The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • S8

S8 Orlando Sentinel Thursday, August 24, 2017 FAMU Preview QBs vying on the home front BC-U Preview Wildcats get home in order B-CU working to bounce back from an injury-plagued season By Chris Hays Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH Coming off an injury-plagued, atypical losing season for the Bediune-Cookman football team, third-year head coach Terry Sims knows how important it can be to remain healthy at all positions, but most specifically at the quarterback spot In 2016, the 4-6 Wildcats didn't have that luxury, with injuries hampering them on both sides of the ball, especially at quarterback. The good thing for Sims is that all of his QBs, led by senior Larry Brihm return this season, and keeping those players healthy will be a big key to B-CU righting the ship. Prior to last season, Bethune-Cookman had not had a losing CHRIS HAYSSTAFF FAMU coach Alex Wood, whose team is coming off a 4-7 season, says he hopes to pick a starter at QB between Ryan Stanley and Vincent Jefferies before the season opener. Rattlers have some healthy competition at quarterback By Chris Hays Staff Writer TALLAHASSEE Quarterback Ryan Stanley might have been a third-team preseason AU-MEAC selection by the league's coaches, but right now the red shirt sophomore is just hoping to do enough to earn the starting job for Florida season opener against Texas Southern Third-year head coach Alex Wood said the quarterback position was wide open entering preseason camp. Stanley was in a close battle with senior Vincent Jefferies, and the two continued to battle this month.

FAMU, coming off a tough 4-7 campaign a year ago, lost one quarterback to graduation in Kenneth Coleman, but Stanley had the most experience among returning players. He led FAMU in passing yards (1,358) and touchdown passes (8) last season, but mistakes and inconsistency hampered him at times. Jefferies has limited experience, but Wood said the competition between the quarterbacks has been healthy. "I told them coming off the Bethune game that once we start brand new with spring football, it's open," Wood said. "We have two viable guys.

It will come to a close hopefully before game week, but if it goes down to game week, then I think that's good for us. "Ryan had a chance to really kind of take the lead on it last year got in and got hot, so to speak, and so he had a chance to play. The one game that we put Vince in, he was pretty good, so there was no reason to write him off as not being a contender as a starter. I told them it was wide open and it has been." One guy the two quarterbacks will be able to count on as a target will be All-MEAC first team selection Brandon Norwood, who caught 51 balls last season for 468 yards and four touchdowns. His production should go up this season, along with that of seniors Kareem Smith and Chaviss Murphy and junior Kevin Trout-man.

FAMU also returns its top three rushers, one of whom was Stanley with 351 yards and three touchdowns. Junior running back Devin Bowers (398 yards4 TDs) also returns, as does redshirt sophomore Hans Supre (2612). The offensive line should be solid despite a few holes to fill up front, like all-conference guard Keonte Cash. Senior guard Osman Aguilera, redshirt junior tackle Loubens Polinice and sophomore tackle Obinna Nwankwo are all returning season since 2009 and the Wildcats had reeled off six straight seasons of eight or more victories. Injuries, however, hit the Wildcats early last year and it took a toll.

Brihm went down in the second game against Tennessee Sims THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE BRAGG STADIUM Address: 1500 Wahnish Way, Tallahassee. Opened: 1957 (capacity Renovation: 1980 Expanded press box, press box elevator, the field was lowered by six feet to accommodate new drainage and sprinkler systems, two electronic scoreboards were added. 2009 the Rattler Boosters added an advanced scoreboard with video. The Buzz: The stadium was named after father and son team of J.B. "Ju-bie" and Eugene Bragg (considered the fathers of Rattler Football).

Eugene Bragg coached the Rattlers during the early 1930s and 1940s. Coach Alex Wood on the stadium: "The stadium itself, it's great and all that good stuff, but it's the crowd. I think we were in the toplO in the country at FCS in terms of attendance." SCHEDULE A26 Texas So 12 02i at Hampton 2 A31 at Arkansas 7 028 at Morgan St 1 S16 vs. Tenn St .6 N4 Howard A S23 at Savannah St 6 jg vs b-CU TBA S28 NC Central .7:30 Tampa 07 at Norfolkd St 2 Orlando 014 NC 3 starters, and senior tight end Desmond Noird will also provide key blocking experience. Nord, who has already graduated, added eight catches and two touchdowns last season.

"It's still a work in progress, but we're improved for sure," Wood said. "But I don't really think you can say, 'Hey, we've until you start playing the games. We see some really positive things." Six starters return on defense for the Rattlers, who were among the best in the MEAC last season in creating turnovers (26). Several newcomers could end up atop the depth chart, but the bookends up front are senior defensive ends Elijah Price and Calvin Darville, while in the trenches are junior Emilio Gibbs, junior Keenen Anderson and redshirt sophomore David Richardson In the backfield, junior Orlando McKinley returns at one corner and the coaching staff is expecting big things from redshirt sophomore Terry Jefferson at free safety, as well as Andrew Hines. The Rattlers need someone to step up at middle linebacker, but senior Adarius Smith will be a key leader at linebacker, as will outside backer Jakaris Wilson.

"We want to keep being a team that is very opportunistic on defense and very stingy up front in terms of the run game," Wood said. Stetson Preview Hatters need to bring home the bacon State, back-up Anthony Cruz now a receiver was injured in the next game, leaving redshirt-freshman Akevious Williams as the Wildcats starter. Brihm returned to form in a tough 52-35 loss to MEAC champion North Carolina He had a career day, completing 23-of-42 passes for 376 yards and four touchdowns, but the damage in the game and the season had been done. It was B-CU's first 0-5 start since 1992, but Brihm and the Wildcats did rally to win four of the final five games. Sims has high expectations this season.

Brihm, Williams and Leesburg product Jabari Dunham, as well as Riverside (Calif.) Community College transfer Collyn Anderson, are battling for the top QB spot With that competition, Brihm cannot rest on his laurels in preseason camp. "You always like competition. Competition breeds success," Sims said. "We have four guys back there now that are fighting for the job and who knows who will win it It's wide open." The rest of the offensive skill spots are led by all-MEAC receiver Frank Brown, fellow receivers Jawill Davis and Keavon Mitchell, big tight end Ja-Quan Lumas and a stable of rmtning backs in Jamaruz Thompldns, Mike Jones, Cameron Rigby and Tupac Isme. The offensive line will also gain key leadership from returnees Phillip Norman and Job Buissereth "First and foremost, and I know everyone will understand when I say this, I just want to stay healthy," Sims said.

"And I want to make sure that we're executing in all three phases of the game and make sure that our guys are playing detailed, disciplined football." Defensively, the Wildcats return all four starters in the backfield, including preseason AU-MEAC pick at safety Di-quan Richardson and cornerback Elliott Miller, who has started 16 consecutive games. DeLand product Trenton Bridges leads the linebacking corps that includes Trey Farrior and Alex Morales. Preseason AU-MEAC selection Kevin Thompson is looking for his breakout year on the defensive line, which wiU include DiShawn Ray and Todney Evans. "I think we have a lot of guys who wiU be able to step up for us this year and make some plays," Sims said. "I feel real good about this football team.

We had a lot of key guys get injured last year and we lost some games because of inexperience, but I think that is going to help us out this year because we bring back a lot of guys with game experience and that can do nothing but lead to greatness for us." Stetson has everything going for it except victories on the field Henderson On offense, quarterback Colin McGovern is back from a hip injury that cost him last season and he will be the likely starter. Gaven Defilippo had shown positive signs but will miss this season with a shoulder injury. The back-ups are likely Cole Martin and Nick Andreas. Donald Parham will provide numerous options for Stetson at tight end. He is the top retiming receiver after catching 37 balls for 455 yards and six touchdowns a year ago.

The Hatters will be young at running back and need to replace leading rusher Cole Mazza Twin brothers Chase and Bryce Blackmon, as well as Arkee Brown and Matt Taft are battling at that spot Brown is the only reluming player to rush for more than 100 yards last year. The offensive line will be inexperienced and the Hatters have had some attrition up front Andrew Rogalsld, back from injury, is one tackle, and Jimmy McCammon moves to center, but that's the extent of the experience. chaysorlandosentinel.com THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SPEC MARTIN MEMORIAL STADIUM Address: 260 East Euclid, DeLand. Opened: 1941 (capacity Renovation: 2013 Expanded football field, added more restrooms, concessions, ticket offices, parking and an activities center, general aesthetic upgrades, new locker rooms, new press box, video scoreboard. The Buzz: Named after Spec Martin, legendary DeLand High School football coach beginning in mid-1930s.

Coach Roger Hughes on the stadium: "Our fans are very supportive and I think the partnership with the city and the university isavery unique one and a very symbiotic one. We both get to benefit This is an FBS atmosphere, just a little more condensed and a lot more family friendly." By Chris Hays Staff Writer DELAND Coach Roger Hughes begins his fifth season on the field with the Stetson football program, seventh overall counting the two years of building the new program, yet things are not quite where Hughes had hoped they would be at this stage. Stetson, which had its first football season since 1956 in 2013, is 14-31 since resurrecting the program, with a 5-7 season in 2014 being its best so far. Hughes said it's frustrating to not have more victories, but it's not the only part of building a program. "Frankly, the success of our program has been, I think, outstanding everywhere but on the field, and that's the next phase.

We've got to start winning on the field," Hughes said. The community of DeLand and Stetson itself have still rallied around the Hatters, and that's the part with which Hughes is most pleased. "I think because our lads have handled those responsibilities well getting involved in the community, handling their academics correctly, doing the right things on campus has helped a lot more people embrace what we're trying to accomplish here," Hughes said. "People want to partner with us in the community and that's been pretty gratifying." The lack of victories, however, does get frustrating. Stetson's 4-7 record a year ago could have easily turned out differently with a few plays bouncing the other way.

Stetson lost four games by less than two touchdowns. The bottom line, however, remains the same -victories will be what keep the community interested and involved in the program. "I really felt like last year we had the team talent to get to a winning season," Hughes said. "That was very disappointing for me personally. "People look at coaches and they say, Well, he's under a lot of but I promise you there is no more pressure than what coaches put on themselves." He knows the end result on the field will be how most people measure his program and the Hatters take on a tough task this season having lost the best player the team has ever had.

Gone is former All-American CHRIS HAYSSTAFF Coach Roger Hughes, who resurrected Stetson's program after 57 years, has a 14-31 record with the program. safety Donald Payne, who is in camp with the Baltimore Ravens, so there will need to be key leadership from a number of sources. The Hatters have to replace Payne, fellow All-Pioneer League first-team selection defensive tackle Davion Belk, as well as honorable mention picks WR Kegan Moore, FB Mike Yonker and OL Pat Fogarty. Jeb Boudreaux will be one of the players Hughes is looking at to help lead the way. Boudreaux, despite being just 5-foot-8, is a stocky 204 pounds and he'll man one of the outside linebacker spots.

He led the Pioneer League in tackles a year ago with 116 and also had 20 tackles for loss and five sacks. "Jeb has really become an emotional leader for our team, a very passionate leader He played really well last year," Hughes said. On the other side will be Colby Duncan, and the Hatters must replace middle linebacker Dylan Wydronkowski the team's third-leading tackier. Jamieson Craske and Tyler Mirabella are candidates. No other retiming Stetson defensive player had more than 30 tackles, but Hughes remains optimistic and he said the strength of the defense lies up front despite the loss of Belk.

Captains DL Jeff Fallabel and DL Shayne White man the edges, while Zane Smith and Shane Parton are competing for the noseguard spot In the backfield, Eric Martin moves back to safety and cornerback Dre Long, who returns from a knee injury, and returning from a redshirt season is another corner J.J. THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE MUNICIPAL STADIUM Address: 3917 LPGA Daytona Beach. Opened: 1988 (capacity Renovations: 2010 Natural grass replaced by artificial turf; 2017 new artificial turf. The Buzz: Official name is Larry Kelly Field at Municipal Stadium, named after former Daytona Beach mayor Lawrence J. Kelly.

What Coach Terry Sims says: "I think our little stadium is great. It's a great college football stadium, a great atmosphere." SCHEDULE S2 at Sacred Heart .6 014 Davidson 1 S9atMarist 1 021atMoreheadSt 1 S16 Dartmouth 7 028 San Diego 1 S23Campbell 4 N4Butler 2 S30 at Valparaiso 2 N11 at Jacksonville ZZL. 1 07 Brown .1 SCHEDULE S2 at Miami 12:30 S9 at SE Louisiana 8 S16atFAU 8 S23 at Howard 1 S30 Savanah St 4 014 SC State 4 021 at NC 028 Hampton 4 N4 Morgan St .4 Nil at NC Central 2 N18 vs FAMU TBA in Orlando.