After winning last year’s homecoming game the N.C. A&T football team left the Aggie Nation with big expectations for this year’s game. Many didn’t think the Aggies could do it two years in a row. They answered the call with a big win defeating the Trojans of Norfolk State 30-9 last Saturday. This was the first time the Aggie football team has won two consecutive homecomings since 2000 and 2001.

It has been rare for Aggie fans and alumni to watch a victorious homecoming game due to the seven-year game-losing streak the team was on prior to last season. The Aggies are now 16-16 in homecoming games played at Aggie Stadium. “This was only one game, but homecoming is a lot better when you come away with the win,” coach Rod Broadway commented after the game.

The game began like most predicted with both teams struggling on offense as they have been for the last couple of games this season. The Aggie defense held the Trojans to three field goals in the first half but was unable to generate any points for themselves on offense.

The biggest play of the game was from junior return specialist and cornerback D’Vonte Graham who returned a missed 47-yard field goal by Norfolk kicker Everett Goldberg, for a 100-yard touchdown.

“We implemented that in our practice regime after the same thing happened to us a couple of weeks ago in the Morgan State game,” said Broadway. “When you have a guy like him who makes plays, you’ve got to try it.”

Defense dominated the whole game with four interceptions, forcing two fumbles that kept the Trojans on their heels. “We knew coming in that they (NSU) were turnover prone and coach preached to us all week about capitalizing on opportunities,” said Graham.

Graham went on to be named MEAC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday.

Some of the changes that Broadway alluded to after last week’s loss to Delaware State took effect this week. After struggling for most of the first half on offense, Broadway decided to bench starting junior Quarterback Lewis Kindle for the second half of the game and gave freshmen Kwashaun Quick a chance to step up.

On the first drive of the second half Quick led the Aggies to their first scoring drive of the game with a 29-yard scamper for a touchdown. Quick kept a lot of plays alive and most importantly he did not turn the ball over. Quick, who started in the first game of the season against Coastal Carolina due to Kindle’s suspension, performed well in front of a crowd of 20,356.

“Kindle is a great player with a slump and don’t see him giving up now because every week is competition for a spot,” said Broadway during Monday’s press conference. Broadway is not sure if the quarterback change will be permanent. Both quarterbacks will continue to compete for the starting job.

“I go out every week and tell Lewis I’m going to challenge him,” said Quick. “We compete at everything. We compete on every throw.”

A&T improved to 16-3 at home against Norfolk State. The Aggies are 7-3 against the Spartans when playing at Aggie Stadium. A&T has won six of the last seven meetings against the Spartans at Aggie Stadium.

 The Aggies, now 2-3 in the conference and 4-4 overall, will face the Rattlers of Florida A&M (3-2, 3-5) for the second to last home game of the season this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. FAMU leads the series between the two teams 44-13 and has won the last seven meetings. The Aggies last win over FAMU at Aggie Stadium was in 2003.

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• Paul Smith, Contributor