Aug. 19, 2000
COLUMBIA, Mo. - It was a successful day on and off the field for the Missouri football program on Saturday. Over 3,000 fans came out to Memorial Stadium, despite periods of showers, to tour the brand new $13.1 million press box as well as watch the Missouri football team in action. More than 75 season tickets were sold at the "Select-a-Seat" event.
On the field, Coach LARRY SMITH was pleased with the Tigers two-hour scrimmage that saw the offense generate three touchdowns. The defense tallied six points as did the Mizzou special teams.
The first score occurred when walk-on sophomore GRANT THORNBERG blocked a punt and returned it seven yards for a touchdown. On the very next possession, quarterback KIRK FARMER had a pass batted in the air by outside linebacker SEAN AIN. Tiger nose tackle JEMARCUS JOSHUA leaped into the air to intercept the pass and rumbled 40 yards into the end zone for the score.
The Missouri defense dominated most of the scrimmage, led by junior all-American JUSTIN SMITH. Smith tallied three sacks on the game for 22 yards and added four other tackles for loss. Senior defensive tackle DANNY MCCAMY registered two quarterback sacks while senior outside linebacker PAT DUFFY made two tackles for loss and added half a sack.
The Mizzou offense struggled through the air, but generated positive yardage on the ground. Junior ZAIN GILMORE carried the ball 11 times for 94 yards while redshirt freshman ZACK ABRON added 81 yards on 17 carries.
Farmer got things going late in the scrimmage, connecting with wide receiver TRAVIS GARVIN six times on the night. Farmer (13-of-27, 182 yds.) led the Tigers on their first offensive scoring strike when he hit junior ERIC SPENCER for a 50-yard touchdown pass. Spencer caught the pass near the 20-yard line, regained his balance, and put a move on safety ANDRE ROBERSON for the score.
Junior quarterback JIMMIE DOUGHERTY led the offense on its' second scoring drive on the next possession. Dougherty (4-of-8, 61 yds.) connected with wide receivers BRANDON BARNES and JUSTIN GAGE for back-to-back receptions. Then, from the 25-yard line, Dougherty hit Gage with a pass in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown.
Farmer led the Tigers on their final scoring drive capped off on a six-yard pass play to tight end DWAYNE BLAKLEY for the touchdown.
The Tigers will take the next two days off and resume practice on Tuesday afternoon.
SCORING PLAYS ? Grant Thornberg 7-yd blocked punt return (no PAT) ? Jemarcus Joshua 40-yd interception return (no PAT) ? Eric Spencer 50-yd pass from Kirk Farmer (Brad Hammerich PAT) ? Justin Gage 25-yd pass from Jim Dougherty (Justin Scott PAT) ? Dwayne Blakley 6-yd pass from Farmer (Hammerich PAT)
PASSING TOTALS Tiger Comp. Att. Yds. TD Int. Kirk Farmer 13 27 182 2 1 Jim Dougherty 4 8 61 1 0 Darius Outlaw 5 13 43 0 0 Ben Arnold 1 2 6 0 0 Cody Buford 0 3 0 0 0
RUSHING TOTALS Tiger No. Yds. TD Zack Abron 17 81 0 Zain Gilmore 11 94 0 Dan Davis 11 21 0 Kirk Farmer 5 -24 0 Chad Giffen 4 -3 0 Darius Outlaw 4 -19 0 Shan Schauffler 3 -6 0 Jim Dougherty 2 -10 0 Justin Gage 1 13 0 Cody Buford 1 -6 0 Travis Garvin 1 -7 0
RECEIVING TOTALS Tiger No. Yds. TD Travis Garvin 6 72 0 Justin Gage 3 66 1 Dwayne Blakley 3 26 1 Brandon Barnes 3 25 0 John Dausman 2 21 0 Tay Jackson 2 8 0 Eric Spencer 1 50 1 Zain Gilmore 1 13 0 Matt Blomquist 1 6 0 Marcus James 1 5 0
SACKS Tiger No. Yds. Justin Smith 3 21 Danny McCamy 2 8 Antwaun Bynum 1 8 Keith Wright 1 6 James Kinney 1 6 Jemarcus Joshua 1 5 Julian Jones 1 5 Pat Duffy 1 5 Daryl Whittington 1 5
TACKLES FOR LOSS Tiger No. Yds. Justin Smith 4 12 Pat Duffy 2 5 Antwaun Bynum 1 7 Grant Thornberg 1 5 Sean Ain 1 4 Milton Phifer 1 3 James Kinney 1 2 Michael Gavins 1 1
INTERCEPTIONS Tiger No. Yds. TD Jemarcus Joshua 1 40 1
PUNTING Tiger No. Yds. Avg. Jared Gilpin 3 107 35.6 Brock Harvey 1 36 36.0
PUNT RETURNS Tiger No. Yds. Avg. Eric Spencer 2 27 13.5
KICKOFF RETURNS Tiger No. Yds. Avg. Ricardo Rhodes 1 24 24.0