As North Carolina Central University prepares to kickoff the upcoming football season, here are some quick facts about the 2023 NCCU Eagles…

• NCCU is ranked 13th in the 2023 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25, and 24th in the Athlon Sports' FCS Preseason Top 25.
• NCCU is No. 1 in the preseason BOXTOROW HBCU FCS coaches poll, receiving all but two first place votes.
• NCCU returns 12 All-MEAC performers, including five first team all-conference honorees. Headlining the group are senior quarterback Davius Richard, the 2022 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, and senior defensive back Khalil Baker, the 2022 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year. NCCU's other All-MEAC returners are senior running back Latrell Collier, junior center Torricelli Simpkins III, senior kicker Adrian Olivo, junior receiver Devin Smith, junior defensive lineman Jaden Taylor, junior linebacker Jaki Brevard, senior defensive back Manny Smith, junior running back J'Mari Taylor, junior defensive lineman Christian Smith, and senior return specialist/defensive back Brandon Codrington.
• 2022 MEAC Coach of the Year Trei Oliver enters his fourth season as the leader of his alma mater.
• Among NCCU's 11 regular-season contests, the Eagles will host five home games, play UCLA in Rose Bowl Stadium (Sept. 16), and travel to Indianapolis for the Circle City Classic (Sept. 23).
• NCCU opens the 2023 season on Sept. 2, at home inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium against Winston-Salem State University at 4 p.m.
• Two NCCU football games have been selected for Thursday night ESPNU telecasts during the upcoming 2023 season. On Thursday, Oct. 19, the defending MEAC and Cricket Celebration Bowl champions hit the road to square off against Morgan State. The following Thursday, Oct. 26, NCCU will be back home to take on South Carolina State. Both games will air live on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. ET.
• In 2022, NCCU won its first MEAC football championship since 2016, and defeated No. 5 Jackson State University, 41-34, in an overtime thriller in the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The victory delivered the university's fourth HBCU national championship title, joining the company of those captured in 1954, 2005 and 2006.
• The 2022 NCCU Eagles became just the third team in school history to win 10 games in a season and earned the program's highest NCAA Division I-FCS national ranking at No. 17 in the final American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches' Poll.
• The 2022 Eagles celebrated non-conference FCS triumphs over North Carolina A&T, Tennessee Tech, No. 25 New Hampshire, and No. 5 Jackson State - all on the road.
• The 2022 Eagles shattered NCCU single-season offensive records, including points scored (463 points), first downs (273), and total offense (5,344 yards/445.3 ypg). NCCU led NCAA Division I-FCS in third down conversions (55.8%) and ranked fifth in the nation in scoring (38.6 points per game). Defensively, NCCU topped the NCAA Division I-FCS in red zone defense and ranked 20th in the nation in both scoring defense (21.5 points allowed per game) and total defense (333.6 yards allowed per game).

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2023 North Carolina Central University Eagles Football
 
QUICK FACTS
School: North Carolina Central University
Location: Durham, NC 27707
Founded: 1910 by Dr. James E. Shepard
Enrollment: 7,953
Nickname: Eagles
School Colors: Maroon & Gray
Stadium: O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium
Capacity (Surface): 10,000 (Mondoturf)
National Affiliation: NCAA Division I-FCS
Conference: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
Chancellor:  Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye
Alma Mater: Alabama A&M
Athletics Director: Dr. Louis "Skip" Perkins
Alma Mater: NC Central
Athletics Dept. Phone: (919) 530-7057
Athletics Dept. Website: NCCUEaglePride.com
Twitter: @NCCUathletics
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NCCUathletics
YouTube: www.youtube.com/NCCUEagles
Instagram: nccuathletics
Threads: @nccuathletics
 
FOOTBALL HISTORY
First Year of Football: 1923
Overall All-Time Record: 495-405-30
NCAA Division I-FCS Playoff Record (Yrs): 0-0 (no appearances)
NCAA Div. II Playoff Record (Yrs): 1-3 (3 years - 1988, 2005, 2006)
Last Playoff Opponent/Result: Delta State (Div. II) - Lost, 17-24 (Nov. 25, 2006)
Conference Championships:  MEAC (1972, 1973, 2016, 2022); CIAA (1953, 1954, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1980, 2005, 2006)
HBCU National Championships: 1954, 2005, 2006, 2022
 
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach:  Trei Oliver
Alma Mater (Year): N.C. Central (1998)
Record at NCCU (Years): 20-15 (4th season) – Did not compete during 2020-21 (COVID)
Career Record (Years): 20-15 (4th season)
Coaching Staff:
Trei Oliver – Head Coach
Matt Leone – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Courtney Coard – Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
Cedric Williams – Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line
Pete Bennett – Special Teams Coordinator/Wide Receivers
Kevin Maurice – Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Claude Clayborne – Linebackers
Tony Spencer – Tight Ends
Mike Sewell – Safeties
Tony McRae – Cornerbacks
 
TEAM INFORMATION
                                  total / home / away / neutral
Overall Record Last Year: 10-2 / 4-0 / 4-2 / 2-0
MEAC Record Last Year: 4-1 / 2-0 / 2-1 / 0-0 - MEAC Champion
Starters Returning/Lost: 15/7 (6/5 Offense; 9/2 Defense)
 
Returning Offensive Starters (6)
Name    Pos.    Ht.    Wt.    Yr.    2022 Statistics / Notes
Davius Richard    QB    6-3    215    Sr.    2,661 passing yards, 25 pass TD, 15 rush TD *$
Latrell Collier    RB    5-10    200    R-Sr.    979 rushing yards (team-high), 9 rush TD *
Da'Quan Thomas    OL    6-2    275    R-Jr.    Started 11 games (tackle)
Torricelli Simpkins    OL    6-5    310    Jr.    Started all 12 games at center *
Devin Smith    WR    5-10    185    Jr.    38 receptions (team-high), 509 yards, 6 TD **
Joaquin Davis    WR    6-4    190    Jr.    25 receptions, 291 yards, 2 TD
 
* First Team All-MEAC (2022)
** Second Team All-MEAC (2022)
$ MEAC Offensive Player of the Year

Returning Defensive Starters (9)
Name    Pos.    Ht.    Wt.    Yr.    2022 Statistics / Notes
Khalil Baker    DB    6-0    185    Sr.    61 tackles, 4 INT, 5 PBU, 2.0 TFL, 1 RF *$
Manny Smith    DB    6-0    195    R-Sr.    62 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 4 PBU, 2 FF **
Brandon Codrington    DB    5-9    180    Sr.    24 tackles, 2 PBU; 19.2 KOR avg., 6.3 PR avg. ***
JaJuan Hudson    DB    5-10    175    Sr.    34 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 5 PBU, 2 FF
Jaden Taylor    DL    6-1    280    R-Jr.    32 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.0 sack **
Jaki Brevard    LB    6-0    210    Jr.    48 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 3 PBU, 1 FF **
Christian Smith    DL    6-2    275    Jr.    25 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 INT, 1 PBU ***
Kole Jones    DB    5-10    190    Jr.    44 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT, 1 RF
Max U'Ren    LB    6-2    225    R-So.    59 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1 FF, 1 RF
 
* First Team All-MEAC (2022)
** Second Team All-MEAC (2022)
*** Third Team All-MEAC (2022)
$ MEAC Defensive Player of the Year
 
OTHER TOP RETURNERS
Name    Pos.    Ht.    Wt.    Yr.    2022 Statistics / Notes
Adrian Olivo    K    5-10    185    Sr.    90 points, 13-15 field goals, 51-54 PAT *
J'Mari Taylor    RB    6-0    200    Jr.    421 rushing yards, 7 rush TD ***
Andrew Smith    WR    6-1    200    Jr.    21 receptions, 302 yards, 1 TD
Quentin McCall    WR    6-4    195    Jr.    18 receptions, 331 yards, 4 TD
Juan Velarde    P    5-10    190    Jr.    41.3 yd/avg., 4 +50-yd punts, long of 55 yards
Isaiah Lawson    DB    6-1    200    Jr.    41 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT, 3 PBU
Chris Mosley    RB    5-11    180    R-Jr.    159 rushing yards (7.6 avg.), 3 TD; 14.5 KOR avg.
Jason Chambers    DB    6-0    185    So.    27 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 7 PBU