The Alabama A&M University football team took their first steps toward the 2025 season under new head coach Sam Shade.
On a sweltering morning in Huntsville, the Bulldogs donned helmets and shorts for their initial workout, laying the groundwork for the team’s first full-pads session.
With less than a month before their season kicks off on Aug. 30 anticipation is building among players and staff. Alabama A&M’s home opener—also the 15th Annual Louis Crews Classic—is slated for a week later when Alcorn State travels to the Rocket City on Sept. 6.
Shade set the tone for fall preparations, emphasizing the need for intensity from the very first whistle.
“We wanted to come out (to today’s first practice) and start fast,” Shade said. “That sets the tone, and we want a team that will start fast and finish. We are always looking for competition and build competition. The more competition we are going to get, the better we are going to be. I like the competition we were in this morning, even though we were in helmets. In t-shirts and shorts, sometimes you can’t go as hard as you want to go. We’ve got two days of this before we put the pads on. Then I think the competition level will heat up a bit more.”
Veteran leadership will play a key role in the Bulldogs’ 2025 campaign. Quarterback Cornelious Brown IV returns after a solid year under center with 1,666 passing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2024, while linebacker Dimitris Biamby is expected to anchor the defense once again following a strong performance last season, tallying 42 tackles with 18 solo stops.
With the countdown to opening night underway, the Bulldogs are eager to sharpen their edge and build on last season’s foundation—one hot summer morning at a time.
