Game Notes
NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State, ranked 24th in the latest FCS Coaches Poll, travels to Liberty University for a key early-season non-conference FCS battle on Saturday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Va.
This will be the Spartans' first trip to Lynchburg since 2003 and first time facing the Flames since 2005.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPN3.com and ESPN GamePlan, and regionally on Mid-Atlantic Sports Network 2 (MASN2). MASN2 is available on most Cox and Verizon Fios cable packages in the Hampton Roads region, and is also available on DirecTV channel 641 and Dish Network channel 433. Check with your service provider for more details.
ESPN3.com is ESPN's broadband internet television service. To view the game, fans must have service through one of ESPN3's participating video and high-speed internet providers. ESPN GamePlan is a pay-per-view TV subscription service. To learn more on these two services, visit www.espn3.com or www.espn.com/page2/gameplan.html.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU downed long-time rival Virginia State 24-0 last Saturday at Dick Price Stadium, the Spartans' first shutout since 2001. NSU held the Trojans to just 107 yards of total offense, including a paltry 10 rushing yards on 36 attempts. The Spartans outgained VSU 340-107 and amassed 223 rushing yards. Freshman Brendon Riddick led the Spartans with nine carries for 87 yards and a touchdown, while senior Takeem Hedgeman added 12 rushes for 73 yards and another score.
The story of the game was the NSU defense, however. The Spartans' relentless attack notched seven sacks, 17 tackles for lost yardage, and forced four turnovers. Jamal Giddens led the attack with 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles, one of which teammate Noel Clarke Jr. recovered in the end zone for NSU's first score of the day. Sophomore Lynden Trail (six tackles, one sack), freshman Deon King (five tackles, two sacks) and senior Eric Hitch (five tackles, one sack) each finished with three tackles for loss. Marcus Cooperwood intercepted a pass in Spartan territory, while Clarke, Mike Privott and Terrence Pugh all recovered fumbles.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
Liberty outgained FBS opponent Wake Forest by 70 yards, but came up just shy in a 20-17 loss in Winston-Salem, N.C. last Saturday. The Demon Deacons overcame a 14-7 third-quarter deficit thanks to an interception return for touchdown and a short touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
The Flames outgained Liberty 363-293 thanks in part to a solid day by quarterback Brian Hudson, who passed for 263 yards and a pair of TDs. Elliott Dutra and Sirchauncey Holloway both caught scoring passes. The Flames' defense held Wake Forest to 98 rushing yards, 195 passing and 14 first downs.
The Flames are coming off a 7-4 season in which they finished as Big South Conference runners-up to Stony Brook, which defeated Liberty in the regular-season fi nale to win the conference title. Liberty welcomes back 16 starters from that team and was picked to finish second in the preseason Big South Conference poll of conference head coaches and media. The Flames are also in their first year under the direction of former Kansas and Buffalo head coach Turner Gill, a standout college quarterback at Nebraska in the 1980s.
MEDIA COVERAGE
• Radio: NSU Sports Network, WXTG 102.1 FM/1490 AM The Game, WNSB Hot 91.1 FM, (Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Maguell Davis; Pre-Game: Matt Michalec)
• TV: Live on ESPN3.com and MASN2 (regional)
• Live Stats: Click here
• Audio Stream: www.nsuspartans.com (click “Live Audio” link under Inside Athletics tab)
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans
THE SERIES
• This will be the fi fth all-time meeting between the teams, with Liberty holding a 3-1 edge.
• Liberty is 2-0 in games played at Williams Stadium.
• NSU won the last meeting, a 34-17 victory to close Pete Adrian's first year as head coach in 2005.
• NSU is 3-4 all-time against Big South teams, but 3-0 under Adrian.
THE COACHES
• Norfolk State: Pete Adrian (West Virginia '70)
Overall: 80-73-1 (15th season)
At NSU: 44-36 (8th season)?
vs. Liberty: 1-0
• Liberty: Turner Gill (North Texas '90)
Overall: 25-50 (7th season)
At Liberty: 0-1 (1st season)
vs. NSU: 0-0
QUICK HITS FROM VIRGINIA STATE
• NSU's defense tallied 17 tackles for loss, most by a Pete Adrian-coached team at NSU and most by any Spartan in a single game since the 2001 Labor Day Classic (NSU had 23 that day).
• The 17 tackles for loss were also the most by an FCS team last week.
• The Spartans also notched seven sacks, tied for the most by an Adrian team at NSU. The Spartans also had seven sacks Oct. 29 last season against North Carolina A&T.
• The 10 rushing yards NSU allowed are the fewest allowed by an Adrian team at NSU and the fewest allowed by a Spartan team since Florida A&M was held to four rushing yards on Oct. 26, 2002.
• The 70-yard kickoff return by Marcus Cooperwood in the third quarter was the longest of his career. The Spartans hadn't had a kickoff return that long since Nov. 1, 2008, when Dwight Fluker-Berry had an 84-yarder for a score at Howard.
• Noel Clarke's fumble recovery for touchdown in the first quarter was NSU's first defensive score since Oct. 1 of last season when Amechi Anyaugo returned a fumble 84 yards for a score vs. SCSU.
GIDDENS GETTING IT DONE
Outside linebacker Jamal Giddens had another in what is becoming a long list of monster games at NSU last week versus Virginia State. He was named FCS National Defensive Player of the Week by NCAA.com and the National FCS Linebacker of the Week by College Football Performance Awards.
More on the Spartans' standout:
• Giddens had seven tackles, a career-high 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles last week. Both of the fumbles were recovered by NSU, including Noel Clarke's touchdown recovery.
• In his last three games dating to the Morgan State game of last season, Giddens has 22 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.
• Giddens had eight sacks last season, third in the MEAC and most by a Spartan since Jamal Naji's 12 in 2002. Giddens has the most sacks of any returning MEAC player.
• This week, Giddens faces his former school. Giddens played in 11 games as a true freshman at Liberty in 2008, making 29 tackles, three for loss and 1.5 sacks, before transferring to NSU.
