Tyrell Jackson threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers, and Johnson C. Smith earned an impressive 49-6 win at West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday.
Here are key takeaways from the Golden Bulls’ season’s opening triumph:
QB IMPROVEMENT: Jackson, a senior who transferred from Fort Valley State last season, threw more interceptions than TD passes in 2022. He didn’t have a pick Saturday, finishing 19-of-28 for 229 yards. He didn’t get sacked either. A clean, impressive game.
DEEP RECEIVER ROOM: Brevin Caldwell came into the season as the lone All-CIAA receiver on the squad. He finished with six catches for 57 yards, including a 12-yard TD reception from Jackson in the fourth quarter.
But the Bulls flexed their depth at the position, with six players catching passes in all. Tyrek Williams (25 yard TD), Reggie Bryant (11 yard TD) and Dontae Baker (14 yard TD) also reached the end zone. Bryant had the best stat line of the day, making eight grabs for 102 yards.
NOT ONE DIMENSIONAL: Johnson C. Smith also had 226 yards on the ground, led by Jacob Newman’s 86 and Tim Newman Jr. with 73 yards and a touchdown. Shyden McCullough scored the final TD of the game on a 15-yard run.
For the game the Bulls outgained West Virginia Wesleyan 479-180. JCSU had 34 first downs to WVW’s 11. They scored in all phases, getting a 44-yard punt return for a score from Jacob Newman.
SACK MASTERS: Aaron Johnson earned two sacks for the Bulls, while Benari Black, Tiyeni Onabanjo, Montele Burton, Chris Jackson, Steny Joseph and Keion Joyner each had one.
Johnson C. Smith is coming off a 3-7 season. The Golden Bulls have made it clear they are all in on football. There have been upgrades to the facilities, and the school announced earlier in the summer that all scholarships and coaching positions had been filled.
The first step proved a good one. The Bulls host Walsh (Ohio) next Saturday at 1 p.m.
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TimeScoring Play JCS WVW 1st 10:49 WVW – Depp,Liam 22 yd field goal 8 plays, 76 yards, TOP 04:07 0 3 1st 05:57 JCS – Williams,Tyrek 25 yd pass from Jackson,Tyrell (Benitez,Christian kick) 10 plays, 70 yards, TOP 04:46 7 3 2nd 12:19 JCS – Newman Jr.,Tim 8 yd run (Benitez,Christian kick), 6 plays, 61 yards, TOP 02:28 14 3 2nd 05:16 JCS – Bryant,Reggie 11 yd pass from Jackson,Tyrell (Benitez,Christian kick) 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 04:24 21 3 2nd 00:12 WVW – Depp,Liam 46 yd field goal 7 plays, 42 yards, TOP 01:36 21 6 3rd 10:21 JCS – Baker,Dontae 14 yd pass from Jackson,Tyrell (Benitez,Christian kick) 11 plays, 73 yards, TOP 04:32 28 6 3rd 03:27 JCS – Newman,Jacob 44 yd punt return (Benitez,Christian kick) 35 6 4th 14:22 JCS – Caldwell,Brevin 12 yd pass from Jackson,Tyrell (Benitez,Christian kick) 4 plays, 49 yards, TOP 01:34 42 6 4th 06:58 JCS – McCullough,Shyden 15 yd run (Benitez,Christian kick), 11 plays, 74 yards, TOP 05:46 49 …6
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