Karsceal Turner – I Got Next!
Saturday’s battle of the Cats was exactly that. It was a real battle. Damn what you heard about Florida Technical University being a Division II program. They had a chip on their shoulder, came into Municipal Stadium and BROUGHT it to the Wildcats in front of 8,431 fans.
Church and Community Day celebrates 20 years at B-CU
I recall asking B-CU campus photographer John Reeves where all the fans were for the University’s annual Church and Community Day. All he could do was shrug. I was down for the cause as I mingled with area clergy whose services I have attended at one time or another. I dug the insert of them wearing B-CU football jerseys in the game day program and have to say I was in character with my Desert Storm Veteran hat on as the band blared the National anthem. Yep, my salute is still crisp…military bearing, not so much!
The use of curse words in print is discouraged but I heard some in the stands. Curse words were prevalent throughout the contest as B-CU finally sealed a 34-33 win while preserving their spotless home record on the season. The truth of the matter is B-CU almost “tricked” off the church’s money Saturday. However, almost only counts in horseshoes my friends.
Here’s my short recap with some help from B-CU and FIT. BTW, FIT did bring along their band….they were cute as they sat in the stands playing favorite tunes to encourage their Panthers. The Cheerleaders were in the house too. I make it my business to make it across the field for a closer look at the opposing team’s cheerleaders you know…not bad at all.
Trading punches with a Division II program
I hope you weren’t looking for some rout of a division II program here. Tyler Bass hauled in a 43-yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds left in the game to draw the Panthers within one point of Bethune-Cookman at 34-33. Florida Tech elected to go for the two-point conversion to take the lead, but Mark Cato was intercepted in the end zone to bring the Panthers’ upset bid just short.
FIT struggled to gain traction on offense early in the game, allowing the Wildcats to jump out to a 20-7 lead with 2:50 remaining in the first half. They were able to draw close with 39 seconds left in the half as Cato hit Aaron George for a 22-yard touchdown reception to send the Panther’s into intermission down just six. The Panthers were able to string together 17-straight points, capped by a pair of Brion Ashley field goals, to take a 27-20 lead with 10:55 remaining in the game.
In the second half, Williams evaded pressure and busted up the middle from 27 yards out for a touchdown to tie the game at 27 apiece. Trevor Sand fumbled on the Panthers’ next possession and B-CU capitalized as Williams found a streaking Frank Brown for a 67-yard touchdown connection. That was game-time folks, not a moment sooner because those Panthers certainly weren’t a joke out there.
Quentin Williams was a huge playmaker for the Wildcats, he was good for 222 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He added 31 yards and another score on the ground. And still, there were grumblings in the stands about B-CU’s offense being predictable.
Wide-out Frank Brown had three catches for 94 yards while senior receiver Anthony Jordan rushed for 66 yards on 16 carries, and classmate Cary White added 57 yards on the ground.
Defense saved the day
The Wildcats defense got them back in the game, forcing two fourth quarter fumbles that produced the tying and eventual go-ahead scores. And there you have it folks, a grand escape from a Division II program. I recall from the not-so distant past when the Wildcats were the upstart small program. Oh how things have changed. Now it is B-CU, which has that large target on its back. It doesn’t feel good to have everyone gunning for you, hence the slogan for this year’s campaign…”Hard Reign”.
Whatever you want to say about the sluggish play, the Cats came out with the “W”.
Head Coach Brian Jenkins, who isn’t exactly known for his restraint summed it up like this “All I know is we won,” “Good, bad, ugly, whatever. A win is a win. I don’t think at the end of the day they judge how pretty the win was.” As gracious as coach was about the win, one can be confident, there will be adjustments in preparation for next Saturday.
I doubt that the remaining schedule will be any easier. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foe, Delaware State comes to town Oct. 4 and I can tell you from personal experience (sorta), B-CU doesn’t exactly play well with the Hornets. I won’t exactly be at the next game, a life-changing ceremony will be taking place. Let us see what all the fuss is about marriage, shall we? Until you see me roving the sidelines with my camera in hand remember I Got NEXT!
My brother, that game was an eye opener for the Wildcats. Yet the Wildcats are placed first in the Sheridan poll, 15 in the FCS poll and third in the Heritage poll there are some problems in Wildcat Country. The fans are beyond upset with the progress of the team and the coaching of the game. The Fans were about to have a heart attack on this game. Yes the feeling was the Wildcats should manhandled the Panthers. But it was the other way around. The Panthers out coached and the players out played the Wildcats. Most of the Wildcats feel we are suppose to be a team contending for the FSC Championship yet the Wildcats are barely getting by a D2 program. The question that I puzzled me coming from an alum was, “Is this as far as Jenkins can take the Wildcats”? The fans are hungry and I don’t mean just for the MEAC Championship. That bench is full of talent and the Wildcats are not being creative to be a dominate team.