Johnson C. Smith football primed to contend in CIAA race

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Preseason All-CIAA linebacker Benari Black, a West Charlotte High graduate, returns to a Johnson C. Smith defense that was among the best in Division II in 2023.

Johnson C. Smith football has made the transition from CIAA afterthought to contender.

The Golden Bulls were picked to finish fourth in the preseason coaches’ poll, the highest spot in recent memory. The top three teams – Virginia State, Virginia Union and Fayetteville State – are on JCSU’s schedule.

“It feels good that others recognize that we’re doing some good things at JCSU,” Golden Bulls coach Maurice Flowers said. “And then also, that our guys, especially the guys that came in from the original recruiting class, that what we said, that our plan and what our process was going to be … they can see it. They’ve been a part of it, and they’ve been there every step of the way.”

The preseason finish, of course, is a collective guess. In previous seasons, JCSU could be found at the tail end of the rankings, and aside from the occasional winning campaign, that’s where they’d usually finish as well. Flowers, though, admits it’s an acknowledgement that the Golden Bulls are moving in the right direction.

“I’m not going to say if it was right, if it was too high, if it was too low,” he said. “What I do know is I can’t even remember when I was first hired in ‘22 what we were predicted that first year (ninth). I do remember that last season, going into ‘23 we were picked sixth and I remember that caught a lot of people by surprise.”

JCSU won’t catch anyone by surprise this year. The defense, which was one of the best in Division II in points allowed (16.2 per game) in 2023, returns all but two starters, led by preseason All-CIAA linebacker Benari Black, a West Charlotte High graduate who tallied 82 tackles, including 13 for loss in 2023 and running mate Jack Smith (68 tackles, 10 for loss).

The secondary has a pair of openings but transfers Shamar Baker (Charlotte) and TyQuereon Hines (St. Augustine’s) will compete for starting positions, as will Nasier Curry-Sudler (West Georgia).

“This is a team that has the potential, that will have the opportunity to compete and win in every game that they play,” Flowers said. “When it comes to talent, we’re going to have it at every position. The defense, we return nine out of 11 starters on a defense ranked No. 1 in the NCAA and we got deeper … and more experienced on defense. On offense, we’ve gotten better. “

The major question on offense is at quarterback, where there’s an open competition between transfers Kennique Bonner-Steward and Darius Ocean, a pair of Hough High graduates. Kam Kromah, a redshirt sophomore and Independence High alumnus, is also in the mix.

“They’re older guys, so they’re going up there competing for the starting position, and it’s going to be a battle,” Flowers said. “We want to get back to playing where a team has to defend the entire field.”

Regardless of who lines up behind center, he’ll be surrounded by playmakers, starting in the backfield. Quavaris Crouch, a former five-star recruit at Harding High who played at Tennessee and Michigan State, adds size (6-2, 235 pounds) and speed at tailback. He will also play linebacker and line up on special teams. JCSU added former North Carolina and East Carolina running back Kamarro Edmunds (5-11, 230), a former four-star recruit from Havelock, N.C.

“I think there’s very few Division II teams in the country that can say they have a five-star tailback and a four-star tailback,” Flowers said.

Receiver Brevin Caldwell, an Ardrey Kell High graduate who led the Golden Bulls with 51catches for 579 yards last year returns, and he’ll be joined by St. Augustine’s transfer DeAndre Proctor, who caught 31 passes for 402 yards and three touchdowns last year.

The CIAA dropped its division format, which means the teams with the two best records advance to the conference title game. For JCSU to get there for the first time since 1971, the task is straightforward: beat the three teams picked ahead of them head-to-head.

“Every game is a big game, and every game is important,” Flowers said. “That’s been our philosophy since we’ve been here… we’re going to play in big games because as you’re building a program and you’re doing winning things to begin to win games, you’re going to play in games that are big; games that are going to have implications to help you play for a championship.”

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