North Carolina Central’s motto for the 2015 football season is “Leave No Doubt.” Here are four snap judgments we feel pretty confident about making as NCCU heads into the 2015 season.
Malcolm Bell is ready to make his stamp on the MEAC. Bell spent fall camp last season in a battle for the starting spot. Heading into this season, it’s quite clear that this is his team and his time.
Posted by HBCU Gameday on Saturday, August 15, 2015
Sophomore running back Dorrel McClain is someone to watch on offense. At 5’10, 173 pounds, the Panther Creek (Cary, NC) product has a nice mix of size and shiftiness that he showed off several times in Saturday’s scrimmage.
Mike Jones and Ryan Smith are the leaders of the defense. NCCU lost quite a bit on defense, especially along the line, but Jones and Smith are two great building blocks. Smith may not get the accolades that Jones has gotten, but the senior has made his share of plays, most notably recovering Tarik Cohen’s fumble in NCCU’s season-ending upset of A&T. Look for more of the same this season.
NCCU’s defense will be really physical. If Saturday’s scrimmage was any indication, NCCU’s opponents better come prepared for contact. The defense showed it can swarm to the ball and deliver punishment–and that was against each other.