Three undefeateds, one surprise
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Headed into the final week of September there are three undefeated teams in black college football.
Two are no surprise _ two-time defending MEAC champ Hampton (4-0), ranked 12th in this week's Sports Network NCAA Div. I-AA poll, and defending CIAA champ North Carolina Central (4-0), ranked 7th nationally in the latest NCAA Div. II football poll at D2football.com. They are 1-2 in the latest BCSP ranking.
The other is 5-0 Lane. After a winless
(0-10) 2005 campaign and not having a winning season
since 1995, its unblemished mark is more than a
surprise. It's close to a shock.
Picked to finish last in the ten-team SIAC by the conference's coaches in the preseason, second-year head coach Johnny Cole knew something they didn't. He can recruit. And that's just what he did bringing in a whopping 38 transfers, most from the junior college ranks and ten from Div. IA programs, to lead a quick turnaround of the Dragons' fortunes. It also helped that Cole, who was hired in the summer of 2005, has had a full year to pull things together.
"We just didn't have the personnel," Cole said of last year's struggles. "We got in here so late we didn't know what to expect. Our season turned out to be our spring practice. The end result was the 0-10."
The former Tennessee State and Alabama State offensive guru while working under his brother, former TSU and ASU head coach L.C. Cole, has the Dragons in the thick of the conference race with a 2-0 mark headed into this week's game at Stillman. In addition to its winless 2005 season, Lane hasn't finished with a winning record since 1995. Respect, Cole said he understands, is a ways off.
"We're probably the only 5-0 team in the country that's not ranked," said Cole Tuesday from his office. "We're fighting for respect every week. I keep telling my guys that the teams we've beat, haven't beat many people. So we've got plenty of work to do."
Lane's offense currently leads the SIAC averaging 30.8 points per game, up significantly from the 19.1 points per contest it scored last year, next to last in the league. Quarterback Sherard Ellis and wideouts Jacoby Jones and Edward Williams are the key weapons. Cole said every NFL team in the league has been in to scout Jones and Williams. Jones, at 6-3, 198, has 4.4 speed and doubles as a dangerous kick returner. Through five games he leads the league in all purpose yards (173 ypg.) including 26 receptions for four TDs and both a kickoff and punt return for scores. Williams is listed at 6-4, 210 and runs 4.5.
But the biggest improvement has been on defense where Cole sports eight new starters led by DT James Cooper and DE Anthony Jones. The Dragons are giving up 13.5 points per game, tops in the SIAC and down significantly from the league-worst 38.4 ppg. they surrendered last year.
Games of the Week
Delaware State (2-1, 1-0) is the only MEAC team to beat Hampton (4-0, 3-0) during its two-year reign as champion. That 28-23 win in 2004 for the Hornets in head coach Al Lavan's first year however, was sprinkled with controversy.
Though Lavan nor Hampton head coach Joe Taylor says they can track down where the rumor started, word spread that DSU had excessively watered the field and grew the grass to slow down the quick Pirates. Both coaches play down the truth or significance of the rumor but that doesn't make Saturday's return match in Dover (6 p.m.) any less intriguing.
In his third year, Lavan has the Hornets looking as much like a challenger to the Pirates' as anyone. DSU running back Emmanuel Marc is currently the league's top rusher (121.7 ypg.) and the Hornets (215.7 ypg.) rank just behind Hampton (215.8 ypg.) in rushing offense. DSU QB Vashon Winton is just behind Hampton QB Princeton Shepherd in league passing stats and both have thrown just one interception. Both defenses have given up just eight touchdowns though Hampton has played one more game.
"We're going to have to slow Hampton's running game down, cut down on their big plays and contain their kick returners," said Lavan on Tuesday's teleconference. "We've got to play well in all three areas of the game, offense, defense and special teams."
The CIAA has a showdown of its own Saturday as defending champion N.C. Central (4-0, 2-0) and Bowie State (2-2, 0-1), teams that met in last year's CIAA title game, square off at Bowie (2 pm) in the 3rd Prince George's Classic. BSU comes in smarting from two consecutive losses while NCCU is following a big road win (27-20) over a Div. I-AA opponent, SWAC power Southern.
Three other Classics are on tap this week. Defending SWAC champion Grambling State (0-3, 0-1) looks for its first win vs. Prairie View (2-1, 1-1) at the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Tuskegee (3-1) faces Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-3) at the Edward Jones Dome for the 13th Gateway Classic in St. Louis, Alcorn State (0-3) faces Morehouse (2-3) at the LA Coliseum in the revival of the Silver Dollar Classic and Tennessee State (2-2) and Florida A&M (2-2) tangle at the 18th Atlanta Classic to be televised live on Fox Sports South.
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