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Week 1 Preview: Wildcats Ready for National Stage in 2023 Red Tails Classic Season Opener

8/28/2023 11:14:00 PM

By: Chris Myers
FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The kick-off countdown can now be measured in hours instead of days to kick-off the 2023 gridiron season. For the third year in a row, Fort Valley State begins its campaign on a national stage when it faces Tuskegee University in the Red Tails Classic.
 
The Third Annual Red Tails Classic will kick-off Sunday night, September 3, at 6 p.m. CST/7 p.m. EST in Montgomery, Ala.'s Cramton Bowl. The game will televised national on ESPNU.
 
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Tuskegee University (0-0) vs. Fort Valley State (0-0)
Sunday - Sept. 3 - 6 p.m. CST/7 p.m. EST
Montgomery, Ala. - Cramton Bowl
Live on ESPNU

Tuskegee 
Roster
2022 Statistics

FVSU 
Roster
2022 Statistics
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3rd Red Tails Classic Features Two of Top 3 SIAC Programs
     In what will be the biggest league matchup of the opening weekend, the Third Red Tails Classic will feature two of the top three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference programs from the 2022 season.
     Tuskegee (8-3/6-0 SIAC West) claimed the final SIAC West crown and it went on to play eventual SIAC champion and East champ Benedict College in the SIAC title contest.
     FVSU (8-2/5-2 SIAC West) was the SIAC East runner-up to Benedict.
 
Gibbs Leads Second Wildcat Edition
     In his first year directing the Wildcats, now second-year FVSU head coach Shawn Gibbs and his staff are back for year number two.
     Gibbs' opening season as a collegiate head coach produced an 8-2 record – the most successful Wildcat season in a decade – and on the brink of securing a NCAA Division II playoff berth.
     Along with winning the Red Tails Classic to start last year, Gibbs' Wildcat team finished off the year with victory over rival Albany State, 31-21, in the Fountain City Classic.
 
Wildcats Look for 'Hat Trick' of Success vs. Golden Tigers in 3rd Red Tails Classic
     The third Red Tails Classic is predicted to be just as exciting as the first two in 2021 and 2022. FVSU looks to continue its success in the RTC and pull off the 'hat trick' with its third win in as many contests of the event.
      In the first two meetings, FVSU has outscored Tuskegee by a 51-6 margin. The Wildcats ran away with the inaugural game, 30-0, before they scored the game's first two touchdowns and never trailed last September 4 in a 21-6 final.
     2022 Summary:
     After forcing a Tuskegee punt on the game's opening possession, FVSU went to work as redshirt freshman quarterback Kelvin Durham engineered a 65-yard, 6-play scoring drive where he scrambled 10 yards to the left side for the first points only 5:44 into the night.
     Now Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson took over the Wildcat offensive effort. Along with a 3-yard scoring run midway through the second quarter, he sealed the win with an 87-yard touchdown burst up the middle of the field to make it 21-6 with 11:34 remaining in the game. Wilson finished with the second-highest rushing yards in a FVSU single game of 262 yards on 20 carries. He also pulled in two passes for 12 yards.
     FVSU outgained Tuskegee, 379-209, in total offense. The Wildcats had 328 of those yards coming on the ground while the Golden Tigers threw for 131 yards.
     The FVSU defense sacked the opposing quarterbacks three times and picked off a first-half pass.

     2021 Summary:
     The Wildcat defense made its presence felt early and set the tone with a goal line stand on its first defense on the night. FVSU used a stifling defense and coming-together offense as the night went along and posted a 30-0 shutout.
      Following an opening FVSU turnover on the fourth play of the game, the Blue and Gold defense manned up for the first time of what would be many on the evening. After the Golden Tigers drove 35 yards to the goal line, the Wildcats duo of Tyler Moore and Deon Andrews wrestled the ball carrier to the ground shy of the endzone.
      The two rivals stayed in a defensive battle until Moore recovered a Tuskegee fumble three minutes into the second frame of the scoreless contest. Eight plays later, Andre Labat connected on the first of three field goals coming from 42 yards for a 3-0 FVSU lead. The graduate kicker added a second field goal to make it 6-0 at half.
      The Wildcats defense, though, dominated out of the half. Andrews scooped up a Golden Tigers quarterback fumble on the first possession of the third frame. Tyrell Jackson found Jhi'Marre Brown from six yards only six plays later for the night's first touchdown.
      Zaquan Baldwin hit the Tuskegee quarterback and Jaylen Brown grabbed the fumble on the next possession. Six plays again were the magic number when Jackson lofted a scoring pass to the right corner for Shemar Bridges and a 20-0 advantage.
      The trio of Tuskegee turnovers was capped when Moore blitzed off the left corner to jar free the ball into the waiting hands of Zach Anderson, who raced straight up the field 60 yards for the third FVSU score in 12 minutes of the third frame and 27-0 dominating lead.
    Labat added a 19-yard chip shot third field goal with 3:19 remaining for the 30-0 final score.
      The FVSU stifling defense allowed only 103 yards of total offense. In fact, Tuskegee had negative rushing yards until its final possession and ended with four total. The Wildcats registered seven sacks coving 47 yards, 12 tackles for loss 58 yards, forced four fumbles, recovered four fumbles and picked off one pass.
     
Despite Last Two Matchups, Tuskegee Holds Series Advantage
     After not meeting for two seasons, the Red Tails Classic returned the two SIAC members which are only 126 miles apart distance-wise back on the field.
      Despite the Wildcats winning the first two Red Tails Classic contests, the Golden Tigers hold a solid 31-22-2 overall series advantage.
      Before the last two years, Tuskegee rattled off six-straight wins between 2011 to 2018. The six wins in a row included a 13-6 victory in the SIAC Championship affair.
     FVSU's last win came in 2010 with a 26-0 shutout before it took the last two in Montgomery.
 
Wildcats Seek Fourth Opening Win in Row
     For the past three seasons, FVSU football has put a 'W' in the column on the left to begin each campaign. The Wildcats seek to make it four in a row this Sunday night in Montgomery.
     After posting victories in the first two Red Tails Classic events, FVSU started its abbreviated 2021 spring two games with a 36-18 win at Shorter University.
     Miles College claimed the 2019 first game in Fort Valley by a 38-17 final.
 
Wildcats Picked 4th in SIAC Presason Poll, Land 10 All-Conference Players
            After being named the 2022 SIAC Newcomer and Freshman of the Year, Wildcat redshirt sophomore signal caller Kelvin Durham Jr. led the FVSU contingent of Preseason All-SIAC as the Offensive Player of the Year along with nine other teammates while the Wildcats are fourth in the Preseason Team Poll.
            Durham is joined on the All-SIAC First Team by offensive lineman Jemeil Jackson, tight end Gentry Sparks, wide receiver Corintheus Edmonds, defensive end Tim Alderman, linebacker Kentrell Lawson, defensive back Landon Austin and punt returner Hakeem Ellington. The Wildcats also placed linebacker Dialo Mosley and kick returner Justin Harris on the Second Team.
           In the Preseason Poll, SIAC defending champion Benedict College was voted at the same number one spot in the league. Behind Benedict, Albany State and SIAC West champion Tuskegee rated second and third. FVSU coming off its best season in a decade at 8-2 was picked fourth. Completing the top five, Savannah State was fifth in the first season with the SIAC being a single-division league.
 
Durham Has Wildcat Offensive Weapons
          Quarterback Kelvin Durham will have plenty of Wildcat offensive weapons to start using come Sunday night. The Preseason SIAC Offensive Player of the Year led the league in passing touchdowns and total offense yards with 2,252 yards, he proved to be an essential asset for his team. Durham consistently displayed his prowess, ranking second in total offense per game with an average of 225.2 yards, as well as in total offense touchdowns (19), passing yards (1,994 yards), and pass completions (147).
      His passing accuracy was commendable, completing 147 of 242 passes, resulting in 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Throughout the season, he accumulated a total of 1,994 passing yards with a completion rate of 60.74%. Additionally, he showcased his versatility by rushing 44 times for 258 yards and scoring three touchdowns, averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per carry.
      With current Packer Emanuel Wilson and his 1,371 rushing yards gone as the main ball carrier, returning junior Kentrelle Williams, graduate transfer from Mercer University Brandon Marshall and senior Troy Dendy will make it back by committee. Williams carried 31 times for 134 yards and Dendy toted the pigskin 51 tries for 150 yards last year. Marshall gained 380 yards on 56 attempts with three touchdowns for Mercer in 2022.
      Durham will have his top two wide receiver and tight end pass catchers back in Corintheus Edmonds, Fralon Warren and Gentry Sparks. The trio combined for 72 catches for 1,223 yards and 10 touchdowns. Edmonds led with 34 grabs for 657 yards and Warren not far behind at 24 receptions and 435 yards with a team-high six TDs. Sparks pulled 14 passes for 131 yards from his tight end spot. Transfers Dejuan Bell from Furman University and Za'tarious Anderson from West Georgia add to the talented corps. Bell had 9 catches for 79 yards while he returned 14 punts for 112 yards and nine kick-offs for another 165 yards to his credit. Anderson grabbed eight balls for 162 yards and a score. Jaren Lawson (12 rec. for 64 yards) and Jon Williams round out the top six receivers.
 
Good Mix of Experience and Youthful Talent Dot BlueDeath Defense
            The FVSU BlueDeath Defense will have a good mix of experience and youthful talent to dot the 2023 lineup. The trio leading the way will be Preseason All-SIAC First Team defensive end Tim Alderman, linebacker Kentrell Lawson and cornerback Landon Austin to lead the way.
     Along the line, Alderman recorded a team-high 14 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He is joined by three-time SIAC Newcomer of the Week Adeon Farmer (52 TT, 8 TFL, 2 sacks) and the two Riggins – Solomon (8 TT, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack) and Will (9 TT and 1 TFL) – who both will gain more time. Fellow Fort Valley, Ga., native and transfer Cedric Hillsman and true freshman Quentel Jones aim to make their marks, while Caleb Thomas (26 TT, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks), Josh Burney and AJ Harris (9TT, 1.5 TFL) add to the interior line.
      Lawson returns as the top tackler with 55 stops, 5.5 TFL, 1 sack and a forced fumble at the MLB spot. Malik Harp and DeMarcus Harris, who both had six tackles, aim to give more production.
     Redshirt sophomore Darnell Stephens takes over at free safety and Kennesaw State transfer Jadyn Walker is to man strong safety. Austin (39 TT, 1 INT & 4 breakups) leads the trio of super sophomore cornerback along with Lataj Wright (26 TT, 2 INT, 5 breakups) and Jamal Janvier (22 TT, 1 breakup) while junior Miron Billings will be in the mix.
 
Wildcats vs. Panthers Renew Series in Atlanta Next Saturday
            The Wildcats stay on the road in week two when they head up I-75 to Atlanta to take on the Panthers of Clark Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 12. Kick is set for 2 p.m. with the game on HBCU Go.





 
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