MEAC Football Media Day Takeaways | 2023
NORFOLK, Va. — The countdown to college football begins at media day, and the MEAC held its 2023 Football Media Day Friday morning in downtown Norfolk.
All six football-playing schools were represented at media day by the head coaches and two student-athletes, and there was no shortage of storylines between new program leaders and the announcement of preseason standings and awards.
Here are the takeaways from MEAC Football Media Day.
Continued Growth Of Quinton Williams At Howard University
If it wasn't for Davius Richard, Williams is probably the best quarterback in the conference. But the Bison signal-caller came along nicely last season and is poised to do big things in 2023.
"His maturation process and understanding of the offense," head coach Larry Scott said about what's stuck out about Williams' evolution. "I expect his game to take another level because it slowed down for him mentally. He's been a great leader this offseason for our team, and he's really embraced the younger guys too.
"He's done an excellent job at being the things you expect a quarterback to be."
Running back Jarrett Hunter also noticed the maturation, citing how Williams went "from a young guy who's still learning the offense to a guy who's calling the shots. He's arranging meetings and practices; it's a big deal."
Williams is projected to be All-MEAC Second Team for the second straight year.
How Eagles QB Davius Richard Is Handling The NFL Hype
The reigning MEAC Offensive Player of the Year is being billed by many to be the next HBCU quarterback to make it to the NFL potentially. The numbers and measurables support that, but Richard isn't focused on the future. He's instead chosen to focus on the present.
"I like to be where my feet are right now," Richard said. "To be great, you have to do great things, and I feel personally that I'm not there yet. It wouldn't feel right to compare myself to someone like Steve McNair, who did great things at Alcorn and then in the NFL.
"At that point, you can consider yourself great, but for me, I'm still in college trying to be great."
Richard has garnered some national attention as Jim Nagy has the North Carolina Central quarterback as one of the FCS signal-callers to hear their name called in the 2024 NFL Draft.
This season will be pivotal for Richard's draft stock, especially against UCLA, a Power 5 opponent where a strong performance may force his value to skyrocket.
Quarterback Battle At Norfolk State
At media day, head coach Dawson Odums clarified that there is a battle for the starting quarterback position. But that doesn't mean he's out Otto Kuhns, who started last year for the Spartans. Instead, he's aiming for the best player to push the program forward.
"We got several guys competing for the starting job," Odums said. "We got a guy returning that's gotten much better, but competition allows that room to be really good. We didn't have the competition at that position a year ago.
"Quarterback play is essential, and I think we have some talented ones, but the one that rises to the top can give us an opportunity to win the championship."
In addition to Kuhns, Odoms brought in three transfer quarterbacks: Ruben Lee II from Hinds Community College, Cameron Sapp from Florida A&M, and Mark Wagner II from the University of Virginia. The competition will be fierce, as its eight total QBs listed on the spring roster as of now.
Lee Hull Takes Over At Delaware State
How often do you see a team predicted to finish last receive a first-place vote?
That's the case for the Delaware State Hornets, who will enter the 2023 season with new head coach Lee Hull. This is Hull's second stint as a head coach in the MEAC, the first coming at Morgan State, where he brought the Bears their first conference title in 35 years and the first FCS playoff appearance in program history.
Hull's extensive coaching history includes stops all over college football as a wide receivers coach or offensive coordinator, and his developmental resume consists of the likes of Stefon Diggs and Darius Heyward-Bey.
"It was my goal to return to being a head coach," Hull said. "That's why I took the job at Howard to be an offensive coordinator because I wanted to put myself in a position to be a head coach in the MEAC again."
The clear attraction for Delaware State is Hull's success on offense. The Hornets were a great defensive team last season but ranked near the bottom in every significant offensive category. Additionally, quarterback Jared Lewis transferred to Hampton, and the two leading receivers are no longer on the roster.
Hull still has some weapons, however. He'll still have the running back tandem of Marquis Gillis (preseason First Team selection), Wade Inge, and deep threat Rahkeem Smith. The offense is sure to leap forward come this fall.
Life After Alfonzo Graham At Morgan State
Morgan State had the worst passing offense in the MEAC last year, but that's ok when you had the best running back by far in Alfonzo Graham. Now Graham is in the NFL, but head coach Damon Wilson isn't worried about maintaining a solid running game.
"Alfonzo is going to be a piece we miss for sure, but he did a great job working with the guys behind him," Wilson said. "We have some guys we feel very comfortable putting in on Saturdays. We shouldn't miss a beat at that position."
Wilson immediately mentioned Jabriel Johnson as the projected successor, who will be a senior this coming season. Last year, Johnson had 78 carries for 272 yards and a touchdown in 11 games.
South Carolina State's Wide Receiver Room Has The Potential To Be Great
The Bulldogs face a similar challenge with Shaq Davis now in the NFL, but Buddy Pough believes he'll have enough talent in the receiver room to keep the passing attack going in Orangeburg.
"You're always going to miss a Shaq Davis," Pough said. "But we've got some new kids coming in, and our returning players have continued to develop and will fill in the gaps.
"We've got Justin Smith-Brown, who did well towards the end of the season; Rakim White is a talented individual. He has a chance to be really special as he continues to get reps; Jordan Smith has shown himself to be a capable receiver.
Pough is also excited about the return of Richard Bailey, a high school teammate of quarterback Corey Fields who got injured in the early part of last season. According to Pough, getting Bailey back "might be a bigger deal than having Shaq Davis going forward."
It's hard to imagine anyone replicating Davis' production or attraction soon, but South Carolina plans to do so by committee.