April 22, 2000
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Blue Team, comprised of first- and second-team players,defeated the White Team, comprised of second- and third-teamers, 45-21,in the annual University of Kentucky Blue/White Spring Football GameSaturday night in Lexington’s Commonwealth Stadium.
UK’s top two quarterbacks each had their share of highlights.Dusty Bonner completed 19 of 30 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns, including scoring bombs of 78 and 59 yards to wide receiverDerek Abney. Bonner also connected on a 14-yard TD pass to tight endDerek Smith.
In the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Jared Lorenzen enteredthe game and guided the Blue team to two touchdowns and a field goal.Lorenzen completed 22 of 33 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns, afive-yard TD to wide receiver Neal Brown and a nine-yard TD to widereceiver Quentin McCord.
“Jared did great tonight,” Coach Hal Mumme said after the game.”He had a lot of good plays.”
Smith led all receivers in catches with eight for 106 yards andone TD. Abney had the most yardage, with all 137 yards coming on histwo touchdown catches.
“Derek (Smith) is probably the best athlete on the field.That’s what the defensive coaches say after every practice,” Mumme said.”He had a great spring and he is going to be great in the fall. We aredeep at the position with Chase Harp and Bobby Blizzard.”
As he has done all spring, running back Artose Pinner turned ina steady performance as a runner and receiver. He rushed six times for38 yards and caught six passes for 59 yards.
Meanwhile, the White team had its own highlights. After thevarsity took the field in the second quarter – following the alumni gamein the first quarter – quarterback Mark Perry directed a 55-yard scoringdrive. Perry’s 10-yard rainbow pass to wide receiver Anthony Kelly on acorner route provided the touchdown. Quarterback Mark Anleitner had apair of 80-yard touchdown passes, one each to Kelly and wide receiverErnest Simms.
A couple of White team defensive players turned in notableperformances. Linebacker Jed Bassett led all tacklers with 12 stops andalso had an interception. Cornerback Derrick Tatum had four passbreakups, most coming on bombs in which he matched the wide receiverstride-for-stride.
The fact that the White team had its share of big plays bodeswell for the team, indicating that Mumme and his staff are indeedbeginning to build the depth they have been seeking since their arrivalin Lexington in 1997.
A Mumme tradition at UK has been the first quarter of the springgame played as touch football by the UK alumni. This year was more ofthe same as the grads returned to play on the Commonwealth Stadium fieldonce again. The Blue alumni generated the only touchdown, a 24-yardpass from Eric Green to Cornell Burbage. Tommy Griggs added the extrapoint. Thus, the Blue led the White, 7-0, when the varsity beganplaying in the second quarter.
The Blue/White Game marks the end of spring workouts for theWildcats, who practiced 15 times since March 29. The Wildcats will havefinal exams May 1-5. Most of the players will return to Lexington inthe summer for strength and conditioning workouts. Practice will resumein August, and the season opener is 133 days away – September 2 atLouisville.
“We need to get stronger, get in the weight room,” said Mumme ofhis team’s goals before the season opener. “We need to keep doing whatwe are doing. We need to have a lot of basic physical development.”
