Saturday, September 1, 2007

Scouting N.C. A&T football team


SCOUTING THE AGGIES

Coach: Lee Fobbs (0-11 overall and in one season at N.C. A&T)

2006 record: 0-11 overall, 0-8 MEAC

Home field: Aggie Stadium (21,500), Greensboro

KEY QUESTIONS FOR N.C. A&T

Will the Aggies be any better this year?

Yes. Coach Lee Fobbs is a bright guy who has addressed personnel needs by different means. The influx of several transfers -- from Division I-A schools and junior colleges -- should make A&T more competitive. The Aggies' losing streak, currently at 16 games, is the longest by six in the NCAA division formerly called I-AA.

What's the biggest offensive concern?

Four true freshmen dot the two-deep on the line. At least early, that puts a premium on the health of veteran C Tim Bess and RG Andrew Sagote. Fobbs likes his young guys -- Enoch Cohen, Adrian Carter, Jason Valmont and Alex Harper should have a chance to play -- but he knows they're a year away from being major contributors. The Aggies have RB Michael Ferguson healthy again, and Demerick Chancellor is a Clemson transfer who did well when he got to play for the Tigers.

And the chief issue on defense?

When you were next to last in the country in stopping the run and scoring defense and 114th out of 116 in total defense, there's no isolated issue to tackle. You just have to tackle anything you can. It's safe to say that rushing defense must come first in the MEAC, in which five of last year's nine teams finished 99th or lower nationally in passing yards per game. Sophomore DE Andre Thornton led the team in tackles as a rookie. Junior college transfers Ihsan Shaheed and Michael Pace are expected to start in the secondary. In light of the way things worked out last year, that can't be bad.

How long will the rebuilding take?

Don't expect it to be quick. Of the 18 players signed in 2006, only 10 are still on the roster. The departed include QB Wayne Campbell, CB J.J. Yates and K Ross Vosburg, all of whom played in every game; and TE Spenser Spane, who caught one of the team's nine TD passes.

2006 results

Winston-Salem State L 41-14

at Hampton L 48-14

at Louisiana-Lafayette L 48-7

at Norfolk State L 42-20

Morgan State L 32-0

at Delaware State L 37-21

Howard L 26-0

at Bethune-Cookman L 70-7

Florida A&M L 45-12

Elon L 45-0

vs. S.C. State (Charlotte) L 41-19

Schedule
Saturday at Winston-Salem State 6

Sept. 8 vs. Prairie View A&M-a 5:30

Sept. 15 Hampton 6 (ESPNU-b)

Sept. 22 N.C. Central 6:30

Sept. 27 Norfolk State 7:30 (ESPNU)

Oct. 6 at Morgan State 4

Oct. 13 Delaware State 1:30

Oct. 20 at Howard 1

Oct. 27 Bethune-Cookman 1:30 (HC)

Nov. 3 at Florida A&M 3

Nov. 17 vs. S.C. State (Charleston) 1

a-Angel City Classic (Los Angeles) b-tape-delayed telecast, 10 p.m.

N.C. A&T INFO

Tickets: Home games vs. Hampton, N.C. Central, Norfolk State, Delaware State, $20; Bethune-Cookman (homecoming), $35. Call 334-7749 or go to www.ncataggies.com.

Official Web site: www.ncataggies.com

Local radio affiliate: WNAA-90.1


Offense

POS. NO. PLAYER HT. WT. YR.

WR 15 Giorgio Lowrance 6-4 200 So.

85 Terrence Whitaker 6-2 170 Fr.

LT 73 Chad Wiley 6-4 280 Jr.

74 Enoch Cohen 6-4 285 Fr.

LG 61 Jonathan Carter 6-4 305 Jr.

78 Adrian Carter 6-2 295 Fr.

C 75 Tim Bess 6-2 330 So.

74 Enoch Cohen 6-4 285 Fr.

RG 57 Andrew Sagote 6-1 320 Jr.

70 Jason Valmont 6-3 305 Fr.

RT 67 Juan Williams 6-3 315 Jr.

77 Alex Harper 6-5 280 Fr.

TE 84 Brett Fisher 6-1 225 So.

24 Michael Christen 6-2 275 Jr.

WR 1 Curtis Walls 5-10 170 Sr.

87 Mike Caldwell 5-9 165 Sr.

QB 18 Herbert Miller 6-2 180 So.

19 Shelton Morgan 6-1 200 Fr.

FB 44 Ortiz Green 5-11 240 Sr.

32 Eugene Parnell 5-10 245 So.

TB 28 Michael Ferguson 5-11 185 Jr.

8 Demerick Chancellor 6-1 205 Jr.

K 37 Elliott Simmonds 6-5 210 Fr.

Defense
POS. NO. PLAYER HT. WT. YR.

LE 52 Joe Taylor 6-2 230 Jr.

93 Tyre Glasper 6-2 300 Jr.

DT 71 Kelvin Jackson 6-4 340 Fr.

98 LaShawn McLean 6-3 285 Sr.

RE 51 Antonio Johnson 6-3 230 Sr.

90 Phillip Sumlin 6-2 240 Jr.

OLB 33 Tim Shropshire 6-1 230 Jr.

46 Andre Thornton 6-3 230 So.

MLB 59 Robert Russell 6-0 240 Jr.

34 Davion Hemphill 6-1 215 Jr.

OLB 16 Brandon Long 6-1 225 Jr.

53 Jamison Hedgepeth 6-2 213 Jr.

SS 21 Nick Clement 6-0 190 So.

10 Brandon Jackson 5-11 200 So.

CB 7 Ihsan Shaheed 5-10 175 Jr.

4 Deshaun Graham 5-11 170 So.

CB 26 Michael Pace 5-11 175 Jr.

20 Simeon Platt 5-10 185 So.

CB 2 Donald Dorsey 6-2 180 So.

9 Brandon Croley 5-11 200 Jr.

WS 25 Marques Ruffin 6-2 190 Jr.

35 Quentin Caple 6-0 185 Fr.

P 43 Lee Woodson 6-0 215 Jr.

-- Compiled by Rob Daniels

No comments:

Post a Comment