Four hopefuls on list for Bulldogs receivers coach

Three months after losing receivers coach Roger Totten to Alabama State, Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones said he’s close to finding a replacement.

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Jones interviewed four candidates last week. They include John McKenzie, who has served as offensive coordinator at Alabama State, Alcorn State and North Carolina A&T; Shawn Gregory, who has served as quarterbacks coach at Samford and Mississippi Valley State and currently is the head coach at Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham; former A&M receiver Michael Brown, now an assistant at Oxford High School; and Terry Liggins, an assistant at Providence (N.C) High School.

“They were all very knowledgeable,"Jones said. “Some had a lot more experience than others. What I’m trying to do is figure out the best fit for our program in terms of recruiting, experience, knowledge in our conference and college football in general.”

Jones said the new hire needs to work closely with the quarterbacks, while assisting with special teams.

McKenzie led Jackson State to three SWAC championships in the early 1980s. He threw for more than 5,000 yards and 43 touchdowns during his career.

He served as offensive coordinator at Alabama State from 1987-1991 and the Hornets went 11-0-1 in 1991 en route to SWAC and Black College national championships. That year, ASU averaged 41.2 points.

McKenzie was the head coach at Delaware State from 1997-2000 and later served as offensive coordinator at Alcorn State from 2001-07. He was the offensive coordinator at A&T last season, but the Aggies went 3-9 and averaged just 14.3 points and 202.8 yards per game.

Gregory began his coaching career in the late 1990s at Morris Brown College in Atlanta. From there, he was receivers coach at Tuskegee from 2000-02 and moved to Mississippi Valley State from 2002-2005 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/receivers coach.

A former Jackson State standout, Gregory coached quarterbacks at Samford from 2005-07 before moving to Jackson-Olin last year.

Brown, who played at Hazel Green High, endured injuries at A&M and played only in 2003 - making four catches for 23 yards.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009
By REGGIE BENSON
Times Sports Staff reggie.benson@htimes.com