Tag: Spring Game

Ducks Wire Player of the Game: WR Tez Johnson

Any Oregon fan left the spring game on Saturday knowing that Tez Johnson is the real deal.

For the first time in 5 months, there was football in Autzen Stadium on Saturday. The Oregon Ducks roster — bolstered with new recruits and transfers — was split into two teams: green and yellow for Saturday’s spring game.

While there was great play from Troy Franklin and Kris Hutson, WR Tez Johnson was the star of Saturday’s game. Johnson finished the game with 3 catches 78 yards and a touchdown. Tez’s touchdown was a 63-yard play, with 59 of those yards coming after the catch. Johnson caught Ty Thompson’s pass in the middle of the field and then bounced outside making multiple defenders miss as he took it to the house for the Yellow team’s first score.

[lawrence-related id=42255]

After the game, players had a lot to say about Tez’s performance, specifically his staggering speed out on the field.

“He’s not the biggest, but he is the fastest,” said Duck’s linebacker Jefferey Bassa.

[lawrence-related id=42260]

In addition to the praise for Johnson’s speed, defensive back Trikweze Bridges pointed out his other strengths.

“He’s good pretty good hands too,” he said.

Tez Johnson played his first two seasons of college ball at Troy, but transferred to Oregon this offseason. His 2021 and 2022 seasons were both impressive gathering 50+ receptions and 700+ yards receiving in each season.

Since last season, there have been notable departures at WR this off-season. Chase Cota declared for the draft and signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent. The Ducks also lost multiple receivers to the transfer portal in Dont’e Thorton and Issah Crocker. After losing that depth, Johnson may see an increased role for 2023, and hopefully with it an increase in production.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f27mq9z7hjgk6vc6 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

10 Sooners who stood out in the Oklahoma Red-White Game

There were quite a few strong performances in the Oklahoma Sooners’ annual Red-White game. Here are 10 players who stood out.

The 2022 season didn’t temper the enthusiasm of a fan base that hadn’t seen a losing season since the Clinton administration. 54,509 people showed up to support the Oklahoma Sooners in the spring game. And they were treated to quite the show.

The annual Red-White game provided an opportunity to get a sneak preview into what the Oklahoma Sooners could be in the 2023 season. Though it’s hard to extrapolate performances to the regular season, there were players that stood out.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Here are ten that flashed on Saturday in the spring game.

‘He’s a guy with a bright future’: Gracen Halton disruptive at Sooners spring game

In his second year with the Oklahoma Sooners, Gracen Halton had a disruptive effort at this year’s spring game.

The Oklahoma Sooners spring game provided a glimpse at the players that will be asked to take on significant roles in 2023.

One player that took advantage of his opportunity was second-year defensive tackle, Gracen Halton. In the game, Halton had five total tackles and a pair of sacks. He was disruptive, showing off the ability that made him a four-star interior defensive line prospect coveted by schools like Oregon, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, USC, and a number of other Power Five schools.

[autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] are off to the NFL, and the Sooners are looking for a group of interior defensive linemen that can be disruptive at the point of attack. Halton just provided a glimpse of what he has to offer the Oklahoma Sooners from the interior.

“The thing about Gracen is he’s got a ton of ability,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof shared after the game. “He can show out like that. From a consistency standpoint, he’s just got to continue to be consistent. He’s a young guy, but he’s a guy with a bright future ahead of him too.”

Consistency is key at the collegiate level and for coaches like Brent Venables and Ted Roof. They have to trust that these guys are going to be in the right spot, do their job, and win their reps more often than not to earn a role on the depth chart.

After playing sparingly in 2022, it looks like [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] has put together a strong winter and spring this offseason. Only three players had more tackles in the game than Halton, and nobody had more sacks.

Halton plays with quickness and burst at 6-foot-2 and 271 pounds. As a pass rusher, he’s going to have a chance to make plays for the Oklahoma Sooners this fall. And if the spring game is any indication, as Coach Roof said, the future is very bright for Gracen Halton.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

[mm-video type=video id=01gyg3hk31v502x8ymc0 playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gyg3hk31v502x8ymc0/01gyg3hk31v502x8ymc0-37e2f7e3a56f64a7df9e1559fadf5b93.jpg]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Recruits react on social media to spring game weekend with the Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners hosted a number of prospects during their spring game weekend and here are some of their reactions from the weekend.

What a weekend it was at the Oklahoma Sooners’ spring game. A fantastic product was on display on Owen Field as the Sooners hosted a number of former letter winners and a host of potential Sooners for spring game weekend.

The spring game has turned into a celebration of sorts under Brent Venables, who has taken time each of these first two years to address the fans in attendance and honor the Sooners of the past while putting on a show for the prospects in for an unofficial visit.

As they did a year ago, the Sooners put their best foot forward and picked up momentum on the recruiting trail. In particular, the Sooners made progress in their pursuit of 2024 athlete Michael Boganowski.

It was another chance for the Sooners to make some headway in their recruitment of five-star defensive tackle [autotag]David Stone[/autotag]. Stone, who likely will not commit for some time, was among those in attendance, joining fellow blue-chip defensive linemen for the 2024 class, Nigel Smith and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye.

With three commitments last week and five overall in the 2024 class, the dominoes are tumbling for Oklahoma as it looks to replicate its success from the 2023 cycle.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

After hosting prospects over the next four recruiting cycles, here’s a look at how a number of recruits reacted to their time in Norman with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Ranking largest spring game attendances in college football this year

College football spring game attendance rankings

As the college football season approaches, teams across the country have been holding their annual spring games, offering fans a glimpse of what’s to come in the fall. While the games themselves may not count for much, they provide an opportunity for schools to showcase their talent and give fans a chance to see their team in action.

They also allow the opportunity to brag about attendance numbers. This year, the back-to-back champions, Georgia,  drew 54,000 fans. That’s what attendance was limited to due to construction at Sanford Stadium.

But it’s not just the Bulldogs drawing crowds. Programs back in the national spotlight, like Tennessee, FSU, and South Carolina, also saw strong turnouts. Colorado even had big numbers thanks to the excitement surrounding their new head coach Deion Sanders.

Here’s a look at the largest spring game attendances, with each school’s national title odds via BetMGM:
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″]

Dillon Gabriel has strong showing in Oklahoma Sooners spring game

Despite a slow start, Dillon Gabriel put together a strong performance in Oklahoma’s spring game.

The Oklahoma Sooners put on display the work they’ve been putting in this offseason in front of a great crowd at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Several players had breakout performances, including defensive tackle Gracen Halton and wide receiver D.J. Graham.

However, in the first half, [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] reminded us just how he good he can be.

Gabriel was 12 of 18 for 139 yards and three touchdowns. He had an interception on a deep pass that turned into a 50-50 ball and was intercepted by [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. After that turnover, though, Gabriel went to work, orchestrating three touchdown drives in the first half.

As Gabriel goes, so will the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023. As excited as people are to see [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], and Arnold played well in the second half when he had a chance to run with the first-team offensive line, this is Gabriel’s team this year.

He was poised, on target and kept the fast-paced tempo the Sooners desire to employ.

There were two throws Gabriel would like to have back: the go route intercepted by Bowen and an over route on which he overthrew an open [autotag]L.V. Bunkley Shelton[/autotag]. However, after a slow start for the offense, Gabriel’s unit rallied and put points on the board in a hurry.

He’s Oklahoma’s unquestioned starter for the 2023 season. He showed again on Saturday that he has the tools to help the Sooners get back into title contention. While the future at the quarterback position is bright, it’s just as bright in 2023 with Gabriel under center.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Social media reactions to Oklahoma Sooners’ spring game performance

It was an incredible atmosphere at the Oklahoma Sooners’ spring game and here are some of the best reactions from Social Media.

There’s a lot to take away from the Oklahoma Sooners spring game. The atmosphere, the Heisman moment and the play on the field.

In an unorthodox scoring system, the Oklahoma Sooners’ offense and defense took turns shining brightly in front of 54,409 fans.

The defense started strongly against a depleted offensive line, but in the second quarter, Dillon Gabriel, Jalil Farooq and the offense punched back with several touchdown drives to get the game close going into halftime.

At halftime, it was the Kyler Murray show. The university and fans showed love for their most recent Heisman winner. Murray captivated those in attendance, remarking he “should have been here the whole time.”

With an opportunity to play behind the first-team offensive line, Davis Beville and Jackson Arnold helped get the offense in position to win the game at the end. But ultimately, it was the defense that stood tall, picking up the win after a failed two-point conversion.

It was an incredible day from start to finish in Norman, and here are some of the best social media reactions from the spring game.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

The top images from Alabama’s A-Day spring game

Check out some of the best photos from Alabama football’s A-Day!

Alabama football’s 2023 A-Day spring game was an interesting one. Entering the scrimmage, there were a lot of questions. Whether it be the ongoing quarterback battle or the running back depth, fans wanted some clarity on how the starting roster is shaping up.

Instead of answers, fans now have more questions.

Milroe played well, but so did Simpson. Justice Haynes is only a freshman but kept up with the expected starters. The wide receivers didn’t perform nearly as well as anyone anticipated. Now, fans will have to wait for the Week 1 matchup against Middle Tennessee to see if any of these questions have answers.

Crimson beats White in Alabama football’s 2023 A-Day spring game

Alabama’s 2023 A-Day has come to an end and the Crimson team took down the White team with a final score of 30-21.

Alabama’s annual A-Day spring game is in the books and the Crimson team took down the White team with a final score of 30-21. While it was exciting to see the Crimson Tide take the field for the first time in a few months, more questions were raised than answers given.

The biggest story heading into the scrimmage was the ongoing quarterback battle between Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson.

Milroe led the White team and completed 51% of his passes, threw two touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. Simpson was the quarterback for the Crimson team and completed 46% of his passes and had one interception. While Simpson’s numbers may seem underwhelming, he performed well.

Contributing to the poor stats of both quarterbacks were numerous dropped balls by the receiving corps. Jermaine Burton, on multiple occasions, had a routine pass that popped out of his hands. The wide receivers will now be a must-watch positional group as the season approaches.

As far as running backs go, Justice Haynes found his way into the end zone twice on only 10 touches. Jase McClellan finished with the most yards of any true running back with only 37 yards on seven carries. Simpson had the most rushing yards with 58.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to cover Alabama football as the 2023 offseason continues.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxpg4wm1vhj9jh2vqh playlist_id=01eqbz6mkdd99nyvkm player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxpg4wm1vhj9jh2vqh/01gxpg4wm1vhj9jh2vqh-f135c3b38656c32328aafc35e441a3cf.jpg]

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Notre Dame football: Spring game instant reaction

What was your biggest takeaway from Saturday’s action?

There are some days that Notre Dame’s annual Blue-Gold game to cap spring practice takes place on a picture-perfect Saturday in South Bend.  That was not the case this time as rain, sleet, wind, and a lot of gray sky covered campus.

However, that doesn’t mean the spring game didn’t take place and that there weren’t plenty of things to take away from it.  The gold squad jumped out to an early lead on the backs of [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] and never looked back.

What stood out in this edition of the Blue-Gold game?  Here are your instant takeaways.