Norfolk State brings deep linebacker room into 2024 season with veterans and transfers

NORFOLK — Norfolk State continued its progression into fall camp on Tuesday. Now that the Spartans are a week into practice, head coach Dawson Odums said his team is entering the “hardest” week of camp.

“We’ve had some good days,” Odums said. “Guys are retaining information. This is the hardest week. That second week — pushing through, challenging themselves physically and mentally. But we’ve got a good spirit about ourselves. A lot of guys have been through this and have an understanding of how to prepare (and are) getting those younger guys up to speed with it. The tough camp is always your first camp. We’re here to schedule, we’re doing things the right way.”

After giving Norfolk State’s first practice a “B” grade last week, Odums said the Spartans are still hovering around that grade this week. He added the Spartans’ energy levels weren’t where they needed to be Tuesday but execution-wise, his team was trending in the right direction.

“There are some ebbs and flows to our energy levels,” Odums said. “That’s what we gotta get out of, we got to be excited. It’s tough during camp, but we got to be excited to be out here with a chance to get better.”

Slight position change for All-MEAC defender

Media members have been permitted to watch the last hour of two practices so far during Norfolk State’s fall camp. In both practices, redshirt junior linebacker Daylan Long could be seen working with the safeties.

Odums and defensive coordinator Steve Adams confirmed Tuesday that Long will be playing nickel for the Spartans this year.

“This is where he should have probably been at least last year,” Adams said. “But because of necessity, because when his brother (former NSU linebacker Tyler Long) transferred, we had to keep him there. We didn’t have any experienced linebackers,…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/norfolk-state-brings-deep-linebacker-175900806.html

Author : Virginian Pilot

Publish date : 2024-07-30 17:59:00

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