H6AC IV?/I PUP
North Carolina AAT running back James White , 32,
and Tackle Ronald Edwards , 74.
Johnson C. Smith running back Lorenzo Butler.
(photos ft? Wad* Nash)
JCSU's Duane Johnson tries to run out of the grasp of
Morehouse defensive back Walter Prather.
ME AC Team Key
' from page 8
twice, while Thomas had 12 catches for
227 yards and two TDs. The running load
will fall on Phil Anderson and Dana.
McLean. Anderson rushed 131 times for
744 yards and 10 TDs and added 15 catch
es for 276 yards. A strong line returns,
anchored by center Thane Watkins, guard
Stan Bums, and tight end Neon Chapman,
who grabbed seven passes for 149 yards
and a score. The defense will thrive on the
exploits of AU-MEAC back Brian Randall,
youthful linebacker Lloyd Badson, and
lineman Uhuru Hamiter. Randall tied for
the MEAC lead in interceptions with six
and added 81 tackles. Badson had a team
high 8.4 tackles per game, and Hamiter
chipped in 47 tackles and four sacks. The
MEAC's top punter, Chuck Poplos (55
39.4), also returns.
Florida a&m university
RATTLERS (7-5,4-2) earned a
post-season spot in Heritage Bowl n
after placing second in the MEAC,
but heavy losses could make it a tough
repeat effort However, the talent is appar
ent despite the inexperience. Returning
MEAC Player of the Year wide receiver
Terry Mickens, who caught 52 passes for
900 yards and six touchdowns, is back to
spark the offense. The quarterback job is
open, but Tracy Weldon, who threw for
1,423 yards and nine TDs on 94-227-14
passing, returns along with Keith Brown
(40-75-4, 497 yards, 5 TDs). Earl Reeves,
off a 398-yard rushing season and three
TDs, leads the runningback hopefuls; and
the line seems to be in tact led by Julio
Sanchez and Ivory Dillard. The Rattler
defense might be the success gage with the
return of several potential all-stars. They
include Bruce Daniels, who led the MEAC
in tackles per game with 10.S from his
linebacker slot, end Ervin Collier (7.0 pg),
now Marc Lampkin (5.2 pg), and deep
backs Ken Riley and Keino Taylor.
Howard university bison
(7-4, ?-?) quietly fashioned a fine
1992 season but should make more
noise with the return of 58 letter
men that includes eight starters on either
side of the ball. Spearheading the offense
will be quarterback Jay "Sky" Walker,
wide receiver/kick returner Gary Harrell,
runningback Rhadi Ferguson and fullback
Rupert Grant. Walker ted the MEAC in ~
passing yards with 2,347, touchdown toss
es with 18 and total offense with 224 yards
per contest. Harrell, one of the MEAC's
most feared ball-handlers, caught 50 pass
es for 740 yards and six TDs, averaged
10.3 yards per punt return, and 20.2 yards
on six kickofTs. Ferguson rushed for 359
yards and six scores, while Grant had 347
yards and four TDs. On defense, the lead;
ers are nose Aaron Kinchen, linebackers
Jose White and Dave Carrington and sec
ondary gems Neal Downing and Lajeremy
Adamson. Kinchen had 69 tackles and
four sacks. White (70 and six sacks), Car
rington (49 and two), Downing (90 and
three interceptions) and Adamson (59 and
four interceptions). A sour note is within
the kicking game.
W ORGAN STATE UNIVERSI
TY BEARS (2-9, 0-6) were a
much better football team than
the record and will return the
MEAC's most explosive offense along
with a fihe defensive nucleus. Morgan set
a league record in team passing yards with
2,982 a year ago and led in total offense,
averaging 407.6 yards per outing. Lead
quarterback Orlando Persell was largely
responsible with 1,992 yards and 12 touch
downs on 136-248-16 passing. AU-MEAC
wide receiver Jesse Humphrey led the
league in receiving with 56 catches for
1,005 yards and seven TPs^ Another Ati
MEAC performer returns in versatile run
ningback Tony Phillips, who rushed for
73.6 yards per game, caught 20 passes for
208 yards, and averaged 18.5 yards on
kickoffe to lead the MEAC in all-purpose
running. The offensive line lost only one
starter and should be a plus. Defensively,
AU-MEAC tackle Matt Steeple returns
along with linebacker Delwyn Garnett and
deep backs Eric Johnson and Kelvin
Bryson. Steeple reported 44 unassisted
tackles, 40 assists and had five sacks.
Johnson added 77 stops and an intercep
tion. The kicking game will involve new
faces.
WORTH CAROLINA A&T
STATE UNIVERSITY AGGIES
(9-3, 5-1) are defending MEAC
champions and gained an entry to
the NCAA Division I- A A championship
series last November. The return of a sta
ble of capable nmningbacks and a strong
offensive line should continue the punish
ing ground attack which probably will
cancel out the fact that there is no desig
nated starter at quarterback. Maceo Bolin
and David Russell are likely candidates for
the position, but NCA&T alternated three
QBs last season. Bolin threw for 609 yards
and three touchdowns, while Russell
passed for 455 and five TDs. James White
rushed for 605 yards and three TDs to lead
the Aggies, and Barry Turner turned in
468 and five. Center Richard Lide will
anchor a splendid wall along with Tyrone
Brown and Ronald Edwards. Rudy Aitis is
the featured receiving threat and doubles
as a kick returner. The defense will he
guided by linebacker Leevary Covington,
who ranked eighth in MEAC tackles with
8.3 per game. He will be aided by linemen
Toran James and Cassius Adams and deep
men Curtis Burgins and John Dixon. Bur
gins had two interceptions, and Dixon
averaged five tackles. The kicking game
appears to be in good shape with All
MEAC placekicker Carl Warren poised to
handle punting as well.
S OUTH CAROLINA STATE
UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (7
4, 4-2), who tied for second in the
MEAC, are coming off a season
that pushed the defense into the
national spotlight and a significant portion
of that unit returns. SC State led I-AA in
total defense, was second in pass defense, '
10th in scoring defense, and >1 1th in rush
ing defense. Top performers arc lineman
Anthony Cook, linebackers Craig James
and Patrick Scott, and deep men James
Hester, Macey Stephens and Rich Dicker
son, who is also the punter. Cook led the
team in both tackles per game with 7.6 and
sacks (six). Hester had 74 tackles and three
interceptions, and Stephens added three
thefts. Quarterback Marvin Marshall, wide
receiver-kick returner Quincy Miller, and
runningback Frankie Sanders. Marshall
passed for 584 yards and nine touchdowns
and rushed for 67S yards and nine more
scores. Miller caught 10 passes for 161
yards and three TDs and teHthe MEAC in
punt returns with an 18;3-yard average.
Sanders rushed for 463 yards and four
TDs.