Alabama News Center 2023 football preview: Tuskegee University
Former offensive coordinator Aaron James moves into the head football coaching job at Tuskegee University with a plan to build on last season's improvements. (Tuskegee University Athletics)
Aaron James is waiting no more. The offensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting has been handed the reins of the Tuskegee football program, with Reginald Ruffin now solely wearing the hat of athletic director.
“I came in with Coach Ruffin last year,” James said. “Everything worked out, but it was discussed before my arrival here because I was at Bethune-Cookman at the time.”
James takes over a Golden Tigers program that was 8-3 overall last season and 7-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). But don’t think the new head man is content.
“We just didn’t finish like we wanted to,” the coach said. “It was a good year because the previous year they finished up 3-8. We came in last year and turned it around and ended up finishing up 8-3. It was a good year, but it wasn’t a year that we wanted, the way we wanted it to end.”
College football season is approaching, and Alabama News Center is previewing the 2023 season. Next up is Tuskegee.
Alabama News Center: What are the prospects for this season?
Aaron James: Just to come out winning the first game. We’ve got to come out strong, fast and just come out of the gates ready to roll. We just can’t come out sluggish, like we did last year and the previous year when they came out for the Redtails Classic. Fort Valley is up 2-0 on us now because it’s a three-year contract. They won two games to our zero, so we’ve just got to come out the gate wide open and ready to roll and just finish up strong. That’s it.
ANC: What is the strength of this year’s team?
James: Overall, we will be better — overall offense, defense and special teams. We’re just gonna come in and coach them hard like we need to be. Like I said, you’d have all three phases of the game right in a row.
ANC: Who are your team’s standouts?
James: We had six players make preseason all-conference. We have Vincent Hill. He was a freshman last year and made first-team all-conference at linebacker. We’re looking for great things out of him. Antonio Meeks made preseason all-conference this year. He was another true freshman. We’re looking to get some great things out of him as well. Jeremy Dees on the defensive line; he was preseason all-conference. Zelly Aldridge was preseason all-conference in the secondary. You had Ryan Duff, our specialist, kicker. He was preseason all-conference. We’re just looking for those guys and some other guys to come up and just take the team and just lead the team on and off the field. Antonio Kennon Jr. made the second team. I’m very excited for these young men.
ANC: What game(s) do your fans have circled on your schedule?
James: I think it’d be the Turkey Day Classic, because that’s back on the schedule this year versus Alabama State. And for any university, you know, homecoming (against Edward Waters) is big. We have one of the best homecomings in the nation. I’d say homecoming and the Turkey Day Classic. Miles is always gonna be a rival game.
ANC: What is your lingering question?
James: As far as the quarterback room, there’s gonna be a battle. I’m just looking for one of those guys to just take the bull by the horns. That’s the real question I need to get answered for us, in the quarterback room. That’s my baby. I played that position and we’re not coming into camp with a guy who started off last year. Everybody’s gonna compete for the job. We ended up bringing in two transfers (Jordan Smith from South Florida and Christopher Roberson from Southwest Community College) at that position as well. It’s gonna be a battle.
Alabama News Center is posting season previews for all 16 college football programs in Alabama. Read previews for Birmingham-Southern College, the University of West Alabama, Jacksonville State University, the University of North Alabama and the University of South Alabama, and look for a new football preview each weekday until the 2023 season begins.
