Post by Banana Cat on Feb 18, 2011 23:34:45 GMT -5
This reads like Young will be the eventual starter.
www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/02/18/1373386/qb-battle-sets-up-for-fever-after.html
www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/02/18/1373386/qb-battle-sets-up-for-fever-after.html
QB battle sets up for Fever after exhibition win
By Jack Millikin, Herald staff writer
Feb. 18, 2011
KENNEWICK -- There's only so much that your season-opening exhibition game can tell you.
But if the Tri-Cities Fever learned one thing after Thursday night's 53-14 victory over the Wenatchee Venom in front of 1,600-or-so fans, it's that the Fever have a lot to be excited about.
Six different players scored touchdowns for Tri-Cities, quarterbacks Houston Lillard and Antwon Young both made cases to be the opening-day starter and several playmakers emerged on the Fever defense.
But the most impressive thing about the win?
Tri-Cities did it as a team.
"I'm happy we came out healthy. I thought we flew around on defense and played well, but we've got to limit the kind of mental mistakes that stop drives," Fever coach Adam Shackleford said. "I'm excited about the potential we have. We're certainly ahead of where we were at this time last year."
Tri-Cities got off to a slow start. The Fever's first drive stalled after a sack and two incompletions, leading to a field goal by Gary Cismesia.
The defense started slow, too, committing four penalties on Wenatchee's first drive, which culminated in Isaiah Wily's 2-yard rushing touchdown to make it 7-3 Venom.
But the Fever woke up, as Anthony Harding scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns -- a 3-yard plunge -- with 3:58 left in the first quarter to give Tri-Cities a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
"It definitely took a while to get the kinks worked out," said Harding, a 6-foot, 200-pounder out of Fresno State. "I'm just glad to be playing football again."
Lillard and Young waged an impressive battle at the quarterback spot. Each threw a touchdown pass and made a strong case to become the team's starting signal-caller.
They did it behind a solid offensive line that kept them protected all night and led the way for four rushing touchdowns.
"Houston's got experience, and Antwon has come in and worked real hard. The two of them get along really well," Shackleford said.
Young, a lanky 6-3 Villanova product, threw the Fever's first TD pass -- a 29-yard fade in the right corner of the end zone to Augustine Agyei -- to put them up 16-7. He also had one of the more memorable plays of the game when he threw a lead block around left end on an 8-yard fourth-quarter rushing TD.
"As a quarterback, that's one of the biggest things you can do, giving up your body for your team," Young said.
Lillard, who finished 6-of-14 with 99 yards passing and a score, came in as the incumbent starter after finishing last year with the Fever. But the 6-2 Southwest Missouri State grad has done everything he can to help his younger colleague get set up for success on his new team.
By the same token, though, it should be fun to watch the two battle for the right to step out there for Tri-Cities' regular-season opener against the Arizona Adrenaline at 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 at Toyota Center. But Shackleford said he will make the decision regarding the starter next Thursday.
"It's pro sports, and nothing is going to be given to me," Lillard said. "The competition has motivated me to play hard every day."
The Fever defense was absolutely suffocating, holding Wenatchee to just two yards per play and 104 total yards from scrimmage. In fact, the Venom's special team unit picked up more yards (160) on kickoff returns. That's what set up their only two touchdowns in the first half -- both on Wily TD runs.
"We know we've got talent, but you have to keep working hard in practice. You practice how you play," said Fever linebacker Joseph Thornton, a 6-1, 230-pounder. The Tennessee-Chattanooga product worked out for the Jacksonville Jaguars following his college career, but a clerical error derailed his NFL hopes this year.
He took it out on Wenatchee, coming up with five tackles -- including a key goal-line tackle of Venom quarterback Jacob Hignite on the final play of the first half -- and an interception.
"I'm pretty sure I had (another) clean interception, but they called interference," Thornton said, smiling. "This team could be great. We expect great things out of each other."
By Jack Millikin, Herald staff writer
Feb. 18, 2011
KENNEWICK -- There's only so much that your season-opening exhibition game can tell you.
But if the Tri-Cities Fever learned one thing after Thursday night's 53-14 victory over the Wenatchee Venom in front of 1,600-or-so fans, it's that the Fever have a lot to be excited about.
Six different players scored touchdowns for Tri-Cities, quarterbacks Houston Lillard and Antwon Young both made cases to be the opening-day starter and several playmakers emerged on the Fever defense.
But the most impressive thing about the win?
Tri-Cities did it as a team.
"I'm happy we came out healthy. I thought we flew around on defense and played well, but we've got to limit the kind of mental mistakes that stop drives," Fever coach Adam Shackleford said. "I'm excited about the potential we have. We're certainly ahead of where we were at this time last year."
Tri-Cities got off to a slow start. The Fever's first drive stalled after a sack and two incompletions, leading to a field goal by Gary Cismesia.
The defense started slow, too, committing four penalties on Wenatchee's first drive, which culminated in Isaiah Wily's 2-yard rushing touchdown to make it 7-3 Venom.
But the Fever woke up, as Anthony Harding scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns -- a 3-yard plunge -- with 3:58 left in the first quarter to give Tri-Cities a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
"It definitely took a while to get the kinks worked out," said Harding, a 6-foot, 200-pounder out of Fresno State. "I'm just glad to be playing football again."
Lillard and Young waged an impressive battle at the quarterback spot. Each threw a touchdown pass and made a strong case to become the team's starting signal-caller.
They did it behind a solid offensive line that kept them protected all night and led the way for four rushing touchdowns.
"Houston's got experience, and Antwon has come in and worked real hard. The two of them get along really well," Shackleford said.
Young, a lanky 6-3 Villanova product, threw the Fever's first TD pass -- a 29-yard fade in the right corner of the end zone to Augustine Agyei -- to put them up 16-7. He also had one of the more memorable plays of the game when he threw a lead block around left end on an 8-yard fourth-quarter rushing TD.
"As a quarterback, that's one of the biggest things you can do, giving up your body for your team," Young said.
Lillard, who finished 6-of-14 with 99 yards passing and a score, came in as the incumbent starter after finishing last year with the Fever. But the 6-2 Southwest Missouri State grad has done everything he can to help his younger colleague get set up for success on his new team.
By the same token, though, it should be fun to watch the two battle for the right to step out there for Tri-Cities' regular-season opener against the Arizona Adrenaline at 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 at Toyota Center. But Shackleford said he will make the decision regarding the starter next Thursday.
"It's pro sports, and nothing is going to be given to me," Lillard said. "The competition has motivated me to play hard every day."
The Fever defense was absolutely suffocating, holding Wenatchee to just two yards per play and 104 total yards from scrimmage. In fact, the Venom's special team unit picked up more yards (160) on kickoff returns. That's what set up their only two touchdowns in the first half -- both on Wily TD runs.
"We know we've got talent, but you have to keep working hard in practice. You practice how you play," said Fever linebacker Joseph Thornton, a 6-1, 230-pounder. The Tennessee-Chattanooga product worked out for the Jacksonville Jaguars following his college career, but a clerical error derailed his NFL hopes this year.
He took it out on Wenatchee, coming up with five tackles -- including a key goal-line tackle of Venom quarterback Jacob Hignite on the final play of the first half -- and an interception.
"I'm pretty sure I had (another) clean interception, but they called interference," Thornton said, smiling. "This team could be great. We expect great things out of each other."