NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State (0-2) concludes its three-game road swing against Football Bowl Subdivision teams to begin the year with perhaps its most difficult test yet, a road contest at defending Conference USA champion Marshall (1-1). Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. from Marshall's Joan C. Edwards Stadium. It will be NSU's second-ever trip to the Mountain state as a Division I team, following a 2011 visit to face No. 19 West Virginia, a game the Mountaineers won, 55-12 after trailing 12-10 at halftime.
TELEVISION
American Sports Network (ASN) will broadcast the game Saturday with Ron Thulin handling play-by-play duties, Keith Moreland serving as color analyst and Monica McNutt on the sideline. The game can be seen on MyTVZ in Hampton Roads (Channel 2 and 502 on Cox Cable, 11 and 511 on Verizon Fios, 33 over the air, on DISH Network and DirecTV). For a complete listing of where you can find the game in your area, see the link at the top of this page.
RADIO
WGH Star 1310 AM is in its second season as the flagship network for NSU football and basketball games. Ross Gordon will handle the play-by-play duties, with Terrell Ducre' serving as the color analyst. The game can also be heard online at www.star1310.com.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU fell to 0-2 on the year following a 24-10 setback last Saturday at cross-town foe Old Dominion. The Spartans led 10-7 in the second quarter, but were unable to score on any of three trips inside ODU territory in the second half. The Monarchs rushed for 338 yards, 215 by Ray Lawry, to pull away.
Quarterback Greg Hankerson Jr. rushed for 74 yards and passed for 163 for NSU, which had 266 yards of total offense. Quinta Funderburk notched career highs of six receptions for 92 yards. NSU scored its only points on a 27-yard Cameron Marouf field goal early in the second quarter, and a 32-yard blocked punt return for touchdown by defensive lineman Hadji Gaylord.
Deon King registered a career-high 21 tackles for the NSU defense. Donte' Haynesworth recorded his first career interception, while Leroy Parker (12), Brandon Walker (10) and Lamar Neal (10) also reached double figures in tackles.
SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD
Marshall committed four turnovers and allowed 229 yards on the ground in a 21-10 loss at Ohio University last Saturday, evening the Herd's record at 1-1 on the season. Devon Johnson ran for 170 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, to lead Marshall. Quarterback Michael Birdsong, a James Madison transfer starting his second career game for the Herd, completed 16-of-33 passes for 106 yards and two interceptions.
Leading 14-10 in the fourth quarter, Ohio put together a 15-play, 85-yard drive that ended with A.J. Ouellette's 1-yard scoring run with 2:05 left to play, which all but sealed the final outcome.
THE SERIES
• This will be the first meeting all-time between NSU and Marshall.
• The game marks the end of NSU's three straight FBS games to open the season. The Spartans are 0-9 all-time against FBS teams, including losses to Rutgers and Old Dominion to begin the year.
GAYLORD NAMED MEAC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NSU freshman Hadji Gaylord was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday, the league office announced. Gaylord blocked a punt and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown in NSU's 24-10 loss at Old Dominion on Saturday night, accounting for the Spartans' only touchdown early in the second quarter.
Gaylord had a solid all-round performance. Making his first career start at defensive end, he also finished with five tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry against ODU. Gaylord is the first Spartan to win weekly MEAC honors this season.
STAFF CONNECTION
Norfolk State defensive coordinator Jerry Holmes played with Marshall head coach Doc Holliday at West Virginia in the late 1970s. Those two, along with Marshall offensive coordinator Bill Legg, also coached together at WVU in the mid and late-1990s.
Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
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