Copy of Minot Daily News story (link)

Things coming together for MSU

By MICHAEL LINNELL, Sports Editor mlinnell@minotdailynews.com

On the final day of spring football practice, Minot State University started to put things together.

The Beavers finished the spring drills with a controlled scrimmage Thursday, working offense against defense for nearly an hour and a half as both units put together solid outings.

“I think for about two-thirds of the practice, we looked pretty good. We looked like a football team,” MSU head coach Paul Rudolph said. “Sure, there are some things that we will need to work on, but I thought it went pretty well.”

The Beavers have a team meeting next week and then breaks until fall camp.

“We will meet on Monday and try to give them the things we want them to do over the summer,” Rudolph said.

The scrimmage featured spirited play from the offense and defense. Highlighting the defense was a solid interception and what would have been a return for a score but the play was whistled dead by defensive back Travis Harmon. Harmon picked off the pass at the line of scrimmage and had nothing but green in front of him, but interceptions — MSU's Kenny Landrum also picked off a pass — were whistled dead early after the interception.

No score was kept in the scrimmage and plays were set from specific areas on the field throughout.

“That was a great play,” Rudolph said of Harmon's interception. “What made it a great play was he missed that a couple times during the week. He made a great read and a great play.”

One of the first people to congratulate Harmon was Rudolph, who normally works with the offense.

“We are a team, first,” Rudolph said. “Like I have said, football is like a three-legged stool — offense, defense and special teams. It was exciting when one end does something like that.”

The offense had its share of solid plays, especially going with misdirection and counter running plays as well as play-action passing. The former set up the latter as MSU quarterbacks found success with both the short passing game that worked in the first scrimmage and a new-found deep ball.

“We were still trying to put in some things, so some aspects looked better than others,” Rudolph said. “We were kind of overloaded, so to speak at times. We didn't have the whole package down early, but, again, I thought we looked like a football team more (Thursday).

“It has been my teaching style for, what, close to 18 years. Give them the whole thing, and then break the individual things down.”

The Beavers open the 2007 season against Rocky Mountain College (Mont.) at Miles City, Mont. Sept. 1.

Michael Linnell/MDN Minot State University head coach Paul Rudolph, right, congratulates defensive back Travis Harmon after Harmon intercepted a pass during a controlled scrimmage Thursday at Herb Parker Stadium.