Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 8-29-17

HBCU Sports
Wildcats Looking To Prowl Again
2017 FAMU Football Preview:
Rattlers Seeking Return
LARRY BRIHM ...Quarterback
BY TED TAYLOR
The old adage of wait until next year was prophetic for Coach Terry Sims and the Bethune- Cookman Wildcats of 2016, to overcome a disappointing injury-riddled season. The 2017 Wildcats look to avenge the uncharacteristic 4-6, 4-4 record of last year, the first losing season since 2009.
This year features a sen- ior-laden team, with 7 of 8 offensive starters returning, 5 of 7 on defense and the kick returner. The other re- turning starters are experi- enced juniors.
The offensive skill posi- tions are stocked with Larry Brihm at quarter- back, and Jamaruz Thompkins of Tampa Bay Tech and Cameron Rigby as the primary running backs.
There are three returning wide receivers in preseason all-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) first- team pick Frank Brown, Jawill Davis and Keavon Mitchell, all in the top four of catches last year.
The offensive line will have to replace three starters and will be led in the middle by left guard 6’4”,
JAMARUZ THOMPKINS Tampa Bay Tech, RB
325, Job Buissereth and 6’4”, 318, center Phillip Norman. At left tackle, 6’6”, 320, Jamal Savage of Plant City High School is looking for playing time.
The defensive line play is up for grabs returning 6’4”, 230, all-MEAC first team preseason pick Kevin Thompson and 6’2”, 222, defensive end Todney Evans. The linebacking group will have 6’, 246, Trenton Bridges manning the middle and 5’10”, 211, Alexander Morales re- turning on the outside.
The entire defensive backfield returns, including all-MEAC preseason first- team safety Diquan Richardson.
The special teams phase should be in good hands with all-MEAC preseason first-teamer Uriel Her- nandez handling the place- kicking duties. The kick returns will be handled by Brown and Mitchell.
B-CU will have some payback in the MEAC this year. Once it gets past the non-conference schedule of Miami, Southeast Louisiana and Florida Atlantic, the conference run begins to avenge the four-loss, fourth- place finish, which was the worse since 2009.
BY TED TAYLOR
Forty years after winning a national championship, the Rattlers of Florida A & M University are now merely looking to finish the season with respectability. The 1977 edition of the Ratters went 11-0, as the only team in col- lege football to finish without a blemish on its record.
The 2017 group finds it- self striving to stop a run of ineptitude that has led to the program floundering on and off the field.
Academic probations, multiple personnel changes on and off the field in athletic administration and coaching, and financial constraints, has led to low morale to the point FAMU has not won more than four games in a season since 2010.
The Rattlers return seven starters on offense, six on de- fense and the kick return spe- cialist to improve on a 4-7 overall record, and 4-4 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Confer- ence (MEAC), from 2016.
This year FAMU is picked to finish in sixth-place by its MEAC peers.
In his third season at the helm, Coach Alex Wood is optimistic for improvement beginning at the lead posi- tion. There is spirited battle at quarterback among last year’s eventual starter, Ryan Stanley, a redshirt sopho- more, who took over in mid- season, senior Vincent Jeffries, and redshirt fresh- man, Tahj Tolbert. Stan- ley engineered the four victories and Jeffries was a capable backup when called upon.
The offensive line returns four starters so the offense should be ready to fire from the outset. At the skill posi-
RYAN STANLEY ...Quarterback
tions, senior wide receiver Brandon Norwood should be the prime target, whereas, senior tight end Desmond Noird will be called upon for relentless outside blocking and clutch catches to keep a drive moving.
On the ground, junior Devin Bowers of St. Peters- burg’s Northeast High School is a breakaway threat and pass option out of the back- field.
At the fullback position, redshirt sophomore Kevin Newman of Tampa’s Jesuit is expected to open the holes for the tailbacks.
The defensive front seven should be in good hands with returning starting defensive ends seniors 6’3” 225 Elijah Price and 6’5” 255 Calvin Darville. The linebacking corps returns senior 6’3” 220 Jakaris Wilson and junior 5’10” 205 Quenteze Gal- lon. In the mix will be Raashed Kennion, a 6’6 240 senior, who can fill-in at end or linebacker.
The defensive backfield features senior Orlando McKinley and redshirt sophomore Terry Jeffer- son, each with four intercep- tions last year. Also, looking for a starting position will be Jules Dornevil who saw
KEVIN NEWMAN ...Fullback
valuable playing time in 2016.
The placekicking duties will be in the hands of red- shirt freshman Khalil Clark, while the punting du- ties are up for grabs. The kick return duties are in the capa- ble hands of Kareem Smith, a backup wide re- ceiver looking at a starting job this year.
FAMU again faces a tough nonconference schedule, opening against Southwest- ern Athletic Conference (SWAC) contender, Texas Southern, followed by a road game against Arkansas Ra- zorbacks five days later. A September 16th date against Tennessee State University will feature University of Florida transfer Treon Har- ris at quarterback.
To have any chance of fin- ishing higher than the pre- dicted sixth-place in the MEAC, FAMU must conquer the likes of North Carolina Central, homecoming foe North Carolina A & T, Hamp- ton University and Morgan State on the road on consecu- tive weekends in late Octo- ber, and rival Bethune-Cookman in the Florida Classic. FAMU has lost to B-CU six years in a row.
To Respectability
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