MEAC unbeatens face off in S.C.
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
The teams enter the contest atop the MEAC standings with unblemished conference marks.
Alvin Wyatt's B-CC Wildcats come in at 4-1 overall and 2-0 in MEAC
play following their 45-16 homecoming win over
Delaware State Saturday. Buddy Pough's
SCSU Bulldogs are also 4-1 overall and got a win in their
only conference game, a 39-14 decision over Norfolk State
last week.
Among those forecasting the winner of this game as likely conference champion is Willie Jeffries, the legendary former SC State, Howard and Wichita State coach who now works as color analyst for Bulldog football on radio and on MEAC telecasts.
"At this point in the season, these are the best two teams going," said Jeffries. The teams are 1-2 in the MEAC in total defense, scoring defense, sacks, opponents first downs, time of possession and in rushing offense.
B-CC has defeated SC State in their last six meetings including a 31-28 win last year in Daytona Beach.
Jeffries admires the way Wyatt, now in his eighth year at guiding the Wildcats, has continually restocked his team despite losing a host of key players. B-CC has had MEAC offensive and defensive players of the year for the past two seasons with departed QB Allen Suber winning back-to-back awards on offense and linebacker Steve Baggs and safety Rashean Mathis (now of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars) winning the last two defensive awards.
"He's got a program down there," said Jeffries, "where it feeds itself. They are solid on offense, defense and on special teams."
This season Wyatt's team has overcome injuries to key personnel, the effects of four hurricanes in the Daytona Beach area and the tragic death of a player to be in the thick of the conference race. The Wildcats are playing with what was a fourth-string quarterback at the start of the season (Jarod Rucker) after injuries to the top three QBs.
"I always say to my team that it doesn't matter what happens as long as you react to it in a positive way," said Wyatt on the MEAC teleconference Tuesday. "I just want my guys to get themselves prepared and believe in themselves more than anything they've ever believed in in their lives."
Wyatt's chief offensive weapon has been his option attack led by sophomore wingback Eric Weems, who has rushed for four touchdowns and caught two scoring tosses.
SC State counters with a defense that is at or near the top statistically in every conference category. "That's the number one thing that stands out on this team defense," said Jeffries, who is also impressed with the Bulldogs ability to run and pass the football.
The 'Dawgs racked up 488 rushing yards last week against Norfolk State with third-string QB Cleveland McCoy at the helm. Two runners topped the 100-yard mark. McCoy, a redshirt freshman, is more of a running QB. He is slated to start Saturday though starter Brett Young and Aryel Freeman are expected to be ready.
The Bulldogs' arsenal includes running backs Coty Martin, who ran 213 yards and two TDs last week, and Deshawn Baker, who totalled 131 yards and got two TDs last week. McCoy added 96 rushing yards and also scored twice.
Wide receiver Tavarus Morgan leads the MEAC with 25 catches (6.25 per game) and has scored four times.
"Like anything else, anything that happens to you over and over again it gets under your skin," said Pough who has not beaten B-CC in his two years at SC State."I thought it was the personnel, but Wyatt and his staff do a great job. They are well coached. What really gets under my skin is that they've out coached us the last two years."
© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.