Post by lilboy on Aug 13, 2007 11:52:27 GMT -5
Don't know if this has been posted yet, but...
www.ncataggies.com/Football/2007%20articles/aggiesvpreview.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGGIES PUTTING 2006 BEHIND THEM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Carolina A&T’s head football coach has one simple message. “Stay positive.” Like any pastor, politician or special interest group, he doesn’t mind spreading the message to anyone who will listen.
Whether it’s a blogger, fan, media member, Aggie football player, his coaching staff, the athletic department staff, corporate partner or an Aggie Club member, the message never changes. Lee Fobbs believes if you’re an Aggie, if you love Aggie football or Aggie Athletics , it is imperative the Aggies family stays positive.
“I know everyone wants to know how many games we will win in 2007,’’ said Fobbs, who is entering his second season as the Aggies head coach. “I know there are some people who want to rehash 2006. But when you’re talking about building a program, it’s not about the year before or the upcoming season, but it’s about where we can take the program in the foreseeable future.”
“We want to win in 2007 as much as anyone else, but we need people to support the program because as Aggies, it is our program. If we as Aggies don’t support the program, who will? There are enough people out there willing to tear us down, so we need to stay positive.”
In fact, if you walk into the Strickland Football Offices and start discussing the Aggies having the longest losing streak in Division I-AA (16 games) or 0-11 you might not get much of a response. Staying positive means moving forward and it’s what Fobbs and his staff plans to do as the Winston-Salem State game approaches on September 1.
“There has not been one word said about 2006 since spring practice started,’’ said Fobbs. “We don’t see the benefit in it. Last year is gone, so we’re focusing on the next goal and that’s beating Winston-Salem State. We believe our young men prepared themselves in the off-season and they believe they are capable of doing some good things this season. It is our job to put them in a better position to accomplish those things.”
Although 0-11 is not an issue that will be addressed often among the football team, it is a subject that Fobbs, his staff and his players will have to confront as the 2007 season approaches. Even as Fobbs tries to build a positive aura around his football program, bloggers, fans, media members and supporters want to know and witness what steps have been made to improve.
“I really think we progressed defensively through our recruiting,’’ said Fobbs. “We haven’t changed our scheme totally, but you learn early on in the business that you have to adjust to your talent level. We’re not going to intimidate anyone with our size, but I think we have the speed to disrupt what teams want to do by getting to the football quickly. We’re still not where we want to be defensively, but we made a lot of progress during the spring.”
Defense is where N.C. A&T has built its reputation over the years. So it was surprising to see the Aggies ranked 105th out of 106 teams in Division I-AA team defense. Some of the surprise should be eased when one considers that by season’s end, eight players on the Aggies defense were either freshmen or sophomores.
Recognizing the need for speed, battle-tested players and players who can make an immediate impact, Fobbs’ staff focused on defensive backs. Clemson transfer Brandon Croley was added for both his ability to play cornerback and safety and for his experience of playing at the Division I level. He was able to participate in spring practice in March, which now gives him experience in the Aggies defensive scheme.
Two more defensive backs were added through the junior college ranks. Michael Pace played two years at Hinds Community College (Miss.), while Ihsan Shaheed played two seasons at College Sequoias. Like Croley, both men signed early with the Aggies and were able to practice in the spring. When combined with true freshmen Donald Dorsey and Nick Clement, who had to play major minutes in 2006 and returning safeties Brandon Colbert and Marques Ruffin, the Aggies have a secondary full of players with game-time experience.
The secondary is not the only place where the Aggies needed instant help. Freshman linebacker Andre Thornton became the first freshman to lead the Aggies in tackles with 64 in 2006. Redshirt freshman linebacker Jamison Hedgepeth led the Aggies in tackles per game. But the Aggies needed more depth at the linebacker position. During the late signing period, the Aggies added Ole Miss transfer Robert Russell, who started games as a freshman for the Rebels.
Russell will play in the middle alongside two other veterans in Tim Shropshire and Brandon Long. Shropshire, a starter in 2005, had to sit out the 2006 season to improve his academic standing. Defensive coordinator Demetrius Adams describes him as hungry. Long is a former safety who had to fight through injuries last season. He comes into the August training camp bigger after a vigorous off-season workout program that saw him add the muscle necessary to play linebacker.
Again, the additions give the Aggies a wealth of players who have earned significant playing time. Along the defensive line, the Aggies will try to keep their personnel fresh. The coaching staff added two defensive ends – Phillip Sumlin and Jason Broadnax – during the late signing period. They will be a part of a spirited defensive end rotation that includes Antonio Johnson, Joe Taylor, Tyre Glasper, Morgan Vincent and Billy Hansford.
Fobbs is also excited about the interior portion of his defensive line. He believes redshirt freshman Kelvin Jackson has multitudes of potential. Two-year starter LaShawn McLean is back, while Adam Beal also looks to figure into the mix. Despite the additions, the Aggies are still undersized defensively.
“We know we still have a long way to go to get to where we want to be physically,’’ said Fobbs. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be more aggressive. We played on our heels a lot last year. We have to be in attack mode from the very beginning. We’re going to make some mistakes, but we’re going to make them being aggressive. With the speed we attracted, with the kind of conditioning these guys have done in the off-season, there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to run to the football and make plays.”
Offensively, there are not too many new faces. There are very few changes in the starting lineup that ended the season. One of those areas that stayed largely intact is the Aggies offensive line. It is one of the few units in football that doesn’t have to worry about getting attention. People, including the Aggies coaching staff, are eager to see how much the big men have improved.
“We haven’t pulled any punches,’’ said Fobbs. "I’ve told those guys and (offensive line coach) Kenneth Ray has told those guys, we have to be better upfront. (Former Grambling coach Eddie Robinson) used to say 'This game is simple. If you don’t run, block or tackle, you don’t win.’ We have to block people.”
Fobbs said he thought the offensive line did a good job last season, but they were not consistent. The Aggies want to control the game by running the football. “You want to pick up four yards here, five yards there every time you snap the football. In order to do that, we can’t take off a play upfront,’’ said Fobbs.
If the offensive line gels, Fobbs believes he has the running backs that can pick up 4-5 yards a play, and can even go 60-70 yards at a moment’s notice. Junior Michael Ferguson, the fifth-leading rusher in the conference last season, is back and appears healthy.
Position coach George Ragsdale said he doesn’t believe Ferguson was ever completely healthy after sustaining a knee injury against Winston-Salem State during the first game of the season. Despite that, Ferguson came on strong toward the end of the season, rushing for 413 yards and two touchdowns on 81 carries over the last four games of the season.
“Ferguson has always been a back who is hard to bring down,’’ said Ragsdale. “I think he wants to get to the point where he wants to make you pay for tackling him. It almost got to the point where I thought he was adding too much muscle. He’s worked hard to make himself a durable back that you can hand the ball to 20-25 times a game.”
The Aggies brought in speed to help take the load off of Ferguson this season. Clemson transfer Demerick Chancellor had an outstanding Spring Game. He had two 100-yard games for the Tigers last season and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. David “Speedy” Robinson is what Ragsdale calls a “10 and 2” back, meaning he can take 10 carries and get two touchdowns out of it.
“You can never have too many running backs to hand it to,’’ said Fobbs.
The man in charge of handing it off to the backs will likely be Herb Miller. With Wayne Campbell working out academic issues, Miller comes into August’s training camp as the No. 1 quarterback. Miller is coming off of an anterior cruciate ligament injury that forced him to miss the final four games of the season.
Yet, Ray, who plays a major part in the Aggies offensive game plan, said Miller looked confident during the spring. Though he is known for his speed and ability to gain yards with his legs, Ray was impressed with the way he threw the football. His backup going into August is redshirt freshman Shelton Morgan although there is an indication he could see action early in the season.
“We’re still very young at the quarterback position,’’ said Fobbs. “But we feel like Herb has a good understanding of our offensive system because he’s been running it since last spring. We are very impressed with Herb’s maturity as a player and you can see his confidence increasing every time he breaks the huddle.”
Miller and Morgan have some impressive targets at the receiver position. They're targets are tall and fast. Fobbs said his receiving corps is probably the strongest part of the Aggies football team.
Many MEAC coaches believe 6-foot-5 senior Andre Garth has the potential to be an all-conference performer. Senior Curtis Walls led the Aggies in receiving yards and receptions last season, while senior Michael Caldwell proved to be the Aggies deep threat last season, making six catches of 20 yards or more.
Sophomore Giorgio Lowrance, who similar to Garth, is an imposing receiver at 6-4, 200 pounds. Fobbs not only likes his size, but Lowrance brings with him the speed to be a receiver that is difficult for defensive backs to cover.
What does Fobbs’ positive initiative, the new additions on defense and a new beginning after a winless season mean for the Aggies this season?
“We don’t want to put blinders on and try to get everything we want for this program all at once,’’ said Fobbs. “Now if it happens this year, we’ll certainly take it. But we must set goals that are attainable, take the steps to get there, and not get ahead of ourselves by doing things that work against the program. The program is more important than going after the quick fix. It’s truly taking things one day at a time so we don’t miss anything.”
www.ncataggies.com/Football/2007%20articles/aggiesvpreview.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGGIES PUTTING 2006 BEHIND THEM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Carolina A&T’s head football coach has one simple message. “Stay positive.” Like any pastor, politician or special interest group, he doesn’t mind spreading the message to anyone who will listen.
Whether it’s a blogger, fan, media member, Aggie football player, his coaching staff, the athletic department staff, corporate partner or an Aggie Club member, the message never changes. Lee Fobbs believes if you’re an Aggie, if you love Aggie football or Aggie Athletics , it is imperative the Aggies family stays positive.
“I know everyone wants to know how many games we will win in 2007,’’ said Fobbs, who is entering his second season as the Aggies head coach. “I know there are some people who want to rehash 2006. But when you’re talking about building a program, it’s not about the year before or the upcoming season, but it’s about where we can take the program in the foreseeable future.”
“We want to win in 2007 as much as anyone else, but we need people to support the program because as Aggies, it is our program. If we as Aggies don’t support the program, who will? There are enough people out there willing to tear us down, so we need to stay positive.”
In fact, if you walk into the Strickland Football Offices and start discussing the Aggies having the longest losing streak in Division I-AA (16 games) or 0-11 you might not get much of a response. Staying positive means moving forward and it’s what Fobbs and his staff plans to do as the Winston-Salem State game approaches on September 1.
“There has not been one word said about 2006 since spring practice started,’’ said Fobbs. “We don’t see the benefit in it. Last year is gone, so we’re focusing on the next goal and that’s beating Winston-Salem State. We believe our young men prepared themselves in the off-season and they believe they are capable of doing some good things this season. It is our job to put them in a better position to accomplish those things.”
Although 0-11 is not an issue that will be addressed often among the football team, it is a subject that Fobbs, his staff and his players will have to confront as the 2007 season approaches. Even as Fobbs tries to build a positive aura around his football program, bloggers, fans, media members and supporters want to know and witness what steps have been made to improve.
“I really think we progressed defensively through our recruiting,’’ said Fobbs. “We haven’t changed our scheme totally, but you learn early on in the business that you have to adjust to your talent level. We’re not going to intimidate anyone with our size, but I think we have the speed to disrupt what teams want to do by getting to the football quickly. We’re still not where we want to be defensively, but we made a lot of progress during the spring.”
Defense is where N.C. A&T has built its reputation over the years. So it was surprising to see the Aggies ranked 105th out of 106 teams in Division I-AA team defense. Some of the surprise should be eased when one considers that by season’s end, eight players on the Aggies defense were either freshmen or sophomores.
Recognizing the need for speed, battle-tested players and players who can make an immediate impact, Fobbs’ staff focused on defensive backs. Clemson transfer Brandon Croley was added for both his ability to play cornerback and safety and for his experience of playing at the Division I level. He was able to participate in spring practice in March, which now gives him experience in the Aggies defensive scheme.
Two more defensive backs were added through the junior college ranks. Michael Pace played two years at Hinds Community College (Miss.), while Ihsan Shaheed played two seasons at College Sequoias. Like Croley, both men signed early with the Aggies and were able to practice in the spring. When combined with true freshmen Donald Dorsey and Nick Clement, who had to play major minutes in 2006 and returning safeties Brandon Colbert and Marques Ruffin, the Aggies have a secondary full of players with game-time experience.
The secondary is not the only place where the Aggies needed instant help. Freshman linebacker Andre Thornton became the first freshman to lead the Aggies in tackles with 64 in 2006. Redshirt freshman linebacker Jamison Hedgepeth led the Aggies in tackles per game. But the Aggies needed more depth at the linebacker position. During the late signing period, the Aggies added Ole Miss transfer Robert Russell, who started games as a freshman for the Rebels.
Russell will play in the middle alongside two other veterans in Tim Shropshire and Brandon Long. Shropshire, a starter in 2005, had to sit out the 2006 season to improve his academic standing. Defensive coordinator Demetrius Adams describes him as hungry. Long is a former safety who had to fight through injuries last season. He comes into the August training camp bigger after a vigorous off-season workout program that saw him add the muscle necessary to play linebacker.
Again, the additions give the Aggies a wealth of players who have earned significant playing time. Along the defensive line, the Aggies will try to keep their personnel fresh. The coaching staff added two defensive ends – Phillip Sumlin and Jason Broadnax – during the late signing period. They will be a part of a spirited defensive end rotation that includes Antonio Johnson, Joe Taylor, Tyre Glasper, Morgan Vincent and Billy Hansford.
Fobbs is also excited about the interior portion of his defensive line. He believes redshirt freshman Kelvin Jackson has multitudes of potential. Two-year starter LaShawn McLean is back, while Adam Beal also looks to figure into the mix. Despite the additions, the Aggies are still undersized defensively.
“We know we still have a long way to go to get to where we want to be physically,’’ said Fobbs. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be more aggressive. We played on our heels a lot last year. We have to be in attack mode from the very beginning. We’re going to make some mistakes, but we’re going to make them being aggressive. With the speed we attracted, with the kind of conditioning these guys have done in the off-season, there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to run to the football and make plays.”
Offensively, there are not too many new faces. There are very few changes in the starting lineup that ended the season. One of those areas that stayed largely intact is the Aggies offensive line. It is one of the few units in football that doesn’t have to worry about getting attention. People, including the Aggies coaching staff, are eager to see how much the big men have improved.
“We haven’t pulled any punches,’’ said Fobbs. "I’ve told those guys and (offensive line coach) Kenneth Ray has told those guys, we have to be better upfront. (Former Grambling coach Eddie Robinson) used to say 'This game is simple. If you don’t run, block or tackle, you don’t win.’ We have to block people.”
Fobbs said he thought the offensive line did a good job last season, but they were not consistent. The Aggies want to control the game by running the football. “You want to pick up four yards here, five yards there every time you snap the football. In order to do that, we can’t take off a play upfront,’’ said Fobbs.
If the offensive line gels, Fobbs believes he has the running backs that can pick up 4-5 yards a play, and can even go 60-70 yards at a moment’s notice. Junior Michael Ferguson, the fifth-leading rusher in the conference last season, is back and appears healthy.
Position coach George Ragsdale said he doesn’t believe Ferguson was ever completely healthy after sustaining a knee injury against Winston-Salem State during the first game of the season. Despite that, Ferguson came on strong toward the end of the season, rushing for 413 yards and two touchdowns on 81 carries over the last four games of the season.
“Ferguson has always been a back who is hard to bring down,’’ said Ragsdale. “I think he wants to get to the point where he wants to make you pay for tackling him. It almost got to the point where I thought he was adding too much muscle. He’s worked hard to make himself a durable back that you can hand the ball to 20-25 times a game.”
The Aggies brought in speed to help take the load off of Ferguson this season. Clemson transfer Demerick Chancellor had an outstanding Spring Game. He had two 100-yard games for the Tigers last season and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. David “Speedy” Robinson is what Ragsdale calls a “10 and 2” back, meaning he can take 10 carries and get two touchdowns out of it.
“You can never have too many running backs to hand it to,’’ said Fobbs.
The man in charge of handing it off to the backs will likely be Herb Miller. With Wayne Campbell working out academic issues, Miller comes into August’s training camp as the No. 1 quarterback. Miller is coming off of an anterior cruciate ligament injury that forced him to miss the final four games of the season.
Yet, Ray, who plays a major part in the Aggies offensive game plan, said Miller looked confident during the spring. Though he is known for his speed and ability to gain yards with his legs, Ray was impressed with the way he threw the football. His backup going into August is redshirt freshman Shelton Morgan although there is an indication he could see action early in the season.
“We’re still very young at the quarterback position,’’ said Fobbs. “But we feel like Herb has a good understanding of our offensive system because he’s been running it since last spring. We are very impressed with Herb’s maturity as a player and you can see his confidence increasing every time he breaks the huddle.”
Miller and Morgan have some impressive targets at the receiver position. They're targets are tall and fast. Fobbs said his receiving corps is probably the strongest part of the Aggies football team.
Many MEAC coaches believe 6-foot-5 senior Andre Garth has the potential to be an all-conference performer. Senior Curtis Walls led the Aggies in receiving yards and receptions last season, while senior Michael Caldwell proved to be the Aggies deep threat last season, making six catches of 20 yards or more.
Sophomore Giorgio Lowrance, who similar to Garth, is an imposing receiver at 6-4, 200 pounds. Fobbs not only likes his size, but Lowrance brings with him the speed to be a receiver that is difficult for defensive backs to cover.
What does Fobbs’ positive initiative, the new additions on defense and a new beginning after a winless season mean for the Aggies this season?
“We don’t want to put blinders on and try to get everything we want for this program all at once,’’ said Fobbs. “Now if it happens this year, we’ll certainly take it. But we must set goals that are attainable, take the steps to get there, and not get ahead of ourselves by doing things that work against the program. The program is more important than going after the quick fix. It’s truly taking things one day at a time so we don’t miss anything.”
