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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Spurlock Highlights Improved Offensive Showing During Saturday's Scrimmage
8/21/2004 | Football
Aug. 21, 2004
OXFORD, Miss. - Junior QB Micheal Spurlock totaled 176 yards of total offense and accounted for three touchdowns to highlight an improved offensive performance during Ole Miss' second intrasquad scrimmage of the preseason Saturday morning at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field.
Spurlock completed 8-of-15 passes for 112 yards and hit Mario Hill for a 15-yard TD pass late in the 109-play scrimmage while working the two-minute offense. He also added a game-high 64 yards rushing on eight carries with two scores.
His 29-yard run capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive during his second series of work. He went 3-for-3 for 13 yards passing on the drive and also picked up a first down on a 3rd-and-7 with an 11-yard scramble. Later in the scrimmage, Spurlock recovered a Vashon Pearson fumble and scampered 14 yards for a score.
"He's going to scramble and he's going to run," said Ole Miss Head Coach David Cutcliffe. "We have things designed for him to run. He has great speed and we just hope he stays healthy and manages to take care of the football. He's going to be exciting, there's no doubt about that."
Overall, the offense totaled 440 yards of offense in 109 plays. Spurlock, along with quarterbacks redshirt freshman Robert Lane, sophomore Ethan Flatt and true freshman Paul Eck combined to complete 27-of-47 passes for 281 yards and two interceptions.
Lane completed 11-of-18 passes for 83 yards and was picked off twice. Flatt was 5-of-10 for 57 yards and Paul Eck went 3-for-4 for 29 yards and hit freshman WR Mico McSwain for a 10-yard TD pass on his first series of action.
The Rebel offense managed 159 yards on the ground. Junior Brandon Jacobs gained 35 yards on eight carries and Pearson, a junior, carried seven times for 26 yards. Senior Marvin Vaughan added 23 yards on nine attempts, including a three-yard TD run.
Redshirt freshman WR Frank Clayton, redshirt freshman RB Alan Abrams and redshirt freshman WR Carlos Suggs all had a game-high three receptions. Clayton had three catches for 33 yards, Abrams three receptions for 24 yards and Suggs three catches for 14 yards.
DB Larry Kendrick, a junior college transfer from Pearl River C.C., and redshirt freshman DB Nate Banks both had interceptions to highlight the defensive effort.
Sophomore LB Patrick Wilils led the defense with seven tackles, including 1.5 sacks. Redshirt freshman LB Marquis McBeath and senior LB Rob Robertson also had six stops each. McBeath also registered 1.5 TFLs, including being credited with a half-sack. Overall, the defense recorded 10 sacks on the afternoon.
"I think we have may tackled a little better at times," Cutcliffe said. "I'm anxious to see, technique-wise, if we were in the right places in the run game and the right places in the passing game. There were some positive things."
On special teams, senior punter Wesley Bryan averaged 45.2 yards on four punt attempts, and senior Cody Ridgeway had a 36.8-yard average on four punts. Both placed one kick inside the 20-yard line.
Senior place kicker Jonathan Nichols made 5-of-7 field goals, including a long of 42. He also made all three of his PAT tries.
Redshirt freshman Matt Hinkle made both of his field goals attempts of 21 and 37 yards, and converted his lone PAT attempt of the game. Sophomore Hunter Bray made 2-of-4 field goal attempts, making kicks of 21 and 43 yards.
Ole Miss also held its annual Meet the Rebels Day Saturday afternoon in The Grove, where players and coaches were available to the fans for autographs.
The Rebels are scheduled to kickoff their 2004 campaign Saturday, September 4 at home against Memphis. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field.
RUSHING: Spurlock 8-64-2; Jacobs 8-35; Pearson 7-26; Woods 6-24; Vaughan 9-23-1; Abrams 12-18; Cook 1-2; Lane 5-2; Flatt 3-(-14); Eck 2-(-17).
PASSING: Lane 18-11-2-83-0; Spurlock 15-8-0-112-1; Flatt 10-5-0-57-0; Eck 4-3-0-29-1.
RECEIVING: Clayton 3-33; Abrams 3-24; Suggs 3-14; Hobgood 2-33; Hill 2-23-1; Biddle 2-22; Woods 2-14; Pierce 2-12; Pearson 1-50; Jacobs 1-14; McSwain 1-10-1; Griffin 1-9; Hayes 1-8; Hough 1-5; Lilly 1-5; Holcomb 1-5.
DEFENSE (UT-AT): Willis 7 (2-5); Robertson 6 (4-2); McBeath 6 (4-2); S. Johnson 5 (0-5); Herring 4 (3-1); Lester 4 (3-1); Banks 4 (3-1); Oliver 4 (3-1); Ayodele 4 (3-1); Brown 4 (2-2); Pack 3 (3-0); Garrett 3 (2-1); Bowers 3 (2-1); Haynes 3 (1-2); T. Johnson 3 (1-2); C. Clark 3 (1-2); White 3 (0-3); Gelin 2 (2-0); DeLoach 2 (2-0); D. Clark 2 (2-0); Redfearn 2 (2-0); Robinson 2 (2-0); Bozeman 2 (1-1); Kendrick 2 (1-1); Rhodes 2 (1-1); McKenzie 2 (1-1); Jenkins 2 (1-1); Mitchell 2 (1-1); Jordan 2 (0-2); Bell 1 (1-0); McBride 1 (1-0); Houston 1 (1-0); Thomas 1 (1-0); Jackson 1 (0-1); Moore 1 (0-1).
SACKS: Willis 1.5-11; DeLoach 1.0-10; Redfearn 1.0-7; Lester 1.0-5; Haynes 1.0-3; Garrett 1.0-2; Bowers 1.0-1; D. Clark 1.0-1; Jenkins 1.0-1; McBeath 0.5-5.
