THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 10, 1994 TAG: 9409100379
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Between them, Norfolk State and North Carolina Central turned the ball over 15 times in their season openers last week. The Spartans lost the ball seven times on the ground and once through the air. The Eagles dropped the ball four times and threw it away three more.
Anyone care to guess what they were working on in practice on Corprew Avenue and in Durham this week?
``Taking care of the ball,'' Norfolk State coach Darnell Moore said.
``I'm sure we were probably doing the same thing Darnell was - emphasizing turnovers,'' Central coach Larry Little said.
Both coaches are convinced that their teams are better than they showed last week in a pair of lopsided losses. Norfolk State fell to Virginia State, 54-6. Central was beaten by Division I-AA North Carolina A&T, 38-9.
``We have a lot of ability,'' Little said. ``We just self-destructed, as Norfolk State did.''
The Eagles had the ball on the N.C. A&T 4-yard line early in the first quarter but lost it after a mishandled snap. That set the tone for the rest of the game. ``Those things just happen sometimes,'' Little said. ``Hopefully, we've gotten it out of our system for the year.''
Norfolk State also moved the ball well at times, but the Spartans turned it over on their first two possessions and were never in the game. ``You can't take three steps forward and four steps back,'' Moore said.
To take a step forward this week, the Spartans will need to improve their pass blocking and their tackling. Both were points of emphasis in practice this week, Moore said.
The Spartans threw for 169 yards against Virginia State, but quarterbacks Aaron Sparrow and Ryan Weiss were sacked five times and pressured many more.
Meanwhile, Virginia State tailback Bo Morgan ran for 158 yards, many of them the result of poor tackling by the Spartans.
Notes: Tailback Jeff Henderson, who rushed for a team-high 39 yards on 13 carries last week, will not play, Moore said. Henderson missed practice Monday, a violation of team rules. John Quinerly will start in his place. . . as well. Broussard, a transfer from Southern, was projected as a starter but did not play last week. Moore said he's awaiting a summer-school grade. . . . Central, picked third in the CIAA, leads the series, 5-3, and hasn't lost to Norfolk State since 1985. The Eagles won, 30-20, in Durham last season. . . . Central rushed for 9 yards last week, while Norfolk State had minus-9. by CNB