THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 15, 1994 TAG: 9410150364
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Norfolk State coach Darnell Moore knows that few people are giving his team much of a chance against Hampton today in the annual ``Battle of the Bay.''
``The experts say we don't have a chance,'' Moore said. ``Heck, how often are experts wrong?''
Moore's voice contained just a trace of sarcasm. His point: Stranger things have happened.
``We have a chance to win because we're going to start out 0-0,'' Moore said. ``Last time I checked, that's how all football games start.''
Still, on paper it looks as if Hampton keeps possession of the Bay for another year. The Pirates have won the last two contests, 60-0 in 1992 and 48-21 last year. And they haven't lost to a CIAA foe since 1991, a span of 18 games.
The Pirates (5-1) have outscored CIAA teams 177-28 this year. They rank first in the conference in just about every offensive category.
Conversely, Norfolk State, by Moore's own admission, ``hasn't stopped anybody all year.''
``We won't stop Hampton. We'd only like to slow them down.''
It won't be easy. Norfolk State has had trouble stopping the run - the Spartans are last in the league, giving up 246 yards per game - and Hampton has five running backs averaging better than 5 yards per carry.
``We feel pretty confident about our ability to run the ball,'' Hampton offensive tackle Quincey Wynn said.
Norfolk State feels pretty good about its ability to throw it. The Spartans (3-2) have the conference's best passing attack, led by quarterback Aaron Sparrow.
Sparrow, a junior, threw for 516 yards and seven touchdowns, both team records, in a 50-48 victory over Winston-Salem State on Saturday.
``You just don't know if you can stop anybody like that,'' Hampton coach Joe Taylor said. ``He's caused the performances of everyone around him to be raised.''
Taylor and his players figure the way to contain Sparrow is to flush him out of the pocket. Without a Norfolk State running game to keep them honest, Hampton's defenders could be teeing off on Sparrow all afternoon.
``I could get open if the quarterback has all day,'' Taylor said. ``You just can't let him sit back there.''
Sparrow was sacked five times Saturday, but the Spartans went back to throw 59 times.
Late in the game, with Winston-Salem State in a prevent defense, Sparrow had plenty of time to throw and picked apart the Rams' secondary.
``We don't think five sacks out of 50 is that impressive,'' said Melvin Crawford, Hampton's All-CIAA safety. ``When he's really flushed out of the pocket, I want to see what he can do.''
Sparrow's been on the run most of the year and has done pretty well. His 1,621 yards passing are 500 more than anyone else in the CIAA.
``They (Hampton) can do whatever they want,'' Sparrow said. ``I'm looking at it as just another game.''
Not everyone is. Crawford, a senior, compared the rivalry to ``Miami and Florida State, Michigan and Notre Dame.
``It's one of those you can't help but get up for,'' Crawford said.
Part of the reason is because the players are so well-acquainted. Hampton has 21 players from South Hampton Roads high schools, nearly as many as Norfolk State, which has 24. ``I have some friends from Norfolk State who've called me and talked trash,'' said Wynn, who is from Deep Creek.
Norfolk State leads the series, 20-10-1. But since 1975, the series is 9-9-1.
This could be the last game in which both teams are members of the CIAA. Hampton will move to Division 1-AA next year, although the series will continue.
``There will always be Hampton and Norfolk State,'' Moore said. by CNB