Blue Tops Gold in Spring Game 6-0
KENT, Ohio - Junior running back Larry Dawson scored the game's only touchdown in the third quarter as the Blue team topped the Gold 6-0 Saturday night at Dix Stadium. Dawson was the surprise of the evening, rushing for 107 yards on 16 carries.
"I would attribute the final score to good defense," Head Coach Darrell Hazell said. "The defense was flying around. The offense was moving the ball between the 20s and stalled in the redzone."
Dawson nearly scored another touchdown in the second quarter, but fumbled just before the goal line. With rain coming down throughout the game, there were four fumbles lost, including three by the Blue team.
The longest play of the game belonged to Dri Archer, who dashed 40 yards on a first quarter carry for the Gold side. The Gold side took that drive down to the nine yard line, but missed a field goal in the slippery conditions. Archer finished with 67 yards on eight carries.
Redshirt freshman Cedric McCloud carried the load at quarterback for the Gold team, completing 15-of-21 passes for 117 yards. McCloud was sacked five times, twice by Zack Hitchens.
The Blue team played five different quarterbacks, completing 13-of-24 passes for 129 yards. Neither side was intercepted.
Junior Tyshon Goode caught four passes for 40 yards on the Gold side, while the Blue team's Sam Kirkland led both sides with 41 yards receiving on three catches.
The Blue team also got 64 yards rushing out of Lamar Washington, showing the potential for a lot of team depth at running back next season.
"I think it was a very productive spring," Hazell said. "It was 15 good hard practices. I'm very proud of how hard they worked and continued to get better each and every day. I'm really excited about this group and I think there's a lot of big things to come."
Kent State opens its 2011 season Sept. 3 at Alabama.
