Post by aggiejazz on Oct 12, 2007 12:27:55 GMT -5
Battle of the Bay might actually be one
After years of losing, Norfolk State is pushing back in the MEAC.
By Marty O'Brien | mobrien@dailypress.com |
12:56 AM EDT, October 12, 2007
NORFOLK - Don Carey remembers the modest goal that dominated his thinking two years ago during Norfolk State's 35-21 loss at home to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference power South Carolina State.
"I'll be honest, I just wanted to come out of that game healthy," said Carey, a starting cornerback for the Spartans. "We got pushed around a lot that season. We weren't strong enough to hold blocks or keep from getting blocked."
The scene was very different last Saturday, when the Spartans' defense manhandled the Bulldogs late in a 20-13 double-overtime victory. After the Spartans stopped State ball carriers for negative yardage on first and second downs, Carey batted down a pass and cornerback Dustin Johnson broke up another to end the game.
"That was real emotional," Carey said. "Beating South Carolina State is a weight we've wanted to get off of our shoulders.
"I'd say that's our biggest win since I've been here."
It's the biggest win in the 10 years since Norfolk State made the jump from the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the Division I-AA (now FCS) MEAC.
The Spartans entered the 2007 season 5-43 against MEAC favorites Hampton, Delaware State, South Carolina State, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman over the past decade. This season they are 2-0 against that group, having also beaten Bethune-Cookman.
NSU will attempt to improve that stat on Saturday, when it plays host to Hampton (4-1, 3-1 MEAC) in the Battle of the Bay. The Spartans enter the game 4-1 for the first time since moving up to Division I, and are 3-0 in the MEAC for the first time since joining the league.
The architect of the Spartans' rise is third-year coach Pete Adrian. He moved to NSU in January 2005 from Bethune-Cookman, where his defenses were perennially among the MEAC's best during his seven seasons as coordinator.
He inherited an NSU program with only 38 scholarship athletes, less than a handful whom he considered to be I-AA caliber. That group included only one quarterback, six offensive linemen and three defensive linemen.
"A lot were running backs," Adrian said. "Everything was out of whack. There were a lot of California kids and not enough local talent.
"We had to become more athletic and we needed to recruit our own backyard better. So I made it a point to get to every high school in the area. I can't tell you how many area high school coaches told me they hadn't seen a Norfolk State coach in five or 10 years."
Adrian and his staff regularly these days. As a result, NSU's roster includes 37 Hampton Roads players among 69 Virginians.
"People ask me why I don't use the contacts from my time at Bethune-Cookman to get more Florida players," Adrian said. "Do the math. You can recruit about 35 state players for the same tuition money you use to get 20 out-of-state players, and Hampton Roads is filled with talent.
"We're getting I-AA caliber players from the area now.'' And we're making life miserable for schools like James Madison that could get good players from here with partial scholarships."
Hampton Roads players occupy almost half of NSU's starting spots: four on offense and six on defense. The punter, kicker and punt returner are also from the area.
The group includes some of the MEAC's best players: offensive guard Jason Kressen, linebackers Maguell Davis and Marquez Davis and free safety Terrell Whitehead. Rashad Howard averaged 22.4 yards per punt return last season, as the Spartans led I-AA in that category.
As the talent improved, the Spartans became steadily more competitive under Adrian. They went 4-7 in both of his first two seasons, after going 2-19 the two seasons before his arrival. Three MEAC losses in 2006 were by three points or less.
The Spartans' strength and conditioning have also improved under Adrian, who spearheaded the drive to more than double the size of the weight room. The dividends were apparent last Saturday when the Spartans pushed the Bulldogs around.
NSU's goal now is more than just staying healthy.
"Buddy Pough (the Bulldogs' coach), told me he thought we were better conditioned than them," Adrian said. "I thought we were more physical, especially on defense, and we dominated both overtimes.
"It's great that the kids have a significant win to hang their hats on. Now they expect to walk on the field and win. That's key."
Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press
After years of losing, Norfolk State is pushing back in the MEAC.
By Marty O'Brien | mobrien@dailypress.com |
12:56 AM EDT, October 12, 2007
NORFOLK - Don Carey remembers the modest goal that dominated his thinking two years ago during Norfolk State's 35-21 loss at home to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference power South Carolina State.
"I'll be honest, I just wanted to come out of that game healthy," said Carey, a starting cornerback for the Spartans. "We got pushed around a lot that season. We weren't strong enough to hold blocks or keep from getting blocked."
The scene was very different last Saturday, when the Spartans' defense manhandled the Bulldogs late in a 20-13 double-overtime victory. After the Spartans stopped State ball carriers for negative yardage on first and second downs, Carey batted down a pass and cornerback Dustin Johnson broke up another to end the game.
"That was real emotional," Carey said. "Beating South Carolina State is a weight we've wanted to get off of our shoulders.
"I'd say that's our biggest win since I've been here."
It's the biggest win in the 10 years since Norfolk State made the jump from the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the Division I-AA (now FCS) MEAC.
The Spartans entered the 2007 season 5-43 against MEAC favorites Hampton, Delaware State, South Carolina State, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman over the past decade. This season they are 2-0 against that group, having also beaten Bethune-Cookman.
NSU will attempt to improve that stat on Saturday, when it plays host to Hampton (4-1, 3-1 MEAC) in the Battle of the Bay. The Spartans enter the game 4-1 for the first time since moving up to Division I, and are 3-0 in the MEAC for the first time since joining the league.
The architect of the Spartans' rise is third-year coach Pete Adrian. He moved to NSU in January 2005 from Bethune-Cookman, where his defenses were perennially among the MEAC's best during his seven seasons as coordinator.
He inherited an NSU program with only 38 scholarship athletes, less than a handful whom he considered to be I-AA caliber. That group included only one quarterback, six offensive linemen and three defensive linemen.
"A lot were running backs," Adrian said. "Everything was out of whack. There were a lot of California kids and not enough local talent.
"We had to become more athletic and we needed to recruit our own backyard better. So I made it a point to get to every high school in the area. I can't tell you how many area high school coaches told me they hadn't seen a Norfolk State coach in five or 10 years."
Adrian and his staff regularly these days. As a result, NSU's roster includes 37 Hampton Roads players among 69 Virginians.
"People ask me why I don't use the contacts from my time at Bethune-Cookman to get more Florida players," Adrian said. "Do the math. You can recruit about 35 state players for the same tuition money you use to get 20 out-of-state players, and Hampton Roads is filled with talent.
"We're getting I-AA caliber players from the area now.'' And we're making life miserable for schools like James Madison that could get good players from here with partial scholarships."
Hampton Roads players occupy almost half of NSU's starting spots: four on offense and six on defense. The punter, kicker and punt returner are also from the area.
The group includes some of the MEAC's best players: offensive guard Jason Kressen, linebackers Maguell Davis and Marquez Davis and free safety Terrell Whitehead. Rashad Howard averaged 22.4 yards per punt return last season, as the Spartans led I-AA in that category.
As the talent improved, the Spartans became steadily more competitive under Adrian. They went 4-7 in both of his first two seasons, after going 2-19 the two seasons before his arrival. Three MEAC losses in 2006 were by three points or less.
The Spartans' strength and conditioning have also improved under Adrian, who spearheaded the drive to more than double the size of the weight room. The dividends were apparent last Saturday when the Spartans pushed the Bulldogs around.
NSU's goal now is more than just staying healthy.
"Buddy Pough (the Bulldogs' coach), told me he thought we were better conditioned than them," Adrian said. "I thought we were more physical, especially on defense, and we dominated both overtimes.
"It's great that the kids have a significant win to hang their hats on. Now they expect to walk on the field and win. That's key."
Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press
?.... except another football game.....
