North Carolina A&T officially ushered in a new era of Aggie football on Wednesday, December 18, with the introduction of Shawn Gibbs as its head coach. The HBCU community eagerly tuned in to see the championship-winning coordinator return to lead the Aggies. The press conference, held on A&T’s Greensboro campus, provided insight into Gibbs’ vision for the program, his respect for Aggie traditions, and the people who shaped his HBCU journey.
Here are five key takeaways from the event:
1. A Return to Championship Pedigree
Gibbs emphasized his excitement about returning to an HBCU powerhouse that has already demonstrated the ability to dominate on a national stage. “This is home,” he declared, reflecting on his time as a key assistant during A&T’s Celebration Bowl dynasty. Gibbs’ tenure as running backs coach and offensive coordinator from 2011-2017 helped secure four MEAC titles and three Celebration Bowl victories. Now, he plans to build on that legacy with an emphasis on discipline, player development, and a commitment to Aggie excellence.
2. Acknowledging the Role of HBCUs in His Success
Throughout the press conference, Gibbs highlighted how his experiences at HBCUs shaped him as both a coach and a leader. He expressed gratitude to the institutions and mentors who invested in him, particularly during his formative years at North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T. He recognized coaches like Bill Hayes — who gave him his first college coaching job — and Rod Broadway — whom he worked as an assistant under for nearly a dozen years at NCCU, Grambling State and NC A&T.
3. Appreciation for Tiffani-Dawn Sykes
In a moment of genuine reflection, Gibbs recognized former Florida A&M athletic director Tiffani-Dawn Sykes, who attended the ceremony.
“She was the AD at FAMU and she offered me a job and things didn’t work out,” Gibbs said of events that took place earlier this year. “But like I told her before this started ‘look at God.’ It wasn’t in the plans right there. Now look at look at God. Thank you so much, Tiffani.”
4. Resources matter, but they won’t determine success
Gibbs was asked by an North Carolina A&T alumnus about the fact that the program was at the bottom of the Coastal Athletic Association in terms of football budget. He said he wasn’t concerned about it.
“It’s definitely something that we have to work on to improve — But I’m a product with black colleges,” Gibbs said. “My entire career since 1993, I’ve been in nothing but black colleges, and we’ve always had to find a way to be great with less. Now we’re going to work to get everything that we need. We’re not going to make any excuses because we have way more than a lot of people have said. We’re going to do the most with what we have. And the thing that I know that we can get is players like those guys over there, and that’s what it’s about.
5. Uniting job and purpose
Gibbs spoke of the task of building young men as he re-builds a program. For him, that means making the oft-used term “Aggie Pride” more than a slogan.
“Aggie Pride is what’s going to help these guys graduate. Aggie Pride is what’s going to help these guys become great fathers, great husbands and leaders in that community. Aggie Pride is what’s going to help make those guys become great football players. And Aggie Pride is going to teach them to walk like, talk like, and act like a champion and everything that they do. That is my purpose. My job is to win football games.”
Shawn Gibbs’ return marks a pivotal chapter for North Carolina A&T football. His remarks underscored not just his passion for the game, but also his deep connection to the values that make HBCUs a vital part of the sports landscape. With Gibbs at the helm, Aggie fans have much to look forward to in 2025 and beyond.