By Tim Gayle<\/p>\n
He did virtually all of his damage in the first half, but Antonio Meeks made it a first half to remember for Tuskegee fans with four huge plays that led to a trio of touchdowns in the Golden Tigers\u2019 37-31 win over Fort Valley State on Sunday evening at Cramton Bowl.<\/p>\n
Meeks finished the game with six receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown, providing big play after big play in the third annual Boeing Red Tails Classic to earn most valuable player honors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like that\u2019s my strong suit, big plays,\u201d Meeks said. \u201cMy team, when they need me the most, I feel like I\u2019ll come through every time. Big plays is what I made my name off of. I expect to continue to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although he didn\u2019t start making an impact for Tuskegee until late in his freshman season last year, former offensive coordinator and now head coach Aaron James expected good things out of his sophomore this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year, he was a true freshman and he busted his tail to get back this year,\u201d James said. \u201cTonight, he was just amazing. I told him earlier in the week that we were going to come to him and he showed up and showed out. Hats off to him. He got the trophy for the MVP and he deserved it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe works early, he works late after practice on his craft. Over the summer, he put in the grind and it showed tonight on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was a human highlight film for much of the first half. After a pair of three-and-outs, a fumbled punt return gave the Golden Tigers new life at the Fort Valley 49-yard line. After a 3-yard run by Chase Sellers, Bryson Williams lofted a deep pass down the left sideline. Meeks pulled in the ball over Fort Valley corner Landon Austin for a 33-yard gain to the 13-yard line and two plays later Tuskegee tied the game at 7-7.<\/p>\n
After Fort Valley\u2019s ensuing possession ended in a punt, the Golden Tigers went back to Meeks again. Another Williams\u2019 pass down the left sideline was grabbed for a 38-yard gain to the Fort Valley 5-yard line and the Golden Tigers scored on the next play for a 14-7 lead.<\/p>\n
Late in the first half, leading 17-14, the Golden Tigers struck again as Meeks started inside, veered back out and caught a pass for a 44-yard gain to the 23. Sellers ran for no gain, then for 3 yards before Williams hit Meeks with a slant-in for a touchdown.<\/p>\n
On the play, Williams\u2019 pass was a little high and behind Meeks, but the sophomore reached up and back and snared the ball for a 24-14 lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt always makes me happy when a receiver goes and gets the ball when it\u2019s kind of ungettable,\u201d Williams said. \u201cMeeks is a receiver who\u2019s going to lay out for the ball every time, regardless of where it\u2019s at.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meeks agreed the touchdown was his favorite play of the night, but the earlier catch that set up the Tigers\u2019 second touchdown was a close second after he wrestled the ball away from Fort Valley cornerback Jamal Janvier.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was kind of like a 50-50 ball and once we landed, the ref was telling me to get up,\u201d Meeks said. \u201cAnd I told the ref, \u2018No, I\u2019m not getting up, I want the ball.\u2019 We were fighting for like 30 seconds over who wanted the ball. The ref was trying to pull me up and I was like, \u2018No, I\u2019m not getting up, you\u2019ve got to get him up.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Unlike last year\u2019s Red Tails Classic, a 21-6 loss in which Tuskegee showed little offense and Meeks managed just one catch for 19 yards, the 2023 version had a little bit of everything, including a special performance by the sophomore receiver from Lilburn, Ga. He said it was exactly what he expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cI absolutely did,\u201d Meeks said. \u201cI put a lot of preparation into my craft so what else can you expect? I didn\u2019t expect to go out there and not give it my all, not show up.\u201d<\/p>\n
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By Tim Gayle He did virtually all of his damage in the first half, but Antonio Meeks made it a first half to remember for Tuskegee fans with four huge plays that led to a trio of touchdowns in the Golden Tigers\u2019 37-31 win over Fort Valley State on Sunday evening at Cramton Bowl. Meeks […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3228,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n