I Got Next!
Special to West Orlando News Online
By Karsceal Turner
Seven days of Homecoming magic culminated in a football victory for Bethune-Cookman University. The Wildcats handled North Carolina A&T 28-12 in front of 10,181 mostly Maroon and Gold clad fanatics at Municipal Stadium Saturday.
Folks… this was homecoming for B-CU. I could end it there but where’s the fun in that? Truly this was a long day in the life of a sports columnist. After waking at 6 am, yours truly marched with my Masonic lodge (Boaz Lodge #212) in the annual homecoming parade. After that nice 3 mile power walk, it was on to Municipal Stadium and tailgate time.
After arriving a little after 11:00 am, the smell of Barbeque filled my nostrils. Kids were playing football in the parking lot, grills were everywhere, and the Ques (Omega Psi Phi) were throwing their annual HC bash. All was good with the world.
And then…the rain came…Bloody Hell!
Yours truly rushed to the set up for my frat so I could add some fat to this thin frame I possess. The brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Gamma Theta chapter) did not disappoint. Ribs? We had it. Chicken? We had it. Fish…hey, we had it. I’ll shout out our cooks (my line brothers) and our D.J.s (Swerv G and Clay D). I didn’t mention any alcohol but do I really need to? The tailgate was on the verge of getting crunk.
Out of nowhere was a gust of wind, which nearly demolished the tent. Clean up began. Everything was set right. Then the rain began. I’ll say it again, Bloody Hell!
The home crowd endured a 96-minute weather delay before seeing any football action. If you think some rain spoiled the tailgate you might need your butt kicked.
The Wildcats (3-0 MEAC – 4-2 overall) delivered a convincing win and also avenged a loss last season to North Carolina A&T 22-3 in a travesty on the road in Greensboro.
A&T struck blood first. But this time B-CU didn’t fall behind for long. Call it homecoming magic but there wasn’t any of that falling behind by big deficits stuff as we’ve seen this season. In the first quarter, A&T’s Marquis Gorham scored on a pass from Lewis Kindle for a quick Aggie lead. They missed the PAT and it came back to bite them. The Aggies put together scoring drives and came up with field goals of 38 and 36 yards but no TDs.
Isidore Jackson played inspired football it seemed. He continues to truck his way to positive yardage for the Wildcats with an average 5.6 yards per carry on 14 touches. His long was 40. He finished with 93 yards with one TD. Rodney Scott carried 17 times for 37 yards and added another score.
The Aggies amassed only 47 yards rushing compared to B-CU’s 182. Passing wasn’t much better with an overall 116 yards in the air compared to B-CU’s 128.
He’s not called Mr. Florida for nothing.
I’ve talked about B-CU’s collection of viable quarterbacks before. Who will start is always decided at game time. On homecoming your boy Quentin Williams got the call. The sophomore handled business from start to finish and rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 128 yards and another score.
Williams was as efficient as a QB should be. He connected with eight different receivers on 11 completions and helped B-CU hold the ball for 13 minutes of the fourth quarter.
Overall, he was 11 of 19 in passing with one TD. Oh yeah, his long was a 41-yard romp. Hey, he wasn’t called Mr. Football for the Sunshine State for nothing baby.
Here is where I insert a shout-out to former B-CU football icon, turned receivers’ coach, Allen Suber, whom recruited his fellow Tampa native to B-CU.
The battle of the bands…Homecoming Style
Imagine the look on this columnist’s face when I caught a glimpse of NCA&T’s band “The Blue and Gold Marching Machine” filing into the visitor’s side. They had a blaring sound. I dug them. I also dug their dancers, “Golden Delight”. Imagine my haste in exiting the press box, making my way to the field, onto the visitor’s side, camera in hand and smiling the whole way. You really want to be a writer. Who else gets to do this stuff? Anyway, for all the sex appeal of those NCA&T dancers, their band still was literally BLOWN away by the blast of B-CU’s horn section. No, that was NOT the wind.
Defense is so much better in the rain
There is something about rainy weather which makes hits and collisions on the football field seem louder. Jarkevis Fields led all Wildcat defenders and finished with seven tackles on the night. D.J. Howard accounted for a sack. B-CU’s defense was credited with three interceptions courtesy of Dion Hanks, Tim Burke, and Rashad Payne. Burke was also good for a blocked kick.
I’ll say it this way, 3 interceptions, 1 pass breakup, three quarterback hurries, a sack, and a blocked kick, equaled a homecoming party-rocker. If you know about homecoming, you know the party is going on regardless. Suffice to say, the alcohol flowed well. Nupe juice anyone?
Yes boys and girls another homecoming has come and gone. Buck up little camper and dig it, the Wildcats are off next Saturday, but return to action Oct. 20 against Norfolk State in the Second Annual Biker Classic. I surely hope they bring that marching band and those dancers in those White uniforms…K.T. loves the dancers.
Stay tuned for my next submission. Until then remember, I got next!
