Several of the Panthers reserves and scout team players participated in the team's Scout Bowl in Wednesday's practice and much like this season has gone for FIU there was plenty of defense on display.
The game was split up into an offense versus defense format where graduate assistant Dennis "D-Train" Smith coached the offense and graduate assistant Phil Ockinga coached the defense.
As is the norm, the offense would get points for touchdowns. The defense would earn points whenever they stopped a drive, recorded sacks or forced a turnover.
Freshman defensive back Sam Gervais got the defense started with a nice breakup of a pass in the end zone. Gervais, who has made some plays in practice this season, is a former high school teammate of FIU defensive back Sam Miller while they were both at LaSalle High.
The offense had just two touchdowns in the Scout Bowl and the first one came on a nifty play by freshman quarterback Jake Medlock (left).
With a third down blitz coming at him, Medlock rolled out of the pocket to the right, sidestepped a defender and threw on the run to freshman receiver Michael Curry for a 64-yard touchdown.
Medlock would then connect with Torrance Seymour on the two-point conversion.
It was a pretty good day for freshman defensive backs as Khambrel McGee (right) intercepted Medlock on the next possession. McGee had freshman receiver Mitch Wozniak blanketed down field on the long pass. When the ball went up, so did McGee to pick it off.
Redshirt freshman safety Cain Elliott had the first of five sacks for the D. The other sacks came from Andrew Mattox, James Jones, Jeremy Jermin (below, left) and then Jermin combined with Randy Williams on another sack.
With the D ahead 17-9 and time running out in the game, junior receiver Mike Jean-Louis, who can fly, caught a screen pass from Medlock and took it 57 yards for a touchdown. Jean-Louis earned the touchdown with a strong stiff arm inside the 5 for the score. Jean-Louis is a junior transfer from Miles College.
The offense tied the score at 17-17 and sent the game into overtime after Glenn Coleman scored easily on a reverse for the two-point conversion.
As the two sides prepared for OT, MC announced it would be a one-possession winner take-all OT.
The O almost ended the game immediately in OT when Coleman leaped in the back of the end zone for a potential TD pass from Medlock. However, the ball was just above Coleman's outstretched fingertips.
Medlock drew the O closer to the end zone when he connected with Wozniak at the 10. A play later on pass interference, the O got the ball to the 5.
But then much like the FIU D did to Western Kentucky late in the game, the scout team D shutdown the scout team O.
On 3rd and goal, defensive back Antwoine Bell batted away a pass in the end zone. Freshman safety Justin Halley sealed the win for the D with pass D of his own on the final play.
We'll start talking about Shula Bowl IX and the Hooters on the next post.
PANTHER PAWSE
Q&A
FIUJM: Who do you think our #1 or Friday night starter will be? Fondon? Every time I see name Winnie, I think of girl from ''The Wonder Years'.
PP: If the baseball season started right now, R.J. Fondon would probably be the Friday night starter. Although keep an eye on Illinois transfer left-hander Phil Haig. He has the talent to be a No. 1 starter as well. Here on the right is Winnie the Golden Dazzler. Below her is Winnie from "The Wonder Years".
Gooch7: PETE I have some bad news.. Your blog has been blocked out at work.. I always checked the blog during lunch and when ever I had a little extra time. Now I have to do my catching up at night. Regardless you are doing a kick ass job!
PP: Gooch, it's time for you to get a new job. LOL. Thank you very much for the kind words.
Congratulations are in order for the Golden Dazzlers, the blog post we wrote on them Dazzlers Calendar Shoot on Wednesday became the second most viewed blog post since The Prowl debuted on August 25. The ladies had 1,534 page views second only to The Prowl's debut blog of 2,109 views back on August 25.
