Sycamores Offense and Defense gets in on passing game

TERRE HAUTE, IN (8-19-2006) – Indiana State quarterbacks Reilly Murphy and Ben Schmidt got things going in the air during the fall’s second scrimmage while the defense got in on the act as well with a pair of well-timed interceptions as the Sycamores went through a spirited 90-play controlled workout.

Murphy finished the workout by going 13-of-20 in the passing game with 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He added 32 rushing yards, including one score from a yard out.

Each of his two TD tosses went to junior Jawann Turner, who finished his day with five catches for 90 yards and the two scores. Murphy’s rushing score was a plunge from the one-yard line that capped off a drive in which he leveled a would-be tackler as junior Tony West cut back across the field to put the Sycamores near the end zone on a seven-yard scamper of his own.

Ben Schmidt finished the scrimmage by hitting 12-of-26 passes with a TD. Schmidt found junior Bryan McCulley on a 20-yard score during the Sycamores’ period of red zone work.

West paced the Sycamores on the ground with one TD and 54 yards gained. Next after Murphy’s 32 yards was senior Carl Berman, who rushed for 25 yards. Berman took an option pitch around right end and reached the end zone for one of ISU’s five rushing TDs.

Also scoring on the ground were Schmidt, who scored from one yard out, and Darrius Gates who pushed his way in during goal line work. Gates finished the day with 14 yards on nine attempts.

On defense, freshman Donye McCleskey picked off a Murphy pass, while senior transfer Michael Roberts snared another pass and returned the ball 48 yards before being knocked out of bounds.

Mixed in through the workout were special teams drills that included all facets of the kicking game. ISU worked on both punt and kickoff returns, as well as PAT and field goal alignments.

The Sycamores will take the rest of the day off as well as Sunday before hitting the practice field twice on Monday. ISU has plans for its final scrimmage of the preseason on August 26 at 1:00 p.m. Indiana State opens the season at Purdue on September 2.

SCRIMMAGE STATS