McCoy’s touchdown helps Blue Waves defeat Orange Crush in C-N’s spring game
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Blue Waves scored on their opening drive to set the tone for a 10-7 victory over the Orange Crush in Carson-Newman football’s annual spring game Saturday at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
VIDEO: Anthony Golliver Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Blue Waves scored on their opening drive to set the tone for a 10-7 victory over the Orange Crush in Carson-Newman football's annual spring game Saturday at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
"It was really fun," Blue Waves head coach Anthony Goliver said. "From my understanding, this is the first time we've had a true spring game at Carson-Newman in a long time. From a depth (perspective), it was great to be able to do that from a health standpoint. Got to see guys compete that don't normally compete on the same 1s and 2's level. It was really good to get the whole team out there and really get to play. From a special teams coordinator perspective, it was great to see all those guys get more reps and more film to evaluate them as we go into the fall."
The contest was played as a normal game, with a running clock in the second and third quarters. The only other minor change to the game was that all special teams returns were played as two-hand touch.
The Blue Waves started the game with a fabulous opening drive. Quarterback Eli Graf kept the drive going, converting a third and long with a 13-yard run. After consecutive quality runs that resulted in a first down for the Blue Waves, they would break the longest running play of the game. Kayden McCoy took a rocket toss from Graf and sprinted 39 yards to the house to make it 7-0 with 11:39 left in the first quarter.
The Blue team forced the game's first turnover late in the second quarter. Jerron Blakely intercepted a pass and returned it back into Orange territory. With 31 seconds remaining in the first half, Bennett Smith buried a 40-yard field goal to extend Blue's lead to 10-0.
Both teams forced a turnover when Braylon Grayson deflected a speed option pitch and recovered the fumble at the halfway point of the third quarter.
Orange drove the ball into Blue's territory three separate times, but was unable to convert fourth down chances nearing the red zone.
Team Orange finally broke through with a late fourth quarter scoring drive. Mason Ellis helped get the drive going with a 20-yard run. Quarterback Shooby Coleman got the Orange Crush into the redzone with a 38-yard scramble. That set up Jaden Jones for a five-yard touchdown run to make it a three-point game.
The Blue Waves recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt to secure the narrow win.
Throughout the game, both teams' defenses forced multiple three and outs.
Carson-Newman has one spring practice remaining before beginning offseason conditioning.
