Bethune-Cookman gets ready to compete in league

Every new football coach gets a certain amount time to set up his program. Brian Jenkins didn't need very long at Bethune-Cookman.

The Wildcats started the Jenkins era in 2010 with ten consecutive victories. With a dynamic spread offense, B-CU surpassed 60 points three times and ended South Carolina State's 21-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference winning streak en route to a share of the league title and the program's first playoff appearance since 2003.

The season ended with losses to archrival Florida A&M and New Hampshire in the FCS playoffs, but with a re-energized fan base, an outstanding recruiting effort and Jenkins' tireless work ethic, B-CU enters 2011 eager to maintain its level of success.

"The one thing that we did is show that we can compete with everybody else in the league. We have shown that we are a team that can win some ballgames as well, " said Jenkins, who was named the MEAC Coach of The Year. " It never gets easier, whether you are a young coach or an old coach, because everybody gets better and you hope that you can keep your team ahead of the curve. Every year is a different start with a different ending, you just hope that you're in the same position you were in on the winning side."

Jenkins bid farewell to quarterback Matt Johnson, who racked up 700 yards and seven touchdowns rushing while throwing for 2,053 and 14 touchdowns. David Blackwell and Jackie Wilson exited spring workouts as the front runners, but there's excitement with the signing of Tampa Jefferson's Quentin Williams, who was named Florida's "Mr.



Football" after leading his team to a state championship.

"The quarterback's shoes are still unfilled," Jenkins said. "They were unfilled last spring before Matt put them on and ran with them. When it's time for whomever to step in and lead, I'm sure they'll be prepared and ready to do so."

Helping the quarterback transition will be a strong running game and stout offensive line anchored by senior center Natiel Curry, who actually is the offensive player receiving the most attention so far, garnering pre-season All-American honors in numerous football publications.

On defense, the Wildcats are excited about what many consider to be one of the best linebacker corps in school history, among them Ryan Lewis, the MEAC preseason defensive player of the year.

The schedule has been upgraded, with an appearance in the MEAC/SWAC challenge opening weekend (Sept. 4) against Prairie View A&M. There's also the program's first-ever game with a BCS opponent Oct. 1 at Miami.

"You can't bring what you did last year into this year, it's a different day," Jenkins said. "We've got to be able to let whatever was accomplished last year go, and re-establish ourselves and get ready to create something new in hopes it's just as successful as last year."