In 2008, the Morehouse College Fighting Maroon Tigers expect to surpass the accomplishments of last season’s team that posted a 7-3 record and registered the first winning season in four years.
Under first-year head coach, Rich Freeman, Morehouse exceeded all expectation last season. Predicted by SIAC coaches to finish last in the conference, the Maroon Tigers finished a strong fourth. This year, SIAC coaches have seen the light and have projected Morehouse to finish fourth in the race for the conference championship.
Morehouse started the 2007 season winning four of five games and finished with the best record since 2001, when that team went 8-2. Only a last-second field goal by the Fort Valley kicker kept Morehouse from duplicating that record.
The 2008 schedule features nine conference games and three classics. Only three games will be played at B.T. Harvey Stadium. (See schedule at www.morehouse.edu/athletics/football/schedule.html.)
For the second time in three years, the Maroon Tigers will travel to California to play in the Los Angeles Coliseum. This year’s event is the Angel City Classic, which will pit the SIAC against the SWAC.
On September 27, Morehouse will square off against the Panthers of Prairie View A&M University, of the Southwest Athletic Conference. In 2006, the Maroon Tigers played at the coliseum against Alcorn State University, in the now-defunct Silver Dollar Classic.
Continuing the oldest rivalry in black-college football, Morehouse will once again compete against Tuskegee, in the 73rd Annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic, in Columbus, GA., on October 11, at 2 p.m.
The Morehouse Homecoming game will be October 25, at 2 p.m. against the Golden Rams of Albany State.
At least two games will be televised by ESPNU – the 9/7 game against Fort Valley State and the 10/11 game against Tuskegee. The Prairie View game may be televised, but no firm deal has been set.
The Maroon Tigers return four of five players named to the 2007 All-SIAC team. Along with a nucleus of eight starters on offense and nine starters on defense, Morehouse returns 21letter-winners in 2008.
The Offense:
Morehouse will enjoy the luxury of having two excellent quarterbacks vie for the starting job. William Brack, a strong-armed passer who transferred from Jackson State is the current front-runner. He will be hotly challenge by Christian Sterling, an accurate passer who won the starting job in mid-season last year, beating out graduating senior Carlos King.
Once again, Morehouse will field a stellar corps of wide receivers. Led by seniors Achille Hendje and James Steadman, the Maroon Tiger receivers are fast, strong and sure-handed.
With breakaway speed and big-play ability, the receivers will present themselves as tempting targets for quarterback Christian Sterling, who won the starting job in mid-season. Sterling is an accurate passer and field leader who will pose multiple problems for opposing defenses.
Christian Green, who moved from defensive back to running back, should again display the speed and power that earned him the starting job last season. He will be backed up by Myericks Thompson, an elusive speedster, adept at slipping tackles.
The offensive line, anchored by All-SIAC honoree Ramone Harwood, should improve, with the return of starters Vincent Jones, Darius Raines, Mark Russell and Joseph Williams.
The Defense:
Morehouse will return the core of a defense that was vastly improved over previous years. The Maroon Tiger overall defense moved from last place in 2006 to fourth best in 2007 and claims much of the credit for the overall team improvement last year. The defensive line should be solid at every position.
Among the top defensive returnees are:
Jeffrey Cargile, a linebacker and the team’s leading tackler. His ferocious tackling and team leadership earned him a Daktronics All-South Region nomination last year and a spot on the Lindy’s Football Magazine preseason All-America list.
Senior Derrick Scott, a second-team All-SIAC selection at defensive back, o continues to improve.
Mario Lane, a pro prospect at defensive tackle, made his presence felt on nearly every defensive play. He is expected to continue to terrorize opposing linemen and quarterbacks.
Linebacker Earl Thomas, a two-time SIAC Player of the Week, anchors a Maroon Tiger linebacker unit that should be one of the best in the conference.
The Special Teams:
Morehouse will once again have the services of placekicker and punter Micah Streiff. The 5’-11” 175-pound senior was one of the premier kickers in the SIAC.
Voted to the All-SIAC second team, Streiff, from Decatur, GA, was the second-leading punter in the SIAC. He was named SIAC Special Teams Player of the Week six times in 2007 and received Honorable Mention on two other occasions.
