2B
SPORTS/The Charlotte Post
Thursday, January 2,1997
For the Week of December 31 through January 6, 1996
HERITAGE BOWL AND
"BAAD TEAM" SPECIAL
▼ SEASON RECAP, INDIVIDUAL AND
TEAM STATS; 3RD "BAADTEAM" PICKS
HOW THEY MADE IT
WEEK BY WEEK RECAP OF HOWARD'S AND SOUTHERN'S 1996
FOOTBALL SEASON
-WEEK ONE - September 7, 1996
Marshall 55, HOWARD 27 (0-1, 0-0)
In Howard and QB Ted White's 1996 debut, he totals 342 yards
(16-30, 3 TDs) to scare eventual Div. I-AA champion. WR
MacArthur Johnson snares six aerials for 216 yards.
Northwest (La.) State 27, SOUTHERN 10 (0-1,0-0)
Week after Jaguars find 1995 SWAC MVP RB Melvin Williams and five
other starters academically ineligible, they are thumped by NW Louisiana.
—WEEK TWO - September 13, 1996
HOWARD 26, Hampton 7 (1-1, 1-0)
Bison used six Pirate turnovers and balanced offense (122
rushing, 203 passing). White threw for two more TDs.
Alabama State 16, SOUTHERN 14 (0-2, 0-1)
Alabama State scores with :44 remaining to keep SU winless.
Jaguars could manage only 220 yards of offense.
—WEEK THREE - September 20, 1996
HOWARD 31, Virginia State 7 (2-1,1 -0)
RB Tyrone Lewis runs for 149 yards, while Bison pile up 329
rushing yards. White runs for two TDs and throws for another.
SOUTHERN 63, Prairie View A&M 0 (1 -2, 1 -1)
RB Leonce Griffin scored four times, two rushing and two receiv
ing, and rushed for 109 yards as Jaguars get first win.
—WEEK FOUR - September 27, 1996
Florida A&M 21, HOWARD 20 (2-2, 1-1)
Three special teams miscues - an opening kickoff fumble which led to a TD, a
fumbled punt which led to a score and finally a missed extra point with 6:28 to play
- allowed Florida A&M to escape with the win. Only conference loss for Bison,
SOUTHERN 19, Tennessee State 18 (2-2, 1-1)
Before 45,894 at Georgia Dome, Jaguar PK Carlos Leach boots four field
goals (37, 46, 44 and 36) to rescue inept Jag offense (93 total yards),
-WEEK FIVE - October 5, 1996
HOWARD - Open
SOUTHERN 24, Mississippi Valley 0 (3-2, 2-1)
Jaguars get offense untracked getting 364 yards while defense
holds MVSU to 173 yards. QB Marcus Jacoby (13-20,135 yds, 2
TDs) and RB Steve Wofford (15 rushes, 114 yds.) lead the offense.
-WEEK SIX - October 12, 1996
HOWARD 61, Bethune-Cookman 21 (3-2, 2-1)
MacArthur Johnson caught four passes from White for 157 yards and four
TDs, part of six White (13-29, 384 yards) TD passes on the day.
SOUTHERN - Open
-WEEK SEVEN - October 19, 1996
HOWARD 49, Morehouse 0 (4-2, 2-1)
White (23-29, 297 yards) threw five TD passes to five different
receivers. RB Williams rushes 15 times for 109 yards and one TD.
SOUTHERN 27, Jackson State 16 (4-2, 3-1)
Jaguars jumped up 14-0 and held on to forge SWAC first place tie with JSU. Two
fourth 0 .der FGs by Leach and a second Donnie Gales scoring run provided the
final mi n. Wofford rushed for 126 yards on 25 carries and a score.
-Wf . EIGHT - October 26, 1996
HOW. :0 38, North Carolina A&T 3 (5-2, 3-1)
The Br:ori jumped up 21 -0 in first quarter and never looked back. Scored on
62-yard punt return, 18-yard fumble return and two Ted White TD passes.
SOUTHERN 21, Alcorn State 14 (5-2, 4-1)
Jags win fifth straight in come-from-behind win. RB Lance Griffin's
four quarter score was the difference.
—WEEK NINE - November 2, 1996
HOWARD 42, Norfolk State 14 (6-2, 3-1)
White (18-32,291 yds.) broke the school TD passing record as his four 2nd half
passing scores led the Bison back from a 14-6 ha^time deficit. White's 25 TD
passes broke the HU and M EAC record of 24 held by former HU QB Jay Walker.
Nicholls State 14, SOUTHERN 0 (5-3, 4-1)
Nicholls State limited the Jags to 63 rushing yards and 92 passing
yards in the shutout while holding the ball for nearly 40 minutes.
-WEEK TEN - November 9, 1996
HOWARD 23, South Carolina State 3 (7-2, 4-1)
Two more White (12-18,245 yards) TD passes lead Bison past Bulldogs,
SOUTHERN 21, Florida A&M 17 (6-3, 4-1)
Jacoby throws for two scores and 224 yards (19-30) to lead Jags past
BCSP #1 Rattlers. Gales rushes 15 times for 72 yards and a score.
—WEEK ELEVEN - November 16, 1996
HOWARD 49, Morgan State 0 (8-2, 5-1)
Six White TD passes in only 12 completions for 239 yards leads Bison to blowout.
HU also rushed for 253 yards and set school record with 13 sacks.
Texas Southern 34, SOUTHERN 30 (6-4, 4-2)
The TSU Tigers shocked the Jags coming from behind to score in the last minute
to pull off the upset. Wofford rushed for 98 yards and 3 TDs to lead the offense.
—WEEK TWELVE - November 23, 1996
HOWARD 48, Delaware State 23 (9-2, 6-1)
White, the Div. I-AA top-rated passer, added 3 TD passes and 328
yards to his final numbers as Bison rise to #21 in I-AA poll.
SOUTHERN 17, Grambling 12 (7-4, 5-2)
Before 69,387 fans at the Super Dome, Southern came back from
6-0 halftime deficit on strength of two second half scoring passes.
STAT CORNER
HERITATE BO\A/LTEAM YARDSTICK
HOWARD
SOUTHERN
195.0
RUSHING OFFENSE
126.9
264.1
PASSING OFFENSE
123.7
459.9
TOTAL OFFENSE
250.6
37.6
SCORING OFFENSE
22.4
119.2
RUSHING DEFENSE
122.7
145.3
PASSING DEFENSE
174.2
264.5
TOTAL DEFENSE
296.9
14.0
SCORING DEFENSE
15.3
HERITAGE BOWL VI - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31-12 NOON - GEORGIA DOME - LIVE ON ESPN
RUNNER-UP
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
RUNNER-UP
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Howard University Bison (9-2)
Team Record
1995 Overall: 9-2
1995 MEAC: 6-1
Heritage Bowl: 0-0
MEAC Championships: 1
BCSP Ranking: #1
Coach's Record
Head Coach: Steve Wilson, Howard 78
Career Record: 53-36 (8 years)
Record at Howard: Same
Howard
Head Coach
Steve Wilson
VS. Southern University Jaguars (7-4)
Team Record
1995 Overall: 7-4
1995 SWAC: 5-2
Heritage Bowl: 2-0
SWAC Championships: 15
BCSP Ranking: #7
Coach's Record
Head Coach: Pete Richardson, Dayton '68
Career Record: 76-25-1 (9 years)
Record at Southern: 35-11 (4 years)
Southern
Head Coach
Pete Richardson
Last Meeting: November 4, 1990 - Howard 26, Southern 21
Series Record: 4-2-1 (Southern leads)
Heritage Bowl winner to claim national title
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Though the Heritage Bowl does not generally pit
the winner of the two black college Div. I-AA confer
ences, it seems that each year the only black college
postseason bowl game has been able to present a
matchup with black college national championship
implications.
And the 1996 edition, Heritage Bowl VI, pitting
HOWARD
Williams
Johnson
White
OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Rushing:
RB ARAY WILLIAMS -108 carries, 591 yards,
5.5 ypc., 65.6 ypg,, 5 TDs
Receiving:
WR MacARTHUR JOHNSON - 39 recep
tions, 906 yards, 23.2 ypc., 10 TDs
Passing:
QB TED WHITE -174 of 289, 2,812 yards,
36 TDs, 10 interceptions (176.13 rating)
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Tackles:
SS BILLY JENKINS - 62 solo, 21 assists
Interceptions:
DB CURTIS JONES - 3
Sacks:
DT MARQUES DOUGLAS -11
SPECIAL TEAMS LEADERS
Kicking
PK JASON DECUIR - 37 of 42 PATs, 10-14
FGs, 67 points
Punting
P RUBEN RUIZ - 30 punts, 1,135 yds., 37.8
Punt Returns
AKI WILSON -16-222 yds.,. 16.1 ypr., 1 TD
Kick Returns
STEFAN CAMERON -13-305, 23.4, O TDs
DeCuir
Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) runner-up
Howard against their Southwestern Athletic Conference
(SWAC)counterpart,Southem(Tuesday, Dec. 31,12 noon,
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA) is no exception.
Howard (9-2, 6-1 in MEAC), under eighth-year head
coach Steve WUson, dropped a season opening 55-27 deci
sion to eventual undefeated NCAA Div. 1-AA national
champion Marshall. As it turned out, Howard played the
Thundering Herd as well as any team did all year. The Bison
fell an extra point short (21-20) of eventual conference
champion Florida A&M in the season's fourth week but
dominated the rest of their conference opponents, outscoring
them 245 to 57. After the FAMU loss, the Bison outscored
all opposition, 310 to 64 while going on a seven-game
winning streak and rising to 21st in the I-AA poll. They were
the hottest team in black college football at season's end.
Speaking of hot, Howard sophomore QB Ted White
established himself as the premier offensive player in black
college football, not to mention the #1 quarterback in Div. I-
AA passing efficiency, over the season. White came back
from an injury-shortened but promising rookie season to
shatter school and MEAC records with 36 touchdown passes.
He threw scoring tosses to 10 different receivers in display
ing skills reminiscent of former black college quarterback
standouts. Jay Walker of Howard and Steve McNair of
Alcorn State.
With losses by Jackson State and Florida A&M in the
Div. I-AA playoffs, Howard moved up from #3 in the BCSP
rankings to the top spot in the final regular season poll.
In an up-and-down season, Southern (7-4,5-2 in SWAC),
under Pete Richardson, posted wins over the other top
black college I-AA teams, Jackson State (27-16) and Florida
A&M (21-17) while suffering setbacks to SWAC foes,
Alabama State (16-14) and Texas Southern (34-30) as
well as two other non-conference teams, Nicholls State (14-
0) and NW Louisiana (27-10). But the biggest setback may
have been the Jaguars preseason loss of 1995 SWAC MVP
runningback Melvin Williams and five other starters to academics.
Williams rushed for over 1,000 yards in '95 while
scoring 15 TDs. It took a while but Steve Wofford emerged
enough as Williams' replacement to earn SWAC Newcomer
of the Year honors. QB Marcus Jacoby struggled early but
put up better numbers down the stretch as the Jaguar offense
started to produce. Still, their season-ending 17-12 win over
Grambling gave them a tie for second with Texas Southern
and Mississippi Valley, and a spot, by virtue of the SWAC's
tie-breaking procedure, in Heritage Bowl VI.
So, a win over the Bison would give Southern a sweep
of the consensus top three teams in black college football and
a legitimate claim to the mythical black college national
crown, a title the Jaguars earned last year during an 11-1
campaign. The Jags have a knack for coming up with wins
in big games. They are 2-0 in Heritage Bowls, defeating
Florida A&M 30-25 in last year's game and handing South
Carolina State an 11-0 loss in Heritage Bowi III. The
Jaguars, under Richardson, have also captured the last
four Bayou Classic games from Grambling and coach
Eddie Robinson, a feat never achieved before.
The question in this game is whether the Jaguar
defense, noted for being one of the toughest in black
college football, can contain the Bison offense that has
rolled up 44.3 points per game during their winning
streak. And can the Southern offense awaken from a
season-long sleep.
SOUTHERN
Leach
Sharp
Arvie
OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Rushing:
RB STEVE WOFFORD - 150 carries, 639
yards. 4.3 ypc., 63.9 ypg., 5 TDs
Receiving:
WR JERMAINE BROWN - 22 receptions,
238 yards, 10,8 ypc., 1 TD
Passing:
QB MARCUS JACOBY -125 of 235, 1,303
yards, 9 TDs, 5 interceptions
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Tackles:
LB RICKY ARVIE - 49 solo, 37 assists
Interceptions:
S JOHN WILLIAMS - 5
Sacks:
DT ROBERT WALKER - 6
SPECIAL TEAMS LEADERS
Kicking
PK CARLOS LEACH - 29 of 29 PATs, 13 of
19 FGs - 68 points
Punting
P MATT BUSHART-70-2,944 yds., 42.1
Punt Returns
JERRY GUYE - 35-250 yds., 7.1 ypr., 0 TDs
Kick Returns
JERMAINE SHARP -14-312 yds., 22.3, O TDs
Williams
Walker
Bynum
Wilson
Adams
^ /
Bird Annual
"^aad ‘team"
of l^lack College All-Stars
Key
"Sweet Flight" leads offense
After Howard University's Jay "Sky "Walker, Alcorn State's
Steve "Air II" McNair and Norfolk State's Aaron "Airin'"
Sparrow it seems only fitting that the next great black college
quarterback have a suitable moniker.
Enter Howard's Ted "SweetFlight" White. That's the desig
nation given the sophomore sensation by the school's sports infor
mation department. And the name fits.
White, a prototype NFL quarterback at 6-4, 220 pounds,
reminds many of Walker, now of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings,
with his poise and field generalship. But White, who broke most of
Walker's single season and Mid Fastem Athletic Conference
marks this season and was named the conference's Offensive Player
of the Year, may be a little more prolific. He spread out 36 scoring
tosses to 10 different receivers this year and had 15 completions of
over 60 yards. He also completed 60.2% of his passes while
throwing only 10 interceptions, a rating (176.2) that was the best in
the NCAA Div. I-AA. Thus the handle.
The only reason his stats are not more gaudy is that Howard
coach Steve Wilson employs a balanced offense. Still his prodigious
talent and unlimited potential mark him as the 1996 BCSP Player of the
Year and Third Annual "Baad Team" first-team quarterback. And he's only a sophomore.
South Carolina State senior RB Kenny Bynum emerged this year as the top
running back in black college football. In a year where the number of.black college
1,000-yard rushers shrank to five (from 14 in 1995) Bynum was head and shoulders
above the rest. He gained 1,648 yards, averaging 164.8 yards per game, with individual
games of 307,266,295 and 204 on a 4-6 team. He is joined in the backfield by Albany
State senior Antonio Leroy, who went over the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth
consecutive year but claimed his first "Baad" first team selection. He repeated as SIAC
Player of the Year. Leroy finished his career as the NCAA Div. IPs sixth all-time rusher.
Florida A&M senior I^obert A^^ilson and Central State senior ^klonzo Johnson
were arguably the most productive amongst a host of such players at wide receiver.
Wilson led all black college receivers with 78 catches and 1,161 receiving yards while
Johnson pulled in 11 scoring tosses of his 46 catches (for 913 yards in eight games).
NorfolkState tight end Ronald Boone(6-5,248)completed his transition from wideout
to tight end pulling in 27 passes for 301 yards. Offensive linemen chosen to the "Baad"
Green
Woodson
Flythe
McNeill
Trio of studs leads defense
first team are: South Carolina State's Raleigh Roundtree (6-5,
305, Sr.); Jackson State's Rayfield Adams (6-3,305, Sr.) Albany
State's Fd Christian (6-3,290, Sr.); and Florida A&M's tandem
of Demetrius Billie (6-3,303, Sr.) and Jamie Nails (6-8,345, Jr.).
On the first team defense, Norfolk State tackle John Green
(6-2, 315, Sr.) Winston-Salem State tackle LaTori Workman
(6-4,280, Sr.) and Jackson State safety Sean Woodson (6-2,202,
Sr.) are the leaders. Green led all black college players with 14 1/
2 sacks though he finished behind Workman as ClAA Defensive
Player of the Y ear. Workman registered 12 sacks and 47 unassistted
tackles for the Rams. Woodson led the SWAC with eight intercep
tions and was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. His
speed and hitting ability should make him a first or second round
NFL draft pick. Also on the defensive line is Howard sophomore
Marques Douglas (6-3, 280). Douglas led the MEAC with 23
tackles for losses while registering 11 sacks and Alabama A&M's
Tony Hairston (6-1,280, Sr.), who swept SIAC defensive honors
while anchoring black college's top-rated defense.
Hampton linebacker Darrell Flythe (6-3,240, Sr.) moved
from running back to linebacker for the Pirates and used his speed
to lead all black college tacklers with 110 solos, a new MEAC record. The MEAC
Defensive Palyer of the Year is joined at linebacker by Mississippi Valley's Terry
Houzah (6-3, 225, Soph.) and Norfolk State's Robert Johnson (6-1, 235, Sr.). At the
other safety is Britt Henderson (6-1,190, Sr.) of Savannah State whose 12 interceptions
led all black college defenders. The defensive backs are Adrian Jones (5-10,180, Jr.) of
North Carolina Central who led the ClAA with eight picks and Alphonso Pogue (5-
11,190, Sr.) of Alabama State.
Special teamers include North Carolina A&T senior punter Monte Key, who led
all Div. I-AA punters with a 43.4 average and Southern senior placekicker Carlos Leach
who is the sole repeater from last year's "Baad Team." Leach converted all 29 of his PAT
attempts and made 13 of 19 field goal tries. Morris Brown's Roosevelt Blackmon (6-
1, 180, Jr.) is the return specialist. He returned two punts for scores this season.
Rudy Abrams, who led Livingstone to an 8-2 season and Johnson C. Smith head
coach Daryl McNeill who led the Golden Bulls from 2-8 a year ago to 7-3 this year are
BCSP Co-Coaches of the Year.
Howard University Sports Photo
PLAYER OFTHE YEAR: Howard QB
Ted White nosed out SC State RB
Kenny Bynum.
' AZEEZ C«>mmunici)tions, Inc. VOL. Ill, NO. 20