SAVANNAH, Ga. - Savannah State University football coach Steve Davenport said the Tigers' Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game Saturday against defending MEAC champion Norfolk State University “is a game where strength matches strength.”
SSU is a passing team that is ranked sixth in the MEAC in passing offense with 179.6 yards per game. Norfolk State is ranked second in the Football Championship Subdivision in passing defense and first in the MEAC, allowing 138.8 yards per game.
SSU (1-7, 0-5) and Norfolk State (2-7, 0-6) will play at 2 p.m. at William “Dick” Price Stadium in Norfolk, Va. The game will be radio broadcast on WHCJ 90.3 FM.
“This is a game where strength matches strength, from our perspective,” Davenport said by phone Friday morning from his hotel room in Norfolk, Va. “It will be interesting to see. They drop a lot of people in coverage. That's probably one of the reasons for the lack of yards that they've given up. They like to keep people deep and keep you in front of them, so we'll attack that.
“We've got to be patient and not try to force things. It will be an interesting matchup between two good units: our pass offense against their pass defense.”
SSU is coming off a 21-13 loss to Hampton University last Saturday in Hampton, Va., where the Tigers were the Pirates' Homecoming opponent. SSU will be Norfolk State's Homecoming opponent Saturday.
“We felt like we let one slip away,” Davenport said. “Obviously, we weren't pleased about that at Hampton. We were attacking the red zone quite often and just couldn't finish those drives. And we've got to get that done. The best part about this job, the best part about being an athlete, is you get another chance the next week. And our kids are focused on playing the defending (MEAC) champion. Norfolk was a tremendously good football team last year and, to be honest with you, it's surprising that they're not having success.”
After starting the season 2-0 with victories over Virginia State and Liberty, Norfolk State enters Saturday's game with a seven-game losing streak. The Spartans are coming off a 30-9 loss to North Carolina A&T last Saturday in Greensboro, N.C.
Norfolk State has not scored a touchdown in its past two games.
“They're an athletic team,” Davenport said. “Good-looking football players. But sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way. I'm sure Coach (Pete) Adrian and his staff are working hard to try and get that turned around, no different than us.”
Last season, Norfolk State advanced to the FCS playoffs but lost, 35-18, to Old Dominion in the first round. It was the Spartans' first playoff appearance and their first time playing Old Dominion, which is less than five miles from Norfolk State.
The Spartans finished with a record of 9-3 overall and 7-1 in the MEAC, winning the conference title.
Norfolk State is 6-1 in the series against SSU. The Spartans beat the Tigers, 45-3, last season at T.A. Wright Stadium.
SSU beat Norfolk State, 41-34 in double-overtime, on Sept. 11, 2004.
Norfolk State outlook
Norfolk State starting quarterback Jake Basmagian, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound sophomore from Canoga Park, Calif., is 92-of-152 passing (60.5 percent) for 880 yards and two touchdowns. He has thrown 11 interceptions.
Backup quarterback Nico Flores, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound redshirt junior from Miami, Fla., is 68-of-121 passing (56.2 percent) for 638 yards and four touchdowns. The University of Central Florida transfer has been intercepted and seven times.
Wide receiver Xavier Boyce, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound redshirt senior from Virginia Beach, Va., has made 48 catches for 473 yards and two touchdowns. He transferred from Virginia Tech.
Running back Takeem Hedgeman, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound redshirt senior from Charlottesville, Va., has carried the ball 101 times for a team-high 385 yards and two touchdowns. Brendon Riddick, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound redshirt freshman from Richmond, Va., has 374 yards and six touchdowns on 76 carries.
Defensively, linebacker Lynden Trail, a 6-foot-7, 250-pound redshirt sophomore from Miami, Fla., has a team-high 61 tackles, including a team-high five sacks. He transferred from the University of Florida.
Linebacker Brent Singleton, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound redshirt junior from Miramar, Fla., has 60 tackles. He transferred from the University of Minnesota.
On special teams, punter Dylan Shaddix, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior from McDonough, Ga., leads the MEAC with 41 yards per punt.
Hurricane Sandy
SSU has traveled by bus up Interstate 95 to Virginia for a second consecutive week.
Last Saturday, SSU played Hampton University in Hampton, Va., in a driving rain, as Hurricane Sandy approached.
Thursday, the Tigers were back on the bus to make a 489-mile drive to Norfolk, Va., but the weather was much better. The team arrived at midnight. SSU had a walk-through practice at 11 a.m. Friday at William “Dick” Price Stadium.
“We ran into Sandy last week more than we did coming up (Thursday),” Davenport said. “We were in a driving rainstorm last week at Hampton.”
Because of Hurricane Sandy, Norfolk State lost two days of practice when classes were canceled Monday and Tuesday, the Virginian-Pilot reported.
“You never want distractions to your routine,” Davenport said. “But Coach Adrian has been at this for quite some time. He'll have his guys prepared and ready to play.”
Norfolk State missing two practices because of Hurricane Sandy, plus the distraction of Homecoming festivities all week, could benefit SSU.
“Homecoming can be a motivator sometimes,” Davenport said. “You hope they're not extra motivated because it's Homecoming. You just never know. This game, this profession, is so tricky at times. You sit there and you say they've got this distraction and that distraction and then they play their best game of the year. Or you say they've got this distraction and that distraction and they play their worst game of the year. You just never know how kids are going to be affected.”
