This is the second installment of a two-part preview of the Norfolk State football team heading into the 2011 season. Today's focus is on the defense and special teams.
For the second straight year, the Spartans ranked sixth in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in total defense, yielding just 284.1 yards per game. With eight starters back and depth across the board, head coach Pete Adrian hopes for more of the same in 2011.
Here is a position-by-position breakdown of the Spartans on the defensive side of the ball and special teams.
DEFENSIVE LINE
NSU appears in good shape along the defensive front. It all starts with redshirt senior nose guard Josh Turner, a two-time All-MEAC selection who tied for the team-lead with 12.0 tackles for loss last season. Turner's strength and quickness in the middle of the line are a key factor in the success of the Spartans' 3-4 scheme.
Senior Joey Christine flanks Turner at one of the two defensive tackle spots. Christine started all 11 games last season and was in on 21 tackles, 2.5 for loss. NSU lost its other starting tackle, Ray Jennings (12.0 TFL, team-high 5.0 sacks), but the Spartans have no shortage of bodies to man his position and add quality depth. Senior Steven Bunce has played in 25 games in his first three years. He appeared in just five games last season due to a nagging knee injury. Sophomore Matthew Grant played in six games as a true freshman last season and flashed good athleticism.
Turner will be backed up by redshirt freshman Tremondae Branch (6-1, 285).
The Spartans are also looking for big things from Michigan State transfer Cameron Jude. A former high school teammate of Turner, Jude sat out last season after transferring and coaches hope to have his services this season. Jude will have two years of eligibility remaining.
The Spartans also welcome in freshman De'Ante Williams, who played both sides of the line at St. Johns College High School.
“We feel like we have a number of linemen who can all contribute, and that is key in the defensive schemes we run,” Adrian said.
LINEBACKER
Seven of last season's top nine linebackers return to the Spartan defense in 2011, including all four starters from the end of the 2010 campaign. The lengthy list of returnees includes the team's leading tackler in redshirt senior Corwin Hammond. Hammond registered 76 total tackles, 11.0 for loss, and 4.5 sacks in 2010. That was enough to earn him 2011 preseason recognition for the FCS Linebacker of the Year Award. His partner at the inside linebacker positions is also back in the form of redshirt senior Onyemechi Anyaugo. Anyaugo stepped in and started the final five games of 2010 after a season-ending knee injury to All-MEAC linebacker Anthony Taylor. Anyaugo performed admirably, finishing third on the squad with 47 tackles, 3.5 behind the line of scrimmage.
Hammond and Anyaugo will be backed up by junior Eric Hitch and senior Trent Porter, who both saw increased playing time as the season progressed.
“I think both Corwin and “Amechi” will have a chance to earn All-MEAC honors this season,” Adrian said. “I thought both were very solid last year and had great spring practices.”
The Spartans' top three outside linebackers all return: senior Hasan Craig (6-3, 245) and juniors Terrence Pugh and Jamal Giddens. Craig and Pugh started all 11 games last season, with Craig making 29 tackles and Pugh 27 (including 6.5 TFL).
Giddens, who came off the bench last season in his first year after transferring from Liberty, will also push for a starting position this year after a standout spring. Giddens made 17 stops, 2.5 for loss, in reserve duty last season.
Also adding depth to the outside linebacker position this season is Syracuse transfer Chad Battles. Battles, a Newport News native, will be playing this season as a graduate student at NSU after earning his degree last summer from Syracuse. Battles had one year of eligibility remaining, opening the door for his transfer to NSU.
“We'll go two-deep with very good players at the outside linebacker positions,” Adrian said. “In all, our front seven on defense is shaping up to be very good and very deep.”
DEFENSIVE BACK
The Spartan secondary will be anchored by its two returning senior starters at the safety positions, free safety DeVonte Reynolds and strong safety Ricardo Volcin. Both started all 11 games at their respective positions last year. Reynolds was second on the team with 60 total tackles. He made 3.5 tackles for loss and deflected four passes. Volcin was fifth on the team with 43 stops, including 4.0 for loss and one interception.
Reynolds and Volcin will also help mentor redshirt freshmen Darrin Marrow and Keenan Lambert, the heirs apparent to the safety positions. Adrian says that both have the ability to play either safety positions.
NSU will debut two new starting cornerbacks in 2011 after the departure of seniors Jamie Short and Dante Barnes. Short started 38 games in his four-year career, while Barnes started 14 times in his two years at NSU. The Spartans figure to have six players jockey for the two starting cornerback spots, in senior Marquis Cuffee, redshirt junior Marcus Cooperwood, sophomores Marcus Center, Natturner Harris and Nick Taylor and redshirt freshman Dionte Sullivan.
Cuffee has mostly been a special teams contributor during his career at NSU, though he, Center and Harris have all seen time as backups at corner. Cooperwood was a second-string cornerback in 2009 before missing last year with a knee injury. Harris, meanwhile, made one start in place of Barnes last year. Both he and Center had 13 tackles and two pass breakups, Taylor had an interception in mop-up duty, and Sullivan impressed on the scout team last season.
“We lose both starters at corner, but Center and Harris played a good deal last season off the bench. Cooperwood did the same in 2009,” Adrian said. “So inexperience isn't much of an excuse. As usual, we look to rotate a number of players at those positions and I feel we are in good shape there.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Spartans will feature a pair of seniors in their kicking game in punter Troy Muenzer and placekicker Ryan Estep. Muenzer punted 48 times for a 36.6-yard average in 2010, while Estep made 11 field goals and converted on 26 of 29 extra points.
Muenzer will be backed up by newcomer Everett Goldberg, a junior college transfer. Goldberg is expected to handle kickoff duties from day one, and also serve as another option on field goals along with Ryan Lee.
“I thought (Estep) was very consistent, especially later in the year last season,” Adrian says. “Adding Everett will give us more depth and competition there.”
The Spartans must find a new long snapper and return specialists this season. NSU lost three-year return man Dwight Fluker-Berry and long snappers Stephen Coffin, Marcus Dodson and Aaron Palmer from last year's team. The long snapper duties will fall to either of a pair of freshmen, Rickey Foreman or Alex Killam. Adrian will fill the return spots after preseason competition during summer camp.
