2024 A&T football mid-season report card

Mid-term grades are in for the 2024 A&T football team and just like their 1-5 record would suggest, plenty of work needs to be done if the Aggies hope to turn things around in the second half of the season.

The prevailing themes over the first six games have been a porous defense, devastating injuries and untimely miscues. While the A&T offense has fought valiantly to overcome the loss of its starting quarterback and top two running backs, the Blue Death Defense has been a major disappointment. A&T currently ranks dead last in the Coastal Athletic Association in scoring and total defense, surrendering an average of 465 yards per game and 39.7 points. Offensively, the Aggies are next to last in the CAA in scoring offense (19.8 points per game) and 14 out of 16 teams in total offense (331.8 yards per game).

Last week, A&T had arguably its most complete performance of the year, traveling to face the No. 21 ranked Richmond Spiders and nearly pulling off the upset, losing 17-20.  Still, it was another mark in the loss column, dropping head coach Vincent Brown’s record to just 2-15 since taking over the program.

This week the Aggies enjoy a bye, giving them a chance to heal up, do some self-scouting and prepare for the Greatest Homecoming on Earth next Saturday.

Quarterbacks
Grade: C

Sophomore Kevin White Jr. won the starting quarterback job in fall camp but struggled early on with his accuracy and was never able to showcase his elite athleticism. He suffered a season-ending upper body injury during the blowout loss to NCCU, allowing graduate transfer Justin Fomby to step in and display his arm talent. Fomby threw for 205 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 25-45 loss to South Carolina State and followed that up with a 261-yard, two touchdown performance last week against Richmond. His ability to stand in the pocket and drive the ball downfield has given this offense an exciting new wrinkle, but he must continue to avoid turnovers if the Aggies hope to make some noise down the stretch.

Running Backs
Grade: B

A&T suffered a devasting blow at this position during the NCCU loss when both Kenji Christian and Wesley Graves went out with what appears to be season-ending injuries. Christian seemed poised for a breakout year, rushing for 121 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries in the season opener against Wake Forest. The following week, Graves had the game-winning touchdown run in overtime to beat WSSU, finishing with 106 yards on the ground. With their top two running backs now on the shelf, the Aggies have been forced to utilize a running back-by-committee approach, featuring sophomores Cameren Dalrymple and Shimique Blizzard, as well as true freshman Daniel Coles. All three backs are talented, but it remains to be seen if any can replicate the big-play abilities of Graves and Christian.

Receivers
Grade: A

This has easily been the most improved unit on the team. Last year, dropped passes and poor route running by the Aggie receiving corps was a major reason why A&T finished with the worst passing offense in the nation. This season, redshirt junior wideout Geri-Cari Caldwell has emerged as a reliable downfield threat, leading the team with 25 catches for 309 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Jayvonne Dillard has built an instant connection with Fomby and been a consistent target on third downs. Surprisingly, production has also come via the tight end position as redshirt sophomore Anthony Rucker currently leads the Aggies with three touchdown passes.

Offensive Line
Grade: C

What was supposed to be a major strength of the team entering the year has not quite lived up to expectations thus far.  A&T is currently ranked 14th in the CAA in sacks allowed with a total of 16. The A&T offensive line has also struggled to open up consistent running lanes against tougher competition, averaging just 133.5 rushing yards per contest. Controlling the line of scrimmage will be paramount if the Aggies hope to have any success in the final half of the season.

Defensive Line
Grade: D

A top question heading into the season was how would A&T’s undersized defensive line hold up in the trenches against beefier opponents. The results thus far haven’t been favorable. The Aggies have been consistently dominated at the point of attack in the run game and also have struggled to provide pressure on opposing quarterbacks. A&T currently ranks 14th in the CAA in run defense allowing an average of 192.8 yards on the ground. While edge rushers Joshua Hardy (3 sacks, 3 tackles for loss). Henry Daniel (2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss) and Javon-Armstrong-Gady (2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss) have made several splash plays, the core issue continues to be the interior of the defensive line. Much heralded Appalachian State transfer DeAndre Dingle-Prince has only played in one game at defensive tackle and none of the big freshman signed this past offseason have had much impact. If A&T can’t find a way to get stronger in the middle, chances for a second half turnaround seem slim.

Linebackers
Grade: D

The effort has been there, but the talent seems to be lacking. A&T’s top inside linebackers are all undersized by CAA standards and have looked overmatched at times. They have consistently struggled to get off blocks and have missed way too many tackles on crucial downs. No one in the unit appears to possess the speed required to run side-to-sideline or cover receivers in space. Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Josh Zidenberg might need to reconsider his depth chart and look elsewhere on the roster for answers.

Secondary
Grade: C plus

Seniors Karon Prunty, Aaron Harris and Janaz Sumpter have all been stellar in pass coverage on the outside – each recording an interception and number of pass break ups, but opposing teams have been able to consistently exploit the middle of the field for huge gains in the first half of the season. The Aggies’ pass defense is currently ranked dead last in the CAA, allowing 272.2 yards per game through the air. A&T also ranks near the bottom of the conference in third down defense, allowing teams to convert 46.7 percent of the time. It doesn’t help matters that veteran safeties Ty Williams and Cam Maddox have already missed significant time due to injuries. With not much pressure coming from the defensive front seven, this unit will have to play lights out down the stretch in order to keep A&T in ball games.  

Special Teams
Grade: B plus

Andrew “Money” Brown has been the CAA’s best kicker in 2024, making 10-of-11 field goal attempts, including a pair from more than 50 yards and a 31-yarder with one second left to force overtime against WSSU. He has been so steady that whenever A&T drives inside the opponents’ 35-yard line, it almost feels certain that they’ll be able to walk away with at least three points. However, other than Brown, A&T’s special teams play this year has been inconsistent. The Aggies gave up a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown against Wake and had a blocked punt returned for a touchdown at Central. Aaron Harris returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against NCCU, but his fumble the following week on a kickoff return against SCSU led to a momentum shift.

Coaching Staff
Grade D

The 66-24 beatdown at NCCU in week four was obviously the low water mark for not only this season but the A&T football program in general since Coach Brown arrived a year ago. The team looked overmatched and unprepared for a game everyone in Aggie Nation had circled on their calendar since last year. The 20-point loss to SCSU the following week only intensified the angst of the fanbase and increased the temperature on Coach Brown’s hot seat. Yes, the injuries to key starters have been unexpected but there were already serious questions about the defensive scheme and team identity even when the roster was relatively healthy. The staff worked hard to keep the players focused and motivated in the gutsy performance against Richmond last week, but it remains to be seen how long that will last if the losses continue to mount during the second half of the season.