Aqeel Glass wins Deacon Jones Trophy for 2021 spring season
Aqeel Glass of Alabama A&M was rewarded for being one of the top HBCU Football players in the country by winning the Deacon Jones award.
The Black College Football Hall of Fame named Alabama A&M quarterback Aqeel Glass the Black College Football Player of the Year being awarded the Deacon Jones Trophy as a result. The award is presented by the Black College Football Hall of Fame and is named after Jackson State University alumni, inaugural Black College Football Hall of Fame inductee and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deacon Jones.
Glass beat out Jordan Lewis defensive end for the Southern Jaguars to win the award. Lewis himself led the SWAC in sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (15.0) on his way to being named the HBCU Football Defensive Player of the Year award.
He is now the fifth winner of the Deacon Jones trophy and the second quarterback to ever win the award.
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He is now in the history books alongside inaugural 2016 winner former North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen, two-time winner Bowie State quarterback Amir Hall in 2017 and 2018 and Tennessee State wide receiver Chris Rowland who won it in 2019.
Aqeel Glass adds to his trophy collection this season as he was also named SWAC Player of the Year, BOXTOROW National Player of the Year, and was named to the All-SWAC Offensive First Team.
In four games this past season, Glass led the SWAC in passing yards (1,355), passing touchdowns (16) and passing yards per game (338.8) while also ranking second in QB efficiency rating (158.0). He led the Bulldogs to a perfect 5-0 record including a 52-43 win over the Jackson State Tigers in which he finished with a career-high 440 passing yards on 27-of-40 passing and six touchdowns.
Glass led the Bulldogs to their first berth in the SWAC championship game since 2011. They would go on to win 40-33 over the Golden Lions of the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff their first since 2006. He finished the game with 271 passing yards on 24-of-45 passing throwing for three touchdowns on his way to winning the MVP of the game.
In addition to Glass, Alabama A&M’s team featured 11 players named to the All-Conference team including four players on the first team: offensive lineman Dexter Fuqua, wide receiver Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim and defensive end Marcus Cushine.