Photo Courtesy of Bob Burleigh

NEWARK, DE – Interceptions by Andrew Harrison and Charles Graves highlighted an impressive performance by the Blue Hen defense, which defeated the offense 68-56 in the annual University of Delaware Blue-White Spring Football Game on Saturday afternoon at sunny Delaware Stadium.

Harrison, a redshirt freshman who will compete for a starting spot at linebacker next season, piled up a team-high 13 tackles and also notched a sack to go with his first-half pick of Blue quarterback Rob Schoenhoft. Former quarterback Sean Scanlon added eight tackles – seven of them solo – for the White, which forced the Blue into 14 three-and-outs.

The annual game, which matched the Blue (offense) versus the White (defense), lasted just over 90 minutes and consisted of nearly 100 plays broken up into five different segments. The offense began two drives at the defense’s 40-yard line, two at the White’s 30, two at its own 35, one at its own 30, and one at its own 4-yard line, and the White’s 25-yard line. The Blue Hens also ran a pair of two-minute drills from their own 37 and practiced field goals and punt protection during the scrimmage.

The modified scoring system gave the offense six points for a touchdown, three points for a field goal, two points for a passing or running conversion, one point for kicking an extra point, and two points for a first down. The defense earned six points when causing a turnover, seven points on a touchdown, and four points each time it forced a change of possession.

Schoenhoft, a 6-foot-6 transfer from Ohio State who has two years of eligibility remaining, completed 12 of his 25 passes for 162 yards and bombed a 30-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Martwain Johnston just before intermission. His top competition for the starting quarterback job, redshirt freshman Lou Ritacco, went 9-for-17 for 119 yards and a completed a 26-yard TD pass to junior wideout Mark Duncan in the first half.

The Blue’s only other touchdown came on a 9-yard run from junior halfback Jared Bradley, while junior All-American Jon Striefsky booted a 41-yard field goal and made all of his kicks in run-throughs.

The offense piled up 398 total yards but couldn’t do much on the ground, amassing 51 carries for just 117 yards. The defense tallied 10 sacks, including two each from John Higginson, Julian James, Durell Clark-James, and Anthony Walters.

Duncan, who emerged as a key playmaker during the Hens’ run to the Football Championship Series title game last season, caught a game-high seven passes for 123 yards. Always a dangerous deep threat, three of his receptions were good for 25 yards or more. Johnston, meanwhile, hauled in six passes for 72 yards.

Sophomore halfback Jerry Butler (at right) showed promise in the backfield, running for 82 yards on 12 carries, while Bradley ran 10 times for 30 yards.

James, Clark-James, Bernard Makumbi, and Charles Graves made five tackles apiece for the White squad.

AGATE

White 68, Blue 56

Scoring
BLUE: Lou Ritacco 26-yard pass to Mark Duncan
BLUE: Rob Schoenhoft 30-yard pass to Martwain Johnston
BLUE: Jared Bradley 9-yard run
BLUE: Jon Striefsky 41-yard field goal
BLUE: 16 first downs (2 points each)
WHITE: 14 changes of possession (4 points each)
WHITE: 2 interceptions (6 points each)

Passing – Schoenhoft 12-25, 162 yds., 1 TD, 1 int, Ritacco 9-17, 119 yds., 1 TD, 1 int

Rushing – Butler 12-82, Bradley 10-30, Shoenhoft 10-7, J. Smith 4-10, Thaxton 5-9, Ritacco 8-(-18), Duncan 2-(-3). Totals 51-117

Receiving – Duncan 7-123, Johnston 6-72, Bunton 3-18, Mackey 2-29, Crosby 1-17, Thaxton 1-12, Bradley 1-10

Tackles (Unassisted-Assisted-Total) – Graves 4-1-5, Higginson 2-0-2, James 4-1-5, Batson 2-1-3, Harrison 6-7-13, Anderson 1-0-1, Makumbi 4-1-5, Clark-James 4-1-5, McKinnie 2-0-2, Cipalla 2-0-2, Lugo 0-1-1, T. Grant 1-2-3, Atunrase 4-0-4, Scanlon 7-1-8, Jarnagin 1-0-1, Walters 2-0-2, Hester 1-2-3, Andrew 0-1-1, Haynes 1-0-1, Void 0-1-1, B. Grant 1-0-1, Bellantoni 1-2-3

Sacks – Higginson 2-(-6), James 2-(-7), Clark-James 2-(-10), Walters 2-(-7), Harrison 1-(-7), Bellantoni 1-(-3)

Interceptions – Harrison, Graves

Pass Break-Ups – T. Grant 2, Jarnagin, Higginson, Harbaugh