Classic Rivalries Spread around the Horns; A Different Competition Takes Place at Halftime at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Beginning of article

Byline: ALEX ABRAMS

There is no time to wait when it comes to recruiting.

As soon as the Florida Classic between archrivals Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman College ends in mid-November, Donovan Wells looks at what kind of talent he has returning and determines his most critical needs.

Wells looks for talented players and tries to convince them to play for B-CC instead of another school.

Wells, by the way, is not a football coach. He's the band director.

"It's competitive; it's just like in athletics. We're going after talent," Wells said. "We go out and find the talent that will help out our band."

As Wells knows, being the band director at a historically black college and university (HBCU) can come with as much stress as being the head football coach. Many of the members earn scholarships, and fans of schools such as …