DATE: Wednesday, October 22, 1997           TAG: 9710220749

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: PAUL WHITE

LENGTH: 83 lines

MEAC ROUNDTRIP

Hampton offense

knows but one tune:

``Let's get physical''

Hampton coach Joe Taylor once summed up his team's offensive philosophy as ``run where they're not, pass where they're not.'' In reality, Hampton's style has been more like ``run where they are, and keep doing it 'til the other team can't take it anymore.''

Two weeks ago, the Pirates' offensive line overpowered Florida A&M's defense on a 65-yard ground march in the final minutes to set up Acie Wyatt's game-winning field goal and an 18-15 Hampton victory. And Saturday, freshman Montrell Coley ran for 114 of his career-high 162 yards in the fourth quarter to pace the Pirates to a 9-2 win over Norfolk State.

Hampton leads the MEAC with 210 rushing yards per game, and the ground attack has been at its punishing best in the latter stages of games.

``As the game wears on, those one- and two-yard carries become three- and four-yard carries,'' Taylor said. ``Then five- and six-yard carries, and so on. It's all about being physical. On our team, you have to be in shape, and you have to pound people.''

Derricott strikes again

for South Carolina State

South Carolina State won yet another game in head-scratching fashion Saturday.

The Bulldogs nipped Morgan State 17-10 despite amassing only 103 yards total offense. The winning touchdown came when Jermaine Derricott returned a blocked field goal 82 yards for a score in the third quarter.

Derricott is the same guy who returned an interception 89 yards with no time remaining earlier this season to lift the Bulldogs past Tennessee State.

But bizarre-victory-of-the-week honors go to North Carolina A&T, which won when Matt Baldwin, who had made only one field goal all season, kicked a 35-yard extra point with 11 seconds remaining to lift the Aggies past Morgan State, 7-6.

The Aggies had been penalized for excessive celebration after Adon Hall's 24-yard touchdown pass to Henry Douglas.

Teammate's output could

speed Jackson's return

A shoulder injury limited Charles ``Boom-Boom'' Jackson, the MEAC's second-leading rusher, to only three carries against Norfolk State.

But having had the opportunity to watch Coley's impressive outing Saturday, Taylor said he expects Jackson to be at or near 100 percent when the Pirates host South Carolina State Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Armstrong Field.

``It's funny, but seeing someone else play well in your spot usually helps the healing process,'' Taylor said. ``He'll be ready to go.''

Coley's output was the second-highest ever by a Pirate freshman. Former Cox star Lamonte Still ran for 194 in his first year against Johnson C. Smith.

Hampton's Coley, Buckley

cited for performances

Coley was an easy choice as the MEAC's offensive rookie of the week. Pirates defensive lineman John Buckley (four tackles for losses, one sack and one interception) earned conference defensive player-of-the-week honors.

Florida A&M quarterback Oteman Sampson was chosen the league's top offensive performer of the week after he threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 77 yards and another score in the Rattlers' 49-0 tour of Delaware State.

Howard-N.C. A&T game

set for tape-delay on TV

MEAC football returns to Black Entertainment Television this week as the Howard-North Carolina A&T game will be shown on tape-delay Saturday at 5 p.m.

Actual game-time is 1:30 p.m.

The Aggies have cracked the Sports Network Division I-AA poll for the first time this season, debuting at No. 24. That makes four MEAC teams in the top 25 poll, the most for the league in '97.

Saturday's Hampton-South Carolina State game will mark the first time this year that ranked MEAC teams will face each other. The Pirates are at No. 15, the Bulldogs at No. 18.

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