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WINSTON-SALEM -- Connell Maynor's football career has come full circle. The former quarterback, who earned All-CIAA honors as a player at Winston-Salem State before moving on to N.C. A&T, was named the Rams' head football coach Tuesday.

Maynor replaces Kermit Blount, who stepped down in November after 17 seasons. He takes over a program that is returning to Division II and the CIAA after financial problems derailed the school's bid to move to Division I.

Maynor was the starting quarterback for Winston-Salem State's 1987 CIAA championship football team under coach Bill Hayes and was named to the All-CIAA team as a freshman. After following Hayes to A&T, Maynor was named first-team All-MEAC in 1990 and 1991. He also was named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1990 and '91 and led the Aggies to the '91 conference title.

Hayes, Maynor's mentor at Winston-Salem State and at A&T, was named the Rams' athletics director this fall.

"I am delighted to welcome Connell and his family back to the WSSU family," Hayes said Tuesday, "and I am confident that he will continue to build on the foundation of success that he has demonstrated both as a player and a coach over the course of his 20-year career. I am certain he is the person who will help to lead us back to the greatness of our past here at WSSU as he builds the successes of our future."

Maynor spent the last 10 seasons as a member of the Fayetteville State football staff, most recently as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. His offenses helped take the Broncos to four CIAA title game appearances and three championships (2002, '03 and '09).

In addition to coaching at the college level, Maynor served as offensive coordinator for the Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul from 2006-2008 and helped guide the Soul to the 2008 Arena Bowl title.

As a player, Maynor spent 12 seasons in the AFL. He was a four-time champion with Tampa Bay (1993-94) and Orlando ('98 and 2000) and was named Arena Bowl MVP in 2000.

A 1995 graduate of A&T with a bachelor's degree in recreation administration, Maynor is enrolled at UNC-Pembroke where he is pursuing a master's in physical education with an anticipated graduation date in 2012.