Murray State University Athletics
Gold Wins First Annual Blue and Gold Bowl
4/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Kienan Cullen kicked three field goals, including a 48-yarder in the first quarter to help the Gold Team to a 23-6 victory over the Blue Team in the first annual Blue and Gold Bowl Thursday evening at Roy Stewart Stadium.
“I was real pleased with the atmosphere. We had a lot of students out here. I didn't know what to expect and I was told this was one of the largest Spring Game crowds in quite awhile, so I appreciate everybody for coming out,” said head coach Chris Hatcher. “As far as the game went, I thought our second-team defense held the second-team offense pretty much in check, which has kind of been the status quo for the Spring.”
“Offensively, I thought we moved the ball well all the way down to the goaline area. This is the first time in 15 practices the offense had trouble scoring in the red zone. It made me fired up for the defense that we started playing a little bit better goaline defense.”
“We have a lot of work to do. A lot of turnovers today and that has plagued us all Spring. All in all, I thought it was a good Spring and we are a lot better team at practice 15 than we were at practice one.”
The Gold Team moved the ball on its opening possession as quarterback Jeff Ehrhardt completed three of his first four passes for 30 yards. Prince Nwagbara took the handoff on the next play and went around the left side for a 35-yard gain down to the five-yard line. The Blue defense stepped up from there and did not allow Gold into the endzone as Erik Fennell stopped Ehrhardt on fourth down.
Gold got on the board on its second possession as they took advantage of a short field. They converted a first down as Ehrhardt found Daniel Ard for 11 yards, but the drive would stall. Cullen stepped onto the field and connected on a 48 yard field goal to put Gold up 3-0.
The Blue Team put together a drive on their next series as Casey Brockman found Dexter Durrante for 20 yards on the first play. Brockman then found Estes for five yards and an offside penalty moved the ball to the Gold 40. Brockman's next pass was intercepted by Justin Clark who returned it 58 yards.
Gold needed only two plays to score from there as Ehrhardt hit Trotter on a crossing route for the seven-yard touchdown. Cullen's extra point made the score 10-0.
The defense made a play on the next series as Jamal Crook forced a fumble that was recovered by Clark on the 11-yard line. Nwagbara rushed for 10 yards on the first play, but the drive stalled and Cullen kicked a 23-yard field goal to make the score 13-0.
Blue finally got on the board at the end of the quarter as Brockman engineered a 15-play drive that covered 97 yards. Brockman connected with three different receivers to get the ball out to the 30 yard line before finding Arthur Brackett for 31 yards down to the 16 yard line. On 2nd-and-goal, Brockman found Tarvis Milam running across the endzone for a five-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 13-6.
Gold extended the lead in the second quarter as Ehrhardt found Rashad Daniels for 13 yard, before connecting with Patrick Robertson for 17 yards and three passes to Trotter spanning 38 yards. Cullen capped the drive by hitting a 25-yard field goal.
Gold looked to stretch their advantage on the next series as Ehrhardt led the team into the red zone, but Fennell had other ideas as he picked off a pass to kill the drive.
On the first play from his own two, Brockman found Durrante who ran up the right sideline for 58 yards before fumbling the ball that was recovered by Milam at the 28-yard line. Two plays later, Brinkley intercepted a Brockman pass to end the drive.
Brinkley did not stay out of the game for long as he line up on defense for the Blue Team and intercepted an Ehrhardt pass on the ensuing drive.
The Gold Team closed out the scoring on their final drive of the game as Justin Woodard capped off an eight-play drive by scoring from one-yard out.
Ehrhardt finished the game by going 23-for-41 for 221 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Brockman went 21-for-30 for 250 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Trotter led the Gold Team in receiving by catching nine passes for 87 yards and a score. Daniels added six catches for 66 yards. Durrante led the Blue Team with seven catches for 116 yards. Brackett added seven catches for 89 yards.
Nwagbara led the ground attack with 56 yards on eight carries.
Defensively, Fennell led the defense with nine total tackles, one tackle-for-loss, an interception and four pass break-ups. Crook had three sacks, five tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble.
The Racers open the 2010 season on Sept. 2 as they travel to take on Kent State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. central time.
“I was real pleased with the atmosphere. We had a lot of students out here. I didn't know what to expect and I was told this was one of the largest Spring Game crowds in quite awhile, so I appreciate everybody for coming out,” said head coach Chris Hatcher. “As far as the game went, I thought our second-team defense held the second-team offense pretty much in check, which has kind of been the status quo for the Spring.”
“Offensively, I thought we moved the ball well all the way down to the goaline area. This is the first time in 15 practices the offense had trouble scoring in the red zone. It made me fired up for the defense that we started playing a little bit better goaline defense.”
“We have a lot of work to do. A lot of turnovers today and that has plagued us all Spring. All in all, I thought it was a good Spring and we are a lot better team at practice 15 than we were at practice one.”
The Gold Team moved the ball on its opening possession as quarterback Jeff Ehrhardt completed three of his first four passes for 30 yards. Prince Nwagbara took the handoff on the next play and went around the left side for a 35-yard gain down to the five-yard line. The Blue defense stepped up from there and did not allow Gold into the endzone as Erik Fennell stopped Ehrhardt on fourth down.
Gold got on the board on its second possession as they took advantage of a short field. They converted a first down as Ehrhardt found Daniel Ard for 11 yards, but the drive would stall. Cullen stepped onto the field and connected on a 48 yard field goal to put Gold up 3-0.
The Blue Team put together a drive on their next series as Casey Brockman found Dexter Durrante for 20 yards on the first play. Brockman then found Estes for five yards and an offside penalty moved the ball to the Gold 40. Brockman's next pass was intercepted by Justin Clark who returned it 58 yards.
Gold needed only two plays to score from there as Ehrhardt hit Trotter on a crossing route for the seven-yard touchdown. Cullen's extra point made the score 10-0.
The defense made a play on the next series as Jamal Crook forced a fumble that was recovered by Clark on the 11-yard line. Nwagbara rushed for 10 yards on the first play, but the drive stalled and Cullen kicked a 23-yard field goal to make the score 13-0.
Blue finally got on the board at the end of the quarter as Brockman engineered a 15-play drive that covered 97 yards. Brockman connected with three different receivers to get the ball out to the 30 yard line before finding Arthur Brackett for 31 yards down to the 16 yard line. On 2nd-and-goal, Brockman found Tarvis Milam running across the endzone for a five-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 13-6.
Gold extended the lead in the second quarter as Ehrhardt found Rashad Daniels for 13 yard, before connecting with Patrick Robertson for 17 yards and three passes to Trotter spanning 38 yards. Cullen capped the drive by hitting a 25-yard field goal.
Gold looked to stretch their advantage on the next series as Ehrhardt led the team into the red zone, but Fennell had other ideas as he picked off a pass to kill the drive.
On the first play from his own two, Brockman found Durrante who ran up the right sideline for 58 yards before fumbling the ball that was recovered by Milam at the 28-yard line. Two plays later, Brinkley intercepted a Brockman pass to end the drive.
Brinkley did not stay out of the game for long as he line up on defense for the Blue Team and intercepted an Ehrhardt pass on the ensuing drive.
The Gold Team closed out the scoring on their final drive of the game as Justin Woodard capped off an eight-play drive by scoring from one-yard out.
Ehrhardt finished the game by going 23-for-41 for 221 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Brockman went 21-for-30 for 250 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Trotter led the Gold Team in receiving by catching nine passes for 87 yards and a score. Daniels added six catches for 66 yards. Durrante led the Blue Team with seven catches for 116 yards. Brackett added seven catches for 89 yards.
Nwagbara led the ground attack with 56 yards on eight carries.
Defensively, Fennell led the defense with nine total tackles, one tackle-for-loss, an interception and four pass break-ups. Crook had three sacks, five tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble.
The Racers open the 2010 season on Sept. 2 as they travel to take on Kent State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. central time.
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