Running Game Highlights Spring Football Contest

April 8, 2006 | Football

By: UNC Athletic Communications

April 8, 2006

Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- Sophomore tailback Antwain Carey plunged in from 1-yard out to give the Blue team a 14-7 victory over the White team in North Carolina's annual Spring Football Game on Saturday. Despite intermittent rain showers, Carolina ran the ball well in the nearly two-hour scrimmage, earning 153 rushing yards from five tailbacks.

"I thought the first half was rather exciting," said head coach John Bunting. "I saw some great things out there with our running game, which is what I wanted to see."

Junior tailback Barrington Edwards led all players with 58 yards on 11 carries. Edwards set up the White's lone touchdown - a 1-yard run by fullback Bobby Rome - with a nifty run down the home sideline. Edwards stepped out of two possible tackles behind the line of scrimmage and rumbled 17 yards before being pushed out at the one.

"Barrington had a good day running the ball and that's what I expected him to do," said Bunting. "That will be another dynamic to our football program if he can continue to play like that."

White held the lead throughout the first half, but the Blue team tied the score when Hilee Taylor scooped up a fumble and raced 37 yards for a score. Blue scored the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter behind the play of quarterback Jay Spence who completed a 23-yard strike to Justin Henderson. It was the longest pass play of the day for the Tar Heels.

Quarterbacks Joe Dailey and Cam Sexton played on both teams and drew most of the snaps during the workout. Dailey, a transfer from Nebraska who is eligible this season after sitting out last year, completed 8 of 15 attempts for 65 yards. A redshirt freshman from Laurinburg, N.C., Sexton was 2 of 3 for 13 yards. Both quarterbacks had long completions called back because of penalties.

"These quarterbacks that are going to be competing throughout summer camp and there's no way to know how it will work out," said Bunting. "It's fun to see that competition and see them both getting better. Both guys can operate in the pocket and outside the pocket. The only difference is that Joe has been under center 11 times before (at Nebraska)."

Defensively, Carolina had four sacks, including one each by Brian Rackley, Quinton Person, Kyndraus Guy and Hilee Taylor. Linebacker Mark Paschal led all tacklers with 10 stops.

NOTES

Carolina's first-ever Youth Football Clinic was an outstanding success. Despite the threat of showers, more than 300 kids attended the hour-long clinic, which featured hands-on coaching from the Carolina coaching staff and players.

Senior tailback Ronnie McGill did not play in the scrimmage. Coaches decided to hold out McGill and let other running backs see more playing time.

2006 STATISTICS

LUE    0  0  7  7 - 14
WHITE   7  0  0  0 - 7
1st Quarter
WHITE: Bobby Rome 1 run (PAT awarded); 4:43 3rd Quarter
LUE: Hilee Taylor TD 37 fumble ret (PAT awarded); 11:02 4th Quarter
LUE: Antwain Carey 1 run (PAT awarded); 6:44 4th Quarter
RUSHING
Justin Warren 9-30, Richie Rich 7-25; Antwain Carey 3-11 TD; Jock Moore 1-12; Joe Dailey 9-4; Barrington Edwards 11-58, R.J. Waters 10-28, Bobby Rome 1-1 TD, Cam Sexton 4-(-25).
PASSING:
Dailey 8-15-0-65; Sexton 2-3-0-13, Johnson 1-2-0-0; Spence 2-7-0-32.
RECEIVING:
Brandon Tate 3-19, Warren 1-1, Brooks Foster 1-15, Will Lawing 1-9, Rich 1-2, Justin Henderson 1-23; Jesse Holley 3-42, Edwards 1-(-1), Kenton Thornton 1-0.
TACKLE LEADERS
Victor Worsley 7; Garrett White 6; Chase Rice 4; Kyndraus Guy sack; Hilee Taylor sack, fumble recovery TD; Mark Paschal 10 tackles, TFL; Brian Bethea 1, TFL; D.J. Walker 1, TFL; Cam Thomas 2, TFL, Jabir Jones 1, TFL; Rackley 2, sack; Quentin Person, 2, sack.