UTRGV Football Notebook: D-Line disruptive in Spring Ball

1 month ago 48

EDINBURG — Practice No. 9 of Spring Ball for the UTRGV Football Team featured an intrasquad scrimmage at the Vaqueros Performance Center on Tuesday.

The scrimmage kicked off with the defense’s back against the wall with live goal line action, setting the offense up at the 3, 2 and 1-yard lines for three to four attempts at getting in the end zone.

The UTRGV first team defense stopped the offense on a first down run from the 3, forced an incompletion on a second down throw from the 2, and stuffed another run from the 1, leading to a roar from the defensive side of the ball after forcing a field goal attempt.

“We hit a lot of reps and had a good physical battle. We felt like there were pads popping and effort across the board putting them in different situations,” UTRGV head coach Travis Bush said. “As a head coach, you want to see good plays by the offense and defense. There were times the defense really looked good keeping the offense out of the end zone for the most part. In the controlled scrimmage, you saw the offense put some drives together, hit some explosive plays, and the same thing defensively there to make some good plays and got some sacks. For me, I want to see good on both sides, but obviously on both sides, we got a lot to clean up.”

The UTRGV defensive line has been disruptive through the first four weeks of Spring Ball and the group was at it again during Tuesday’s scrimmage. It started with the goal line stand and continued with consistent pressure during the controlled portion.

“They’re controlling the line of scrimmage for the most part and that’s really good,” Bush said. “You saw at the goal line, they stuffed the offense and that was the D-line handling all that. Three plays from the 3, 2 and 1 didn’t score and that’s because of those guys. They’re really getting after it and playing with their hair on fire.”

“Goal line, I thought we got it done today. We got to work on our tackling, but on the defensive side, we did great,” redshirt freshman Arizona transfer Nicholas Fernandez said. “We started off the scrimmage hot today, defense knowing we had to bounce back from offense having a good practice a couple days ago, so we had a good day.”

The first group of the Vaqueros’ defensive front has included redshirt sophomore Lamar transfer Ian Box and freshmen Abdon Mata and Ja’Marcus Anderson at defensive ends, and a rotation at defensive tackle of Fernandez and freshmen Jaden Wincher, DaCorien Thompson and D’Andre Harwell, with Fernandez and Wincher leading the group.

Fernandez and Wincher were up first on the interior during Tuesday’s scrimmage and had a strong day battling in the trenches. Wincher is a Pearland alum, while Fernandez is a San Pedro, California native who spent his first two seasons of college football at Arizona.

“Before I step on the field, first, I thank my Lord and Savior before every drive. I try to touch the grass and do the sign of the cross, but once I get my hand in that grass and I’m in front of the center or guard, I know I’m going to get my hands on you before you get your hands on me,” Fernandez said.

Box, who spent two seasons at Lamar, was the first player in program history to transfer to UTRGV in January 2024. He’s been active all spring in setting the edge, applying pressure and stopping the run.

“Pass rush has been a lot better. We have a great edges coach in Coach Lock (James Lockhart),” Box said. “He’s been getting us right and helping us improve. We’re getting more edges on the field, getting fast guys on the field in different packages and I think we owe it to that guy.”

The Cibolo-Steele alum Mata and Dickinson alum Anderson have lined up opposite of Box and have come on strong since joining the program in August as freshmen.

“We want the offense to fear us at the end of the day,” Mata said. “We got to find a way to cause havoc, be dogs, make tackles, tackles for losses and make plays.”

UTRGV has two more practices this week on Thursday and Saturday and two next week before taking the field for the first spring game in program history at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 17 at Brownsville Veterans Memorial High School in Brownsville. Tickets for the spring game are free and available at UTRGVTickets.com.

“We just have to make the most of our opportunities. We have to get what we can out of them and make them count,” Box said.

The post UTRGV Football Notebook: D-Line disruptive in Spring Ball appeared first on MyRGV.com.

Read Entire Article