Football preview: Alabama State heads into season with combination of youth, experience
Alabama State's skill and experience on defense this year, including standout tackle Christian Clark (94), should be among the team's strengths. (Alabama State University)
Donald Hill-Eley knows firsthand how difficult a bout with COVID-19 can be. The Alabama State football coach was down for 10 days with the novel coronavirus.
“Man, it was hell,” he said. “I had all the symptoms from the fever, headaches, no taste, no smell, all that. Lost about 12 pounds. It was a rough little journey, but I’m still here.”
Even after he tested negative for the virus, symptoms persisted.
“I still had a cough for about a week and a half,” he said. “I still didn’t have all my energy, but every day it’s gotten better and better. Eventually, all the faculties all came back, the cough went away (and) the energy came back.”
And just in time. Hill-Eley is set to lead his Alabama State Hornets team into the spring 2020-21 football season, kicking off at 6 p.m. Saturday with a visit by Southern University.
“We know we’re young in some spots,” the coach said. “We have some guys that are redshirt freshmen but never have put on a college helmet until the spring because the pandemic happened (right when) it was time for them to take the field. For the most part, they are responding and practicing hard and we’re just trying to keep them healthy.”
Alabama NewsCenter: What is the outlook for this spring season?
Donald Hill-Eley: I’m very optimistic that we’ve got every chance that everyone else has to win and win a championship. The key is the team that’s able to get their young guys to play together and experience and to minimize errors. That team will be the team to be victorious. Protect the football, play good defense and get your young guys to mature.
ANC: What is the strength of your team?
Hill-Eley: A strong skill group, offense and defense. But as a total package, the defense will be ahead of the offense because of the depth across the front of seniors and juniors.
ANC: Who are the standouts on the Alabama State team?
Hill-Eley: Defensively, Naytron Culpepper at the corner should do extremely well for us. And Irshaad Davis at the safety. And as you move up front, Colton Adams at the middle linebacker along with Christian Clark at D tackle should really set the tone for our defensive unit, along with Nicholas Terry at outside backer. On the offensive side, you have (wide receivers) Mike Jefferson and Jahod Booker (and running back) Ezra Gray, who’s probably the best skill tandem in the FCS, not just the SWAC. Those guys have a wealth of young guys around them that have really done a great job for us. You have Jacory Merritt, who’s back and splitting time with Ezra. I think, pound for pound, we have some of the best skill in the FCS.
ANC: What game do your fans have circled on your schedule?
Hill-Eley: Everybody else with the hype of Deion Sanders coming to Jackson State, I know they’ve got that circled as an Eastern (Division) contest. Jackson has really been making a lot of moves in the media with the hiring of Deion Sanders, so I know they have that circled. But our biggest contest is always Alabama A&M.
ANC: What is your lingering question?
Hill-Eley: This buildup between redshirt freshmen and sophomores. We’ve got to get those guys ready to play and get them to gel together. The success of the team depends on the maturity of the offensive line.
Read spring season football previews for Birmingham-Southern College, Huntingdon College, Samford University, Jacksonville State University and Alabama A&M University.
