The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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April 20, 2008

Offense wins Gold-Blue game, 59-15

By Mickey Furfari

MORGANTOWN — The Gold-clad offense defeated the Blue-clad defense 59-15 on a summer-like Saturday as West Virginia completed 15 days of spring football practice.

An crowd estimated at 18,000 turned out for the event, which was more of a scrimmage than an actual game. The ball was spotted at different distances and both sides received points under a scoring system.

The Gold scored only three touchdowns and six field goals during the one hour and 26 minutes of action on a sun-splashed, 79-degree afternoon.

Besides the standard points for touchdowns, conversions and field goals, the Gold was awarded a point for every first down. The Blue got three points for three-downs-and-out, two for holing the Gold for downs and three points for each turnover.

“This was great. I’m very happy,” coach Bill Stewart said. “That was a special performance. I’m very happy.”

He explained the situational type of scrimmage was necessary because it will help the players in what they will face during the 2008 season.

“The theme today was: Get better blocking and tackling and hitting and hustling,” Stewart said. “It’s all about chemistry. We have great plays. We’ve got great players — tremendous players. We’ve got great coaches.

“But right now the most important thing in Mountaineer football is chemistry. The bonding, the brotherhood, the association with classy young men doing things the right way every single time.”

No. 2 quarterback Jarrett Brown passed four yards to Kendall Washington, a redshirt freshman wide receiver, for the first touchdown. That capped a 50-yard drive which required eight plays.

Chris Glenn kicked the extra point.

Quarterback Patrick White hit Bradley Starks with another scoring shot of four yards for the second touchdown.

Brown scored the third TD on an eight-yard keeper play, and White’s pass for a two-point conversion was no good.

Linebacker Pat Lazear came up with an interception of a White pass, which happened to be only turnover of the day.

Pat McAfee made field goals from 47, 24, 34 and 39 yards. Glenn kicked one from 39 yards but missed a second attempt, and Ben Rios booted the other from 30 yards.

Statistically, the Gold registered 20 first downs, rushed for a net 131 yards and added 205 yards passing.

Tailback Mike Poitier was the leading rusher with a net 54 yards on 17 carries. Noel Devine, the No. 1 tailback, was next with 33 yards on just six totes. White had 23 on six keeper plays and Brown 18 on six.

White completed 12 of 16 passes for 133 yards and Brown 10 of 15 for 65 yards. Charlie Russell connected on just two of four attempts for seven yards.

Brandon Hogan was the leading pass-catcher with six receptions for 49 yards. Jock Sanders was next with five for 71 yards, followed by Starks with three catches and 41 yards. Starks, also a quarterback, played wide receiver during the final week of spring drills.

A freshman linebacker, Najee Goode, was the top tackler with 10. Another rookie, Derek Knight, was next with six stops. Nate Sowers headed a list of five who logged five tackles each.

Defensive lineman Joe Rhein had two quarterback sacks and defensive back Sidney Glover one sack.

Stewart admitted both the offense and defense stayed pretty much basic because of filming by outsiders. He didn’t want “the whole world” to see the new stuff.

“We didn’t do a lot of motion and movement today,” he said. “But I saw some good things on both sides of the ball.

“It was a great day.”

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