Texas State Holds Annual Maroon-Gold Spring Game
Texas State reports to fall camp on July 31 in preparation of its season-opener against Houston Baptist on Sept. 2 at Bobcat Stadium.
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State football team concluded its spring practice Saturday with its annual Maroon-Gold Spring Game that consisted of six different sessions in which the offense and defense scrimmaged against each other in various game situations at Bobcat Stadium.
The Offense edged the Defense by a score of 104-102 with a touchdown pass on the game’s final series in the Red Zone.
“I thought we did good today,” said second-year head coach Everett Withers. “We had two turnovers, which wasn’t good, but the main thing is that we stayed healthy.”
The day began with the both units battling against each other in one-on-one blocking drills and various running backs trying to run through a gauntlet consisting of three offensive players blocking against three defensive players.
Then, both units scrimmaged against each other in six different game-like situations with the offense trying to get a touchdown and the defense looking to hold them on four downs.
In the first session, after the defense held the first-team offense on downs before graduate transfer Damian Williams directed the offense 75 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown.
Anthony D. Taylor capped the drive when he scored the first touchdown in the game on a three-yard run. The big play in the drive was when Williams threw a 28-yard pass to Mason Hays over the middle.
Joseph Gonzalez led the second-team offense for the next three series, but his second pass on the first drive was intercepted by Quinn Diggs and the first-team defense held the offense to three-and-outs in the next two series.
In the second session, the offense took possession at its own 35-yard line. Williams directed the offense on another touchdown drive when he directed them 65 yards in 11 plays.
The offense faced a fourth-down-and –five at the defense’s 30-yard line, but Robert Brown, Jr. picked up the first down with a five-yard run.
After a defensive holding penalty moved the ball to the 15, Williams threw a pass to Taylor in the flat and the redshirt freshman took his reception into the end zone for a touchdown.
In the next session, the offense took possession at its 45-yard line and Williams led the Bobcats on a 55-yard touchdown drive when he completed three of his four passes for 27 yards, including a four-yard TD pass to Hays. Williams also had an eight-yard run and Taylor rushed five times for 10 yards in the drive.
Then, the defense flexed its collective muscle against the second-team offense when they forced consecutive three-and-outs with both third downs ending with sacks by Hal Vinson and Nikolas Daniels.
In the third series, the offense had a big play when Michael Ross found Kelton Powell down the right sideline for a 30-yard pass. However, the drive stalled at the 20-yard line when Ishmael Davis sacked Ross for a nine-yard loss.
The last three sessions in the game had the offense taking possession on the defense’s side of the field. The fourth session started on the defense’s 40-yard line. The first-team offense opened the fourth session period with Williams throwing a 40-yard pass down the left sideline to Hays for his second TD catch in the game.
On the second drive, Taylor shouldered the load when he rushed for 20 yards on six carries and scored on a two-yard run up the middle.
The final two drives in the fourth session belonged to the defense when they continued to bottle up the second-team offense. Both drives netted a combined 15 total yards and one first down, while the defense collected three tackles for loss and broke up a pass.
The final two sessions had the offense taking over in the Red Zone. The fifth session began on the defense’s 25-yard line. Williams led the offense inside the 10-yard line before the drive stalled and the defense forced a 22-yard field goal by James Sherman.
The second drive saw the defense holding the offense on downs inside the 10-yard line when Nic Daniels stopped Brown on a fourth-and-goal play at the two.
In the final session, the offense took over at the defense’s eight-yard line. On the first drive, Williams ran to the right side for a seven-yard gain before throwing a one-yard touchdown pass to Chris French for his fourth TD pass of the day.
Ross closed out the game with a 12-yard TD pass to Powell in the left corner of the end zone to pull out the win for the offense.
Williams ended the game completing 14 of 22 passes for 172 yards and the four touchdowns, and rushed for 22 yards on four carries.
Taylor ran for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries, while Brown gained 47 yards on 17 rushes. Hays caught four passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns, while Thurman Morbley had five catches for 45 yards.
Hal Vinson led the defense with eight tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup. Gavin Graham tallied seven tackles and Dean Taylor had six tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss.
“Damian played fine and is progressing with the offense, but I think it is going to take this summer for him to learn the nuances of the offense and what we want to do and how to get it done,” Withers said. “I think Robert Brown and Mason Hayes played well. I am anxious to watch the tape and see how Nic Daniels played. We held some guys out today so that we could see him and Clifton Lewis play. I am really excited about our four linebackers (Daniels, Lewis, Bryan London and Gabe Loyd). I think that Frankie Griffin is getting better and Quinton Tiggs is playing better. We have some guys on that side of the ball who are playing better.”
“We held Gabe Schrade out today, but he has had a really good spring. Damian also has had a good spring, but we put an awful lot of the quarterback. It’s probably isn’t fair, but it is what it is.”
In addition, Withers was pleased his team’s competitive spirit.
“I thought we competed better and were tougher this spring,” Withers said. “We were tougher and we had four winner-loser days. The offense won and what they get is dinner at my house with me as the D.J. The defense lost so they will help clean up the stadium after baseball games. It pays to win.”
Texas State reports to fall camp on July 31 in preparation of its season-opener against Houston Baptist on Sept. 2 at Bobcat Stadium.
The Bobcats also play home games against defending Sun Belt Conference champion Appalachian State on Sept. 16, I-35 rival UTSA on Sept. 23, ULM on Oct. 7, New Mexico State on Nov. 4 and Georgia State on Nov. 11.
Season tickets for Texas State’s 2017 season are on sale with prices ranging from $80-140 per seat. There also are special discounts available for Bobcat Club members, Texas State faculty and staff, recent alumni from 2012-17 and T-Association members.
All tickets can be purchased online at www.txstatebobcats.com/tickets
