By any measure, it would seem that Alabama A&M head football coach Anthony Jones has built a program that expects success in his six years at the helm of the Bulldogs. In each of those six seasons, A&M has won at least seven games and reached the SWAC Championship Game three times, winning the title in 2006.  Entering the 2008 season, the Bulldogs have plenty of reasons to believe the run of success will continue on “The Hill.”

Jones returns two All-America recipients in senior defensive back Al Donaldson, who led the nation in interceptions a year ago and earned first-team NCAA Division I-FCS honors from the American Football Coaches Association, and junior running back Ulysses Banks, who as a freshman led the nation in kickoff return average and earned All-America honors.  As a sophomore, Banks earned first-team all-SWAC honors as a first-year starter at tailback.

The Bulldogs are also deep in several areas on both sides of the ball. Four starting offensive linemen return, including two all-SWAC selections in senior Darius Turner and junior center Xavier Manuel.  Junior wide receiver Thomas Harris led the SWAC in receiving yards as a sophomore despite missing out on any post-season honors. The defensive backfield includes Donaldson and another all-SWAC performer, senior cornerback Frank Moore.  Junior defensive end Jeremy Maddox continued the Bulldogs’ strong tradition of speed rushers by leading the SWAC in sacks a year ago and earning first-team all-conference accolades.  The special teams are led by two all-conference kickers in junior punter Rashan Cylar and junior placekicker Jeremy Licea.

STORY AD BEGINS HERE
  procad(”http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/CSTV.ALAM/SPORTS.MFOOTBL.SPECREL;pos=story;sz=300×250;dcopt=ist;”,0);
 
STORY AD ENDS HERE Yet, despite all the reasons to believe in a successful campaign, Jones has two major questions to answer heading into the 2008 season.  Who is going to replace three-year starter and all-SWAC quarterback Kelcy Luke?  And, who is going to replace all three starting linebackers on the defensive side of the ball?  The Bulldogs also ramp up the schedule in 2008, which includes rekindling in-state rivalries with Tuskegee and Jacksonville State, along with a visit to NCAA Division I-FBS Louisiana-Monroe.

The original story was published here: http://aamusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/070708aaa.html

Tags: al donaldson, alabama am, alabama am bulldogs, anthony jones, black college football, darius turner, frank moore, hbcu football, jeremy licea, jeremy maddox, kelcy luke, rashan cylar, swac, thomas harris, ulysses banks, xavier manuel