THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 1994 TAG: 9411050927
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
There's no way to sugarcoat it. Lane College, Norfolk State's homecoming opponent today at 1:30 at Foreman Field, is not a good football team.
The Dragons, from Jackson, Tenn., have won just two games since 1989. Last season, a Norfolk State team that wasn't very good itself danced all over Lane, 54-8.
So if you're Norfolk State coach Darnell Moore, how do you convince your players that they can't take Lane (1-6) lightly?
Easy. You bring up last week, when Norfolk State (5-3) squeaked by winless Johnson C. Smith, 34-30.
``Is Lane as bad as everybody says? I don't think so,'' Moore said. ``Johnson C. Smith wasn't as bad as everybody said.''
Moore is hoping last week's scare in Charlotte convinced his players that they can't take anything for granted.
``I think it did,'' he said. ``We practiced hard last week (before Johnson C. Smith). This week, we practiced even harder.''
If Lane has done one thing well this season, it's run the football. That alone is cause for at least some concern, because Norfolk State is last in the CIAA against the run, giving up 5.4 yards per carry.
Moore played a couple offensive linemen on defense last week, in an attempt to plug the gaps in the Spartans' rush defense. Moore said he doesn't know if he'll try it again this week, because moving the linemen could hurt the offense more than it helps the defense.
And it's been the offense that has carried Norfolk State most of the season. Led by quarterback Aaron Sparrow and receiver James Roe, the Spartans are averaging 322 yards per game through the air.
Lane's defense - which has relied on man-to-man coverage - would seem to be tailor-made for Norfolk State.
``They have a very aggressive defensive team,'' Moore said. ``They try to put pressure on by blitzing. And they play man-to-man coverage.
``Whether they'll play man-to-man I don't know. People seem to change when they get to us.''
The Spartans - with three capable receivers - have forced defenses to adapt to them all season.
``We know we can't overlook anybody,'' Sparrow said. ``The thing that's keeping our heads in the game is that we want to finish 7-3.''
BACKUP QB LEAVES: Backup quarterback Ryan Weiss, who played only sparingly behind Sparrow, has left the team, Moore said.
``Basically it was for personal reasons,'' Moore said. ``His father has been ill, and he decided he needed to return home.''
Weiss, a junior from New Port Richey, Fla., was recruited by former coach Archie Cooley when it appeared that Sparrow might transfer last season.
But Cooley resigned, Sparrow stayed, and has had a record-breaking year. That didn't leave much room for Weiss, who threw for 1,650 yards last year at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Miss., and displayed a strong arm and good touch in practice.
Since he wasn't playing quarterback, Weiss volunteered to kick and was Norfolk State's best place-kicker, hitting eight of 11 extra points and a 27-yard field goal.
Weiss said after the Virginia Union game - in which he hit 4-of-5 PATs and kicked the field goal - that he was just happy to be making a contribution to the team.
``He was as happy as anybody could expect,'' Moore said. ``He said he felt like he'd learned a lot.''
Moore said Johnnie Harrell will back up Sparrow. by CNB