The Huntsville Times
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The last time Alabama A&M was picked to finish near the cellar of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division preseason football poll, the Bulldogs almost won the championship.
In 2002, coach Anthony Jones' first season at A&M, the Bulldogs fell 31-19 to Grambling in the SWAC championship game. The Tigers returned an interception for a touchdown late in the game to prevent A&M from a comeback victory.
Jones is hoping for a repeat performance after A&M was picked to finish near the SWAC cellar Tuesday during the league's annual media day.
"Obviously, that didn't sit well with us then and it's not sitting well with us now," Jones said.
The Bulldogs, coming off of a 3-8 season, their worst during Jones' tenure, were picked to finish fourth in the Eastern Division preseason poll, well behind Jackson State, Alcorn State and defending division champion Alabama State. Mississippi Valley State rounded out the poll.
"You can use that as a motivational factor or we can say we finished bad last year and we'll finish bad this year," Jones said. "It's up to the person who wants to change it."
Grambling was the overwhelming favorite to win the Western Division, followed by Texas Southern, Prairie View, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Southern.
A&M quarterback Deaunte Mason, who joined Jones at the event, found the preseason poll amusing.
"I can't do nothing but laugh right now," said Mason, who is trying to bounce back from a difficult year after missing five games and parts of another one with a severe groin injury. "It's funny to me. That's nothing but motivation for us. I don't think they should have done that."
The Bulldogs return only 12 starters from last year's team and only had one player [- inside linebacker Willie Fuller [- on the first-team All-SWAC team. Despite that, Mason believes this season will be different.
"We're sweating and bleeding together," said Mason, who led the Bulldogs to the SWAC championship game in 2009 that ended in a controversial loss to Prairie View. "We're working hard. I think it's going to be a special year."
If this summer is any indication, it could be.
More than 60 players, the most in Jones' tenure, stayed in town for summer workouts. That's an indication, free safety Rico Porch says, that the players understand what's at stake.
"Ever since the year ended, we've been motivated and dedicated as a team," Porch said. "We're not used to being at the bottom. Going 3-8 last year is motivation enough for us. We're not waiting for a coach to tell us what to do. We know what we have to do and we've done that as a team this offseason."
Jones has been pleased to see so many players in town and it says to him that they don't want a repeat of last season.
"They understand how important this season is," said Jones, who is in the last year of his contract. "Our coaches understand it. Hopefully, our fans understand it. Our kids and coaches have been working hard. Our quarterback understands it. He's not the same quarterback he was 365 days ago.
"Rico is not the same free safety he was 365 days ago. Their approach is different. Their bodies are different. Their minds are different. Hopefully, those things will make the difference."
