Long, Demps Shine in Eagles First Scrimmage
Aug. 15, 2008
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The 6th-ranked Carson-Newman Eagles held their first scrimmage of the fall early Friday morning in Burke-Tarr Stadium.
Junior cornerback Jermel Demps (Valdosta, Ga.) and senior wide receiver Justin Long (Knoville, Tenn.) both stood out in the eyes of their head coach.
"Those two made plays," Carson-Newman Head Coach Ken Sparks said. "We need guys to step up, and those are two that can help us. They've each been here for awhile, and today, they showed they're maturing."
Demps, who is battling for a spot at cornerback, had a pair of interceptions. The second he returned six yards for a touchdown, after stepping in the throwing lane of a Joel Statham (Chatsworth, Ga.) pass.
"We've got to have some guys step up in the secondary, and Jermel did today," Sparks stated. "Now we need consistency."
Long, a converted quarterback, came up with a 35-yard reception on a Joel Statham pass, out-wrestling corner P.J. Woods (Ft. Myers, Fla.) for the ball. He later added a 15-yard touchdown on a slant from Doug Belk (Valdosta, Ga.).
"He's becoming a playmaker," Sparks said of Long. "We've got to find some ways to give him more chances."
In all, the Eagles' head man, who is in his 29th season, was pleased with what he saw.
"We're in our 12th practice, and we look tired," Sparks said. "I do think we're working hard and making some strides, but it looked like our first scrimmage."
Senior Denares Waites (Alma, Ga.) came up with the first big play of the scrimmage.
After a Buck Wakefield (Drummonds, Tenn.) screen for a first down and a sack by redshirt freshman Ben Miller (Gallatin, Tenn.), Waites stepped in front of an Alex Good (Greensboro, N.C.) pass to end the first team offense's initial possession. Good tried to squeeze the ball into to junior Stephen Childs (Maryville, Tenn.) on an out route, when Waites, who has moved to strong safety, dove in front of Childs to make the pick.
Freshman running back Reggie Melton (Dothan, Ala.) would get the scrimmage's first score on a Statham-led possession. Melton took a pitch around left end and rolled in from 30 yards out for the score. Junior Tony Richardson came up with the key block on the corner, cutting down two defenders, to give his backfield mate the sideline.
Freshman Chris Shiverdecker (Jefferson City, Tenn.) showed some flashes as well. The hometown product turned out a couple of solid runs in which he broke tackles to find daylight.
Senior Aubrey Ingham (Gallatin, Tenn.) drilled a 42-yard field goal later in the morning to show some spark in the kicking game.
The Eagles will scrimmage again Saturday evening at 6 p.m. in Burke-Tarr Stadium.
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