Cardinal Defeats White 35-6
April 21, 2007 | Football
The Cardinal team defeated the White team, 35-6, today at Camp Randall Stadium in Wisconsin's annual Spring Football Game. The Cardinal team consisted of most of the team's starters and jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead.
On a beautiful sunny afternoon with temperatures in the mid-70s, 18,020 fans watched the Badgers conclude their spring practice session. The Cardinal team jumped out early, scoring two touchdowns within the first six minutes of the game. Quarterback Tyler Donovan opened the game with a 40-yard pass to Paul Hubbard. Four plays later Donovan found Luke Swan in the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
On the first play of the Cardinal team's next possession, Allen Evridge found Swan for a 43-yard completion. Evridge, a transfer from Kansas State, was competing for the first time at Camp Randall Stadium. On the next play, Lance Smith took a handoff and burst around the left side for a 25-yard TD run.
Smith added a two-yard touchdown run to open the second quarter, capping a five-play, 67-yard drive. Just before halftime, Hubard and Evridge hooked up on a 12-yard touchdown pass. That score was set up by a Josh Nettles interception.
The White team got on the board in the third quarter as Matt Fischer booted a 42-yard field goal. The field goal counted for six points as the rules of the game dictated that any score by the White team would count for double the normal allotted points. Chris Eernisse's interception gave White possession at its own 46-yard line. Three completions by Dustin Scherer moved White within field goal range.
Chris Pressley capped the scoring with a one-yard touchdown reception from Evridge with 14:56 left in the game. That ended a 10-play, 70-yard drive. Smith accounted for 38 yards on the drive.
For the game, the Cardinal team gained 345 yards of total offense compared to just 43 for the White squad. Donovan and Evridge quarterbacked the Cardinal team most of the day, with Evridge completing 8-of-14 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns while Donovan was 7-of-11 for 95 yards, one TD and one interception. Scherer was 7-of-16 for 94 yards and two interceptions while quarterbacking both teams.
Smith was the leading rusher, gaining 77 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 25 yards. Swan finished with three receptions for 79 yards and a TD while Hubbard caught three passes for 66 yards and a score.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Cardinal vs. White
April 21, 2006
Head Coach Bret Bielema
Opening Comments ...
'All spring I thought we've definitely improved as practices continue to come along. I thought our guys, especially at certain key positions where we had some seniors who departed us, built in some great competition and I thought that continued out there today. I was excited to see that. I also liked some little things that happened during the course of the game. I thought our defense could run and did a lot of good things out there, creating some turnovers for our one and twos. Then mid-way through the second quarter when Ken DeBauche basically changed the field position with a great punt 'that is something that we are obviously going to have to have in the fall. And a nice little blessing in disguise was Matt Fischer, who is a second string kicker in our program and has never kicked in a live situation before. For him to go out and nail a 42-yarder today, I think that speaks volumes for him. And if it would have happened to Taylor (Mehlhaff), we'd feel pretty confident as well.'
On the two quarterback performances ...
'Well, you like quarterbacks to start fast and both of them started fast today. And as the game went along there was a little bit of an issue with the people around them, and we like to have some consistency, and that's why we wanted those guys to work with that first team. Dustin Sherer was most productive today when he got to go with the one-unit as well. I thought they both started the game off well. There are obviously some things that happened during the course of the game that we will take back and review and make sure that those kinds of things don't happen, especially in certain areas of the field. But I like the mentality they have both carried throughout the spring as far as attitude, just getting in to watch the film and getting with Coach Chryst and trying to get better at what they are lacking right now and their just overall demeanor. There weren 't a lot of mental busts. I didn't see a lot of procedure problems or anything in the way the huddle was handled.'
On competition at the quarterback spot ...
'I think competition at any position is good. The point of emphasis from the media and from the fans is always about the quarterback and that is the way it is. But who you line up at strong safety, free safety, right defensive end, middle linebacker, and everyone else is very important, and competition brings the best out of people because at a certain level you understand that everything you do is being critiqued. And as that game time gets closer and closer, that point of emphasis and the way they prepare have to become more important.'
On the two left tackles ...
'We wanted to give them an even number of reps. We started off with Jake (Bscherer). And just as I watched the game I was watching Coop (Jamal Cooper) on the defensive side and he was matched up with those guys. And I thought Jake in particular had a couple nice things that happened out there today. I didn't get a chance to really focus in on Gabe (Carimi) yet. But those guys have worked extremely hard all spring. Jake may have a little bit of an upper hand just because he played a year ago when the bullets started flying. But it was evident today that a guy like Maurice Moore, who has caught everything in sight at spring practice and has done a good job in the return game. And then today with a little bit of a crowd out there, he put a few on the ground early and came out with a catch at the end. But that is why it was great to see so many people out there today because it does have the feel of an environment that those kids haven 't played in front of before.'
Kicker Taylor Mehlhaff
On his goals for the spring'
For myself, I just wanted to continue to improve and get more reps with the team. It 's so important as a kicker just to go out there and get reps and in the spring you get a lot of reps and that's good. I really wanted to work on the mental part of the game. We wake up at 6 o'clock in the morning to practice and sometimes you just go through the motions and make your kicks but I wanted to really concentrate and say, even all my warm kicks, these are game situation kicks. I just needed to get that into my head and work on that, especially this summer, so then next year every kick I take is exactly the same.
On his camaraderie with punter Ken DeBauche '
I'm real confident in Kenny, he's helped for the last few years now and he's done a good job. We're best friends outside of football too. Us and the other punters and long snappers are all together in practice so you build relationships with them. But I have all the confidence in the world of him ' I can go out there and put the ball on my little stand and make field goals all day long but all three of you have to be in sync.
Wide Receiver Luke Swan
On this year's game differing from last year 's game'
Actually last year I didn't get to play. I was out with a hamstring injury but this year I was just looking to come in and make some plays and continue to show that I can be consistent.
On carrying over the success of 2006 to next season '
I think that's the goal of any player after a season like we had, we just need to come back and continue to work hard and do the things that we had success with, because we did work hard.
On the team's performance '
I think that people went out and made plays. I think there were guys there that went out and showed that they can be play makers. That was a real positive for us.
Quarterback Tyler Donovan
On today's performance'
We had some good showings of some players and I think we moved the ball pretty well but we have to keep getting better this summer.
On his touchdown pass to Luke Swan '
It was just an opportunity to make a throw, Swan ran a good route and we were able to capitalize on that. As an offense, we need that consistency and if we keep getting better as an offense and clicking, the sky's the limit for this offense.
