Running backs shine in final scrimmage for Wolf Pack

RENO - Friday's final tuneup for the University of Nevada football team before its season opener at Oregon had plenty in the way of exciting plays on both sides of the ball.

The Wolf Pack opens against Oregon in a noon contest at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

For Nevada in its scrimmage last Friday, a host of running backs displayed their talents, led by senior co-captain Adrien Dugas with an 80-yard touchdown run. Freshman Josh Griffin added a 56-yard scamper during the 90-minute scrimmage.

Dugas added a five-yard touchdown and a pair of one-yard scoring plunges, while Griffin contributed a 10-yard touchdown pass from red-shirt freshman quarterback Chad Satterwhite, a redshirt freshman out of Galena High School.

Red-shirt freshman back Marquis Starks took a 50-yard screen pass from junior quarterback David Neill in for a score. Starks also scored on a one-yard scoring run and added a 42-yard run during his tour of duty. A fourth running back got into the scoring act when junior Jesse Twist crossed the goal line on a two-yard pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Gotta, a McQueen High product.

The longest scoring pass play was a 15-yarder from sophomore quarterback Brett Staninger to sophomore wide receiver Aaron Carter. Senior cornerback and return specialist Del Bates displayed his speed with a 75-yard kickoff return and Paul Jolley displayed talent and speed with a 33-yard punt return. Defensively, Aaron Dean had a 45-yard interception return of a Stanninger pass and freshman cornerback Humphrey Garrett provided an interception to thwart a first-half drive.

Damon Fine, a freshman, connected on a 33-yard field goal attempt, while senior Mike Phillips and Ray Sanchez, a junior from Carson City, missed their attempts at the same distance. Phillips also handled most of the punting chores.