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HBCU Football: How will North Carolina A&T fare in Big South?

By Jarrett Hoffman

Dec 21, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina A&T Aggies running back Jah-Maine Martin (30) talks to the media after a victory against the Alcorn State Braves in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina A&T Aggies running back Jah-Maine Martin (30) talks to the media after a victory against the Alcorn State Braves in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 15, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina A&T Aggies running back Jah-Maine Martin (30) celebrates a victory against the Alcorn State Braves in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina A&T Aggies running back Jah-Maine Martin (30) celebrates a victory against the Alcorn State Braves in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

North Carolina A&T storylines heading into 2021

  • Will the Aggies’ dominance carry over to the Big South?

The North Carolina A&T Aggies enter the Big South coming off a considerably dominant run in their final years in the MEAC.

They won a piece of the MEAC championship in five of the past six seasons and including each of the past three seasons.

Since the Celebration Bowl was introduced in 2015, the Aggies appeared in five of the six games winning in each of their appearances.

They have not had a season finishing with a record below .500 since 2011 in what was the first season with legendary former head coach Rod Broadway.

One of the keys to the Aggies’ success that is not talked about as much is their excellence on defense. They have posted a point differential of 10 points or more in each season since 2012 including four seasons allowing 15 points per game or less in a season.

While former Hampton Pirates struggled in their first full season in the Big South, they should not be looked at as the template for how North Carolina A&T will potentially look.

In their final seasons in the MEAC, Hampton was an average to below-average team with their last conference title coming in 2006.

If the North Carolina A&T’s run game and the defense continue to play as well as they did in the 2010s in the MEAC, the sky’s the limit for how good they could be in the Big South.

  • Will Jah-Maine Martin win the Deacon Jones Trophy?

Jah-Maine Martin is arguably the best running back not only in HBCU football but in all of FCS. He is a dynamic playmaker able to make big plays making moves to avoid defenders in the open field or bouncing off tackles to

In the 2019 season, he led the MEAC in rushing with 1,446 rushing yards on 120.5 rushing yards per game and scoring 23 rushing touchdowns.

Martin had the second-most rushing touchdowns in a single season in MEAC history while also having the 10th most rushing yards in a season.

The most impressive aspect of Martin’s 2019 season was that he averaged 7.7 yards per carry the highest mark in a single season for a MEAC player since 2004.

His best game from the 2019 season ironically came against Big South member Charleston Southern finishing with 299 rushing yards on 25 attempts scoring two touchdowns.

He will have some stiff competition for the award including the reigning Deacon Jones Trophy but if he is able to replicate his performance from 2019 this season, he will definitely be in the conversation.

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