From Brick x Brick to Thursday night lights, Darius Ocean has always thrived when the cameras are on. The transfer quarterback, once the face of Johnson C. Smith University’s (JCSU) 8–0 start and a star of the HBCU Gameday Brick x Brick docuseries has brought that same energy to Columbia as the former Golden Bull led Benedict College to a 45–24 win over Tuskegee under the ESPN Thursday night spotlight.
Ocean takes control
Down 17–7 in the second quarter, Benedict flipped the script with 38 unanswered points. Ocean went 19-of-29 for 213 yards and four touchdowns, distributing the ball with the same calm, confident rhythm that made him a leader in his only year at JCSU. His 28-yard strike to Jaxon Williams gave Benedict its first lead, and with five seconds left in the half, he found Malachi Jones for a two-yard dagger that stretched the margin to 28–17.
Jones (5–90–1) and Williams (4–47–1) thrived as Ocean spread the ball around, while the run game balanced the attack with 157 yards, paced by Triston Morgan (12–58) and David Smith (6–54, TD). Defensively, Israel Nwokocha racked up eight tackles, including three for loss, and Cam Williams added a 33-yard interception return.
“Get the playmakers involved” — Dickerson’s blueprint
Head coach Ron Dickerson Jr. knew his offense needed a breakout after scraping together only 10 points in each of the first two games. “We just had to make some plays, doing some things simple, getting the playmakers involved, not over being zealous,” he said. The simplified plan paid off in a big way, with Ocean orchestrating drives that put the Tigers in control.
Dickerson, though, kept the focus on growth during the postgame. “We got a great quarterback room, we’re very young on offense, we got a good team. Just got to keep playing together as a we group every week.”
From Charlotte to Columbia — same steady star
HBCU fans first got to know Ocean during JCSU’s 8-0 run on season Two of Brick x Brick, the ‘HBCU Hard Knocks’ docuseries that follows the Charlotte, NC HBCU. Before that, Ocean began his career at FBS program Western Kentucky, giving him big-game experience that translated quickly when he moved to the Division II HBCU ranks. After transferring to Benedict, he continues that story in Columbia, bringing the same steady presence under center that made him a standout in Charlotte.
Dickerson’s tenure so far
When Chennis Berry left for South Carolina State after leading Benedict to SIAC glory, Dickerson Jr. stepped in to stabilize a proud program. His debut 2024 season was about weathering the transition and keeping Benedict competitive. In year two, the Tigers look like they’re turning the corner. This 3–0 start, capped by a nationally televised win over Tuskegee on ESPN, feels like the signature moment that signals the Dickerson era is starting to take shape.
What’s next
At 3–0 (2–0 SIAC), Benedict isn’t just winning — they’re climbing back into the SIAC championship conversation. Next up is a road showdown with Clark Atlanta (Sept. 27, 3 p.m.), another chance for Ocean and company to prove their rise is more than just a hot start.
If Brick x Brick showed fans the making of an HBCU star, Thursday night on ESPN showed how Ocean is writing his next chapter — and how Benedict College, under Dickerson, might be building its own docuseries-worthy season.