Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Offense shines in first scrimmage

History was made yet again on a breezy Wednesday night at Dub Farris Stadium as the UTSA Roadrunner football program held its first scrimmage. 

The night went well according to Head Coach Larry Coker who arrived late after having flown to Colorado with Athletic Director Lynn Hickey.

“This is some good work.  I saw some good plays.  Guys threw the ball well and caught the ball well,” Coker said. “I tell you what I didn’t see was the pass rush I’d like to have seen.”

The protection from the offensive line helped a rotation of quarterbacks throw for 191 yards, they were led by Eric Soza who threw for 100 yards on six passes.  By far the favorite target of the quarterbacks was wide receiver Earon Holmes, who pulled down three receptions for 69 yards and one touchdown.

“I think we looked good on both sides of the ball.  I have to thank the quarterbacks who put the ball where I needed to be,”  Holmes said.  “There is plenty of stuff we need to work on, but so far I think we did pretty good.”

Perhaps no catch by any receiver was as impressive as one that Holmes pulled down on the second series of the night. He tipped a pass up in the air and then made an incredible diving catch on the three-yard line as defensive back Darien Starling looked on.

“At first, when I came back, I slipped and I didn’t think I was gone get the ball,” Holmes said.  “I don’t want to say I tried to tip it up but I tried to tip it up, and then when the ball popped in the air. I tried to find it and when I found it I dove for it.”

The defense was not left behind; plays kept the offense out of the endzone in more drives than not.  The defense was led by Dominique Henderson who had a sack and a blocked extra point.  Following the game, Henderson congratulated the offense on a good scrimmage

“It was real fun.  We had never had a chance to come out here and just run,”  Henderson said. “We got to buckle down and go after it today.  They have some players on offense, but later on we clamped down and shut them down.  But that’s all a part of practice.”

Coach Coker was pleased with the overall scrimmage but saw where improvement could be made.

“It wasn’t real sloppy. Not as sloppy as you might think.  That’s encouraging; they got a little tired, got short circuited as far as lining up in formation, but we are doing a lot of formation stuff,” Coker said. 

“We move around in motion; we’re in the gun.  So it can get a little sloppy sometimes.”

While the quarterbacks were able to get something going in the scrimmage, the running game had a little trouble as leading rusher David Glasco had 36 yards on nine carries. 

“The offense was better than I expected.  Normally the defense kinds of dominates and the offense struggles. But we didn’t do that. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” Coker said. 

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