HAIL WILDCAT, HAIL

The silence is deafening in Daytona Beach these days.

Following the turbulent process that preceded his hiring, Coach Raymond Woodie has done a stellar job at quieting the noise around his rebuilding program at Bethune-Cookman University. In the same breathe, it’s been entirely too quiet in the closing months of the preseason. Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) leaders announced its 2024 Preseason All-SWAC Football selections and Predicted Order of Finish (P.O.F) on Tuesday during SWAC Football Media Day in Birmingham, Alabama. Back in the spring, Coach Woodie had this report on the progress of his team:

I’m really excited and honored to coach this football team. We’ve got over sixty new players going into the fall. To see them grow over the course of the spring is a great thing. I wanted to come out of spring and see if we could begin to develop a two deep, and we felt like some of the things that we saw today solidified some things for us. 

The Preseason All-SWAC honors, and P.O.F was voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. The league’s projections have Alabama State (114) selected to finish in first place in the SWAC Eastern Division, this season. Florida A&M (104), Jackson State (87), Alabama A&M (76), Bethune-Cookman (47) and Mississippi Valley State (31) round out the East Division preseason rankings. This would be one place worse than the Wildcats finished last season, with a six conference losses. However, on a brighter note, two Wildcats received All-SWAC team honors for performances during last season.

????????????????????????????-???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????

????️ https://t.co/7YXDKpIgjU#???????????????????????????????????????????????? | #???????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/1X7jClHKOQ

— ???? Bethune-Cookman Football (@BCUGridiron) January 8, 2024

Coach Woodie will have the opportunity to shift the narrative around Bethune-Cookman football against the University of South Florida on Aug. 31st, in Tampa Bay

SWAC FOOTBALL P.O.F

SWAC East

1. Alabama State- 114 points (11)

2. Florida A&M- 104 points (6)

3. Jackson State- 87 points (2)

4. Alabama A&M- 76 points (4)

5. Bethune-Cookman- 47 points

6. Mississippi Valley State- 31 points (1)

SWAC West 

1. Alcorn State- 112 points (11)

2. Prairie View A&M- 104 points (8)

3. Grambling State- 72 points (4)

4. Southern- 70 points (1)

5. Arkansas-Pine Bluff- 61 points

6. Texas Southern- 40 points

*First place votes listed in parenthesis ( )

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Quarterback: Myles Crawley, Grambling State

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Defensive Lineman: Ckelby Givens, Southern

???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????

Congratulations to LB Dearis Thomas and LS Clayton Thomas Jr. on being named Preseason ????????????????????????-???????????????? ????????????-????????????????!#???????????????????????????????????????????????? | #???????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/nieJgr4GF5

— ???? Bethune-Cookman Football (@BCUGridiron) July 16, 2024

Preseason All-SWAC Football Team

All-SWAC First Team Offense
Quarterback: Myles Crawley, Grambling State
Running Back: Donovan Eaglin, Alabama A&M
Running Back: Kendric Rhymes, Southern
Offensive Lineman: Ashton Grable, Florida A&M
Offensive Lineman: Arelious Dunn, Alabama State
Offensive Lineman: Evan Henry, Jackson State
Offensive Lineman: Tahj Martin, Grambling State
Offensive Lineman: Joseph Church, Mississippi Valley State
Wide Receiver: Fabian McCray, Jackson State
Wide Receiver: Jacolby Hewitt, Alabama A&M
Tight End: Tavarious Griffin, Alcorn State

All-SWAC First Team Defense
Defensive Lineman: Malachi Bailey, Alcorn State
Defensive Lineman: Ckelby Givens, Southern
Defensive Lineman: Treqwan Thomas, Alabama State
Defensive Lineman: CJ Pressley, Prairie View A&M
Linebacker: Rico Dozier, Alabama State
Linebacker: Jacob Williams, Texas Southern
Linebacker: Demarkus Cunningham, Alabama State
Defensive Back: Kendall Bohler, Florida A&M
Defensive Back: Emari Pait, Alabama A&M
Defensive Back: James Burgess, Alabama State
Defensive Back: Deco Wilson, Florida A&M

All-SWAC First Team Specialist
Place Kicker: Cameron Gillis, Florida A&M
Punter: Matt Noll, Jackson State
Return Specialist: Robert McMinn, Alabama State
Long Snapper: Braxston Blackwell, Southern

All-SWAC Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Jace Wilson, Texas Southern
Running Back: Kelvin Dean, Florida A&M
Running Back: Marcus Harris, Alabama State
Offensive Lineman: Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M
Offensive Lineman: Joshua Trask Jr., Southern
Offensive Lineman: Mehdi Torrence, Texas Southern
Offensive Lineman: Cameron Williams, Alabama A&M
Offensive Lineman: N/A
Wide Receiver: Jamari Gassett, Florida A&M
Wide Receiver: Javon Robinson, Grambling State
Tight End: Jaxson Davis, Mississippi Valley State

All-SWAC Second Team Defense
Defensive Lineman: Jeremiah Williams, Jackson State
Defensive Lineman: Allen Smith, Florida A&M
Defensive Lineman: Michael Akins, Texas Southern
Defensive Lineman: Jamal Marshall, Prairie View A&M
Linebacker: Isaiah Bogerty, Texas Southern
Linebacker: Dearis Thomas, Bethune-Cookman
Linebacker: Derrick Williams, Southern
Defensive Back: Amon Scarbrough, Alabama State
Defensive Back: Esaias Guthrie, Jackson State
Defensive Back: Edwin Summerour, Alcorn State
Defensive Back: Javius Williams, Texas Southern

All-SWAC Second Team Specialist
Place Kicker: Joshua Griffin, Southern
Punter: Jeremy Baker, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Return Specialist: Jamari Gassett, Florida A&M
Long Snapper: Clayton Thomas Jr., Bethune-Cookman

???????????????????? ???????????? ?????????????????????????????????

Us too.

Catch Head Coach Raymond Woodie and student-athletes Raymond Woodie III and Trevaris Hammond for your first look at 2024 B-CU football.

???? Tuesday, July 16
⏰ 11am EST
???? ESPN+#???????????????????????????????????????????????? | #???????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/3kJqvPbMUF

— ???? Bethune-Cookman Football (@BCUGridiron) July 15, 2024