5 Standouts as HBCU Football Returns

By Chris Wallace
Black College Wire

Charles Watkins, N.C. A&T Jackson State University quarterback Robert Kent tries to escape N.C. A&T linebacker Joey Lance in the Sept. 7 game.

Ah . . . it's that time again, when you buckle up that chinstrap and get ready for battle, and where the bands compete for bragging rights.

Yes, HBCU football is back, and might be better than ever this season. Five teams stand out, and here's how I see them:

1. Tuskegee Golden Tigers (11-1 in 2001)

Eleven wins in a college football season is a great accomplishment. In 2001, Tuskegee not only accomplished that feat but did it without much difficulty. Over the past two seasons, the Golden Tigers have compiled a 23-1 record, and the 2002 season might be no different, as the Golden Tigers are the favorite to repeat as SIAC champs. However, Tuskegee lost to graduation perhaps its best player, tailback Bobby Wilson. Wilson rushed for a league-high 1,771 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2001.

Nonetheless, the Golden Tigers had 10 players selected to the preseason All-SIAC teams led by wideout Kylin Kimble and offensive lineman Bruce Lawrence. Kimble, who caught 28 passes for 726 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2001, should be a major help for new quarterback Terrance Jones. Defensively, Tuskegee is loaded. Defensive lineman Donald Joyce is a run stopper on the inside, while cornerback Drayton Florence and free safety Jeffrey Stanton are playmakers in the secondary.
Key Game: Oct. 19 at Morehouse

2. North Carolina A&T Aggies (8-3 in 2001)

The 2001 season for the N.C. A&T Aggies left a bitter taste in their mouths. After losing star tailback Maurice Hicks to a torn ACL, the Aggies dropped two of their final three games and lost out on the MEAC title and a playoff berth. However, the 2002 Aggies seem to be fully recovered and ready. While they�ve been hit by a major off-season makeover (five new coaches), the Aggies �Blue Death Defense� motto has resurfaced. The Aggies� much heralded defense has been ranked among the best of the league and the nation over the past three seasons, and looks really good in 2002. That could be scary for opponents, as the Aggies surrendered only 2.6 yards per rush in 2001.

Offensively, new offensive coordinator Linwood Ferguson has installed a passing attack on a team known for pounding the football in the ground game. Senior tailback Cornelius Gary will try to fill the void left by Hicks. Gary�s ability has been questioned thoroughly during the preseason, however, Gary impressed enough people to be selected as preseason first team All-MEAC. The difference between the Aggies and everyone else in 2002 will be special teams, where they thrived a season ago.
Key Game: Oct. 19 at Florida A&M

3. Grambling State Tigers (10-1 in 2001)

Last season was magical for Coach Doug Williams and his Grambling State Tigers. The Tigers exceeded all expectations as they were honored by the Sheridan Broadcasting Network as the 2001 SBN Black College National Football Champions, and garnered their second straight SWAC title. The 2002 season won�t be as easy for the champs, but they should be successful.

After losing first-team All-American linebacker Robert Taylor and several other key starters to graduation, the Tigers will look to their youthful team to step up and make plays. They return only eight starters from last season (three offensive and five defense), and former running back Brad Hill is academically ineligible for the 2002 season. Offensively, the Tigers will need to fill huge voids and do it in a hurry. However, the Tigers are very good defensively, led in the secondary by Denmark Reed and Chris Brown. When all things clear up in 2002, the Tigers will be OK.
Key Game: Oct. 26 vs Jackson State

4. Florida A&M Rattlers (7-4 in 2001)

Each year, the Rattlers seem to have no problem putting up astounding offensive numbers in their Gulf Coast offense. This season should be no different for the defending MEAC champs. Coming off a 7-4 campaign in 2001, the Rattlers look to make a return trip to the playoffs, and with new transfer quarterback Casey Printers, they feel their chances are even greater. Printers, a transfer student from exas Christian, looks to lead an already potent offense,and with wideouts Marco Junious and Charles Allen returning, Printers will have plenty of targets to throw to.

Defensively, the Rattlers run a 46 or 43 scheme, which produces turnovers. Defensive lineman Sean Kelly is a star in the making, and the Rattlers are banking on the sophomore to make big plays. The Rattlers are the preseason favorite to win the MEAC and are also ranked number one in the Street and Smith poll. With a favorable schedule, the Rattlers look as though they could cruise to the MEAC title, but if they can�t defeat their nemesis (N.C. A&T), to whom they�ve lost for three consecutive years, they could be sidetracked. Nonetheless, the Rattlers have a powerful team.
Key Game: Oct. 19 vs N.C. A&T

5. Jackson State Tigers (7-4 in 2001)

It�ll be another year of the run and gun for the Tigers of Jackson State. After putting up unbelievable offensive numbers a season ago, the Tigers plan to attack the same way. Junior quarterback Robert Kent had an unbelievable sophomore season as he passed for 3,640 yards with 31 touchdown passes and even ran for nine more touchdowns. Kent�s marvelous season was followed with his nomination as a finalist for the Conerly Trophy, the sportswriters' and broadcasters' award to the top college football player in Mississippi. Kent's favorite target from a season ago, T.C. Taylor, was also nominated as he hauled in 84 passes for 1,234 yards and 11 touchdowns. However, Taylor has graduated, leaving a void for the Tigers to fill at receiver. Defensively, the Tigers will need to improve just a bit. The defense gave up an average of 31.1 points per game as well as surrendering just under 348 yards of total offense to opponents. The Tigers' biggest problems, however, may have been in the first and fourth quarters, where they were outscored by 35 points in 2001. Nonetheless, the Tigers offense should be good enough to carry them, as Street and Smith�s have placed them at number two in the preseason poll.
Key Game: Oct. 26 at Grambling State

Chris Wallace is sports editor at the A&T Register at North Carolina A&T University.