AAMU has new line of sight

Photo: AAMU 2007 Cheerleaders

By REGGIE BENSON, Times Sports Staff
Youngsters getting chance to shine on offensive line
They were spectators last season, forced to sit and watch others play. And while they were a part of a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship team, Xavier Manuel and Russell Jackson were eager to get on the field and help out.

Now, with Alabama A&M's season opener less than a week away, Manuel and Jackson will finally get a chance. In fact, when A&M visits Tennessee State next Saturday night, Manuel and Jackson will be key figures - along with sophomore Charles Meade - on the Bulldogs' revamped offensive line.

Manuel, Jackson and Meade will all make their first career starts against the Tigers.

Manuel, a sophomore, replaces Chris Franklin at center. Jackson, a redshirt freshman, moves in for Jeffery Johnson at left guard, while Meade, a sophomore who played in all 12 games last season, replaces Kristian Smith at right guard.

"We're ready," said Manuel, who stayed in town this summer and lost 20 pounds. He reported for preseason practice at 6-foot-1 and 307 pounds.

"We've practiced well and (offensive line) Coach (Cedric) Pearl has prepared us for what's ahead of us. I'm not concerned. We should be good."

Pearl believes they will be fine, too.

The question is, will they be as good as A&M's units have been in the past?

"My biggest concern is consistency," said Pearl, who has never had a group this young during his six seasons with the Bulldogs. "My job is to get them to play at the level we're used to playing at consistently. It's a work in progress, but we're going to get there.

"We've set the bar high and we're not going to accept anything less."

The Bulldogs have a pair of All-SWAC tackles in James Sanders and Darius Turner. While the three new starters have little on their resume, Turner says they will do just fine.

"Once they get in the fire, they'll be OK," he said. "I believe in those guys."

So does Pearl.

"Meade played last year as a true freshman," he said. "Xavier has been in the system and he's been a quality backup, but he hasn't had a chance to play. Russell won the job this summer. I feel good about all three of those guys."

If preseason practice is any indication, A&M's offense, while having to replace six starters, has gotten the best of the defense.

That hasn't happened around here in some time.

"We're physically capable of getting it done," said Meade, who is powerfully built at 6-1 and 268 pounds. "We've just got to come with the right mind-set, concentrate and focus on what we have to do each play. We know what to do."

Even so, Meade admitted there's a certain amount of anxiety involved.

"There's pressure on us because we're so young," he said. "But we're not going to use that as an excuse. We've got to go out and perform."