Alabama A&M University Men's Football

Sam Shade File Sam Shade begins his first season as the head football coach at Alabama A&M University.   Before coming to The Hill, Shade spent three seasons as the head coach at Miles College where he compiled an 18-15 overall record and a 15-7 mark inside the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). In addition, his 2024 team won the conference title and reached the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, falling to top-ranked Valdosta State in the second round.    In 2023, the Golden Bears finished 7-3 overall, 6-2 in the SIAC. The season included the program’s first win over Division I FCS opponent Alabama State and a 9.2 average margin of victory. It was a marked improvement over his first season in Fairfield, where Miles went 1-9 overall, 1-5 in the SIAC Western Division.  Shade came to Miles after spending two years as head football coach at Pinson Valley High School, where he won an Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A state championship in his first season in 2020.   Prior to coaching, Shade played eight years in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals (1995-98) and Washington Redskins (1999-02). He was the Bengals’ leading tackler in 1997 while ranking second on the team in 1998, and then he led the Redskins in 1999. During his NFL career, his defensive coordinators included NFL Hall of Fame coach Dick LeBeau as well as Mike Nolan, Ray Rhodes and Marvin Lewis. In April 2000, Shade received the Redskins’ Unsung Hero Award for commitment and community service involvement. Shade played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a member of the Crimson Tide’s 1992 national championship team and was named a team captain as a senior in 1994. He was selected by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Following his retirement from the NFL, Shade began his coaching career as a volunteer coach at Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham, Ala., from 2004-08 before spending eight years at Samford, coaching the secondary and special teams. He would then move to Georgia State, where he coached cornerback. His career would send him back to the NFL as an assistant special teams coach for the Cleveland Browns before returning home to coach at Pinson Valley. Shade is a Birmingham native who attended Wenonah High School, where he was the recipient of the prestigious Bryant Jordan Scholar Athlete Award, given to the state’s top student-athlete. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Alabama in business administration and finance. He and his wife Jacquetta have four children: sons Justin and Jacoby, and daughters Jaila and Jamyia.  

Sam Shade File Sam Shade begins his first season as the head football coach at Alabama A&M University.   Before coming to The Hill, Shade spent three seasons as the head coach at Miles College where he compiled an 18-15 overall record and a 15-7 mark inside the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). In addition, his 2024 team won the conference title and reached the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, falling to top-ranked Valdosta State in the second round.    In 2023, the Golden Bears finished 7-3 overall, 6-2 in the SIAC. The season included the program’s first win over Division I FCS opponent Alabama State and a 9.2 average margin of victory. It was a marked improvement over his first season in Fairfield, where Miles went 1-9 overall, 1-5 in the SIAC Western Division.  Shade came to Miles after spending two years as head football coach at Pinson Valley High School, where he won an Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A state championship in his first season in 2020.   Prior to coaching, Shade played eight years in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals (1995-98) and Washington Redskins (1999-02). He was the Bengals’ leading tackler in 1997 while ranking second on the team in 1998, and then he led the Redskins in 1999. During his NFL career, his defensive coordinators included NFL Hall of Fame coach Dick LeBeau as well as Mike Nolan, Ray Rhodes and Marvin Lewis. In April 2000, Shade received the Redskins’ Unsung Hero Award for commitment and community service involvement. Shade played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a member of the Crimson Tide’s 1992 national championship team and was named a team captain as a senior in 1994. He was selected by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Following his retirement from the NFL, Shade began his coaching career as a volunteer coach at Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham, Ala., from 2004-08 before spending eight years at Samford, coaching the secondary and special teams. He would then move to Georgia State, where he coached cornerback. His career would send him back to the NFL as an assistant special teams coach for the Cleveland Browns before returning home to coach at Pinson Valley. Shade is a Birmingham native who attended Wenonah High School, where he was the recipient of the prestigious Bryant Jordan Scholar Athlete Award, given to the state’s top student-athlete. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Alabama in business administration and finance. He and his wife Jacquetta have four children: sons Justin and Jacoby, and daughters Jaila and Jamyia.  

Since starting his coaching career 14 years ago, Jason Mai has established a reputation as one of the brightest young offensive minds in the game.   Mai spent last season at Hampton, working under Connell Maynor, and the previous season he was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at St. Augustine.   Before going to St. Augustine, Mai spent five seasons as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at Winston-Salem State, where he helped develop one of the top offensive units in Division II football. While at Winston-Salem State, Mai was part of a program that amassed a 51-11 overall record and reached the 2012 Division II national championship game.   During his tenure at Winston-Salem State, Mai coached 18 all-CIAA players and developed 2 All-American quarterbacks. He also was part of team that led the CIAA in total offense five times, and was in the top 10 nationally three times.   Mai spent four seasons as the offensive line coach at Virginia Union from 2008-2011. During that tenure, he helped develop an offense that averaged 24.6 points per game while averaging 312.2 yards and 158.3 rushing yards per game.   Before going to Virginia Union, Mai spent two seasons as quarterbacks coach at Johnson C. Smith University where he was a part of a team that logged the best single season turnaround in the NCAA and he mentored the schools all time leading passer. Mai started his career as wide receivers coach at his alma mater, Southwest Minnesota State.  

Chris Shelling returns back to The Hill and begins his first season as the defensive coordinator at Alabama A&M.   Shelling spent the previous two seasons at Miles College as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.   In 2024, Shelling’s defense was among the best in NCAA Division II as he helped Miles win the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title. His defenses ranked in several categories, including tops in turnovers gained (first), passes intercepted (second), defensive touchdowns (fourth), fumbles recovered (fourth) and team sacks (eighth). Keith Green, who transferred to Alabama A&M after the season, ranked second in fumbles recovered, while Lashon Young was second in interceptions per game.   In his first season at Miles, Shelling’s defense ranked 13th nationally in red zone defense, 17th in fumbles recovered and 21st in defensive touchdowns. JaMichael Rogers ranked among the best in NCAA Division II in sacks at 10th in the country, while Jeffrey Scott and Chris Ware 22nd in fumbles recovered .   Prior to Miles, Shelling had his first stint at Alabama A&M from 2018-22 where he served as the outside linebackers and safeties coach.   Before Shelling came to The Hill, he served as an assistant coach at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Miss., from 2014-15 and as the defensive coordinator for two seasons.   During Shelling’s final two seasons at Holmes, he served as the program’s defensive coordinator, where he established a reputation for sending players to Division I programs.   Before taking a position at Holmes, Shelling worked at Kossuth High School in Cornith, Miss., where he was the program’s defensive coordinator and Director of Strength and Conditioning.   Prior to his time as Kossuth, Shelling worked as a defensive assistant coach at Northeast Mississippi Community College for the 2008-2009 seasons. He was a graduate assistant for the 2007 season at Troy, where the Trojans finished as the Sun Belt co-champions.   While at Troy, Shelling graduated with a master’s degree.   Shelling graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Auburn, where he played four seasons for former coach Terry Bowden from 1991-1994. In 1994, Shelling was named a First Team All-American and was runner-up for the Jim Thorpe Award. Also, he received Second Team All-SEC honors during the 1993 and 1994 seasons.   After graduating from Auburn, Shelling played with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons from 1995-1997, and he then played two seasons with the Rhein Fire in Europe. In addition, he also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1998-2000; 2001-2003), Birmingham Thunderbolts (2001).   During his professional career, Shelling won the World Bowl (1998) and Grey Cup (87th) championship, and was a CFL East All-Star (2000, 2001) and a CFL All-Star (2001).    Shelling originally is from Columbus, Ga. His wife, Karen, is from Canada, and they have two sons, Elijah and Jonah.  

Dennis Alexander begins his first season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Alabama A&M University.    Alexander comes to AAMU after spending the 2024 season in the same capacity at Miles College.   While at Miles, he helped the Golden Lions to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship as the running back Javonta Leatherwood ranked 33rd nationally and tops in the conference in rushing touchdowns. Leatherwood also was 43rdin the country in total touchdowns.   Prior to coming to Miles, Alexander spent eight seasons as an assistant football coach at East Central Community College. He serves as offensive line coach and run game coordinator.   Prior to joining the ECCC coaching staff, the former University of Alabama football standout served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Shades Valley High School in Irondale, Ala.   Alexander served from 2010-13 as head football coach and head track coach at Bessemer City High School in Bessemer, Ala.    He served a brief stint in 2009 as offensive line coach for the semi-pro Birmingham Wildfire.   Alexander began his coaching career as offensive line assistant coach and substitute teacher at Jess Lanier/Bessemer City High School, from 2007-10.   A standout lineman, Alexander played professional football on two teams – first with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans in 2004 followed by a stint with Cologne Centurions in the NFL Europe league from March 2005 to December 2006.   Alexander won numerous honors as a member of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide squad from 1999 to 2003.   He was named to the Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC teams for the 2000 season and received the “Jerry Duncan’s Like to Practice Award” the same year.   Alexander served as co-captain in 2002-03 and was awarded the “Paul Crane Most Improved Offensive Lineman Award” for the 2003 campaign.   The Memphis native received a four-year athletic scholarship to attend the University of Alabama following a stellar career at Westwood High School in Memphis, where he received First Team All-Metro, First Team All-State and Second Team All-South honors.   Alexander received a bachelor’s degree in family financial planning from the University of Alabama in 2003. He completed additional coursework in 2004.   He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at the University of Montevallo.   He is married to the former Niva King of Columbus. They have three sons, Dennis Alexander III, Javin King and Jemarcus King.  

Antonio “AC” Carter begins his first season as the wide receivers coach at Alabama A&M University.   Carter comes to Alabama A&M after serving in the same capacity at Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) foe Florida A&M, where he helped the Rattlers capture the 2023 Celebration Bowl championship and a Black College Football National title.   Last season, Carter coached Jamari Gassett, who was fourth in the conference in multiple categories, including receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receptions per game, while also third in receiving touchdowns. He had 11 receivers with more than 100 yards, including Gassett, who amassed 737 yards on 52 catches, averaging 14.1 yards per catch and 61.4 yards per game. In addition, Gassett had seven of the team’s 24 touchdowns from the air.   In his first season, the Rattlers had the top passing attack in the SWAC and 33rd in the nation, averaging 236.5 yards per game. Carter played a pivotal role in the success of wide receivers Marcus Riley and Jah'Marae Sheread, who were both named to the All-SWAC Second Team. Riley went on to sign with the New York Jets.   Carter came to Florida A&M after spending the 2022 season as a wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Miles College after spending years away from football. Carter started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UTEP from 2005-2007 before returning to his alma mater Alabama as a wide receivers graduate assistant in 2007. Carter got his first full-time coaching position at Appalachian State in 2008 as the wide receivers coach and was a member of the team that upset Michigan in the Big House. After Appalachian State, Carter moved to Eastern Michigan for the 2009 season. Carter also coached the wide receivers at Samford for the 2010 and 2011 season. In 2012, Carter was part of the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver room as an intern working with Colts all-time greats such as Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton.   Carter has also coached at Amos P. Godby High School, Gadsden County, and Alabama Prep Sports Academy.   Carter played collegiately at the University of Alabama from 1999-2001 before suffering a career-ending injury. Carter was a three-year starter and finished with 106 receptions for 1,294 yards and five touchdowns. Carter was also named an All-SEC Freshman in '99.   Carter graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Science. Carter is married to Latoye Carter.  

Laron White begins his first season as the high school relations and chief of staff on the Alabama A&M University football program.   White, who amassed a 182-60 career record, is no stranger to the State of Alabama as he won two Class 2A State Championships (2012 and 2013) in 14 seasons at Tanner High School.    White’s teams qualified for the playoffs in each season and won a minimum of seven games. He led the Rattlers to eight region titles during the span (2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016). During that time, Tanner went 29-12 in the playoffs and amassed a 91-6 mark in region play. White took over at Sparkman HIgh School in 2017 and led a resurgence by taking them to their first playoff appearance and winning season since 2006. Sparkman went to the playoffs four of the six years under White.   Prior to taking the head coaching position at Sparkman, White won 45 regular season games in a row between 2009-14 at Tanner. They also had a 59-game region winning streak.    White played on the offensive line at Courtland High School, earning All-State honors as an honorable mention during his junior season and was named to the first team in 1991 as a senior. He was named to the ASWA Super 12 team and Super All-State team by the Birmingham News. In addition, White played in the Alabama All-Star game in Tuscaloosa following his senior season.    After graduating from Courtland, White played football at the University of Alabama under head coach Gene Stallings from 1992-96, where he was a part of three Southeastern Conference (SEC) Western Division championships and a 1992 National Champion for the Crimson Tide.   White served as the offensive line coach for Alabama in the 25th Annual Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game in 2011. His father, Louis White, was a successful coach at Courtland and won four state championships. His father and uncle, Hoover White are in the AHSAA Hall of Fame. His brother, Kelvis, is the head coach at Bob Jones High School. White is married to Kathy White and the couple have three children, KaRon, Karsen and Kaden.  

Marco Coleman begins his first season as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama A&M University.   Coleman comes to Alabama A&M after serving as the defensive line coach the past two seasons at his alma mater, Georgia Tech.   A Georgia Tech Athletics Hall of Famer and two-time first-team all-American, Coleman, who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (1992-2005) after his hall-of-fame career at Georgia Tech (1989-91), previously spent the 2019-21 seasons as the Yellow Jackets’ defensive ends/outside linebackers coach. He returned to The Flats after one season as defensive line coach at Michigan State (2022).   In Coleman’s first coaching stint at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets’ sacks and tackles for loss climbed from 1.3 and 4.2 per game in the season before his arrival (2018) to 2.1 and 6.2 per game in his second season coaching the Jackets’ defensive ends and outside linebackers (2020). In his lone season at Michigan State, the Spartans ranked among the top 45 teams in the nation and the top six in the Big Ten in both sacks (2.4/game) and TFL (6.3/game).   A Dayton, Ohio native, Coleman racked up 27.5 sacks and 50 tackles for loss in just three seasons as an outside linebacker for the Yellow Jackets, which were both school records at the end of his playing career and remain ranked fourth in the program’s all-time annals despite the fact that he played in only 34 collegiate games. He was named first-team all-America and all-Atlantic Coast Conference as a sophomore (1990) and junior (1991). As a sophomore in 1990, he led the ACC with 13 sacks and helped Georgia Tech claim its fourth national championship with an 11-0-1 campaign and a convincing 45-21 win over Nebraska in the Florida Citrus Bowl.   He left Georgia Tech following his junior season and was selected No. 12 overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 1992 NFL Draft. He went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL with the Dolphins (1992-95), San Diego Chargers (1996-98), Washington Redskins (1999-2001), Jacksonville Jaguars (2002), Philadelphia Eagles (2003) and Denver Broncos (2004-05). He was named Sports Illustrated’s 1992 NFL Rookie of the Year after tallying 84 tackles and six sacks and went on to record 610 tackles, 65.5 sacks and 18 forced fumbles in 14 pro seasons. He earned a spot in the Pro Bowl after registering a career-high 12 sacks for the Redskins in 2000.   After retiring from the NFL following the 2005 campaign, Coleman began a career in finance, eventually becoming managing partner at Matador Financial. He returned to the NFL on a full-time basis in 2018 as the Raiders’ assistant defensive line coach. His coaching experience also includes stints as a coaching fellow with the Philadelphia Eagles and defensive coordinator at Mandarin H.S. in Jacksonville, Fla., both in 2017.   Coleman majored in management as a student-athlete at Georgia Tech and completed coursework for a bachelor’s degree in business from Flagler College in 2015. He was inducted to the GT Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility. He and his wife, Katrina, have three children: Kabrione, Kennedy and Kenneth.  

Ron McKinnon begins his first year as the linebackers coach at Alabama A&M University.   McKinnon comes to The Hill after spending 10 seasons at Miles College, where he helped the program win the 2024 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship. A National Football League stalwart, McKinnon, brings a wealth of experience in as former player, as well as in coaching and business experience.   Last season, the Golden Bears’ defense was among the best in NCAA Division II as he helped Miles win the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title. His defenses ranked in several categories, including tops in turnovers gained (first), passes intercepted (second), defensive touchdowns (fourth), fumbles recovered (fourth) and team sacks (eighth). Keith Green, who transferred to Alabama A&M after the season, ranked second in fumbles recovered, while Lashon Young was second in interceptions per game.   In 2023, the Miles defense ranked 13th nationally in red zone defense, 17th in fumbles recovered and 21st in defensive touchdowns. JaMichael Rogers ranked among the best in NCAA Division II in sacks at 10th in the country, while Jeffrey Scott and Chris Ware 22nd in fumbles recovered.   McKinnon, was a four-year starter for the University of North Alabama from 1992-95 and one of the most honored athletes in NCAA Division II football history. A four-time, first-team All-Gulf South Conference selection, McKinnon is one of a handful that has been named a consensus All-American three times in NCAA Division II history. McKinnon was selected the winner of the 1995 Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, as the National Player of the Year and is the only defensive player ever to win the award. He helped lead UNA to a combined 48-5-1 record during his career, winning three straight Gulf South Conference championships and three straight NCAA Division II National Championships.   He parlayed his collegiate success into a NFL opportunity. McKinnon signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals following his senior season and spent 10 seasons in professional football. McKinnon played in 157 NFL games, playing for the Cardinals from 1996-2004 and one season with the New Orleans Saints. He finished his professional career with more than 1,000 tackles, 12 sacks and 10 interceptions.   Coach McKinnon closed his career as the leading tackler at the University of North Alabama and in Gulf South Conference history; with 621 total stops and 407 primary stops. He had 29 career tackles-for-loss, seven sacks, 11 interceptions and recovered five fumbles. As a senior he had 139 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and four sacks. He was named to the Gulf South Conference “Team of the Quarter Century” for 1971-95, was selected the “Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Quarter Century” for 1971-95 and was named to the NCAA Division II “Team of the Quarter Century” for 1973-97. McKinnon was selected for the 50th Anniversary University of North Alabama Football Team for 1949-98, the Gulf South Conference Team of the 1990s and was named by the Alabama Sports Writers Association State Professional Athlete of the Year for 1998.   As a coach at Miles, McKinnon has helped the program to previously unforeseen success. He has been a part of a staff that has won two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and the school’s first Division II playoff appearance. In 2017, he coached All-SIAC performer Austin Stephens.   McKinnon is a native of Elba, Alabama and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies from the University of North Alabama in 1995.  McKinnon was one of the elite athletes in the history of the state to be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. He is married (LaShana) and they have four children, Guiliana, Raven, Rya and Rocky.  

Kenton Evans begins his first season as the quarterbacks coach at Alabama A&M University.   Evans comes to Alabama A&M after serving in the same capacity at Miles College in 2024.   During the 2024 campaign, Evans was part of the staff that coached the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship team. Quarterback Kamren Ivory was among the best in the conference, ranking third in points responsible for per game, third in passing yards per completion, fourth in passing touchdowns, fourth in points responsible for, fifth in passing yards and fifth in passing yards per game.   Prior to coming to Miles, Evans helped develop elite young quarterback talent with the Jenkins Elite Quarterback Academy for one year.   Before working with the Jenkins Elite Quarterback Academy, Evans spent one season as the tight ends coach at Morehouse College (2023). Prior to Morehouse, Evans served as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Mississippi Valley State. Evans spent a season as the quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff during the 2020-21 campaign. Evans spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Central Methodist University, where WR Katavious Taylor was a two-time NAIA All-American and was one of three players to earn all-conference honors in 2019. Evans has also served as the quarterbacks coach at NCAA Div. III Brevard College in North Carolina and Valparaiso in Indiana as well as an extensive career in the high school ranks.    In 2013, Evans spent a season as quarterbacks coach at Valparaiso. QB Eric Hoffman finished with almost 3,000 passing yards and threw for 22 touchdowns. Hoffman also broke single game records for completions (36) and passing yards (495).   Evans also has extensive experience in the high school ranks. Evans had two different stints as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Martin Luther King HS (Lithonia, Ga.), generating among the top offensive in the DeKalb County (2014-15).   In his first stint between 2010-12, Evans helped guide the Lions to three straight regional championships. The program produced the second-leading passer in Georgia high school football history, as well as six receivers who earned Division I football scholarships.   Evans also coached at Cedar Grove High (Ellenwood, Ga.), Towers High (Decatur, Ga.) and Georgia Prep Sports Academy (also in Decatur).   On the playing field, Evans excelled as a quarterback. He spent three years Memphis before spending his final season at Tennessee State University. In his senior campaign, Evans threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns, earning OVC Newcomer of the Week recognition twice. After a 451-yard, four-touchdown performance against Murray State, he was named ESPN/USA Today I-AA Player of the Week .   After his college playing days, Evans spent eight years in the Arena Football League. He threw for 54 touchdowns and over 2,500 yards during his professional career.    Evans finished a legendary prep career at Westwood High in Memphis as the fourth-leading passer in Tennessee high school history with 10,519 career passing yards, as well as 115 touchdowns. He also was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Tennessee among numerous prep honors.   Evans is a 2003 graduate of Tennessee State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology.  

Jamaal Fobbs begins his first season as the running backs coach at Alabama A&M.   Fobbs comes to The Hill after serving as the wide receivers coach at the University of Louisiana in Monroe (ULM) in 2024.    While at ULM, Fobbs’ receivers had more than 130 catches for just over 1,600 yards, producing six 100-yard receivers. He had two receivers, Jake Godfrey and Davon Wells, who amassed 265 yards and 262 yards, respectively. The receiving corps finished with 11 touchdowns and averaged 134.7 yards per game.   Prior to coming to ULM, Fobbs spent two years as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Miles College.    During the 2023 season, Travaunta Abner, who transferred to Alabama A&M, and Geordon Pollard ranked sixth in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in receiving touchdowns and quarterback Edwin Kleinpeter was third in the league in yards per pass attempt.   Before his stint at Miles, Fobbs spent six seasons as the running backs coach for Tulane.    In 2021, Fobbs coached Tyjae Spears, who ranked nationally in many categories, including rushing touchdowns (third), rushing yards (fifth), rush yards per carry (fifth) and rushing yards per game (14th).   In five years directing the Green Wave running back unit, Tulane’s ground attack has posted five of the program’s Top 10 single-season performances under Fobbs’ watchful eye.    During the 2020 campaign, Fobbs oversaw the American Athletic Conference’s No. 1 rushing attack, as the Green Wave averaged 217.1 yards per game. Tulane’s ground game also found the endzone 32 times - a figure that ranked tied for seventh nationally.    Following the year, running back Stephon Huderson earned Second Team All-AAC honors.    In 2019, the Green Wave rushed for the most yards in Tulane football history with 3,162. The 243.2 rushing yards per game ranked second in program history. The Olive and Blue’s rushing attack ranked second in The American and 11th nationally.    Fobbs led the Tulane running backs to 2,386 yards on 428 carries and 20 touchdowns. The running backs caught 55 passes for 657 yards and five touchdowns in the 2019 season. Tulane was the only team in The American to sport five different running backs with 200 yards or more on the season.   The offense ranked second in program history in rushing yards per game (243.2), rushing touchdowns (33) and rushing first downs (166). Fobbs helped the Olive and Blue rush for over 200 yards in nine games in 2019 and over 300 times four times.   Under Fobbs’ direction in 2018, Tulane featured one of the top rushing attacks in the AAC, as the Green Wave rushed for 2,836 yards - the second-highest single season total in program history.    Tulane averaged 218.2 yards per game on the ground, which ranked 23rd among Football Bowl Subdivision teams and fifth in The American. The Green Wave also rushed for 29 touchdowns, which ranked third all-time in program history.    Fobbs also mentored running back Darius Bradwell, who rushed for a single-season career high 1,134 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. Bradwell became just the sixth Tulane running back to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a single season. Bradwell also earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 2018 AutoNation Cure Bowl.    Tulane’s rushing attack also proved to be one of the most explosive in the country as the Green Wave was tied for sixth nationally in rushes of 30 yards or more.    In 2017, Tulane excelled, rushing for 2,778 yards, 31 touchdowns and averaged 231.5 yards per game, which ranked fourth in the AAC and 20th in the nation. Fobbs’ rushing attack also featured four players who totaled over 350 yards on the ground.   Dontrell Hilliard led the way for Tulane, as he totaled a single-season best 1,091 yards on the ground and finished with 12 touchdowns en route to earning All-AAC honors.    In his first season at Tulane, Fobbs guided the Green Wave’s running game to more than 2,700 yards and 25 touchdowns. Tulane rushed for three or more touchdowns in a game four times, including a season-high seven in the team’s first win of the season over Southern.     A New Orleans native and graduate of St. Augustine High School, Fobbs came to Tulane from Liberty University, where he served as the running backs and special teams coach for the last four seasons. He also has coaching stops at Tennessee, North Carolina A&T, Southeastern Louisiana, LSU and Chattanooga.   At Liberty, Fobbs worked under Turner Gill and helped lead the Flames to a 29-19 overall record, a Big South Conference regular season title in 2012, a pair of co-championship finishes in 2013 and 2014 and a trip to the second round of the FCS playoffs.   During his first season at Liberty, Fobbs helped coach All-Big South running back Aldreakis Allen, who finished the year ranked No. 2 in the conference and No. 26 in the country in rushing.   Allen became the ninth player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, finishing the year with 1,019 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Allen also was the seventh player in program history with 1,000 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in the same year.   As a team, Liberty finished the year ranked No. 35 in the country in rushing offense (175.82 yards per game) and No. 40 in total offense (402 yards per game).   Fobbs’ running backs helped play a part in Liberty winning six of its last seven games of the year en route to the program’s fifth Big South title in seven seasons.   Fobbs came to Liberty after having two highly successful seasons as running backs coach at Chattanooga, where he helped the Mocs nearly double their rushing output prior to his arrival.   Chattanooga, which had rushed for 85 yards per game in 2009, averaged 148.6 rushing yards per game the past two years and rushed for 35 touchdowns.   In 2010, Fobbs was part of an offensive attack at Chattanooga that ranked No. 11 nationally in total offense (430.0 yards per game) and No. 17 in scoring offense (31.55 points per game).   Under his instruction, Mocs rookie running back Keon Williams earned Southern Conference All-Freshman honors in 2010.   Prior to his days at Chattanooga, Fobbs spent one year at Tennessee as the Vols’ offensive quality control staff member. Tennessee closed out the 2009 season by winning four of its last five games and a Chick-fil-A Bowl matchup with Virginia Tech.   Fobbs was a standout running back at Oklahoma State, having earned All-Big 12 honors as an all-purpose player during his senior season in 2000.   As a return specialist, Fobbs twice finished seasons with a 20-plus yard kickoff return average, doing so as a sophomore (24.3 average in 1998) and as a junior (21.3 average in 1999). As a senior, he led the Big 12 with 22 kickoff returns, averaging 17.0 yards per return.   Fobbs graduated from Oklahoma State in 2001 with a degree in sports administration. His father, Lee, retired this offseason after 47 years of coaching, while his brother, Broderick, was the head coach at Grambling State.  

Lawann Latson is entering his first season as the tight ends coach at Alabama A&M.   Latson, who brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to AAMU, comes to the Hill after serving as the wide receivers coach for one season at Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) foe Arkansas-Pine Bluff.   While at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he helped transform the offensive attack as wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson received SWAC First-Team honors. Gibson was among the best of the best in FCS during the 2024 season, ranking tops in the conference in receiving yards (fourth nationally), receiving yards per game (fourth nationally), receptions per game (22nd nationally) and second in receiving touchdowns (22nd nationally). In addition, Gibson was a FCS All-American and was the top receiver in the conference as he transfered after the season to the University of Oklahoma. Also, Latson coached a wide receiver who transfered to UTEP.   A former NFL player, Latson coached/trained over 10 wide receivers who played in the NFL, and six are currently on a roster. (Tank Dell (Houston Texans), Kavonta Turpin (Dallas Cowboys), Trent Taylor (Chicago Bears), John Stephens (Dallas Cowboys), Calvin Jackson (New York Jets), Terrace Marshall (Carolina Panthers), and Tyler Hudson (L.A. Rams).   Prior to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Latson was the wide receivers coach at Miles College for the 2023 football season, where he played a key role in Miles College's offensive development offense, going 7-3. Under Latson's leadership at the wideout position, Miles College had seven different receivers that scored at least one touchdown, three different receivers with 30 or more catches, and four or more touchdowns.     Latson developed two all-conference receivers (Jaih Andrews and Jalen Peterson) during his tenure at Miles.   Before coming to Miles College, Latson coached receivers in 2022 at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, where he helped develop LaCedric Smith, who put up 653 yards receiving and five touchdowns. Smith was the only player on the Boll Weevils team to make the all-conference in 2022.     In 2019, Latson aided the development of Tank Dell (Houston Texans) and Calvin Jackson (New York Jets), who were all-conference and playing in the NFL.    In 2017, Latson coached Terrance Marshal at Parkway H.S. in Louisiana, who was rated the #1 player in the nation, went on to play at LSU, and currently plays for the (Carolina Panthers).    Latson, a proud graduate of Northwestern St., was a star football player who was a preseason all-conference and went on to play his professional career in the NFL with the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, the CFL (Ottawa Rough Riders), and Europe League (London Monarchs).   In 2022 and 2023, Laton was named one of the "rising-star assistants you need to know" by Rising Star of Minority Coaches in America.   Latson is a proud father of three children, and his number one fan is his mother, Ora Anderson.  

Amos Jones begins his first year as the special teams coordinator at Alabama A&M University.   Jones has more than 40 years in the coaching business at the high school, college and professional level.   He began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Alabama, in 1981-82, serving the Crimson Tide as a graduate assistant before going to Temple from 1983-1988. While at Temple, Jones coached the special teams, along with both the tight ends (83-85) and defensive line (86-88).   Jones came back to the State of Alabama, serving as an assistant coach at Shades Valley High School in 1989, before joining the Crimson Tide as the special teams coordinator under Gene Stallings. It’s at this time back at Alabama that Jones met and coached a young player named Sam Shade.   In 1992, Jones joined the University of Pittsburgh as the special teams coordinator. Jones would go to Eau Gallie High School in Florida from 1993-94 where he helped the program to back-to-back winning seasons.   Jones got back to his collegiate roots for the 1995-96 seasons, serving in the capacity of linebackers coach at Tulane.   In 1997, Jones reached the professional ranks as an assistant coach of the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League for one season, where the Lions won the Western Conference and made the CFL playoffs.   He spent the 1998 season as an assistant coach at East St. John High School in Louisiana, helping the program advance to the third round of the Louisiana high school playoffs.   His next three spots were back in college football, first serving as the running back coach and special teams coach at the University of Cincinnati from 1999-2002. Jones left Cincinnati and moved to FCS member James Madison during the 2003 season as the tight ends and special teams coach. He spent the next three years in Starkville, Miss. where he served as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for Sylvester Croom for three seasons.   Jones then began his NFL coaching career as an assistant special teams coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin. He had previously worked with Tomlin as well as former Steelers offensive line coach Larry Zierlein in the late 1990s at the University of Cincinnati. Other connections with the Steelers staff included serving under (former) offensive coordinator Bruce Arians when he was head coach at Temple in the 1980s and playing and coaching at Alabama during the late 1970s and early 1980s when Steelers assistant head coach John Mitchell served at the Tide's defensive line coach.   Jones spent six total seasons (2007-2013) in Pittsburgh, including the final season as the special teams coordinator. The Steelers went to two Super Bowls while Jones was there, winning one and losing the other.   Jones then left the Steelers to join Bruce Arians during the 2013-2017 seasons for the Arizona Cardinals. While at Arizona, Jones helped the Cardinals win 50 games in five years.   In 2018, Jones became the special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns under head coach Hue Jackson, this is where Jones’ path crossed with now coach Sam Shade. Jones hired Coach Shade as his special teams assistant.   Jones then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an assistant special teams coordinator after just one season in Cleveland and concluded his NFL stint as special projects and situations for the New York Giants (2020-21) under Joe Judge (Jones had coached judge at Miss State).   Jones, who is a native of Aliceville, Ala., played for Pickens Academy High School as a safety and running back where he graduated in 1978. After high school, Jones continued his playing career at the University of Alabama under legendary head coach and hall of famer Paul “Bear” Bryant. He was a two-time National Champion with the Crimson Tide, winning the title in 1978 and 1979. He graduated from Alabama with his bachelor's degree in 1982, and later earned a master's degree from Alabama.   Jones and his wife Stacey, have four children. Samantha (Corey), Joshua (Ashley), Nathan and Jeremy and granddaughter Evy.  

Dennis Alexander begins his first season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Alabama A&M University.    Alexander comes to AAMU after spending the 2024 season in the same capacity at Miles College.   While at Miles, he helped the Golden Lions to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship as the running back Javonta Leatherwood ranked 33rd nationally and tops in the conference in rushing touchdowns. Leatherwood also was 43rdin the country in total touchdowns.   Prior to coming to Miles, Alexander spent eight seasons as an assistant football coach at East Central Community College. He serves as offensive line coach and run game coordinator.   Prior to joining the ECCC coaching staff, the former University of Alabama football standout served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Shades Valley High School in Irondale, Ala.   Alexander served from 2010-13 as head football coach and head track coach at Bessemer City High School in Bessemer, Ala.    He served a brief stint in 2009 as offensive line coach for the semi-pro Birmingham Wildfire.   Alexander began his coaching career as offensive line assistant coach and substitute teacher at Jess Lanier/Bessemer City High School, from 2007-10.   A standout lineman, Alexander played professional football on two teams – first with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans in 2004 followed by a stint with Cologne Centurions in the NFL Europe league from March 2005 to December 2006.   Alexander won numerous honors as a member of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide squad from 1999 to 2003.   He was named to the Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC teams for the 2000 season and received the “Jerry Duncan’s Like to Practice Award” the same year.   Alexander served as co-captain in 2002-03 and was awarded the “Paul Crane Most Improved Offensive Lineman Award” for the 2003 campaign.   The Memphis native received a four-year athletic scholarship to attend the University of Alabama following a stellar career at Westwood High School in Memphis, where he received First Team All-Metro, First Team All-State and Second Team All-South honors.   Alexander received a bachelor’s degree in family financial planning from the University of Alabama in 2003. He completed additional coursework in 2004.   He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at the University of Montevallo.   He is married to the former Niva King of Columbus. They have three sons, Dennis Alexander III, Javin King and Jemarcus King.  

Marco Coleman begins his first season as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama A&M University.   Coleman comes to Alabama A&M after serving as the defensive line coach the past two seasons at his alma mater, Georgia Tech.   A Georgia Tech Athletics Hall of Famer and two-time first-team all-American, Coleman, who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (1992-2005) after his hall-of-fame career at Georgia Tech (1989-91), previously spent the 2019-21 seasons as the Yellow Jackets’ defensive ends/outside linebackers coach. He returned to The Flats after one season as defensive line coach at Michigan State (2022).   In Coleman’s first coaching stint at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets’ sacks and tackles for loss climbed from 1.3 and 4.2 per game in the season before his arrival (2018) to 2.1 and 6.2 per game in his second season coaching the Jackets’ defensive ends and outside linebackers (2020). In his lone season at Michigan State, the Spartans ranked among the top 45 teams in the nation and the top six in the Big Ten in both sacks (2.4/game) and TFL (6.3/game).   A Dayton, Ohio native, Coleman racked up 27.5 sacks and 50 tackles for loss in just three seasons as an outside linebacker for the Yellow Jackets, which were both school records at the end of his playing career and remain ranked fourth in the program’s all-time annals despite the fact that he played in only 34 collegiate games. He was named first-team all-America and all-Atlantic Coast Conference as a sophomore (1990) and junior (1991). As a sophomore in 1990, he led the ACC with 13 sacks and helped Georgia Tech claim its fourth national championship with an 11-0-1 campaign and a convincing 45-21 win over Nebraska in the Florida Citrus Bowl.   He left Georgia Tech following his junior season and was selected No. 12 overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 1992 NFL Draft. He went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL with the Dolphins (1992-95), San Diego Chargers (1996-98), Washington Redskins (1999-2001), Jacksonville Jaguars (2002), Philadelphia Eagles (2003) and Denver Broncos (2004-05). He was named Sports Illustrated’s 1992 NFL Rookie of the Year after tallying 84 tackles and six sacks and went on to record 610 tackles, 65.5 sacks and 18 forced fumbles in 14 pro seasons. He earned a spot in the Pro Bowl after registering a career-high 12 sacks for the Redskins in 2000.   After retiring from the NFL following the 2005 campaign, Coleman began a career in finance, eventually becoming managing partner at Matador Financial. He returned to the NFL on a full-time basis in 2018 as the Raiders’ assistant defensive line coach. His coaching experience also includes stints as a coaching fellow with the Philadelphia Eagles and defensive coordinator at Mandarin H.S. in Jacksonville, Fla., both in 2017.   Coleman majored in management as a student-athlete at Georgia Tech and completed coursework for a bachelor’s degree in business from Flagler College in 2015. He was inducted to the GT Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility. He and his wife, Katrina, have three children: Kabrione, Kennedy and Kenneth.  

Ron McKinnon begins his first year as the linebackers coach at Alabama A&M University.   McKinnon comes to The Hill after spending 10 seasons at Miles College, where he helped the program win the 2024 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship. A National Football League stalwart, McKinnon, brings a wealth of experience in as former player, as well as in coaching and business experience.   Last season, the Golden Bears’ defense was among the best in NCAA Division II as he helped Miles win the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title. His defenses ranked in several categories, including tops in turnovers gained (first), passes intercepted (second), defensive touchdowns (fourth), fumbles recovered (fourth) and team sacks (eighth). Keith Green, who transferred to Alabama A&M after the season, ranked second in fumbles recovered, while Lashon Young was second in interceptions per game.   In 2023, the Miles defense ranked 13th nationally in red zone defense, 17th in fumbles recovered and 21st in defensive touchdowns. JaMichael Rogers ranked among the best in NCAA Division II in sacks at 10th in the country, while Jeffrey Scott and Chris Ware 22nd in fumbles recovered.   McKinnon, was a four-year starter for the University of North Alabama from 1992-95 and one of the most honored athletes in NCAA Division II football history. A four-time, first-team All-Gulf South Conference selection, McKinnon is one of a handful that has been named a consensus All-American three times in NCAA Division II history. McKinnon was selected the winner of the 1995 Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, as the National Player of the Year and is the only defensive player ever to win the award. He helped lead UNA to a combined 48-5-1 record during his career, winning three straight Gulf South Conference championships and three straight NCAA Division II National Championships.   He parlayed his collegiate success into a NFL opportunity. McKinnon signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals following his senior season and spent 10 seasons in professional football. McKinnon played in 157 NFL games, playing for the Cardinals from 1996-2004 and one season with the New Orleans Saints. He finished his professional career with more than 1,000 tackles, 12 sacks and 10 interceptions.   Coach McKinnon closed his career as the leading tackler at the University of North Alabama and in Gulf South Conference history; with 621 total stops and 407 primary stops. He had 29 career tackles-for-loss, seven sacks, 11 interceptions and recovered five fumbles. As a senior he had 139 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and four sacks. He was named to the Gulf South Conference “Team of the Quarter Century” for 1971-95, was selected the “Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Quarter Century” for 1971-95 and was named to the NCAA Division II “Team of the Quarter Century” for 1973-97. McKinnon was selected for the 50th Anniversary University of North Alabama Football Team for 1949-98, the Gulf South Conference Team of the 1990s and was named by the Alabama Sports Writers Association State Professional Athlete of the Year for 1998.   As a coach at Miles, McKinnon has helped the program to previously unforeseen success. He has been a part of a staff that has won two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and the school’s first Division II playoff appearance. In 2017, he coached All-SIAC performer Austin Stephens.   McKinnon is a native of Elba, Alabama and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies from the University of North Alabama in 1995.  McKinnon was one of the elite athletes in the history of the state to be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. He is married (LaShana) and they have four children, Guiliana, Raven, Rya and Rocky.  

Kenton Evans begins his first season as the quarterbacks coach at Alabama A&M University.   Evans comes to Alabama A&M after serving in the same capacity at Miles College in 2024.   During the 2024 campaign, Evans was part of the staff that coached the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship team. Quarterback Kamren Ivory was among the best in the conference, ranking third in points responsible for per game, third in passing yards per completion, fourth in passing touchdowns, fourth in points responsible for, fifth in passing yards and fifth in passing yards per game.   Prior to coming to Miles, Evans helped develop elite young quarterback talent with the Jenkins Elite Quarterback Academy for one year.   Before working with the Jenkins Elite Quarterback Academy, Evans spent one season as the tight ends coach at Morehouse College (2023). Prior to Morehouse, Evans served as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Mississippi Valley State. Evans spent a season as the quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff during the 2020-21 campaign. Evans spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Central Methodist University, where WR Katavious Taylor was a two-time NAIA All-American and was one of three players to earn all-conference honors in 2019. Evans has also served as the quarterbacks coach at NCAA Div. III Brevard College in North Carolina and Valparaiso in Indiana as well as an extensive career in the high school ranks.    In 2013, Evans spent a season as quarterbacks coach at Valparaiso. QB Eric Hoffman finished with almost 3,000 passing yards and threw for 22 touchdowns. Hoffman also broke single game records for completions (36) and passing yards (495).   Evans also has extensive experience in the high school ranks. Evans had two different stints as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Martin Luther King HS (Lithonia, Ga.), generating among the top offensive in the DeKalb County (2014-15).   In his first stint between 2010-12, Evans helped guide the Lions to three straight regional championships. The program produced the second-leading passer in Georgia high school football history, as well as six receivers who earned Division I football scholarships.   Evans also coached at Cedar Grove High (Ellenwood, Ga.), Towers High (Decatur, Ga.) and Georgia Prep Sports Academy (also in Decatur).   On the playing field, Evans excelled as a quarterback. He spent three years Memphis before spending his final season at Tennessee State University. In his senior campaign, Evans threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns, earning OVC Newcomer of the Week recognition twice. After a 451-yard, four-touchdown performance against Murray State, he was named ESPN/USA Today I-AA Player of the Week .   After his college playing days, Evans spent eight years in the Arena Football League. He threw for 54 touchdowns and over 2,500 yards during his professional career.    Evans finished a legendary prep career at Westwood High in Memphis as the fourth-leading passer in Tennessee high school history with 10,519 career passing yards, as well as 115 touchdowns. He also was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Tennessee among numerous prep honors.   Evans is a 2003 graduate of Tennessee State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology.  

Jamaal Fobbs begins his first season as the running backs coach at Alabama A&M.   Fobbs comes to The Hill after serving as the wide receivers coach at the University of Louisiana in Monroe (ULM) in 2024.    While at ULM, Fobbs’ receivers had more than 130 catches for just over 1,600 yards, producing six 100-yard receivers. He had two receivers, Jake Godfrey and Davon Wells, who amassed 265 yards and 262 yards, respectively. The receiving corps finished with 11 touchdowns and averaged 134.7 yards per game.   Prior to coming to ULM, Fobbs spent two years as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Miles College.    During the 2023 season, Travaunta Abner, who transferred to Alabama A&M, and Geordon Pollard ranked sixth in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in receiving touchdowns and quarterback Edwin Kleinpeter was third in the league in yards per pass attempt.   Before his stint at Miles, Fobbs spent six seasons as the running backs coach for Tulane.    In 2021, Fobbs coached Tyjae Spears, who ranked nationally in many categories, including rushing touchdowns (third), rushing yards (fifth), rush yards per carry (fifth) and rushing yards per game (14th).   In five years directing the Green Wave running back unit, Tulane’s ground attack has posted five of the program’s Top 10 single-season performances under Fobbs’ watchful eye.    During the 2020 campaign, Fobbs oversaw the American Athletic Conference’s No. 1 rushing attack, as the Green Wave averaged 217.1 yards per game. Tulane’s ground game also found the endzone 32 times - a figure that ranked tied for seventh nationally.    Following the year, running back Stephon Huderson earned Second Team All-AAC honors.    In 2019, the Green Wave rushed for the most yards in Tulane football history with 3,162. The 243.2 rushing yards per game ranked second in program history. The Olive and Blue’s rushing attack ranked second in The American and 11th nationally.    Fobbs led the Tulane running backs to 2,386 yards on 428 carries and 20 touchdowns. The running backs caught 55 passes for 657 yards and five touchdowns in the 2019 season. Tulane was the only team in The American to sport five different running backs with 200 yards or more on the season.   The offense ranked second in program history in rushing yards per game (243.2), rushing touchdowns (33) and rushing first downs (166). Fobbs helped the Olive and Blue rush for over 200 yards in nine games in 2019 and over 300 times four times.   Under Fobbs’ direction in 2018, Tulane featured one of the top rushing attacks in the AAC, as the Green Wave rushed for 2,836 yards - the second-highest single season total in program history.    Tulane averaged 218.2 yards per game on the ground, which ranked 23rd among Football Bowl Subdivision teams and fifth in The American. The Green Wave also rushed for 29 touchdowns, which ranked third all-time in program history.    Fobbs also mentored running back Darius Bradwell, who rushed for a single-season career high 1,134 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. Bradwell became just the sixth Tulane running back to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a single season. Bradwell also earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 2018 AutoNation Cure Bowl.    Tulane’s rushing attack also proved to be one of the most explosive in the country as the Green Wave was tied for sixth nationally in rushes of 30 yards or more.    In 2017, Tulane excelled, rushing for 2,778 yards, 31 touchdowns and averaged 231.5 yards per game, which ranked fourth in the AAC and 20th in the nation. Fobbs’ rushing attack also featured four players who totaled over 350 yards on the ground.   Dontrell Hilliard led the way for Tulane, as he totaled a single-season best 1,091 yards on the ground and finished with 12 touchdowns en route to earning All-AAC honors.    In his first season at Tulane, Fobbs guided the Green Wave’s running game to more than 2,700 yards and 25 touchdowns. Tulane rushed for three or more touchdowns in a game four times, including a season-high seven in the team’s first win of the season over Southern.     A New Orleans native and graduate of St. Augustine High School, Fobbs came to Tulane from Liberty University, where he served as the running backs and special teams coach for the last four seasons. He also has coaching stops at Tennessee, North Carolina A&T, Southeastern Louisiana, LSU and Chattanooga.   At Liberty, Fobbs worked under Turner Gill and helped lead the Flames to a 29-19 overall record, a Big South Conference regular season title in 2012, a pair of co-championship finishes in 2013 and 2014 and a trip to the second round of the FCS playoffs.   During his first season at Liberty, Fobbs helped coach All-Big South running back Aldreakis Allen, who finished the year ranked No. 2 in the conference and No. 26 in the country in rushing.   Allen became the ninth player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, finishing the year with 1,019 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Allen also was the seventh player in program history with 1,000 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in the same year.   As a team, Liberty finished the year ranked No. 35 in the country in rushing offense (175.82 yards per game) and No. 40 in total offense (402 yards per game).   Fobbs’ running backs helped play a part in Liberty winning six of its last seven games of the year en route to the program’s fifth Big South title in seven seasons.   Fobbs came to Liberty after having two highly successful seasons as running backs coach at Chattanooga, where he helped the Mocs nearly double their rushing output prior to his arrival.   Chattanooga, which had rushed for 85 yards per game in 2009, averaged 148.6 rushing yards per game the past two years and rushed for 35 touchdowns.   In 2010, Fobbs was part of an offensive attack at Chattanooga that ranked No. 11 nationally in total offense (430.0 yards per game) and No. 17 in scoring offense (31.55 points per game).   Under his instruction, Mocs rookie running back Keon Williams earned Southern Conference All-Freshman honors in 2010.   Prior to his days at Chattanooga, Fobbs spent one year at Tennessee as the Vols’ offensive quality control staff member. Tennessee closed out the 2009 season by winning four of its last five games and a Chick-fil-A Bowl matchup with Virginia Tech.   Fobbs was a standout running back at Oklahoma State, having earned All-Big 12 honors as an all-purpose player during his senior season in 2000.   As a return specialist, Fobbs twice finished seasons with a 20-plus yard kickoff return average, doing so as a sophomore (24.3 average in 1998) and as a junior (21.3 average in 1999). As a senior, he led the Big 12 with 22 kickoff returns, averaging 17.0 yards per return.   Fobbs graduated from Oklahoma State in 2001 with a degree in sports administration. His father, Lee, retired this offseason after 47 years of coaching, while his brother, Broderick, was the head coach at Grambling State.  

Antonio “AC” Carter begins his first season as the wide receivers coach at Alabama A&M University.   Carter comes to Alabama A&M after serving in the same capacity at Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) foe Florida A&M, where he helped the Rattlers capture the 2023 Celebration Bowl championship and a Black College Football National title.   Last season, Carter coached Jamari Gassett, who was fourth in the conference in multiple categories, including receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receptions per game, while also third in receiving touchdowns. He had 11 receivers with more than 100 yards, including Gassett, who amassed 737 yards on 52 catches, averaging 14.1 yards per catch and 61.4 yards per game. In addition, Gassett had seven of the team’s 24 touchdowns from the air.   In his first season, the Rattlers had the top passing attack in the SWAC and 33rd in the nation, averaging 236.5 yards per game. Carter played a pivotal role in the success of wide receivers Marcus Riley and Jah'Marae Sheread, who were both named to the All-SWAC Second Team. Riley went on to sign with the New York Jets.   Carter came to Florida A&M after spending the 2022 season as a wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Miles College after spending years away from football. Carter started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UTEP from 2005-2007 before returning to his alma mater Alabama as a wide receivers graduate assistant in 2007. Carter got his first full-time coaching position at Appalachian State in 2008 as the wide receivers coach and was a member of the team that upset Michigan in the Big House. After Appalachian State, Carter moved to Eastern Michigan for the 2009 season. Carter also coached the wide receivers at Samford for the 2010 and 2011 season. In 2012, Carter was part of the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver room as an intern working with Colts all-time greats such as Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton.   Carter has also coached at Amos P. Godby High School, Gadsden County, and Alabama Prep Sports Academy.   Carter played collegiately at the University of Alabama from 1999-2001 before suffering a career-ending injury. Carter was a three-year starter and finished with 106 receptions for 1,294 yards and five touchdowns. Carter was also named an All-SEC Freshman in '99.   Carter graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Science. Carter is married to Latoye Carter.  

Lawann Latson is entering his first season as the tight ends coach at Alabama A&M.   Latson, who brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to AAMU, comes to the Hill after serving as the wide receivers coach for one season at Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) foe Arkansas-Pine Bluff.   While at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he helped transform the offensive attack as wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson received SWAC First-Team honors. Gibson was among the best of the best in FCS during the 2024 season, ranking tops in the conference in receiving yards (fourth nationally), receiving yards per game (fourth nationally), receptions per game (22nd nationally) and second in receiving touchdowns (22nd nationally). In addition, Gibson was a FCS All-American and was the top receiver in the conference as he transfered after the season to the University of Oklahoma. Also, Latson coached a wide receiver who transfered to UTEP.   A former NFL player, Latson coached/trained over 10 wide receivers who played in the NFL, and six are currently on a roster. (Tank Dell (Houston Texans), Kavonta Turpin (Dallas Cowboys), Trent Taylor (Chicago Bears), John Stephens (Dallas Cowboys), Calvin Jackson (New York Jets), Terrace Marshall (Carolina Panthers), and Tyler Hudson (L.A. Rams).   Prior to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Latson was the wide receivers coach at Miles College for the 2023 football season, where he played a key role in Miles College's offensive development offense, going 7-3. Under Latson's leadership at the wideout position, Miles College had seven different receivers that scored at least one touchdown, three different receivers with 30 or more catches, and four or more touchdowns.     Latson developed two all-conference receivers (Jaih Andrews and Jalen Peterson) during his tenure at Miles.   Before coming to Miles College, Latson coached receivers in 2022 at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, where he helped develop LaCedric Smith, who put up 653 yards receiving and five touchdowns. Smith was the only player on the Boll Weevils team to make the all-conference in 2022.     In 2019, Latson aided the development of Tank Dell (Houston Texans) and Calvin Jackson (New York Jets), who were all-conference and playing in the NFL.    In 2017, Latson coached Terrance Marshal at Parkway H.S. in Louisiana, who was rated the #1 player in the nation, went on to play at LSU, and currently plays for the (Carolina Panthers).    Latson, a proud graduate of Northwestern St., was a star football player who was a preseason all-conference and went on to play his professional career in the NFL with the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, the CFL (Ottawa Rough Riders), and Europe League (London Monarchs).   In 2022 and 2023, Laton was named one of the "rising-star assistants you need to know" by Rising Star of Minority Coaches in America.   Latson is a proud father of three children, and his number one fan is his mother, Ora Anderson.  

Amos Jones begins his first year as the special teams coordinator at Alabama A&M University.   Jones has more than 40 years in the coaching business at the high school, college and professional level.   He began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Alabama, in 1981-82, serving the Crimson Tide as a graduate assistant before going to Temple from 1983-1988. While at Temple, Jones coached the special teams, along with both the tight ends (83-85) and defensive line (86-88).   Jones came back to the State of Alabama, serving as an assistant coach at Shades Valley High School in 1989, before joining the Crimson Tide as the special teams coordinator under Gene Stallings. It’s at this time back at Alabama that Jones met and coached a young player named Sam Shade.   In 1992, Jones joined the University of Pittsburgh as the special teams coordinator. Jones would go to Eau Gallie High School in Florida from 1993-94 where he helped the program to back-to-back winning seasons.   Jones got back to his collegiate roots for the 1995-96 seasons, serving in the capacity of linebackers coach at Tulane.   In 1997, Jones reached the professional ranks as an assistant coach of the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League for one season, where the Lions won the Western Conference and made the CFL playoffs.   He spent the 1998 season as an assistant coach at East St. John High School in Louisiana, helping the program advance to the third round of the Louisiana high school playoffs.   His next three spots were back in college football, first serving as the running back coach and special teams coach at the University of Cincinnati from 1999-2002. Jones left Cincinnati and moved to FCS member James Madison during the 2003 season as the tight ends and special teams coach. He spent the next three years in Starkville, Miss. where he served as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for Sylvester Croom for three seasons.   Jones then began his NFL coaching career as an assistant special teams coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin. He had previously worked with Tomlin as well as former Steelers offensive line coach Larry Zierlein in the late 1990s at the University of Cincinnati. Other connections with the Steelers staff included serving under (former) offensive coordinator Bruce Arians when he was head coach at Temple in the 1980s and playing and coaching at Alabama during the late 1970s and early 1980s when Steelers assistant head coach John Mitchell served at the Tide's defensive line coach.   Jones spent six total seasons (2007-2013) in Pittsburgh, including the final season as the special teams coordinator. The Steelers went to two Super Bowls while Jones was there, winning one and losing the other.   Jones then left the Steelers to join Bruce Arians during the 2013-2017 seasons for the Arizona Cardinals. While at Arizona, Jones helped the Cardinals win 50 games in five years.   In 2018, Jones became the special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns under head coach Hue Jackson, this is where Jones’ path crossed with now coach Sam Shade. Jones hired Coach Shade as his special teams assistant.   Jones then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an assistant special teams coordinator after just one season in Cleveland and concluded his NFL stint as special projects and situations for the New York Giants (2020-21) under Joe Judge (Jones had coached judge at Miss State).   Jones, who is a native of Aliceville, Ala., played for Pickens Academy High School as a safety and running back where he graduated in 1978. After high school, Jones continued his playing career at the University of Alabama under legendary head coach and hall of famer Paul “Bear” Bryant. He was a two-time National Champion with the Crimson Tide, winning the title in 1978 and 1979. He graduated from Alabama with his bachelor's degree in 1982, and later earned a master's degree from Alabama.   Jones and his wife Stacey, have four children. Samantha (Corey), Joshua (Ashley), Nathan and Jeremy and granddaughter Evy.  

Laron White begins his first season as the high school relations and chief of staff on the Alabama A&M University football program.   White, who amassed a 182-60 career record, is no stranger to the State of Alabama as he won two Class 2A State Championships (2012 and 2013) in 14 seasons at Tanner High School.    White’s teams qualified for the playoffs in each season and won a minimum of seven games. He led the Rattlers to eight region titles during the span (2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016). During that time, Tanner went 29-12 in the playoffs and amassed a 91-6 mark in region play. White took over at Sparkman HIgh School in 2017 and led a resurgence by taking them to their first playoff appearance and winning season since 2006. Sparkman went to the playoffs four of the six years under White.   Prior to taking the head coaching position at Sparkman, White won 45 regular season games in a row between 2009-14 at Tanner. They also had a 59-game region winning streak.    White played on the offensive line at Courtland High School, earning All-State honors as an honorable mention during his junior season and was named to the first team in 1991 as a senior. He was named to the ASWA Super 12 team and Super All-State team by the Birmingham News. In addition, White played in the Alabama All-Star game in Tuscaloosa following his senior season.    After graduating from Courtland, White played football at the University of Alabama under head coach Gene Stallings from 1992-96, where he was a part of three Southeastern Conference (SEC) Western Division championships and a 1992 National Champion for the Crimson Tide.   White served as the offensive line coach for Alabama in the 25th Annual Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game in 2011. His father, Louis White, was a successful coach at Courtland and won four state championships. His father and uncle, Hoover White are in the AHSAA Hall of Fame. His brother, Kelvis, is the head coach at Bob Jones High School. White is married to Kathy White and the couple have three children, KaRon, Karsen and Kaden.  

Since starting his coaching career 14 years ago, Jason Mai has established a reputation as one of the brightest young offensive minds in the game.   Mai spent last season at Hampton, working under Connell Maynor, and the previous season he was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at St. Augustine.   Before going to St. Augustine, Mai spent five seasons as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at Winston-Salem State, where he helped develop one of the top offensive units in Division II football. While at Winston-Salem State, Mai was part of a program that amassed a 51-11 overall record and reached the 2012 Division II national championship game.   During his tenure at Winston-Salem State, Mai coached 18 all-CIAA players and developed 2 All-American quarterbacks. He also was part of team that led the CIAA in total offense five times, and was in the top 10 nationally three times.   Mai spent four seasons as the offensive line coach at Virginia Union from 2008-2011. During that tenure, he helped develop an offense that averaged 24.6 points per game while averaging 312.2 yards and 158.3 rushing yards per game.   Before going to Virginia Union, Mai spent two seasons as quarterbacks coach at Johnson C. Smith University where he was a part of a team that logged the best single season turnaround in the NCAA and he mentored the schools all time leading passer. Mai started his career as wide receivers coach at his alma mater, Southwest Minnesota State.