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NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State returns home from its three-game road trip to host Savannah State for the Spartans' 2012 Homecoming game on Saturday. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
The Spartans' losing streak reached seven games last Saturday after a 30-9 defeat at North Carolina A&T. The Spartans led 9-7 at halftime on the strength of three Everett Goldberg field goals (51, 37, 26) and a solid defensive effort, but the Aggies outscored NSU 23-0 in the second half to pull away. The Spartans were hurt by a season-high six turnovers, including four interceptions. Five of the turnovers occurred in the second half. NSU was held to a season-low 160 yards of total offense. Sophomore Jake Basmagian came off the bench to complete 10-of-17 passes for 71 yards and one interception. Defensively, junior linebacker Brent Singleton had a career-high 15 tackles and recovered a fumble. Sophomore linebacker Lynden Trail had 11 stops, four behind the line of scrimmage. Sophomore defensive back Dionte Sullivan added four tackles and intercepted two passes.

NSU enters this week's game ranked 10th in the MEAC in scoring offense (16.0 points per game) and total offense (303.2 yards per game). Defensively, the Spartans are sixth in the league in scoring defense (27.2 ppg) and second in total defense (290.8 ypg). Trail has been the story as of late for the NSU defense. He leads the MEAC in tackles for loss with 16.0 and is tied for fourth with 5.0 sacks. Junior Dylan Shaddix leads the conference in punting with a 41.1-yard average.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
The Tigers fell to 1-7 ,0-6 in the MEAC after a tight 21-13 loss at Hampton last Saturday. SSU outgained the Pirates 284-269 in total offense thanks to a big day from junior quarterback Antonio Bostick. He rushed for 251 yards and passed for a team-high 54 to lead the Tigers. Dylan Cook caught six passes for a game-high 85 yards. Preston McCarthy kicked two field goals (28, 29) and Juwhan Smith-Arnold scored SSU's lone touchdown on a 1-yard run in the third quarter.

The young Tigers squad ranks 11th in the MEAC in both scoring offense (13.2 ppg) and scoring defense (48.1 ypg). SSU has gotten solid production from Bostick, who is fifth in the MEAC in passing yardage (1,294 yards, six touchdowns) and third in total offense (195.2 ypg). His favorite target has been Simon Heyward, who ranks third in the conference in receiving yards (572, 71.5 ypg). He has caught five TD passes and averages almost 20 yards per reception. Junior defensive back John Wilson leads the team with 48 tackles and is tied for seventh in the MEAC with eight passes defended.

MEDIA COVERAGE
• Radio: NSU Sports Network, WXTG 102.1 FM The Game (Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Maguell Davis; Pre-Game: Gordon, Davis and Matt Michalec)
• Video Stream: Click here (requires subscription)
• Live Statistics: Click here
• Audio Stream: Click here (or click “Live Audio” link under Inside Athletics tab)
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans

THE SERIES
• This will be the eighth meeting all-time between NSU and Savannah State. The Spartans have won six of the previous seven meetings, including the last three under coach Pete Adrian.
• NSU has won those last thee ballgames by a combined margin of 145-38, including a 45-3 victory last year in Savannah.
• The Tigers' only win in the series was a 41-34, double-OT triumph at Dick Price Stadium in 2004.

QUICK HITS FROM NORTH CAROLINA A&T
• NSU has now dropped seven straight games, its longest losing skid since dropping a program-worst 13 in a row spanning the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
• The Spartans were held to season-lows in first downs (five) and total yards (160).
• The Spartans were minus-2 in turnovers, committing a season-high six and taking away four. NSU now has committed 27 turnovers in its last six games.
• Junior Brent Singleton had a career-high 15 tackles in what was his first career start.
• LBs Jamal Giddens (knee) and Marcell Coke (knee, hand) did not play due to injuries.
• Making his second start, wide receiver Isaac White had a career-best two receptions.
• Dionte Sullivan made his first career start at free safety due to an injury to Darrin Marrow and had four tackles, one for a loss, and two interceptions.
• Pierre Narcisse made his first career start at quarterback. He was 0-for-1 with an interception and also fumbled twice, losing one.

QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL
NSU started its third quarterback of the season last week at North Carolina A&T, as first-year sophomore Pierre Narcisse got the nod. Narcisse was 0-for-1 with an interception and also fumbled twice in the first quarter. In all, four different players took snaps last week, including Jake Basmagian, who started the previous three games; Nico Flores, who started the first five; and running back Brendon Riddick, who is the Spartans' “wildcat” quarterback. Flores, Basmagian and Narcisse have combined to complete 58.2 percent of their passes with six touchdowns and 19 interceptions this season. That's the most interceptions thrown by a Spartan team since 2000, when the team had 20. The school record is 23 in 1998.

ON YOUR TRAIL
Sophomore Florida transfer linebacker Lynden Trail has emerged as one of the top defensive players in the MEAC. Despite coming off the bench in seven of NSU's nine games this season, the 6-7, 250-pound Trail leads the team with 61 tackles through nine games (6.8 per game). Trail is first in the MEAC and sixth nationally in tackles for loss (16.0), and tied for fourth in the MEAC in sacks (5.0). He also leads the Spartans with five quarterback hurries and has one forced fumble, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery. He has started the last two games and made 23 tackles.

Trail was a four-star recruit coming out of Miami, Fla.'s Booker T. Washington High School and was ranked the No. 7 defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com. He selected Florida over dozens of offers from top-fl ight schools, including Michigan, USC, Florida State, LSU, Georgia and more. Trail did not play in any games during his two seasons at UF, which included a redshirt season.

DEFENSE STANDS TALL ONCE MORE
Last year marked the third consecutive season in which NSU ranked in the top 10 among all FCS schools in total defense. After finishing sixth nationally in both 2009 and 2010, the 2011 defense proved to be the best in the Pete Adrian era, ranking second in the FCS. This year's defense is also off to a good start, allowing just 290.9 yards per game, good for No. 7 nationally. NSU also ranks second nationally in pass defense (138.8 ypg) and eighth in tackles for loss (7.6 per game).

REPLACEMENTS PRODUCE
Three Spartan defenders have seen their workload increase in recent weeks after stepping in for injured teammates.
• Making his first career start at free safety due to an injury to Darrin Marrow, redshirt sophomore Dionte Sullivan had a breakout game at North Carolina A&T. Sullivan made two interceptions, both in the first quarter, and also registered four tackles, one for a loss. Sullivan made two previous starts in his NSU career, both at corner. He is a candidate to see time at both safety spots and as the team's nickelback once Marrow returns.
• Lynden Trail, starting for the injured Jamal Giddens, has notched 23 tackles, 6.5 for loss, in the last two ballgames. He had a career-high 12 stops at Bethune-Cookman and 11 at N.C. A&T.
• Brent Singleton made his first career start at N.C. A&T last week for the injured Marcell Coke. Singleton responded with a career-best 15 tackles, half for a loss, and a fumble recovery. He has 30 tackles and two fumble recoveries in the last three games.