GREENSBORO — North Carolina A&T’s spring game on Saturday offered a glimpse into Year 2 under head coach Shawn Gibbs — a program focused on getting bigger, stronger and more consistent after a challenging 2025 season.
The Aggies mixed situational periods with live scrimmage work, emphasizing tempo and execution as they continue to reshape the roster through recruiting and the transfer portal.
Building from the front lines
After struggling physically in 2025, NC A&T (2-10, 2-6 CAA) made it a priority this offseason to upgrade along both lines of scrimmage.
The offensive line, in particular, featured a heavy transfer presence on Saturday, including Elon transfer Ahmarion McLeod, South Carolina State transfer Eli Williams and Coastal Carolina transfer Desmond Jackson.
Returning starter Andrew Dorsey joined a group that showed progress throughout the spring, Gibbs said. Other key O-linemen to emerge include Noah Okoye, Tim Hammonds, Phinnell Marshall and CJ Ragland.
Even the offensive line coach is new. Donovan Jackson takes over for veteran Ron Mattes, who retired after a decade in the program.
“I think our offensive line has gotten better. I’ve seen a lot of progress in the way they do things,” Gibbs said in comments after the game. “I think (Coach Jackson) has done a good job in the short amount of time he’s had them because we have a bunch of new guys up there.”
The return of Running Back U?
North Carolina A&T has long prided itself on having a powerhouse rushing attack. The running game has been corralled the past few seasons, though. The 2025 Aggies averaged just 2.8 yards per rush and didn’t have one player go for more than 100 yards in a game. As a team they barely averaged more than 100 per contest.
Beefing up the offensive front is a start. But the Aggies still have to find playmakers and explosiveness. Gibbs believes he has plenty of options coming out spring. This group saw the most carries on Saturday:
- Shimique Blizzard (leading returner, 292 yards with 1 TD in 2025)
- JT Smith
- Jailen Hicks
- Teriq McLaughlin
- Jayden Williams
QB room: stability through numbers
North Carolina A&T used seven quarterbacks in 2025, but not by choice. Injuries kept things in a state of flux, and sometimes other options were needed when things weren’t working.
Things appear much more stable heading into 2026. Kevin White, who played the most last season, took many of the first-team reps on Saturday, though four quarterbacks in all saw significant action. Champ Long, Jy Walls and Alston Hooker each enjoyed solid moments.
The competition to be the opening day starter is still very much up for grabs, Gibbs said.
“We script to make sure they are getting an equal amount of reps with the first group,” Gibbs said after the spring game. “We try to do an equal amount of reps through practices and scrimmages. It has been a good competition. I think a couple of guys have kind of separated themselves.
“It’s going to be a continuous competition, but we’ll figure it out, and we’ll put somebody out there that can win a game for us in the fall.”
Playmaker to remember: Elijah Kennedy
While the Aggies have to replace a record-setting kicker in Andrew Brown, one of the conference’s top returners, speedster Elijah Kennedy returns.
The redshirt senior, who won multiple conference and national honors in 2025, returned a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a comeback win over Campbell.
Kennedy plays wide receiver and flashed on Saturday some of the separation skills that made him such a dangerous return man a season ago.
Defense: No where to go but up
Addressing the lack of size and length also should reap dividends on the defensive end. The Aggies’ stopping unit, again another source of pride for this program, proved quite porous in 2025:
- 43.6 points allowed per game
- 467.8 yards per game, including nearly 200 on the ground each Saturday
Gibbs said his team’s defense “looked sharp” on Saturday. Though referees used a quick whistle to protect players from injury, defenders kept pressure on A&T quarterbacks. Amondi James, Cameren Dalrymple, Steven Davis II, Dray Duncan and Terien George were singled out in post-game remarks for making big plays.
“I think our DB room has made tremendous improvements,” Gibbs said. “Defensively, we have more talent, more size, and more length, and I trust (defensive coordinator Denzel Jones), and our defensive coaches will have our guys ready.”
What it means for A&T
If you’re looking for good vibes coming out of spring practice, A&T is a good place to start. Gibbs and staff addressed deficiencies through the portal and high school recruiting, and the new-look group had a solid spring building for the fall, both the incoming transfers and returning veterans.
A tough schedule awaits, but there should be optimism that the Aggies have what it takes to advance several steps forward in Gibbs’ second season at the helm.
The season opener comes Saturday, Aug. 29 against visiting Morgan State.
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