Bethune-Cookman, once a power in HBCU football, may be ready to rise again.
The Wildcats are looking for a rebound season after the inaugural 3-8 campaign under head coach Raymond Woodie, Sr. where they went 2-6 in the SWAC. The season was a culmination of months of turmoil following the departure of former head coach Terry Sims.
Woodie took over a squad after National Signing Day (NSD) with an unprecedented exodus of key players in the process. Coming in on Feb. 6, 2023, he not only had to stop the bleeding of players transferring out, but replace them with what was left after NSD.
Hired by Reggie Theus, Director of Athletics at B-CU, Woodie was a familiar face for the Wildcat nation. Still, it was an unsettling situation as the entire hiring process had left a deep wound in B-CU.
Last year was challenging to field a team for the Spring
With barely a complete squad to field a spring game, Woodie never complained. He reluctantly revealed the situation and went about the business of targeting enough high school recruits and college transfers to compete for the 2023 season.
It began in about as difficult a situation as could be facing FBS Memphis as the opener. The Wildcats took a 56-14 beating in Tennessee. They would catch a breather with Division-II Savannah State for their home opener with a 31-6 win. B-CU would reel off six straight losses, including five in the SWAC.
Even with the challenges, Bethune-Cookman showed fight in two victories at home down the stretch. They took down Mississippi Valley State in a game televised on ESPNU and would surprise Alabama A&M the following week with a convincing 31-14 home finale.
The season ended in a 24-7 loss to the eventual HBCU national champion Florida A&M in the Florida Blue Florida Classic. The season might well have had a different outcome simply by improved personnel. B-CU lost three game by margins of three, five and six points. It lost two more games by two scores. The record reflects the team that was in place, but it also brings up the fact that they were not blown out by any SWAC team. The largest loss in the conference was the 17-point loss to FAMU.
Wildcats struck gold in the 2023 early signing period
In the early signing period, Woodie would nail some key transfers. Included in that group was his son Raymond Woodie, Jr. who transferred to play for his father after spending seasons at Florida State and Cal. Several other impressive transfers began to emerge in the Wildcat arsenal.
With a solid signing day and continuously adding transfers, the Wildcats had a robust squad for the 2024 Maroon and Gold game. The team looked more energized, more athletic and much more focused.
One major recruiting asset was the completion of the first phase of the on-campus practice facility. Located directly behind the Handfield Athletic Training Center, the pristine field is the first on-campus practice facility in decades. Aided by a $1 million donation from Charles Barkley, having a new state-of-the-art turf field in their backyard is a plus in recruiting. In addition, the team now has an on-campus locker room. It is also in its first phase and will be completed in short order.
From FBS to HBCU football
Quarterback play was a key deficiency for B-CU last season. The Wildcat still did not have a definitive starter through spring drills. The position was still very open with spotty consistency from the signal-callers who participated in Spring drills. Finally, this week a big-name quarterback committed to B-CU. Former Charlotte and Oklahoma quarterback Micah Bowens II posted his commitment to the Wildcats via his social media. Bowens is no stranger to the SWAC as former Southern University coach Eric Dooley had offered him out of high school.
The dual-threat quarterback has nice touch on his passes, putting them in favorable positions for his receivers to make plays. Additionally, he has very good agility. To even further add to his arsenal, he is accurate while scrambling. Bowens could be just what the doctor ordered for Woodie and the Wildcats.
Bethune-Cookman is on nobody’s list of top contenders in the SWAC. Most attention is focused on FAMU, Jackson State and Alabama State. With all of these teams in the same division, the SWAC East could be the league to watch in HBCU football.
They are indeed scary looking. I predicting several upsets. Hopefully FAMU Won’t be one of them.