NORFOLK, Va. – A college football veteran made multiple big plays on defense. A college football rookie made two long touchdown runs, and the North Carolina A&T football team withstood a Norfolk State rally late in the game.
As a result, a first-year head coach named Vincent Brown earned his first-ever coaching victory as the Aggies defeated Norfolk State 28-26 in non-conference action at William "Dick" Price Stadium Saturday afternoon. Brown's first collegiate coaching win meant A&T's first 2023 win as they beat the Spartans for the eighth time in a row.
Graduate linebacker BJ Turner was magnificent. He made a career-high 19 tackles, including nine unassisted and 2 ½ for loss. Turner leads the nation in solo tackles. It is the most tackles by an Aggies since Landis Shoffner made 19 on Sept. 13, 2014, against Elon.
"I'm just so happy for our players and coaches," said Brown. "We faced a lot of scrutiny and questions about our program and our players. So, seeing our young men fight so hard today against a team that we felt was really going to be hard to beat at home is great. But I'm just happy to get this one behind us and build on it."
Most of the blame fingers for the Aggies' 0-3 start pointed toward the lack of a passing game that had produced only 129 yards in three games. In addition, the Aggies' inability to move the chains resulted in the defense playing 35-plus minutes each of the last two games.
With all the background noise accumulating, in stepped true freshman QB Kevin White to make the start against the Spartans, and for one week at least. White calmed the waters.
He did not show off with his arm per se, going 6-for-10 for 98 yards and an interception, but his legwork was impressive. A&T, who had only one offensive touchdown coming into Saturday's game, scored two plays into the game as White faked a handoff to sophomore running back Kenji Christian, pulling the ball out of Christian's belly to tuck it and run 65 yards for the score.
It is the longest play from scrimmage this season for A&T and White's first collegiate touchdown. White, whose hometown of Newport News, Va., is only a few miles from Norfolk's campus, is A&T's first true freshman QB to win a start since Jason Douglass did it on Sept. 28, 2002.
"To be a true freshman, he has incredible poise," said Brown. "He really doesn't get rattled, and he's only going to get better. We've got some things he has to improve on – getting the ball out of his hands quicker and not taking sacks in certain situations. But he has the skill set as a runner that people will have to account for, and he showed today."
Two minutes after White's score, a miscommunication on a shotgun snap led to White fumbling the ball out of the back of the end zone to give Norfolk two points on a safety. A fumble on a punt return led to a field goal for the Spartans, cutting A&T's lead to 7-5.
But the Spartans would never lead on Saturday. The Aggies offense came alive again in the first quarter when Christian scored on a 34-yard touchdown run for his first-ever collegiate touchdown. The Spartans scored a touchdown just before the half to go into the locker room trailing 14-12.
The Aggies dominated the third quarter, scoring on a 40-yard run from White and a 1-yard run from Christian to take a 28-12 lead into the fourth quarter. Both men scored twice on the ground and went over 100 yards. It marked the first time two players have gone over 100 yards since Jah-Maine Martin and Marquell Cartwright did it on Nov. 3, 2018, against Norfolk.
White's 115 yards on the ground on 11 carries is the first time an A&T quarterback has rushed for 100 yards since Kwashawn Quick did it against Alabama A&M in Orlando, Fla., on Aug. 31, 2014.
"We kind of used the recipe Norfolk used against Towson last week," said Brown, referring to the 350 yards rushing the Spartans totaled against the Tigers at Towson. "We grounded out it today. Although our passing game is not where it needs to be, it was better today than it's been all season."
It was a passing game mistake that started Norfolk's comeback attempt. A&T appeared headed for the knockout blow against the Spartans with a 3rd-and-6 from the Spartan 15-yard line. But All-MEAC defensive back Joseph White intercepted a White pass that was deflected to give the Spartans 1st-and-10 at their 4.
Norfolk flipped the momentum in their favor by going on a 12-play, 96-yard touchdown drive and converting the two-point conversion to cut A&T's lead to 28-20. After an A&T three-and-out, the Norfolk offense went back to work.
The Spartans converted a 4th-and-10 from the Aggies 28 before Spartan QB Otto Khuns completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Tavian Morris to cut A&T's lead to 28-26. But on the two-point conversion, Turner came free on a blitz, disrupted Norfolk's offense, and knocked down Khuns so his pass would fall incomplete.
The Aggies got the ball back with their slim lead, and Norfolk possessed two timeouts. In need of first downs, A&T got a big one from Christian on a 23-yard run that sealed the game.
"We work on these situations all the time – two-minute end of game – whether you have to score offensively or stop them defensively. When we stopped them on the two-point play, it was up to our offense to run the ball to ice the game for us, and they were able to do so against a defense that hall 11 players in the box."
And now it's on to try to get collegiate win No. 2.
