Connell Maynor made his debut as Alabama A&M's new football coach, and the Bulldogs delivered the program's first shutout in six years.
With a swarming defense that dominated the trenches, Alabama A&M topped Miles 37-0 Saturday night to open the season in the Louis Crews Classic.
"That was a strong performance and a great way to open the season," said Maynor, who was hired in February."Guys were flying around the ball all night long. We made some plays early and did a good job of setting the tempo for the game."
Alabama A&M dominated from the opening kick.
On the first possession of the season, quarterback Aqeel Glass led Alabama A&M on a six-play drive that ended with a 28-yard field goal from Spencer Corey.
And the momentum never shifted.
A few minutes later, Jordan Bentley carried the ball four straight times before punching the ball into the end zone for a four-yard touchdown. Glass threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Bailey and Gary Quarles rushed for a 1-yard score to give Alabama A&M a 24-point cushion at halftime.
Glass finished with two touchdown passes, completing 11 of 18 attempts with an interception. The sophomore threw a second-half touchdown to Marceles Clash. Dylan Smith threw a touchdown pass to Octayvious Miles.
Miles led Alabama A&M in receiving with three catches for 66 yards, while Quarles led the Bulldogs on the ground with 51 rushing yards on seven carries.
"We expected to play well," Glass said. "There are a lot of playmakers on this team — several guys capable of making plays. This definitely is a positive performance to build on."
Alabama A&M's defense was the prominent storyline.
The Bulldogs held Miles (0-1) to just 115 total yards, with 80 on the ground.
"Everyone wanted to make a statement," linebacker Elijah Timarky said. "Our goal was to play physical and give up nothing. This was a good win for our team."
Alabama A&M hosts North Alabama next Saturday.
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