CEDAR CITY, Utah, Aug. 13 - Southern Utah University's
football team conducted its first full scrimmage of the fall Saturday, and
although it was at times sloppy, both units, the offense and the defense, had a
share of success.
The first defense allowed just one score in the situational
workout, which began with special teams play, moved to red-zone situations, and
concluded with a series of two-minute drills.
That one score allowed was "one too many" according to
secondary coach Demario Warren, but, tempering his disappointment was the fact
that it was the only score the first-D has allowed all fall, in any practice.
The score came against the first offense, when Brad Sorensen
found Austin Minefee on a nine-yard swing pass midway through the scrimmage in
the red zone portion of the workout.
The first offense did have success in the red zone against
the second defense, however. Sorensen hooked up with Jared Ursua on a 15-yard
scoring toss, with Ursua diving over a defender into the end zone for the first
score of the day, and Deckar Alexander ran one yard up the middle for another
score by the first unit.
The second offense had success as well, as J.J. Mayer found
Jameson Gann, a transfer tight end from Colorado State, from 20 and five yards
out on a pair of scoring tosses in the red zone against the No. 2 and No. 3
defenses.
The first defense then held the first offense again in the
two minute drills, but part of the offense's problem came from penalties. The
second time through the drill, which matched up like units, the offense was
able to move the ball, but was also whistled for four penalties, which stymied
the drive.
All-American candidate Tyler Osborne and Herman Sword had
big plays for the defense. Osborne, a defensive end, had an eight yard sack,
while Sword who is fighting for a starting position, had one 10-yard tackle for
loss.
"The key to defense is playing sound football and playing
with great passion, and they've got coaches who are coaching them to play sound
football," Head Coach Ed Lamb pointed out. "More importantly there is a whole group
of defensive coaches over there that understand that passion and enthusiasm and
energy is the number-one priority. That's how they coach, every day, and they
demand that of the players, I've really been pleased.
"I think our passion on defense is greater than it's ever
been," he added.
Lamb also wasn't as discouraged as one might expect by the
sloppy aspects of the scrimmage.
"As an entire team we weren't very good today, and that's
good for us, because at this point in camp, if we're executing on all cylinders
then we're gong to be feeling a little too good about ourselves," he said. "If
anything we wanted a daily awakening in humility.
"I expect in the next two Saturdays, when we get together
and try to mimic a game-like atmosphere that we'll have fewer and fewer
penalties, and that our offense will be more efficient at moving the ball and
staying out of long-yardage situations, and I expect our defense to keep up
their intensity and enthusiasm," he added.
The team will practice twice Monday, then take three days
off before resuming workouts on Friday and scrimmaging again Saturday at 4:30
p.m.
The season opens Sept. 3, when the Thunderbirds travel to
Brookings, S.D. to take on South Dakota State.
-- SUU --
