NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State football team completed its three weeks of spring practice with a final intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday morning at the Spartans' practice field.
The session lasted approximately 40 plays and was finished in less than an hour. The defense had the upper hand for most of the scrimmage, including a pair of takeaways to thwart solid drives by the offense. On the first of those, UCF transfer quarterback Nico Flores marched the team down the field with several solid runs and two pass completions. But the drive ended when a Flores pass into the end zone was intercepted by redshirt freshman safety Keenan Lambert.
On the next drive, Flores and Chris Walley both took turns moving the offense down the field. But a fumbled handoff thwarted that possession as the defense held.
Head coach Pete Adrian was less concerned about which side had the upper hand, but more about limiting injuries and seeing growth from the less experienced players on the roster.
“I think we saw a lot of players really improve this spring,” Adrian said. “Our offense as a whole got a lot more comfortable with the new style we implemented last fall, and the defense continued its solid play like we expected.”
Offensively, Adrian was particularly pleased with the work of his new line, which lost four starters from last year's team, and the play of Walley and Flores.
“Among the linemen, I thought Michael Kay and Blake Matthews looked really good this spring, and guys like Kenneth Johnson and Jairus Spain are also coming along nicely,” Adrian said. “At quarterback, both Walley and Flores showed they are capable of handling the offense. With those two and (redshirt senior) Dexter Merritt, we are as deep at that position since I've been here.”
The defense expects to return eight starters from last year's unit which ranked sixth in the Division I FCS, but Adrian was quick to praise a number of younger players who will push for time in the fall.
“Our defensive line has the potential to be excellent, with a lot of senior leadership and depth there. We also saw some good things from (Michigan State transfer) Cameron Jude,” Adrian said. “In the secondary, we are going to be younger at corner, but there is a lot of talent there. We've got both starters back at safety, but Lambert and Darrin Marrow played very well this spring and will push those older players.”
The Spartans will return to school in early August for preseason camp, leading up to the 2011 season-opener with Virginia State on Sept. 3 at William “Dick” Price Stadium.
