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With the Wildcats' leading passer and rusher gone, a long season seemed inevitable. But coach Alvin Wyatt says Allen Suber is here to the rescue.
By JAMAL THALJI
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 31, 2001
DAYTONA BEACH -- Alvin Wyatt's news conference is more like a sermon. The Bethune-Cookman coach doesn't answer questions, he preaches his gospel.
So listen in as he sings the praises of new quarterback Allen Suber, the former Tampa Catholic star given the unenviable task of replacing B-CC's all-time passer and rusher Pa'tell Troutman.
"He's my Suber-Man," Wyatt said, "and he can do all those things that Pa'tell Troutman can do, and he can do them, sometimes, better.
"He is smooth as silk, and he is a guy who can hurt you at any touch of the football. Running the ball or throwing the ball, whatever needs to be done, he's going to get it accomplished. Just like the great one, and he will probably be even greater by the time he is finished here at Bethune-Cookman College."
Lofty praise indeed, and the Wildcats will need Suber to live up to every bit of it if they are to have a chance at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title, a Division I-AA playoff berth and a Florida Classic win over Florida A&M.
Suber, 5 feet 10 and 178 pounds, stepped in for the injured Troutman at midseason last year. Suber showed he was the better passer, leading B-CC to wins over Hampton and Howard. Together, Troutman and Suber led the Wyattbone offense and B-CC to a 9-2 season, the school's best I-AA record.
But to Suber, there is no comparison. Troutman was 24-9 over three seasons, helped revive the program and was one of the most exciting players in the MEAC.
While Wyatt believes Suber will be just as prolific, Suber deftly deflected any comparisons.
"I do what I do and I do what I do well," Suber said. "(Troutman) has done great things for this college, and for me to compare myself to him would just be ridiculous."
Making Suber's task more difficult is the loss of running back Jay Rogers, a 3,365-yard career rusher whose broken leg from last season still has not healed. He will be a medical redshirt.
Despite the loss of Rogers, Troutman and 10 starters from one of the best teams B-CC has put on the field, Wyatt has raised his team's confidence to a new level. Take Suber, for example. The season is riding on him. Does he feel any pressure?
"None whatsoever," Suber said. "It's what I've been waiting for all my life."
Replacing another star is receiver Erik Lash, who must pick up where three-time All-MEAC selection Antonio Stanley left off last season.
The defense lost six starters but retains All-MEAC linebacker Anthony "Bubba" Howard and All-America free safety Rashean Mathis, whose 11 interceptions led the nation.
Wyatt, a former B-CC defensive back, takes great pride in his secondary. This year he gave up his usual offensive coordinator duties to call defensive shots. He has high expectations for Mathis, strong safety Tor-El Robinson and the rest of the defense that he has nicknamed the "Wyatt Terrors."
B-CC has proved it can compete with the rest of the MEAC, winning a school-record six conference games last season. But if B-CC cannot beat FAMU in the season finale Florida Classic, the school never will wrest the conference title from the Rattlers or earn that automatic playoff bid.
FAMU has won six consecutive Classics, but B-CC came very close last season, losing a 31-28 thriller. Has B-CC finally closed the gap?
Mathis, another Wyatt convert, thinks that's the wrong question to ask.
"To me, the question should be reversed," he said. "It should be, can they get close to us? Because I felt we should have beaten them."