1997 Spring Game notes
Mike Nolan
I took yesterday off, so here's the notes from the textcast of the 1997
Red-White game, somewhat delayed.
Notes on the 1997 Red-White Spring Game, based on the textcast at
www.huskers.com/football/play-by-play
Pre-Game
Good afternoon Husker fans, and welcome to the textcast of the 1997
Red-White spring game
Approximately 25 Huskers will not be suiting up for today's game
because of injuries, including 3 of 5 starting offensive linemen.
The 'Red' squad consists of the #1 offense and the #2 defense, while
the #1 defense and #2 offense make up the 'White' squad.
Tom Osborne expects it to be a defensive game today. "People shouldn't
come in expecting 100 points to be scored." This could be good for the
fall, because the Huskers are returning just three starters from last
year's Blackshirts.
It's a cool cloudy day in Lincoln, the temperature is about 57 degrees
at the moment, and it has been sprinkling on and off all morning.
There's a 60% chance of showers during the afternoon, which might cut
down on the crowd at Memorial Stadium some.
Sawyer Brown will be performing the National Anthem at today's game.
The group recently released an album which includes a tribute to late
Husker quarterback Brook Berringer, who was a good friend of lead
singer Mark Miller.
The album has been virtually impossible to find in Lincoln stores
since it was released, and I've heard from Husker fans elsewhere
around the country that it is scarce in other cities, too.
The National Anthem is being played at Memorial Stadium.
1st Quarter
The White Team will kick off to the Red Team to start the game.
Retzlaff tees it up, it goes into the end zone, Sims brings it out to
the 20, and is downed by Alexander at the 21.
Option left, pitch to Sims, ball on the ground, recovered by the Red
team.
Gain of 5, though.
Handoff to Green, he's across the 30 to the 31 for a 1st down. Tackled
by Warfield.
1st down at the 31. Pass is over the head of Lake, who was well
covered by Jerome Peterson.
Handoff to Green, no opening, tackled by McFarlin for a gain of about
a yard.
Frost wants to pass, nearly picked off by Jason Peter, but it goes
incomplete.
Kosch is back to punt, but the offense is called for a false start
before they can get a punt off.
Kosch gets the kick off, taken by Wiggins at the 25, he's down the
sideline, past everybody, and scores!
Touchdown for the White Squad!
The PAT by Retzlaff is good.
Red Squad: 0 White Squad: 7
Retzlaff tees it up again, it goes into the end zone again, brought
out to the 25 by Reynolds.
Frost back to pass, but Jeff Lake can't quite hold on. Leslie Dennis
in on the breakup.
Pitch to Green, he's into the clear but is run down by Dennis at the 9
yard line.
67 yards on that run by Green.
Movement on the defensive line before the play.
That makes it 1st and goal at the 4.
Green option right, he cuts inside but can't get inside the 3.
Rucker in on the tackle.
2nd and goal at the 3. Makovicka up the middle to the 2.
Boren in on the stop. Frost keep is, dives for the goal line, he
scores.
Touchdown Red Squad!
Gee, I thought Oxborne said this was supposed to be a defensive
battle??
Brown nails the PAT.
Red Squad: 7 White Squad: 7
Brown tees it up, taken by Peterson 5 yards inside the end zone, he
finds the sideline and gets to the 45.
Frankie London tries a pass, it's incomplete.
Cobb gets a yard.
Option left, London keeps it, gains 2.
LeFluer back to punt. The kick is taken by Lance Brown at the 23, he's
knocked out of bounds at the 26.
Sims loses the pitch, they call it a shovel pass that is incomplete.
Frost back to pass, complete to Lake who's across the 40, a late flag,
5 more yards for a facemask penalty.
1st down. Frost back to pass, Lance Brown can't make the catch
downfield.
2nd and 10. Pitch to Sims, he's down to the 39.
3rd and about 7. Option right, pitch to Sims, he's down to the 34,
that'll be short of the 1st, but there's a holding call on the Red
Squad that will nullify the play.
Frost leaves the pocket, he gets back to the White 47, but that's all.
Kelsay and Dennis on the stop.
The punt is fair caught by Wiggins at the 15, but the Red team will be
penalized for not giving enough room.
Ball at the White 21.
Option play loses a yard.
Another option pass, nobody open so London loses another yard.
3rd and 12.
Cobb take it, tries the middle of the line but is well short of the
1st down.
LaFleur in to punt again, but the White Team calls time out first.
Wiggins and Brown back to receive the punt. Taken by Wiggins at the
38, he gets to the 40 but is down there.
Green gets the handoff, he's stopped for a loss by Jason Peter.
Frost leaves the pocket, throws the pass downfield, but Lake has it go
through his hands.
3rd and 15. Pass incomplete, Cheatham gets just one hand on it.
Brown and Cheatham back to receive the punt from Hadenfield.
Brown get it, but is out of bounds at the White 37.
Perino in to QB for the White team.
Running play, no gain.
Perino pitches to Cobb, no gain.
(The first play was an incomplete pass, not a running play.)
Perino tries another pass, incomplete.
The punt is blown dead at the Red 36.
Frost hands off to Legate, he gets a couple but no more.
Handoff to Sims, he gets out to the 47 before being tackled by
Walther.
1st down. Frost throws deep, over Cheatham's head.
Today's crowd is around 42,000. Not as good as last year, but still an
excellent turnout.
Kelsay nails Frost for a loss.
Shotgun formation on 3rd and 15. Frost keeps it, he's across midfield
and down to the 47, but he'll be well short of the 1st. Ralph Brown in
on the stop.
Hadenfeld in to punt again.
It's a fake, he has the first down and more, he's knocked out of
bounds at the White 38.
Frost keeps it on the option, gets to about the 32.
2nd and 3. Ball at the 31. Frost rolls right, flags, pass is nearly
intercepted by Foreman. Offsides on the defense.
That puts the ball on the 26, 1st down. Option right, Frost across the
20 and knocked out of bounds at the 16. Walther in on a late stop, it
draws a flag.
That ends the 1st quarter.
2nd Quarter
Well, after a quick start, maybe it will be a defensive game after
all.
1st and goal at the 8 for the Red Team after the penalty.
Frost keeps it, he's down at the 5. Urban on the tackle.
Frost throws to Brown, but Brian Shaw knocks it away from him in the
end zone.
3rd and goal. Frost calls time out.
Ball at the 5. Option right, Frost keeps it and goes in for the
touchdown.
Touchdown Red Squad
Brown makes the PAT.
Red Squad: 14 White Squad: 7
Cobb gets the kick, brings it out past the 20.
Ball at the 22. Alexander gets the handoff, he's down at the 25, Allen
in on the stop.
Miller gets the handoff, he's across the 30, but there are flags on
the play.
They move the ball out the 38 on the facemask call.
Alexander again, he's out to the 40.
2nd and 7. Miller gets to the 46, tackled by Eric Johnson.
Penalty flags, false start on the offense.
Perino drops back, he's hit and loses the ball, it's rolling on the
ground and someone falls on it all the way back at the 5. List
recovers for the Red team.
Monte Christo in for the Red team.
Handoff, no gain.
Christo keeps it, he gets to the 4.
3rd and goal at the 4. Christo keeps it, rolls around the left corner,
and scores.
Touchdown Red Squad
Hadenfield makes the PAT.
Game period: 2nd Quarter
Red Squad: 21 White Squad: 7
Time Remaining: 10:13
Brown's kick off bounces into the end zone, picked up by Ralph Brown
who brings it out to the 31.
Runty in to QB for the white squad.
Cobb gets the ball, he makes it to the 35.
Cobb gets 3.
3rd and 3. Miller out to the 45, first down.
A 15 yard penalty against the offense wipes out the play, though, and
moves the ball back to the 30.
Runty is dumped by the rush end.
LeFleur gets off a good punt, Walker gets it, brings it out to the 48.
Christo hands off to Stanislav, no gain.
Christo airs one out, Cheatham comes back for it for a big gain.
Pass to Lake, he's inside the 10 before he's brought down.
2nd and 3. Option left, Christo pitches, there's a late hit on the
White squad. That'll put the Red team at the 6.
The FB Stanislav takes it in.
Brown's PAT is good.
Game period: 2nd Quarter
Red Squad: 28 White Squad: 7
Time Remaining: 5:35
Hadenfeld will kick it off. Peterson and Brown back.
Hits inside the 20, rolls out of bounds at the 15.
London in at QB. Pitches it, gain of about 3.
Shotgun formation, the pass to Weiting is incomplete.
London keeps it, he's stopped for a loss back at the 33.
Punt formation for the White team. Taken by Walker, he's downed at the
36.
Game period: 2nd Quarter
Time Remaining: 3:58
Frost in at QB. He's being chased and dumps a pass off in the general
direction of Wiggins.
2nd and 10 at the 36. Green gets it, gains 2.
Frost passes to Makovicka, he's downfield to the White 25 before he's
stopped.
Frost tries to hit Vershan Jackson, it goes through his hands.
Handoff, up the middle, gain of about 2.
Frost hits lance Brown, he's stopped at the 16.
Just enough for the 1st down.
Legate up the middle, no gain.
Frost keeps it, no gain on that one.
3rd and 10 at the 16. Time out by the White team, just 47 seconds left
in the half.
Frost is flushed from the pocket, just gets the pass off, incomplete.
Brown in for a 33 yard field goal attempt.
It's good!
Field Goal, Red Team
Game period: 2nd Quarter
Red Squad: 31 White Squad: 7
Time Remaining: 0:35
Brown's kick goes to the goal line, Peterson takes it out to about the
20.
Shotgun formation, incomplete pass by Perino.
Perino pitches to Cobb, he gets to the 27, short of the 1st.
3rd and a long 2. Shotgun, pass over the head of the receiver.
LeFleur back to punt, just gets it off, taken by Walker who gets out
to the 41.
Frost passes deep, Lake can't reach it. But the White team is called
for pass interference.
Ball at the White 45. Frost is dumped back at the Red 46 to end the
first half.3
Game period: Halftime
Red Squad: 31 White Squad: 7
Time Remaining: 0:00
Halftime
It appears Scott Frost has been working on passing to avoid the sack.
3rd Quarter
The kickoff goes into the end zone, the White squad will take over at
the 20.
Perino in at QB. Cobb gets out to the 27.
2nd and 7. Option left, pitch to Cobb, he's out to about the 29 but
short of the 1st.
The white team calls time out.
I missed a play, illegal procedure on the white team is declined, sets
up 4th down.
The punt is just barely away, taken by Wiggins at the 29, he's across
midfield and finally brought down at the 41.
Green gets to the 34.
Green gets back to the 34, the ball might have come free but was blown
dead. Green again, gets 4 and the 1st down.
Ball at the White 30. Frost on a bootleg, he's down to the 22.
Frost back, screen, dropped by Legate.
3rd and 2 at the White 22.
Green, he'll be just short of the 1st.
Frost sneaks it on 4th down, he didn't pick up the 1st.
Christo in at QB for the white team.
Wieting gets the pitch, is out of bounds at the line.
Alexander gets 2.
Pass to Haafke is short.
LaFleur back to punt. Brown/Wiggins back, Wiggins gets it at the 44,
makes it to the White 43.
Frost keeps it, short gain.
Frost pitches it wide, Green has to fall on it for a big loss.
Rucker got a hand on the pitch. Ball back at the Red 45, 3rd and 22.
Green is back across midfield to the 48.
4th and 15, Kosch comes in to punt. Whistles before the punt, they'll
do it again. This time Walker takes it at the 10, and is buried at the
19.
London in at QB, he's back to pass, caught by Haafke at the 23.
London keeps it, no gain.
Time out, 6 1/2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.
London hits Haafke for a 1st down.
London keeps it, knocked out at the 36.
2nd and 8. London is dumped by Wills at the 31. Flag on the play,
excessive celebration.
That gives the White team a 1st down at the 47.
London is hit from behind before he can get a pass off.
Alexander evades several tackles and gets all the way to the Red 30,
that should just about double the White's total yardage for the game,
to about 35 total yards.
Running play gets 2.
Alexander again, he's down to the 22.
3rd and 3. Miller to the 20, he'll be a yard short.
They go for it on 4th down. Flags on the play, false start, that will
move the White team back.
Pass by London picks up a 1st down.
London keeps it, down to the 11.
2nd and 6. Alexander breaks a couple more tackles and drags defenders
to the 4.
1st and goal at the 4. Alexander is making his statement for moving up
the depth chart.
London is knocked out just outside the goal line.
3rd and inches. Alexander bulls his way in for the TD.
Alexander was listed at FB at the start of spring drills, but has been
at I-back most of the game.
The white team wants to go for 2, the red team calls time out.
London hits Haafke in the end zone for 2.
Red Squad: 31 White Squad: 15
Retzlaff's kick is taken 3 yards deep, brought out to the 21.
Frost rolls right and is dumped back at the 18 by Kelsay.
Frost tries to hit Sims coming over the middle, incomplete.
3rd and 12. Pass to Sims is complete this time, knocked out of bounds
by Foreman after a good gain.
That ends the 3rd quarter.
4th Quarter
1st down at the 34. Pass complete to Wiggins for another 1st down.
Sims gets 2 out to the 48.
Frost back to pass to Brown, he'll be a little short of the 1st.
They go for it on 4th and 1. Frost keeps it, ducks to the 44 for the
1st down.
Makovicka gets 4 to the 40.
2nd and 6. Frost loses a couple on a busted play.
shotgun on 3rd and 11. Frost keeps it, gets to the 41.
Fake punt by Kosch, he's nailed before he can pick up much yardage.
London in for the White team, Miller gets to the 47, 2nd and 6 coming.
A good pass play gets to the Red 31.
Cobb gets to the 27.
Alexander gets a good hole, he scores.
Touchdown White Squad
They go for 2 again. London option left, he's nailed.
Game period: 4th Quarter
Red Squad: 31 White Squad: 21
Time Remaining: 9:09
The kick is taken at the 12 by Wiggins, he brings it out to the 35.
Frost pitches to Green, he gets to the 39.
Frost drops back, pass incomplete to Lake, who drops another one.
Technology failure, we missed a few plays as a result.
The Red team has the ball.
Shotgun formation, pass to Brown at the 16, but there are flags on the
play, could be roughing the passer.
Shotgun on 1st and goal at the 7.
Pass incomplete to Wiggins, knocked down by Warfield.
Pass to Lake is knocked away by McFarlin
3rd and goal at the 7. Frost rolls right, knocked away from Vershan
Jackson by Warfield.
brown comes in for a 25 yard field goal attempt.
It's short, but just barely good.
Hadenfeld will kick off. Brown at the 1, he slips a tackle at the 25
and is brought down by a red mob at the 30.
Runty in at QB. He hits his Roy deep downfield and he's tackled by his
shoestrings.
1st and 10 at the 17. Running play gets to the 12.
Pitch to Alexander, he drags players with him to the 1.
Runty on a bootleg, he makes it to the corner to score.
Over 5 minutes left in the game, this could get interesting.
The PAT is good by Long.
Game period: 4th Quarter
Red Squad: 34 White Squad: 28
The kick is taken at the 8, brought out to the 24 by Finley.
Perino is the Red QB. Option left, he gets to the 25.
Pass to Brown, he's out to the 41 for a 1st down.
Stanislav gets to near midfield.
2nd and 8. Perino goes left, gets 5.
Perino is hit as he tries to pass, incomplete.
Hadenfeld will punt. It stays in bounds and is downed ab the 7.
3:34 left in the game for the White team to try to pull off a big
comeback, down 31-7 at one point.
Christo in at QB. Cheatham switches to the white team.
Running play, it doesn't gain much.
Pass to Wieting is complete for a 1st down at the 18.
Christo keeps it, out to the 28, close to the 1st down.
2:19 and running on the clock.
Shotgun formation, Christo takes off, is stopped at the 29.
Christo is dumped before he can do anything with the ball.
1:20 left. Shotgun formation. Pass interference downfield.
That puts the ball at the 43, 1st down.
1:14 left. Christo back, nearly intercepted.
2nd and 10. Pass incomplete again.
3rd and 10, 1:01 left in the game.
Christo drops the ball, picks it up, throws downfield, contact but no
interference flag.
Christo gets to the 42 on 4th down, the red team will take over with
under a minute left in the game.
Perino keeps it to the 40.
Perino drops the ball, picks it up again, is dropped.
That ends the game.
Final Score Red Squad: 34 White Squad: 28
Thanks for following along with the textcast, see you all in the fall.
I'm Mike Nolan.