Curry pleased with Panthers in spring game

By Pierce W. Huff
The Atlanta Journal Constitution


Georgia State University quarterback Kelton Hill (4) rolls out of the pocket as he runs in front of coach Bill Curry during their first spring scrimmage in preparation for their inaugural football season in the fall of 2010 in the Georgia Dome Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.

Georgia State football coach Bill Curry, his assistant coaches and his players posed for pictures, shook hands, smiled and laughed with students and fans for more than 10 minutes after the Panthers’ first spring game Saturday.

GSU’s offense defeated its defense 36-31, but the score wasn’t as important as what transpired on the field and in the stands at the Georgia Dome.

The Panthers got their first chance to show how far they have come on and off the field since the university announced the start of the football program in 2008. In the end the history-making day showed plenty of progress.

Curry said the spring game was another way for Georgia State to sell its program, and he liked the results.

"The team showed enthusiasm, hustle and playmakers," he said.

GSU officials hoped that the free admission would lure about 2,000 fans, but they got more than they expected. The announced attendance was 3,192.

“We’re very pleased with the attendance,” executive senior associate athletics director James Greenwell said.

On the field, Curry said the Panthers showed that they had improved and corrected some of the mistakes that plagued the team during the first team scrimmage April 1.

For example, the Panthers moved the ball better Saturday.

“We were really nervous in the beginning and tentative on offense especially, but then as the game wore on in the second half we started executing, and we had some nice throws, great catches and runs,” Curry said.

The competition between redshirt freshman quarterbacks Kelton Hill, Drew Little and Bo Schlechter remains alive. Each quarterback played one full quarter in the first three quarters of the game. They alternated series in the fourth quarter. Schlechter and Little each led his team to touchdowns as Georgia State played two overtime possessions.

“All three quarterbacks did some good things, but still none of the quarterbacks has come close to the consistency that they will have,” Curry said.

Hill completed 8 of 14 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns to go with one interception. He also rushed for 30 yards on two carries.

Hill threw an interception on the third play of the game, to linebacker Robert Ferguson, but he also showed good movement around the pocket as the game progressed.

“I think I’ve got the lead so far,” Hill said.

But Curry refused to concur.

“Hill always believes that he took the lead, and he should think that way,” Curry said. “Hill is capable of taking the lead, and I want him to always believe that he took the lead, but I’m not so sure about that right now.”

Schlechter completed 5 of 8 passes for 101 yards and one interception. He even lined up at punter and kicked a 39-yard punt, which was downed at the 2. He also led the offense on back-to-back scoring drives in the second quarter.

“I did the best I could today,” Schlechter said. “I’ve played hard all spring and came out here and didn’t leave anything on the table.”

Little completed 6 of 14 passes for 71 yards, but wasn’t pleased with his performance.

“I didn’t play as well as I would have liked to have, but it’s not an individual sport, it’s a team sport, and the offense came out here and won,” he said.

Some of the other standouts on offense were receivers Sidney Haynes and Jordan Giles and running back Rosevelt Watson. Haynes, one of the fastest players on the team, caught three passes for 87 yards and one touchdown. Giles led all players with five receptions. Watson rushed for 43 yards on six carries.

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