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Posted by Bill Sorrell - Mon, Apr 19, 2010 - [ Football ]
By Bill Sorrell
     Lambuth's spring football game on Saturday looked more like a springboard into the Arena Football League than the Gulf South Conference. The Defense outlasted the Offense in an arena-like 78-67 score.
"That was a high-scoring game, like arena ball. It was fun," said Lambuth's new head coach Ron Dickerson, who has been involved in his share of spring games in 40 years of coaching.
    "It was nip and tuck, the way you're supposed to play. It put some pressure on who was going to hang in there. All the guys did a good job."
    Sophomore defensive lineman Jeremy Jones called it as he saw it, "It was a shootout."
    While stats weren't kept and Dickerson refused to single out any one player, there were highlights.
    Sophomore wide receiver Oscar Dudley made some breakaway long runs, including two touchdown catches (3 and 43 yards) despite a sore ankle. "He has a long gallop," said Dickerson.
    The Eagles used three quarterbacks, Paul Harper, who started the first quarter, Jordan Jackson and Nathan Jolley.
    "All three quarterbacks had a good spring," said Dickerson.
    A high school quarterback at McMinn County in Athens, Tenn., Jackson was recruited by former LU coach Hugh Freeze to play quarterback but was a safety last season. Dickerson used spring to convert him.
    "Today it was a good feeling. I made a coupe of reads and my team picked up the tempo and made plays," said Jackson.
    Picking up the tempo early was running back Marquis Williams and wide receiver Dayne Mullins. The offense had five points before Williams scored on an 1-yard run to add six more. Mullins caught two passes from Harper. Donavan Maxwell caught a TD pass from Harper and Riley Howard caught a TD pass from Jackson.
    In the first half, the defense was sparked with interceptions by Chris Willis and Zeke Pigg; a pass breakup by William Walker; a no-gain stop by Rob Howard.
    Walker said, "We were clicking on the same cylinders. We started to gain chemistry. The secondary had a lot of seniors to graduate." 
    The third quarter featured a 50-yard pass from Harper to Mullins which gave the Offense a 53-36 lead. Rashad Taylor got five points for the defense with an interception in the end zone. Walker also snagged an interception on the last play of the third to tie the game at 55.
    "We got better at covering the ball," said Taylor.
    The offense will be more run oriented this season said Jolley, who had an excellent run in the fourth quarter.
    While it will resemble a West Coast spread, it will have multi-formations.
    Harper said, "It went well. We made some mistakes we shouldn't have like a couple of picks and fumbled snaps. It's stuff easy to correct."
    Jolley said, "We held our own."
    Josh Wimbley had a 43-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
    The 4-3 defense was also sparked by  Juan Cox and Jeremy Jones.
    Said Pigg, "We all need to get better. The defense had its ups and downs. We need to make more tackles and take advantage of opportunities."
    "The defense made some big plays. It balanced out," said Dickerson. "A lot of guys rose to the occasion."
    Lambuth's offensive line also contributed as well as the defensive line. There was no kicking game.
    The Eagles are expecting to bring in 40 recruits. Dickerson is wanting to bring in players who are "loyal to Lambuth. We are like a family. If one guy is down, we all know how to pick them up."
    Wide receiver Jimmy Cole didn't play because of shoulder surgery. As he watched from the sidelines, he said the spring game is about showing who can compete, displaying strengths and exposing weaknesses.
    It was also a learning curve on new coaches. The Eagles have almost a completely new staff from last season's 12-1 season.
    "We all got a lot better technique. We got more comfortable," said Jeremy Jones. "For younger guys, it was another step toward fall."
    Linebacker Ethan Cooper said, "It's been challening to get used to new players and new coaches. We are starting from ground zero."
    Freshman defensive lineman Clayton Morris said, "We expected the defense to be ahead of the offense but the offense brought it today."
    Said senior linebacker Sunday Meaole, "We've still got a lot of work to do but the good thing is there is still a lot of time."
    What would running back B.A. Davis change about the game? " I'd change the defense's score", he said.
    Dickerson was concerned about his team being in shape. He wants them in tip-top condition by fall. "That is the only thing lacking now. If they are not they'll run gassers up to the third game," he said.
    But on Saturday the energy both teams displayed was "awesome" said junior offensive lineman Clint Rogers. "It was the best energy- wise we've had since spring started. The offensive guys brought it; the defensive guys brought it. It was a total team effort to bring us together. I thank God for keeping us healthy. Everybody came out and performed. That is all a team can ask for."