THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 19, 1996 TAG: 9609190554
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 82 lines
Although Norfolk State will petition the NCAA on tight end Ronald Boone's behalf for an extra year of eligibility, head coach Darnell Moore views this as Boone's final season as a Spartan.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Boone is in his fifth year at NSU, although last season was his first of considerable playing time.
He sat out his first year when he didn't qualify academically for freshman eligibility. The following season, Boone played sparingly under embattled head coach Archie Cooley.
Two years ago, Boone broke his elbow in the first half of the Spartans' season opener and was lost for the season. The petition will be based on that lost season as the Spartans ask for an extended medical redshirt year.
Last year, Boone caught 49 passes for 585 yards and five touchdowns. This season, Boone has caught six passes for 87 yards.
``I'm almost sure it's not going to happen,'' Moore said of the Spartans' hopes for a successful petition. ``Since we are switching to Division I-AA, they are going to say no. Under Division I-AA rules, the clock starts ticking on the 10-semester rule once you enroll.''
In addition, non-qualifiers who accept athletic scholarships at the Division I-AA level are only allowed three years of athletic eligibility as opposed to four. NSU is petitioning the NCAA for Division I-AA status, beginning next season.
Boone's playing days, however, may not end with NSU.
When NFL scouts showed up at Norfolk State last season to put receiver James Roe, quarterback Aaron Sparrow and lineman Kenny McDaniel through supervised workouts, Boone was playing catch with Sparrow when the scouts asked him to run the 40-yard dash for them, not knowing he was an underclassmen.
``He's not a hard sell,'' Moore said. ``There's something to work with there and the scouts already see it. He can catch and run real well.
``Hopefully he'll have the type of season that draws more scouts' interest. But right now he's finding that people are pushing him and holding him and double-teaming him. Defenses are designing themselves to slow him down. We're going to just have to do some adjusting to get him open.''
FINGER FACTOR: With less than two minutes remaining in the Spartans' 21-20 victory over Livingstone Saturday, quarterback Robert Morris ran a bootleg to run time off the clock. When run out of bounds, Morris landed on his right hand, dislocating his pinky.
Morris, however, has shown no ill effects in this week's practices while throwing the ball with his pinky and ring fingers taped together.
``I did it in high school my senior year, same finger,'' Morris said. ``It didn't bother me then. But we didn't throw as much in high school either.''
Likewise, the Spartans may not throw as much this week against Bethune-Cookman. Norfolk State has averaged just under 33 pass attempts in their first three games while averaging 37 rushing attempts.
``We've got some guys who are pretty good run blockers and not so good at pass blocking right now,'' Moore said.
Moore admits there's another reason for a more conservative approach.
``We don't want to be giving the ball up in our end of the field and allow anyone short-drive opportunities,'' Moore said.
BROTHER ACT: When Joe Verdi's transcript did not clear the NCAA's clearinghouse, which decides freshman athletic eligibility, the Spartans were without a legitimate placekicker.
Verdi, a two-time All-Tidewater placekicker out of Chesapeake's Deep Creek High, was expected to give the Spartans' kicking game a much needed lift.
Moore, however, didn't have to look far for Verdi's replacement. Verdi's fraternal twin, Steve, offered his services.
``I was talking to Joe and Steve one day and Steve said he could kick,'' Moore said. ``In fact, he said history could repeat itself. Steve said, `I was kicking for our junior varsity team in the ninth grade until Joe took my job.' ''
Joe Verdi, who should be eligible to kick for the Spartans next season, will be expected to take Steve's job again. But Steve Verdi, in his NSU debut, was 3 for 3 on extra point attempts Saturday.
The Spartans would have used Steve Verdi in the first two games. But, alas, the NCAA clearinghouse again stood in the way.
``I knew Steve's transcript would get through because he was an honor roll student at Deep Creek,'' Moore said. ``But the clearinghouse was slow in processing his material. We went three weeks without hearing anything. Finally, Steve's dad called them and raised a ruckus. The next day we got his OK.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Ronald Boone by CNB