March 28, 2007
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On Campus in Nashville – Head Coach Bobby Johnson put the Commodores through full-contact drills Tuesday in Vanderbilt Stadium, marking the fifth straight session that the team completed its practice inside the stadium.
Johnson was pleased with the squad following the two-hour, 30-minute session that started on the John Rich Practice Facility with individual and team drills, then moved into the stadium for a brief scrimmage and special teams work.
“It was another solid practice by our guys,” Johnson said. “We spent most of the practice working on various things geared toward the Black & Gold Scrimmage, and then got some full-speed work done at the end. We’re making steady progress as a team. We just need to get guys really focusing on their responsibilities, and get them doing things correctly.”
A six-possession scrimmage that featured two short touchdown drives and several solid individual plays by defenders concluded the practice.
After struggling in limited duty at the team’s last full scrimmage on Saturday, junior quarterback Chris Nickson was effective in the initial possession, leading the offense to an 8-play scoring drive, capped by junior tailback Jeff Jennings’ 8-yard touchdown run. The 50-yard drive included five carries by Jennings and a Nickson-to-Alex Washington first down completion.
Two other tailbacks, redshirt freshman Kennard Reeves and sophomore Jared Hawkins, also provided offensive highlights. Reeves produced 44 yards on six carries, including a 12-yarder on the opening possession and an 18-yard gain on the final drive. He capped the final drive with a 2-yard scoring plunge. Hawkins ran hard, bouncing off tackles for 23 rushing yards on four carries.
On defense, sophomore linebackers Brandon Bryant and Patrick Benoist continued their excellent spring performances. Bryant put a punishing tackle on Jennings in the first drive while a tackle for loss by Benoist thwarted a later possession. Other defenders making individual plays were redshirt freshman end Teriall Brannon (quarterback sack), redshirt freshman linebacker Nathan Campbell (third-down tackle for loss), sophomore safety Brent Trice (punishing hit on Hawkins) and sophomore safety Joel Caldwell (solid hit on receiver Bryant Anderson).
Black & Gold Scrimmage this Saturday
Admission is free for Commodore fans to the Black & Gold Scrimmage this Saturday. The scrimmage is the featured attraction of Vanderbilt’s Spring Practice.
The scrimmage starts at 10 a.m., in Vanderbilt Stadium. Stadium entrances at Gate 2 (intersection of Jess Neely Drive and Natchez Trace) will open at 9 a.m.