Coach Bryce Monsen wanted to play his projected starters only long enough for them to get into a game-type flow, preferring to take a longer look at Temple’s younger players who are striving for varsity positions and playing time in a program that’s 11-2 in district games the last two seasons.
The Wildcats’ star senior-to-be backfield tandem of running back Lache Seastrunk and fullback Derrick Davis had a conservative total of 10 carries. Seastrunk ran for 47 yards, including a shifty 4-yard touchdown and a 25-yard burst, and the bruising Davis rushed for 42 yards with a long charge of 20.
The other two touchdowns came on a tough 1-yard run by Stedman Moore - more known for his hard hits at linebacker - and Cody Hannon’s 10-yard pass to Matt Wells in the left flat.
Monsen said he saw what he had wanted to see - good all-around effort, solid hitting and, maybe most important, no significant injuries.
“It was like any other spring game. I was proud of our effort but obviously we have a lot of things to work on,” Monsen said after his squad completed its three weeks of spring workouts. “Nobody got hurt and I thought our young kids did an outstanding job.”
Likely the most impressive performance of the evening was turned in by Temple’s first-team defense to close it.
Facing an offense directed by junior quarterback Jeviah Amos, the Wildcats’ top defenders - led by linebackers Davis and Moore and active linemen - swarmed the ball and forced a combined loss of 17 yards in 12 plays.
“That first-team defense has the ability to stop the run and get to the football,” Monsen said. “It’s a very athletic group. But there’s a lot of little things they still need to work on.”
One of the nation’s highest-rated recruits among incoming seniors, Seastrunk didn’t appear to be physically limited despite missing almost all of the track and field season with a hamstring injury. Saying he’s “never rusty,” he displayed good lateral quickness and changed direction twice on the 4-yard score up the middle.
Seastrunk likes the potential of teaming up with fullback Davis and wingbacks Moore and Quinston Trejo in the Wildcats’ ground-powered Wing-T attack.
“It’s scary, because nobody’s going to know who to key on,” said Seastrunk, who likely will become Temple’s all-time leading rusher in its Sept. 4 opener against Cedar Park at Wildcat Stadium.
Monsen joked that he’d never hear the end of it if two-time honorable-mention all-state player Seastrunk had gotten injured during a scrimmage, but he knew he needed to get him on the field - albeit on a very limited schedule.
“We just wanted him to get a feel tonight,” he said. “Those are his buddies and he wants to be out there with him.”
Monsen said his directive to the Wildcats as they enter the summer is clear.
“The simple message is that there’s no time off,” he said. “The district champion is not sleeping, so they know what’s going on. I told them, ‘Coach will see ya’ll Tuesday.’ They understand what it takes.”
NOTES: Quinton Franklin broke loose for a 40-yard run to the right side to set up Hannon’s quick TD pass to Wells. . . . Isaac Matamoros, Amos, Parker Brown and Hannon alternated at quarterback.
gwille@temple-telegram.com
