April 14, 2007

Spring Game Stats (PDF)

The Rice Owls defense, representing the Gray, registered sacks on three consecutive plays after the offense moved inside their 25 in the game's final moments to take a 26-18 decision in the annual Blue-Gray Spring Game at a blustery Rice Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

This year's spring game pitted the two units against each other utilizing a modified scoring system that awarded the defense points for sacks, tackles for loss and turnovers, while the offense could earn point for explosive plays in addition to the traditional methods of touchdowns and placements.

Both quarterbacks were not live, and sacks were credited when defenders were able to touch them.

The sacks came on consecutive plays after Chase Clement had driven the Blue offense 46 yards to the Gray 22 in the final two minutes. Clement completed four of five passes on the drive, including three in a row to Joel Armstrong for 39 yards. Clement ended the scrimmage completing 17 of 27 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.

Clement led the offense to its lone touchdown midway through the scrimmage. He completed seven of nine passes on the drive, including three for 45 yards to Toren Dixon. He found Corbin Smiter in the end zone for a nine-yard scoring strike to end the drive.

Marcus Knox led all rushers with 68 yards on five carries, 49 of the coming on his last carry of the afternoon to set up a 19-yard field goal by Clark Fangmeier. That staked the Blue to a 16-13 lead, but the defense took the lead for good one series later when Robert Calhoun grabbed a deflected Clement pass for an interception, good for four points.

The Blue-Gray game wrapped up the Owls first spring under new coach David Bailiff and his staff. They will now turn their focus to upcoming final exams at the end of April and then begin summer workouts leading up to the opener of the 2007 season against Nicholls State on September 1.