I Got Next!
Karsceal Turner
Special to West Orlando News Online
In case you didn’t know, there are a lot of Wildcat-haters out there. Believe it or not, everyone isn’t down with the way Head Coach Brian Jenkins came to town and shook things up by kicking ass and taking names in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. B-CU’s football program came in with a new attitude, new logo, and winning record from the jump. Then they had the nerve to top it off with a share of the MEAC title and a trip to the playoffs.
Yeah there was plenty for folks to hate about.
Trust that many of the games won last season left a bad taste in the mouths around the league. I’m saying…the Wildcats were posting basketball scores on folks. Trust, the teams B-CU beat have a long memory for those lop-sided losses. Also, trust, that these teams anxiously awaited the chance for redemption. South Carolina was the first to draw blood. During the first conference game for both squads.
Saturday, another Carolina team poured salt on the wound as B-CU traveled to Greensboro for another MEAC game. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University knocked the Wildcats off their proverbial “High Horse” with a 22-3 bucket of water to the dome.
Jenkins: No excuses
Never one for excuses, Jenkins called it what it was…an ass-whipping. Perhaps he didn’t use the words this columnist used but he said the same thing basically.
“They lined up and they beat our tail. It was a good old-fashioned butt-whipping,” Jenkins said of the loss.
Sure, I substituted a choice curse-term but I’m simply paraphrasing here folks. In reality, it went down just the way, I mentioned. B-CU was held to their lowest offensive output since Jenkins took over the reins a season ago. The Wildcats are now 2-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play. They have lost three of their last four games. A repeat as conference champs is not looking as delicious as it was a few weeks ago when they still had a chance to control their own destiny. I also said two conference losses in this climate and your goose is cooked. NC A&T (2-0) and Norfolk State (3-0) are the only MEAC teams without losses this season.
I can smell the bird…and I happen to be an optimist but stats simply do not lie…. According to the rest of the schedule, B-CU has a heck of a hill to climb now. I just report the news, I don’t make it up. Dig these stats….
B-CU held the ball for about 20 minutes compared to the Aggies 40:41. The Wildcats managed only five first downs compared to 20 by A&T; in addition, they fumbled the ball and turned it over twice. B-CU made it into Aggie territory but failed to convert. All this translated to a 22-3 final.
It was the Aggies first win over the Wildcats since 2003. Three points are the fewest points the Wildcats have ever scored against N.C. A&T in the 35-game series.
The cats were unable to move the ball on the ground, when they did run, they had trouble holding on. A safety on the first play from scrimmage set the tone for the afternoon. Certainly, penalties didn’t help at all (B-CU had 15 for 112 yards). It’s tough enough playing in Greensboro as it is. These two teams have never liked one another. Only the Rattlers of FAMU rate higher on the “hate-meter.”
By the way, FAMU lost to Howard 29-28 for their homecoming. Whoops! Anyway, A&T held B-CU to just 108 yards of offense after the Cats came into the game leading the MEAC with 433.2 yards per contest.
Running game non-existent
The Wildcats’ longest drive on Saturday was 34 yards as the Aggies forced five turnovers. B-CU had four drives that ended with negative yardage, and the struggles started early. The Wildcats had to run their first play from scrimmage at their own 9-yard line after Courtney Keith fumbled the kickoff.
B-CU quarterback Jamarr Robinson and Jackie Wilson alternated as signal callers. Robinson tossed a lateral to no one; it resulted in the ball rolling out of the back of the end zone for an Aggies two-point safety.
Wilson led the Wildcats with 96 yards passing. He was 10 of 16. Maurice Francis led all receivers in the game with four receptions for 62 yards. Both he (9 games) and Eddie Poole (17 games) continued their reception streaks.
B-CU’s only score of the game was set up by a Lewis Kindle interception in the first quarter. Ryan Davis returned the pick 27 yards to the Aggies 26. The Aggies defense held the Wildcats to just one yard on the drive as Sven Hurd booted a 42-yard field goal to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead early. Although both teams struggled on the ground, the Aggies managed 224 compared to B-CU’s 63.
No slouches in the MEAC
“I don’t want to hear anyone talk about what Bethune-Cookman didn’t do,” said B-CU head coach Brian Jenkins. “A&T lined up today and whooped our tails. I’m not surprised by this because I’ve told everyone from the beginning; there are no slouches in this league.”
“I think we’re still a very good football team but you’ve got to give A&T some credit. When you look across that line, A&T was lining up with a rage in their eyes, and with a purpose, and they flat-out beat us. They played to win, and they did.” Jenkins fumed.
B-CU ready to regroup against FVSU
Now that the Wildcats no longer control their own destiny, they’ll have to hope A&T or NSU drops a couple of games. The worst is still yet to come. There are two games alumni give a damn about, Homecoming and the Florida Classic. Both those games are within weeks of one another in November. First, however, B-CU must handle business against the Fort Valley State University Wildcats in the first Annual “Biker Classic” this Saturday, Oct. 15 at Municipal Stadium beginning at 4:00p.m. FVSU is 1-4 coming off a heartbreaker to Kentucky State University 24-25 Saturday. The Wildcats will surely look to regroup and rebound leading into a Homecoming showdown with Morgan State Nov. 5. Stay tuned to “I Got Next! For out of the ordinary sports reporting courtesy of yours truly!
