Photo: TSU Jr. QB Antonio Heffner, 6-2/195Heffner's three TDs lead Tigers to win
By MIKE ORGAN, The Tennessean
COOKEVILLE — Tennessee State's quarterback carried the Tigers to victory while another quarterback was carried off the field for Tennessee Tech.
Antonio Heffner threw three first-half touchdowns sending TSU on its way to a 45-28 win over the Golden Eagles, who ran out of quarterbacks during the Ohio Valley Conference showdown before 9,369 fans at Tucker Stadium.
Heffner's outstanding performance helped TSU (3-3, 2-0 OVC) score its most points in a game under Coach James Webster. It was the most points TSU has scored since the final game of 2001, when the Tigers beat Jackson State 64-33.
Before the game, Tech (4-3, 2-3) already was down to its third-string QB, freshman Cass Barnes. Lee Sweeney tore his medial collateral ligament last month and backup Josh Lowery broke his wrist last Saturday against Austin Peay.
Barnes, a native of Tullahoma, was attempting to slide to the turf when he suffered a concussion and deep cut to his mouth with 57 seconds remaining in the first half. The braces on Barnes' teeth were embedded into his lower lip and he was unable to speak to trainers.
"What's new? I've seen it for three straight weeks,'' Tech Coach Watson Brown said. "I sat there and watched another one go down."
It was TSU's fourth consecutive win over Tennessee Tech.
Since Tech did not have another QB on the roster, Steven Brown, Watson's son, moved from wide receiver. Steven Brown had played quarterback in high school but has been a receiver since he began college.
He transferred to Tech when Watson became the Golden Eagles coach.
Unfamiliar position
Steven Brown struggled at the helm of an offense that he obviously was limited in, while Heffner was spectacular throughout the game, both running and throwing the ball. Heffner punished Tech's defense by throwing for 138 yards and rushing for 139.
It was the best game Heffner has played since transferring from South Carolina in 2006.
"People wanted me to waver on Heffner and I've never wavered on Heffner,'' Webster said. "I told the team, he's our quarterback and he's going to be our quarterback and he's going to be OK. I've said it all along, he can run the ball, he can throw the ball. He proved that tonight."
Photo: Jr. RB Javarris Williams, 5-11/215
Help from WilliamsTSU also got a big night from tailback Javarris Williams who rushed for 139 yards on 14 carries and scored two TDs.
Steven Brown eventually found a bit of a groove and was able to move Tech's offense in spurts. He completed 9-of-14 passes for 105 yards with one interception.
"You've got to do what you've got to do,'' Steven Brown said. "They threw a lot of different zones at us and they have a very fast defense that got us in trouble."
Barnes, who had not completed a pass before the game, threw a touchdown on his first pass. It was a 1-yard toss to fullback Daniel Jackson, which tied the game 7-7 in the first quarter.
Tech fumbled the ball eight times and lost three of them.
Barnes completed 5-of-6 passes for 44 yards and was playing well before he was hurt, according to Brown.
"He is a tough kid," Brown said. "I don't ever want any kid to have to go through what he did out there."
Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands (Song: Praise is what I do)
No comments:
Post a Comment