Various Position Groups Shine in Annual Orange-Blue Spring Game
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April 12, 2014
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Greyson Lambert threw the game’s only two touchdown passes to lead an injury-depleted offense in the annual Orange-Blue spring game.
There’s still evaluating to do, coach Mike London said Saturday of the outcome of Lambert’s battle for the quarterback job against incumbent David Watford and Matt Johns.
“We’ll make that decision early. We’ll make that decision soon,” London said of the quarterback position.
Lambert finished 18-of-31 for 220 yards with two interceptions and a sack in the scrimmage. His touchdown passes covered 22 yards to Andrew Levrone, a pass that was under thrown, forcing Levrone to wrestle it away from a defensive back, and 16 yards to Kyle Dockins, who split two defenders at the goal line.
The drive was necessary for everyone, even the defense, linebacker Henry Coley said.
“You just don’t want all three-and-outs, three-and-outs all the time. That’s makes it easy,” Coley said. “At the end of the day, we’re all still a team, and if the offense is progressing, then we’re progressing as a team and that’s what we want.”
The key to that, it would seem, is Lambert, who said he put too much pressure on himself last year trying not to fail instead of trying to succeed.
“Coming in this year, he had a lot more confidence,” Levrone said of Lambert. “Even when the coaches would say something to him, he wouldn’t lose his head. He’d be good. He knew what he had to do and what the mission was and he’d be ready to get back out there and accomplish it.”
The Cavaliers split the team into Orange (offense) and Blue (defense) because of injuries, mostly on the offensive line, and the defense dominated. It registered four interceptions and nine sacks under the liberal rules that considered it a sack each time the quarterback was touched with the ball in his hands.
Watford finished 4-for-14 for 31 yards with two interceptions and three sacks; Johns was 6-for-19 for 43 yards, also with three sacks.
Ian Frye kicked a pair of field goals, including a 48-yarder, and Alec Vozenilek missed a 54-yard attempt.
Five offensive linemen, top tailback Kevin Parks and top receiver Jake McGee, all sat out with injuries.