Morgan State Notes | Delaware State Notes | MEAC Notes | 
Purchase Tickets |
MEAC Video Conference | GAMEDAYGuide
Facebook.com/MorganStateBears | 
@MorganStBears
GAME TIME
The Morgan State Bears (0-8, 0-4) will look to get in the win column when they host the Delaware State Hornets (4-4, 1-1) on Thursday, Nov. 4. Kickoff is slated for 7:35 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and WEAA, 88.9FM.
GAME COVERAGE
ESPN2 will be broadcasting the game live ... Tiffany Greene will call the play-by-play with color analyst Jay Walker.
RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org, HSRN.com and on SIriusXM 386 and 988 on the SiriusXMmobile app.
LIVE STATS: here
SOCIAL NETWORKS
Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears and @MorganStateFootball. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.
TICKETS
Single game football tickets for all five (5) of Morgan State's home dates this season at Hughes Stadium are now on sale. Variable pricing for single game tickets will be used this year with single game tickets starting at just $20 per person. To purchase tickets, fans can visit www.ticketmaster.com, or call (443) 885-1522 (weekdays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
THE SERIES
• Morgan State leads the series against Delaware State with an overall record of 37-27.
• The Bears have won 10 of the last 12 meetings since 2008, including a string of 8-straight (2010-2019).
• In their last meeting, MSU posted a 34-3 win on Oct. 12, 2019 at Hughes Stadium.
• DSU posted a 35-22 win on Oct. 24, 2009 in Dover, Delaware.
LAST TIME VS. DELAWARE STATE
October 12, 2019 -- Morgan State dominated Delaware State 34-3 during homecoming festivities at Hughes Stadium.
• The Bears started immediately on their first drive when senior running back Joshua Chase rumbled 33-yards into the end zone for the opening score of the game. Nicholas O'Shea kicked home the extra point to give the Bears a 7-0 lead with 12:23 left in the first quarter.
• Chase got it going again in the second quarter with a 9-yard touchdown run. O'Shea's extra point extended the Bears' lead to 14-0 with 10:29 left in the first half ... Chase finished with 116 yards on the afternoon along with his two touchdowns.
• O'Shea returned the favor on the following drive with a 24-yard field goal with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter to build the Morgan State lead to 24-3.
• Devan Hebron intercepted Delaware State quarterback Tylik Bethea on the Hornets drive with 6:54 left and returned it for a touchdown. However, it was taken back after a blindside block penalty was called on the Bears. That led to an O'Shea 38-yard field goal with 1:41 left in the game to extend the lead again to 34-3.
THE COACHES
• Morgan State – Tyrone Wheatley (Michigan, '08) was announced as the Bears' 22nd head football coach on February 21, 2019 and previously spent two seasons as the running backs coach for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. Wheatley also worked at Syracuse University from 2010-12, and then with the NFL's Buffalo Bills from 2013-14. CAREER RECORD (3-17, 3rd Season, 2nd on the sideline).
• Delaware State - Rod Milstead is in his third year as head coach of the Hornets. He was appointed as head coach at his alma mater on Jan. 30, 2018. Before DSU, Milstead spent was head football coach at La Plata High School in Maryland from 2015 to 2018 and in 2013 he was offensive line coach at North Carolina Central University. CAREER RECORD (9-18, 3rd Season at DSU).
A WIN WOULD ...
...give Tyrone Wheatley his fourth win as MSU's head coach.
... improve the Bears' record to 38-37 against Delaware State.
... mark Morgan's first conference win since defeating N.C. A&T 22-16 on Nov. 9, 2019 at Hughes Stadium.
... mark the Bears ninth straight win against Delaware State since 2010.
... snap Morgan's 8-game losing streak.
QUICK HITS
• The 2021 Morgan State Bears will be under the leadership of head coach Tyrone Wheatley. Wheatley enters his third season at the helm and the 2021 campaign will mark his second season on the sideline due to the program not competing during the 2020-21 athletic season.
• Senior Neil Boudreau, a 6-3, 220-pound QB from Irvine (Calif.) completed 14-of-28 passes for 123 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions last Saturday vs. Norfolk State.
• Morgan finished with 17 total first downs and 334 total yards of offense at Norfolk State.
• Veteran WR Wesley Wolfolk had a big day vs. Tulane where he posted a game-high six catches for 110 yards and scored two TDs. He has 18 receptions for 244 yards and 4 TDs so far this season.
• Sophomore RB Jabriel Johnson (Baltimore, Md.) ranks No. 5 in the league in rushing with 97 carries for 370 yards and scored his first TD of the season last week at Norfolk State.
• LB Lawrence Richardson ranks No. 4 in the MEAC with 54 tackles (29 solo) and has two interceptions.
• DL Christian Teague led the Bears defense with 11 tackles and a sack. Jae'Veyon Morton, Erick Hunter and Lawrence Richardson had 10 tackles apiece.Elijah Williams added six tackles and a sack.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all 2020 fall athletes. Many seniors have decided to take advantage of this, and because they will return to the field in 2021.
A GLANCE AT THE HORNETS
• Delaware State finished the 2019 season with a 2-10 overall record and posted a 1-7 mark in MEAC play.
• DSU was picked to finish No.4 in the MEAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Nine (9) Hornets earned recognition on the 2021 Preseason All-MEAC Football Team and five were First Team selections.
• The Hornets enter this Thursday's contest against the Bears looking to win back-to-back games, most recently beating Howard 30-23 in Dover. The Hornets posted up 338 total yards and sophomore QB Jared Lewis threw for 246 yards (14-for-22) and four TDs. Lewis ranks No. 2 in the conference in pass efficiency (139.4) and has throws for 831 yards with 12 TDs.
• Freshman sensation Sy'Veon Wilkerson is the MEAC's leading rusher with 174 carries for 697 yards and a with league-high seven TDs ... He ran for a season-high 169 yards at Wagner (Oct. 2).
• The Hornets won for the third time in the last four games.
• WR Trey Gross ranks among the MEAC leading receivers: No. 1 in TD receptions (7); T-No. 4 in receptions (31); and ranks No. 7 in reception yards (381). WR Kwannah Kollie has added 17 catches for 207 yards with a TD.
• LBs Tyler Long and LB Kamari Jackson are two of the top defenders in the conference. Long is T-No. 6 with 49 tackles (36 solo) and Jackson is ranked No. 13 with 41 stops. Junior DL Isaiah Williams has been a QB's menace.. he ranks No. 3 in the conference with 3.5 sacks and ranks No. 1 with 9.0 tackles for loss.
• DSU leads the league in total defense (321.6), rushing defense (117.5), sacks (22) and kick returns (24.0).
A LOOK AHEAD
• The Morgan State Bears will look to get in the win column when they travel north to face the University of Albany Great Danes on Saturday, Nov. 13. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium.
• UAlbany leads the series against Morgan State 2-0.
• In their last meeting, UAlbany held on to post a 30-27 win on Sept. 15, 2018 at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, N.Y..
• UAlbany posted a 26-0 win on Sept. 9, 2017 in Hughes Stadium.
BEARS RED ZONE DEFENSE
If opponents have wanted to score touchdowns against Morgan State they've had to do so from a distance.
• Morgan ranks second in the league in red zone defense – 15 touchdowns allowed on 28 opponent's trips inside their 20-yard line.
• The Bears currently rank No. 49 in the nation in red zone defense.
SWARM TO THE BALL
If there's one thing defensive coordinator Antonio James emphasizes to his defense, it's run to the ball.
• There's no question that the Morgan defense takes to his coaching very well as 10 different players have at least 25 tackles this season.
• The only other team in the MEAC that is closest to having 10 or more players with at least 25 tackles is North Carolina Central with nine (9).
GO FOR IT
Morgan State ranks No. 2 in the MEAC in 4th down conversions.
• The Bears have converted 11-of-19 4th down attempts (57.9 pct.; rank No. 35 in the FCS).
MILESTONES ON THE HORIZON
WR Wesley Wolfolk
• Wolfolk (629) is 71 reception yards shy of 700 for his career at Morgan State. He leads the team with four TD receptions this season and has recorded seven (7) in his career. Wolfolk's two TD catches versus Tulane (Sept. 11) are tied for the most receiving TDs (game) in the conference and his 110 reception yards is one of 10 100-yard performances in the league.
RB Jabriel Johnson
• The sophomore is ranked No. 5 in the league in rushing (370; 3.8 avg). His 106 yards vs. Saint Francis-Pa. (Oct. 2) is one of five 100-yard performances in the league.
QB Neil Boudreau
• Boudreau is ranked No. 5 in the league in passing with 1,012 yards (126.5 avg). His 206 passing yards vs. Saint Francis-Pa. (Oct. 2) and 3 TD passes with 17 completions vs. Tulane (Sept. 11) are season highs.
PRESEASON PICKED 5TH
Morgan State was picked to finish fifth (5th) in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors.
• South Carolina State University has been picked to win the MEAC Football Championship as the Bulldogs topped the league's annual preseason poll for 2021.
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
• The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced the selections for the 2021 Preseason All-MEAC team Friday, with three players representing Morgan State. Offensive lineman Marvin Atuatasi, defensive lineman Merinio Dendoe and linebacker Devan Hebron were the three Bears named to the list, which is voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.
• The three preseason All-MEAC performers are part of a group of 12 starters returning for the 2021 Morgan State football season.
BEARS OPEN 122ndt SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 122nd season of football and will open the 2021 campaign under head coach Tyrone Wheatley, set to enter his third year at the helm and second year on the sideline.
RETURN MEN
The 2021 Morgan State Bears return 12 starters - four (4) on offense and eight (8) on defense.
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS
The Bears enter the 2021 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated.
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2021 campaign against four non-conference opponents. MSU opens the season in the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore' at home against Towson (Sept. 4), followed by a pair of road trips versus Tulane (Sept. 11), and Sacred Heart (Sept. 18). The Bears will have a bye week before hosting Saint Francis (Oct. 16). The Bears will cap the season with a road matchup with Univ. of Albany (Nov. 13) followed by a season finale home game versus Georgetown (Nov. 20).
BEARS OPEN 43rd SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 43rd season in the MEAC when they travel to D.C. to take on Howard for the conference opener on Oct. 8.
• The Bears opened the 2019 MEAC schedule with a 27-17 loss against North Carolina Central (Sept. 28) at Hughes Stadium.
• The Bears kicked off its first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979-80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.
MSU LEGEND EARL "PAPA BEAR" BANKS
Earl "Papa Bear" Banks was a legendary head coach at Morgan State University,
• In 1960, Banks took over the head coaching position at Morgan State from 2011 Trailblazer Award winner, Edward Hurt.
• In his 14 seasons as head coach, he would lead the Bears to six CIAA titles, one CIAA Northern Division championship and one Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. Banks had an overall record of 96-31-2 after he retired from coaching 1973 and produced three undefeated seasons from 1965 through 1967.
• He guided Morgan State to four bowl games, winning the 1965 Orange Blossom Classic and the 1966 Tangerine Bowl.
• He was named the American Football Coaches Association's recipient of the 2018 Trailblazer Award. The award was presented, posthumously, at the 2019 AFCA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /MorganStateBears
Twitter: @MorganStBears
Instagram: /MorganStateBears
ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
