GREENSBORO -- After making progress in his first season at N.C. A&T, Coach Alonzo Lee is looking for more.
The Aggies took a big leap in 2009 and wound up 5-6 overall and 3-5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Although pleased with the improvement, Lee isn't patting himself on the back.
"It's always a goal to try and win them all," Lee said. "But the bottom line is we have to go out and take the next phase. Our mission is to graduate our guys and do all the things we have to do off the field, and then when it comes to on the field, we want to win championships."
The next step will start with an untested quarterback, sophomore Terrence Webb. He played in the secondary last season but will replace projected starter Lewis Kindle, who hurt a knee in practice July 27 and could miss the season with an ACL injury.
Lee calls Webb (6-0, 190) the team's best athlete.
"They are two different style athletes, and Kindle has an outstanding arm," Lee said. "Webb has a strong arm, but he's faster and stronger, and he's more mature at this point. We lose on one hand because we lose Kindle to be our trigger man, but things happen for a reason."
Webb will work behind a deep, experienced offensive line that features seven players who have started at some point.
Enoch Cohen, a senior from Winston-Salem and a team captain, says that the Aggies are poised to make a run in the MEAC.
"We make skill players look good," Cohen said of the stability on the offensive line. "We have a lot of experience, and that's only going to help us."
Other veterans along the line are Kreg Carter, Brent Walker, Alex Harper, Matthew Hamler and Willie Pettiford.
"If I have to look at my strength, it would be the offensive line in returning seven guys that were in the rotation last year," Lee said. "That's an outstanding situation, there's no doubt about that. Offensively, we are going to be strong, and it starts right there in the trenches."
The top running back is Mike Mayhew, a junior who led the Aggies with 471 yards last season and scored six touchdowns.
The Aggies also return several talented wide receivers, including Wallace Miles (42 catches, 3 touchdowns). Sophomore Buster Cooper also is expected to start, and junior Derek Gould and sophomore Larry Raper will provide depth.
Where the Aggies have to get better quickly is on the defensive line. Three starters exhausted their eligibility, including ends Jerrell Herring and Tyre Glasper, who combined for 103 tackles and 7.5 sacks
"Defensively I lose my top three guys, and that's going to be a battle right there," Lee said. "Our young guys are going to have to step up, and they've been doing an outstanding job. But we do have some strength at linebacker, and they are going to have to make up the difference."
Sophomores Tony Masburn and Chris Neal are slated to start at the ends, with sophomores Micah Stanfield and Brandon Young on the inside.
Linebacker Brandon Jackson (team-high 69 tackles) is back to anchor that unit, and senior Jeremy Graham and sophomore Brandon Hoover also are expected to start. The top players in the secondary will be Quay Long, who was banged up late in camp but should play Saturday against Winston-Salem State, Justin Ferrell, D'Vonte Graham and Vernon White.
Lee said that his team went through a very physical preseason camp.
"We've just come through an outstanding camp that was grueling and physical," Lee said. "We asked for a good, physical camp, and that's what we had. Our guys are ready to rock and roll, and are fired up to go after some new meat."
Lee said that competing for the MEAC title is within reach but knows it won't be easy.
"I guarantee our guys are ready to go and fight for a full 60 minutes," Lee said. "The vision is there, but the reality is you have to work. So we are excited about our offseason and the summer we had, and now it's time to put everything together.
"We want to be in the running for a championship, and I think we have enough talent to get it done."
jdell@wsjournal.com
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