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The University of Utah Athletics
Running Game Shines in Football Scrimmage
4/11/2008 12:00 AM | Football
April 11, 2008
SALT LAKE CITY - Friday's football scrimmage showcased Utah's run offense as the first-string offense continued to battle the No. 1 defense, while the second- and third- teams continued to square off against one another. The first-stringers ran no-contact or "thud" drills while the second- and third-liners were live.
"It was a good practice today," said head coach Kyle Whittingham. "I thought it was the best practice this spring, but we still have a ways to go. We have four practices left and we need all four of them."
Corbin Louks shined for the second straight week, taking snaps with both the No. 1 and No. 2 offenses. He generated most of his offense on the ground where he rushed seven times for 100 yards. On his second go-around with the No. 2 offense, he capped off a drive with a 37-yard TD scamper. Louks completed 3-of-9 passes for just 18 yards in the air.
"Corbin Louks continues to make plays out there," Whittingham commented. "He needs to work on his read progression, and he needs to make some more passes. But, we feel he's shown that he has the tools to be a good player for us."
Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide also had standout afternoons on the ground. Asiata had four carries for 47 yards, and he rattled off a long of 24 yards against the No. 1 defense. Wide had five carries for 44 yards and one touchdown, scoring on a 12-yard run during the red zone drills.
"Matt Asiata looked good out there," said Whittingham. "I think that with him and Darrell Mack in the backfield, we have a solid 1-2 punch at running back."
Louks' throwing numbers were second to Brian Johnson, who ran exclusively with the No. 1 offense. Johnson was 6-for-12 for 71 yards and one touchdown pass. Johnson completed a six-yard scoring pass to Freddie Brown during the red zone drills.
"Brian Johnson is not 100 percent," Whittingham pointed out. "He is pain-free, but his arm strength is not there yet. We know what his capabilities are, and we expect him to be ready to play when fall comes around."
In all, four quarterbacks saw action (including Chad Mannis and DeVonte Christopher), and they completed a total of 10 passes to five different receivers. Only Louks and Johnson were off limits when it came to hitting.
Sophomore wide receiver Jereme Brooks ran with the first-string offense, and he was the primary target this afternoon. He had three catches for 41 yards, including a long of 19 yards from Brian Johnson. Brent Casteel had two grabs for 21 yards. Brown was the only receiver with a touchdown, also catching two passes for 19 yards.
Defensively, it was freshman defensive end Derrick Shelby who stood out. He led the white shirts with three tackles for a loss, two of which went for a sack. Koa Misi also had two tackles for loss, including one sack. In all, the defense had 10 tackles for a loss, half of which were sacks.
But, perhaps the biggest hit of the day came when the third-string offense and defense were on the field. Damilyn Tanner lowered his shoulder into a scrambling Christopher, knocking him squarely out of bounds after a 19-yard run.
Next Saturday, Utah will wrap up the spring season with its annual Red-White game.
"We need to work on the fundamentals and techniques," said Whittingham about entering the last week of practice. "Our offensive and defensive schemes are in place. So, now, we just need to work on our technique, polishing it up before the spring season is over."
Players Mentioned
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