Albany State defense shines in spring football game

ALBANY — Albany State quarterback Frank Rivers started Thursday’s Blue and Gold spring game fast, tossing a first quarter touchdown to Jessie Atkins to give the offense an early lead.

Grover Stewart and the ASU defense finished faster.

Stewart, a former Mitchell County star and rising sophomore defensive end, sacked Rivers and picked up a fumble to help the “Dirty Blue” defense storm back in the annual intrasquad scrimmage for a 32-24 victory.

“It feels good to be out here playing with my team,” Stewart said. “The defense has been working hard, training hard and coming together as a family, so we are playing better as a team.”

Stewart highlighted a defensive effort that held Rivers to just three completions and 18 yards in the final three quarters of the scrimmage, which was the culmination of ASU’s spring practices.

Rivers is beginning his second season with the Rams since transferring to ASU from Grambling State last summer, and despite finishing the game 9-for-17 for 100 yards and a touchdown, Rivers said the offense made significant strides this spring.

“We got better as an offensive unit this spring, but we didn’t finish like we wanted to,” Rivers said. “Overall, we got better at practice each and every day, so that’s what we wanted to do.”

Rivers completed six of seven passes in the first quarter, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to Atkins on the final play of the quarter. Atkins, a Camilla native, caught four passes for 44 yards to lead all receivers.

But after marching down the field for a quick TD in the first quarter, the ASU offense stalled in the second quarter, gaining just 10 yards on 10 plays and turning the ball over on downs three times. The defense, which acquired points nine different ways during the game, picked up points for three tackles for losses, two three-and-outs and a sack to take a 20-15 lead into halftime.

The defense was equally impressive in the third quarter, holding Rivers and the ASU offense to 41 yards and forcing a turnover when Stewart recovered a fumble from running back Phillip Moore.

In the fourth quarter, the ASU offense finally found the end zone again when backup quarterback Caleb Edmond threw a 10-yard touchdown to Leonard Walker — who finished with three catches for 43 yards — on the final play of the game. During 20 minutes of 7-on-7 drills during halftime, Rivers threw touchdowns to Walker, Devonta Osborne, Tevin Isom, Elijah Jordan and Quadrey Simmons.

ASU coach Mike White said Rivers’ development as a quarterback continues to be a process.

“This spring he should be further along than he was before,” White said. “He should be comfortable back there a little bit more now than he was last year.”

The Rams rushed the ball 18 times but gained just 42 yards, and the only running play that gained more than 10 yards was a 15-yard rush from Adrian Alexander in the third quarter.

“When we watch the film we will be able to see a lot more, but I thought we would be able to run the ball a little better with Adrian and (Jarvis) Small on the outside a little more,” White said. “I just thought they played hard. When I watch the film I will be able to say a little more about the positives. I just thought we went at each other and played hard. Now it’s time for us to go back and evaluate and see exactly what we need to polish.”