Preparing For Battle:
Exclusive Interview With New A&T Head Coach Alonzo Lee
(Part Two)

By Semaj Marsh
bluedeathvalley.com
August 4, 2009

Bluedeathvalley.com: I would imagine that after you were first hired, many of the receivers on the roster probably thought to themselves that they would be seeing a lot less deep routes and would be doing a lot more blocking this season. Is that a fair assumption?

Alonzo Lee: "Well actually, they are all excited because they’re looking at our offense now and seeing that the short and intermediate passing game is really a big thing for me. If you give me an eight-man (defensive) front, I’m going to take that short and intermediate route. Even this spring when our defense came out and gave a lot of eight-man looks, the offense marched that ball right down the field. We took what they gave us instead of trying to force it. Sometimes we are going to pound the ball at you with our running game, but it’s just as easy for me if I can throw the ball to an outside receiver. If you have a guy like a Larry Raper out there and it’s one-on-one, in my opinion that’s just as good as a running play. That bubble screen is just as easy as a downhill run. If I’m one-on-one versus a guy on the perimeter, he is forced to make a good tackle. Those kind of passing plays, to me, are just as good as a solid running game.”

Do you have a number one receiver yet?

Alonzo Lee: “I’ll tell you, we’ve got a few receivers that are doing well. I kind of go back and forth with who is our number one receiver, but right now Wallace Miles would probably be our top guy. He’s doing some great things and he’s in excellent shape right now. He looks really polished out there. Right now, Wallace is definitely the guy we’re expecting a lot of big things from.”

Will tight ends have a big role in your offense?

Alonzo Lee: “Yeah. Brent Fisher is a guy who wasn’t eligible last year but he had a great spring. Right now, he’s been working real hard in the weight room and he’s bulked up some and has become a good, solid blocker. He’s going to be alright. We also have a couple of more young tight ends who will be coming in."

Well now let’s talk a little bit about the other side of the ball. Everywhere you’ve coached, you’ve help make dramatic and seemingly over-night improvements to that team’s defense. This time around, however, you will be serving as head coach. What can we expect from the A&T Blue Death Defense this upcoming season?

Alonzo Lee: “I think it’s going to work out very well. Of course, we’re putting in my system but I’m really giving my defensive staff the leeway to do the things they need to do. I’m not going to lean too far away from it though, as far as providing structure and making sure everything is situated and squared away. That’s where I’m going to be spending a little more time working with the defense than I will with the offense. Now, I will definitely get a chance to spend time working with the offense but I’m want to first make sure we come out the blocks ready to roll defensively. We’ve increased our talent level a little bit so we should be alright. We just got the transfer out of Purdue (Kevin Green) at corner who’s going to help us out a lot this year. He’s already here. You know he’s from Tallahassee and I’ve spent eight years down there so I didn’t want him to end up back at (FAMU). (laughs) We’ve also got a prop at corner named (Jermarion) Pegues who’s really going to be pretty doggone good. Then there’s another young freshman defensive back we signed from Tallahassee -Lincoln (D’Vonte Graham) and, oh boy, he’s truly a pleasure to watch. He just looks good. See, that was really an area we had to shore up. When we came out of the spring, I wasn’t real happy with how we were playing back in the secondary. We had to increase our talent level. We also recently signed a good, solid linebacker. I thought we needed to bring in one or two more linebackers and we were able to improve at that position with Eteyen Edet. He was one of the top linebackers in the country coming out of high school last year. He fell a little short in the classroom and had to go to prep school. He’s 6’2, about 235, and he comes downhill just smacking you. I think that with the guys we already have and those couple of new additions, that’s going to shore us up pretty good. The big thing on defense is that I’ve got to be able to keep my big three defensive linemen healthy. If we can stay healthy we’re going to be alright.

With the ‘big three’, are you referring to the senior defensive linemen from Detroit, Michigan?

Alonzo Lee: “Yes, and it’s amazing that I was the one who actually recruited those guys before I left. If I can keep those guys healthy we are going to be alright. That’s the big key – we just don’t have the depth that we need. We are going to play some of those young guys on defense this season. The Chris Neals and guys like that who are coming in, they are going to have to play this year. They’re going to have to be role players for us and really make it happen. And if those guys come along we are going to be something to deal with.”

On special teams, you’ll have to replace senior punter Lee Woodson who was one of the best in the conference during his time here. Do you currently have someone on the roster who will take over for him?

Alonzo Lee: “We’re going to have to depend on a young freshman coming in this year named Alex Grubb. We have a few other guys coming back who can kick the ball pretty well like (our place kicker) Eric Houston and we also have a freshman (place) kicker coming in, so I think we’re going to be alright as far as the overall kicking game is concerned. Our biggest concern is that we have to make sure we have our long snapper in order. He got a whole lot better this spring and we also went out and signed another (long snapper). You never realize how important they are until that ball is out there rolling around on the ground.”

Over the last couple of years, you’ve been mentioned as a leading candidate for a number of college head coaching jobs. Why did you finally decide that taking over the A&T program at this time in your career was the right opportunity for you ?

Alonzo Lee: “Number one, I really felt when I was here last time that A&T was a sleeping giant. Just being in the conference over the years and looking at the talent that has been here … and the Aggie Pride – to me that 12th man plays a great role in any football program. All the little things are right here. Making the decision to come back to A&T was easy. Of course, there are things that have to be in place and things that we still have to work on. That’s why when I came in my biggest thing was getting out and trying to meet with the different alumni groups to raise money so I could have my guys in summer school. Fortunately, that worked out and we were able to get everybody here and that’s going to make a big difference this season. I really think that A&T is a sleeping giant. It’s just waiting to explode. I really think- deep down in my heart- that we can win on a consistent basis if all the proper things are in place. Right now we are working and things are being put in place and I hope that we can just keep on building. The nails have got to keep flying because we need a few more things built. But this is a great situation and right here could be the best place in the conference.”

Undoubtedly, even with all the work you’ve done to rebuild the program this off-season, a lot of people around the MEAC will be expecting A&T to finish at our near the bottom of the conference standings once again. Does that serve as extra motivation for you this season?

Alonzo Lee: “You know, I’m a scripture man and the bible says that the last shall finish first and the first will finish last. So, I’m not concerned with that. I really feel that come November there’s going to be a lot of teams in this conference realizing that there’s a new kid on the block. All we’re going to do is take it one day at a time and do the things that we have to do each and every day. If they’re picking us last, that’s OK. I tell my guys all the time that all I’m asking them to do is play who’s out there on the field. We can get hung up on who’s first, who’s second and who’s third, but the bottom line is that none of that matters. You just play the guy who’s on the field and when it comes down to those 60 minutes, if I can out-will you for those 60 minutes I might be the worst guy out there but if I feel like I’m more prepared than you and I worked harder than you then you’re going to be in for a long day. Then, if I start getting up on you and my will starts out-willing yours, then it may be tough for you. I may really be tough. I’m a guy who’s going to be real humble and just let them come in here thinking that we are a last-placed team. But if you’re looking for a weak link, I’m the wrong guy to pick. That’s the bottom line. And if the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, we’re going to be alright. I know our guys are putting in the work and we have confidence that it’s going to make a difference. We’re excited about being picked next to last right now because, honestly, November is what will tell the true story. We don’t have any pressure right now. We’re just going to go out and have fun. We’re just going to go out and knock people in the face and have fun. No one is expecting a thing. Let’s just go out and remember all the work we’ve done, from this spring up until now, and I really feel that if we go out and play with confidence then we are going to be alright.”

Read part one of this interview