Football Concludes Drills With Spring Game

4/15/2017 7:41:00 PM | Football

By: Columbia University Athletics

NEW YORK—Junior quarterback Anders Hill threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as Columbia completed its 12-practice spring schedule with its annual Buffalo Wild Wings Spring Football Game Saturday at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium.

The spring game marked the final of 12 NCAA mandated spring practices for the Lions. It was actually the second spring scrimmage for the program as it brought in officials last Sunday for a 60-play scrimmage. Following the scrimmage, attendees were invited to Columbia Football's annual cookout.

In a pass-heavy scrimmage, Hill was efficient as he completed 14 of 23 passes for 197 yards in six series of action. His first touchdown pass was a 22-yarder to freshman Christian Everett on his second series of the scrimmage. On the second play of his third series, he faked a handoff and ran for a 10-yard touchdown. Then later in the scrimmage, he found freshman receiver Kaleb Pitts open in the corner of the end zone for a 33-yard TD pitch and catch.

“Anders comes back with seven-plus games under his belt, a lot snaps from the year before,” Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football Al Bagnoli said. “He's also done a nice job. He works really hard, he's been prepping really hard, watching a lot of film, he's been working on his skill and Coach Santos has done an awesome job. It's been really great to see and he's making a lot of progress, which is great for us.”

Leading the Lions in receptions was freshman Josh Wainwright, who caught a game-high five passes for 60 yards. In addition, Everett made four receptions for a game-best 77 yards and a touchdown, sophomore Tre Gabriel finished with four catches for 26 yards and Pitts added two receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Van Neils led the Lions in rushing with 12 carries for 42 yards.

Defensive highlights for the Lions included a safety, two interceptions, nine pass breakups and two sacks. Junior cornerback Cameron Roane tackled Wainwright in the end zone for a safety. Junior Tyler Holmes intercepted both passes, the first in which he anticipated the play and stepped in and made a phenomenal play to catch the ball. Nine different players either blocked passes or batted away balls in the backfield.

Roane, sophomore Jacob Young and sophomore Ryan Gilbert all led the Lions with four tackles apiece, while freshmen Hunter Lunsford, Benjamin McKeighan and Michael Murphy each finished with three tackles apiece.

Freshman placekicker Oren Milstein converted two field goals, including a 32-yarder and 45-yarder.

Bagnoli put Columbia's entire 12 spring practices in perspective.

“For the first time in anybody's career here, we're in the same offensive system,” he said. “We're a lot further along than we've been in the past and I think it shows. It was a lot cleaner than it was at this time last year and maybe even in the fall. When you add up all time we've been in the Bubble indoors to hone our skills, throw catch, pass, defend, transition, and then you come out here, practice one of spring football is not the mechanics of football. You've already done it 20 times so you're a lot smoother. We are much more accustomed to a system, but also much more further along in skills. It's been good to see. We are ahead of schedule from where I thought we'd be.”

“Today, it was give and take on both sides: offense and defense. Both sides can walk away with their heads up.”

After Saturday, the next time Columbia Football will gather for a full practice will be in mid-to-late August. The Lions will welcome the 2017 freshman class in August prior to its season opener against Wagner on Saturday, September 16.

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CAPTAINS NAMED

After the scrimmage, Bagnoli gathered the team around to announce 2017 team captains. The four players who will enter the fall as captains are junior quarterback Anders Hill, junior offensive lineman Bewley Wales, junior defensive lineman Lord Hyeamang and junior defensive back Landon Baty.

OFFENSIVE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Kaleb Pitts, WR, Freshman

Pitts made two nice catches for 38 yards and a touchdown on the day. He hauled in a 33-yard pass in the end zone from quarterback Anders Hill toward the end of the scrimmage.

DEFENSIVE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Tyler Holmes, DB, Junior

With the pass-heavy scrimmage, Holmes intercepted two passes on the day, broke up another pass and made one tackle. His first interception was spectacular as he anticipated the ball and went and picked it off. The second pick dropped in his hands.

SCRIMMAGE STATISTICS AND PLAY-BY-PLAY

SCORING

Touchdown: Anders Hill pass compete to Christian Everett 22-yard touchdown, no PAT

Field Goal: Oren Milstein converts 34-yard field goal

Field Goal: Chris Alleyne converts 22-yard field goal

Touchdown: Anders Hill fake handoff, ran 10 yards around the left end for a touchdown, Noah Zgrablich converts PAT

Safety: Anders Hill pass complete to Josh Wainwright, tackled in the end zone by Cameron Roane for a safety

Field Goal: Oren Milstein converts 45-yard field goal

Touchdown: Anders Hill sacked, then completes 33-yard touchdown pass to Kaleb Pitts, Noah Zgrablich converts PAT

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: Tanner Thomas 2-6, Ryan Suitt 3-11, Van Neils 12-42, Matt Dame 3-4, Anders Hill 6-(-3), TD, Alex Gibson 4-9, Daniel Hong 1-(-10).

Passing: Anders Hill 14-23, 197 yards, 2 TD, Ryan Suitt 4-9, 14 yards, INT, Matt Dame 4-8, 24 yards, Daniel Hong 2-4, 16 yards, INT.

Receiving: Josh Wainwright 5-60, Christian Everett 4-77, TD, Tre Gabriel 4-26, Kaleb Pitts 2-38, TD, Ronald Smith 2-14, Tanner Thomas 1-7, Alex Gibson 1-7, Kyle Castner 1-7, Van Neils 1-2, Marcus Briscoe 2-13, Christian Boujaoude 1-8.

Defensive Statistics: Cameron Roane 4 tackles, 1 pass breakup, safety, Hunter Lunsford 3 tackles, 1 pass breakup, Tyler Holmes 1 tackle, 1 pass breakup, 2 interceptions, Dylan Weldon 2 tackles, 1 pass breakup, Daniel DeLorenzi 2 tackles, Ryan Gilbert 4 tackles, Lord Hyeamang 1 pass breakup, Zach O'Neill 1 pass breakup, Justin Hill 2 tackles, Liam Talty 2 tackles, Charles Melka 1 tackle, Taylor Weldon 1 pass breakup, Jacob Young 4 tackles, Parker Tobia 2 tackles, Benjamin McKeighan 3 tackles, 1 pass breakup, Michael Murphy 3 tackles, Jonathon Webster 2 tackles, Alex Holme 1 tackle, Arman Samouk 1 tackle, 1.0 sack, 1.0 tackle for loss, Calvin Falkenhayn 1 tackle, Sean White, 1 tackle, 1.0 sack, 1.0 tackle for loss, Alex Robin 2 tackles, Connor Heeb 2 tackles, 1 pass breakup.