THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 13, 1996 TAG: 9608130441
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 55 lines
Coach Darnell Moore has gone through it before: replacing a star quarterback with a less-touted successor.
Darren Sparrow had to overcome the high expectations five years ago at Wilson High. This season, junior Robert Morris has to do the same at Norfolk State. And in both scenarios, the legend to be followed was Darren's older brother Aaron.
``I don't feel any pressure,'' Morris said following Monday's morning workout on the first day of camp. ``I am not going to try to live up to the standards he set.''
But if Darren Sparrow's experience is any indication, maybe Morris should envision an ``Airin' Aaron''-type season.
``Darren Sparrow wasn't half the passer Aaron was, but he threw 30 touchdown passes that year,'' Moore said. Darren Sparrow also led Wilson to a state championship, a feat accomplished by Aaron two years before.
Aaron Sparrow went on to Norfolk State, where nearly every passing record fell during his tenure. He completed 58 percent of his passes and threw for 3,434 yards and 32 touchdowns last season, finishing his Spartans career with 8,758 yards and 79 TD passes.
Tough act to follow.
``It's a similar situation simply because everybody outside of Norfolk State is glad to see those guys go and feel a big chunk of the team is gone,'' Moore said of All-Americans Sparrow, James Roe and Kenneth McDaniel, ``but no individual is bigger than the team.''
A team that has built a reputation of piling up points and yardage via the passing game.
``I'm used to running the ball,'' said Morris, who was 17 of 37 for 228 yards and three touchdowns in three games for the Spartans last season. ``I ran the option in high school and my first year of college (at Eastern New Mexico).''
Morris also punted in the past, a job he began after the standard stretching exercises on Monday. Then, 45 minutes into the workout, he finally got a chance to throw the ball.
For the first few tosses, quarterback and receiver were not on target. Then came the 5-yard toss and the hookups were automatic - snap, release and reception.
``We got a couple of weeks to put it all together,'' Morris said as the team prepared for its Aug. 31 opener against Virginia State at Foreman Field. ``We're going to work hard on that.''
The same way Moore will not let Morris be overwhelmed by the comparisons and expectations.
``The same thing we did with Aaron, we will do with him,'' Moore said. ``I am sure he (feels comfortable) because I am comfortable with him.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo on page C1 by MIKE HEFFNER, The
Virginian-Pilot
Quarterback Robert Morris ... at practice by CNB