Football Southern Conference

VMI Holds Spring Scrimmage

LEXINGTON, Va. - Sophomore running back Titus Green (LaPlata, Md.) rushed
nine times for 79 yards and a touchdown and sophomore slotback Gary Price
(Woodbridge, Va.) hauled in six passes for 93 yards and a touchdown to
highlight VMI's annual Red-White spring scrimmage. The 90-minute workout
marked the end of spring drills for the Keydets.

Under a special scoring system that awarded points to both offensive and
defensive units for specific plays, the offense (Red) outscored the defense
(White), 45-39.

Green, the 2001 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year who sat out last
fall while taking an academic redshirt year, scored on a 10-yard run with
:56 seconds left in the first half. Price hauled in a 15-yard scoring strike
from sophomore quarterback Kirk Monteleone that gave the Red team a 30-25
cushion with 1:18 remaining in the third quarter.

Four quarterbacks divided the snaps throughout in the scrimmage, with
Monteleone completing seven of 11 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt freshman Jonathan Wilson (Lexington, Va./Rockbridge County)
connected six times on 13 attempts for 78 yards, and junior Josh Lyles threw
a 24-yard touchdown pass to Abey Malave-Lopez with 8:54 remaining in the
fourth quarter.

The ground game was also bolstered by sophomore Sean Mizzer, who rushed
seven times for 70 yards including a 40-yard TD run for the scrimmage's
first score. Junior Brian Malast added 11 carries for 63 yards.

Defensively, sophomore free safety Robert Mason led the way with an
interception returned 10 yards and a sack for -6 yards. Junior safety Kamau
Hull, who took a medical redshirt year after injuring his knee early last
season, also had an interception.

The defensive unit posted seven tackles for loss on the day. Generating
TFL's were Steel Nardozzi (-3), Zane Angle (-13), Maury Pauling (-3),
Christian Johnson (-3), Todd Baldwin (-3), and Eric Thompson (-3).

Sophomore defensive tackle Ryan Schelske registered a sack for -9 yards, and
junior defensive tackle Vicheal Foxx had a tackle for loss (-3) and a
quarterback hurry. Redshirt freshman lineman Jack Herzog recovered a fumble
for the defense.

Seven squad members, including senior standout outside linebacker Derik
Screen (Lynchburg, Va.), did not play because they were representing the
Keydet track team at a meet in Williamsburg.

Junior placekicker Matt Sharpe handled all kicking duties and punted five
times for a 41.7 yard average but missed an uncharacteristic four field goal
attempts in five tries. His lone success was a 37-yarder with 3:13 left in
the fourth quarter.

The Keydets, who posted a 6-6 mark last fall for their most wins since 1981,
open the 2003 season Aug. 30 at Navy (1:30 p.m.).

Former VMI running back Thomas Haskins, the Institute's leading rusher who
gained 3,549 career yards between 1993 and 1996 and once led I-AA in career
rushing, was in Lexington for the festivities and addressed the team for 10
minutes after the scrimmage. Haskins played the last six seasons with the
Montreal Alouettes of the CFL and signed a contract with the Edmonton
Eskimos in late February.

HEAD COACH CAL McCOMBS - " We got a lot of good work in. We ended up playing
four 10-minute quarters which I thought was perfect for the numbers of guys
we had out here working. I didn't want to play a whole ballgame and have
some of those kids get tired at the end and have some injuries, because
we've been very fortunate not to have a serious injury in spring practice."

"I really like what we have up front on our offensive line. We also have a
couple of running backs that can run the ball in (Sean) Mizzer and Titus
(Green) and T.J Snelling, and we have some more backs who can run the ball.
We have some guys who can catch it, but right now we're not where we need to
be throwing and catching. We were a lot more ahead at this time last year
because of Joey Gibson (graduated). We've got to start working on our
throwing and catching."

"Defensively, I thought we tackled well as a general rule today. I thought
they went to the ball well. I think one of the things we've want to make
sure we do next fall is come up with a little more pass rush to give us a
chance to put more pressure on the passer."

"We got four guys who are talented guys at quarterback. You look at on the
field and see David (Poldiak) do something really good and then not do
something good. Then you see Josh (Lyles) do something good and then not do
something good - it's just one of those things where nobody right now has
just said "that job is mine." The two young quarterbacks are very talented
young men. Kirk Monteleone played wide receiver for us last year, and we
held Jonathan Wilson out last year. Those two both have strong arms and are
very athletic, and it's just a matter of those guys getting a lot of reps to
make them better. None of the other two older guys have much game
experience. It's going to get down to the first 10-12 days of fall camp of
deciding who the guy is going to be, and then in the next 14-15 practices
get him in there and get him snaps with the receivers. It would have been
nice if I could say right now this guy is the one, and this guy is next, but
in ways it's good that those guys know they are still competing and the work
they do in the offseason will get them coming back ready to compete."

ON HAVING THOMAS HASKINS ADDRESS THE TEAM " I think Thomas Haskins is a
great role model for our team. He exemplifies everything that this football
team and this Institute is all about. Guys come in here that are maybe
undersized or lack a step in speed, but the one who has the big heart and
great work ethic and understands what is important as far as priorities -
knowing that they got to be a completed person as a cadet, student, athlete,
and in character. You see what he has done with his God-given ability, and
he is using it to his utmost and is a perfect role model for our team."