Photo by: SFA Athletics
Defense Shines in Football’s First Scrimmage of the Spring
4/7/2018 4:24:00 PM | Football
‘Jacks took to Dragon Stadium at Nacogdoches High School Saturday afternoon for their first scrimmage of 2018
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – College football was in the air Saturday afternoon in Texas' oldest town, both for the Stephen F. Austin football team and in the weather conditions. The Lumberjacks hosted their first scrimmage on the turf of Dragon Stadium at Nacogdoches High School with temperatures in the mid-40's and a stiff north wind, feeling more like a mid-November football game than early spring.
"I was real pleased with the defense, with the exception of the first drive," head coach Clint Conque said following the scrimmage. "The offense went right down the field, that was very good to see. Obviously, we challenged the defense and we've got to start games and halves ready to play. The defense then responded to that later. From a defensive standpoint I thought outside of that series and the big play we got for a touchdown, they played pretty well."
SFA ran 88 live plays throughout the scrimmage, including running 32 starting at its own 40-yard line, 24 from midfield and another 16 beginning at the defense's 20 for red zone action. The 'Jacks also worked on point after attempts versus field goal blocking and punt formation. Both first-team guys and second-team players got work in during the game-like situations.
The defense showed its strength throughout the day and made several big stops, both in the secondary and up front. SFA's defensive line proved to be a touch ahead of the offense and created plenty of pressure on the quarterbacks. However, the 'Jacks did get two lengthy scores off of athletic plays from junior quarterback Jake Blumrick (Pearland, Texas) and returning All-Southland Conference wide receiver Tamrick Pace (Brownsboro, Texas).
Blumrick had a nice scamper into the end zone early on in the scrimmage as he slid toward the right pylon for a score. Later, redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Truelove (Shepherd, Texas) connected with Pace through the air for a deep touchdown over the middle.
"Fundamentally, we dropped some balls," coach Conque continued. "We missed some opportunities and had some poor throws. We've just got a lot of work to do fundamentally to get better offensively. I did think that from an offensive standpoint Josh Covey came in and threw the ball pretty well. He's still learning, but he's got some toughness and some wheels. He gives us a little bit of a different dimension back there."
"We're young on the offensive line right now," commented coach Conque. "We're transitioning at center and the biggest thing right now is the quarterback/center exchange and shotgun snaps. We were under center a little bit and didn't get clean exchanges there but we will work on that extensively everyday. Like I said, we've just got some fundamental things we've got to get cleaned up."
"We ran the ball a little bit better in the red zone," coach Conque added. "I think Thomas Hutchings had himself a nice run or two in there. Defensively right now our group up front is just a little bit better than where we are on the offensive line. We've got to get better there."
Saturday afternoon's scrimmage was the first of three total for SFA this spring. Next Saturday, April 14, the 'Jacks will host their second scrimmage of 2018 inside Homer Bryce Stadium at 2 p.m. SFA's annual Purple and White Spring Game is slated for Saturday, April 21 at 6 p.m. in Homer Bryce.
The 'Jacks will wrap up their first full week of spring ball Sunday evening with a 7:30 p.m. practice under the lights of Homer Bryce Stadium as SFA has nine remaining practice dates of spring football. The complete spring football schedule for SFA is as follows:
Sunday, April 8 | Practice 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Monday, April 9 | Practice 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Wednesday, April 11 | Practice 9 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Friday, April 13 | Practice 10 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Saturday, April 14 | Scrimmage 2 | 2 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Monday, April 16 | Practice 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Wednesday, April 18 | Practice 13 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Friday, April 20 | Practice 14 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Saturday, April 21 | 2018 Spring Game | 6 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Practice and scrimmage times are subject to change due to weather. Fans should call (936) 468-3502 for all weather-related schedule changes and follow Lumberjack football on social media, via Twitter (@SFA_Football), Facebook (@SFAFootball) and Instagram (@sfa_football).
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout this spring.
-SFA-
"I was real pleased with the defense, with the exception of the first drive," head coach Clint Conque said following the scrimmage. "The offense went right down the field, that was very good to see. Obviously, we challenged the defense and we've got to start games and halves ready to play. The defense then responded to that later. From a defensive standpoint I thought outside of that series and the big play we got for a touchdown, they played pretty well."
SFA ran 88 live plays throughout the scrimmage, including running 32 starting at its own 40-yard line, 24 from midfield and another 16 beginning at the defense's 20 for red zone action. The 'Jacks also worked on point after attempts versus field goal blocking and punt formation. Both first-team guys and second-team players got work in during the game-like situations.
The defense showed its strength throughout the day and made several big stops, both in the secondary and up front. SFA's defensive line proved to be a touch ahead of the offense and created plenty of pressure on the quarterbacks. However, the 'Jacks did get two lengthy scores off of athletic plays from junior quarterback Jake Blumrick (Pearland, Texas) and returning All-Southland Conference wide receiver Tamrick Pace (Brownsboro, Texas).
Blumrick had a nice scamper into the end zone early on in the scrimmage as he slid toward the right pylon for a score. Later, redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Truelove (Shepherd, Texas) connected with Pace through the air for a deep touchdown over the middle.
"Fundamentally, we dropped some balls," coach Conque continued. "We missed some opportunities and had some poor throws. We've just got a lot of work to do fundamentally to get better offensively. I did think that from an offensive standpoint Josh Covey came in and threw the ball pretty well. He's still learning, but he's got some toughness and some wheels. He gives us a little bit of a different dimension back there."
"We're young on the offensive line right now," commented coach Conque. "We're transitioning at center and the biggest thing right now is the quarterback/center exchange and shotgun snaps. We were under center a little bit and didn't get clean exchanges there but we will work on that extensively everyday. Like I said, we've just got some fundamental things we've got to get cleaned up."
"We ran the ball a little bit better in the red zone," coach Conque added. "I think Thomas Hutchings had himself a nice run or two in there. Defensively right now our group up front is just a little bit better than where we are on the offensive line. We've got to get better there."
Saturday afternoon's scrimmage was the first of three total for SFA this spring. Next Saturday, April 14, the 'Jacks will host their second scrimmage of 2018 inside Homer Bryce Stadium at 2 p.m. SFA's annual Purple and White Spring Game is slated for Saturday, April 21 at 6 p.m. in Homer Bryce.
The 'Jacks will wrap up their first full week of spring ball Sunday evening with a 7:30 p.m. practice under the lights of Homer Bryce Stadium as SFA has nine remaining practice dates of spring football. The complete spring football schedule for SFA is as follows:
Sunday, April 8 | Practice 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Monday, April 9 | Practice 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Wednesday, April 11 | Practice 9 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Friday, April 13 | Practice 10 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Saturday, April 14 | Scrimmage 2 | 2 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Monday, April 16 | Practice 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Wednesday, April 18 | Practice 13 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Friday, April 20 | Practice 14 | 3:50 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Saturday, April 21 | 2018 Spring Game | 6 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium
Practice and scrimmage times are subject to change due to weather. Fans should call (936) 468-3502 for all weather-related schedule changes and follow Lumberjack football on social media, via Twitter (@SFA_Football), Facebook (@SFAFootball) and Instagram (@sfa_football).
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout this spring.
-SFA-
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