If you were a fan of offense, Saturday’s spring game was the event for you.
From the ceremonial to the actual, the Green-White game had plenty of fireworks to keep the 9,163 in attendance happy. It began with a connection forged nearly two decades ago, when Chad Pennington hit Randy Moss for a pass on Team Pennington’s first play from scrimmage. It continued with 655 yards of total offense, including 431 passing yards from the foursome of Rakeem Cato, Gunnar Holcombe, Cole Garvin and Kevin Anderson.
Cato wanted to get as many plays under center as he could Saturday, and that finally added up to 11 pass attempts. He completed just three of them, but they went for 102 yards. The bulk of the snaps went to Holcombe and Garvin, and it was Holcombe’s day to shine. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 220 yards, an interception and three touchdowns, including two to Justin Hunt. Garvin finished with 109 yards on 10-of-17 passing, a touchdown and an interception.
The Marshall outside receivers were challenged at the outset of spring practice to show coaches they’ve improved. Hunt led that group in offering evidence. His three catches went for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Angelo Jean-Louis, who had been tearing up practice in the final two weeks, finished with two catches for 40 yards.
In the end, Team Leftwich beat Team Pennington 30-13 in front of thousands of excited fans, plus former Herd/NFL players like Pennington, Leftwich, Moss, Chris Crocker, Chris Massey and Troy Brown. Check charlestondailymail.com and the Daily Mail’s print edition later this week for stories on the progress of Marshall’s backup quarterbacks this spring, as well as one on how the Herd’s outside receivers finished the month.
(And also expect another story or two on new men’s basketball coach Dan D’Antoni, who was introduced at the 50-yard-line at halftime to a loud round of applause.)
Spring stats, combined for both Team Pennington and Team Leftwich, are below:
Offense
Team rushing: 51-224
Team passing: 24-50-431, 3 INT
Total offense: 101-655 (6.5 yards per play)
Individual
Rushing
Watson 7-23
Cato 4-(-9)
Butler 5-95, 75-yard TD
Rodriguez 11-60
Garvin 6-(-11)
Mudimbi 12-83
Holcombe 1-1
Anderson 2-(-14)
Team 1-(-4)
Passing
Cato 3-11-102
Holcombe 11-18-220, 3 TD, INT
Garvin 10-17-109, TD, INT
Anderson 0-4-0, INT
Receiving
Frohnapfel 1-56
Evans 4-14
Hunt 3-153, 2 TD
Reaves 3-44
Wilkins 4-60
Alston 1-7
Rodriguez 1-7
Woodrum 1-16
Butler 1-0
McManus 3-37, TD
Jean-Louis 2-40, TD
Defensive highlights
Reidel 3 tackles, sack
Letman 10 tackles, 2 PBUs
Shaver 2 tackles, 2 INT
Manning 5 tackles
Camacho 1 tackle, .5 sack
Carter 5 tackles, sack
Plantt 3 tackles, .5 sack
Thompson 5 tackles, sack, FF
Dillon 1 sack, FF, FR
Williams 2 sacks, FF
Scott INT
