What will flashy Norwood do for an encore?

By

Posted 5:30PM on Tuesday, August 16, 2005

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Jerious Norwood took the handoff, bounced left and sprinted all the way into Mississippi State folklore. Dashing 37 yards for the clinching touchdown against then-No. 20 Florida, Norwood propelled the Bulldogs to one of the biggest upsets of the season and set himself up for a big senior year. ``I just ran to the opening. Before I knew it, I was in the end zone,'' Norwood said. The improbable victory validated the virtues preached by coach Sylvester Croom, and the run made Norwood a folk hero on a campus in which there recently wasn't much to celebrate. It also thrust him into the Southeastern Conference spotlight. Norwood went from being just another running back before his junior season to being a preseason all-SEC pick as a senior. In his final season in Starkville, the Brandon native wants to keep giving the Bulldogs more reasons to rejoice. ``I've just got to keep working hard, doing all that we can do,'' Norwood said. ``Not only me, but the team as a unit. We've just got to keep working hard every day, and just go from there.'' Norwood's strong junior season put him in position to become the school's career rushing leader, probably midway through this season. He has 2,086 yards and is 734 yards from breaking the record set by Walter Packer from 1973-76. More than half of Norwood's yards (1,050) came in his breakout 2004. ``We put the ball in Jerious' hands, (and) he's going to get positive yards,'' quarterback Omarr Conner said. ``He's that type of back. He's capable of making a big play any second.'' Keeping Norwood injury-free is mandatory because the Bulldogs don't have any experienced backups, Croom said. Brandon Thornton and Demarcus Johnson are redshirt freshmen, sophomore Jonathan Lowe played wide receiver and returned kicks last season and Kentrel Brooks is a sophomore walk-on. ``We've got one (running back) that can play, and that's Norwood,'' Croom said. ``When Norwood leaves, the door's wide open. We don't have much after that.'' During his first three seasons, Norwood has been nothing short of durable he has made 19 consecutive starts since September 2003 and has played every game of his college career. But he scared the Bulldogs during preseason practice when he suffered a mild knee sprain. Croom said Norwood probably wouldn't face full contact until the season starts. The mid-August incident underscored the importance of a healthy Norwood for the Bulldogs' fate. ``That's always a big part of playing football don't get hurt,'' Norwood said. ``But you can't be healed all the time. You're always going to have something nagging you. But I hope I can stay away from the big injuries and play every game.'' (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)