North Carolina Central football ready for 2021 campaign following cancelled 2020 season
DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central Eagles struggled in the 2019 season, as they went 4-8 and lost their last two games by a combined score of 99-0. The team was forced to sit out the 2020 season, just like the rest of the MEAC and SWAC.
But the Eagles and second-year head coach Trei Oliver are hoping to change things for the 2021 season. The team’s surprise 23-14 victory over Alcorn State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta to start the season is a sign of what the Eagles are hoping to do in 2021.
The team is hoping to get back to the top of the MEAC, or to at least have a winning record this season. There are plenty of promising players on the squad that could help the team get to that point.
The defensive side of the Eagles saw two substantial losses. Defensive lineman and MEAC sack leader Darius Royster and HBCU All-American defensive back Bryan Mills are no longer with the Eagles.
The team does have a few talented returning defensive backs in Justin Nicholson and Stephen Stokes. Defensive lineman Chuck Manning is also expected to anchor the line this season. The Eagles have a great potential to perform well this year if they can get the defense in check.
The offense has an assortment of talented players worth watching. NC Central is hoping that the team’s experience in 2019 will help them improve in 2021. This point comes as the Eagles had less than fifteen passing touchdowns and fifteen rushing touchdowns in 2019, joining Delaware State as the only other MEAC team to reach that point.
But running back Isaiah Totten is expected to be a prominent figure on the offense. Totten was named a first-team preseason pick in the MEAC and is listed by the Black College Football Hall of Fame as one of the top players to watch in Black College football.
Quarterback Davius Richard is also expected to improve following a strong freshman season in 2019. He had about 2,000 passing yards and twelve touchdowns in 2019. He also had nearly 250 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He may need to rely upon his running power this season, as the team doesn’t have what could be considered a primary target.
The North Carolina Central Eagles’ victory over Alcorn State to start to season was a real statement showing that the Eagles are ready to compete. But it’s not the only game that the Eagles will need to look forward to this year. The team’s match against North Carolina A&T will be an exciting rivalry game that the Eagles will be motivated to win. The Aggies have dominated the rivalry the last few times, so the Eagles will need to do what it can to succeed and show it is competitive enough.
The team also has back-to-back home games against two of the MEAC’s toughest teams, South Carolina State and Norfolk State. The Eagles will likely need to win both games to have a chance at the MEAC title and to play in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.
The Eagles also have a game against Marshall at the start of the year. The match is more of a traditional warmup against an FBS club.
Whatever happens in 2021, the North Carolina Central Eagles will need to watch for how they’re going to compete in the MEAC. Their first win of the season was a significant development, but the team will need to do more to show its skills and to prove it can get to the top of the division once more.
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