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Aug. 2, 2008

DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University will welcome the 2008 Eagles football team to campus on Sunday (Aug. 3) for the start of preseason camp.

The student-athletes will begin by checking-in to their residence halls at 1 p.m., followed by a meeting with new Athletics Director Ingrid Wicker-McCree, Ed.D., dinner, physicals and a team meeting to wrap up day one.

The team's first open practice will be Tuesday at 4 p.m.

2008 North Carolina Central University Football Season Preview: Eagles Face Challenging Schedule in Second Division I-FCS Season

North Carolina Central University enters its second season of Division I-Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) competition with veteran swagger on offense, youthful optimism on defense, and experienced stability on special teams.

The Eagles will line up against three teams that have garnered recognition in preseason Top 25 polls, making the 2008 schedule one of the toughest in school history.

Anchored by a group that posted an 11-1 mark, a repeat CIAA Championship and a Black College National Championship during the program's final Division II season in 2006, the Eagles finished their first Division I-FCS gridiron campaign in 2007 with a winning 6-4 record.

Second-year NCCU head coach Mose Rison welcomes the return of 44 letterwinners (24 offense, 20 defense) in 2008, but only nine of them were regular starters a year ago. Among the nine returning starters, all but two are on the offensive side of the ball.

OFFENSE: Veteran Swagger

NCCU returns seven starters on offense, including senior quarterback Stadford Brown (6-1, 201, Washington, D.C.), the school's fifth all-time leader in career passing yards with 4,288 in just two seasons. Brown threw for 1,711 yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago. "Stadford has done everything we've asked him to do," Rison said. "He takes good care of the ball, knows when to throw it away and provides tremendous leadership."

Brown's top three receivers are also back, including senior starters Wayne Blackwell (6-2, 204, Reidsville, N.C.) and Will Scott (6-2, 169, Charlotte, N.C.), along with sophomore Deshawn Spears (5-7, 145, Bunnlevel, N.C.). The trio accounted for 70 percent of Brown's completions and 75 percent of the team's receiving yardage from last season. Blackwell led the way with 42 catches for 509 yards and four touchdowns, while Scott had 31 receptions for 482 yards and four touchdowns, and Spears added 32 grabs for 300 yards and a score. Throw sophomore Corey Harris (6-4, 180, Chesapeake, Va.) into the mix and Rison considers this receiving corps to be a solid group. "The receiver position was a concern for us going into last season, but now we have some guys who have caught some balls and made some big plays," Rison said. "We'll be even better this year."

The tight end position is in the hands of sophomore Earthan Ward (6-4, 212, Edenton, N.C.), who caught only three passes as a rookie, but averaged a team-high 20.3 yards per reception. "Earthan has range, reach, good hands, can run and stretch the field," Rison said. "He has a chance to be special."

The Eagles have plenty of depth in the running back position, topped by last season's leading rusher Tim Shankle (5-10, 220, Gainesville, Fla.) and the 2007 season-opening starter Jeff Toliver (5-9, 207, Gaithersburg, Md.), who missed the final eight games due to an injury. Shankle's 598 ground yards and three rushing touchdowns were tops for the Eagles, while rising sophomore Justin Campbell (5-6, 190, Monroe, N.C.) averaged a team-best 4.4 yards per carry as a rookie. Rison also pointed out that sophomore Tony McCord (5-11, 178, Stone Mountain, Ga.) had an impressive Spring campaign. "All of our running backs return, including Jeff Toliver," said Rison. "This is going to be a formidable group."

When the Eagles need a grind-it-out yard, they will likely continue to hand the pigskin to junior fullback Saeed Abdul-Azeez (5-11, 238, Durham, N.C.), who rushed for 109 yards last season, mostly in heavy traffic. Sophomore George Mobley (6-0, 255, Charlotte, N.C.) also returns to provide NCCU with a solid one-two punch at the fullback position. "They are two outstanding fullbacks," said Rison. "Both are physical and both can and will play."

Helping pave the way for the Eagles will be an offensive line that Rison called "the strength of this football team." On paper, NCCU returns two big starters on the offensive front, including senior Jovan Olafiyoye (6-6, 325, Detroit, Mich.) and junior Eric Stanley (6-5, 348, Sterling, Va.). However, two-year starter Gabriel Manns (6-6, 300, Winston-Salem, N.C.) is back after sitting out the 2007 season, giving the Eagles three veteran linemen. Rison did not hesitate when listing his plans for the offensive front, citing Manns at left tackle, Olafiyoye at left guard, sophomore Timothy Charity (6-0, 278, Manteo, N.C.) at center, Stanley at right guard and rookie Markee Watts (6-6, 340, Charlotte, N.C.) at right tackle. "This can be a dominant offensive line, and we are going to look like an offensive line is supposed to look," Rison said.

Overall, the head coach said he is "extremely excited about the offense."

DEFENSE: Youthful Optimism

Only two starters return to a depleted Eagles defensive unit, sophomore Donald Laster (6-0, 222, Shaker Heights, Ohio) and junior safety Rasheed Muhammad (5-11, 213, Shaker Heights, Ohio). Laster, who will move from defensive end to linebacker, ranked fifth on the squad with 48 tackles, while Muhammad placed 13th with 20 takedowns.

With the team's top four tacklers gone, the Eagles will be young and inexperienced on defense. Rison, however, remains optimistic with a host of key returners and a few impact recruits that he feels will make for a fast and solid defense.

"Our big question is how to replace that many players on that side of the ball," Rison said. "The addition of Jake Cabell as defensive coordinator will make a big difference. He has a wealth of experience and we feel really good about his defensive scheme."

Rison admits that the defensive line will be "a bit undersized," but there will be plenty of competition for playing time. The Eagles are expecting 14 defensive linemen to report to camp, and Rison says "they are all candidates right now." Among those the head coach mentioned by name are sophomore Teryl White (6-4, 291, Winston-Salem, N.C.), senior Eric Smalls (6-0, 286, Raleigh, N.C.) and red-shirt freshman Danez Jones (6-5, 248, Pikesville, Md.). Smalls accounted for 14 tackles with 3.5 hits for a loss and 2.5 sacks last year, while White contributed five stops defensivley.

Laster's move to linebacker provides the position with some experience, but like the defensive front, the competition is wide open. Among the top contenders are sophomore Rakeem Vick (5-10, 200, Fort Washington, Md.), sophomore Calvin Hillie (6-2, 220, Concord, N.C.), senior Alex Winters (5-10, 226, Burlington, N.C.) and senior Troy McConico (6-0, 230, Richmond, Calif.), along with a few top prospects. Last season, Vick amassed 31 takedowns, including three hits for a loss, with two forced fumbles and an interception. Hillie recorded 13 tackles with 2.5 hits for a loss, Winters tallied 15 tackles, and McConico posted 12 stops with 3.5 hits for a loss and a sack. "The linebackers will be decent in size, but the strength of the position will be their speed to the ball," Rison said.

The defensive backfield will get a boost from the return of cornerback Micguel Johnson (5-10, 171, Gainesville, Fla.), who sat out last year after earning conference all-rookie team honors with 23 tackles and 11 passes defended in 2006. "The return of Micguel Johnson will make an impact in our secondary," Rison said. "He is a lock-down corner who plays with a lot of confidence." The other cornerback spot may go to sophomore Rashad Fox (5-11, 165, Washington, D.C.), who had seven tackles with two hits for a loss and a sack a year ago. Rison said Mohammad has grown as a safety and will get support covering the long ball from sophomore Jeffery Henderson (5-11, 180, Garner, N.C.) and junior Kurtis Campbell (5-11, 175, Raeford, N.C.). Henderson recorded 13 tackles and three passes defended, including a 72-yard touchdown return, while Campbell had four stops and two blocked kicks.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Experienced Stability

Anchored by the school's all-time leading scorer, senior place-kicker Brandon Gilbert (5-10, 186, Graham, N.C.), the NCCU special teams is in capable feet.

"We feel very fortunate to have both kickers coming back," Rison said.

Gilbert, who returns after missing the final eight games in 2007 with an injury, has amassed 234 career points and has established himself as the greatest clutch kicker in school history after nailing a pair of conference championship game-winning field goals in 2005 and 2006. "Brandon is one of the best kickers in the country," Rison said. "Having him back is a big plus."

Punter Taylor Gray (5-10, 145, Hillsborough, N.C.) enters his sophomore campaign with a busy year of experience under his belt after pulling double-duty as punter and place-kicker as a rookie. "Taylor grew a lot in a dual role as a freshman," Rison said. "He has the ability to change the game with field position."

Handling the return duties will be sophomore Deshawn Spears (5-7, 145, Bunnlevel, N.C.), who showed Eagle fans flashes of his game-breaking skills as a rookie. "Deshawn is exciting and tough," Rison said. "He has the ability to take the ball the distance at any time."

SCHEDULE: Challenging Division I-FCS Slate

NCCU's 2008 football schedule features four home games and seven road contests in five different states, including a few match-ups against nationally-ranked opposition.

After posting a 6-4 record in its inaugural season as an NCAA Division I-FCS program in 2007, NCCU will face nine fellow FCS opponents during the upcoming campaign, including eight teams with five wins or more last year and two that finished among the top 25 in the nation.

James Madison University (Sept. 6 in Harrisonburg, Va.) competed in the NCAA playoffs for the third time in the past four seasons, finishing with an 8-4 record. The Dukes were ranked seventh in the final FCS coaches poll and 12th in the final Sports Network poll, and are ranked No. 2 in The Sporting News 2008 preseason poll.

Cal Poly (Nov. 8 in San Luis Obispo, Calif.) finished with a 7-4 record to earn a national ranking in the top 25 poll (No. 24 by Sports Network) for the fourth consecutive season. The Mustangs return 10 starters to the second-ranked offense in the nation from a year ago (487.1 total yards per game) and are ranked 10th in The Sporting News preseason poll.

NCCU will also face the nation's third-ranked offense when the Eagles travel to Presbyterian College (Oct. 11 in Clinton, S.C.). The Blue Hose averaged 480.9 total yards per game in 2007, and defeated NCCU 34-27 last season in the first meeting between the schools.

"This is probably the most competitive schedule we have had in quite some time," said Rison. "We will be lining up against some outstanding football teams. I talked with the young men about our schedule and they are aware that this is the direction we are heading. We know it will be a challenge and we look forward to it."

NCCU's four home games include the "Labor Day Classic" versus Fayetteville State on Sunday, Aug. 31, long-time rival Winston-Salem State (Nov. 15), the "Homecoming" game against Edward Waters on Nov. 1, and a season-ending match-up with Savannah State (Nov. 22).

In order to accommodate an anticipated crowd that exceeds the capacity of its own stadium, NCCU moved its Oct. 4 home football game against long-time rival North Carolina A&T to Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

NCCU's other road games are against Morgan State (Sept. 13 in Baltimore, Md.), Central Connecticut State (Sept. 20 in New Britain, Conn.), and Coastal Carolina (Oct. 18 in Conway, S.C.).

Morgan State posted a 5-6 overall record in 2007, including a 4-5 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

Central Connecticut State finished 6-5 overall and placed second in the Northeast Conference. The Blue Devils won league titles in 2004 and 2005.

Coastal Carolina ended last season at 5-6 with a 3-1 record in the Big South. The Chanticleers have won three Big South conference championships in the past four years and boast a record of 39-17 in five years of Division I-AA/FCS competition. Lindy's publication ranks Coastal Carolina 24th in its preseason poll.

NCCU's seven road games will take the Eagles to five different states, including Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, South Carolina and California. The Cal Poly trip will be NCCU's first journey to California in 20 years, when the Eagles played Cal State Sacramento in the second round of the NCAA playoffs on Nov. 27, 1988.

In contrast, just three seasons ago in 2005, NCCU played 12 football games and never left North Carolina.