Norfolk State is picked to finish second in the six-team Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which lost its 2019 league champion, A&T, to the Big South Conference.
The Spartans gave up four rushing touchdowns against the Rockets. They’ll face a Deacons team trying to improve its run game from a 42-10 victory against Old Dominion, which went 1-11 in 2019, defeating only Norfolk State, and is picked to finish last among seven East Division teams in Conference USA. Wake Forest ran for 164 yards and two touchdowns against ODU but went 0 for 3 on fourth-down attempts.
Spartans linebacker Tyler Long, a transfer from Lackawanna in Pennsylvania, notched 11 total tackles in his debut.
About the Deacons
Saturday will mark 20 years since the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001. Clawson, the head coach at Fordham on that day, gave the Journal his recollection of the day in 2018, but as a refresher: One of Clawson’s sisters, Kathy, worked on the the 92nd floor of the second tower, but a late train to work that day ultimately saved her life. Clawson did, however, lose a former player, Nick Brandemarti, who was 21, on that day.
“Every 9/11, I certainly think of him, the impact he had on so many lives and how much we still miss him,” Clawson said. “So again just letting all the people at Fordham know that they’re always in my thoughts and prayers.
“That football team, what we went through together that year, will always have great meaning to me.”
Clawson said the anniversary is hard to believe, making the point that many players on his Wake Forest roster weren’t even born when the attacks happened.
“It seems such a part of our recent history, and to them it’s a distant history,” Clawson added.
Clawson praised the student attendance of about 3,500 at the Old Dominion game, calling it “one of the biggest positives.”
Wake Forest men’s basketball coach Steve Forbes and his team led the university’s new class of freshmen onto the field before the group took their seats. According to the university website, the 2020-21 academic year featured 1,454 accepted freshmen and an undergraduate student body of 5,441.
“When you think of the size of the Wake Forest undergraduate student body, I would guess we had the highest percentage of undergrads at our game than any school in the country,” Clawson said. “To the students who showed up, thank you. Now, just stay.”
What they’re saying
“Kickoff return is one of those things – it’s not necessarily an art. It’s kind of get what you can get. And luckily Ja’Sir made two, three guys miss on his own, and we’re able to get the cavalry going and get some guys out in front. Props to Ja’Sir for making a heck of a play. Glad I could just play a helping hand in it.” – Wake Forest’s Taylor Morin, on the frantic nature of a kickoff return touchdown such as Ja’Sir Taylor’s 99-yard score against Old Dominion.
PHOTOS: Wake Forest beats Old Dominion, 42-10, in season opener