Post by krazykev on Jul 25, 2008 15:06:03 GMT -5
NORFOLK, Va., July 25, 2008 – There are signs that the North Carolina A&T football talent that started out as inexperienced freshmen and sophomores are rounding into the kind of players that can resurrect the program.
Four Aggies were placed on the second-team preseason all-MEAC team that was announced Friday at the MEAC press luncheon. Senior Michael Ferguson (5-11, 195, Durham, N.C.) was the only offensive player to earn a spot, while three defensive players – junior linebacker Andre Thornton, senior safety Brandon Colbert and senior defensive end Tyre Glasper – earned recognition.
Even though the Aggies earned recognition for their individual players, most of the sports information directors and coaches in the league still believe the Aggies will finish last after two straight winless seasons. S.C. State running back William Ford was named MEAC preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and Howard linebacker Endor Cooper earned preseason Defensive Player of the Year. For the second straight season, S.C. State was picked to win the conference.
“Right now everybody’s undefeated and everybody’s winless,’’ said N.C. A&T head coach Lee Fobbs. “We can’t worry about where people think we’re going to finish. All we can do is play the games. I had a feeling after some of the seasons our players had; there would be recognition for them this year.”
Ferguson comes into the season needing just 906 yards to become the Aggies all-time leading rusher. Last season, he had the fourth best rushing season in Aggies history after compiling 1,169 yards and four touchdowns. Ferguson also had six games in which he rushed for 100 yards or more.
Thornoton (6-3, 230, Charlotte, N.C.) led the Aggies in tackles for the second straight season. Last season, he recorded 83 tackles and 8 ½ tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He had four games in 2007 in which he had double-figure tackles.
Colbert (6-2, 185, Fayetteville, N.C.) had a career season for the Aggies. He was second to Thornton in tackles with 63 and he made eight of those tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Colbert also intercepted two passes and earned a reputation for being a hard hitter.
Glasper (6-3, 270, Detroit, Mich.) led the team in quarterback hurries last season. He also made 5 ½ half stops behind the line of scrimmage, blocked two kicks and had one sack. Glasper was second on the team among defensive linemen in tackles with 33.
“The thing I talked about when I got here was establishing a class,’’ said Fobbs. “We wanted to establish classes and not bring in truck loads of transfers every year. We’ve taken our share of hard knocks, but this year we have 18 or 19 seniors. Next year we’ll have even more than that. So we’re excited about the foundation we’re building here.”
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. S.C. STATE
2. DELAWARE STATE
3. NORFOLK STATE
4. HAMPTON
5. MORGAN STATE
6. FLORIDA A&M
7. BETHUNE-COOKMAN
8. HOWARD
9. NORTH CAROLINA A&T
Four Aggies were placed on the second-team preseason all-MEAC team that was announced Friday at the MEAC press luncheon. Senior Michael Ferguson (5-11, 195, Durham, N.C.) was the only offensive player to earn a spot, while three defensive players – junior linebacker Andre Thornton, senior safety Brandon Colbert and senior defensive end Tyre Glasper – earned recognition.
Even though the Aggies earned recognition for their individual players, most of the sports information directors and coaches in the league still believe the Aggies will finish last after two straight winless seasons. S.C. State running back William Ford was named MEAC preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and Howard linebacker Endor Cooper earned preseason Defensive Player of the Year. For the second straight season, S.C. State was picked to win the conference.
“Right now everybody’s undefeated and everybody’s winless,’’ said N.C. A&T head coach Lee Fobbs. “We can’t worry about where people think we’re going to finish. All we can do is play the games. I had a feeling after some of the seasons our players had; there would be recognition for them this year.”
Ferguson comes into the season needing just 906 yards to become the Aggies all-time leading rusher. Last season, he had the fourth best rushing season in Aggies history after compiling 1,169 yards and four touchdowns. Ferguson also had six games in which he rushed for 100 yards or more.
Thornoton (6-3, 230, Charlotte, N.C.) led the Aggies in tackles for the second straight season. Last season, he recorded 83 tackles and 8 ½ tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He had four games in 2007 in which he had double-figure tackles.
Colbert (6-2, 185, Fayetteville, N.C.) had a career season for the Aggies. He was second to Thornton in tackles with 63 and he made eight of those tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Colbert also intercepted two passes and earned a reputation for being a hard hitter.
Glasper (6-3, 270, Detroit, Mich.) led the team in quarterback hurries last season. He also made 5 ½ half stops behind the line of scrimmage, blocked two kicks and had one sack. Glasper was second on the team among defensive linemen in tackles with 33.
“The thing I talked about when I got here was establishing a class,’’ said Fobbs. “We wanted to establish classes and not bring in truck loads of transfers every year. We’ve taken our share of hard knocks, but this year we have 18 or 19 seniors. Next year we’ll have even more than that. So we’re excited about the foundation we’re building here.”
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. S.C. STATE
2. DELAWARE STATE
3. NORFOLK STATE
4. HAMPTON
5. MORGAN STATE
6. FLORIDA A&M
7. BETHUNE-COOKMAN
8. HOWARD
9. NORTH CAROLINA A&T
