B2 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, April 17, 2013 football
Spring-loaded Owens, Russell shine as Gold beats Blue in annual Toledo spring game By Jay Skebba Sports Editor
The University of Toledo football team has some depth and experience issues at quarterback behind their starter, but that won’t matter as long as senior Terrance Owens can stay on the field. Owens completed 19-of-29 passes for 223 yards on Friday, April 12, to lead the Gold team over the Blue 21-10 in UT’s annual spring game. It was revealed earlier this spring that he was playing with a pair of injured ankles for the majority of last season. “I’m really proud of what T.O. looks like,” said head coach Matt Campbell. “[He made] very few, if any mistakes. He led two drives, was very smart with the football. I saw him make some big throws. He looks like he’s in midseason form.”
He added about 10 pounds to his frame this spring and said he would like to keep adding before the season starts. Owens benefitted from good fortune as fellow seniors David Fluellen and Bernard Reedy — two of UT’s best offensive weapons — were assigned as the other two co-captains for the Gold squad, who then picked the rest of the team together. Toledo’s defensive senior captains (seniors Elijah Jones, Jayrone Elliot and Ross Madison) chose players for the Blue side. “T.O.’s smart, he kind of stacked the deck in his favor; he’s not stupid,” Campbell said with a wry smile. “I’m not quite sure where the draft thoughts were on some of these guys, but we put the senior leaders on both sides of the ball.” Russell hauled in eight catches for 135 yards. He
caught 56 balls as a redshirt freshman in 2012 for 960 yards and five touchdowns. Entering his second season as an emerging weapon, Owens expects big things from him. “Alonzo did a pretty good job for us this spring and took it to the next step,” he said. “All our receivers did a good job; they had an excellent spring.” Reedy was a first team AllMAC performer a year ago after catching 89 passes for 1,120 yards and six scored. He had three catches for 22 yards Friday night. A potential x-factor for the Rockets is junior Dwight Macon, one of the most athletic and versatile players on the team. He’s gone back and forth from quarterback to wide receiver and is expected to be listed at both positions on the depth chart. He reeled in four passes
from freshman Logan Woodside for 65 yards and could be yet another weapon in an already electric receiving corps. “Dwight Macon has done a great job this spring,” Owens said. “I feel like we can do some big things this year. Our receiving corps can be pretty dangerous.” Woodside — who graduated high school early and enrolled at UT this spring — is battling for the backup spot behind Owens. He has shown flashes of talent this spring, but needs to be more consistent for the Rockets to feel comfortable with him as the backup. Still, Campbell has sung his praises throughout spring ball. “I can’t say enough about him,” he said. “He started off like I’d expect a freshman getting ready for prom right now to look like. He’s had really good days, he’s had days where he’s taken [a step] back. He’s athletic, he’s mobile, but he’s also got an arm that can do a lot of things.” Woodside completed 9-of24 for 88 yards and showed off that running ability with a 16-yard touchdown run in the second quarter after avoiding pressure in the backfield. The Gold team jumped out
“Alonzo did a great job for us this spring and took it to the next step. All our receivers did a good job, they had an excellent spring.” “I feel like we can do some big things this year. Our receiving corps can be pretty dangerous.” terrance owens Quarterback
to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter. Fluellen put them on the board with a 12-yard touchdown run right up the middle and untouched with 6:39 to play in the opening quarter. Russell hauled in a 64-yarder on the previous play to set up the score. Like Owens, Fluellen is also coming off nagging ankle injuries that hampered him in the later stages of 2012, especially against Northern
Illinois. He re-aggravated that injury in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, but looked like his usual self Friday night. “We limited his reps tonight as you can tell, but he’s really had a good spring,” Campbell said. “I think he started off a little rusty, but by the second scrimmage he looked like he was really ready to win and be successful. I’m proud of David, he’s a guy that’s really tutored those young guys around him and has given them a chance to be successful.” One of those younger backs who benefitted from Flu’s limited reps was junior Ricky Pringle. He ran for 54 yards on 11 carries and found the end zone twice for the Gold. The Blue team threatened to score late to make things interesting, but Woodside was intercepted on a tremendous leaping play by sophomore linebacker Chase Murdock to seal the deal. “I saw a guy right behind me and right when I looked back, I saw the ball was in the air and just made a play on it,” Murdock said. UT will open the 2013 season when they travel to Gainesville, Fla., to take on the Gators Saturday, August 31.
Left: Senior quarterback Terrance Owens led the Gold team to victory, completing 19-of-29 passes for 223 yards. Head coach Matt Campbell said he was in “mid-season form” after recovering from ankle injuries this offseason. Above: Former head coach Frank Lauterbur throws the opening coin toss at midfield for UT’s spring game Friday, April 12. He was honored prior to kickoff for his accolades during his time at Toledo, which lasted from 1963-70. His ‘69 and ‘70 teams went undefeated.
Photos by Bob Taylor / IC
Right: Senior running back David Fluellen looks for a seam in the defense. “Flu” is also recovering from ankle problems and saw limited action in the game. However, he did find the end zone for a firstquarter touchdown from 12 yards out. Fluellen ran for 1,498 yards in 2012 and added 13 touchdowns. He will be key cog in the Toledo offense in 2013 and is one of many key returning offensive starters.
Above: Lena Herrett, a senior psychology major, auditions for drum major with three other candidates Friday as part of the Rocket Marching Band’s spring game tradition. Herrett was named the RMB’s 2014 head drum major and Jake Cassidy, a sophmore electrical engineering major, was named assitant drum major. Drum majors serve as student conductors and leaders of the marching band. Left: The offensive line gets ready to block for the Gold squad. Toledo lost only one offensive lineman from last year’s team (A.J. Lindeman) and will return a highlyskilled unit led by senior center Zac Kerin. He sat out all of spring practice recovering from surgery, but is expected to be 100 percent for the start of the regular season. Kerin was a preseason nominee in 2012 for the nation’s best center.