NORFOLK, Va., - North Carolina A&T's strength unfortunately brings attention to a clear deficiency.
For the second straight week, the Aggies returned a kickoff for a touchdown. But a second straight week also saw the Aggies produce less than 200 yards offensively, and it again cost them as Norfolk State defeated the Aggies 23-14 in MEAC football action at William "Dick" Price Stadium on Saturday.
The game was dubbed the Fish Bowl Classic. DeAngelo Branch led the Spartans with 170 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 38 carries. The Aggies meanwhile, scored on defense and special teams, but couldn't score offensively.
"We're just spuractic right now,'' said Aggies head coach Alonzo Lee about the Aggies offense. "We have our ups and we have our downs. We need to be more consistent. (Quarterback Shelton Morgan) did some good things, but we need to get better at our trigger. There's no doubt about it."
Morgan, who was making his first start in two years, threw for 125 yards on 15-for-28 passing. His favorite target was junior Wallace Miles, who returned to the lineup this week after missing the Winston-Salem State game with a knee injury. Miles caught six passes for 86 yards. Miles' total was more than half of the Aggies total offensive output.
"It's in him to get better,'' said Lee about Morgan. "He had some people who were open, and then he had some drops out there. We also have to continue to get better up front. Everything they showed us defensively, we were prepared for. It's just a matter of going out and executing our game plan."
Despite the offensive troubles, the Aggies found themselves down 13-7 at halftime thanks to a 9-yard fumble return by linebacker Brandon Hover with 11:29 remaining in the first half.
To add to those good fortunes, the offense opened the second half with some forward progress. After starting their opening drive of the second half at their own 7-yard line, a holding penalty moved the Aggies back four more yards. But a 19-yard completion to Wallace Miles was followed by a 9-yard run by Mike Mayhew, a 3-yard run by Mayhew and an 8-yard run by Morgan. All of sudden, the Aggies offense had the Spartans on their heels.
The fun stopped two plays later as Morgan scrambled through the middle of the NSU defense, and had a clear first down on a six-yard gain. But as he went to the ground, the ball popped loose and into the hands of Dwight Fluker-Berry, who returned Morgan's fumble 50 yards for a touchdown and a 20-7 lead.
"I thought that was the turning point in the game,'' said Lee. "We're moving the ball in a positive direction, and then we look around and they're scoring a touchdown. I thought (Morgan) made a good decision, he showed good pocket presence, but he didn't have a tight hold on that football."
NSU used its momentum to put together a 9-play, 49-play drive that ended with a Ryan Estep 27-yard field goal.
It led to the Aggies putting in motion one of their best weapons - the kickoff return. Torrian Warren scooped up an Estep kickoff at the 22, and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown with 1:36 remaining in the third quarter.
It marked the first time ever the Aggies have returned kickoffs for touchdowns in consecutive weeks. Ferrell returned a kick 76 yards for a touchdown last week against Winston-Salem State.
"You saw early that they really respected our kickoff return because they were squib kicking at the beginning,'' said Lee. "I think they got a little more comfortable as the game went on, and it gave us a chance to showcase one of our weapons."
The Aggies (0-2) ran just 16 plays for 37 yards the rest of the way. Warren was named N.C. A&T MVP of the Fish Bowl Classic, while Branch earned the honor for Norfolk State. The Aggies return to action next week when they travel to Hampton, Va., to play the Hampton Pirates at 6 p.m., from Armstrong Stadium.
