Jamire Williams reaches for a pass against Marcus Berg’s coverage in Alabama State’s scrimmage Saturday. (Photo courtesy David Campbell/Alabama State Unv. Athletics)

Contributed
(August 15, 2010)

Alabama State University ran 61 plays in their first scrimmage of the season with positive results on both sides of the ball.

The offense scored three touchdowns and finished one drive with a field goal in the 10-possession scrimmage.

Devin Dominguez led the Hornets’ offense completing six of eight passes for 84 yards and two scores.  He completed his first three passes with the third going for an 18 yard score to Therrell Tyus.  The junior signal-caller then led the Hornets’ offense on an 11-play 97-yard drive to end the scrimmage, with the final play being a 17 yard scoring toss to Charles Gandy on a third and 17 from the 19 yard line.

Demetric Price and Rashard Burkette also led the offense.  Price completed four of 11 passes for 65 yards and led the offense on the first scoring drive of the scrimmage, which was capped off with a two-yard run from Ronald Belser.

Burkette led the offense to a field goal and completed three of his eight passes for 27 yards.  He also rushed for 16 yards.

“All three of the quarterbacks did some good things in the scrimmage,” head coach Reggie Barlow said.  “They were able to make some plays and move the ball down the field.  But we also saw a lot of areas where they need to continue to improve.”

“The final drive we started on the three with the offense facing a third and 10.  We were just looking to get a first down and the offense finished the scrimmage by driving down the field for the score,” Barlow added.

Freshman Quendarius McKibben led all rushers with 56 yards on seven carries, including a scrimmage-long 25 yard run, which helped set up the final score.  In all, the Hornets offense added 116 yards rushing on 29 carries.

Tim Clark had 23 yards on seven carries and Belser finished with 18 yards on four carries to go along with his touchdown.

“I really like the way the running backs were explosive running the ball,” Barlow said.  “They hit the line hard and made a lot of players miss tackles.”

Clark also had two receptions for 34 yards and T.C. McWilliams had two receptions for 20 yards.  The longest reception of the game was the first play of the game which went to All-SWAC performer Nick Andrews for 25 yards.

The defense had their moments during the scrimmage as well as they held the offense out of the end zone on five of the scrimmage’s first six possessions.

All-SWAC defensive back Donovan Masline had the first big play of the game when he had an interception on the first possession of the game and returned it 15 yards.

The defense also collected four sacks (-36 yards), three quarterback hurries and broke up six passes.  The Hornets defense also forced four punts and had two three-and-out possessions.

DreQuay Everett had five tackles including two sacks and a quarterback hurry.  Masline collected three tackles to go along with his interception and Kynjee Cotton added three tackles and a quarterback hurry.

“The defense made a lot of plays, especially early in the scrimmage,” Barlow said.  “They did some good things, but later in the scrimmage they did not make the plays they needed to make.”

The coaching staff was able to take a look at some special teams play as well.  Anthony Speight averaged 36 yards on two punts while Andrew Lyons connected on all three extra points and added a 29-yard field goal on his only field goal attempt.

The Hornets will take tomorrow off and be back on the practice field for Monday at 9 a.m. and again at 7 p.m.  It will be the final two-a-day practice of the preseason.