Coach Ed Orgeron provided an update on the final scrimmage of fall camp before the team put all its effort into the University of Miami on Sept. 2.
After losing quarterbacks Justin McMillan and Lowell Narcisse this week, the quarterback battle is now down to transfer Joe Burrow and sophomore Myles Brennan.
Brennan went 5-for-19 for 47 yards and one interception in Saturday’s scrimmage while Burrow went 10-for-24 for 120 yards, one touchdown and one pick. While those numbers don’t seem great on the surface, Orgeron added that many of the passes were dropped from the receivers.
“I thought they threw the ball well and made some good decisions in two-minute drills,” Orgeron said. “A lot of passes were on the money.”
Orgeron said the team is still not close to naming a starter for the season opener against Miami.
Without Jonathan Giles and a limited Justin Jefferson, the team leader in catches was freshman Terrace Marshall, who pulled in three passes for 44 yards and a touchdown.
“There was an unusual amount of dropped passes,” Orgeron said. “We had a lot of young guys out there who didn’t catch the ball well and we need to make some improvements of that next week.”
Defensively, the unit was dominant once again during the scrimmage with freshman Damone Clark racking up five tackles and a sack, while Jacob Phillips added five more tackles.
One question mark defensively has been who will start opposite Greedy Williams in the cornerback slot. Sophomore Kary Vincent Jr. and freshman Kelvin Joseph are among the players being considered for the position but no decision has been made.
“Kelvin Joseph had some batted balls today and played a lot with the first team,” Orgeron said. “He has a strong possibility of starting but we have not named a starter yet.”
Orgeron declined to comment on wide receiver Drake Davis who was arrested Friday night for second degree battery of an ex-girlfriend.
According to an arrest warrant, Davis broke the victims ribs in May followed by strangling, punching and ripping an earring from her ear in a separate incident in June.
Davis has yet to be released on bail from East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. If convicted, Davis faces a fine of $2,000 and up to five years in prison.
“Drake Davis is a legal matter and I won’t make any other comments on that,” Orgeron said.
