Hampton-Princeton Notes for the Newport News

O-line wears down Tigers

By Denis Gorman

Correspondent

1:02 AM EDT, October 7, 2007

PRINCETON, NJ--Hampton coach Joe Taylor praised Kevin Beverly's toughness.
"He showed a lot of character; we haven't had him since the first half of the Howard game (and) I thought we lost him a couple times (limping off the field). But there he was."

Beverly, playing with an injured toe, rushed for three touchdowns -- two in the second half -- in the Pirates' 48-27 win over Princeton on Saturday.

The senior running back from New Carrollton, Md., finished with 12 carries for 77 yards. Coming into the game, he had only carried the ball 12 times all season. He credited the offensive line for his performance.

"The O-line did a great job," Beverly said sheepishly. "They did a great job of wearing them down."

The Pirates finished with 156 yards on 42 rushes (3.71 yards per carry) and five touchdowns.

UPS AND DOWNS

It was an up-and down day for the Pirates' linebacking corps. Senior reserve middle linebacker Jimari Jones had a good day in pass coverage, nearly intercepting Princeton QB Bill Foran in the first quarter and batting down a ball near the goal line.

That was the good.

The not-so-good was junior starting linebacker Charles Robinson's first half. In the first quarter, Princeton tight end Jake Staser made a leaping, juggling catch over Robinson in the end zone to tie the game at 7. The junior linebacker was flagged for roughing the passer in the second quarter, which led to the first of Bill Foran's two rushing touchdowns.

Robinson did have an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown to start the third quarter. Princeton wide receiver and reserve quarterback Greg Mortz's pass was batted by junior defensive tackle Kevin Burke, landing in Robinson's hands, and the Hampton native raced untouched up the left sidelines. Robinson's second interception return for a touchdown -- he returned a pick 45 yards for a score in last season's 59-7 win over Florida A&M -- cut Princeton's lead to 27-20.

MEAC VS. IVY LEAGUE

While this was the first meeting between Hampton and Princeton, it was not the first MEAC-Ivy League matchup. In 1980, Morgan State was shut out by Yale, 41-0.

Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press

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