A&M Nelson hopes move to fullback results in more playing time‎

Bryan Nelson's chances of getting on the field this season appeared to be pretty slim. Sure, he probably could have played some on special teams, but Nelson, buried down the depth chart at inside linebacker, wanted a bigger role. So, when Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones asked Nelson to consider moving to fullback at the beginning of summer workouts, he jumped at the chance.

"I did it for the team and myself," said Nelson, who is battling Chris Hall, another converted linebacker, and true freshman Joseph Porter for playing time. "We've got great backs in Tony (Green) and (Kaderius) Lacey and they can run the ball well with a lead blocker and I felt like I could help them be productive." The Bulldogs haven't had a quality fullback since Trevis O'Neal finished his eligibility after the 2006 season. Roger Smith started at fullback last season, but elected not to return for his fifth year.

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A&M's Wilson wants chance to handle more kicking duties

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Chance Wilson was content with being the starting punter at Alabama A&M last season. The redshirt freshman averaged 36.5 yards per punt and was among the leaders in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with 25 kicks inside the 20-yard line to help the Bulldogs reach the league championship game.

Now, Wilson, a former Buckhorn High School start, wants to do more. And, he just might get an opportunity. Wilson served as the Bucks' kicker and punter for three years before coming to A&M. With Jeremy Licea, the leading scorer in school history, having graduated and Ray Blanks academically ineligible, Wilson may get a chance to do both jobs this season.

"I told (A&M) Coach (Anthony) Jones during the spring that I wanted a chance to kick and punt," Wilson said Wednesday. "He told me I was going to get that chance. Ray didn't participate in spring practice and they were looking for a kicker, but right now I'm the guy." Jones is still looking a kicker as the Bulldogs continue preseason practice, but Wilson is confident he can do both jobs effectively.

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Alabama A&M signs former Anniston standout Hutchison

Quintarius Hutchison (right) was a starter on Anniston High School Class 4A state-title team from 2008/09.

Former Anniston High basketball standout Quintarius Hutchison didn’t look at all like a man who had any intentions of resting on the laurels of his impressive resume Friday morning. Instead, the 6-foot-5, 190-pounder appeared primed to press on at the signing ceremony held at his alma mater’s media center, where he signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville.

Hutchison was named The Star’s Class 4A-6A Calhoun County Player of the Year during his senior season. He averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds in leading the Bulldogs to a 24-10 record and a trip to the state semifinals, just a year after they captured the Class 4A title. A&M began recruiting Hutchison after seeing him play in a Thanksgiving tournament in the Rocket City. The A&M coaches told Hutchison’s coaches they were “really interested” in him.

However, talks between Hutchison and the school fell off for months. He became a first-team all-state selection and was one of only 12 players in the state chosen to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Pelham. When A&M, which shares a mascot and color scheme with Anniston, came calling again long after the season ended, everything seemed to come together. Hutchison chose A&M over an offer from Faulkner University and interest from Miles, Lane College (Tenn.) and Lawson State Community College.

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Robert Mathis finally gets his degree from Alabama A&M

NFL Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowler Robert N. Mathis finally completed his degree requirements at AAMU and graduated with the Class of 2010. Mathis was drafted in 2003 in the 5th Round, Pick 138, after establishing himself as one of the most dominant defensive players in NCAA 1-AA history. The 4 year starter had 20 sacks at defensive end during his senior season with the Bulldogs.

Seven years after leaving Alabama A&M to get drafted in the 5th round by the Indianapolis Colts, Colts defensive stud and all-around cool guy Robert Mathis went back to college, finished his school requirements, and got his degree. "I always like to finish what I start," Mathis said in an interview with The Huntsville Times before walking with more than 500 other graduates. "It's been bothering me. I've been blessed enough to win the Super Bowl, go to two (Super Bowls) but you want that degree. "You were here four years, put in the work and the hard labor and you want to reap the benefits of your labor."

I hope we fans never get numb to this kind of stuff; seeing good guys do responsible, respectable things during a time of year while others are getting caught having sex with under-age hookers in a hotel room. It's just kind of cool to have a team full of players like Robert Mathis. Meet him in person and he's the nicest, most "real" player I've seen. He'll talk about anything, and loves to joke that his favorite thing to do in the entire world is sack Tom Brady.

Well, for one day at least, sacking Tom Brady took a back seat to getting a degree in Physical Education. Unlike the somewhat douchy guys who were my PE teachers in junior high and high school, I get the sense that if Robert Mathis ever had to run a class, it would be quite fun.

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Alabama A&M faces limited spring with 1 QB

Alabama A&M will be extremely short-handed during spring practices as the defending SWAC East Division champs have just one quarterback participating. Deaunte Mason, who started the last five games of 2009 and led the Bulldogs to the title game, is the only signal-caller available with Jamari Brady sitting because of academics and Kevin Atkins planning to transfer to Winston Salem State. Coach Anthony Jones told The Huntsville Times he hasn't seen Atkins in a month.

"It's going to hamper us a lot," Jones said. "It's going to help (Mason) because he's going to get a lot of reps, but it's going to hurt him because he's not going to get a lot of rest. I'm going to have to control his reps." A&M signed quarterbacks A.J. Clark and Chris Leachman earlier this month, and they will be available in the fall.

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Jacksonville State Gamecocks Roll To 45-18 Win Over AAMU Bulldogs in Home Opener

FINAL STATISTICS
PHOTO GALLERY

JACKSONVILLE, AL-- Jacksonville State scored 24 second quarter points to erase a 12-10 deficit en route to a 45-18 win over Alabama A&M in front 16,654 at Paul Snow Stadium on Saturday. The Gamecocks improved to 1-1 in front of the third largest crowd in Paul Snow Stadium history while Alabama A&M fell to 0-2 on the year.

“I think we came out here with a great purpose and tried to say that we’re a good football team that has some good ambitions,” JSU Head Coach Jack Crowe said. “I am proud of it. I still think we have a lot of work left to do, but I think we are good enough to have high expectations.”

Daniel Jackson got the scoring started on JSU’s opening drive when he took an option pitch and rambled 37-yardS to give JSU a 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs responded with the next three scores to cut the deficit into a Bulldog lead. Jeremy Licea made field goals of 26 and 38 yards and A&M took a 12-10 lead when Anthony Green scored on a one-yard run with 11:17 to go in the second quarter, just before JSU’s big second quarter.

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Attendance: 16,654 (111%) @ Paul Snow Stadium, Jacksonville, AL (Capacity: 15,000).

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A&M aims to prove '07 was no fluke

Alabama A&M women's soccer coach Frank Davies always tries to find a way to top the previous year. After winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship last season and becoming the first team in league history to score in an NCAA tournament game, Davies says he has found a way. "We've got to repeat," Davies said. "In order to prove that last year wasn't a fluke, we've got to win it again."

In the five-year history of the SWAC championships, there has been no repeat winner. Davies says the Bulldogs can do it if he can find a way to retool their midfield. "How we revamp that unit will be a big key," Davies said. Belinda Kanda, one of the nation's top scorers, returns along with six other starters. Brittan Thomas and newcomer Celeste Roberts will also be counted on to help shoulder some of the scoring load.

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AAMU hoping the acclaim will come

Thomas Harris took it all in stride. His teammates didn't. Despite leading the Southwestern Athletic Conference in receiving yards per game last season - and finishing fifth in receptions and eighth in all-purpose yards - Harris was left off the all-conference team.

Grambling's Clyde Edwards and Alcorn State's Nate Hughes were named to the first team, while Southern's Gerard Landry and Grambling's Reginald Jackson were second-teamers. Meanwhile, Harris caught 51 passes for 936 yards and seven touchdowns and led the Bulldogs within a game of their third straight Eastern Division title.

"It didn't really bother me," said Harris, who was named to the All-SWAC first-team preseason squad last month at the league's annual media day. "My teammates kept telling me I needed to be in there. I know I probably should have been in there ... at least second team.

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A&M offense lights up night

Atkins tosses five touchdowns in Maroon victory

Held in check for much of training camp, Alabama A&M's offense finally exploded Saturday night during its third preseason scrimmage.Quarterback Kevin Atkins threw for 316 yards and five touchdowns as the Maroon clobbered the White 58-6 on Fan Day at Louis Crews Stadium. The Maroon team was made up of first- and second-teamers, while the White team consisted of primarily third-teamers.

"We turned it on tonight," said Atkins, who was 12-of-22 with a pair of interceptions. "We've got a lot of big-play ability. I'm feeling a lot more comfortable. Things are starting to slow down for me and I'm getting a complete grasp of the entire offense. "We made a couple of mistakes. I take the blame for both interceptions. I take the blame for both interceptions.

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AAMU New tight ends aim to catch on

Aside from quarterback Kelcy Luke, Alabama A&M's biggest losses on offense were tight ends three-time All-SWAC selection Charles Moody and John Smith. A&M's new tight ends offer few credentials and no numbers to speak of. Todd Leichtfuss and Jeremy Cunningham have caught one pass between them, but despite their lack of playing time and production, they're confident they can be just as effective.

I feel that we can handle this," said Leichtfuss, a 6-foot-2, 217-pound junior who will serve as the Bulldogs' long- snapper for the third straight year in addition to his tight end duties. "As long as we do our job and not worry about anybody else, everything will take care of itself." Cunningham was a little more adamant.

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Three transfers join AAMU Bulldogs

Ex-Mississippi St. star received All-SEC honorable mention

Alabama A&M, in desperate need of a left tackle after preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference pick Darius Turner was ruled academically ineligible almost two weeks ago, landed a big one Monday when former Mississippi State standout Michael Brown practiced with the Bulldogs for the first time.

Brown, 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, graduated with a degree in Business Communications and will work on his master's in Family & Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Human Development/Family Studies at A&M. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

"I talked to a lot of people before I made the decision to come here," said Brown, who picked A&M over Georgia Southern, Grambling and Jacksonville State. "(MSU coach) Coach (Sylvester) Croom and (A&M coach) Coach (Anthony) Jones are close. Coach Jones has a lot of experience, runs a good program and the offense they run is similar to what we ran at Mississippi State.

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A&M's Jones sees good, bad

Bulldogs coach wishes team was further ahead

Anthony Jones stood and applauded Alabama A&M's offense early on during Thursday's practice. A few minutes later, Jones voiced his displeasure as the unit failed to execute. He does the same thing when he watches film. One minute, Jones is happy. The next, he's somewhat perplexed.

Such is life for the Bulldogs' head football coach. "We've still got a lot of work to do," Jones said Thursday after his team's first week of practice. "We've got a lot of new faces that we're trying to get ready to play college football for the first time. A lot of them are guys that have been in our program, but they haven't been in the fire yet. We're making progress toward our goal, but it's slower than I would like for it to be."

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Alabama A&M notebook: Bulldogs top running back carted off with bad ankle

Running back Ulysses Banks, who was named to the All-SWAC preseason team, sustained an ankle injury early on in Tuesday's practice and had to be carted off the field. Banks, who rushed for almost 900 yards and nine touchdowns, while hauling in 20 passes for 285 yards and two more scores, was injured during the Oklahoma drills which feature two defensive players against three offensive players.

#17 AAMU Bulldogs RB Ulysses Banks, 5-8/172, sophomore, Birmingham, AL/Parker H.S.

A&M coach Anthony Jones said Banks would be given ample time to recover. "We don't think it's serious, but it's serious enough that we're going to hold him out a couple of days," Jones said. With Banks out, Anthony Green and Ray Hudson will get the bulk of the work at running back.

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A&M unit in good hands

Receiving trio has Bulldogs looking to go to the air

Thomas Harris led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in receiving yards per game last season. Rashad Johnson had only 17 catches, but four of them went for touchdowns, including a 65-yarder, one of the longest in the league. Gerald Stockdale not only caught three touchdown passes, but also threw another one.

Meet Alabama A&M's wide receivers.

Their names aren't of the household variety, but their talent, according to A&M receivers coach Roger Totten, is unlimited. "We feel like we have three of the best receivers in the conference," said Totten, who made a huge impact after coming over from Mississippi Valley State last season. "If we can find two more, we may have the best group in the league."

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A&M's Atkins tries on big shoes

Replacing Kelcy Luke at QB no small challenge

Kevin Atkins has taken over for a quarterback before. Six years ago, Atkins replaced his cousin, T.J. Wilson, who was moved to wide receiver, as the starter at Southern Durham (N.C.) High School. All the 6-foot-1, 219-pounder did was win.

When Atkins left Southern Durham, he had led his team to a 38-3 record and to three consecutive conference championships. He was a three-time all-conference selection and was a 4A All-State pick as well, throwing for more than 2,000 yards as a senior, while rushing for 700 more. "I had a great high school career," Atkins said shortly after arriving at Alabama A&M three years ago. "Hopefully, I can duplicate that here."

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AAMU Hudson has perfect start to preseason

A&M running back nets top score in team's conditioning test

Eric Hudson has a new name. Just call him Mr. Perfect. Hudson, a reserve running back at Alabama A&M, earned a perfect score in the Bulldogs' strength and conditioning test on Thursday. The 6-0, 190-pound redshirt junior finished with a team-high 50 points. He earned 10 points in each of the test's five parts - bench press, vertical jump, sit-ups, dips and running.

"I've taken care of business in the weight room, but I want to get on the field," said Hudson, who is stuck behind All-SWAC selection Ulysses Banks and redshirt sophomore Anthony Green. "That's my goal. I want to get on the field and help this team win some games." Hudson has struggled in his attempt to earn playing time.

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AAMU players propose statue for Crews

The late Louis Crews is the all-time winningest football coach at Alabama A&M University. The stadium is named after him and the entrance leading to the luxury boxes is filled with his memorabilia. Now, a group of his former players, spearheaded by former split end Tom Jones and former quarterback Onree Jackson, are trying to raise money to erect a statue and a plaza in his honor outside of the stadium.

"This is our way to honor Coach Crews and his legacy," said Jackson, who played for Crews from 1965-69. "We're talking about a man that was larger than life. We're talking about the man that put Alabama A&M football on the map."

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A&M regaining indoor track teams

Two years after eliminating men's and women's indoor track, Alabama A&M athletics director Betty Austin said the school will bring back the sports. The sports were cut in an attempt to balance the budget, but Austin said a series of meetings with the student-athletes compelled her to put the sports back in place.

"I started a series of conversations with the students in April and asked them what we could do to strengthen their programs, and out of that, the track athletes requested we bring back indoor track," Austin said. "You can't do everything they ask you to do, but I thought the things that they said were legitimate."

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Parsons to play at NCAA Division I, MEAC and SWAC schools

As far as Snead State Community College men’s basketball coach Rodney Hampton is concerned, two members of the 2007-08 team set the standard for all Parsons to come. Brandon Bryant, of Tuscaloosa, and Gerald January, of Macon, Ga., have signed scholarships with NCAA Division I schools.

Bryant, a 6-2 guard, has signed to play with Florida A&M University, while January, a 6-7 forward, signed to play with Alabama A&M University. “Both Brandon and Gerald have really exemplified the true student-athlete. They embody the character and the skill level that coaches only dream about,” Hampton said.

“They have been good leaders here at Snead. We had a team of mostly freshmen, and under the circumstances, Brandon and Gerald have been integral parts of the team’s success over the last two years.”

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Restoration of AAMU's Elmore Gym set to begin today

Photo: AAMU athletic director Betty Austin.

After delays, A&M facility could now be ready by June.

Alabama A&M's much-anticipated renovation of Elmore Gym is slated to begin today, five months after it was originally scheduled.

School officials had hoped to have the project - which includes installing new chair-back seats in the facility's lower level - completed last December, in time for the Bulldogs' opening of Southwestern Athletic Conference play. But athletics director Betty Austin failed to submit the project for bidding on time.

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