First Team Offense Shines In Spring Scrimmage No. 2

NORMAL, Ill. – At the start of Saturday morning's scrimmage at Hancock Stadium, it looked as if the Redbirds were going to be met with sunny skies and light winds for the first time in nearly two weeks. However, as the scrimmage progressed the skies darkened, winds picked up and rain fell as ISU completed its second scrimmage of 2022 spring training camp. The first-team offense, led by quarterback Zack Annexstad, scored a pair of touchdowns to propel the Redbirds into their final week of spring workouts.

Scrimmage Notes:
•    The scrimmage went 85 plays, with each of the three offensive and defensive units getting time to take the field.
•    Situations practiced included driving the field, red zone, and coming off the goal line.
•    Redbird running backs Wenkers Wright and Sean Allen each averaged 3.5 yards or more per carry, and Redbird quarterbacks combined to complete 18-of-32 for 207 yards and one touchdown.
•    The defense was slowed down a bit by the running game, but still recorded five sacks (quarterbacks were not live and considered down on first touch) and 10.5 tackles for loss, with two fumble recoveries and three pass breakups.

Scoring Summary:
•    The first points of the day came off the leg of placekicker Ian Wagner, who capped off a 10-play, 50-yard drive with a 43-yard field goal … the big play of the drive came on a 24-yard connection from Annexstad to tight end Bryson Deming that moved the ball to the defense's 40-yard line.
•    During the first red zone session of the day Wagner added his second field goal, this one a make form 23 yards, to cap off a five-play scoring drive that started at the opponent 17-yard line.
•    Following two quick goal line sessions, the first-team offense took over at its own 37-yard line and proceeded to march 63 yards in 11 plays to score the first touchdown of the dat on a 2-yard run by Pha'leak Brown … that touchdown was set up by 21 yards on back-to-back catches by Tanner Taula that moved the ball inside the 20 yard line.
•    In the next red zone session, the first-team unit took over at its own 12-yard line but a false start penalty on first down moved them back to the 17 … two plays later, Annexstad scrambled and found Taula wide open in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown.
•    On the next possession, Jack Takerian booted a 25-yard field goal for the second-team offense to give the offense its final points of the day. 

Passing Leaders:
•    Zack Annextad: 13-for-23, 129 yards, 1 TD, long 24
•    Timothy Dorsey: 3-for-6, 50 yards, long 44
•    Patrick Brennan: 2-for-3, 28 yards, long 27

Rushing Leaders:
•    Wenkers Wright: 17 att., 70 yds., long 10
•    Sean Allen: 15 att., 54 yds., long 20
•    Pha'leak Brown: 14 att., 35 yds., 1 TD, long 6

Receiving Leaders:
•    Tanner Taula: 4 rec., 49 yds., 1 TD, long 18
•    Bryson Deming: 3 rec., 42 yds., long 24
•    Daniel Sobkowicz: 2 rec., 71 yds., long 44

Defensive Leaders:
•    Deontae Lavoise McCoy: 7 tackles, 3 solo
•    Keondre Jackson: 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFL
•    Jacob Bellizzi: 5 tackles, 2.0 TFL
•    Cam Wilson: 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1.0 TFL
•    Zeke Vandenburgh: 4 tackles, 1 sacks, 1.0 TFL

Up Next: 
The Redbirds return to the field Tuesday at 3 p.m. to start their final week of spring practices, before Saturday's public Red-White Scrimmage caps off camp at 1 p.m. at Hancock Stadium. For updates, photos, and video from 2022 Redbird Football Spring Camp, follow the team's official Twitter (@RedbirdFB), Instagram (isuredbirdfb) and Facebook (isuredbirdfootball) accounts and log onto GoRedbirds.com.

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