NORFOLK STATE SPARTANS FOOTBALL Game 5: NSU (2-2) at Bethune-Cookman (2-1) Sat., Sept. 27, 2008 • Daytona Beach, Fla. • 4 p.m. Following the Game Setting the Scene The Spartans look to stay atop the conference standings when they resume Mid-Eastern Athletic Stadium Conference play at Bethune-Cookman this Saturday. NSU is coming off a 42-12 loss at William & Mary Larry Kelly Field at Municipal Stadium last Saturday night. The Spartans were done in by fi ve turnovers and 12 penalties in their fi rst meeting (10,000) against the Tribe in 23 years. Quarterback Dennis Brown led the NSU offense with 156 total yards. The Spartan defense forced three turnovers in the loss. NSU Radio Bethune-Cookman improved to 2-1 on the season with a 34-9 win over Savannah State last WNSB Hot 91.1 FM Saturday in Daytona Beach. The Wildcats ran for 412 yards in wet conditions last week, led by 121 by Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon freshman quarterback Maurice Francois. Running backs Brian Sumlar and Androse Bell combined for Color: Terence Green 181 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Bethune-Cookman held Savannah State to just 43 rushing yards and 210 yards of total offense. Bethune-Cookman opened MEAC play with a 28-19 loss Internet Radio to South Carolina State on Sept. 13. WNSB audio simulcast Log onto www.nsuspartans.com Live stats, notes and more www.nsuspartans.com www.bccathletics.com Series Information Record: B-CU leads 12-6 First Meeting: NSU 23, B-CU 14 (1976) Last Meeting: NSU 38, B-CU 31 (2007) Pete Adrian vs. B-CU: 1-2 Alvin Wyatt vs. NSU: 9-2 Largest NSU Win: 13 (1980, 20-7) Largest B-CU Win: 42 (2002 and 2003) NSU Sports Information Norfolk State Spartans (2-2, 1-0) Beth.-Cookman Wildcats (2-1, 0-1) Date Opponent Time/Score Date Opponent Time/Score Sports Information Director/ Aug. 30 Virginia State W, 47-7 Sept. 6 Alabama State W, 28-7 Primary FB Contact ....................Matt Michalec Sept. 6 at Kentucky L, 3-38 Sept. 13 vs. South Carolina State L, 19-28 Offi ce Phone ................. (757) 823-2628 Sept. 13 North Carolina A&T W, 27-21 Sept. 20 Savannah State W, 34-9 Email [email protected] Sept. 20 at William & Mary L, 12-42 Sept. 27 Norfolk State 4 p.m. Cell Phone ..................... (757) 592-1245 Sept. 27 at Bethune-Cookman 4 p.m. Oct. 4 at Morgan State 4 p.m. Offi ce Fax ......................(757) 823-8218 Oct. 11 at South Carolina State 1:30 p.m. Oct. 11 Delaware State 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at Hampton 1 p.m. Oct. 25 at Winston-Salem State 2 p.m. Asst. Sports Information Director/ Oct. 25 Florida A&M 1 p.m. Nov. 1 North Carolina A&T 4 p.m. Secondary FB Contact .............Karen M. Carty Nov. 1 at Howard 1 p.m. Nov. 8 at Hampton 2 p.m. Offi ce Phone ................. (757) 823-2628 Nov. 8 Morgan State 1 p.m. Nov. 15 Howard 4 p.m. Email [email protected] Nov. 15 Delaware State 1 p.m. Nov. 22 vs. Florida A&M 3:15 p.m. Cell Phone ..................... (757) 589-0225 Nov. 22 at Winston-Salem State 1:30 p.m. Press Box Phone .....................(757) 823-2628 Head Coach ........ Pete Adrian (West Va. ‘70) Head Coach ...............Alvin Wyatt (B-CU ‘70) Record at NSU .....................18-19 (4th year) Record at B-CU ..................79-45 (12th year) Mailing Address ......................... 700 Park Ave. Overall Record.................54-56-1 (11th year) Overall Record...................................... Same ................ Attn: NSU Sports Information Assistant Coaches: Assistant Coaches: ..................................Norfolk, VA 23504 Asst. Head Coach/OL ......... Rod Holder Off. Coordinator ............... Brad Bernard Passing Coordinator ............ Jeff Parker Offensive Line .......................Jeff Fagan Offi ce Location.........................Spartan Station Off. Coordinator ....... Kirk Mastromatteo A-Backs .........................C. Ray Gregory ..............................................Room 121 Def. Coordinator .......... Mark DeBastiani Quarterbacks ...............Raymond Gross Defensive Line ...............Mark Thurston Def. Coordinator ...............Marc Lippens Defensive Backs ...............Marco Butler Defensive Line .........Linwood Ferguson Asst. WR/TE ..................Curtis Williams Receivers .............................Greg Ross Asst. Linebackers ............ Vince Sinagra Defensive Backs ............. Terry Williams Asst. Def. Backs ............... Lorenzo High Asst. HC/OLB ...............C. Angelo Wyatt Strength Coach ...........Reese Bridgman 2008 MEAC Standings A WIN OVER BETHUNE-COOKMAN WOULD... MEAC Overall • Keep NSU unbeaten in the MEAC heading into the Spartans’ bye week. Hampton 2-0 3-1 • Be NSU’s fi rst-ever win over Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach. NSU beat B-CU in Jacksonville Norfolk State 1-0 2-2 in 1996 and in Ft. Lauderdale in 2000, but is 0-6 all-time in Daytona. South Carolina State 1-0 2-2 • Give NSU its second winning streak in the series, fi rst since winning three straight from 1995-97. Delaware State 1-0 1-1 Florida A&M 1-1 2-1 QUICK HITS FROM WILLIAM & MARY Morgan State 0-0 2-1 • Dennis Brown became the fi rst player other than DeAngelo Branche to lead NSU in rushing this year, Bethune-Cookman 0-1 2-1 tallying a season-high 62 yards on the ground. N.C. A&T 0-2 2-2 • Brown’s 47-yard scramble in the third quarter was the longest run of the season for the Spartans. Howard 0-2 0-3 • Branche ran for his fourth TD of 2008, eclipsing the total of three he scored as a freshman in 2006. • NSU forced three turnovers, giving the Spartan defense seven takeaways in the last two games. This Week in the MEAC • Don Carey had an interception in the second quarter, giving him picks in consecutive weeks for the Saturday, September 27 fi rst time in his career. Tennessee State vs. Florida A&M.... 3 p.m. • Justin Castellat hit a career-long 45-yard fi eld goal and Billy Rudd had a career-long 62-yard punt. Morgan State at Rutgers ................. 3:30 p.m. • NSU fell to 0-3 all-time against W&M, and 0-6 against CAA teams. Norfolk St. at Bethune-Cookman .....4 p.m. Savannah State vs. Howard ............6 p.m. LAST MEETING Coastal Carolina at N.C. A&T .......... 6 p.m. Daryl Jones rushed 21 times for 118 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winning S.C. State at Winston-Salem St. ..... 6 p.m. 1-yard plunge with 36 seconds left, as NSU snapped a nine-game losing streak against Bethune- Central Connecticut at Del. State ... 7 p.m. Cookman with a 38-31 win in the 60th Fish Bowl Classic on Sept. 22, 2007 at Dick Price Stadium. NSU safety Terrell Whitehead intercepted a pass by B-CU quarterback Jimmie Russell to set up Next Week in the MEAC NSU at the Wildcats’ 22 with 2:10 left. After three runs by R.J. Waters got NSU down to the 1, Jones Saturday, October 4 dove in behind the left side of his line for the go-ahead TD. Hampton at Delaware State ............ 1 p.m. B-CU’s Corey Council returned the ensuing kickoff 54 yards to the Spartans’ 43. After Russell Bethune-Cookman at Morgan St .....4 p.m. was sacked on fi rst down, Victor Johnson caught a 27-yard pass to get the ball down to the NSU 19. N.C. A&T vs. N.C. Central ............... 5 p.m. But the Wildcats, who were out of timeouts, could not run another play before time expired. Howard at Winston-Salem State ..... 6 p.m. The Wildcats led 21-10 at the half, but Whitehead changed the momentum when he scooped up S.C. State at Florida A&M................ 6 p.m. an errant option pitch and returned it 48 yards for a TD just one minute into the third quarter. NSU’s MEAC Weekly Honors YEAR-BY-YEAR SERIES RESULTS Sept. 2 (Week 1) 1976: NSU 23-14 1979: B-CU 21-14 1980: NSU 20-7 1992: B-CU 31-26 RB DeAngelo Branche (Co-Offensive Player) 1993: B-CU 33-31 1995: NSU 35-33 1996: NSU 41-29 1997: NSU 21-7 SS Dwight Fluker-Berry (Rookie) 1998: B-CU 59-38 1999: B-CU 26-6 2000: B-CU 24-6 2001: B-CU 32-7 2002: B-CU 49-7 2003: B-CU 56-14 2004: B-CU 43-3 2005: B-CU 63-61 (4 OT) NSU in 2008 MEAC Stats 2006: B-CU 22-21 2007: NSU 38-31 Team Scoring Off.: 5th (22.2 ppg) WHITEHEAD GARNERS PRESEASON ACCOLADES Rush. Off.: 3rd (159.8 ypg) Junior free safety Terrell Whitehead has 10 career interceptions in just 24 games, including a Pass Off.: 8th (120.0 ypg) MEAC-leading six thefts last season. That marked tied him for sixth nationally and helped him earn Total Off.: 9th (279.8 ypg) fi rst-team All-MEAC and third-team All-American honors by The Sports Network last season. Scoring Def.: 8th (27.0 ppg) That has set him up as one of the top players to watch in the MEAC and all of Division I FCS Rush Def.: 5th (142.8 ypg) heading into 2008. A look at some of his preseason accolades: Pass Def.: 2nd (150.8 ypg) • Buck Buchanan Award Watch List selection (FCS National Defensive Player of the Year Award) Total Def.: 3rd (293.5 ypg) • First-team All-MEAC pick Turnover Margin: 5th (+0.25/gm.) • Second-team All-American (The Sports Network, Phil Steele’s College Football Preview) Sacks by: 2nd (3.0/gm.) • Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year (Lindy’s preseason football magazine) 3rd Down Conversions: 3rd (31.4%) Whitehead didn’t see much action come his way in the opener vs.