THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 23, 1994 TAG: 9410230233
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
It was a day for the maligned to shine at Norfolk State.
Runners gained respectable yardage. Defenders made big plays. Even the kicking game clicked in a feel-good, 45-27 win over Virginia Union in front of 12,822 at Foreman Field.
The Spartans (4-3, 4-3 CIAA) have now won four games for the first time since 1991. They have three left to play.
``Everybody made a contribution,'' coach Darnell Moore said. ``Special teams, offense and defense. We got big plays from each one.''
The Spartans, who have been carried all season by an explosive passing game - and little else - made news on several fronts:
The offense, which had rushed for 173 yards all season, nearly equaled that Saturday with 168 yards on 31 carries.
The defense, rated 10th in the 11-team CIAA, scored two touchdowns, set up another, and forced four turnovers.
The Spartans, who had seemingly abandoned any hope of scoring by kicking the ball, got a stellar day from Ryan Weiss, who made four of five extra points and a 27-yard field goal, first of the season for Norfolk State.
Moore promised privately last week that the pass-happy Spartans would rush for at least 100 yards. What he didn't expect was that most of them would come from quarterback Aaron Sparrow.
Sparrow, who had passed for 940 yards in the previous two games, nearly did as much damage Saturday with his feet as with his arm, picking up 90 yards on 12 carries, including a 32-yard touchdown run. He threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, on 15-of-23 passing.
``We had planned on running this week,'' Sparrow said. ``Most of the time, I was just trying to get out of (the pocket).''
Signs that things were going to be different came early, when Norfolk State jumped up 20-0 on a pair of rushing touchdowns and a 90-yard fumble return by freshman defensive back Lydell Finley.
It could have been 27-0 at the half, but a Norfolk State drive stalled on the Union 17 with 1:20 left. The Panthers (1-6, 1-4) quickly moved 83 yards in 7 plays to make it 20-6 at intermission.
Union put together a 69-yard drive to start the second half, cutting the lead to 20-14 with 9:31 left in the third.
But Norfolk State came back with two touchdowns - both on passes from Sparrow to James Roe - and Union never recovered.
Icing on the cake came in the form of a blocked punt by linebacker Antonio Britt - returned 14 yards for a touchdown - and the field goal by Weiss.
``I felt like it was about time we stepped up,'' Britt said. ``The offense is always carrying us.''
The defense pulled its weight Saturday. Although Norfolk State yielded 575 yards of offense, the defense made more big plays - and big stops - than it has all year.
Finley's fumble recovery and Britt's block put points on the board. An interception by Carlos Robertson snuffed a long Union drive early in the fourth quarter. A few minutes later, another Union scoring threat was thwarted when Robertson recovered a fumble on the Norfolk State 1.
``I know we've been talked about it all year,'' Robertson said. ``But we never quit.''
The Spartans could do nothing with Union's two offensive stars, tailback Bobby Phillips and tight end Stacy Graves. Phillips carried 31 times for 200 yards, while Graves caught 12 passes for 225.
But Phillips and Graves got in the end zone just once each. And Union's final touchdown came with just 22 seconds left, after the outcome had been long-decided.
Norfolk State showed more offensive balance than it has all season. The Spartans actually ran the ball more than they threw it, with 31 rushing plays and 23 passing.
``We always felt we could run,'' tailback John Quinerly said. ``We just have to do what it takes to win and not worry about pleasing people.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
L. TODD SPENCER
NSU's Aaron Sparrow worked free enough Saturday to throw for 225
yards and run for another 90.
by CNB