@MizzouFootball Completes Final Scrimmage Before Spring Game
4/9/2016 12:27:00 PM | Football
Annual Black & Gold Spring Game is Saturday, April 16 at 5 p.m. CT
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou Football team held its final Saturday scrimmage of the 2016 spring camp prior to next week's annual Black and Gold Game, and there were highlights on both sides of the ball. Action was held at sun splashed Faurot Field, in a controlled situational scrimmage as Head Coach Barry Odom and staff put the Tigers through two and-a-half hours of work.
Coach Odom was pleased overall with what he saw today from his squad.
"We made progress," he said. "I think every day we've moved in the right direction, which is exciting. You see some things offensively that we're doing starting to mesh a little bit better with the timing. Defensively, with some of the different coverage concepts that we're playing, the guys have really made a lot of strides in the last three practices, and you see the course of improvement. I was excited to see some of the individuals out there today who didn't play in our first scrimmage and they were able to today and showcase their skills a little bit."
Senior LB Donavin Newsom made his presence known, and turned in arguably the biggest play of the day when he stepped in front of a pass and returned it some 90 yards the other way for a pick six score for the defense. Newsome showed great closing speed as he outraced everyone, including a pursuer who appeared to have an angle on him in the final 30 yards. Newsom also turned in a QB sack earlier in the day.
But it wasn't all defensive highlights on Saturday, as every string of the offense showed promise. Sophomore QB Drew Lock connected with junior WR J'Mon Moore on a beautiful 35-yard TD pass late in the day, as Lock hit his receiver in stride between a pair of defenders, with Moore showing great concentration to bring the ball in for the score. Lock also showed some good rapport with senior WR Chris Black, as the pair hooked up for several nice gains, including one that went down to the five yard line to set up a four-yard touchdown run by junior TB Ish Witter.
Not to be outdone, sophomore QB Marvin Zanders also made some big plays, both with his arm and legs. Early in the day, he took advantage of what appeared to be a busted coverage, and hit redshirt freshman WR Johnathan Johnson for a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Zanders spotted Johnson alone running down the right side, and hit him in stride about 35 yards downfield for the completion. Then Johnson made one inside cut to elude a pursuing safety coming over in support, and he ran it in the rest of the way to pay dirt.
Junior college transfer QB Jack Lowary also got in on the scoring, as he found sophomore WR Ray Wingo for a 35-yard touchdown pass. Wingo had bracketed coverage on the play, but Lowary hit his window, and Wingo made the catch despite the coverage in the end zone for the big play. That was one of several big plays on the day from Wingo, who caught a 25-yard pass from Lock earlier in the scrimmage. Lowary also connected with sophomore TE Kendall Blanton on a nice timing play over the middle for what went for a 30-yard gain.
Junior safety Thomas Wilson was responsible for a pair of turnovers as he grabbed two interceptions Saturday morning. One of them came on a tipped ball in the end zone, as he nabbed the deflection and returned it some 25 yards the other way to deny the offense.
Sophomore TB Trevon Walters showed he's continuing to recover from his knee injury which knocked him out of the 2015 season, as he got loose for a 27-yard scamper early in the day that took the ball into the red zone. Junior TB Shaun Conway also scored on a one-yard TD plunge later in the day as he showed good lateral vision and made a cutback and put his head down near the goal line to get in for the score.
Coach Odom saw his defense continue their strong play in camp, and he was pleased with the effort.
"The most important thing defensively is to get a stop and get the ball back for our offense," he said. "That's their goal, prevent a score and get the ball back. They absolutely did that today. If you win the turnover margin in a game, your chances of winning are obviously in your favor, so that's what we're going to try to do every time out," Odom said.
Odom also was pleased with the offense showing improving timing out there in the situational scrimmaging.
"They are getting their timing down," he said. "That happens – how to play with different coverages – that's timing. You have to keep in mind that it's not all on the quarterback. It's on the snap, it's on the protection, it's on the route that is run, and then obviously it's the receiver's job after they catch the ball to go do something with it. [It's] exciting, and we've still got a long ways to go in every area, but we're getting better," he said.
Today's scrimmage wrapped up a busy week that saw Mizzou hold four practices after returning from spring break.
The Tigers will be off until Tuesday, when they resume practice as they continue preparations for the April 16th Black and Gold Game (5 p.m. at Faurot Field, televised on the SEC Network). Odom's squad will also have a light practice on Thursday as a final dress rehearsal.
Stay tuned to MUTigers.com for more details to be unveiled about the spring game.
