- September 11, 2024
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Bethune-Cookman freshman football players Marquis McCants of Mainland High and Cole Hash of Matanzas attended Football Sunday at Palm Coast United Methodist Church with their teammates. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale at Palm Coast United Methodist Church on Football Sunday. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palm Coast United Methodist Church Pastor Kevin James delivers his sermon in front of the Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale on Football Sunday, Aug. 18. Photo by Brent Woronoff
A couple of Bethune-Cookman University true freshmen have entered fall football camp knowing the odds are against them as far as receiving playing time. Neither Marquis McCants nor Cole Hash have worried about the odds before.
McCants a graduate of Mainland High School, who also played one year at Seabreeze, is an undersized wide receiver at about 5-foot-9, 155 pounds. Hash, a Matanzas High School grad, was a four-year starter on offense, defense and special teams for the Pirates; now he’s a walk-on trying to earn a spot as a long snapper.
McCants may be undersized, but he has a big heart, B-CU head coach Raymond Woodie said.
“People are starting to know his name just by the things that he's doing on the field (in fall camp),” Woodie said. “We love people that compete and he's been competing every day, and he's making those older guys step their game up.”
The B-CU football team and the university’s Concert Chorale attended Palm Coast United Methodist Church’s Football Sunday service on Aug. 18, with the Chorale providing the music.
McCants did not bring his high school state championship ring with him to church. His mom is currently holding on to that, he said.
As freshmen, college is a new experience for McCants and Hash. Star football players in high school, they are both starting over from the bottom of the depth charts.
“I love the environment,” McCants said. “I love being around the players, the coaches. They show a lot of love. I had to get used to it the first two weeks. I was there for the Summer B (session), and then after we got to fall camp, it just clicked. I got to compete every day.”
Hash had not been a long snapper since he was a junior at Matanzas. Overall, he played just about every position, primarily at linebacker, receiver and running back, but also filling in at quarterback in a pinch and playing on just about every special team. In his senior year, coaches moved him from long snapper to holder because he had so much on his plate.
Hash got some college football offers from out-of-state Division III and NAIA schools, but he wanted to try to compete on a higher level and he wanted to go to school closer to home.
“(Matanzas coach Matt Forrest) was a big help trying to just give me somewhere to go play football,” Hash said.
They told B-CU assistant coach Joe Gerbino that Hash can long-snap.
“We sent him videos, showed him how well I can do in the weight room, how strong I am (Hash won a state weightlifting championship as a junior). They took a liking to me, and they just wanted to see what I could do. And if I could do it consistently,” Hash said.
He passed muster at a camp, and now he’s one of three long snappers competing in fall camp. The top two get to travel with the team. Junior Clayton Thomas is the returning first-team long snapper. Hash is trying to move up the depth chart to the No. 2 spot.
“It’s really an adjustment trying to become a full-time long snapper,” Hash said. “My biggest struggle right now is consistency. Not doing it full time in high school, trying to have a perfect spiral every time, trying to get it into the same spot every time and trying to make sure the operation time is good enough at a Division I level to be able to get the punt off. It’s just a big change trying to do it consistently. But I love it. I love the guys. The special teams room is amazing, and Clayton is a big help. Any questions, comments, concerns I have, I go to him. He answers them. We’re a tight-knit group and I love it down there.”
Eventually, Hash would like to show what he can do on scout team at other positions, but that will have to wait.
Woodie said Hash is coming along.
“It’s different from high school to college, making that transition,” Woodie said. “Guys are bigger, guys are stronger. Things are so competitive and (Hash) is just getting here. Right now, we’re looking for him to compete for that long snapper position. We got one guy that's probably at the one, but he's competing for the two spot. We didn't decide (to give him a walk-on spot). He decided for us, because of what he put on film. He’s a great student athlete.”
McCants and Hash are a couple of rookies in the special teams room. McCants is going to do a lot of different things for the Wildcats, Woodie said. But right now, he’s still learning the offense. He also switched from slot to outside receiver.
“I’m in the mix,” McCants said. “Once you put your mind to it, you can do it.”
