More proof that we are SCARED of A&T.....LOL
A&T looking for more versatility
4-23-02
By CRAIG T. GREENLEE, Staff Writer
News & Record
GREENSBORO -- Some things never change.
With only eight returning seniors, N.C. A&T football appears to be in a rebuilding mode. Even so, the Aggies "Blue Death" defense figures to be as menacing as ever.
During spring football drills, A&T's defense, one of the MEAC's best in recent seasons, showed considerable promise. That's a good sign for a unit that will miss the contributions of eight lettermen whose college careers ended in November.
"We moved some people around on defense and things have come along nicely," coach Bill Hayes said. "There's enough talent on that side of the ball, but the big difference is team speed. Overall, things were far from perfect, but the spring progressed reasonably well."
The most notable changes defensively involve James Francis and Joey Lance, a pair of speedy outside linebackers who were moved to inside linebacker. Those two join Douglas Okaracha to form what is expected to be a formidable unit for 2002.
Defensive lineman Ivan Butler is excited about the prospects.
"The D-line is one of our strengths, but we're going to get major input from the linebackers," Butler said. "There will be some blitz packages and more line stunts. We're going to come after people a lot more. I can't wait to get the season started. I believe we can be even better than last year."
The Aggies posted an 8-3 record last year, but it was a season in which high expectations were not met. A&T lost two of its last three games after All-America tailback Maurice Hicks suffered a season-ending knee injury, and the Aggies missed the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs for the second year in a row.
A&T will need more offensive balance to challenge for this year's conference title. And based on spring drills, the Aggies appear to have the potential to develop into a contender. Still, a number of questions about the offense aren't likely to be answered until preseason practice begins in August.
In the spring, redshirt freshman Randal Rankin and Booker Washington, a converted wide receiver, took most of the snaps at quarterback. But with prized QB recruits Jason Douglas and Marshall Glenn coming in, it's conceivable that one or both of the spring quarterbacks might join the receiving corps.
The Aggies' strengths on offense are at wide receiver and on the line. Jamal Jones, Bud Phillips, Curtis Deloatch and Kenny Perry are being counted on to give A&T more big-play capability. Deloatch, a Division I-AA All-America kick-return artist, is making the switch from cornerback to wideout.
Up front, the Aggies are young, but there is ample game experience on hand. Patrick Jordan and Junius Coston got valuable playing time as freshmen a year ago. Desmond Long has the tools to emerge as an all-conference player.
"We're still striving to discover what our offensive personality will be," said offensive coordinator Allan Gerber. "We're not going to abandon being a ball-control team. But we also want to be versatile enough to get the ball to our best athletes in as many different ways as possible."