Here's what to watch for as Tuskegee football faces Fort Valley State in Red Tails Classic
Tuskegee football will take on SIAC rival Fort Valley State in the second annual Red Tails Classic on Sunday at Cramton Bowl at 6 p.m.
The game will be televised on ESPNU.
Fort Valley State beat Tuskegee 30-0 in the first Red Tails Classic last season. However, the Golden Tigers lead the all-time series against the Wildcats, 32-21-2, and had won eight of their last nine games against FVSU prior to 2021.
Tuskegee is coming off a 3-8 season in which it went 2-4 and finished fourth in the SIAC West division. Fort Valley went 5-5 (3-3 SIAC) and placed fourth in the SIAC East.
The Golden Tigers were picked to finish third out of five teams in the West in the 2022 SIAC preseason poll, while the Wildcats were predicted fifth out of eight in the East.
A win Sunday would be the 700th win in program history for Tuskegee. The Golden Tigers' all-time record is 699-375-51.
Here's what to watch for Sunday:
Honoring history
The Red Tails Classic honors the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of Black aviators who fought during World War II. ESPN and the city of Montgomery partnered to begin the event in 2021 to recognize that legacy, while also showcasing historically Black colleges and universities.
"As the setting for many of the most seminal moments in the Modern Civil Rights Movement and the home of Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base and the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard, there is no better place than Montgomery to celebrate HBCU excellence while honoring the legendary Tuskegee Airmen," Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said in a statement.
Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy's father, Wilbur, was a Tuskegee Airman. Tony Dungy told Sports Illustrated last week that he'd love to see the Red Tails Classic become a fixture of college football's opening weekend.
"I'd love to see it nationally televised, and everyone have it on their radar, and really kind of celebrate two tremendous traditions," Dungy told Sports Illustrated. "Those airmen and their service and what they meant to our country, and then the HBCU coaches and players who did so much for college football and NFL football."
New coaches
Both programs will have new coaches leading them this season.
Tuskegee parted ways with longtime coach and athletics director Willie Slater in December. Slater won five Black national championships and seven SIAC titles in his 15 seasons coaching the Golden Tigers, compiling a 123-47 record, but had not had a winning season since 2017.
Reginald Ruffin, who was an assistant at Tuskegee from 2002-2010 and head coach at Miles from 2011-2021, was hired to replace Slater as coach and AD. Ruffin won four SIAC championships at Miles and went 65-44 in 10 seasons.
Ruffin will serve as the Golden Tigers' head coach this season before stepping down to focus on his AD duties. Offensive coordinator Aaron James, a former Tuskegee quarterback, will succeed Ruffin starting in 2023.
Fort Valley State hired Shawn Gibbs to lead its program in February, replacing Maurice Flowers. Gibbs, an alum of North Carolina Central, was previously the running backs coach at North Carolina A&T.
Impact newcomers
One of the biggest names on Tuskegee's roster is quarterback Ryan Nettles, who transferred from Alabama State this summer. Nettles was named SWAC Freshman of the Year during the spring 2021 season. The 6-foot-4 redshirt sophomore played in 13 games and threw for 2,111 yards and 18 touchdowns during his career at ASU.
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Ruffin also brought a few of his standouts at Miles with him. Donte Edwards was named second-team All-SIAC last season after leading the Golden Bears with 1,003 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Other key transfers from Miles include Josh McNeal, a multi-year starter on the defensive line, and H-back Deondre Harvey.
Other players to watch
Tuskegee had two players named to the preseason All-SIAC team. Nathan Harrison, a senior offensive lineman, and Latrevien O'Neal, a junior tight end, were both chosen to the second team.
Harrison was named second-team All-SIAC in 2021. O'Neal caught 17 passes for 295 yards last season.
Fort Valley State had two offensive linemen — junior Emmanuel Boone and senior Waylin Bell — named to the first team. Emanuel Wilson, who ran for 835 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021, was named first team along with defensive back Tyler Moore, who led the team with 57 tackles.
Defensive linemen Tim Alderman, defensive back Christian Maddox and punt returner Hakeem Ellington were chosen to the second team for the Wildcats.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com, by phone at 334-201-9117 and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: What to know about Tuskegee vs. Fort Valley State in Red Tails Classic
