I replayed my tape of the Senior Bowl and offer the following notes by quarter. It’s not my intent to recap the play-by-play, I’m only pointing out the notable things that don’t show up in the typical stat page. Also, I’m a Panther fan so you’ll notice I’m more focused on positions of need for the Panthers (OL, WR, S) and less on the positions of no immediate need for the Panthers (LB, QB) in my opinion.
1st Quarter
North – 1st Offensive Drive – WR Lavelle Hawkins (Cal) had a nice return on the kick-off. On 3rd and short Henne’s pass is knocked down at the line by DT Marcus Harrison (Ark)
South – 1st Offensive Drive – On 2nd down QB Colt Brennan had nice Play action roll out to his right where he hit the TE Jacob Tamme (Kentucky) in stride for a 1st down. On the next play Brennan threw short over the middle behind his receiver into double coverage and was picked by LB Dan Conner (PSU). His throwing motion looked side-armed and awkward. Easy pick for Conner.
North – 2nd – 1st play QB Chad Henne (Mich) throws deep, short and to the outside of his receiver Hawkins who plays off the receiver for a TD. 36 yards. Defending was DB Chevis Jackson (LSU). North 7 South 0
South - 2nd – RB Raphael Little (Kentucky) goes off the left tackle Chris Williams (Vandy) block for 18 yards. RB Matt Forte (Tulane) then takes a draw play and runs over LB Conner for 8 yards. On 2nd down Brennan is sacked by DE Lawrence Jackson (USC) who went unblocked when the TE Cole Bennett (Auburn) didn’t chip block him. On 3rd down Brennan throws behind his receiver on a 10 yard slant. Punt
North – 3rd – Short run, fumbled snap, bass pass, 3 and out. Punt. Blogger comment: I know this is not an original observation but I have to say Chad Henne reminds me of Tom Brady in his Michigan helmet and the way he walks up to the line and barks the snap count.
South – 3rd – 1st down Brennan sacked by DT Trevor Laws (ND) who cooked RG Cody Wallace (Texas A&M). Brennan makes his best pass of the day for a first down to WR Donnie Avery (Houston) on a 10 yd slant. RB Jacob Hester then makes a tough hard run lead by a nice block from OL Steve Justice (Wake). On 3rd down Forte takes a misdirection pitch to left for big yards but then fumbles after big hits from DB DeJuan Tribble (BC) and LB David Rivers (USC). North recovers.
North - 4th – Josh Booty (USC) at QB. On 2nd down DB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (TSU) recovers nicely to defend a pass to the outside. Blogger Note: This kid is the whole package and plays either CB or safety and he returns punts. Booty hits WR Jordy Nelson (KSU) on a come backer for a 1st down. Nice tippy toes on the sideline by Nelson.
2nd Quarter
3rd and short, RB Dantrell Savage (OkState) run stuffed. On 4th down at the Souths’ 37 yard line the North goes for it and Savage is stuffed again on the short run.
South - 4th – Andre Woodson (Kentucky) at QB; On 3rd down the screen play gets blown up as the ball is knocked out of Woodson hands and caught in the air by DT Laws. RG Robert Felton (Ark)whiffed on his block of Laws. Blogger Note: This Laws kid was ND’s MVP and looked real good. He came into the game underrated but is sure to move up after smoking two All-Star guards. Red zone turnover.
North - 5th – With the short field Booty throws 2 straight bad passes. From the 9 yd line, on 3rd down he rolls right and tries to hit a TE in the back of the end zone but throws short and is picked by DB Quentin Demps (UTEP). Demps returns it 27 yards plus a 15 yard penalty on the North
South - 5th – Woodson @ QB; From the South 42 RB Tashard Choice (GT baby!) gets around the left end and lays a hit on DB Tracy Porter (Ind) after a 14 yard gain. It fires up the South sideline. Hester makes a nice grab in the flat for a nice gain. From the 6 yard line Woodson hits the monster TE Brad Cottam (Tenn) for a TD. It was right to left TE drag that Woodson waited patiently for him to get open. Easy pass and catch.
North – 6th – Joe Flacco (Del) at QB. From their 32 yd line, 6 rushes by RB Yvenson Bernard (OrgState) and two 15 yard penalties (one each) put the ball at he South 46 yard line. Flacco then tries to go deep to Hawkins but is picked by Cromartie at the 8 yd line. Bad pass by Flacco but also a nice INT by Cromartie.
South – 6th – Woodson overthrows Hester and then on a pass play Woodson is sacked by DT Sedrick Ellis (USC) for a safety. Ellis cooked RG Lichtenstieger (Bowling Green).
North – 7th – Tom Zbikowski returns the punt 38 yards to the Souths’ 33. Flacco hits WR Eddie Royal (VT) for a nice 9 yard out to the sideline. LB Wesley Woodyard (kent) makes a nice tackle in the flat to prevent a big play. From the 5 yard line WR Adarius Bowman (OkState) looks like he has a TD but the refs overrule it. BS call. He had it. K Alexis Sema misses a 22 yard FG. It may have been a bad hold cause it was ugly going way wide right and a low line drive.
3rd Quarter
South - 7th – Eric Ainge (Tenn) at QB; Nice WR screen to WR Harry Douglas (Louisville) for 9 yards. Forte makes a nice run and later a nice catch both for 7 yards; Choice catches a slant for 23 yards; On 3rd down from the 9 yard line WR DJ Hall (Bama) drops a pass. K Brandon Coutu (UGA) misses a 33 yard field goal. Looked like a good hold from Ray Guy Award Winning P Durant Brooks (GT baby). Coutu pushed it wide right. Blogger Note: It’s highly likely the GT punter just wanted the UGA kicker to look bad...hee hee. This drive burned 7 minutes off the clock.
North – 7th – Henne at QB; 3 and out as they do nothing. Bad pass on 3rd down defensed by Cromartie. Punt.
South – 8th – From their own 4 yard line, Choice on a run and then Forte on a pass pick up 1st downs. Ainge hits Avery down the sideline for 11 yards; Wr Andre Caldwell runs an end around for 12 yards (the same play the South later wins the game on). The drive stalls when Ainge is stopped on a sneak on 4th and 1 at the 40. Zbikowski makes the stop.
North – 8th – M. Smith drops a pass; RB Chauncey Washington (USC) makes a nice 13 yard run off left tackle.
4th Quarter
Washington again gashes the South for 9 yds; Henne then hits TE Martin Rucker (Mizz) for a 6 yd TD. Easy pass and catch as he broke left and beat the LB by a step.
South - 9th – Brennan throws two bad passes and on 3rd down is flushed from the pocket and scrambles for 3 yds. Punt.
North - 9th – Booty hits Bowman for 16 yard on a nice grab. Booty then fumbles on a sack. Recovered by DT Red Bryant (Texas A&M). Not sure how he lost that I don’t know.
South – 10th – From the North’s 38, Woodson hits DJ Hall fro 12 yards and Forte makes his best run of the day as he shows a burst for 17 yards. The drive stalls and South settles for a FG making it a 6 point game.
North – 10th – Booty to Hawkins for 14 yards deep out, a really nice catch by Hawkins. RB Justin Forsett (Cal) converts a 3rd and 3 showing tough running for a little guy. LB Woodyard missed the tackle. Booty makes a nice pass to TE Rucker. Then a bad pass on 3rd down. On 4th and 1 from the 14 the North passes on the 32 yd FG and Forsett is stuffed by DT Harrison. The FG would have made it a 9 point game.
South – 11th – After 3 bad plays on 4th and 10 Ainge hits WR Caldwell for 12 yards. Caldwell displays smarts by making the catch, wrapping up the ball and dropping to save time. This is what you get when you draft seniors. Two plays later Ainge hits Douglas on a crossing pattern then jukes a defender to go for 23 yards. This kid has moves. A screen pass to Forte then goes for 13 yards. The South blocked those screens real well all game. After 3 incomplete passes from the 2 yard line Caldwell gets the call and wins the game. He came around the end and split two defenders to just get into the end zone. I enjoyed the hell out of that finish (since I was pulling for the South).
The South had the better defense and if not for 3 first half turnovers I think the South would have won by 2 TD’s.