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Black & Gold Scrimmage Saturday 3/29/2006
Black & Gold Scrimmage Saturday; Free Event Gives Fans Early Look at Squad Vanderbilt football fans can get their first look at the 2006 Commodore edition this Saturday when the squad stages its annual Black & Gold Scrimmage. The scrimmage, the fifth directed by Commodore Head Coach Bobby Johnson, will start at 10:00 a.m., in Vanderbilt Stadium. Gate 2 will open at 9:00 a.m. Admission is free. Johnson is looking forward to the scrimmage, where more than 60 players are expected to see action in the offense-vs.-defense formatted activity. “Being in the stadium, our guys will be ready to play, especially when they see their parents and close friends in the stands,” the head coach said. “I know they will go hard and practice with a lot of energy, but I’ll be looking for a little bit more consistency. It’s important that we get more consistent, in all phases. “This scrimmage is very important to each player. As coaches, we’ll do a lot of evaluation off of what we see on film, really take a close look at every position. Then, we’ll make the decisions we think are necessary to becoming a better football team,” Johnson added. Johnson goes into the Black & Gold Scrimmage looking to fill several key positions, none bigger than quarterback where three-year captain and four-year Jay Cutler has graduated following a stellar career that included Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2005. Competing for the job are the only two quarterbacks on the Commodore roster, redshirt sophomore Chris Nickson and redshirt freshman Mackenzi Adams. The staff also is looking to replace four other offensive starters: center Trey Holloway, tight end Dustin Dunning, receiver Erik Davis and tackle Ryan King. Replacements also must be found for five defensive starters: two-time All-SEC linebacker Moses Osemwegie, end Herdley Harrison, tackle Ralph McKenzie, cornerback Andrew Pace and safety Kelechi Ohanaja. Another goal of the Commodores’ spring drills has been to improve overall depth. Many of the Commodores’ redshirt freshmen, including Adams, linebackers Brandon Bryant, Chris Johnson and Quavian Lewis, tailback Jared Hawkins, receivers Alex Washington and Justin Wheeler, tight ends Thomas Welch and Jake Bradford, safety Ryan Hamilton, cornerbacks Joel Caldwell and Darlron Spead, defensive linemen Steven Stone and Derrius Dowell, and offensive linemen Bradley Vierling, Ryan Custer, Eric Hensley and Ryan Vance, are expected to get plenty of repetitions in the Black & Gold Scrimmage. Several veteran Commodores, including five starters from last year, are expected to miss the scrimmage. Tailback Jeff Jennings, offensive guard Mac Pyle and kicking specialist Bryant Hahnfeldt will miss all of Spring Practice recuperating from off-season procedures. Another starter, safety Ben Koger, has missed full-contact drills. Still others, including defensive tackle Theo Horrocks and wide receiver Marlon White, will miss the scrimmage with injuries suffered in Spring Practice, though both are expected to fully recover by the August opening of preseason camp. Because of less serious injuries, other positions are limited with available players as the squad prepares for the scrimmage. “We’re hurting at a few positions, such as in the offensive backfield, because we simply do not have the numbers we need to maximum what we are trying to accomplish. But we’ll do the best we can do with the situation, and keep working to get better,” Johnson said. |
