AD wants NSU to play big-time foe every year

Norfolk State University athletic director Marty Miller

PISCATAWAY, N.J.- Norfolk State trailed just 6-0 to Rutgers at halftime - an effort that had to be considered a moral victory. That made it two wins for the Spartans on Thursday. Athletic director Marty Miller said he considers games against FBS teams a victory for the athletic program as well."They get a chance to see how much work they need to do to reach that level," Miller said. "It motivates them."

The game was NSU's third against a top-level opponent in the past four years. The Spartans have scheduled West Virginia for next season and Miller said he hopes to make a similar opponent an annual ritual. "We're trying to play at least one of these a year," Miller said. "I'm trying to get through 2015."

Norfolk State's bottom line benefits as well. The Spartans were paid $325,000.

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MEAC might ditch automatic playoff bid for bowl, NSU says

Norfolk State University athletic director Marty Miller is quoted in today's Virginia Pilot newspaper, stating, " the proposed bowl wouldn't disqualify all MEAC teams from the playoffs, but because the regular-season champions would be committed to the bowl game, only at-large teams would be able to go."

Norfolk State has never made the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Soon, it might surrender its best chance to make the field. Spartans athletic director Marty Miller confirmed Thursday that the MEAC is discussing a season-ending bowl game that would cost the conference its automatic playoff bid.

The Legacy Bowl would match the regular-season champions from the FCS's two historically black college conferences: the MEAC and the Southwestern Athletic Conference. "I think it'd be a good thing," said Ali Scott, an incoming freshman player from Churchland. "To me, winning a bowl game, that's a game that you never forget."

A news release from South Carolina State's athletic department indicated the game would be held starting in 2011 if the proposal is accepted. That decision, Miller said, will be made by the conference, school presidents and chancellors. Calls to Kim Luckes, the acting president at Norfolk State, and MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas were not returned Thursday. Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian deferred comment to his athletic director and president.

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