THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 21, 1995 TAG: 9502210395
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
When Darnell Moore hit the road recruiting, he was looking for offensive line help, defensive line help and backfield help, on both sides of the ball.
But most importantly, Moore was looking for immediate help, and it was that priority that drove his first recruiting efforts as Norfolk State's head coach.
``The thing we were trying to do was fill immediate needs,'' Moore said. ``I committed to finding people who could come in and help us right away. I couldn't spend my time concerned about people who couldn't.''
That goes a long way towards explaining why Moore's first recruiting class included more players from Syracuse, N.Y., (4) than from South Hampton Roads (3).
The Spartans were not going to sign locals just for the sake of doing so, Moore said. ``How many people did U.Va. sign out of this area and how many did Virginia Tech sign out of this area?'' Moore said. ``If my accounting is right I think together they signed zero.
``What that is telling you is that the talent level is down this year, as is the number of people who are (academically) qualified.''
Norfolk State signed 23 players, 17 of whom have qualified. At least three more are expected to qualify.
``What we wanted to do is recruit people who have good grades, who are going to be here four or five years, and I've been able to do that pretty much,'' he said. ``You've got to get kids who can play but you've got to get kids who can do college work.''
The 23-player haul consisted of 20 freshman and three junior college transfers. Heading the local list were a pair of players from Division 5 state runner-up Deep Creek, running back Cedric Williams and lineman Marquis Hicks.
Williams, 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, rushed for 469 yards on 85 carries during the regular season, and also caught eight passes for 169 yards. He was a second-team all-Southeastern District pick.
Running back is a pressing need for the Spartans. Moore said he may sign another back before finishing his recruiting.
Hicks, 6-2 and 255 pounds, was a second-team all-city pick who played both ways for the Hornets. He's expected to play on the offensive line for Norfolk State.
``He's going to grow some and help us on the offensive line,'' Moore said.
The third local signee was Norcom's Maceo Thomas, a linebacker who was a second-team all-city pick. Moore said Thomas could help a defense that was undersized last year.
``He's s a legitimate 6-3, 220 pounds, and he's not going to get any shorter,'' Moore said.
Other players from the region who signed are Raynard Holloway, a 300-pound offensive lineman from Southampton, and a pair of speedy players from Ferguson High in Newport News, defensive back Rayfield Walls and linebacker Ricky Williams.
Improving team speed - especially in the secondary - was one of Moore's main goals, and a couple of defensive backs from Syracuse should help, he said.
Perhaps the top athlete in the entire class is 6-3, 190-pound Lonnie White, who was a Class B, third-team all-state selection at Syracuse's Corcoran High.
``He turned down Ole Miss, Mississippi State and East Carolina,'' Moore said.
Torrance Jackson, a 6-1, 170-pound defensive back from Syracuse, was an all-conference pick at Nottingham High, on both sides of the ball. He was also recruited by East Carolina and Syracuse.
Moore signed two other Syracuse players, defensive lineman Antowyne Shaw and kicker/punter Nate Plattler. Moore said he has a friend in the area who told him about the players.
``I went after about eight kids up there,'' he said. ``I went in December and made home visits. A lot of kids in that area don't know about black colleges. When they visited the school, they were sold.''
The defensive line may be the area in which Norfolk State needs the most immediate help, and Moore thinks he's plugged at least one hole with the signing of 6-5, 275-pound Eric Musgrove, a transfer from Illinois Valley Community College.
``He's an ex-Marine, so he's going to give us some toughness,'' Moore said. ``He's a big, strong kid, who bench presses 475 or 480 pounds.''
Matthew Green, a 6-3, 320-pound lineman from Durham, N.C., will also add size to the defensive front.
On the offensive side, the pass-happy Spartans picked up two wide receivers, as well as a quarterback, 6-3, 185-pound Maurice Selby from Baltimore.
``Temple was interested in him,'' Moore said. ``He's a kid who we'll probably redshirt depending on how things go. We shouldn't need him next year, and he can come in and watch Aaron (Sparrow) for a year.''
The Spartans went after a few local players who got away - Green Run's Glenwood Ferebee, Norcom's Rudy Howard and Booker T. Washington's Michael Basnight among them - but Moore says he's pleased with what he got, and could sign four of five more.
``It would be great to have 35 locals on the team, but it would be great to go 11-0, too,'' he said. ``We know with the kids we have here - and we're not done yet - we've addressed our needs.'' by CNB