune-Cookman University Coach Brian Jenkins

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- The gap is about as wide as the Grand Canyon. While Bethune-Cookman was picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference by the MEAC's coaches and sports information directors, Wildcats fans are generally expecting big things this season.

The reason for such disparate expectations is the same -- a new head coach. While the other coaches and SIDs seem to believe it will take time for the Wildcats to adjust to coach Brian Jenkins' system, optimistic B-CU fans are anticipating immediate improvement over last year's 5-6 (overall) and 4-4 (MEAC) marks.

"Everyone seems so impressed by how the kids have bought into what Coach Jenkins...

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B-CU Adds Two More D-I Receivers

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats coach Brian Jenkins

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- One would think a football team transitioning from a triple-option offense to a more conventional pro-style attack would experience some unique problems. Finding enough quality receivers for example. But with two Rutgers transfers recently joining the mix, receiver has suddenly become the deepest position at Bethune-Cookman.

"Our No. 1 goal of our coaching staff was to try to make each position more of a competition to get some depth where the guys had to compete and be on their 'A' game every day," B-CU first-year coach Brian Jenkins said. "It just so happened the receiver spot filled up a little bit more or faster with talent than we thought, but it's a good thing to have, and we'll see how they fit into our offensive system."

After the first week of preseason practice, Eddie Poole and Pat Brown are both fitting in well, said Jenkins, who coached them last year when he was the receivers coach at Rutgers. Poole, a 6-foot-3, redshirt sophomore from Belle Glade Glades Central, and Brown, a redshirt senior from Newark, N.J., were not getting much playing time with the Scarlet Knights. They both enjoyed playing for Jenkins last year and decided to follow him to the Sunshine State.

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Ex-Creek star changes position to help B-CU

Howard OK with being put in 'corner'

DAYTONA BEACH -- D.J. Howard has never been one to shy away from change. Although the former Spruce Creek High standout signed a football scholarship with Bethune-Cookman three years ago primarily to learn from two renowned coaches of defensive backs -- head coach Alvin Wyatt and defensive backs coach Terry Williams -- Howard was excited when new head coach Brian Jenkins was hired last December.

He had been disappointed when Wyatt, who along with Williams had played defensive back in the NFL, was fired two days after the end of last season, but Howard welcomed a fresh start and a new system and all the hard work and eventual payoff those changes would entail. "The training methods are different, the styles of practice are different," the redshirt sophomore said Friday evening, one week into Jenkins' first preseason camp with the team.

"With a new coach, everybody has to come back and compete for their jobs, and that's a great thing because it brings back a spark. Everybody has to work hard."

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B-CU moves A&T game for ESPNU coverage

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Bethune-Cookman Athletics Director Lynn Thompson and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced Tuesday that the B-CU vs. North Carolina A&T football game originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30, will now be Thursday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at Municipal Stadium. The switch was made so the game can be shown live on national television (ESPNU).

"There is a lot of interest in the new direction of our program," Thompson said. "With our phenomenal band, and the new construction of the athletic training facility and schedule upgrade, plans are underway to attract youngsters to our program from our backyard and beyond. "It will also be a super opportunity for our city to showcase the new improvements at Municipal Stadium." B-CU coach Brian Jenkins agreed.



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B-CU eyes big time, to play Miami in 2011, 2012; UCF in 2013

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Bethune-Cookman University's Wildcats have never scheduled one of college football's top-tier teams, and now that they're starting, they're not exactly dipping their toes in the water.

Athletics Director Lynn Thompson confirmed Monday the Wildcats will play the University of Miami -- one of the nation's most storied football programs -- in 2011 and 2012 and renew an old rivalry against another Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team, the University of Central Florida, in 2013.

"If you're going to swim with fish in the open ocean, you might as well swim with whales," Thompson said. "When we started looking at guarantee games, our intent was to get the best opponent we could play." They'll also haul in a whale of a payout.

Thompson said the three games will generate "well over a million dollars" for the university. Thompson confirmed the 'Cats received the going rate from the Hurricanes. Florida Championship Subdivision schools like B-CU have been receiving about $400,000 to $500,000 from Bowl Championship Series schools in recent years. Delaware State, another MEAC school, collected $550,000 to play at Michigan last season.

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'D' rules at B-CU Spring Game

DELAND, FL -- Bethune-Cookman did not show much of its hand in Saturday evening's Maroon and Gold spring football game at Spec Martin Stadium. But new coach Brian Jenkins was pleased with everything he saw. "It was pleasing. I saw some good things on offense and defense," Jenkins said. "I was happy to see us move the ball on the ground, and I was happy to see us play aggressively on defense." He was also happy to see a sizeable crowd turn out. B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson said nearly 3,000 tickets were sold.

"I felt like we came a long way this spring," linebacker Ryan Lewis said. "The offense definitely came a long way, starting totally new, and they played great." In the first half, the teams were divided up into maroon and gold squads, with the Maroon team scoring the only touchdown on safety Stephen Berthelot's 65-yard interception return. In the second half the format changed to offense vs. defense with the offense -- wearing the white jerseys -- starting each possession at the defense's 35-yard line. The offense scored on two of five possessions in the half with the defense stopping their counterparts on two goal-line stands.

Spring ball has fall feel at B-CU - Sports

Bethune-Cookman football fans will get a chance to preview the new-look Wildcats in the Maroon and Gold game at 6 p.m. today at DeLand's Spec Martin Stadium. The intrasquad game concludes new coach Brian Jenkins' first spring training camp. In the past month Jenkins and his staff installed a new multiple offense, featuring I-, split-back and spread formations. Rising senior Matt Johnson, sophomore Ben De La Cruz (Pine Ridge) and freshman Jackie Wilson have been sharing time at quarterback. Jenkins discussed today's spring game and more:

B-CU's Jackson finds solace on football field

Just five months ago, freshman Isidore Jackson was pretty sure he was leaving Bethune-Cookman. Now he can't bear being separated for long from the teammates and coaches who make up his support mechanism. But a lot has happened in five months. Days after B-CU's football season ended last November, longtime head coach Alvin Wyatt was relieved of his duties. A month later, the Wildcats hired Brian Jenkins, an assistant coach at Rutgers, to become their new head coach.

Jackson, a running back, saw Jenkins' hiring as a new start for his career. "I wasn't going to get the chance to play here, I don't think," Jackson said. "I was going to transfer if we didn't get a new coach. They had me at wide receiver, and I never played wide receiver in my life. I was uncomfortable."

B-CU holds off Norfolk St.

B-CU 6, Norfolk St. 4: Matt Wright went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBIs and two runs scored to lead Bethune-Cookman (23-14, 9-0 MEAC) past Norfolk State (11-16, 4-8 MEAC). Peter O'Brien also homered for the Wildcats and went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored. Jordan Dailey picked up the win for B-CU. He gave up two hits and struck out one while pitching one inning in relief. Juan Perez picked up his seventh save of the season.

B-CU softball complete sweep

Celsey Tafoya went 2-for-4 with one RBI to lead Bethune-Cookman (22-20) to 5-2 win and a three-game series seep against Winston-Salem (6-20). Allison Garcia (16-12) picked up the complete-game win for B-CU. Garcia gave up two runs on eight hits and struck out six.

Former 'Dog newest 'Cat

It's funny what people worry about when they are thrust into a new situation. Bethune-Cookman football coach Brian Jenkins was pleased former Georgia wide receiver Tony Wilson did not bring huge expectations with him when he joined the Wildcats this spring. Wilson was thrilled he was welcomed unconditionally by his new teammates. "They're great guys, and they accepted me as a brother," the former Mainland High star said. "Coming from a big school, they could have been, 'Well, he thinks he's you know what. He thinks he's better than us.' But they didn't see me as that."

And for good reason. Wilson is as humble and down to earth as they come. He decided to utilize his final year of football eligibility because B-CU offered him a full scholarship to earn a master's degree. He still has the desire to play and he thought he could help the team one way or another -- whether it's making plays on the field or just being a steady voice of experience on the sidelines. "I've been pleased with him and he's adjusted well," Jenkins said. "Normally when you get guys like him, they come in asking for the world: 'I want this. I want that.' But Tony's fallen right in. I know right now he has the attitude where he'll help us in any capacity."

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