ATLANTA – Thirty years ago, Ted White was a quarterback at Howard, leading the Bison to wins from his position on the field.

On Saturday, he stood on the sideline as the football program’s new head coach, watching his team hold on for a 31-24 victory over Alabama A&M in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff at Center Parc Stadium.

The win was Howard’s first in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, coming four years after the program lost its first Challenge, in 2022 against Alabama State. White said his team overcame a lot to get his first win, and his family and multiple former Howard teammates were among the 17,320 fans in attendance to witness it. 

“We had to dig deep to really win this football game, and that’s what I’m most proud about with my team,” White said. “It meant a lot to be able to come back as a head coach here. … These players really go to bat for me every morning. Everyone came down for this moment, and I couldn’t ask for a better situation.”

Though Howard got its first win under White, the game still raised questions he and his coaching staff will need to address. Here’s our analysis.

Positive signs

Bison get off to a fast start: Howard’s ability to start quickly marked one of the more noticeable differences from a year ago. During the 2025 season, Howard never scored more than seven points in the first quarter. On Saturday, working with new offensive coordinator Jimmie Johnson, the Bison put together two red zone trips to score 10 points in the first quarter.

Howard stays steady: When Alabama A&M retook the lead midway through the fourth quarter, Howard kept its poise.

Trailing the Bulldogs 24-23 with under three minutes left in the game, Bison quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins answered with a 51-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Se’Quan Osborne. After a successful 2-point conversion gave Howard a seven-point lead, sophomore linebacker Aidan Foster forced a fumble in the final minute of the game to clinch the victory.

“When Se’Quan scored a touchdown, I just said, ‘Wow, thank you, God,’ you know, because it was an unbelievable moment,” White said after the game. “I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”

Scroggins earns MVP: If there was one clear positive to emerge from Howard’s opener it was Scroggins.

On the field the quarterback looked like a player that has benefitted from learning under White, the 1996 Black College Football Player of the Year and one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in Howard’s history.  

Scroggins completed 19 of 36 passes for three touchdowns, recorded a career-high 315 passing yards and added a team-high 49 rushing yards. He won MEAC/SWAC Challenge MVP honors. 

“It feels amazing knowing that he [White] is a Howard alum,” Scroggins said. “Me being a Howard alum myself, knowing how much Howard means to us and knowing that this is his first time coaching at Howard, and we had the opportunity to give him his first win, it means a lot to me.” 

Scroggins was Howard’s starting quarterback in 2024. Then his role changed during the 2025 season, with him serving primarily as the team’s backup quarterback. He said earning the starting job back was a mental challenge, but he believes he took full advantage of his second opportunity.

“For me, it was just mostly trusting my coaching and trusting the process,” Scroggins said. “Just knowing that if I get the ball to the playmakers, they’ll make plays no matter where I put the ball at, no matter what I do.”

In 2025, the Bison ranked last in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in total offense, averaging only 288.6 yards per game. Howard began the 2026 season Saturday by orchestrating three consecutive scoring drives and didn’t punt until the final minute of the first half, finishing the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff with 436 yards of offense.  

Needs improvement

Issues in the run game: Early in the game, Howard’s offense was a balanced mix of run and pass plays, but the run plays weren’t nearly as effective; Howard running backs combined for only 65 rushing yards. 

Nearly 74% of Howard’s total offensive yardage came through the air. It was an indication of just how much the Bison leaned on Scroggins to move the football. When Alabama A&M generated pressure and disrupted the passing game, Howard struggled to find its offensive rhythm.

“We’ll get it fixed,” White said when asked about the rushing game. “Good thing about it is that we’ll be able to get it fixed while having a victory. Anytime that you play a game, you always go back and you just kind of look at the things that you could have done better, and that’s what we’re willing to do.”

Struggles in the secondary: The Bison initially looked like they had picked up exactly where they left off a season ago as the MEAC’s top scoring defense. 

Howard started the game forcing Alabama A&M into three consecutive three-and-outs in the first quarter. 

But momentum shifted as Alabama A&M outleveraged Howard on the edge for explosive plays. In the second quarter, Alabama A&M’s Imari Conely rushed for 43 yards on a reverse, and three plays later quarterback Cornelious “Quad” Brown IV found wide receiver Jarel Williams on a third-and-long for the Bulldogs’ first touchdown of the game.

Brown repeatedly tested Howard’s defensive backs in one-on-one situations. Howard struggled to win those matchups, either yielding a touchdown pass or giving up defensive holding and pass interference penalties to keep Alabama A&M’s drives going. Howard finished with seven penalties for 67 yards. 

Despite the secondary’s struggles, Howard linebackers made timely plays when needed. Rodney Roane came up with an interception in the third quarter and later recovered the fumble that helped seal the win. Foster delivered the hard shoulder pad hit that jarred the football loose.

“The coaches [have] been preaching this whole week to go 1-0,” Foster said. “Not many people in the country could go 1 and up, so just getting that done, following the game plan and everything, set in stone for the game. It [the win] meant a lot to me, and I am grateful for it.” 

Overall grade: B

Howard’s growth from last season, when it finished 5-7 overall, to its 2026 season opener is evident. White’s debut produced a win, Scroggins’ development provided Howard a reliable offensive threat, and the defense showed it can make plays under pressure. Now White needs to establish the team’s identity in the run game and shore up the secondary.

What’s next?

White and the Bison will begin preparing for Howard’s home opener on Sept. 5 against Richmond. Howard was predicted to finish last in the MEAC preseason poll, and for White, starting the season 1-0 is a step toward proving voters wrong.

“I know we have a pretty good football team. I understand just the temperament of this football team and how competitive [we are],” White told Andscape. “Just the mindset of this football team – we’re not a last-place football team. 

“I know that, and these guys are really just chomping at the bit to try to prove everyone wrong.”

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