Cardinals Show Improvement In Second Spring Football Scrimmage
July 21, 2000 | Football
April 15, 2000
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - At the midway of spring practice University of Louisville head football coach John L. Smith sees some improvement in his 2000 club but stresses there is more work to be done.
"So far this spring I've been pleased with the emotion and intensity we've shown," said Smith after putting his team through its second scrimmage of the spring. "I don't know if we were as intense and focused today as we have been but we'll have to look at the tape and see where we are. Overall, I think a lot of our young guys are beginning to understand it's their time to step up and play."
What Smith will see is an offense that took the Cardinals to paydirt five times over the 90+ play outing and a defense that showed athletic improvement and better speed.
Each of the Cardinals' three quarterbacks tossed a touchdown pass beginning with Mike Watkins 36-yard throw to Bowling Green transfer Robert Redd.
Unable to play this fall due to NCAA transfer regulations, Redd was one of 11 Cardinals to catch a pass on the day.
Sophomore Dave Ragone followed Watkins' lead hitting All-America candidate Arnold Jackson (seven catches for 106 yards) with a 14-yard score. Ragone also added a rushing touchdown for the offense's first score.
Former Male High School standout Gerry Ahrens saw his first significant varsity action and completed seven of 10 passes including a five-yard scoring strike to classmate Victor Glenn.
Defense dominated the first few series with sophomore end Michael Josiah recording a pair of sacks of Watkins while senior Derrick Kennedy batted down the fifth-year senior QB's first pass attempt of the morning.
The defense also intercepted Ahrens twice, including one by redshirt freshman James Greene. The Miami native corralled a pass tipped at the line of scrimmage by true rookie DT Bobby Leffew for the turnover.
Junior Tony Stallings carried the ball 11 times on the day for 63 yards including a 23 run scoring sprint midway through the scrimmage. Redshirt freshman T.J. Patterson topped the club with 13 carries but gained just 36 yards.
Redshirt rookie placekicker Wade Tydlacka (pronounced TA-la-sha) booted a pair of field goals from 34 and 43 yards out to cap scoring drives as well.
U of L will return to the practice field Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. to open the third week of spring drills.
Scoring Plays
Dave Ragone 1 runWade Tydlacka 34 field goal
Tony Stallings 23 run
Robert Redd 36 pass from Mike Watkins
Arnold Jackson 14 pass from Ragone
Victor Glenn 5 pass from Gerry Ahrens
Wade Tydlacka 43 field goal
Statistics
Rushing - Tony Stallings 11-63, Dave Ragone 8-41, T.J. Patterson 13-36, Gerry Ahrens 3-29, Deayne Taylor 9-27, Mike Watkins 8-15, Zek Parker 1-9
Passing - Mike Watkins 19-6-0-128-1, Dave Ragone 12-8-0-74-1, Gerry Ahrens 10-7-2-52-1
Receiving - Arnold Jackson 7-106, Victor Glenn 2-18, Damien Dorsey 3-24, T.J. Patterson 1-4, Robert Redd 2-39, Chip Mattingly 1-7, Dewayne Taylor 2-19, Zek Parker 1-6, Erin Smith 1-13, Tony Stallings 2-2, Richard Owens 1-16
