Gold Beats White In West Virginia Spring Game

Offense beats defense 58-30

April 7, 2007

Courtesy Of West Virginia Athletics

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - On a day when the weather spanned from clear blue skies to snow squalls, the Gold offensive team cruised to a 58-30 victory over the Blue defensive team in the annual Gold-Blue game Saturday afternoon at Milan Puskar Stadium.

The game was played under a point system in which the Gold team received one point for a first down, six points for a touchdown and one point for an extra point. The Blue team gained two points for a defensive stop, three points for holding the offense three and out and three points for a turnover.

After displaying his displeasure with his offense on Wednesday, Coach Rich Rodriguez saw plenty of positives from the offensive unit today.


 

 

The Gold team racked up 525 yards of total offense, including 380 yards through the air. Pat White, Jarrett Brown, Adam Bednarik and Markel Harrison combined to complete 33 of 55 passes and one touchdown with an 11.5 yard average per completion.

White was 6 of 14 for 69 yards while Brown led all Mountaineer signal callers by completing 14 of 17 passes for 146 yards. Bednarik put to rest any lingering doubts about his shoulder rehab, completing 8 of 13 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. The scoring strike came on a gorgeous 46-yard connection to Wes Lyons down the right sideline.

Thirteen players caught at least one pass in the game. Sophomore wide receiver Carmen Connolly led the way by catching five balls. Lyons pulled in three catches for 76 yards and the score.

The rushing offense grinded out 145 yards on 53 attempts. Brown led the West Virginia ball carriers with 70 yards on 11 attempts. Redshirt freshman running back Tommy Spurlock carried seven times for 32 yards, including a six-yard touchdown run in which he scored standing up. Fellow redshirt freshman Eddie Davis added 33 yards on seven attempts. Backup fullback Maxwell Anderson also scored on a plunge from three yards out.

Perhaps the most impressive offensive effort came from junior kicker Pat McAfee as he blasted a 42-yard field goal through the uprights despite a swirling wind.

Bobby Hathaway led the Blue defensive team with seven tackles, while Eric Wicks had six stops and a forced fumble. Johnny Dingle added five tackles and a sack to the defensive effort. The defensive picked off Harrison on three consecutive drives to end the game.

The Gold-Blue game concludes spring drills for the Mountaineers. Proceeds from today's game benefit the WVU Children's Hospital. West Virginia will open the 2007-2008 football season Saturday, Sept. 1 at home against Western Michigan.

Scoring Summary
Gold - Anderson 3 run (McAfee kick)
Gold - McAfee 41 FG
Gold - Lyons 46 pass from Bednarik (Glenn kick)
Gold - McAfee 42 FG
Gold - Glenn 31 FG