COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Tough Howard Defense Meets Southern Attack

In his first season as head coach, Steve Wilson gained a reputation as a defensive specialist in leading Howard of Washington, D.C., to an 8-3 record last year.

Wilson, who played nine seasons in the NFL as a defensive back, featured a defense that led Division I-AA schools in scoring (10.5 points per game) and total defense (225.3 yards per game).

Today at 2 p.m., his Bison “Buffalo Soldier” defense will be tested when it faces Southern of Baton Rouge, La., in the second annual Los Angeles Football Classic at the Coliseum.

Leading the way for Southern will be junior quarterback Nathaniel Harrison, who passed for 2,142 yards and 13 touchdowns last season despite being slowed by injuries.

“We look at this game as a bowl game for Howard,” said Wilson, who is the son of former Ram player Touchdown Tommy Wilson. “They have a very exciting football team with an outstanding quarterback.”

Stopping Harrison will be a major challenge for Howard, which has only three defensive starters returning from last season in nose tackle Brian Taltoan, linebacker Kenneth Newsome and cornerback Walter Price.

Harrison is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in Division I-AA and was named to the first-team preseason all-Southwestern Athletic Conference team.

“We lost three seniors from our secondary from last year, and we hope our youngsters can step up and do the job for us,” said Wilson, who will assisted by former NFL veterans Rubin Carter, as defensive coordinator, and Jeremiah Castille, as secondary coach.

Senior running back Barry Kimbrough, who rushed for 439 yards in 100 carries last year; and tight end Keith Tillage, 21 catches for 313 yards, also will play a major role in Southern’s offense.

“We will come out throwing the ball and open things up,” said Southern Coach Gerald Kimble, whose Jaguars finished 6-4-1 in his first season a year ago. “Defense is their strong point, and we will counter with a wide-open, multiple offense.”

On defense, Southern will be led by defensive back Aeneas Williams, who had 84 tackles and seven interceptions last season, and linebacker Anthony Snell, who had 74 tackles.

Leading Howard offensively will be running back James Carpenter, who had 825 yards last season, and quarterback Donald Carr.

Football Notes

Proceeds from today’s game will go toward funding scholarships for students who wish to attend predominantly black colleges. . . . Game officials are expecting a crowd of nearly 70,000. . . . Canned goods for the needy will be collected at the gates. . . . A concert featuring Frankie Beverly and Maze will follow the game at the Sports Arena. . . . Last year, Grambling defeated Alcorn State, 35-30, before 33,722. . . . Howard won its last four games last season and finished 4-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. . . . The two teams have met six times, and Southern holds a 4-1-1 advantage. The last meeting was a 3-3 tie in 1980.