AGGIE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF
GEORGE SMALL
Head Football Coach
Second Season
N.C. A&T, 1979
On January 12, 2003, George M. Small became the 13th head football coach in the storied history of N.C. A&T Aggie Football. Small will be responsible for leading the Aggies into a new era of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference dominance.
He
set a lofty goal
of winning early
in the first
spring practice
in April, and
ultimately
achieved the
goal just seven
months later,
when he led the
Aggies to a
38-28 victory
over Hampton
University on
November 15,
2003, which
secured the
school's sixth
MEAC
championship.
N.C. A&T
finished 10-3
(6-1 MEAC), only
the second time
in 80 seasons of
football that
the team posted
double digit
victories. Small
earned several individual
honors
as he was named
Coach of
the Year by the
MEAC, the Pigkin
Club
(Washington,
DC), and the 100
% Wrong Club of
Atlanta, GA.
A finalist for
the Eddie
Robinson Award,
given to the
I-AA Coach of
the Year by the
Sports
Network,
Small led one of
the nation's
most improved
teams after a 4-8
record in 2002.
Small
has over 20
years of
coaching
experience as a defensive line
coach, defensive
coordinator and
head coach. He
brings
intensity,
energy and a
keen
understanding of
football from
all aspects. He
knows what it
takes to get
players to
perform.
Small
grew up in
Raeford, NC, a
small town in
the southeast
portion of the
state, where he
excelled as an
athlete at Hoke
County High
School. After
high school he
resumed his
athletic career
at N.C. A&T
State
University,
where he played
on the gridiron
as a middle
linebacker,
offensive and
defensive
lineman. Small
played four
years of
football for the
Aggies, earning
All-MEAC honors
while serving as
the team captain
during his
senior season.
Following the
season, Small
was honored as a
Pittsburgh (PA)
Courier
All-American,
and was selected
to the North
Carolina
All-State team.
Small
earned his
bachelor’s
degree in
recreation
administration
in the spring of
1979 and served
in the Army ROTC
Program at the
University. He
used his
military
experience to
perform basic
training
exercises at
Fort Bragg, NC. An outstanding student, he was name as a National Dean’s
List Honoree,
and as Who’s
Who Among
Outstanding
Names and Faces.
Following
his scholastic
career, Small
enjoyed six
seasons in the
National
Football League,
which included
stints with the
New York Giants,
Denver Broncos,
Green Bay
Packers, and
Pittsburgh
Steelers. He
also played for
the Calgary
Stampeders in
Calgary,
Alberta, in
which he set a
single game
record with six
sacks against
the British
Columbia Lions.
Small
continued his
academic
pursuits,
earning a
Masters of
Science Degree
in Sports
Administration
from the United
States Sports
Academy in 1990.
He was then bit
by the coaching
bug and joined
several
collegiate
coaching staffs
as an assistant,
serving as a
defensive line
coach and
coordinator.
Small’s
coaching stints
include stops at
Langston
(defensive
coordinator,
1988-89),
Savannah State
(Defensive
Coordinator
1990-91),
University of
Tulsa (Defensive
Line, 1992),
Florida A&M
(Defensive
Coordinator,
1993), and
Grambling State
(Defensive
Coordinator,
1994).
Ironically,
Small’s
contacts would
eventually lead
him to his first
head coaching
position.
In
1995, Small was
given the
opportunity to
guide his first
program as a
head coach at
NCAA Division II
Kentucky State.
He took over a
team that had
not had a
winning season
in 20 years and
made them a
title contender
with a strong
defense. Small
had an immediate
impact, when in
his first
season, KSU won
the inaugural
Pioneer Bowl,
the annual clash
between the
Central
Intercollegiate
Athletic
Association (CIAA)
and the Southern
Intercollegiate
Athletic
Conference (SIAC)
champions with a
30-26 victory
over Livingstone.
In typical Small
fashion, the
Thorobreds won
the game on a
defensive goal
line stand as
the buzzer
sounded. KSU
finished 7-5
that season and
led the NCAA in
total defense.
Small was named
SIAC Coach of
the Year.
In
1997, Small was
honored by the
SIAC and the
100% Wrong Club
as Coach of the
Year. At KSU,
Small produced
four players
that were
drafted into the
NFL, and several
others joined
various
professional
football
leagues. Small
completed his
career at KSU
with a 34-35
record in six
seasons as head
coach.
In
2001, he left
Kentucky State
to become an
assistant at
Division I-AA
power Youngstown
State, where he
coached the
defensive line.
The Penguins
finished 7-4 on
the season,
while defensive
tackle Guy
Mazard was named
to the Gateway
Football
Conference
Second Team.
Following
the season,
Small joined the
staff at
Hampton, where
he coached All-MEAC
selection Issac
Hilton, a
seventh round
selection in the
2003 NFL Draft.
This
season Small has
surrounded
himself with a
group of
experienced and
savvy coaches.
Small hopes the
addition of his
new staff and
recruiting
efforts will
breathe new life
into the N.C.
A&T program
and propel them
back to
championship
status in the
2004 squad.
Small is a
member of the
American
Football
Association (AFCA),
Association
of Black
Collegiate
Football Coaches
(ABCFC),
National
Football League
Alunni
Association (NFLAA),
and Fellowship
of Christian
Athletes (FCA).
Small is the only player in the MEAC to earn a conference championship ring as a player and a head coach. He was inducted into the Aggie Sports Hall of Fame, ironically, the same day he won the MEAC Championship.
Alonzo Lee
Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator / Linebacker Coach
Second Season
Eastern Illinois, 1981
Alonzo Lee is entering his second season as the Defensive Coordinator of the Aggies. N.C. A&T finished as the league's number one defense, and ranked first or second in nine defensive categories, including total defense, rushing defense, sacks, and opponent third down conversion percentage. In addition to his linebacker duties, Lee coaches the linebackers. Redshirt freshman Herbert Dixon was selected second team All-MEAC last season under Lee's leadership.
Lee has a reputation as an outstanding coach and as a man of exceptional leadership capability. He spent the last six seasons at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival Hampton University, where under his tutelage, the Pirates ranked as one of the top defensive teams in the country. In 1998, Lee was honored as the National Assistant Coach of the Year for NCAA Division I-AA Football. In 2001, He was honored by the All-America Football Foundation as an Outstanding Assistant Coach.
Lee brings a wealth of coaching experience to N.C. A&T. Following his scholastic career at Eastern Illinois University, he joined the coaching staff at his alma mater, where he coached linebackers for two seasons. He left Eastern Illinois to serve as an assistant at Howard, where he served for five seasons as a Defensive Coordinator. Lee joined Florida A&M's coaching staff where he held numerous positions, including Assistant Coach, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.
Lee's football background began as a linebacker at Dunbar Senior High School in Washington, DC. In 1977, Lee joined current Hampton University Head Coach Joe Taylor at Eastern Illinois University, where he participated in two NCAA I-AA National Championships, winning one in 1978. Lee was a three-year captain, and led the team in tackles his senior season, as he was selected All-American.
Lee and his wife Severia have four sons; Alonzo Jr., Vernon, Joshua, and Jamil.
Daryl McNeill
Associate Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks
Second Season
S.C. State, 1982
Daryl McNeill enters his second season as the Associate Head Coach with the Aggies. McNeill led a resurgence of the Aggie offense, as total offense improved by a 50-yard average from the 2002 season. Aggie quarterbacks finished the season with a 112.70 rating, the best since 2000.
He joined the N.C. A&T coaching staff after eight seasons (two tenures) as an assistant at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival South Carolina State University, including the last four as offensive coordinator.
McNeill has has successful stints as a head coach, having coached at Savannah State University (1997-'98) and NCAA Division II Johnson C. Smith University (1995-96). Following the 1996 season, McNeill was honored with the Black College Sports Co-Coach of the Year Award.
Prior to his head coaching tenure, McNeill served as an offensive coordinator while at Tennesee State University (1993-95) and also at Savannah State (1988-89). McNeill also served as an assistant varsity coach and junior varsity head coach at Jonesboro High School (1986-87).
McNeil is a 1982 graduate of S.C. State, where he lettered in football for two seasons. He holds a B.S. degree as well as a Master's of Business education from the University. A native of Seneca, S.C., McNeill and his wife, Savonne have two children, Tiffany and Daryl, Jr.
Don Houser
Director of Football Operations / Defensive Line
Second Season
Houston, 2000
Don Houser enters his second season as coach of the Aggie defensive line. The young group had an outstanding season in 2003, led by Second Team All-MEAC Rickie Lewis, who registered a team best 7.5 sacks. The defensive line also plugged holes against the run, as they allowed a league best 118.8 yards per game.
Houser came from NCAA I-AA power Youngstown State where he coached linebackers for the past two seasons. He has coached at the high school, military service level, and collegiate lever for the past 12 seasons and has served in the United States Marine Corps.
A native of Austintown, OH, Houser graduated from Austintown Fitch High School in 1989, where upon graduation he recived appointments to the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Houser beagn the first of his two coaching stints at Austintown Fitch in 1991, where he coached tight ends and inside linebackers. The second stint came in 1996, as he coached the centers and outside linebackers.
From 1993-95, Houser served our country in the Marine Corps at Presidio of Monterey, California, where he earned a diploma and linguistic certification in Modern Standard Arabic from the Defensive Language Institute. He served as the Assistant Head Football Coach, coordinating offense and defense for one season.
In 1997, Houser was named Head Coach of Southington-Chalker High School in Southington, OH. He also served as the school's offensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.
Houser earned his bachelor's degree in History/Political Science from the University of Houston in 2000, and served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Cougars. He became a graduate assistant coach at NCAA Division III Clarion (PA) College following graduation, where he coached the offensive line and tight ends coach.
Houser has one daughter, Katelyn.
David Patterson
Running Backs
Second Season
David Patterson begins his second season with the Aggies. Three running backs combined for over 1,600 and 15 touchdowns as Aggie rushers averaged 3.1 yards per carry in 2003.
Patterson joined the staff of current Aggie head coach George Small at Kentucky State University in 1996, where he spent seven seasons. The Thorobreds led the Southern Intercolligiate Athletic Conference in rushing in four of those seven seasons. Individually, one of his players, Alvon Brown, broke the NCAA Division II single game rushing mark with 405 yards against Kentucky Wesleyan in 2000.
Patterson played football abroad in Wiesbaden, Germany, from 1976-1982, before returning to the United States. He worked with the Bergen County Juvenile Center in Paramus, New Jersey, teaching football fundamentals and techniques to troubled inner-city youth in New Jersey and New York.
Patterson turned in a successful scholastic career at Hoke County High School in Raeford, NC. He earned All-State honors in track and football for two seasons. He moved on to earn his degree at Kentucky State University.
Patterson resides in Greensboro with his wife, Esther. The couple has produced eight children and seven grandchildren.
Chennis Berry, Jr.
Offensive Line
Second Season
Savannah State, 1995
Chennis Berry, Jr. begins his second season with the Aggies. He had a major impact in the Aggies' success on offense in 2003, as two linemen, Kareem Sanders and Junius Costin were named Second Team All-MEAC. The line allowed the fewest sacks in the league, 19, and allowed the Aggies to control the clock for a league best 34:29.
Berry, an All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic First Team Offensive Lineman in 1994, earned his first coaching stint as he headed the offensive line at his alma mater, Savannah State University in 1995. He then moved on to Morris Brown College in 1996.
He joined the staff of fellow Aggie head coach George Small at Kentucky State University in 1997. Under Berry's leadership, Kentucky State led the SIAC in rushing for two seasons, and running back Alvon Brown broke the NCAA Division II single game rushing mark with 405 yards against Kentucky Wesleyan in 2000. The offensive line also was a key factor in KSU winning the inaugural Pioneer Bowl in 1997.
Berry left Kentucky State to become Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach at SIAC rival Fort Valley State in 2001. In that season, he coached SIAC Lineman of the Year and Sheridan Broadcasting Network First Team All-American Phillip Shiflet. In 2002, Berry anchored a line that blocked for Black College leading rusher and SBN First Team All-American Duron Casson. Both teams were selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. He currently has a streak of heading offensive lines that have blocked for six straight seasons of 1,000-yard rushers.
In addition to his on field accomplishments, Berry participated in the National Football League Minority Fellowship in 2002, where he coached the offensive line for three weeks.
Berry is a 1996 graduate of Savannah State University, earning a B.S. Degree in Business Management. He also holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Kentucky State University and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Daren Hart
Defensive Backs
Fifth Season
East Carolina, 1996
Daren Hart begins his fifth season with the Aggie coaching staff. This is his second stint with the defensive backs after spending 2002 with the inside linebackerson a defense that led the nation in turnovers in Division I-AA. Last season Hart's defensive backs had another stellar season leading the MEAC in interceptions for the 3rd straight season. Safety Eddie Ravenell, who led the team in tackles, was selected First-Team All-MEAC, the third straight season a defensive back as been selected to the First Team. The defense had a passing efficiency rating of 95.10, which led the MEAC and ranked