Defense Wins Spring Game 23-12

The Florida State football finished up spring drills with the annual Garnet & Gold game Saturday afternoon in Doak Campbell Stadium. The coaches used a points system again this year and the defense came out on top by a final score of 23-12. The offense took the lead on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Keane to Robert Hallback, but Myron Rolle's 64-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed the victory for the defense. Buster Davis added five tackles (one for loss) while Kendrick Stewart and Everette Brown chipped in for the defense with two tackles for loss apiece.

Drew Weatherford completed 9-of-12 passes for 75 yards, but was picked off once by Roger Williams. Weatherford had not thrown an interception in any of the scrimmages or half-scrimmages this spring. Robert Hallback led all receivers with 68 yards on four catches with one touchdown. Joe Surratt hauled in four passes for 26 yards. Russell Ball was the top rusher, carrying six times for 27 yards. Ball injured his knee late in the scrimmage and his status has not yet been released.

The defense totaled five sacks in the game with one each coming from Brown, Geno Hayes, Letroy Guion, Paymon Forootanshad and Walter Small. Davis' five tackles led the team followed by Brown (four), Stewart (three), Rolle (three), Lawrence Timmons (three), Jamie Robinson (three) and Jae Thaxton (three).

The team wrapped up the day with goalline drills. The offense scored on three of eight attempts from the three-yard line and in. Those scores came on a three-yard run by Antone Smith, a three-yard pass from Weatherford to Greg Carr, and a one-yard pass from Jared Whipkey to Jonathan Person.

At haltime, Lorenzo Booker and Antone Smith were honored as the most valuable players on offense with Lawrence Timmons earning MVP honors on defense. Smith and Timmons shared the Hinesman Award as the most dominant players of the spring.