Offense Solid Again in Second Spring Scrimmage
4/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Ricky Gatewood and Mike Williams each took big steps toward closing the gap between MSU's receiving corps and its quarterback during Friday afternoon's 69-play scrimmage in Bobcat Stadium.
Gatewood, a junior college transfer who redshirted last fall, caught three passes for 145 yards, including two 65-yard touchdown passes. Williams, a sophomore who also redshirted last year, caught three passes in traffic for 46 yards. "I think we're getting to Travis' level," Gatewood said. "He's a great quarterback. As time goes on, we keep improving."
Gatewood's scores were the only touchdowns of the afternoon, although the several drives in the situational scrimmage were ended prematurely. Lulay, a second-team All-Big Sky choice last fall, connected on 16 of his 24 passes to his rejuvenated pass-catchers for 289 yards. Backup signal caller Rick Coppack was 8-for-14 for 79 yards. Gatewood's scoring catches were the day's only touchdowns.
"Travis Lulay was the most valuable player of our conference in my mind last year," Kramer said. "He's obviously done nothing this spring to dissuade me of that opinion this spring. The receiving corps, which is considerable, is something I've been waiting for this spring to shine, and they did that tonight. I think they showed the most dramatic improvement of this scrimmage."
While Gatewood's numbers were gaudy, Kramer was impressed with another Bobcat receiver. "What I was more impressed with was Mike Williams fighting to make a couple of catches, he really played well. Blake Wolf caught the ball well, too."
Wolf, MSU's senior tight end, caught led all receivers with six passes, netting 59 years. Brandon Roosevelt (14 yards), Kellen Alley (23) and Matt McCullough (27) each caught three passes, as well.
Kramer's attention also focused on the play of the Bobcat secondary, a reconstructed unit this spring missing all four of last year's starters and three players (injured cornerback Kahiam Hunter and transfers Eddie Smith at cornerback and safety Corky Lindsey, who will arrive in August) expected to seriously contend for starting honors next season.
Young cornerbacks Jimmy Beal, DeAngelo Wall, and John Lebrum each broke up passes on Friday. In addition, the secondary picked off its first pass of the spring when sophomore safety Ryan Force intercepted a pass from Lulay, his roommate, to end the scrimmage. "In the secondary we're evolving from a group led by Joey Thomas and Kane Ioane to the next page, and that can be a painful process," Krame said. "Ryan (Force) is developing nicely into a first string safety."
Force said his interception -- "We have some fun with it," he said of returning home to the player he intercepted on Friday evening -- came in the context of MSU's defensive scheme and as a result of experience. "We were in a zone blitz, so I was supposed to drop down in the flat area," he said. "They ran that play a ton of times, and I just happened to be there."
Kramer also lauded the play of linebacker Nick Marudas. "Nick is becoming an every-down linebacker, which he wasn't last year."
Montana State enters its final week of spring practice on Monday. The spring concludes with a full-scale scrimmage on Saturday at 2 pm in Bobcat Stadium.
Gatewood, a junior college transfer who redshirted last fall, caught three passes for 145 yards, including two 65-yard touchdown passes. Williams, a sophomore who also redshirted last year, caught three passes in traffic for 46 yards. "I think we're getting to Travis' level," Gatewood said. "He's a great quarterback. As time goes on, we keep improving."
Gatewood's scores were the only touchdowns of the afternoon, although the several drives in the situational scrimmage were ended prematurely. Lulay, a second-team All-Big Sky choice last fall, connected on 16 of his 24 passes to his rejuvenated pass-catchers for 289 yards. Backup signal caller Rick Coppack was 8-for-14 for 79 yards. Gatewood's scoring catches were the day's only touchdowns.
"Travis Lulay was the most valuable player of our conference in my mind last year," Kramer said. "He's obviously done nothing this spring to dissuade me of that opinion this spring. The receiving corps, which is considerable, is something I've been waiting for this spring to shine, and they did that tonight. I think they showed the most dramatic improvement of this scrimmage."
While Gatewood's numbers were gaudy, Kramer was impressed with another Bobcat receiver. "What I was more impressed with was Mike Williams fighting to make a couple of catches, he really played well. Blake Wolf caught the ball well, too."
Wolf, MSU's senior tight end, caught led all receivers with six passes, netting 59 years. Brandon Roosevelt (14 yards), Kellen Alley (23) and Matt McCullough (27) each caught three passes, as well.
Kramer's attention also focused on the play of the Bobcat secondary, a reconstructed unit this spring missing all four of last year's starters and three players (injured cornerback Kahiam Hunter and transfers Eddie Smith at cornerback and safety Corky Lindsey, who will arrive in August) expected to seriously contend for starting honors next season.
Young cornerbacks Jimmy Beal, DeAngelo Wall, and John Lebrum each broke up passes on Friday. In addition, the secondary picked off its first pass of the spring when sophomore safety Ryan Force intercepted a pass from Lulay, his roommate, to end the scrimmage. "In the secondary we're evolving from a group led by Joey Thomas and Kane Ioane to the next page, and that can be a painful process," Krame said. "Ryan (Force) is developing nicely into a first string safety."
Force said his interception -- "We have some fun with it," he said of returning home to the player he intercepted on Friday evening -- came in the context of MSU's defensive scheme and as a result of experience. "We were in a zone blitz, so I was supposed to drop down in the flat area," he said. "They ran that play a ton of times, and I just happened to be there."
Kramer also lauded the play of linebacker Nick Marudas. "Nick is becoming an every-down linebacker, which he wasn't last year."
Montana State enters its final week of spring practice on Monday. The spring concludes with a full-scale scrimmage on Saturday at 2 pm in Bobcat Stadium.
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, June 10
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
