DePauw opens SCAC season with big win

DePauw running back Jeremiah Marks throws a stiffarm on Centre's Alex Ubelhart.

The DePauw football team opened the 2007 SCAC season with a bang, picking off seven Centre passes on its way to a 38-7 victory over the Colonels Saturday at Blackstock Stadium.

The total tied a school and SCAC record for interceptions.

The Tigers also totaled 435 yards of total offense in moving to 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in the SCAC.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Tigers embarked on an eight-play, 95-yard drive to open the quarter. On the first play of the possession, Spud Dick connected with Chris Gasbarra on a 46-yard reception that really put the Tigers in business.

From there, the Tigers turned mainly to the legs of senior running back Jeremiah Marks, who took his fourth consecutive carry nine yards for the opening score. A Brendan Smith extra point made the score 7-0.

Late in the quarter, DePauw got its first interception from Jevon Pruitt, who returned the pick 45 yards to Centre's 18.

DePauw senior freshman Alex Koors (9) makes a diving touchdown catch over Centre's Tyler Boron in the second quarter Saturday.

Three plays later, Alex Koors made a diving catch on the right side of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown catch. Smith's kick made it 14-0 Tigers with 26 seconds to go in the half.

After the break, Centre quarterback Jarrod Williams' problems really began. On the ninth play of the opening drive, he was intercepted by DePauw's Tarren Collins, who returned the ball 10 yards to the DePauw 39.

On the ensuing drive, DePauw drove 53 yards in nine plays. When the drive stalled at the Centre six yard line, Smith added a field goal to make the score 17-0.

Another Pruitt interception of Williams on the next possession did not lead to a score, but brought Williams' total to three.

With three minutes to go, DePauw took advantage of a short field, with Dick finding Jeff Bonner for a 27-yard touchdown on the third play of the drive. The Tigers led 24-0.

And then things got even worse for the Colonels. Two Williams interceptions with under one minute to go in the third led to 14 DePauw points.

The first was caught by Reed Scherrer and returned to the Centre 21 with 33 seconds to go. Dick found Stephen Horrighs on the next play for the touchdown.

The fifth pick was caught by Mike Sprengnether, who took the ball 42 yards for a touchdown to close the quarter.

With a 24-point third, the Tigers led 38-0.

DePauw added two more interceptions in the fourth, one by Drew DeVilbiss and another by Paul Gbur.

The only scoring of the final stanza came from Centre, who drove 49 yards in nine plays to bring the game to its final 38-7 score with 6:30 to go in the game.

Marks led the Tigers in rushing, with 33 attempts for 164 yards and a touchdown. Dick was 18-of-29 passing for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Gasbarra caught five passes for 88 yards.

J.J. Costello led the DePauw defense with six tackles. Pruitt had two interceptions while five other Tigers had one each.

The Tigers travel to Sewanee at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

At DePauw

Second Quarter

DPU -- Marks 9 run (Smith kick) 12:11

DPU -- Koors 10 pass from Dick (Smith kick) 0:26

Third Quarter

DPU -- Smith 26 field goal 8:55

DPU -- Bonner 27 pass from Dick (Smith kick) 1:45

DPU -- Horrighs 11 pass from Dick (Smith kick) 0:29

DPU -- Sprengnether 42 interception return (Smith kick) 0:00

Fourth Quarter

Cen -- Hodge 1 run (Chadwick kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Centre (1-2, 0-1 SCAC):

Rushing -- (30 carries, 97 yds) -- Porter 13-58, McCaster 4-23, Hodge 5-22, Ware 2-3, Conliffe 1-1, Team 1-(-2), Williams 4-(-8)

Passing -- (17-37-0-1, 135 yds) -- Williams 17-28-0-1, 90 yds; Conliffe 2-8-0-1, 45 yds; Fleming 0-1-0-1, 0 yds

Receiving -- (17 catches, 135 yds) -- Moore 3-50, Hinkel 3-29, Zimmerman 3-3, Boccieri 2-14, Porter 2-2, Barnette 1-17, Stephens 1-9, Mullins 1-8, Ware 1-3

DePauw (2-0, 1-0 SCAC):

Rushing -- (47 carries, 225 yds) -- Marks 33-164, Ford 1-24, Dick 3-22, Campbell 6-20, Moore 2-0, Paus 2-(-5)

Passing -- (18-29-3-0, 210 yds) -- Dick 18-29-3-0, 210 yds

Receiving -- (18 catches, 210 yds) -- Gasbarra 5-88, Bonner 4-45, Mulligan 4-32, Koors 3-32, Horrighs 1-11, Marks 1-2

Next game -- DePauw travels to Sewanee 2:30 p.m. Saturday.