With North Carolina A&T’s training camp underway and the 2023 season in the rearview mirror, one of the topics of discussion still staring at the program is offensive production after the Aggies ranked 115th in the NCAA Division I-FCS in total offense partly because the passing game produced 104.9 yards per game.
Second-year head coach Vincent Brown wanted to rectify the issue quickly. He hired offensive coordinator David Marsh out of Texas Southern, signed a veteran quarterback in graduate transfer Justin Fomby, and brought in Georgia Tech transfer RJ Adams for some offensive line help.
“It’s always a team effort when you lose,” said Brown. “You win together, you lose together. But each facet of the game has to be able to perform at a championship level for you to win, and there are some things that we just weren’t getting done schematically (offensively). It was not a lack of talent. I just thought we needed a change.
“From what I’ve seen so far, it’s night and day. Now, defensively and on special teams, we need to play great as well. If you can score points on defense and special teams and prevent people from scoring, you give yourself a great chance to win.”
Identifying the quarterback will be key
Of course, the central question with any offense is who will lead it from the quarterback position. Sophomore Kevin White was put through the fire as a freshman, earning valuable experience. In addition to Fomby, the Aggies also added University of Delaware transfer Noah Sanders and Braxton Thomas on National Signing Day.
“Of course, if you have a bonafide superstar quarterback, you play that guy,” said Brown. “You know he is going to give you everything you need to win and win a lot. We were not at that point (last season), and I don’t know if we are at that point yet. But I think we can win with the kids that we have. Kevin has a year of development under his belt. Justin is a veteran quarterback who has played in a lot of collegiate games, and he has been a great mentor to Kevin and the other quarterbacks in the room, so I think it’s going to be a win-win situation for us.”
There is not a lack of talent at the wide receiver position either. The Aggies did lose Taymon Cooke, who provided a weapon on offense and special teams, earning All-American honors as a kick returner. But most of the pass catchers are back in place, starting with returning leading receiver Amonte Jones, who still has two years of eligibility remaining.
The wide receiver corps has something to prove
Ger-Cari Caldwell, a 6-foot-4 receiver out of Rock Hill, S.C., also has two years of eligibility remaining. The Aggies expect wide receiver Jamison Warren to be back on the field after he missed the 2023 season. Redshirt sophomore Laquan Veney, junior Elijah Kennedy, and sophomore Rory Jones-Amen-Hetep also bring experience into the season.
A&T’s tight end room is also full of players with good hands, including Antoine Bell, Nicholas Dobson and Anthony Rucker. Joshua George also started some games at the halfback/tight end position in 2023.
The Aggies backfield is also a source of pride for a program labeled Running Back U. Junior Kenji Christian led the Aggies in rushing last season with 718 yards and six touchdowns. The dual-threat back was also the Aggie’s second-leading receiver.
Junior Wesley Graves has carried the ball 154 times over the previous two seasons, and sophomore Shimique Blizzard came on late in the season to provide the Aggies with speed and power in the backfield. Junior Charlie Dixon is back, and expect freshman Daniel Coles to also figure into the Aggies’ offensive plans during the season.
Who is protecting this ensemble of talent, making it easier for the quarterback to get to the receivers and allowing the running backs to have room to run? The Aggies return three starters along the offensive line with guard Korion Sharpe, tackle Jason Ivey, and center Cesar Minarro. Brock Stukes earned valuable playing time as a freshman, and Jonathan Cannon, Jr. also provides A&T with depth up front.
“First and foremost, we had to make the necessary changes to get our offense to operate at a more efficient and effective level,” said Brown. “That is one of the first things that happened.”
Courtesy: North Carolina A&T Athletics