Defense wins first half, offense second in final scrimmage
By HEATHER KENNEDY
UNCBears.com
GREELEY -- The Northern Colorado defense had three sacks and recovered two fumbles early in the second scrimmage of the Bears' 2012 training camp, but the offense regrouped during the second half to score three touchdowns Saturday afternoon at Nottingham Field.
The scrimmage was the final one before the Bears' season opener on Aug. 30 at Utah.
Kickoff is slated for 5:15 from Ric-Eccles Stadium and will be the inaugural game on the Pac-12 Network.
"It's interesting when you take players from a practice environment and put them in a stadium," Northern Colorado coach Earnest Collins Jr. said. "Even though it's still a scrimmage, in their minds it becomes a game, and they get twisted around. It was good to get them out here to get those jitters of the game out of the way."
On the seventh play of the first drive senior safety Jordan Bible (Aurora, Colo.) scooped a fumble forced by senior defensive back Finnis Caldwell (Stockton, Calif.) and ran it back 31 yards, but he then turned the ball back over to the offense with a fumble of his own.
Senior linebacker Cameron Friend (Denver) also forced a fumble on the ensuing drive that sophomore safety Kyle Griffin (Arvada, Colo.) recovered.
The three sacks belonged to senior linebacker Hervé Tonye-Tonye (Montreal, Quebec), senior defensive end Aisea Vave (Kahalui, Hawai'i) and senior defensive end Marcus Lucas (Aurora, Colo.).
"Overall, the kids were going hard and doing some good things," Collins said. "We've just got to get the little operational things right. In a scrimmage you still want to be in teaching mode, but at the same time you've got to leave them alone to see where they are and what they can do. We'll be ready come August 30."
After a short break in the action, junior quarterback Seth Lobato (Eaton, Colo.) drove the Bears offense 75 yards in just four plays to start the second half, capping the scoring drive with a 23-yard pass to junior wide receiver Will Jefferson Jr. (Moreno Valley, Calif.). Later, during the red zone portion of the scrimmage, Lobato threw a lateral to Jefferson, who scampered in from seven-yards out.
Lobato then led a crisp, seven-play, 60-yard drive on the final drive of the srimmage and hit senior wide receiver Dominic Gunn (Aurora, Colo.) from seven yards out.
"Our fall camp was an awesome deal," Collins said. "The kids were out and ready to go. They came in in shape, and they were running around and making plays, and I couldn't be more pleased with our camp. Now it's time to take care of the little things and get ready for our first game."
STATISTICS
OFFENSIVE
RUSHING: Quentin Hildreth 6-34; Robert Holland 7-28; Ernest Marshall 4-8; Will Jefferson Jr. 1-7-TD; Tim Tancik 1-6; Chris Morris 1-5; Christian Reddick 4-5; Marcell Peoples 1-3.
PASSING: Seth Lobato 12-19-2 TD, 163 yds; Matt Baca 7-10, 39 yds; Tim Tancik 2-4, 13 yds
RECEIVING: Jace Davis 3-63; Dimitri Stimphill 2-42; Chris Morris 5-36; Will Jefferson Jr. 1-23 TD; Austin Wilbers 2-20; Christian Reddick 1-8; Sean Leslie 1-8; Marcell Peoples 1-6; Dominic Gunn 2-4 TD; Quinn Zamora 1-4; Sawyere Monson 1-4; Robert Holland 1-(-4).
DEFENSIVE
SACKS: Hervé Tonye-Tonye 1-7; Aisea Vave 1-5; Marcus Lucas 1-4.
FORCED FUMBLES: Finnis Caldwell; Cameron Friend
FUMBLES RECOVERED: Jordan Bible 1-30; Kyle Griffin 1-0.
PUNTING: Mason Puckett 33.5 yard average (two punts); Jesse Holzmer 31.0 avg (one).
