2023 Livingstone Blue Bears football team

The 2023 Livingstone Blue Bears football team was an American football team that represented Livingstone College as a member of the Southern Division of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) during the 2023 NCAA Division II football season. In their second year under head coach Sean Gilbert, the Blue Bears compiled a 4–6 record (4–4 in CIAA games) and tied for third place in the CIAA's Southern Division. They were expected to finish in 11th place in the CIAA, but won consecutive upset victories over Bowie State and Winston-Salem State.[1][2]

2023 Livingstone Blue Bears football
ConferenceCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association
DivisionSouthern Division
Record4–6 (4–4 CIAA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorChristian LaMay
Defensive coordinatorMichael Austin
Co-defensive coordinatorMark Williams
Home stadiumAlumni Memorial Stadium
2023 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Northern Division
No. 20 Virginia Union xy$^  7 –1   10 –2  
Virginia State  6 –2   8 –2  
Bowie State  5 –3   6 –4  
Lincoln (PA)  3 –5   4 –6  
Elizabeth City State  2 –6   3 –7  
Bluefield State  0 –8   1 –9  
Southern Division
Fayetteville State xy  8 –0   8 –3  
Johnson C. Smith #  6 –2   7 –4  
Livingstone  4 –4   4 –6  
Winston-Salem State  4 –4   4 –6  
Shaw  3 –5   3 –7  
St. Augustine's  0 –8   0 –10  
Championship: Virginia Union 21, Fayetteville State 10
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Florida Beach Bowl participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

The team's statistical leaders included Marcus Drish with 960 passing yards, Matthew Henry with 650 receiving yards, JyMikah Wells with 254 rushing yards, Devontay Deloatch and Matthew Henry with 36 points each, and Jaden Echols with 80 total tackles.[3] Henry gave himself the nickname "Mr. Waffle House" for being "always open".[1]

Livingstone played home games at Alumni Memorial Stadium in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26:00 p.m.Bluefield State*
L 7–413,287[4]
September 96:00 p.m.at Catawba*
L 15–553,374[5]
September 166:00 p.m.No. 17 Virginia Union
  • Alumni Memorial Stadium
  • Salisbury, NC
L 20–281,250[6]
September 236:00 p.m.at Virginia State
L 0–3338[7]
September 304:00 p.m.Bowie State
  • Alumni Memorial Stadium
  • Salisbury, NC
W 31–182,753[8][9]
October 71:00 p.m.at Winston-Salem State
W 23–211,202[10][11]
October 142:00 p.m.at Fayetteville State
L 14–191,835[12]
October 211:30 p.m.Shaw
  • Alumni Memorial Stadium
  • Salisbury, NC
W 27–264,501[13]
October 284:00 p.m.St. Augustine's
  • Alumni Memorial Stadium
  • Salisbury, NC
W 34–141,092[14]
November 41:00 p.m.Johnson C. Smith
L 17–383,333[15]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[16]

Game summaries

Virginia Union
Main article: 2023 Virginia Union Panthers football team
Game Three – Livingstone Blue Bears (0–2) vs Virginia Union Panthers (2–0)
Period 1 2 34Total
Virginia Union 0 21 7028
Livingstone 13 0 7020

at Alumni Memorial Stadium • Salisbury, North Carolina

  • Date: Sunday, September 16, 2023
  • Game time: 6:00 P.M. EST
  • Game attendance: 1,250
  • Referee: A. Randolph
  • Box score
Game information
First quarter
  • (3:45) LIV – Angel Carrillo 79-yard pass from Brenton Hilton, Tyler Priddy kick failed (Drive: 4 plays, 89 yards, 1:38; Livingstone 0–6)
  • (1:23) LIV – Matthew Henerey 25-yard pass from Brenton Hilton, Jason Zapata kick (Drive: 3 plays, 27 yards, 1:37; Livingstone 0–13)
Second quarter
  • (11:39) VUU – Rashard Jackson 9-yard run, Brady Myers kick (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:44; Livingstone 7–13)
  • (5:15) VUU – Rashard Jackson 1-yard run, Brady Myers kick (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:27; Virginia Union 14–13)
  • (1:31) VUU – Curis Allen 3-yard run, Brady Myers kick (Drive: 3 plays, 46 yards, 1:08; Virginia Union 21–13)
Third quarter
  • (8:29) VUU – RJ Rosales 25-yard run, Brady Myers kick (Drive: 2 plays, 11 yards, 0:39; Virginia Union 28–13)
  • (6:20) LIV – Matthew Henerey 42-yard pass from Brenton Hilton, Jason Zapata kick (Drive: 5 plays, 54 yards, 2:02; Virginia Union 28–20)
Fourth quarter

No scoring

Statistics VUU LIV
First downs2012
Plays–yards393332
Rushes–yards320313
Passing yards7319
Passing: comp–att–int5–9–218–29–4
Time of possession33:4726:13
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Virginia Union PassingChristian Reid5/8, 73 yards, 2 INTs
RushingRashard Jackson32 carries, 185 yards, 2 TDs
ReceivingSaid Sadibe2 receptions, 50 yards
Livingstone PassingBrenton Hilton17/26, 314 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs
RushingJyMikaah Wells11 carries, 14 yards
ReceivingAngelo Carrillo5 receptions, 147 yards, 1 TD

Coaching staff
Name Position
Sean GilbertHead coach
Michael AustinAssistant head coach
Defensive coordinator
Mark WilliamsAssociate head coach
Co–Defensive coordinator
Recruiting coordinator
Defensive line coach
Troy VealeDefensive special assistant
Christian LaMayOffensive coordinator
Quarterbacks coach
J. C. McDonaldOffensive special assistant
Ebony KimbroughSpecial teams coordinator
Running backs coach
Marcelo CaversWide receivers coach
Robert SherrodOffensive line coach
Markeem BellGraduate assistant
Assistant linebackers coach
Otis PowellDefensive backs coach

Source:[17]

References
  1. Javondre Cole (October 20, 2023). "Livingstone College Is Beating The Odds On The Football Field: How the Blue Bears are making every game count". BET.
  2. "Blue Bears own winning streak, but still underdogs at FSSU". Salisbury Post. October 10, 2023.
  3. "2023 Football Cumulative Statistics". Livingstone College. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  4. "Bluefield State beats blue Bears". Salisbury Post. September 3, 2023.
  5. "Indians roll in Mayor's Cup Game". Salisbury Post. September 10, 2023.
  6. "Blue Bears battle in 28-20 loss to VUU". Salisbury Post. September 17, 2023.
  7. "Blue Bears shut down by VSU". Salisbury Post. September 23, 2023.
  8. "Blue Bears underdogs at home". Salisbury Post. September 26, 2023.
  9. "Livingston upsets Bowie State". Salisbury Post. October 1, 2023.
  10. "Winston-Salem State falls 23-21 to Livingstone in football". Winston-Salem Journal. October 7, 2023.
  11. "Blue Bears end WSSU jinx". Salisbury Post. October 8, 2023.
  12. "Blue Bears lose close one". Salisbury Post. October 15, 2023.
  13. "Blue Bears refuse to lose on homecoming". Salisbury Post. October 22, 2023.
  14. "Livingstone rolls to CIAA victory". Salisbury Post. October 29, 2023.
  15. "Golden Bears pull away from LC". Salisbury Post. November 4, 2023.
  16. "2023 Football Schedule". Livingstone Blue Bears. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  17. "Football Coaches - Livingstone College". Livingstone Blue Bears Athletics. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
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