Lanny Kelly is California through and through. He grew up in the Bay Area and is the son of parents from the state. His grandfather went to Berkeley. But when it came time to choose a school, Kelly rejected his generational pull and opted for Howard University.
“I wanted to come to the mecca,” said the senior safety, referring to Howard’s reputation as the most illustrious of the nation’s Historically Black College and Universities.
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When Howard plays Morehouse in the first annual Nation’s Football Classic on Saturday, the matchup features two of the most important of the nation’s 100-plus HBCUs. The significance isn’t lost on players such as Kelly.
| Up next |
| Morehouse vs. Howard |
| When » Saturday, 3:30 p.m. |
| Where » RFK Stadium |
“It was a priority for me to come to an HBCU,” Kelly said. “When I was in high school, I visited Morehouse, too. I wanted to be at a school with high academic standards, a lot of history. It kind of threw my family off, but I wanted to be part of that.”
Coed Howard University and all-male Morehouse College, based in Atlanta, both opened in 1867, two years after the end of the Civil War, when slaves were free but barred from most colleges in the South.
Howard and Morehouse have had an on-again, off-again relationship in football that started in 1926, though the teams have not played since 1997. Coach Gary “The Flea” Harrell and offensive coordinator Ted White played for Howard when the series was still in progress and have conveyed its significance to the Bison.
“They told us it’s about putting on a show for the fans,” junior linebacker Keith Pough said. “Howard and Morehouse are considered the two best HBCUs academically, and when we meet on the field we are competing to be the best for bragging rights.”
It is an interesting matchup. Howard (0-1) of the FCS is in transition under first-year coach Harrell, who has replaced the triple-option offense with a spread featuring freshman quarterback Greg McGhee. The Bison are trying to end streaks of six losing seasons and 27 games in the MEAC.
Morehouse (1-0) is coming off its first trip to the Division II playoffs and a 47-9 romp over Miles in its opener on Sunday. Rich Freeman, who is in his fifth season, has turned the program around. Saturday will be a challenge as the Maroon Tigers step up a level in competition.
“The players know how important this game is,” Freeman said. “We’re separated by a lot of miles. But at the same time, our philosophies and ideologies are very similar.”
The game was revived this year by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority in partnership with the United Negro College Fund. Other HBCU schools may be matched up in the event beyond 2013, when the contract between Howard and Morehouse expires.
Events surrounding the football game began Thursday night. Recording artists Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jermaine Dupri will join D.C. mayor Vincent Gray on Friday afternoon at the Washington Convention Center for a “kickoff rally.”
