The 1-2 Spartans are feeling good after the win but have quickly shifted focus to another rivalry game this weekend, with Hampton making the trip across the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel for the Battle of the Bay.

“You can’t wait till Saturday to be great,” Norfolk State coach Dawson Odums said Monday. “That’s our challenge this week. I always say to sustain winning, to duplicate winning, to repeat winning, is one of the hardest things in winning. And now can we take the next step in getting ready for Hampton this Saturday and doing those small things? I call it, do simple better. If we can do simple better, then we got a chance this week.”

Odums praised the Spartans’ defense during his weekly press conference Monday, specifically how Norfolk State has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season.

Through three games, the most rushing yards a single running back has accounted for against Norfolk State is 67. That number belongs to East Carolina running back London Montgomery, who did so on 14 carries for 4.8 yards per rush.

“Guys are really fitting and doing better, but we want to be dominant,” Odums said.

For context, last season Norfolk State allowed a 100-yard rusher in each of its first three games. The Spartans even allowed a 200-yard rusher in Virginia State’s Bailey Upton.

Norfolk State’s run defense has shown vast improvement early in 2024. In the first three games of 2023, Norfolk State allowed 830 combined rushing yards and 7.1 yards per carry.

So far this season, Norfolk State has allowed less than half that number.

The Spartans’ opponents have combined for 382 rushing yards this season, bringing the average yards per game down to 127.5 from 276.6 in the same amount of time last year.

“I think we’ve shown what we can do,” defensive back Ricky Harleston said. “We’ve always talked about what we were capable of, but actually doing it, I think that was big for us. I think we can take that into Hampton and (bring) that momentum.”

Odums said the improvements can be credited to a combination of scheme, personnel, and growth in communication and discipline.

“When you get 11 guys that do simple better, they got a chance to be successful,” Odums said. “We’re playing with better eyes; our eyes got to get better. Teams are going to always try to, especially on offense, manipulate your eyes. So eye discipline is critical to that — we’ve been pretty good with that. When we haven’t been, teams have made us pay for that. So just getting older and just having a good understanding of what we’re doing, guys have been in the system (for) two and three years. That allows us to have some continuity and some consistency.”

Harleston echoed the sentiment, saying the defensive improvements boil down to the players.

“Everybody on the field, they have a certain kind of passion,” Harleston said. “It’s like fire and we all want to win. We’re all hungry, we’re all flying to the football, and I think that’s big. From being here three years ago to now, we got dogs on the field all over.”

Norfolk State’s defense will face another tough test Saturday in Hampton running back Elijah Burris. The senior ran for 137 yards on 12 carries in the Battle of the Bay last year and is fresh off a 145-yard, two-touchdown performance against Virginia Union last week.

“He is a focal point,” Odums said of Burris. “He’s a very good football player, very talented. He has the ability to go the distance at any point in time, and they’ve been giving him the ball through the first two weeks. Just a dynamic football player that you definitely got to know where he’s at all times.”

Norfolk State also will have to look out for Hampton’s quarterbacks’ ability to factor into the run game. Both Chris Zellous and Malcolm Mays can run the ball efficiently and have done so already this season.

“Both of them can throw the ball, both of them can run the ball, and we’ve seen them in the past,” Odums said. “So I really think both of those guys are kind of ideal players. That’s one reason they probably play both, because as a coordinator, you don’t want to have two game plans. So the game plan doesn’t really change no matter which one is in the game.”

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

The Spartans’ victory is their first of the season and their first at home since late in the 2021 season.

“Winning is fun, no matter how you win,” head coach Dawson Odums said. “That’s the goal, that’s the objective at the end of every mission, to make sure that you come away 1-0. This is the first time in a while that we’ve been able to finish a fourth quarter and beat a football team. You can see the growth, and we gotta grow a little bit more if we’re going to continue to feel this kind of feeling. I’m happy for them, the assistant coaches, these players — they put in a lot of hours and time.”

Quarterback Jalen Daniels got the Spartans on the board on their first drive, thanks to a beautiful connection with wide receiver Jacquez Jones. Daniels found Jones on a slant route on third-and-long, and the speedy Jones took the ball 60 yards to the house. The score was the first passing TD of the season for Daniels and the Spartans. Jones finished with 109 yards on four catches.

“I’ve been watching film all week. Coach was saying the middle of the field was gonna be wide open,” Jones said. “So as Coach was calling the play, I can see them bring pressure up the middle, so I’m like, ‘JD, I know I’m getting this ball.’ As soon as I stuck my foot in the ground, the ball was there and I did the rest.”

Virginia State was able to tie the game right away with a score on the ensuing drive. Former Norfolk State wide receiver Kevin Gayles, covered head to toe by a Spartan defensive back, made a phenomenal grab in the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown. Gayles’ catch capped a 12-play, 92-yard drive for Virginia State.

After forcing Norfolk State to go three plays and out, the Trojans jumped ahead 14-7 with a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Jimmyll Williams that capped an eight-play, 60-yard drive.

A little bit of luck helped Norfolk State tie the game at 14 on its next possession. Spartans running back X’Zavion Evans ran the ball up the middle, but had the ball punched out by a Virginia State defender. The fumbled ball flew forward and was kicked even farther by a Norfolk State player before it was eventually picked up and taken all the way to the red zone for a massive gain. A few plays later, Daniels waltzed in for a 11-yard touchdown run.

Norfolk State was able to add to its lead the next time its offense took the field. The Spartans strung together a crisp seven-play, 55-yard drive that was capped by a 22-yard touchdown catch by Kam’Ryn Thomas.

The score put Norfolk State ahead 21-14, and it remained that way heading into halftime after the Spartans missed a 45-yard field goal on their final offensive drive of the first half.

There wasn’t much offense in the third quarter, but the defense was plentiful on both sides. The first three drives of the third quarter ended in turnovers — Norfolk State fumbled the ball, Virginia State threw an interception and then Norfolk State threw another interception.

“I told them before the game, offense has (the) defense back, defense has (the) offense back, special teams has all (our) back,” Odums said. “Whoever is out there, you can turn the game around, you just have to believe and execute. We have a lot of work to do to get better, but it feels a lot better coming in after you’ve won a football game. They’re gonna see the film and they’ll get better, which they’ve done every week.”

Only three points came from the three turnovers: a 28-yard field goal from the Trojans after Daniels’ interception. The field goal cut Norfolk State’s lead to 21-17.

Outside of the fumble and interception, Daniels had put together a solid performance. He finished 14 of 21 through the air for 210 yards and two touchdowns while adding 31 yards and a score on the ground.

“Not good enough,” Daniels said of his performance. “That third quarter, (offensive coordinator Jason Phillips) and I talk a lot about not inserting yourself into the play, because he’s a great OC. So I inserted myself a bit in that third quarter, made (the game) a bit closer than it had to be. But I got back to my roots fourth quarter and yeah, we got the win.”

Oscar Smith High product Kevon King extended Norfolk State’s lead to two scores on the ensuing drive with a 64-yard rushing touchdown. King finished the game with a team-high 137 yards on 20 carries. As a team, Norfolk State finished with 257 rushing yards.

Both teams swapped punts on the next two drives, but Virginia State was able to cut into the lead, thanks to a touchdown from quarterback Romelo Williams with just more than five minutes remaining in the game. Williams finished 14 for 20 through the air for 171 yards and a touchdown.

The Trojans attempted to go for two, but failed, leaving Norfolk State with a 28-23 lead. The Spartans were eventually able to ice the game with a few clutch third-down conversions on their final drive.

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

Sure, Norfolk State is 0-2 and Hampton is 0-1, but there have been flashes for both teams that show they can get back on track — especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Hampton

The Pirates lost their opener to Morgan State 30-28 last weekend, but Boykin was still impressed with how the defense played.

“They flew around,” Boykin said Wednesday. “They played with some confidence. They knew certain calls or certain blitzes, they knew what they were doing, they were executing exactly where they were supposed to be.”

Hampton gave up 244 rushing yards, but Morgan State ran the ball 55 times. Despite that, Hampton’s highest team defensive grade for the game came on run defense, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Pirates’ defense wound up with a 70.4 grade against the run. Boykin said the defense did a good job of being “gap-sound,” which will be important Saturday against a Virginia Union team that ran for 379 yards in its season-opening win against Kentucky State.

Hampton’s defense kept showing up in big ways against Morgan State and kept the Pirates in the game. The Pirates did struggle with getting off the field on third down, including allowing two conversions on third-and-long that allowed Morgan State to ice the game, but Boykin said those things are correctable.

“We had some breakdowns on third-and-long (and have) some adjustment things that we got to do to fix, which is fine,” Boykin said. “But I just like the fact that they played hard, they flew around, they tackled pretty well. There were some missed tackles, but for the most part, guys were flying around. You could tell they were playing with confidence, like they understood and knew the defensive game plan.”

Norfolk State

Norfolk State might have received a 42-3 beatdown from FBS East Carolina last week, but there were still bright spots for the Spartans’ defense.

The Spartans forced six turnovers — three interceptions and three fumbles — in the loss. Forcing that many turnovers is impressive, but doing it against an FBS team makes it even more impressive. Defensive lineman Keshawn Lynch said it provides a boost for the defense, and he’s confident the results will be translated throughout the season.

Odums said there was an emphasis on winning the turnover battle during fall camp. While the offense didn’t match the defense against ECU, if Norfolk State can continue that trend, it will be in a good spot to win.

“Guys were in position and that’s the biggest thing,” Odums said. “Once you see them in position, now as a coaching staff, we just have to keep them in position because we got guys that can make some plays.”

Defensive back Terron Mallory came up with two interceptions against ECU, earning him an HBCU Defensive Back of the Week nod by the Jim Thorpe Awards on Wednesday. Mallory led the MEAC in interceptions last year and, after a rough game against Florida A&M, said his performance against ECU was a good confidence-booster.

“My coaches keep confidence in me,” Mallory said. “I made a mistake last week. I harped on it, but they didn’t let me harp on it too long. They gave me a second chance to go out there and make a play, and that’s what I did.”

Odums said Mallory’s improved play is indicative of the Norfolk State defense as a whole.

“That’s what you look forward to, is watching these guys grow week to week and just put bad games behind them, bad plays behind them, and continue to move forward,” Odums said.

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

The Gold Standard Collective will be the official NIL Collective for Norfolk State, according to a press release. The collective is powered by Student Athlete NIL (SANIL).

“The unveiling of the Gold Standard Collective marks a monumental breakthrough for our university and our student-athletes,” Norfolk State athletic director Melody Webb said in a release. “Through the help of SANIL’s innovative approach to the world of NIL, Norfolk State student-athletes will now boast a significant advantage in establishing and maintaining a personal brand.”

The Gold Standard Collective will help Norfolk State athletes find tools and resources to promote and maximize their personal brand. Through the collective, athletes will have “increased access” to communicate with local and national businesses.

The press release stated that SANIL is not “officially affiliated” with Norfolk State Athletics, but it “operates transparently” and is complicit with all NCAA, MEAC and state legislation on NIL.

“This is a great day in Sparta and we cannot say thank you enough to our wonderful donors,” Norfolk State football coach Dawson Odums said in a release. “They see the potential in our future stars, and we could not rise without them. The next level of achievement can not happen without you. Thank you for putting the U in NSU!”

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

The Spartans will play in-state rival Virginia State at Dick Price Stadium after opening the season with road losses against Florida A&M and East Carolina.

“I think it’s going to be a great environment,” Odums said Tuesday. “I think opening up at home with (Virginia State) is always good. It’s good for the community. It’s good for both fan bases, and we’re definitely looking forward to this football game. They played well in their first game. They’re 1-0 and coming in here, they’re going to be excited. But we’re a different football team than we were a year ago, and we’re looking forward to this matchup.”

When Norfolk State opened last season with a home matchup against Virginia State, 21,640 people packed the stands at Dick Price Stadium for the first matchup between the rivals since 2019.

Virginia State left Norfolk with a 33-24 win last year after a bizarre ending that included the Trojans icing the game with a 77-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

Odums said the way the game ended last year adds “extra fuel” to the latest matchup.

“A lot of guys experienced a lot of losses last year and they were here for that loss at the end of the game,” Odums said. “You gotta live with that for 365 days. Everything that you did in the offseason leads up to this football game and getting yourself ready to play. Just having that understanding that it’s still about going 1-0. These are the certain things we have to do, and if we do these things very well, we give ourselves a chance to win a football game. That’s ultimately what we want is a chance to win a football game and come away with a ‘W.’”

That loss to Virginia State was the first of four home losses for the Spartans last year and was one of three that came by less than 10 points. The trend of home losses isn’t unique to 2023, though.

Norfolk State is just 3-10 when playing at home under Odums. The Spartans haven’t won a home game since they beat Morgan State during Odums’ first season in 2021.

“Winning at home is big because you have to defend home turf,” Odums said. “We did not do a very good job of that in 2023, but this football team is destined to do some really great things. I think we’ve gotten better, we’re a better football team, we have a better mindset. Now you gotta put it all together and go show it, and it starts by defending our home turf against Virginia State.”

Defensive back Terron Mallory, who had two interceptions for Norfolk State against ECU last week, and defensive lineman Keshawn Lynch both said they’ve been waiting for Saturday’s game against Virginia State.

“It’s one of those games that’s been marked up on my schedule,” Lynch said. “I don’t really talk a lot, so you know, it’s just, I can’t wait to play honestly.”

Both Mallory and Lynch transferred to Norfolk State in the past few years — Mallory from Sacred Heart after the 2021 season and Lynch from Old Dominion after the 2022 season — meaning neither of them have won a home game during their time with the Spartans. That only adds more importance to the game.

“I think it’s just one of those things where we literally have to win because it’s been so long,” Lynch said. “Everybody’s coming to the game. It’s one of those games everybody wants to see, and it’s been two years. So why not make it this year that we win our first home game?”

Norfolk State has played inspired football so far in 2024. Although the Spartans are 0-2 with a 24-23 loss to nationally-ranked Florida A&M and 42-3 loss to FBS program East Carolina, Odums said he’s noticed bright spots and improvements week to week.

Mallory said he’s excited to be back on Park Avenue this weekend after starting the season on the road and is hoping to get a home win for the Spartans fans.

“It definitely feels good to get back home and be able to play in front of our fans,” Mallory said. “We’ve definitely been able to pack it out. It’s gonna be electrifying attendance, for sure. And I’m just ready.”

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

Jones told the media Monday the classroom adoptions will replace the usual back-to-school bash the Spartans hold.

“Because of the timing of when schools started — some schools started (Monday), some schools started last week, some next week — we just decided to adopt a classroom,” Jones said. “So we wanted to do one or two classrooms in every city in the 757, and so far, we’ve been able to do that.”

Jones and the Spartans have adopted classrooms at seven schools for the year, each representing a city in Hampton Roads. A class from Independence Middle School, Western Branch Middle School, Lake Taylor High School, Rena B. Wright Primary School, Nansemond River High School, Booker T. Washington Middle School and B.M. Williams Primary School will all have their supplies paid for.

The classes were selected after Jones tweeted out a PSA last week.

“We put it out on social media and really it was kind of like a voting system,” Jones said. “So the people who got the most hits, or the most votes or the most mentions, we gave the school supplies to. So what they did was they sent their wish list, and we were able to take care of that Amazon wish list, and now they have school supplies for the semester.”

The team plans to go out and spend time with the classes this week and throughout the year, Jones said. The classes were also invited to Norfolk State’s game against Hofstra on Dec. 9.

Jones said the class adoptions are a great way to give back to the community, while also showing his players that the Norfolk State program is about more than basketball.

“It’s just having a holistic approach with your program, showing that it’s more than just on the court; it’s off the court things too,” Jones said. “The community, they show up and support you. You got to give back a little bit so they can continue to show up and support you. It’s a two-way street. Also, when you’re in a position of power, or able to give back, you should give back.”

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

“Tough loss for us, but I really like where we are,” Odums said Monday. “I think this football team has the makings of something special. The vibe that we had going into that game was locked in, everybody’s on the same page, the execution was there. Watching the film, a couple mistakes here and there, (but) everything’s correctable, but the effort was very pleasing. I think if you can play with that kind of effort week in and week out, you give yourself a chance to be successful.”

The run game stood out in what was new offensive coordinator Jason Phillips’ first game calling the shots for the Spartans’ offense.

Norfolk State ran the ball 43 times for 227 yards and an average of 5.3 yards per carry. While there may have been times the Spartans’ offense seemed to stall out, they dominated the then-No. 25 Rattlers at the line of scrimmage for most of the game.

Odums gave the impression the offensive game plan wasn’t necessarily to run the ball more than 40 times, but it was working. So the Spartans kept going with it.

“Well, it’s kind of like, take what they give you,” Odums said. “They gave us opportunities to run the football, and we took full advantage of it. I tell the guys all the time, keep doing what works. They never stopped us, even when we didn’t gain the yards. We had plays where we still had gaps there. We just got to be better at our execution later in the game. But they never stopped us from running the ball. And my thing is, why change?”

During his weekly press conference Monday, Odums said he received several texts over the weekend saying Norfolk State finally looked like a “Dawson Odums football team” during the Florida A&M game. While Odums himself may have been referring to the effort the Spartans played with, it certainly can apply to the run game.

Last year, Norfolk State averaged 41.6 carries a game and ran the ball over 40 times in five games, including against Towson when the Spartans ran the ball 54 times. In 2023, Norfolk State ran the ball less than 35 times just once. Success in the run game isn’t new for the Spartans. After all, they were No. 26 in the country last year with an average of 173.8 rushing yards per game.

While the success on the ground isn’t new, it certainly appears to have found a new gear. The Spartans’ offense received an 80.2 offense grade from Pro Football Focus against Florida A&M, the fourth-highest against a Division I opponent in Odums’ tenure at Norfolk State. The same goes for Norfolk State’s run-blocking grade of 76.

While history shows Norfolk State will likely be a run-first team, Odums maintains the Spartans’ offense will adapt to its opponent week-to-week rather than being hyper-focused on one strategy.

“I think every offensive coordinator, the good ones take what you get and they cash in on that,” Odums said. “So (Florida A&M) was giving up the running game, and we took it. We’re not a run-first offense or pass-first offense. We’re a take-what-the-defense-gives-you offense. If (they’d) given us plenty of opportunities in the passing game, we would’ve been throwing the football. But I do know when you run the ball on first down for eight yards, that’s second and two. When you throw the ball on first down and it’s incomplete, it’s second and 10. So it’s like keeping the sticks in our favor and moving the football down the field.”

Former Oscar Smith High standout Kevon King rushed for a career-high 146 yards on 14 carries for an average of 10.6 yards per rush. The junior believes his performance, and the offense’s performance in general, on Saturday isn’t a one-off.

“I’m very confident,” King said. “My O-line is being more consistent, running backs are being more consistent. We’re just a brotherhood.”

Odums praised King on Monday, but also gave credit to the offensive line for putting the team in a position to make plays.

“I thought our O-line gave (King) an opportunity to showcase his skill set,” Odums said. “He’s very talented. He went the distance. The question was, do we have a running back that can go the distance? Checked that box. Do we have a running back that can run between the tackles? Checked that box. So when you start checking off boxes, it gives us an opportunity to realize that we have a special talent.”

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

Coach Dawson Odums’ squad put up a valiant fight under the lights on national television before losing 24-23 to the Rattlers, who are ranked 25th in the Football Championship Subdivision, at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta. The Spartans had an opportunity to take the lead with just more than six minutes to go, but a failed 2-point conversion ultimately sealed the game.

“Put a lot of people on notice,” Odums said. “I’m proud of these guys, our coaches and our program. We’ve done come a long way. We came up one point short.”

Norfolk State came out red-hot, fueled by a dominant rushing attack.

Oscar Smith High product Kevon King scored the first touchdown of the Spartans’ campaign. He found a gap up the middle on the third play of the game and took it 82 yards.

The one-two punch of King and X’Zavion Evans helped Norfolk State go up 14-0 early on the reigning HBCU national champions. The Spartans ran for 191 yards in the first half on 29 carries.

King finished with 146 yards and Evans 55.

Florida A&M, led by quarterback Daniel Richardson,  eventually was able to find some momentum after going down early. A touchdown pass in the first quarter and a field goal in the second quarter cut into the Spartans’ lead.

Norfolk State drove deep into Florida A&M territory with just less than five minutes left before halftime and was threatening to score. Odums ultimately opted to take a field-goal opportunity, but a botched snap on the attempt resulted in a turnover on downs. NSU took a 14-10 lead into the half after both teams swapped punts.

Florida A&M opened up the second half with a bang when Richardson found Jamari Gassett for a 55-yard touchdown pass. The score gave the Rattlers a 17-14 lead and marked 17 unanswered points by coach James Colzie’s team.

Norfolk State responded with Grant Willcox’s 29-yard field goal to tie the game at 17, but Richardson found Gassett once again in the third quarter to get back out in front 24-17.

“We ran the football, and for the most part of the game, we stopped the run,” Odums said. “We held a really good football team in check for most of the game. We were in the football game all the way until the last horn. We didn’t make a few plays. They made a few in the second half. We battled back and we just came away a little short.”

Richardson shined in his debut for the Rattlers. The Florida Atlantic transfer, by way of Central Michigan, was a crisp 22 of 30 through the air for 286 yards and three touchdowns.

Just when it seemed like Florida A&M was driving and had Norfolk State on the ropes, Levontae Jacobs forced a fumble and Eric Ivory recovered it for the Spartans.

A 41-yard pass from Jalen Daniels to Kam’Ryn Thomas put Norfolk State on the Florida A&M 2-yard line, from where King punched the ball in with his second touchdown of the night.

Norfolk State’s would-be game-tying extra-point kick was blocked by Florida A&M, leaving the score 24-23. But a Ratttlers defender was ruled offsides, giving the Spartans another opportunity to tie the game. Instead of going for the tie, Odums took a gamble and sent his offense back out for a 2-point conversion attempt from 1 1/2 yards away.

Daniels attempted to scramble in himself but was tackled before he could reach the end zone.

Florida A&M iced the game with an 11-play, 63-yard drive that took up the remaining 6:21 left in the game. NSU was flagged for offside and pass interference on the same third-and-2 play, giving FAMU a clinching first down.

Norfolk State leaned heavily on the run game, totaling 43 rushing attempts compared to nine passes. The Spartans finished with 227 rushing yards but only added 36 in the second half after 191 in the first.

While passing opportunities were limited, Daniels was 7 for 9 for 142 yards in his debut with Norfolk State.

The one-point loss will likely sting for the Spartans even more after they lost five games last year by single digits, tied for most in the FCS.

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

ABC (WVEC in Hampton Roads) will televise the 7:30 p.m. game.

Head coach Dawson Odums and the Spartans are looking to bounce back after finishing 3-8 in 2023, marking the third consecutive losing season of Odums’ tenure.

“The biggest thing is just take it one day at a time,” Odums said. “It’s an exciting chance to try to get into game mode. So it’s game week, intensity, attention to detail, everything now is gonna go up. I thought we had a really good camp. I felt like we’re healthy. Really gave our guys a chance to get their legs back. This week right here is about the sense of urgency and execution. If we can do those two things, I feel really good about going down to Georgia and getting ourselves a chance to win a football game.”

Despite the Rattlers’ new head coach and roster turnover, beating Florida A&M won’t be an easy task for the Spartans. The Rattlers went 12-1 last season, defeating Howard in the Celebration Bowl to clinch their 16th HBCU national championship. Florida A&M is led by James Colzie, a first-year head coach who was promoted from defensive backs coach after Willie Simmons left and became Duke’s running backs coach.

“You just gotta act like you’ve been there before,” NSU lineman Marcus Mauney, a Yale transfer, said of the matchup. “It’s a big game, but you know, every game is a big game for us.”

Norfolk State is full of promise this season. The Spartans return 84 players from last year’s roster and led the conference with 13 players on the preseason All-MEAC teams. Odums and his coaching staff are confident that experience will help transfer into more wins in 2024.

Standouts

AJ Richardson, LB, sophomore, 6-1, 245: Richardson burst onto the scene last year for the Spartans, although it was out of necessity. When Norfolk State was hurting for linebacker depth, he stepped up big-time, finishing with a team-leading 69 tackles. He earned second-team All-MEAC honors and was named a Football Championship Subdivision Freshman All-American by FCS Football Central. Richardson made the preseason All-MEAC first team and is expected to have an even better season in his sophomore year.

Terron Mallory, DB, graduate student, 5-11, 190: Mallory made an instant impact after transferring to Norfolk State in 2023 from Sacred Heart. He led the MEAC with four interceptions and was one of the highest-graded defensive backs in the FCS last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Mallory was one of four Spartans to make the All-MEAC preseason first team and will once again be an anchor for NSU’s secondary.

Devon Allen, DB, graduate student, 6-0, 180: Allen was the thunder to Mallory’s lightning last year. For a period, the two were the highest-rated defensive back duo in the FCS, according to Pro Football Focus. He led the conference with 10 pass breakups last year. Allen hopped in the transfer portal briefly after making the All-MEAC second team, but decided to stay with the Spartans. He’ll be a big key to success in defensive coordinator Steve Adams’ secondary.

Kevon King, RB, junior, 5-11, 200: The Oscar Smith High graduate has improved in each of his two seasons with Norfolk State and will likely play a key role in the running game. He finished with 429 rushing yards and 487 all-purpose yards in nine games last season. King was named a preseason All-MEAC second-teamer and will team up with Richmond transfer Fonae Webb and East Mississippi Community College transfer Kiron Benjamin in Norfolk State’s backfield.

Aaron Moore, WR, graduate student, 6-2, 185: Moore is back with the Spartans for his sixth year of college football. The Old Dominion transfer was leading the team in receiving yards last year when his season was cut short after five games due to a hand injury. Although Odums said the wide receiver room will be by committee in 2024, Moore undoubtedly will be a go-to target for quarterback Jalen Daniels.

Storylines

Quarterback is set … for now

Odums named Daniels, a junior-college transfer, as the starting quarterback on Sunday. It was a shock to some who haven’t watched practice during camp. The incumbent starter, senior Otto Kuhns, earned first-team All-MEAC preseason honors and was named to the 2024 Black College Player of the Year Award watch list, but will have to sit out the first four games because of an NCAA ruling. Daniels threw for 1,282 yards in eight games at the JUCO level, but will be making his first appearance in Division I. He performed well enough in fall camp to earn the starting job and will have four games to further prove it’s his spot. We’ll have to wait until the end of September to see how Odums will handle the return of Kuhns.

Need a win at home 

Home-field advantage has simply not existed at William “Dick” Price Stadium during Odums’ tenure. Odums is 3-10 in home games since taking over as head coach, and the Spartans haven’t won a home game since the 2021 season. Last season, two of their four home losses came by one score. Norfolk State has Towson, Howard and Delaware State coming to Park Avenue this year as well as two rivals in Virginia State and Hampton. Home success is possible at Norfolk State as evidenced by Odums’ 3-1 home record in 2021, but it’ll be crucial in 2024 with Odums’ contract nearing its expiration in 2025.

Experience galore

In the ever-changing landscape of college football, massive roster turnover is the norm, but somehow, some way, Norfolk State managed to dodge that bullet in 2024. The Spartans lost just five players to graduation, and while some might have entered the portal, the Spartans are returning 84 lettermen from last year’s squad. Norfolk State also returns 16 starters and adds a wealth of transfers. In short, the Spartans were a young and inexperienced team in 2023, but in 2024, they’ll have the depth and experience that should help them compete in the MEAC.

Opener information

Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Norfolk State vs Florida A&M

at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. on ABC (WVEC in Hampton Roads)

2024 schedule

Aug. 24: vs. Florida A&M in Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 31: at East Carolina, 6 p.m.

Sept. 7: vs. Virginia State, 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 14: vs. Hampton,  4 p.m.

Sept. 21: at VMI,1:30 p.m.

Sept. 28: vs. N.C. Central in Indianapolis, 3 p.m.

Oct. 5: at Sacred Heart, 1 p.m.

Oct. 12: vs. Towson, 2 p.m.

Oct. 26: vs. Howard, 2 p.m.

Nov. 2: at Morgan State, 1 p.m.

Nov. 16: vs. Delaware State, noon

Nov. 23: at S.C. State, 1:30 p.m.

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

The 6-foot-1 Aussie sports long wavy, brown hair and a light beard, so he likely blended into the crowd. But all he’d have to do to stick out was say a single word.

Tracey was in America — after an improbable, winding odyssey — to attend Norfolk State University on a football scholarship as a punter. Tracey and the Spartans open their season Saturday night on national TV against Florida A&M on ABC.

“I get off the plane and I’m like what in the world,” Tracey said recently in his thick Australian accent. “I’m jet-lagged, walking around. I know nothing. I know no one. I don’t know how to talk to Americans.”

He is just the latest in an influx of Australian-born athletes, specifically punters and kickers, who have found their way into college football in the past few decades. Last season, 61 of the 133 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) — the highest level of college football — had an Australian punter on the roster. More dot rosters at a Historically Black College or University and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and lower levels.

Tracey is the first Australian punter at NSU, and was the lone Aussie on a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference roster last season. Ethan Duane, a Melbourne native, was across town as Old Dominion’s punter from 2021-23.

At NSU, Tracey has quickly become a member of the Spartan family, and head coach Dawson Odums thinks Tracey could be the start of a pipeline of sorts.

“I think you want a program that provides opportunity,” Odums said. “Find the right pieces of the puzzle that fit and no matter where they’re from. … It’s a lot of weight on the shoulders for those guys, because they’re not only representing themselves and their families, they’re also representing their country and we want (Tracey) to do well because he’s opening doors for others.”

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Growing up

Tracey was raised in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. His hometown of Springwood sports a population of just under 8,500 and is roughly an hour outside Sydney. Tracey, who turned 23 last week, is the second oldest of four kids. His mother, Julie, is a cook and his father, Peter, is an accountant.

Cricket was a popular sport in the Tracey family — Noah’s brother, Ben, played semi-pro cricket in England — and Noah focused on rugby and soccer growing up. Peter Tracey has run ultramarathons — typically 31-plus miles.

“(Sports) has always been part of my life,” Peter said via Zoom call from Australia. “So I think it’s the old bit of monkey-see-monkey-do when the kids grew up. Not all the kids got into sport. They all played, don’t get me wrong, but Noah and his younger brother Ben probably the two that really sort of took it up.”

Noah’s kicking experience came from playing rugby and Australian rules football. But he didn’t get a taste of American football until he was 18.

After plans to travel the world were shut down by the pandemic, Tracey’s friend proposed playing for the Nepean Ducks, the local American team, for fun.

“I said ‘Mate, I’ve got nothing to lose here let’s go have a bit of fun,’ ” Tracey said. “I played a bit of wide receiver and a few other positions. I mucked around and ended up getting the punting job.”

That decision changed the course of his sporting career and his life.

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Training with ProKick Australia

Since ProKick Australia was created in 2007, founders John Smith and Nathan Chapman — former professional kickers — have created a pipeline from Melbourne to America. ProKick has helped over 270 athletes receive full college scholarships, according to its website. Of those, 29 have been awarded NFL or Canadian Football League contracts and eight have won the Ray Guy Award, given to the best FBS punter, since 2013.

“Our job is to educate young men through sport,” Smith said by phone from Australia. “It’s magnificent that we can do it. I’m a sports buff, I love sport. But nothing’s better than seeing young men doing well and getting educated. Nothing.”

Tracey said he originally only went to his ProKick trial to support his friend and to “get out of the house.” He performed well, though, and earned another trial.

“I went there, moved my life down to Melbourne at the age of 18,” Tracey said. “I think it was like a three-week decision, four-week decision. I just packed my bags and went. … Since then I’ve never looked back.”

For the next two years, Tracey worked hard to stay afloat in Melbourne. He kept three jobs — a testament to his character, Smith said — all while training in the gym with ProKick six days a week and kicking three days.

ProKick’s training regiment is, as Smith puts it, not for “choir boys.” The strict schedule, with early mornings and constant workouts, is an attempt to mimic what American athletes endure, Smith said.

“(We’re) always trying to replicate that feel of get up, go to the gym, get ready — all those things that you need,” Smith said. “It’s a transitional process. Week by week, month by month, we’re changing and adapting weaknesses and eliminating them.”

Tracey credits his success to ProKick’s ability to “pull everything apart fundamentally” and build kickers back up.

Smith knew early that Tracey had the talent to be a good punter. It also helped that Tracey had experience playing American football: “Worth its weight in gold,” Smith said.

“With Noah, because he played, it was more about getting down to the mechanics of what we were trying to do,” Smith said. “When you get someone like Noah, it’s refreshing, because it’s easier to talk about the game in the initial stages. And in terms of his work ethic, his gym work, everything else. It goes with it. You can’t fault that. The kid is just a machine.”

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‘Coach, he’s a football player’

On-campus visits are a crucial part of recruiting in college sports. Visits are much harder when a prospect lives on the other side of the world, so coaches rely heavily on film.

Norfolk State defensive coordinator Steve Adams, who has been connected with ProKick since his days as Odums’ special teams coordinator at Southern University, headed Tracey’s recruitment. Adams joked that Smith had been trying to get a player to his school every year since 2015, but the timing and need was never there.

“We got to Norfolk State, and got to the fall of 2022 and we knew we were going to need one,” Adams said. “Johnny said, ‘I got the perfect guy for you.’ He said, ‘Coach, he’s a football player. He ain’t just a punter, he’s a football player.’”

Then, the telephone tag began.

“Just trying to figure out when we can call him, when he can answer, just the time zone difference and the different way the phone system was working for us calling him,” Odums said. “Then he got a couple apps downloaded and we were able to call him a little bit more.

“It was just building a relationship and just selling our program and ourselves, and he was selling himself. We had an opportunity and a need and we thought he would be a great fit for us.”

The Norfolk State staff evaluated Tracey based on punting and workout videos ProKick sent, and Adams said there was a higher level of trust in Smith’s word because of ProKick’s reputation.

“No. 1, Johnny’s telling me that he’s mature,” Adams said. “If the tape checks out, then he’s going to be mature enough. Then it was just a matter of seeing his hang time and seeing the workout videos that he sent me. And trusting our site, trusting in our evaluation process, and then putting faith into a guy that sent a lot of punters over to the U.S.”

Tracey said he heard from a couple other schools while being recruited. After doing some research, Tracey said NSU’s location and the surrounding environment of Hampton Roads was a fit for him.

“He’s such a welcome member of the team because he’s got such a great personality.” Adams said. “He just fit into the team. He fit into the campus. He genuinely likes his teammates and his teammates genuinely like him. It’s just been a good marriage.”

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‘We’re all green and gold’

Tracey owns the fact he went through a “massive” culture shock upon his arrival in Norfolk, but he maintained a positive attitude. Defensive lineman Lavontae Jacobs was Tracey’s roommate when he arrived, and said Tracey’s infectious personality stood out.

“It was kind of tough for him at first, but he got in a rhythm,” Jacobs said. “He got everything. Me and him were going to the store, getting the stuff he needed to move in and things like that. He moved in and did everything pretty well. He just jumped in and seemed natural.”

On top of adjusting to life and American culture, Tracey also had to learn about HBCU culture. There are no HBCUs in Australia so Tracey said he talked with other Aussie punters who attend HBCUs to get a feel for what to expect.

Kicker Carson Wilt, a Florida native who started his career at Southern and transferred to Norfolk State in 2022, joked Tracey had no idea what kind of college experience he was in for at NSU.

“I don’t think Noah knew what an HBCU was,” Wilt joked. “I think he definitely picked up a little bit different of that subculture, you could say, just like how you go about it. But I think he’s taken it all in stride and he loves it. The thing is we’re all a brotherhood here, we’re not defined by one, one type of color.

“We’re all one. We’re all green and gold.”

Odums said Tracey has become the “No. 1 fan” of HBCU culture and gives credit to the specialist group for easing his transition to American life.

“Particularly with Norfolk State there’s a lot of differences in the culture and the vibe,” Tracey said. “Like Soul Food Thursday’s — never heard of that in my life. … It’s different, but I don’t mind it. That fried chicken sits well sometimes, I’m not gonna lie to you.”

Early on, Tracey got the usual questions of Australian life about spiders, snakes and the occasional joke about kangaroos, Jacobs said. But as Tracey got more comfortable at Norfolk State, a give-and-take began.

While his teammates and classmates have taught him about life in the U.S. and at an HBCU, he’s been able to share his Australian culture. Tracey said it’s helped him build character and “evolve” as a person.

“Now that I’ve sort of grown into it, I think there’s a lot of beauty in it, to be honest with you,” Tracey said. “Because I’m from a different culture myself. So now seeing this other culture and you look at all these different things and like the dances they do and it’s unreal.

“You don’t see that every day. That’s like out of a movie for some people, so it’s pretty sick.”

The hardest part of Tracey’s adjustment was being so far away from his family.

“After I finish practice, or have a bad day, or something doesn’t go right throughout my day, I can’t call my family back home,” Tracey said. “Why? Because it’s 1 in the morning (over there), I’m not going to wake them up.”

Even with a massive time difference, Tracey still keeps in touch with his family often. His parents attended two games last year and plan two more this season.

“I think he found his own systems that worked for him,” Peter Tracey said. “I think he slowly, sort of developed a few friendships over there, which was good, and that sort of helped him get through. I think he found his own way to sort of get by and he sort of adapted pretty well.”

With his real family on the other side of the world, Wilt has taken it upon himself to make Tracey feel like a member of his family. Wilt has become Tracey’s “best mate” and a “brother from another mother” and the two now live off campus together with Ethan Sanchez and Brock Walters, a kicker and long snapper, respectively, at ODU.

“I don’t think football would be the way it is without (Wilt) for me, especially this year,” Tracey said. “Some people don’t see the true character of someone off the field and he’s always there to help lighten the mood. … He’s one of those guys that really just brings clarity.”

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On the field

Tracey’s first few weeks at Norfolk State were a whirlwind. After a longer admissions process, he arrived three weeks after classes began, missed all of fall football camp and had just one week before the Spartans’ first game last season.

Tracey got only about 8-10 live reps of practice before NSU’s opener against Virginia State, and was behind Grandin Wilcox on the depth chart. Unexpectedly, Tracey was thrown into the action in his first college football game in front of a crowd of more than 21,000 at NSU’s Dick Price Stadium.

“I think I was out of breath going out there,” Tracey said. “…That first kick got it off my chest, then I could breathe again. That’s an experience I’ll never forget. What a way to go out there, what a way to get thrown in the deep end. That’s living to me.”

Tracey’s confidence began to build after that first punt and he continued to improve through his freshman year. In 2023, he appeared in all 11 games and logged 44 punts for a 37.2 average, including 12 that were downed inside the redzone — a key measurement for successful punters. Tracey earned a MEAC Rookie of the Week and a MEAC Specialist of the Week award during the season.

Looking back on his first year at NSU, Tracey is content with all he accomplished. But he knows he has room to grow. Like any other player.

“You can’t sit there and not be happy with yourself,” he said. “I could have had plenty of better days but that sometimes came down to you know what, I didn’t have a preseason. … I was pretty happy and I’ve got more to show.”

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginamedia.com