Bulldog Defense Keeps Offense From End Zone

Apr 03, 2004


Sophomore quarterback Omarr Conner releases a pass during Saturday's scrimmage action.

STARKVILLE, Miss. --­ Mississippi State's defense took control early during the team's two and one-half hour scrimmage Saturday, and never let up in a three-hour practice which marked the mid-way point of the team's spring practice session.

The defense held the offense to three plays and out or better on 10 of the scrimmage's first 14 series, and permitted the attack to drive the football for at least eight plays in a series just four times during the entire 27-series scrimmage.

The Bulldog offense could manage just 127 yards rushing on 83 attempts, and completed only 14 of 39 passes for 117 yards. The defense accumulated 25 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. MSU quarterbacks threw four interceptions and were sacked 11 times.

"I thought the defense tackled very well until they got a little tired at the end," MSU head coach Sylvester Croom said. "But we're still having some of the same problems on offense, like the center-quarterback exchange, which shouldn't be happening this far into practice. We dropped too many passes, didn't get the ball to open receivers, and didn't protect well.

"I thought we ran the ball with the a little more heart and toughness," Croom said. "We're making baby steps, but we still have a long way to go."

The only scoring was a series of field goals between 20 and 47 yards by place-kicker Keith Andrews during a kicking period which split the scrimmage in half.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Reid 13-72, Jude 14-64, Rice 19-45, Norwood 7-20, Mills 7-1, Team 3-(-1), Morgan 3-(-16), Conner 7-(-24), Nelson 10-(-34)

PASSING - Conner 6-15-1-77, Nelson 8-23-3-40, Wilcutt 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING - Hargro 2-40, B.Wright 2-22, Sherrod 2-9, Milons 2-2, Reid 2-(-1), Prosser 1-28, Scott 1-9, Jones 1-8, Sanders 1-0.

TACKLES - Johnson 10, Powell 9, Byrdsong 8, Hannibal 8, Horton 8, Kern 7, McDougal 7, Williams 7, Griffith 6, Culberson 5, Downing 5, Tate 5, Bennett 4, Fuller 4, Griffin 4, Arant 3, Clark 3, W.Evans 3, Fields 3, McKinley 3, M.Evans 2, Heard 2, Robinson 2, Swain 2, Upton 2, Carter 1, Cooper 1, Dockery 1, Jack 1, R.Wright 1.

SACKS - Hannibal 3-15, Powell 2-16, Bennett 1-10, Tate 1-10, McDougal 1-8, Robinson 1-8, Arant 1-7, Heard 1-6.

TACKLES FOR LOSS - W.Evans 2-8, Hannibal 2-7, McDougal 2-5, Powell 1-6, McKinley 1-4, Cooper 1-3, Bennett 1-2, Downing 1-2, Fields 1-2, Johnson 1-2, Tate 1-2.

INTERCEPTIONS - Clark 1-8, W.Evans 1-3, Fuller 1-3, Johnson 1-1.

PASS BREAKUPS - Robinson 2, Bennett 1, Carter 1, Culberson 1, Fields 1, Griffith 1, Horton 1, McDougal 1.