THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 31, 1996 TAG: 9610310483
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: NSU REPORT
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 51 lines
With a starting linebacker corps of seniors, Norfolk State will have three large voids to fill next season.
Or will they?
While the Spartans lose middle linebacker Robert Johnson, strong side linebacker Andre Nixon and weakside linebacker Sunnil Motley, their three backups have made notable improvement.
Twin sophomores Alonzo Goodwyn, who plays middle linebacker, and Alfonzo Goodwyn, strong side linebacker, have played well. And sophomore Darnell Mebane, who was a defensive back at Hampton's Bethel High, has played exceptionally well in the last few weeks.
Mebane leads the second-teamers with 18 tackles, and has three sacks. Alonzo Goodwyn, Group A Player of the Year three seasons ago at Sussex Central, has 12 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks while Alfonzo has eight tackles - three for losses - and a sack.
``The Goodwyns are tough kids and we had to find the right situations to get them in and let them be productive,'' NSU coach Darnell Moore said. ``When we've gone to eight-man fronts and nickel defenses, they've been of real value.
``Mebane is a walk-on who came on too late for spring ball and missed a lot of what we put in with the defensive backs. It's easier to learn our linebacker scheme so we moved him there. Plus, he has a linebacker's mentality.''
BLOCKING SCHEME: An offensive line that was patchwork at the beginning of the season has turned into a ``comfortable quilt,'' Moore says.
The quilt has included sophomore transfer Michael Early at left tackle, sophomore left guard David Fabrizius, junior center Cornelius Biagas and redshirt freshman Winston Stewart at right guard.
While the Spartans will lose center/right guard Jermaine Sneed, right tackle Eric Musgrove and tight end Ronald Boone, there are enough returning elements for Moore to feel good about the prospects for NSU's offensive line next season.
The Spartans have a chance to produce their first 1,00-yard rusher in 12 years. Tailback John Quinerly has 848 yards with three games remaining.
FLEA-FLICKERS: If the Spartans win just one more game this year, it will mark the first time since 1976 that NSU has won seven or more games in three successive seasons. In former head coach Dick Price's first three seasons as head coach beginning in 1974, the Spartans were 8-3, 8-3 and 8-4 . . . With seven receptions for 130 yards against Elizabeth City State Saturday, NSU's Darius Blount broke into the top 20 in Division II for average receiving yards. Blount ranks 19th with 90.4 per game. by CNB