Oct. 7, 2004

Charleston, SC - When Jack Douglas sits in the visiting team's radio booth tonight at Johnson Hagood Stadium, he'll have a hard time figuring out who "we" is.

Douglas, a Citadel football hero and probably the best-remembered player from the Bulldogs' 1992 Southern Conference championship team, will broadcast tonight's game against Benedict College -- for Benedict.

"It will be strange," said Douglas, who does color analysis for the Tigers, a Division II team in Columbia. "The only thing I worry about is when I say 'we.'

"During games when I say 'we,' I'm talking about Benedict. In the rest of my life, when I say 'we,' I'm talking about The Citadel. That's the part I'm going to have trouble with. I think I may have to just stick with Bulldogs and Tigers."

Douglas, who will turn 34 years old on Oct. 18, has been doing Benedict games on the radio since last season, along with play-by-play man Everett Summers, after a friend approached him about the gig. "It's fun, it's been a blast," Douglas said. "To have a hobby where you get to talk about football and go to games, you can't beat it."

But while Douglas will wear a purple Benedict shirt for tonight's game, The Citadel's career total offense leader plays an increasingly influential role in the direction of Bulldog athletics.

Douglas, whose jersey No. 14 is one of only five retired numbers in Citadel history, was appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford to the military school's Board of Visitors last February and is the board's only black member.

And when athletic director Les Robinson was searching for a new football coach last December and January, he chose Douglas for his advisory committee and relied on the former player for advice.

"When he was on the search committee, Jack gave a lot of very good input," Robinson said. "And he's a very important voice on the Board of Visitors, not just for football but the whole athletic program.

"Jack understands, he's been there and can and does speak on our behalf. I think he's an invaluable member of the Board of Visitors. You can tell when he speaks that people listen to him."

At a recent Board of Visitors meeting, members debated the future of The Citadel's football stadium plans, trying to decide whether to pursue a new stadium where Stoney Field currently stands, or to merely renovate Johnson Hagood.

Douglas spoke forcefully for building at Stoney Field, and that point of view carried the day.

The Board voted the next day by a margin of 9-2 to pursue the Stoney Field site.

"I believe that's the right move, because in football, like a lot of things, if you are not improving, you are going backwards," said Douglas, who is a mortgage banker and lives with is family in Irmo. "Stoney Field is the best option for Citadel football, because it allows for expansion. The price tag is going to be a little more, but with that option you also have naming rights opportunities and the possibility for some land deals with the city.

"We're hoping everything works out so that it is the best situation for everybody."

The chairman of the Board of Visitors, William E. Jenkinson III, said he values Douglas' opinion.

"He was a great hero and probably the best football athlete we ever had," Jenkinson said. "But more than that, he brings a lot of intelligence and balance to the board. He has done exceptionally well for a new board member, and I can't say I didn't expect that out of him. He deserves to be where he is."

The board meets five times a year, not counting committee meetings and teleconferences. On top of work at First Citizens Bank, Benedict football on weekends and helping sons Reed and Cole with their schoolwork, the Board of Visitors is a major commitment.

"I get about eight reams of paper in the mail on a weekly basis," Douglas said.

"But if you love the school, you can't help but love being on the board. It's a lot of hard work, but it's very rewarding."

NOTES

-- Benedict is 2-3 after a 41-14 victory at Clark Atlanta last week. The Tigers, coached by John Hendrick, opened the season with a 21-14 victory over Stillman before losing to South Carolina State by 51-0 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

Benedict also has lost to Morehouse (10-7) and Fort Valley State (38-14). The Tigers have used three quarterbacks this season -- Tremaine Lyle, Calvert Drummond and Demarr Drummond. Through the first four games, they averaged 10.5 points, 134.8 rushing yards and 80 passing yards. Terrance Bunting, Jeffrey Nobles and Elijah Clark are the top three rushers in the Tigers' option attack.

-- With Citadel linebacker Shawn Grant out with a broken finger, Bulldog sophomores Emmanuel Turner and Raleigh Jackson should see increased playing time today. Also, cornerbacks Vince Hill (knee), Dru Knight (ankle) and Justin Matherson (shoulder) are banged up, which means freshman Earl Whitmore should see more action.