Norfolk State rectifies early miscues to win MEAC opener

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Norfolk State stopped shooting itself in the foot long enough to get its season off on the right one. The Spartans overcame a spate of mistakes during a 23-9 win Saturday at Howard in each team's MEAC opener, outscoring the Bison 13-3, and outgaining them 266-96, in the second half.

Norfolk State (2-1) fumbled five times, losing none, turned the ball over on an interception and committed 16 penalties for 142 yards, its second consecutive game with more than 100 yards in demerits.



"They played on our mistakes," said NSU linebacker Corwin Hammond. "They started to play harder when we made mistakes. When we didn't, they just kind of laid down."

That might be a little harsh - the Bison defense hung tough throughout - but as the contest wore on, it became clear Howard couldn't handle NSU without help.



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Howard Bison vs. Norfolk State Spartans

Washington, D.C. - Honors for McGhee: Howard freshman quarterback Greg McGhee was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rookie of the week after passing for 248 yards and three touchdowns to rally the Bison to a 30-27 victory over Morehouse. McGhee was the first Howard quarterback since 2009 to eclipse 200 yards passing in a game.

It has to end sometime: With both teams opening their MEAC slate, Howard has its first chance of the season to end its 27-game losing streak in conference. The Bison have not won a conference game since Oct. 27, 2007, a 17-10 win at Norfolk State. The Spartans have won the three meetings since.

Halfway there: Veteran-laden Norfolk State almost pulled off the biggest upset of the season last weekend in Morgantown, W.Va., where it outgained West Virginia 242-193 in the first half ...



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Norfolk State Spartans at West Virginia Mountaineers

Norfolk State Spartans Coach Pete Adrian

When: Sept. 10, 2011 - 1 p.m. (BIG EAST Network)
Where: Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000), Morgantown, W.Va.

The Game: West Virginia (1-0, No. 19 Associated Press/No. 24 USA Today Coaches Poll)) faces Norfolk State (1-0) in a non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000) at 1 p.m. The game will be televised live on the BIG EAST Network.

This marks the first meeting between the two schools and the two coaches. WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen is 1-0 on the young season, and Spartan head coach Pete Adrian (West Virginia, ‘70) is 35-33 in seven seasons at Norfolk State and 37-37-1 in eight seasons overall as a head coach. Adrian played three seasons at West Virginia and was the freshman football coach in 1969 under then-head coach Jim Carlen.

Game Coverage
Television: BIG EAST Network - (Rob King - play-by-play, John Thornton - analyst) will broadcast the game live. The game will be televised on Root Sports in West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania and on MASN in Baltimore and Washington, D.C.  It will be shown on a delay basis on SNY in New York on Sept. 13 at 7 a.m.

Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network - (Tony Caridi - play-by-play, Dwight Wallace - analyst, Hoppy Kercheval - host, Jed Drenning - sideline) will broadcast the game live.
Satellite Radio Broadcast: The West Virginia - Norfolk State game can be heard live on Sirius Channel 93 with the MSN broadcast.
Live Statistics:  MSNsportsNET.com
Twitter Updates: Twitter.com/WVUSportsScores; Twitter.com/WVUSportsBuzz

Against the FCS ...
Heading into Saturday’s contest against Norfolk State, West Virginia is riding an 11-game winning streak against NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents. The Mountaineers are 11-0 all-time against the division with all games being played at Milan Puskar Stadium. Last season, WVU defeated Coastal Carolina, 31-0, in the 2010 season opener.

Non-Conference Play
West Virginia has a 1-0 record in non-conference action in 2011, defeating Marshall, 34-13, in the season opener. Currently, West Virginia is riding a 17 game non-conference home winning streak. West Virginia’s last non-conference loss at home was a 34-17 defeat to Virginia Tech on Oct. 1, 2005.  On their way to the 17 game non-conference home winning streak, the Mountaineers have defeated Marshall, Eastern Washington and Maryland in 2006, Western Michigan, East Carolina and Mississippi State in 2007,  Villanova, Marshall and Auburn in 2008, Liberty, East Carolina, Colorado and Marshall in 2009, Coastal Carolina, Maryland and UNLV in 2010 and Marshall in 2011.

COMPLETE WVU VS. NSU GAME NOTES
2011 NSU Media Guide

NSU dominates in 6th straight win over Virginia State

Norfolk, VA - No more replays. No more jokes. Safety Ricardo Volcin put an end to all of them late in the first half, breaking on an out route and returning an interception 46 yards for a touchdown and breaking open a 37-3 win for Norfolk State in the Labor Day Classic.

Head coach Pete Adrian estimated NSU dropped five interceptions the previous year. "He replayed it at least 30 times," Volcin said. "Every time I came in, he was making gestures like, 'Oh, I can't catch a ball. Oh, I need stick 'em or something.' "

It was the sixth consecutive win in the Labor Day Classic series for Norfolk State over rival Virginia State, with the Spartans winning by an average of 26 points.

If there were fans who believed, themselves, that the Trojans had a chance before the opening kickoff, Volcin's return convinced them otherwise. The Trojans had been thoroughly outplayed by that point but trailed just 13-0, twice reducing long NSU drives to field goals.




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NSU report: Unsettled Spartans 'a work in progress'

NORFOLK, VA - Norfolk State can't prove how good it will be during its season opener against Virginia State. It may give glimpses of how bad things could get. If the Spartans trounce the Trojans, they'll be doing what's expected, just as they did last year during a 6-5 campaign. Struggles, though, would be a bad omen.

"It's like when we go play a bigger school," NSU head coach Pete Adrian said. "Do you expect to win? Sure. You have more scholarships. But they can still beat you."



Rutgers felt the same way when NSU visited New Jersey for last year's season opener. The Scarlet Knights won 31-0, but more telling was an offensive line that surrendered three sacks against an inferior opponent. Rutgers went on to allow an NCAA-record 61 sacks and finished a disappointing 4-8.

Norfolk State enters this season with major questions on each of its lines, so while the scoreboard might not be worth watching today - NSU has won the past five games against its Division IIrival by an average of 24.4 points - the line of scrimmage should be.

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Norfolk State football preview: Schedule switcheroo

Norfolk, VA - The Norfolk State football team expects a better conference record than it had last season. The MEAC coaches think the Spartans will finish in the upper half of the conference.

Because of the league’s two-team expansion, though, meeting expectations wouldn’t indicate the Spartans made significant strides from last season.

While players head into the season as they always do, with championship hopes and dreams of grandeur, a long-term analysis typically requires a measuring-stick approach. The offseason changes to the MEAC have created a new ruler.



Gone from Norfolk State’s schedule is its annual game against Florida A&M, a contest that, since head coach Pete Adrian’s arrival, has been a game between upper-half programs. In three of the past four years, the game has come down to one score or less.

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Adrian says he's agreed to 2-year extension at NSU

NORFOLK, VA - Norfolk State football coach Pete Adrian said he has agreed to terms on a contract that will keep him coaching the Spartans through the 2013 season.

Adrian, who was heading into the final year of a five-year contract, said Wednesday that he and NSU athletic director Marty Miller have agreed on the structure for a two-year extension. Miller said the contract is in the university's review process.

"I'll be around here for a while longer," Adrian said. "I've agreed to it. President (Tony Atwater) has agreed to it. It's in the works. I can sign it tomorrow, next week. It'll happen whenever it comes back, probably September."

Miller said he did not want to go into details until ...



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NSU: Boyce starting at WR, special teams a strength

Norfolk, VA - When Norfolk State wide receiver Xavier Boyce isn’t sure of his route, or his role, in a certain play he’ll look to his wide receivers coach or offensive coordinator, shrug his shoulders and hold out his hands.

Fortunately for the Spartans, that’s happening less and less often.

“I pretty much have most of it,” Boyce said. “There’s still little kinks that I have to work on. The more I practice, the more I work on it, the more it’s going to come.”



So infrequently, in fact, that NSU bumped Boyce into its most important wide receiver position, the starter at the “X” position, which traditionally leads a Joe Blackwell offense in catches.

“He and Reggie are out there right now,” Adrian said. “I think as it develops you’ll see ...

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Walk-on QB at NSU turns into top wide receiver

NORFOLK, VA - Football practice is repetitive. Watching video of it during meetings is even more so. Watching video by yourself - only minutes after walking off the practice field, knowing you still have those meetings - sounds more like torture than teaching.

It was that routine, though, that turned Norfolk State junior Reggie Garrett from third-string walk-on quarterback to go-to wide receiver in less than a year.

"The other night, I thought I was one of the last ones in the locker room," said quarterback Chris Walley, who routinely throws with receivers after practice. "Then out comes Reggie, watching film."

Understated and quiet, Garrett has a simple explanation for why he huddles in a coach's office to watch film of that day's drills while most of his teammates go to the dining hall.

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NSU starter puts pride aside for two-quarterback attack

(Photo Courtesy Mark W. Sutton)

Norfolk, VA - Norfolk State quarterback Chris Walley has won preseason honors but lost playing time. He completed every pass for the Spartans last year and was named preseason All-MEAC first team heading into 2011. He finished third in the conference in total yardage and helped NSU average 30 points during the final four games.

Now he has been demoted into a timeshare with Nico Flores, a potentially touchy situation Walley insists won't be an issue. "As long as we're winning," said Walley, who probably will get most of the playing time. "All those other things, passing yards and All-MEAC, I'll trade them all, as long as we're winning."

It marks the second straight year NSU will have quarterback questions entering the season. Instead of who, NSU's issues center on how. "The one thing we want is to be unpredictable," coach Pete Adrian said.

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Norfolk State 2011 preview

Norfolk, VA - Head coach Pete Adrian begins his 7th season leading the green and gold. He has 14 starters returning from a team that was 6 and 5 overall and 4 and 4 last season in the MEAC. The biggest concern for the Spartans is depth along the offensive line.

Starting quarterback Chris Walley returns for his senior season. Last year Wally threw for 10 touchdowns and was picked off eight times.

Norfolk State 2011 preview : wavy.com

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Analysis: Five keys to NSU football's preseason

(Photo Courtesy Mark W. Sutton)

1. Develop the offensive line With only one returning starter and one other proven option, the Spartans offensive front could be anywhere from average to atrocious. Tackle Kendall Noble is excellent, and center Michael Kay did well as NSU's utility lineman last year, but one starter is inexperienced, another moved from defense this week and the final spot is up for grabs.

2. Find big-play corners Despite seemingly solid players all over the
defensive side, NSU finished last in the MEAC in interceptions in 2010. Coach Pete Adrian's teams traditionally have won the turnover battle and the defensive backs have been the stars, but last year was an exception. They'll have to find a way to do better while breaking in two new cornerbacks, though the inexperience isn't as glaring as it is on the offensive line.

3. Determine the RB rotation No individual is going to eat up DeAngelo Branche's 25 carries per game. The Spartans must figure out ...

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NSU-BCU Football Game Moved to Thursday, Oct. 20 for ESPNU

Norfolk, VA - Norfolk State's home football game against Bethune-Cookman has been moved up two days to Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. to accommodate a live ESPNU broadcast. The game was originally slated for Saturday, Oct. 22.

The teams have split their last four meetings in the series, with B-CU winning 21-7 last season en route to a share of the MEAC regular-season football title. The Spartans have won the last two meetings at Dick Price Stadium.

This will be NSU's first home Thursday night game since an Oct. 6, 2005 matchup against South Carolina State.

“We are very excited about having the opportunity to play on national television this year,” NSU Athletics Director Marty L. Miller said. “This televised game will showcase the outstanding student-athletes who are major contributors to the success of the athletic programs as well as the great facilities that we have at Norfolk State University.”



By Matt Michalec, Sports Information Director
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NSU quarterback makes preseason first team

NORFOLK, VA - In just one offseason, Norfolk State quarterback Chris Walley has gone from criticized to recognized. The NSU senior is 1 of 3 Spartans on the preseason All-MEAC first team, joining offensive tackle Kendall Noble and defensive tackle Josh Turner. Linebacker Corwin Hammond was named to the second team. The teams were announced at the MEAC's preseason luncheon Friday.

It's the first time an NSU quarterback has earned the preseason recognition. Heading into last year, the Spartans' quarterback competition was the focus of training-camp conversation - and Walley's start was poor.

While learning a new offense and rotating through an uninspiring selection of wide receivers, the Spartans spent much of the season near the bottom of the MEAC in passing. Walley, a junior college transfer, passed for fewer than 55 yards in consecutive weeks during the middle of the season.

He rebounded, though, averaging more than 240 yards in his final three games ...

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Norfolk State University welcomes new president

NORFOLK, Va. - On July 1, Norfolk State University (NSU) welcomed its fifth president, Dr. Tony Atwater. Atwater says he wants to expand and strengthen programs at the university, but says his main focus is the students.

"We're about achieving dreams and helping students to achieve success beyond measure," said Atwater. One of those dreams is expanding graduate and professional programs at the university. Atwater continued, "At the forefront of my vision for Norfolk State University is serving the student and the faculty and helping the institution develop to go to the next level. Academic success and academic strength."

Atwater is very familiar with leading a campus community having most recently served as...



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Former Hampton U. star Francena McCorory close second to Allyson Felix in 400M at U.S. Track Championships

Allyson Felix won her first U.S. title in the 400, topping former Hampton University's Francena McCorory with a time of 50.40 to 50.49.  Debbie Dunn, Norfolk State University alum finished third for a ticket to the IAAF World Championships Aug. 27-Sept. 4 in Daegu, South Korea.  Dunn posted a time of 50.70.



Allyson Felix extends self, wins U.S. title at 400

Eugene, Ore. -- Allyson Felix powered down the home stretch to capture the women's 400 meters at the U.S. championships Saturday, setting up the possibility she might compete in two events at the world championships this summer.

Felix already has a spot in the 200 as the defending world champion. She has yet to decide whether she will attempt the 200-400 double at the worlds in Daegu, South Korea, in late August.

Going double the distance she normally runs, Felix got stronger as the race went along Saturday and held off Francena McCorory at the finish, winning in 50.40 seconds to become the first woman to win national titles in the 100, 200 and 400 over a career. Debbie Dunn (Norfolk State) was third.

The 200-400 double would not be easy to pull off in South Korea, given all the rounds and the lack of recovery time between them. That's why the decision will be a difficult one for Felix and her coach, Bobby Kersee.

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NSU sprinter Sean Holston is making up for lost time

NORFOLK, VA - One man's workout over, the other's about to begin, LaShawn Merritt and Sean Holston briefly stood side by side on the Norfolk State track Friday, representing the physical extremes of 400-meter runners.

"A monster," the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Merritt said, laughing and pointing to himself. The 2008 Olympic gold medalist from Portsmouth then considered Holston, a head shorter at 5-7 and at 145 pounds. "He's got a monster heart," Merritt said. "That's all you need."

Holston's got something. Persistence. Belief. Patience. He once was labeled as the next Merritt after posting some of the fastest indoor times in prep history as a senior at Lee High School in Springfield.

After two years away from the sport, he had to settle for being the old Sean Holston. He didn't chase down his former self until this season, when he set a personal best in the 400 while running for NSU, finally surpassing what he did as the talk of the high school scene in 2007.


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WVU to take on Norfolk State in second game of 2011 season

Morgantown, WV -- When West Virginia takes on Norfolk State on Sept. 10 in Milan Puskar Stadium, it will likely be the Mountaineers' least important game of the season. It could be Norfolk State's biggest game, though. The Spartans have one game against a higher-division foe, and that's West Virginia.

The Mountaineers won't start with a lower-division opponent for the first time since the 2007 season, when they faced Western Michigan (The Mountaineers haven't faced a team from an automatic qualifier conference since 2005, when they faced Syracuse).

The biggest question isn't whether WVU will overlook Norfolk State when the two teams get together. The question will be, however, if the Mountaineers do overlook the Spartans, will it matter?

Norfolk State went 6-5 last year ...


Videographer: nsuathletics; Big East 2010 Game: NSU at. Rutgers Highlights.

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NCAA Academic Metric Hits HBCUs

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has banned a record eight teams from postseason play because of their athletes’ poor academic performance -- the most since the academic penalty system was first used two years ago. But, in a sign of the widening gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” in college sport, four of those punished teams are from historically black colleges and universities, and a fifth is from an institution designated by the federal government as predominantly black.

Tuesday, the NCAA released its annual set of Academic Progress Rates -- scores for each Division I sports team based on the academic eligibility and retention of each scholarship athlete. Teams scoring below certain APR thresholds can face penalties ranging from scholarship losses and practice time reductions to postseason bans and, ultimately, suspension of their institution’s NCAA membership. The longer a team scores below a certain threshold, the more severe its penalty. Each teams is judged on the four-year average of its APR. The latest scores are from the 2006-7, 2007-8, 2008-9 and 2009-10 academic years. (A searchable database is available showing complete APR scores and penalties per institution and team.) This year, of the 6,400 teams in Division I, 103 teams from 67 institutions were punished. Sixty teams lost scholarships, 16 received public warnings, 19 lost practice time and 8 have postseason bans.

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Bethune-Cookman wins 2011 MEAC baseball crown

B-CU earns 2nd 6-peat in 13 years

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- As he has done for the last two seasons, Bethune-Cookman catcher Peter O'Brien helped lead the Wildcats to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. O'Brien went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs Saturday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, as beat B-CU beat Norfolk State 9-3 to claim a school record-tying sixth straight MEAC championship.

However, if the 'Cats are to make it seven straight next year, they'll probably have to do it without their star catcher. "It could be the last one for me, so it's a big moment," said O'Brien, a junior expected to be selected in the first or second round of next month's Major League Baseball Draft.

"But this is only a small step in what we want to do this year. We want to go get in a regional, win a regional, (win a) super regional and get to (the College World Series in) Omaha. That's the goal for this year."

Bethune-Cookman wins 2011 MEAC baseball crown

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University won the 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Championship title with a 9-3 victory over the Norfolk State Spartans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Saturday afternoon.

The championship crown was the sixth consecutive and 13th overall for the Wildcats. Bethune-Cookman extended it win streak to 46 against conference opponents including tournament play. John Rasberry got the Spartans on the board first with a solo home run in the top of the first. Matt Wright and Alejandro Sanchez countered for the Wildcats to take the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the frame.

NSU falls to Bethune-Cookman

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Peter O'Brien went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs to lead Bethune-Cookman to its sixth straight MEAC baseball championship with a 9-3 victory over Norfolk State on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Park.

O'Brien earned MEAC tournament Most Outstanding Performer honors, helping the Wildcats (35-22) secure the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division I tournament next month. John Rasberry went 2 for 5 with a double and a solo homer for NSU (24-29).



Videographer: nsuathletics; NSU Senior Day

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