Document text
--> --> May 20: Olson likes what he sees at scrimmage Ashland Daily Tidings MEDFORD - Southern Oregon University's first-ever spring football intrasquad game Saturday featured periods of highly efficient offense as well as moments of defensive greatness at Spielgelberg Stadium. First-string quarterback Dan Woodward of Eagle Point highlighted the balanced SOU offense by going 13-for-24 for 179 yards and one touchdown in the 75-play, 14-drive controlled scrimmage. Senior All-American defensive back Nick Daniken compiled a team-best seven tackles while helping the first-team defense surrender only a pair of field goals. "I felt pretty good about the game, and we came out of it healthy," seventh-year head coach Jeff Olson said. "Our intensity was solid." The offensive group scored on its first two drives - a 37-yard field goal by junior Arizona State transfer kicker Steve Baker and a 30-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman running back Caleb Krantz of Myrtle Point. The defensive squad held the offense scoreless the next four drives, and senior linebacker Dominic Fredericksen recovered a fumble and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown in the ninth series. Sophomore receiver Bobby Poeltl's 44-yard catch followed by a 29-yard scamper set up Bill Jolin's one-yard touchdown run on the seventh drive, and the offensive group found paydirt for the third time in the 10th possession on Woodward's 10-yard strike to redshirt freshman Jake Kirkwood. Sophomore receiver Carl Dice finished with six catches for 74 yards, while Krantz and junior transfer Brandon White each amassed 39 rushing yards. The defensive group registered five sacks, five tackles for losses, forced four fumbles and held three quarterbacks to a combined 20-for-42 clip. "We played a lot of basic defense today to help our guys adjust from quick-whistled practice sessions to a simulated game situation," Olson said. Offensively, SOU passed for 281 yards and 10 different ball carriers accumulated a total of 137 yards. "The offensive key today was to get (Woodward) a lot of snaps," Olson said. "He made good decisions and threw the ball very well." Baker, who served as a Sun Devil punter in 1999 and 2000, and second-string kicker Cole Portwood each finished 3-for-3 in field goal and point-after attempts. Southern Oregon - which went 9-2 last season, advanced to the NAIA quarterfinals and rose to a program-best No. 5 in the final national rankings - opens the 2002 season Sept. 7 against Humboldt State at Raider Stadium. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing