In 1994, Wildcat legend Cy McLairen returned to Bethune-Cookman to revive a football program stuck in the basement of the MEAC. The result? A forgettable 10–23 stretch over three seasons, ending with a 2–9 campaign in 1996.
That year marked the last time B-CU would sink that low—for a while. Over the next two decades, the Wildcats became a force in FCS football: playoff runs, wins over FBS programs, and a string of winning seasons that became the standard.
Today, that success feels like folklore.
Alarming Stretch
Since joining the SWAC in 2021, B-CU has endured its worst four-year stretch in program history—four straight seasons with just eight wins in conference play. This kind of futility is unprecedented, not even seen during the school’s early days in the SIAC.
The timing couldn’t be worse. B-CU left the MEAC for the SWAC in 2020 to join a rising conference with more visibility. The Wildcats had fared well against SWAC opponents historically (35–29 pre-2021), but since then have limped to an 8–24 conference record. That’s not just disappointing—it’s alarming.
After the well-publicized fallout with Ed Reed, B-CU turned to Raymond Woodie Jr.—an alum with deep FBS experience. On paper, it was a smart hire. But after two seasons (3–8 in Year 1, 2–9 in Year 2), the questions are growing louder. A loss to Division II Clark Atlanta last season only added fuel to the fire.
Now, fans are starting to expect defeat. And that’s dangerous.
The 3 Possible Fates for Coach Woodie
Woodie enters the final year of his contract with everything on the line. Barring major improvement, it’s hard to imagine him returning. Here’s three possibilities of how things could shape up:
- Another 2–4 win season? It will be hard to make the case to continue with Coach Woodie if we end up with a 3 straight sub 5 win season. At best, it signals stagnation and sets a poor precedent.
- 5–6 wins? A gray area. Improvement, sure—but are we rewarding mediocrity? Quality of wins will like be the deciding factor. 6 Wins and one of them being against “that school up north” or JSU, I think a case can be made to extend him.
- 7+ wins? Easy call. 7 wins means we’re likely in the hunt for a Celebration bowl berth. Coach Woodie I think would have earned himself an extension.
This season, close games won’t be enough. Woodie’s teams have been competitive, yes—but moral victories simply wont be good enough to ease the fanbase this season. From mid-September on, B-CU must find ways to close games and protect home field.
Like McLairen before him, Woodie was brought in to right the ship. Whether his story ends the same way will be clear by November.
All Hail to Thee.
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