THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 21, 1994 TAG: 9410210779
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Playing running back at Norfolk State this year is a bit like being a Maytag repair man in those old television commercials:
It's a lonely job.
Sure, there's pass blocking to do. And occasionally some pass receiving.
But not much ball carrying.
``It's frustrating for a running back, it really is,'' fullback Stanley Johnson said. ``Running backs want to run.''
Through six games, Norfolk State's rushing offense has reached a bizarre low: The Spartans have 173 yards, on 173 carries.
Johnson and his running mates, John Quinerly, Gerrod Mayo and Jeff Henderson, have actually rushed for about 350 yards. But subtract 175 yards in quarterback sacks and the total is halved.
Last week, against Hampton, the Spartans rushed for -19 yards. Their high this year was against Elizabeth City, when they managed 74 yards on 29 carries.
Over the past two games, Spartan running backs have had just 17 carries, while Norfolk State has thrown the ball 97 times.
Of course, the Spartans have also thrown for 940 yards in the past two weeks. So if the offense - third rated in the conference - is putting up yardage, why tinker with it?
``Let's be honest now,'' coach Darnell Moore said. ``You take a team that runs the ball 400 yards a game. They're not concerned about getting a better balance.
``I would like to, but it's not going to happen this year.''
Moore had planned to have a more balanced attack this year, but several things went wrong:
The offensive line is inexperienced and has been hurt by injuries. Tackle Ken McDaniel, the team's best lineman, missed four games with a knee injury and is just returning. Left guard Calvin Williams is a converted defensive lineman and right guard Stanley Edmonds didn't play much last season.
Tailback Jeff Henderson, expected to be the team's workhorse, went down with a season-ending knee injury after playing just one game.
Tight end Ronald Boone, an excellent blocker at 240 pounds, broke his arm in the season opener.
``Run blocking has a lot to do with your tight end,'' Moore said. ``Losing Boone really hurt, because now we're playing with a small tight end.''
The passing game took wing. Quarterback Aaron Sparrow has thrown for 2,015 yards, and receiver James Roe is having an All-American type of season, with 42 catches for 848 yards.
``If I had that kind of passing attack, I'd throw too,'' Virginia Union coach Harold Jackson said.
Still, Moore said he expects the running game to improve over the final four games.
``The offensive line really grew up this past week,'' he said, referring to the job the line did protecting Sparrow from a Hampton defense that knew he was throwing nearly every down.
Also, the meat of the schedule is behind the Spartans. Ahead are Virginia Union, Johnson C. Smith, Lane and Kentucky State.
``We'll start running soon, I guess,'' Johnson said.
Johnson may not, though. The senior from Detroit strained a ligament in his left knee against Hampton and says he won't play Saturday against Virginia Union. He'll try to return the following week against Johnson C. Smith.
For Johnson, the injury was just the latest frustration in a frustrating year. A transfer from Taft Junior College in California, he ran for 247 yards on 41 carries last year, but he has just 31 carries for 70 yards this season. He has, however, been the team's best backfield pass blocker and a goal-line specialist with four touchdowns.
``I felt like we could run a few times on some teams, but we just got into a shootout,'' he said. ``The coaches have been going with what's working.''
Which has meant little work for the running backs. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
FILE
A knee injury against Hampton capped a frustrating season for
Norfolk State's Stanley Johnson.
by CNB