Head coach Dawson Odums and Norfolk State are not returning much production — yards-wise — from the wide receiver room in 2024. But depth certainly won’t be an issue for the Spartans’ wideouts.
Last season, the Spartans’ top 10 wide receivers combined for just 1,578 receiving yards. Andre Pegues led the way with 474 yards and he was just one of two in the top 10 who totaled more than 200.
Despite the low numbers, Norfolk State is bringing back six players from last year’s top 10 — along with others — and that’s enough for Odums to have a “good” feeling about his wideouts.
“It’s a room that we’re doing it by committee,” Odums said. “We run an offense that it’s not predicated on one guy. The quarterbacks got to go through a progression and they got to hit the open guy. If we make the right reads, there’s always gonna be somebody open. Can we throw it and catch it? That’s gonna be yet to be determined.”
Three of Norfolk State’s top five receivers from last year will be back this season in Tavian Morris, Elyjah Mitchell and Aaron Moore.
Moore could be the biggest contributor since the former ODU transfer led the Spartans in yards when he got hurt in the fourth game of the season. He still finished No. 4 on the team with 172 yards. The Dumfries native is entering his sixth year of college football.
“He’s still got some stuff to do because he had surgery last year,” Odums said. “So just waiting on all those decisions to be finalized. We don’t foresee a hiccup with that. He’s had a really great camp, so I’m looking for him to have a fantastic year. And he’s grown. He’s grown as a person and you can really see that.”
Morris finished No. 2 on the team last year with 277 receiving yards. The redshirt junior from Prince George said he knows the team still has things to work on, but he’s confident in any of his fellow wide receivers.
“Everybody can make plays,” Morris said. “All these guys, they can get open. So I trust every one of these guys to make a play.”
Odums highlighted another returner in Collis Pride as a player who has “come along.” The redshirt senior appeared in all 11 games last season for Norfolk State, starting one game but totaling just 18 yards on the season.
The Spartans welcomed a handful of transfer wideouts into the fold this year and players like Jacquez Jones (Lane College), Carlos Martin (Copiah-Lincoln CC) and Kam’ryn Thomas (Dodge City CC) have been early standouts.
Jones, a redshirt junior who totaled 1,838 receiving yards in three years at Lane, appears to be a solid contender for a starting job. He could be seen running with the starters during 7-on-7 and team periods during the portion of Thursday’s practice available to the media. Jones, however, is more worried about bringing wins to Norfolk State than anything else.
“I think I can come in and make an immediate impact,” Jones said. “I’m definitely trying to win games for Norfolk State. Get the dub on 8/24, right after that, East Carolina. Get a dub versus East Carolina.”
Ex-Phoebus QB switches positions
Odums and wide receiver coach Tim Smith have gained a new wideout in Nolan James.
James, who helped Phoebus win a state title as a senior in 2022, is still listed as a quarterback on the roster, but Odums said the sophomore is working with the wide receivers.
“Nolan James has moved to wide receiver,” Odums said. “He’s getting some reps at wide receiver and we’ll see what that looks like for him.”
Saturday will help determine QB race
Norfolk State still doesn’t have its starting quarterback, but Odums said a team scrimmage on Saturday will help provide some clarity on who the front-runner is.
Odums said the Spartans aren’t in a rush to find a QB1. He’s just let the position battle play itself out.
“These guys have had an equal amount of reps to be able to showcase who should be that guy,” Odums said. “We’re just waiting to see what that timeline looks like.”
The pecking order appears to be Garden City CC transfer Jalen Daniels, incumbent starter Otto Kuhns and then Concord transfer Parker Lancaster, based on The Pilot’s observations of camp thus far.
Former Florida A&M transfer Cameron Sapp, who played in seven games last season, was not at practice Thursday. Odums said, “We’re just kind of moving on with Sapp, just waiting on really, an eligibility decision,” when asked about his absence.
Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com
