Florida A&M QB rattles off impressive numbers vs. NSU

By Derek Redd

Special to The Virginian-Pilot

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.

Norfolk State knew to beat Florida A&M, it had to contain Rattlers' dual-threat quarterback Curtis Pulley. Knowing that was one thing. Stopping it was another.

Pulley gouged the MEAC's top defense for 358 total yards in Florida A&M's 34-20 homecoming win Saturday at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

"Pulley," NSU coach Pete Adrian said, "that's all you have to say. He's the difference-maker on that football team. There's no question about that."

The Spartans (3-4, 2-3 MEAC) entered the game allowing just 96.8 yards per game on the ground and 243.5 yards overall. The Rattlers (5-2, 3-1 MEAC) blew past those numbers by the end of the first half.

Led by Pulley, the conference's total offense leader, FAMU entered halftime with 211 rushing yards and 313 total yards. The Rattlers finished with 463 total yards, including 290 on the ground.

NSU finally slowed Florida A&M in the second half, holding the Rattlers to just three points in the final two quarters. Yet the Spartans couldn't take advantage as penalties kept killing momentum.

NSU drove to Florida A&M's 20 about halfway through the fourth quarter, but tight end Sherron Childress was flagged 15 yards for a personal foul after the Spartans recovered their own fumble. That forced a NSU punt from the Rattlers' 39 and effectively ended the Spartans' comeback chances.

NSU ended with 10 penalties for 86 yards.

"That's the thing that's disappointing," NSU quarterback Dennis Brown said. "You're going hard and you're believing and things like that just happen. It kind of hurts, but at the same time, you have to learn from it."

The game got away from the Spartans as Pulley got away from their defense in the first half.

He rushed for 156 first-half yards - including a 51-yard second-quarter touchdown run - and finished with 185 yards on 17 carries. Pulley hurt NSU through the air as well, with 173 yards on 13-of-22 passing and two touchdowns to fullback Mykel Benson.

NSU linebacker Anthony Taylor said the pressure the Spartans tried to put on Pulley backfired and the quarterback kept darting away.

"It was tough," Taylor said. "We were blitzing a lot and taking bad angles. He just torched us."

Brown couldn't duplicate last week's five touchdowns against Hampton, but finished with 188 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 16-of-29 passing. He also added a team-high 78 rushing yards on 14 carries. NSU finished with 306 yards of total offense.

"They were bringing a lot of pressure," Adrian said. "We did the same thing to Hampton last week. You get up on somebody and any good defensive coach will keep bringing the pressure, trying to get you off your timing."