THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 30, 1994 TAG: 9410300182
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
After Saturday's 34-30 victory over Johnson C. Smith, Norfolk State's Kenneth McDaniel and Chris Patterson stood on the field comparing notes like kids weighing the contents of their trick-or-treat bags.
``I had a couple of tackles for loss,'' McDaniel said.
``I had a quarterback pressure,'' Patterson said.
What's the big deal?
McDaniel and Patterson are offensive lineman.
At least they were until Saturday, when both turned back the clock and saw action on both sides of the ball.
``Now I'm just a lineman,'' McDaniel said.
In an effort to shake up the CIAA's lowest-rated defense, Norfolk State coach Darnell Moore used McDaniel and Patterson as defensive tackles on occasion Saturday.
McDaniel also played at offensive guard and Patterson at offensive tackle.
``I thought he was joking,'' was McDaniel's response when Moore told him he might be playing defense this week.
McDaniel said he had only ``two or three'' snaps on defense in practice this week, and had not played two ways since high school.
``I never did,'' Patterson said.
McDaniel alternated series, playing one on offense, then resting, then playing one on defense. Patterson played just a couple of series on defense but only missed one series on offense.
McDaniel, 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds, and Patterson, 6-4, 290, said they figured they were put in to clog the middle. Norfolk State has been particularly weak against the run all season.
``t wasn't so much that, it was getting some people who can get the job done,'' Moore said.
How did they do? McDaniel was credited with two solo tackles. Patterson didn't have any.
``I don't know if we'll do it again,'' Moore said. ``It might have hurt us a little bit offensively.''
TIDBITS: Receiver James Roe continues to rewrite the Norfolk State record book. He broke his own single-season record for catches Saturday, and also set a record for touchdown catches in a season. Roe now has 55 catches, 11 for touchdowns. His 1,123 yards receiving are also a record. . . . Reserve tight end Jerome Freeman caught his first pass of the season Saturday, and it went for a five-yard touchdown. . . . Tailback John Quinerly left the game in the third quarter with an elbow injury, but is expected back against Lane Saturday. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Kenneth McDaniel went on the defense Saturday for the first time
since high school.
by CNB