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Spring Football – By the Numbers
Spring numbers will mean little by the time August 29th comes around, but they do give some insight as to how players are doing, and how they are being utilized by Mike MacIntyre and his coaching staff.
So let’s take a look ….
Spring Game – Team
The gold team (Sefo Liufau’s team) had the better of it offensively, with 61 offensive plays to just 36 for the black. The gold had 382 yards of total offense (6.3 yards per play), almost a yard per play behind the 7.1 yards per snap posted by the black offense (36 plays for 255 total yards). Overall, the two teams ran 97 offensive plays for 637 yards. Reducing that to an average game (CU averaged 69.3 plays per game in 2013), the total yardage works out to a game of 455 yards of total offense, significantly better than the 369.9 the Buffs averaged last fall.
Combined, the offenses went 8-for-20 on third downs, and two-for-two on fourth down. The teams combined for 226 yards rushing on 50 attempts, a 4.52 yards per carry average (3.44 per carry average in 2013). The three quarterbacks went a combined 27-for47 (.574) for 411 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
There were only four penalties called on the day, all for false starts by the offensive lines, though several more could have been called (Ahkello Witherspoon was praised for his aggressive play, but he should have been called for a personal foul on a late hit out of bounds on one play, and one or two of his pass breakups on gold’s final drive of the game could have been called for pass interference).
There were only two sacks of the protected quarterbacks recorded, with Tyler Henington picking up one for the gold (badly beating starting right tackle Stephane Nembot), with Garrett Gregory and De’Jon Wilson sharing credit for the black team’s sack.
The gold team turned the ball over twice, with Sefo Liufau being picked off by Ahkello Witherspoon, while Terrence Crowder’s fourth quarter fumble was recovered by Garrett Gregory.
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Here are individual stats for some of the CU players, including all three spring scrimmages and the Spring Game …
Quarterbacks
Sefo Liufau (So.)
Three Scrimmages … 26 drives: 13 touchdowns; one field goal … 29-for-53 (.547) for 392 yards … eight touchdowns; zero interceptions
Spring Game … 19-of-31 for 238 yards, two touchdowns and one interception
Jordan Gehrke (So.)
Three Scrimmages … 26 drives: five touchdowns; two field goals … 31-for-51 (.607) for 383 yards … three touchdowns; zero interceptions
Spring Game … five-of-11 for 113 yards and a touchdown
Trent Sessions (So.)
Two Scrimmages … three drives: no scores … one-for-three (.333) for zero yards … no touchdowns; one interception
Spring Game … three-of-five for 60 yards
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Running Backs
Malcolm Creer (Sr.)
Three Scrimmages … 13 carries for 65 yards … long of 19 yards … zero touchdowns
Spring Game … six carries for 39 yards … long of 16 yards … a touchdown run of six yards
Phillip Lindsay (R-Fr.)
Three Scrimmages … 16 carries for 62 yards … long of 23 yards … three touchdowns
Spring Game … six carries for 15 yards … long of seven yards
Tony Jones (Sr.)
Three Scrimmages … 16 carries for 62 yards … long of 24 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … 13 carries for 88 yards … long of 25 yards
Michael Adkins (So.)
Two Scrimmages … 12 carries for 57 yards … long of 17 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … eight carries for 37 yards … long of ten yards
Terrence Crowder (So.)
Three Scrimmages … 12 carries for 49 yards … long of 12 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … five carries for 15 yards … long of six yards
Donta Abron (Jr.)
Three Scrimmages … 11 carries for 38 yards … long of 13 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … did not play (hamstring)
Christian Powell (Jr.)
One Scrimmage … five carries for 14 yards … long of seven yards … no touchdowns
Spring Game … three carries for 25 yards … long of 15 yards
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Wide Receivers
Nelson Spruce (Jr.)
Three Scrimmages … nine catches for 123 yards … long of 51 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … eight catches for 110 yards … long of 31 yards
Wes Christensen (Jr.)
Three Scrimmages … seven catches for 111 yards … long of 48 yards … two touchdowns
Spring Game … no catches
Bryce Bobo (R-Fr.)
Three Scrimmages … four catches for 83 yards … long of 51 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … five catches for 132 yards … long of 67 yards … one touchdown
D.D. Goodson (Sr.)
Three Scrimmages … six catches for 61 yards … long of 19 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … three catches for 32 yards … long of 17 yards … one touchdown
Lee Walker (Fr.)
Three Scrimmages … six catches for 71 yards … long of 35 yards … one touchdown
Spring Game … three catches for 41 yards … long of 18 yards … one touchdown
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Defense
Addison Gillam (So.) – LB
Three Scrimmages … 21 tackles (14 unassisted) … two sacks, two tackles for loss, three third-down stops
Spring Game … seven tackles (six unassisted) … one quarterback hurry
Ryan Moeller (R-Fr.) – LB
Three Scrimmages … 17 tackles (14 unassisted) … one third-down stop, one pass broken up
Spring Game … seven tackles (six unassisted)
Derek McCartney (R-Fr.) – DL
Three Scrimmages … 12 tackles (10 unassisted) … four sacks, five tackles for loss, four third-down stops
Spring Game … two tackles (one unassisted)
Tyler Henington (Jr.) – DL
Three Scrimmages … 13 tackles (10 unassisted) … four sacks, five tackles for loss, two third-down stops
Spring Game … two tackles (both unassisted) … one quarterback sack, one third down stop, two quarterback hurries
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Kicking Game
Will Oliver (Sr.)
Three Scrimmages … 10-for-10 on extra points … 3-for-4 on field goal attempts – 28, 36, 50 – 43-yard attempt blocked
Spring Game … two-for-two on extra points
Diego Gonzalez (R-Fr.)
Three Scrimmages … 3-for-3 on extra points … no field goal attempts … one punt for 50 yards
Spring Game … one-for-one on extra points … missed a 47-yard field goal attempt
Chris Graham (R-Fr.)
Three Scrimmages … 5-for-5 on extra points … 2-for-2 on field goal attempts – 31 and 30 yards
Spring Game … two-for-two on extra points … made a 39-yard field goal
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