MACOMB, Ill. - In what was the
last practice before taking the weekend off, the Western Illinois Football team
turned in a hard-hitting session Friday afternoon (April 6). The Fighting
Leathernecks went nearly 50 live plays at the end of practice, their second
scrimmage of the spring season.
Last
week the defense kept the offense out of the endzone. This time, mainly in
redzone situations, the offense put points on the scoreboard three times.
Josh Hudson used a
play-action pass to find Mason Howington
on a 5-yard touchdown. Rising junior Bryce
Flowers took the first snap of a series, broke through the line and used
his downfield block for an 18-yard touchdown run. Starting the next series on the
nine, Flowers again took the first snap and danced into the left corner of the
endzone for another TD run.
Not
to be outdone, the defense also came up with big plays especially on third
down. The defensive line broke through and recorded a quarterback sack.
Defensive ends Eddy Holtschlag and Chip Holtschlag combined on a stop in another
3rd-and-short situation. Then to close out practice, Kevin Kintzel broke through the line and recorded a 5-yard tackle
for loss to stop the offense on third down again.
"Overall,
very pleased with practice number nine. I told the players following today's
practice we've taken nine positive steps in the right direction. Each practice
has been productive... and today might have been the best of all," said head
coach Mark Hendrickson. "The coaching staff felt really good about it and I
know the players did as well and they should have. It was a good day. We went
some live plays at the end of practice and overall saw a lot of good things on
both sides of the ball."
Other
notes from the scrimmage: Caulton Ray was held out of the scrimmage to nurse an
injury but Coach Hendrickson noted that he expected the rising senior running
back to return on Monday... The offense did not turn the ball over once during
the live plays... Running back Jason Stigler had two runs of 10-plus yards while
Flowers and Nikko Watson had one each... Hudson and Wil Lunt did not throw for
many yards, but both completed over 70 percent of their passes... Howington and
Watson each had two receptions as seven different Leathernecks caught a pass.
Western
will take Easter weekend off and return on Monday afternoon, a scheduled 4:30
start.
TWITTER UPDATES
THROUGHOUT PRACTICE:
Fans can follow Western Illinois Athletics on Twitter (@WIUAthletics) for
updates and notes throughout spring football practice.
Spring Practice
Schedule (Days and times subject to change)
#10
Monday, April 9 (Shells), 4:30 p.m.
#11
Thursday, April 12 (Full Pads), 8:30 p.m.
#12
Monday, April 16 (Shells), 4:30 p.m.
#13
Wednesday, April 18 (Shells), 4:30 p.m.
#14
Friday, April 20 (Helmets), 4:30 p.m.
#15
Saturday, April 21 - Bruce Craddock Memorial Spring Game, 2 p.m.
#wiuathletics
