I Got Next!
Karsceal Turner
Special to West Orlando News Online
Fort Valley State University traveled 340 miles; over five and-a-half hours to revive a rivalry with an old nemesis. From my vantage point, which alternated from ground level on the sidelines to a bird’s eye view from the press-box of Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, the Inaugural Biker Classic between two separate HBCU Wildcat football 58-30squads was a decent look. B-CU’s high-powered ground scheme caught fire and cat walked all over FVSU to the tune of nearly 30 points in a 58-30 win by the Florida based Wildcats.
In my humble opinion, FVSU, who is a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) wasn’t the same caliber team as their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) counterparts. Still, this wasn’t a team of slouches, despite being lapped.
Ahem, allow me to clear my throat and poke a little fun at FVSU:
This team has the nerve to call themselves “Wildcats” and the audacity to bring their 130-member band and a busload of fans. I’m really not going to even get on that band right now. Let’s stick to the game.
B-CU is now 3-3 and even on the season. However, they never looked past their Division II opponents. FVSU (1-5 overall) played as if they had a chip on their shoulders. This version of the Wildcats came here to play, and so did their band. Well it was a total team effort in the loss. While B-CU handled the gridiron portion of the battle, the Marching Pride blew the Marching Blue Storm back to Georgia.
Third-Stringer gets the start
David Blackwell got the nod at signal caller. Yes, he’s a sophomore, yes, he’s third-string, yes he passed for 222 yards and one touchdown and yes, he rushed for 92 yards in his first start.
“We wanted to start David and give him an opportunity. And we were going to come back with Jackie (Wilson),” B-CU coach Brian Jenkins said. “David moved the offense well, we decided to go ahead and stay with him.”
B-CU also had a chip on their shoulder. They settled it by leaving a 58-30 skid-mark on FVSU. One thing that wasn’t missing was turnovers, after turning the ball over four times in a piss-poor performance losing 22-3 loss to N.C. A&T last week, B-CU had no turnovers Saturday.
Offense is cooking again
Isidore Jackson was a monster out there. He was good for a career-high 150 yards with three touchdowns. He also was good as a receiver with two catches for 47 yards. Anthony Jordan had eight carries good for 47 yards and two touchdowns.
B-CU’s offense definitely got its offensive mojo back with a season-high 648 yards, including 418 on the ground.
Maurice Francois led all receivers with a 72-yard touchdown reception. Eddie Poole continued his streak of catches with a 52-yarder.
Perfect practice equal playing time
People love a damn controversy. All season, I’ve seen my fellow writers and columnists play it up about whom would start on a given week. Jenkins has repeatedly said practice determines who gets the start. He said Blackwell got the start over previous starters Jackie Wilson and Jamarr Robinson because he had the best week of practice.
On the low, I’ve heard some fans groaning and asking when Blackwell would get a chance. He answered all that scuttlebutt by being 8 for 14 and no interceptions. On the ground he was good for 156 yards and threw for 222.
Meanwhile, Robinson saw no burn Saturday. Good luck with practice this week cat!
Jackie Wilson, however did see some action. Wilson completed one of two passes for eight yards. Blackwell and the rest of the B-CU offense was so prolific, even seldom used reserve quarterback Yatim Jawad got some burn.
Sophomore kicker, Sven Hurd was good for three field goals and seven points-after-touchdowns for 16 points, a record for B-CU kickers. I’ve got to admit, I haven’t seen a kicker this big in a minute. He looks more like defensive end or something but he sure can kick a football.
Yes friends, it seems the Wildcats offense is back online. Still I have to point out the fact that they also gave up 422 total yards. Fort Valley’s Cameron Pearson threw the first of his four touchdown passes. Pearson was 16 of 29 with one pick Saturday. It wasn’t like B-CU’s defense didn’t put in work; FVSU’s offense simply had a good passing afternoon.
Defensive anchors Jean Fanor and Ryan Davis totaled 16 stops for the Bethune-Cookman. Ryan was also good for two and a half sacks.
Suffice it to say, there are some things still to work on leading into a road game against MEAC B-CU now has a short week to get ready for Thursday night’s televised game at Norfolk State. A win against the Spartans, 4-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, could put the Wildcats (1-2 in the MEAC) back in the conference race. I said could…. However, that piss-poor performance against A&T put them in the position of playing spoiler to the league’s top contenders.
By the way, allow me to refresh some memories. B-CU bashed the Spartans 21-7 last year. Ever since NSU Head Coach Pete Adrian left B-CU for Norfolk State’s sideline duties, these teams have not liked each one another. Hell, I wouldn’t like a team that beat me like a step-child either. Look for this to be a crowd pleaser with plenty of big hits on both sides. Stick close to WONO for more outstanding B-CU trash-talk courtesy of I Got Next!
