March 14, 2004

LAMB CITES OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT IN SUNDAY SCRIMMAGE

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman head football coach Bobby Lamb emerged from Sunday’s scrimmage generally pleased with the work of his squad, and in particular the Paladin offense.

“I thought we made some progress today, especially from an offensive standpoint,” said Lamb following the two-hour session. “The defense had been playing well during the week, but I thought offensively came out and moved the football with some authority, and the confidence flowed.”

With 10 starters offensive starters returning off last year’s squad, there are few positions that will be up for grabs heading into the 2004 campaign. The one position, however, that is already generating competition is tailback, where rising juniors Brandon Mays and Daric Carter, and redshirt freshman Cedrick Gipson are all competing for the starting job vacated by graduated All-Southern Conference performer Hindley Brigham.

Mays ran nine times for 71 yards in Sunday’s scrimmage, including a 32-yard bolt in the early going. Gipson ran for 42 yards on 10 carries, and Carter totaled 30 yards on 10 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run off right guard.

“We’re going to have some good competition at tailback in the fall,” added Lamb.

Returning starting quarterback Bo Moore completed 9-of-13 passes for 142 yards, and engineered an impressive 80-yard scoring drive that included a 15-yard completion to split end Isaac West for a first down to the 39. Two plays later he connected with flanker Brian Bratton on a 54-yard pass to set up an eventual 7-yard touchdown strike to fullback Brandon Berry.

Junior quarterback Ingle Martin, taking part in his first scrimmage since transferring to Furman following three years the University of Florida, completed 7-of-11 passes for 104 yards. Included in his work were a pair of 22-yard completions to Bratton and redshirt freshman flanker Ryan McKie, and a 24-yard strike to sophomore Justin Stepp, who had the ball the stripped from his grasp two yards short of the end zone.

Lamb also lauded the work of All-Southern Conference free safety Cam Newton and the work of a slightly undermanned defensive front.

“Cam made several big plays, and I’d like to tip my cap to the defensive line. We’re not that deep there to begin with, and with Justin Porter out and Travis Jones moving inside (from defensive end), those guys were in there for virtually every snap. We really gave everybody on defense a good look.”

Sophomore defensive end Roy Ravenell paced Furman’s defensive effort with three tackles-for-loss, including a pair of sacks. Redshirt freshman strong safety Andrew Thacker also racked up a sack in his first scrimmage since moving from cornerback earlier in the week, and another redshirt freshman, defensive end Wallace Artis, recorded a four-yard tackle-for-loss.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Patrick Sprague scored one of the day’s three touchdowns, when he pounced on a fumble by quarterback Renaldo Gray in the end zone after Gray had run around left end before having the ball stripped away at the 10-yard line.

In the battle to determine the successor to graduated All-America kicker Danny Marshall, redshirt freshman Traver Toole converted 7-of-13 field goal attempts from distances of 27, 37, and 45 yards. Walker Simmons and Michael McFadden, meanwhile, found the mark on 5-of-13 kicks.