COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Quarterback Darian Stone was spot-on
Saturday in leading the offense during Tennessee Tech’s
annual Purple/Gold Spring Scrimmage, directing a Golden Eagle group
that appears loaded with skilled players.
“We’ve got some skills guys,” said veteran coach
Watson Brown, after the team rolled up 494 yards on 72 offensive
plays. The team had 35 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns and
rushed 37 times for 218 yards and five more scores.
“Darian Stone played at a very high level today,”
Brown said. “I think he kind of separated himself from the
others. The young guys are coming along well, but Darian is playing
very well.”
Stone was 9-for-13 for 181 yards and two touchdowns, a one-yard
slant to Cody Matthews and a 58-yard hookup with Krys Cates.
“I think starting those last four games last year has made a
lot of difference,” Brown said of Stone’s confidence.
“He’s running the team well and he’s very poised
out there. He’s taking steps now that he might not have
if he had been the backup in those four games.”
Bud Golden led the ground game with 70 yards including a touchdown
on nine carries.
“Bud is running much better right now,” Brown said.
“He’s lost some weight and he’s finally healthy.
He’s stronger and he’s more explosive.”
On the other side of scrimmage, 29 different players made tackles
for the defense which posted four quarterback sacks, forced one
fumble and had one interception.
“We didn’t do as much Ones against Ones, so the numbers
were a little more dominating when the One’s were out
there,” Brown explained.
Jordan Patrick, a walk-on from Alcoa, Tenn., had the best numbers
for the defense with five tackles, a quarterback sack. He forced
the only fumble of the scrimmage. Jimmy Laughlin, who emerged as a
late-season starter as a true freshman, grabbed the interception,
halting a drive late in the day when he picked off a pass by
freshman Jared Davis over the middle.
Linebacker Blake Adams had four tackles in the contest while
several players were credited with three stops, incuding James
Huguely, Doug Page, Lamar Moore, Patrick Prewitt and Seth
McDonald.
Moore had two of the quarterback sacks. Huguely, Prewitt, Daniel
Pierce and Harrison Reid all broke up pass attempts.
Tech’s receivers finished with a strong day, but
didn’t start that way. Five of the first six incomplete
passes were dropped balls, stunting the numbers by signal-callers
Davis and Trent Thompson.
Davis finished 6-for-13 for 67 yards while Thompson wound up
1-for-5 for seven yards. Matt Hamby directed one series and went
2-for-4 for 21 yards. Altogether, the four quarterbacks were a
combined 18-for-35 for 276 yards.
Krys Cates was the top receiver with two catches for 86 yards,
including his 58-yard scoring play. Eric Belew had a team-high
three catches for 36 yards. Cody Matthews also caught three balls
for 18 yards, including his one-yard TD.
Diminutive Ladarius Vanlier was the top all-purpose ball-handler,
accounting for 102 yards on five plays. He had four carries for 60
yards, including a 44-yard burst that set up a short TD, and caught
one pass that he toted for 42 yards, setting up another easy
score.
Punter Chad Zinchini showed off his leg during the
“halftime” part of the afternoon. He boomed seven kicks
for an average of 43.5 yards, including a couple of short-field
kicks that limited his range. When called on to pin the opponent
deep, he poked on kick out-of-bounds at the three and downed
another at the four.
Placekicker Zach Sharp had just two chances, making a 35-yard
field goal and hitting the upright on a 22-yard miss.
The scrimmage Saturday was the first event of a busy weekend for
the Golden Eagles, who will enjoy their annual Awards Dinner Sunday
afternoon, Brown and his staff will announce the team’s award
winners for the 2012 season, including the Robert Hill Johnson
Award, which was announced in February going to quarterback Tre
Lamb.
After that, the team has three sessions remaining on Overall
Field, with practices Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and one final
scrimmage Friday.
“We have a very hard week left,” Brown said. “I
like holding this scrimmage in the third week, but I need our guys
to realize that spring practice is not over. Tuesday and Thursday
will be very physical days, and Friday will be more of a
situational scrimmage.”