Offense shines in preseason scrimmage

Mustang football fans got their first chance to see the2004-2005 team during a scrimmage on Saturday evening. The Mustangsshowed off their revamped offense under the direction of newoffensive coordinator Rusty Burns. The offense received a boostfrom incumbent starting quarterback Chris Phillips.

Phillips finished the scrimmage completing 8-of-13 passes for 85yards and a touchdown. He also carried the ball four times for 26yards.

Young receivers also showed promise. Freshman Devin Lowerysnatched four of Phillips passes for 54 yards. Sophomore BlakeWarren caught four passes of his own for a total of 25 yards.Freshman Cedric Dorsey was on the receiving end of Phillips’16-yard touchdown pass.

The most impressive offensive output, however, came from kickerChris McMurtray who nailed six of seven field goals. His lone misscame on a 52-yard attempt, but he successfully nailed attempts from25, 42 and 47 yards.

The Mustang defense also showed improvement in the team’sscrimmage.

“As a defense we’re gelling and our chemistry isgetting better,” junior outside linebacker DonIeremia-Stansbury said. “The scrimmage was a pretty solideffort.”

Stansbury also has seen the new coaching staff’s immediateimpact.

“They’re doing a great job already,” he said.”They’re great coaches and great people with lots ofexperience.”

The main impact of the new coaches is that, according toStansbury, the team’s overall attitude has changed.

“Now we don’t have a lot of complainers,” hesaid. “Everyone comes to work.”

As for the Mustangs’ first game against Texas Tech,Stansbury still feels the defense and team as a whole canimprove.

“We still want to feel more complete with the defense andwe need to know it like the back of our hand,” he said.”We need to be sure we understand how Tech’s offensematches up against our defense.”

The Mustangs take on the Red Raiders in their first gameSaturday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. in Gerald J. Ford Stadium.