Aqeel Glass
Quarterback / Alabama A&M
Alex Khvatov: What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?
Aqeel Glass: I am 6’4, 227 and I don’t know my 40 time.
Alex Khvatov: How are you currently preparing for the 2020 season with no offseason training?
Aqeel Glass: Every day, I run two miles. I lift on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I get on the field on Tuesday and Thursday. My little brother plays TE in high school. He catches a few passes from me.
Alex Khvatov: Besides football, what other sports did you play in high school?
Aqeel Glass: I played basketball all of my life. I played SF and PF.
Alex Khvatov: Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in you?
Aqeel Glass: I wasn’t a top tier recruit. I had interest from the bigger schools. FIU was my first offer. I committed to them during the summer after my junior season. The third game of my senior year, their head coach got fired. They got a new coach. I wanted an opportunity to play right away. Missouri State and Alabama A&M offered me. Missouri State had an established starter.
Alex Khvatov: Why did you choose Alabama A&M?
Aqeel Glass: I enjoyed the environment at Alabama A&M. There was a connection with the coaching staff. I knew that I could get on the field as a soon as possible. Their senior QB was moving on. My dad actually graduated from there. Coming from St. Louis, Missouri, I knew the state and the school a little bit. It was not a drastic change. It is a little bit of a slower pace.
Alex Khvatov: Tell us about your career.
Aqeel Glass: Coming in as a freshman, the coaching staff were worried about getting fired. They haven’t had a good run. They had three straight years where they finished with a 4-7 record. I was set to come in and be the savior. My freshman year was up and down. I split time with a senior QB. They wanted me to do that. We would alternate possessions. It was a rocky start at first. I had to get comfortable with the college game. After the season, the new coaching staff came in. Coach Maynor came in the spring. I liked the new coaching staff as people and coaches. During my sophomore year, I grew tremendously. But I knew that it wasn’t the final stage of my growth. I had 20 TD’s and 9 INT’s. I kept working and watching film in order to get a better grasp of an offense. During my junior year, I took another step forward. I threw for 32 TD’s and 11 INT’s. Overall, the coaching staff changed the program. We changed the attitude as a whole. We went 4-7 my freshman year, 6-5 my sophomore year and 7-5 during my junior year.
Alex Khvatov: What are your individual goals for your senior year?
Aqeel Glass: I want to help my team win. It is the most important thing. I want to improve on my numbers. I want to throw for over 4,000 yards, 40+TD’s and win a championship.
Alex Khvatov: What can we expect from Alabama A&M this season?
Aqeel Glass: You can expect a more well-rounded team. The offense had to carry a lot of games last year. We got a new defensive coordinator last year, and the defensive guys should be more comfortable this year in that scheme. We have key returners on defense, and everyone is coming back on offense. We have a couple of new freshmen OL coming in that should be able to help. It is championship or bust. We are battle tested. We have an experienced team coming back.
Alex Khvatov: What are your strengths?
Aqeel Glass: My mind. I am not the fastest or the strongest player. My football IQ stands out. I watch a lot of film. I know where everyone needs to be. I know what the defense is trying to do. My leadership ability. I am the first one in the building and the last out. I lead by example.
Alex Khvatov: When did you start playing QB?
Aqeel Glass: I played TE and LB at first. I started playing QB when I was seven or eight years old. I liked Michael Vick. I started half of the year my sophomore year of high school. I transferred to a new school my junior year of high school, and it put me on the map.
Alex Khvatov: What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?
Aqeel Glass: Sometimes, I can get sloppy with my footwork in the pocket. I rush the throw. I need to work on better timing. I wait too long for the receiver to get open.
Alex Khvatov: What is the highlight of your career up to this point?
Aqeel Glass: The growth that we had as a team. I want to leave the school better than when I first came in here.
Alex Khvatov: I noticed on film that you are very calm and collected in pressure situations. Talk about it.
Aqeel Glass: I put in the hard work in the offseason. I realize that one play can turn the game around. I am always doing my job on every play. I am executing it one play at a time. I don’t get too high or too low. I am very even keel.
Alex Khvatov: What is the biggest thing that you have taken away from your coaching staff?
Aqeel Glass: Just the importance of being prepared. During my freshman year, I didn’t watch film on the opponents. Then I realized that I need to put in the preparation and watch film. Coach Maynor was one of the best QB’s that ever played. He taught me to always be confident and be prepared.
Alex Khvatov: How would you describe your teammate WR Zabrian Moore? You had a special connection with him during the 2019 season.
Aqeel Glass: Zab is a great player. He is a quiet guy. He does his job. He is a hard worker. He is an amazing WR. He has great hands and enough speed to get past you. He is a good route runner and a leader. It is a blessing having him. Our whole receiving core is the best in the SWAC.
Alex Khvatov: What is your favorite NFL team?
Aqeel Glass: Right now, I don’t have one. I liked the Chargers and then the Jets because I was a big fan of LaDainian Tomlinson.
Alex Khvatov: Who is your favorite NFL player?
Aqeel Glass: Deshaun Watson or Dwayne Haskins. I have been following Deshaun since his freshman year at Clemson. I admire his work ethic and mindset. I have been following Haskins since high school to his Ohio State days. We are very similar. We are not the fastest guys, but we are cerebral players. We get the ball into our playmakers’ hands.
Alex Khvatov: Before the ball is snapped, what are the tendencies that you are looking for from the defense?
Aqeel Glass: I look for the safeties and where they are lined up. Then I go to the front and see where they will bring the blitz. I look at the corners. I change protections. Pre-snap, I have an idea how it might all play out. I am a gym rat. My QB coach has helped me a lot with how to go through progressions, and we work on it through different drills.
Alex Khvatov: What players on your team should we keep an eye on for this upcoming season?
Aqeel Glass: WR Zabrian Moore and the Holloway twins on defense. On defense, we also have Marcus Cushine and LB Quantravis Kelly. Kelly doesn’t get much recognition, but he has a nose for the ball and loves to hit. Our whole receiving core because we had a few guys that didn’t get a chance to shine. #6 WR Odieu Hilaire was a freshman from Florida who had a few flashes. He should be a great player for us. #80 Cameron Young has great speed. He is from Mobile. WR Brian Jenkins is a very fiery guy. He can score any time he touches the ball.
Alex Khvatov: Who is the best player that you have faced on an opposing team?
Aqeel Glass: My freshman year, we played Vanderbilt. They had LB Zach Cunningham who was all over the field. He is with the Texans now. He played LB, DE and dropped into coverage. S from South Alabama Jeremy Reaves was always making plays. This was my freshman year.
Alex Khvatov: What do you enjoy most about football?
Aqeel Glass: Just the thing that it teaches you is to bond with others. You get to know people from different parts of the world. You have one common goal. Hard work pays off.
Alex Khvatov: What is your definition of a leader?
Aqeel Glass: Somebody guys gravitate to, respect, and listen to. Leadership is about trust. When guys understand that you have the team’s best interest in mind, they will trust you.
Alex Khvatov: What are your hobbies?
Aqeel Glass: I like to relax. I like to watch anime. I play a little 2K or madden. I like sewing. It has become a hobby of mine. I was sewing my old jeans to make them fit more. I had made some pants and a jacket.
Alex Khvatov: What makes you unique?
Aqeel Glass: I am a well-rounded guy. I am interested in a lot of things. I always want to learn more. I am a very humble guy. I am not big-headed. I am like a normal student.
Alex Khvatov: What do you want to do with your life after your football career is over?
Aqeel Glass: My major is in civil engineering. I had an internship lined up in the summer, but I won’t be doing it because of the whole pandemic. I want to start off with the bigger firms and learn the ropes. Then I want to open my own civil engineering firm. I am set to graduate in December.
Alex Khvatov: What five words best describe you?
Aqeel Glass: Humble, diligent, hard-working, focused, and compassionate.
