CAA FOOTBALL SPRING RECAP - MAY 1
MASSACHUSETTS' SPRING GAME RECAP
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass football's Spring Fling was a grand
event at McGuirk Stadium under the lights on Friday night. The Maroon team
captured both portions of the scrimmages, winning 33-12 in a combined
intersquad game and then 27-2 in an offense vs. defense session. Backs John
Griffin (two), Jonathan Hernandez, Jamar Smith and Sean Unterkoefler all rushed
for touchdowns. QB Kyle Havens threw for three scores and signal callers Jesse
Hunt and Ocatavius Hawkins each threw for long-scoring bombs.
The Minutemen played three periods of overtime situations to start the
scrimmage with the White and Maroon teams starting series at the 25-yard line,
just like overtime in the regular-season. The first play of the game was the
most exciting of the day as the White team attempted a flea-flicker with
Hawkins and wideout Julian Talley. On the return from Talley to Hawkins,
All-American candidate Tyler Holmes plowed over Hawkins forcing a fumble that
was returned 68 yards by Ke'Mon Bailey and a 6-0 Maroon lead.
The White scored on its next possession as Griffin busted up the middle from
two yards to tie the game at 6-6. Hernandez (25 yards) and Tom Gilson (19
yards) each hauled in touchdown passes from Havens for a 19-6 Maroon lead.
Unterkoefler bolted in from three yards for the only score in the second
period. Gilson grabbed his second TD of the game from Havens, from 25 yards to
give the Maroon a 33-6 lead. Griffin scored again from two yards for the final
33-12 in the first portion of the game.
Many players swapped jerseys with the first team offense taking on the first
team defense and so on for the remainder of the day.
With the Maroon playing offense, Jesse Julmiste hauled in a 70-yard bomb from
Hawkins for a 6-0 lead. Smith rumbled in from the 4-yard line.
Woody Carter IV then caught his own bomb from Jesse Hunt, from 54 yard out and
a 20-0 Maroon lead.
The White got in the board as Northeastern transfer Chad Hunte sacked Havens in
the end zone. The Maroon wrapped up the scoring with Hernandez scoring his
second TD of the day on a 10-yard rush and a 27-2 Maroon score.
The three quarterback split the time pretty evenly. Hawkins was 8-of-15 for 142
yards with a touchdown and an interception. Havens was 8-of-14 for 98 yards
with three TDs and an interception. Hunt was 6-of-9 for 140 yards and a TD.
On the ground, Jamar Smith gained 59 yards on nine carries with a TD. Griffin
was 13 for 27 with two touchdowns. Hernandez had five carries for 35 yards with
a rushing and receiving score.
On the receiving end, Gilson led everyone with four catches for 57 yards and
two TDs. Julian Colarusso had three catches for 35 yards.
On defense, Hunte had that sack for a safety among three tackles. D.J. Adeoba, Ryan
Carter and Christian Birt also made three stops.
TOWSON'S SPRING GAME RECAP
TOWSON, Md. - Towson head football coach Rob Ambrose came
away from Saturday's annual Black & Gold Spring Game with the conclusion
that the 2010 edition of Tiger Football is way ahead of the one that finished
2-9 last fall.
Ambrose shrugged off a lack of offense that failed to
produce points until there was 1:53 left in the first half. However, the
offense pushed back in the later going, giving the defense a similar fit in a
faster-paced second half.
"Any time you break the team up and you're not using
100 per cent of whatever you've got it's going to be a little herky
jerky," the second year coach said.
Of major interest was the quarterback play where sophomore Brian
Potts, junior college transfer Chris Hart and senior Jeremy Jayne have been
dueling all spring. After the slow start, Potts and Hart put on a show, each
directing the offense to touchdowns but via different modes of transportation.
Hart, a transfer from Georgia Military College who proved
during the spring that he brought with him a rifle for an arm, hugged the
ground, showcasing a running ability that gives the Tigers a new weapon. He
scored the game's first points when he slashed is way untouched 22 yards on the
option for the touchdown. He later scored the second touchdown on a two-yard
scamper.
He's not shy about carrying the ball. He ran 16 times for 44
yards, a figure that's a bit misleading since yards lost on sacks have to come
off his total. He'll have plenty of opportunity to showcase his throwing skills
despite completing 5 of 12 attempts for 73 yards and one
interception.
Potts, who closed out the 2009 season as the starter, went
airborne. A more methodical thrower, he completed 15 of 30 attempts for 191
yards and a touchdown.
So who's the starter?
"I'm not going to put a timeline on exactly when we'll
name a starter," Ambrose said. "I can tell you we're not doing it
after the spring. We're going to wait until everybody is healthy and everybody
can compete together. Then the staff will sit down and evaluate it as we go.
I'm not trying to keep it from anyone but we're just going to let everyone
truly get a shot."
Ambrose wants sophomore Peter Athens back in the race too.
Athens, sitting out the spring while his knee continues to mend, directed the
Tigers to their two wins and was the starter before suffering a season-ending
injury in the sixth game of the campaign against Delaware. It was quarterback
by committee the rest of the way with Potts, Jayne and Tommy Chroninger sharing
the load. Athens is expected to join the chase at full strength when summer
camp opens. Chroninger is out of the race but will be multi-tasking at running
back, tight end and wide receiver when he returns from an injury.
"We're deeper now at quarterback because we have
another body there," said Ambrose. "Chris brings a level of
experience that we need. We've got a lot of young guys but even though we still
have a lot of young guys back there, they're growing up and they're executing
more efficiently, therefore we are getting better."
The receiving corps took a hit from graduation last year but
one young wide out showed he's ready to step up, sophomore Tom Ryan.
"Tom Ryan played his butt off today," said
Ambrose.
Ryan displayed hands, speed and courage over the middle,
catching four passes for 84 yards and a TD from Potts. His first catch carried
40 yards and proved to be the longest play of the day. Senior Hakeem Moore led
all receivers with five receptions for 61 yards.
Hart was the game's leading ground gainer. His 22-yard
touchdown run was the longest rush of the afternoon. Redshirt freshman Nygee
Carmichael picked up 23 yards on five carries to post the best average per rush
(5.6). Sophomore Dominique Booker gained 21 yards on nine carries.
The defense dominated play early in the scrimmage with
sophomore Romale Tucker letting the coaching staff know he really likes his new
position. A linebacker last year, Tucker is now a defensive end. He had seven
tackles, two sacks and a pass break up.
Senior Dante Blakey was also very disruptive with six
tackles and a pass break up. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Arnold Farmer
had four stops and wrapped up Potts on the one yard line to deny the offense a
TD as time expired in the first half. Junior tackle Rob Osborne recorded five
tackles and caused a fumble.
Senior safety Raymond White made an exciting play out of an
interception he returned 47 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
"Two things in the world that you can control and
that's attitude and effort," said Ambrose as he summed up the day's
performances. "If you have a good attitude and put forth a great
effort you will get better. Across the board I can say that every guy on
this team, one way or another, has gotten better."
Towson opens its 2010 season at the University of Indiana in
Bloomington on September 2.