The MEAC is rolling out a stacked lineup for its 2026 Football Media Day, and this year’s guest list reads like a who’s who of HBCU football royalty. The conference confirmed Tuesday the full roster of players and coaches who will be at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on July 21.
Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson will both be making their second appearances as head coaches. Vick is entering Year 2 at Norfolk State, while Jackson is gearing up for another season at Delaware State. Both guys took over programs that needed a jolt, and early returns suggest they’re starting to build something.
New faces, same high expectations
Howard will bring a new voice to the table. Ted White, the former Bison quarterback and longtime NFL backup, was hired in December to replace Larry Scott. White is an alumnus, which adds a layer of pride but also pressure. He’ll make his Media Day debut as Howard preps for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge against Alabama A&M.
South Carolina State’s Chennis Berry has already done the impossible — back-to-back MEAC titles and a Celebration Bowl win, all without losing a single conference game under his watch. For Berry, this will be his first Media Day as a champion. His Bulldogs are the ones everyone else is chasing.
North Carolina Central’s Trei Oliver and Morgan State’s Damon Wilson have been grinding to close the gap. Oliver’s squad has been a consistent contender, and Wilson is trying to turn Morgan State into a program that doesn’t just hang around but actually breaks through.
The players getting their moment
Here are the student-athletes who will be representing their schools:
Delaware State: Diu Dau (OL), Wayne Favors III (DB)
Howard: Eden James (RB), Kedrick Green (DB)
Morgan State: Randall Nauden (RB), Arturo Mattocks (LB)
Norfolk State: Reggie Johnson (QB), Stephon Hall (S)
North Carolina Central: Chance Peterson (WR), Zarion Walters (DL)
South Carolina State: James Reddick II (OL), Jordan Franklin (LB)
Credit where it’s due: The Pivot podcast will co-host the event. Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor have turned that show into a real platform, and having them involved gives MEAC Media Day a little extra juice. The whole thing streams live on ESPN+.
Seven schools. Two former NFL stars now running programs. One conference that keeps proving HBCU football matters more than people give it credit for. July 21 can’t get here soon enough.
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