The Grambling State Tigers have won the last two SWAC championship, an HBCU national championship in 2016 and the last three SWAC Western Division crowns. What will be different about the the upcoming 2018 season will be that the Tigers won’t have a clear starter at quarterback.
The Tigers defense however will be good this year with the return of BOXTOROW All-American and Preseason SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker De’Arius Christmas. Christmas registered 88 tackles (48 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. What could make him more effective in 2018 is how stout his defensive line will be. Linwood Banks, La’Allan Clark and Brandon Varner are preseason All-SWAC selections with Clark being named to the BOXTOROW Preseason All-America team. The trio combined for 81 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks. BOXTOROW All-America Percy Cargo and fellow defensive back Dedrick Shy will be the leaders of a solid secondary.
Getting back to the quarterback situation for the Tigers; with the departure of two-time SWAC Offensive Player of the Year DeVante Kincade, the Tigers will have settled on Geremy Hickbottom and Aldon Clark. Hickbottom played in nine games last year completing 12-of-28 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Fobbs did say on the SWAC conference call this week that he would not name a starter for the opening game against Louisiana Lafayette until the team takes the field and that the Tigers will use a two-quarterback system for the first two games.
Alcorn State looks to make is five Eastern division crowns in a row in 2018. Head coach Fred McNair has a good nucleus returning on offense, led by BOXTOROW Preseason All-American running back P.J. Simmons. Simmons was not the featured back in 2017, but rushed for 687 yards on just 80 carries, averaging 8.7 yards per carry. He will now get the bulk of the carries and will run behind a good offensive line led by Preseason All-SWAC selections in Mustaffa Ibrahim (First Team), Deonte Brooks and Kevin Hall (both second team). Noah Johnson has seen significant time at quarterback the last couple of years with injures to Lenorris Footman.
Below is a podcast preview of all 10 SWAC schools in our predicted order of finish. Click on the school to download or listen to the podcast:
Eastern Division
Alcorn State
Alabama State
Alabama A&M
Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
Western Division
Grambling
Prairie View A&M
Southern
Texas Southern
Arkansas-Pine Bluff