White Team Dominates Spring Game 36-3
Rick Morgan

Justin Roper piloted his white unit to a 36-3 victory over the green shirts in Saturday's spring game. More than 14,000 spectators filled the center sections of both sidelines for the final scrimmage of spring camp.

Mostly inconsistent throughout the spring and with likely #1 quarterback Nate Costa limited to the role of an assistant quarterback coach, Roper took quick advantage of the spring camp's last opportunity to impress. On his first snap from scrimmage he connected with Ed Dickson for a 67-yard completion to the Green eight yard line and then on his second, he bolted for a touchdown with an option keeper off left tackle.

Roper finished the day three for seven throwing, good for 82 yards and one touchdown. Also assigned to the white team was Cody Kempt who added 30 yards and a score on his seven for ten, although he suffered the only interception for the side.

Running back LaGarrette Blount led the White with 66 yards on five carries and Remene Alston added 56 more yards with his five.

Quarterbacks Roper, Kempt and Cade Cooper tacked on a combined 102 ground yards, enabling the white team to rack up 320 total yards in what was basically 2 ½ quarters of play as the scrimmage employed a running clock for both the third and fourth quarters.

For the Green team, freshman quarterback Chris Harper demonstrated a nifty ability to break into the open field for nice yardage, compiling 67 yards on 14 carries to go along with 73 passing yards with two completions in nine attempts. Malachi Lewis' one handed grab for 53 of those yards gave the Green team their best opportunity for a touchdown, but the first half ended when Kenny Rowe stuffed Harper's run attempt at the one-yard line.

Dickson's 67 yard reception was enough for the tight end to lead the White team in receiving yards although senior receiver Jaison Williams had a solid effort with 35 yards on 5 receptions.

Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who served as the head coach for the white team said he was pleased to see the offense move the ball after spending the previous scrimmage backpedaling under the pressure defense coordinator Nick Aliotti dialed up all spring. With his unit divided between the two squads, Aliotti - who served as the green team head coach - wasn't able to contain the more experienced white team's offense.

"They got better everyday," said Kelly though he acknowledged that with Nate Costa and running back Jeremiah Johnson held out of all contact this spring, it will be August before he will have a full handle on what the 2008 Ducks will be able to do.

Only the injury to DT Blake Ferras dampened Aliotti's enthusiasm for the performance of his defense through out the camp. Saying the secondary could be "special" and the level of talent at linebacker ("albeit young talent"), the defensive coordinator could list only the lack of repetitions for Ferras as the spring's one disappointment.

Head coach Mike Bellotti singled out FS Michael Speed as the player who was the most outstanding spring camp and indicated several the incoming class of wide receivers would likely be in the mix this fall as he wasn't pleased with the consistency demonstrated at the position this spring.

Defense Dominates Second Scrimmage
Rick Morgan

"They probably had a tough day at the office," said defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti of his counterparts on the other sideline. And they did, hampered by 20 tackles for losses at the hands of Aliotti's group.

Pressured relentlessly throughout the scrimmage, the offense was limited to seven completions for 45 yards in approximately 20 possessions. With most of the running plays blown up in the backfield by the green shirts - or  mishandled snaps from center - the offense was also limited to less than 90 yards rushing. Or an average of less than 4.5 yards per possession.

"I didn't see anything I liked, to be honest with you," said offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. "The only good this is that it is April and not August . I'll spend the weekend trying to figure out how to fix it."

Linebacker Spencer Paysinger led the defense with two and a half tackles for loss. Tonio Celoto, Brandon Hanna and Matt Simms each registered a quarterback sack. The unit also forced two turnovers, a fumble recovery by Defensive End Nick Reed and an interception by linebacker Clay Matthews.

The lone bright spot for the offense was junior quarterback Cade Cooper's 5-8 throwing good for 29 yards along with 12 yards rushing on nine carries. Running back LaGarrette Blount was a focus of attention for the defense who held the junior transfer to 49 yards on 11 carries although he did score the only touchdown of the scrimmage.

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