Offense knocks off defense, at Gold-Blue Spring Game
Throughout the spring, West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen has been encouraged by the progression of his veteran offense.
On Saturday, at The Greenbrier Sports Performance Center at The Greenbrier Resort, West Virginia’s first team offense looked the part of a seasoned unit lifting the gold squad over the blue squad, 49-46 during the team’s annual Gold-Blue Spring Game.
Quarterback Skyler Howard completed 18 of his 26 throws for 270 yards and three touchdowns during the scrimmage.
“It was good to end the spring on a positive note,” Holgorsen said.
“The offense is ahead of where it was this time going back three or four years probably. I’m happy with where we’re at, but we have to keep going.”
Howard threw a two-yard touchdown pass to fullback Elijah Wellman on the offense’s first scoring drive. The touchdown toss came following a 29-yard throw from Howard to projected number one receiver Shelton Gibson.
Gibson would catch Howard’s second scoring pass on a 12-yard throw one play after wide receiver Daikiel Shorts hauled in a 37-yard reception.
The play of the day came when Howard connected with wide receiver Gary Jennings for a 69-yard touchdown. Jennings, who missed the early part of the spring while recovering from a wrist injury, beat cornerback Nana Kyeremeh on a slant and then sprinted away from him all the way into the end zone.
“I feel like I can use my size, my hands and I that have deceptive speed,” Jennings said. “I think I surprised some people with that catch and run.”
“He (Jennings) ran away from me on that one play,” Kyeremeh said. “I was surprised, it must have been his fresh legs.”
Jennings led all receivers with 92 receiving yards. He had four catches including the touchdown.
The lone mistake from Howard came in the second half of action, when Miami transfer cornerback Antonio Crawford jumped a route to record what would’ve been a pick-six. In the spring game, an interception or any turnover, simply counts as three points.
“The one interception that concerned me was the one that Antonio Crawford made,” Holgorsen said. “Antonio (Crawford) saw the back leak late and Skyler’s (Howard) eyes are supposed to go to that back and then he threw it. Antonio made a great play on the ball.”
In total the first team offense scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion on eight series.
Backup standouts included true freshman quarterback Cody Saunders and true freshman wide receiver Marcus Simms. Saunders threw two touchdowns and Simms hauled in five receptions for 52 yards and two scores.
Second team safety Shane Commodore recorded two interceptions of redshirt sophomore quarterback William Crest, who finished the day with two completions for 17 yards and a touchdown. Crest also absorbed a big hit from linebacker Sean Walters.
Wide receiver Ka’Raun White, nose tackle Darrien Howard and quarterback Chris Chugunov did not play Saturday. Howard missed the game because he was attending a funeral. Chugunov and White each have different shoulder injuries.