Injury puts damper on Blue-Gold Scrimmage

Fobbs Q&A on Blue-Gold scrimmage
GREENSBORO, March 31, 2007 – North Carolina A&T linebacker Brandon Long said it’s hard to forget going winless, but emphasized it’s easy to move forward and look toward better days in Aggies football.

Long and his defensive teammates made enough stops to win the annual Blue-Gold Spring Football Game at Aggie Stadium, 21-12.  The defense was given one point for forcing a punt and two points for preventing the offense from getting a first down. The spring game ended 13 days of spring practice in March where the Aggies started every practice at 6 a.m,, save for Saturdays.

The Aggies defense opened the game by preventing the offense from earning a first down on its first four possessions. On the fifth possession the defense continued to play well, but an unfortunate incident halted the game for a significant time.

“Our defensive coaches are doing an outstanding job,’’ said head coach Lee Fobbs. “When we walked into spring practice, I told them we didn’t want to be playing on our heels this fall. We want  to get on our toes and get after people.”

Safety Brandon Ringgold, who missed all of last season, went to make a tackle on Aggies running back Chaz Truesdale for a loss, but after the tackle Ringgold laid motionless on the Aggie Stadium field. After the scrimmage head football coach Lee Fobbs told reporters Ringgold had feelings in his hand and his feet.

After the defense took a 15-0 lead, the Aggies offense entered the end zone for the first time with a score from Clemson transfer Demmerick Chancellor. Chancellor would score again in the fourth quarter for the Offense’s two scores.

The Aggies also did situational drives like putting the offense deep in its own territory or put the offense in goal line situations, which put the defense in a difficult situation. Offensively, wide receivers Giorgio Lowrance and Michael Caldwell played well, both scoring during goal line situations.

Several of the Aggies 2006 standouts didn’t play such as leading receiver Curtis Walls, second-leading receiver Andre Garth, leading rusher Michael Ferguson and leading tackler Andre Thornton.