NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State boasted one of the more productive offenses in the MEAC last season, ranking third in the conference in both scoring (26.6 ppg) and total offense (348.4 ypg). The Spartans scored 40 points or more against three MEAC opponents for the first time in program his. Seven regular starters return from that unit to give the Spartans the potential for another productive offense in 2010.
The Spartans return the ingredients for a potent ground game. Four offensive line starters are back in the fold along with top reserves Ryan Hathaway and Michael Kay, forming an experienced front line. Senior center William Falakiseni was a first-team All-MEAC pick last season, while junior tackle Kendall Noble and senior guard Calton Ford were second-team selections. Factor in senior three-year starter Markeece Preston and his 18 career starts at guard, along with experienced backups in Kay (guard/center) and Hathaway (tackle), and NSU is as experienced along the line as it has been in Adrian's tenure.
That group will block for a deep stable of backs that includes two-time All-MEAC second-team pick DeAngelo Branche. Now a senior, Branche is already fourth in school annals in rushing yardage, and has recorded 1,977 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground in his two seasons as a starter.
Branche has looked as good as ever in preseason camp, but he won't have to carry the load by himself. As many as six other Spartans enter the season as candidates to earn carries. Branche will be backed up by senior Donovan Cotton (281 yards in 2009) and talented sophomores Markeith Brisco and Takeem Hedgeman. Cotton, a former walk-on, provided a burst of speed off the bench last season while finishing third on the team in rushing. Brisco is a physical back with good speed who has played well in spring and summer practices, while Hedgeman redshirted 2009 after ranking second on the team in rushing in 2008.
Other options include junior Virginia Union transfer Patrick Mills and speedy freshman Marvin Ford. Mills lettered two years at VUU before transferring to NSU and redshirting the 2009 season. Mills ran for a team-high six touchdowns and was second on the squad with 596 rushing yards as a sophomore at VUU in 2008. Ford was a late addition for the Spartans. He originally signed with Colorado State after a standout prep career in Orlando, Fla., but did not enroll at CSU.
Junior fullback Josh Alford is also in the mix. Known primarily for his blocking, Alford is also versatile enough to get tough yards on the ground and catch the ball out of the backfield.
The main questions on offense entering the 2010 season center on the passing game. NSU must replace two-year starting quarterback Dennis Brown, who passed for 2,228 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Three juniors entered preseason camp with a chance to claim the starting job: a pair of all-conference junior college transfers in Chris Walley and Jake Strickler, and fourth-year junior Dexter Merritt.
Walley enrolled for the spring semester of 2010 and led the Spartans through their paces in spring drills as Merritt recovered from an injury. He will start the opener at Rutgers. Walley started two seasons at Joliet Junior College in Illinois, where he passed for a school-record 2,656 yards and 18 touchdowns as a sophomore. Walley was a small-school standout as a prep player in Tallahassee. He was a first-team all-state 1A-1B selection as a senior at North Florida Christian School.
Like Walley, Strickler had a productive sophomore season in junior college. Strickler was the Mid-Empire Conference Co-Offensive Player for the Year for Mendocino College. He passed for 3,096 yards and 32 touchdowns while running for 313 yards and three more scores. Strickler averaged 341 yards of total offense per game.
Merritt has had a bit of a star-crossed career at NSU to this point. The highly-touted signal-caller out of local powerhouse Oscar Smith redshirted in 2007 while recovering from a knee injury suffered during his senior year of high school. Merritt then served as Brown's backup in 2008, completing 5-of-9 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown in limited duty.
Last season, Merritt played in the closing minutes of the season-opening win over Virginia State before opting to have another procedure on his surgically-repaired knee, finishing his 2009 campaign. That kept him out of spring practice, but Merritt has bounced back to have a solid camp.
The fourth quarterback on the Spartans' roster is freshman walk-on Chris Rodgers. Rodgers had a stellar at Kempsville High School, earning second-team All-Beach District honors as a junior. His senior season was limited due to an injury, but he accepted an invitation to walk on at NSU and has shown promise.
Along with Brown under center, the passing game must also replace receiver Chris Bell, whose 13 touchdowns led the MEAC last season, and P.J. Hayden (30 catches, 4 TDs last year), who is not with the team this fall. But several experienced players return, including seniors Jeremy Wicker (25 receptions in '09), Nigel McCowan (11) and tight end Sherron Childress (14). Wicker has battled nagging injuries the last two seasons after bursting onto the scene with 466 receiving yards on just 25 catches. McCowan started three times as NSU's fourth receiver in 2009. Childress was also a second-team All-MEAC selection last year and should see a larger role in 2010.
Still, there are plenty of opportunities for younger players and newcomers to earn their keep in this year's offense. Sophomore Joe Hawkins is a big target at 6-3, 225. He makes his debut with the squad after sitting out last year. Redshirt freshmen Kelvin Lewis and Derrick Demps and sophomore Tyrece Shepherd will also push for playing time, as will junior converted running back Victor Hairston. Junior college transfer Montel Gamble is another option at wideout.
Junior tight end Joseph Holbrook has also emerged after impressing coaches in the offseason and should provide quality backup behind Childress.
