Thursday, March 20, 2008

TUSCULUM SPRING FOOTBALL PRACTICE CONTINUES

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Spring practice for the Tusculum College football team is coming to a close and will culminate with the annual spring game on Saturday, March 29^th at 2 p.m.

Over 85 players are in camp this spring for head coach Frankie DeBusk, as the Pioneers continue their preparations for this fall. Tusculum has already conducted one scrimmage and will hold another this coming Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Tusculum practice field. The public is welcomed to attend.

On offense, the Pioneers have seven starters from last year’s squad in camp for offensive coordinator Marc Kolb, including three-year starting quarterback Corey Russell. Russell (Speedwell, Tenn./Cumberland Gap HS) is having an outstanding spring, after passing for 2,817 yards and 24 touchdowns last year. Russell led the South Atlantic Conference in passing offense (256.1 ypg) and total offense per game (285.5 ypg). Altorien Reed (Darien, Ga./McIntosh Academy) has been seeing action at quarterback as well. Reed has yet to attempt a pass in his TC career, but has been the back-up signal caller this spring. Brandon Behenna (Sharpsburg, Ga./East Coweta HS) last year’s second string QB, is playing for the Tusculum baseball team this spring.

All-Conference receiver Ryan Tallent (Maryville, Tenn./Maryville HS) has also shined for Tusculum. Tallent led the league in 2007 with 59 receptions for 696 yards and six touchdowns. Rising sophomore Cameron Harris (Titusville, Fla./Astronaut) is also back after playing in six games, missing five contests due to injury. In Tusculum’s first scrimmage of the spring, Harris scored three touchdowns. Jarrell NeSmith (Russellville, Ala./Russellville HS) posted 31 receptions for 325 yards and two touchdowns a year ago. He also shined off the field, earning the SAC Scholar Athlete Award for football.

At running back, Marcus Foster (Siloam, Ga./Greene County HS) has been turning heads as he has had outstanding spring and shown a lot of growth. In 2007, Foster played in eight games where he rushed 204 yards on 38 carries. Jamar Ferguson (Jasper, S.C./Jasper County HS) is also back, but has been banged up and is receiving limited time in the backfield. Ferguson finished third on the team last season rushing 59 times for 271 yards. Freddie Jones and Jordan Kitzmiller have also been competing for playing time during the spring.

On the offensive line, Danny Partida (Tujunga, Calif./Glendale CC/Verdugo Hills HS) has been anchoring the center position, while freshman Hannibal Ruiz (Atlanta, Ga./McNair HS) and Josh Stone (Smithville, Tenn./DeKalb County HS) have seen playing time at the guard position.

“We’re much further along this season offensively than we were at this time last year,” said DeBusk. “This is the second year of running this offense for our team and they have picked up on it very well. We are banged up on the offensive line, but it has allowed us to get some experience to our young players and they have responded well.”

First-year defensive coordinator Pete Golding has assembled a very athletic and hard-hitting squad. On the defensive front, the trio of Rynel Butler, Zach Walker (Gaston, S.C./Swansea HS) and Brandon Kelley (LaGrange, Ga./LaGrange HS) returns. Kelley recorded 44 tackles in 2007, including six for loss and four sacks. Walker finished with 32 tackles, including six behind the line of scrimmage, while Butler posted 25 stops last season.

A strong corps of talent highlights the linebacker spot, led by the Pioneers’ top returning tacklers in All-SAC standouts Jarvis Littlejohn and Justin Scott. Littlejohn (Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney HS) made a team-best 85 tackles, including 11 for loss and two sacks, while Scott (Jamestown, S.C./Timberland HS) recorded 78 hits, including 14 for loss, four sacks, an interception and recovered four fumbles. Scott Harris (Statham, Ga./Winder-Barrow HS), Zach Norman (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood HS) and Jermaine Jennings have impressed the coaching staffs while newcomers Randy Williams (Daleville, Ala./Daleville HS) and Javon Forsett (Ceder Hill, Texas/Butte JC) have also made solid contributions. Williams has moved to the defensive side of the ball after playing the last two seasons at running back. Forsett joined the Pioneers at the beginning of this semester.

Jeremy Thompson (Rome, Ga./Rome HS) is back as the top tackler in the defensive secondary. The All-SAC First Team selection accounted for 55 tackles and three interceptions for Tusculum, while Tagon Richard (Laurens, S.C./Laurens HS) also returns after making 30 tackles in 2007. Charles Sullivan (is back for the Pioneers, while Tamaji Jones (Duncan, S.C./Byrnes HS) and Allen Thomas are challenging for playing time at defensive back.

The Pioneers return experience at the punter and placekicker slots. Two-time All-Region punter John Gregory (Ooltewah, Tenn./Ooltewah HS) is slated to be back, averaging 40.9 yards per punt on 54 attempts last season, including 20 inside the 20-yard line. Gareth Rowlands (Wales, Great Britain/Kings Academy) handled a majority of the kickoff duties in 2007, while scoring 15 points in extra points and field goals.

“Our defense is very athletic and have been flying to the ball well all spring,” DeBusk said. “Our coaches have been excellent teachers during this time, resulting in our team taking in a lot of information in a short period of time. On special teams, our kickers continue to work on their consistency. This was an area we needed to address and they have worked extremely hard to get better.”

“I’ve been pleased with our team’s overall performance and I’m looking forward to see how we play this Saturday and in the spring game next weekend,” added DeBusk.

Tusculum opens the 2008 season on Aug. 30 when the Pioneers host Charleston (W.Va.). That game will kickoff at 1 p.m. from Pioneer Field.

- TC -