According to the scoreboard, the Blue team beat the Gold 24-14 Saturday in Notre Dame’s final football scrimmage at Moose Krause Stadium.
But the score was as relevant as Dickey Simpkins is to the Bulls. The game, after all, had many strange features:
There were no kickoffs. Some players switched teams between series. Quarterbacks wore red jerseys–meaning they were off-limits from contact. And several minutes were added during the fourth quarter to give the Blue team more time to score.
“The results are of no consequence to me,” Irish coach Bob Davie said. “It’s looking at the big picture.”
With spring practice over, the big picture looks like this:
– Ron Powlus will start at quarterback for the fourth straight year. And he should.
Powlus looked sharp Saturday, completing 16 of 24 passes for 148 yards. Backup Jarious Jackson was inconsistent, connecting on just six of 16 attempts.
After the game Davie made it clear that Jackson would be the backup: “This could be the best thing for him. He has a chance to learn this (new) system and still have two years to be a player.”
Jackson said he hasn’t “accepted” his status as a second-stringer but added that he has no plans to transfer, which he had considered.
“A couple of things I may disagree with,” Jackson said. “But I’ll be here.”
– The Irish are more than one-deep at tailback.
Senior Clement Stokes has emerged as Autry Denson’s backup–at least until incoming freshmen Cooper Rego and Tony Driver get their chances.
Stokes carried 12 times in 1995, then was academically ineligibile in the spring of 1996. He took classes at Nebraska-Omaha to regain his eligibility and looked good Saturday, gaining 139 yards on 24 carries to win offensive MVP.
“He’s a player,” Powlus said. “He has great physical abilities and will be a very good running back.”
– The kicking competition is wide open. At different points during the scrimmage, Davie gave the three contestants several chances to hit from 42 yards.
Last year’s starter, Jim Sanson, missed more than half his attempts. Scott Cengia was more accurate, but his kicks were high floaters that barely cleared the crossbar. Kevin Kopka showed the strongest leg but slipped a few times on the loose turf.
“I don’t know how else to do it besides letting them go head-to-head,” Davie said. “Hopefully, we can get a clear-cut winner in the fall.”
– With five of Notre Dame’s front seven lost to graduation, several players emerged, including defensive linemen Lance Legree, Kurt Belisle and Corey Bennett and linebackers Lamont Bryant, Bobbie Howard and Joe Thomas, who was named defensive MVP for making 12 tackles.
