Colorado State University Athletics
Rams Conduct 101-play scrimmage
8/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 19, 2006
Colorado State University's offense scored on the opening drive of a 101-play scrimmage and later scored on five consecutive possessions Saturday morning.
"The offense had a good day," said Rams' coach Sonny Lubick following the workout at Hughes Stadium on the school's new synthetic playing surface installed over the summer.
CSU's top offensive unit opened the scrimmage against the first-team defense and drove 70 yards in six plays for a touchdown. Starting quarterback Caleb Hanie hit tight end Kory Sperry on a 38-yard scoring play.
"The offense had a couple of easy scores, and the quarterback (Caleb Hanie) threw the deep ball pretty well."
Hanie, a junior, finished the day by completing 9-of-17 passes for 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Following his first scoring pass, he came back later in the day and hit wide receiver Damon Morton with a 30-yard pass down the right sideline for a touchdown.
The first eight possessions of the scrimmage, CSU's offense took possession at its own 30-yard-line. Lubick then had his team work inside the red zone, then finished the scrimmage with goal line and two-minute segments.
"We put the defense in some tough situations," he said.
Lubick said in general he was pleased with the scrimmage, but was concerned about penalties.
"Penalties hurt us on both sides," he said. "Two of the touchdown drives were results of penalties. That's discipline"
With two weeks remaining before the Rams open the season against Weber State Sept. 2, Lubick said questions still remain regarding the team's starting lineup.
"The cornerback situation and safety situation are important ones," he said. "In the offensive line, there could be some shifting there."
The Rams, he said, appear set in most other areas including runningback and wide receiver.
After scoring the first drive of the day, Colorado State's offense was held scoreless the next seven possessions, before Hanie hit Morton with the 30-yard scoring pass. That began a stretch of five consecutive scoring drives by the offense during the team's work inside the red zone.
Backup quarterback Billy Farris scored on a two-yard run, followed by a reverse pass from Morton to Dustin Osborn for a touchdown covering 25 yards. Kicker Jason Smith, who Lubick praised following the workout, nailed a 50-yard field goal, and runningback Kyle Bell scored on a nine-yard run.
The in the scrimmage, a pair of freshmen hooked up on a 15-yard pass play. Quarterback Sean McDougal hit receiver Tyson Liggett for a touchdown.
CSU's offense also scored twice during the goal line drill, once on a one-yard run by backup runningback Gartrell Johnson and another on Hanie's one-yard sneak.
Bell finished the day gaining 47 yards on five carries and a touchdown, while Johnson led all rushers with 51 yards on 14 carries.
Luke Roberts led all receivers with eight catches good for 79 yards.
Several players were held out of the drill with minor injuries. Offensive guard Adrian Martinez (right knee), safety Ben Stratton (left knee), quarterback Grant Stucker (groin), defensive tackle Matt Rupp (right hamstring), Nnamdi Ohaeri (left ankle), linebacker Nathan Pauly (left shoulder), linebacker Jake Pottorff (right shoulder), and wide receiver George Hill (right knee) did not participate.
Martinez was injured Thursday and is out indefinitely. Hill is expected back in approximately a week, as is Pottorff. The rest are day-to-day.
With classes beginning on the CSU campus Monday morning, the Rams return to an afternoon-only practice routine at 4 p.m.
Kickoff time for the team's opener against WSU Sept. 2 is 3 p.m. Tickets are available online at CSURAMS.com.
PASSING
Caleb Hanie - 9-17, 128 yards, 2 TDs
Billy Farris - 6-12, 45 yards
Nick Neuenfeldt - 0-3, 0 yards
Sean McDougal - 4-6, 51 yards, TD
Damon Morton - 1-1, 25 yards, TD
RUSHING
Gartrell Johnson - 14 rushes, 51 yards, 1 TD
Kyle Bell - 5 rushes, 47 yards, 1 TD
Michael Myers - 10 rushes, 26 yards
Caleb Hanie - 3 rushes, 22 yards, 1 TD
John Mosure - 4 rushes, 12 yards
Tristan Walker - 1 rush, 2 yards
Alex Square - 3 rushes, -2 yards
Nick Neuenfeldt - 1 rush, -11, yards
Billy Farris - 3 rushes, 5 yards, 1 TD
RECEIVING
Luke Roberts - 8 rec., 79 yards
Dion Morton - 2 rec., 15 yards
Damon Morton - 2 rec., 28 yards, 1 TD
Kory Sperry - 1 rec., 38 yards, 1 TD
Rashaun Greer - 1 rec., 7 yards
R.J. Sanders - 1 rec., 11 yards
Kevin McPeek - 1 rec., 6 yards
Alex Square - 1 rec., 5 yards
Beck Easton - 1 rec., 20 yards
Dustin Osborn - 1 rec., 25 yards, 1 TD
Tyson Liggett - 1 rec., 15 yards, 1 TD
QUARTERBACK SACKS
Wade Landers - 2 sacks, 6 yards
Matt Hendrick - 1 sack, 7 yards
Jeff Horinek - 0.5 sacks, 10 yards
Tommie Hill - 0.5 sacks, 10 yards
