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    'Jacks Defense Looks Good In Opening Scrimmage
    SFA offensive unit has 280 yards of offense in 100-play scrimmage.
    Tony Tompkins
    Tony Tompkins

    April 4, 2003

    NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack football team went through its first major scrimmage of the spring Friday night rolling up 181 yards rushing and 199 yards passing in a 100-play scrimmage.

    The Lumberjack defensive unit dominated play in the early going giving nothing to the offensive unit. The offense began making plays and amassed 280 yards of offense over the latter half of the workout. SFA head coach Mike Santiago said afterward he was pleased with what he saw on both sides of the ball.

    "I saw a lot of great individual performances out here tonight. I thought the defensive unit really got after us throughout the scrimmage and made a lot of great plays. That's one of the things you hope carries over to the fall. Ben Booker put on a great show out here and I thought that overall, it was a good scrimmage. We saw some good things from the Tony Tompkins package," said Santiago.

    There were big plays throughout the 100-play scrimmage with the first score of the night coming on a 94-yard fumble return by David Crocker. Crocker picked up a Gary Allen fumble at the six and raced untouched for the score. Michael David, a wide receiver from Georgetown later scored on a 97-yard kickoff return and Thomas Williams scored on a 25-yard run and a five yard run on the night. Booker, a redshirt freshman from Beaumont, ended the night with five catches for 62 yards to lead the Lumberjack receiving corps. Tony Tompkins added four catches for 33 yards and had six carries for 47 yards.

    Three Lumberjack quarterbacks combined to complete 18 of 39 passes for 199 yards and two interceptions. Westlake, Louisiana sophomore Zeke Dixon ended the night 10-22-1 for 103 yards and Houston junior Michael Williams was 6-11-1 for 83 yards. Royal Gill, a redshirt freshman from Eagle, Idaho was 2-6 for 13 yards on the night.

    Thomas Williams led the way on the ground with 11 carries for 60 yards and the two touchdowns. Gary Allen also added 13 carries for 35 yards on the night.

    SFA will close out spring workouts next Friday night with the annual spring game beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the stadium.