3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Bethune-Cookman falls to South Carolina State in home opener

DAYTONA BEACH — Terry Sims took responsibility for any of team's shortcomings and then made a promise after Saturday’s game.

“We did not play well at all as a team, but that’s on me,” Bethune-Cookman’s head coach said. “I have to shoulder that one. I have to get it corrected.

“And I will.”

Sims’ Wildcats (0-2) fell to South Carolina State 33-9 in their 2022 home opener at Daytona Stadium. They committed four turnovers on offense and struggled to contain big plays on defense.

After a lightning delay of two hours and 10 minutes postponed the start time, the Bulldogs struck first once the teams took the field. They jumped ahead 20-0 before Bethune-Cookman got on the scoreboard with a field goal late in the third quarter.

Wildcats running back Jimmie Robinson III cut their deficit to 20-9 with a five-yard touchdown run at the beginning of the fourth. But in the final four minutes, South Carolina State sealed its victory with an 88-yard touchdown catch-and-run and a pick-six.

“We didn’t execute well in all three phases,” Sims said. “We executed in spots, and you’re not going to win many football games like that. We have a lot we have to get cleaned up.”

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Bethune-Cookman rides the quarterback carousel

Throughout fall camp, Jalon Jones, Tyrone Franklin and Walter Simmons III battled for the starting quarterback job. Jones started against Miami last week and threw for 243 yards, though Franklin and Simmons both saw playing time.

Against South Carolina State, Jones again began the game and took the bulk of the snaps behind center, but the Wildcats used all three.

“Playing all three quarterbacks, I think, is something we have to do right now,” Sims said. “We want to give all the guys an opportunity, and we have three quarterbacks that run. So we cannot just have one guy in the game running the ball the way they do. We have to give them a break.”

All three struggled against the Bulldogs.

Jones tossed two first-quarter interceptions in enemy territory and was taken out.

Franklin entered on Bethune-Cookman’s first possession of the second quarter. He threw four passes — three incompletions and an interception — in two drives.

That led to Simmons. He rode out the rest of the first half, completing two of his three passes for nine yards and adding 23 yards on the ground. Simmons pushed Bethune-Cookman into field-goal range at the end of the second quarter, but the kick was blocked as time expired.

Then, Jones returned to the field after halftime and remained there until the final three minutes of the contest, when Franklin came back out and coughed up a pick-six.

Overall, Jones went 8-of-23 for 127 yards with two interceptions through the air. He led the Wildcats with 99 yards on the ground.

Franklin finished 2-of-8 for 22 yards and two picks.

“I’m not using it as an excuse, but a lot of practice time missed with weather,” Sims said. “We may have practiced one full day in the last two weeks. So it’s hard for those guys to really get their timing down and get the looks they're going to see.

"Again, I’m not using that as an excuse, because they have the talent to make plays. They have to make them. They made some bad reads out there today.”

South Carolina State dominates on the ground

The Bulldogs rushed for 237 total yards, averaging 5.3 yards a pop against Bethune-Cookman. Two of their three touchdowns came via running back Kendrell Flowers.

“Defensively, we have to do better with our linebacker play," Sims said. "Our linebackers have to play better. We had opportunities to make plays today, and we didn’t.”

Flowers provided the biggest blows. His 67-yard touchdown in the third quarter was the longest run by either team. He tallied 153 rush yards on 16 attempts.

Jacory Benson followed Flowers with 65 yards on 13 carries.

Kemari Averett and Corey Reed Jr. are held in check

For the second straight week, two of the Wildcats’ best offensive weapons were limited to one catch each.

Tight end Kemari Averett grabbed one reception for four yards against the Bulldogs. He led Bethune-Cookman with more than 800 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last year.

Wide receiver Corey Reed Jr., a highly touted transfer from Jackson State, reeled in one catch for six yards. During the shortened 2021 spring season, he had 325 receiving yards for Deion Sanders’ Tigers.

Neither player touched the ball in the first half.

“We have to execute as an offense,” Sims said. “When you know they’re going to double Kemari, when you know they’re going to load the box to stop our run game, we have to make sure we’re holding up steady in our pass game to open that up.”

Next up

Bethune-Cookman has a bye next weekend before returning to action Sept. 24. The Wildcats host Grambling State at 2 p.m. at Daytona Stadium.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: College football: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. South Carolina State