Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State Picked to Finish 1-2 in the MEAC

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

LeBrandon Richardson (photo from Bethune Cookman Athletics site)

It's rather fitting that Bethune-Cookman's football squad has a first team preseason All-MEAC representative on each level of the defense.  They were more than stout as they sported the nation's second ranked defense in 2013 (fellow MEAC member South Carolina State had the nation's best defense, statistically).

Even though they've lost eight starters -- the entire linebacking core and three of four defensive backs -- they are still the sexy pick to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title again this year, according to the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

The Wildcats, already ranked 23rd in the nation in the FCS 2014 preseason poll, will rely on a bevy of reserves and transfers to step in where the leading tackler for the past three seasons, the departed Jarkevis Fields, thrived.

"We have a lot of bodies and a lot of talent," linebacker Ralph Williams, a key reserve last year who takes over at middle linebacker, told the Daytona Beach Journal on Aug. 1. "We just have to come out here every day and get better.  We have a lot of new starters, but [defensive coordinator Yogi Jones] always tells us everybody's a starter on the defense if you play."

Williams will have preseason All-MEAC defenders DL LeBrandon Richardson, LB Tavarus Dantzler and DB Marquis Drayton anchoring things.

South Carolina State has six defenders on the preseason All-MEAC team, led by defensive lineman Alex Glover and Andrew Carter.  The two anchored a Bulldog defense that gave up only 90 yards rushing per game in 2013.

Greg McGhee (photo from AtlantaBlackStar.com)

North Carolina A&T was also tough defensively, with the nation's top rushing defense.  They are picked to finish third behind South Carolina State in the MEAC.  Next is Howard, a team that will have head coach Gary "Flea" Harrell back after a one-year sabbatical, has the preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year in Greg McGhee, last year's MEAC total offense leader who was second in passing and third in rushing.

Here is the MEAC's predicted order of finish:

First Place Votes in Parenthesis)

School                                                                         Points

1.      Bethune-Cookman                                             487

2.      South Carolina State                                          457

3.      North Carolina A&T                                             338

4.      Howard                                                              309                             

5.      Delaware State                                                 229

6.      Norfolk State                                                      225

7.     Hampton                                                              200

8.     North Carolina Central                                        187

9.    Morgan State                                                          148

   ** Florida A&M and Savannah State are not eligible for post season competition therefore is not listed on the above prediction order

Here is the complete All-MEAC team:

Offensive Player of the Year: Greg McGhee, Howard           Defensive Player of the Year: Lynden Trail, Norfolk State Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown QB Greg McGhee Sr. Howard Pittsburgh, Pa. RB Tarik Cohen So. N.C. A&T Bunn, N.C.           RB Anthony Philyaw So. Howard Los Angeles, Ca. WR Milton Williams III Sr. Delaware State Washington, D.C. WR Desmond Lawrence Sr. N.C. A&T Durham, N.C. TE Kris Drummond Sr. Savannah  State Washington D.C. C Andrew Edouard Sr. Bethune-Cookman Philadelphia, Pa. OL Domanic Wilson r-Sr. S.C. State Lake City, S.C. OL Willie Robinson r-Sr. N.C A&T Clinton. Md. OL Darren Pinnock Sr. Morgan State Miami, Fla OL             Devin Flowers r-Sr. S.C. State Charlotte, N.C. OL             Toree Boyd So. Howard Miami, Fla. DEFENSE Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown DL LeBrandon Richardson Jr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla. DL Miles Grooms Jr. Hampton Richmond, Va DL Alex Glover Jr. S.C. State Charlotte, N.C. DL Andrew Carter Sr. S.C. State Hamlet, N.C. LB Lynden Trail r-Sr. Norfolk State Miami, Fla. LB D’Vonte Grant Grad. North Carolina A&T Charlotte, N.C. LB Tavarus Dantzler Sr. Bethune-Cookman Homestead, Fla. DB Darrin Marrow r-Sr. Norfolk State Virginia Beach, Va. DB Cameron Alston r-Sr. Howard North Augusta, S.C. DB Mike Jones So. N.C. Central Baltimore,Md. DB Marquis Drayton Jr. Bethune-Cookman Fort Lauderdale, Fla. P Lawrence Forbes r-So. Morgan State Upper Marlboro, Md. PK Anthony Prevost r-So. Hampton Chesterfield, Va. RS Adrian Wilkins r-Jr. N.C. Central Forest City, N.C.           Second Team         OFFENSE Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown QB Quentin Williams r-Sr. Bethune-Cookman Tampa, Fla. RB Lamont Brown III r-So. Morgan State Suffolk, Va. RB Justin Taylor r- Jr. S.C. State Atlanta, Ga. WR Joseph Cervalo r-Sr. Delaware State Venice WR Thomas Martin r-So. Morgan State Naples, Fla. TE* James Lynch r-Jr. Norfolk State Darby, Pa. TE* Temarrick Hemingway r-Jr. S.C. State Loris, SC C Ronald Canty r-Sr. N.C. A&T Chester, S.C. OL John Smith r-Jr. Howard Atlanta. Ga. OL Jerron Searles Jr. Delaware State Atlantic City, N.J. OL Keonte Cash So. Florida A&M Miami, Fla. OL Justin Myler r-Sr. Norfolk State Woodbridge, Va. OL  Chris Pressley Sr.  N.C. Central Upper Marlboro, Md. DEFENSE         Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown DL Rodney Gunter Sr. Delaware State Lake Hamilton, Fla. DL Damon Gresham-Chisolm Jr. Howard Covington, GA DL Ronnie Barrow Sr. Bethune-Cookman   DL DL Demarco Bisbee Javon Hargrave r-Jr. Jr. Morgan State S.C. State Lansing, Mich. Salisbury, NC LB Joshua Thorne Jr. Hampton Oxon Hill, Md.  LB Cody Acker Sr. Morgan State Landover, Md. LB Marquis Smith So. Savannah State Prince Georges County, Md.  DB Khambrel McGee Sr. Hampton Miami, Fla. DB Devonte Johnson Sr. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla. DB Tony McRae Jr. N.C. A&T Laurinburg, N.C. DB* Patrick Aiken r-So. Florida A&M Pembroke Pines, Fla. DB* Keenan Lambert r-Sr. Norfolk State Norfolk, Va. P Christian Faber-Kinney r-So. Hampton Williamsburg, Va. PK Chase Varnadore Sr. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla. RS Tony McRae Jr. N.C. A&T Laurinburg, N.C.           Third Team         OFFENSE Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown QB Damien Fleming Sr. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla. RB Jorrian Washington r-Sr. Hampton Los Angeles, Ca. RB Dae-Hon Cheung Sr. Delaware State Coatesville, Pa. WR DennisRowe r-Sr. S.C. State Columbia, S.C. WR Jhomo Gordon Sr. Bethune-Cookman Palm Bay, Fla. TE TE* Nathan Scruggs Nate Ingram r-Jr. Graduate N.C. Central Howard Jacksonville, Fla. Sicklerville, N.J. C Erick Dickerson r-So. S.C. State Goose Creek, SC OL Mike Phillips Jr. Norfolk State Virginia Beach, Va. OL Clevonne Davis Jr. N.C. Central  Miramar, FL OL Afolabi Ayangbayi So. Savannah State Union, NJ OL Ryan Templeton Sr. Florida A&M Chicago, Ill           DEFENSE         Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown DL Michael Neal Jr. N.C. A&T Greensboro, N.C. DL Daniel Pinnix Jr. N.C. A&T High Point, N.C. DL Deon King Jr. Norfolk State Reston, Va DL George Riddick Sr. Norfolk State Suffolk, Va.           LB Justin Hughes Jr. S.C. State Virginia Beach, Va. LB Marcell Coke Sr. Norfolk State Orlando, Fla. LB Justin Dixon Jr. Savannah State Duluth, Ga. DB Ronald  Robinson Sr. Delaware State Jersey City, N.J. DB Julien David Sr. Howard Coral Springs, FL DB Ryan Smith r-So. N.C. Central Upper Marlboro, Md. DB DB P Greg Brown DeShaun Summers Domnic Frescura So. Jr. So. Savannah State Morgan State N.C. A&T Tucker, Ga. Hampton, ­Va. South Pasadena, CA PK Cody Jones So. N.C. A&T Gastonia, N.C.