Brian Jenkins was at the helm of the Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) Wildcats the last time they won conference and national championships. Since then, Jenkins has moved on and even stepped out of coaching for a period. In 2023, Toriano Morgan, head coach of the Edward Waters Tigers, brought along Jenkins to help rebuild the HBCU program as it stepped up from NAIA to NCAA D-II.
Raymond Woodie’s Rebuilding Effort at B-CU
Raymond Woodie was brought to B-CU after Terry Sims left the HBCU. Between Woodie’s hire and Sims’ departure, there was a delay and a virtual “circus” surrounding the B-CU campus with the engagement of NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed. Woodie’s hiring squelched the noise, and he began rebuilding the B-CU program.
Anchoring the HBCU since 2021 has been former NBA All-Star Reggie Theus. Serving dual roles as Director of Athletics and head basketball coach, Theus has acquired donations, built up infrastructure, and, according to coaches, has supported his colleagues in the department with what they need to be successful. Theus helped build an on-campus dedicated turf football field, enhanced the weight room, and built a locker room for the football program. Before Theus, none of these things were available to the student-athletes.
Woodie’s tenure as head coach has not been complimentary of the success the Wildcat nation had grown accustomed to. In his third season as head coach, the Wildcats have managed only five wins. To be fair to Woodie, he has faced the FIU Panthers, Miami Hurricanes, and 2024 MEAC Champion South Carolina State Bulldogs. There were no easy paths to early success with the 2025 slate.
Wildcats Struggle to Reclaim Success
The Wildcats must win this Saturday at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach. B-CU will host EWU at 3:00 PM, and this game is not a cakewalk either.
The Tigers are coming off a monumental upset of the Virginia Union Panthers 41-38 on ESPN+. Showing that they have the grit it takes to be a champion. Brian Jenkins’ championship stamp is all over this Edward Waters team. Even so, Jenkins downplays his return to Daytona Beach.
“If they’re looking for a dog fight, then we’re going to be ready,” Jenkins said. We’re treating this game just as we treat every other game and preparing for it the same. We’re not making a big deal out of it. It’s a football game. We know we have an opponent to play, and it’s Bethune-Cookman, so there’s no specialness to it for me or my team.”