Defense Evens The Score With Thursday Scrimmage Win
Aug. 20, 2009 COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou Tiger football team held its second major scrimmage of the 2009 training camp, and the defense claimed a 34-20 victory Thursday morning on Faurot Field. That followed a win by the offense in scrimmage #1 (54-31), so the series is tied now at one win apiece. The rubber match will be held Thursday, August 27th, as camp will close with the final of three scrimmages. The top-string defense held the upper hand for most of the day, as the offense took awhile to get a rhythm. The defense's strong play started early on, when it forced a 3-and-out on its opening series against the #2 offense. Midway through the scrimmage, reserve TB Gilbert Moye had a 35-yard run off left tackle, but the defense settled in and held on downs to end the series. Late in the day, when it came to redzone work, the offense managed three touchdowns, with all three possessions starting at the defensive 22 yardline. The first score was a nice 11-yard TD pass from QB Blaine Gabbert to WR Danario Alexander. That duo had just hooked up for an 11-yard gain on the previous play, and capped the two-play, 22-yard drive on the next snap when Gabbert hit Alexander crossing in the back of the endzone. The number two offense was able to find the endzone twice against the #1 defense in redzone work as well. On the first series, things looked promising for the defense, but on 4th-and-long, WR Rolandis Woodland snuck behind coverage and QB Jimmy Costello delivered a strike in the endzone for a 29-yard TD. Freshman QB Blaine Dalton then led a possession that also started at the 22-yardline against the #1 defense that was capped with his 3-yard TD strike to TE Michael Egnew.
As the scrimmage wound down, the #1 defense got the last shot, and they stopped the #2 offense during two-minute drill work. Redshirt freshman CB Robert Steeples ended the drive when he intercepted a pass near midfield to secure the series, and the win, for the defense. Steeples had a nice day, as he contributed another pass break up during the scrimmage as well. The #1 offense, behind Gabbert, put together a solid two-minute possession that went from its own 33-yardline (starting with 1:35 left on the clock) down to the defense's 10-yardline. A key play was a Gabbert-to-Andrew Jones 22-yard pass that took it down to the 10-yardline with just 13 seconds left. Gabbert spiked the ball to stop the clock after that long gain, and on came the kickers to try a 29-yard field goal, and all three kickers -- Grant Ressel, Tanner Mills and Trey Barrow -- all made the kick. The Tigers will return Friday for two scheduled practices, one at 7:15 a.m. and the other at 3:45 p.m. They'll also practice Saturday morning, before having Sunday and Monday off, with the latter marking the first day of school for the 2009-10 academic year. Here are the statistics for the scrimmage... Mizzou Football Scrimmage Stats - Aug. 20, 2009 MULTIMEDIA:Final Score: Defense 34, Offense 20 Scoring
Passing Rushing (rushes-yds) Receiving (receptions-yds) Field Goals Punting Defense |
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