kats89
April 1st, 2007, 11:17 AM
Offense takes center stage
Bomar, Bearkats light up turf in first spring scrimmage
By Cody Stark
Assistant Sports Editor
With most area sports pushing back start times because of the nasty weather conditions, the Sam Houston State football team wasn’t about to let the rain stop it from the first intrasquad scrimmage of spring camp Saturday.
There were some good things on display and some bad things, mainly penalty flags, but for the most part the coaching staff was pleased with the Bearkats showing.
“We showed some flashes but there is also some things we need to work on,’ SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. “I was disappointed in the amount of penalties, this was the first time we had the officials out. We take a lot of pride as a team, as a program of trying to be disciplined and keeping the penalties to a minimum. We didn’t do that today, but we did make some big plays.”
For those who decided to brave the weather, they had the chance to see the potential surrounding the SHSU offense next season.
Rhett Bomar threw three 40-plus yard touchdowns to wide receiver Justin Wells, tight end Blake Martin and running back Olufemi Ogundare to highlight the action at Bowers Stadium and finished the scrimmage 14-15, 261 yds and 3 touchdowns.
Perhaps on what was the most exciting drive of the day, the Bearkats flashed the versatility that Bomar brings to the team.
On the first play of the third drive from the 25-yard line, running back Chris Poullard hit Bomar for a 15-yard gain on a throw back to the quarterback.
The offense was then hit with a holding penalty but Bomar hit Catron Houston for a 5-yard gain and Trey Payne for 12 more to set up a third and four. After Poullard picked up three yards up the middle, he broke loose on fourth and one for five more to move the chains to the defense’s 45.
The offense decided to take a shot down field on first and 10, and Bomar threw a beautiful 45-yard pass to Martin for the touchdown.
“This offense could be unstoppable,” said Payne, a wide receiver transfer from Baylor. “But we are not near where we need to be right now. There was some explosion out there today, but not like it will be when the spring is over. We just have to get the timing down and everything. It’s all a process.”
The Bearkats also got some big plays from the running backs which are using the spring to battle for a spot left vacated by D.D. Terry, the Southland Conference offensive player of the year.
Besides a 41-yard touchdown catch, Ogundare also scored on a 41-yard run to cap off a drive which featured a 16- and 18-yard pass by Bomar to Payne and Martin, respectively.
TyMagic Robinson, a redshirt freshman, had a touchdown run from two yards out and displayed his speed with a 31-yard dash down the left sideline. Poullard also added a pair of 1-yard scoring runs during goal line drills.
“I like our (running) backs. They are young and inexperienced but they are going to be good players here,” Whitten said. “They just have to get some reps and play some football in our system. I don’t know if any of them will be D.D. Terry, but we got some guys that can play college football.”
It’s wasn’t just the starters that made some plays Saturday but the backups as well. Second string quarterback Brett Hicks led at touchdown drive thanks to a 30-yard pass to tight end Dustin Dziuk a 15-yard face mask and a pass interference call. Robinson finished the drive with his 2-yard touchdown run.
The SHSU defense had its moments during the scrimmage, but with only three returning starters seeing action Saturday, there were a lot of new faces.
Transfers Frank Simon (linebacker from Northeastern Oklahoma) and Chris Brown (defensive end from Texas) made some nice plays and defensive back Stanley Garrett came up with an interception in the end zone to stop a drive that started with a 28-yard pass from Phillip Daugherty to Darnell Jones.
There are quite a few holes to fill on that side of the ball, and hopefully by the time spring practice ends, the defense will be in good shape heading into two-a-days in August.
“We are really better than the way we played today,” senior safety Byran Richmond said. “Plus we are really young and have some holes to fill before we are ready to compete for a conference championship. We have the people that can do it, we just need everybody to get the right mindset to improve.”
Bomar, Bearkats light up turf in first spring scrimmage
By Cody Stark
Assistant Sports Editor
With most area sports pushing back start times because of the nasty weather conditions, the Sam Houston State football team wasn’t about to let the rain stop it from the first intrasquad scrimmage of spring camp Saturday.
There were some good things on display and some bad things, mainly penalty flags, but for the most part the coaching staff was pleased with the Bearkats showing.
“We showed some flashes but there is also some things we need to work on,’ SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. “I was disappointed in the amount of penalties, this was the first time we had the officials out. We take a lot of pride as a team, as a program of trying to be disciplined and keeping the penalties to a minimum. We didn’t do that today, but we did make some big plays.”
For those who decided to brave the weather, they had the chance to see the potential surrounding the SHSU offense next season.
Rhett Bomar threw three 40-plus yard touchdowns to wide receiver Justin Wells, tight end Blake Martin and running back Olufemi Ogundare to highlight the action at Bowers Stadium and finished the scrimmage 14-15, 261 yds and 3 touchdowns.
Perhaps on what was the most exciting drive of the day, the Bearkats flashed the versatility that Bomar brings to the team.
On the first play of the third drive from the 25-yard line, running back Chris Poullard hit Bomar for a 15-yard gain on a throw back to the quarterback.
The offense was then hit with a holding penalty but Bomar hit Catron Houston for a 5-yard gain and Trey Payne for 12 more to set up a third and four. After Poullard picked up three yards up the middle, he broke loose on fourth and one for five more to move the chains to the defense’s 45.
The offense decided to take a shot down field on first and 10, and Bomar threw a beautiful 45-yard pass to Martin for the touchdown.
“This offense could be unstoppable,” said Payne, a wide receiver transfer from Baylor. “But we are not near where we need to be right now. There was some explosion out there today, but not like it will be when the spring is over. We just have to get the timing down and everything. It’s all a process.”
The Bearkats also got some big plays from the running backs which are using the spring to battle for a spot left vacated by D.D. Terry, the Southland Conference offensive player of the year.
Besides a 41-yard touchdown catch, Ogundare also scored on a 41-yard run to cap off a drive which featured a 16- and 18-yard pass by Bomar to Payne and Martin, respectively.
TyMagic Robinson, a redshirt freshman, had a touchdown run from two yards out and displayed his speed with a 31-yard dash down the left sideline. Poullard also added a pair of 1-yard scoring runs during goal line drills.
“I like our (running) backs. They are young and inexperienced but they are going to be good players here,” Whitten said. “They just have to get some reps and play some football in our system. I don’t know if any of them will be D.D. Terry, but we got some guys that can play college football.”
It’s wasn’t just the starters that made some plays Saturday but the backups as well. Second string quarterback Brett Hicks led at touchdown drive thanks to a 30-yard pass to tight end Dustin Dziuk a 15-yard face mask and a pass interference call. Robinson finished the drive with his 2-yard touchdown run.
The SHSU defense had its moments during the scrimmage, but with only three returning starters seeing action Saturday, there were a lot of new faces.
Transfers Frank Simon (linebacker from Northeastern Oklahoma) and Chris Brown (defensive end from Texas) made some nice plays and defensive back Stanley Garrett came up with an interception in the end zone to stop a drive that started with a 28-yard pass from Phillip Daugherty to Darnell Jones.
There are quite a few holes to fill on that side of the ball, and hopefully by the time spring practice ends, the defense will be in good shape heading into two-a-days in August.
“We are really better than the way we played today,” senior safety Byran Richmond said. “Plus we are really young and have some holes to fill before we are ready to compete for a conference championship. We have the people that can do it, we just need everybody to get the right mindset to improve.”