Alabama News Center 2023 football preview: Alabama State University
Alabama State's Kisean Johnson, the leading receiver in the SWAC last year, is back for the Hornets' 2023 season. (Alabama State University Athletics)
In a previous athletic life, Eddie Robinson Jr. attended Media Day of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Back then, he was an all-star linebacker for Alabama State. Now he’s the head coach of the Hornets.
“I think it is probably similar, because as a player you always want to talk good about the university, talk good about the coaches,” Robinson said at the 2023 SWAC Media Day. “You don’t want to say too much. You want to stay humble. We realize that football is an unpredictable type of game.
“I’ve been advocating Alabama State and the SWAC my whole life,” he continued. “It’s not like I gotta turn it on. It just naturally comes out. If me and you were at the coffee shop, I’d be saying the same thing.”
College football season is approaching, and Alabama News Center is previewing the 2023 season. Next up is Alabama State.
Alabama News Center: What are the prospects for this season?
Eddie Robinson Jr.: We want to compete for championships every year. I think that Dr. Cable (Athletics Director Jason Cable) in all sports wants us to go out there and expect to win championships every year. We know it’s not the perfect business, sports isn’t. But you want to have the people in the building and the structure set up that you can go out there every year and legitimately have a chance to win a championship. I feel like we have a great chance to win the conference this year, and that’s what you want to be. You want to be one of those teams where if you don’t win it, you’re right there in the picture at the end.
ANC: What is the strength of this year’s team?
Robinson: I think we’re good on both sides of the ball. Based on what we did last year, you’d have to say the defense is above average. The guys we have returning defensively, that should be the strength of the team. People talk about offense and defense, but special teams is how you win football games. I think we have more quality players, so our special teams should be better as a unit. I know everybody likes to score a lot of points in spread offenses and all these tricky names they give for them, but special teams and defense win championships. I think that’s where you have to go with it.
ANC: Who are your team’s standouts?
Robinson: Ja’Won Howell is a running back. He’s a guy that we didn’t utilize a lot last year. But if you looked at him before he transferred out of UNF (North Florida), he can run the ball 20, 25 times a game. We just had multiple running backs (last season). He’ll have a bigger impact on what we’re doing this year. He’s a strong, physical, big back that can catch out the backfield. Of course, the quarterback has to play well on any team. Defensively, Mikey Victor is a guy that started a lot of games last year because of injury. Now he’s our guy — a big, tall, long corner who understands the game really well. Our other guy is Adrian Maddox. He was an All-American last year as a true freshman. He’s a guy that we are really expecting a lot from him, just from winning in the weight room and learning the game more. He was used to playing on instinct last year; he has a chance to be a really good player. Kisean Johnson is a kid from Birmingham who went to Ramsay High School. He was the leading receiver last year in the conference. He works like Jerry Rice, and I say that sincerely. I’m telling him not to do so much. And then probably A.J. Lewis will be another kid, a transfer tight end. He has one year to play. I think he’s another kid that can really make an impact right away.
ANC: What game(s) do your fans have circled on your schedule?
Robinson: The first game is such a good game with Southern, with them coming up for the Labor Day Classic, so I can truly say the next game. But that Southern game is going to be a lot of fun. We haven’t played them in a couple of years, and we know the tradition that they have. Coach (Eric) Dooley is doing a great job with them being the defending West champ. And I think going to Jackson State on homecoming (is another big game). Whenever you play Jackson State, it’s going to be a big game. And going to FAMU (Florida A&M). We have a lot of really great games. I think if you look throughout the conference, there are just some really good matchups.
ANC: What is your lingering question?
Robinson: I think like everyone, it’s offensive and defensive linemen. Big guys, sometimes they get banged up just from a practice standpoint and competing. You can never have enough. If I walk outside and I see the guy parking cars is 6-5, 300, I’m asking if he has any eligibility left. We’re always looking for one more offensive and defensive lineman.
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, the University of South Alabama, Tuskegee University, UAB, Huntingdon College, Faulkner University and Alabama A&M University, and look for a new football preview each weekday until the 2023 season begins for the state’s teams.
