Alcorn State: Coach McNair 'Excited' About Success in Early Signing Period
The early signing period was a success for several schools in the SWAC, namely Jackson State. Some argue they brought in the most talented class in the conference. However, the Tigers were just one notable SWAC program to land a talented recruiting class. Another resides in Mississippi.
Close to 75 miles west of Jackson, head coach Fred McNair and Alcorn State had their own successful early signing period.
Coach Fred McNair
The Braves signed 18 players as a part of the initial signing period, adding talent for all three phases of football. Head coach Fred McNair shared his thoughts on the incoming class, deeming it a successful early signing period.
"I thought we did a very good job as a coaching staff," McNair said. "Overall I'm excited about it. I'm excited that we got the bulk of the signings out of the way, which is what we needed."
The most high-profile name in Alcorn's class is quarterback Tyler Macon, a former 4-star dual-threat prospect out of Illinois who spent his first two collegiate seasons at Missouri. Macon only played in three games before redshirting his true freshman year, then appeared in three more in 2022.
"He's a good runner and passer," McNair said. "We looked at Tyler Macon and thought he would be a great fit for us. We saw he was in the transfer portal from Missouri, so we went at him very hard, and we landed him.
"He'll be a great addition to our program, and he'll have to compete for the starting job."
The lack of explosiveness from the quarterback position often handicapped the offense last season. The numbers support that statement, as the Braves were one of only two programs to finish the season with single-digit passing touchdowns (UAPB was the other). Secondly, the Alcorn quarterbacks actually threw for more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (9).
Alcorn's head football coach Fred McNair, center, speaks with media during the Southwestern Athletic Conference annual Football Media Day at the Sheraton-Birmingham Hotel in Birmingham, Ala., Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Swac Media Day 15 Credit:© Eric Shelton/Clarion Ledger via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Braves head coach is optimistic that Macon, who'll likely be competing with true freshman Roderick Hartsfield Jr. for the starting job, will remedy that.
Even with a struggling passing offense, Alcorn found a lot of success the ground, thanks to the SWAC's leading rusher Jarveon Howard. The Columbia, Mississippi native will be back for his final season, and McNair was quick to point out how solving the QB issue will complement Howard.
"We missed out on a whole lot of things that we normally do because of the guys that we had. In the past, we had explosive runs from the quarterback position.," McNair said. "But now we have Tyler Macon. I think that'll add another element to the running game with Jarveon Howard and the rest of the guys in the backfield.
"I think [the offense] can be very explosive next season."
McNair was also able to bring in an explosive target for his future quarterback to throw to: 3-star wide receiver Kobe Mendez. At 6-foot-3, Mendez is a big target who can make big plays, something McNair was looking to bring to Alcorn.
"Coming out of Beaverton, Oregon and IMG Academy in Florida, that's a big recruit for us," McNair said. "We're very excited about him, he's 6-3, 195, solid looking kid.
"We're looking for great things from him because we did lose a lot of receivers. We'll have to make that up in the second half of this recruiting season."
Speaking of losing players, Alcorn will lose a number of players on the defensive side of the ball, including linebackers Claudin Cherelus and Mikail Webb and defensive backs KJ Kinsler and Tavarian McCullum. While that core of players won't be returning, the Braves have signed several defensive backs and linebackers to go along with two defensive linemen. After the initial class was announced, Alcorn later added 2-star DB BJ Rankin.
"The main focus was on the safety position as well as the cornerback position," McNair commented. "We have those guys and we've recruited the players we really needed.
McNair also mentioned two linemen specifically, Southeastern Louisiana transfer Cullen Scott and in-state high school prospect Eric Thomas, than he thinks will be big contributors next season.
"Defensively, we're going to be solid."
In most cases, the special teams signings don't garner a lot of attention, mainly because programs usually only sign one guy, and the job is pretty simple: punt or kick. But the third phase of football cannot be understated, as McNair and the Braves had to learn the hard way last season.
Ask Noah Kiani, who was the kicker last season, but when the guy who was supposed to be the punter couldn't get in school, Kiani had to step up in a position he's never had to fill before.
"I thought he did a great job," McNair told HBCU Legends. "He averaged 33.1 yards a punt, which isn't bad for a guy who's never done it before. But now we have a punter coming in and we can change the field up.
"Adding those guys - Franklin Rogers (Charleston Southern transfer), Kenny Pham and Caleb Darbone (Prairie View transfer) - that's going to be the other element to our special teams that we really missed out on."
Kiani went 14-for-17 on field goal attempts last season, but with the other special teams needs addressed, McNair noted he'll have the pressure of the other duties off of his shoulders.
As far as early signing periods go, Alcorn couldn't ask for much better after finding talent on all three phases. Even more impressive, the Braves were able to corner the market on a key component of recruiting: in-state talent.
"We really reached out in the state of Mississippi and got some the kids we really needed," McNair remarked.
Of the 18 signees, seven of them are from in-state, including defensive back Ja'Darrion Kelly and offensive lineman Cam Richardson. Richardson was especially important, as McNair made it known that he would like to sign more offensive linemen in the spring.
"Hopefully in the January recruiting period, we identify some offensive linemen that we really need to help our program continuously build," McNair said.
With 2023 now here, Fred McNair and the coaching staff looking to continue the recruiting success as Alcorn prepares to take the field next season.