North Carolina A&T coach Shawn Gibbs gave a blunt assessment of his program following the Aggies’ 63-19 home loss against Monmouth last November.
“They wore us out,” Gibbs said in a post-game recap on NCATAggies.com. “We gave it a little bit of a fight but we were overmatched in every aspect. We have to use Monmouth as a measuring stick of where we’re trying to go.
“We better get on this recruiting trail and get us some dudes.”
Gibbs and staff didn’t waste time in doing just that.
The Aggies hauled in a high school and transfer portal class of 40 players. They also made changes to the coaching staff, all with the goal of being much more competitive against CAA teams during its fourth season in the league.
With spring football already underway in Greensboro, we check in with the latest headlines in Aggieland. This is a program in transition — trying to close the gap in its new conference while rediscovering the standard that once made it a national power at the FCS and HBCU levels.
Aggies seek to get bigger, faster, stronger
North Carolina A&T’s National Signing Day release in February proclaimed a “major roster reconstruction is underway.”
Gibbs and staff had an overarching goal this recruiting cycle, to add bigger and more athletic players to contend with the upgrade in competition that CAA has presented. Many of the additions on the offensive front checked those boxes. A sampling:
- Ethan Cash (South Florence HS): 6-6, 308 pounds
- Desmond Jackson (Coastal Carolina transfer): 6-4, 305
- Andre Oben (Monmouth transfer): 6-5, 290
- Christopher “Eli” Williams (South Carolina State transfer): 6-6, 280
- Christian Scarlett (Wallace-Rose High HS): 6-4, 320
- Tight end RJ Williams (Benedict transfer): 6-5, 220
The Aggies looked for length and burst on the defensive edge, signing 6-5 rusher Ryheem Benton from Washington, D.C. and 6-4 rusher Ethan Clabo from Mount Airy High.
One of the prizes of the class, in terms of overall recruiting notoriety, is defensive lineman Ben Boulware from nearby Winston-Salem (Oak Grove HS). Boulware had numerous Power Four offers during the recruiting process, including Florida, Florida State and Michigan State.
Boulware’s 6-5, 305-pound frame will be a handful for opposing offensive linemen.
The message is clear: A&T is trying to physically catch up to the CAA — not just schematically compete with it.
New OL coach takes the reins
Ron Mattes, who served as offensive line coach at North Carolina A&T for more than a decade under four different head coaches, retired earlier this year. Mattes was a mainstay in the Aggies’ program from 2016-2025, developing the O-line for some of the best teams in school history.
North Carolina A&T won MEAC championships in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Mattes coached the MEAC’s offensive lineman of the year four times – left tackle Brandon Parker (2016, 2017), left guard Micah Shaw (2018) and left tackle Marcus Pettiford (2019).
All five A&T offensive linemen earned All-Big South honors in 2022 when the school moved conferences.
Gibbs named Donovan Jackson as the new offensive line coach. Jackson spent 2025 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He got his coaching start at High Point Andrews High in 2009 and also led the Northeast Guilford program before moving to the college ranks.
“Coach Jackson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience at every level of football – high school, Division II, FCS, FBS, and NFL – along with deep local ties to the Greensboro community,” Gibbs said in a release. “As a former high school head coach in Greensboro, he understands the pride, tradition, and talent that make this area and North Carolina A&T special.”
Aggie Nation, it’s time 👀🏈
🗓 April 11
🕚 11 AM
📍Truist Stadium
New squad, great atmosphere! Kick off football season the right way.
Bring your family, friends, and Aggie pride! Let's pack the stands!#AggiePride💙💛 pic.twitter.com/PCOLfDtn1p — N.C. A&T Athletics (@NCATAGGIES) March 24, 2026
Outside linebackers coach Terry Lanz and recruiting coordinator Nate Poole also are no longer with the program, per David Horton from Ayantee, a 247Sports site that covers the Aggies.
Continuity up front has been a strength in past A&T success — replacing that experience will be one of the more important under-the-radar developments for the staff in 2026.
Position battle to watch: Quarterback
Few teams in the country dealt with more uncertainty at quarterback than North Carolina A&T in 2025, with seven different players taking snaps due to injuries. The Aggies got the max out of their depth chart, needing sixth- and seventh-string signal callers in a 33-30 comeback win over Hampton.
Kevin White took the most snaps in 2025, playing in eight games and leading the way with 1,516 passing yards and seven TDs. The redshirt junior from Newport News, Va. (Green Run HS) appears on the Aggies’ “2026 Tentative Football Roster” – posted on the school’s official site heading into spring drills.
Other quarterbacks listed include returnees Jy Walls (sophomore), Champ Long (redshirt junior) and Braxton Thomas (redshirt sophomore). Nelson Layne’s name also is listed but Layne transferred to North Carolina Central in the off-season.
A&T did not sign any high school or transfer quarterbacks with its latest class.
Rivalry Check: NCCU has seized control – for now
North Carolina A&T still holds a commanding edge in the all-time series against North Carolina Central, but recent history tells a different story.
The Eagles have won four straight and seven of the last 11, flipping the script in one of the state’s most important FCS rivalries. The last two matchups haven’t been particularly competitive, with NCCU rolling to wins of 66-24 in 2024 and 62-20 last season.
The 2024 game spawned the now-infamous “Rout 66” meme among NCCU fans. Last year’s meeting only added to the frustration, with the Eagles piling up 745 yards of total offense in a dominant performance.
Much like the dynamic between Duke and North Carolina in basketball, A&T and NCCU often are measured against each other. The rivalry carries weight beyond records. Perception, momentum and bragging rights matter — and right now, they belong to the Eagles.
The next chapter comes early in 2026, with the two teams set to meet on Sept. 12 in Durham. For A&T, closing that gap may be as important as any CAA win total in 2026.
Record-setting kicker gets NFL Combine invitation
Andrew Brown (Lexington, NC | West Davidson HS) finished his North Carolina A&T career as the school’s most accomplished and decorated placekicker.
Brown hit 51 field goals over four seasons, including five from 50+ yards in 2025. He broke the school record with a 55-yarder, then broke it again by hitting a 56-yarder against Towson in November.
Brown is a legitimate professional prospect and received an invitation to the NFL Combine – the first kicker in Aggies’ history to earn that distinction.
Brown earned the nickname “Money” during his time at A&T. His kicking talents may earn him some considerable money in the months and years ahead.
New program, new opponent
Chicago State will debut football in 2026, playing as an FCS independent before eventually joining the Northeast Conference.
The Cougars will visit NC A&T’s Truist Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 17 as part of its inaugural campaign.
The Aggies originally were scheduled to play Norfolk State in that slot, but the MEAC program dropped A&T from its schedule. This opened the door for the Aggies to add Chicago State, who is coached by former UNC player Bobby Rome II.
North Carolina A&T has branched out its scheduling quite a bit since leaving the MEAC and joining the CAA (with a quick stop in the Big South). Per the school’s website, the Aggies have played 17 schools for the first time since 2021.
Aggie Nation, it’s time 👀🏈
🗓 April 11
🕚 11 AM
📍Truist Stadium
New squad, great atmosphere! Kick off football season the right way.
Bring your family, friends, and Aggie pride! Let's pack the stands!#AggiePride💙💛 pic.twitter.com/PCOLfDtn1p — N.C. A&T Athletics (@NCATAGGIES) March 24, 2026
Spring game on deck for April 11
With roster turnover from a coaching change and injuries taking their toll, North Carolina A&T didn’t have enough bodies for a true spring game last year. That should change in 2026 as year two of the rebuild under Shawn Gibbs begins to take shape.
The Aggies have scheduled their annual spring game for Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m. at Truist Stadium. The season opener follows roughly four and a half months later, with Morgan State visiting Greensboro for a Week 0 matchup on Aug. 29.
After a 2025 season defined by roster gaps and late-season struggles, North Carolina A&T has taken clear steps this offseason to reshape its roster and identity. The question now is whether those changes translate into results in the CAA, a more competitive showing against archrival North Carolina Central and a fan base more at ease with the program’s trajectory.
We’ll be tracking North Carolina A&T all season long at NC Football News — from offseason developments and roster moves to game-by-game results and key storylines.
👉 Bookmark our NC A&T 2026 Season Chronicle Page for a one-stop home base throughout the year.
