Livingstone College Is Beating The Odds On The Football Field

Livingstone College

The Livingstone College Blue Bears still got some fight in them.

Following two consecutive upset victories against Bowie State and Winston-Salem State, things are pivoting in the right direction for the HBCU football team. Preseason predictions expected them to finish 11th in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference, and though the wins may surprise many people, a couple of Coach Gilbert's best athletes know what the team is built to be on top.

Following the Blue Bears' recent victory over WSSU, BET caught up with QB Kameron Howard, LB Jaden Echols, and WR Matthew Henry to get an inside look at what makes this group of underdogs so unique.

Livingstone College Quarterback Kameron Howard

Kameron Howard is a team-first QB who doesn't get caught up in achieving individual accolades. "I want to be remembered for being a part of a team that can hopefully win a CIAA championship," Howard says. "For me, it's not about stats or awards. I want to be a part of something different."

Although Howard is in his second year as a Blue Bear, we may have never witnessed him pick up a football at all had it not been for some of his friends back home in North East Baltimore. His initial interest was in baseball, but at the urging of his friends, he tried out for the high school team, and "the rest is history."

His success allowed him to travel down to Salisbury, North Carolina, and play under Head Coach Sean Gilbert, who, Howard says, has a motto of "know who to get and how to get them." The tenacious mentality keeps Gilbert's guys motivated every week to silence the doubters, and nobody loves to quiet the critics more than Jaden Echols.

Livingstone College Linebacker Jaden Echols

Echols, the team's leading tackler, has been an absolute anchor on Livingstone's defense this year. He attributes his love for the game to some tough love he'd received from his mother, who emphasized the importance of both education and football. Although Echols was stellar in the classroom and on the field, nearly everyone in the country passed him up — everyone except Coach Mark Williams, who offered Echols a scholarship back in 2020. "God was telling me to wait because I was going to get my offer," Echols says. "When [Coach Mark Williams] gave me the offer, it was time to go show why I got it, and show everyone else that they should have offered me when they had the chance."

Three years later, Echols is proving he was well worth the decision. In 2021, Echols immediately impacted the team, making the All-CIAA rookie team. Today, Echols has his sights set on cementing his name in Livingstone's history forever. "I'm trying to go for the tackling record. I want to have that record here."

With two years of eligibility left, he has a good chance to make his dreams a reality.

On the other side of the ball, Echols' teammate possesses a similar tenacity and confidence in his capabilities.

Livingstone College Wide Receiver Matthew Henry

Livingstone College wide receiver Matthew Henry nicknamed himself Mr. Waffle House for being "always open" like the famous food chain restaurant. As a kid growing up in Miami, Henry was always eager to get out of his city to show his talents — and Livingstone afforded him this opportunity. Matthew has great hands, speed, and discipline, which are components of a coach's dreams for a receiver. He also knows how to apply Coach Gilbert's advice. "He always tells me not to look at my mistakes," Henry says. "The mistakes are going to come. The game is about who makes the fewest mistakes, so just keep a smile on your face."

Like Howard, Matthews has a team-first approach to the game that is contagious throughout the locker room. "People can sleep on us, but we're coming together. We're taking things one day and one game at a time. We're just going to fight, and I'm right behind my brothers."

Going 1-0 each week is the name of the game for Livingstone. With five games remaining on the schedule, they are motivated to leave it all on the field and make every game count.