Offense And Defense Both Shine In Spring Game

Saturday, April 21

MSU Practice Field

Noon

Murray State

2007 Spring Game

4/21/2007 5:00:00 AM | Football

The Murray State offense and defense both played well in the Racers' annual spring game held today on the MSU practice field next to Stewart Stadium. The offense and the defense held a scrimmage that lasted an hour and a half and included 73 plays.

Of the 14 possessions, the offense scored seven times and the defense held seven times. The final three possessions were started by the coaching staff near the red-zone. The offense scored once and the defense held on downs twice.

“We made some plays out of the gate offensively and we got two quick scores,” said MSU Head Coach Matt Griffin. “That was good to see. I was impressed with our resilience all the way through spring practice. Usually there are one or two practices that aren't good but I didn't see that this year.”

The Racer offense totaled 44 points and 433 yards of offense. The four MSU quarterbacks combined to go 16-of-30 through the air for 249 yards and five touchdowns. The ground game generated 184 yards, averaged 4.3 yards per carry and scored one touchdown. The offense did not commit a turnover.

The defense made nine sacks, broke up two passes, blocked an extra point and limited the offense to just four third down conversions in 15 attempts.

Running back Charlie Jordan got things started quickly when he took the hand off and raced 65 yards for a touchdown on the very first play of the scrimmage. Jordan would finish the day with 151 yards on 13 carries. He also caught a pass for 30 yards and a touchdown.

Eight plays into the next possession, the MSU defense forced a third and 15 situation. Quarterback Jeff Ehrhardt picked up seven yards on the ground on the next play. On fourth and eight Ehrhardt found Rod Harper for a nine yard reception and a first down.

Three plays later Ehrhardt connected with Harper again, this time from 22 yards out for the second offensive touchdown in as many possessions.

Ehrhardt would go on to finish the day having completed 9-of-15 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns. He picked up 41 yards on the ground but was sacked six times for a net of just three yards.

Josh Jones picked up 25 yards on the first two plays of the next possession but the defense answered. On fourth down, Jerry Winfield and Roderick Jackson stopped Jones three yards short of the first down marker for the first defensive stop of the day.

On the first play of the fourth offensive possession, linebacker Tamar Butler sacked Zach Barnard for a three yard loss. Barnard rebounded and moved the offense down to the 30 yard line. Jordan broke off a 20-yard run to set up first and goal from the 10 yard line.

After a pair of incompletions sandwiched around a run for no gain the offense was forced to attempt a field goal. Jordan Gray's kick from 27 yards away was good.

The defense stopped the offense on downs on its next two possessions to close out the first half of play.

After Jordan picked up five yards on the first play of the second half, Ehrhardt tossed his second touchdown pass. This one found Jordan and covered 30 yards.

On second down and one, Butler and Taylor Lanigan dropped Barnard for a 10-yard loss leading to another defensive stop.

Lanigan led all defenders with eight tackles.

On the ninth offensive possession, quarterback Chris Franklin capped a 50-yard drive with an 11-yard scoring toss to Derrick Townsel. Gray's point-after attempt was blocked by Tyler Sinclair to close out the third quarter.

Both sides had big plays during the 10^th possession. Ehrhardt completed a 30-yard pass to Lee McGinnis but the defense stymied the drive with three sacks.

Matt McWhorter and Sinclair sacked Ehrhardt for a one-yard loss. Blake Booth and Danny Blakemore took the quarterback down for a three-yard loss on third and 10. On fourth down, Butler got his second solo sack of the game, this one for an eight-yard loss.

Butler finished the day with six tackles, including four for a loss of 21 yards, to go along with his 2.5 sacks.

Barnard engineered a four-play, 73-yard scoring drive on the offense's next possession. He opened with a 40-yard completion to Townsel. After a two-yard loss on the ground, Barnard connected with Townsel again, this time for a 35-yard scoring strike.

Barnard finished 5-of-10 for 107 yards. Townsel caught four passes for a team-best 84 yards to go along with two touchdown receptions.

The final three possessions each began at the defense's 25-yard line. Ehrhardt opened the first with a 25-yard toss to Harper. Harper totaled four receptions for 56 yards and two scores during the scrimmage.

The Racer offense picked up just three yards on its first three plays of its next possession. Wade Peters ended the drive with a sack that cost the offense 15 yards on fourth down.

On the final possession of the scrimmage, Jordan and Ehrhardt covered 14 yards on a pair of runs to move to the 11 yard line. The offense lost six yards on its next two plays, including a sack by Sinclair that moved the ball back two yards. The defense forced an incomplete pass on fourth down to end the scrimmage.

Sinclair finished his day with four tackles, which included 2.5 sacks, to go along with a blocked extra point.

“We are just fortunate we came out of the spring healthy,” Griffin said. “Now we're going to wrap up our academics in the spring and get through our summer program. We have to come together as a team and that starts in the weight room. We're getting better.”

The Racers have concluded their spring session. The team will report back to campus in August for preseason camp.

Murray State will open its 2007 season on Aug. 30 when the team travels to Louisville, Ky., to face the University of Louisville at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT.