Aug. 24, 2002
Bowling Green, Ky. - Coach Jack Harbaugh's 2002 edition Western Kentucky Hilltoppers completed preseason camp with an intrasquad scrimmage at the WKU practice facility this evening and the veteran Topper mentor saw things he liked and some he did not.
"We were kind of leg-weary out there this afternoon," he commented. "We're just tired of looking at each other and it looked like it early. But, things picked up the longer we played.
"On offense, I thought we protected the ball pretty well," he added. "And, I don't think there were a lot of missed assignments. We know what we want to do, but we still needs some reps on perfecting a few things in our game that we'll need."
Jason Micheal (5-10, 200, Sr., Louisa, Ky.), the only experienced quarterback on the Western roster, played in just two series, but completed four of five passes for 82 yards and a score. "We made up our minds that Jason would play just two series," Harbaugh commented. "We wanted to take a long look at both Antone Towns (6-2, 195, So., Louisville, Ky.) and Perez Smith (5-8, 185, Jr., Broxton, Ga.) and both young men showed us some good things."
Towns hit on nine of 18 passes for 172 yards and a pair of scores while Smith made good on three of six throws for 67 yards and a TD.
Harbaugh, who has indicated his patented option offense will be more varied this season, saw his three quarterbacks complete 16 of 29 passes for 221 yards and four scores. Jerome Reaves (6-3, 195, Sr., Arcadia, Fla.) led the receiving corps with five catches for 80 yards, including a 45-yarder for a TD. Casey Rooney (6-1, 200, Sr., Souix City, Iowa), a converted quarterback who transferred from Memphis, hauled down three passes for 62 yards, scoring on strikes of 24 and 34 yards. Shannon Hayes (6-0, 195, Jr., McKenzie, Tenn.) had three catches for 77 yards and running back Jon Frazier (5-9, 180, Sr., Central City, Ky.) had two receptions, including one for a 56-yard score.
Frazier (12 carries for 81 yards) and rookie Reggie Dent (6-0, 215, Fr., Columbia, Mo.), who totaled 88 yards on 18 tries and scored the Toppers' only TD on the ground (a two-yard dive), led the Hilltopper rushing game. Fullback Maurice Bradley (6-0, 245, So., Mansfield, Ohio) added 73 yards on the ground on 12 carries. Fullback Jeremi Johnson (5-11, 275, Sr., Louisville, Ky.), who just joined the team this week after transferring from Indiana, was credited with two carries for 15 yards.
Overall, the Topper offense ran 82 plays and totaled 462 yards.
Defensively, linebacker Getty Cavitt (6-1, 230, Jr., Owensboro, Ky.) led the way with eight tackles. Linebackers Sherrod Coates (6-2, 225, Sr., Boynton Beach, Fla.) and Charles Thompson (6-1, 235, Jr., Louisville, Ky.) teamed up for a touchdown for the Topper defense. Thompson blocked a punt that Coates retrieved and carried into the endzone.
And, punter Brian Claybourn (6-1, 185, Jr., Evansville, Ind.) booted the ball five times for a solid 40.8 average.
The Hilltoppers now turn their attention to preparing for the season opener at Kansas State next Saturday (6:10 p.m., CDT, kickoff). Western then returns home to begin a three-game homestand when Kentucky State comes to L.T. Smith Stadium/Jimmy Feix Field for a 5:30 p.m. contest, Sept. 7.
