THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120471
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Michael Jenkins knows what many defensive backs think of wide receivers. Hey, the Hampton University receiver played defensive back at Norcom High.
``They think of receivers as wimps,'' Jenkins said. ``I'm not that type of person.''
Not by a long shot. Jenkins, at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, has been turning heads all season not only with his ability to catch the football, but with his penchant for punishing defenders.
Last week, against Delaware State, Jenkins caught a pass over the middle and tossed one defender over his hip like a judo master. When another had the temerity to try to tackle him, Jenkins planted the defender into the turf with a stiff arm to the top of the helmet.
``He's very physical,'' Hampton coach Joe Taylor said. ``We really admire him most for the things he does away from the ball. He can't wait to get downfield and hit somebody.''
More often, though, Jenkins is downfield catching a pass. Through six games, he has 37 receptions, two more than he caught last season and 30 more than any other Hampton player. He leads state Division I-AA receivers in catches.
``It's really been a result of what the defense is giving us,'' Taylor said. ``For some reason, he's getting open.''
Jenkins says he's been seeing double- and even triple-teams all season. But he's hoping that the emergence of teammate Vincent Davis - who caught three passes for 130 yards last week - will relieve some of that pressure.
``I don't think there's anybody who can cover me,'' he said.
Jenkins is obviously a confident player. By his reckoning, he'll be the top receiver on the field Saturday, when Hampton takes on Norfolk State in the battle of the bay. Many would reserve that honor for Spartan All-American James Roe.
Jenkins stresses that he's taking nothing away from Roe, but adds:
``I'm just as good a receiver. If I was put in that type of offense, I think I could produce just as much. You're talking about (Norfolk State's) run-and-shoot vs. (Hampton's) wing-T.''
Nothing wimpy about that statement.
WINNING COMBO: For the second week in a row, James Madison won a game on pass from Mike Cawley to Macey Brooks with under a minute left.
Two weeks ago, against Maine, Cawley and Brooks connected on a 13-yard pass with 37 seconds left to beat the Black Bears 21-17. Last week, the hook-up was for 36 yards with 40 seconds remaining in a 38-31 win over Boston University.
JMU has won four of its five games in the final minutes. The Dukes beat William and Mary after trailing for three quarters, and beat Villanova in overtime. Their lone loss, to McNeese State, came on a last-minute score by the Cowboys.
AROUND THE STATE: The I-AA game of the week pits Richmond, 5-0 and ranked 12th in the nation, against No. 9 Delaware, also 5-0. Richmond is 2-9 against the Blue Hens, but the way the Spiders have been playing, anything's possible. Richmond, 3-8 last year, is 5-0 for the first time since 1985 and has come from behind to win each week. Richmond beat Northeastern 26-23 in double overtime last week in a game that was clinched on an interception by freshman Winston ``Mr.'' October. . . . JMU's Cawley became the Dukes' all-time leading passer last week, passing Eriq Williams, who played from 1989-92. Cawley, a transfer from Syracuse, has 5,357 yards in 27 games. . . . Hampton's homecoming against Elizabeth City State Oct. 28 will be carried live on ESPN2. Kickoff has been moved to 3 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Says Hampton coach Joe Taylor of Michael Jenkins, above: ``He can't
wait to get downfield and hit somebody.''
by CNB