DES
MOINES, Iowa - The Drake
football team ended preseason camp by conducting its first scrimmage of
preseason camp Saturday (Aug. 18) at Drake Stadium with the defense prevailing
over the offense, 60-34.
The Bulldogs went
through a nearly two-hour controlled scrimmage involving the first-team offense
against the first-team defense; the second-team offense against the second-team
defense; the second-team offense against the first-team defense; the first-team
offense against the second-team defense and the third-team offense against the
third-team defense.
Senior Mike Piatkowski (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton
Warrenville South) played one series for the offensive unit
completing 3-of-6 passes for 15 yards.
The first significant drive for
the offense was engineered by sophomore quarterback Stephen Covalt (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge), who led at
65-yard drive highlighted by a 37-yard completion to freshman wide receiver Blake Beauchamp (St. Louis,
Mo./Lindbergh) to the two. Senior back Trey Morse (Elmo, Texas/Parish Episcopal
School) punched in the touchdown with a two-yard scamper up the
middle.
Covalt also struck on his next
drive. After starting at its own 25, the offense moved into the red zone on
impressive runs by sophomore back Gary Scott Jr. (Forsyth, Ill./Maroa-Forsyth).
Covalt hit senior tight end Kevin Marshall (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South) for
an eight-yard touchdown pass to cap the drive.
Freshman running backs tried to bring White back into the game late. Grant Krueger (St. Louis,
Mo./Lindbergh) had a run of 15 yards followed
by AJ Washington (St. Louis,
Mo./Mary Institute Country Day) running
for 18.
Junior T.J. James (Des
Moines, Iowa/Lincoln) carried the ball eight
times for 38 yards on the game, while Covalt completed 7-of-11 passes for 73
yards and two touchdowns. Junior
quarterback Nick Ens (Grand
Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central) completed
8-of-10 passes for 41 yards.
Drake's defensive
unit had a strong showing on the afternoon stymieing the Bulldogs' offense.
Sophomore defensive back John Bloss
(Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) turned
the tide of the game when he intercepted a Covalt pass and ran it back 60 yards
for a touchdown.
On the next drive, senior defensive end Brandon Coleman (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) recovered
a Scott Jr. fumble to score.
Senior linebacker Tyler Moorehead (Mason City, Iowa/Newman Catholic) had two sacks on the afternoon.
The defense put the score out
of reach with two interceptions late. Freshman defensive back Michael Roane (Chanhassen, Minn./Holy Family Catholic) intercepted
freshman quarterback Cody Thibault (Lone Tree, Colo./Valor Christian),
he was intercepted again on his next drive by freshman defensive back Patrick Downing (Encinitas, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) to
end the game.
Saturday's
scrimmage also featured live reps for the special teams, including kickoffs,
punts, field goals and PAT conversion.
The Bulldogs will
open their 119th season of intercollegiate football on Aug. 30 as Drake
entertains cross-town foe Grand View in a 7:00 p.m. tilt in Drake Stadium. For tickets call (515)
271-DOGS (3647) or visit www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com.
To keep up with
Bulldogs' football on the web, visit www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com
and be sure to follow @DUBulldogs
on Twitter.
