Norfolk State University Athletics

2019 (Junior)
Played in all 12 games and started 11 times – all but the season finale … Finished the season with 32 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks – all career highs … Was also credited with three quarterback hurries, one pass deflection and one fumble recovery … Posted a season-high six tackles, two for loss and a sack, in the win at Howard … Had 1.5 sacks, a career high, the following week at Bethune-Cookman … Also had one sack against North Carolina Central … Made five tackles against S.C. State … Recovered a fumble in the win over Virginia State.

2018 (Sophomore)
Played in 10 games and started once, against Florida A&M … Tallied 13 tackles, four for loss, with two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery on the season … Posted a tackle for loss and forced a fumble in the opener against Virginia State … Tallied his first sack of the year against S.C. State … Had two tackles, one for loss, against Delaware State … Made three tackles and forced a fumble in the N.C. Central game … Recovered a fumble against Savannah State … Posted two tackles and a sack against Howard.

2017 (Freshman)
A key contributor off the bench, Blackwell played in 10 games in his rookie season … Saw action in every contest except the Florida A&M game … Made 14 tackles, nine solo, with 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack on the season … Also was credited with one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry … Broke up a pass in the win at N.C. Central … Had a season-high seven tackles with half a sack in the loss to N.C. A&T … Had three solo stops, one for a loss, at Howard.

High School
First-team All-Conference 12 defensive tackle an honorable mention All-Metro in his final high school season … Posted 71 tackles, including 17 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as a senior … Teamed with fellow Spartan Juwan Carter to lead Highland Springs to state titles as a junior and senior … Named to the All-5A South Region second team as a junior … Was a three-year varsity starter at Highland Springs … Was also an all-state wrestler as a senior.

Personal
Tavien Olante Blackwell was born on July 10, 1999 … Son of Thomas and Angela Blackwell … A mass communications major.

Blackwell’s Career Highs
Tackles: 7 (vs. N.C. A&T, 11-4-17)
TFL: 2.0 (at Howard, 10-12-19)
Sacks: 1.5 (at Bethune-Cookman, 10-19-19)
FF: 1 (2x, last vs. N.C. Central, 10-20-18)
FR: 1 (2x, last vs. Virginia State, 9-7-19)
PBU: 1 (at N.C. Central, 10-21-17)