Football | 8/27/2023 5:43:00 PM
GREENSBORO – The discussion about North Carolina A&T football has turned away from what the program lost during the offseason to the program's new possessions heading into the 2023 season, which starts at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, Aug. 31 at UAB.
One new possession the Aggies have is a challenging conference. After 46 years in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), 50 years in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), and two years in the Big South Conference, 2023 will be A&T football's first year in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Football Conference.
A&T's new conference has 15 teams, soon to be 16, with the addition of Bryant in 2024. Five CAA teams are in the STATS Perform FCS Top 25. Three ranked CAA teams are on A&T's 2023 schedule, including No. 18 Richmond, No. 21 Rhode Island and No. 22 Delaware. Elon and Villanova received votes in the preseason poll. They, too, are on the schedule.
Another new possession for the A&T program is the head coach. Vincent Brown was named the program's 22nd head coach in history on January 9, 2023, and of course, with him comes a new coaching staff with only wide receiver coach Nate Poole and offensive line coach Ron Mattes remaining from the previous staff.
Then there is the transfer portal. It is not new, but teams use it in new and innovative ways as the entire college athletics landscape continues to change. Various teams signed some talented A&T players from the portal during the offseason.
But on the flip side, the Aggies were able to obtain some talented players from that same portal. It leaves A&T focused on what is in front rather than what was.
"I think every year, regardless of what happens, there's a new team because you have players that come in and go," said Brown. "Having lost several key contributors from last year's team, I think the biggest question is whether our transfer portal players can provide immediate help in certain areas. And then I think we'll count on some of our true freshmen, our 2023s, to come in and play."
The Aggies lost their leading rusher from last season, Bhayshul Tuten, to the transfer portal. Leading tackler Tyquan King also departed via the portal. They also lost playmaking linebacker Jacob Roberts to the portal and starting wide receiver Sterling Berkhalter. Brown says he could see 4-6 true freshmen receiving playing time this year, primarily on special teams, adding that they are too talented to sit. With the addition of the transfer portal players, the Aggies appear ready to take on their brutal schedule.
"When you're an FCS program, you get taken from more often than given to," said Brown about the transfer portal. "But we were able to supplement those young men who left with some transfer portal players that will come in and fit culturally first and foremost. They're coming to A&T to get an education and play excellent football. That's important to them, and then I think each of them has a skill set that can help our team."
Replacing the production the Aggies lost from last year's 7-4 team that went 4-1 in the Big South before losing in the Big South title game to Gardner-Webb was the immediate solution for A&T's program. But Brown has a long-term plan for an HBCU program competing in perhaps the best FCS conference in the nation. Brown believes A&T, as a university, has everything to offer a young person seeking a college education, but there is still work to be done.
"The greatest challenge is to create an environment where the kids want to come here and stay," said Brown. "We want to make it so they don't come here for two years and go up to a Group of Five or a Power Five because their experience here is unlike anywhere else. We're trying to create from the football, athletics department standpoint where young men don't feel like they're stepping back to play at A&T. When you come to A&T, you're getting everything that the kids are getting at Richmond, Delaware, Villanova, and Towson. That's our long-term, big-picture plan."
Brown said there are a lot of positive things happening in that direction. A&T received commits early, unheard of for an FCS program because most players are waiting on Power Five or Group of Five schools. However, according to Brown, the Aggies signed excellent students who had offers from other CAA schools, the academies and the Ivy Leagues.
Those players are only a few days away from the season. After UAB, the Aggies will try to get a win against their archrival North Carolina Central, who also happens to be nationally ranked after coming off an HBCU national championship that saw the Eagles post a 10-2 record, a win over A&T and they won the 2022 Celebration Bowl. The 101-year-old rivalry will occur at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Truist Stadium. The Aggies will then open conference play at Elon on Sept. 16.
"I think for us to take the A&T, which is a nationally and globally known program, and can go in and compete with Richmond William & Mary, Delaware, Villanova, would be a game changer, because people tend to think if you're at a PWI (predominately white school), things are better. It's not true. We know it's not true. But we are trying to make sure our kids know the level of commitment it takes to win."
These are the players the Aggies expect to win with this season.
QUARTERBACKS
Of course, one of the biggest questions throughout the Aggies' August camp has been who the chief signal caller will be once the season starts. Throughout the summer, Brown has said that rotating quarterbacks is not against the rules. But the man who will be the Game 1 starter is the question every fan and media member wants answered.
Freshman Kevin White turned the battle into a four-man race with his excellent play during camp. White completed 81 percent of his passes as a senior at Green Run High School, throwing for 3,819 yards, 49 touchdowns and only three interceptions. His chief competition has more collegiate experience, but only by a little.
Redshirt sophomore Zachary Yeager played only four games last season, making three starts before an injury ended his season early. An injury also brought redshirt freshman Eli Brickhandler's season to an end early in 2022 after he played only two games. Legacy and redshirt sophomore quarterback Alston Hooker, whose father, Alan Hooker, still owns many of the Aggies passing records, has only appeared in six career games.
"They all bring great leadership, competitiveness and athleticism, so at least you can say they have the intangibles. "From a tangible standpoint, they are all very athletic, but they are all different in how and when they decide to run. When you bring in a quarterback with the ability to make plays with his feet, it creates more challenges for the defense. As a staff, we need to find the one who will be the most consistent in leading the entire offense, and that will be the one who will take the reins."
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
There is very little debate about who will be in charge of protecting the A&T quarterbacks. The Aggies arguably had the best offensive line in the Big South last season, and most of those standouts are back, including three men who earned all-conference honors in the Big South last season. The Aggies rushed for 185.6 yards per game a year ago behind A&T's robust offensive line.
Preseason All-CAA Tairiq Stewart leads the way for the Aggies at right tackle. He was a first-team all-conference selection in the Big South. He also earned preseason HBCU All-America recognition. He recorded a team-high 40 domination blocks. Freshman Sterling Wiggins will learn under the veteran Stewart. Wiggins signed during the early signing period in December.
Over at left tackle, the Aggies need to replace two-year starter Ricky Lee III, who is in camp with the Carolina Panthers. The two candidates to replace Lee are redshirt junior Jason Ivey and redshirt sophomore Jonathan Cannon, Jr. Both men are Charlotte natives who are 6-foot-5, 285 pounds. Ivey played 49 snaps last season, while Cannon was on the field for 22 snaps.
The rest of A&T's offensive line has plenty of experience. All-conference center Cesar Minarro is the leader along the line. He played 436 snaps last season before missing the season's final three games with an injury. Before his season ended, Minarro had amassed an impressive 83 percent grade.
Junior Korion Sharpe is back at right guard for the Aggies. Sharpe has 22 games worth of experience, including last season's second-team All-Big South campaign. Sharpe played 606 games and garnered the highest offensive lineman grade on the team at 86 percent. He certainly played a significant role in the Aggies running game last season.
Fifth-year senior Lawrence Lagrone has tons of game experience. He looks to man the left guard position. Lagrone is known for the online videos that feature him bench-pressing massive amounts of weight. He comes into the season having played more games than any other Aggie on the current roster, with 37. He also has played more snaps than any other Aggie on the roster, with 1,538.
Redshirt sophomore Matthew Cairns will look to provide the Aggies depth at the left guard position, while veteran Tim Williams will contribute at the right guard position. Freshman Brock Stukes, who signed with the Aggies during the early signing period, will provide help at the center position.
"A part of the success of the A&T ground attack last year, I believe, started up front," said Brown. "With most of those guys back, that's a real plus. It's comforting to have that piece addressed because games are won up front on both sides of the ball. Having a strong foundation on the offensive line allows you to play the game you want to play."
RECEIVERS
Despite losing Berkhalter to the transfer portal and Zachary Leslie to graduation, the Aggies have a solid veteran presence at the wide receiver positions. It starts with redshirt senior Taymon Cooke, who returns to A&T for his fourth year (A&T did not play in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic). He has played in 32 games as an Aggie, with 24 receptions for 269 yards and a touchdown. He also plays a role in the Aggies return game.
Redshirt sophomore Ger-Cari Caldwell returns for his second season after transferring from the University of South Carolina. In his first season with A&T, Caldwell had 224 yards receiving and a touchdown on 15 receptions. His 6-foot-4 frame could make him a favorite target of A&T quarterbacks.
Sophomore Amonte Jones should help the Aggies offensively from the slot position. Jones played a significant role for the Aggies as a punt returner last season before missing the final few games of the season with an injury.
Redshirt sophomore Nick Wilds-Lawing had a good spring as he looks to become a more significant factor in the Aggies offense. Redshirt freshman Speedster Laquan Veney has the potential to be a future big-time threat in the Aggies offense, and Elijah Kennedy could help the Aggies from the slot. Junior Jamison Warren will also bring a veteran presence after making 20 receptions last season.
RUNNING BACKS
The reputation A&T has as Running Back U. has stuck for good reason. With names such as Tarik Cohen, Maurice Hicks, James White, George Ragsdale, and J.D. Smith, the legacy is strong. Even with Tuten taking his 1,363 rushing yards and 1,705 all-purpose yards from last season to another school, the Aggies should still do well at the running back position.
Behind A&T's impressive offensive line last season, redshirt sophomore Wesley Graves averaged 4.7 yards per carry on 68 carries. Graves scored four touchdowns on the ground last season and added 92 yards receiving and a touchdown on 10 receptions. Charlie Dixon also returns to the Aggies backfield after rushing for 119 and two touchdowns on 20 carries last season.
A&T also expects help from Virginia Tech transfer Kenji Christian. Christian, who stands at 6-2, led Pinson Valley to an Alabama Class 6A state championship and was the No. 22 prospect in Alabama, according to 247 Sports. Brown called Christian a slasher with size who has the speed to take it 60 or 70 yards at any moment.
Freshman Shimique Blizzard not only has the perfect name for an athlete, but he, too, can take it the distance. He rushed for 1,884 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior at Western Branch High School in Virginia. Jailen Hicks is another legacy player for the Aggies. Jailen's father, Maurice Hicks, left A&T as the program's all-time leading rusher in 2001. He is now third on the list. Jailen Hicks is another tall back in the Aggies backfield, standing at 6-3. He is as explosive as the other Aggie backs, having averaged 10.4 yards per carry at Dudley High School in 2022.
Redshirt junior Melik Ward returns for another season at fullback for the Aggies. He will compete with two transfers for playing time. Junior college transfer Michael Benn comes to A&T from Mt. San Antonio College, and Daniel Nyamkimah-Fondong transferred in from St. Francis.
TIGHT ENDS
Nicolas Dobson gives the Aggies another veteran presence on offense. Brown said Dobson is not the sort of tight end who can beat you over the top with his speed, but he is a consistent route runner who can be a danger in the red zone. Dobson made 11 receptions last season.
Junior college transfer Darren Bennett will also play a role as a pass catcher and blocker for A&T. Western Carolina transfer Antoine Bell could also play a role at tight end. Bell was a three-sport star at Phillip O. Berry Academy. Anthony Rucker returns to A&T after redshirting last season.
SECONDARY
A&T's secondary is loaded with experience and talent, starting with preseason All-American and University of Kanas transfer Karon Prunty returns to the Aggies secondary at the cornerback position. Prunty came to A&T with plenty of fanfare and lived up to the hype. Prunty earned first-team All-Big South honors in 2022 after intercepting four passes to rank 14th nationally in INTs per game. Veteran defense back Janaz Sumpter should provide depth on the short of the field at corner. Sumpter has seen action in 26 games and has made 50 career tackles, including a career-high 28 in 2022.
On the far side, at corner, stands the very fast Aaron Harris. Harris was a part-time starter for the Aggies a year ago, intercepting a career-high three passes. He also made 15 tackles from his corner position. Nathaniel Spindle, who has been academically excellent for the Aggies football program, also looks to help on the field this season. He will compete with Gregory Featherstone III for playing time.
The Aggies have another impressive returner to their secondary in safety, Ty Williams, Jr. He will go from free safety to strong safety after making 32 tackles in 2022. Another experienced player will also play the strong safety position in Herbert Booker. Booker has played 20 games for the Aggies as a special teams player, linebacker and safety.
David Laney is back in an Aggies uniform for the second year after transferring from East Carolina. Laney played in 11 games last season, mainly as a reserve and a special teams player. Twenty-five-game veteran Jazir Staton will also play at the free safety position. Staton has a fumble recovery for a touchdown in his career. Wesley Misenheimer, a local product out of Ragsdale High School, will also figure into the mix.
LINEBACKERS
The Aggies lost all three starters from last season in King, Roberts and Joseph Stuckey. Legacy player and Charlotte transfer BJ Turner looks to fill the void at inside linebacker. Turner's father, Barry Turner, helped the Aggies win the 1991 and '92 MEAC titles, is an A&T Sports Hall of Famer, and left the school as its second-leading rusher. Turner played in 44 games as a 49er before transferring. Also looking to add depth at inside linebacker are redshirt freshman Mack David II and junior Ronald Graves.
Roberts made a lot of big plays from his linebacker position during his time at A&T. Redshirt sophomore Avarion Cole has that same ability. From his safety/linebacker position (rover), he made 39 tackles and two interceptions. Cole ranked third on the team in unassisted tackles with 30. AJ Dupree also has playmaking ability as he will play at the outside linebacker position. He played in all 11 games last season.
At the strong side linebacker position is fifth-year senior Malich Jacobs. Jacobs had a big-time spring for the Aggies as he looks to compete with true freshman Kade Moledor. He led Dawson County High School to the 2022 Georgia High School Association Class 7AAA regional championship while earning Dawson County regional defensive player of the year accolades.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The Aggies lost starting defensive ends Jermaine McDaniel and Devin Harrell. But their backups from last season are ready to step in and contribute, starting with redshirt junior Janorris Robertson. Robertson had a solid season in 2022, making 20 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and two quarterback hurries. Liberty transfer Rashaud Pernell will join in on the fun at the defensive end behind Robertson. Pernell originally signed with Virginia Tech but is still a freshman on the field.
Javon Armstong-Grady looks to step in at the other defensive end position. A transfer and a true freshman will also fill in at defensive end. Jacksonville State transfer Mitchell Etheridge III spent two seasons with the Gamecocks, playing eight games. Meanwhile, Joshua Iseah, out of Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C., earned third-team All-State honors last season.
The defensive line's interior will see Henry Daniel go from defensive end to defensive tackle. Daniel has been very productive in the 21 games he has played for A&T. He has 49 career tackles with 14 tackles for loss and four sacks. He has put on some extra weight to move his quickness into the interior of the A&T D-Line. Anthony Hairston II will go from linebacker to the interior at 6-2, 250. Austin Peay transfer DeTerias Glover will also compete for time at the position.
Christopher Abraham will look to make a difference at the nose guard position after taking a redshirt season in 2022. Christopher Allen, Jr. also did not play last season but will play a more significant role this season.
SPECIALISTS
Andrew Brown has been the Aggies placekicker the past two seasons, but East Carolina transfer Owen Daffer will handle the kicking duties as Brown recovers from an offseason injury. Daffer comes to A&T after being named second-team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) by Phil Steele's College Football Preview and Athlon Sports in 2022. He scored 96 points for the Pirates in 2021 for the ninth-highest single-season point total in program history. Daffer could also handle some punting for the Aggies.
Caleb Brickhouse returns as the Aggies punter but could handle some placekicking duties this season. Brickhouse punted the ball 44 times for A&T last season for 1,748 yards, a 39.7 yards per punt average. Brickhouse ranked third in the Big South in yards per punt, fourth in total punts and fourth in total punting yards. Brickhouse also looks to serve as the Aggies holder on kicks along with Brickhandler.
Cooke, a preseason All-CAA kickoff returner, will return to that role along with Christian. Jones will come back as the Aggies punt returner with help from Harris. A year ago, redshirt sophomore Damien Jackson, Jr. mainly handled long snapping on punts and Bryson Ruddy handled long snapping on extra points and field goals. The two look to go back to those roles this season.
