Tribe Football Ends Spring with Spirited Scrimmage

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04/12/08 5:03PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary football program ended its spring practice session with a hard-hitting controlled scrimmage in front of over 1,000 fans and alumni Saturday afternoon in Zable Stadium.

“I think the team worked hard this spring,” commented Tribe Head Coach Jimmye Laycock after the scrimmage. “We are playing more physically. We really started turning it up the last week of the spring and the players responded. We still have some work to do, but I think we’ve improved as a team.”

The Tribe’s defense, under second-year defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, had an outstanding afternoon Saturday. Shoop’s charges caused multiple turnovers and generated a tremendous amount of pressure on the quarterbacks. Senior linebacker Todd Reyher (Williamsburg, Va.) led the team with a pair of quarterback takedowns, while rising junior safety Robert Livingston (Hendersonville, N.C.) continued what has been an outstanding spring with an interception. Fellow rising junior, defensive end CJ Herbert (Germantown, Md.), also put an exclamation point to what has been a strong spring by recording a sack and multiple QB pressures this afternoon. Rising senior all-conference cornerback Derek Cox (Greenville, N.C.) turned in the hit of the scrimmage, as he came up on run support and cut down Tribe tailback Tom Schonder (Round Hill, Va.) with a brilliant open-field tackle. Rising senior safety Kevin Allen (Rich-mond, Va.) turned in a pair of athletic plays in the defensive backfield, as he knocked down one pass and skied for a leaping interception in the endzone, ending the game with a pair of PBUs.

“We are beginning to get an understanding of team chemistry defensively,” commented Laycock after the scrim-mage. “We have to continue to learn how to play together, and everyone needs to become comfortable with their role. We are still learning about the level of intensity that we need to bring.”

Offensively, returning senior all-conference quarterback Jake Phillips (Warm Springs, Va.) saw very limited action at the controls, playing just two series on the afternoon, completing four of his eight attempts for 40 yards. Projected No. 2 quarterback, RJ Archer (Earlysville, Va.) took the majority of the remaining first team snaps and had a solid showing, completing nine of his 18 attempts for 131 yards. He connected with rising senior, and returning all-conference wide re-ceiver, Elliott Mack (Irvington, NJ) for the offensive play of the scrimmage, as he hit the speedster in stride down the left sideline for a picture-perfect 50-yard reception. While Mack had the big-play of the afternoon, rising junior WR Eric Robertson (Barboursville, Va.) was the team’s leading receiver on the day, as he turned in six catches for 88 yards. The game’s only touchdown came courtesy of rising sophomore Jimmy Hobson (Cincinnati, Ohio), who ended a sharp 12-play, 65-yard drive with a three-yard TD plunge. The key play of the scoring drive was turned in by rising sophomore Terreon Conyers (Norfolk, Va.), who cradled a perfect spiral from DJ Mangas (Chantilly, Va.) and shook a would-be tackler for a 32-yard gain, setting the team up inside the five-yard line. Rising sophomore Terrence Riggins (Newport News, Va.) was the game’s leading rusher with 32 yards on five attempts.

“The offense was somewhat inconsistent out there this afternoon,” said Laycock. “We didn’t catch the ball well. We tried to get a number of different receivers involved today. RJ and Jake are doing fine, but we need to be more consistent catching the ball. Our running backs are young and still learning.”

At the completion of the game, the team announced the captains for the 2008 season (as derived from a team vote) with four players being named to the honor; Cox, Mack, Phillips and rising senior Josh Rutter (Union Bridge, Md.). Cox, who also was chosen as a captain last season, is one of just four athletes to be named as captain during Laycock’s 29-year tenure in multiple seasons (the last to be honored was Mohammed Youssofi, who was captain during the 2001 and 2002 season).

Another major team award was announced Saturday, as Phillips and Rutter were named as the recipients of the John A. Stewart Winter Warrior Award, given annually to the player, or players, who best exemplify the qualities of dedica-tion, effort and achievement that defined Stewart's career at the College. Awardees are judged on their improvements both on the field and in the off-season training program.