ALABAMA A&M FOOTBALL
SPRING 2021 HBCU NATIONAL CHAMPIONS SWAC CHAMPIONS CONNELL MAYNOR
One of the more successful coaches over the past two decades, Maynor was named head coach at Alabama A&M on January 16, 2018, bringing with him an extensive background at both the collegiate and professional levels as a player and coach.
Upon his hiring that included being part of 10 championship teams with six of those rings coming as a player and four as a coach. He currently enters the Fall 2021 season with an 83-41 overall record in 11 years at three institutions.
ALABAMA A&M (2018-PRESENT, HEAD COACH) Since taking the reins of the Bulldogs in 2018 Maynor has compiled an 18-10 overall record, 12-5 mark in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and accomplished things no other coach has at A&M.
The Spring 2021 season saw him add to not only his personal championship ring collection but to that of his players as he guided Alabama A&M to a perfect 5-0 record and 3-0 league mark, accomplishing three impressive milestones in one fell swoop on May 1.
That day would see a thrilling 40-33 victory over No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff that delivered the fi rst SWAC Championship in 15 years (and second in program history), the fi rst undefeated season since the 1966 season 53 seasons prior and the fi rst ever Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) National Championship for the program.
Those accomplishments earned him a spot as one of 16 national fi nalists for the Eddie Robinson Award as the nation’s top FCS coach but were fueled by the eff orts of the players he recruited.
Headlining that group was quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) as he was named Player of the Year by the Black College Football Hall of Fame, BOXTOROW and the SWAC – all program fi rsts. He was also a fi nalist for the prestigious Walter Payton Award as the top player at the FCS level.
Those accolades also included a Division I Era program record 11 All-SWAC selections with seven on the First-Team. In just three seasons at the helm, that made for 26 All-SWAC honors under Maynor with half of those being First-Team and 21 in the past two seasons.
It was also a season marked by 12 All-Americans between postseason and preseason honors, headlined by the fi rst American Football Coaches Asso- ciation (AFCA) honoree as sophomore wide out Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.) was named to the Second-Team. That honor made him just the fourth in program history, second in the DI Era and fi rst since 2007.
He was also among six BOXTOROW postseason All-Americans and four preseason honorees for that organization. Additionally, junior defensive end Marcus Cushine (Broward County, Fla.) became the fi rst player in 29 years to earn College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District recognition for his work on the fi eld and in the classroom.
The Spring 2021 season marked a steady improvement for the program from a 6-5 overall record and 5-2 mark in the SWAC in 2018 and 7-5 and 4-3 records, respectively, in 2019. The 2018 campaign also represented the fi rst winning season for the program since 2012.
HAMPTON (2014-17, HEAD COACH) Maynor came to The Hill following four seasons as head coach at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) member Hampton from 2014-17.
In that time he posted a 20-25 overall record that included a pair of winning seasons, the program’s fi rst since 2011. The fi rst of those was a 2015 campaign that saw a 6-5 overall record and 5-3 mark in the MEAC and those records would be repeated in his fi nal season with the Pirates in 2017.
He would pick up his fi rst victory as a Division I head coach with a 34-30 decision over Miles on September 20, 2014 and also delivered the pro- gram’s fi rst shutout in fi ve years, and his fi rst at the DI level, with a 23-0 win over Delaware State that fi rst season.
In those four years he also produced 32 All-MEAC performers over three teams, including seven on the First-Team. Those would come with seven in 2014 (two First-Team), 10 in 2015 (4), eight in 2016 (1) and seven in 2017.
WINSTON-SALEM STATE (2010-13, HEAD COACH) An established program builder, Maynor inherited a program that went 1-10 against a DI schedule the year before his arrival and immediately turned things around.
That fi rst season would see the Rams deliver a sterling 8-2 record that would be the beginning of a 45-6 stretch over that four-year span and one that would include an incredible 29-2 mark in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).
In 2011 Maynor lead WSSU to a 13-1 overall record, a CIAA Championship with a perfect 8-0 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II Semifi - nals before taking even further in 2012. That year would see them earn a second straight league championship with a 14-1 record before falling in the national championship game.
The 2013 season would make for a third consecutive CIAA title behind a 10-2 overall record and 7-0 mark in league play. It would culminate in a third straight NCAA appearance and include a home 27-20 victory over Slippery Rock in the opening round.
Among the accomplishments over that stretch were a pair of HBCU National Championships in 2011 and 2012, two Super Region One titles and a bevy of personal accolades.
The latter included CIAA Coach of the Year honors in 2011 and 2012, BOXTOROW HBCU Coach of the Year, Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C. ALABAMA A&M HEAD COACH
CIAA Coach of the Year, Black College Sports Page BAAD Team Coach of the Year and Don Hansen Football Gazette Super Region One Coach of the Year. He was also named the 2011 Sheridan Broadcasting National HBCU Coach of the Year.
FAYETTEVILLE STATE (2000-09, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, QUARTERBACKS COACH) No stranger to success in the CIAA, Maynor spent a decade in the league as the off ensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Division II Fayette- ville State.
In that time, he helped lead FSU to four CIAA title game appearances, three of them resulting in championships in 2002, 2003 and 2009.
Additionally, he worked with All-CIAA quarterback selections in the fi rst two of those seasons and his off ense led the league in rushing off ense, total off ense and scoring in 2008. That off ense also ranked No. 13 in the country in points per game and helped lead the Broncos to 64 wins in his time in Fayetteville.
PROFESSIONAL PLAYING CAREER (1995-2006, ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE) A veteran of 12 seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL), Maynor played for seven teams and threw for 9,285 yards and 160 touchdowns against just 33 interceptions.
A versatile player, he concluded his AFL career as the only individual to play quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker and serve as a kick return spe- cialist and is the only player to throw for more than 5,000 yards, accumulate at least 500 yards receiving (795), 400 rushing yards (642) and 400 yards in kick returns (465).
His best season would come in 2003 when he posted career-highs in every passing category, going 235-of-400 for 3,167 yards with 54 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions.
Over the course of his 13-year professional career Maynor was part of four AFL World Championship teams, going back-to-back with the Tampa Bay Storm in 1995 and 1996 and twice with the Orlando Predators in 1998 and 2000. The latter would see him earn Arena Bowl Most Valuable Player honors with a 41-38 victory over the Nashville Kats.
In 2012, as part of the league’s Silver Anniversary celebration, he was named as one of the league’s 25 greatest quarterbacks.
PROFESSIONAL COACHING CAREER (2006-08, PHILADELPHIA SOUL - AFL) Following his prolifi c playing career, Maynor transitioned into the professional ranks for coaching, moving up stairs to the off ensive coordinator role with his fi nal team, the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
In that role he guided the Soul to fi rst place statistical rankings in scoring off ense (62.0 ppg), touchdowns (132), touchdown passes (102) and red zone effi ciency (85-percent) in 2008. That eff ort led to Philadelphia claiming Arena Bowl XXII as they held off a furious comeback by the San Jose SaberCats for a 59-56 victory.
COLLEGIATE PLAYING CAREER (1987, WINSTON-SALEM STATE, 1989-91 NORTH CAROLINA A&T) Prior to his impressive coaching career, Maynor starred at quarterback at Winston-Salem State in 1987 under William “Bill” Hayes, leading the team to a CIAA Championship and earning All-CIAA honors after passing for 1,071 yards.
He would then follow Hayes to North Carolina A&T where he would proceed to become the fi rst Aggie to be named MEAC Off ensive Player of the Year, doing so in back-to-back years in 1990 and 1991. Maynor also earned All-MEAC First-Team honors in each of those seasons while leading A&T to the league championship in 1991.
That year he led the club to a 9-2 record while throwing for 1,527 yards, 18 touchdowns and only fi ve interceptions and rushing for 288 yards and eight more scores. It also marked the second straight season that the Aggies posted a nine-win season.
Over the course of his three seasons he accounted for 58 touchdowns with 39 coming through the air and 19 on the ground, a number that currently ranks third in the program’s history. Additionally, his 141.82 career passing effi ciency rating is the best in Aggie history, as is his .561 completion percentage.
ADDITIONAL HONORS AND ACCOLADES As a result of his stellar collegiate and professional playing and coaching careers, Maynor has been inducted into both the MEAC and NC A&T Halls of Fame. The Aggies honored him in 2014 while the MEAC inducted him into their ranks in 2020.
Additionally, he has appeared on the silver screen, serving as Jamie Foxx’s stand-in in the movie Any Given Sunday (1999) and did stunt work in the blockbuster Remember The Titans (2000).
EDUCATION Maynor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Administration earned from North Carolina A&T in 1995. ALABAMA A&M FOOTBALL ROSTER - FALL 2021 (RETURNEES)
No. Name Yr. Pos. Hgt. Wgt. Hometown/Previous School 2 Brian Jenkins Jr. Jr. WR 5-8 160 Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland HS 4 Aqeel Glass Sr. QB 6-5 215 St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran North HS 6 Odieu Hilaire So. WR 6-0 160 Belle Glade, Fla./Glades Central HS 7 Antonio Robinson So. RB 5-11 180 Decatur, Ala./Austin HS 8 Zabrian Moore Sr. WR 6-3 185 Tuscaloosa, Ala./Paul Bryant HS 10 Amari Holloway R-Sr. CB 6-2 175 Pinson, Ala./Clay-Chalkville HS 12 Terrell Gardner Jr. WR 5-8 160 Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay HS 14 Dejuan Hughes Fr. S 6-2 190 Crawfordville, Fla./Wakula HS 16 Xaiver Lankford Fr. QB 6-2 195 Pelham, Ala./ 19 Spencer Corey R-Jr. K 6-2 165 New Palestine, Ind./New Palestine HS 20 Armoni Holloway Sr. LB 6-2 175 Pinson, Ala./Clay-Chalkville HS 23 Gary Quarles Jr. RB 5-6 165 Cottondale, Ala./Paul Bryant HS 24 Caleb Riley Jr. CB 5-10 175 Lawrenceville, Ga./Brookwood HS 25 Ja'Marian Green Jr. CB 6-1 180 Belle Glade, Fla./Glades Central HS 26 Joseph Narcisse Fr. CB 6-1 190 Miami, Fla./Booker T. Washington HS 27 Kenechukwu Eziomume Fr. CB 6-1 175 Kennesaw, Ga./ 28 Ryan Morrow Fr. RB 6-0 203 Maplesville, Ala./Maplesville HS 29 Trenton McGhee Sr. S 6-0 205 Jacksonville, Fla Florida International Univ. 30 Quantarius Daniels So. RB 5-6 145 Montgomery, Ala./ 31 Jonathan Struggs R-So. S 5-9 180 Montgomery, Ala./Jefferson Davis HS 32 Dylan Blackburn Fr. RB 6-1 208 Madison, Ala./James Clemens HS 34 Troy Lendvay Fr. K 6-2 180 Montreal, Quebec, Canada/ 35 Khalil Griffin Fr. S 6-0 190 Harvest, Ala./Sparkman HS 36 Quantravis Kelly R-Sr. LB 6-1 215 Montgomery, Ala./Lee HS 38 Collin Malone Fr. RB 5-11 175 Madison, Ala./James Clemens HS 39 Davon Bradshaw Fr. CB 5-11 160 Pompano Beach, Fla./ 40 Michael Makins Jr. LB 6-0 225 Lithonia, Ga./Coastal Carolina Univ. 41 Richard Calloway Jr. LB 5-11 210 Orlando, Fla./Jones HS 44 Eli Jackson Jr. DT 6-1 300 Muskegon, Mich./Muskegon HS 46 Osman Savage Fr. LB 6-2 230 Lanham, Md./Univ. of Michigan 47 Demarco Gibson So. S 6-0 175 Waycross, Ga./Ware County HS 48 JaBraun McNeal So. S 6-2 200 Gadsden, Ala./Gadsden City HS 50 Dimitris Biamby Fr. LB 5-10 200 Coral Gables, Fla./Coral Gables Senior HS 51 Xavier Billingsley So. LB 6-2 205 Phenix City, Ala./Central-Phenix HS 52 Jonathan Williams So. OL 6-2 270 Mobile, Ala./B.C. Rain HS 56 Abram Jones Sr. LS 5-11 225 Huntsville, Ala./Columbia HS 62 Dylan Swanson Sr. OL 6-4 300 Detroit, Mich./ 63 Joshua Anderson R-Fr. OL 6-2 280 Snellville, Ga./South Gwinnett HS 64 Cameron Williams Fr. OL 6-2 290 Montgomery, Ala./Park Crossing HS 65 Taylor Sanders So. OL 6-1 250 Livingston, Ala./Demopolis HS 68 Jamal Irby So. DE 6-3 230 Mobile, Ala./Leflore HS 69 Alic Troutman So. DL 6-6 250 Orlando, Fla./West Oaks Academy 71 Israel Mukwiza Fr. OL 6-2 324 Lawrenceville, Ga./Archer HS 74 Eddie Maxon Sr. OL 6-4 300 Shelby, Miss./Jackson State Univ. 75 Nicholas Crumpler Fr. OL 6-2 280 Cornelius, N.C./ 76 Carson Vinson Fr. OL 6-6 305 Cary, N.C./Panther Creek HS 77 Adrian Barrett Fr. OL 6-4 320 Bartow, Fla./Bartow Senior HS 78 Nevell Brown Fr. OL 6-4 280 West Palm Beach, Fla./Palm Beach Lakes HS 79 Nicholas Glenn Fr. OL 6-0 270 Deerfield Beach, Fla./ 80 Cameron Young So. WR 5-9 175 Daphne, Ala./Daphne HS 81 Estmane Lucdor Fr. WR 5-10 175 Miami, Fla./Miami Booker T. Washington HS 82 Bradley Caldwell Fr. WR 6-4 170 Tory, Ala./ 83 Jalen Lewis Fr. WR 5-8 145 Edison, N.J./ 85 Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim So. WR 6-1 190 Miramar, Fla./Miramar HS 87 Anthony Howard R-Jr. TE 6-3 230 Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay HS 88 Bryson Clark Fr. TE 6-2 210 Delray Beach, Fla./Atlantic HS 89 Kendric Johnson R-Jr. TE 6-3 235 New Market, Ala./Buckhorn HS 90 Dreyvione Carter R-So. DL 6-4 245 New Market, Ala./Buckhorn HS 91 Khalil Yelding Sr. DT 6-2 315 Daphne, Ala./ 92 Breon Austin Sr. DT 6-3 305 Eufaula, Ala./Eufaula HS 93 Richard McKenzie Sr. DE 6-2 215 Orlando, Fla./ 94 Liston Richardson Fr. DT 5-10 251 Prichard, Ala./ 95 Hayden Gilford So. DE 6-2 220 Loganville, Ga./Grayson HS 96 Courtney Lee Coleman Fr. DT 6-4 255 Madison, Ala./James Clemens HS 97 Selmar Russell Sr. DL 5-10 260 Montgomery, Ala./Alabama Christian Academy 99 Jalen McGhee Jr. DL 6-1 270 Atlanta, Ga./Mays HS RS CJ Dixon Fr. QB 6-5 200 / SPRING 2021 OFFENSIVE STATISTICS
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SPRING 2021 DEFENSIVEÿ STATISTICS
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!&ÿ#ÿ&ÿÿ%'ÿ'ÿÿ)!ÿ 0nkkskÿ03ÿ A7ÿ liÿlAÿiAÿ GhGÿ Cttzfmfoÿ Aÿ iiÿ ÿAqÿ q Alabama A&M Shakes Off Rust Early To Rout South Carolina State 31-7 in Spring 2021 Opener (March 6) ORANGEBURG, S.C. – In a matchup of teams that both waited 468 days to return to the fi eld, Alabama A&M (2-0, 1-0 SWAC) returned to form quicker as they recovered from a slow start to dominate South Carolina State (0-1, 0-0 MEAC) over the fi nal three quarters and come away with an impressive 31-7 victory in an NCAA Division I football game on Saturday, March 6.
Senior quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) suff ered through three early interceptions before looking like the player tabbed as the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason Off ensive Player of the Year, fi nishing 15-of-33 for 272 yards and four touchdowns.
A total of 83 of those yards and two of the touchdowns went to sophomore wide receiver Odieu Hilarie (Belle Glade, Fla.) on just two catches while sophomore wide receiver Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.) hauled in six balls for 81-yards and a score.
Junior wide receiver Brian Jenkins, Jr. (Daytona Beach, Fla.) caught the other touchdown and junior running back Gary Quarles (Cottondale, Ala.) rushed 21 times for 92-yards to go with a 38-yard reception to round out the top off ensive performers.
Defensively, junior defensive end Marcus Cushnie (Broward County, Fla.) had a pair of sacks and redshirt-senior linebacker Quantravis Kelly (Montgomery, Ala.) racked up a pair of interceptions, a sack and a pass breakup. Senior linebacker Armoni Holloway (Pinson, Ala.) fi nished with 10 tackles, eight solo and two for loss.
Neither team would come out sharp off ensively in the fi rst quarter as they alternated punts over the fi rst fi ve possessions, none of them lasting longer than fi ve plays. A&M would see their third drive end on the fi rst of three fi rst half interceptions by SCSU’s Decobie Durant with 1:13 left in what would be a scoreless opening frame.
It wouldn’t end up much better for South Carolina State on their ensuing possession as the Bulldogs’ Kelly stepped in front of a third down pass from Corey Fields to get the ball right back with just 11 seconds gone by in the second quarter. Following four more fruitless possessions, including another pick by Durant, Alabama A&M got their off ense underway.
After an inauspicious beginning where they found themselves in third-and-9, Glass dumped off a pass to Quarles that he turned into a 38-yard gain down to the 16-yard line. On the next play the 6-5 signal caller hit Ibrahim in the endzone for a touchdown and eventual 7-0 lead with 9:08 left in the quarter.
A&M would force a fumble on the next series to get the ball back only to see Durant pick off his third ball – but it would be the last they would hear of him on the day. With just over two minutes left in the half, Glass found sophomore wideout Cameron Young (Daphne, Ala.) for a 30-yard pick up and six plays later was down to S.C. State’s 18-yard line.
From there he dropped one over the shoulder of Hilarie in the back right corner of the endzone for another touchdown and what would be a 14-0 lead at the half.
The Bulldogs would not rest on their laurels at the start of the second half as it took them just three plays to go 75-yards, with 65 of that coming on a catch-and-run from Hilarie that made it 21-0 at the 13:22 mark. After two failed drives by SCSU, including one that ended in a forced fumble, A&M was back at it.
This time it would be a seven play, 57-yard drive capped by a 20-yard pass to Jenkins in the right corner of the endzone with 4:43 left in the frame, extending the lead to a commanding 28-0. Out of sorts on off ense all game, South Carolina State would put together a nine-play, 80-yard drive that spanned the end of the third and the fi rst 1:24 of the fourth and wrapped up with Alex James scampering 23-yards to paydirt to cut it to 28-7.
A case of too little, too late, the Bulldogs would add a 37-yard fi eld goal from redshirt-junior kicker Spencer Corey (New Pales- tine, Ind.) to extend to a 31-7 margin with 7:52 remaining. SCSU would come up with a 12-play, 60-yard eff ort on their next pos- session, consuming nearly fi ve and a half minutes in the process, but would see it fall by the wayside as their fourth down play came up short with 2:21 to play. From there, A&M ran three plays to run out the clock on a convincing 24-point season opening victory.
Fields would go 10-of-22 with a pair of picks and take three sacks under center for South Carolina State and Kendrall Flowers rushed 13 times for 115 yards. James found the endzone and Shaquan Davis was the Bulldogs leading receiver with a pair of catches for 51 yards and Tyrece Nick caught three balls for 19 yards.
On defense, Durant notched three interceptions but nothing else while Nathanie Wilcox and Sha Haltiwanger each had a sack. Chad Gilchrist and BJ Davis each had 10 tackles with the former adding 1½ for a loss.
The Bulldogs are now off until Saturday, March 20 when they head to Prairie View A&M for their SWAC opener. Kickoff for that game is set for 12 noon in Prairie View, Texas.
NOTES Alabama A&M entered the game at 1-0 as a result of the 2-0 forfeit awarded under SWAC rules due to Alcorn State opting out of the Spring 2021 season … the teams were slated to play in Huntsville, Alabama on February 27. Glass Dominates With Career Day as Alabama A&M Races Past Jackson State 52-43; Most Points vs. DI Since 2008 Opener (April 10) JACKSON, Miss. – Senior quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) delivered a day for the ages and Alabama A&M (3-0, 2-0 SWAC) put up the most points against a Division I opponent in 12 years as they raced past Jackson State (3-3, 2-2 SWAC) 52-43 in an NCAA Division I football game on Saturday, April 10.
Glass went 27-of-40 with no interceptions and set career-highs with 440 yards passing and six touchdowns while adding a sev- enth on the ground to lead the Bulldogs off ensive attack while senior wide receiver Zabrian Moore (Tuscaloosa) was the recipient of four of those receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore wide receiver Odieu Hilarie (Belle Glade, Fla.) caught six balls for 100 yards and a score and fellow second year wideout Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.) snagged fi ve for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Junior wideout Brian Jenkins, Jr. (Daytona Beach, Fla.) added six catches for 66 yards.
Junior running back Gary Quarles (Cottondale, Ala.) added 47 yards receiving on three grabs to go with his team-high 86-yards rushing and redshirt-junior tight end Anthony Howard (Birmingham, Ala.) snagged the fi nal touchdown of the day.
As a whole, the off ense accomplished something only done nine times since the program moved to Division I in 1998 and that is score at least 50 points. The DI Era program record is 63 in a 63-20 victory over Division II Central State on September 28, 2019 but the Bulldogs’ 52 points on the day are the most against a Division I opponent since hanging 58 (58-23) on Mississippi Valley State on November 21, 2008.
Getting the ball back to fuel that prolifi c off ense on a good many occasions was an A&M defense that delivered four sacks and eight tackles for loss. Headlining that group were junior defensive end Marcus Cushnie (Broward County, Fla.) and redshirt-se- nior cornerback Amari Holloway (Pinson, Ala.) with one of each and four tackles apiece.
Junior defensive tackle Eli Jackson (Muskegon, Mich.) and senior defensive end Richard McKenzie each added a sack and senior defensive lineman Selmar Russell (Montgomery, Ala.) had a pair of TFLs. Senior safety Tralik Cofi eld led the team with six tackles.
Despite the 35-day layoff , there was no rust as the Bulldogs took the ball 74 yards on their fi rst possession of the game to go up 7-0 with just 3:10 gone by. Glass delivered back-to-back connections with Jenkins, Jr. and Hilarie with strikes of 15- and 23-yards before hitting Ibrahim on a nine-yard score.
The Tigers would respond late in the quarter as they pounded out 31 yards on the ground as part of an eight play, 66-yard drive that would see Warren Newman scamper into the endzone from six yards out at the 2:33 mark.
That 7-7 deadlock would stay in play until JSU caught lightning in a bottle with their fi rst drive of the second quarter. That would come in the form of Santee Marshall, a player just elevated from the scout team, that broke loose on the sideline for a 54-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers up 14-7 with 13:37 showing on the clock.
It wouldn’t stay that way long as A&M would match that long play capability on their next drive. Glass completed a pair of mid- range passes before lofting a touch pass over a defender out to the fl at to Quarles. The speedy back would then break free, cutting it back inside for a 43-yard touchdown to knot it up at 14-14 at the 12:14 mark.
The shootout would continue as AAMU forced a 3-and-out and then answered the bell again as Odieu caught a ball for 17 yards and the Bulldogs benefi tted from a personal foul to get down to the Tigers fi ve-yard line. From there, on what appeared to be a busted play, Glass improvised as he tucked and ran it in himself for a 21-14 lead just under seven minutes into the second quarter.
Jackson State came right back, however, going eight plays and 53 yards on a drive that was capped by a 17-yard touchdown grab by Newman that tied it at 21-21 with 4:32 left in the half. That would still not come close to what Glass and the Bulldogs had on tap, however.
On their very next possession Glass hit Ibrahim for 19 yards before turning it loose for a 61-yard, in-stride connection to Moore for a go-ahead touchdown, all in just 38 seconds. That 28-21 lead would then hold up over the fi nal 3:45 as the teams headed to the locker room with that margin on the scoreboard.
It would be a margin that would continue to grow over the opening minutes as A&M shutdown the Tigers on their opening drive and then resumed their assault on the scoreboard. A 35-yard strike to Ibrahim, followed by another personal foul on the defense, quickly moved the Bulldogs down to JSU’s 11-yard line. From there Glass rifl ed one into Hilaire to stretch to a 35-21 lead by the 12:04 mark.
Quincey Casey and JSU answered right back with a fi ve-play, 61-yard drive that capped off with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Daylen Baldwin just 2:15 later. Redshirt-junior kicker Spencer Corey (New Palestine, Ind.) would tack on a 34-yard fi eld goal at 3:41 to extend to 10-point margin, 38-28, and it would stay there until early in the fourth quarter.
Glass would once again do damage, this time leading a seven play, 75-yard drive that he capped off with a 25-yard strike to Ibrahim to push it to 45-28 at 14:29. Midway through the frame the Tigers would fi nd the endzone again as Casey connected with Newman from seven yards out but Glass and the A&M off ense were not done yet.
A 27-yard strike to Hilaire and 17-yard connection with Jenkins, Jr. helped move the ball deep into JSU territory before Glass drilled one to Howard for a four-yard TD with 2:49 to play.
Aided by a pair of personal foul penalties, the Tigers then went 67 yards in fi ve plays, culminating with a seven-yard touchdown to Newman. Following a two-point conversion, that drive cut the defi cit to 52-43 with 1:29 to play. They would get no closer, however, as the Bulldogs then salted away the fi nal seconds for the nine-point victory.
Casey led Jackson State as he went 30-of-47 with 323 yards and four touchdowns in his fi rst start of the year while Marshall rushed 19 times for 126 yards and a touchdown. Newman caught nine balls for 68 yards and three touchdowns and added another on the ground and Baldwin snagged six for 135 yards and a score. Christian Allen and Corey Reed, Jr. each added six catches for 80 and 43 yards, respectively.
Defensively, Keonte Hampton had nine tackles, one for loss, and Markel Gladney and Justin Ragin split a sack with the latter having 2.5 TFLs. Kevin Berthey had eight tackles and Aubrey Miller, Jr. and Khalil Arrington each had seven.
After having returned in midseason form following a 35-day layoff , Alabama A&M faces one of their toughest challenges as they take on rival Alabama State in the Magic City Classic next week. Set for Saturday, April 17 at Birmingham’s venerable Legion Field, kickoff for that game is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPNU.
NOTES With his 440 passing yards, Glass surpassed his previous career-high of 410 set on November 9, 2019, also against Jackson State … his six touchdown passes best his previous career-high of four set on multiple occasions.
No. 25 Alabama A&M Wins SWAC East, Claims Berth in Champion- ship With 38-14 Rout of Alabama State in Magic City Classic (April 17)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the fi rst time in nearly a decade, No. 25 Alabama A&M (4-0, 3-0 SWAC) football is the Southwest- ern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division Champion and has earned a berth in the league title game with a 38-14 rout of rival Alabama State (3-3, 3-2 SWAC) in the 79th Annual Magic City Classic on Saturday, April 17.
The win locks up the seventh overall East Division title for the Bulldogs and their fi rst since 2011. They previously earned that honor in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2009. It also snaps Alcorn State’s run of six straight titles as the Braves move to the West next year. Of those championships, the 2006 title holds a special place in program history as its only overall SWAC Champion- ship and is also fi tting for Spring 2021.
That season A&M defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the title game and will face them this year with the opportunity to potentially host the game at Louis Crews Stadium. A win over Mississippi Valley State next weekend would send the teams into tiebreakers to determine where that game would be played while a loss will put it in Pine Bluff .
THE STATS – ALABAMA A&M Senior quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) was dominant again with a 25-of-40 performance that saw him compile 372 yards through the air, three touchdowns, no interceptions and even a team-high 45 yards rushing on fi ve attempts.
The main benefi ciary of that aerial highlight reel was senior wide receiver Zabrian Moore (Tuscaloosa) who registered 138 yards receiving on four catches, two that went for scores. Not far behind him was sophomore wideout Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.) with seven grabs and 102 yards while second-year wide receiver Odieu Hilarie (Belle Glade, Fla.) caught fi ve for 32 yards and the other score.
On the ground junior running back Gary Quarles (Cottondale, Ala.) notched just 40 yards but put two in the endzone to round out the day’s touchdowns.
Defensively, junior Marcus Cushine (Broward County, Fla.) got to the quarterback twice for a pair of sacks totaling 15 yards and redshirt-senior linebacker Quantravis Kelly (Montgomery, Ala.) racked up 10 tackles, seven solo and a pair for loss. Senior linebacker Armoni Holloway (Pinson, Ala.) and junior corner Ja’Marian Green (Belle Glade, Fla.) each had six tackles, the latter all solo, and redshirt-senior Amari Holloway (Pinson, Ala.) came up with a key blocked punt.
THE GAME Neither team would light up the scoreboard in the fi rst quarter as ASU’s Jacory Merritt ran it in from one yard out to cap a 95- yard, 11-play drive at the 8:30 mark for a 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs answered with one of Quarles’ two TDs, this one from seven yards out with 3:14 left in the opening frame.
Midway through the second the Hornets Michael Jeff erson caught a nine-yard touchdown to retake the lead and Quarles once again answered back, this time with a 15-yard scamper into the endzone to knot it back up at 14-14 with 6:42 left in the half.
With their drive at the end of the frame stalled, Alabama State was forced to punt with nine seconds on the clock, only to see Amari Holloway come crashing in to block it and give the ball back to A&M with four seconds left and the chance at a long fi eld goal. Lined up from 46-yards out, redshirt-junior kicker Spencer Corey (New Palestine, Ind.) was equal to the task as he drilled it home for a 17-14 lead at the break.
With that punt block and ensuing fi eld goal the momentum changed completely. Glass and the Bulldogs came out slinging it as he hit Moore for a 44-yard score less than three minutes into the third and followed with a 38-yard strike to the speedy wideout to blow the game open at 31-14 with 3:17 left in the frame.
A&M would add a two-yard TD to Hilaire at the beginning of the fourth and then salt away their third straight Magic City Clas- sic victory, this one giving them an East Division title and a spot in the SWAC Championship.
THE STATS – ALABAMA STATE Chris Scott went 13-of-28 under center for 89 yards and a touchdown to pace ASU while Ezra Gray totaled 101 yards out of the backfi eld on 19 carries. He was joined by Merritt with 47 yards and a score and Jahod Booker had fi ve grabs and 58 yards. Jeff er- son rounded out the off ense with the only receiving touchdown of the day.
Defensively, Irshaad Davis racked up nine tackles and split a sack with Andrew Ogletree, who had 1.5 TFLs. Christian Clark added fi ve tackles and Jake Howard had four, one for loss.
UP NEXT Alabama A&M will close out the regular season on Saturday, April 24 when they head to Mississippi Valley State for a 3 p.m. kickoff . The result of that contest will help decide where the Bulldogs will play for their second ever SWAC Championship on Saturday, May 1 – either in Pine Bluff , Arkansas or the friendly confi nes of Louis Crews Stadium. Party Like Its 2006! No. 22 Alabama A&M Wins First SWAC Football Championship In 15 Years With 40-33 Win Over No. 25 UAPB (May 1) JACKSON, Miss. – In a history making season for so many reasons, No. 22 Alabama A&M (5-0, 3-0 SWAC) capped it off with one of the biggest wins in program history as they claimed the Spring 2021 Cricket Wireless Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Football Championship with a thrilling 40-33 victory over No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-1, 4-0 SWAC) on Saturday, May 1.
It is the seventh time in the championship game for A&M as they made the trip previously following the 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011 seasons and is just the second SWAC title in program history. In a “déjà vu all over again” moment, the fi rst came on December 16, 2006 when they also defeated UAPB, winning 22-13 also in come-from-behind fashion.
THE STATS – ALABAMA A&M Senior quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) led the A&M attack as he went 24-of-45 for 271 yards and three touchdowns against just one interception.
Senior wide receiver Zabrian Moore (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) was on the receiving end of fi ve of those completions for 111 yards and a pair of scores while sophomore wideout Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.) had six grabs for 61 yards. Making the most of his one catch, redshirt-junior tight end Anthony Howard (Birmingham, Ala.) snagged the other touchdown on the day from seven yards out.
What Glass and the receivers didn’t handle, junior running back Gary Quarles (Cottondale, Ala.) and the off ensive line did as they blew open holes that got him 87 yards on 23 carries. Two of those totes saw him end up in the endzone
As impressive as the off ense was, the defense made the case that they were even better. Three diff erent individuals recorded dou- ble-digit tackles, a group led by senior linebacker Armoni Holloway (Pinson, Ala.) with 13, seven of which were solo.
He was joined by junior defensive lineman Marcus Cushnie (Broward County, Fla.) with 12 tackles, seven solo, three for loss and a pair of sacks. Redshirt-senior linebacker Quantravis Kelly (Montgomery, Ala.) joined in with 10 tackles with eight of those as solos and one for loss and his team-high third interception of the season.
It wasn’t just the D-line and linebackers either as the secondary joined in with junior defensive back Ja’Marian Green (Belle Glade, Fla.) picking one off and running back a defensive two-point conversion and senior safety Trenton McGhee (Jacksonville, Fla.) sealing the deal as he hauled one in in the endzone with six seconds left.
The kicking game would see redshirt-junior kicker Spencer Corey (New Palestine, Ind.) connect on his lone fi eld goal, hitting from 29-yards out, and three of his four extra point tries, while freshman punter Troy Lendvay (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) kicked fi ve times for 170 yards with a long of 37.
THE GAME In a match up of undefeated, nationally ranked teams playing for a conference title, it was worth the price of admission as it was a back-and-forth aff air right down to the closing seconds.
The Bulldogs took their opening drive down to the UAPB 12-yard line before seeing it stall and Corey coming on to knock through his 29-yarder for an early 3-0 lead at just a minute and a half in. The Golden Lions would then come away with strong fi eld position with a 35-yard return from Josh Wilkes that put it at the A&M 46-yard line.
From there Skyler Perry would connect on a 15-yarder to DeJuan Miller and a 17-yarder to Wilkes as part of a seven-play, 46- yard drive that culminated with a four-yard rushing touchdown from Mattias Clark to put Arkansas-Pine Bluff up 7-3 at the 10:24 mark.
Back-and-forth in the title fi ght would be the order of the day as Glass led the Bulldogs on an eight-play, 75-yard drive that saw him hit Moore for a 30-yard touchdown strike to fl ip the script and retake the lead, this time 10-7 with not even half of the open- ing frame gone by.
The league’s top return man would then weigh in as Tyrin Ralph took the ensuing kickoff back 81-yards to put UAPB back on top, 14-10, at the 7:26 mark. In a turn from what the fi rst half of the opening quarter held, each of the next two drives for both teams would not result in a score but it would be the Golden Lions who would fall victim to sudden change as a Perry pass ended up in the arms of Kelly on the fi rst play of the second quarter.
Alabama A&M would see that drive stall at their own 33-yard line following an unsportsmanlike penalty but would turn right around and benefi t from a roughing the kicker penalty – on a fourth-and-33 no less – that kept the drive alive at the A&M 48- yard line. From there it would be Quarles that would pay it off with 31 yards rushing on the drive, including a three-yard touch- down scamper. A blocked extra point by Keyvien Johnson then kept it at a 16-14 Bulldog advantage with 11:07 left in the half.
After taking a six-yard sack on the opening play of their next drive, Perry orchestrated a nine play, 71-yard eff ort that featured a 31-yard completion to Harry Ballard III and capped off with a fi ve-yard touchdown connection from Taylor Holston to Miller for a 20-16 lead at the 7:04 mark.
But it would be only six points and a four-point swing overall as A&M blocked the extra point and Green proceeded to scoop it up and go 98 yards the other way for a defensive two-point conversion, instantly cutting the lead in half at 20-18.
In a potential momentum swing, on the third play of the Bulldogs’ next series Glass was strip sacked by Chris Newton and Kolby Watts did his own scoop-and-score, this for a touchdown from 33-yards out that put UAPB up 26-18 with 5:17 showing on the clock following a failed two-point conversion. That would then be the margin the teams would take to the half.
Alabama A&M then allowed just four plays to the Golden Lions on their drive to open the second half before going 12 plays and 79 yards themselves with Glass capping it off with the seven-yard strike to Howard. With the extra point, that cut the defi cit to 26-25 with eight minutes left in the third.
The defense came up big once again as they held Arkansas-Pine Bluff to six plays and 18 yards on their next drive and the of- fense capitalized once again, this time going 80-yards in eight plays. Glass would hit redshirt-junior tight end Kendric Johnson (New Market, Ala.) on a 35-yard completion as a key play in a drive that would see Quarles hit the endzone from three yards out again, giving A&M back the lead 32-26 with 1:24 on the clock.
It would take until the middle of the fourth for the scoreboard to change again but when it did it would be in the Bulldogs favor. With their drive starting with just under 10 minutes left, Quarles got things going with an 18-yard scamper and Glass would deliver a key 15-yard rush on third-and-10 from UAPB’s 28-yard line to keep the drive alive. On the very next play he dropped a ball into the waiting arms of Moore from 13 yards out to stretch to a commanding 40-26 lead following a two-point conversion.
Faced with little time and a small chance of success, the Golden Lions would not give up, however, as they punted on their en- suing drive and kept A&M from adding to their lead on their next possession. Getting the ball back with 5:11 on the clock, Perry engineered an 11-play, 72-yard drive that saw Wilkes snag an 11-yard touchdown to cut it to 40-33 with 2:30 to play.
UAPB would manage to get the ball back with 37 seconds left, starting that drive in Alabama A&M territory at the 34-yard line. A 12-yard rush by Perry would get it down to the 22-yard line but three straight incompletions left the Golden Lions staring at fourth-and-endzone. The down and distance wouldn’t matter as Perry rifl ed one to the endzone – only to see it land in the waiting arms of McGhee with six seconds left.
Following one last heave to run out the clock, the Bulldogs could say something only one other team in the history of the pro- gram could – that they were Champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
THE STATS – ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF Perry converted on 23-of-36 attempts for 231 yards and one touchdown while throwing three picks to lead UAPB while Taylor Holston came in for one play, connecting on a fi ve-yard touchdown strike.
On the ground, Perry rushed 16 times for 71 yards with a long of 12 and Clark picked up just fi ve yards but found the endzone in the process. Things looked better through the air as Miller caught six balls for 69 yards and a touchdown and Wilkes had six grabs for 48 yards and a score. Ballard added fi ve catches for 60 yards.
Defensively, Isaac Peppers recorded a pair of sacks, six tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss while Watts had a 33-yard fumble recov- ery for touchdown and seven tackles. Newton and Athen Smith each had a full sack while Zion Farmer and Timon Akins shared one. The latter added eight tackles on the day and Jalon Thigpen came away with an interception.
UP NEXT With the close of the most unique season in program history, and just the second ever undefeated season on record and fi rst in 53 years, what’s next for Alabama A&M is a title defense. They will undertake that journey for the fi rst time since winning the 2006 SWAC Championship and will do so with a full slate of games beginning on September 4 at Louis Crews Stadium – once again home of the SWAC Champions. Alabama A&M 2020-21 Season in Review: Football (June 14) Spring 2021 Football Conference Affi liation: Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Overall/Conference Finish: 5-0, 3-0 (1st) Final National Ranking: No. 19 FCS Coaches Poll/No. 24 FCS Stats Perform NCAA: N/A All-Americans: 12 (8 Postseason/4 Preseason) – AFCA (Second-Team: Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim), BOX- TOROW-Postseason (Aqeel Glass, Jonathan Williams, Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Marcus Cushine, Hon- orable Mention: Gary Quarles, Zabrian Moore), HERO Sports (Sophomore: Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim), BOXTOROW-Preseason (Kendric Johnson, Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Marcus Cushine, Armoni Hollo- way) All-Conference Selections: 11 (First-Team: Aqeel Glass, Dexter Fuqua II, Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Marcus Cushine, Second-Team: Gary Quarles, Antearius Harrington, Jonathan Williams, Zabrian Moore, Armoni Holloway, Amari Holloway, Spencer Corey) Conference Weekly Honors: 4 – Player of the Week: Aqeel Glass (Apr. 20), Specialist of the Week: Troy Lendvay (Mar. 8, Apr. 12), Spencer Corey (Apr. 20) Major Awards and Honors: 10 – BOXTOROW National Player of the Year: Aqeel Glass, SWAC Player of the Year: Aqeel Glass, Walter Payton Award Finalist (FCS Heisman): Aqeel Glass, Eddie Robinson Award Finalist (Top FCS Coach): Connell Maynor, CoSIDA Academic All-District: Mar- cus Cushine (DL), SWAC Championship Off ensive MVP: Aqeel Glass, SWAC Championship Defen- sive MVP: Marcus Cushine, STATS Perform FCS National Player of the Week: Aqeel Glass, BOX- TOROW National Player of the Week: Aqeel Glass, SWAC Preseason Player of the Year: Aqeel Glass
Spring 2021 Season in Review • Claimed fi rst Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) National Championship • Delivered fi rst undefeated season in 53 years with 5-0 overall record. First since 1966 team went perfect 8-0. • Won fi rst SWAC Championship since 2006 with 40-33 win over No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (5/1). • Knocked off rival Alabama State (4/17) 38-14 in Magic City Classic. • Took out Deion Sanders led Jackson State (4/10) team 52-43 in front of worldwide audience on ESPN broadcast. The 52 points by the team also marked just the ninth time the club had reached the 50-point plateau since moving to Division I following the 1999 season and the most against a DI opponent since posting a 58-23 decision over Mississippi Valley State on November 21, 2008. • Dealt with six games that were postponed, cancelled or rescheduled and did not play for 34 days as a result following season-opening 31-7 victory at South Carolina State (3/6)
• Did not play a true home game for the fi rst time in at least the Division I Era of the program (Since 1999). • Finished season ranked in the Top-10 in 23 NCAA statistical categories, 10 of them on the team side. Those included tying for No. 1 in the nation in winning percentage (1.000) and red zone off ense (1.000) as well as top fi ve marks at No. 4 in passing yards per completion (14.89) and No. 5 in scoring off ense (40.2).
Individual Achievements/Honors • Glass threw for 1,355 yards and 16 touchdowns with a long of 65-yards to sophomore Odieu Hilaire (Belle Glade, Fla.) in the season opener at South Carolina State. • In four games on the fi eld (the fi rst was a 2-0 forfeit win over Alcorn State) Glass threw for no less than three touchdowns in each. • Included among those performances were a Division I Era 440-yards and six touchdowns pass- ing (plus one on the ground) at Jackson State. • Individual NCAA statistical rankings included redshirt-junior kicker Spencer Corey (New Palestine, Ind.) tying for the national lead in fi eld goal percentage (1.000) and four No. 2 rankings. The latter would see Glass earn that ranking in points responsible per game (26.0), sophomore wide- out Zabrian Moore (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) in yards per reception (27.92) and receiving yards per game (121.0) and junior defensive end Marcus Cushine (Broward County, Fla.). Glass would also add a No. 3 fi nish in passing yards per completion (14.89) and redshirt-senior linebacker Quantravis Kelly (Montgomery, Ala.) was No. 5 in interceptions per game (0.8). • Kelly would reach that mark in large part due to a pair of key interceptions in the season open- er at S.C. State and one in the SWAC Championship Game against UAPB. • Cushine delivered the best season of his career, registering seven sacks in just four games, in- cluding two with a career-high 12 tackles (seven solo) and 3.5 for loss in win over UAPB. • Moore played in three of the four games and surpassed 100 yards receiving in each with no more than fi ve catches in any of them. He hauled in 114 yards and a touchdown on four grabs against Jackson State, 138 yards, two TDs and four catches vs. Alabama State and fi ve snags for 111 yards and a pair of scores against UAPB. • Quarles delivered four TDs out of the backfi eld with two each in the fi nal two games of the year, totaling 140 yards on the ground combined. Rushed for 318 yards on 76 carries for a 4.18 aver- age on the season. • Made program history with Glass earning fi rst BOXTOROW National Player of the Year honor and fi rst SWAC Overall Player of the Year. Cushine also became fi rst player at the Division I level to earn CoSIDA Academic All-District recognition and fourth football player overall. Selection made Alabama A&M history as it was the fi rst time multiple Bulldogs had been so honored, the other being women’s basketball’s Dariauna Lewis. Alabama A&M’s Glass Presented Deacon Jones Trophy by Black College Hall of Fame as HBCU Player of the Year (June 19) ATLANTA, Ga. – Alabama A&M senior quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) added to a record-setting Spring 2021 cam- paign on Saturday, June 19 as he was presented with the Deacon Jones Trophy as the Black College Football Player of the Year as announced by the Black College Football Hall of Fame as part of their annual induction ceremonies.
In its fi fth year, Glass becomes the fi rst Bulldog to be so honored and becomes the fi rst player from a Southwestern Athletic Con- ference (SWAC) school to win the award.
The previous winners were current Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen (2016), Bowie State quarterback Amir Hall (2017, 2018) and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Chris Rowland (2019). Glass beat out fellow SWAC member and National Defensive Player of the Year Jordan Lewis of Southern as the other fi nalist.
The recipient of the Deacon Jones Trophy, named for the South Carolina State and Mississippi Valley State legend and 1980 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, is voted on by the four-member selection committee consisting of Black College Football Hall of Fame co-founders James “Shack” Harris and Grambling and National Football League great Doug Williams as well as Power News Radio Network’s Ty Miller and ESPN analyst and 1993 I-AA National Player of the Year Jay Walker.
“Aqeel had an amazing season,” said Harris. “He showed his character as a leader navigating his team through an unprecedented season and fi nishing undefeated”.
It would be a season for the ages for Glass and A&M as they won their fi rst SWAC Championship in 15 years (2006), went un- defeated for the fi rst time in 53 years (1966) and claimed the fi rst Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) National Championship in program history.
All three of those came to fruition in the program’s thrilling 40-33 victory over No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (5/1) in the Spring 2021 SWAC Title Game, a contest that would see Glass go 24-for-45 for 271 yards and three touchdowns.
On the season he threw for 1,355 yards on 91-of-158 passing, connected for 16 touchdowns for an average of four per game and averaged 338.8 yards through the air. It also included a Division I Era record-setting performance on a world-wide stage on ESPN when he threw for 440 yards and six touchdowns in a 52-43 victory at Jackson State (4/10) following a 35-day layoff .
Both were records since the program went DI at the turn of the century and he added a rushing touchdown for good measure to make it seven on the day. The 52 points marked the most against a Division I opponent since 2008 and just the ninth time the program had reached the 50-point plateau since moving from DII.
Nationally, he would fi nish second at the FCS level in Points Responsible Per Game (26.0), third in Passing Yards Per Comple- tion (14.89), seventh in Passing Touchdowns, Passing Yards Per Game and Total Off ense (347.8), eighth in Passing Effi ciency (158.0) and ninth in Completions Per Game (22.75).
It would be performances like those that earned him not only the Deacon Jones Trophy but a host of other prominent accolades. Those would include the BOXTOROW National Player of the Year and SWAC Player of the Year, both fi rsts in program history, as well as being named a Walter Payton Award Finalist.
Glass was also a BOXTOROW Postseason and Preseason All-American, All-SWAC First-Team, SWAC Championship Game MVP, STATS Perform FCS and BOXTOROW National Player of the Week, SWAC Preseason Player of the Year and SWAC Player of the Week (Apr. 20).
“It is a blessing beyond belief to be recognized tonight by the Black College Football Hall of Fame and I would like to thank them for this honor,” said Glass. “It’s particularly special when you consider the great players that I was privileged to meet and interact with as part of an incredible evening.”
Alabama A&M and Glass will seek to defend their HBCU National Championship and SWAC Championship this fall with a traditional schedule that will kick off at Louis Crews Stadium on September 4 against South Carolina State. Alabama A&M’s Cushine Makes History as CoSIDA Football Academic All-America Second-Team Selection (July 12) AUSTIN, Texas – Alabama A&M Athletics continues to make history in the 2020-21 season as junior defensive end Marcus Cushine (West Palm Beach, Fla.) has been named a Second-Team CoSIDA Football Academic All-America selection and is one of the 51 best student-athletes in the nation in his sport as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Monday, July 12.
Selected by position, his 3.8 Grade Point Average ranks as the third highest among the eight defensive lineman selected and he is the only FCS player to be named to that group. Additionally, he is one of just 10 FCS players selected as an Academic All-Amer- ica this year and one of only two from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The other is Alabama State running back Ezra Gray who was named to the First-Team.
Cushine joins a very select group in Alabama A&M history as he is just the fourth individual to be named a CoSIDA Academic All-America in school history and one of only fi ve such selections in the 69-year history of the award for the program. He joins women’s basketball’s Dariauna Lewis (2020-21, Third-Team) and football’s Tim McCannelly (1979-80, Second-Team) and Tra- cy Kendall (1989-90 and 1990-91, First-Team) as the only individuals to reach those lofty heights.
With the selection of both Lewis and Cushine this year, 2020-21 marks the fi rst year that the Bulldogs have had multiple hon- orees and also continues the program’s streak of each Academic All-District selection going on to earn Academic All-America recognition. Both Cushine and Lewis are the fi rst to earn the honor in their sport at the NCAA Division I level and snapped a 29-year drought for the program.
Selected to the First-Team at the defensive line position were Thomas Booker (3.88, Stanford), Matt Henningsen (4.0, Wiscon- sin), Tarron Jackson (3.43, Coastal Carolina) and Kingsley Jonathan (3.71, Syracuse). Joining Cushine on the Second-Team were Tyriq Harris (3.65, Charlotte), Nick Heninger (4.0/3.4, Utah State) and Juwuan Jones (3.75/4.0, Western Kentucky).
CUSHINE’S CAREER CREDENTIALS With the COVID-19 impacted season, CoSIDA made the decision to evaluate nominees by career statistics and accomplishments rather than just the 2020-21 campaign.
With his degree in hand, Cushine is a two-time SWAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection (2019, 2020) and three-time A&M Athletic Directors Honor Roll choice in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
On the fi eld, he was among the very best at his position in Spring 2021, fi nishing second in the nation at the FCS level with seven sacks to go with 20 tackles (14 solo) at fi ve per game, as well as a pair of quarterback hurries. For his career he has 16 sacks and 68 tackles, 45 of which have been solo and 25 that have been for loss as well as a pair of pass breakups and a 53-yard fumble recovery for touchdown in a 48-43 win vs. Jackson State on November 9, 2019.
Cushine’s career has also garnered a number of honors, including three All-American selections and fi ve All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) nods. He was named a BOXTOROW First-Team All-American following the Spring 2021 season, Honorable Mention in 2019 and Preseason prior to this past season and was All-SWAC in S2021 and 2019 as well as a Preseason selection this past spring. He was also named All-SWAC by Phil Steele in 2019 and was chosen to the latter’s S2021 Preseason First-Team.
He would deliver three of his fi ve career multi sack games during the unique Spring 2021 campaign but would save his best for last as he recorded a career-high 12 tackles in a thrilling 40-33 victory over No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (5/1) in the SWAC Championship Game. That eff ort secured the program’s fi rst overall league title since 2006, the fi rst undefeated season (5-0, 3-0 SWAC) in 53 years and the fi rst offi cial HBCU National Championship in school history.
The fi rst defensive player ever to earn Academic All-America honors for the football program, Cushine will continue his career as a graduate transfer at Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Alabama A&M Football Finishes In Top-10 of 23 NCAA Statistical Categories (June 7)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – With one of the most impressive seasons in program history in the books, Alabama A&M football continues to impress, garnering a whopping 23 Top-10 NCAA statistical rankings.
Headlining those eff orts were three ties for No. 1 positions, including in winning percentage (1.000) and red zone off ense (1.000) in the team categories and redshirt-junior kicker Spencer Corey (New Palestine, Ind.) in fi eld goal percentage (1.000 – 4-of-4). In terms of winning percentage, A&M was one of just three teams at the FCS level to go undefeated and one of two to attempt to play a full sea- son.
The rest of the team categories saw the Bulldogs come in No. 4 in Passing Yards Per Completion (14.89), No. 5 in Scoring Off ense (40.2), No. 6 in Team Passing Effi ciency (156.99), No. 6 in Fum- bles Lost (1), No. 7 in both Passing Off ense (338.8) and 4th Down Conversion Pct. Defense (.250) as well as No. 8 in Total Off ense (457.0) and No. 10 in Blocked Punts (3).
A total of 13 of those 23 Top-10 performances would come on the individual side with senior quarter- back Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) recording seven of them. He would place No. 2 in Points Respon- sible For Per Game (26.0), No. 3 in Passing Yards Per Completion (14.89), No. 7 in Passing Touch- downs (16), Passing Yards Per Game (338.8) and Total Off ense (347.8), No. 8 in Passing Effi ciency (158.0) and No. 9 in Completions Per Game (22.75).
He would be joined in the top fi ve by one of his primary targets in sophomore wideout Zabrian Moore (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) who was one of the most dangerous deep threats in the country. He would fi nish No. 2 in both Yards Per Reception (27.92) and Receiving Yards Per Game (121.0) while the defense handled the rest of the Top-10 entries.
Those would come in the form of junior defensive end Marcus Cushine (Broward Count, Fla.) who was second in the country in sacks per game at 1.75 and redshirt-senior linebacker Quantravis Kelly (Montgomery, Ala.) who came in fi fth in interceptions per game at 0.8.
ABOUT THE SPRING 2021 SEASON Alabama A&M completed the fi rst undefeated season in 53 years, going 5-0 overall and 3-0 in South- western Athletic Conference (SWAC) action to claim their fi rst overall league championship since 2006 and the fi rst in 15 years. Their 40-33 victory over No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the SWAC Championship also secured the fi rst offi cial Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Na- tional Championship in program history.
Stay tuned to www.AAMUSports.com, the offi cial online home of Bulldog Athletics, for all the news on 2021 SWAC Football Champion Alabama A&M and the upcoming title defense this fall.
Spring 2021 Final NCAA FCS National Statistical Rankings Team (10) T-No. 1 - Winning Percentage (1.000) T-No. 1 - Red Zone Off ense (1.000) No. 4 - Passing Yards Per Completion (14.89) No. 5 - Scoring Off ense (40.2) No. 6 - Team Passing Effi ciency (156.99) No. 6 - Fumbles Lost (1) No. 7 - Passing Off ense (338.8) No. 7 - 4th Down Conversion Pct. Defense (.250) No. 8 - Total Off ense (457.0) No. 10 - Blocked Punts (3)
Individual (13) T-No. 1 - Spencer Corey, Field Goal Percentage (1.000) No. 2 - Aqeel Glass, Points Responsible Per Game (26.0) No. 2 - Zabrian Moore, Yards Per Reception (27.92) No. 2 - Zabrian Moore, Receiving Yards Per Game (121.0) No. 2 - Marcus Cushine, Sacks Per Game (1.75) No. 3 - Aqeel Glass, Passing Yards Per Completion (14.89) No. 5 - Quantravis Kelly, Interceptions Per Game (0.8) No. 6 - Zabrian Moore, Scoring (10.0) No. 7 - Aqeel Glass, Passing Touchdowns (16) No. 7 - Aqeel Glass, Passing Yards Per Game (338.8) No. 7 - Aqeel Glass, Total Off ense (347.8) No. 8 - Aqeel Glass, Passing Effi ciency (158.0) No. 9 - Aqeel Glass, Completions Per Game (22.75) Historic Season Lands Alabama A&M Football at No. 19 in Final FCS Coaches Poll (May 21)
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A season of historic proportions continues to yield signifi cant honors as Alabama A&M football has earned a No. 19 national ranking in the fi nal FCS Coaches Poll as an- nounced by that group earlier this week.
The Spring 2021 season saw the Bulldogs produce the fi rst undefeated season in 53 years at 5-0, claim just their second Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) crown and fi rst in 15 years and the fi rst ever Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) National Championship in program history.
Those performances led A&M into the poll for the fi rst time in a tie at No. 25 on April 13 and to No. 22 a week later before capping a run of three straight appearances among the top FCS teams in the country at No. 19.
That represents the highest ranking by an HBCU in the fi nal poll, one spot ahead of fellow SWAC school Southern at No. 20. Alabama A&M also set themselves apart from the competition at large as they fi nished as one of just three undefeated teams in the nation, and one of just two that played a full season.
Headlining that group, and the poll, is undefeated national champion Sam Houston State (10-0) with the only other being 2-0 Montana in an abbreviated campaign. The rest of the top fi ve rounded out with South Dakota State (8-2), James Madison (7-1), Delaware (7-1) and North Dakota State (7-3).
A&M will seek to defend those titles and extend their winning streak as they return to a more tradi- tional schedule in Fall 2021, beginning with South Carolina State on September 4 at Louis Crews Stadium. Alabama A&M Athletics Announces Four-Year Extension With Head Football Coach Connell Maynor (April 29)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Bryan Hicks has announced that the Depart- ment has reached agreement on terms for a four-year extension with head football coach Connell Maynor following a successful three-year run that has the program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship Game for the fi rst time in nearly a decade.
“We are really excited to sign Coach Maynor to an extension and glad that he will be leading our Bulldog football program for years to come,” said Hicks. “He and his staff have done an outstanding job and we look forward to continued success with Bulldog Football!”
The extension comes as the No. 22-ranked Bulldogs prepare for their fi rst SWAC Championship appearance since 2011 this weekend when they face No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff . That berth was earned with a 4-0 over- all record and 3-0 league mark, the latter garnering them the SWAC East Division Championship for the fi rst time since fall of that year. A win in that game would be just the second in program history and fi rst since the 2006 team turned the trick.
In addition to those accomplishments, Alabama A&M has delivered the fi rst undefeated regular season in 53 years, accomplishing something not seen since the legendary 1966 team went 8-0, and has returned to the FCS Coaches Poll for consecutive weeks.
Those achievements have Maynor among 16 fi nalists for the prestigious Eddie Robinson Award representing the best coach at the FCS level and a number of his players in line for signifi cant conference and national recognition.
“I’m grateful to be a part of such a great University and outstanding community here in Huntsville and thank- ful to President Dr. Andrew Hugine and Director of Athletics Bryan Hicks,” said Maynor. “We started to build a program in 2018 that honors the University and honors the community we represent. We are thrilled to continue our quest to develop student-athletes here at Alabama A&M. We have been focused on this cham- pionship on Saturday and are thankful to be able to continue our legacy building here on The Hill.”
Overall, since joining the program in January of 2018, Maynor has compiled a 17-10 overall record, going an impressive 12-5 in the SWAC. Three of those wins standout above the others, however, as the Bulldogs have knocked off rival Alabama State in each edition of the Magic City Classic that Maynor has led the program.
Stay tuned to www.AAMUSports.com, the offi cial online home of Alabama A&M Athletics, for all the de- tails on Bulldog football’s run to the SWAC Championship.
MAYNOR BY THE NUMBERS Spring 2021: 4-0, 3-0 SWAC 2019: 7-5, 4-3 SWAC 2018: 6-5, 5-2 SWAC ALABAMA A&M 2021 SCHEDULE
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