Coach Optimistic About Football Season

“color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;”>With the 2011

football season just a few days away, the North Carolina A&T

football team is preparing for their first game of the year. Under

the new leadership of head coach Rod Broadway and staff, the Aggies

are seeking great improvement after last season’s

disappointment.

With the

2011 football season just a few days away, the North Carolina

A&T football team is preparing for their first game of the

year. Under the new leadership of head coach Rod Broadway and

staff, the Aggies are seeking great improvement after last season’s

disappointment.

As the

2010 season came to an end, the Aggies found themselves 1-10

overall. They were ninth in the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference

(

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with a 1-7 record. Their only victory of the season came against

Howard University in which the Aggies won 52-32.

Broadway

took over the head coaching position with hopes of changing the

football program’s direction, and his prior coaching experience

demonstrates his

ability to

do just that.

“Coach

Broadway is a proven winner. He has demonstrated his ability to

develop, build, and to create winning football programs,” said

Athletic Director Earl Hilton. The Aggies football team has, “a lot

of work to do, but on the other hand the team is working hard and

has come a long way,” said Coach Rod Broadway.

The

players have a different mentality about the direction the team is

headed, and coaches are anxious to start playing to see how far

they have come as well as

how far

they need to go.

“Our goals

for this year are simple. All we need to do is get better and play

smart, which will give us a chance to have some success,” Broadway

said.

The

offense, defense, and special teams for A&T football are a work

in progress. Coach Broadway feels that everyone needs to make

improvement including trainers, equipment managers, players,

coaching staff, and anyone else involved in the program.

The state

of the Aggies defensive line is questionable due to players missing

practice because of heat related issues like cramps. Some of the

players have been

out since

the beginning of August. Broadway stated that he has never seen

players miss this much time from practice due to heat related

issues.

The

linebackers and defensive backs are looking good. “I feel that we

do have some holes that need to be filled, but other than that I

think we’ll be able to keep teams out the end zone this year,” says

senior defensive back Justin Ferrell. Ferrell also had a huge

impact on the Aggies special teams last year in kick

returns.

This year

he aims to run at least five kick returns back and help his team in

any way possible. One of the Aggies greatest weapons on offense is

senior running back Mike

one of twenty players in Division

make the Walter Payton Watch List.

“I’m

expecting good things this year. Being on the Walter Payton Watch

List is something big,”

stated that his goals for the season are to make better reads, take

less contact, and make defenders miss. When asked about the

offense,

that the offensive line is experienced, the run game is going to be

crucial, and overall the offense is going to move the

ball.

The Aggies

are looking forward to a great season and with sound coaching from

Coach Broadway and staff, they are sure to have success. “I’m

excited about the first game and the direction this football

program is headed in,” says Coach Broadway.

The Aggies

will host the season opener on Sept. 3 against Virginia University

of Lynchburg.

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Tirelle Dave Contributor

The A&T Register

The A&T Register

The A&T Register

Coach Optimistic About Football Season

The A&T Register