2009 Football Preview: Alabama State
SWAC.org
Aug. 27, 2009
Montgomery, AL -
Alabama State Hornets
2008 Finish: 3-8 overall (2-5 SWAC; 3rd place Eastern Division)
2009 Preseason Prediction: 3rd place Eastern Division
REVIVED. REBUILT. REBORN.
This is Reggie Barlow's route for returning Alabama State Football to the level of success that all Hornet fans desire.
Barlow's arrival renewed the energy and excitement of the Bama State program. Through his first two seasons, Barlow has brought in his type of players and a coaching staff that believes in his plan, thus laying the winning foundation.As ASU begins the third year under his watchful eye, the Black and Gold faithful look forward to the 2009 season with anticipation of witnessing the next step in the program's development.
The offense returns eight starters including the core of offensive line. Wideouts Darius Mathis and Nick Andrews team with running back Rahmod Traylor to provide ASU with a potent '1-2' punch. Defensively, the Hornets look to continue their aggressive and swarming style of play led by senior Rechard Johnson.
"We are excited about this season," said Barlow. "We got a lot of guys coming back on offense but we did lose a few guys on defense. Defensively though, we are looking forward to our new defensive scheme with an odd front and we do have some of our leading tacklers coming back along with several of our guys in the secondary. On offense, we feel good about Rahmod Traylor (senior running back) leading our offense and with Brandon Dowdell coming back as our quarterback. Overall, when a team has guys in key positions coming back than that's when you get excited about the season."
OFFENSE
"Offensively, people are always wanting to know what kind of offense you are running - is it West Coast, the Spread, the Wing-T - we call our offense `The Mutt' because we are going to do a little bit of everything and run the same plays from a variety of formations", Barlow said. "We feel really good with what Coach (Richard) Moncrief (the offensive coordinator) has installed with our guys. We will be a multiple formation type team and look to get the ball down the field in the air, but we also want to establish the running game because of the talent we have at that position."
QUARTERBACKS
Junior Brandon Dowdell finished the 2008 season as the starter and was able to maintain that position through the spring. Dowdell demonstrated an even-keeled leadership at the close of the year leading the team to a victory over Tuskegee in the Turkey Day Classic. Dowdell averaged nearly 100 yards a game in the air last season.
Redshirt junior Anthony Speight and redshirt sophomore Devin Dominguez provide the Hornets with experienced depth at the position. Speight appeared in eight games last year and collected five touchdown passes. Dominguez is a two-sport performer at ASU having earned time as a pitcher on the Bama State baseball team this past spring.ASU also signed local standout Rashard Burkette, a product of Montgomery's Sidney Lanier High School, as a challenger in the quarterback competition.
RUNNING BACKS:
Senior Rahmod Traylor, an All-SWAC second team honoree last season, leads the ASU running attack this fall. A potential 1,000-yard rusher, Traylor scored five times and averaged 4.3 yards per carry last season. Traylor is an all-around runner that is able to not only get the tough yards between the tackles but also has the potential to break a long run with his speed and elusiveness.
Sophomore Tim Clark (3.4 yards per carry) returns as the squad's change of pace running back. Clark catches the ball well out of the backfield and also has the ability to run on the edge. The Hornets' running back corps also has depth with seniors Lorenzo Goode (4.8 yards per carry) and Craig Freeman (4.1 yards per carry) providing spot duty. Freshman Andrew Pitts, a product of Montgomery's Carver High School, was one of the state's top prep running backs last season and looks to make an immediate contribution for ASU.
The Bama State staff will likely use some of the tight ends to man the fullback position with junior Louis Wright possibly filling that role.
RECEIVERS
Redshirt junior Darius Mathis and sophomore Nicholas Andrews give the Hornets a pair of difference-making wideouts. The duo demonstrated the ability to make big plays and big catches last year and will be expected to become even more involved this season. Mathis (49 catches, 508 yards) and Andrews (29 catches, 230 yards) shared the team lead with five touchdown catches each.
Senior Robert Childers will also be counted on to provide assistance in the passing game along with a handful of incoming freshmen receivers including Raphael Poellenitz, Landon Jones, Therrell Tyus and Demorius Beasley.
OFFENSIVE LINE
A veteran group up front will lead the ASU offense at the point of attack. Senior Aaron Wheeler and redshirt junior Andrew Showalter have been dependable performers during their careers and will anchor one of the strong units for the Hornets.
Lionel Mapp (6-7, 360 lbs) provides Bama State with some needed size on the offensive line. In addition, a group of sophomores including David Hate, Courtney Senior, Tim Moore and Chris Forney made great progess through last season and during the spring and appear primed and ready to become important pieces on the offensive front.
Freshman newcomers Adam Calhoun (6-8, 330 lbs) and Terren Jones (6-7, 320 lbs) will look to get adjusted to the college game and develop into top level offensive line performers in the upcoming years.
DEFENSE
"Our defense has been pretty solid over the last few seasons but we felt like we needed to change things up a little bit," Barlow said. "We have probably had our better players on the defensive side of the ball recently. We believe that having three down linemen gives us the opportunity to put more athletic playmakers on the field at the same time.
"In recent years it has also become more difficult to recruit enough players with the size and speed needed to play on the defensive line. This spring we just had a lot of guys running around on defense making positive plays including a marked increase in creating turnovers, which is a key to success for any defense. At the end of the year we want to be ranked among the leaders in the SWAC for turnover ratio and we believe this defense gives us a great chance to do that."
DEFENSIVE LINE
Senior Christopher Preer (6-4, 312 lbs) will be counted on to get things started for the ASU defense by holding the point of attack as the nose guard. As one of the strongest players on the squad, the change to the odd front fits his playing skills well. Preer has been a key member of the Hornets' defensive front since his freshman season. Junior Devans Orr (6-2, 280 lbs) made the switch from offensive line and will provide ASU with another strong player in the middle. Sophomores Kynjee Cotton and Drequay Everett continue to build size but are expected to provide a spark of excitement along the front line.
Senior Noel Alphonso has played and started for ASU the past three seasons and will lead a younger group of defensive ends. Fellow senior Eugene Newbold (6-7, 225 lbs) is a long, lanky defender that is expected to continue his improvement as a player.
LINEBACKERS
The key to ASU's new defensive scheme starts and ends with the play of the linebackers. Redshirt junior Anthony Burney, a hybrid-type defensive player, makes the switch from defensive end to outside linebacker which allows him even greater freedom to use his athleticism. Senior Justin Wright, who has been one of the team's most consistent players the past three seasons, will man the other outside linebacker position.
Seniors Byron Powell and Adrian Hardy give the Hornets and extremely strong presence at middle linebacker. Powell, a prototype middle linebacker, gets the chance to play his natural position while Hardy looks to build on last year's performance that included leading the team with 80 tackles including 10.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Maurice Tate has a chance to make an immediate impact as a freshman along with fellow newcomers Joshua Abbott and Demarques Taylor.
DEFENSIVE BACK
With an increased emphasis on turnover ratio, Alabama State looks to get more athletic, ball-hawking type players in the secondary this season and also mix up the defensive scheme to allow players a chance to get in position to make more game-changing type plays.
Sophomore Donovan Masline, who led the squad with three picks last year, expects to hold down one of the cornerback positions. Junior Preston Hale also returns on the outside with a new found confidence following a solid spring season. University of South Carolina transfer Jamire Williams provides ASU with additional size and speed at the cornerback position. Several other players including a couple of incoming freshman will look to challenge for a spot in the cornerback rotation this fall.
Senior Rechard Johnson, a 2007 All-SWAC first team linebacker, slides back to the strong safety position for the Hornets this year after ranking second on the team a year ago with 73 tackles. Johnson is expected to provide the backend of the ASU defense with a strong presence.
Joining Johnson in the back is fellow senior Jason Bruce at the free safety spot, which gives Alabama State a safety tandem that not only can tackle but also make plays on balls in the air. Returning freshmen Jessie Cummings and Darnell Richardson along with some incoming freshmen will provide ASU with solid depth at safety.
SPECIAL TEAMS
"We like to break down our team as offense, defense and then we call our special teams `We-fense', because it is a mixture of everybody including offensive and defensive players along with the kickers," Barlow said. "It involves everybody. Over the past few seasons we haven't been as consistent in this area and that is one thing we want to do a better job of this year. Our goal this fall will be to identify five to eight players that are going to be special team demons that will play on all the different special team groups and just go down the field with a mission of reckless abandon to make plays.
SNAPPER
The importance of special teams to Barlow can best be demonstrated in the signing of freshman Chad Smith as the designated long snapper. Smith is expected to provide consistency in one of the primary roles of the ASU special teams squad.
PUNTER
Junior Roberto Jones has the leg and potential to be an All-SWAC performer at punter and he has worked hard in the offseason trying to develop a more consistent level of performance. Jones netted an average of 34.6 yard per punt last season while pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line 13 times.
KICKER
Sophomore Andrew Lyons and senior Jake King will battle for the field goal/PAT spot this season. King made 4-of-10 field goal attempts last year while Lyons took over the position late in the year and helped lead the Hornets to victory over rival Tuskegee with a late field goal.
Courtesy of Alabama State sports information