DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A former return specialist during his collegiate playing days, Bethune-Cookman Head Football Coach Brian Jenkins has allowed himself a moment or two to appreciate the accomplishments of North Carolina Central's special teams play this season.
And when those instances quickly end, it's back to "how the heck are we going to stop those guys?"
It's the biggest of regular season contests Saturday as the Wildcats host the upstart Eagles on Senior Day at Municipal Stadium. With both teams undefeated (4-0) in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play, the results of the 4 p.m. kickoff could go a long way in determining who is representing the MEAC once the FCS playoffs begin November 24.
Like any other game, this one could come down to special teams, and the Eagles have excelled in that department this season.
North Carolina Central has taken three punt returns and a kickoff return for touchdowns in seven games. Arthur Goforth is ranked fifth in the nation with a 31.27 yard average on kickoff returns while also posting a 23.45 yard average returning punts.
"Deadly. Those guys are deadly," Jenkins said during his Wednesday media luncheon. "Before the season, I thought the guys from Hampton were good, but these guys from North Carolina Central are the most impressive I've seen. Tell me another team that's taken four to the house.
"As much as I've enjoyed watching them play, they're also giving me a lot of sleepless nights," Jenkins added. "We better find a way to do something to stop them."
Jenkins has a healthy respect for the 5-2 Eagles across the board, starting with Head Coach Henry Frazier.
"They are playing as a team and they have bought into Coach Frazier's system and philosophy," Jenkins said. "The productivity has been a total team effort, not just from one individual.
"Their defensive line is athletic and aggressive," Jenkins added. "They play four quarters. They are relentless. This is going to be a great football game."
B-CU (5-2) has won three in a row to set the stage for Saturday.
"I've been impressed with the overall effort and the passion the past three weeks," Jenkins said. "The players want to improve and are realizing they are a work in progress and want to get better."
Other thoughts from Jenkins:
On this game being a "Big Game":
"Every game is a big game for us. Any opponent can step up and, all of sudden, you're in the loss column. If we go to 5-0, it just means we still have some more football to play. We have to stay in the moment, stay focused and stay humble. When it's time to look at the records, then that's the time we look at records."
On Offensive Guard Terrance Hackney:
"Terrance has been a steady player."
On Senior Day Being A Motivator:
"If I have to pull Senior Day to motivate my team, then we're not doing our job preparing them to play. Our guys should be prepared to play by being prepared to play."
On Nesly Marcellon:
"He's a quiet assassin. He doesn't say much, but when the helmet goes on, he goes to work. What people don't know is his academic success. He interned last summer at a Fortune 500 company and flew to New York with business professors to attend seminars during our bye week. He's a young man who is well-rounded. You don't have to worry about him."
