Post by krazykev on Oct 24, 2008 5:16:25 GMT -5
GREENSBORO -- N.C. A&T athletics director Wheeler Brown would prefer that the Aggies' next football coach be someone with an historically black colleges and universities background who can win while filling the roster with players from North Carolina.
That sounds a lot like Dudley coach Steve Davis, who on Thursday said he would be interested in returning to his alma mater to revive the football program.
"I would definitely like to do that," Davis said. "Some people may not believe it, but with the facilities they have, which are some of the best in (the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision), and the talent in this state, A&T has the potential to be one of the best programs in the country."
Davis said no one from N.C. A&T has contacted him about the job. And because his Dudley Panthers are ranked No. 1 in the 3-A poll and are making a run at a second straight state title, Davis said he's not even thinking about a new job -- at least not now.
"After the season, if they were to call, I would definitely listen," Davis said. "I know there will be a lot of good, successful coaches to choose from. I think I've been pretty successful, too, and could be (successful) there."
Davis, who played at A&T and has been Dudley's head coach since 2004, said his strong rapport with many Triad high school coaches could translate into more local athletes attending A&T if he were the head coach.
"I think a lot of kids will tell you that if they can't play (in the Football Bowl Subdivision) their next choice is to go to school close to home," he said. "That's what makes A&T so attractive."
Davis is 51-10 in his five years as the Panthers' head coach, including a state 3-AA title last year. The Panthers are 8-0 this year.
Brown said Thursday his short list of candidates includes seven coaches. He said "about 30 percent" of those on the list are currently head coaches.
Brown declined to comment on whether Davis is on his list.
One coach rumored to be on Brown's radar is Tennessee State's Jim Webster, whose Tigers are 6-1 and ranked 19th in this week's FCS poll from The Sports Network.
Webster is a former assistant coach at North Carolina, Wake Forest and East Carolina.
Webster said Thursday no one representing A&T had contacted him. Asked if he would be interested in the Aggies' job, Webster said, "Right now I'm focused on winning games for Tennessee State."
When told that A&T was looking for a coach who could recruit in North Carolina, Webster said that was his strong suit.
"I've been recruiting there for 20 years," he said. "I know the players and coaches and they know me."
Brown said he will begin contacting athletics directors in December to request permission to talk to coaches.
He said he would like the Aggies' next head coach "to have some (HBCU) experience, but that's not the sole criterion I'll be looking at."
One coach certainly on Brown's list is George Ragsdale, who Brown named interim head coach Monday when Lee Fobbs was dismissed. Ragsdale, an Aggies running back in the 1970s, is on record as saying he wants the job. "I bleed blue and gold," he said.
Brown said Ragsdale has an advantage over other candidates because he has more than a month to prove himself worthy of the job.
"The other candidates may only have a few hours walking through the halls here," Brown said. "Coach is going to be here day in and day out over the next month. That's a lot of time for both of us to get to know each other."
Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com
