FARGO, N.D.--Both offenses combined for three touchdowns in the final minute of the first half and the defenses pitched a shutout in the second as the Green edged the Gold 21-14 in the annual Outback Steakhouse Spring Football game played Saturday, April 21, before 2,142 spectators at the Fargodome.
North Dakota State honored the 2006 Great West Football Conference champions during a ring and award ceremony prior to the start of the spring game as head coach Craig Bohl was recognized as the GWFC Coach of the Year and Steve Walker received the GWFC Offensive Player of the Year award.
Walker directed the Green and the first offense to a pair of scoring drives and a 14-0 lead on its first two possessions. Walker hit Jerimiah Wurzbacher from 12 yards out to cap the opening drive that covered 43 yards on eight plays. It was set up by a John Majeski 57-yard kickoff return.
The Gold and the second offense were moving inside the redzone, but redshirt freshman Cyrus Lemon stepped in front of a Ryan Parsons pass at the one-yard line and raced 60 yards to put the Green in business.
Walker hooked with Wurzbacher for 24 yards on a key third down play and Tyler Roehl bolted up the middle to score from 11 yards to put the Green ahead 14-0 with 28-seconds left in the first quarter.
Walker completed 7-of-8 passes for 65 yards in the first quarter to three different receivers. The Green offense converted all four third-down conversions. He finished the game 13-of-19 for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
The Gold was moving the ball again at the start of the second quarter, but Shawn Bibeau 's 27-yard field goal attempt was blocked by cornerback David Earl and recovered by free safety Sam Boraas.
After the Gold defense held the first offense on downs with 3:02 left before halftime, sophomore quarterback Nick Mertens guided the second team on a seven play, 57-yard march capped by Mike Brower's one-yard plunge up the middle. Mertens hit redshirt freshman Gary Williams on a pair of key pass plays. The TD strike cut the Green lead to 14-7 with 1:02 left.
Enter Walker, who led the Green offense 65 yards on four plays in 34 seconds. He hit sophomore Jordan Schultenover for 40 yards on third down. Walker then led Schultenover perfectly down the left sideline for a 25-yard touchdown to extend the Green lead to 21-7 with 28-seconds remaining before halftime.
Not be outdone, Mertens responded and took the Gold offense 65 yards on four plays in 26 seconds. Mertens hooked up with Shamen Washington on a 30-yard pass on the first play. After a pair of incompletions, Mertens found redshirt freshman tight end Landon Smith down the middle. Smith fought off a pair of defenders to haul in the 35-yard TD pass and cut the deficit to 21-14 at the half.
Mertens completed 8-of-14 passes for 120 yards and one TD for the Gold offense. Brower rushed 14 times for 81 yards, while Parsons gained 54 yards on 10 carries. Smith caught three passes for 48 yards. For the Green, Roehl rushed eight times for 37 yards and caught four passes for 23 yards. Wurzbacher hauled in four passes for 50 yards.
The defense rested its case in the second half as the offenses could only generate six first downs and 139 yards combined. Lemon's interception was the game's only turnover and there were no fumbles. The Green had 232 yards of total offense including 181 passing, while the Gold finished with 269 yards including 169 yards rushing.
Linebackers Joe Mays and Mike Maresh led the Green first team defense with a game-high dozen tackles. Mays had three tackles for loss and a sack. Defensive end Joe Lardinois had three quarterback hurries, three tackles and a sack. Sophomore strong safety Kyle Belmont had two of the Green's four pass breakups.
The Gold defense was paced by Tyler Henry's nine tackles including 2.5 tackles for loss, while redshirt freshman Matt Anderson added eight tackles including six solos, two tackles for loss and a sack. Lemon added four solo tackles to his interception.
